Writing an outstanding college essay is a prerequisite to getting into an exceptional university. Without an impressive essay, your chances of being accepted into the university of your choice are slim. So, if you’re a high-school junior, it’s time to get started. It’s time to learn how to write an exceptional personal statement. Telling your personal story to your favorite college is a work of art after all. Your unique background and personality will decide whether you get in or not – but only if you put it in writing. Here’s how you can get started.
In This Article
1. Understand the purpose of this assignment
The first step is to understand the purpose of this process – why do you have to write a college essay and how will it help you? The answer is simple. Your personal statement will help colleges get a better understanding of who you are, what your interests are, and how you’ll contribute to the university. You’ve just graduated high-school and you’ve got to prove that you’re ready to attend college. An application essay will demonstrate just that. As I mentioned before, don’t forget to introduce your passions, goals, history (if necessary), and reasons for applying.
2. Know whom you’re addressing
You will be speaking to an admissions committee. They will decide whether you’re a good fit for the university or not. That means that you’ve only got one chance to prove to them that you’re the perfect choice for them. So, what’s beyond those test scores and exam grades? How can you help them trust you? Avoid talking about your accomplishments. Avoid stating facts. Try to expand on who you are as a person. That’s what your audience really wants to know.
3. Show them the real you
…which brings me to the next point, which is, show them who you truly are. Do not fake it, stay real and honest. Show them who you are by talking about your actions. Are you proud of how you’ve acted in the past? What made you the person you are today? Remember a time when you’ve experienced a difficult situation – how did you overcome it and bounce back? Why are you here? Examine how your experiences shaped you.
4. Be authentic
Forget about what the college committee wants to hear. What would you like to hear were you in their shoes? What would get your attention? The answer is usually quite obvious – authenticity. The power to be yourself and not be ashamed of who you are. The strength to believe in your actions and follow your intuition. Be yourself and you’ll become a strong candidate.
5. Ask for help
Writing your college essay might take hours, days, weeks. At some point, you might run out of ideas or experience writer’s block. If that’s the case, you could overcome this situation by asking for help. Many online services offer essay writing for college admission to help students get into their college of choice. You could set up an online appointment with any writer from Edubirdie and get the help that you need. Asking for help from an expert writer ensures immediate success. You will be able to communicate with your writer and exchange ideas, which can be of great help when you’re stuck.
6. Stay original, don’t be a copycat
When your teacher asks you to write an essay on the second world war, for example, he or she will expect pretty much the same answer from the whole class. However, when it comes to writing such an important admissions essay, your audience will expect the opposite. The admissions committee will expect you to stand out, catch their eye, grab their attention. They want you to be as original as you can get. They want you to write about your experiences as if you’d have lived them yesterday. No one sees the world as you do, so staying original will “win your case.”
7. Start early
You’ve got to start early if you want to impress your audience. As I mentioned before, writing your personal statement might take days or even weeks (sometimes months). You need to write several drafts before the final essay, so starting early is the only way to do that. You’ve got a lot of work to do – make sure that your ideas flow logically, reveal something beautiful but subtle about yourself, etc. Your voice can only be heard if you take the time to write your application essay. Otherwise, rushing through it might not get you in.
8. Have someone edit your essay
Reading your essay so many times might hinder your ability to see through your mistakes. This is why you should have someone edit your essay for you. They should check your content for errors, grammar mistakes, and plagiarism.
9. Be funny… as circumstances allow
If you’re trying too hard to be funny, you might make no one laugh. Instead of putting yourself in that position, stay true to your humor and use it adequately. If humor comes to you while writing, try including it into your essay but never force it. If it flows, it flows; if it doesn’t, it shouldn’t be there.
10. Avoid cliches
Forget about cliches! They’re boring and they’ll only make you less credible in front of the admissions committee. Remember that there are hundreds if not thousands of other students applying for the same program as you are, the committee will go with originality and authenticity above anything else.
Wrapping Up
To write an outstanding application letter, use your inner voice to express your personality and stay true to what you believe in. Follow the college essay application guidelines and ask for help if necessary. Don’t forget to have someone edit your essay for you before submitting it. Start early and avoid cliches! Good luck!
