A college essay may be the one piece of the application puzzle that sets you apart--or sets you aside. While the college application allows you to list your accomplishments, the essay provides insight into your personality, goals and ideals. Some essays may be prompted with a question; others may be more open-ended, as in "Write your personal statement."
Grab Their Attention
The recipient of your college essay will spend an average of only one to two minutes reading your prose. If you don't grab his attention from the outset, you may not grab it at all. Your opening sentence should be original and reflect your personality. Don't begin with "I," "It" or "There." If your opening sentence reads as an intro into your bio, the reader may not read past the first line.
"I've always wanted to attend the University of Miami," for example, is already understood, as you're submitting an application to the University of Miami. Instead, determine what sets you apart from someone with the same SAT score and GPA. It may be a travel experience, a family crisis, a job opportunity or a volunteer position. Write about the experience, but don't insist on writing the first sentence first. Try writing the body, then insert a thoughtful introductory sentence. You may find you are more focused well into the process.
Watch Your Voice
The voice of your essay should be active, not passive. Engage yourself in the action you are describing. For example, "A life-changing event led me to decide I want to be a social worker" reads better when the passive voice is removed: "After working summers with underprivileged youth, I know that I can make a difference in the lives of young people." The wording shifts from something that happened to the writer to something the writer did.
Avoid using cliches and famous quotes. The reader has likely heard them before. Give your intro your voice, not the voice of an orator. Also, avoid using vague adjectives such as "exciting," "interesting" or "incredible." At the same time, however, don't rely on the thesaurus to write your essay. If you do, it will show.
Answer the Question
If the application provides a specific question, answer it. Your opening sentence should lead seamlessly into the body paragraphs without summarizing. Let your application list your activities and accomplishments. If the essay is, instead, a personal statement, pose your own question so that you can stay focused and not rewrite your bio. No matter the topic, your essay should provide a view of your ideals, your experiences, your position and your personality.
The bottom line: Don't write to the admission's staff. Write to the topic at hand and make the reader want to read further down the page.
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