Application Essays: Writing From the Heart

Do you want to write applications essays which are honest and original? This article will show you how you can write essays that really speak from the heart.

Before getting accepted at a certain school or university for your chosen college or graduate course, completing your application essay should be given due to priority first. The essay is an excellent means for you to discuss about yourself, why you want to take up the course at your chosen school, and how you can make a difference to society and in your chosen field once you graduate and step into the real world. A sincere and interesting essay will surely capture the attention of the selection committee so writing from the heart is extremely important.

Why writing from the heart is good for your application essay

The selection committee will want to get a glimpse of your personality through your essay. Thus, an essay that is written from the heart will be better appreciated than one that has formal, lifeless tones. One of the most effective means to make your essay more open and honest is by citing examples. Writing generalized statements is fine, but don’t forget to add concrete examples afterward. This will make your composition more original and heartfelt.

When you write from the heart you also tend to make your essay more organized. This is because you choose certain events that really contribute to your essay rather than just stuffing it with fillers in an attempt at making the composition appear longer and more complete. When writing personal statements, less is more. Although you may recount relevant experiences and accounts to make your essay authentic, you still need to be selective with your content and choose a cohesive theme.

Essay writing tips to keep your essay personal and sincere

There are several tips that you can follow in order to make your essay more honest.

– First off, you need to include genuine accounts, experiences, and personal anecdotes. This will give your essay a more personal theme

– Avoiding the use of cliches is also important. When you use excessive cliches, your essay will sound more contrived and not at all sincere and original.

– Give examples where you can. If you must use general statements, this is fine, but make sure that you cite examples and that you provide insights into your experiences.

– Give attention to details. If there is one way to make your essay stand out, it is through vivid details that really tell a story.

Related questions:

1. Why is it important to write a sincere application essays?
2. Why is it better not to use cliches in your essays?
3. Is it necessary to cite examples or just generalize your thoughts?

How to write an application statement

An application statement is an essay used by students when they are applying to college, university, MBA programs, law school, graduate programs, or private high schools/competitive public high school programs. Just like any essay, an application statement is composed of an introduction, a body, and the conclusion. This post gives you some basic tips on how to write a winning application statement.

An application statement is not a resume

Don’t treat your application essay as an expanded version of your resume. Don’t merely this style your academic credentials, your extracurricular activities, your own warrants, and other achievements. The application essay must primarily be an essay. An essay, by definition, seeks to convince the reader to believe an argument or to do something. Let’s compare a resume entry with an application essay paragraph. A resume entry uses active words, to summarize a particular activity or achievement or accomplishment. A persuasive essay paragraph starts with the conclusion, proceeds to our argue that conclusion by referencing facts, and concludes with a reiteration of the conclusion.

Stay focused on your thesis

In essence, a strong essay paragraph uses the facts of the resume and reorganizes them based on themes. These re-organized themes support, a central argument or thesis. The thesis of your application essay is that you are qualified for admission to the school that you are applying to and that school should admit you. There are very few variations to this thesis, because it is the ultimate goal of any application essay, personal statement, statement of purpose, admissions essay, or personal statement essay.

Accordingly, your whole essay must proceed from and give support to your thesis. Any other sentence, paragraph, or even idea that deviates from your thesis must be edited out. There must be no distractions from your central theme. Each and every word of your essay must support and need to your thesis.

Differentiating between a statement and an essay

While the application statement may be called a “statement” is actually an essay. A statement relates mules, facts, or other objective (normally) information. And essay, on the other hand, seeks to convince the reader. Node a difference. Your application statement is not a place for you to be shy. It is not a place for you to hide behind subtleties. It is, however, an occasion for you to engage in self promotion. It is your opportunity to blow your own horn. Far from bragging, a well-written statement makes assertions, but backs them up with facts. Bravado and confidence are not enough, you must be a bowl to produce factual support for your assertions. These factual support can take the form of extracurricular activities, grades, awards, life experiences, beliefs which would have acted on, and other solid facts.

Outline, outline, and write

Not all people think alike. Not all people organize their thoughts the same way. Accordingly, different people have differing outlining styles. Some people outlined using the classic method of short headers followed by short sentences or fragment sentences. Other people outlined using one-word themes or ideas. While others use full sentences. There are no right or wrong ways to lock nine. The only right way is the way that works best for you.

Remember to add your assay on a strong point. Either summarize the major headings of your body or reiterate the the introduction. Regardless, never forget to write a concluding paragraph. Use the application statement to your advantage today.

Sample Personal Statements: Top 3 Advice from Admission Essay Readers

If you have to find advice on writing personal statements, get it from the best source–the readers of admission essays. They can tell you exactly what are agreeable and what are not advisable in admission essays. Read on to discover their top three tips in writing a personal statements.

Don’t just recount your academic achievements

A common mistake of students in writing personal statements is they enumerate their achievements in school. Avoid doing this because it defeats the purpose of your essay. Personal statements are there to state whatever your transcript of records, recommendation letters, and other application requirements cannot say. Personal statements inform your readers of your personality. So, try to leave your academic achievements in a resume list and make your application more interesting through a clever personal essay topic.

Be specific with what you want and why

Characteristics of admission essays that tick off readers are being disorganized and having vague statements. Avoid this in writing your personal statement and avoid making your readers guess what you want to say. It is better to plan the content of your essay than to beat around the bush and state practically nothing in particular. So, select a creative and interesting topic, then make an outline. Make sure to include information that are relevant to the topic and arrange them logically. And if you must, review the steps in writing effective essays.

Don’t be sloppy, make your essay error-free

Having one or too many typographical, grammar, and punctuation errors in your personal essay reflects your clumsiness and laziness. The errors show that you either do not know how to write an essay properly or that you did not prepare enough for the application process. So, once you?ve written your essay, read it again and again. Proofread, edit, and have someone to check it many times.

Related links:

Covering personal flaws – How to downplay your weaknesses when writing a personal statement
Essay writing guide ? How to start writing your personal statement
Personal essay tips ? How to make your essay engaging to admission officers
Writing an essay – Tips on how to write a personal statement
Improving writing skills – Ways to improve writing skills

How to Be Original with Your Personal Statement College Essay

Isn?t it tiring to read a person?s biography over and over again? You will feel the same way if you were an admissions officer reading students? personal essays that say similar things. Moreover, you could get bored and annoyed with the number of cliche essays all piled up on your desk. In the end, you?d wish someone wrote differently. To avoid boring your readers to death, below are ways you can make your personal statement original.

Don’t stuff your essay with cliches

If you are the one reading hundreds of personal statements and many of them are cliches , you will feel like all of the students just copied each other and are all have the same personality and interests. In addition, you will have a difficult time remembering each student and what they said. To avoid becoming one-of-the-boring students, include information that are unique to you. Be honest and personal in writing your essay to add variety.

Focus on your own personal story

You might think of yourself as uninteresting, but in fact, you?re the opposite. And everyone has a different story to tell, so go ahead and tell what?s yours. Be creative. If your friend wrote about how he struggled to get through school while working and you have a similar experience, you can write about your perspectives in being a working student and the lessons you?ve learned from such an experience. A subtle twist always helps in essay writing.

Share your own thoughts on the topic

While preparing for your essay, you may have read examples of personal statements as a guide. Using examples are advisable, but using the same topics and content is not. So as you talk about yourself in your personal statement, discuss your personal thoughts as well. Fight the urge to say claims made in example essays to avoid sounding like one.

Related links:

Competitiveness as topic – How to write about your competitive personality in an admission essay
Organizing your essay – How to write an organized admission essay
Covering up flaws – Help on how to cover up personal flaws in personal statements
College essay wordcount – Guide to meeting the wordcount requirement without compromising the essay quality
Writing an essay – Tips on how to write a personal statement

College Essay Examples: What You Need to Know about Your Readers

One rule in writing an essay is to keep your target readers in mind. The rule becomes even more important whenwriting personal statements. To get into the school of your choice, it is necessary for you to convince your readers that you are a student deserving of a slot in the enrollment list. Below are what you should know about them. Take time to find out more about your readers to come up with an effective admission essay.

The admissions panel doesn?t have much time to make sense out of your essay

Because numerous students file their applications in one school, there are also numerous application forms to read and analyze. Included in the application requirements is a personal statement, one for each student. That leaves the panel member just a few minutes to quickly read through each essay. For that reason, make your personal statement straight to the point and concise. Avoid including riddles, metaphors, and too many topics. That way, you can help the reader make sense of your essay.

They easily get bored

Many personal statements are written without creativity and some are even cliches. These get panel members bored easily. Prevent this from happening by making your personal essay stand out. Start with a catchy introduction and keep the essay interesting but honest until the end. Doing so can help you be remembered for being a notable writer.

They don?t get to the bottom of the page unless it interests them

Sad but true, many readers of personal statements stop reading to the end of essays especially if they are dull. So aside from keeping your readers interested in your essay, make it unique by telling them what they want to know from the start. That way, if they have to quit reading by the middle of the essay, you already have given them what they wanted.

Related links:

Essay topics – What to include in your personal essay
Effective essay tips – Tips to keep personal essay readers interested
Essay writing no-nos – What admissions officers hate in personal essays
Improving writing skills – Ways to improve writing skills
Essay Writing Tips – How to write an effective personal statement

Sample College Essay: Questions to Ask Yourself Before Writing Your Essay

In writing personal statements, it is always necessary to be truthful about the details you will include. Being truthful always makes it easier for you to come up with something to write about. At the same time, you are giving your readers an honest idea of who you are. Since there is a lot you can say about yourself, it is better to include just the most important facts. Below are questions that can guide you in writing a personal statement.

What is unique about me?

Readers of personal statements dislike cliches. For one, the readers usually already have hundreds of essays to read during enrollment season, and the last thing they would like to see is another “ho-hum” essay. Good thing, there is something unique about you that you can talk about in your personal statement. Discover that uniqueness and start writing from there. You may want to talk about your excellent culinary skills and your natural talent in business. Then explain how you wish to use what you?ll learn in business school to start your own restaurant.

What have I learned from my experiences?

Instead of using your skills as the highlight of your personal statement, you can use a personal experience as a topic. When writing about an experience, make sure it is one you?ve learned something good from and that helped you become a better person. For example, you can talk about how you?ve worked your way through school while doing part-time. Then, explain what you?ve learned and how you can use them while dealing with demands in the school of your choice.

Why this school or this course?

You can also focus on your reasons for choosing a school or course when writing your personal statement. Just be sure to offer honest reasons that will convince your readers to give you a slot in the school.

Related links:

Narrative descriptive essay – Ways to write your personal statement
Discussing political beliefs – Example of what you can write about yourself
Tips in writing – More tips in writing a personal statement
Personal statement advice
Admission essay tips – How to write great admission essays

Examples of Personal Statements: Writing Your Essay Like an Expert Storyteller

You do not know how to start your personal statement? Then here are some tips that will help you write your essay like an expert storyteller:

Intrigue your readers right from the start

One of the most important factors you have to consider when writing your personal statement is to grab the attention and interest of your reader right from the start of your essay. Just like a good book has an introduction that captures your imagination to draw you into the story, your personal essay should do the same. There are a number of ways to capture the attention of the reader from the very first line of your essay, and here are a few of them:
– Use an anecdote that gives insight into what the rest of your essay will be about.
– Use a favorite quote of yours that relates to the theme and tone of your essay.
– Give background information that is essential to the flow of the essay.

Lead them into details that make sense

To hold the attention of the reader, you will have to continue your story-telling by using a logical progression. For example, instead of just talking about your background and then jumping into another topic, you should guide the reader by connecting each and every topic in your essay. You have to keep in mind that, aside from the information in your application form, the admissions committee has no idea who you are. This is why you need to tell them the entire story and get them involved by telling them about your personal insights and experiences, such as how you developed admirable character traits as a result of these experiences.

Make your ending thought-provoking and persuasive

Finally, every good story has a smashing ending, so you will have to find a way to write a great conclusion to your essay. Here are some of the elements of a good conclusion:
– The conclusion should wrap up your entire essay by alluding to your introduction and body.
– The conclusion should lead the reader to new understandings, insights, or thoughts.
– The conclusion should be persuasive and perhaps even inspiring.

Remember, the main goal for your personal statement is to convince the admission committee that you make a good candidate for acceptance into their school. This is why you have to capture the attention of the committee, hold it throughout the entire essay, and leave a lasting impression on them with a strong conclusion.

Related links:

Academic success tips – Review on an academic success blog
Academic productivity – Review on an academic productivity blog
Narrative descriptive essay – About writing a narrative descriptive statement
Political beliefs – Writing about your political beliefs in the essay
Fictional character – Using fictional characters for your essay subject

Logical Progression – About the importance of a good application essay
Med school essay – How to write a med school application essay
Grad school essay – How to write a grad school application essay
College essay – Tips for college application essays
MBA essay – Writing a good MBA application essay

Great Starting Points for Your Essay College Admission

It can be difficult to start your personal statement, especially if you are not too sure what you will be writing about in the first place. To help relieve some of your stress, it may be helpful to approach your personal statement like you would any other essay. When you start your essay, you want it to be interesting, attention-capturing, and downright captivating. Here are some ways on how you can write an amazing introduction:

Thought-provoking questions

You have probably read one or two great essays that start with a question. The reason a question makes for a good introduction is that it instantly gets your reader to interact. By asking a question, the reader will think about how to answer the question, how they feel about the question, and why you posed the question to begin with. Try to use a thought-provoking question to entice your reader to keep reading out of interest.

Analogies

Another great way to start your personal statement is to use an analogy. It is important though that the analogy that you use is related to who you are and what your story is. By using an analogy, it engages your reader to think about the relations in your analogy and what the analogy says about you, the writer. In essence, an analogy is a comparison of sorts and this is why it makes for a good introduction, because you get the reader to think about what you are saying and the connections you are making. Just make sure that the analogy you use is meaningful, relative, and interesting.

Touching stories

Third, you can start your essay with a touching story or something personal. Although this may be rather overused in the personal statement, it all depends on how you tell your story. The operative word here is “personal.” You want to get personal with your reader and tell them what makes you unique, what makes you who you are, and why who you are makes a good addition to their college. Try not to be too over the edge when you write touching stories; just tell the story naturally and, most of all, tell it from the heart.

Related links:

Academic Success Tips – Review on an academic success blog
Academic Productivity – Review on an academic productivity blog
Narrative Descriptive Essay – About writing a narrative descriptive statement
Political Beliefs – Writing about your political beliefs in the essay
Fictional Character – Using fictional characters for your essay subject

Introduction Strategies – On writing a solid essay introduction
Essay Introductions – How to start your essay right
Effective Introductions – Five effective essay introductions
Writing Introductions – How to write a good essay introduction
Introduction for Argument – Writing introductions for argumentative essays

Tips on Writing a Narrative Descriptive Personal Statement

When writing yourpersonal statement for college or forgraduate school, keep in mind that you have to grab the attention of your readers.  How else will you be able to stand out from hundreds or even thousands of applicants vying to get a spot at your dream school?  One way to hook your essay readers is to write a personal statement while keeping the tips on how to write a narrative descriptive essay in mind.

What is a narrative descriptive essay?

Basically, a narrative descriptive essay is a written work that aims to convey a story in such an imaginative way that the readers’ attention is instantly captured.  By using the right words and descriptive phrases, you are able to create vivid images in your readers’ minds.

What are the advantages of using narrative descriptive essay writing techniques?

Now you don’t have to turn in a fictional tale as an admission essay.  What you have to do is to apply some narrative descriptive essay writing techniques in creating a draft for your personal statement.  An advantage of using this writing style is that you are able to instantly capture the attention of the admissions panel.  Members of the admissions panel read hundreds and probably thousands of essays so it’s best to come up with something that’s both unique and personal.  You’re also able to show the admissions panel your creative side, something that many admissions panel appreciate when they read the applicants’ essays.

Another advantage is that you are able to hone your creative writing skills, which can be very useful during English classes in college.

Tips in using narrative descriptive essay writing techniques in your admission essay

When writing a descriptive story, you first think of a catchy topic.  So whenwriting your admission essay, select an interesting topic that’ll let you tell the admissions panel why you deserve a slot in their school.  This interesting topic could be a previous work experience, someone who motivates you, or any event in life that made a huge impact on how you look at things today.

In a narrative descriptive essay, you use words or phrases that’ll help the readers conjure images as they read the story.  As you write your admissions essay, use words or phrases that’ll help the admissions panel see a clearer picture of you as a future student in their school.  Just make sure to not go overboard when using descriptive words.  Too much can make your essay look like a fictional tale and not a realistic yet attention-grabbing personal statement.  Try to read creatively written examples of personal statements to get an idea when writing your own.

When writing your personal statement, keep in mind that being creative is a plus.  Just don’t be too creative because this might give the readers the wrong impression.

A Fictional Character as the Subject of Your Personal Statement

Your personal statement is one of the most important requirements for your application package.  While most people see the personal statement as a stressful requirement, it is also an opportunity to introduce yourself to the admissions committee by writing about practically any topic you can think of.  In fact, you can even write your personal statement based on a fictional character.  Choosing a fictional character for your personal statement topic may seem rather absurd at first, but you can come up with a great essay if you handle the topic with care.  This article will offer some helpful information on using a fictional character as a topic or theme for your personal statement.

A fictional character as a catchy essay subject

Fiction books, movies, and stories come in all sorts.  From the fanciful and intangible to the scientific and realistic, you can find fiction stories of all kinds, each with different fictional characters.  Each character is a unique personality that you can relate to in various ways, on various levels, and through various channels of emotion and thought.  This is what makes fictional characters such a catchy essay topic; if offers you diversity, depth, and broadness of the topic.  You must realize, though, that the task of writing a personal statement is not similar to writing a book report or research paper.  Your personal statement is something that reveals your personality, your values, your virtues, and your strengths.  For this reason, it can take some deep reflection and self-evaluation to come up with a great personal statement based on a fictional character.

Discussing your favorite fictional character effectively

To use a fictional character effectively as your essay topic, you should try to understand how you relate to the character and how the character has positively affected you and your life.  You may want to think of the qualities and traits that you have in common with the fictional character, such as fortitude, resilience, honesty, faithfulness, or integrity.  Your main objective is to keep the focus on yourse;f, while using the fictional character as a point of reference or a source of inspiration.

Think of why you want to use the character as the subject of your paper and try to express that in your essay.  Make a clear connection between how the fictional character has had a positive effect on your personal development.  Then, establish a clear connection between how your personality and character traits make you a good candidate for acceptance to the school you are applying to.

Other tips to make your essay catchy

Here are a few more tips on how to make your essay catchy:

–  Try capturing the reader’s interest and attention from the beginning of your essay by starting your essay with a quote from your favorite character, a passage from the story the character is featured in, or a personal anecdote related to you and the character.

–  Focus on telling the story of how you have been affected as a result of the connection you have made with the character.

–  Try to have other people read your essay and ask for their opinions, suggestions, or comments.  This will help you polish your fictional-character-based essay into a personal statement worthy of even the best schools in the world.