The task of writing an admission essay can be quite daunting. Not only do you have to come up with an exceptional essay, but you also have to deal with the pressure of knowing that your college dreams hinge upon the success of your admission essay. If you are having a difficult time with your essay, then the best thing that you can do is to seek out help from those around you. Here’s what the Pier 55 blog has to say about getting help from friends and relatives:

Have friends or family members read the essay through. Be open to criticism. Ask them to honestly tell you which parts should be excised and which need further elaboration.

This is no time to be hyper-sensitive to what your friends and relatives have to say. Try to take their criticisms positively, because, ultimately, your friends and family only want the best for you and that means helping you get the best chances of entering into and succeeding in college. Here’s another tip from Pier 55:

…have someone edit/proofread your essay. If you don’t know a professional editor, you can always ask a teacher to help you out they would only be too glad to help you succeed.

Get help from the professionals, such as editors and teachers. If you decide to get help from a teacher, you may want to approach those who excel in English, such as your English or literature teacher. This will give you a great edge, because many teachers have gone through the admission essay writing process themselves, and they know what colleges and universities are looking for.

Getting help online

Aside from approaching friends, family, editors, and teachers, the next best place to seek admission essay help is from the Internet. There are literally thousands of websites on essay writing, admission essay writing, and college application processes and these sites offer loads of help. For example, Pier 55 provides a great guide on writing college admission essays. Here are some excerpts:

Step one: Brainstorm. To stimulate your creative juices, try elaborating on these thoughts and write all your ideas down on a sheet of paper (or type away on your computer, if you feel more comfortable with it). […]
Step two: Choose a topic. Some universities give a prod, such as, “Name a person, living or dead, who has been the greatest influence on your life, and explain why.” Others give you a free hand, such as Yale University’s “In the past, candidates have used this space in a great variety of ways. There is no ‘correct’ way to respond to this essay request” and when you come across an instruction like this, then it’s time to buckle up and do some serious planning on which topic to home in on. […] Step three: Write the essay. You can choose to first write down all your thoughts in a free-flowing style, such as when you’re writing on your journal, and edit for cohesiveness later. You can use an anecdote in the opening paragraph to catch the reader’s attention. The first few sentences should be interesting enough, butrefrain from cliches and quotations.

Admission essay tips

It’s always important to start with the basics by getting all the help you can from the actual school that you are applying to. Aside from knowing the instructions and requirements, and finding samples, you should also read as much as you can about the school that you are applying to. Get to know the school, what they look for in students, what programs they specialize in, as well as what their educational beliefs and what their atmosphere is like. This will aid greatly in choosing topics, as well as tailoring your essay to the school that you are applying to.

Here’s another piece of advice when writing your application essay for college:

Admission Officers are on the prowl to find unique personalities that will blend with the school’s standards and environment. They are after the authentic person behind the numbers and statistics i.e. grades. Another thing that the students have to remember in writing College Application Essay is to be original and individual. This means that their writing should reflect the unique individual creature that they truly are.

Just remember, there are tons of help out there, so the last thing you should do is try to take on this daunting task alone. If you are in need of help, go out there and get it, otherwise, you may just end up making some crucial mistakes that may result in the college of your dreams rejecting your application.