Common College Admission Essay Editing Mistakes

After laboring over themain body, the intro, and the conclusion of the admission essay, the work is not yet over. Now is the time to do the exhaustive work of editing and proofreading. Do not consider this as a herculean task, but as the opportunity to have your essay rise above the hundreds of submissions that were not accurately edited.

Application essay mistake 1: Relying too much on spell checkers

Every task seems to be conveniently doable because of the computer, but spellchecking programs have been known to suffer from glitches. Even if your software does not actually suffer from glitches, nothing can ever compare to the meticulous skills of the human eye when editing your essay. A truly conscientious applicant would manually spellcheck his or her work. Plus, there is nothing more assuring than the knowledge that the essay passed through human eyes. The best thing to do when editing your admission essay is to spellcheck it by computer, and then manually edit it by reading the entire essay several times.

College admissions essays mistake 2: Not letting others read your essay

Not letting other people read your essay is definitely a big mistake. This is because as the author of the essay, you sometimes miss several grammar or typo errors as you reread your essay. To avoid this, let a mentor, a parent, or a friend read your essay and give you some honest and objective opinions regarding the quality of your work. You can look for online editing services for professional help when editing your essay draft.

So to recap, do not rely solely on spellcheckers, and do not do the proofreading all by yourself. A second pair of eyes is always welcome and useful, and you’ll thank that person profusely when you get that acceptance letter.

Related questions:

1. Is it good to just rely on spellcheckers for the editing of the admission essay?
2. Why do certain typos escape the attention of the person during proofreading?
3. What is the upside to manual spellchecking of the admission essay?

Long Term Career Goals As an Essay for Admission Topic

It is quite easy to just put in your admission essay the things you plan to do in order to survive the first two years of college, but elaborating on your long-term career objectives is another thing. If you can put the latter on your essay, it will make for a more effective narration.

Why long-term career goals are good application essay topics

It boils down (among other things) to sincerity, after all, you are talking about yourself and your serious plans 5 or 10 years from now. The far-term career goals are ideal topics because you can elaborate on them to your heart’s content and more than that, it will show the Admissions Committee how much foresight you actually have. If you have so many career goals (say, 8 of them), it’s inadvisable to put them all. Focus on 2 or 3 and put meat in it. You are supposed to write a short essay, tomes have no place on the Screening Committee’s desk.

Tips when discussing goals in your personal statement

Just saying “I want to be a doctor because I want to help the needy and alleviate the sufferings of the sick.”- then leave it at that. Let’s talk about this statement, first- it is obvious and sophomoric. Second, why else would you want to be a doctor if not that? (To get rich as the only answer, yes, some people would do that, but that’s another story). It is advisable to get hold of some course catalogues to check which classes would aid you vis-a-vis both your career short term and far term goals. Elaborate your goals in a comprehensive yet brief manner, and the Admissions officers would consider your essay as substantial and worthy of further consideration.

The kind of elaboration you do on the far-term goals could mean the difference between success and failure. What is crucial is not the mere mention of such goals, but how you could relate them to where you are now, to your values, and to the thesis statement of the essay. Adhere to all of this and you’ll be proud of the essay when you hand it over.

Related questions:

1. Why is a career goal worthy of discussion on the application essay?
2. What is an example of a bad sentence in the admission essay (regarding reason for applying)?
3. How does one handle the discussion of career goals?

Your Favorite Fictional Character as an Application Essay Topic

It is not just Martin Luther or JFK who could be used as a theme for the admission essay, if the guidelines of the Committee allow it, you may even use a fictional character from movies, books, etc. You have to be aware though, that your topic may have come from fiction, but your finished essayshould not come across as a work of fiction.

Why your favorite fictional character is a good admission essay idea

First, there are greater chances of the Admissions officers getting more interested in reading your essay rather than the old, tired and overused themes of historical icons. Second, your favorite fictional character is close to your heart. If Thomas Odd (a character of Dean Koontz) is your choice because both he and you experienced rescuing a friend from criminally-minded persons, then you could point out (then go to the supporting statements) that you could definitely relate to him.

Ways to discuss this topic in your essay for admission

One warning: usually, you would not be barred from using a cartoon character, but if he/she is either funny or just trivial, you might come across as an applicant who is not serious in applying. Relate the character’s life, values and attitudes to your own, and even connect it to your future goals.

The good thing about using a fictional person in the admission essay is that it’s fun. There are so many stress factors in the application process (not just the writing of the essay), and creating this essay could be both work and play at the same time. Take note, play here does not mean your essay should be lousy or haphazardly done.

Related questions:

1. Can Batman be used as part of the discussions on the admission essay?
2. What is the danger of using a cartoon character as the admission essay theme?
3. How does one discuss the strengths and attributes of the fictional character?

Personal Statement Example: Show the Real You in Your Essay

Have you always wanted to write an original personal essay that really talks about you? Read this article to find out how personal statement example can help.

When applying to any university or even applying for scholarships, it is important for you to write an effective personal statement or personal essay. You can find types of personal statement examples on the web where you can pattern your actual essay on. However it is important for you to make your essay original and completely your own. As much as possible your essay should also tell a story.

Why inventing stories is a big no-no when writing your personal statement

Writing your personal statement should be a means for you to reflect on certain aspects about yourself and on how these things make you a good candidate for the course or school that you are applying to. These statements are personal which means that there is no specific formula that works for everyone.

You have to understand that the invention of stories so as to make your statement more appealing and impressive will never work to your advantage. Although the input of false yet impressive stories may afford you the favor of the selection committee initially, this is often short-lived. A contrived admissions essay will simply reflect on your poor character. This will cost you your scholarship or your admission to the school.

Tips for a more personal and effective admission essay

The best style to adopt for your personal essay is a well-paced conversational style that allows the committee to see through your plans, academic goals, achievements, and valuable life experiences. Here are a few tips that can help you write a successful personal statement:

– Remember to take into account all the questions asked and answer them in your personal essay. Different school applications may have different sets of questions so make sure that you answer them correctly.

– If you are applying to several schools or several courses, never use the personal essay. As already mentioned above, different applications may contain different sets of questions, so you have to answer them as completely as possible.

– Make sure that you write an interesting first paragraph, to avoid boring your readers right from the start. An attention-grabbing opening statement or paragraph is highly recommended.

– Finally, don’t hesitate to edit your personal statement as soon as you finish writing it. Look out for spelling, punctuation, or grammar mistakes and correct them accordingly.

By following these tips you can write a personal statement that allows your real personality to shine through.

Related questions:

1. How will you make your personal statement as original as possible?
2. Why is honesty highly valued in your personal statement?
3. Are there some tips essential in making your admission essay stand out?

Why Too Many Ideas Can Spoil Your Admission Essay

Do you want to know how important organization is in writing your admission essay? Check this article and find tips in making your essay more coherent and effective.

The admission essay is often regarded to be one of the most difficult aspects of the entire application process. However, any applicant has more control on the crafting of his or her personal statement or essay than on any other part of the application.

It is important to achieve an organized flow of ideas and events when writing your personal essay. When written in an effective, original, and organized manner, your essay can win you the favor of the selection committee. On the other hand, if your essay contains too many conflicting ideas and lacks coherence, it could affect your application in an unfavorable way.

Disadvantages of discussing too many ideas in your college application essay

Your admission essay is essentially a reflection of yourself, and making it as unique and original as possible is very important. It is also important to discuss certain ideas in your essay so as to give the selection board offices a peek into your personality and your aspirations. However, including too many ideas in your essay can be more detrimental than valuable. The inclusion of too many ideas, events, or activities in your essay can easily make it ineffective and disjointed.

Concentrating on certain topics will help your essay take on a more structured form as opposed to including too many types of information which are no longer relevant. This will only make your essay look like a history recount rather than a unique and interesting personal statement. Choose certain things or events about yourself that you want to write about and make sure that these stories all add up to one coherent piece.

Statement writings tips that’ll help you keep your focus on your thesis

One of the best ways to achieve focus and organization in your thesis is to write about things which are not to be found in your academic records or letters of recommendation. If you must recount a certain travel experience for example, don’t merely write about the attractions of the place. Include the insights you have gained in your travel and how these may have shaped your perceptions into what they are today. Also, don’t forget to rewrite what you have already written. You can organize your essay better in this manner since you will be able to see which parts have become redundant or which phrases utilize too many cliches.

Related questions:

1. Why are ideas and insight essential in an admission essay?
2. Which types of ideas or information should be included in a personal essay?
3. How do you achieve focus when writing your personal statement?

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