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College essays are an important part of your college application and give you the chance to show colleges and universities your personality. This guide will give you tips on how to write an effective college essay.
- College Essay Basics. Just getting started on college essays? This section will guide you through how you should think about your college essays before you start.
- Learn the Types of College Essays. Next, let’s make sure you understand the different types of college essays. You’ll most likely be writing a Common App or Coalition App essay, and you can also be asked to write supplemental essays for each school.
- The Common App essay. Almost every student will write a Common App essay, which is why it’s important you get this right. How to Write the Common App Essay.
- Supplemental Essay Guides. Many schools, especially competitive ones, will ask you to write one or more supplemental essays. This allows a school to learn more about you and how you might fit into their culture.
- Why Do You Need A Standout Essay?
- Start Organizing Early
- Choose A Unique Topic
- Outline Your Essay
- Start with A Memorable Introduction
- Write Like An Artist
- Craft A Strong Conclusion
- Revise and Receive Feedback
While most of your application lists your academic achievements, your college admissions essay is your opportunity to share who you are and why you’d be a good addition to the university. Your college admissions essay accounts for about 25% of your application’s total weight一and may account for even more with some colleges making the SAT and ACT te...
It’s a good idea to start organizing your college application timelinein the summer of your junior year to make your application process easier. This will give you ample time for essay brainstorming, writing, revision, and feedback. While timelines will vary for each student, aim to spend at least 1–3 weeks brainstorming and writing your first draf...
Ideally, you should start brainstorming college essay topicsthe summer before your senior year. Keep in mind that it’s easier to write a standout essay with a unique topic. If you want to write about a common essay topic, such as a sports injury or volunteer work overseas, think carefully about how you can make it unique and personal. You’ll need t...
After choosing your topic, organize your ideas in an essay outline, which will help keep you focused while writing. Unlike a five-paragraph academic essay, there’s no set structure for a college admissions essay. You can take a more creative approach, using storytelling techniques to shape your essay. Two common approaches are to structure your ess...
Admissions officers read thousands of essays each year, and they typically spend only a few minutes reading each one. To get your message across, your introduction, or hook, needs to grab the reader’s attention and compel them to read more.. Avoid starting your introduction with a famous quote, cliché, or reference to the essay itself (“While I sat...
A college application essay allows you to be creative in your style and tone. As you draft your essay, try to use interesting language to enliven your story and stand out.
You should end your college essaywith a deep insight or creative ending to leave the reader with a strong final impression. Your college admissions essay should avoid the following: 1. Summarizing what you already wrote 2. Stating your hope of being accepted to the school 3. Mentioning character traits that should have been illustrated in the essay...
Revise your essaybefore submitting it to check its content, style, and grammar. Get feedback from no more than two or three people. It’s normal to go through several rounds of revision, but take breaks between each editing stage. Also check out our college essay examplesto see what does and doesn’t work in an essay and the kinds of changes you can ...
An academic essay is a focused piece of writing that develops an idea or argument using evidence, analysis, and interpretation. There are many types of essays you might write as a student. The content and length of an essay depends on your level, subject of study, and course requirements.
- What is an essay?An essay is a focused piece of writing that explains, argues, describes, or narrates. In high school, you may have to write many different types...
- What is the structure of an essay?The structure of an essay is divided into an introduction that presents your topic and thesis statement , a body containing your in-depth...
- What goes in an essay introduction?Your essay introduction should include three main things, in this order: An opening hook to catch the reader’s attention. Relevant background inf...
- What is a thesis statement?A thesis statement is a sentence that sums up the central point of your paper or essay . Everything else you write should relate to this key idea.
- Why do I need a thesis statement?The thesis statement is essential in any academic essay or research paper for two main reasons: It gives your writing direction and focus. It...
- What is a topic sentence?A topic sentence is a sentence that expresses the main point of a paragraph . Everything else in the paragraph should relate to the topic sentence.
- When do I need to cite sources?At college level, you must properly cite your sources in all essays , research papers , and other academic texts (except exams and in-class exerc...
Mar 28, 2024 · Prospective students wondering how to write a college essay can use this helpful guide to explore common prompts, tips on structuring effective writing and what makes a good college essay.
- Matt Whittle
May 7, 2021 · The college essay is a personal essay that tells an engaging story in 650 words or fewer. It is comparable to memoir or creative nonfiction writing, which relate the author’s personal experiences. The college essay is fundamentally personal and creative.
Nov 8, 2021 · Our example essays show you how to write a great college admissions essay, with detailed analyses of what works and why.
