Picture yourself in the shoes of an admission committee member. Imagine that they have to choose a few lucky ones to get enrolled into a college of their dreams. They would have to look at the average grades and possibly go through the activities that the students have undertaken during their school years. To be honest, those are mostly the same — Scouts, or sport teams, some community work, or a part-time job during a couple of hours per week at your uncle’s store won’t tell much about your personality. So, what would be the most important source of information about every candidate? Surely, a personal statement, which is also an application essay.
An application essay is the most important piece of evidence which, at the same time, can be presented in a very creative and deeply individual way. This is where you have a chance to shine, impress, inspire, reach out to each and every committee member and make yourself heard. If you make your essay stand out, you will be noticed and, most likely, admitted. How can you achieve that? Check out the simple 7 tips below — they will help you.
1. Choose a Strong Topic
Choosing a topic can be a real trick. Still, if you want an awesome admission essay, pick an awesome topic. You don’t have to write about the world’s most controversial issues, you can pick something from your own experience.
2. Do Not Use Clichés
As we’ve mentioned it already, you don’t need to choose a much discussed topic for your application essay. Many of them have become clichés, such as abortions, or global warming. It doesn’t mean they are not important; it just means that there is little chance you’ll write something really new and unique if you choose one of them.
3. Pick Something You Feel Passionate about
It’s very important to choose a topic that matters to you personally. That’s why many successful essays were written about certain events in applicants’ lives, or about their individual experiences, or about people who matter to them and inspire them. This way, you will have a better chance to move or inspire your assessor.
4. Refer to an Event from Your Life
We have said that already above. Let your experience help you illustrate your point. For example, if you are writing about social involvement, it is always good to remember your family or friends.
5. Connect the Event with the Broader Context
It is important to understand that in a good essay, your experience has to have a meaning, a referral to something bigger. A trip to India can be a nice reference to your fascination with wildlife preservation.
6. Make an Engaging Introduction
In your introduction, your task is to grab attention. Set a scene or start with a joke — you can always come up with something interesting.
7. Make a Worthy Conclusion
Your conclusion has to be strong, up to the point. Within it, you can connect the body of your essay (for example, the event from your life that you described) with the broader idea or with the reason why you see yourself in the college you are applying to.
What you should not do when creating an application essay — you should not write an assignment. You are doing that not for the sake of the grade, but to show your true self. There is one thing for certain: you have something special about you, and there is always a unique way to show it. Be creative and passionate, take your time, and you’ll impress those committee members.