College essays can be daunting, especially if you don’t have much experience writing essays outside of the classroom. It may seem like anything goes when it comes to college essays, but that’s not the case – there are still some standard rules and guidelines you should follow to write a great essay that gets you into your dream school. In this guide, we’ll walk you through how to write an engaging and effective college essay in just 10 steps; you can even be a professional essay writer with these tips.

Tip 1: First, understand your audience

You’ll want to pick a college that aligns with your interests and goals, so put some thought into choosing where you apply. Generally, you’ll want to write one essay for each school. However, if you have a standardised test score that is significantly higher than most of your peers (or if you have any other standout accomplishments), it might be worth investing in a second essay for highly selective schools.

Tip 2: Second, be sincere.

Whether your essay is a personal statement or an analysis of a book, play, or film, you must be sincere in your efforts. No one will take you seriously if they sense that you are trying to portray yourself as something you’re not. Admissions officers and readers can smell bullshit from a mile away and will tune out immediately.

Tip 3: Third, use good grammar

Admissions officers judge you not only on your writing skills but also on your ability to use language appropriately. While using contractions in a college essay is acceptable, don’t pepper your essay with text talk or slang. If you do use slang, make sure it’s used appropriately and that you explain what it means so that an admissions officer won’t be confused by terms like GR8!

Tip 4: Use strong quotes and anecdotes

Quotes and anecdotes bring your essay to life. They illustrate or support a key point in your story or overall argument when you use them. And make sure they’re memorable. You should want to write more about each one! Some of my favourite quotes are written on post-it notes on my wall so I can remember to go back and include them in essays.

Tip 5: Write it in the third person.

While writing in the first person is less common, it’s also good to keep your tone formal when writing your college essay. While telling your own story is important, you don’t want to come across as too informal for what is still an academic setting.

Tip 6: Start with a thesis statement, maybe two.

Some students think they can’t start writing their college essays until they know exactly what they want to say. These folks are often surprised by how fast time flies once their essay is due and how far away that first draft still feels, even though they’ve put down a couple of thoughts on paper. These students need to remember that you don’t have to nail your topic before you write—you just have to figure out where you stand on it.

Tip 7: Avoid clichés and banalities.

Do not begin your paper with College is an exciting time for a young adult. There are no original thoughts in essays, and trite phrases like that do not add anything of value to your essay. Besides, college admissions officers have seen everything before; don’t waste their time.

Tip 8: Keep your essay simple and focused on key ideas.

Your college essay must be very clear and easy to read. To ensure that you don’t lose your reader’s attention, try not to write more than a page for anyone topic. Remember, it takes time for people to read your essays, so be sure not to make them work harder than they have to. Remember that you want your reader’s attention throughout your application process – not just when writing an essay for college.

Tip 9: Edit twice to remove unnecessary words.

Edit your essay, one sentence at a time, and remove every unnecessary word. Eliminate phrases like, in my opinion, and as I said before. Reduce clauses to single words with commas: This college is where I want to go, not This college is where I want to go, because it has good sports teams. Vigorous writing is concise. An extra word or phrase—even a preposition—can weaken your most powerful sentences.

Tip 10: Proofread thoroughly before submitting your essay.

Don’t be in a rush to submit your essay. Even if you just wrote it, give yourself time to read over it several times and make sure everything is spelt correctly and there are no typos. Remember, admissions officers will be reading your essay more than once too!

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