How to write a good college Application Essay

Last Updated on July 29, 2023

How to Write a Great College Application Essay main image

You’ve completed all the application forms, taken all the tests, and now it’s finally time to impress your university’s admission officers with a great college application essay.

A college application essay is usually around 500 words, and those words can mean the difference between acceptance and rejection. You will spend many days researching and crafting your essay, but admissions officers will only have a few minutes to actually read it, so you need to get their attention. 

However, if you are the type of person who likes to start with the don’ts, check out our blog post on How Not to Write a University Application Essay.

1. Read the instructions carefully

They say starting the essay is the hardest part. You may think it’s redundant to mention that you need to read the instructions carefully, but with all the excitement and stress that characterizes this period of your life, it needs to be highlighted.

If you don’t follow the application essay guidelines, the admissions officer may assume that you won’t be able to follow the directions of the university’s program. Page and word limits are mentioned for a reason and you must be able to organize your submission by following the rules. 

After you’ve read through the instructions a few times and gathered your notes, you can start creating an outline to organize your essay and decide what message you want to send. Now you’re ready to write your first draft.

2. Start with a compelling introduction

Great writing is hard to achieve, but it’s possible if you’re smart about it. Anyone who works in journalism will tell you that you can catch any reader’s attention as long as you deliver a great introduction.

The admissions officers will only spend a brief amount of time reviewing your essay, so you need to start with a vivid paragraph that will keep them engaged. The introduction has to reveal to the reader what your essay is about and catch their attention. You could open with an anecdote or an interesting story that will show some of the best parts of your personality and character, offering an insight that will help the admission officers get to know who you are.

3. Use your inner voice

Universities are looking for authenticity and quality of thinking, so don’t try to shape your essay around phrases or ideas that people have used many times before, but base it on your genuine beliefs.

The application essay is your opportunity to impress an admissions officer with your determination and existing knowledge of your chosen subject. Make sure it reflects all of your skills and ambitions, and show how your chosen program will help you achieve future goals.

4. Avoid clichés

While you research your application essay, you will be encouraged to check out some examples of great essays and get inspired. While this is a great exercise, many students allow themselves to be influenced too much by the examples, and use lots of clichés in their desire to impress the admission officers.

Remember that there are thousands of others students applying to your desired university, and you need to distinguish yourself. Re-read your essay, delete all the sentences that sound like a cliché, and try to find a more original angle. 

Admissions officers go through thousands of applications a year, so it’s only logical that they will notice those that bring a unique personality to life. Let them discover that!

5. Give good examples to support your ideas

A college application essay is basically a glimpse into how your mind works and how you view the world. If you want your essay to be credible, you need to make sure everything you write supports that viewpoint. Spend some time figuring out how the essay question relates to your personal qualities and then write from a specific angle.

That means that every time you want to express an idea, you don’t simply state a fact, but you also include specific details and examples to develop your ideas. You can do that by offering examples from your personal experiences and writing about what truly motivates you and how you developed a certain belief.

6. Stick to a clear essay plan

Creativity is an aspect very much appreciated in writing, but don’t assume that a creative essay is not also an organized one. Obviously, you don’t want to write a bunch of words without meaning, so make sure you write about just one subject at a time.

You will have a maximum number of words, so the secret is not to try to cover everything in your essay. Create a plan before you actually start writing, organize your essay in three parts (introduction, body and conclusion), and decide on the main ideas you want to express.

7. Ask someone to proofread your work

You want to create a great college application, so you will probably read it over and over again in order to make sure there are no typos and spelling and grammar errors. But after a while, you might need a fresh perspective. It’s best to ask someone who hasn’t seen it yet to take a look, as they’re likely to see mistakes you won’t catch.

If you ask a teacher or parent to proofread your essay, they will be able not only to catch mistakes, but also to check if the writing sounds like you. After reading so many examples and following all those instructions, it’s hard to tell if what you just wrote is a statement of who you really are or not. Enlist the help of others to make sure that your essay is immaculate.

Now start writing and craft an extraordinary essay! Find out how to make a successful US college application

How to Make a Successful US College Application

How to Make a Successful US College Application main image

Getting into US colleges is becoming more and more competitive, with more candidates applying for a limited number of spaces. The US remains the top choice for most international students, with more than 886,000 international students currently studying in the US on bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degree programs.

That should not scare you, but only make you more ambitious and determined to succeed. So, how can you improve your chances of being admitted to the US college or university of your choice?

1. Start your US college application early

Applying to US colleges will take time and concentration. Each application is different and involves collecting recommendations, writing essays, and other requirements. Entry requirements for each institution are different, but most colleges require completing an admissions test or essay, the SAT or ACT admissions tests, and providing recommendation letters from teachers. In order to succeed without stress, you need to give this step the time it deserves.

You should be starting to collect information and to compile a checklist of all the things you need to do at least 12 months prior to the college application deadline. You may also want to think of a backup plan. Not because you are not going to have a successful application, but because you are a smart candidate and you are making sure that you will have an amazing education no matter what.

2. Prove your passion for the subject

You may need to write some essays and have an interview with the university that you choose and you are probably very nervous about that. But in order to succeed at all these things, you just need to remember one aspect: US colleges love passionate students who are willing to put the effort in.

Of course, your research, writing style and the quality of your information are extremely important, but you should not avoid showing your passion for the subject. Reflect on your intellectual and practical motivation for studying at your chosen US college, and why you find the subject area especially interesting or challenging. You can also point out if there are any particular courses of interest to you and why that is.

3. Seek advice directly from your chosen US colleges

If you really want to get into a US college, don’t hesitate to contact the institution personally in order to get more detailed information about the program and the application process. This will show that you are interested and committed. Never be afraid to ask questions; US universities are looking for curious and determined students, and you don’t want to lose your chance out of fear.

Even more, in order to have a successful college application, you need to build up a picture of what is expected of you as an applicant and the best way of doing that is by speaking to the admissions staff of the study programs you are interested in.

4. Put the effort in when writing your personal statement

Writing a stellar personal statement or application essay is one of the most important steps you have to accomplish in order to have a successful US college application. This will be your chance to let the university see that you are interested in the field of study and that you are willing to work hard in order to study and build a career.

You can impress US admission officers with your existing knowledge of your chosen subject. That being said, you need to take the right amount of time in order to make sure you manage to highlight all of your abilities and ambitions.

5. Use your own voice Use your own voice

Many students fall into a trap when trying to impress admission officers and they try to be someone they are not. But if you want to prove to universities that you are the right student for them, you need to be genuine and use your own voice. Present yourself in a positive light, and don’t try to imitate a different personality. Don’t just use clichéd statements when describing your motivation for your field of study. It’s better if you include specific details, examples and reasons; this will help you to stand out.

Try to use personal experiences and avoid overly formal or business-like language. If you wish to say something in a way that no one else did before, you need to find your own words and to allow yourself to be creative. Colleges will be a lot more impressed by someone who has a strong sense of their own identity and ambitions, rather than someone who sounds the same as every other applicant.

6. Create a calendar of application deadlines Calendar of application deadlines

Regardless of the quality of your application, all your efforts will be wasted if you miss a key date. That is why you need to plan ahead and make sure you are organized. After all, your future is at stake.

Create a calendar with all the relevant deadlines so that you are prepared well ahead of time to ensure that all aspects of your application are complete. An incomplete college application is the first step towards rejection. Unless you are focused and start early, you might feel overwhelmed by all the things you need to do during admission period.

7. Be honest Be honest

While you want to show the best side of yourself, it’s also important to be honest. Because you are trying so hard to impress admission officers, you may be tempted to embellish some details or try to be someone you are not. In order to avoid that, I strongly recommend that you show your application to a teacher or a good friend that knows you and ask them if it sounds like you. It’s always important to get a second opinion.

Studying at a US college is a dream that many international students have. The road to get there may seem difficult at first, but now that you’ve gathered all these tips, you will certainly manage to make a successful application.

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