Are you writing your college admission essay, and are looking for Tips for Writing a College Application Essay?
College admission essays are a struggle for students of all ages.
And after all, it’s not surprising that the average high school senior might have trouble balancing nailing their creative writing course with the pressure of making an essay that sums up their entire life.
But if you don’t have time to get caught up on your English literature reading list for your AP class, or if you just hit a writer’s block when you tried sketching out your essay, don’t worry! We got you covered.
We’ve compiled the most basic tips for creating a winning essay and advice from some of the best writing experts we could find!
So sit back, relax, and be confident in knowing that you have the (essay) essentials to get you into college.
What is an essay?
According to Webster’s Dictionary, an essay is “a short nonfiction piece on a particular subject.”
Basically, it’s a small article that discusses one specific topic in a very specific scope.
What else should I know about my essay?
Aside from the obvious—that you need to be creative in a short amount of time—there are also other limitations to your college essay.
You cannot plagiarize, use hate speech or discriminatory language, or refer to your college essay as an “application letter.”
Even if you’re just bad at writing, don’t try to get out of it by copying and pasting one or all of the paragraphs in a Google Document, as this is also considered cheating.
What should I write about after getting tips for writing a college application essay?
This is where it gets fun!
The topics are wide open in terms of what you can write about and how you can write about them.
Of course, the admissions officers have their own preferences and requirements; however, there are no restrictions on what to write.
College admission essays usually ask to write about something significant in your life, as it is supposed to be a very personal application that understands every aspect of you.
This can be in the form of accomplishments, family issues, or even just a lifestyle choice you made.
It can also be more specific and technical—perhaps you want to write about a particular book or work of art that has had an impact on your life.
If you want to write about something that wasn’t addressed in a question in your application, you’re free to write about whatever you like.
How should I write my essay?
This is where most people make mistakes.
When you structure a college application essay, it is important to focus on the details.
Some of these details may be big or small—it doesn’t matter!
The only thing that matters is that they are important enough to be mentioned in your essay.
A good rule of thumb for writing a college essay is to include the topic in your intro and then include 4-6 supporting details throughout the rest of your paper.
Be sure that all of your supporting details are relevant, or do not write them at all if they are not.
What other tips should I write about?
Besides these basic tips, you should also think about what else to include in your essay.
Is there an aspect of your life that you want to share but didn’t get a chance to?
Do you have an exciting future planned? Write down as many ideas as possible, but be sure to narrow them down.
Should I write in the third person or the first person?
The best way to write a college essay is in the first person, because it allows you to be completely candid, without any restrictions on what you can write about.
But if you were to write in the first person, you would have to avoid certain topics as well.
For example, if you wrote about your family, it would be a good idea to avoid writing in the first person.
It’s also a good idea to write in the third person because it allows you to describe your life’s events as well as other people’s experiences without making judgments.
What Should I avoid after I get Tips for Writing a College Application Essay?
When writing your college essay, make sure to avoid sensitive topics such as politics, religion, and sexuality as much as possible.
Many schools have essay questions that ask about these topics.
Don’t be afraid to skip those questions altogether if you have them in your application!
How long should my essay be?
Your essay needs to be composed of around 1,500 words (including the intro).
More often than not, however, you will have 500-750 words to fill this total.
Does my essay need a conclusion?
It depends. If your essay has a specific topic and is clearly laid out to discuss this topic, then you don’t need a conclusion as such.
However, if you are writing a more “free writing” type of essay, then a conclusion is very important.
How long should my intro be?
Aside from the other Tips for Writing a College Application Essay, your introduction needs to be roughly around 100 words.
However, the college essay application questions will tell you how long your intro should be.
This is often 150-200 words.
How do I know what colleges to apply to?
The first step in figuring out which colleges to apply to is determining why you want to go there.
Everyone has a different reason for wanting to go to college, but there are some good questions that can help you figure out your own reasons.
First, what is your major?
If you already have a major in mind when you start making your college decision, then you should make sure that the school offers what you need to complete your degree.
For example, if you want to study in the sciences but the school doesn’t offer any science classes for freshman level students, then that may be a good reason not to apply.
Next, what is the cost of college? With all the tuition costs rising, it might be wise to think about this.
Keep in mind that if you buy into the “four-year” myth that is propagated by colleges and universities (essentially telling you that going to college will stay profitable for your entire life), then you should consider schools that are accessible.
If you have a part-time job or are working a lot, then low cost colleges may be more reasonable for you.
What is the college’s reputation?
Does the school have a good national reputation?
If your school has a bad reputation, you may want to take this into consideration when applying.
However, remember that if you are attending a school for a specific purpose, such as location or low cost, then this does not matter.
What is the student-teacher ratio?
If you want to get involved with a club or organization, then you should make sure that your school will have the resources for that, such as a club advisor.
There are some schools that have a very high ratio of students to teachers and advisors, which means you probably won’t get the personal connections you need.
Do I need to apply early?
The answer to this question depends on your situation.
Typically, if you are a National Merit Scholar, then you should apply early to give yourself an advantage.
Most colleges and universities require a 3.0 GPA or less on your high school transcript, but if you have a strong list of extracurriculars, then this may not be as big of an issue to some schools.
Keep in mind that if you qualify for scholarships, then you will want to apply early.
On the other hand, you may not qualify for any scholarships and need to be able to pay full tuition.
Then, you should consider applying to as many schools as possible, even if they are somewhat out of your budget range.
How should I pick my major?
Your choice of college major should not be seen as an opportunity to reinvent yourself or change how others view you.
The major you choose should be for you to help you get the most out of your education.
If you have a preference that is not available at your school, it may help to look into taking some classes at a community college to gain experience.
Is there anything I should avoid?
To find the answer to this question, take a step back and think about what else in your life that may not be appropriate for college.
For example, if you suffer from OCD, then this may not be a good fit for you.
You want to make sure that your college essay will be well-received by the admissions committee and not bring up any of your personal issues that are not appropriate for college.
How do I start writing my college essay?
There are a lot of venues you can use to write your college essay.
In fact, you could use the same essay for multiple college applications.
Writing your college essay usually starts with sitting down and making a list of all of your accomplishments.
Whether it is music, sports, or academic achievements, you can use this list to provide evidence of your own personal achievements.
You also want to make sure you write down things in your life that you may be embarrassed of or shy about.
This will help create a well-rounded college essay and help the admissions committee see you as a well-rounded person.
Another way to start writing your college essay is by Googling for sample essays people have written for their college application process.
This will help you understand what makes a good college application essay, which you can use for your own writing.
How do I format my college essay?
The way you format your college essay depends on the school.
For example, if you are applying to the University of California, Berkeley and have chosen to use their online application system, then they indicate that your essay should be “typed or printed” in 12-point typeface and double-spaced.
If you are using a paper application, then it indicates that the essay should be printed on the last page of your application.
How do I edit my college essay?
Before you mail in your church planter resume for a college essay, make sure to proofread your college essays several times.
Imagine that someone from admissions is reading your essay and thinking about what to say back to you.
A typo can make your college application look untidy and inaccurate.
Whilst some essays are perfect, there are many that can be edited and improved to provide a more professional and accurate piece.
Even if your essay is perfect, you may still want to ask a friend or relative for an honest critique.
How do I submit my college essay?
There are several different ways to submit your college essays depending on the school’s application process.
Many colleges have online applications that you use to submit your essays.
These can be done on your computer or on a specific application, depending on how the school has chosen to submit their college essays.
Other colleges have paper applications that are mailed to their offices.
These can take a long time for the school to review because of the large volume of applications they are receiving.
What is the deadline for submitting my college essay?
The deadline for applying for most colleges is June 1st, but this is not a hard and fast rule.
Some deadlines may be earlier and some may be later than this date.
It is best to apply as early as you can to give yourself the best chance at getting accepted to your school of choice.
Is writing a college essay easier now than it was in the past?
The process of submitting college essays has changed dramatically over the last few years.
There are a lot more ways to get your work out there, which means that students have a lot more information on which they can base their college essays on.
Can I just write about my favorite sport and make it a short story?
Many colleges don’t look at a college essay as a short story.
They want to see evidence that you are well-rounded, not just the things you like doing in life.
For example, if you like to play baseball but then focus on it for two-thirds of your college essay, then this may hurt your chances of being accepted.
Writing a college application essay can be tough. However, if you follow the Tips for Writing a College Application Essay in this article, you will submit the best essay.