Writing Tips for College Admissions Essays

Writing Tips for College Admissions Essays

Getting a bachelor's degree makes graduates 24% more likely to find a job. They are 3.5 times less likely to be poor. Additionally, they are 5 times less likely to end up in prison. To get a bachelor's from a good school, potential students need to write a good college admissions essay.

In this article, I will share some tips to improve your chances of getting into your chosen school.

Don't let the amount of anti-education rhetoric on social media dismay you. Having a four-year degree will help high school students achieve their academic interests and future goals.

Start Writing Early

Don't worry about spending time away from your friends to write an essay over the summer. If you begin the college application process in the summer before senior year, you will have ample time to improve your essays using our tips.

Follow the Essay Prompt and Instructions

The first key in how to write admissions essays is staying on topic according to the prompt. Make sure to understand what each college wants from you. Never reuse an essay from another application that doesn't answer the prompt. Follow the word limit and adhere to every instruction.

Each college is unique, just like each applicant. Reusing essays won't work because writing that isn't personalized is less appealing to readers. Personalize your college admissions essay to the college you're applying to while following each instruction and fulfilling the prompt.

Hook the Reader Right Away

The best college essay examples always come out of the gate strong with an unforgettable opener. Sometimes, that means using humor, if you think the joke will land with an adult reader. Other times, an opener just paints a picture that stays with a reader.

Emotional college essays get their power from a good opener. Writing a college admissions essay opener sets the stage so you can reflect on your life with a meaningful experience you need to share.

Don't Stray From The Topic

It's hard to fit your personal experiences into a college essay prompt while staying on topic. If you have to choose between sharing your life experiences and making sure your essay focuses on the right subject, focus it on writing the right type of essay.

Be Authentically You

Often times, students write essays hoping to sound like an authoritative voice. Making an essay stand out to a college admissions office means sounding like your authentic self. Find what you're already an authority in without having to embellish your knowledge and expertise.

Be Specific

College admissions offices read thousands of application essays on experiences from real life. They can spot a fake. Don't lie about real events. Back up your life experiences with specific facts to write a good college essay.

Reflect on Your Experience

Read a few sample college essays, you'll see that the writers don't just recount on their experiences, they reflect on what it all means. This gives colleges a sense of how your mind works and what you make of the world. College admissions offices can then get a good sense of where their teaching will take your worldview and understanding of self.

Don't Repeat Yourself

The best essays written by students don't just restate the same information. Make sure each point you make throughout your essay is unique, otherwise scrap it.

This also goes for any plans to reuse essays from other applications. Just don't do it. Every application you submit to a school should include a completely different essay that doesn't repeat anything you've stated in another essay.

Understand each college's needs, figure out how your experiences can contribute to those needs.

Editing and Proofreading

Editing and proofreading your essay is essential. You should be rewriting several drafts before submission. Consider using AI to give you feedback for revisions. Have another person read your essay and give you tips.

Compare what you've written with other good college essay examples. Read other guides on how to make a college essay, read personal essay samples beyond academia that the public finds effective.

Understand what makes a college level essay, adhere to the rules and structure you'll be using in a higher education environment. If you write like you're in middle school, college admissions offices will reject your work.

Taking these extra steps might seem excessive, but getting into a good school will drastically change your life, so you should put as much effort into this process as it will take to present your best piece of writing.