Admissions Essays: A Quick Guide to Writing a Great Essay

Essays are an opportunity to show that you have great writing skills and that you are not just your grades or a test score. If you have great grades and are involved in extracurricular activities, your essay can demonstrate why they would want a great student like you. If your grades are not exemplary, your essay can give some insight into your unique personality that may prove more desirable than someone without a great essay.

Often times your essay can determine whether you get accepted or rejected. It is critical to spend a good amount of time writing and rewriting your essay. Keep in mind it is important to answer the question posed. Many students make the mistake of writing an essay that does not answer the question.

At the same time, you want to express your personality and ability to write. Admissions officers only spend a few minute reading each essay so it is important to write an interesting essay that will set you apart from the rest of the applicants.

You should give yourself plenty of time to write and rewrite your essay. Here are some helpful steps to crafting the perfect admission essay:

Brainstorm You should spend a week thinking about what you want to write about given the specific question. Think about positive qualities or accomplishments that may set you apart from the thousands of other applicants. This is not the time to list your great grades or plethora of extracurricular activities. Try to focus on one thing that shows how you have succeeded or even dealt with failure. This is the opportunity to show that you are well thought out and an excellent addition to their campus.

Transfer students will most likely be asked not only what you want to study but also why you want to study at their particular school. Try to show your progression of why you have chosen your major while infusing your personality and maturity. This is also an opportunity to show that you have done your research and explain how great the professors are in your program of study or the university has an environment which fosters your educational goals.

Introduction Now that you have finished brainstorming and decided what you will write about, you must start the introduction. The introduction is probably the most important key to your essay. Admissions officers only spend a few minutes reading each essay, many of which are a bore. It is your job to catch the attention of the reader by having a great introductory sentence. It should cause the reader to want to know what you’re going to write next.

Body Now that your have a great introductory paragraph, you have to continue that level of writing throughout the essay. The body will give you the opportunity to explain that you are a student they would love to have at their school. Be sure that the body addresses the question posed.

Make sure that what you write in the body follows the theme set in your introduction. Also be sure that your essay flows. Transitional sentences at the end of each paragraph are an important element to creating this flow.

Be unique By writing from your perspective you can ensure your essay wont be the carbon copy of other applicants. Thousands of people want to major in what you want to major. By writing about your feelings from your creative perspective you will set yourself apart.

Conclusion The conclusion should wrap up the theme of your essay. You need not summarize your entire essay. It should reflect on the theme you posed in your introduction. Your conclusion will act as an exit for the reader. Avoid telling the reader that this is a conclusion as this lacks creativity. Hopefully, you are able to leave an impression on the reader that will set you apart.

Get Input form Others Ask others to read your essay and ask that they critically analyze what you have written. Be sure to give them the essay question. Fresh eyes can pick up mistakes you have overlooked and give you insights on how to make your essay better.

Revise Correct any grammatical or spelling errors. These types of mistakes are unacceptable to admissions officers and will leave the impression that you lack college level writing skills. Accept any criticism you may have received and change your essay accordingly until you are happy that it gets your point across and flows well.

At this point you may want to seek professional help. It is unlikely that you know people with professional caliber critiquing and writing skills. Since you application essay can mean getting accepted or rejected, consider using the services of EssayEdge. The editors at EssayEdge are graduates of prestigious schools that will impart a well written essay that will make an admissions officers take notice. The entire process from brainstorming to writing and revising may take time, but the outcome should be a stellar essay that is sure to impress any admissions officer.

Read more on the Transfer Application Process.