Admissions is a hot time for applicants. Those who have gained admission to their desired colleges and universities know how hard this process can be, especially when talking about writing an application essay. It is only natural to want to do this difficult task as best as possible. Our article presents useful guidance that will help you thoroughly prepare for writing an admission essay.
What should be in an admission essay
An admission essay is the first stage of selection from the admission committee, and if it is successful, you will be invited to an interview. This is your chance to stand out from other candidates from all over the world. Write in the essay why you chose this program, how it compares to your success and career plans, what skills you want to acquire, and how to use them in the future.
Tell about victories in competitions, scientific research, and interesting projects in which you participated. Prove that you are the best candidate.
It is believed that the higher the ranking of the university to which you apply, the more thoughtful your admission essay should be.
A rough outline of an admission essay
- Introduction (your name, where you study, and what program you are applying for). Any college essay writing should start with an introduction. Ask the following questions in it: What interested you in the program and the chosen university? What skills have you already acquired in this specialty? Perhaps you want to be a psychologist, but you studied to be a historian and realized that this is not the area that interests you.
- Body. Show your genuine interest in the topic. For psychology, maybe you’ve worked with an autistic brother, or you know firsthand about postpartum depression and dream of helping women get out of it quickly. Share your story. How will this program help you further? Do you already have a startup plan and only need to structure the knowledge? Do you want to work for a specific international company or volunteer to treat children in Africa? How will you benefit the university and fellow students? Maybe you are ready to play for the university football team, or you want to be an assistant in the laboratory or dean’s office.
- A logical conclusion with a call to action.
You don’t need to write a biography. Tell only what is relevant to the chosen program.
Review the admission committee requirements
On the college or university website, read the requirements for an admission essay and follow them 100%. Is it specified that the essay should be 300-500 words long? Meet this volume. Answer all required questions and send your email in the required format.
Do not copy other people’s admission essays
While writing a college application essay there is no need to mindlessly copy other people’s examples, substituting your name, contact information, and two or three personal facts. The essence of an admission essay is sincerity, so you must tell how much you want to enroll this college or university so that the committee will gladly accept you into their ranks.
Don’t write an admission essay at the last minute
Start writing an admission essay at least a month in advance: this way you will not miss the main points. Give yourself time to think about your goals so that they appear convincing to the committee.
A friendly writing style will suit you
Imagine writing an admission essay to your overseas friend and talking about your recent accomplishments. Of course, you shouldn’t be too familiar. The writing style should be conversational with business elements, as these are what distinguishes an admission essay from a cover letter for work. Choose a lighter, more casual storytelling style.
Think over your image
Your success depends on your self-presentation. Work out the details of your image – the committee should understand from your admission essay what kind of person you are, why you are interested in this profession, and how it relates to your plans for the future. Before writing an essay, make a mind map – a cloud of words and concepts – that describes you as much as possible. A few basic concepts will be the main anchor points for describing your personality in writing. Of course, they must be related to the chosen profession.
Don’t write a boring introduction
The introduction should primarily interest the committee. If the beginning is written tritely and monotonously, no one will read it, despite all your merits. Just imagine 5-6 committee members having to read 500 admission essays in 1-2 days to choose the most interesting candidates. And what’s worse, 70% of these essays are boring. Try not to tire your readers with your introduction.
“My name is Bella, and I will soon get my bachelor’s degree and become a teacher. But this is not enough to improve the world. I would like to work with children from poor countries. Teaching the younger generation is not just helping them to distinguish Claude Monet from Edouard Manet, but to help them understand how the USA has improved, and give an incentive to develop their native country. To implement these ideas, I need to take a course in child psychology and learn to find an approach for each child.” It is a great success to create an admission essay that the committee will like. That is why our recommendations are so important for applicants. We hope that your admission essay will help you to enroll in the desired institution with ease. Good luck!