While good grades and scintillating character references may bring a gleam of interest to the eye of any college professor, a good college admission essay may be the catalyst needed in the production of the final seal of approval to a student’s application. While hundreds of students compete for a single space, all with considerably good grades and recommendations to their name, a quality admission essay may easily distinguish a student for admittance. Further, an exceptional admission essay may go a long way in countering grades that are not as high as desired by the potential college. It would indeed be unwise to understate the importance of admission essays, as part of the application process, as they are often a deciding factor for college admittance panels. And admittance may not only allow you to attend your favored college, but also open you up to the most pivotal experiences of your life, and the opportunity for a great future.
The 10 keys to quality Admission Essays
- 1. Be yourself… but not too much: Your admission essay must be designed to express your personality clearly to your potential college professors, as well as to display clear and intelligent writing skills. By revealing your personality, you should aim to make bored professors conjure you up vividly in their minds, as a living, breathing and exciting potential addition to the college. Still, do not fall into the trap of becoming familiar in your language; ultimately, this isn’t the answer to a Facebook invitation, but rather a formal, and extremely important application for admittance to a select, academic club. Be humble, genuine, and down to earth, no matter what your accomplishments.
- 2. Arouse a smile or two: It may be a clever tactic, especially if you are naturally funny, to insert a witty comment or two into your admission essay, at appropriate points. After wading through three thousand long-winded essays from applicants he may wish to personally obliterate from the face of the planet, any professor will be glad to have something to smile about, and will likely thank you for it with a few crucial points. Do not go overboard, however, as this may have the reverse effect of making you seem like someone who will not take seriously, including his studies.
- 3. What’s so special about YOU? Your aim through your admission essay is to allow professors to better understand who you are. This includes any special skills your even interesting physical aspects that you have, that will render you more memorable than other candidates. Still, while having a sixth toe may be mesmerizing, it is unlikely to earn you any academic points, unless you slip it into a relevant context. Did it give you the extra balancing skills that won you a gymnastics scholarship or award somewhere? Did your sixth finger transform your typing skills, which you now use to earn money part time? Does your developed skill in whistling like specific birds distinguish you for a course in ornithology?
Finally, whatever else you do, ensure that your admission essay is free of spelling and grammatical mistakes. These alone make for a terrible impression, and will likely discount you vital points.
