A great application essay will present a vivid, personal, and compelling view of you to the admissions staff. It will round out the rest of your application and help you stand out from other applicants. The essay is one of the only parts of your application over which you have complete control, so take the time to do a good job on it. Check out these tips before you begin.
DOs
Keep your focus narrow and personal. Your essay must prove a single point or thesis. The reader should be able to find your main idea and follow it from beginning to end. Ask someone to read just your introduction to see what he or she thinks your essay is about. Essays that attempt to be too comprehensive end up sounding watered down. Remember, it's not about telling the committee members what you've done - they can pick that up from your list of activities - but about showing them who you are.
Prove It. Develop your main idea with vivid, specific facts, events, quotations, examples, and reasons. There's a big diifference between simply stating a point of view and letting an idea unfold in the details:
Okay: I like to be surrounded by people with a variety of backgrounds and interests.Better: During that night, I sang the theme song from Casablanca with a baseball coach who thinks he's Bogie, discussed Marxism with a little old lady, and heard more than I ever wanted to know about some woman's gallbladder operation.
Be specific. To avoid cliched, generic, and predictable writing, use vivid, specific details.
Okay: I want to help people. I have gotten so much out of life through the love and guidance of my family, I feel that many individuals have not been as fortunate; therefore, I would like to expand the lives of others.Better: My mom and dad stood on plenty of sidelines until their shoes filled with water or their fingers started to freeze or somebody's golden retriever signed its name on their coats in mud. I think that kind of commitment is what I'd like to bring to working with fourthgraders.
DON'Ts
Don't tell your readers what you think they want to hear.
Most admissions officers read plenty of essays about the charms of their university, the evils of terrorism, and the personal commitment involved in being a doctor. Bring something new to the table, not just what you think they want to hear.
Don't write a resume.
Don't include information that is found elsewhere in the application. Your essay will end up sounding like an autobiography, travelougue, or laundry list.
Don't use 50 words when 5 will do
Eliminate unnecessary words.
Okay: Over the years, it has been pointed out to me by my parents, friends, and teachers - and I have even noticed this about myself, as well - that I am not the neatest person in the world.Better: I'm a slob.
Don't forget to proofread
Typos and spelling or grammatical errors can be interpreted as carelessness or just bad writing. Don't rely on your computer's spell-checker. It can miss spelling errors like the ones below.
Source: Handout 6B, College Counseling Sourcebook, 4th Edition, 2007 The college Board.