10 College Application Essay Dos And Donts

10 College Application Essay Dos And Don'ts Stick to what you know and your true personality will shine through. Don't use big words just for the sake of using big words. Essays should have a thesis that is clear to you and to the reader. Your thesis should indicate where you’re going and what you’re trying to communicate from the outset. Feel free to tell us about a time you stumbled, and what happened next. Don’t be afraid to reveal yourself in your writing. Remember, this essay is about you, so use words you normally use. Sometimes creating an outline for your essay can help you get started. It will also help you organize your thoughts and develop a framework. Self-exploration can be fun, but don't procrastinate on the actual writing. Even if you didn’t visit, you can still establish a strong connection to the school. In that case, you might share a story about why you’re interested in studying a certain program that you can only find there â€" grounding it in an anecdote from your past â€" or a professor you want to study with. Yes, Yale is very prestigious and consistently ranks among the top three universities in U.S. Focus on one event, one activity, or one “most influential person.” Tackling too much tends to make your essay too watered down or disjointed. Especially if you’re recounting an event, take it beyond the chronological storytelling. You want to be memorable to the counselors who read your app. Sometimes, a sense of humor doesn’t hurt, if it’s applicable to your subject and/or that moment in your life. A natural understanding of narrative structure â€" not the prefabricated “academic paper” structure â€" and a great story to tell. Don’t worry so much that other people may have “better” stories than you. Everyone’s life is full of story, narrative, and it’s up to you to tell these stories in compelling ways. From there, get out a piece of paper and start brainstorming ideas for each. Put down anything you can think of that might work as an essay. The more ideas, the better, as you often find your best ideas only after getting the obvious ones out of the way. You don't want to rush or be up against a tight deadline; it will affect your work. Submit it, and treat yourself to something nice â€" like your favorite film, a run, quality time with your dog or whatever it is that you enjoy. Ask people you trust for their feedback, but don’t let anyone else tell you how you should write it. This is your story, or some small but significant part of it, as told or reflected upon by you. Listen icons new The College Info Geek Podcast Learn how to be a more effective student, even while you're doing your laundry. With a wealth of experience as a writer, journalist, and educator, Robert Schwartz has written for all four major television networks. In the feature film world he has written or rewritten screenplays for all of the major movie studios. You want to make sure you've used proper spelling, grammar and punctuation, so ask an expert to proofread your essay. The point of this essay is to show who you are, not who you wish you were. Formatting and presentation cannot replace substance, but they can certainly enhance the value of an already well-written essay. Tell us something different from what we’ll read on your list of extracurricular activities or transcript. If you buy through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission. icons new College Packing List Show up to your next semester ready for anything.