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Three College Admission Essay Tips

 

Life today is a lot easier than it was back in the mid-1800’s when famous American Novelist Herman Melville was at his best. However, Melville didn’t have to worry about the SAT’s, his GPA and having a strong balance of extracurricular activities.

Interestingly, one of the New York City native’s most famous quotes parallels what students need to do when writing their college admission essay(s). Melville said, “It is better to fail in originality than to succeed in imitation.”

Now how about that for wisdom? Melville reminds students here that the best essays aren’t like the norm, they come from thinking outside the box. Here are three other tips to consider in the brainstorming, drafting and final stage of the writing process.

Tip #1: Don’t Neglect Brainstorming

Brainstorming is essential to flesh out one’s thoughts and also saves time in the long run. A great way to start the process is to write down exactly what comes to mind. Be it words or phrases, simply dump your brain on the paper. The development comes next and comes easier after properly brainstorming.

Tip #2: Review the Rough Draft with a Teacher

Even though the rough draft is meant to be free-flowing, it is very helpful to review the rough draft with a teacher or a trusted advisor. This feedback ensures that the essay’s voice and key message makes sense and begs the writer to expand on what works.

Tip #3: Proofread and Proofread Again Before Submitting

We all make mistakes in life but submitting an essay with a spelling mistake or a grammatical error is simply unacceptable. A teacher’s final look at the end is crucial but it is ultimately the student that is responsible for an error-less paper. The essay can wow the admissions officer but with a typo all that hard work may very well go to waste.