The college application essay is one of the most important parts of a college application because it’s the one piece of paper that gets pulled out and re-read many times over. It’s no secret that admissions officers across the nation pull out your college essay(s) along with your high school transcripts to get to the meat of your academic profile. So it’s fair to say that your college application essay, along with your previous high school and community college courses, are among the most important documents you’ll ever submit to determine your future at a prestigious university.
Knowing how important this part of the application is, you’d think that some of the best collegiate essay examples would make the process a little easier for future applicants. But, worry not — we’re here to help with 10 ways to write a winning college application essay, including tips on how to write a winning college application essay layout, the use of various sentences, and more.
Choose The Right University
When you’re deciding where to apply, you have a multitude of choices and each one represents a different academic and social experience. So it’s important to do some research and decide which university is best suited for you. With so many options available, you’re bound to find the right university for you.
When you’ve found that perfect institution, apply there. Don’t waste your time and effort applying to a university that you know isn’t the right fit for you. You’ll be happier in the long run if you do your research and know exactly what you’re looking for. Writing a winning college application essay can be a daunting task, so take your time in choosing the right university for you.
Start Early
The earlier you start the better because you’ll have more time to make corrections as needed. If you’re feeling creative, you can even write the essay over the summer before your junior year of high school so you won’t forget anything by the time classes start in the fall.
The earlier you start the better because you’ll have more time to make corrections as needed. If you’re feeling creative, you can even write the essay over the summer before your junior year of high school so you won’t forget anything by the time classes start in the fall.
Take Care Of The Little Things
While it’s important to write an essay that will knock their socks off, it’s also important to write an essay that is concise yet detailed. When you’re writing your essay, take time to address the little things that could be improved on. For example, if you’re not a particularly fast reader, go through your essay line by line and look for places where you can improve the pace of your writing. Cut out unnecessary words and ensure your essay is free of any spelling errors. If you’re fortunate enough to have the skills, run-on sentences should be a thing of the past and you should be able to write a concise and precise essay. When you write a winning college application essay, make sure you’re taking care of the little things and putting your best foot forward.
Make It Multidisciplinary
When you’re applying to college, the most important thing you can do for yourself is to make your essay as strong as possible. To do this, you need to show that you’ve considered other subjects besides English and your chosen major in college. Don’t be afraid to show all your intellectual curiosities and academic interests in your essay. After all, that’s what makes you unique and interesting. You can even go so far as to write an essay on a subject you’ve learned about in a different language. Perhaps you’re particularly fascinated by the Renaissance era and you’ve started researching it in your spare time. In that case, why not write an essay on how the Renaissance changed society and how you feel it has continued to influence modern culture?
As you’ll see in the examples below, many of the top essayists show their versatility by incorporating their knowledge in different subject areas and demonstrating a genuine interest in a range of subjects. By making your essay as broad as possible, you increase your chances of being accepted to a top-notch university.
Use The Proper Grammar
Another thing that makes a difference is your use of grammar. Using the proper grammar is not just important for spelling. You’ll also need to know how to use and incorporate grammar correctly to write a winning essay. There are five main types of grammar: 1) Verbs — these are the words you’ll use to express your actions, for example, sing, danced, etc. 2) Nouns — these are the words you’ll use to identify people or objects, for example, man, woman, child, pet, chair, etc. 3) Adjectives — these are words that describe nouns or other adjectives, for example, tall, short, dark, light, hard, etc. 4) Prepositions — these are words that show the relationship between things, people, or places, for example, in, on, above, below, etc. 5) Conjugations — these are words that end in -ed or -ing and show how to form verbs from nouns or adjectives, for example, born, reading, teaching, volunteering, etc. Knowing and using the correct grammar will only increase your chance of writing a winning essay. For instance, do you know what a verb conjugation is? If not, consult your dictionary or look it up online. When you know how to use the correct grammar and how to conjugate verbs, your essay will come alive and ensure its success.
Start From The Right Place
To start strong, you need to write your essay from the right place and you can’t do that if you haven’t picked out a title for your piece yet. So pick out a catchy title and some descriptors that will grab the attention of your reader. Then, write your introduction making the case for why you are interested in this topic. Your introduction should hook the reader and excite them enough to keep reading your essay. After you’ve established your thesis statement in the first couple of paragraphs, start brainstorming topics you might want to write about. It’s always best to brainstorm with your spouse or a friend; someone you trust and who hasn’t read your essay yet. This helps get the creative juices flowing and ensure you choose a topic that interests you.
When you start writing your essay, don’t feel restricted by the four or five topics you’ve got in mind. Instead, let your mind go free and consider a myriad of possibilities. It’s easy for an essay to wander off-topic, so make sure you keep the main ideas in mind while you write. The more you write, the more you’ll figure out. As you write, you’ll gain insight and discover additional points you hadn’t made before. When you write a winning essay, your ideas will flow naturally and you’ll have created something unique and special. Don’t be afraid to go off-topic or consider other issues or ideas not listed here because at some point while you’re writing, you’ll realize that you’re growing more interested in a particular topic than your initial interest. The key is to keep your interest in mind as you write and allow the topic to grow and evolve.
Use The Right Language
Another key to writing a successful essay is to use the right language. If you’ve picked out a topic you’re truly passionate about, it’s important to use words that correspond with that topic. For example, if you’ve decided to write about women’s rights in the 1900s, you’ll want to incorporate that into your essay by using words associated with that era, like feminist and suffragette. As you’ve probably surmised, many of the top essayists incorporate their knowledge of the subjects they’ve chosen into their writing. To make your essay stand out, use words that are not commonly used and ensure your language is easy to comprehend. If you do end up using words that are not familiar to the reader, they may glance over your essay, thinking it is unoriginal or difficult to understand. Your job is to engage your audience and make them feel as though what you’re writing is specifically about them.
Organize Your Thoughts
Writing an essay is easier for some people than others. Those who’ve had English composition classes can attest to that. Writing an essay is all about organizing your thoughts and expressing them in a logical, coherent manner. To write a successful essay, you need to be able to follow a train of thought and arrange your ideas in a logical order. That way, when you reach the end you’ll have created a cohesive piece that makes sense. To help you organize your thoughts, you can use the following structure: