This article gives a basic guide to college applicants to write a good college essay. It explains what a college essay is, the purpose of a college essay, the format of a college essay, and how to write a good college essay.
What is a college essay?
For a great number of years, essays have been used as a means of evaluating one’s language and writing skills. It has been mainly attached to the academic field for an essay written by a student reveals a lot about him/her, his/her rational power, imagination, structure, coherence, creativity and power of thought. Among the numerous essays available out in the world, college essay is referred to as an essay written with a view to obtain entry to the college of one’s choice. In order to secure a position in the school, a student candidate is usually asked to write an essay or a piece of writing called as a personal statement. This piece of writing is called a college essay.
What is the purpose of writing a college essay?
The purpose of writing a college essay is to showcase yourself and convince the admission committee of the college you are applying, not just to consider your application, but to give you admission! It is the one and the only reason of writing a college essay. Keep in mind that, your college reveals a lot about yourself and your personality, a revelation which cannot be done by your grades, GPAs or certificates. Hence, when writing one, you have to bear in mind that the purpose of writing a college essay is to showcase who you are.
Format of a college essay
The essay should be simple, but it should be classy and use formal language. It should also be concise and focused. Just like any other essay, a college essay should have,
an introduction – where you state why you are writing the essay
body of the essay – where you support your argument with reasons
a conclusion – summarizing your essay
Finally,
a restatement of your purpose – for stronger emphasis.
The college essay belongs to the academic category of writing, hence, it should utilize eloquent vocabulary, a lot of passive voice where necessary, and accurate grammatical and syntactic structures. The essay is written in first person and when you are writing about yourself, writing in the active voice denotes a sense of firmness, whereas passive voice could sometimes evoke insecurity.
How to get started with a college essay?
Firstly, read out all the requirements given by the college and then brainstorm all necessary details about yourself to be outlined in the essay. It is always better to start as early as possible because it then gives you time to pay a lot more of attention and give it your best shot. Be yourself when you are deciding on what to write about yourself, it is not wise to make things up. Outline your essay and start writing according to your outline. While writing, always try to stay in focus, your focus should be on telling the admission committee why they should reserve a spot for you in their college. Do not make the essay too long, keep it to about 600 words, and do not write all the details which could be unnecessary for the purpose. Also, writing, proofreading, and rewriting usually bring good results. After careful thought and writing, conclude your essay by emphasizing again about your purpose and one strong point about yourself.
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