College Applications - The Essay

The essays in a college application are meant to show your writing skills.  Questions are often of a personal nature and can be open ended.  Sometimes you can send out the same essay along with multiple applications, but this is relatively rare.  You will probably have to tailor your essay a little bit for each application.  Make sure that someone can proof the essay for grammar errors.  Spelling errors can easily be corrected in any word processing software.

The essay is an integral part of your application.  It humanizes you.  If you have excellent writing abilities, this is your moment to shine.  If not you will probably have to brain storm for awhile to come up with a good idea.  The essay will probably be the toughest part of your application. 

Write about things that are important to you, stay away from generic essay answers.  Talk about your family history, or background.  This is your moment to really differentiate from all the other applicants.  Write with your own voice.  Don't be afraid to use your own style.  There are many sources of good essays in books as well as online.  Go over them, but don't plagiarize them.  The admissions office will be able to spot duplicates.  Get feedback from your writing teachers and counselors.  They will be able to tell you if your essay is great, or needs work.  Don't take criticism personally, writing is work in progress, you will get better at it over time.  Do not use your essay as a way to explain any flaws, like a poor grade in chemistry, only emphasize the positive.

Online Degrees For Undergraduates: