Applying for college is a stressful experience as the pressure of being good enough looms over your head. You’re trying to maintain your GPA and possibly clubs or other extracurriculars to add to your resume.
Maybe you also work a part-time job. Smart Tutors must also figure out how to write the perfect college essay. No worries – if you follow these steps, you will surely write a great college essay that will help you stand out from your competitors.
Be personable, not too formal.
You want to sound professional but not too formal. The college admissions committee will be reading thousands of college essays that sound exactly the same. People will list their GPA, the clubs they participated in, and the positions they held.
Many think that sounding as prestigious as possible will be the most impressive, and yes, that information is important regarding your admission. Still, they want to see your personality shine throughout the essay.
Get them from the first line.
The first line can make or break your essay. Simply saying, “My name is ____, and I’m a senior at _____ high school with a 3.7 GPA,” won’t draw them in. They have heard that same line thousands of times and will see all that information in your initial application.
This is your chance to stand out. Like a story, you can use the first sentence to keep them wanting to read further instead of feeling obligated to.
Include something unique
Everyone has something unique to them in their walk of life, so utilize that. The admissions committee wants to learn more about you as an individual in your essay rather than restating what is already on your application. There will be many other people with similar GPAs and credentials, so this is your chance to be unique among the other applicants.
Have a true passion
Are you truly passionate about attending college, specifically the one you are applying to? College committees can tell if you truly want to attend their school.
The passion (or lack thereof) will scream at them through the paper. You should only be applying if you truly picture yourself attending that school. After all, you will be there for the next four years.
Not your parents or friends (well, maybe some), but this is your life and future. Make sure you want to do this!
State your purpose for your declared major and what you plan to do with it.
State your purpose for your declared major, if you have one. This will show the admissions committee what exactly you plan to do with your degree after college and your impact on the world. Showing your true interest and plans for the future will impress them.
Include something about the college to show genuine interest in that school.
If you mention something you know or love about the college, they will love it. It shows that they’re not just another college to you, but the one you truly want to attend and picture yourself being at for the next four years.
If your GPA is lacking, state why and why you should still attend the school.
If your GPA is lacking, this is your chance to explain why briefly. You don’t want to make the whole essay about this, as they will want to learn more about you, but do include why your GPA is less than they typically admit.
Schools do admit students with a lower GPA based on things like their extracurriculars, for example, but they need to make sure that you will be able to maintain your GPA in college.
Double-check for grammar
Double (or triple) check for adequate grammar usage. The college admissions committee will notice spelling mistakes, misplaced commas, and more (this especially applies if your major will be in a journalism or English field, but it is still important for all applicants).
Have people proofread, ideally a professional
Have a friend, a parent, or a tutor proofread your work. Your essay may sound great to you, or you may not notice any grammatical errors, but others may see something you don’t.
It’s so important to get a second (or third) opinion on your work to get an outsider’s point of view. A tutor can be a great professional asset in helping you with your college essay, and Miles Smart Tutoring can provide the perfect one for you.
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