|
Writing Admissions Essays; How To Do It Right. |
By:
Daniel Z. Kane |
|
|
Writing Admissions Essays; How to do it right.
by Daniel Z. Kane
Although completion of a challenging curriculum, high school grade point average, and ACT or SAT scores are most important to admissions committees, the quality of a student's essay may carry fairly substantial weight in determing whether he/she is offered or denied admission. And, as a general rule, the more selective the college, the more important the essay.
In fact, some colleges use essays merely to ensure that applicants can write acceptably. The Harvard's, Yale's, and Princeton's of the world may view essays with far more discerning eyes.
Don't use your essays to make excuses about your test scores, class rank, or decision to take home economics and keyboarding during your senior year. And, whatever you do, don't promise to study harder in college than you did in high school. Save that one for your grandmother or someone else who might be impressed. An admissions committee will not be.
Take advantage of the chance essays give you to introduce yourself by:
1. Spend as much time, thought, and energy as it takes to ensure that your essays reflect your best work. Have them reviewed by at least two people who write well, and by your counselor.
2. Talking about yourself honestly. In fact, talking about an instance in which you learned from a mistake or by falling short of a goal may well make you both more likeable and more credible (especially if there is a "happy ending").
3. Presenting your accomplishments without conceit.
5. Staying away from the kinds of statements beauty queens make about their love of America, God, and humanity.
Very seldom will an essay make a good candidate out of a bad one. Unfortunately, the reverse is far more likely. That being said, it is important to follow the basic guideline above, and avoid any big risks.
Daniel Kane is an educator who has served on several admissions committees. His websites, designed for traditional students and working adults, deal with topics like online colleges, and online degree programs. You can get a unique content version of this article.
|
|
Article Source: http://www.statssheet.com/articles/article55380.html |
|
|
|
|
|
