Introduction
Writing a college essay is an undeniably overwhelming task. It would be best to approach it systematically; otherwise, the entire project will resemble a maze. So, if you have one to write right now, don’t worry! This article will guide you on how you can plan and tackle your essay stepwise.
Organizing
Before you embark on the journey of writing college essays, there is a pitstop that you must never skip. You have to check what type of essay you need to write to strengthen your application. The number one tip that you must be all ears for is that you must start early. If your peers had told you that they wrote an essay a night before the deadline and still made it to college, then it was good for them. Please do not follow them! It would be best if you started at least two months earlier. Just imagine, a personal statement can take several weeks to get polished, then how much time will it take to write a supplemental essay? An unfinished essay or a sub-par essay that accompanies a well-written personal statement will only bring you a rejection letter.
Apart from starting early, you must keep a check on the requirements. If your college is on the “Common App,” this will be convenient. If it isn’t, then you must go through the website of all the colleges that you are interested in. Make a document of requirements along with the deadlines. Although it is tricky and very time consuming it is worth it! You can make a chart and hang it in your room.
Next, comes the great question of where to start? Well, start from the college that is your top priority, or you can begin with the one that is due earlier than others. It would help if you always started with personal statements and moved towards the essay only after that. Do not think of reusing an essay. Your interest to join the college must reflect in your unique content. So, swapping the name of the college on a single essay will not help you get shortlisted.
Brainstorming
This is the next pitstop in your essay writing journey. It would be best if you did not settle with the first idea that comes to your mind. It is only through brainstorming that you can come up with unique and creative ideas. The first way of doing this is “analyzing the essay prompts.” Check what the question asks you and what information the admission officers need to learn more about you. Another way is to jot down the unique experiences, ideas, and incidents that will capture the reader’s attention. If your points on the unusual side consider it a blessing, they will help you stand out among a pool of applicants. The last way to brainstorm is through self-reflection. You can highlight your personality traits. Treat yourself as a brand. Throughout the brainstorming phase, do not supervise yourself. Let the free associations kick in. You can also check out some college essays on Perfect Essay. They will serve as an inspiration.
Pick a Topic
After the brainstorming phase, you will have a good sense of writing a perfect college essay. Start by narrowing down the list of ideas that you have come up with. Keep a list of the top three angles that you think are the best. Take a break from the day and try to start fresh. In this way, the next time you will look at the list, you will rearrange those in terms of uniqueness. Do not overlook the amount of content that you can write on each topic. Pick the best one for the college that is your top priority. Do not get rid of the other two. You can use them for other colleges as you should never reuse an essay.
Writing a Draft
Do not get stuck into the vicious cycle of perfecting everything from the start. It is both futile and frustrating. For these reasons, you must write a draft first. It is okay to have wonky phrasings and incorrect punctuations as the goal is to write the content. You can always fix the errors in the next phase. Adding on, do not get over-attached to any of the ideas or points that you have mentioned. You will be removing and modifying the content at the end, and getting rid of such content will be difficult for you. Try to go through sample essays. You can order a cheap sample essay and check how professionals tackle this sort of writing. All you have to do is google “write my essay in 1 hour“, and the top sites will pop up.
Proofread
Once you are done with your rough draft, then the next step is to proofread it. Here are the steps that you must follow:
- Make sure that there are no spelling or structural mistakes;
- Fix all of those commas and full stops;
- Do check that your content is in line with the college essay guidelines;
- Keep an on the word limit.
Apart from the mistakes, you must be sure that the essay is 100 percent unique. You were using copied stuff from the internet, or the essay that your senior submitted years ago is not a great idea. The admission officers will never appreciate plagiarism, and your essay will end up in the rejection pile. Another great idea for you to be sure that you have a great application is to ask a friend to go through your content. They can give you further insights, such as if your essay captures attention or not.
Let it Sit and Rewrite
After you have completed the proofreading part, it’s time to relax! Yes, try to leave your draft for a day or two. This will help you in re-igniting those creative writing engines. So, when you are back after a break, you would think more clearly, and who knows, you might have more unique ideas. This is one of the most important tips for “how to write a perfect college essay.” Do not rush yourself in the rewriting phase. Keep your mind open to newer angles. Adjust your course when needed. Your goal should be to stand out among thousands of applications. Remember, this essay will represent you, so try to make it a true reflection of yours.
Conclusion
Now that you have gone through the steps of writing a college essay, get your planner. Mark the dates on which you will begin each step. Do not rush yourself. Think of ideas that will help you market yourself in the most attractive way to get a seat in your dream college.
