When you apply to a college, you are usually given two parts to your application – the paperwork and the essay. Indeed, your paperwork won’t tell a college admission’s officer much about yourself or why you want to go to the college you are applying to. However, your essay will be your blank canvas to let a college know why you are so passionate about applying and attending the university in question. This is why it can help to know some the key factors that make a college application essay so great. Sure, great writing goes a long way, but it is the structure of that writing that will go the farthest distance. Here are some things that go into a great college admissions essay.
An Intelligent Argument
On top of everything, an intelligent argument will be a key focus of any essay. Why do you want to go to a certain college? Your answer will lie in being able to answer truthfully all the reasons why you want to apply. Moreover, you want to do all your research about the college, so that you can address specific points that are catered to the school you are sending the essay to.
Raw Ambition
In your essay, you want to get your raw ambition across in words. This can actually be more difficult than it sounds, because how do you write about ambition? Whether you are applying to New England College or another private college, you want to be able to have a reason why a certain college is for you. Moreover, you want to make sure that you come up with some reasons why a college should have you. Many colleges are very particular about who they accept and bring into the ranks.
Perfect Grammar
When a college admissions officer reads your essay, you don’t want bad grammar to slow things down. In fact, you don’t want any spelling mistakes. Just picture it: your admissions officer is reading through your essay and stopping mid sentence because a certain word is spelled wrong. If you want to get your vision across, you’ll want to spell check your essay over and over again until its perfect.
The Ideal Length
Most college essays are given a certain length according to the college’s requirements. In some cases, your essay may get tossed into the refuse pile because it is too long. If that is the case, you’ll want to shorten things down. Who knows, getting rid of some paragraphs may actually tighten up your essay. If you aren’t sure how many words the essay should be, you may want to ask the admissions department.
Sticking to the Prompt
On top of everything, you will usually be given a prompt with which you can use to guide your essay. It is critical that you stick the prompt as closely as possible. If your essay goes off topic, you could be disqualified. In the end, sticking to the prompt may mean the difference between getting into a great college and a so-so college.