Useful Tips for Writing a Winning College Admissions Essay

Write that essay!

In addition to high school grades and standardized test scores, a stellar college admissions essay is a
ticket into your top choice college.  The essay, being such a valuable piece of the puzzle, can be
daunting.

While there is no specific formula for writing a perfect essay, you must set your eyes on the main goal – to persuade the admissions committee of your worthiness. You want to prove to them that you are more than your standardized test scores or GPA.  You are a person, and by the end of the essay, they need to like you.

Summer is a great time to prepare and to start implementing the following tips:

Focus on the essay question. Most colleges provide questions so it’s important never to lose sight of
your subject matter. Stick to the topic and answer the questions straight to the point.
In your first draft, write freely. Write whatever comes to mind.  Writing involves an endless process of thinking, taking notes, and editing. This first step, however, will surely lead you to a well-written essay.


Write a strong and convincing introduction. Due to piles of college essays awaiting them, most
admissions officers have very limited time to go through an entire application. They may only read the first part of your essay. So, you need to capture their attention in the first paragraph of your essay,
maybe even the first sentence! You should include interesting details and pieces of information that will keep them engrossed in your writing.


Reveal your voice. The point of the admissions essay is for the admissions committee to get to know
you, personally. This essay gives you the opportunity to introduce yourself, show them what you are
made of, and what you can offer to their institution. Be creative in doing so, but also have a sense of
restriction not to overwrite.


Make time for revisions. As mentioned earlier, a successful essay involves the rigorous process of
writing and rewriting. Revisit your essay multiple times to see if you have further additions that will
improve your writing. Check your essay for typographical and grammatical errors, because sometimes these simple mistakes may ruin the totality of your final output.


Finally, have other people read and edit your essay. You may ask friends or family members to go over your written work, as they may have additional input that could contribute to the betterment of your essay. Do not fear criticism, as it will definitely help you produce a winning college admissions essay.

How to Get Into Ivy League Schools

The Eight Ivy League Schools

The Ivy League is a group of eight private colleges and universities in the East Coast known for providing high-quality education and exceptional learning experience. These universities were among the earliest academic institutions founded in the United States and have contributed significantly throughout history.

The prestigious colleges and universities that make up the Ivy League are Brown University, Columbia University, Cornell University, Dartmouth University, Harvard University, Princeton University, University of Pennsylvania, and Yale University. Although the term Ivy League was originally associated with an athletic conference in which the sports teams of the eight colleges competed, it has developed to connote academic excellence, high standard admission process, and social elitism.


Ivy League Admissions Process

Every year, a myriad of outstanding and average applicants knock at the admission doors of the eight
schools belonging to the Ivy League. However, with the exceedingly competitive nature of each college, getting into an Ivy League school can be very tough. All eight universities are highly selective and set the bar extremely high, as acceptance rates are normally below 10. Moreover, getting into and attending an Ivy League school can be very expensive, costing an average of $35,000 a year.

Different colleges have different admission processes and look for different types of candidates.

• Princeton University looks for students with intellectual curiosity, academic excellence, and strong personal and extracurricular accomplishments. In addition to exceptional academic records and exam scores, Princeton will ask you to write two to three essays as part of the application process. 

• At Harvard University, the factors that are weighted the most are academic accomplishments, strong personal qualities, special talents, and unique personal circumstances. Prerequisites for Harvard college admission include the application and supplemental essays, SAT or ACT scores, high school transcripts, teacher evaluations, and application fees. 

• Similarly, Yale University prioritizes an applicant’s academic strength, which can be derived from grades, standardized test scores, and evaluations from teachers and counselors. In addition, the school’s admissions committee evaluates the motivation, leadership skills, and distinctive talents of each applicant. 

How to Get into a Good College

Having a good education can significantly help you achieve your personal and professional goals in life. If you are ambitious about your future and want a job that you love and that pays well, there is no better preparation than getting a high-quality education from a good college. Getting into a good college starts by showcasing your skills and talents, fulfilling the school’s requirements, and completing the college admissions process.

Leaving Great First Impressions: A Guide to Write a Good Application Essay

Are you ready for the next chapter in your life? If your answer is yes, then it’s time to go to college. In today’s society, one goes to college to achieve higher education. This higher education can lead to jobs with higher positions and better careers are a result. In the process of finding a good college, you need to take a couple of exams, pass a few tests and go through interviews. All these are intended for you to create a good first impression to your future teachers and fellow students alike. That’s why it is a must to prepare for it thoroughly. One such example is the making of an application essay.


The current Common Application was released last August 2013 and it sets new standards for future college applicants to admission. One of the most challenging elements was the essay section.

The making of an essay is important in applying for college. This is one way of toughening up your first impression. With colleges and universities demanding much expectation, you need to create a well-constructed application essay. A common application essay contains some insights on certain things. The creation of an essay depends on what topic is assigned to you. There are things to consider prior to making one.


Let us find out what they are and keep these following tips in mind:


First, you need to consider the length of the essay. The common app essay word limit can range from 250 to 650 words, depending on the requirements set. This is enough for the admissions committee to check whether you’re fit to enter the college or not. In terms of length, the common app length should be enough to understand what your standpoint is. You should not make essays too long to narrate your whole life story.


Next is organizing your input. You may have reached the required number of words, but if you don’t know how to organize your input, it will be hard for the reader to comprehend, thus leading to your possible rejection. One of the most common app formats being used nowadays is the block letter style where you don’t need to have your paragraphs indented. Instead, it will show up with isolated blocks of text with one line in between paragraphs.



Third, make sure your ideas or concepts are cohesive. Just because you have subdivided your essay into paragraphs, doesn’t mean you get to do it as you please. You need to make sure that one paragraph contains only one idea or concept before leaving a space for the next one. This prevents confusion.



Lastly, understand your topic. Making a great application essay depends on what are the questions or topics assigned to you so make sure that you understand the topic designated to you. Most common app questions are more of establishing your identity as a college student since it is the heart of an application essay.

Examples are:

•  What is it that made you, you? This signifies about what you’ve encountered through the years that made you into the person you are today. 

• What were the failures that you’ve encountered that has drastically changed you? This is the chance to show them what happened to you, how you faced and overcame it. Being introspective and honest is crucial as well.

•  What made you challenge an idea? This is very challenging as they say, but the thing that is, you questioned. Working against the status-quo is very difficult with everybody disagreeing to your beliefs. This is where you show them how hard it is.

•  What place has given you that much content? We all have places where we find solace and comfort. It depends on your preference. It may be a church, school, park, road, house, etc. You need to explain to the admission guys about the value it has given you. 

• What was the event that made you realize that you’re now a man, not a boy? It may be formal or informal, but you need to explain what significant event in your life has made you realize you’re growing up. It could be a Bar Mitzvah, Sweet Sixteen or basically anything. Make your admissions committee know more about you.

Now you’ve seen some tips on creating an essay for your college application. Save up
some money and go to college. You will never regret that decision for in college,