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How to Write a College Admission Essay?

Lady Micah | 20 Feb 2023

Crafting the perfect college essay can be a daunting task, but it is an important part of the college planning and admissions process. College essays often demonstrate that you have the writing and communication skills necessary to succeed in college. They also give admissions officers reasons why they should consider accepting you. For many students, crafting a compelling college essay can make all the difference when it comes to getting accepted into their dream school—so having access to reliable resources for help with this type of project is essential. These are the reasons WhizKidz Tutoring provides college essay writing help to ensure your college essay stands out!

What Do Colleges Look for in an Essay?

Admission officers aim to understand your values and goals, as well as what makes you unique. They want to see that you have the ability and motivation to succeed in college, especially in your chosen field of study. Below are the qualities college admissions look for in an essay:

• Clear and organized structure
• Self-reflection and authenticity
• Good academic goals and interests
• Unique experiences and backgrounds
• Exhibiting personal values and qualities

Tips for Writing a College Essay

Writing the perfect college essay takes time and planning. Here are some helpful tips to get you started:

Get started early:

While being timely varies from student to student, the general recommendation is to begin your essay early, and we suggest starting towards the end of your junior year.

Allot enough time for brainstorming your topic, researching, outlining, and writing. This will help you avoid feeling overwhelmed in the end. Aim to spend 2-3 weeks writing your initial draft and then additional weeks to seek feedback and make revisions.

You can consider following a tracker sheet to organize your timeline. Also, seeking professional college essay writing support, such as one of our tutors from WhizKidz, will help ensure that you stay on track and engage in each stage of the writing process – a skill that will last beyond college admissions.

Find a unique topic:

Your essay topic is often the first thing admissions officers look for when evaluating your essay. Choosing a topic that is meaningful and interesting to you will be the easiest to write about, but consider putting an interesting twist on it in order to make it unique.

To figure out your topic, you should start off by brainstorming. You can make a list of your talents, experiences, and interests that you would like to showcase in your essay. A unique topic might include your hobbies, books you’ve read, an important lesson you learned, or a meaningful story about your struggles and successes.

Ask yourself some exploratory questions, such as:

• What are my values? How did I come to learn them?
• What makes me different from other teens?
• What have I learned from my experiences, successes, or failures?
• What are my interests? How have they changed over time?
• Who are the people that have made an impact in my life, and how?
• What’s special about my relationships, family, and community?

Create an outline:

After brainstorming and choosing your topic, it’s time to start outlining. This will help you organize your thoughts and create a smooth transition between your ideas. There are many storytelling and academic outlining techniques that you can get inspiration from. One we suggest is a mind map.

Write a compelling introduction:

Your introduction should be the most captivating part of your essay. It should include a hook that grabs the reader’s attention and makes them want to read on. The best way to do this is to start “in action.” This means starting with a descriptive anecdote or scene that will connect to your ultimate message or lesson.

Revise, revise, then revise again:

After you’ve finished writing and have gotten some constructive feedback from a parent, teacher, or other professional, start the revision and editing process. Read through your essay and look out for any spelling, grammar, or punctuation errors. Then read it aloud and listen to how it sounds – did you emphasize the right points? Did you choose the right words? Does it sound interesting and compelling? Does it communicate your message clearly?

College Planning in NY & Beyond with WhizKidz

The college essay is only one aspect of your college admissions journey. Other aspects include standardized test prep, choosing a best-fit university, scheduling visits, exploring scholarships, processing applications, and ultimately choosing the right school for you. WhizKidz understands the importance of college planning and has professionals with years of experience ready to help and support you on this journey by offering comprehensive services to students in Long Island, NYC, Westchester, Northern Westchester, Rockland, and other parts of the world through our online tutoring.

If getting support in managing the whole college application process is interesting to you, connect with us, and we will help devise a comprehensive plan for you and your child!