College Essays: 3 Tips for Success

Students are getting ready to hand in their college applications with great aspirations in mind for the following year. Once this giant task is out of the way, students can start focusing on graduation and completing their remaining classes. One of the things students need the most help with is determining how they will approach their college essays. This is a chance, and perhaps the only chance, for students to help college admissions committees understand who they are as an individual and what they hope to accomplish for their future. 

Be authentic

One of the most important things for students to remember is to write about their authentic self when they are completing their essays. Nobody is perfect and nobody has had the perfect path applying to college but each person is a unique individual with something to offer. It’s important that what motivates a student as an individual is apparent in their essay. Students don’t need to pretend to be flawless but they should demonstrate that they are able to learn and grow and be a well-rounded and contributing individual. Students should also discuss any goals they might have for their future, assuming this is pertinent to the essay topic. Some students have very specific well-defined goals while still in high school. Others might have more abstract goals about what they want to accomplish or who they want to become throughout their career.

 Style and Flow

Although it might seem obvious, it’s really important for students to write essays that have appropriate grammar, spelling, style, and flow. A student might have wonderful things to say about themselves and their accomplishments but if the essay is challenging to read, they won’t be able to get their point across accurately to the admissions committee. Thankfully, style and flow is something a tutor can help with! Students might work with a tutor on a regular basis who knows their learning style as well as their college goals or they might be working with a tutor for the very first time to help get a handle on college applications. The important thing is to talk to the tutor well in advance of deadlines so they can help the student achieve their goals within the time frame of their college admissions.

Focus on each essay individually

A lot of students choose to write a template essay and then edit it slightly to send off to different colleges. This is a really tempting time saver but doesn’t necessarily help students in the end. Even if the essay questions are somewhat similar, it’s important for students to approach each essay on an individual basis so their thoughts don’t come across as generic. This, of course, means more time and effort but it can definitely pay off in the long run.