College Essay Tips

College Essay Tips This part of an essay is the first presentation of your ideas. There are a number of elements you want to include in your introduction to encourage the reader to continue reading. First of all, you’ll need a “hook” to open your essay. This hook should entice the reader by hinting at the essay’s theme in a way that makes the reader want to read more. Use one or two sentences to tell them about your goals for college. Because if you don’t, how are you going to show that you are a good fit on campus? The hook can be funny, witty, or a simple hypothesis. Whatever style you choose, be sure it coincides with the overall theme of your essay. Gray Matters David Nathan, Nick Accrocco, for the Houston Chronicle There are many good colleges. The essay is the place to make a great first impression on the reader. The diversity of Washington’s schools and its communities is profoundly interesting â€" but use it as a backdrop to write about you. How to create a college application list that doesn't suck. But be as specific as you can when it comes to your needs. The same thing applies to every discipline you wish to develop â€" precise thinking and precise language will set you apart. Your school may ask you “why us” but may not ask specifically about your goals. Above all, look for words or phrases that can be cut out of your essay to leave just the very best of what you have to say. When you’re nearing the end of your essay, it’s time to put the finishing touches on it with a separate closing paragraph. The conclusion is where you bring together all of the elements you previously mentioned in the other sections. No, you don’t have to mention each one explicitly, but your conclusion should cover most of what you addressed in your essay, and make a good clean end to your narrative path. People with dreams need help making their dreams come true. Your goal and your past experience dictate what you need from the school. I know, I know â€" you’re thinking, nah, that sounds too hard, or too expensive â€" I don’t want to Google-stalk a professor, or haunt an internet forum, or network on LinkedIn to meet alums from a school â€" I’m busy! And you might fool your parents, or even a peer reviewer or two. But you won’t fool the experts, who have to read literally THOUSANDS of these things. They’ll be looking at that before the test scores. You don’t want to address your weaknesses, unless it’s a challenge you’ve overcome that reveals something powerful about your character. Let’s say, for argument’s sake, you want to master leadership in college. What aspect of leadership are you looking to develop? By better defining your growth areas, you can focus more precisely on what the school has to offer you. In a dramatic and powerful conclusion is where you want to spell out, in a bold manner, any ideas you’ve been hinting at throughout the essay. When you have a good hook in your introduction, you increase the chances that your essay will be effective. For some essay projects, evaluating the audience is important, but for others, it’s best to follow the general writing strategies you see in mainstream writing, periodicals, and professional literature. You want to use any details that will help the reader identify the topic and the scope of the essay. You want to use focused writing with a consistent tone and diction throughout the essay. My friend Alex has a second-degree black belt in judo. She was thinking about doing an essay on her beloved Calvin and Hobbes. Varying your word choices keeps your copy fresh and holds the reader’s attention.