how long is a college admission essay

how long is a college admission essay

The Importance of a Well-Written College Admission Essay

1. Understanding the Length Requirement

The 2011 College Admission Essay takes a 650-700 word essay and evaluates how effectively you can develop an idea and communicate. Execute and test a number of words using various topics, and in the end choose the one that can be written most about. This essay is important as it provides another opportunity to evaluate your writing, and also communicate new aspects of your personality not seen in other parts of the application. Word processors have a word count feature which will let you know when you have reached your number of words. If your essay is considerably longer, spend some time revising, and delete the most repetitive and irrelevant points. If it is shorter, try and brainstorm a new angle. Remember, shorter essays often make higher grades.

Essays must be typed, double-spaced, using a 12-point font. It is very important to follow any specific instructions regarding the length of your essay. This provides an opportunity to show you can be concise, and don’t have to write a 5 paragraph essay! 0 views it is very important to follow any specific instructions regarding the length of your essay.

2. Crafting a Compelling Introduction

So what do admissions officers want to read in an applicant’s essay? According to Leah Powell, the director of admissions at the University of Southern California, this is an increasingly important concern – the essay has come to be seen as a kind of X-ray of a student’s entire application. “There’s been some healthy and much-needed reconceptualization of what the value of the essay is,” says Powell. Many colleges’ application forms require students to attach an essay, usually a personal statement, in which students are asked to write about their most significant accomplishment or failure and how they have learned and grown from the experience. But that is only part of the picture. In some cases an essay is optional, yet, even if it is, students are well advised to take it on as a significant task. According to Richard Shaw, dean of undergraduate admissions at Yale University, many essays are “read because the file is lacking in some dimension, and it’s an attempt for us to get to know the student.” And at some colleges, the essay can influence the final decision. “At the University of California, the personal statement is read carefully. It’s a way to find out one more thing about an applicant that we wouldn’t know from the rest of the application,” says Monica Inzer, vice president for enrollment management at Hamilton College. For students who are borderline candidates at a college, essays are seen as especially crucial. In general, the essay is used as a way to enable students to differentiate themselves from other applicants, and, if considered in the context of the entire application, an opportunity to defy the odds in the competitive admissions process.

3. Showcasing Your Unique Qualities and Experiences

So a college essay should follow a style that is more focused than the typical high school essay. Your readers have as the main aim to filter through a wide range of applicants at a quick rate, so they need to know what you are all about and where you stand as quickly as possible. To do this, you must organize your thoughts before you put fingers to keyboard, and make use of techniques such as outlining, interesting lead-ins, and an attention-getting closing statement. Make sure that your arguments are well supported, and that you have a clear statement of intent and a clear understanding of who your readers are. All of these tactics make your essay more focused and prepare the reader for an insightful understanding of what you are about.

Your readers will be the admissions officers, and often a faculty member or two. These are the people who will help decide whether they want you at their school – so it’s important to create an impression that they will enjoy having you within their community. This means that the college essay is more than just a school assignment: it is a chance to really impress and to give an account of yourself that cannot be found on a transcript or a piece of paper.

If you are asked to write a college essay, you should approach it with the same respect and concern that you would show to any other school assignment. Your goal is to write a well-argued, well-organized, and well-supported essay that earns you a good grade. In this case, a good grade will get you into a school where you are a good match academically – and where you will be able to contribute to and further the community to which you are applying.

4. Highlighting Your Academic and Career Goals

When entry to a college is achieved, it is not only a past achievement but also the start of future accomplishments. It is a key to open many locked doors towards a successful career. The college one chooses and the degree one aims to achieve can only be a testimonial to their academic goals. It is very important when writing an admission essay to convey a mental picture of matchless vividness that would make each individual university come alive in the imagination of the person reading it.

College nowadays is expensive, and sometimes it is better to actually work before going to college in order to save money. But yet again, that decision also makes the college choice an important one. Considering this depression, the important stages of life give way to dilemmas, and these dilemmas cause stress. It is said that the university years are the best ones of a person’s life. Well, think again. This is only said by those who cherished that time.

The generic markets are no longer open to individuals obtaining a degree in the field of their interest, which means that employing that degree in accordance with their will to reach the top is no longer to be taken for granted. An individual with a degree in marketing might end up next to their neighbor, the accountant. This phenomenon makes life tougher and choices harder. Everyone wants to be successful, and for students to whom academic success is dear, this is not only applicable for their upcoming college years but also for their life.

5. Concluding with Impact and Leaving a Lasting Impression

Applicants often spend much time stressing about how to write a conclusion that will make a lasting impact. Consider this a good opportunity to present yourself in a memorable way. A strong conclusion, that mirrors the introduction, will bring the essay full circle and show your understanding of the significance of your point. If you can establish yourself as a person who is dedicated to learning and who wants to contribute to the school community, then you can leave the readers with a powerful impression. Remember when writing the conclusion to gently guide the reader, restating an image or statement used in the beginning, rather than just ending. It’s also good to add a call to action, suggesting ways that the reader can become involved or contemplate the information shared. A call to action can also be a way to solve an issue or to inform the reader of something to consider. This gives the essay a nice ending and shows that you are being thoughtful with the reader. Last but not least, if there are any inconsistencies or values that have changed since stating them in the essay, it’s wise to readdress or rethink them. This is an important tactic to ensure that your essay has covered what you have promised to cover. It’s also a way to make the reader think, as you have brought them into a scenario that is real or that they can imagine, so addressing that case and its relevance can leave a strong impression. Remember, the key to a good conclusion is consistency and thoughtful consideration. A good method to use is to read the conclusion one main point at a time, pausing to consider its full impact. This will help you write with the mindset that your writing must have full impact and it will keep the essay in the reader’s mind.