college application essay editing

college application essay editing

Strategies for Effective College Application Essay Editing

1. Understanding the Importance of College Application Essays

When entering a university, many people hope that they will receive the best education possible and learn as much as they can. They believe that furthering their education will help them with getting a better job or progressing in their career. The truth is that to progress further in a job or career, people need to further their education. An individual can’t get a job as a doctor without going to medical school and to go to medical school they would need a degree from an undergraduate college. Impressively, there are also companies which will only hire university graduates due to the fact that they believe that a degree is an indication of a person’s commitment and dedication. Though getting a degree is very beneficial, it can be challenging. Universities are constantly raising their standards to increase their reputation. This makes it harder for a young person who is fresh out of high school to have a strong chance of getting accepted to a university. With such high standards, universities are looking for ways to see whether an applicant is really suited for the school and can handle the work. They do this by requiring future students to submit college application essays. These essays will act as a critical tool in determining the success of an applicant’s acceptance.

2. Identifying Common Mistakes in College Application Essays

Your goal is to write an essay that makes someone fall in love with you. But you will never come across as likable if you don’t first believe that you are likable. This is often the first of many mistakes students make. In an effort to highlight their good qualities, many students are inclined to oversell their abilities. This usually backfires. An essay that is basically a list of why you are so great will be less memorable than one that shows what you are like, deep down. People connect to other people by revealing shared emotions and experiences. It isn’t comfortable to dwell on mistakes and the things that make us feel vulnerable, but that is just what makes us more likable. Showing your experiences at failure and facing difficult situations will establish a more genuine connection with your reader and make the essay more moving and effective.

Most of your college application will entail listing your accomplishments. You will list your awards, honors, school activities, leadership roles, and work experience on your application. But the college application isn’t only about listing what you’ve done; it’s about who you are. College admissions officers want to find out more about who you really are, the way you think, and how you write. So the essay is supposed to be personal, a window into your thoughts and life. A thoughtful essay will help you stand out, and the following suggestions will help to highlight your self-expression.

3. Techniques for Polishing and Refining Your Essay

Good readers see things you don’t and ask questions you haven’t answered. Try to find and show your reader what you want to say. He will want to see things you might not expect. His scrutiny is valuable information to have (Saintsbury 27).

Feedback is the joint of the writing process taking the essay from meaningless marks on the page to fully formed message. Using several readers can greatly aid in your revision process as a wide array of opinions can help you view your essay from fresh perspectives and generate new ideas.

Getting feedback on your essay Say to yourself: descriptive at any cost. Go wherever the spark may be, and expand there…Picture to yourself the things as you would paint them…things, that is the right word; you must see the objects and know the points of locale…Do not give up the essay or the vision of your task until there is an echo in all the specifics, and that echo calls forth a bright and definite renown…This is the essay and the impromptu painting, in the two the principle is identical (Saintsbury 26).

Once you have written the rough draft of your college application essay, it is time to examine your work. These are several areas in which your essay may need improvement. The following are guidelines for refining your essay so that it is memorable, personal, and impressive. Your revised essay should be in the best condition you can make it.

4. Seeking Feedback and Professional Editing Services

Here’s how to get the best feedback: Former admissions officers at highly competitive schools offer great advice. Speak to high school teachers and counselors about feedback. Editors love to find typos and grammatical errors. While running spell check is a good idea, it may not catch all mistakes. Print out your essay and edit the printed form. You will be surprised how differently mistakes will look on paper. Startup where you can post your essay and have people comment on it. While a tool like this could be helpful, it has the potential to be dangerous. Some help may be good, but too much help can take away from the original writing ‘voice’ and some feedback may not be as useful as it was intended to be. Remember, your essay can be a kid’s mountain without the mountain climbing. The Green Light: You can never get too much advice. Seek out a teacher or parent who is a journalist or editor. They will have valuable expertise and are often great proofreaders and provide a more thorough edit. Get the Timing Right The best time to receive feedback is before you turn your assignment in. This may seem like common sense, but students frequently submit essays that have not been revised or reviewed and it shows. The Ultimate Aid The most effective way to receive feedback is to have a professional read and edit your work, but that can be very expensive and start to add up. High school English teachers and guidance counselors are a free resource and that’s what they’re there for! They know best what the colleges are looking for and can make sure that your essay is representative of you and your best work.

5. Finalizing and Submitting a Stellar College Application Essay

You should also consider showing your college application essay to an English teacher or other teacher who knows you well. They will likely be able to help you identify if your essay is portraying the right image for you. If anything doesn’t sound like you, reconsider phrasing or the point you are making. A fresh set of eyes on your essay may be essential to catching things that you’ve missed.

Next, you should consider taking your essay to a college writing center or having a tutor help you with it. This is especially recommended if writing is not a strong point for you. Keep in mind though, at the end of the day this is your essay, so the admission staff should not feel like they are meeting someone else besides you when they invite you for an interview if you take this route in seeking advice.

First and foremost, do not wait until the last minute! This cannot be stressed enough. Procrastination is your worst enemy in this situation. Start with a once-over of your essay. Make sure that the essay clearly answers its assigned question. Make sure that your argument is clear and concise. If you were given a word limit or range, stick to it. Following these simple guidelines will already put your paper above a large number of others.

Finalizing and submitting your college application essay by the deadline is crucial. It is your last chance to make sure everything is polished and excellent before you send it off. Ideally, you should begin this process at least a month before the essay is due. This will give you plenty of time, and thus will reduce the level of stress you experience.