Writing Essays

Writing Essays Using lofty language and complex sentence structure can make you sound sophisticated, but is that really how you speak? Don’t let your voice get lost in the pursuit to impress readers. In choosing a proofreader, find someone who knows you well, but who will also help you to preserve your voice within the essay. Admissions counselors develop a sixth sense about essay writers who are authentic. There’s only one you out there and that’s who we want to learn more about. Contact us for your free 15-minute phone consultation with Dr. Kristen Willmott to discuss your graduate school plans and our graduate admissions consulting programs. Some essays may need only proofreading while others need to be coaxed from a blank pageâ€"your Senior Counselor will help with both and everything in between to create compelling essays. As a writer, you can become very close to your work. A proofreader will review your essay with fresh eyes and may even catch mistakes that you have routinely missed. Soon coming out in its third edition, Conquering the College Admissions Essay in 10 Steps is regularly ranked #1 on Amazon among all books on how to write the personal statement. Concise and easy to follow, it turns a very tough assignment into a writing opportunity you can manage with confidence. Not what your college consultant has to say, not what your mom wants you to write, and not what you think we want to hear. Be genuine to your own voice and to your own experiences. Instead, write like you speak â€" keeping in mind that proper grammar and spelling is still important. Please email us at find out if your institution is doing everything it can to reach qualified, prospective students. The My College Options ® Resource Center provides up to date news and information for students and parents. What will admissions officers know about me prior to my essay from my teachers, counselors, activities and grades,What is it about me that they would need to know to be more apt to want me there. But instead, you should write something that you think will make someone be measurably more likely to admit you to college. Otherwise, what you are doing is the logical equivalent of handing in a watercolor for your math homework. The key is to write for a purpose beyond self-expression, much like how you do all of your homework with the objective of getting a good grade. You’ll score points for being earnest and faithful to yourself. The first time I saw my sister in seven months, she was in the hospital on a stretcher with IVs in her arm. The night before her operation, the doctor told us what could happen during brain surgery. Beth could become paralyzed, lose memory, and she could die. I have never been so sad and terrified in my entire life, and I was so angry that this had happened. As it turned out, Beth came through the surgery well and the tumor was benign, but the horror of the experience has stayed with me. Day after day, we rehearsed the last act and day after day I stayed dry-eyed and emotionless. Have you effectively communicated who you are and what you value? The best way to tell is to have your parents or a friend give a draft of your essay to a colleague or individual who has never met you. Ask them to read the essay and then respond with three adjectives that describe you and a sentence that captures what they learned. When you have finished a draft of your essay, read it over and ask yourself why you wrote it. If you cannot answer this question, you might not be going deep enough or painting a vivid picture of who you are and what is important to you. So, what should you put in your essay; how should you prepare to present yourself in writing; and where can you go for help? These pages will give you some essay writing tips and lead you to other web sites or resources for more help. Think about what you are going to write about as much as you actually spend writing. College admission officers are usually able to detect an essaynot written by the student.