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When it comes to English writing skills and the essay writing piece, it’s extremely important that these essays are well written. We’re looking at grammar, punctuation. We’re looking for it to make sense. Some schools do not have remedial English programs or an English language center, but nevertheless the English really has to be up to this standard of acceptable in order for the admissions officers to feel confident that these students are going to be successful in the university setting.
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The essay should be something that students spend a lot of time on. Whether it is a one-page or a two-page essay, you need to follow the instructions and the directions of that particular university. I think it’s good to have two or three essays insert in your back pocket to make sure that the universities you are applying for, the essay that’s probably the most appropriate goes to that university.
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The institutions you want to apply to may be different from each other, so the essays have to be very tailored to each institution. One of the most important things to remember with the essay, never ever ever write “Dear A B C D E F G” university because more likely than not, 75% of the time, that student will print that essay off six or seven times and send the same exact letter to different universities or colleges.
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It doesn’t sway the admissions officer’s decision but it looks sloppy, it looks unprofessional. I don’t need to have anything that says, “Dear Sir” or “Dear Mam” or “Dear Dean” or “Dear Director”. Just have an essay. It can have a title, doesn’t have to have a title, this is such an individualized piece that we’re looking for that individuality to come out in the application. With that being said, have your teachers assist you. Have your English teachers work with you on this because this has to be a really polished piece of work.
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This has to be your work! By no means, do we want anyone writing this for you. You need to do the writing. Have the assistance and have the knowledge and know you can go to your teachers or to your mentors and say “Hey, can you look this over?”, “Why don’t you just check it out?” “Do you see any issues with this?” “Does it make sense?” “How well does it read?” Those are really important things so use your teachers, use your resources and have them help you in this process.
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Topics I find are interesting are the topics that students come up with themselves. The Common Application which is the application that most universities in the US would use asks five or six different questions and most students that apply would follow those essay questions.
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Now, lets go back to who’s your audience. Well, your audience could be a room full of admissions officers reading your essay out loud, it could be one person or two people. So you have to remember that these admission officers are reading thousands and thousands and thousands of the same exact essays. Write about your story. What makes you unique? Who are you? What are you doing? What is your story? Did you have a bad situation and you over came adversity and challenge, but you learned from it, you grew? Who is your mentor? What is a special trip in your life? Why do you want to apply to this university? What things can you bring to this university as far as characteristics? Those are all things that from an essay perspective are what admission officers are really looking for; individuality, creativity, the ability to be genuine.
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I really appreciate a genuine, real essay. I don’t like when I’m reading an essay and I’m seeing words that are plucked out of the dictionaries and thesauruses and I don’t like to see that because I know that that’s not the language ability of that student and I know that they took that step to put words that are beyond their vocabulary. I think it weakens and cheapens the overall essay. Use your own language, use your voice and let that convey through. That’s the most genuine thing you can do.
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