The 8 strategies for writing the Common Application essay

One of the best ways for the rising school that is high to have some pressure off this fall would be to write their Common Application essay over the summer.

Completing the most popular App general essay is a big box to test off. This is certainly especially key if the student plans to apply Early Decision or Early Action, but even students that are still considering schools and finalizing their list will feel good getting this task done.

Plus some good news: You don’t need to hire an essay tutor. Instead, share this advice from professional essay coaches Marlene Kern Fischer and Helene Hirsch Wingens!

1. Start early.

Good writing takes time. Don’t hold back until the before applications are due to start writing the essays week. Regardless of how terrific a writer you will be, the earlier you begin, the higher the end product will likely be. That’s an assurance.

2. Put words on a page.

We have all stories to inform. First, glance at the prompts (which are just like a year ago). There are seven choices — pick the 2 or 3 that appeal to you personally most, get more comfortable with a pad of paper or your laptop, and brainstorm. As soon as you decide on your favorite prompt and have a broad concept of what your narrative may be, just start writing.

It doesn’t have to be writing that is beautiful. The first draft won’t be. Much of your objective for the draft that is first simply to put words on a full page. Tell a story and flesh it out with concrete details.

You need n’t have cured cancer or battled adversity to create a narrative that reads well. You don’t even need a “wow” moment; you just have to reveal something about yourself and permit your personality to shine.

3. Don’t force a square peg into a round hole.

Now which you have your thoughts down, read them over carefully and decide whether or not your answer responds into the prompt. You can begin rewriting if it does. If it does not, start over.

Anticipate to discard several first drafts until you produce one which really speaks to you personally. I often wind up throwing out the majority of my initial drafts and frequently use my second paragraph as an opener into the draft that is next I decide that the first paragraph doesn’t arrive at the point quickly enough. You may discover a better angle halfway through the essay — even yet in your conclusion.

4. Don’t be dramatic.

Don’t attempt to make forgetting for eating lunch last Monday seem like a life changing or harrowing experience. You will need not need cured cancer or battled adversity to create a narrative that reads well. You don’t even need a “wow” moment; you merely have to reveal something about yourself and permit your personality to shine. The most effective statement that is personal ever read was about a new man that has an “aha” moment as a counselor at summer camp when he realized that his campers viewed him as a grownup.

5. Be yourself.

If you’re not funny, now is not the moment to start out writing comedy. If you’re not Shakespeare, don’t attempt pentameter that is iambic. This can be story that is YOUR YOUR writing, so be authentically YOU.

6. Get help editing.

Get help editing but not an excessive amount of help. Your statement that is personal needs be in http://essaytyperonline.com your voice. In the event that you ask all your cousins who majored in English to learn it, you’ll receive lots of revision suggestions, leading to a discordant symphony of different voices. Pick a people that are few trust that will help you aided by the editing process and stay with them.

7. Proofread, proofread, proofread.

You’ve spent a lot of time thinking and writing and you’ve crafted a essay that is solid. It would be nothing short of tragic to submit a statement that is personal careless grammatical errors and typos. Spend a few dollars to send your essay to an online copy editing service.

In addition, stick to the expressed word count; it’s there for a reason.

8. Put a fork in it.

In the event that you’ve completed all the above steps, you are DONE. It’s time to declare your personal statement finished. I’ve seen individuals hold onto an essay and alter a word here and a word there through to the bitter end. At some true point, that may only make you crazy. It’s now time for you to tackle those supplemental essays!

Marlene Kern Fischer is a wife, mother of three sons, food shopper extraordinaire, blogger and essay editor. A founding advisor and contributor at CollegiateParent, her work has additionally been featured on Huffington Post, Grown and Flown, Parent and Co., Kveller, Her View at home, the Erma Bombeck Writers’ Workshop, MockMom, Better After 50, away from Blog therefore the SITS Girls. You are able to read more of Marlene’s work by visiting her author that is collegiateParent page on her site, «Thoughts From Aisle Four.»

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