What You Need to Know Before Submitting Your Application Essay

  • Home
  • Blog
  • What You Need to Know Before Submitting Your Application Essay
Personal Statement Writing Tips

If you’re preparing to submit your application essay, there are a few things you need to keep in mind before submitting. Among these are the common application essay prompts, which will be asked of you, and not to include cliches or generic writing. To make your application essay stand out from the rest, here are a few tips. Read on for more details. Listed below are some of the most important tips you should keep in mind:

Do’s and don’ts

One of the most common mistakes people make when writing their personal statement is to start it a few days before the submission deadline. That way, they won’t have time to read it again, or to even get some sleep on it. The result is an essay that’s sub-par and likely to contain errors. Here are a few things to avoid:
Avoid using overused topics and talking about important issues. Although your parents and best friends may read between the lines, college admissions representatives don’t have the same access to your life story. Make your essay as personal as possible and reveal something about yourself that would otherwise be hidden. Avoid using big words and SAT-level vocabulary. Instead, use specific examples from your life to highlight your unique qualities.

Common App essay prompts

The Common Application is a universal application used by over 900 schools and 54 international universities. For the application process, you can find essay prompts for 2022 and 2023. Here are some tips to write a strong essay for this prompt. First, learn why the Common App is so important. Second, get expert advice on choosing the best prompt for your essay. Third, find out how to craft the best essay in response to the prompt.
Then, brainstorm topics for your essay based on your interests and passions. For example, if you’re fascinated by environmental justice, you might have participated in Model Congress, worked with a local politician to create a recycling program, or tried to do something similar but failed. If you’re interested in public advocacy, you could talk about your experiences in environmental advocacy and the lessons you learned from previous failed initiatives, or even fantasize about solving problems associated with waste management.

Avoiding cliches

To avoid cliches in your application essay, begin by identifying which ones you’ve used in your writing. Cliches are words and phrases that sound the same, but aren’t exactly unique. Many of them are used by writers subconsciously because they’re worried about word count. These phrases may be perfectly acceptable for writing, but they’re also completely useless. To avoid them, make sure to use fresh, new ideas, and avoid using the same old clichés.
One common way to avoid cliches in your application essay is to make use of well-placed punctuation. A colon, for example, can connect related sentences, while a semicolon can introduce an explanation of a claim. Likewise, you can use em dashes to enclose important interruptions within a sentence. However, simple punctuation can be just as effective.

Avoiding generic writing

A common mistake to avoid when submitting your application essay is copying from other schools. Some prompts may overlap, such as “why do you want to attend our school?” If you copy an essay from one school to another, the writing will sound generic. Be sure to make any needed changes, and avoid using the same sentence structure for each school. Admissions officers see this mistake all the time, so it’s important to remember to keep it unique.
While some schools ask for a general essay, the best essays will be personalized and address the unique features of the school. Brainstorm with your friends and brainstorm ideas with them – don’t be afraid to reject some of them. The most compelling essays are those that use more “show” than “tell.”

Avoiding personal accomplishments

The problem with highlighting personal accomplishments in your application essay is that it’s so easy to sound boastful. Instead of boasting about your achievements, you should lead with value and highlight what you do well. The art of tucking brags into your personal statement lies in the nuances of word choice and structure. Here are some tips for making your brags sound less boastful:
Personal accomplishments can be a good starting point for your essay, but avoid mentioning them as the sole topic. Some examples include sports achievements or an award you won, which may not seem like an achievement in itself, but has significant consequences beyond your own personal growth. You can also use an award you received as a result of academic or professional success. Either way, this accomplishment can form the basis of an effective essay.