How to write an admission essay step by step guidline
There are several requirements when you want to join an institution of higher learning to advance your education. For example, you will be required to submit an application form and complete several tests. The next and most crucial step involves writing a college application essay to convince the admissions board why you are the best candidate for a particular course that an institution offers. In most cases, you will be required to write an essay with a maximum of 500 words.
It is vital to consider the words you use wisely as they will lead to either acceptance or rejection of your college application essay. Colleges have many applications to process at any given time and hence a few minutes to go through your request. Some students spend several days researching relevant information that should be included in their document to ensure that it stands out among other applications. Some of them end up seeking professional help to do the work.
The writer is expected to take note of the different writing and formatting requirements of a particular institution. For example, your essay font size and structure will influence how presentable your work will look at the end. The applicant may be worried about the type of paragraphs used to write the admission essay.
The steps of writing an admission essay
• Brainstorm the most appropriate topic for your essay
Take time to select a suitable topic for your application. The title is more important than the structure that you will choose for your essay. It is recommendable to choose a topic that allows you to talk about different issues, including your skills, qualities, and values. In most cases, the applicants have an idea of a good topic for their essay and only need help to perfect it. If you are sure that your topic allows you to highlight some of the issues above, you can choose an essay structure.
• Learn about the structure of your application
It would be best if you wrote about a moment that transformed your life or discussing different elements of your life in your essay. There are two main structures that you can use in writing your admission essay. The first one is called narrative and is used when an individual wants to go deep about one moment that changed their life. The second is known as montage and is used when you want to write about certain aspects of your life in a detailed manner.
1. Narrative format.
The structure has been used for many years now and is considered one of the most reliable. The following are some of its elements:
i. Status quo.
It is the point where you start telling your story. The readers of your admission essay expect you to talk about your world.
ii. Inciting incident.
The institution’s admissions board would want to know about something that changed your life forever. For example, losing a close relative or your family moving into a new city.
iii. Raise the stake.
Explain how more changes occur about what you have written in the section above. One can talk about how moving into a neighborhood led to bullying or how the death of your close relative led to financial constraints in your family. At this point, the readers are left wondering how you moved on with your life.
iv. Moment of truth.
It is an essential part of your story as it explains how you got out of a situation in your life. You can write about how you made new friends despite the bullying in your new neighborhood or some of the things that helped you move on after losing a family member.
v. Outcome.
It is the section of your narrative where you talk about some of the things you got and didn’t have before the situations you highlighted above. For example, you could have acquired a new perspective about life or new values that positively impacted you.
2. Montage structure.
The format is suitable in situations where you would want to highlight several qualities, skills, or values. It helps you write a story that will capture the admission’s board's attention as it provides a connection between the different issues you identified in your essay. Tell a story that will help the readers to develop an image in their mind. It is recommendable for you to use something you are proficient in to ensure a better understanding of your story. Choose a metaphor that will allow you to talk about several aspects of your life.
• Select an admission essay format.
Both structures explained above can be used when writing an application. Your application can be accepted irrespective of the format that you have used in your work. Any structure aims to help the writers to develop coherent narratives about their lives. Select a format for your essay according to the guidelines explained above.
• Test whether your essay format is working.
The exercise is meant to check whether your admission essay will help you to achieve your desired results. The application helps the admissions committee understand how you will contribute to your institution of choice and complete your studies. Explain to the readers how you will achieve that objective.
3 Tips to Write an Impressive Admissions Essay.
• Take Time to Analyze the Prompt.
Writers should make their work presentable by dividing it into different phrases. Focus on every aspect of each of the phrases that you have identified. Understand the importance of each prompt. Ask yourself why the committee would present such prompts. Failure to understand the prompts may force you to redo the work later.
• Organize your Writing.
It is an important guideline to ensure that you have a quality admissions essay. You will not need to rewrite your work if you take adequate time to organize your work. Create a clear outline for your essay. For example, you can determine the length of the paragraphs and the word count. Develop a schedule for completing the essay.
• Seek Second Opinions.
You may make some mistakes when writing an admissions essay. It is recommendable for you to request another person to read your work and give their opinion. However, too many people may lead to confusion.