Seniors are welcoming offers of admission; high school juniors are gearing up for college applications in the fall. They have begun college visits, crafting a list of colleges they are interested in attending, and looking toward completing those applications.

A key part of the application is the college essay. This task causes much stress among students (and even parents) desiring to craft the best possible essay to make the best possible impression on admissions. As with any task, however, knowing some tips and applying those tips can help relieve some of the stress.

Here are 5 tips for writing college essays:

1. Give yourself plenty of time

This is the number one tip for writing a successful college essay–start now! Waiting until the last minute will cause you to produce shoddy work. Begin early so that you can craft a work you will be proud to attach to your application. Once the essay is out of the way, you can concentrate on the rest of the application.

2. Be truthful

There is no need to embellish your achievements or exaggerate your accomplishments. Honesty is a character trait that admissions officers look for in an applicant. They can spot embellishments easily in an essay and wonder what else you are stretching the truth about.

3. Make it personal

Talk about what you love and find a way to distinguish yourself from other applicants. Admissions officers want to know who you are and what you can contribute to their college student body. The essay is an opportunity for them to see you beyond the test scores and the GPA.

4. Stick to the point

Don’t ramble to increase your word count. Say what you need to say and stick to the point. The longer the essay, the less interested the reader becomes. Remember they have many essays to read and you need to capture their interest and keep it.

5. Proofread and proofread again

This does not mean spellcheck only. Look at your use of punctuation and other good writing mechanics. Spell names properly. Ask teachers, parents and friends to read the essay. Many times they can find errors that you do not see. While you can find sites that offer online essay writing and custom essays, remember this should be YOUR work and presented from YOUR point of view.

Bottom line

The essay is your chance to shine. You should use it as an opportunity to help the college get to know you; and see you apart from the facts, figures and statistics you present about yourself.

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