Category Archives: essays

Online Resources to Craft a Great Scholarship Essay

November 23, 2015 Suzanne Shaffer

Writing an essay is always a challenge. You need to come up with a great idea, organize your thoughts into a concise, easy to follow structure, find supporting resources, and find the right words to make it all make sense. When you are writing an essay for a scholarship, it can be even trickier. There’s more on the line. These online resources will help you write a thoughtful scholarship essay to give you the best chance of success.

Essay Punch

Essay Punch is an interactive tutorial that takes students through all parts of the academic essay writing process. You will work with writing prompts to practice the organizing, writing, editing, and publishing stages of the process.

Thesis Builder

Your thesis is arguably the most important part of your essay. Without a strong thesis, the rest of the paper cannot take shape. And if your thesis isn’t well supported, your paper will likely fall flat. So, it’s very important that you construct a strong, easy to defend thesis. Thesis Builder will take your topic and help you come up with a great thesis.

Ask Petersen

Julie Petersen is an ESL tutor with an awesome website to help writers at all stages of the writing process. The website features educational articles, sample essays, study guides, and tools to help you succeed. There’s also a blog that offers writing tips and student life hacks. So, once your essay gets you into college, you can continue to flourish.

Help.PlagTracker

PlagTracker will make sure your scholarship essay is completely free of plagiarism. If you used any sources as references, even if they were re-written in your own words, it’s possible that the similarities will still be strong and show up as plagiarism. PlagTracker eliminates these sentences and replaces them with original content so your essay is 100% you own.

Step By Step Essay Writing Guide

Imagine that you’re stressed, extremely busy, and panicking because your essay is due tomorrow and you haven’t started yet! If this is the case, head over to EssayMama blog, and read their step-by-step guide to composing an essay in a pinch.

Teen Ink

This online magazine features articles and essays written by students. You can find fiction, non-fiction, and poetry. Use the site for inspiration for your own essay ideas or become a contributor.

Hemingway Editor

When you are writing a scholarship essay, it might be tempting to write long, eloquent sentences to show off your intelligence. This can easily backfire and can actually make it hard for your readers to understand your writing. Hemingway Editor will scan your document to make it readable. It will find any confusing or long sentences so you can re-write them. It will also point out instances of passive voice so you can change them to a more assertive active voice.

Citation Machine

When you’re writing an academic essay, you need to include references to show your research. But creating the references page is time-consuming and tedious work. Citation Machine can easily build your reference page for you. All you need to do is choose your citations style and medium and enter the data in the pre-determined fields.

Writing.com

Become a member of Writing.com (for free!) and you’ll be able to make an online writing profile, get writing tips, and receive feedback on your writing from other members. There are also contests and writing activities to keep you motivated and help improve your writing.

Do you feel better prepared to go out and write that killer scholarship essay? I hope so! Don’t expect the process to be easy. There will be bumps along the way. You’ll get frustrated and want to quit. But remember that there are tools, tutors, and other students to help you through the process and keep you focused. Visit one or more of these sites for inspiration, organization, advice, samples essays, and even one-on-one help. So, go out there and get started. What are you waiting for?

essays

Live 5-Part Online Workshop from the College Essay Guy

October 9, 2015 Suzanne Shaffer

If a private university or college is in your future, the Common App is your one-way ticket. You’ve got one shot at a winning application, and Ethan Sawyer, the College Essay Guy, is here to help!

Using the Secrets of Screenwriting to Write Your Personal Statement is his five-part webinar series for students and counselors that runs Oct. 12-16.

In just five days, you’ll finish your:

First draft of your Common App main statement
Activities list
Additional info section

Plus you’ll get tons of tips and step-by-step help to conquer the Common App.

Click here for more info.

Can’t make a particular session? No worries: He’ll email what you missed.

Can’t afford it? Don’t worry, there’s a pay-what-you-can option.

Are you a counselor? You’re invited too!

Click here to reserve your spot.

essays, Guest Posts

3 Ways to Effectively Write Your College Essay

September 30, 2015 Suzanne Shaffer 3 Comments

Writing the ever-important college essay can, at first, seem intimidating and challenging. But remember, this is the key to whether or not you’ll be accepted to college, so it’s important to put your best foot forward. Writing the application essay is your time to shine, but it doesn’t mean you should feel nervous. We’ve put together a few tips to help ease the pain of writing your college essay.

Be Your Authentic Self

The most important thing you can do when writing is to be yourself. Don’t write what you think an admissions officer would want to read; it could come off as contrived and inauthentic. Instead, use your own voice in the way you would normally speak. Moreover, don’t discount proper grammar and punctuation, but it should sound conversational to some degree; as if you were talking to a friend.

An easy way to sound original is to write from your personal account; this helps the words flow much easier because only you can write from your own experiences. Documenting your own narrative sounds much more authentic to an admissions officer because your unique understanding tends to stand out and sound more passionate. It’s easy to tell the difference between a genuine essay and one that’s not

Once you’ve written a rough draft, have someone who knows you well—like a teacher, parent or friend—read through to make sure the writing matches your voice. They can give you honest feedback and help keep you on track with your writing. Plus, having an extra set of eyes read your work will help you find mistakes you might have otherwise missed.

Get Organized

A good starting point for writing your essay is to come up with an outline detailing important points you’d like to make. Keep it to a few topics and, of course, remember to answer the initial prompt. Once you’ve got the basic outline, its time to start writing. At this point, it’s best to let your ideas flow and to get everything on paper. It’s much easier to edit your work than to struggle to come up with the right thing to say. Keep your writing focused; you don’t want it to look like a resume that covers everything you’ve accomplished up to this point. You want to keep the admissions officer engaged, so focusing on a few topics rather than many is more effective. This is also your chance to showcase your writing skills, keeping on topic and being succinct will look much better to an admissions officer than an essay that rambles.

Alternative Applications

There are a few colleges that have started accepting video applications in place of the traditional essay. In the video, admissions are looking to see your personality and who you are as a student, and the video is a chance to be a bit more creative than you could with a written essay. The website ZeeMee.com is solely for students to upload videos and send them to colleges. They can create a profile that covers their skills and interests, as well as share their videos. Users can even endorse others for their skills, much like one would on LinkedIn.

If you plan on applying to multiple colleges and the thought of writing a new essay each time is a bit overwhelming, you can also check out the Common Application. This site allows you to upload one essay and fill out one application to send to many different colleges—saving you time and headache from completing several applications. A single essay might be best if writing is not your strong suit. Bonus: the site offers guidance and support for students applying to college.

Admissions officers are looking for students who can bring something new to the table. They want to see who you are and what kind of student you may become while attending their school. It can’t be emphasized enough to be yourself when writing your entrance essay. This is your chance to show the university you are an individual who has unique ideas and a passion for learning. Take this opportunity to talk about your interests and excitement about continuing your education. You may just find that acceptance letter waiting for you in the mail.

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About the author: Jessica Gibbs studied Apparel Merchandising and Communications/Journalism at Colorado State University. She is currently a guest writer for CollegeFocus, a website dedicated to helping students deal with the challenges of college, including housing, finance, style, health, relationships, and transferring from a community college to a four-year university.

You can learn more about CollegeFocus on Twitter and Facebook.

essays, organization

All the College Essay Prompts in One Place

September 15, 2015 Suzanne Shaffer

Zoomita, a college application online organizational tool provides all of your college application essay prompts organized in one place

What does it do?

Gives you all of the college essay prompts, word count limits, and deadlines for your college list in seconds. Write, share, and edit essays without ever creating a file or folder. Free.

Why should anyone care?

The application essay is widely viewed as the hardest part of the college application process. Students spend hours/days/weeks just tracking down essay prompts and dealing with document management. Zoomita reduces that process to minutes. And it’s free.

What about Google Docs?

Google docs is a great tool, but students will still have to find the essay requirements and create a system of files and folders to manage their drafts. There are no files/folders to create in Zoomita and it is literally impossible to not know what the most recent draft is. Human proof!

What about sharing?

One-click sharing. Yep.

Another great feature: it automatically tracks the number of essays you need for your complete college list.

I believe the most important task in the college application process is organization. Zoomita helps your student keep all their college essays organized: an important tool to help devote more time to the essay and less time to tracking down the topics.

essays

Motivating Your Student to Finish the Essay

September 14, 2015 Suzanne Shaffer

For seniors, it’s crunch time. The essay that has been sitting on their desk since school started needs to be finished, especially if she is applying early decision or early action. Procrastination is not a good plan when it comes to writing the college essay. But how do you motivate your college-bound teen? She certainly won’t respond to nagging, but if she’s drowning, she may be unable to tell you why or know when or how to ask for help.

Following are my best tips for motivating for teen to finish the essay:

Go to the source.

Get tips from the admissions officers. Find out what they are looking for and how to give it to them. While no essay can save an unqualified application, an outstanding essay can push an otherwise mediocre application into the “yes” pile.

However, writing a good application essay is hard. Many students write essays that are too cliché or too shallow; others write essays that are impersonal and uninformative; some are even unfortunate enough to write essays that cause their own rejection.

This isn’t surprising. The application essay is drastically different from the typical high school assignment—deeply personal, rather than merely informative.

Follow these dos and don’ts.

The essay is your student’s chance to give the admissions committee an inside look into who they are. Even with the common application essay topics provided, its important how they approach the essay and the type of impression it makes on the college. Generally speaking, there are topics your student should avoid and tactics they should use when writing.

Read other essays.

If your student is stumped and simply can’t get his creative juices flowing, it might help to read some other essays. This doesn’t mean he should copy them, but other essays can give him a feel for what he should do to start the writing process.

If you wonder where you can find examples, the College Essay Guy has some of the best essay examples on his website. While you’re there, read all of his essay tips and get inspired!

Here’s one that I absolutely love: Why Did the Chicken Cross the Road?

essays

9 Tips to Make the College Essay “Pop”

July 9, 2015 Suzanne Shaffer 1 Comment

You’re filling out your applications; you are trying to make yourself look as well-rounded as possible, listing all of your school and community-based activities and leadership roles; you know your grades and SAT/ACT scores are good enough to meet the requirements of the few colleges you have selected. There is just one more hurdle – that essay! This piece of the application process has you a bit nervous, because you are unsure of your competition and of your ability to write an essay that will really stand out. So here are a 9 tips that should help you craft a college essay that will get noticed, impress the reader(s), and be memorable.

1. START EARLY

I cannot emphasize this enough. This is not the type of essay you can throw together at the last minute. If you are using the “Common Application,” you should already know that those prompts are published in advance, and they do not change often. In fact, for 2016 admissions, the prompts are the same as they have been for the past 5 years. Get online, read through the prompt options, and select the one that most appeals to you. If your prompt comes directly from the college, get the application material during the summer, so that you have plenty of time to look at those options and select one.

2. KEEP A RUNNING LIST

As you think about your prompt, get a small notebook and keep it with you. As something comes to mind that would be a good fit for the prompt, write it down. Don’t worry about whether it is the best thought or not – just get it down at this point. For example, suppose you have selected a prompt that asks you to speak to a life-changing event that significantly changed you in some way. You may, indeed, have several big evets in your life thus far. As they come to mind, write them all down.

3. REFINE YOUR LIST

As you get closer to the time to actually write the essay (1-2 months before it is due), go through your list. Eliminate the items that are least relevant or least likely to get a response from a reader; combine those that can be combined. Finalize that list with the point or points you intend to cover. Going back to the sample prompt of an event in your life that changed you, if you had a sick pet that you nursed for days that eventually died, that is sad. It may appeal to the emotions of a reader; however, that event is meaningless unless it has motivated you to study biology and the go into veterinary medicine. Then there is significance. If you spent a summer tutoring inner-city kids and were appalled at their lack of basic skills, then that may have been the motivating factor in your selection of elementary education, so that you can one day teach in an inner city.

4. READ SAMPLES OF “WINNING” ESSAYS

These are all over the Internet, and can get a “feel” for the types of essays and the styles that really impressed admissions decision-makers. Take ideas from these as you think about how you will write your essay.

5. DEVELOP YOUR OUTLINE

It doesn’t have to be formal – just get on paper the order in which your body paragraphs will be developed and what will be contained in each of them.

6. WRITE THE BODY PARAGRAPHS

There should be a minimum of 3, and each needs a topic sentence and a good transition that leads to the next paragraph. Once written, re-read, revise, ad re-write until they are perfect – not one grammatical or spelling error, and good diversity of sentence types. Don’t be afraid to use humor if it is appropriate, and don’t be afraid to elicit emotions from the reader(s).

7. YOUR INTRODUCTION – THE CRITICAL PIECE

If you have not engaged the reader with your first sentence, you are “toast.” A short, simple “stunner” sentence that gives an amazing fact or leads into an anecdote is required here. The rest of this paragraph introduces your topic and ends with a solid thesis statement.

8. YOUR CONCLUSION

Tie back to your introduction. If you plan to study auto-immune diseases in dogs, with a goal toward prevention and cure, say so; if you plan to be the teacher that turns poor-performing children into success stories, say so!

9. STEP BACK; TAKE A BREAK; LET OTHERS READ IT

Get someone who is an English composition “master” to review and edit your essay; let friends or relatives read it and tell you honestly if they were intrigued and engaged by your first sentence. And don’t over-revise – you’ll lose authenticity!

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About the author: Great desire to make the world better – that’s what caused Julie Ellis to write. Wide experience of work with students in the role of Chief Editor PremierEssay allows her to communicate to readers with only relevant and interesting information. Follow her on twitter to find more interesting articles.

essays, Guest Posts

How to use Google for Essay Research

June 30, 2015 Suzanne Shaffer 1 Comment

You can use Google as a search tool to help you write your essays, and you can manipulate it to save your time, effort and hard work. If you are smart about it, you can cobble together an essay fairly quickly if you use Google. Once you have the raw materials from Google, you can start refining the work, altering the flow and making sure it is correctly weighted, checked and correct.

Run a Google Search for Other Essays

http://tinypic.com/r/2z6ds3o/8

The trick is to copy and paste your questions into the Google search engine. It will kick up any other essays that have been written on the subject, along with blog posts and journals that may answer your questions.

The truth is that many professors use the same questions over and over again, especially if they are listed in the textbooks, and many students upload their work to the Internet or sell it when they finish college. You can take advantage and look up what other people have written.

Don’t copy it verbatim, but make note of their better points and take a look at their reference sections to see if there are any good research materials you can use.

Use Google Scholar for Ready-Made Citations

http://tinypic.com/r/102umpk/8

Having to write out your reference section “correctly” is boring and annoying, even if you have a good citation generator. Instead, search Google scholar for the reference material you are using (books, journals, etc). If it is listed on Google scholar, you can click the cite link and copy and paste a ready-made citation. It saves time and a lot of effort.

Use the Index Section at the Bottom of Wikipedia Pages

http://tinypic.com/r/2lto8s5/8

On almost every subject you can research, you will find an entry on Google for a Wikipedia page. You are not allowed to reference Wikipedia in your essay because it is not considered reliable. However, some of the links and references at the bottom of the individual Wikipedia pages are very credible. Follow them and they may lead you to some great research material. They may also give you references you can add in to your essay.

For example, if you have just made a point, you may find a similar point made on Wikipedia. If it has a number next to it, which is a link to the reference, you can click on it and copy the reference to prove your point (as it echoes the one on Google).

Use Other People’s Ideas Online

http://goodmenproject.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/CoupleWorkingHome.jpg

When you Google the questions on your essay, don’t just look at journals and other essays and such. Search around people’s opinions and thoughts on the subject and topic. Use them to spur your creativity and expound on their ideas making them your own.

Search for Proof after You Have Made Your Point

The usual routine is to find, think up an idea, research it, find proof and turn it into a point or argument that you put in your paper. This is all fair and good, but there are many times when you know you are right and you can turn your idea straight into a point that you enter and expand upon in your essay.

The trouble is that at this point you have no evidence to back up your point or even to back up your idea. You are not going to get top marks if you cannot nail down every point with suitable evidence. So, all you do is search for the evidence after you have made and expanded upon your point.

Search out similar points in other people’s work and see whom they referenced, then verify those references. Just make sure that the point that person is making is very similar to yours and that the reference is suitable.

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Today’s guest author is Linda Craig, a writing enthusiast and a professional editor at assignment help http://www.assignmentmasters.co.uk. Her passion is modern British Literature and digital education tools

essays, Wednesdays parent

Wednesday’s Parent: 5 College Essay Tips

June 24, 2015 Suzanne Shaffer 1 Comment

I don’t know what it is about the college essay that strikes fear in the hearts of students and parents. But the very mention of the task sends students running in the opposite direction. If there’s one part of the application that causes more procrastination, it’s the college essay. Here are five tips that should help ease the dread and alleviate some of the pressure.

Relax

The essay if only one part of the college application. It may be an important part but the more your stress, and worry, and fret the less creative you will be in your writing. Forcing the issue when you’re not feeling it will only hinder your writing.

Start early

Begin thinking about the essay during the second half of junior year. When the summer arrives put some thoughts down on paper and start formulating a rough draft. Waiting until the last minute will make the essay rushed and incoherent.

Be yourself

College admissions officers want to get to know you. Pretending to be someone you are not in an effort to impress them isn’t going to earn you any points when evaluating the application. They want to know more about you, who you are, what is important to you, and why you want to attend their college. They can’t get that information if you can’t be yourself in the essay.

Practice writing

Start journaling early, ideally once you enter high school. Write about anything that interests you, about your feelings, frustrations and dreams. You can use the journal when you begin crafting your essay and the writing practice will be a plus.

Do some research

Get essay advice from the experts. Use websites, social media, and books to educate yourself about writing a stellar essay.

Preparing for the college essay removes the fear and helps with the stress. There’s no need to dread or procrastinate when writing your college essay.

Read Wendy’s Post: Savvy Prep for College Essays

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Wednesday’s child may be full of woe but Wednesday’s Parent can substitute action for anxiety. Each Wednesday Wendy and I will provide parent tips to get and keep your student on the college track. It’s never too late or too early to start!

The bonus is on the fourth Wednesday of each month when Wendy and I will host Twitter chat #CampusChat at 9pm ET/6pm PT. Tonight’s guest is @CollegeEssayGuy with a Parent’s Guide to the College Essay.

Wednesday’s Parent will give twice the info and double the blog posts on critical parenting issues by clicking on the link at the end of the article from parentingforcollege to pocsmom.com and vice versa.

admissions, essays

7 Positive Things That Can Look Bad on a College Application

January 27, 2015 Suzanne Shaffer 5 Comments

Today’s guest post is from Ryan Hickey, Managing Editor of Petersons & EssayEdge.

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In my experience helping students with literally thousands of college application essays, it has become second nature for me to immediately recognize what works and what falls flat. However, I can see why it’s not easy for the layperson to understand what might be inappropriate for an entrance essay. That road paved with good intentions can easily lead a young college applicant right off a cliff.

Here are seven potential essay topics that may seem great on the surface but are actually big mistakes.

Bragging about good grades.

Many well-meaning essayists list their favorite classes and then the perfect scores they received. It’s a complete waste of words. The adjudicator has a school transcript in hand. The essay is a chance to give the committee a glimpse into something they can’t already see.

Taking an overly creative approach.

While it is a wonderful idea to create a unique narrative, the story needs to have some connection to qualifications, a school, and why a student wants to go there. This is not a place to write a Ray Carver-like short story, no matter how impressive it may be.

Talking about the volunteer trip that changed your life.

The story of volunteering to teach English to people in a small village in Ecuador seems like a no-brainer.

“I went to Quito and from there braved the jungle and you know what…? I thought I was going to teach others English, but instead found that it was I who had the learning experience.”

It’s a beautiful story of commitment, and it’s also the number one story not to tell. The reason? Admissions counselors get this one ALL the time. ALL the time. If you must share this volunteer experience, the story should be truly unique and specific. What exactly was learned in the wilds of Ecuador? How does this tie into a desire for higher education?

Celebrating a privileged background.

Some essayists feel it’s a great plan to write about how they feel so lucky to have come from such wonderful circumstances (from such loving parents, of course). The last thing an adjudicator would like to read about is how a student feels he or she has led a charmed life. It says nothing about what they can actually bring to the school.

Battling adversity.

Overcoming obstacles is a good thing, but stories about death, dying, or trauma can easily come off as way too heavy in this format. These are not only distressing, but they are probably not as compelling or persuasive as one might think. Ultimately, they may end up distracting the reader.

Obsessing over the sporting life.

I threw the winning pass to lead the team to the state champi… zzzzz… Just stay far away from stories of athletic triumph. There are way too many of these.

I was bad… but now I’m all good!

I don’t know why students think it’s a great idea to talk about how they started out in high school as a slacker, but they’re much better now and deserve praise for getting their life together. The big takeaway I get as a reader is “possible recidivist slacker.”

They say you have to know the rules to break the rules, and with all this in mind, it is absolutely possible to write about every one of these topics IF a story is personal, specific, and truly portrays why a student and their ideal school are a perfect match. That being said, try to convince your young college applicant to avoid any topics that will make them blend in with the crowd rather than stand out.

______________________

About the Author

Ryan Hickey is the Managing Editor of Peterson’s & EssayEdge and is an expert in many aspects of college, graduate, and professional admissions. A graduate of Yale University, Ryan has worked in various admissions capacities for nearly a decade, including writing test-prep material for the SAT, AP exams, and TOEFL, editing essays and personal statements, and consulting directly with applicants.

essays

Can Writers Help In Your Own Research

December 1, 2014 Suzanne Shaffer

Writing your own research takes time and skills to come up with a topnotch research work that will earn you a high mark from your professor. But with the limited time along with the other obligations that you have to do, sometimes it is almost impossible for you to handle things on your own and meet the deadline set by your professors. But now, you can set aside your worries especially since there ways for you to get on with your research with the help of expert writers.

How Can Expert Writers Help?

Availing professional writing services is common nowadays considering the fact that there are really times when you just simply cannot finish your research paper. Instead of stressing yourself out, you can definitely ask for professional help. It is just a matter of finding a reputable and reliable writing service provider known to provide topnotch writing services.

So how do writers can help you in your own research? For one, you do not have to do everything on your own. Suppose that you already have written a portion of your paper then you can just ask for a writer to help you continue the other parts. If ever you really cannot do it, you do not have to worry since you can just submit all of the details. Writers will do the research and collect the relevant information to come up with a comprehensive and well-researched content. From research to proper and complete citations, expert writers know exactly the kind of research work that would meet academic standards.

Competent Writers from Best Essay Tips

At Bestessaytips.com, you are guaranteed of the best writers in the industry. The company only hires the best and the most skilled writers to handle the projects. Whether you are in need of an essay or a well-researched content, writers can handle the job with ease and with confidence as all of them are skilled in various subject areas. Many of the company’s writers even have Master’s or Phd degrees.

Save Time and Money

Why tire and stress yourself out as to how you can submit your research work on time and get the highest grade possible? Bestessaytips.com gives you the option to save time and money. At least, you never have to worry about your research work. You can just submit the details of the project along with the other requirements and materials that you have already acquired. The writer assigned to your research work will then create the content based on the writing parameters and based on your standards. This saves you time and allows you to focus on other things. When you just have too many things and obligations to fulfill, relying on professional writers can make things go smoothly for you.

Professionally Written and Meets Academic Standards

In writing a research work, you do not just conduct research and come up with your own points and arguments. It is also essential for you to have strong writing skills. Unfortunately, many struggle in this area especially if you are not into writing. But thanks to expert writers, you can have a research work that is completely original and professionally written. The research project is well-crafted and that would surely impress your professor. At Bestessaytips.com, every project undergoes thorough research, quality writing and editing before submitting the final draft to the client. Once you receive your research paper, you are guaranteed that there are no grammatical and spelling errors. You can submit your research work as it is. Let the best writers from Bestessaytips.com handle your research work.

Parenting for College

Category Archives: essays

Online Resources to Craft a Great Scholarship Essay

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