sample admission essay

When writing your admission essays, it is very necessary that you start your essay with great impact while ending it with a big bang at the same time. But, how well you will create an impact on your essay depends on your introduction. Introduce your essay with a very strong introductory paragraph with which you will create a content that should have depth. This will keep the interest of your readers to read on your article until the end.

Your readers as one of the most important factors when writing your essay

Always consider the most important factor when writing your personal statement, the admissions panel. Make sure you instantly establish a connection with your readers, after which you maintain that interest to lead them until the end of your personal statement.

Creating a strong impact on your readers

Start off by writing a very strong opening statement or a line with a good and catchy introduction that will grab the attention of your readers. What�s more important is to be able to hold the interest of the readers until the end by using that same impact.

You should make your introduction just about one paragraph to display a deductive nature. In other words, leave the rest to your readers to keep them reading on. Sustaining the interest of your readers is very essential if you really want to take that first step to your dream school.

Other tips in creating an impact on your readers

Aside from using the usual strong opening statements to create impact and, therefore, draw your readers into the essay, you may also use in your opening statements some questions, quotations, and anecdotes to create an impact on your readers. However, you must be careful because most of the time, the opening statement sets the tone for how the essay will go. Therefore, always make sure your introduction complements the rest of your essay.

Related links:

Essay writing styles – About rhetorical questions and other essay writing styles
Admission essay topics – About possible admission essay topics
Paragraph structure – About creating an effective paragraph structure
Effective Introductions – Five effective essay introductions
Writing strategies – Simple essay writing tips for beginners

Writing a personal statement can be very nerve-racking. So if you are a student writing your admission essay, the very first tip you must follow is that you must begin writing way before the set deadline. This will not only lessen the burden of pressure on you but will allow you to make way for the much needed improvement on your personal statement.

Brainstorming ideas for your essay

Put together a listing of all your ideas, then write your first draft without having to worry about anything. Relax for a while and come back for your first draft after to make the final revisions. It would be best to read your revised draft out loud to detect any inappropriate use of words. And when you prepare your final draft, make sure you have brainstormed already, pouring in all possible ideas for the essay. Make sure that the essay is grammar and spelling error-free.

Tips in organizing your admission essay

To have an organized essay, always make sure that you follow the directives of the instructor. And once you have brainstormed all your ideas to start crafting your essay, make sure that you create an outline for them to present your ideas in a more coherent and organized manner. Also, you should also try mapping out your research objectives by creating subheadings or subtopics. This way, you can write your admission essay effectively, which would merit you your acceptance in the school you are applying to.

The importance of having an outline

Writing a personal statement is a very essential requirement of your school application. Considered the face of a student�s application, it is imperative that you exert all your time and effort into crafting an effective and beautiful essay. Start by writing an outline. Remember, a good essay can never do without a good outline. Your outline is the backbone of your essay, so without the outline, you might not come up with a winning essay.

You may start your outline right after doing some brainstorming and research. Then, you may provide additional details like your outlook in life, your determination, and commitment, as well as examples of your previous experiences to highlight your strengths. Emphasize how each has helped you develop into what you have become now. This will surely make your essay stand out among the rest.

Related links:

Essay writing styles – About rhetorical questions and other essay writing styles
Admission essay topics – About possible admission essay topics
Cliches and expressions – About the disadvantages of using cliches and trite expressions
Connecting to readers – About how to connect to your readers
Proofreading tips – All about proofreading tips and strategies

When writing your admission essay, you are usually confronted by various application essay questions. And tackling them entails supporting your answers with specific ideas and examples to convince the admissions panel to finally give you your ticket to your dream school.

Examples of common essay questions or prompts

There are various types of application essay questions that students are asked to answer in their personal statements. These include questions like “Who has been the most influential person in your life?” which is a very common scholarship prompt. Another is the application essay question that is asked to elaborate and explain on a statement like this: “Choose a book or books that have affected you deeply and explain why.” Indeed, there are so many essay questions that are so interesting to write about. Students may even attempt to talk on various topics ranging from the value of sacrifice and the importance of family to leadership, a very common essay prompt for the college admissions essay.

Tips in tackling common essay questions and prompts

If you are a student writing your admission essay, you will be confronted with a variety of essay questions, apart from the supplementary essay questions that the college admissions require from the candidates. Here are some helpful hints that you may use to come up with a sure winning personal statement.

When you are asked to answer an application essay question, you may always choose to write your essay by telling a story. Always relate the question asked to what has been its significant effect on your life, what great impact it has created on your personality, what risks you have taken, and how you handled each risk to emerge victorious. Emphasize how this experience has had great impact on your life and how it has helped you develop into the person you are now.

Other factors to consider (page limit or word count, format, etc.)

Take note of the format required for the personal statement before you answer the essay question. This gives you the chance to make a framework available for the rest of the details in your application. Do not go over the required number of words, and make sure that you use the limited space wisely.

Related links:

Personal statement tips – Practical tips on essay writing
College applications – All about college applications and personal statement
Essay writing styles – About rhetorical questions and other essay writing styles
Admission essay topics – About possible admission essay topics
Exceptional personal statements – About writing top notch admission essays

When writing your personal statement, make sure you know what exactly the admissions panel is looking for in a candidate. Generally, the admissions committee is in search of applicants who have the commitment, capacity, and moral fiber to pursue an MBA degree. The admissions committee would know right away if you are just getting into a program that you think you are interested in and will eventually be short of finishing it, or if you are the type of applicant to pursue the degree and really finish it till the end. That is why you really need to craft an excellent personal statement to guarantee your admission.

Ideal student vs. the real you

When writing your own personal statement, the admissions panel will look for the real you and not what is perceived to be the ideal applicant. They are looking for potential students who can easily fiddle with the new learning environment they are thrown into. The admissions committee, of course, would want to produce graduates who will later on emerge as leaders or achievers.

Exceptionally high grades vs. life experiences

You don’t have to detail your academic achievements to guarantee a winning personal statement. What is most important is that you first establish a connection between you and your reader. This will definitely grab the attention of your reader and will eventually lead to a liking, which could play a very significant role in your application. Remember, the admissions officers look beyond high grades and academic achievements. They are also now looking into the ounce of motivation and determination a student has in dealing with life experiences.

Finding the right mix

A sure tip for a winning personal statement is balance. Achieving the right mix between being the ideal student and the real you amidst life experiences is the best concoction for getting into the school of your choice. Having singled out all your academic credentials, skills, and achievements and matching them well with your determination and persistence will truly give you the homerun to your dream school.

Related links:

Admission essay tips – Writing about your experience in your essay
Paragraph structure – How to make effective paragraph structures
Cliches and expressions
Proofreading tips – Basic proofreading tips
Personal statements – Tips on writing personal statements

Writing an admission essay can really be nerve-racking for most students. The apprehension of being able or not being able to come up with an effective essay that will stand out, topped with the anxiety of getting either accepted or denied in their dream med school is sure enough to crush a young student’s heart. However, there are various tips to come up with a relevant personal statement. Learn how you can actually weed out irrelevant information from your essays.

The importance of submitting a concise and well-written essay

As we always say, your personal statement is your main ticket getting admitted to your school of choice. Therefore, it is very important that you submit a concise and very well-written essay that will guarantee your admission. With the boatloads of personal statements the admission officers have to read, they have no more time to spare for non-sense. So, the moment they set their eyes on your essay and your essay spells T-R-I-V-I-A-L, then surely, you’ll miss going to the school you are aspiring for.

How to weed out irrelevant details from your essay

Here are some tips on how to improve your personal statement to make it stand out:

First, stick to the theme of your essay. Make an outline to know which areas more focus. That way, you will know where to focus your discussion. Scrutinize your essay for any ideas and words that would only mean impressing your readers. Your tone of writing must be relaxed and informative but never bragging. Don’t talk too much about your stories and your life. Have a sense of focus. Check your final draft to see if there are no big words that might only confuse your readers. Weeding out pointless details and redundant statements in your admissions essay is a protocol before submitting it. The admissions panel will never spare time for redundancy.

Getting feedback from others

Let others read your essay. Ask for straightforward opinions and constructive feedback to help you improve your essay before submitting it. Let others check for long-windedness. Were you using too many words to the point that what you’re saying is becoming pointless already? Ask your friends to check for redundancy or for any sign of using big words instead of the more appropriate simple language.

Related links:

Rhetorical questions – About rhetorical questions and other essay writing styles
Overused expressions – About the dangers of using trite expressions in essays
Paragraph structure – About creating an effective paragraph structure
College applications – All about college applications and personal statement
Good personal statements – About how to write a good personal statement

While you can think of many interesting stories to tell about yourself, relaying it your reader is not always as easy as you think.  So how can you get readers hooked from beginning to end?  Expert writers advise that you should incorporate different styles to make the essay more interesting and reader-friendly.  The admissions panel surely won’t waste time reading a personal statement that’s filled with pure random thoughts, and without any clear idea where it’s heading.  Aside from the use of varied sentence structures, another way to improve your writing style is to use rhetorical questions.

Writing and identifying rhetorical questions

For smooth transitions from one idea to another, you can use rhetorical questions to break free from monotonous lines.  Although rhetorical questions are not meant to be answered by the reader, they should be supported with additional materials for discussion.  You can lead readers into more details that will support the main idea or thesis statement, or use these questions to introduce a new topic.

As much as possible, you want to connect to the readers with your personal style of storytelling.  Through this stylistic approach, you may imagine your reader nodding his or her head in agreement to what you just said.  An effective essay is one that appeals to the reader.

Why rhetorical questions can help you hook your readers

When used properly, rhetorical questions add excitement to reading.  They also serve the purpose of grabbing your readers’ attention, making them consider your points and even evoke emotions from them.

In a sense, it also adds to the suspense.  Whether used as an intro for a new paragraph or as conclusion, they leave readers somewhat hanging– wanting to get more information from you.  These questions also make them think for themselves about the ideas you’ve just presented.

Tips in using rhetorical questions in your essay

Rhetorical questions are used to challenge your thoughts or stress your points in the article.  Although they are considered a stylistic approach to writing, they should be used sparingly.  When filled with too many questions, some readers may feel rather confused or overwhelmed with the ideas you’re presenting in your essay.

Most rhetorical questions are written as a call to action.  This style gets reader hooked and makes them want to get to the bottom of the page to satisfy their curiosity.

Reading a sample admission essay can be a great way for you to learn how to use rhetorical questions effectively.

If you are an immigrant to the United States and you are applying to a US school, you may find it rather difficult to deal with all of the demands of the application process, especially your admission essay.  The great news for immigrants is that they may have the upper hand when it comes to writing an admission essay that is original, unique, and interesting — the three qualities that most admissions committees look for.  Because the objective of the admission essay is to introduce yourself to the admission committee, you can use your experience as an immigrant as the topic for your essay.  Read on to learn more about how you can use your experience as an immigrant for your admission essay.

Benefits of writing about your immigrant experience in your essay

The main benefit of writing about your immigrant experience to the United States is that you have a perspective that is different from non-immigrant applicants.  Because many schools try to diversify their student body by accepting students from different backgrounds, your status as a US immigrant gives you an edge over some of the other applicants.  Basically, it just depends on how you discuss your experience as an immigrant.

Another benefit of being an immigrant is that you can write about the adversity that you have had to overcome, as well as the adjustments you had to make when moving to the US.  Moving to a new country can be quite demanding, especially considering what you are leaving behind in your home country.  You can use these hardships and challenges as topics for your essay.

How to effectively discuss your immigrant experience

To discuss effectively your immigrant experience in your admission essay, you will have to find an angle that highlights your personal development.  For example, you may want to discuss the challenges of learning English and making other cultural adaptations to persevere and continue to succeed in a completely new environment.  You can also discuss some of the life lessons and significant realizations that you have come across as a result of witnessing two separate cultures (that of your home country and that of the US).  Remember that your personal statement is your opportunity to tell the admissions committee about who you are, what you have accomplished, how you have become the person you are today, and why you deserve to be accepted into the school you are applying to.

Things to avoid when writing about immigrant experience in your essay

When writing your admission essay about your immigrant experience, there are certain topics that you may want to avoid.  One topic that you should try to avoid is a direct comparison and contrast of your native country and the US, unless you discuss the topic in relation to your personality or your future goals.  You should also avoid controversial or sensitive topics relating to race, culture, or ways of life.  Finally, avoid writing an essay that will make you sound like an ambassador for everything related to your country or to the United States.  In the end, your essay should be about you and not about all of the other aspects regarding your immigrant experience.

An admission essay is usually thought of as the most complicated part of applying to graduate school.  For some, it is also known as the personal statement because it is within this essay that you are asked to explain who you are, what makes you unique, and why you deserve to enter graduate school.  For many applicants, the difficulty arises when there are too many topics trying to be squeezed into one essay.  The key to an effective admissions essay is simplicity, organization, and order.  When you feel that you are ready to write your admissions essay, all you need to do is make sure that you have an effective essay paragraph structure in order to grab and keep your reader’s attention.

Review: Parts of a paragraph structure or essay

You may have already learned the basic parts of a paragraph in both grade school and high school, but it is always good to review in order to avoid complicating the task of writing.  First and foremost is the topic sentence; this is where you tell your reader what the rest of your paragraph is going to be about.  Aside from this, the topic sentence also helps you keep your thoughts and ideas under control by somehow limiting them to what your topic sentence states.

A basic formula for creating the perfect topic sentence is to begin with a specific subject, then to describe it with a specific feeling, thought, or attitude.  Once you have written your topic sentence, you can refer to it in order to write the rest of your paragraph, which is the body.  In the body, you are expected to tell the reader about your topic in specific details.  This can comprised several statements, each one relating to the topic sentence.  Finally, when you’ve finished with the body, you can now move to the concluding remarks (or, simply put, the conclusion).  Here, you are expected to wrap things up by explaining why you’ve mentioned everything in your topic sentence and body.

Write: Coming up with an effective paragraph structure

Although some people may already know the parts of a paragraph by heart, it is still difficult for them to come up with an effective paragraph structure.  The key to this is an interesting (and perhaps even intriguing) main topic.  Bear in mind that your reader(s) will be reading many other essays, which is why it is important for you to have a “catchy” or “unique” angle.  Once you’ve decided on the angle you want to take, you can now come up with an effective paragraph structure.  For example, if you are the artistic type, you might want to state your creativity in your topic sentence.  From there, you can begin every other sentence with a creative and witty tone or phrase, one that will keep your reader(s) engaged and entertained.

Check: Coherence as the key

No matter how creative you decide to make your admissions essay, always remember that coherence is the key.  You need to make sense and be clear about what you are trying to say.  When your writing is coherent, you are not only stating who you are through words, but also through form.  To be more precise, a cohesive paragraph structure is one that not only flows smoothly, but also proves self-confidence and enthusiasm.