sample admission essay

Generally, most books and online essay-writing resources advice applicants to steer clear of sensitive topics.  In the college application essay, sex, religion, and politics are eggshell-thin China cups that will surely crack at the slightest drop or pressure.  Current events are also subjects that most applicants try not to write about, for fear of sounding too op-ed or trying hard to be op-ed.  However, these so-called forbidden subjects will not necessarily hamper one’s chances of getting into one’s dream college or university if incorporated into a college admission essay well.  Here are just a few guidelines that can help you craft that essay should you feel the need to write about sensitive topics for your college applications.

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If you’re all set to apply for college yet have just the average grades to make it, boost your chances of getting in by writing an excellent college admissions essay.  Members of college admissions panels are usually seasoned at judging students based on the essays that they’ve written and could very well get tired of those that not only reveal a little about the student but are generally boring and poorly written.  Some colleges and universities however have gotten past the boring 250-word essays about one’s skills and have instead devised application topics and questions that are wacky, wild, and outright weird.  The University of Chicago is one such institution that is famous for having weird topics and questions that not only encourage creativity but make the application process a fun and memorable one.(1)  Some found the approach to be even more difficult than writing about why one wants to go to a certain college.  However, the answers to these questions often reveal more about the applicant.  So dredge up those wild, wacky and weird memories and turn them into the winning pieces that will get you into the college of your dreams.
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Crafting the perfect MBA application essay is a tough job.  Many people are aware of the benefits an MBA degree can give them in their careers and as such, you need to be able to stand out in the kind of admission essays that you pass.  MBA schools have doubled their strictness when it comes to choosing prospective students, taking in applicants who impress not only with their grades but also with the achievements in their lives.  Get inspiration and ideas on how to define entrepreneurship in your MBA admission essay by viewing sample MBA essays.  Here’s how to make your own winning piece from the good points seen in sample MBA admission essays.

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Making the decision to become a lawyer can be one of the biggest steps that you take in your life, especially if you are from a family of lawyers.  Coming from a family of lawyers can have many advantages for those who are planning to become lawyers themselves.  Regardless of whether or not you are directly related to lawyers, though, you will probably have to enroll in law school to get prepared for the bar exams.  Getting into law school can be difficult, but you have good chances of getting admitted if you do a great job on your application package.  Perhaps the most important application requirement is the personal essay.(1)  Read on for some tips on indicating in your personal statement that you are from a family of lawyers, and other basic tips on writing your law school personal statement.

Doing your research: taking a look at well-written sample law school personal statements for valid reasons to go to law school

Before you begin writing your law school personal statement, you may want to start out by doing some research and gathering samples.  Sample law school personal statements can help you brainstorm for ideas and understand the basic format of the essay.  Try to get a good grasp of the tone of the essay and how the ideas are developed in the essay.  Aside from looking at examples of well-written essays, you may also want to look at poorly written ones, so you know what mistakes to avoid.(2)

Writing your essay :  using the characteristics of well-written, family-focused law school personal statement examples in your draft

Now that you have a good idea of what it takes to write a good family-focused law school personal statement, you can get started on your first draft.  Take some time to reflect on the research that you composed and think of how to make your essay even better than all of the samples that you read.  Concentrate on making your essay excellent in content, form, and style.(3)  Here is a list of some basic tips on writing your personal statement for law school:(4)
-  Make sure that your sentences are clear and concise.
-  Avoid all types of technical errors, such as spelling and grammar mistakes.
-  Try to let your character and personality show through your writing.
-  Always make your personal statement specific to the school that you are writing it for.
-  If you need more help, you may want to join a writing workshop for personal statements.

Winning your case : writing your own excellent law school personal statement by discussing family experiences and influences

One of the benefits of being from a family of lawyers is that you are probably already pre-disposed to the profession.  You can use this benefit to your advantage by writing a law school personal statement that is family-focused.  Not only is your background and family something personal, but it also offers many opportunities to discuss why you want to go to law school.  Before you get to writing your essay, be sure to take time to plan out what you are going to write and how you are going to write it.(5)  Try not to make it sound as though you are only going to law school because of the fact that you come from a family of lawyers.  Instead, try to focus on how your background has helped to form the values and virtues that it takes to be successful in law school and as a lawyer in the future.(6)

Some tips on mentioning examples in your family-focused essay: (7)
-  Focus on positive traits and try to eliminate any negative aspects.
-  Try to discuss how the examples have helped to sculpt your personality and character.
-  Find out what makes you unique in your family and as a person, in general, and expound on that.
-  Remember to concentrate on your goal with the personal statement. Introduce yourself and explain how your family background and upbringing has influenced you and your decision to apply for law school.

Making an appeal by learning a few more tips based on a creatively written law school personal statement sample

Writing a creative and interesting law school personal statement does not mean that you have to do something completely new and “out of the box.”  In fact, it would probably help to keep your essay simple, clear and concise, without too much humor or cliches.(8)  The best way to write creatively is to be yourself.  Many of the things that make you unique are precisely what interests other people.  Try not to focus too much on other people or family members.  Instead, keep the essay centered on you and let your personality and character shine through for who you really are.  Your essay is a venue for you to let the admissions committee know why you deserve a slot at the school.

(1) http://career.berkeley.edu/LAW/LawStatement.stm
(2) http://collegeapps.about.com/od/essays /College_Admissions_Essays_Samples_Critiques_and_Writing_Tips.htm
(3) http://bunny.ucdavis.edu/advising/law/handouts /tips_writing_your_law_school_personal_statement.html
(4) http://lawschool.about.com/od/applicationprocess/tp/personalstatement.htm
(5) http://www.bc.edu/offices/careers/gradschool/law/lawstatement.html
(6) http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/642/01/
(7)  http://www.sampleadmissionessay.com/category/law-school-admissions/
(8) http://www.yale.edu/career/students/gradprof/lawschool/lawapply.html#stat

When putting together your college application package, you will probably be required to submit an application essay.  While your transcripts, resume, and SAT scores will probably be the first thing that schools look at, your college application essay may just be the x-factor that gets you into the school of your choice.  Because of the importance of the application essay, it’s important to think of topics that are interesting and relevant to your application.  If you have had job experience in high school, you may want to focus on that topic, because it shows a sense of responsibility, hard work, and independence.(1)  Read on to learn more about focusing on your high school job experiences in your college application essay or personal statement.

Why including high school job experiences in your application essay or personal statement is helpful

The main purpose of the application essay is to serve as an introduction.  You are introducing yourself to the admissions committee and the college or university that you want to study in.  Writing about your high school job experiences and how they have helped to develop your character is a good way of introducing yourself through your college application essay.  Even just the ability to balance school life and work life is a great advantage of those who worked through high school, which is why it can be favorable for you to write about such a topic.  Working while studying helps to build work ethic, responsibility, and character – three key traits that many admissions committees look for in applicants.(2)

How to discuss what you’ve learned from high school job experiences in your college application essay or college entrance essays

When writing your college admissions essay about your high school job experiences, the number one pitfall to avoid is listing and enumerating.  The resume and personal information that you submit along with your application package will already have the basic information on your achievements and practical experience.  Try to avoid merely listing the jobs or experiences that you have had as a working student and, instead, tell the story of how you have learned valuable lessons, developed important values, and practiced certain virtues.(3)  For example, instead of talking about the kind of work you did, try to single out an instance when you had to make an important decision that helped you learn a lot about yourself, your work, and your life in general.

Aside from the subject matter, you should also concern yourself with the mechanics of the essay and how you present yourself in the essay.  First, make sure that your essay does not have any typographical or grammatical errors.  Take time to edit your essay well and eliminate any and all technical mistakes.  Second, be as truthful and honest as you can.  If the admissions committee finds out that the information in your essay or your other records is not true, then you can forget about getting into the college, because they probably won’t accept you.  Finally, make sure to let your personality shine through.  Remember, you are trying to introduce yourself, so you should let your character and personality come through in your essay.(4)

How a sample application essay focusing on previous work experiences can help you write your personal statement

If you are having a hard time writing your personal statement, try taking a look at some sample application essays that also focus on work experience.  Reading sample essays is a great way to get ideas, inspiration, and motivation for your own essay.  Take note of the theme, tone, and format of the sample application essay so you can get an idea of how to go about your own essay.  Just make sure that you are using the sample admission essays to get inspiration and not to copy from.(5)  You may even want to use sample college admission essays to learn.  For example, you can critique certain sample essays to see what they did wrong and learn from their mistakes to make sure that the essay you write is better.(6)

Why comparing your personal statement draft with a sample application essay can be helpful

So you have finally finished your essay and you are looking for ways to improve on it.  One great way of editing your personal statement draft is to compare it with a sample application essay.  Read both of the papers side-by-side and see if there are any areas that you can edit to make your essay better.  Some of the changes you will make can be as simple as spelling corrections, while other changes may require you to rewrite an entire paragraph.  Make sure to go over your essay a few times until you are happy with it.  You may even want to have your essay read by a parent, teacher, advisor, or counselor to see if they have any helpful suggestions, corrections, or comments.  In the end, what you are aiming for is an excellent college application essay that will help get you a slot in the college of your choice.

(1) http://www.sampleadmissionessay.com/category/college-university-admissions/
(2)  http://www.sampleadmissionessay.com/category/college-university-admissions/
(3) http://collegeapps.about.com/od/essays/a/essay_tips.htm
(4) http://apps.carleton.edu/admissions/apply/essay_tips/
(5) http://businessmajors.about.com/od/applicationessays/Sample_Application_Essays.htm
(6) http://collegeapps.about.com/od/essays/a/EssayYouthBoard_3.htm

Whether you are planning to go into undergraduate studies or post-graduate studies, you will probably have to complete and submit an application package for the admissions committee.  The application package is more than just a requirement to get into schools, but it also serves as an introduction of yourself to the admissions committee of the schools that you apply to.  For this reason, it is essential that you do a great job on your application package if you wish to take up undergraduate college or post-graduate studies, especially for popular fields such as medicine.  This article will cover some of the basic differences between the college admissions process and the medical school admissions process.

The medical school admissions process vs.  the college admission or university admission process

The admissions processes for medical schools and undergraduate schools differ in a number of ways.  The most basic and obvious difference is that medical schools usually have more specific application requirements.  Colleges, universities, and medical schools will all ask for your personal information and transcripts, but medical schools usually also require applicants to have taken up specific courses that are related to medicine.  Sciences, such as Biology, Physics, and Chemistry are normally required for medical school admission.  For US schools or international schools, students may be required to have taken up at least one year of English.(1)

In truth, whether you are applying for college or medical school, the application requirements and admissions process will differ from school to school.  Fortunately, programs such as the American Medical College Application Service (AMCAS)(2) and The Common Application for Undergraduate College Admission(3) are making efforts to simplify the application process.  Basically, the AMCAS and the Common Application provide a primary application process that allows applicants to complete and submit a common application form with the basic information that most medical schools, colleges, and universities require.  The application forms are then sent to the schools that the applicant wants to apply to.  The costs for either the AMCAS or the Common Application will depend on the number of schools being applied to.  Applicants who have a chance of getting into the school applied for will be sent a secondary application form with more specific requirements, such as application essays.

Usual college admissions or university application requirements (4)

Application fee
Personal information or resume
Official transcripts
Recommendation letters
SAT or ACT scores
Admissions essay
Interview
Secondary application (if necessary)

Usual medical school requirements (5)

Application fee
Personal information or resume
Official transcripts
Recommendation letters or evaluation letters
DAT, MCAT, or GRE scores
Admissions essays
Interview
Secondary application (if necessary)

Preparing for the medical school admissions process

As can be seen in the lists above, the requirements for medical school and undergraduate schools are quite similar.  In most cases, however, medical schools are stricter when it comes to evaluating, assessing, and accepting students.  For many schools, the number of slots they have available are far fewer than the number of applicants, which is why medical schools normally have high standards.  To get ahead of the competition, try to follow some of the following tips for your medical school application:(6)

Make sure to complete and compile all of the requirements in a neat and organized manner.  Presentation surely isn’t everything, but a clean and neat application package is certainly more welcome than one that has a bunch of markings and crossed-out entries.
Make a schedule so you can keep track of submission deadlines and important meetings, such as interviews or meetings with those who are writing your evaluation and recommendation letters.  Always submit before the deadline, but make sure that you have put in enough time and effort to make the best application package you can.

Try reading some sample medical school admissions essays to get an idea of the questions asked, topics written about, the overall format, and the tone of the essays.  When writing your own essay, be sure to write more than just your achievements.  Tell the story of how your achievements have changed you and helped you develop virtues and values that are essential for medical school and medicine practice in general.(7)

Medical school interviews

One of the most important medical school requirements is the interview.  If you make it to the interview stage of the admissions process, then you are probably on track to getting into the school.  The fact that the school called you in for an interview means that you are actually worth their time and effort to interview.  Here are some tips on how to do a great job on your medical school admission interview:

Try to get to know the school that you are applying to.  Gather information on the history of the school, the courses offered at the school, and what makes it different from other schools.(8)  Take some time to read, understand and formulate answers to some of the commonly asked interview questions.(9)  Finally, try to be confident, but not arrogant.  If you know your goals and why you want to go to medical school, then you will probably do a great job on your interview.  Just relax and have confidence in yourself.

(1) http://www.aamc.org/students/applying/about/start.htm
(2) http://www.aamc.org/students/amcas/
(3) https://www.commonapp.org/CommonApp/default.aspx
(4) http://www.sampleadmissionessay.com/category/college-university-admissions/
(5) http://www.sampleadmissionessay.com/category/medical-school-admissions/
(6) http://careers.dyc.edu/guide/sec5/med_and_law_school_app_tips.htm
(7) http://www.cmu.edu/hpp/achieve/pstips.html
(8) http://gradschool.about.com/od/medicalschool/f/InterviewMS.htm
(9) http://career.berkeley.edu/Health/MedInterview.stm

Knowing how to deal with interviews is important because you’re going to encounter this at some points in your life. College, graduate schools, and potential employers will most likely ask you to come for an interview and it is then that they will decide whether they should accept you or not. Aside from your personal statement, the interview is another component of your application that will let the admissions committee know more about you. Below are some tips on how you can make a good impression during admissions interviews.

Gather important information

One of the first things you need to do to make sure that you’re going to have a successful admissions interview is to get all the information you need. You should know your interview schedule and make sure that you don’t have any other activities scheduled for that time. It’s also important that you learn more about the institution and program you’re applying to. Knowing these information will help you give clear answers to various questions.

Prepare for the interview

Just as using sample admission essay can help you write your essay, using examples of interview questions to prep you for your interview is a good thing to do. There are various websites offering lists of questions typically asked by admissions committees during interviews. It’s advisable for you to read these questions and some sample answers to that you’ll get insights regarding the style, tone, and quality of the answers made by other applicants. Doing this is similar to using sample admission essay to get ideas for your own essay as to the theme or topic for your essay.

Keep in mind that it’s important to be attentive during the interview and to answer with complete sentences that are clear and concise. Relax and believe in yourself. Appear confident in front of admissions officers as you answer their questions politely. Don’t be intimidated and remember that doing well during the interview will increase your chances of getting accepted.

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One of the first things that admissions committees and potential employers will see when you submit an application is your resume. A resume contains various information about you and gives readers an outline of your credentials such as your educational background and work experience that are relevant to the program you wish to enter or career you choose to pursue. As a vital part of your application package, it’s essential that you know how to write an excellent resume. Below are some tips that will help you out.

Make it concise

You might get the urge to write down all of your professional and academic accomplishments when making your resume, but keep in mind that employers and admissions officers go through many resumes on almost any day. Make your resume concise by keeping it short, just one to two pages detailing important information. Put all your recent and relevant work experiences at the first page or top part of your resume so that readers will see this first. You can also make use of bullet points for listing down your accomplishments. You don’t have to write long explanations because any questions readers may have can be answered when you get interviewed.

Assess your resume, proofread, and edit it

When you’re done writing your resume, read it a few times. Make sure that there are no spelling or grammatical errors. Go over all the details and make sure that what you’ve written are all factual and relevant to the position or program you’re applying for. It’s also important that you appear confident in your resume but don’t sound boastful because this can turn off admissions officers and potential employers.

Once you’ve read and edited your resume, you can then have other people read it and give you their advice and suggestions. You can approach your friends, relatives, teachers, or guidance counselors to seek help. After that, take their opinions into consideration and make the necessary changes to your resume.

Compile your resume along with other documents in your application package

When you’ve already finished doing your resume, you can then compile it with other documents in your application package. If you’re applying for college or graduate school, this may mean having to submit a personal statement. You can use a sample admission essay to see how you can write an interesting personal statement. This sample admission essay can help you think of topics for your own personal statement.

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High school is nearly over and preparation for college is just around the corner. Admittedly, not all students can afford to continue their education due to financial restraints so the next best thing available for those who do not have the financial capability is to apply for a college scholarship.

Those students who are qualified academically and excel in a particular sport can apply in universities and that offer sports scholarships. Being a varsity player for a particular college team can help students pay for their undergraduate education. Basketball, football, and swimming are some of the sports where athletic scholarships are awarded. However, students who are granted athletic scholarships are required to take undergraduate degrees. Scholarships granted by universities may vary and are provided on a year-to-year basis which can be re-applied for up to four years.

How to apply for athletic scholarships

Coaches scout for new talents in matches and events. A coach may ask a player to play for his collegiate team, but even if he does this, one must still apply to the university ollowing the regular academic application procedures. Make sure that you meet the required academic standards of the school you want to go to and maintain these as your scholarship will depend on the evaluations and recommendations of the coach and other academic teachers.

Free sample admission essay outlines customized to YOUR biography
Free admissions essays examples

A student may also personally approach coaches of different universities and colleges. But for a student to do this, he or she should have a distinctive accomplishment in his/her field of sport. Do not fail to do a background check on these school as one may need to compare his performance to their standards. An applicant may also need to provide these coaches a resume of his sports accomplishments and a video documenting his qualifications.

How to Win a Scholarship

1. Gear up. Letters of recommendations from your teachers, school counselors are important.
2. Prepare. Make sure you have a copy of your high school diploma.
3. Be active. Involving yourself in community activities and projects will work to your advantage.
4. State your goals. Write an essay detailing your objectives and your achievements to date. Make sure you stand out.
5. Get organized. Do a research on scholarships that suit your criteria. Also, keep track of the deadlines of applications by creating a chart which includes the name and contact information of the university, scholarship name, date of application, verification, and follow ups.
6. Get noticed. One thing that will make you stand out is your essay application. This is your chance to get your yourself noticed. Make sure that before submitting this, ask your English professor to review and edit it.

photo credit: TheAlieness GiselaGiardino²³

While there is no sure-fire formula for getting into the country’s top colleges, these simple guidelines, along with some personality brush-ups here and there, can very well be everything you need to nail that application.

Getting into the college or university of your dreams isn’t really as hard as some make it out to be. In fact, even recent statistics compiled by the US Department of Education clearly counters the common notion of college admissions being too competitive. In the study involving 857 four-year schools done in 2006, it indicates that only 2.6 percent (this number primarily pertaining to Yale, Princeton and Stanford Universities, which are expectedly the top three on the list) accepted fewer than 25 percent of their applicants, while 82.5 percent accepted more than half.

Free sample admission essay outlines customized to YOUR biography
Free admissions essays examples

With that in mind, it’s no wonder that many students say they got into college “without really trying.” Call them secrets, tricks, hints, techniques—whatever you want to call them, here are four simple steps you can follow to make yourself an attractive candidate for college admission.

• Organize a calendar of all admission deadlines, along with a checklist of all application tasks, paperwork and other requirements, and observe it religiously. And as with anything, staying a step ahead is always an advantage. For example, get started on college-hunting as early as the summer before your senior year so you can finalize your list of target schools early. Take your AP exams as early as possible, say in May, so you can receive your grade reports in July and send it out to your choice colleges promptly. Register early for SAT tests in the fall.
• If you plan to apply through an Early Decision or Early Action program, then start filling out those forms around September—you can do this online. Deadlines for such applications fall in October or November. This is also a great time to draft out your college essays—work on them and enrich them with personal experiences that make you stand out from the rest.
• Work hardest on your senior year grades. Many colleges wait until they receive first semester grades before making a decision, expecting to see a performance that indicates you’re ready for college-level work. You’d be surprised that senior year grades actually get almost equal merit as your SAT scores. And also while on your senior year, get involved in more activities, especially those that define the field of study or career path you particularly have interest in. Make sure to mention these activities in your college essays, for these are highly valued.
• Meet with your counselor, teachers and school officials and work with them closely. They play a big role in helping you get into college, so keep them informed and updated as you see fit. It’s also very important that you give them enough time to meet your recommendation letter deadlines. For the letters, make sure to provide them with stamped and addressed envelopes.
• Score high on the SAT—this, along with a satisfactory GPA, increases your chances not only of getting into college, but also of getting a scholarship. You can boost SAT scores by picking up a good SAT prep guide or taking an SAT prep course. And don’t forget the AP (advanced placement) courses—take advantage of these especially if your school already offers them. These not only allow you to earn college credits without having to pay the tuition, but also show admission officers you mean business when it comes to education.

Now that you’re all set for any college application, there’s no more reason to fret and panic. Get a move on, and good luck!

photo credit: B a m s h a d