sample admission essay

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

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.

Knowing what should be included in your admission essay is a must to be able to write a notable one.  This is why it is recommended that you read a sample admission essay to know the things that you have to include.  Aside from the sample admission essay, you also have to read various tips on the elements of an effective essay.  However, these are not enough.  You also have to know what should be excluded.  Read on to know the no-nos in writing admission essays.

Stay away from cliches

Writing cliche would stifle your creativity.  Cliches would make an admission essay uninteresting.  You have to keep in mind the reason why an admission essay is required.  Basically, it is the means through which the admissions officers could see a three-dimensional picture of you.  Do you want them to see you as an uninteresting person?  Remember that your essay reflects who you are.  This is why, as much as possible, show how dynamic and appealing your personality is by making your essay creative and interesting.

Your admission essay is not a poem

Creativity could spice up your admission essay.  But this element should be regulated.  Keep in mind that you’re writing an essay about yourself and not an ode to yourself.  This means you have to avoid ambiguity and the use of cryptic language.  Don’t give the admission committee a hard time deciphering you.  You should be the one to reveal yourself.  And you can do that by using simple words and expressions.

Don’t ask readers to go see a thesaurus

It is true that giving an impression that you are intelligent and knowledgeable would impress the admission officers.  But you have to make sure that you don’t overdo it.  Some applicants use jargons and highfalutin words to show that they’re knowledgeable.  This is not effective.  It could even have a detrimental effect on your application.  Using jargons shows a superficial intelligence.  If you want to show how intelligent you are, you can show it through the content; you can showcase your wit through what you are saying, rather than how you say it.

An effective admission essay is creative, but not to the point that it sacrifices the clarity of the content.  Giving an impression of intelligence is excellent, but it should not be overdone or your admission essay would give a negative impression about you.  The admission officers would think you’re just bragging.  You have to regulate everything.  Make sure that there’s balance in the elements that you use in your essay.

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Top 5 Tips on How to Prepare your Essay with the Help of a Sample Admission Essay

We are inspired to think when we read something very stimulating.  That is why using a sample essay to make your own admission essay is a good idea.  The ideas, coherence, and arrangement of topics in a sample essay can help you substantially.  You can also use a sample essay for research purposes.  Below are the top 5 tips that you can use in using a sample essay to start with your own.

1.  Choose the right essay.

There are essays that appeal strongly because they are excellently written.  However, these essays may not be the right ones for you.  You must remember that the authors of those essays are able to write a high-quality piece because they chose the right topics for them.  So the first step that you should take is to choose an essay that deals with a topic that you know well.  This topic must also interest you so you will be more motivated in making your essay.

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Getting a degree from a business school would give you a wide array of options for your career path.  This is because the theories and the training you will get from an MBA school are also useful if you want to pursue a career in non-business fields.  However, if you are planning to enter an MBA school, you have to work hard for it.  Before you get the chance to be admitted to a business school, you still have to meet various qualifications.  One of the factors that could make or break your admissions is your MBA essay.  To help you write an essay that would ensure your entry to an MBA school, below are some things you should know.

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Entering a graduate school is a dream for many people.  A degree from a graduate school can provide you with various career opportunities in the future.  Many companies and institutions today prefer applicants with degrees from graduate schools.  So if you want to broaden your chances of getting a brighter future, entering a graduate school is your ticket.  One of the requirements in getting admitted is a well-written graduate school essay.  Below is a guideline on how to make one that would grab the attention of the admissions officers.

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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