Colleges take various factors into account, such as high school grades, extracurricular activities, and ACT and SAT scores, when determining which students to admit into their programs. However, in the past few years, an increasing number of universities have stopped taking test scores into account.
Till 2026, colleges like Harvard and many others plan to go “test blind” or focus on other parts of the applications from students instead of standardized test scores. This policy change is seen as fairer to the students who do not have extra cash, test privacies, or struggle with test phobia.
Therefore, how does this impact you? Your college essay, a usual part of college applications, is now more crucial than before. A college essay allows you to present yourself to admission committees among thousands of applications annually. This is your opportunity to be recognized as deserving of a spot in that classroom. This is why many students choose to order custom assignment help from the platform royalwriter.co.uk – essay writing service online.
Crafting a thoughtful and well-written essay that reflects your identity and beliefs can greatly distinguish your application from the numerous forgettable ones read by admissions officers. Indeed, officers may now depend on them even further as many colleges are no longer taking test scores into account.
In the following, we will explore some tactics that can make your essay stand out among others. We will discuss the process of beginning your essay, the content to include in your college essay, and the key components of a successful college essay.
Read and Understand the Prompt
A writing prompt is a statement that is designed to guide the focus of the essay topic and ask questions. The former will also help students understand the type of essay needed and the topic that has to be covered in the given case. A writing prompt situates and defines the writing subject.
First of all, the writing prompt is supposed to awaken the curiosity of the student concerning a given subject area, encouraging the student to write about the topic interestingly. Though the successful writing prompt will consist of both the introduction and limitation of the writing topic, it will also have to provide clear instructions regarding the writing task.
Thus, two defining factors are fundamental to the essence of the writing prompt. First, a scenario presents the main subject that students are supposed to write about. The aim is to spark the interest of the student while making operations correspond with prior information acquired. Instructions: Furthermore, the instructions for the task should be designed in a way that will make students want to explain as much as they can about the topic, making them want to be creative and think deeper.
Capture the Reader’s Attention From the Beginning
You will be vying against numerous other candidates for the attention of an admission officer. Hence, commence your essay with an introductory sentence or paragraph that captivates the reader’s imagination right away. This could be a daring assertion, a reflective saying, an inquiry you raise, or a vivid backdrop.
Beginning your essay with a strong thesis statement can frequently assist you as you write. When attempting to narrate a compelling tale, a strong start can serve as a guide, capturing the reader’s interest and conveying the message behind your writing.
Strive for Authenticity
Above all else, it is important to select a topic or perspective that aligns with your authentic self. Readers can detect when writers are not genuine. Inauthenticity can refer to using excessively ornate language not typically used in everyday conversation or selecting a trivial topic that does not provide much insight into your personality. Put your spin on it, add some jokes, and just speak like you normally would.
Select a topic that holds significance to you rather than one chosen solely to appear impressive. You have the option to discuss a particular experience, hobby, or personality trait that showcases your strengths while also being able to touch upon your weaknesses. Being truthful about qualities, circumstances, or upbringing that you are striving to enhance could connect with the reader more deeply than a superficial celebratory speech.
Create and Use an Outline
Preplanning on the topics that the writer wishes to discuss is always important when developing subsequent papers. Developing an outline helps in compiling and getting the sequence of ideas right successfully. This way, the important information or quotes are identified and highlighted in the respective sources early enough to promote the development of a good background and base on which writers start the writing process. It is important for you to pursue your thesis and develop these ideas.
Start your outline by placing your prompt at the top of a page. If you lack one, you can come up with ideas for what to write about. Afterward, consider what course or viewpoint you want to follow. What can you do to show your support for this? What key ideas do you plan to discuss? What will be your strategy for supporting those concepts? Create bullet point lists for each subject and the sources you can utilize to support it. Once you have outlined the key points of your paper in bullet form, you will gain a solid understanding of your argument and tone and will be ready to approach your assignment.
Concentrate on More Profound Ideas
Some essay authors believe that they can make a good impression on committees by including a lot of facts, figures, and details about activities such as sports achievements or volunteer experiences. However, that is not the focus. Admissions officers at colleges want to know more about your personality and what drives you.
They are curious about what has led you to this point in your life. They are interested in hearing about the lessons you’ve learned from challenges and achievements instead of just numbers like soccer wins or soup kitchen volunteer hours.
Inform the reader how your personal growth as an individual, friend, family member, or leader was influenced by winning the soccer game. Reflect on how your experience volunteering at a soup kitchen has influenced your educational path and future goals. What have you found out about yourself?
Here, we have highlighted a few tips on how to ace your college application essay. Read and reread the prompt, and make sure to only present authentic information in your writing. Most importantly, create time to proofread and edit your document.