...Tips for a Great College Essay Why write an essay? The purpose of the essay is to convince admission officers whom you’ve never met, in less than ten minutes, that you would be a good match for their colleges. At the most basic level, it allows admission officers to evaluate your communication and writing skills. In addition, the essay allows admission officers to discover more about you as a person – a side of you not shown by statistics like grades and SATs. The essay gives information about your history, attitudes, interests and creativity; it gives a sense of your values and goals. What admission officers are doing is creating a community…looking to see how you would fit in that community, what would you bring to that community and what sets you apart. How the essay is evaluated • • • Is your writing mechanically sound? Is your writing style comfortable? Can you write a good sentence? Can you write a good paragraph? Do you address the question asked? Can you form a thesis? Can you discuss a theme? Is your argument logical? Can you get in and out of the essay with some finesse? Do you write with style, nuance and creativity? Do you write with a distinctive voice? Choosing a topic Choose the essay topic that appeals to you most. The topic is less important than your delivery Remember: there is no right or wrong answer. The college just wants to know who you are and how your mind works. Bad essay topics - there are bad essays, not bad topics; but be...
Words: 876 - Pages: 4
...Tips for a Great College Essay Why write an essay? The purpose of the essay is to convince admission officers whom you’ve never met, in less than ten minutes, that you would be a good match for their colleges. At the most basic level, it allows admission officers to evaluate your communication and writing skills. In addition, the essay allows admission officers to discover more about you as a person – a side of you not shown by statistics like grades and SATs. The essay gives information about your history, attitudes, interests and creativity; it gives a sense of your values and goals. What admission officers are doing is creating a community…looking to see how you would fit in that community, what would you bring to that community and what sets you apart. How the essay is evaluated • • • Is your writing mechanically sound? Is your writing style comfortable? Can you write a good sentence? Can you write a good paragraph? Do you address the question asked? Can you form a thesis? Can you discuss a theme? Is your argument logical? Can you get in and out of the essay with some finesse? Do you write with style, nuance and creativity? Do you write with a distinctive voice? Choosing a topic Choose the essay topic that appeals to you most. The topic is less important than your delivery Remember: there is no right or wrong answer. The college just wants to know who you are and how your mind works. Bad essay topics - there are bad essays, not bad topics; but be careful about the following:...
Words: 876 - Pages: 4
...semester based on the grades that you earned. You receive a good GPA by keeping good grades because a GPA is based off of how good your grades are, or how bad they are. The highest GPA you can get is a 4.0 and the lowest is a 0. You actually can get higher than a 4.0 but that’s really hard to get because you have to have extra credit in all of your classes. The highest GPA is a 4.0 but sometimes it can be higher depending on what school you go to. The lowest your GPA can be is a 0, which is really bad, and means that you absolutely no work. If you do no work or anything...
Words: 2038 - Pages: 9
...1. Why are you applying? • For example why you want to study at higher education level. • Why that subject interests you. • What your ambitions are when you finish your course. 2. What makes you suitable? • Skills, knowledge, achievements and experience you have that will help you do well. • These could be from education, employment or work experience, or from hobbies, interests and social activities. • Take a look at the activities on the Planning your future page to see some of the things it could be useful to mention. • Explore your options • Undergraduate • When to apply • Filling in your application • Personal statement • Reference, pay and send • Tracking your application • Results • Student number controls • Fraud and similarity • Performing arts • Postgraduate • Teacher training • Flexible and part-time • International • Starting your studies • Student finance • Mature students • Parents and guardians • Advisers and referees Your personal statement Write a personal statement that shows you'd be a great student – to persuade unis and colleges to accept you on their course. • Course tutors use personal statements to compare applicants, so try to make yours stand out. • Remember it's the same personal statement for all courses you apply to – so avoid mentioning universities or colleges by name, and ideally choose similar subjects. If they're varied then write about common themes – like problem solving or creativity. Personal...
Words: 9243 - Pages: 37
...Summary: “Are Colleges Worth the Price of Admission?” by Andrew Hacker and Claudia Dreifus, presents proposals “that might begin to set things right’ (TSIS, 180) in education. Both professors, Hacker and Dreifus, studied institutions and interviewed higher education leaders, policy makers, and students across the country (180). According to their voluntary assignment, they acknowledged at first, their belief that “all Americans can do college work,” which basically provided a thesis for every proposal to follow within their article. Suggestions, such as persuading students to liberate their imagination instead of just focusing on a financial goal after graduating, or “replacing tenure with multi-year contracts” (181) so that all professors begin to take more initiative to improve, gave way to a deeper analysis of specific colleges and their priorities. My Response: In the article, “Are Colleges Worth the Price of Admission?” by Andrew Hacker and Claudia Dreifus, both professors maintains a perspective that is convincing, to a degree. “We believe all Americans can do college work, so universal enrollment should be our nation’s goal” (180). In making this comment, Hacker and Dreifus urge us to do the obvious. Of course everyone should have the same opportunity to be accepted at the collegiate level, but there are several problems that have to be addressed and taken care of prior to the suggestion of this desire for all. If there was universal enrollment, will that lead to...
Words: 1845 - Pages: 8
...MBA Admissions Essay Powerful Tips for Improving Your Odds of Gaining Admission to the MBA Program of Your Choice Admissions essays are easily the most challenging part of the MBA application process, and it’s no wonder. Most people don’t like to write, and even those of us who do enjoy writing can come up blank when called upon to write about ourselves, especially when so much is at stake. The fact remains: If you want to go to business school, you have to be able to generate one or two thousand carefully chosen words that sum up your background and experience, your career goals, your reasons for seeking the MBA, and why you’ve chosen the program to which you’re applying. Step one: Relax. Writing admissions essays is stressful—it’s supposed to be stressful— but that doesn’t mean it’s impossible. Everyone who has ever applied to business school has written admissions essays, and so can you. All you have to do is submit essays that are a little bit better than most of the others, and if you follow the advice we’ll cover in the following pages, it will be a lot less painful. How to Write a Successful Most MBA essays are mediocre The good news is that most MBA admissions essays are mediocre at best. If you can at least come up with a marginally compelling narrative, and if you can spell and punctuate everything correctly—or know someone who can—you’ll automatically have an advantage over much of the competition. This guide is designed to help you get started (the hardest...
Words: 5885 - Pages: 24
...Prepared by Eric Norwood They say that sometimes good things come to those that wait and great things come to those that work. I once heard this myth that I find fascinating; as we get older we get wiser. No matter what the age, I think that getting and education is a wise decision. For many reasons, including an unstable economy, people over 40 are returning back to college campuses. Being a Senior Admissions Advisor at a Career College, I have had the privilege of witnessing this on a daily basis. As a 40 year old myself, I too have decided to return to college. That’s right I am going back to school. It is never too late to finish what you started. Why I chose to go back to school? I would be shocked if my reasons were not the same as most people. I could probably think of many reasons why I decided to go back to school. In this essay, I will share a few reasons. One personal reason is to finish what I started. In June 1996, I graduated with a B.S. in Sociology at Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville. In September 1996, I entered into graduate school for M.A. in Sociology, specializing in Industrial Relation. I completed two years of studies, including an internship at United States Postal Service (USPS). Following that, I got hired for the USPS, and quickly promoted through the ranks to the Office of Inspector General. I spent the next 12 years working as an Internal Auditor for the government. Life got in front of me, had an auditing career that...
Words: 779 - Pages: 4
...A Former Harvard Business School Admissions Board Member Reveals the Insider Keys to Getting In • Prepare your resume and professional record • Discover the differences between business schools • Top essay and interview strategies • Behind the scenes of the admissions process • Qualitative factors that can make you stand out • Application insights from insiders Chioma isiadinso, M.ed. former Admissions Board Member of Harvard Business School The Best Business Schools’ Admissions Secrets A Former Harvard Business School Admissions Board Member Reveals the Insider Keys to Getting In Chioma Isiadinso, M.ED. © 2008 by Chioma Isiadinso Cover and internal design © 2008 by Sourcebooks, Inc. Cover photo © Punchstock Sourcebooks and the colophon are registered trademarks of Sourcebooks, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems—except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews—without permission in writing from its publisher, Sourcebooks, Inc. This publication is designed to provide accurate and authoritative information in regard to the subject matter covered. It is sold with the understanding that the publisher is not engaged in rendering legal, accounting, or other professional service. If legal advice or other expert assistance is required, the services of a competent professional person should be sought. —From...
Words: 89633 - Pages: 359
...For Entrance in Fall 2013 Application Supplement Office of Admissions and Financial Aid 86 Brattle Street Cambridge, MA 02138 Please indicate under which timetable you are applying: Restrictive Early Action Please return this form to us as soon as possible, and by October 15, if possible. Final deadline is November 1. Valid for entrance in September 2013 only. Please submit this form as well as the Common Application or the Universal College Application as soon as possible. Regular Decision Please return this form to us as soon as possible, and by December 15 if at all possible. Final deadline is January 1. A completed application includes all portions of the Common Application or the Universal College Application, as well as the Harvard Application Supplement, required official testing results, a Secondary School Report, two Teacher Evaluations and a $75 application fee or fee waiver request. Full legal name Goswami Last/Family IE Arunesh First Apt./Unit W Middle Jr., etc. Prefer to be called Date of Birth 02/02/1994 (MM/DD/YYYY) Address 324-D TYPE-2 BLOCK-6 NEYVELI No. and Street CUDDALORE DISTRICT PR EV NEYVELI City State/Province India Country 607803 Zip/Postal Code Telephone Number (home) 091041422683 (cell) 091809813561 Secondary School JAWAHAR HIGHER SECONDARY SCHOOL CEEB/ACT code 000004 If you can be reached by fax or e-mail, please provide a fax number or e-mail address and name of the contact person...
Words: 2458 - Pages: 10
...Thanks so much for your interest in Texas Christian University. Please follow the easy steps below to complete the application process so we can review your application and give you an admission decision. Step 1: print thiS packet and keep it for your recordS. This packet contains this checklist, the Counselor and Teacher Evaluation forms and your application as submitted. Step 2: pay your application fee. You may submit your fee online or by mail. To submit your fee by mail, send your check or money order made payable to TCU to this address: Office of Admission Texas Christian University TCU Box 297013 Fort Worth, Texas 76129 Step 3: have your official tranScript and teSt ScoreS Submitted. Your guidance counselor can include your scores on your transcript. Or you can ask ACT to send us your scores at www.actstudent.org (our ACT code is 4206). If you’d prefer to submit your SAT scores, go to www.collegeboard.com (our SAT code is 6820). We look forward to reviewing your application! Raymond A. Brown Dean of Admission Texas Christian University P.S. If you haven’t already, please visit TCU soon. To schedule a visit or to ask any further questions, please call 800-828-3764. Texas Christian University • TCU Box 297013 • Fort Worth, Texas 76129 COUNSELOR EVALUATION FOR UNDERGRADUATE ADMISSION & SCHOLARSHIP CONSIDERATION Required for all freshmen – not required for transfers. The student's application file is not complete until this evaluation is returned to TCU. This document...
Words: 3208 - Pages: 13
...more sample recommendation letters. ===Sample Letter of Recommendation=== To Whom It May Concern: Cheri Jackson is an extraordinary young woman. As her AP English Professor, I have seen many examples of her talent and have long been impressed by her diligence and work ethic. I understand that Cheri is applying to the undergraduate business program at your school. I would like to recommend her for admission. Cheri has outstanding organizational skills. She is able to successfully complete multiple tasks with favorable results despite deadline pressure. As part of a semester project, she developed an innovative collaborative novel with her classmates. This book is now being considered for publication. Cheri not only headed the project, she ensured its success by demonstrating leadership abilities that her classmates both admired and respected. I must also make note of Cheri's exceptional academic performance. Out of a class of 150 students, Cheri graduated with honors in the top 10. Her above-average performance is a direct result of her hard work and strong focus. If your undergraduate business program is seeking superior candidates with a record of achievement, Cheri is an excellent choice. She has consistently demonstrated an ability to rise to any challenge that she must face. To conclude, I would like to restate my strong recommendation for Cheri Jackson. If you have any further questions regarding Cheri's ability or this recommendation, please do not hesitate to...
Words: 1386 - Pages: 6
...College Pressures College is an institution with the purpose of preparing adults for their specific disciplines. Sometimes a college diploma is a guarantee of good jobs and a better future. Today, young adults in college often experience a lot of pressure. The journalist and professor at Yale University, William Zinsser, discusses the pressures and stress with lots of details and reasons in his persuasive and informative essay entitled College Pressures. His essay was directed to parents of college students, professors, job contractors, and college students (Zinsser, 396). Zinsser’s purpose in writing this essay was to encourage students to take risks on their college journey (Zinsser, 398). To make his essay stronger, Zinsser was effective by using persuasive rhetorical writing tools such as pathos, ethos, and logos. College allows young adults to develop necessary skills and improve abilities which they are going to need later in their chosen fields. Initially, college students often undergo a lot of stress in what is expected to be a self-enriched experience. This young generation wants to become successful students. Moreover, Zinsser works at Branford University, and in his essay, Zinsser shared, “I am privy to their hopes and fears- and also to their stereo music and their piercing cries in the dead of night” (Zinsser, 397). To make his essay more credible, Zinsser uses ethos which stands for ethical appeal (Bernanke, 2010). He uses ethos by narrating his experiences...
Words: 955 - Pages: 4
...Supplement to the Common Application First-Year Applicants 2011–2012 We will use what you tell us on these pages to complement information you have provided in the Common Application. Our aim is to give you the opportunity to tell us more about you in a variety of ways. Thank you for applying to Brown. –The Brown Admission Staff Please indicate an application type and specify the program you intend to pursue. (Further descriptions listed in the Guide for Applying to Brown.) 1 of 4 ❑ Early Decision November 1st Deadline ❑ Regular Decision January 1st Deadline _____________________________________________________________________ Program Early Decision applicants to the PLME only: If your Early Decision application to the PLME is not successful in December, do you still want to be considered as an applicant to The College under our binding Early Decision program? ❑ Yes ❑ No Legal Name of Applicant Enter name exactly as it appears on passports or other official documents. _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Last/Family Prefix (if any) First/Given Middle Suffix (if any) Permanent Home Address _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Street Address 1 ❑ Female ❑ Male Date of Birth ___________ mm/dd/yyyy _________________________________________________________________...
Words: 1351 - Pages: 6
...Teacher Essay It is said that aimless life is a miserable life. Aimless life is like that when a person starts journey but he don’t know that has to go in which direction. An aimless life is like a person without destination. So it is necessary to have a life with clear aim that you know in which way you want to go and what is your destination. If we look around ourselves then we come to know that there are many people around us who are just leading their life aimlessly. They do not achieve anything in their life and are aimless people. The people who want success in life they determine their target. They keep before them their circumstances, their virtuous, their qualities, their talents and their ability to work. My Aim in Life Become A Doctor, Engineer, Teacher Essay They select some definite target of their life and remain successful. There is a famous quotes that “the aim, if reached or not, makes great the life”. Similarly a roman philosopher says that” when a man does not know what harbor he is making for, no wind is the right wind”. All these quotations show that aim is very important in life. Different people have different in aims in life, some people want wealth, some people want satisfaction and some people want fame. There are as many aims as men. Some want to become a doctor, some want to become an engineer and some wish to be a military officers. My aim in Life to become a doctor: My aim is neither wealth nor fame but I want to do a noble profession. I want...
Words: 675 - Pages: 3
...If I were a college admission counselor the essay question I’d ask an applicant would be why he / she feels that going to college is an integral part in their plans for their future. Nearly at the age of eighteen as I write this essay, I feel as though I have not yet reached the maturity I will one day need to take on a career in politics, a career I’ve dreamt about since I was ten. I still consider myself to be a teenager, who lacks the gravity and complexities required for such a profession. I’m gradually becoming the adult I aspire to one day be, and I am convinced that college will prove to be a turning point in my life. Hopefully, college will set me on the path of a politician, regardless I am eager to be immersed in the collegial experience and find...
Words: 882 - Pages: 4
