Students should ensure they're writing about … Ask yourself if your essay truly reflects you, or just sounds like anyone else you know. Take your time: Very few people produce their best work under time pressure, so make sure you take breaks to give yourself a chance to refocus and gain a new perspective on your writing. The most important thing to do is to keep it unique and personal. What Is College Writing? Take note when prompted. Try and cram too much in: If your essay feels like a list of your various classes, clubs, jobs, and accomplishments, it won’t help the admissions committee understand what you’re like as a person. Most students apply to around eight schools, but make the mistake of using the same essay for each. Remember, admissions committees receive thousands of personal statements, and they have limited time to read them, so you need to stand out. This makes it all the more important to get your essay right—but it can be daunting when it feels like every word is important. Grade inflation means that it can be difficult to differentiate students by their academic achievements alone, and most good students also have a wealth of extracurricular activities that make the job even harder. Overcomplicating your language might demonstrate a wide vocabulary, but it won’t help your clarity. Download a brochure or get in touch today to find out how Hult can help you to learn about the business world, the future, and yourself. Every school has a different set of values and characteristics, and you need to show admissions officers that you have them too—so tailor your response! For most students it is a challenge trying to figure out what to highlight in a college application essay. Be clear, let your talents shine through, and make your reason for applying to their school obvious. Hult offers a range of highly skills-focused and employability-driven business school programs including a range of MBA options and a comprehensive one year Masters in International Business. Try not to exceed the requested word count, be focused, and edit yourself well. Be honest—they’ll appreciate it. Writing a college essay can be a daunting task. Over-state the facts: Making a two-week internship sound like you were the CEO of a Fortune 500 company won’t improve your standing in the eyes of the admissions committee. Pick a topic that’s important to you, and showcase your personality and thoughts. Be passionate and heartfelt. College courses demand many different kinds of writing that employ a variety of strategies for different audiences. Link statements to examples wherever you can, and then further link these to your choice of program and school. Some essay questions are open-ended and allow you to choose your topic, but when a school asks a specific question, make sure you answer it. Use examples. We asked our admissions experts what they usually look for, and came up with the following dos and don’ts for a great college essay. Write one long paragraph. The essay should tell college admissions officers something they don't already know, experts say. If you would like to find out more about Hult’s global business programs, download a brochure here. You might say you want to run your own business one day, but statements like this are much more powerful if you can give examples of how you are progressing towards your goals. You may be asked to keep a journal, write a lab report, and document the process you use to perform research. Request a Brochure Apply Now Free GMAT Test, First Impressions: Writing A Great College Essay, Hult International Business School is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit educational organization registered in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and accredited by, 5 big reasons why to apply early for your MBA or Masters. Give the admissions committee a reason to be excited about having you on their campus. Take your time: Very few people produce their best work under time pressure, so make sure you take breaks to give yourself a chance to refocus and gain a new perspective on your writing. As a result, colleges are increasingly looking to your essay for a better idea of who you are. College Students Style Guides, Tips & Expert Advice on Essays, Papers & College Applications Whether responding to a short prompt or crafting a long-form essay, writing is an indispensable skill for students who want to excel in their postsecondary education. If you’re producing an essay, this is your chance to demonstrate your writing skills and the fact that you know what’s appropriate when—a critical asset for a university student. To find out more, take a look at our blog 5 big reasons why to apply early for your MBA or Masters. Whatever you do, don’t copy anyone else, the essay has to be completely original. Use complex language: Focus on plain, correct English to make your statement clear and easy to read. Should you focus more on clubs, sports, and extracurriculars, or would an impressive list of academic achievements be better? The focus of this essay is on research, which is something that BU excels at, so the author made a good topic choice. Believe it or not, your future school is probably dealing with the same questions. For the response to really be exceptional, the author needs to highlight their own interests and motivations much sooner—and they need to go into more depth about why BU is the right place for them to pursue those interests. You should also have someone else take a look at your work—other people can often spot problem areas or typos that you would have otherwise missed. Structure your ideas into clearly defined sections and it will pay off—an introduction, middle, and a conclusion will help admissions officers to understand your points as they read through quickly. Do your research and think about how you can use the topic to showcase your own experiences. Your future college wants talented students, but it is just as important to them that they are engaged—so show them what motivates you and how it will transfer to your degree. 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