It is not just Martin Luther or JFK who could be used as a theme for the admission essay, if the guidelines of the Committee allow it, you may even use a fictional character from movies, books, etc. You have to be aware though, that your topic may have come from fiction, but your finished essay should not come across as a work of fiction.
Why your favorite fictional character is a good admission essay idea
First, there are greater chances of the Admissions officers getting more interested in reading your essay rather than the old, tired and overused themes of historical icons. Second, your favorite fictional character is close to your heart. If Thomas Odd (a character of Dean Koontz) is your choice because both he and you experienced rescuing a friend from criminally-minded persons, then you could point out (then go to the supporting statements) that you could definitely relate to him.
Ways to discuss this topic in your essay for admission
One warning: usually, you would not be barred from using a cartoon character, but if he/she is either funny or just trivial, you might come across as an applicant who is not serious in applying. Relate the character’s life, values and attitudes to your own, and even connect it to your future goals.
The good thing about using a fictional person in the admission essay is that it’s fun. There are so many stress factors in the application process (not just the writing of the essay), and creating this essay could be both work and play at the same time. Take note, play here does not mean your essay should be lousy or haphazardly done.
Related questions:
1. Can Batman be used as part of the discussions on the admission essay?
2. What is the danger of using a cartoon character as the admission essay theme?
3. How does one discuss the strengths and attributes of the fictional character?
After laboring over the main body, the intro, and the conclusion of the admission essay, the work is not yet over. Now is the time to do the exhaustive work of editing and proofreading. Do not consider this as a herculean task, but as the opportunity to have your essay rise above the hundreds of submissions that were not accurately edited.
Application essay mistake 1: Relying too much on spell checkers
Every task seems to be conveniently doable because of the computer, but spellchecking programs have been known to suffer from glitches. Even if your software does not actually suffer from glitches, nothing can ever compare to the meticulous skills of the human eye when editing your essay. A truly conscientious applicant would manually spellcheck his or her work. Plus, there is nothing more assuring than the knowledge that the essay passed through human eyes. The best thing to do when editing your admission essay is to spellcheck it by computer, and then manually edit it by reading the entire essay several times.
College admissions essays mistake 2: Not letting others read your essay
Not letting other people read your essay is definitely a big mistake. This is because as the author of the essay, you sometimes miss several grammar or typo errors as you reread your essay. To avoid this, let a mentor, a parent, or a friend read your essay and give you some honest and objective opinions regarding the quality of your work. You can look for online editing services for professional help when editing your essay draft.
So to recap, do not rely solely on spellcheckers, and do not do the proofreading all by yourself. A second pair of eyes is always welcome and useful, and you’ll thank that person profusely when you get that acceptance letter.
Related questions:
1. Is it good to just rely on spellcheckers for the editing of the admission essay?
2. Why do certain typos escape the attention of the person during proofreading?
3. What is the upside to manual spellchecking of the admission essay?
Using Examples of Personal Statements as Guides on How Being Competitive Can Help You Excel in College
Being competitive can be a problem or a benefit, depending on the situation you are in and how you channel your competitive spirit. When you are applying for college, competition is something that you have to be very aware of. With thousands of students applying to the same colleges and universities that you apply to, you definitely have to show the admissions committee why you deserve to be accepted into their school. Although the competition may be tough, you can definitely make it into and through college if you have the right competitive spirit. One of the ways to let this spirit come through to the admissions committee is through your personal statement.
Why is the personal statement so important
The personal statement is one of the most essential requirements in your application package. Even if your transcripts aren’t flawless and your resume isn’t perfect, the personal statement can sway the decision of the admissions committee. In other words, the personal statement can give you a competitive edge over all of the other applicants. The trick is basically to introduce yourself to the committee and show them why you have the right personality, virtues, and values to succeed in college and beyond college.
Writing about competitiveness in your personal statement
A great way to make effective use of your personal statement is to discuss your competitive spirit and how it has helped to form your character and personality. For example, many people who write about competition are athletes or anyone else who participates in competitive events. It’s important not to sound as though you are obsessed with or get carried away by competition. Instead, focus on how your competitive nature has helped you overcome adversity, challenges, and other difficult times in your life. It is also a great idea to explain how you have grown as a person as a result of the various experiences that you have had in the past.
Using examples of personal statements
Examples of personal statements can help you in writing your own competition-inspired essays. The trick is to take note of how other people have developed the theme of competition throughout their essays. Also, try to analyze which types of competitive situations they chose to write about and how they linked these experiences to their personality traits. If you really want to write a moving and heartfelt essay, you can focus on the most difficult competition you have faced in the past, the outcome of the challenge, and how the outcome made you a better person who is more ready to deal with the hardships of college.
How a competitive spirit can help you through college
Aside from focusing on past experiences and how they have made you into the person you are today, you should also think about how your competitive spirit can help you through college in the future. Reflect on the types of traits that competition builds, such as leadership, teamwork, independence, self-motivation, the ability to rise to the occasion, and perseverance. Getting through college has a lot to do with honing these traits and skills. In your essay, try to touch on how your competitive spirit and everything that you have learned from competition can help you get through college and deal with the many challenges ahead of you.
Photo Credit : Bright Meadow
With all of the financial troubles that are affecting the economy these days, one of the key goals of most consumers is to get the best deal possible. College students and their parents can save loads of money by applying this same saving attitude to college education fees. One of the best ways to get a good deal on college education is to get a scholarship. If you think that you are not eligible for a scholarship, check out these top three myths on scholarships and think again:
You cannot get scholarships if you’re not an A student
You don’t have to be a straight-A student to get a scholarship. Many schools are willing to give scholarships to students who show gradual improvement in their grades and other areas.(1) If you want to bring attention to how you have improved over the years, you may want to do so in your admission essay. Check out some personal statement examples to see how other people have discussed their academics by highlighting the positive aspects and downplaying the negative.
You cannot get scholarship if you’re not financially incapable
Another common myth when it comes to scholarships is that only people who are financially incapable are able to get scholarships. Schools are obliged to assess scholarship applications based on the student’s records, personality, and abilities, and not just based on their financial status. Before you count yourself out just because you are financially capable, try applying for a scholarship and see what happens.
It’s best to pay and let some organizations secure the scholarship grant for you
A lot of companies offer services and products based on searching for and acquiring scholarship grants for you. While some of these services can be helpful, it is not advisable to pay for them. You can get loads of information for free straight from the Internet and from the college or univeristy that you want to get admitted to. Use what you have, and avoid spending extra money just to get the information that you can otherwise obtain for free.(2)
Before you get caught up thinking of what to do about your scholarship situation, make sure that you write a winning personal statement to get you into the college of your choice. Make use of personal statement examples to help you think of ideas and topics to write about. Examples of personal statements can also help you get an idea of what colleges and universities expect from their students. You may want to find a personal statement example that was written specifically for the school that you are applying to.(3)
(1) http://ia.utep.edu/Default.aspx?tabid=23038
(2) http://www.orangecoastcollege.edu/NR/rdonlyres/EE349C5B-E995-484D-9860-C39321F211E6/0/ScholarshipMyths.pdf
(3) http://www.public.coe.edu/wac/samples.htm
Going to college can be considered a gift. Not all people have the drive or the resources to attend post-secondary school, and those that do still have to get through the admission process. If you are planning to go to college, one of the biggest obstacles in your way is getting the admission committee to accept your application. As such, you probably wouldn’t want to upset the admissions officers, or get on their bad side. Here are a few things to avoid when dealing with your application and the admission committee:
Sending too many letters of recommendation
Some applicants tend to send a bunch of letters of recommendation, thinking that more recommendation letters will help convince the admissions officers to accept them. Most schools ask for a specific number of recommendation letters for each applicant, usually around two or three letters. Exceeding the number of required letters will only hurt you. Make sure that you get letters from people whom you think will give you the best, recommendations and send those along with your application package. As much as possible, try not to exceed the maximum.(1)
Trying to be too poetic on your letters and essays
Take a look at a bunch of personal statement examples, and you will find that most authors steer clear from sounding too wordy or poetic. You admission essays and letters to the admission committee should be of excellent quality, but that doesn’t mean that you should try to be poetic or extremely literary. Trying to make your letters and essays too poetic may can backfire. Admission committees are used to reading essays and letters, and they know when applicants are trying too hard. Study and emulate the language use of personal statement examples. Keep your objective in mind and the content within the context of your college application.(2)
Be sure to take full advantage of good examples of personal statement, because they can help you compose a concise, comprehensible, and compelling letter or essay. You may even want to compare your essay to an example of personal statement online to see how you measure up to the standards.
Sending a thick file, aside from the transcript
Admission committees already have enough papers to look through. Sending a thick file with information that is either irrelevant or unnecessary will only add to the work and stress of the admissions officers. Your application package should only be composed of what the admission committee actually requires from you. Keep it simple and avoid swamping admissions officers with unneeded files and papers.(3)
(1) http://mather.harvard.edu/law/MatherLaw/application/recommendations.php
(2) http://www.businessweek.com/bschools/content/jun2008/bs20080619_275093_page_2.htm
(3) http://www.princeton.edu/admission/applyingforadmission/requirements/
The admission essay is an important part of your application package. This will serve as a means to tell the admission committee something about yourself apart from all of the information that is already on your application forms, resume, and transcript. If you use the admission essay properly, you can give the committee some insight into your personality, character, and how you live your life. Despite the freedom that you have when writing your admission essay, there are still a number of mistakes you should look out for, and here are some of them:
Boring your readers right from the start
One of the biggest mistakes that people sometimes commit on their admission essay is to bore their readers. You might as well check out some poorly written personal statement examples to get an idea of what a boring essay is. Remember that your goal is to get the reader hooked on who you are and why you deserve to be in the school. If you bore the reader from the start, then what’s to keep him or her from putting down your essay and going on to the next applicant? Try to hold the reader’s interest with an attention-grabbing introduction, an interesting body, and a clinching conclusion.(1)
Using the thesaurus to find inappropriate, big words
Another mistake that some applicants make is using the thesaurus to look for big words. People tend to think that big words will make them sound more educated or well read. The truth is, many of the best writers and speakers out there are able to convey volumes of useful information with the use of simple language that most people can understand. Try checking some examples of personal statements and pay close attention to their language use. You’ll probably notice that most personal statement examples make use of simple and sincere language. Instead of using big words, try to focus on expressing yourself in a simple but interesting manner.(2)
Saying the same things over and over again
Another common mistake is writing an essay that goes around in circles, repeating the same information in different ways. Some tend to give too much information, or they just use the same information over and over again. A useful trick to remedy this mistake is to compose a short outline that will guide you through what you want to say.(3) Try to emulate a personal statement example that reads well and keeps the reader’s thought process flowing.
(1) http://businessmajors.about.com/od/admissions/a/essaytips.htm
(2) http://www.businessweek.com/bschools/content/jun2008/bs20080619_275093_page_2.htm
(3) http://gradschool.about.com/od/essaywriting/a/DosandDonts.htm
Aside from going over several personal statement examples for their writing their admission essay, students should also seek information on how they can best qualify for financial aid. For many students who are trying to get through college, financial aid is one of their best friends. With a little help from scholarships and grants, students can worry a little less about how to pay for their tuition and instead focus more on their studies at hand. Basically, financial aid helps students pay for tuition, room and board, books and supplies, as well as other school fees.(1) Here are some helpful information that they should know:
Freshmen have a better chance at getting good offers
Usually, freshmen have a better chance at getting good financial aid offers. This is normally the case, because many school have specific financial aid programs for incoming first-year students. Since freshmen still have a good four or more years of study in the school, they can be given long-term financial aid plans at lower rates. This information shouldn’t discourage non-freshman students from finding a good deal, though.
You can negotiate for a better package
Perhaps the best way to get the most out of a financial aid deal is to negotiate. Most lenders are willing to strike a deal with you, but they will probably wait for you to make the first negotiations. There are a number of ways in which you can negotiate your financial aid. One way is to ask for lower interest rates, which can shave off a considerable amount from the fees and costs of your loan. You can also try to get a longer grace period on your repayment schedule, so that you have more time to work out how you’re going to pay your bills. Also, you can negotiate for a higher loan in case the initial offer made by the lender is not enough to pay for your schooling fees.(2) What other students do is get ideas from personal statement examples so they can provide details in their admission essays on how they want to acquire college education despite their financial situation.
Students should not accept the first offer but should wait until they get accepted to more schools
Another strategy is to wait until you are accepted to more schools before finalizing your loan deals. While waiting for a better offer, what applicants can do is to learn as much as they can from well-written examples of personal statement so they can have better chances of getting admitted to more colleges and universities. A personal statement example can help boost your applications even if you don’t have excellent grades.
When it comes to federal loans, it is important for you to wait until you are accepted to more schools, because these loans are often linked to the school that you are attending. You will then have more leverage to negotiate your financial aid. Just remember not to wait for too long, otherwise you may lose all your chances as you get closer to deadlines for financial aid applications.(3)
(1) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Student_financial_aid
(2) http://www.finaid.org/fafsa/negotiation.phtml
(3) http://www.chaminade.edu/financial_aid/
You admission essay can be the one thing that convinces the admission committee to give you a chance by accepting you into the school. While your resume and your transcripts may not be perfect, the admission essay can help to smooth over these hiccups by charming the committee with your personality.(1) Because the admission essay is such an important part of your application package, you may want to know how to put together a winning piece. Here are some dos and don’ts when it comes to admission essay writing, based on some good and bad examples of personal statements:
Don’t include unnecessary information that don’t support your thesis.
One of the biggest mistakes that some writers make in their personal statement examples is including irrelevant information. You have to remember that admission committees usually have thousands of application packages to look through, so don’t waste your time and theirs by including unnecessary details in your essay. Try to make a solid thesis statement and follow it throughout your essay.(2) Go over some examples of personal statements online so you can spot common errors and be guided on how to write a good one.
Do include experiences that set you apart from other applicants.
The main goal of the admission essay is to tell the committee why you deserve the slot over the thousands of other people who are applying. One of the best ways to do this is to focus on what makes you unique from the other applicants. Each person comes from different backgrounds and, even if two people grow up in the exact same environment, each will experience that environment differently from the other. Try to expound on certain experience that set you apart, and mention how these experiences have prepared you for success in college and your future career.(3)
Do read your essay aloud, and see how it sounds.
Another great tip is to read your essay aloud. It can be easy to get detached from what you are writing, especially when you are under pressure and trying to do the best you can to create an excellent personal statement. Make sure to read your essay aloud so that you can actually hear what you have written. Chances are, the better it sounds when you read it aloud, the better it will read on paper as well. This is one of the secrets of well-writen examples of personal statement.
(1) http://www.rpi.edu/web/writingcenter/gradapp.html
(2) http://www.californiacolleges.edu/admissions/university-of-california-uc/personal-statement.asp
(3) http://www.villanova.edu/artsci/college/academics/curf/resources/applicants/essay.htm
When completing the requirements for your application package, you should keep in mind that one of the most substantial requirements is your admission essay. This can spell the difference between receiving the fat acceptance letter or the thin rejection notice. For this reason, you should do your best to make an excellent personal statement that is interesting, compelling, and engaging. This article will give you three helpful hints on how to develop and organize the body of your admission essay based on well-written examples of personal statements.
Examples of personal statements: Make an outline for your main ideas
The first step is to make a simple outline of your main ideas. There is no need to create a three-page outline with all of the information in there. Instead, focus on the main points that you want to get across in your essay. Perhaps a maximum of three to five points would be best to ensure that you won’t try to write about too many different things.(1)
Personal statement examples: Create sub-point for each main idea
Now that you have a good idea of what you want to write about, the next step is to make one or two sub-points for each main idea you listed down in step 1. The sub-points should delve a little deeper into the main idea by stating what you want to emphasize about the topic. For example, if one of your main ideas is a challenging time you had in high school, then your sub-point can be about how you felt while battling the challenge. The main objective in this second step is to start developing your main idea into something that you can expound on in your essay.(2)
Examples of personal statement: Elaborate on your insights and how they make you a good candidate
The final step is to start filling in your essay. Now that you already have your main ideas and sub-points, all that is left to do the writing. Elaborate on the main ideas by touching on the sub-points that you came up with. Take it one step further by doing a little reflection and writing about how your personality and character have developed, making you a good candidate for the school.(3)
(1) http://www.unc.edu/depts/wcweb/handouts/application.html
(2) http://gradschool.about.com/od/essaywriting/f/essay2.htm
(3) http://www.conncoll.edu/admission/essays.htm
So you’ve applied to a number of colleges, but your first pick has told you that you are on their waiting list. What should you do? Getting on that list can be rather frustrating when all you want is to get accepted to your favorite school. Still, you should try to look at the bright side–at least you still have a chance. The best thing for you to do is try and maximize your chance of getting off that list and into college. Here’s how:
Be persistent but not annoying
One of the first steps toward getting accepted is to show that you are interested and that you actually do want to get admitted.(1) Give the admission office a call to get an update on your situation and to ask if there is anything more that you can do. Some schools will accept letters of appeal, while others strictly urge you not to send any letters of intent unless it is by their request. You may also want to let the college know about any new developments that might help your chances, such scoring higher in SAT or doing a better personal statement example. Just remember that there is a fine line between being persistent and being annoying, and you certainly don’t want to annoy the admission committee that processes hundreds of applications and personal statement examples.(2)
Let the school know that it’s your first choice
Another way of boosting your chances to get accepted is to let the school know that it is your first choice. You can do this by writing the school a letter, restating your interest. Try to focus on why you want to go to the school and what makes the school a great educational institution. Get some ideas from good examples of personal statement online. For instance, you can say that it is a reputable business course or has a unique curriculum that you will greatly benefit from. When writing letters like this, it’s important to avoid sucking up or sounding desperate. Try to be objective and honest the same a way a winning personal statement example would be written.(3)
Prove that you can pay
Finally, you can also try to get off the wait list by proving that you can pay. Some schools put applicants on the wait list because they have financial issues, such as international students who don’t have a job or anyone who can provide them financial aid. It is important to prove to these schools that you are willing to do what it takes to pay for your tuition and other costs. If you are at a loss to find ways to pay for your tuition, you may want to consider grants, scholarships, or loans.
(1) http://www.usnews.com/articles/education/2008/04/16/how-to-get-off-the-wait-list-and-into-college.html
(2) http://collegeapps.about.com/od/theartofgettingaccepted/tp/wait-list-getting-off.htm
(3) http://admissions.tc.umn.edu/PDFs/09-10_Appeal_Waitlist.pdf
