At Unemployed Professors, we possess a wealth of knowledge and expertise in the college entry essay. The following are our collected thoughts on how to best present yourself to your prospective institution.
How to Start a College Entry Essay
The opening to a college entry essay is critical: you want to capture the reader’s interest by presenting yourself in a unique and captivating manner. Ideally, the opening sentence should spark the reader’s imagination and grab his attention.
Many students make the mistake of writing the entry essay in the same way they’d craft a term paper: the introduction is thus a mere description of what will be discussed in the rest of the document. An example of this approach might be, “I am well prepared for the demands of university thanks to the breadth of my background, which includes academic, volunteer, and professional experiences.”
This kind of approach will be sure to immediately induce boredom and distraction in your reader. It is much better to illustrate the topic by providing an interesting anecdote. Remember the maxim, ‘show, don’t tell.’ The entry essay is not an expanded version of your résumé; it should be a more focused piece that allows the reader to look beyond ‘the facts’ and get a deeper insight into you as a person and prospective student.
What Things are Best to Mention
Emphasize what makes you stand out as an applicant, and dispense with all the cliches that are so common in average entry essays. The admission committee wants to know about You. Ensure that your is expressive and engaging, but also reflects your personality and character. Focus on one facet of yourself. Readers want an essay with depth, rather than one that attempts to include every activity and achievement you’ve ever undertaken and accomplished – this is what your c.v. is for.
Begin with a ‘grabber’ – an experience that helped to spark and/or solidify your interest in your chosen field. Describe how that experience helped instill a dedication to the academic and/or professional path you are now trudging. Then go on to relate in separate paragraphs the academic, volunteer, and professional experiences that demonstrate your preparedness to successfully engage advanced university study in this area. Illustrate these experiences with examples that hook the reader’s interest. Conclude the statement by reinvoking the ‘grabber’ with which you opened the essay. This will give the reader the impression of completion, that the entire statement is ‘cinched tight.’
What is the Best Format for a College Entry Essay
Begin by drafting in a word processor. While many schools do accept paper applications, it is better to submit an electronic application for a couple of reasons. One, most schools prefer them; and two, paper applications can get lost.
Two possibilities exist when submitting online: copy-and-paste into a text box; and attachment. If you’re copy-and-pasting, first ensure that some words weren’t cut off. Sometimes the word count in a word processing program such as Word will not be the same as that computed by the submission field. Second, scan the submission field for changes to your original formatting. Occasionally this will alter after having pasted your text. Though the font will likely be standardized, be prudent and select a standard font in your word processor, such as Times New Roman 12.
If you’re submitting via attachment, reproduce the standard university essay format. Be sure, however, to follow the instructions, as they may not align with convention. In general, the following is widely accepted:
- One-inch margins
- Spacing is generally single for most apps, but may also be double if specified as such
- Paragraphs should be separated by an extra space
- Select an easy-to-read font, size 12. Examples are Times New Roman, Arial, and Calibri
- Do not include a title, headings, or bullets unless they are directly specified in the prompt
- Submit the file in the specified format: .doc, .docx, .rtf, or .pdf. Prior to uploading, ensure the file is saved in the required format. If permitted, use .pdf since they cannot be altered and remain the same visually through the uploading process.
What is the College Looking for in an Entry Essay
There are several things that admissions officers are looking for when reading your statement.
The first is your writing ability. They will focus on features such as coherence, argument, organization, and development. Additionally, they will consider your style, and preference will be given to those that are engaging and expressive. Second, admissions officers will consider whether your statement is unique. All institutions favor those who stand out from their peers. They want to know how you are different, and what unique assets you possess that will confer benefits to their institution.
Further, admissions officers will look dimly on statements that merely reiterate achievements, test scores, work experiences, and other notable facts. This is because these are already clearly stated – or should be – in your CV, recommendation letters, and transcripts. Your CV tells the reader what you have done. The entry essay tells the reader who you are.
Also, please consider that often, numerous readers will peruse the statement. It is, therefore, better to keep it simple. While it is valuable to be inventive and unique, do not use such eccentric phrases and overly ornate metaphors that the reader has to labor to decode them. Admissions officers need to be able to read your entry essay swiftly and draw out its key message and theme.
Read the essay prompt very carefully and strive to reflect its requirements in your statement. Each institution will be seeking something slightly different. One may emphasize your goals and how the institution can help you meet them; another may focus on your experiences and how they relate to your chosen field. Demonstrate that you can follow instructions.
Remember that your statement may be used as evidence during interviews – if your institution conducts them. Therefore, be honest, and be prepared to discuss in greater detail any point that you raise in your entry essay. Also, use your own voice. In a term paper, you may elect to elevate your language and use specialized diction. Abandon these in an entry essay. Instead, speak directly and prosaically.