Home / Blog / Essay

The Format and Structure of a Winning College Application Essay

College Application Essay
Susan Wray
May 11, 2023

Is your high school over and now you are wondering how to get into your favourite college or university? One important part of the admission process is the submission of your college application essay to smoothen the journey of getting into the college of your choice. A stellar college admission essay will allow you to add your charm to the application and tell the admission committee more about your unique personality traits and qualities apart from the high scores and good grades.

Why Do Students Find It Difficult To Write A Killer College Application Essay?

The majority of the students find it challenging to write an impressive college application essay. It is because a large number of students do not know the basic requirements of writing such an essay. They are usually unaware of the expected length of an application essay, its structure and the way it should be written. This article will guide you on how to write an amazing and impressive college application essay that captures the attention of the admission committee and makes you appear as an ideal candidate for getting admission into the said college. Read on to explore further about the topic.

Purpose of a College Application Essay:

A well-written college application essay can play an important role in determining whether or not your admission application gets accepted by the college. By writing such an essay, you demonstrate the unique aspects of your personality and give them some of the reasons why you would be a good match for the college you are applying to. It shows your commitment to learning and displays your eagerness to serve the community better. Such an essay will leave a lasting impression on the members of the admission committee and you will be successful in getting admission to your dream institute.

Structure of an Impressive College Admission Essay:

A good college application essay should highlight your soft skills, such as leadership skills, creativity, compassion and more. A standard college admission essay should be structured in the way we have discussed below:

Number of Paragraphs

If the college you are applying to has specified the number of paragraphs to be written in such an essay, you should not exceed the number while writing your essay. However, if the number is not specified, then it will be up to you to decide the length of your college application essay. It should not be more than 7-8 paragraphs in general – mostly an essay having 5-6 paragraphs is considered of normal length.

The Use of Proper Formatting

When it comes to the style guide you should use for the proper formatting of your essay, you should be consistent in using whichever formatting style you choose throughout your college application essay. It must be easy to read and the readability score must be high. The essay must have a professional appearance; it should be legible and easily understandable.

General Guidelines

You must be consistent in using the indentation and spacing throughout the essay and there should be no spelling or punctuation mistakes in it. Always ensure to follow the recommended citation rules as defined by the requirements of the essay (APA, Chicago style, MLA etc.)

Length of a College Application Essay

Instead of setting limits for how many pages to write for a college admission essay, you will be asked to meet a certain word count for writing it. Most of the institutes specify the word limit for their application essays and you should check for it. Your essay should not be too long or too short; keeping it at a normal length will suffice.

Tips for Writing a College Application Essay:

Many students find it challenging to write a top-class admission essay, and it is completely natural to feel so. Below given are some helpful tips and guidelines on how to write a first-class college application essay which will get you enrolled in your dream academic institute.

Compelling Introduction

The importance of an engaging and impressive introduction cannot be denied while writing a college application essay. The introduction you write must be vivid and compelling enough to grasp the attention of the reader so that he may want to read more of your essay. It will increase the chances of your application being selected by the institute.

Do Not Use Clichés

The use of too many cliché quotes will damage the impression of an otherwise excellent college application essay. You should think about something which the admission committee might not have seen before in the tons of application essays it receives every day and add that content to your essay which makes it unique.

Avoid Repetition

The purpose of an admission essay is to express yourself, and that is why you must not add repetitive content to your essay. You should avoid using the points you may have already expressed in your resume because the admission committee must have seen those points already. Rather you should think about what makes you an ideal candidate for the college apart from your grades and then add those points to the essay.

Narrate Your Story

Your college application essay is not like an ordinary academic paper, it is more like a story which you tell the reader to capture their attention and make your personality appear interesting. The end and conclusion of your essay must also be strong enough to convince the reader that you are an ideal candidate for college.

Conclusion:

By the time you complete reading this article, you will know how to write an impressive college application essay to impress the members of the admission committee of your dream institute. If you find it difficult to craft an impeccable college admission essay on your own, it will be best to hire a professional essay writing agency like Cheap Essay Writing UK to do the job for you. The veteran and expert academic writers of such services will write an essay tailored to your needs and you will successfully land at your dream college.

ORDER YOUR WORK TODAY
24/7 Live Support
Domain Expert Writers