Common App Essay Writing: 6 Do’s and Don’ts
by: Saeka Minami Kalpika
If you're preparing for a college application, you must have known about the Common Application. Common Application, or Common App for short, is a centralized admission portal for over 900 college institutions, including Ivy League schools and elite universities like Stanford, Caltech, and the University of Chicago. To apply to these colleges, one important thing you need to do is submit a Common App essay, the main personal statement.
To write one, you'll get to choose one of seven prompts that are given and the essay must be between 250 to 650 words long. Writing the Common App essay is something that you need to work on seriously. Here in this article, we'll tell you some Do's and Don'ts that will help you write your Common App essay in a more effective way.
Do's
Make sure that your essay writing structure are clear
In order to write your essay, you need to make sure that it has a clear beginning, middle, and ending. Write your essay like how you would write a story. Make sure that each of these elements are not missing, so you have the perfect storyline and avoid confusing the reader. Craft your essay to be compelling so it will be easy to read.
Focus on your character
Always remember that this is your essay and it is supposed to show who you are, things you have accomplished, and things you have yet to offer. Through this essay, you need to figure out how to show what makes you unique. You can show a slice of your life and write in a way of how you talk in real life. Make sure that the words you use don't feel like it's coming out from a dictionary or thesaurus.
Keep the positive tone
Present your essay in a positive light. You can write your weaknesses, failures or mistakes, but use phrases to uplift your message. For example, instead of stating that you have been struggling with math throughout your academic life, you can describe it as a challenge that taught you self-discipline, hard work, and determination.
Don'ts
Too much worrying on the prompts
Sure, you need to read through the prompts to have a clear idea on what to write, but don't stress too much over it. Not all Common App essay prompts are created equal. Some will work for others and not for you and vice versa. Don't be stuck on choosing which prompt you want to read. Instead, you can work your essay in backward: start with a topic first, then see which prompt fits with your topic. No need to be worrying on the prompt too much since the Common App prompts are broad enough to accommodate almost any kind of story.
Let people meddle in your essay
Whether it's your parents or teachers, don't let others be involved in your essay too much. Don't let other people write your essays for you, because trust me, the admissions team can immediately tell if it is not written by students. While it is always better to write it on your own, it doesn't mean you can't ask for other people's help. You can ask your parents or teacher for feedback, or even get coaching from a professional, like here at ALL-in Eduspace!
Overly editing
Before submitting to Common App, your essay needs to be reviewed by someone else for clarity, grammar, spelling, and punctuation. As you get a lot of feedback on your essay from different people, you will have the tendency to edit it over and over again to make each of your readers happy. Please do not do this! Out of all the suggestions that you received, you still have to maintain your own voice in the essay. So don't receive all the feedback and blindly make the changes in your writing.
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