Impress the Examiners with Your Application Essay!

Some state that people enjoy speaking about themselves.  I should presume such people never sat in front of a blank sheet of paper having to submit their essay next morning. Everything changes when you are left with a crucial question face to face.  Instantly all the facts seemed so reasonable before disappear all of a sudden.

I understand that application essay may cause you a lot of agitation, as it suggests a deep self analysis. But it should be that way and no other. Yes, I agree with you that the essay will require a lot of effort and concentration of you. Believe me, this effort is worth taking.  Because the writing process is so absorbing and rewarding.

Start your work on essay with defining the topic, statement, or the main idea you want to convey to the reader.  Choose the topic that is really important for you. The examiners search for students who will contribute greatly to their educational establishment.  An ideal applicant should possess some valuable and unique experience. We look for personalities, individuals and exceptional people. And your essay must demonstrate that you are the one.

A good essay is an effective essay. It reveals both professional and personal aspects of applicant's personality.

We expect people to construct and prove their point of view on some definite subject with the help of the acquired knowledge and experience.

If you think you have no valuable experience, write about what you have.  But make the reader appreciate the significance of your expertise. You can present something trite and ordinary in a completely new way.

Write how your past and your origin influenced your personality development.  You may also show how you can contribute to educational process due to the acquired experience.

Before writing properly, think of the details and the order of their presentation.

One of the pledges of a successful essay is a capturing introduction.  It can be a short bright story, quotation, a question or a scene description.

In the body of your application essay develop your point of view with well grounded arguments. I also advise you not to give standard answers.  And remember that the commission values sincere replies most of all. Be sure to stick to the main point during the whole process of narration.  Also do your best to make the most of limited length. If you are describing a concrete situation that influenced you, illustrate it with details. If you are writing about your character features, give an example how you applied them in concrete situations or how you developed them. Don't forget that examples enliven your essay and too theoretical essays are always so boring to read.

Very often I have to read the essays, where a person gives a lot of opinions on the target subject. But he just forgets to speak his own mind. I want to emphasize that the teachers want to see the reflection of your personality in the essay. Not someone else's, no matter how great he may be.

Probably it is your first serious written work and that is why mistakes are inevitable. It is natural. But examiners will forgive you some slight mistakes. But after finding some blunders in your work they will give up your essay as a bad job.  I strongly recommend not to:

                 Write about something difficult to prove

       Provide the examiner with another version of your autobiography
       Pretend to be witty and humorous
       Pretend to impress the reader with your rich vocabulary
       Make general statements

       Rely on computer spelling check.
       Write what is not true

Composing a good essay, please also avoid:

The essay should end with a conclusion connected with the introduction and proving the main thesis of your work. Writing a conclusion does not mean the end of your work on the essay. Now you are to check your creation in terms of spelling, grammar, punctuation, style, logical structure, etc. It is a good idea to give it for reading to anyone whose opinion is important for you. Their comments may be helpful.  And now YOUR application essay is READY, you can share your experiences in writing an essay with everyone!

I have been checking applicants' essays for more than 12 years.  I read about 2000 essays every year, but I am in no case tired of it.  Because I have an unquenchable interest for people and a good essay gives me an insight into a person's inner world.  I am always stunned by the diversity of the opinions. And one day I will be glad to read what you have to tell me in your essay.