Flickr user Simon Lieschke
Writing personal essays can be the most time-consuming part of the college application process. It is also the most daunting part of the college application process and you may want to keep aside to be worked on at the last minute. Why spoil the summer dealing with such a high-stress activity, right?
Maybe it’s time to think differently. The truth is summer is the perfect time to be working on your college application essay. Here are just some of the reasons why:
- You will never get as much free time at your disposal after the school year starts.
- Even if you set aside some time to work on your essay every day, you will still have plenty of time to enjoy the summer.
- Working on your essay in small chunks of time is less stressful. It gives you plenty of time to think over what you want to say and how you want to say it for maximum effect.
Now, when you keep aside time for your college essay, it does not mean you have to spend every moment just writing or tweaking your essay. Check out some things you should do over the summer to help you write your amazing college admission essays.
Take Time to Read
Spending time reading is one of the best things you can do towards writing amazing college admission essays. Reading opens up your mind to new ideas and introduces you to different styles of writing. You may come across an idea or a style that sparks off a new trend of thought that you could use while writing your essay.
Brainstorm Ideas Early for Your Essay Topic
The first challenge you will have to overcome when writing your college app essay is brainstorming ideas. If you start early, even if not one idea comes to mind, there’s no need to stress. Keep reading and actively brainstorming ideas. Write down each idea as it comes to you. Think of it as a ‘brain dump’ of topic ideas. Once you have a tidy little list of ideas, you can narrow them down to a few that you think would have the most impact and work on those.
Write Out Your Essay
Start with an outline for each topic and then work on expanding the outlines. As you work on the drafts you will have a more definite idea of which topic resonates better with the message you want to convey.
Revise and Edit Your Essay
Once you’re done with writing your essay, it is best to keep it away and only work on revising and editing after a few days. This allows you to look at the essay with fresh eyes, which helps you stay objective. If you try and edit immediately after writing the essay, chances are higher that you will overlook any errors.
Don’t let the summer slip away from you. Take advantage of the extra time you have on your hands to write an amazing college app essay that will get you into the college of your choice.
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