It’s no secret. Most students find writing college essays arduous due to unexpected writing challenges. The topics are often broad and general, not giving the writer any specific guidance. The common assumption is that this leaves more room for creativity, but it might be more beneficial if they gave concrete guidelines to follow.
The essay tests the student’s ability to creatively form an argument or thesis statement within a limited amount of space, typically 250-500 words. It is often difficult for students to condense complex ideas into such a short space, leading them to include unnecessary details.
This could make their argument weaker than it would otherwise be if they were able to go into further depth regarding one particular aspect of their chosen topic or use examples from their own life experience.
Further difficulties may arise when trying to clearly explain their thoughts or to adhere to guidelines. Students may also struggle to make the essay sound like something they would actually say in conversation, which can be difficult when writing about very personal topics and does not come naturally to them.
All of these challenges exist because it is important for students to write outside of their comfort zone—and this best explains why the college degree matters a lot. Ideally, if essays were easy enough for everyone who could comprehend the topic, what would be the point?
The whole idea behind this type of assignment is that it will give students a chance to show how well they can think critically about an issue while communicating their ideas clearly and persuasively.
In this guide of essay writing tips, we will cover everything you need to know to write a great essay, from finding a topic to getting feedback. We will discuss these key areas:
- Brainstorming College Essay Topic
- Outlining Your College Essay
- Writing an Essay
- Editing and Polishing the Essay
- Proofreading
1. Brainstorming College Essay Topic
The first step to writing a great essay is coming up with a topic. Without choosing a specific focus, it could end up being too broad, which would make it hard for you to write about limited space. It can be helpful to start by brainstorming words that define your interests or concerns at the moment.
This will give you general material to work on when narrowing down ideas later on. You can also do further research if there are particular issues you want to explore, but remember that the goal is not just to say what everyone else is saying –find something unique to say about the topic and state it clearly and effectively.
2. Outlining Your College Essay
When you begin writing, consider using an outline to help guide your ideas. This will make sure that they flow logically from one point to another, strengthening the argument as a whole.
It can also show you which points need more detail and which areas would be better left untouched. The primary purpose of an outline is to give your essay a clear direction and purpose so that you can stay focused when writing it in full.
3. Writing Your College Essay
The college essay should be written in the student’s own voice, rather than that of the teacher or professor who assigned it. It should read like something the student would actually say in conversation and not like an academic paper.
This means that vocabulary should reflect the way they speak, rather than how they think or write in school. Although this does not mean that it cannot sound sophisticated when appropriate since college is meant to be a place where learning takes place.
This will help ensure that essays are accessible to teachers and admissions officers. It can be helpful to think of the readers in your head as you write: what kind of words and phrases would interest them in your topic?
How might they respond if you use certain language? Would they find any part confusing because you used too many big words? The reader should never feel lost while reading because their questions are answered by the end.
4. Editing and Polishing the Essay
While editing, many students tend to focus on grammar mistakes or misspellings. It is important not to neglect other areas that might be holding you back from achieving your full potential as a writer.
A professional editor will often go through an essay several times, each time looking at different aspects of the writing process: proofreading for sentence structure and flow; revising for sentence coherence; evaluating logical transitions between ideas; checking for run-on sentences and other punctuation errors; correcting spelling mistakes.
Ensure that you give your essay proper attention by explaining what type of feedback you’re looking for before letting anyone else read it so that they can best help improve it.
5. Proofreading
The last step in the writing process is proofreading, but that does not mean it should be skipped entirely. It can be helpful to read your essay backward, sentence by sentence since this is a more effective way of catching mistakes than reading through from beginning to end. That will make sure you notice every potential mistake and correct it before sending it off or handing it in.
Taking Your Essay to the Next Level
If you don’t have much extra time to work on your college essay, consider enlisting expert editors or essay writers to take it to the next level. Although you might be nervous about letting someone else do your writing or see it before it’s ready, many people are able to see potential problems that they would never have thought of on their own.
Besides, having an extra pair of hands is one of the best hacks if you’re not so sure about how to make college easy. It can be useful to explore multiple perspectives before submitting it to your teacher or the college admissions office.
There are a number of good writers and editors out there, but don’t assume that they will all produce excellent results. Instead, read reviews and choose your writers carefully to ensure that you only pay for quality.
The Bottom Line
Writing good college essays shouldn’t be a chore. If you remember to have fun with it, you will be less likely to fall into common traps like losing focus or spending too much time on one aspect of the essay rather than the whole thing.
The essay is an opportunity for colleges to get to know you better, and you should approach it accordingly.
