College Admission Essays For Dummies

Geraldine Woods

Jun 2011 · John Wiley & Sons

About this ebook

The competition to get into your college of choice has never been fiercer. Unfortunately, much of the application process is out of your hands. But one major aspect of the admission process is under your control—your personal statement. Your application essay provides you with the opportunity to let your true, unique and totally irresistible self shine through.

College Admission Essays For Dummies is your total guide to crafting application essays that will make people sit up and take notice. It demystifies the authority figures who’ll judge your work, helps you decide what to write, and then arms you with the knowledge and skills you need to write your essay on time and on target. Step by step, it walks you through the entire essay-writing process, offering priceless tips on how to:

• Choose the best topic, tone, and structure for your essay
• Capture the crucial stories that reveal who you are
• Avoid common pitfalls that can sabotage your application
• Overcome writer’s block
• Know how to respond to unusual and off-the-wall essay questions
• Write successful short answers to specific application questions

College admission guru Geraldine Woods punctures common myths about application essays and tells you what you absolutely must do to write a good one. With the help of many inspiring and instructive killer essays, she shows you how to:

• Put yourself in the right mental state for writing well
• Gather ideas, focus on a topic and choose the best structure for your essay
• Use topic sentences, detail, and strong introductions and conclusions
• Write a rough draft
• Show rather than tell your story
• Make sure your spelling and grammar are pitch perfect
• Create smooth transitions and avoid repetitions

Your college application essay is your chance to show the committee that you’re more than just a statistic. Let College Admission Essays For Dummies show you how to write “admit-clinching” college essays.

About the author

Geraldine Woods has taught high school English for more than 25 years and advises seniors every year on college admission essays. She is also the author of Research Papers For Dummies.