The Conventions of Good Application Essay Writing

Even if the academic program you are applying for is not a language course, admissions officers who are tasked to read your essay would hate it if your personal statement is riddled with subject-verb agreement errors and so many misplaced punctuations. Beware of this trap. The following reminders should serve you well if you take them to heart.

Using appropriate syntax and grammar in your college application essay

You may think that tenses and sentence structure are things you have already mastered because you’ve learned them as early as grade school, but it is so easy to commit these mistakes when you are so engrossed in writing your admission essay. Be aware of how you use tenses and choose your words. These affect how your sentences would go. Make sure that your sentences convey clear ideas and do not confuse readers because of too many information. When you are halfway done with the first draft, do a cursory glance on what you’ve written so far. For any errors you find, correct them at once. However, don’t spend five straight hours checking for mistakes in your admission essay. Reserve that for the editing part. Focus on basic grammar, spelling, and syntax errors first.

Using vivid but precise language in your personal statement

Selecting precise nouns would make it unnecessary to use so many adjectives, which would just lengthen the sentences. Veer away from highfalutin words as much as possible. Use words that you are most familiar with so the sentences will come out more natural instead of forced or detached. However, also avoid slang, cliches, and vague terms. Be straightforward, but make sure that you still keep the interest of your reader throughout the essay. The best way to do this is to adopt a personal, friendly tone.

Now you get the hint. Turning in a very long essay that would rival a history book is a sure way to get rejected. Use precise words and attend to the grammatical aspects of your essay. You’ll then be prepared to submit an awesome essay.

Related questions:

1. Is good syntax a must in an admission essay for college?

2. What is the importance of good word choice for admission essay writing?

3. What is a good tip for revising drafts?

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