How To Organize An Essay For College – Professional Advice

Whatever college you apply to, you are asked to write an essay as part of your application. This writing should show to the admission committee that you are a good fit for that college. What this writing should include? Information about yourself and what areas you are interested in. Apart from writing about this, the writing reveals your creativity, sense, logic and reasoning.

Organization of college writing

Just like any other writing, this writing has three main parts:

  • Introduction
  • Body
  • Conclusion

Tips for college writing

You will not have problems with this structure, as you’ve most surely been given essays for writing in high school. This writing differs from the others in the aspect. You are talking about yourself and you are telling your story. Here are several tips from professionals on how to organize this type of writing.

  • Be personal, focused and narrow – Talk about yourself. Tell your story. But avoid details. Pick one aspect of your life, make sure it is related to your college story, and focus on it throughout the whole writing, so that the committee can learn who you really are.
  • Exemplify – You should talk about yourself, but do not throw facts throughout the whole essay. Include details that exemplify what you say. For example, if you say “I like helping children and sick people.” Give examples of when you did that and how you felt. That would convince the committee that you are truly honest.
  • Be yourself – This could be the most important advice that professionals could give. It is true that you should follow particular structure and organization, but most of all you have to be yourself. You have to express your voice. Avoid sounding too formal and business-like. Express your own voice instead. Another mistake is using words in places where you don’t need only because you’ve read that you should use these words. Express yourself and write about your experience.
  • Get proofread – Do not only pass your essay to the admission committee. Check it twice and give it to someone else to check it. Spelling checkers usually miss words such as “form” instead of “from”, “fiend” instead of “friend”, etc.
  • Be formal and accurate. Usually people do not pay attention to the content when they apply online, but it is not the case when you apply for a college. Use formal instead of informal language. Make sure you included everything before sending the email.

The most important thing is to write on your own. Do not ask for help. The committee evaluates you, not someone else.

Good luck!