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Admission Essay Editing Services

Make Your Application Stand Out

Admission Essay Editing

If you’d like to boost your chances of getting into your university or college of choice, you need an admission essay that sets you apart. And this means making sure it is clear, academic, and error free. But with the help of our admission essay proofreading service, you can be confident of making a great first impression.

Expert Editor

Expert Admission Essay Proofreading

Our expert proofreaders have helped countless university applicants win a place on the course of their choice. As a result, we know what makes a good admission essay. So let us put out skills to work and help you fulfil your academic dreams.

Make sure your writing is the best it can be with our expert English proofreading and editing

With our admission essay proofreading service, we will:

• Correct spelling, grammar, and punctuation errors
• Ensure your language and tone are properly academic
• Make sure your essay effectively communicates your strengths
• Check for issues with consistency and structure
• Leave comments and feedback on your writing style

In most cases, we will also provide two copies of your edited essay:

• A ‘Clean’ copy in the original file format
• An MS Word Track Changes  copy

You can use this second copy to view every edit we make, so you are always in control of the final draft. And if your  chosen file format  doesn’t support Track Changes, we will adapt our process to match.

Lightning-Fast Delivery

You’ll never miss a deadline with our speedy services: our Next-Day Guarantee means we’ll return any document up to 10,000 words long within 24 hours

And if you need a faster turnaround, simply select your desired delivery speed when you submit your document. We have three options:

We can also meet custom deadlines! Just let us know what you need.

*For documents up to 8,000 words 

**For documents up to 3,000 words

How We Work With Students

You’ll never miss a deadline with our speedy services: our Next-Day Guarantee means we’ll return any document up to 8,000 words long within 24 hours.

We can also meet custom deadlines! Just let us know what you need. 

* For documents up to 8,000 words

** For documents up to 3,000 words

Great Pricing

Our pricing is affordable and transparent – the cost is based on the exact length of your document. Check out our pricing calculator for an instant quote, and rest assured that you’ll receive the highest quality proofreading and editing for the best value on the market.

Referencing Expertise

Our editors are experts in various referencing styles, including but not limited to APA, Harvard, MLA, Chicago, and IEEE. No matter what style you’re using, they’ll make sure your citations and references are correct and let you know if any information is missing. Visit our referencing page to learn more.

Subject-Matter Experts

Our team includes over 750 professional editors with expertise in thousands of topics. This means we can always match you with the best proofreader for your writing, whether you need help with a dissertation in medicine or an essay on economics.

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15 Tips for Writing, Proofreading, and Editing Your College Essay

What’s covered:, our checklist for writing, proofreading, and editing your essay, where to get your college essays edited.

Your college essay is more than just a writing assignment—it’s your biggest opportunity to showcase the person behind your GPA, test scores, and extracurricular activities. In many ways, it’s the best chance you have to present yourself as a living, breathing, and thoughtful individual to the admissions committee.

Unlike test scores, which can feel impersonal, a well-crafted essay brings color to your application, offering a glimpse into your passions, personality, and potential. Whether you’re an aspiring engineer or an artist, your college essay can set you apart, making it essential that you give it your best.

1. Does the essay address the selected topic or prompt?

Focus on responding directly and thoughtfully to the prompt. If the question asks about your reasons for choosing a specific program or your future aspirations, ensure that your essay revolves around these themes. Tailor your narrative to the prompt, using personal experiences and reflections that reinforce your points.

• Respond directly to the prompt: It’s imperative that you thoughtfully craft your responses so that the exact themes in the prompt are directly addressed. Each essay has a specific prompt that serves a specific purpose, and your response should be tailored in a way that meets that objective.
• Focus: Regardless of what the prompt is about—be it personal experiences, academic achievements, or an opinion on an issue—you must keep the focus of the response on the topic of the prompt .

2. Is the college essay well organized?

An essay with a clear structure is easier to follow and is more impactful. Consider organizing your story chronologically, or use a thematic approach to convey your message. Each paragraph should transition smoothly to the next, maintaining a natural flow of ideas. A well-organized essay is not only easier for the reader to follow, but it can also aid your narrative flow. Logically structured essays can guide the reader through complex and hectic sequences of events in your essay. There are some key factors involved in good structuring:

• A strong hook: Start with a sentence or a paragraph that can grab the attention of the reader. For example, consider using a vivid description of an event to do this.
• Maintain a thematic structure: Maintaining a thematic structure involves organizing your response around a central theme, allowing you to connect diverse points of your essay into a cohesive centralized response.
• Transitioning: Each paragraph should clearly flow into the next, maintaining continuity and coherence in narrative.

3. Include supporting details, examples, and anecdotes.

Enhance your narrative with specific details, vivid examples, and engaging anecdotes. This approach brings your story to life, making it more compelling and relatable. It helps the reader visualize your experiences and understand your perspectives.

4. Show your voice and personality.

Does your personality come through? Does your essay sound like you? Since this is a reflection of you, your essay needs to show who you are.

For example, avoid using vocabulary you wouldn’t normally use—such as “utilize” in place of “use”—because you may come off as phony or disingenuous, and that won’t impress colleges.

5. Does your essay show that you’re a good candidate for admission?

Your essay should demonstrate not only your academic strengths. but also the ways in which your personal qualities align with the specific character and values of the school you’re applying to . While attributes like intelligence and collaboration are universally valued, tailor your essay to reflect aspects that are uniquely esteemed at each particular institution.

For instance, if you’re applying to Dartmouth, you might emphasize your appreciation for, and alignment with, the school’s strong sense of tradition and community. This approach shows a deeper understanding of and a genuine connection to the school, beyond its surface-level attributes.

6. Do you stick to the topic?

Your essay should focus on the topic at hand, weaving your insights, experiences, and perspectives into a cohesive narrative, rather than a disjointed list of thoughts or accomplishments. It’s important to avoid straying into irrelevant details that don’t support your main theme. Instead of simply listing achievements or experiences, integrate them into a narrative that highlights your development, insights, or learning journey.

Example with tangent:

“My interest in performing arts began when I was five. That was also the year I lost my first tooth, which set off a whole year of ‘firsts.’ My first play was The Sound of Music.”

Revised example:

“My interest in performing arts began when I was five, marked by my debut performance in ‘The Sound of Music.’ This experience was the first step in my journey of exploring and loving the stage.”

7. Align your response with the prompt.

Before finalizing your essay, revisit the prompt. Have you addressed all aspects of the question? Make sure your essay aligns with the prompt’s requirements, both in content and spirit. Familiarize yourself with common college essay archetypes, such as the Extracurricular Essay, Diversity Essay, Community Essay, “Why This Major” Essay (and a variant for those who are undecided), and “Why This College” Essay. We have specific guides for each, offering tailored advice and examples:

• Extracurricular Essay Guide
• Diversity Essay Guide
• Community Essay Guide
• “Why This Major” Essay Guide
• “Why This College” Essay Guide
• Overcoming Challenges Essay Guide
• Political/Global Issues Essay Guide

While these guides provide a framework for each archetype, respectively, remember to infuse your voice and unique experiences into your essay to stand out!

8. Do you vary your sentence structure?

Varying sentence structure, including the length of sentences, is crucial to keep your writing dynamic and engaging. A mix of short, punchy sentences and longer, more descriptive ones can create a rhythm that makes your essay more enjoyable to read. This variation helps maintain the reader’s interest and allows for more nuanced expression.

Original example with monotonous structure:

“I had been waiting for the right time to broach the topic of her health problem, which had been weighing on my mind heavily ever since I first heard about it. I had gone through something similar, and I thought sharing my experience might help.”

Revised example illustrating varied structure:

“I waited for the right moment to discuss her health. The issue had occupied my thoughts for weeks. Having faced similar challenges, I felt that sharing my experience might offer her some comfort.”

In this revised example, the sentences vary in length and structure, moving from shorter, more impactful statements to longer, more descriptive ones. This variation helps to keep the reader’s attention and allows for a more engaging narrative flow.

9. Revisit your essay after a break.

• Give yourself time: After completing a draft of your essay, step away from it for a day or two. This break can clear your mind and reduce your attachment to specific phrases or ideas.
• Fresh perspective: When you come back to your essay, you’ll likely find that you can view your work with fresh eyes. This distance can help you spot inconsistencies, unclear passages, or stylistic issues that you might have missed earlier.
• Enhanced objectivity: Distance not only aids in identifying grammatical errors or typos, but it also allows you to assess the effectiveness of your argument or narrative more objectively. Does the essay really convey what you intended? Are there better examples or stronger pieces of evidence you could use?
• Refine and polish: Use this opportunity to fine-tune your language, adjust the flow, and ensure that your essay truly reflects your voice and message.

Incorporating this tip into your writing process can significantly improve the quality and effectiveness of your college essay.

10. Choose an ideal writing environment.

By identifying and consistently utilizing an ideal writing environment, you can enhance both the enjoyment and effectiveness of your essay-writing process.

• Discover your productive spaces: Different environments can dramatically affect your ability to think and write effectively. Some people find inspiration in the quiet of a library or their room, while others thrive in the lively atmosphere of a coffee shop or park.
• Experiment with settings: If you’re unsure what works best for you, try writing in various places. Notice how each setting affects your concentration, creativity, and mood.
• Consider comfort and distractions: Make sure your chosen spot is comfortable enough for long writing sessions, but also free from distracting elements that could hinder your focus.
• Time of day matters: Pay attention to the time of day when you’re most productive. Some write best in the early morning’s tranquility, while others find their creative peak during nighttime hours.

11. Are all words spelled correctly?

While spell checkers are a helpful tool, they aren’t infallible. It’s crucial to read over your essay meticulously, possibly even aloud, to catch any spelling errors. Reading aloud can help you notice mistakes that your eyes might skip over when reading silently. Be particularly attentive to words that spellcheck might not catch, such as proper nouns, technical jargon, or homophones (e.g., “there” vs. “their”). Attention to detail in spelling reflects your care and precision, both of which are qualities that admissions committees value.

12. Do you use proper punctuation and capitalization?

Correct punctuation and capitalization are key to conveying your message clearly and professionally . A common mistake in writing is the misuse of commas, particularly in complex sentences.

Example of a misused comma:

Incorrect: “I had an epiphany, I was using commas incorrectly.”

In this example, the comma is used incorrectly to join two independent clauses. This is known as a comma splice. It creates a run-on sentence, which can confuse the reader and disrupt the flow of your writing.

Corrected versions:

Correct: “I had an epiphany: I was using commas incorrectly.”

Correct: “I had an epiphany; I was using commas incorrectly.”

Correct: “I had an epiphany—I was using commas incorrectly.”

Correct: “I had an epiphany. I was using commas incorrectly.”

The corrections separate the two clauses with more appropriate punctuation. Colons, semicolons, em dashes, and periods can all be used in this context, though periods may create awkwardly short sentences.

These punctuation choices are appropriate because the second clause explains or provides an example of the first, creating a clear and effective sentence structure. The correct use of punctuation helps maintain the clarity and coherence of your writing, ensuring that your ideas are communicated effectively.

13. Do you abide by the word count?

Staying within the word count is crucial in demonstrating your ability to communicate ideas concisely and effectively. Here are some strategies to help reduce your word count if you find yourself going over the prescribed limits:

• Eliminate repetitive statements: Avoid saying the same thing in different ways. Focus on presenting each idea clearly and concisely.
• Use adjectives judiciously: While descriptive words can add detail, using too many can make your writing feel cluttered and overwrought. Choose adjectives that add real value.
• Remove unnecessary details: If a detail doesn’t support or enhance your main point, consider cutting it. Focus on what’s essential to your narrative or argument.
• Shorten long sentences: Long, run-on sentences can be hard to follow and often contain unnecessary words. Reading your essay aloud can help you identify sentences that are too lengthy or cumbersome. If you’re out of breath before finishing a sentence, it’s likely too long.
• Ensure each sentence adds something new: Every sentence should provide new information or insight. Avoid filler or redundant sentences that don’t contribute to your overall message.

14. Proofread meticulously.

Implementing a thorough and methodical proofreading process can significantly elevate the quality of your essay, ensuring that it’s free of errors and flows smoothly.

• Detailed review: After addressing bigger structural and content issues, focus on proofreading for grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors. This step is crucial for polishing your essay and making sure it’s presented professionally.
• Different techniques: Employ various techniques to catch mistakes. For example, read your essay backward, starting from the last sentence and working your way to the beginning. This method can help you focus on individual sentences and words, rather than getting caught up in the content.
• Read aloud: As mentioned before, reading your essay aloud is another effective technique. Hearing the words can help identify awkward phrasing, run-on sentences, and other issues that might not be as obvious when reading silently.

15. Utilize external feedback.

While self-editing is crucial, external feedback can provide new perspectives and ideas that enhance your writing in unexpected ways. This collaborative process can help you keep your essay error-free and can also help make it resonate with a broader audience.

• Fresh perspectives: Have a trusted teacher, mentor, peer, or family member review your drafts. Each person can offer unique insights and perspectives on your essay’s content, structure, and style.
• Identify blind spots: We often become too close to our writing to see its flaws or areas that might be unclear to others. External reviewers can help identify these blind spots.
• Constructive criticism: Encourage your reviewers to provide honest, constructive feedback. While it’s important to stay true to your voice and story, be open to suggestions that could strengthen your essay.
• Diverse viewpoints: Different people will focus on different aspects of your writing. For example, a teacher might concentrate on your essay’s structure and academic tone, while a peer might provide insights into how engaging and relatable your narrative is.
• Incorporate feedback judiciously: Use the feedback to refine your essay, but remember that the final decision on any changes rests with you. It’s your story and your voice that ultimately need to come through clearly.

When it comes to refining your college essays, getting external feedback is crucial. Our free Peer Essay Review tool allows you to receive constructive criticism from other students, providing fresh perspectives that can help you see your work in a new light. This peer review process is invaluable and can help you both identify areas for improvement and gain different viewpoints on your writing.

For more tailored expert advice, consider the guidance of a CollegeVine advisor . Our advisors, experienced in the college admissions process, offer specialized reviews to enhance your essays. Their insights into what top schools are looking for can elevate your narrative, ensuring that your application stands out. Whether it’s through fine-tuning your grammar or enriching your story’s appeal, our experts’ experience and expertise can significantly increase your likelihood of admission to your dream school!

Related CollegeVine Blog Posts

How to Proofread Your College Application Essay Like a Pro: 7 Tips

Proofreading plays a crucial role in the college application process as it ensures your college essay is free from both content and grammatical errors. One or two typos can be ignored, but too many make it look like you either don’t care or don’t know better. A well-polished college essay not only demonstrates your attention to detail but also leaves a lasting impression on college admission officers. You need to present the best version of your essay to convey your work ethic and dedication to academic pursuits.

In this comprehensive guide, we will explore effective proofreading techniques that will elevate your college application and help you polish your college application profile. Stand out from the competition and impress the college of your choice with these insights.

Read your college application essay multiple times

To thoroughly proofread your essay and ensure proper punctuation and grammar, it is essential to read it repeatedly. This process allows you to identify and rectify both glaring and subtle mistakes. Find a quiet place and read your essay carefully. Take note of any errors or areas that require improvement such as missing quotation marks, overused question marks, and other spelling and grammar mistakes.

Once you’ve completed this initial read-through, take a small break, ideally a day, and return to your college application essay with refreshed eyes. The break will provide valuable perspective and enhance your ability to spot errors that may have gone unnoticed before.

Don’t go over the word count limit

You also need to remember that the Common App / Coalition App essay word limit is 650 words maximum. These word limits are set to challenge your ability to articulate your ideas concisely and make every word count, reflecting your ability to communicate effectively within constraints.

If you’re unsure of what to do, consider removing any unnecessary or redundant information that does not contribute to your core message. This may involve eliminating flowery language, excessive adjectives, or repetitive statements that do not add significant value to your response.

Print, read aloud, and edit

Printing out your essay is a valuable technique that aids in effective proofreading. Research has shown that printed words are perceived and processed differently than those viewed on a screen. By physically holding the printed copy of your essay, you engage with it in a new way, allowing errors to become more apparent (such as missing parenthesis, semicolons, and common typos).

Many writers have experienced the frustration of discovering mistakes only after printing a piece of writing. Read through your essay and double-check crucial elements like spelling, grammar, spacing, punctuation, verb tense, active voice, use of quotes, and commas to ensure your essay is error-free. Read your essay aloud to hear how it may sound and identify any awkward phrasing.

Seek a fresh perspective

In addition to self-proofreading, it is vital to have someone you trust review your essays. Your proofreader can be your English teacher, your counselor, your friend or a family member whom you trust for their honest feedback. Trusted individuals can proofread your work, provide an objective viewpoint, and catch grammar errors, missing words, or inconsistencies that you may have overlooked. They can also offer valuable insights on authenticity, uniqueness, and overall effectiveness. Their feedback can include suggestions for adding more detail or clarification, as well as identifying sections that may require improvement or restructuring.

DON’T post your essay on Reddit or any other forum so strangers can review it! They can plagiarize it, and posting it publicly will trigger plagiarism detectors used by admission officers. If you still need help, you can consult professional college counseling agencies that offer editing and proofreading services.

Craft a cohesive application narrative

Once you have reviewed your essay, take the time to read your entire application, including other essays, from start to finish. As college admission officers often summarize college applications for the admissions committee, crafting a concise two-minute summary of your key themes and narrative is crucial.

This exercise not only helps you gain a holistic perspective on your application but also allows you to refine your unique voice and strengthen your overall coherence. By ensuring your application’s summary clearly communicates your main points, you enhance the ease with which admission officers can present your application.

Also read: How to Avoid Clichés on the College Essay

Leverage free proofreading & editing services

In the digital age, technology can be a powerful tool for proofreading. Use advanced writing tools such as Grammarly or Hemingway to edit your college essay. These spellcheck editors will analyze your essay to help you find the correct tone, flow, and detect any grammar and punctuation errors.

Grammarly, a comprehensive writing assistant, provides grammar, syntax, and phrasing recommendations to enhance your essay’s overall quality and clarity. Hemingway, on the other hand, specializes in breaking down complex sentences for improved readability. Embrace these digital resources to smoothly elevate your college essay to its highest potential.

Take different approaches

When reviewing your final draft, change the font and size to something creative & unique. Studies have shown that people process text differently when it is in a different style, size, font, or presentation. This is especially true when it is done in an unfamiliar way. Ditch Times New Roman or Calibri and put your essay in size 18 font. Just don’t forget to change it back when you submit the final product.

Proofreading your college essay is a fundamental step in the application process. By following the strategies outlined in this comprehensive checklist, you can ensure a well-crafted, error-free essay that leaves a positive and lasting impression on admission officers. Your dream college will recognize your dedication and your hard work will pay off in the end.

Remember to read your college essay multiple times, leverage print, seek outside perspectives, craft a cohesive narrative, embrace technological aids, and consider alternative presentations. By employing these techniques, you will maximize your chances of standing out in a competitive college admission landscape.

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Ultimate Guide to Writing Your College Essay

Tips for writing an effective college essay.

College admissions essays are an important part of your college application and gives you the chance to show colleges and universities your character and experiences. This guide will give you tips to write an effective college essay.

Want free help with your college essay?

UPchieve connects you with knowledgeable and friendly college advisors—online, 24/7, and completely free. Get 1:1 help brainstorming topics, outlining your essay, revising a draft, or editing grammar.

Writing a strong college admissions essay

Learn about the elements of a solid admissions essay.

Avoiding common admissions essay mistakes

Learn some of the most common mistakes made on college essays

Brainstorming tips for your college essay

Stuck on what to write your college essay about? Here are some exercises to help you get started.

How formal should the tone of your college essay be?

Learn how formal your college essay should be and get tips on how to bring out your natural voice.

Taking your college essay to the next level

Hear an admissions expert discuss the appropriate level of depth necessary in your college essay.

Student Stories

Student Story: Admissions essay about a formative experience

Get the perspective of a current college student on how he approached the admissions essay.

Student Story: Admissions essay about personal identity

Get the perspective of a current college student on how she approached the admissions essay.

Student Story: Admissions essay about community impact

Student story: admissions essay about a past mistake, how to write a college application essay, tips for writing an effective application essay, sample college essay 1 with feedback, sample college essay 2 with feedback.

This content is licensed by Khan Academy and is available for free at www.khanacademy.org.

Use a Free College Essay Editor to Improve Your Application

For students applying to college, one of the most important steps is writing the college admissions essay . For graduate and PhD students, knowing how to write or format the statement of purpose is crucial.

Both college and graduate school applicants know that using an online essay proofreader or free AI proofreading tool is a quick and easy way to speed up your college application process. However, many students remain confused with questions such as:

• Are AI essay proofreader tools reliable? Are free versions effective?
• How does an online essay editor compare to a human proofreader or editor?
• How can I use human and AI essay proofreaders together most effectively?

This article will explore how to use an online essay proofreader to improve the college or graduate school application process .

What is an AI Essay Editor?

An AI language editor is an online revision tool that uses large language models (LLMs) built on billions of words of text data to automatically revise text in an instant. Some of these AI editors–like the Wordvice free AI Proofreader and free AI Paraphrasing Tool –are especially attuned to editing admissions essays for college or graduate school, as they apply sophisticated prompt language to these LLMs to choose the content most suitable for these essays.

Why Students Need a College Essay Editor

Even though application materials such as the letter of recommendation are important, the admissions essay in 2021 has become (and will continue to be) the most important factor determining admissions into top colleges and universities. The University of California system has even removed the ACT/SAT as a requirement .

Admissions essays or personal statements are how admissions committees judge you as a student, professional, and ultimately, a person. That means you must avoid common admissions essay mistakes like simply listing your achievements (like a resume or CV) or revealing too much personal information.

Why Students Use Expert Proofreading Services

Students commonly turn to professional essay editing services with admission experts who edit and proofread essays simultaneously for a fee.

This has many benefits, including the following:

Maintains personal narrative and voice

An expert essay editor does two things well: understands the writer’s context , intent and impact . A human editor can understand the reasons why the student is applying to a particular university or program.

Based on real experience, an experienced editor can weigh certain aspects of the essay more or less. Or eliminate them entirely. A human esssay editor can also more easily filter out certain word choices to maintain consistency.

Human proofreaders have a track record of success

Most of the popular admissions essay services are staffed by actual professors, graduate students, and former admissions professionals who have not only been through the application process themselves at both the undergraduate and graduate levels but may have actually participated in the decision-making process.

In short, a human essay editor is intimately experienced with the important outcome for the student: successful admission.

It’s pretty common to find express delivery for admissions essay editing (as low as 9 hours). Given a sufficient budget, you are able to order and forget about the essay until you receive it back. One of the reasons students pay for a human essay proofreader is because the act of payment guarantees on-time delivery.

On the other hand, an AI-powered online essay editor does not make editorial decisions, which means classic techniques like reaching out to a mentor, parent, or friend for a second set of eyes and suggestions will be necessary. Unfortunately, anything done for free or as a favor has no guarantee of being done on time.

Why Students Should Use AI Essay Editors

There are many free ai text editors on the market, including Wordvice AI. These popular, powerful, and easy-to-use tools are here to stay, a young students are relying upon them to check plagiarism, grammar, and more.

In fact, students’ essay writing skills are improving overall due to these tools, with many benefits.

Real-time feedback

AI proofreaders have the benefit of checking grammar, punctuation, spelling, and word choice as well as making suggestions in real-time. There has one major effect: it actually can affect or steer the writing.

This real-time feedback can lead the writer to alter sentence structure, word choice, and even the entire scope of the essay. A young high school student applying to college who is weak in certain writing techniques may be helped or hurt by this. On one hand, an applicant won’t get into too much trouble wading into complex areas or plagiarizing a section.

On the other hand, college applicants run the risk of sounding the same as everyone else. This risk of losing one’s personal narrative and voice is not trivial. Admissions officers specifically look for a personal touch and sense of uniqueness in applicants.

Free to use

As a piece of software, many AI proofreaders are free to use and when used in combination with other tools, they can provide almost perfect albeit basic proofreading. Software is free to distribute and isn’t limited by a human essay proofreader doing work in real-time. Fortunately, there many 100% free essay proofreaders available.

However, many AI proofreading tools are limited by the fact that premium versions are locked behind a paywall. This is true for popular checkers like Grammarly and Hemingway .

So which method of essay proofreading is the best?

Combine AI Essay Editors and Human Proofreaders

The best way to improve your college application essays is to create a workflow that uses an AI essay editor during the actual writing process, followed by a human essay editor for extensive content, style, and tone revisions.

1) Write your college or university essay with an AI essay editor

The first and most straightforward step is to write your essay while using an AI online grammar proofreader such as Wordvice AI.

There are many resources and tips about the college admissions process , including tips on how to address various Common Application Essay prompts .

Keep in mind that AI proofreaders excel at finding grammar, spelling, and punctuation mistakes, but it’s up to the applicant to make sure they are under the essay word limit as well as avoiding common application essay mistakes .

To get started, be sure to check out how to use the Wordvice AI Proofreader .

2) Dos and Don'ts for how to write using an online essay editor

How to use an ai text editor.

• Write as you normally do . This helps you stay conscious of your writing style and informs you of bad writing habits.
• Consider suggestions . Many AI proofreaders make grammatical or syntax suggestions on the side. Don’t blindly accept them.
• Passive vs Active voice . AI proofreading tools generally don’t like passive voice. However, it’s always a debate on whether one should use passive or active voice in a college essay; it may depend on the intention or timeline of your essay.
• Cite properly and don’t plagiarize . AI tools treat all text and writing equally, whether it’s an anecdote, fact, or opinion. Use an AI plagiarism checker to check for plagiarism or, if specified, use a citation generator to generate citations, especially if you are referencing an academic work or experience.

How NOT to use an AI text editor

• Copy-paste in a finished essay . Writing this way by using the AI proofreader only at the end is similar to using MS Word spell grammar checker. It only gives you a checklist of things to accept or reject. Often, these changes can alter the voice or tone of your writing.
• Accept all suggestions . AI essay proofreaders prompt you with red lines or notifications that something is “wrong” or could be “improved”. Ultimately, it’s up to your judgment to assess if that suggestion adds value or is inline with your writing intention and style.
• Believe every error or improvement is suggested . While AI essay proofreaders do excel at mistakes, they often leave a lot on the board when it comes to improving your essay. This is because bots have no ability to understand context. With contextual understanding comes the ability to recall experiences and extrapolate. As of now, AI cannot do this.

3) Use an admission essay editing service

College admissions essays are not only intended to be read by humans, they are meant to communicate a sense of humanism and a slice of the human condition. In other words, these essays are not just lists of facts, a ledge of information, or encyclopedic articles for which an AI proofreader would be effective. They are a small slice into one’s background, goals, and personhood.

This is why admissions professionals usually recommend getting a human essay proofreader after the initial revision process - friends, family, mentor, and now AI.

Friends and family know you, your personality, and how to best communicate that. Mentors such as teachers, tutors, or experts know how to best put your academic and professional goals into writing. And we’ve covered how AI proofreaders can help your writing process and correct grammatical errors.

How to use a human essay proofreader

• Start early. Allow for time . The one downside to essay editing services are their cost. That can be mitigated by avoiding express delivery options. Further, allowing for longer editing times allows editors to take their time and not be pressured.
• Write individualized essays . Every university or program views themselves as special. This means you need an individualized well-written admission essay for every place you apply.
• Write notes and submit to editor . One small trick you can use is to include notations, annotations, or personal comments in the margins of your essay to give your editor more context and insight into why you wrote something the way you did. Wordvice essay editing services provide a personalized messaging system between editors and clients for this purpose.

How NOT to use a human essay proofreader

• Give your editor an unedited/unrevised essay . Great final products need to have great materials. So don’t expect a human essay proofreader to produce amazing results if you give them an unedited essay you wrote in 1 hour. Editors cannot write for you.
• Write a template essay . While it is important to follow the college essay format for your given institution, structure alone does not make a great essay. Admissions counselors are experts at picking out - and trashing - cliche essays. Using your personal authentic voice is the entire point.
• Pick the cheapest or fastest editing service . There are many factors to consider when choosing a quality essay editing service. Consider the cost of editing, document turnaround/delivery time, reviews and testimonials, and the experience of the editors.

Why Students Should Use Wordvice AI as Their College Essay Editor

As mentioned above, combining AI proofreading and expert language editing is the best way to ensure that your application essay is maximized for impact on admissions officers. Wordvice AI allows users to instantly edit their college or graduate essays with their free AI revision tools and then receive expert human editing at lower editing prices than most services can offer.

For more detailed examples on how AI editing tools can enhance your content workflow and improve your application essay, academic paper, or business document, check out other Wordvice AI Blog articles on writing an essay introduction , paraphrasing research articles , writing a research paper , and composing business emails with Wordvice AI.

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College Application Essay Editing and Proofreading Services

Set yourself apart in a pool of candidates by submitting a perfect college application essay.

College Personal Statement

A personal statement is your chance to demonstrate your personality from the best side. Our college personal statement editing service will help to make your unique story brilliant, neat, and professional.

College Cover Letter

A cover letter is one more significant paper for admission that can significantly boost your chances of getting into your dream college. With our college cover letter editing, you will have an opportunity to impress the committee and stand out from the rest applicants.

Why Are Our College Essay Services Helpful?

EssayEdge provides college essay editing help for applicants. Our primary goal is to improve your admission papers and make them ready for application. Besides, our services will be perfect not only for those who have some problems with writing skills. Even if you are a perfect writer, it will be great to ensure everything is OK and get professional feedback.

While cooperating with the team of the best college essay editors, you will receive expert comments to improve the quality of your text. Additionally, our experts can give professional advice on content and word choice issues.

Editing a college essay is not only about eliminating mistakes. It’s about polishing the text according to various issues, such as style, formatting, word count, and structure. All these have a crucial role when it comes to leaving a good impression. Thus, the applicant should not only prove that he/she is the best choice but also do it in a professional manner.

How Can We Help You Succeed?

Crafting a perfect college application essay is the first step to succeeding during the admission cycle. Of course, a high GPA and test scores are important. But without a great personal statement, winning the competition will be almost impossible.

The applicants often feel hopeless as they do not know what to tell in their college application essays. Lots of requirements, strict instructions, formatting, and style specificities—all these can blow the applicant’s mind. We understand your pain, so our college essay editor services aim to make you confident in your writing.

The college essay is an important document that can boost your chances of getting into the college of your dream or, instead, spoil everything. It can be compared to your personal profile, where your aim is to create the best impression of yourself. And with the assistance of a professional college essay editor, you will know the way to do it effectively.

No doubt that a great college essay will win the attention of the admissions committee. Our proofreaders are gurus at editing college papers and are ready to share working tips and expert knowledge. We know how to make your admission essay outstanding and highlight your unique academic experience.

Most of our college application essay editors are former students of the most prestigious universities in the US and worldwide. So, they understand how it is to be in your shoes. Moreover, they will share tips and tricks for making your personal statement worthy of the Ivy League schools.

Five Benefits of Editing a College Essay

The admission process is always stressful, and applicants have a lot of doubts concerning their essays.

“Whether it corresponds to all requirements?” “What should I write to impress the committee?” “Who can read my college essay and ensure everything is OK with it?”

These are the most common questions for the applicant.

Receiving feedback is crucial before submitting the application. So, the applicants start searching for someone who will dispel all their doubts. But relatives and friends, in most cases, are not acknowledged in the requirements for admission papers, and their feedback will be rather subjective.

EssayEdge, on the contrary, guarantees professional help with college essays and other documents. Still, it’s not the only advantage of using our premier essay editing services. So, how can you benefit from cooperating with our top editors?

Opportunity to Work With the Best College Essay Editors

We are proud of our professional and experienced team. Most of them are graduates or professors currently working in the most prestigious universities, including the Ivy League. Just imagine that you can cooperate with an experienced college essay editor who will be your future professor at Harvard, Stanford, or Yale!

EssayEdge has years of experience working in this field (12 years on average). Apart from editing and proofreading, they can share useful tips on impressing the admission committee and standing out from the crowd. Of course, high professionalism relates to the high college essay review cost. Still, the experienced and effective assistance of the guru of editing is worth all the money spent, isn’t it?

Personalized Approach to Our Clients

Each client’s story is unique, and we consider all the requirements to make your essay shine like a diamond. The customer can choose the best-fitting college essay helper to cooperate with. Also, our proofreaders work with a wide range of subjects, from business studies and health care to art and social sciences.

You can be sure that the editors will provide thorough proofreading of the text, including a grammar and punctuation check. We do not apply any machine editing and proofreading, like a college essay scanner and so on. Apart from assistance, you will get expert and personalized recommendations on improving the content, formatting, and style of your application essay.

Legal Service and Adherence to Privacy Policies

EssayEdge is a college application essay review service that is legal in the US and worldwide. Our main mission is to polish your writing, eliminate all mistakes, and recommend all possible ways to improve it before you finally send it to the university of your choice.

We edit college essays but do NOT write admissions papers for our clients. Therefore, EssayEdge has nothing in common with the services that violate the academic integrity policies. Instead, your uniqueness is the most significant value to us. The customers know their strong sides and can share the most impressive facts from their academic path. And our task is to make the final touches to make it look perfect.

Opportunity to Boost Your Chances of Successful College Admission

The competition became considerably higher during the last admission cycle. And it continues to increase from year to year. As a result, it becomes harder for the admissions committee to choose the best candidate. Sometimes, even high test results are not enough to stand out from the crowd of applicants.

After the SAT became optional, the application essays became the tool for candidates to impress the committee. That’s why it should be brilliant if you do not want to miss your chance to get into a dream college. With EssayEdge college essay assistance, you will be confident that your college application document corresponds to all the requirements.

Professional College Essay Editing and Proofreading Without Damaging Your Unique Style

Our main task is to make your college essay better, but not damage it. Our team unites the best experts in college admissions essay editing and proofreading. And they will do their best to keep your unique style, as your unique story is sacred to us.

EssayEdge is about a variety of college essay services. For instance, a Premium Package has a number of benefits. You will get online consultations with the chosen proofreaders. They will help you brainstorm ideas and share useful tips on making your essay correspond to all instructions and keep your personal manner of writing.

EssayEdge > College Essay Editing

Why Choose Us

College application.

There are hundreds of candidates applying to the same college, so you should submit a competitive package of documents and edit your college essay thoroughly.

College essay editor from EssayEdge knows how to get beyond your transcript and let the admission officer realize why you should be accepted over other qualified applicants. With application essay editing help, you’ll show why you deserve a spot in next year’s class.

You write this essay to introduce yourself and show your potential contribution to the community. Personal statement brainstorming with our editors can help express your thoughts effectively.

This type of essay describes why you want to enter a specific college. Professional brainstorming with our experts may help you define your goals and write them down.

A well-written admission essay is your chance to stand out. Always submit additional essays if you have a chance to do so, focusing on your personality or the diversity that you will bring to the school.

A resume helps you explain what you’ve done outside of class, and how much time you devoted to it. It shows what you’ve accomplished. Remember to include part-time jobs or other obligations.

The letter of recommendation from your teacher will give colleges insight into how you perform academically within the classroom. We can help you find out what kind of letter will work best for you.

A cover letter is an essential part of your application package, so try to invest enough time in writing it. Our editors will ensure that your letter covers all the information related to the college of your choice.

Types of documents

Docs we can help with.

Writings essays often seems to be the biggest part of your application. Colleges always request some required and optional writing questions, so be sure to read your application instructions carefully.

Our editors are experienced in working with various types of essays; they will help you polish each document.

Work With Professional Editors

Our customers come back to us because our editors do their best to see our students succeed. They provide unrivaled help, guiding students through the application process.

"I am experienced editing undergraduate and graduate school application materials, academic papers and theses."

College; Graduate; Law; MBA; Medical School;

"What started out as a part-time job to pay for my college tuition quickly grew into a passion for admissions essay editing and counseling."

College; Graduate; Law; MBA; Medical School; Premier package;

"My aim is to ensure your unique skills, experience, and attributes are highlighted and shine through in your essays."

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"I perfect a client's writing while also addressing critical areas that need improvement, all while maintaining the client's unique voice."

"I have a unique perspective on the college admissions process and on the job application process."

"I am excited to help take your writing to the next level."

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" I improve an essay through specific and constructive feedback."

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"I pride myself on my detail-oriented and conscientious editing skills that I am sure to tailor to the individual needs of each client."

"I can handle most tasks, including resumes and applications for college and graduate studies. "

"I like to work on essays for graduate programs (Master’s and PhD) in any discipline."

College; Graduate; MBA;

I love supporting students with admissions essays, cover letters, academic essays, theses and dissertations.

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"My approach focuses on clarity and conciseness"

" I am experienced editing admissions essays, recommendation letters, as well as academic papers and theses."

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"I enjoy getting to know my customers and helping them reach their undergraduate and professional goals."

"I have a deep love for the written word and have thoroughly enjoyed my time working with high schoolers to strengthen their writing skills."

"I find great joy and satisfaction in crafting precise language, and in helping people tell their stories with honesty and style"

"I am well versed in working with both undergraduate and graduate application essays."

"Send me your admissions essays, research proposals, academic papers, and theses. Let’s get to work!”

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"My goal is to work with customers and help present their ideas in their own words in a professional and grammatically sound manner."

"I love supporting students so they can achieve more in their academic writing, from theses to admissions materials like personal statements."

"I enjoy helping clients tell their particular stories: who they are at heart and how they got to where they are now in their lives."

"I am looking forward to helping countless new students achieve their academic aspirations."

College; Cover Letter; Graduate; Law; MBA; Medical School;

"I’m a hands-on writing and editing coach. Let's work together to create an essay that stands out from the pack! "

How it works

Getting started is easy.

Place order

Provide the files you need help with and choose the type of service. Select your editor or let us recommend an expert.

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Pay online using our secure payment methods, such as Visa, MasterCard, American Express, and Discover.

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Log in to your personal customer area and track the process of transformation of your essay.

Download the final version of your essay, send it to an educational institution of your choice, enjoy a new chapter in your life.

Choose the Offer That Works Best for You

Proofreading

You did a great job and almost finished your essay, but you still need a final check. Our editor will proofread your work for typos and grammatical errors, providing you with minor constructive suggestions.

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You have a half-finished essay, but you still need proofreading and expert critique to strengthen your writing. Our editor will help improve your style and will provide a detailed review of the essay structure, content, and tone.

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Second reading +50% of order price

You need a package of documents that are consistent in style and complement each other. Submit 3+ documents in one order, and we will assign one editor to work on them. The editor will polish all your docs and add suggestions on style and tone.

1,800 - 2,400 words $275

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You need comprehensive assistance to start writing your admission essay. Our editor will guide you through the process, from topic brainstorming to the finished piece. The second reading is included in this package.

0 - 600 words $447

601 - 1,200 words $506

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What Our Customers Say

Using such services as application essay editing, brainstorming and proofreading, our customers have successfully submitted their applications.

Frequently Asked Questions

Please check Frequently Asked Questions to learn more about our service and the ways we can help with your school application.

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Getting College Essay Help: Important Do's and Don’ts

College Essays

If you grow up to be a professional writer, everything you write will first go through an editor before being published. This is because the process of writing is really a process of re-writing —of rethinking and reexamining your work, usually with the help of someone else. So what does this mean for your student writing? And in particular, what does it mean for very important, but nonprofessional writing like your college essay? Should you ask your parents to look at your essay? Pay for an essay service?

If you are wondering what kind of help you can, and should, get with your personal statement, you've come to the right place! In this article, I'll talk about what kind of writing help is useful, ethical, and even expected for your college admission essay . I'll also point out who would make a good editor, what the differences between editing and proofreading are, what to expect from a good editor, and how to spot and stay away from a bad one.

Table of Contents

What Kind of Help for Your Essay Can You Get?

What's Good Editing?

What should an editor do for you, what kind of editing should you avoid, proofreading, what's good proofreading, what kind of proofreading should you avoid.

What Do Colleges Think Of You Getting Help With Your Essay?

Who Can/Should Help You?

Advice for editors.

Should You Pay Money For Essay Editing?

The Bottom Line

What's next, what kind of help with your essay can you get.

Rather than talking in general terms about "help," let's first clarify the two different ways that someone else can improve your writing . There is editing, which is the more intensive kind of assistance that you can use throughout the whole process. And then there's proofreading, which is the last step of really polishing your final product.

Let me go into some more detail about editing and proofreading, and then explain how good editors and proofreaders can help you."

Editing is helping the author (in this case, you) go from a rough draft to a finished work . Editing is the process of asking questions about what you're saying, how you're saying it, and how you're organizing your ideas. But not all editing is good editing . In fact, it's very easy for an editor to cross the line from supportive to overbearing and over-involved.

Ability to clarify assignments. A good editor is usually a good writer, and certainly has to be a good reader. For example, in this case, a good editor should make sure you understand the actual essay prompt you're supposed to be answering.

Open-endedness. Good editing is all about asking questions about your ideas and work, but without providing answers. It's about letting you stick to your story and message, and doesn't alter your point of view.

Think of an editor as a great travel guide. It can show you the many different places your trip could take you. It should explain any parts of the trip that could derail your trip or confuse the traveler. But it never dictates your path, never forces you to go somewhere you don't want to go, and never ignores your interests so that the trip no longer seems like it's your own. So what should good editors do?

Help Brainstorm Topics

Sometimes it's easier to bounce thoughts off of someone else. This doesn't mean that your editor gets to come up with ideas, but they can certainly respond to the various topic options you've come up with. This way, you're less likely to write about the most boring of your ideas, or to write about something that isn't actually important to you.

If you're wondering how to come up with options for your editor to consider, check out our guide to brainstorming topics for your college essay .

Help Revise Your Drafts

Here, your editor can't upset the delicate balance of not intervening too much or too little. It's tricky, but a great way to think about it is to remember: editing is about asking questions, not giving answers .

Revision questions should point out:

• Places where more detail or more description would help the reader connect with your essay
• Places where structure and logic don't flow, losing the reader's attention
• Places where there aren't transitions between paragraphs, confusing the reader
• Moments where your narrative or the arguments you're making are unclear

But pointing to potential problems is not the same as actually rewriting—editors let authors fix the problems themselves.

Bad editing is usually very heavy-handed editing. Instead of helping you find your best voice and ideas, a bad editor changes your writing into their own vision.

You may be dealing with a bad editor if they:

• Add material (examples, descriptions) that doesn't come from you
• Use a thesaurus to make your college essay sound "more mature"
• Add meaning or insight to the essay that doesn't come from you
• Tell you what to say and how to say it
• Write sentences, phrases, and paragraphs for you
• Change your voice in the essay so it no longer sounds like it was written by a teenager

Colleges can tell the difference between a 17-year-old's writing and a 50-year-old's writing. Not only that, they have access to your SAT or ACT Writing section, so they can compare your essay to something else you wrote. Writing that's a little more polished is great and expected. But a totally different voice and style will raise questions.

Where's the Line Between Helpful Editing and Unethical Over-Editing?

Sometimes it's hard to tell whether your college essay editor is doing the right thing. Here are some guidelines for staying on the ethical side of the line.

• An editor should say that the opening paragraph is kind of boring, and explain what exactly is making it drag. But it's overstepping for an editor to tell you exactly how to change it.
• An editor should point out where your prose is unclear or vague. But it's completely inappropriate for the editor to rewrite that section of your essay.
• An editor should let you know that a section is light on detail or description. But giving you similes and metaphors to beef up that description is a no-go.

Proofreading (also called copy-editing) is checking for errors in the last draft of a written work. It happens at the end of the process and is meant as the final polishing touch. Proofreading is meticulous and detail-oriented, focusing on small corrections. It sands off all the surface rough spots that could alienate the reader.

Because proofreading is usually concerned with making fixes on the word or sentence level, this is the only process where someone else can actually add to or take away things from your essay . This is because what they are adding or taking away tends to be one or two misplaced letters.

Laser focus. Proofreading is all about the tiny details, so the ability to really concentrate on finding small slip-ups is a must.

Excellent grammar and spelling skills. Proofreaders need to dot every "i" and cross every "t." Good proofreaders should correct spelling, punctuation, capitalization, and grammar. They should put foreign words in italics and surround quotations with quotation marks. They should check that you used the correct college's name, and that you adhered to any formatting requirements (name and date at the top of the page, uniform font and size, uniform spacing).

Limited interference. A proofreader needs to make sure that you followed any word limits. But if cuts need to be made to shorten the essay, that's your job and not the proofreader's.

A bad proofreader either tries to turn into an editor, or just lacks the skills and knowledge necessary to do the job.

Some signs that you're working with a bad proofreader are:

• If they suggest making major changes to the final draft of your essay. Proofreading happens when editing is already finished.
• If they aren't particularly good at spelling, or don't know grammar, or aren't detail-oriented enough to find someone else's small mistakes.
• If they start swapping out your words for fancier-sounding synonyms, or changing the voice and sound of your essay in other ways. A proofreader is there to check for errors, not to take the 17-year-old out of your writing.

What Do Colleges Think of Your Getting Help With Your Essay?

Admissions officers agree: light editing and proofreading are good—even required ! But they also want to make sure you're the one doing the work on your essay. They want essays with stories, voice, and themes that come from you. They want to see work that reflects your actual writing ability, and that focuses on what you find important.

On the Importance of Editing

Get feedback. Have a fresh pair of eyes give you some feedback. Don't allow someone else to rewrite your essay, but do take advantage of others' edits and opinions when they seem helpful. ( Bates College )

Read your essay aloud to someone. Reading the essay out loud offers a chance to hear how your essay sounds outside your head. This exercise reveals flaws in the essay's flow, highlights grammatical errors and helps you ensure that you are communicating the exact message you intended. ( Dickinson College )

On the Value of Proofreading

Share your essays with at least one or two people who know you well—such as a parent, teacher, counselor, or friend—and ask for feedback. Remember that you ultimately have control over your essays, and your essays should retain your own voice, but others may be able to catch mistakes that you missed and help suggest areas to cut if you are over the word limit. ( Yale University )

Proofread and then ask someone else to proofread for you. Although we want substance, we also want to be able to see that you can write a paper for our professors and avoid careless mistakes that would drive them crazy. ( Oberlin College )

On Watching Out for Too Much Outside Influence

Limit the number of people who review your essay. Too much input usually means your voice is lost in the writing style. ( Carleton College )

Ask for input (but not too much). Your parents, friends, guidance counselors, coaches, and teachers are great people to bounce ideas off of for your essay. They know how unique and spectacular you are, and they can help you decide how to articulate it. Keep in mind, however, that a 45-year-old lawyer writes quite differently from an 18-year-old student, so if your dad ends up writing the bulk of your essay, we're probably going to notice. ( Vanderbilt University )

Now let's talk about some potential people to approach for your college essay editing and proofreading needs. It's best to start close to home and slowly expand outward. Not only are your family and friends more invested in your success than strangers, but they also have a better handle on your interests and personality. This knowledge is key for judging whether your essay is expressing your true self.

Parents or Close Relatives

Your family may be full of potentially excellent editors! Parents are deeply committed to your well-being, and family members know you and your life well enough to offer details or incidents that can be included in your essay. On the other hand, the rewriting process necessarily involves criticism, which is sometimes hard to hear from someone very close to you.

A parent or close family member is a great choice for an editor if you can answer "yes" to the following questions. Is your parent or close relative a good writer or reader? Do you have a relationship where editing your essay won't create conflict? Are you able to constructively listen to criticism and suggestion from the parent?

One suggestion for defusing face-to-face discussions is to try working on the essay over email. Send your parent a draft, have them write you back some comments, and then you can pick which of their suggestions you want to use and which to discard.

Teachers or Tutors

A humanities teacher that you have a good relationship with is a great choice. I am purposefully saying humanities, and not just English, because teachers of Philosophy, History, Anthropology, and any other classes where you do a lot of writing, are all used to reviewing student work.

Moreover, any teacher or tutor that has been working with you for some time, knows you very well and can vet the essay to make sure it "sounds like you."

If your teacher or tutor has some experience with what college essays are supposed to be like, ask them to be your editor. If not, then ask whether they have time to proofread your final draft.

Guidance or College Counselor at Your School

The best thing about asking your counselor to edit your work is that this is their job. This means that they have a very good sense of what colleges are looking for in an application essay.

At the same time, school counselors tend to have relationships with admissions officers in many colleges, which again gives them insight into what works and which college is focused on what aspect of the application.

Unfortunately, in many schools the guidance counselor tends to be way overextended. If your ratio is 300 students to 1 college counselor, you're unlikely to get that person's undivided attention and focus. It is still useful to ask them for general advice about your potential topics, but don't expect them to be able to stay with your essay from first draft to final version.

Friends, Siblings, or Classmates

Although they most likely don't have much experience with what colleges are hoping to see, your peers are excellent sources for checking that your essay is you .

Friends and siblings are perfect for the read-aloud edit. Read your essay to them so they can listen for words and phrases that are stilted, pompous, or phrases that just don't sound like you.

You can even trade essays and give helpful advice on each other's work.

If your editor hasn't worked with college admissions essays very much, no worries! Any astute and attentive reader can still greatly help with your process. But, as in all things, beginners do better with some preparation.

First, your editor should read our advice about how to write a college essay introduction , how to spot and fix a bad college essay , and get a sense of what other students have written by going through some admissions essays that worked .

Then, as they read your essay, they can work through the following series of questions that will help them to guide you.

Introduction Questions

• Is the first sentence a killer opening line? Why or why not?
• Does the introduction hook the reader? Does it have a colorful, detailed, and interesting narrative? Or does it propose a compelling or surprising idea?
• Can you feel the author's voice in the introduction, or is the tone dry, dull, or overly formal? Show the places where the voice comes through.

Essay Body Questions

• Does the essay have a through-line? Is it built around a central argument, thought, idea, or focus? Can you put this idea into your own words?
• How is the essay organized? By logical progression? Chronologically? Do you feel order when you read it, or are there moments where you are confused or lose the thread of the essay?
• Does the essay have both narratives about the author's life and explanations and insight into what these stories reveal about the author's character, personality, goals, or dreams? If not, which is missing?
• Does the essay flow? Are there smooth transitions/clever links between paragraphs? Between the narrative and moments of insight?

Reader Response Questions

• Does the writer's personality come through? Do we know what the speaker cares about? Do we get a sense of "who he or she is"?
• Where did you feel most connected to the essay? Which parts of the essay gave you a "you are there" sensation by invoking your senses? What moments could you picture in your head well?
• Where are the details and examples vague and not specific enough?
• Did you get an "a-ha!" feeling anywhere in the essay? Is there a moment of insight that connected all the dots for you? Is there a good reveal or "twist" anywhere in the essay?
• What are the strengths of this essay? What needs the most improvement?

Should You Pay Money for Essay Editing?

One alternative to asking someone you know to help you with your college essay is the paid editor route. There are two different ways to pay for essay help: a private essay coach or a less personal editing service , like the many proliferating on the internet.

My advice is to think of these options as a last resort rather than your go-to first choice. I'll first go through the reasons why. Then, if you do decide to go with a paid editor, I'll help you decide between a coach and a service.

When to Consider a Paid Editor

In general, I think hiring someone to work on your essay makes a lot of sense if none of the people I discussed above are a possibility for you.

If you can't ask your parents. For example, if your parents aren't good writers, or if English isn't their first language. Or if you think getting your parents to help is going create unnecessary extra conflict in your relationship with them (applying to college is stressful as it is!)

If you can't ask your teacher or tutor. Maybe you don't have a trusted teacher or tutor that has time to look over your essay with focus. Or, for instance, your favorite humanities teacher has very limited experience with college essays and so won't know what admissions officers want to see.

If you can't ask your guidance counselor. This could be because your guidance counselor is way overwhelmed with other students.

If you can't share your essay with those who know you. It might be that your essay is on a very personal topic that you're unwilling to share with parents, teachers, or peers. Just make sure it doesn't fall into one of the bad-idea topics in our article on bad college essays .

If the cost isn't a consideration. Many of these services are quite expensive, and private coaches even more so. If you have finite resources, I'd say that hiring an SAT or ACT tutor (whether it's PrepScholar or someone else) is better way to spend your money . This is because there's no guarantee that a slightly better essay will sufficiently elevate the rest of your application, but a significantly higher SAT score will definitely raise your applicant profile much more.

Should You Hire an Essay Coach?

On the plus side, essay coaches have read dozens or even hundreds of college essays, so they have experience with the format. Also, because you'll be working closely with a specific person, it's more personal than sending your essay to a service, which will know even less about you.

But, on the minus side, you'll still be bouncing ideas off of someone who doesn't know that much about you . In general, if you can adequately get the help from someone you know, there is no advantage to paying someone to help you.

If you do decide to hire a coach, ask your school counselor, or older students that have used the service for recommendations. If you can't afford the coach's fees, ask whether they can work on a sliding scale —many do. And finally, beware those who guarantee admission to your school of choice—essay coaches don't have any special magic that can back up those promises.

Should You Send Your Essay to a Service?

On the plus side, essay editing services provide a similar product to essay coaches, and they cost significantly less . If you have some assurance that you'll be working with a good editor, the lack of face-to-face interaction won't prevent great results.

On the minus side, however, it can be difficult to gauge the quality of the service before working with them . If they are churning through many application essays without getting to know the students they are helping, you could end up with an over-edited essay that sounds just like everyone else's. In the worst case scenario, an unscrupulous service could send you back a plagiarized essay.

Getting recommendations from friends or a school counselor for reputable services is key to avoiding heavy-handed editing that writes essays for you or does too much to change your essay. Including a badly-edited essay like this in your application could cause problems if there are inconsistencies. For example, in interviews it might be clear you didn't write the essay, or the skill of the essay might not be reflected in your schoolwork and test scores.

Should You Buy an Essay Written by Someone Else?

Let me elaborate. There are super sketchy places on the internet where you can simply buy a pre-written essay. Don't do this!

For one thing, you'll be lying on an official, signed document. All college applications make you sign a statement saying something like this:

I certify that all information submitted in the admission process—including the application, the personal essay, any supplements, and any other supporting materials—is my own work, factually true, and honestly presented... I understand that I may be subject to a range of possible disciplinary actions, including admission revocation, expulsion, or revocation of course credit, grades, and degree, should the information I have certified be false. (From the Common Application )

For another thing, if your academic record doesn't match the essay's quality, the admissions officer will start thinking your whole application is riddled with lies.

Admission officers have full access to your writing portion of the SAT or ACT so that they can compare work that was done in proctored conditions with that done at home. They can tell if these were written by different people. Not only that, but there are now a number of search engines that faculty and admission officers can use to see if an essay contains strings of words that have appeared in other essays—you have no guarantee that the essay you bought wasn't also bought by 50 other students.

• You should get college essay help with both editing and proofreading
• A good editor will ask questions about your idea, logic, and structure, and will point out places where clarity is needed
• A good editor will absolutely not answer these questions, give you their own ideas, or write the essay or parts of the essay for you
• A good proofreader will find typos and check your formatting
• All of them agree that getting light editing and proofreading is necessary
• Parents, teachers, guidance or college counselor, and peers or siblings
• If you can't ask any of those, you can pay for college essay help, but watch out for services or coaches who over-edit you work
• Don't buy a pre-written essay! Colleges can tell, and it'll make your whole application sound false.

Ready to start working on your essay? Check out our explanation of the point of the personal essay and the role it plays on your applications and then explore our step-by-step guide to writing a great college essay .

Using the Common Application for your college applications? We have an excellent guide to the Common App essay prompts and useful advice on how to pick the Common App prompt that's right for you . Wondering how other people tackled these prompts? Then work through our roundup of over 130 real college essay examples published by colleges .

Stressed about whether to take the SAT again before submitting your application? Let us help you decide how many times to take this test . If you choose to go for it, we have the ultimate guide to studying for the SAT to give you the ins and outs of the best ways to study.

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Proofreading your College Admissions Essays

Proofreading your college admissions essays is an important often undervalued step in the college application process. Whether you are wrapping up the last details for your Early Admissions application, or prepping for a Regular Decision submission, performing one last thorough scour of what you have down on the page is a crucial step before pressing that submit button. While we are confident you have all been toiling away by the light of your computers, debating the use of different adjectives, and scanning your essays for errant commas, we have a few last tips to help ensure you catch any tiny mistakes and submit the most polished essay possible.

• Employ spelling and grammar checks.  Use the tools that are available to you, dear students. We hope that your drafting process has taken place, not within the Common Application’s unreliable text box, but rather within a trusty document on a word processing program like Microsoft Word. If not, transfer that puppy over right now and take advantage of the inherent spelling and grammar check tools. While these mechanisms are not foolproof, they will help you get a cursory survey of unrecognized grammar errors. Let your smartypants computer lead the way.
• When in doubt, look up the rule.  So you don’t know which one is grammatically correct: “doctor’s office” or “doctors’ office.” Luckily for you, you live in the age of the Internet, where grammar snobs and language obsessives spend their free time expounding upon just this kind of minutiae for the benefit of the lost grammatical souls of the world. If you are unsure about the spelling or usage of even a single word, it is always best to double-check it on the World Wide Web. However, do keep in mind, this is the Internet we’re consulting. Be sure to confirm grammar rules via multiple, reliable sources before you implement any suggestions from friendly wordsmithing “experts.”
• Let mom and dad take a peek.  We know for some of you, your parents have been involved in the essay process all along. You folks can skip this step. For others who requested that their parents remain more distanced from the process, showing parents a final draft can be a little tricky. It is your college application, not your parents’, after all; and no one has more to say than a parent scanning his/her beloved child’s attempt to synthesize a crucial life moment or lifelong aspiration in 650 words. Still, no one in the world knows you better than your mom and pops, and no one will be more invested in your overall success than the people who raised you. Show parents your essay with confidence. Let them find any random mistakes that escaped your gaze. Listen to what they have to say, take helpful advice, and ultimately, stick to your guns and submit the essay you believe in.
• Do not show ninety of your closest friends your final draft.  Also refrain from showing your (admittedly, very smart) Aunt Suzy, your next-door neighbor who fancies herself an editor, and the family dog, who once ate your homework and now thinks he can read. The old adage of “ask a million people and you will get a million opinions” is absolutely true. Also true is that a million opinions swirling around in your noggin two days before your application is due will drive you absolutely insane. Instead, channel the opinion that is most important: Your own. Read over your essay. Love it. Believe in it. Trust yourself.
• Put it to bed.  Once you have run through your final review checklist, save your document. Copy and paste the final essay into the Common App text box, and adjust spacing as necessary. Make sure there are returned spaces between your paragraphs. Take the application all the way through to the “Print Preview” step so you can check to make sure all proper formatting is reflected, save your application and go to sleep. Tomorrow morning, wake up and read the essay once more with a fresh brain. Don’t. Change. A. Thing. Revel in the glory of your hard work. Press send, and get yourself a cookie. You are on your way.

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How to (Quickly) Format Your Common App Essay

July 18, 2024

On August 1st, the Common Application will officially go live for the 2024-25 admissions season. If you’ll be applying to any colleges using this form, it’s a smart idea to start inputting information as soon as possible. Accordingly, many students wonder if there is a specific way to format their Common App essay. We’re here with the answer to this and other frequently asked Common App-related questions in today’s blog.

An important message before we review formatting: please (please!) work on your essays outside of the Common App form . Online applications can be glitchy. As such, the safest route is to write and finalize your essay in Google Docs or Microsoft Word before inserting it into the application.

How should I format my Common App essay?

To format your essays correctly in the Common App, follow these steps:

• Select the prompt you’ve responded to.
• Copy and paste your finalized essay into the text box .
• Check that you have not exceeded the word count. Occasionally, the word count you see in word processing applications is not accurate, especially if you use special symbols like hyphens.
• Insert text formatting, if necessary. Available text formatting options include bolding, italicizing, and underlining. While you may need to use italics for book titles, movie titles, words in a language other than English, etc. there are few good reasons to use bolding or underlining in an essay.
• Remove spaces between paragraphs. The application automatically places a space between each paragraph. If you already have a space, it will become a double space.
• Left align each paragraph . The Common App form does not allow tabbing, so it can be difficult to indent your paragraphs consistently. Left aligning is the simplest option.
• Finally, click the “Preview” button in the top left corner of your screen to see how your essay will look to the reader.

Why should I bother formatting my Common App essay?

Incorrect or sloppy formatting can be distracting for a reader, especially if there are

different degrees of spacing between your paragraphs,

inconsistent indentation.

Formatting your essays correctly makes it easier for the reader to focus on your content versus its presentation.

Does my Common App essay need a title?

You do not need a title for your Common App essay. With such a limited word count, a title will add little to your composition. Instead, we recommend dedicating the time, word count, and energy that it takes to come up with a title to other aspects of your essay.

How long should my Common App essay be?

The official word count for the Common App essay is 250 to 650 words. That said, the most effective essays we’ve seen are typically between 500 and 650 words. A 250 to 300-word response is often too short to be effective or revealing, so you’ll want to aim for a higher word count if possible.

Does font size matter?

You have to use Size 16 Wingdings. Just kidding. Any (legible) font and font size is perfectly fine—the application will automatically reformat when you paste it into the application text box.

Can I make changes to my essay after submitting?

Yes, but there is a caveat. Let’s say you submit an application to Duke and decide you want to change or add something to your essay before you submit it to Harvard and Stanford. You can go ahead and do this, but those changes would not register on applications that you have already submitted, only on applications that you have yet to submit.

Technically, you can submit completely different versions of your Common App essay to different schools, but there are very few situations in which we would actually recommend this.

Do all colleges on the Common Application require the Common App essay?

Nope. Many do, but some do not. For others, it is optional (pro tip: always submit if optional).

You can find this information within the “Writing” tab on the main Common App form:

For any schools in the “Not Required” section, check their “Application Information” area in the “My Colleges” tab for further insight.

For example, the University of Washington specifies the following:

No Common App personal essay

The Common App personal essay will not be reviewed as part of your application to the University of Washington. Be sure to complete the University of Washington writing section to tell us everything you want us to know.

This means that you can use your Common Application essay (usually as-is) for UW’s required personal statement.

In addition to the Common App essay, what other essays will I have to write?

This depends on which schools you are applying to. Starting August 1, you can start gathering supplemental essays for every school on your list. To do that:

• Add the school(s) you’re applying to in the “College Search” tab.
• Click on the “My Colleges” tab to see the colleges you’ve added.
• Fill out basic information about yourself, including your intended major or choice of department. Sometimes, your choice of major or program triggers additional essays.
• Click through every drop-down tab of the school’s “Questions” section. Most often, supplemental essays are found in the “Writing” or “Writing Supplement” areas, but they can be located elsewhere as well.

We recommend collecting all your essays in one place before you start working. Understanding which prompts you need to write will help you balance information across your application. For example, if a particular school does not require/review the Common Application personal statement, you can adapt its content for use in other essays.

Final Thoughts

After all the hard work you put into your essays, there are just a few final steps to attend to before you submit those essays to your colleges of choice. Luckily, formatting your Common App essay correctly can be completed quickly and will pay major dividends toward your application’s overall presentation.

Looking for additional essay-writing resources? We’ve got you covered:

• Common App Essay Prompts
• 10 Instructive Common App Essay Examples
• College Application Essay Topics to Avoid
• Should I Complete Optional College Essays?
• How to Brainstorm a College Essay
• 25 Inspiring College Essay Topics
• “Why This College?” Essay Examples
• How to Write the Community Essay
• College Essay

Kelsea Conlin

Kelsea holds a BA in English with a concentration in Creative Writing from Tufts University, a graduate certificate in College Counseling from UCLA, and an MA in Teaching Writing from Johns Hopkins University. Her short fiction is forthcoming in Chautauqua .

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Essays and Short Answer Prompts

The Penn application process includes a personal essay —which is sent to most schools you apply to—as well as a few short answer prompts . We read your words carefully, as they are yet another window into how you think, what you value, and how you see the world. Through your writing, we get a glimpse of what you might bring to our community—including your voice and creativity. 

Remember, you are the expert on your story. This is an opportunity for you to reflect and understand who you are now, and who you want to be in the future. You have the agency to choose the information you want to share. This is your story: your experiences, your ideas, your perspective.   

A Few Writing Tips

• Review the prompts thoroughly.  Be sure you’re answering the question or prompt being asked. Topics are chosen because the Admissions Committee wants to know specific things about you. If you don’t address them directly, we are left to make decisions regarding your application with incomplete information. 
• Consider your response carefully.  We understand that you may be writing responses for different schools and you may want to reuse material, but be sure to read through your response to make sure it is relevant to the prompt. 
• Double-check your writing.  Give yourself time to revisit your response. Try to avoid rushing your writing process so you have time to revise your work. Ultimately, it is up to you to polish and proofread your writing before you submit. 
• Do your research. Are there classes you’re eager to take? Research opportunities you’d love to pursue? A group or club you want to be a part of? This kind of specificity shows us you’re serious about Penn and have thought about how you’d spend your time here. 

2023-24 Short Answer and Essay Prompts

When answering these prompts, be precise when explaining both why you are applying to Penn and why you have chosen to apply to that specific undergraduate school. Some of our specialized programs will have additional essays to complete, but the  Penn short answer prompts should address your single-degree or single-school choice.  

• Write a short thank-you note to someone you have not yet thanked and would like to acknowledge. (We encourage you to share this note with that person, if possible, and reflect on the experience!) (150-200 words, not required for transfer applicants) 
• How will you explore community at Penn? Consider how Penn will help shape your perspective, and how your experiences and perspective will help shape Penn. (150-200 words) 
• The school-specific prompt is unique to the school to which you are applying. (For example, all applicants applying to the College of Arts and Sciences will respond to the prompt under the “College of Arts and Sciences” section). Considering the undergraduate school you have selected for your single-degree option, please respond to your school-specific prompt below.  

Transfer Essay (required for all transfer applicants): Please explain your reasons for transferring from your current institution and what you hope to gain by transferring to another institution. (4150 characters) 

Undergraduate School-Specific Short Answer Prompts

For students applying to coordinated dual-degree and specialized programs, please answer this question about your single-degree school choice; your interest in the coordinated dual-degree or specialized program may be addressed through the program-specific essay.  

Penn Nursing intends to meet the health needs of society in a global and multicultural world by preparing its students to impact healthcare by advancing science and promoting equity. What do you think this means for the future of nursing, and how do you see yourself contributing to our mission of promoting equity in healthcare? (150-200 words) 

To help inform your response, applicants are encouraged to learn more about  Penn Nursing’s mission and how we promote equity in healthcare . This information will help you develop a stronger understanding of our values and how they align with your own goals and aspirations. 

The flexible structure of The College of Arts and Sciences’ curriculum is designed to inspire exploration, foster connections, and help you create a path of study through general education courses and a major. What are you curious about and how would you take advantage of opportunities in the arts and sciences? (150-200 words) 

To help inform your response, applicants are encouraged to learn more about the  academic offerings within the College of Arts and Sciences .  This information will help you develop a stronger understanding of how the study of the liberal arts aligns with your own goals and aspirations. 

Wharton prepares its students to make an impact by applying business methods and economic theory to real-world problems, including economic, political, and social issues.  Please reflect on a current issue of importance to you and share how you hope a Wharton education would help you to explore it.  (150-200 words) 

To help inform your response, applicants are encouraged to learn more about  the foundations of a Wharton education . This information will help you better understand what you could learn by studying at Wharton and what you could do afterward. 

Penn Engineering prepares its students to become leaders in technology, by combining a strong foundation in the natural sciences and mathematics, exploration in the liberal arts, and depth of study in focused disciplinary majors. Please share how you hope to explore your engineering interests at Penn. (150-200 words) 

To help inform your response, applicants are encouraged to learn more about  Penn Engineering and its mission to prepare students for global leadership in technology . This information will help you develop a stronger understanding of academic pathways within Penn Engineering and how they align with your goals and interests. 

Coordinated Dual Degree and Specialized Program Essay Prompts

For students applying to coordinated dual-degree and specialized programs, please answer the program-specific essay below. 

** Numbers marked with double asterisks indicate a character count that only applies to transfer students applying through Common App.  

Why are you interested in the Digital Media Design (DMD) program at the University of Pennsylvania? (400-650 words / 3575 characters**) 

We encourage you to learn more about the DMD: Digital Media Design Program . 

The Huntsman Program supports the development of globally minded scholars who become engaged citizens, creative innovators, and ethical leaders in the public, private, and non-profit sectors in the United States and internationally. What draws you to a dual-degree program in business and international studies, and how would you use what you learn to contribute to a global issue where business and international affairs intersect? (400-650 words) 

The LSM program aims to provide students with a fundamental understanding of the life sciences and their management with an eye to identifying, advancing, and implementing innovations. What issues would you want to address using the understanding gained from such a program? Note that this essay should be distinct from your single degree essay. (400-650 words) 

• Explain how you will use the M&T program to explore your interest in business, engineering, and the intersection of the two. (400-650 words) 
• Describe a problem that you solved that showed leadership and creativity. (250 words) 

Describe your interests in modern networked information systems and technologies, such as the internet, and their impact on society, whether in terms of economics, communication, or the creation of beneficial content for society. Feel free to draw on examples from your own experiences as a user, developer, or student of technology. (400-650 words / 3575 characters**) 

Discuss your interest in nursing and health care management. How might Penn's coordinated dual-degree program in nursing and business help you meet your goals? (400-650 words) 

How do you envision your participation in the Vagelos Integrated Program in Energy Research (VIPER) furthering your interests in energy science and technology? Please include any past experiences (ex. academic, research, or extracurricular) that have led to your interest in the program. Additionally, please indicate why you are interested in pursuing dual degrees in science and engineering and which VIPER majors are most interesting to you at this time. (400-650 words) 

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Common Pitfalls of College Application Essays and How to Avoid Them

POSTED ON 07/19/2024 BY The Red Pen

When applicants start writing college essays, they are often inundated with advice on content. However, the true challenge lies not in deciding what to include but in discerning what to avoid. Whether you’re tackling the main personal essay or each college’s unique supplements, it is wise to seek the counsel of seasoned admission professionals with extensive experience in evaluating countless applications. That’s why, while we highlight the common pitfalls of crafting college essays in this blog, we complement it with guidance from The Red Pen’s leadership, Kim Dixit and Namita Mehta. Their expertise equips applicants with practical strategies to navigate this process. 

Pitfall 1: Second-guessing admissions officers

When navigating the college admissions process, applicants naturally feel pressured to present themselves in a way they think admissions officers will find appealing. However, this approach can backfire for several reasons. Firstly, focusing too much on the expectations of admissions officers can result in a loss of authenticity. Applicants may craft an application that feels generic and insincere rather than showcasing their true selves and unique qualities. This lack of authenticity can also lead to a superficial essay that doesn’t show an applicant’s genuine strengths and aspirations.

Pro-Tip: Embrace authenticity – Kim, our CEO and Co-founder, emphasises the power of authenticity in college essays, stating, “Instead of second-guessing, it’s an effective approach to engage in self-reflection and careful preparation. Take the time to reflect on experiences that have helped you grow and learn more about yourself. Sharing authentic growth stories will help you stand out and can foster a stronger connection with your reader. This approach not only enhances the essay but it is also likely to make a memorable impression on admissions officers.”

Pitfall 2: Using the cookie-cutter approach 

Many applicants use a one-size-fits-all approach when writing supplemental college essays. This involves reusing the same essay or a slightly modified version for multiple universities without adapting it to each institution’s specific programmes or values. While you may save time, this approach can backfire if you’ve overlooked the unique characteristics of each university, failed to demonstrate genuine interest, or have not addressed specific essay prompts effectively.

Pro-Tip: Write supplemental essays differently – Namita Mehta, The Red Pen’s President, recommends a personalised approach to essay writing that involves thoroughly researching each university. She says, “The prompts for supplemental essays are focused on why you want to attend a particular university or why you want to pursue a specific major. In supplemental essays, applicants must highlight aspects of the university or a major that connect with their academic and personal experiences and align with their long-term goals.” 

Pitfall 3: Being redundant 

In their essays, many applicants tend to include an exhaustive list of experiences or achievements in their essays that they’ve already mentioned elsewhere in their application. Remember, the undergraduate application is a comprehensive 10-page document. Therefore, it is crucial not to repeat content. For instance, writing an essay elaborating on a competition you’ve mentioned in your activities section isn’t recommended. Admissions officers use the essay to gain deeper insights beyond activities, grades, and extracurriculars. They want to understand the applicant’s thought process, personal growth, and motivations. The essay should be used as an opportunity to showcase these aspects.

Pro-Tip: Focus on meaningful experiences – Kim advises, “A more effective approach is to select specific moments or experiences that are meaningful and relevant to an applicant’s personal journey. These moments should ideally demonstrate character traits such as resilience, leadership, creativity, or empathy while revealing aspects of a student’s personal growth. When an essay focuses on surface-level accomplishments or information listed elsewhere in the application, it misses the opportunity to demonstrate how specific character strengths can enrich a campus community.” 

Pitfall 4: Relying on AI

In an era dominated by artificial intelligence tools, a growing temptation exists to rely on technology like ChatGPT to shape one’s narrative. However, we strongly advise against this approach. AI-written essays are easily detectable to the trained eye of seasoned admissions officers. Furthermore, universities use plagiarism detection tools like   Turnitin , which now includes an AI detection feature. If admissions officers detect AI-generated content in your essay, they immediately discredit your application. 

Pro-Tip: Use AI for brainstorming instead – Namita suggests, “AI can be a valuable tool for brainstorming and refining essays, allowing applicants to harness its efficiency while maintaining control over their narrative authenticity. It’s crucial to recognise that no chatbot or NLP tool can convey personal experiences as authentically as the applicants themselves. Based on an AI-generated mindmap, applicants can imbue their essays with genuine reflections, emotions, and perspectives that resonate with admissions committees.”

Pitfall 5: Seeking opinions of several editors

Applicants often feel compelled to seek feedback on their college application essays from multiple editors or advisors, hoping to polish their work for maximum impact. However, essays are inherently qualitative; there is no “right answer.” Even within The Red Pen Team, one advisor might favour an essay; another might not. This diversity of opinions can lead to confusion. Ultimately, applicants should prioritise the version that best represents them rather than the one filled with the fanciest vocabulary and complicated sentences.

Pro-Tip: Select two or three trusted editors – Kim advises applicants to be selective in their approach as it safeguards the integrity of their essays. “Limiting the number of editors ensures you’ll receive thoughtful and constructive feedback that aligns closely with your voice and vision. This selective approach helps prevent the dilution or distortion of your narrative. Moreover, it allows you to control  the communicated ideas, ensuring that the final essay genuinely reflects your capabilities and perspectives.”

Pitfall 6: Presenting an idealised version of yourself

Applicants often feel pressured to portray a glorified version of themselves in college essays. This can lead to exaggerating accomplishments, adopting a persona they think fits the mould of a perfect candidate, or even mimicking styles of writing that don’t reflect their true selves. But this often backfires because the essay feels forced, and admissions officers are adept at spotting inauthenticity. 

Pro-Tip: Be true to your writing style – Namita says, “If humour isn’t your strength, avoid writing a funny essay. In your limited space, express yourself sincerely and thoroughly, with all the emotional nuances and exactness of your feelings. Only then can you create an engaging essay that leaves the reader wanting to hear more.”

Pitfall 7: Being unintentionally offensive

When crafting the college essay, applicants must be mindful of what could offend someone’s sensibilities, which could have severe consequences for their application. Topics related to religion, politics, or socioeconomic status without careful consideration of diverse viewpoints could inadvertently offend readers. Colleges and universities value students who are both academically capable and socially and culturally aware, as these qualities contribute to a harmonious and enriching campus community. 

Pro-Tip: Prioritise cultural sensitivity  – Kim suggests, “Carefully review your essays from a cultural sensitivity perspective. Consider whether any anecdotes, opinions, or interpretations could be misinterpreted or cause discomfort to someone from different cultural backgrounds. Engaging with diverse viewpoints respectfully and thoughtfully can strengthen your essay, demonstrating maturity and readiness to contribute positively to campus life.”

Pitfall 8: Writing a sob story

Applicants are frequently advised to delve into topics such as grief, hardship, or other deeply personal experiences in their college essays to reveal their authentic selves. This advice demonstrates how the experience has shaped the applicant’s growth and development. However, you may get caught up in describing the intricacies of the challenging event itself rather than reflecting on its transformative impact. For example, recounting the loss of a loved one without clearly articulating how it fostered resilience makes the essay emotionally heavy. It fails to highlight the applicant’s strengths and potential effectively.

Pro-Tip: Name it and share the impact – Namita says, “When writing your essays, aim to balance authenticity and reflection. It’s crucial to narrate your experiences and underscore the meaningful insights gained and the personal growth that resulted. For example, if you discuss a setback such as being diagnosed with a life-altering disease, reflect on how you navigated the initial shock and later supported fellow students coping with the same affliction. This approach enriches the essay’s impact and bolsters your overall candidacy by demonstrating your maturity, introspection, and preparedness for the challenges of higher education.” 

Pitfall 9: Focusing too much on the mentor or influencer

When applicants choose to write about someone who has significantly influenced them, such as a family member, teacher, or mentor, they often unintentionally make the essay more about the influencer than about themselves. While it’s natural to want to honour and showcase the impact of these influential figures, the essay risks becoming a tribute rather than a personal reflection.  This can lead to the applicant’s unique experiences being overshadowed, making it challenging for admissions officers to understand their individuality, personal growth, and aspirations. Therefore, it is crucial for applicants to highlight their own journey and the specific ways in which the influencer’s guidance and support have shaped them.

Pro-Tip: Maintain a balanced narrative – Kim says, “The essay should primarily explore how the mentor has shaped your personal journey and perspectives. Avoid recounting their achievements or qualities; instead, focus on specific moments or lessons that have profoundly impacted your growth. By reflecting on your own evolution and insights gained through this relationship, you not only highlight your unique qualities but also demonstrate your capacity for introspection and self-awareness.”

In conclusion, crafting a standout college essay requires more than just understanding what to include; it’s equally important to know what to avoid. By removing these common pitfalls, applicants can create authentic, engaging, and memorable essays that could increase the chances of admission. You may also read our blog on how to write a reflective essay and why you need to start your essays early. If you need further guidance with your college essays or application, please contact us . We look forward to assisting you.

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What to avoid in college application essays | College Connection

An important part of the Common Application, which is accepted by more than 1,000 colleges, is the personal essay. Students are given six options as prompts, as well as a seventh option which is to share an essay on a topic of choice.  So, students can write about anything at all.

The essay is an integral part of the application, as it is typically viewed by all the schools to which a student applies.  It is the one section where students have the opportunity to share what is unique about them and what qualities they will bring to their future college community.

To make their essay stand out, students should avoid some common pitfalls.

Do not cheat. That means students should not turn to ChatGPT or to another person  to write their essay. This should go without saying but, sadly, it does need to be said. College admissions officers know what the “voice” of a teenager sounds like, and that’s exactly what they’re looking for.

More: Top colleges where 'B' students are accepted | College Connection

Do not write about mental health issues. Although many young people, as well as those in every age group, deal with such issues, it is important not to share that information. Due to privacy laws, colleges are not able to contact parents if students struggle with depression, substance abuse, or any other troubling behavior. Therefore, students should not raise a red flag, or they will most likely find their applications in the “rejected” pile.

Do not be redundant. One’s personal essay is not the place to itemize the extracurricular, volunteer, and work experiences that are all included in the Activities section of the Common App. If there is one activity that dominated a student’s high school experience and is particularly compelling, it can be the topic of the essay. But students must elaborate on how they were profoundly impacted by their engagement. 

More: How where you live affects your college admissions chances | College Connection

Do not recycle successful essays that were submitted by prior applicants. Often, students turn to the multitude of articles showcasing essays written by students who were admitted to Ivy League and other elite institutions. What worked for a prior student will not be effective for another as it’s not their story. It’s vital for students to share their genuine story using their authentic voice.   The key to writing a thoughtful, introspective essay is to start early, carefully consider the story you want to share, and then do so in your very own style.

Susan Alaimo is the founder & director of Collegebound Review, offering PSAT/SAT ® preparation & private college advising by Ivy League educated instructors. Visit CollegeboundReview.com or call 908-369-5362 .

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What We Know About the Global Microsoft Outage

Airlines to banks to retailers were affected in many countries. Businesses are struggling to recover.

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By Eshe Nelson and Danielle Kaye

Eshe Nelson reported from London and Danielle Kaye from New York.

Across the world, critical businesses and services including airlines, hospitals, train networks and TV stations, were disrupted on Friday by a global tech outage affecting Microsoft users.

In many countries, flights were grounded, workers could not get access to their systems and, in some cases, customers could not make card payments in stores. While some of the problems were resolved within hours, many businesses, websites and airlines continued to struggle to recover.

What happened?

A series of outages rippled across the globe as information displays, login systems and broadcasting networks went dark.

The problem affecting the majority of services was caused by a flawed update by CrowdStrike , an American cybersecurity firm, whose systems are intended to protect users from hackers. Microsoft said on Friday that it was aware of an issue affecting machines running “CrowdStrike Falcon.”

But Microsoft had also said there was an earlier outage affecting U.S. users of Azure, its cloud service system. Some users may have been affected by both. Even as CrowdStrike sent out a fix, some systems were still affected by midday in the United States as businesses needed to make manual updates to their systems to resolve the issue.

George Kurtz, the president and chief executive of CrowdStrike, said on Friday morning that it could take some time for some systems to recover.

How a Software Update Crashed Computers Around the World

Here’s a visual explanation for how a faulty software update crippled machines.

How the airline cancellations rippled around the world (and across time zones)

Share of canceled flights at 25 airports on Friday

50% of flights

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Dhaka Shahjalal

Minneapolis-Saint P aul

Stuttga r t

Melbou r ne

Be r lin B r anden b urg

London City

Amsterdam Schiphol

Chicago O'Hare

Raleigh−Durham

B r adl e y

Cha r lotte

Reagan National

Philadelphia

1:20 a.m. ET

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