Preparing your college essays for graduate school…
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Albert Einstein once quoted: “Education is what remains when one has forgotten everything he learned in school.”
And with that philosophical musing, let’s get back to the real world where the rule of thumb is the more education you possess (regardless of whether you’ve forgotten what you’ve studied) the potential of living a comfortable life is guaranteed, realistically.
Numerous studies have shown that college graduates make more money than high school graduates. Yes, for their efforts of taking the test (perhaps the GMAT/ GRE), preparing the college admission essays and so on and so forth. But that’s not all! Apart from monetary incentives, the social incentive is also heartening for those who put their time and efforts into education. Very simply, it means that you not only find yourself a career which is distinctly related to how you see yourself i.e. self-worth but also garner respect (and perhaps, adulation) from your peers and elders for having a scholarly abbreviation right next to your name and on your business card, perhaps.
That’s the life we all dream about, yet the road to getting there can be tough but well-earned. And an integral element of gaining admission into college is writing out the college admission essays really well.
As far as any college aspirant knows, there are three documents that have to be written out as a part of the admission requirements.
The statement of purpose normally consists of 1000 to 1500 words and should provide a snapshot of your life experience either professionally or academically, why you intend to pursue this course at this particular institution and how it fits into your long-term and short term goals. Since clarity is encouraged, the aspiring student should also elicit their interests (apart from their academic affiliations), how you intend to contribute to your classmates in learning and to the various clubs and groups in college.
And it is not only what you write in this document that matters but also your choice of words and the tone that counts for a lot. The statement should be a clear and logical ‘reflection’ of who you are, what you want to do and where you want to be while portraying a healthy sense of narcissism.
In some cases, student tend to overdo it by making tall and exaggerated claims about one’s personality/ achievements or by stating goals that aren’t measurable and achievable. This should be avoided at all costs.
The college admission essays are next and require you to answer simple questions about different aspects of your professional or personal life with the expectations of your ability to intellectualize and perhaps idealize, in a concise and understandable manner. The essays have a strict word limit of about 200 to 500 words, depending on which college and course you decide to attend.
Here is an example of a question:
“Please provide a detailed example from your professional experience related to one of the following topic areas: a) risk-taking; b) teamwork; c) failure; or d) innovation. Please be sure to clearly indicate which topic area you are addressing.”
Finally, recommendation letters are also important to your college admission portfolio which requires a statement of support from your closest professional/ academic mentors. You might not have to write out this document (as your mentor will have to draft it out) but it is preferred that you proofread (not tamper with) the document before sending it out.
In summation, your college admission essays are important in the candidate selection process. In addition, depending on how you present yourself in writing will help you stand out in a crowd and hopefully take you one step closer to a fulfilling and promising career.
