TOP 5 tips how to write a great college essay

With essays some people shine, some people soar, some people moan and a few of us just groan and wrap our arms around our heads in a strategy similar to that of the venerable ostrich. I used to be in the last camp. So dedicated was I to my walking bird performance that I often wouldn’t come up out of my hidey hole till the day before the deadline. Here are five tips I used to overcome my inner flightless bird.

1)      It isn’t the end of the world. The first thing that we’ve got to remember is that if our essay isn’t that good it isn’t the end of the world. Most of us end up paralyzed by indecision and anxiety because we forget that in the grand scheme of things it is only one essay out of many. What’s more, whoever is marking your essay isn’t going to spend hours judging you and laughing at your mistakes. They’ve got other essays to mark, other work to do and a life to live. Even though The Spotlight Effect may make you think differently, you are only at the periphery of everybody else’s attention. So take a breath, relax and just do the best you can, for whatever the result the world will keep turning. 

2)      You can learn from other people’s mistakes. There are literally millions of essays out there, some good, some bad. Whatever their quality, they will invariably teach you something. So read them! This way, you’ll be letting other people make the mistakes. You don’t even need to consciously be trying to pick up on the lessons hidden inside. Your brain is wired in such a way that they are absorbed automatically. You just have to look at any child to know the truth of that. So all you need to do is expose yourself! Okay, that didn’t sound quite the way I meant it to.

3)      Quote other people. Just as you can learn from other people, in the same way you can use their arguments to support your own. So whenever you find something said well by another, make a note of it. Similarly, read quote pages! Your essays will sound far more authoritative if its words are not just your own. Just remember to use quotation marks. Otherwise it’s plagiarism.  

4)      Ideas are not copyrighted. While we’re on the subject of plagiarism, while using somebody’s words can potentially get you expelled, using their ideas carries no such danger. In fact, in many ways college essays are all about regurgitating other people’s ideas using your own words. So don’t be afraid to copy paste and then rewrite! Just don’t forget to do the last part.

5)      There is help out there. Sometimes you’ve got other commitments, like a kid, a job or medical issues. That is fair enough. We can all use a bit of help every so often.  And since it’s out there, it would be foolish not to use it occasionally. What is important is that when you do so you don’t use it as a replacement for learning. Instead, read, study and absorb what you’re given. That way next time you’ll be the one to soar.