jamesdowning

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How to find the right college application essay topic

The element of the college admissions process that many students find most stressful is writing an admissions essay. Yes, the admissions committee will assess your general understanding of and ability with English, as well as whether you have something interesting or original to say, and you only have one shot at doing it. But don't be afraid of the essay! It's a great opportunity, and if you take the time to really think through the process, you'll have no problem writing the perfect essay. To help you along, here are a few steps you can take to find the right topic for your admissions essay.

Start with a good old-fashioned brainstorming session. Go through all the questions on your college application form. They will give you some idea of what the admissions committee is most interested in and help you narrow down your questions. Then take a moment to sit down and come up with some ideas. Don't censor yourself. The key is to write down as many options on paper as possible or ask to help me with my paper at https://writemypapers4me.net/. When you have about a dozen, you can start narrowing down the ideas. Try to determine how comfortable you would be with each idea if you decided to write an entire essay about it. Then cut out those ideas that don't seem original to you. You should end up with an essay that hasn't been written to death yet, so if any ideas seem too formulaic to you, throw them out.

After you've shortened your list, check what's left and see if you can take an original look at the material. Every topic that has ever crossed your mind has been written about in the past, so is there something you and only you can write about? Remember that this is a professional essay, but the more personal you can make it, the better. Think about what themes you have left, what life experiences or choices you've made that you can bring to give the conversation an original twist. Being able to do something unique with a common theme can make as much of an impression on an admissions committee as if you somehow showed them something new.

Now that you have an original topic or theme to bring something original to, it's time to ask yourself some questions. You know you can use your experience to expose the topic, but do you have supporting arguments or examples? Will you be able to fit within the scope of the essay and make it interesting? Remember that attention will be paid to the number of pages and the density of your writing style, and you don't want to incoherently state your thoughts without end.

Next, you should review the remaining topics from the admissions committee's perspective. This means that if a topic is interesting to you, it doesn't mean they will want to read it. Stories about why you love their school or how you're going to establish world peace are more appropriate for a contest than for an admissions essay. Any unflattering stories about crime, failed tests, or drug use will not make them rush to let you attend their school. If you are going to touch on any of these topics, certainly treat them with caution.

It's time to cut the latter topics down to the one you will be writing about. You don't yet have a degree in mass communication, so if you have a topic that you don't feel you can express deeply and engagingly, discard it. The same goes for topics you don't particularly care about. If you're left with one topic that fits all the others, don't waste time wondering if the admissions committee will be interested in it. If it satisfies all the other categories, whether it will be one of their favorite topics is irrelevant.
Birthday
May 3, 1986 (Age: 38)
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