Approximately 30% of all international students choose to study in the USA. A combination of world-class institutions, state-of-the-art facilities, an excellent academic reputation and a diverse mix of cultures from all over the world makes it the number one destination for international students. Plus, due to its size, there's plenty of choice.
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When you apply to a US institution, you will usually be required to write a college essay/personal statement. This is a written piece, about any topic, and is one of the most important steps on your road to a university education. It allows you to stand out and demonstrate your skills, personality and vision to the institution’s admissions committee. A great application essay will demonstrate a personal and compelling view of you to the admissions staff. It is one of the only parts of your application that you have full control over, so it’s worth taking the time to consider it seriously.
Choose your essay topic carefully
Institutions can use this as a way of evaluating your values, creativity and depth of knowledge, as well as who you are as a person. Try to keep the topic focused and specific. Visit the College Board website for more help on choosing a subject to write about.
Ensure that your essay has structure, whether it is traditional (with a beginning, middle and end) or narrative (it follows a story). Whatever structure you choose, make sure you make a plan for your essay and follow this when writing it. The essay must prove a single point or thesis; the reader must be able to follow the main idea of your essay from start to finish.
Don’t just make statements; you should back them up with research, personal experience or even anecdotal evidence to demonstrate your point and give it meaning. The essay should contain vivid and specific facts, events, quotes and examples. For example, a sentence such as ‘I am organised’ is meaningless unless you back it up with evidence. This will also help you to avoid clichéd and generic writing.
It’s very important not to overlook spelling and grammar, as demonstrating a fine attention to detail will present you in a good light. Errors in spelling or grammar could be mistaken as carelessness or bad writing. Show your essay to friends, family and teachers - don’t just rely on your computer's spell check. It’s also a good idea to leave the essay for a couple of days and then read it through again; taking a break will help you see mistakes more clearly.
Try to write your essay from an honest, personal point of view. Don’t fall into the trap of telling them what you think they’ll want to hear. The purpose of the college essay is to demonstrate your personality and why you specifically should be admitted to the course as opposed to others applying. Most admissions officers read plenty of essays about why their university is so great and so on, so choose a subject you’re passionate about and that makes you stand out from the crowd.
Remember that the college essay is designed to add personality to your application - it is not a resumé, so avoid including information they can find elsewhere within your application form.
Writing a college essay doesn’t mean you have to write complex, overly-complicated sentences; often five words are better than 50 and sound much more focused. What’s important is that you consider how you structure your sentences, organise your information and utilise your vocabulary.
Visit the College Board website for more tips on writing your college essay and to see example essays.
Last updated: 15 December 2011
