Most students tell me that the most intriguing and mysterious part of the College Admission Application is the Essays. Here I discuss briefly, some common mistakes in
writing these essays and how to avoid them,

• The biggest and most common faux pas is not understanding your intended program of study or the college where you want to study. There are several students out there, who get into the Application Process without being clear about what is it they want out of their college education. Many are making a choice because their parents want them to, which tends to reflect in their writing. They are unable to make the connect with their intended major. Admission Officers are highly trained and experienced in their job and can easily sense this confused child. So, develop clarity of thought.
• Talking about the obvious information already provided in the Application. The other common mistake is, repeating your academic or other achievements in high school without trying to convey something more about yourself. Do not state the obvious. Tell something about yourself besides a summary of your activity list.
• Adding too many quotes without establishing a connection between them and yourself. You do not have to be a poet or philosopher or a professional writer to write your essay. Just write about yourself as you are. It is called a Personal Statement for a reason!
• Plagiarised or recycled essays. They can really put off the Admission Officer and greatly reduce your chances of selection. Strive for originality that stems from simple things about your life that make you unique.
• Being negative. Try to look for your strengths rather than your weaknesses. Try to keep the narration positive and meaningful.
• Leaving spelling and grammatical errors in your essay. This is an absolute No-No! Proofread, proofread again and proofread once again!!

To sum it up – Own your essay! Make it all about you. Answer ‘Who am I?” and “What is it you want from your college education?”. Understand the importance of knowing your chosen career and research it thoroughly. Keep the narration in your essay focussed, positive and meaningful. Its all about what you want to convey. Do not focus on what is expected of you. Talk about your role model if you have one – a teacher, a mentor or just anybody else who really inspires you! Moreover, its alright to use traditional essay writing skills, with simple conversational English. Lastly, do not forget to read your essay aloud – Hear yourself and rewrite as many times as may be required.