Common College Application Essay Myths

Whether it’s your first time applying for college or you’re seeking out a second or post-graduate degree, writing a good college application essay is essential. Without it, the university’s board won’t have a good idea of who you are beyond your academic paperwork, leading them to cut you from the list of potential applicants.

For example, Stanford University’s admission rates have dropped to 3.95% recently, which means that only 4 out of 100 applicants are ever accepted. While this is only a small sample, it’s indicative of how competitive college admissions have become in the wake of the global pandemic. Let’s discuss some common misconceptions and myths surrounding college application essays, so you can write yours without relying on rumors.

College Application Essays are a Formality

While it’s true that application essays can be a bother to write, they’re an essential part of any college admission documentation. They are not simply a necessary evil or a box you need to tick. You should write your college application essay as carefully as you prepared the rest of your paperwork.

This will ensure that you come up with a topic suited to your affinities as a writer and that you can properly showcase your writing and editing prowess. Don’t think that your application essay can be done in under an hour because it’ll get buried in other paperwork – take your time to write something worthwhile.

No One Reads College Application Essays

Some college freshmen will tell you that no one reads the college application essays everyone submits. This couldn’t be farther from the truth. Each application essay is indicative of that applicant’s ability to express their thoughts in writing.

College admission boards use these essays to gauge how suitable a person’s mindset is for academic education. If you’re unsure of your spelling or would like to reformat your essay, you can use IHateWriting to get some writing help from a professional editor. Do not, however, submit your college application essay without a worry in the world – someone will read it and assume that you’re impatient.

College Application Essay Topics Have to Be Unique

While you shouldn’t tackle a very basic topic as your college application essay, you don’t have to make it a unique literary piece either. You can take a very common topic as your baseline and still make it your own – which is what these essays are all about. Here are only some of the topics you can integrate into your college application essay:

• Overcoming a challenging moment in life
• Writing about a person you admire
• Sharing your personal journey so far
• Writing about your academic or professional aspirations

To write a powerful college application essay, try to express your inner self and put the right words on paper. The way you write and ultimately present the essay is what will determine whether it will wow the admission board.

Your Vocabulary and Sentence Structure Need to Be Advanced

You’ll do a lot of writing as a college student. Whoever reads your application essay knows what challenges await you when you’re accepted as a college freshman. To that end, you shouldn’t try to impress the college’s board only to fumble halfway through writing. Don’t bite off more than you can handle in terms of your essay’s structure, sentence complexity, and vocabulary.

Don’t use niche wording, abbreviations, clichés, and catchphrases. Most importantly, try to write as you would any other essay. It’s best to show how “you” write instead of trying to tick imaginary boxes based on college application myths. This will lead you down the path of a great essay that will help you get into the college you want.

Tackling Your College Application Essay

For you to write a powerful essay, you’ll need to start understanding that these myths are nothing but fear-mongering. Your application essay is a complementary piece of writing to your overall college application.

It serves the purpose of letting you express yourself in writing beyond simply submitting your past academic achievements and formal documentation. Treat it as an extension of your application and don’t get bogged down by hearsay and rumors about what it is or isn’t. Only then will you be able to focus on writing the best essay possible.