By Tisha Jacob
Published Dec 30, 2024

Hindustan Times
Education

Pixabay

Harvard suggests 12 strategies for writing the perfect college essay

 Be Authentic. It always helps when you are authentic while writing as readers can sense it. Use your own voice, sense of humor, and a natural way of speaking

Grab the Reader From the Start- Start your essay with an opening sentence or paragraph that immediately seizes the imagination

 Focus on Deeper Themes. College admissions officers are interested in learning more about who you are as a person and what makes you tick. Hence choose wisely

Show Don't Tell. The most engaging writing “shows” by setting scenes and providing anecdotes, rather than just providing a list of accomplishments and activities

Try Doing something Different. If you want your essay to stand out, think about approaching your subject from an entirely new perspective

Write With the Reader in Mind. This would mean building a clear and logical argument in which one thought flows naturally from another

Write several drafts. Sometimes one will find new perspectives in every draft and that will help you in making revisions

Read it Aloud- This can help you uncover passages that sound clumsy or different

Do not repeat. It is always best to not repeat an activity or story mentioned in some part of the essay

Ask others to read your essay. It could be your parents or teachers or friends and do ask for their opinion as well

Pay attention to form. Although there are often no strict word limits for college essays, most essays are shorter rather than longer

End your essay with a "kicker" which could be a punchy line, paragraph or section. This provides a lasting impression among the readers