A household studies materials distributed during an on-campus admission program. (Phyllis Graber Jensen/Bates College)
Whether it’s writing the essay or completing the program process in general, time spent reflecting on and communicating your experience could be valuable and positive.
18. Don’t stress out!
Bring that great attitude into the process, and genuinely believe that most admission officers will enjoy reading your story.
17. You do have control
When you look at the case of signing up to Bates, you’re going to be one of several applicants, so that the process is away from control in some ways. But in different ways, you’ve got control. You take control of your writing, who you choose to write your recommendations and, by spring, which colleges you choose among the list of ones that accept your application.
16. Get feedback
Have a pair that is fresh of offer you some feedback. Don’t allow another to rewrite your essay, but edits and opinions from another person are usually helpful.
15. Keep it simple
In your writing, avoid vocabulary that attempts to sound overly sophisticated. Admission officers are not impressed by the overuse of long vocabulary words found in thesauruses. Find and make use of your own voice to share with your story.
14. Be original
We’ve seen plagiarized essays before, as well as the ongoing work of a parent, teacher or essay-writing professional. Don’t make that mistake.
13. Include details
Use action words that make your essay stand out. Paint an image that will contain the reader’s attention.
12. Grab our attention
In your essay, start with a opener that is great catches the reader’s attention immediately. Make the admission officer desire to continue reading more about you.
11. Stay focused
When asked to create an essay, do not submit a research paper. Write an essay with meaning, and inform us something about yourself that can help admission officers envision you as an associate of our campus community.
10. Proofread your work!
You want to go through the depth, creativity, and clarity of your ideas unencumbered by misspellings and errors that are grammatical.
9. Be yourself
In all your communications with your colleges, provide a window into the values and experiences. You understand yourself best, so be truthful.
8. Talk about it
In just about every step for the college search, communication between your household is quite crucial. Beginning with expectations and ending using the decision, every component involves a deal that is great of and decision making. The way that is easiest to obtain through the stressful times is honest communication.
7. Take advantage that is full of essay
The personal essay allows one to showcase who you are. The five Common Application prompts leave the product range of topics wide open. Your message count is small, so narrow your scope and strive for one’s heart of this whole story you need to tell.
6. Don’t oversell yourself
Additional letters of recommendation are a good idea should you believe there is a part of your lifetime underrepresented by the standard application, but resist believing that more is better.
5. Put effort into all your writing
The answers that are short too! While your college essay is being combed over by everyone you know, ask them and to take a look at your short responses and supplemental essays (though remember–we don’t have a supplemental essay at Bates!). The Bates staff looks at all your writing to see if there is consistency in your voice and writing style since there are very few places on the Common Application to express your writing, which in turn expresses your thinking skills.
4. Articulate your inspiration
Inform us as to what you truly enjoy doing, what inspires you, and what holds meaning for you. Because the revered civil rights leader and Bates graduate Benjamin Mays ’20 said, “It just isn’t a tragedy to be unable to capture your ideal, but it is a tragedy to have no ideal to fully capture. It is not a disgrace never to reach the stars, but it is a disgrace to have no paper writer stars to attain for. Not failure, but low aim is sin.”
3. Understand that 7.5 billion people go on this planet
Your courses and grades are not you. Make use of the subjective questions therefore the essay to explain your character and experience in ways that creates a person that is distinct an admission staff will come to learn.
2. Share your history
View the admission forms since the destination to chronicle your household background, school history, activities, work experiences, as well as other information that is autobiographical. Be clear and concise and use specific detail.
1. Identify your growth
Your ultimate goal in deciding on Bates should always be, among other things, to demonstrate how and/or why your most important activities (perhaps an AP physics project, a team captaincy, or a residential area project) have changed you. Our staff at Bates desires to know very well what you have got learned from your experiences, not merely what you have done.