• Allow Time To Think and Write.

Don’t:

• Wait until the last mintue

  When you are rushed it shows!

• Do not use vocabulary just to impress the reader.

  Be yourself in your writing. Again, the admissions people want to get sense of YOU!
  
  

• Do not make it longer just to make it longer.

  Stick to the topic and to the length requirement. If you are asked to write one page, write one page.
  
  

• Don't use your essay to try to explain low grades nor test scores

  If there is something that needs relating, let the counselor recommendation do it.
  
  

• Don't tell the admissions committee what a wonderful school

  They have and why you will be an excellent student there.
  
  

• Don't try to be cute.

  Avoid using exclamation points and never add smiley faces or hearts!
  
  

• Don't put quotation marks to try to make a word "a word".

  Just use the right word. Put yourself in the place of the reader.
  
  

• Don't repeat information that is found elsewhere in your application.

• Don't submit extra materials (i.e., slides and tapes) unless they are called for.

  If you are allowed to submit additional materials, make sure they will benefit your application and are neat and well organized. There are many methods that can assist you in writing an essay that will enhance methods that can assist you in writing an essay that will enhance your application as you put thoughts and words to papers. It is essential that you make sure to allow yourself ample time for essay writing.
  
  
  Just keep in mind that your choice of topic is not the crucial issue.
  
  It is not the topic you choose that makes an essay work, it is how you treat the topic that counts!!!!
  
  Use Your Essays As a Way To Express Who You Are!!!
  
  Avoid Being Boring and Predictable!!!
  
  Past Essays are available in the Guidance Office!
  

  Suggestions on How to Begin Writing an Essay

  Strategy #1

  Step#1 Make a list of 10-20 interests or activities with which you are involved and then check the ones that are of special interest.
  
  Step#2 Write about 12 sentences (3-4 paragraphs) about one or more that you find most interesting.
  
  Step#3 Read over these paragraphs to determine which one you most care about or enjoyed writing the most.
  
  Step#4 Expand that paragraph. Read it again and ask yourself: "Does this sound like me? Does this reflect me as a person or does it sound fake?" Make corrections.
  
  

  Strategy #2

  One strategy that you might consider is to use the "Multiple Writing, 30-Minute Shot". The idea is that of setting aside a 30-minute time lot for 5 consecutive evenings.
  
  Step#1 During that time you just quickly jot down a skeletal essay, using a different topic each evening. Your goal is not to have finished essay but rather a collection of some specific topic ideas.
  
  Step#2 Share these baby-essays with friends, family, teachers, and counselor to see if anything looks like a topic to pursue. You might be pleasantly surprised to find that you have the makings of a viable essay.
  
  Step#3 Then, just put some proverbial meat on the proverbial bones, and you might be in business.
  
  Step#4 If you have nothing that excites you, try another week and another 4-5 30 minute writing sessions.
  
  

  Whatever your strategy, don't let selecting a topic get you so bogged down that you just put off and put off getting an essay put together. The earlier you start the more time you will have to revise and make it better!
  
  For more information on essay writing, visit the website www.myessay.com - Folks at myessay.com won't write your essay for you, but they can provide tools to help plan an essay strategy, create a resume of achievements, and brainstorm topics. They also have actual essays with explanations about why that were, and weren't successful - and a fee-based evaluation service.
  
  You would be amazed at some of things that get written in college essays.... To have a look of some funniest mistakes made by students, click here.