Before you finalize your admissions essay, you should check it for the following common mistakes and fix them if you find any:
- Wrong word. Make sure you use the correct word for what you mean. Avoid confusing words that sound or look alike, such as illusion and allusion, allergy and allegory, or prevaricate and procrastinate. Use a dictionary or a thesaurus to check the meaning and spelling of every word you use.
- Missing comma after an introductory element. Use a comma after every word, phrase, or clause that introduces your sentence. This will help you separate the introductory element from the main clause and make your sentence clear and grammatically correct.
- Incomplete or missing documentation. Cite your sources properly and consistently according to the documentation style required by the college or program you are applying to. Give credit to every source that you use in your essay, whether it is a quotation, a paraphrase, or a summary. Provide the necessary information, such as the author, the title, the publication date, and the page number of your source.
- Sentence sprawl. Avoid writing sentences that are too long or too complex, with too many equally weighted phrases and clauses. Use punctuation marks, such as commas, semicolons, colons, or periods, to break up long sentences into shorter units. Eliminate unnecessary words or information that do not add to your main point.
- Faulty parallelism. Use the same grammatical form for each element in a series of two or more matching ideas or items. For example, if you are using nouns, use nouns for all elements; if you are using verbs, use verbs for all elements; and so on. This will help you create a consistent and logical structure for your sentence.
These are some of the common mistakes
that students make in their admissions essays,
but there are many more that you should be aware of
and avoid,
such as misuse of homonyms,
sentence fragments,
run-on sentences,
overly formal or informal language,
bad grammar,
lying,
using the wrong college name,
not answering the question,
using clichés,
scaring off admissions officers,
restating your resume,
sounding like an entitled brat,
confusing its vs it’s,
your vs you’re,
and there vs their vs they’re.
You can find more information
and examples on these errors
and how to fix them
by visiting the websites listed below.
By checking and correcting these common mistakes, you can improve your writing skills and make your admissions essay more engaging and memorable. Good luck with your application!