What does your admissions essay say about your chances of getting into grad school? Whatever your essay is called – statement of purpose, personal statement, or otherwise – did you know this quick 500 word self-written introduction to the admissions committee could cinch or kill your chances of earning an acceptance letter?
Seal the deal? Or better luck next time?
Look. So the matter of fact is that a whole heckuva lot of people struggle with this darn admissions essay. It’s sort of like writing “About Me” in an online profile. What do I write about? Am I saying enough of the right things about myself? Am I making a favorable impression? Please don’t let me come off as a self-absorbed jerk! And the stakes are pretty high – we’re not talking about losing a friend or a date. We’re talking about losing a chance to get into a really great graduate program, so the pressure is on to get it right.
Your Time To Shine
Your graduate admissions essay is your sole chance to communicate in your own words:
- Who you are
- Why you belong in graduate school
- Why here?
- Why now?
It is your sole chance to convince the admissions committee that you bring PASSION to the pursuit of the degree. (Your academic resume and virtually the rest of your application tells them that you bring the proper qualifications – don’t waste your 500 words rehashing what they’ve already read elsewhere).
It is your sole opportunity to state what kind of CONTRIBUTIONS you can make to the field. What are your thoughts about the “big issues” in the field? Where do you fit in? What experiences do you bring to the table with you? How can your potential honed by taking your education to a higher level?
A lot of people aren’t quite sure what to write about or something feels “meh” about the essay, so they put it off until the very last minute, and this is the absolute WORST thing you can do. This is YOUR CHANCE to effectively advocate for yourself and earn a spot in the next class of admitted students.
It’s like audition time at American Idol. Or Olympic tryouts. You bring your “A” game if you’re going to advance to the next round.
Can you see why this portion of the application package is, like, critical that you pull it off? If you can’t effectively communicate WHO YOU ARE and what you stand for, YOUR PASSION for your intended area of study, or state in SPECIFICS how you would like to contribute to the field, your application package gets put to the side in favor of someone else whose message is clearer and more consistent. They effectively answered the questions of “Why me?” and “Why now?”
How I Can Help
If you’re not a strong writer, even if you’re a great writer, you can benefit from the Admissions Essay Review and Critique service. Even the most-seasoned and talented writers sometimes develop a blindness to the weaknesses of their essay. (This scenario is easy to imagine after pouring over your own words incessantly for days or weeks!)
The Admission Essay Review service is perfect for giving your essay the once-over and making sure it is polished and submission-ready. Read here for a wonderful testimonial of this service and here to reserve your spot today.