College Admission Essays

Reaver has given 2 good pieces of advice 1) Get it in early before everybody else and 2) Get a suitable Teacher/lecturer to read through it.

Unfortunately when I applied to university I probably could of done it a bit earlier, but I remember I wrote out 5 pages of drivel took it to the head of Sixth Form (Also my Law Teacher) to read through who crossed out a bucket load of paragraphs and handed it back. I went back researched what others had wrote about on their personal statements picked a few new points refined and rewrote what he had left me and took it back for him to see, and he said it was one of the best he'd ever seen. To be honest the few tips from people who had posted ideas on things to write about online were very helpful especially as I was applying to study Law in London, for example one gave me an excellent idea to introduced how I first got interested in Law of course I modified it but damn it was good.

(This is not exactly how I started mine but) For example I remember (a while ago this) I began by saying I was watching a TV program called Question Time here in the Uk were they were having this topical debate on the Terrorism act 2000 and about the House of Lords, and how both of these subjects had wildly caught my attention and as a result I would debate on this subject with my Law teachers and students alot with neither of us giving a inch or budge both wanting to be right. And as such then I wrote it was this ability to debate and twist arguments to a particular viewpoint was why I loved law so much, there is never a right answer only an answer which you manufacture even though you could come to 2 opposite conclusions; from that I hopped to the fact that I had this skill in abudance and that it gave me a certain rigor and passion for the subject coupled with my excellent research skills blah blah blah, I made mine really interesting though. Wheras my friend wrote the standard boring answer or what I call the 'I like Criminal Law'. Who do you think got the place?

So the one word of advice do not be boring like about the other thousand or so applicants of which the admissions tutor will probably have to read as well as yours, make them personal as its that personal touch and ambition you put in will get you that place; don't flat out copy and write a standard boring answer, like I said go online and for certain points e.g why you became interested in X, how would you contribute X; you can get great tips on how not to be boring and lighten them up, plus they will give you great ideas of your own. And of course be concise do not drivel like I did the first time on my draft.

Jam it back in, in the dark.