From Drafting to Editing: Steps in Writing Your Graduate Admissions Essay
When writing your graduate admission essay, one of the most important steps is the revision. Even if you have great ideas, interesting topics, and exciting themes, all of that would go to waste if the essay you submit is full of spelling and syntax errors. Read on for some great tips on drafting, revising, and editing your graduate school admission essay.
First draft? Look for grammatical flaws and content issues
After you have written your first draft, the first step is to read through your essay for basic editing. On your first read, you will be looking for spelling and grammar errors, as well as any content issues. While spelling and grammar errors may be easy to catch, content issues may need a little more attention to detail. Make sure that all of the content in your essay are accurate or true. Make sure there is no false information in your essay, because admissions committees can easily double-check this information and they could probably smell a liar or an exaggerator from a mile away. Make your revisions and continue to the next step.
Revised draft? Read your essays aloud to make sure it’s catchy and persuasive
Now that you have your revised draft, your next task is to read through your essay and find out how you can make it more interesting, catchy, and persuasive. This will entail more thought on your part, because you will really have to analyze your essay and see what improvements you can make. A good tip is to actually read your essay aloud, to hear how it sounds and what it reads like. You will be better able to catch certain parts in your essay that are dull or need some reworking. Again, make your revisions and it will be time for your final editing.
Final editing: Have another pair of eyes look at your essay
The best thing to do once you are content with your essay is to have someone else read it. When you keep reading your essay, you may easily overlook errors or you may be personally biased. To avoid this, have a friend, relative, or colleague read the essay and ask for their opinions, insights, and reactions to your essay. Ask if they have any suggestions on how to improve your essay. Take these thoughts into consideration and make your final copy for submission with your application package.
Related links:
Writing Rubrics – Using the rules to help check your admission essay
Weird Topics – About awkward topics on your essay
Grad school scholarships – About scholarships and your admission essay
Topnotch Essays – Why it’s important to have a topnotch essay
Citing Sources – On citations in your essay
Essay Editing – About essay editing for beginners
Guidance Office – Advice from Harvard’s Dean
Admission Essay Mistakes – Some mistakes to avoid on your essay
Scholarship Essay Editing – About scholarship essay editing
Top-notch Essays – Some tips and advice for essay writing
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