How to Find Your Voice and Write Better Essays
How to Find Your Voice and Write Better Essays
Let’s take an in-depth look at the part of the college process that often weighs the most heavily on the minds of rising seniors—essays. The personal statement and supplemental essays are one part of the application process that rising seniors can use to share their own stories, in their own words. Regardless of your grades, test scores, and extracurricular activities, your writing samples are your best tool for self-advocacy. Admissions officers read hundreds, sometimes thousands, of essays each year. The ones that stand out are not just well-written, they convey the student’s essence. The more your essay paints a picture of who you are, how you think, and what you love, the more useful it will be to admissions officers. Finding your voice as a writer will give you an advantage over your competition as you go through this process. Here are some helpful tips designed to give your writing a boost and make it easier for you to produce better essays.
Learn from Your Writing Past
There’s much you can learn from your past writing. To truly know your progress, you must know where you’ve begun. Go back through the work that you are proud of over the last couple of years. They could be essays you've written for a class, poems or journals you've done on your own, articles you've written for the newspaper, or anything else. You might find really good clues about what is strong in your writing technique from these examples. You may also find common themes or topics that make sense for you to explore in future essays. Remember, the best college essays will help admissions officers put a face to your application. Don’t try to be an overly impressive writer. It's more important that your personality comes through. Ask people who know you well. Your English teacher and possibly your friends may have some insight about what is really strong in your writing. Talking to people who are familiar with your work can help you generate ideas and can also take away some of the pressure you are likely to put on yourself. Knowing that other people already have validated your ability to write persuasively should give you a boost of confidence.
Don't Be Afraid of the Process
There’s no nicer way to say it: the more you fight the writing process, the more it will fight you back. Finding your voice as a writer requires trial and error. You need the freedom to push yourself, see what works, and correct what doesn’t. Embrace the idea of brainstorming, outlining, writing, and rewriting. This process is tried and true. It is virtually impossible to create an excellent essay in one take. However, by committing to the process, you virtually guarantee that you’ll produce quality work. Give yourself enough time and permission to make mistakes and create multiple drafts. What separates great writers from bad ones is not mere talent; it’s discipline. You have something worthwhile to say. Get comfortable with the process so you can say it in the best way possible.
Get Help
All writers, even the best ones, need editors. Having someone other than you who can provide useful feedback on your work is crucial. Sometimes you aren’t aware of certain conventions that muddy your writing. Seek out a seasoned pair of eyes to read your work for tone and clarity, as well as grammar and spelling.With something as serious as the college application process, you are wise to get help with your essays. It’s doubly wise to work with someone with expertise in college admissions, as there are important ways your college essays differ from your English papers. Again, by starting early (like over the summer), you give yourself enough time to organically develop powerful essays. You and your trusted advisor or counselor can systematically shape your writing, so that your voice is strong and the message clear.
But Not Too Much Help
Part of finding your voice as a writer is being able to listen to yourself. If you seek too many differing opinions or allow too many people to shape your work, then you run the risk of diluting your own voice. Be selective with your advisors. And remember that you don’t have to incorporate everyone’s opinion just because they gave it. Above all, your essays should sound like you wrote them. A savvy admissions officer has a good sense of how 17 and 18-year-olds think and write. When you ask for help from others, make sure they don’t over-influence your work or remove the parts of it that are quintessentially “you.” As your voice shines through, your readers will be able see why you’re a great fit for their campus.
Finding Your Voice is a Lifelong Process
Don’t be discouraged by the journey to write great admissions essays. You are capable of high-quality work. As you continue to mature, so will your writing. There will most likely not be some magical moment where the lightbulb turns on and, all of a sudden, you’ve found your voice. By trusting the process and giving yourself permission to take chances and grow, your writing will steadily improve.
The expert admissions consultants at Wise World Prep have helped hundreds of students maximize their potential of being admitted to their top choice colleges and universities. Over 20 years, we have successfully guided students through each stage of the application process – from choosing competitive high school courses to building an appropriate college list to drafting winning essays to writing persuasive update and appeals letters. We would be happy to answer your questions and partner with you to create a successful admissions roadmap.
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