3 answers
Olivia
Student
Jaipur, Rajasthan, India
1
Question
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What advice could you give to students who are writing essays and applications for competitive summer programs?
How should a student approach an essay question? How do we decide on content and structure? When should we be satisfied with our essay? What makes an essay impressive?
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3 answers
Melisa Cameron
9
Answers
Updated
Melisa’s Answer
Olivia,
What a great question and I'm sure many others can benefit from you asking this.
When writing an essay and application for competitive summer programs, I would approach it much like a resume and use action words and figures to quantify what you have accomplished and what makes you stand apart from other candidates.
How should a student approach an essay question?
I have served in a non-profit board role and reviewed scholarship applications from students. I've always appreciated essay answers that are unique or have something to do with the individual's path or journey that tells me more about who they are. For example, writing about a leadership position or opportunity where you served or led others.
How do we decide on content and structure?
Some of the more unique essays I have reviewed included things like a video link where the student shared about a project they completed or a challenge they overcame. Others have shared a passion for something they do and why it is important to them. Whatever you choose to do, make sure your content represents you best and shares why you should be chosen above other individuals.
When should we be satisfied with our essay? What makes an essay impressive?
In my opinion, you may look at your essay and continue to find ways to improve on it. However, at some point, you need to sit back, take a moment and appreciate your hard work and eventually submit it. Ask others you trust to review for you and offer feedback. Put your essay away for a day then come back to it and make adjustments as you see fit. I also feel like an impressive essay is one that is unique, well thought out and does not contain any typos or grammatical errors.
Best wishes to you for success with your essay and future goals.
Take time to look at sample essays like https://www.collegeadvisor.com/resources/examples-of-college-essays/
Ask family, friends or a mentor you trust to review your essay and provide feedback.
What a great question and I'm sure many others can benefit from you asking this.
When writing an essay and application for competitive summer programs, I would approach it much like a resume and use action words and figures to quantify what you have accomplished and what makes you stand apart from other candidates.
How should a student approach an essay question?
I have served in a non-profit board role and reviewed scholarship applications from students. I've always appreciated essay answers that are unique or have something to do with the individual's path or journey that tells me more about who they are. For example, writing about a leadership position or opportunity where you served or led others.
How do we decide on content and structure?
Some of the more unique essays I have reviewed included things like a video link where the student shared about a project they completed or a challenge they overcame. Others have shared a passion for something they do and why it is important to them. Whatever you choose to do, make sure your content represents you best and shares why you should be chosen above other individuals.
When should we be satisfied with our essay? What makes an essay impressive?
In my opinion, you may look at your essay and continue to find ways to improve on it. However, at some point, you need to sit back, take a moment and appreciate your hard work and eventually submit it. Ask others you trust to review for you and offer feedback. Put your essay away for a day then come back to it and make adjustments as you see fit. I also feel like an impressive essay is one that is unique, well thought out and does not contain any typos or grammatical errors.
Best wishes to you for success with your essay and future goals.
Melisa recommends the following next steps:
Aryan Singh
Data Scientist
3
Answers
Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
Updated
Aryan’s Answer
There are few point to keep in mind while writing an essay .
Start Early: Give yourself plenty of time to brainstorm, write, and revise your essay. Starting early allows you to think about the prompt, research, and collect your thoughts to produce a quality essay.
Read the Prompt Carefully: Make sure you understand the prompt and the questions being asked. This will help you tailor your essay to the program you are applying to.
Show, Don't Tell: Use concrete examples and experiences to illustrate your points instead of simply stating them. This will make your essay more interesting and memorable.
Be Yourself: Don't try to be someone you're not in your essay. Write in your own voice and show your unique perspective and personality.
Edit and Proofread: After you've written your essay, take the time to edit and proofread it. Check for spelling and grammar errors, and make sure your ideas flow logically.
Seek Feedback: Ask someone you trust, like a teacher or counselor, to review your essay and provide feedback. This can help you identify areas for improvement and strengthen your essay.
Be Authentic: Finally, be honest and authentic in your essay. Share your true passions, interests, and goals. This will help the reader understand who you are and why you are a good fit for the program.
Start Early: Give yourself plenty of time to brainstorm, write, and revise your essay. Starting early allows you to think about the prompt, research, and collect your thoughts to produce a quality essay.
Read the Prompt Carefully: Make sure you understand the prompt and the questions being asked. This will help you tailor your essay to the program you are applying to.
Show, Don't Tell: Use concrete examples and experiences to illustrate your points instead of simply stating them. This will make your essay more interesting and memorable.
Be Yourself: Don't try to be someone you're not in your essay. Write in your own voice and show your unique perspective and personality.
Edit and Proofread: After you've written your essay, take the time to edit and proofread it. Check for spelling and grammar errors, and make sure your ideas flow logically.
Seek Feedback: Ask someone you trust, like a teacher or counselor, to review your essay and provide feedback. This can help you identify areas for improvement and strengthen your essay.
Be Authentic: Finally, be honest and authentic in your essay. Share your true passions, interests, and goals. This will help the reader understand who you are and why you are a good fit for the program.
Jimil Burkhart
Software Engineer
97
Answers
Gilbert, Arizona
Updated
Jimil’s Answer
Writing essays for competitive summer programs can be challenging, as you are likely competing against many other highly qualified applicants. Here are a few tips to help you approach the essay-writing process:
Carefully read and understand the essay prompt: Make sure you fully understand what the prompt is asking you to do. Highlight key words and phrases, and think about how you can use them in your essay.
Brainstorm ideas: Take some time to brainstorm and come up with a list of ideas for your essay. Don't worry about the order or structure at this point, just write down everything that comes to mind.
Create an outline: Use your brainstormed ideas to create a rough outline for your essay. This will help you organize your thoughts and ensure that your essay flows well.
Write a rough draft: Using your outline as a guide, write a rough draft of your essay. Don't worry about making it perfect at this stage, just get your ideas down on paper.
Edit and revise: Once you have a rough draft, take some time to edit and revise your essay. Look for any spelling or grammar errors, and make sure that your essay is well-organized and flows well.
Ask for feedback: Consider asking a friend, family member, or teacher to read your essay and give you feedback. They may be able to spot errors or areas for improvement that you missed.
Finalize your essay: After you have received feedback and made any necessary revisions, finalize your essay. Make sure it is polished and ready to submit.
Overall, the key to a strong essay is to carefully read and understand the prompt, brainstorm and organize your ideas, and revise and edit until you are satisfied with your work. An impressive essay is one that is well-written, thoughtful, and demonstrates your unique personality and perspective.
Carefully read and understand the essay prompt: Make sure you fully understand what the prompt is asking you to do. Highlight key words and phrases, and think about how you can use them in your essay.
Brainstorm ideas: Take some time to brainstorm and come up with a list of ideas for your essay. Don't worry about the order or structure at this point, just write down everything that comes to mind.
Create an outline: Use your brainstormed ideas to create a rough outline for your essay. This will help you organize your thoughts and ensure that your essay flows well.
Write a rough draft: Using your outline as a guide, write a rough draft of your essay. Don't worry about making it perfect at this stage, just get your ideas down on paper.
Edit and revise: Once you have a rough draft, take some time to edit and revise your essay. Look for any spelling or grammar errors, and make sure that your essay is well-organized and flows well.
Ask for feedback: Consider asking a friend, family member, or teacher to read your essay and give you feedback. They may be able to spot errors or areas for improvement that you missed.
Finalize your essay: After you have received feedback and made any necessary revisions, finalize your essay. Make sure it is polished and ready to submit.
Overall, the key to a strong essay is to carefully read and understand the prompt, brainstorm and organize your ideas, and revise and edit until you are satisfied with your work. An impressive essay is one that is well-written, thoughtful, and demonstrates your unique personality and perspective.