The admissions letter or essay is often weighed just as heavily as the other elements of your application, if not more so. Why? The admissions letter allows admissions officers to learn more about you and your personality than is shown through your test scores. Additionally, the admissions letter shows your critical thinking and writing skills, which are important for college. The Topic When selecting a topic, it is important that you choose one that will allow you to show your personality, why you are a good candidate for the college, allow you to demonstrate your writing abilities, and answer the questions put forth on the application. Simple, right? It's not an easy process, but it can feel more manageable if you break it into smaller steps. Choose a topic that you are familiar and comfortable with. This is not the time to research a new subject. Examples of topics that might work include an experience from your past, a hobby, or an issue of personal importance. Choosing a topic that you're comfortable with is particularly important if you're feeling unsure of your writing skills or find writing the admissions letter to be particularly challenging. This will help build your overall confidence. Develop an Outline When writing the admissions letter, you need to accomplish two things. First, write a letter that demonstrates an understanding of writing basics. This means your admissions letter will have an introduction, body, and conclusion, and will follow a logical path from one section to the next. The other essential thing you letter must do is answer the questions set forth by the school. Create an outline for your admissions letter using the basics of writing an essay. You'll need an introduction, a body, and a conclusion for the letter. Open the admissions letter with something interesting, such as a quote, intriguing fact, or question. If you can engage your reader immediately, he or she will want to continue reading. The body of your college admissions letter will cover the most important parts of the letter, showing your uniqueness as an applicant and answering questions. This part will require careful planning. Finally, the conclusion will bring your admissions letter to a logical close. To ensure that all the important parts of the letter are included and to help you organize your thoughts, create an outline of your admissions letter. Ensure that everything is included that you need and wish to highlight. Draft and Rewrite Very rarely will a first draft of an admissions letter be the version that you use for your college application. Good writing is a process of writing and rewriting. Allow yourself plenty of time to outline, draft, and rewrite your admissions letter. Your college admissions letter is an important piece of the college application, and could mean the difference between an acceptance and a rejection. By following a few simple steps and allowing yourself enough time to work on the letter, you can greatly increase your chances of earning that acceptance. |
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