most common essay mistakes

Top 20 Errors in Undergraduate Writing

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The Top Twenty: A Quick Guide to Troubleshooting Your Writing

Readers judge your writing by your control of certain conventions, which may change depending on your audience, purpose, and writing situation.  For example, your instructor may or may not mark errors in your paper if he’s more concerned with its argument or structure than he is with sentence-level correctness; he could also decide an error is not serious.  Some instructors may even see the errors listed below as stylistic options. However, a large-scale study by Andrea Lunsford and Karen Lunsford (2008) found that these errors are the most likely to attract readers’ negative attention.  Before handing in your papers, proofread them carefully for these errors, which are illustrated below in the sentences in italics.  

THE TOP TWENTY

1. wrong word.

Wrong word errors take a number of forms. They may convey a slightly different meaning than you intend ( compose instead of comprise ) or a completely wrong meaning ( prevaricate  instead of procrastinate ). They may also be as simple as a wrong preposition or other type of wrong word in an idiom.

Use your thesaurus and spell checker with care. If you select a word from a thesaurus without knowing its precise meaning or allow a spell checker to correct spelling automatically, you may make wrong-word errors. If prepositions and idioms are tricky for you, look up the standard usage.

Here are a couple of wrong word examples:

Did you catch my illusion to the Bible?

Illusion means “an erroneous perception of reality.” In the context of this sentence,  allusion was needed because it means "reference.”

Edmund Spenser’s The Faerie Queene is a magnificent sixteenth-century allergy.

A spell checker replaced allegory with allergy.

2. Missing Comma after an Introductory Element

Use a comma after every introductory element—whether word, phrase or clause—to clarify where it ends and the rest of the sentence begins. When the introductory element is very short, you can skip the comma, but including it is never wrong.

Without a comma after the introductory element, it’s hard to see the location of the subject (“they”) in this sentence:

Determined to make their flight on time they rose at dawn.

3. Incomplete or Missing Documentation

Documentation practices vary from discipline to discipline.  But in academic and research writing, it’s a good idea to always cite your sources: omitting documentation can result in charges of plagiarism.

The examples below follow MLA style.  In this example, the page number of the print source for this quotation must be included.

The Social Media Bible defines social media as the “activities, practices, and behaviors among communities of people who gather online to share information, knowledge, and opinions using conversational media.”

And here, the source mentioned should be identified because it makes a specific, arguable claim:

According to one source, it costs almost twice an employee’s salary to recruit and train a replacement. 

Cite each source you refer to in the text, following the guidelines of the documentation style you are using. 

4. Vague Pronoun Reference

A pronoun (e.g., he, this, it) should refer clearly to the noun it replaces (called the antecedent).  If more than one word could be the antecedent, or if no specific antecedent is present, edit to make the meaning clear.

In this sentence, it possibly refers to more than one word:

If you put this handout in your binder, it may remind you of important tutoring strategies .

In some pronoun usage, the reference is implied but not stated.  Here, for example, you might wonder what which refers to:

The authoritarian school changed its cell phone policy, which many students resisted.

To improve this sentence, the writer needs to make explicit what students resisted.

5. Spelling

Even though technology now reviews much of our spelling for us, one of the top 20 most common errors is a spelling error.  That’s because spell checkers cannot identify many misspellings, and are most likely to miss homonyms (e.g., presence/presents), compound words incorrectly spelled as separate words, and proper nouns, particularly names. After you run the spell checker, proofread carefully for errors such as these:

Vladmir Putin is the controversial leader of Russia.

Every where she walked, she was reminded of him.

6. Mechanical Error with a Quotation

When we quote other writers, we bring their voices into our arguments.  Quotation marks crucially show where their words end and our own begin. 

Quotation marks come in pairs; don’t forget to open and close your quotations.  In most documentation styles (e.g., MLA Style), block quotations do not need quotations marks.  Consult your professor’s preferred style manual to learn how to present block quotations. 

Follow conventions when using quotation marks with other punctuation. Here, the comma should be placed inside the quotation marks:

"A woman must have money and a room of her own if she is to write fiction", Virginia Woolf argues.

7. Unnecessary Comma

We often have a choice about whether or not to use a comma.  But if we add them to our sentences when and where they are not needed, then we may obscure rather than clarify our meaning.

Do not use commas to set off restrictive elements that are necessary to the meaning of the words they modify.  Here, for example, no comma is needed to set off the restrictive phrase  of working parents , which is necessary to indicate which parents the sentence is talking about.

Many children, of working parents, walk home from school by themselves.

Do not use a comma before a coordinating conjunction (and, but, for, nor, or, so, yet) when the conjunction does not join parts of a compound sentence.  In this example, no comma is needed before the word  and  because it joins two phrases that modify the same verb, applies.

  This social scourge can be seen in urban centers, and in rural outposts.

Do not use a comma before the first or after the last item in a series.

The students asked their TAs to review, the assignment rubric, a sample paper and their comments, before the end of the quarter.

Do not use a comma between a subject and verb.

Happily, the waiters, sat down during a break.

Do not use a comma between a verb and its object or complement.

On her way home from work, she bought, a book at the bookstore.

Do not use a comma between a preposition and its object.

On her way home from work, she bought a book at, the bookstore.

8. Unnecessary or Missing Capitalization

Capitalize proper nouns and proper adjectives, the first words of sentences, and important words in titles, along with certain words indicating directions and family relationships. Do not capitalize most other words. When in doubt, check a dictionary.

Financial Aid is a pressing concern for many University Students.

9. Missing Word

If you read your work outloud before submittingit, you are more likely to notice omitted words.  Be particularly careful not to omit words from quotations.

Soccer fans the globe rejoiced when the striker scored the second goal.

10. Faulty Sentence Structure

If a sentence starts out with one kind of structure and then changes to another kind, it will confuse readers.

The information that families have access to is what financial aid is available and thinking about the classes available, and how to register.

Maintain the grammatical pattern within a sentence.  Each sentence must have a subject and a verb, and the subjects and predicates must make sense together.  In the example above, thinking about the classes available does not help the reader understand the information families have access to.  Parallel structures can help your reader see the relationships among your ideas.  Here’s the sentence revised:

Families have access to information about financial aid, class availability, and registration.

11. Missing Comma with a Nonrestrictive Element

A nonrestrictive phrase or clause provides additional information that is not essential to the basic meaning of the sentence.  Use commas to set off a nonrestrictive element.

David who loved to read history was the first to head to the British Library.

The clause  who loved to read history does not affect the basic meaning of the sentence.  The clause could be taken out and the reader would still understand that David was the first to head to the British Library.  

12. Unnecessary Shift in Verb Tense

Verbs that shift from one tense to another with no clear reason can confuse readers.

Martin searched for a great horned owl.  He takes photographs of all the birds he sights.

13. Missing Comma in a Compound Sentence

A compound sentence consists of two or more independent clauses.  When the clauses are joined by a coordinating conjunction (for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so), use a comma before the conjunction to indicate a pause between the two thoughts.

Miranda drove her brother and her mother waited at home.

Without the comma, a reader may think at first that Miranda drove both her brother and her mother.

14. Unnecessary or Missing Apostrophe (including its/it's)

To make a noun possessive, add either an apostrophe and an s (Ed's phone) or an apostrophe alone (the girls’ bathroom). Do not use an apostrophe in the possessive pronouns ours, yours, and hers. Use its to mean belong to it; use it's only when you mean it is or it has.

Repeated viral infections compromise doctors immune systems.

The chef lifted the skillet off it’s hook.  Its a fourteen-inch, copper skillet.

15. Fused (run-on) Sentence

A fused sentence (also called a run-on) joins clauses that could each stand alone as a sentence with no punctuation or words to link them. Fused sentences must be either divided into separate sentences or joined by adding words or punctuation.

The house was flooded with light, the moon rose above the horizon.

He wondered what the decision meant he thought about it all night.

16. Comma Splice

A comma splice occurs when only a comma separates clauses that could each stand alone as a sentence. To correct a comma splice, you can insert a semicolon or period, connect the clauses with a word such as and/or/because, or restructure the sentence.

The students rushed the field, they tore down the goalposts. 

17. Lack of pronoun/antecedent agreement

Pronouns typically must agree with their antecedents in gender (male or female, if appropriate) and in number (singular or plural). Many indefinite pronouns, such as everyone and each, are always singular.  However,  they can be used to agree with a singular antecedent in order to use inclusive or gender-neutral language.  When antecedents are joined by or or nor, the pronoun must agree with the closer antecedent. A collection noun such as team can be either singular or plural, depending on whether the members are seen as a group or individuals.

Every guest left their shoes at the door.

18. Poorly Integrated Quotation

Quotations should be logically and smoothly integrated with the writing around them, the grammar of the quotation complementing the grammar of the neighboring prose.  They usually need to be introduced (with a signal phrase) rather than dropped abruptly into the writing.

An award-winning 2009 study of friendship "understanding social networks allows us to understand how indeed, in the case of humans, the whole comes to be greater than the sum of its parts" (Christakis and Fowler 26).

"Social networks are intricate things of beauty" (Christakis and Fowler xiii). Maintaining close friendships is good for your health.

19. Missing or Unnecessary Hyphen

A compound adjective requires a hyphen when it modifies a noun that follows it.

This article describes eighteenth century theater.

A two-word verb should not be hyphenated. 

The dealers want to buy-back the computers and refurbish them.

20. Sentence Fragment

A sentence fragment is part of a sentence that is presented as if it were a complete sentence.  The following illustrate the ways sentence fragments can be created:

Without a subject

The American colonists resisted British taxation.  And started the American Revolution.

No complete verb

The pink geranium blooming in its pot.

Beginning with a subordinating word

We visited the park. Where we threw the Frisbee.

These 20 most common errors can be avoided in your writing if you reserve time to proofread your final draft before submission.

Works Cited

Lunsford, Andrea A. and Karen J. Lunsford.  “Mistakes are a Fact of Life: A National Comparative Study.”   CCC 59 (2008) 781-806.

8 Common Essay Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Writing an essay can often feel like walking a tightrope. You want to convey your ideas clearly, engage your reader, and maintain a formal tone—all while adhering to a specific structure. Yet, many students stumble upon common pitfalls that can undermine their efforts. Understanding these mistakes can not only enhance your writing skills but also help you deliver a polished, coherent essay. Let’s delve into some prevalent errors and learn effective strategies to evade them.

1. Lack of Clear Thesis Statement

A thesis statement serves as the backbone of an essay; it guides the writing process and informs the reader about the main argument. One of the most prevalent mistakes is failing to develop a well-structured thesis statement. When a thesis is vague or unclear, it leaves readers confused and unsure about the paper’s direction. Without a strong thesis, the rest of the essay lacks focus and coherence, diluting the author’s intended message.

To avoid this trap, it is vital to dedicate time to crafting a precise and strong thesis that encapsulates the main argument. A well-articulated thesis not only enhances clarity and focus but also provides a roadmap for future arguments. Spend a few moments refining this component before diving into writing the rest of the essay.

2. Overly Complex Sentences

Writers often use excessively complex sentences to sound sophisticated. While advanced vocabulary and intricate sentences can add flair, they can also create confusion. Overly complicated structures can bewilder readers and obscure the main point, defeating the purpose of effective communication. Achieving clarity is often more valuable than demonstrating an extensive vocabulary.

To strike the right balance, use clear, straightforward language that conveys ideas effectively. Aim for a mix of sentence lengths to create a rhythmic flow while ensuring clarity remains paramount. Remember, an essay writer done by AI would prioritize clarity and reader engagement over complexity, ensuring that the main ideas shine through. Ultimately, each sentence should add value to the argument, making it easy for readers to follow and engage with the content.

3. Weak Introduction

The introduction is also critical because it sets the tone and piques the reader’s interest. A common mistake in this area is the lack of a compelling opening. An introduction filled with clichés or unnecessary filler does not capture readers’ attention, leading them to disengage before the essay even begins. An effective introduction intrigues the audience and offers a succinct overview of what to expect.

Creating a strong introduction involves not only an engaging hook but also clearly presenting your thesis statement. When done correctly, the introduction transitions smoothly to the main body of the essay. It lays a solid foundational context that entices readers, making them eager to explore the author’s arguments further.

4. Lack of Structure

An essay without a clear structure can seem disorganized and chaotic. The absence of logical flow between points can confuse readers and distract them from your arguments. Such disorganization may stem from insufficient planning or a disregard for common structural conventions. A well-organized essay presents a logical progression of ideas, allowing readers to follow your thought process easily.

Dedicating time to outline your ideas before writing can mitigate this issue. Create a flow that typically includes an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Each body paragraph should address a specific point that supports your thesis, contributing to a cohesive whole. This approach not only enhances readability but also strengthens your arguments.

5. Ignoring the Audience

Understanding your audience is a key component in effective essay writing. A frequent mistake is neglecting to tailor the content to the intended readership . Writing in a vacuum without consideration for who will read the essay can result in a tone that feels inappropriate or too informal. Engaging with your audience means adhering to their expectations and interests, which contributes to a more meaningful reading experience.

To avoid this mistake, think about who your readers are and what they expect from the essay. By using language and examples that resonate with them, you can create a connection that enhances engagement. Taking the audience’s perspective into account can transform an ordinary essay into a compelling narrative.

6. Inadequate Evidence

A persuasive essay relies heavily on well-researched evidence to support arguments. One of the most glaring mistakes is introducing claims without adequate backing. This deficiency can undermine credibility and leave readers unconvinced. Establishing your arguments with solid evidence helps to substantiate your claims and make your essay more compelling.

To strengthen your arguments, prioritize using credible sources. Incorporate statistics, expert opinions, or case studies to reinforce your claims. Following a systematic approach to research will help you build a strong foundation for your essay, ensuring that every point you make is well-supported.

7. Plagiarism

Plagiarism is a serious concern in the world of academic writing. A common error is failing to attribute sources, which can lead to intellectual theft properly. Not only does this damage your reputation, but it can also result in severe academic consequences. Writers must be vigilant in paraphrasing ideas and ensuring proper citations to maintain academic integrity.

To mitigate the risk of plagiarism, familiarize yourself with citation styles and requirements. Keeping track of all sources used during the writing process can simplify this task. If you are drawing heavily from another author’s ideas, ensure you provide appropriate credit, demonstrating respect for the original work.

8. Poor Editing and Proofreading

Many writers submit their work after completing an essay without thorough editing and proofreading. Typos and grammatical errors can undermine a professional presentation. Even the most thoughtfully crafted arguments can lose their impact when marred by simple mistakes that distract the reader.

Invest time in reviewing your work before submission. Reading aloud can help identify awkward phrasing or overlooked errors. Consider seeking feedback from tools and from peers for an outside perspective. Editing and proofreading are essential final steps that ensure your essay shines and communicates your ideas effectively.

Recognizing these common essay mistakes is the first step toward becoming a better writer. By making intentional adjustments in your writing process, you can produce essays that not only reflect your ideas but also resonate with your audience, helping you navigate the world of academia with confidence.

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The 10 Biggest Mistakes To Avoid On Your College Essay

The recording will load in a moment., about this livestream.

Learn about the top 10 most common college essay mistakes and how to spot and fix them.

Jordan Sanchez, current sophomore at Harvard University, will walk through the most common college essay mistakes she has encountered while editing her own and others’ work. She will also provide essay examples and several exercises you can use to review and adjust your own work before, during, and after writing your college essay.

Throughout the presentation, she will be open to answering questions about the topics she covered most recently and her own essay writing process.

Video Transcript

Okay, Hey, everyone. So I just made a big mistake.

I just realized I was live.

And I wasn't actually live. How embarrassing is that? You know what, it's fine. It's whatever.

So hey, people, it's eight o'clock on the dot, I guess that's life, you know it. But today we're gonna be talking about the top 10 most common college essay mistakes. And I will basically be doing this live over again, because I was live for a little bit, actually, like 20 minutes. Okay, let's get started and do that all over again. So, Hey, everyone, I'm Jordan. I'm a sophomore at Harvard, concentrating in physics, with secondaries in computer science, and education. I'm so excited to be talking to you guys. Today, I have been seriously editing essays, since I would say May or June of this year. So I have read a lot of them. I've left a lot of feedback. And I'm just really excited to share with you guys some common essay mistakes. So you guys don't make them in your essay.

I just can't believe I was streaming for 20 minutes, but I wasn't actually on air. I'm like, still not over that. Yeah. So we're going to get into it. Um, yeah, let's go.

So today, we're going to cover a whole bunch of different mistakes, essays can be or not the essays and mistakes can be sorted into three different categories. So once you make before writing, so planning, essay topics, doing research, while writing, so structure, writing strategies, drafts, and then after writing, so editing, revising, and submitting, and just so you guys know, I will be doing Q and A's actually, throughout this livestream instead of just at the end. So right after the before writing, and right before the wall writing Part, we'll have a q&a. And then we'll have one right after it while writing and we'll have another one after after writing. So you can leave your questions. Oh, hey, people, I'm like, my phone is right. And I see the chat. So Hey, everyone. So excited for you guys to join me. Leave your questions throughout the presentation, and I will answer them at those specific parts. So the first thing before we get anywhere, any further into this presentation, we need to discuss the purpose of the essay and why it actually matters. So the admissions profile is made up of a few things. First is your academics, your GPA, class rank, course bigger, things like that. The next thing is your extracurricular, so activities, household responsibilities, things like that. Then you have exams, so s AP, ACT, APs,IBs, and Subject Tests. And then you have essays, so personal statement supplements. And I just want to reaffirm or validate any kind of worries you have about the exams. I know that College Board has been canceling a lot of their SAT, ACT, APs and things like that. But do not worry, it's not the end of the world. A lot of schools are going tests optional this year, which is really good for you guys. But because the schools are going Test Options, and you're basically losing this entire exam section, your essay will mean a lot more. So just keep that in mind. You want to make sure you're doing the most with your essays that it's going to be really really solid. I'm sorry, I'm laughing. I just can't believe I went live for so long. Okay, anyway, purpose of the common FSA, there are like some key things that the common app essay should do. And it gets a little bit more details about its role in the admissions process. I see some questions. Because they're related. So I'll answer them now. Do you recommend taking this subject test? or Why do you recommend taking the subject test because I was planning just take the sap specially do condition. If you are applying this year, if you are a rising senior, don't worry about Subject Tests at all. Like you don't have to worry about them because they're just irrelevant. Now focus on the SEC AC t. So yeah, but if you are a rising Junior, say the Subject Tests in this, what like june of your junior year, I think is like the general like standard. Next thing, what kind of household responsibilities would be valid enough to put on a profile.

So if you are caring for like a sick, sick, older or younger family member and it takes up a significant portion of your time, they go ahead? If you have a pet and you have to like walk the dog? Probably not. Maybe you have that in your family's business. Yeah, so anything that takes a significant portion of your time you want to put on there.

So the essays are the only time admissions officers get to hear from you directly. Do you want to make sure you're making the most of this opportunity? So whether your essays are awesome. required, you should always complete them to your best ability unless it's like an additional information section or disciplinary history section. If you don't have any disciplinary history, don't write anything for that essay. Like, there's no point. But if your family is affected by COVID, or if you seriously struggled with something in your high school career, definitely put in the additional information section. But aside from that your essays like common app and supplements are worth 25 to 30% of your admissions profile under COVID. So as you can see, that is a lot. So in general, the common app essay should give the admissions officer a clear sense of who you are, this is the only chance to showcase your personality and how it fits with the campus culture. Because again, it's the only time they get to hear from you directly. Without this essay, the whole application would be about you with nothing actually from you, which kind of like sucks. So you also want to show how you've grown or remain especially consistent, or any major lessons you've learned and how you implement them throughout your life. Usually, students do this by focusing on a specific moment and how it affected them. And we'll talk a little bit more about essay structures later on. You want to make sure you're being really specific about yourself in your experiences. And always ask yourself the question, Could anyone else write this essay and we'll talk a little bit more about generating unique essay ideas later on. And as always, you want to complete the picture you paint with the rest of your application, because this is a pretty hefty part, and it kind of like seals the deal. So a quick recap, the personal statement essay, which is same thing as common app essay matters, because one, it's your voice, the admissions officers really get to hear from you for the first and only time ever, to individuality, it really helps you stand out because it's your specific story. And no one can take that from you. Three college fit, like that's what essays are usually about just how well you fit into a college campus. And then for holistic admissions, so your essays can make up for weaker part of your application. And this was true of me, like my grades, like my, my classes are really hard with my grades like weren't, like, I didn't have a 99 or anything like that. And I truly think that my strong essays really, like helped me stand out and like really sealed the deal for my application, especially at Harvard.

Um, someone's asking, do you recommend submitting the same essay to multiple schools, and I actually have a slide up about this, it's kind of towards the end. So if you hang tight, I do want to answer that question just really thoroughly. So hang tight till the end. So before writing, here are some SEO mistakes that you can make. And if you have any questions about this before writing section, drop them in the chat as I go through them. So like you won't be kind of like rushed and stuff like that. And I want to make sure I get to your questions. So the first mistake most obvious is writing about the wrong thing. So regardless of what you write about, you want to make sure your topic is unique, engaging and authentic to you.

Um, someone's asking, you just mentioned a personal statement. Does that mean the common application essay tips also work for personal statements? Since you're all applying to undergrad? Yeah, personal statement CommonApp are pretty much the same thing. When you're applying to like grad school or another program, it may be like personal statement is like what do you want to do at the school, but since you're applying to a four year bachelor's program, like personal statement and comment from same thing, Okay, back to the slide. So you don't want to write a four sob story, a lot of students think you have to write a sob story to get in. None of my essays were sob stories, because that's just not the kind of person I am.

And I got it. So it's completely fine. Don't worry about it. There are a whole bunch of essays that worked successful essays that are positive, so don't be afraid to use that to your advantage. The next thing is someone else's story.

A lot of students will talk about struggles their family member had, or some crazy experience their parents went through, which is great if it actually affected you and how you've grown up. And if it's led to some like significant change in your life. You don't want to write someone else's story in your essay, because we don't actually get to learn about you. The whole point of the essay is sort of AOs to learn (AO is short for admissions officer by the way,) like they want to learn who you are. And if you would belong on this campus, not about your mom or your grandma or your dad or anything like that.

Next thing, like some students just choose not to show growth. And I think it's important to show growth, even if your essay is not about a specific like, I experienced this and it changed my life forever. Like it's totally okay if your essay is not that, but you do want to make sure that you are growing as a person in your essay. Because think like a story. This essay is basically a story and you want to have a plot and you want to show character development, stuff like that without the essay just seems really flat. The next and most common mistake is that you choose and it says I can't hear you. Well, you keep going in and out. Okay, let me see if I could like, do something with my audio. I don't really know, to do much. But hopefully, hopefully the recording will capture this because I don't want you guys to not hear me good. Can you guys hear me good? Oh my god, I can't believe I did Nicki Minaj reference. I'm sorry about that. So the next last mistake is writing an essay topic that is way too common. So some essay topics are overdone, literally every single year. So I don't want to it's not impossible to get into a school with a common essay topic.

Yeah, y'all are laughing. Oops. Okay, anyway, it's not impossible to get into a school with a common essay topic. It just makes it a lot harder to stand out. And you want to stand out like that's your goal in the college admissions process. I'm going to talk a little louder. Hopefully my roommates won't hate me. So obviously, like the next natural slide is the most common essay topics. So basically admissions officers, as I said, they may read like up to thousands of essays in a given application season. So writing about a common topic might hurt you and may keep you from standing out. So it said a child anyway. So yeah, period, I'm sorry. So you're the most common essay topics, you have sports and sports related injuries, like, try not to do that everyone who plays a sport writes about sports, please do something else. I promise there is more to you than like a basketball, I promise. The next thing is death of a loved one. I'm like, we love your grandma, grandpa, like gender nonconforming grandparent. But we need to make sure that this essay is about you that we're learning about you and your strengths and who you are. Okay, the next thing is divorce or an absent parent. So, especially with absent parents, I feel like a lot of students with absent parents lose a parent early on in their childhood, like, obviously, which will affect your life, like going forward. But you want to make sure that essay is taking place more recently, and I'll talk a little bit more about like, the timing of the events in your essay later on. And then moving with immigration, I will talk a little bit more about that, like, I'll circle back to it. And then COVID-19, because like, we're all living through a pandemic, no one really wants to read about it. But if you really have a transformational story, if something really happened to you, like during quarantine, that wasn't just like, Oh, I was sad, and I lost all my friends, like definitely talk about it in the additional information section, there is an entire section where you could just write about COVID-19. So if you have a story to tell, tell it there, don't use your common app essay for it. Now, as I said earlier, it's not impossible to read a successful essay about one of these topics, but it does make it harder to stand out. And I personally wouldn't take the risk going back to moving and immigration. So obviously, or maybe not. So obviously, a lot of college applicants are most of them are like citizens or not immigrants like they're born in the United States. So it's not, it's not that this essay topic is like super common among the entire applicant pool. But it is very common for either international or immigrant students, just because usually they rehash the same themes. And it's not bad, like immigration immigrating as a child is a huge thing. But you want to make sure you don't just talk about that you want to talk about something else that makes you more unique. And that feeds into my next slide about generating unique essay ideas. So the best way to create a real unique essay. Oh, thanks for saying you can hear me good. Make sure Kenny has Yeah, I'm not going to make that reference. Again, come your questions, by the way, because I think we're getting somewhat close to the end of this section, you want to make sure you are making an intersection. Basically, what this means is talking about two aspects of your identity, and how they affect each other. Because you don't exist in isolation. It's not like I'm on the cheer team one day, and then I like do something else. The next like, it's the same person doing all of those things. And they are bound to affect each other, especially in a country as like diverse as United States. So you can pick a hobby, maybe your race and culture, community life events, etc. and talk about how they intersect and affect each other and doing this will decrease the likelihood of someone else having the exact same essay topic as you.

So for example, someone saying like "I want to write about sports," it's like okay, sports are common, give me something more. So here's an example: as a girl playing male dominated sports conflicted with the values of my culture.

So a lot of girls playing like basketball. I don't even know basketball football, like other male dominated sports may write an essay about being a girl in a male dominated sport. However, when you add in the aspect of Your culture and how it like conflicts with the values are something that will make it a whole lot more unique because you're talking about the specific things that are unique to you, your life and your experience. For example, my essay was about my experience as a black student at a predominantly like white and Asian High School. And how that affected what I did was my title of Miss New York. And as you can see this, like talks about my race community, and my hobbies all into one thing. So it really like prevents anyone from writing the same essay, even though students may have similar essays, like maybe they like compete in pageants, or maybe they went to a predominantly white or Asian High School, like I talked about how I started a blog, and like, no one, I'm pretty certain not many people started a blog as a result of these experiences, do you want to make sure you're being very, very unique and specific. So to force yourself to come up with these things, like aside from just listing all the things that you do, and like drawing connections, is by forcing yourself to come up with 30 essay ideas. So you're gonna in one sitting, you're going to list 10, you're going to take like a one minute break, you're going to list 10 more, and then 10 more. And by doing this, you force yourself to get past a really like surface level. Things you actually want to get to like, what the meat and potatoes really unique sad is that no one else can write. And once you come up with an essay, like topic that you think you're going to do, ask yourself, if anyone else could write the essay? And if so, try to modify the topic a little bit. So the next this is actually Oh, you're missing the work Nice. Yeah, I was I was I actually, I think I'm going to be missing work. Again, we're still waiting on the results. But yeah, so this is like the biggest, biggest, biggest feedback if you haven't, edit your essay, and we'll probably say it's unfocused. So 650 words is not a lot. So you want to make sure your essay is focused, and that you're able to be specific about everything you cover. unfocus essays try to talk about way too many things. And this really, like messes up the central idea, and no one actually knows that it is. So once you come up with their general essay topic, say you want to talk about sports, because you haven't like come up with something really specific.

You want to make a list of all the possible ways your essay could go. And then you want to choose the one that's most relevant to you, and stick to it. So here's my example, about sports, because sports is common.

So sports can teach you like determination, and like develop your drive to win. But it also could affect your relationship with your parents, maybe you learned a lot of things from sports, maybe you learn how to balance sports and other commitments. And maybe sports helped you overcome stage fright. So as you can see, all of these topics, although they are under the umbrella category of sports, are very, very different and could result in completely different essays. So you want to make sure you do this with your essay topic, really sit down and take the time to go through all of it. And then pick one because that will force you to be super specific. And we learn more about you, which is good. And you want to make sure like just so you know, if you're writing an essay about sports and any of these elements, you don't pick one of these, like do this, do this exercise for yourself and pick your own. Okay, because it's your essay, you want it to be unique and all about you. The next mistake is not planning enough, and I see some questions coming in. And I will answer that at the end of the section. But the next thing is just not planning enough. So to write an effective essay, you will need to plan a few things out beforehand.

Because unplanned essays may seem really rushed, disorganized and unfocused, as we said before, which isn't good. So before you write your first draft, you want to make sure you're asking yourself these questions and answering them with like solid in depth answers. So the first How will the essay start and ends? If you don't know how it's gonna end? Well, if you don't ask him to start, you can't start and if you don't know how it's gonna end, you're just going to be writing aimlessly, which isn't good. The next thing what do I want the admissions officers to know about me? Like, do you want them to know that you're resilient, that you're a doer that you're an achiever that you never give up? Most of those are like synonyms. But that's okay. Like, you want to make sure you know what you're trying to convey about yourself. The next what is the central idea of this essay without a central idea that you're just gonna be writing aimlessly, it's gonna be really unfocused. And then Am I answering the prompt? For CommonApp essays, I say don't write to the prompt, because the last prompt is right, whatever you want. But for supplements, you want to make sure you are answering the prompt. And specifically, if you're writing a why this school or why this major supplement, you want to you want to make sure you're doing a lot of research about the school ahead of time. So what is the culture on campus? What specific programs that? Would I be interested in? What makes a school different from the others? And what kinds of qualities are the admissions officers looking for? How can I reflect those qualities in my essays? So for all of these questions, you're gonna I have answers to them. You may not explicitly include these answers in the essay, you may not include all of them, but they're just going to be more apparent. And they're going to make sure you're on the right track when you are writing. So here is a simple like essay Planning Guide, if you're on your phone or computer, whatever, screenshot this because it's a nice like quick outline. So before you write, you want to make sure you know what the goals of the essay are, what you want to share, and what themes you're going to be focused on. So you won't have like a crazy mess. The first thing you want to do is start out with a story or a moment, this could be a challenge or time when you learn something about yourself, someone else or the world, it doesn't really have to be like a moment where you learn something, but it should be an important or impactful moment. And I'll give you an example of an essay that doesn't have that that's not about them learning, just you can see like what a first story or hook could look like, then you obviously want to have a transition about how the two stories are related.

And then you want to talk about the second story or moments. And in the transition, it could be like context or something, it could just be any information that would help the admissions officer really understand the story to the fullest extent. But then you want to go on to your second story or moment. So the time when you display this knowledge or quality, and applied it to your life, this will really help you like this second moment shows the admissions officers how you actually change, like saying you change this one thing, showing them is completely different, like a completely different thing. And we're going to talk more about showing and telling and things like that later on. And then you want to end with a wrap up. So how does that experience affect who you are today, and who you will be in the future. I'll talk more about how this differs from a traditional conclusion, and a five paragraph essay structure a little bit later. But make sure you are leaving your questions because now I'm going to hop into the chat and see what's going on.

Okay, so someone's asking, Can I or us was asking, Can I talk about two different cultures and how it's been hard because not only are my parents different generation, but they grew up in a different culture. This is not necessarily related to immigration. But I was wondering if this is a good idea is okay, if you say it's not, I'm really looking for honest feedback, I will always give honest feedback.

So, the first thing I'm going to be honest with you, I literally I was writing or not writing, I was reading an essay this morning about a student who has an American parent and a Finnish parent. And if that doesn't give you an idea of how common an essay topic about like two cultures merging is, and I don't know what well, it's not that it's a bad topic, it's just that it's a little common. So instead of if you really, really, really want to talk about your cultures and how like these intersect and affect you and like make you who you are, make sure that you add another thing, like maybe this, I'm completely making this up. But maybe you like your parents are two different cultures. And like they're kind of parenting you in two different ways. And you're at school, and you don't know which Culture Club to join. So you join a student government and you create a like all cultures day or United Nations day where everyone can like just sharing the love and not be so divided. Like that is an instance where I would say it's okay, because there is like the action part, the part that makes it really specific to you. If you don't have something that's super specific like that, then I am not sure I don't think I would encourage you to write about that. The next thing are a gap years cliche, gap years are cliche if you talk about how you went to Africa to volunteer for the children and build schools like one that's modern day colonialism. And two, you don't want to just come off as like, I'm a savior, I'm doing all this good. So you should reward me. Like, you want to make sure if you're talking about a gap year, that it's not just like "I went to these poor, unfortunate people and help them," you know

How many schools Did you apply to? And when did you start working on your college apps? I applied to 17 schools, three targets, like 10 reaches and then I guess four, I mean, three safeties so forth targets. And then I started on my essay in the summer, but I didn't write the draft that I submitted until I didn't finish it until mid October. I started it like about now early September. And then I roll all of my supplements from November 1 November 1 to December 31, I guess. And yeah, like because I applied to so many reaches, most of my schools did require supplements.

There's a lot of writing, but please start sooner rather than later.

Okay, let us see. What about my weight loss journey and how people treated me so differently. I think that could be an interesting essay, but you want to make sure it's not just that Like I wouldn't say do an intersection, or, um, or talk about like, maybe it was like your relationship with your parents as well. Maybe this inspired you to do something or go into a specific field. Like I would say, make sure you add an other thing. So it's not just that one topic. Is it a good idea to write my personal essay about an experience I had in a cult culture, volunteer organization, organized the event, and this organization will be on my activities list? But does it sound too cliche for an essay topic? Hmm. It depends on the experience, like on the actual like, what you actually did?

I think it could, it could be good. If the essay is not just I plan this and look at it do good. Like, what what can I learn about you from this essay? Besides like, the fact that you can, like put on, like an organization or event? You know, like, were there a lot of conflicts? Did you like really struggle to get it together? Like I'm, I would say, That's more of an interesting story than just like, oh, look at this thing I put together isn't it nice. Um, but also, I want you to kind of think, bigger picture. So a lot of students or not a lot of students, a lot of like highly selective and competitive schools have you write a supplement about an extracurricular so if this extracurricular takes up all of your time, just make sure you check the essay prompts of the schools that you're applying to, because that may be a good essay, like I would say, that is a good essay topic for a like, tell me about your extracurricular supplement, which is like, somewhat common. Okay, I feel like writing about how playing board games with my great grandmother first reinforced my strong drive to succeed. It's really common topic, but in supporting memory for me, I think, I think it's not that not that common, like, I've heard it something like that once or twice. But it's not like the most common thing ever. So if you want to write about it, go ahead. But I would say add another thing to it, like, so the first. So you know how I said, there are two moments, the first moment can be like, Okay, I'm doing board games, and I need to succeed. The second moment should be a time when you implement to that, if you can come up with a very specific time, say like, I don't know, wait, actually, I'm like trying to recall an example because another student was talking about how their grandmother taught them something like to stay calm during conflict. And then the second half of their essay was about how they got into a car crash, or a car accident, not like a huge one, but a minor car accident, and how like, their grandma's advice to stay calm, like was implemented there. So it come up with another moment that you would include in that essay. So it's not just about you and your grandma. Okay, moving is cliche, however, can you discuss if you moved alone for a better application and the culture shock, I think writing an essay about moving alone, like so now you're living alone is a very unique experience. Um, but a lot of like, obviously, I don't want to like generalize people, it's kind of like what I'm doing. I'm sorry. But like, I would just say, like, culture shock is just a very like common theme, especially with people who are moving or immigrating and stuff like that. So just be really careful. I'm talking about my goal, and always helping others and tie it back to my major. Make sure you include how you got that goal. And it's not just like, I want to help people talk about a time when you actually help people, you know, and not and more than just like I volunteered at a soup kitchen, you know, because you want to show like, this is actually something I'm really interested in. Okay, not writing related. A college advisor at my school says that colleges are wanting applications due by October 15. Would you agree? No, I would not agree. Obviously, like it's good to submit sooner rather than later. And they're probably talking about either early action, which is like November 1.

But I I have not. So I didn't submit any of my regular decision applications before December. So I think it's completely fine. I would say don't wait for the last day. If you can submit like a week in advance. Like that's pretty solid. Should I always mention my major in my essay, as well as this one applying to no and no, I didn't talk about my major in any of my essays. And you should only mention this specific school. If it's like, why do you want to do this major? Why do you want to go to this school? Or if you're setting it up, so that you're writing a nonfiction type thing, and it's a perfect fourth wall break, which is like very hard to execute, but I'll talk more about fourthwall breaks later. If I have original and interesting answers to prompts you think that'd be better than writing my own essay? What do you mean by that? I'm not sure what you mean. If you mean like, you're if you mean you have like good answers to like prompts one through six, which are actual questions, go ahead and write that like as long as it's like unique and whatever. Like, that's fine. You don't have to do this. Haven't prom. Like really the prompt to choose for common app really doesn't matter. Add an idea of writing my four years of high school as seasons, is it smart to talk about three years back or only talk about recent events? I think we've talked about three years back, as long as the majority of the essay talks about who you are now, because remember, they are accepting you now, not who you were, like, five, six years ago. But But what about being a black cheerleader in a predominately white sport? Um, I, I have, okay, again, to give you like an idea of how common it is, I've had about like three black students in my DMS saying they wanted to write about being black in a predominately white sports like golf, figure skating. So it's not the most unique thing ever. But if you can, like add something else to it, so it's not just like, and this is like a pitfall that I almost like, tripped and fell into when I was writing an essay about like, being a black student. Like you don't want the essay to just be, I am black, and I am alone. Like, obviously, that really sucks. But you like we need more, we need more. What did you do? Did you bring more like black and Hispanic cheer girl like, girls to the cheer team or something like that, like, give us an action that you specifically did? Okay, let's see, how do you these are the last two I will answer for now. And then I'll like talk about more later. How do you suggest I approach writing about a mindset or belief I developed from my childhood that I still use today, because it's not a story or specific pivotal moment. And so two things, the first thing you want to do is like start with a moment in your childhood when, like you learned or your mom or dad or non like your parents, like, taught it to you or doesn't have to be taught but just like implemented it. So for example, like my dad never wanted me to lie. I can't remember when he taught me that lying was bad. But I do remember a time when I was a kid crying because I lied and I thought I was gonna get arrested. Like that could be a specific moment. And then the second moment would be a time when you implemented it and use it for something like either it could be big or small, but you want to make sure you tie it into time when you've used it because I'm sure if it's guided your whole life, you can like find a time to use it. Okay, I was in a wheelchair with a rare spine problem and after two surgeries I stuck was bad. And not only am I walking Wow. But I'm a bandleader. Wow. Good for you. We've been leader at school marching band, we had the Grand National Champions. Is that a good topic? Yeah, period. I think it's great. I think it's very unique. Oh my god. What about right is writing about what I'm passionate about a good essay topic if you talk about how you came to that passion and what you're doing with it now, but an essay about how facing colorism for pants would maybe help other people who face the same problem. So you go into a field where you underrepresented to comment. Um, it's, it's not too common. The theme is a little common, but just make sure you add like specific, like moments and stuff. Oh my gosh, I'm this gonna be a long line. I'm so sorry. What are tips you have to get to a deeper self realization that you can convey your essay or story topic. I feel like my metaphors aren't deep enough. Don't use a metaphor. If you feel like you can't come up with a good one. Don't use it. I don't use metaphors. I do a lot of black students write about or their struggle with their hair. Yes, I've had like four students talking about that. I want I went to an extremely competitive and toxic high school I tried really hard to stay true to myself and because obviously bad no wouldn't be bad. Just make sure you include specific moments that highlight the difference between you and the general culture of your school. Next slide. So mistakes while drafting I'm wearing a one direction shirt. Okay, the same style drafting. So number four out of 10 is writing a bad hook. So the hook is the first paragraph of your essay and its job is to engage the reader and introduce yourself and the topic of your essay. A good hook is memorable and gets the attention of the admissions officer and get some really excited read your essay like remember I'm the admissions officers are just people they want to enjoy themselves they like they're reading all these essays, you should just be the like burst of sunshine and they must be so happy to read your essay.

So next thing just some examples of engaging and disengaging hooks so engaging hooks be dialogue imagery, other descriptive language bold statement, interesting and relevant information. And then disengaging hooks, unrelated quotes if you're going to start close, like I don't know, a dream is a wish your heart makes or never give up. Don't do that unjustified complaints because no one wants to wants to complain or whiner, and then just some word of advice. Don't worry about the first few lines when drafting it If you feel stuck, you could write the rest of the essay and then just come back to edit the hook later. But I would say make sure you edit the hook or come up with some ideas for the hook before you like send your essay to anything else, or anyone else.

Um, and by the way, there will be a live stream on September 4, which is this Friday at 7pm ET. About how to write the Harvard University supplement. So if you guys want to join me up in Cambridge, definitely check that out. I would love to see some of your familiar faces. I mean, I don't see your faces now. But I would love to see some of you guys up in Harvard land. I think that'd be really cute.

Okay, so next mistake, if you give me your essay to edit, I will, you will probably mess this up. And that's okay. Um, it's telling and not showing. So this may manifest as reading exactly how you talk what you should not do. When you tell a story to a friend, you probably skip over a lot of the details and just report bigger events. In this essay, you have the 650 words to slow down. Always use descriptive language not always use descriptive language when talking about the specific moments, you want to share details about the setting your feelings, thought processes and experiences. And this will just make for a more engaging and unique essay.

Okay, someone said please post on Tick Tock. As a reminder, I am not posting this live, or slides. I don't think maybe I'll post the slides. I'm not sure. But this recording will be available on collegevine.com. But thank you for the reminder. Thank you guys. Okay, um, how someone and just for like telling not showing just general advice and why you should show and not tell is that, like how someone reacts to the situation is much more telling about their character than them saying, I have this trait.

Like, I am much more likely to believe that you are a leader, if you like, give me an example of you displaying leadership, if you resolve some conflict or something like that, if you motivated people, then just you saying I'm a leader, you know.

And just like a quick exercise, write your essay as if you're writing a novel and you're the main character, like during quarantine. And though there is this Tick Tock trend, we're all trying to figure out who's the main character, and I'm here to tell them that you are the main character, at least in this essay. So going, the first one I wrote by myself and the second one was actually one of the students whose essays I edited and his second draft was just so much better. Gabriel, if you're watching this, I'm so proud of you. Okay, so here is a not great example, I have loved cooking ever since I was little, I grew up watching my mother cook the food of my culture, and I want to do the same. I'm a perfectionist. So sometimes, oops, is that someone's oops, sometimes, I spent five hours trying to make the perfect flatbread. Ooh, it says you glitched out for me. Hopefully I'm not I'm not glitched out on my phone. I'm watching this live on my phone, by the way, but I think, I don't know.

So from this hook, like, obviously, you see that the topic is about like cooking. So you introduce the topic and yourself, you're a perfectionist. It's like, okay, but it's really distant, like the reader feels disconnected from the events of the essay. And it's doing a lot of telling and not showing. There are other ways to communicate your passion for cooking without explicitly saying it. And a great example of this is the essay or like clip on the right and this is like literally his words I did not like do any of this. He's so smart and talented.

315 grams of flour, two spoons of yeast, a little bit of sugar and salt. And my secret ingredient, whole milk, Greek yogurt, the combination forms of rough Shaggy, flat bread dough, which will be rolled into eight inch rounds and sat on the stove with the dress of extra virgin olive oil. So as you can see, with the essay is about cooking, and we see that the student is like very precise, because they're giving us some measurements. And they must be passionate about cooking if they have like a secret ingredient.

So as you can see this, like this hook is closely engaged, the reader is right bear with the narrator they're doing a lot of showing and not telling, like we know they're cooking without them saying it. And it's very unique, like very few students will actually include a recipe in their essay, you know.

So that's pretty good. Next thing incorrect essay length. And by the way, I think we're getting close to the end of this section, so start leaving your questions about the writing process.

So the limit for the common app essay is 650 words. And most successful essays are above 600 words, my essays were usually at the at the word limit of 650. So try as hard as you can to get to the word limit. 400 words is definitely too short. How do I contact you to review one of my essays if you do that? My email is happy Jordan s At gmail.com, or Jordan [email protected], they are at the end of this presentation on the slide, by the way. So 400 words is definitely too short, I would say anything that is less than 600 words is too short, you want to make sure using all the words you can. And if it's too short thing like, is your topic too specific and that you've ran out of things to say, Are you telling instead of showing or using enough descriptive language? Are you including specific moments or glossing over details, like you want to make sure that you're not doing any of these things you know, you want to, there's a nice balance between specific and then to to specific. You want to be specific enough that no one else can write the essay. But you also don't want to be too specific or that you can only write 300 words word. And then any essay that is over 650 words is too long. Like literally the common application will not let you paste or type more than 650 words. Don't include the title when you are sending your essay by the way. So just check Are any of your sentences or paragraphs redundant? Are they like repetitive? Are there any moments when you can simplify your wording? Is your essay focused? Or are you trying to cover too many topics? Is this essay about you someone else? Or both? Do a paragraph by paragraph breakdown and ask like where are you using the most words? And like does that align with your goals of the essay? Remember, this all goes back to planning ahead. So questions while drafting so hooks and writing strategies, I will check this. I say or not my essay my emails happy to Jordan [email protected]. So for several minutes, is it okay to be more telling than showing due to the word limit?

Yes. Especially if the supplement is like 300 words, I think 300 words you can do like a little showing moment. And then like telling, but when it comes to supplements, like why this major or like why the school if they're really really short, like 200 words, 175 words, go ahead and tell like you don't want to waste words and stuff like that. But leave your questions. Keep leaving your questions. Like for my for my extracurricular supplement that was 175 words. I don't think I did any showing besides like little personality lines, like besides lighting behind my favorite superhero, like things like that. But I didn't do any showing Actually, I'm going to take a sip of water all you guys type.

But yeah, any questions, I will pop them or any questions pop up, I will ask or answer them. And the next thing, but let's push on through towards the last section. So mistakes made while editing and submitting. So number seven is in cohesive writing. And this is something that is kind of like in writing 101. This These aren't like as common as mistakes. Oh, I see some questions. How do you show being shy? introverted is a positive by giving by providing specific moments when your introversion or shyness has helped you. So for example, like I don't know if it's actually true for you, I'm just making this up off the top of my head, like introverts may like they're not going to speak as much. So they may be a lot more careful about what they say and how they say things. This may be really advantageous in a debate, maybe you're not going to be the most like vocal person in the debate. But you're definitely going to have something that's like most worthwhile sharing. Or maybe you are really good at having these emotional heart to heart, like hearts hearts with your friends, because you thrive in a like, closer like one on one setting rather than the group setting. So if you can provide a specific example, I think that would really help in personal essays, when writing the hooks, is it necessary to provide context? No, not initially, you want to make sure you're providing enough context for the reader to understand what's going on. But you don't have to, like burden us with all these details, you know. So, for example, I was reading an essay about a student, a teacher was pronouncing a student's name, like all they said was like they gave the line of dialogue. They said, My teacher said, My classmates looked at me with just those simple phrases, we understand that they're in a classroom and that the teacher is about to mispronounce their name. And that's like all the information we need, you know, so you don't have to give us like, every little detail just enough for us to understand the story. So in cohesive writing, cohesive essays are easier and more enjoyable to read, because it could be as when you're reading, like, you may notice this when you're reading a book or another essay, if an essay is kind of jumping around, and you don't really see how things are connected. Instead of focusing on the actual content, you're going to be thinking, How in the world does this actually connect? How is this relevant? Why do I care about this? And that obviously takes attention away from what actually matters, which is your content. So in cohesive writing mainly shows up in two ways. The first one is no transitions. So transitions show the reader how different ideas or paragraphs are related. And without them, your reader will wonder why switch subjects, rather than focusing on the content of essay. Transitions can be as short as like one or two sentences, or as long as a whole paragraph. So it really just depends on how well or obvious the connection is between these two ideas. The second thing is inconsistency. your essay should be the same point of view and tense throughout first person past tense is like the safest most common choice. There's nothing wrong with that. Your writing style should also be consistent. So don't use extremely complicated vocabulary in one paragraph, and then very simple language in the next, just write in your natural style and voice and you will never go wrong. Do you have any tips for the why of supplements? Yes, research, research research, email professors. If you're like that, courageous.

Well, that was a bad hiccup, email admissions officers asking them like, what is what what traits are you looking for in a student. But something I always did was like, and I do this for preparing for my interviews as well, like, say, for Harvard, because obviously, that's when this was clear to me. Like I would look for their student organizations. And I would find the ones I really, really liked. And then I would look at who like was advising that. So for example, I'm a figure skater, I used to be a figure skater and I wants to figure skating club. And it turns out that both of the coaches was a figure skating team, or club team, whatever. were former team USA ice skaters, which is like a very, very high honor. And I could talk

about that in my interview. And that shows like, I'm really interested, like all this, all the great people at Harvard, but don't just focus on individuals, because individuals can come and go. So talk about classes, talk about specific programs that you'd be interested in. So just do a lot of research. And don't include anything that you can find on the brochure. So obviously, students may have the question, How do I know if my writing is in cohesive? So here's a quick exercise, not really quick, but here's the exercise you can do. Once you finish your first or second draft, go paragraph by paragraph and answer these questions in the margins. This is something that I actually do with the essays that I edit. So how does this relate to the previous paragraph? Do I illustrate the connection here? Or later in the essay? If it's later in the essay, that's okay. But just make sure your readers and going too long without knowing like, What's going up? What is the main idea of this paragraph? Does it align with the central theme of his essay? What point of view? Is this written? And what tense? What form? Is this paragraph are in it? Is it narrative or creative? is a distant or close and engaging? Is it informative or persuasive? Like just make sure it's somewhat consistent throughout? does this relate to the next paragraph? And are the ideas or themes in this paragraph mentioned somewhere else? That's probably the most important one. Just so you know, answers should be the same or very, very similar in each paragraph. Do you prefer simplicity or bigger vocabulary that I would not normally use in my everyday life? use simple words, don't use words that you would not use in your everyday life, because chances are, you will use them incorrectly. And ayoze can tell like if you're just forcing words in there, like they're not looking for. And I think this is this the next slide?

No, but I will talk about this a little bit more later. They're not looking for the most beautiful prose or most complicated language ever. They're just looking for a good story, you know? Are you willing to edit the common app essay for seniors? Yes, I do edit common app essays, email me at Happy Jordan [email protected]. Or Jordan sent Jordan dot [email protected]. My emails aren't the end of this presentation, which we're getting close to. So writing in the incorrect form. And I kind of mentioned this earlier with five paragraph essays and conclusions. So the common app essay is most similar to a narrative or memoir, which is a short personal story. And many students have little to no experience writing essays on this form. And that's completely okay. You're not alone. It's really just your teachers not giving you creative writing assignments, that's fine. But you should keep in mind that this is not a five paragraph essay, you will not have an introduction, nor will you have a conclusion in the traditional sense, sense. Your introduction will be the hook, whether that's like dialogue, descriptive language, imagery, whatever. And the conclusion will just be a nice short wrap up like literally a few sentences that may talk about where you're going in the future.

And remember, this is not a thought piece either, especially when it comes to the prompt that's like, oh, talk about like, an idea that you disagree with or a lesson you learn. Like, you shouldn't just be writing a speculative piece like you want to include specific moments of your life. This will ground the essay so it's not just feeling like up in the air and lofty and I'll also help the reader get to know you better.

So to help you get past this and make sure right In the correct form, before you write your first draft watch videos on YouTube, like literally Google like reading my common app essay.

To get an idea of how successful essays are written, I personally have a few of these essays on my YouTube channel. I think if you look like happy Jordan, or the Phoenix or Harvard, like, it'll come up.

But I read my essays, a whole bunch of students have read their essays, binge watch these, don't copy their essays don't copyright language, it's just for you to get an idea of how that essay should go. So then the next thing this kind of aligns with us this question about language, not sounding like yourself is a big, big issue. So the admissions officer is not expecting, nor do they want to read the most beautiful prose and most intelligent language, they want to read an essay by you and about you. So always write your essay. Like that should even be a question. So write the essay yourself and don't include words you don't use regularly, you may miss use a word, if you use the source, I have done that, too. You don't need big fancy words to impress the admissions officers, your character and your story will impress them for you. And along the same route of your essay should center a brown around who you are today. Like it's okay to write about something that happened in elementary middle school. But the bulk of the essay should should have happened between 10th and 12th grade ideally, like if you're talking about an event that happened in middle or elementary school, that can be your hook. That could be a really short moment, maybe you could talk about my parents have always done this growing up. But you don't want to make that the whole essay. Because the admissions team wants to accept who you are. Now, today, you're going on campus next fall, they don't want to know who you were like eight years ago, unless it's like relevant to who you are today. And then the last one, I actually have a little bonus, so don't hop off too fast. But what the 10th mistake I have is reusing the wrong essays.

So throughout the application process, you will write like several essays, you'll have personal statement supplements, and some but not all of these can be used. When I was applying, I applied to 17 schools by the way, like I wrote 10,000 words worth of supplements, which is a lot, but some of those are use. So admissions officers can tell when you're using an essay you shouldn't do like you should ever use. It shows carelessness lack of interest in the school and admissions officers want to accept students who are likely to attend, they want to accept students who want to go. So before writing any other supplements, copy and paste all the prompts you have to write in a single Google Doc. And then take inventory of how many essays you'll actually have to write and how many you can reuse. Well, Jordan, which essays Can I reuse? Well, I'm glad you asked. Because here's a slide explaining which ones you can reuse. If I were you, I would screenshot this slide because it's just so nice, like quick resource. So your common app or personal statement, yes, always reuse this, unless this is unless your essay talks about why you're interested in your major. And the college you're applying to has a supplement asking about your academic interest, because you don't want to repeat yourself throughout the application.

So in this case, I would say use a modified version of your original CommonApp essay as a supplement, and then write a new, completely unrelated combat essay. For me, I just chose not to write about my major in any of my essays, unless they explicitly asked me, because it's just not cute. How will admissions officers know an essay is reused. So this kind of goes to like, why this school? So if so, like, let's think about the Ivy's like Harvard, Yale, and Princeton specifically, all of those are liberal arts colleges in like college towns, and they have like specific campus cultures that are like kind of somewhat similar. They don't have Greek life. Like those are all very basic similarities. If you're writing an essay that's like it, say this is some kids essay. I want to go to Harvard because they have amazing professors. I love the housing system. I think it really fosters community amongst the students. The grass is always green, the campus is beautiful, and it's not too far from home. There isn't Greek life, they have all these other opportunities. They have great undergraduate research programs, like an admissions officer will know that you're reusing that essay, because that's true of Harvard and Yale and Princeton and Dartmouth and like all these other places, and essay that you cannot reuse an essay that they know is unique is like, I want to go to Brown University because Jim gates teaches there, Jim gates teaches a course or does research on supersymmetry, I'm really interested in physics.

Brown also has a specific program called stars that supports underrepresented minorities going into STEM. So both of those one of those is true Brown, the other one isn't, but that was just like random example. Um, you see, I'm mentioning some civic professors, it'd be even better if I mentioned a specific course like, say, K through 12. Equity and excellence like that's, of course here at Harvard. Like if I'm mentioning a specific course, a professor and a program, like that's something that you cannot reuse, and the admissions officer knows that. So why the school like always be careful with that, why this major, you can use some parts of it, but you should also include information about the specific program each college offers to support students in that major, elaborate on an extracurricular Yeah, you can always read that one, unique aspects about your background and contributions to campus. You can use some some parts of it, but not all. Just make sure being specific about the programs you participate in on campus. Make sure you start to comment your questions, by the way, because we're getting towards the end, and then extremely open ended prompts, you can reuse the essay, but change the college's name if you mention it. Like my you, Chicago and Harvard essay were the same, so I had to like change you Chicago to Harvard. And then bonus, always proofread your work like the essays are super important. Super important part of your application, as we said is 25 to 30%. And they are the last thing you can control so you should treat them as such, you should proofread and have your English teacher proofread your essay for punctuation and grammar mistakes, spelling incorrect or incomplete sentences, run on sentences, switching tenses, etc.

Incorporating dialogue into your essay, you should always start a new paragraph every time there's a new speaker. Um, I've noticed I've been editing a lot of essays I know. So that's something not a lot of students know. And just not proofreading your work shows a lack of effort and care. So you want to start and finish your essays early to avoid feeling rushed. So Oscar was asking how do I submit supplemental essays and you can do this. Also amaze you pronounce my name. I actually have a friend at Barnard Her name is awsa. So that's how I pronounce it. But yeah, also is really cool. I love her. But you submit it through the common application, if they are a school on the common app. Or if you're applying through their specific portal, like the UCS have their own portal. They like they'll have a like box. It's like, pick a prompt or like, here's our prompt, and then they'll have a text box. Let us see what questions Is it important to have demonstrated interest in the essay? When it comes to a Why us? Yes, but I wouldn't say demonstrate it interest. Like I went to all of your info sessions.

And I'm going to switch to the next slide. So you can see my emails, like demonstrated interest isn't just like, oh, like I went to your info sessions, you can see demonstrated interest to all the research a student has done. What are the most unique college essays you have read about? Hmm. So the most unique ones. I think one of them was an essay, I was reading and reading essay as editing this summer. And as I student named dates or data, if you're watching this, I love your essay, it was about how their relationship with their grandmother strengthened over lottery tickets, which I thought was like really cute. Another one that I read and really liked was, oh my gosh, is actually my favorite one of all time. So a student actually talked about how they had a crush on someone. And how because they had this crush on this boy, they joined all the activities he was in like they joined the sports team like soccer. I think it was a joint student government because he was in student government. And he ran for student president. So she ran for student president too. And then eventually he dropped out because he was like, Oh, she's gonna be a really great student President, I support her. And I thought that was such an interesting essay. Because usually I would say don't talk about romance because you're a teenager who wants to read about teenage romance. But I just thought that was a very interesting and unique essay.

Another one that I really liked is how someone playing Legos with their little brother led to them wanting to be an engineer, which I thought was really cute. Um, I haven't read the Costco or pizza essay. Oh my gosh, one of my other favorites. And this the last year I haven't mentioned is, um, someone was applying. So for my high school's applying to you Chicago edu and they got in. And their essay was written in the style of Dr. Seuss. And they talked about how language is classes. And I just thought that was like, mind blowing. Like, obviously, it's not like the traditional like, here's my comment essay.

And this is a challenge I've overcome, but I thought it was a really unique essay. Okay, let's see what other questions we got. How important are stats like receiving receiving awards elected leadership, so stats like grades, that's like a third or less like 27.5 I think under COVID. But course rigor like means more than like GPA now. And then awards, I would say aren't that important because like, not every school has an NHS and not every school awards. Not every school distributes awards before senior year like I do, I had an award for my PSAT score, or si p one of those two and I was an NHS, but I didn't have any other words because my school gave awards at graduation, is it and then for leadership, I think it's important to have a leadership position that kind of goes in extracurriculars. extracurriculars is also like 25 to 27.5% of your profile. I think being involved like seriously involved is more important than leadership per se, but if you're seriously involved you probably have a leadership position.

Is it dumb to include one of the reasons you want to attend is because your dad did we have a legacy student? Um, maybe you could mention that as a quick thing.

Okay. actually talking about my friend asked them who goes to Barnard. So my essay Barnard's like, why do you want to come here? Why should we accept you?

And I basically went over this topic of like, awesome, I said, I was like a Barnard woman. And I didn't really know what that was. Now, I understand that Barnard women are strong, empowered, curious, like all these things.

If you wanted to spin it like that, I think jack was your name. Um, a friend named jack was also like a sea suit. But if you want to submit your essay like that, I think that's completely okay. But you can't just say, Oh, my dad was so I want to go because fantasy family legacy. Like, you want to make sure you're saying other things, revealing more information about yourself? Can I incorporate a short quote in Spanish and then explain what it means in English? Yes, you can. I thank you so much for taking the time to do this for us. Um, the problem with submitting a poem layout or unconventional essay be unique or wrong. So for that, I would say just be careful. It really depends on the character of the school and just campus culture. So if you're applying to you, Chicago or Stanford,

I would say submit a poem, like submit a poem. I think that would be great. I think that's a genius. If you're submitting because like those, Stanford is like, ooh, we're cool and quirky. And so as you Chicago so they want like, weird, quirky people, and they want students to take a risk. And that's a complete, like, great example of that. If you're applying to say like Cornell, like just regular Princeton regular, like not to say that you're going to get rejected, I don't think you will be. But I just think you just have to be careful. You know, I'm not a question. Just want to say your hair is, thank you. It's Krishna is writing that how I helped a church in Mexico or how I'm an overachiever, a good essay topic, as long as it's not like, "Oh, I went to Mexico to help the poor children. I am so good. Please, like give me a gold star" because that's never that's never good. You know? Which high school did you go to? In which state so I went to the Bronx High School of Science in New York City. It's a specialized High School. very engaging and informative. Thank you. Thank you. How do you know if there's a college search tool for IB or Dino's are cautious to for IB students, I saw that acceptances considered differently for IB students, I actually do not know. But, um, if you go on big future.collegeboard.org I think it is.

You can like filter through like different things. And there may be like a filter for IB. And then like, if not just like look at the school's list of schools you're interested in and then do research for those specific ones. Like just to see but yeah, I'm sorry I didn't have a specific answer that but thank you guys so much for listening. It's nine o'clock my bedtime is 930 so I'm about to hop off. The recording for this will be uploaded within 24 hours of this ending. But yeah, thank you guys so much for joining me. I will see you guys follow me on whatever on Tick tock, I guess if you're here, like that's how you know me from but yeah, so nice talking to you guys.

And I will see you guys eventually later.

Undergrad College: Harvard '23

Major: Computer Science and Physics

Work Experience: I am a current student at Harvard University where I am pursuing my degree in physics and computer science.

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Common college essay mistakes to avoid.

Proofreading errors are a common issue that many college students face when writing essays. As the field of freelance writing has grown, it has become an increasingly flexible and attractive career path. However, to succeed in this field, it is essential to develop a strong skillset, including the ability to proofread and avoid common essay writing mistakes. 

This article will cover the most frequent grammar errors, structural issues, and other common mistakes found in college essays, as well as the important role that proofreading plays in avoiding these pitfalls. Keep reading to help recognize what mistakes you may be making in order to elevate your material to be noticed. 

What Are the Most Common Grammar Mistakes in College Essays?

One of the most common issues in college essays is the incorrect use of grammar . From simple homophones to complex subject-verb agreement, grammar errors can undermine the clarity and professionalism of a student’s writing. This is why some students opt to hire an essay writer who can help ensure their work is polished and free of grammatical errors.

By understanding the most common grammatical mistakes, students can better prepare themselves to identify and correct these issues during the proofreading process, or when they work alongside a professional writer.

Pay particular attention to the following issues to help keep your work polished and understandable:

• For example: 

Incorrect: The students are going over there notes before the exam.

Correct: The students are going over their notes before the exam.

Incorrect: The team of players were excited about the big game.

Correct: The team of players was excited about the big game.

• For example:

Incorrect: A student should always do their homework on time.

Correct: A student should always do his or her homework on time.

Incorrect: The weather was sunny, we decided to go to the beach.

Correct: The weather was sunny, so we decided to go to the beach.

Incorrect: The students notebooks were left on the desk.

Correct: The students’ notebooks were left on the desk.

Incorrect: Walking through the park, the birds were singing.

Correct: As I was walking through the park, the birds were singing.

Incorrect: The researcher analyzes the data and will publish the findings next month.

Correct: The researcher analyzed the data and will publish the findings next month.

Incorrect: I went to the store I bought milk and eggs.

Correct: I went to the store and bought milk and eggs.

Incorrect: This essay will discuss strategies for effective proofreading.

Correct: Developing effective proofreading strategies is crucial for college students to produce polished, error-free writing.

Incorrect: The essay started by discussing the importance of proofreading, but then went on to talk about time management and study habits.

Correct: The essay maintained a clear focus on exploring different proofreading techniques throughout.

Incorrect: According to the article, good proofreading habits are essential for writers.

Correct: According to a study published in the Journal of College Writing, good proofreading habits are essential for writers (Smith, 2020).

What Role Does Proofreading Play in Avoiding Mistakes?

Proofreading is crucial for avoiding mistakes because it allows writers to carefully review their work and catch any errors or inconsistencies before submitting the final essay. Proofreading helps writers ensure that their grammar, punctuation, spelling, and overall structure are correct and polished.

One of the primary benefits of proofreading is that it helps writers identify and correct grammatical errors. By carefully reading through the essay, writers can spot issues such as subject-verb agreement problems, incorrect use of homophones, and pronoun errors. Proofreading also allows writers to ensure that their sentences are properly structured, with no run-on sentences or fragments.

In addition to catching grammatical mistakes, proofreading enables writers to strengthen their thesis statements and maintain a clear, consistent focus throughout the essay. By reviewing the essay, writers can ensure that each paragraph supports the main argument and that the essay flows from the introduction to the conclusion in a logical manner.

Proofreading is also important for ensuring proper citation of sources. Writers can double-check that they have correctly formatted in-text citations and the reference list, which is crucial for avoiding plagiarism and demonstrating their research skills.

Strategies for Effective Proofreading

Proofreading should never be overlooked. All writers, no matter their skill level, are prone to making mistakes in their work – whether they are errors in grammar, punctuation, spelling, or even larger structural issues. For college students in particular, developing effective proofreading strategies is crucial, as poor proofreading can lead to low grades and a diminished academic reputation. 

By learning techniques to carefully review their writing, students can ensure their essays are polished, professional, and free of careless errors. Mastering proofreading is not only important for academic success, but it is also a valuable skill that will benefit students throughout their careers. 

Reading the essay aloud can help writers catch mistakes that may have been overlooked when reading silently. The human ear is often better equipped to identify grammatical errors, run-on sentences, and other issues that may be more difficult to spot on the page.

Focus on One Type of Error at a Time

Instead of trying to catch every possible mistake in a single pass, writers can improve their proofreading efficiency by focusing on one type of error at a time. For example, they could first check for subject-verb agreement, then move on to pronoun usage, and so on.

Use Technology Tools 

There are a variety of technology tools, such as spelling and grammar checkers, that can assist writers in identifying potential errors. While these tools should not be solely relied upon, they can be a helpful complement to the proofreading process.

Ask for Feedback

Asking a peer, tutor, or professor to review the essay can provide valuable feedback and help writers catch mistakes they may have overlooked. Fresh eyes can often identify issues that the writers themselves have become desensitized to. Hire a professional essay writer to provide an objective, experienced perspective that can identify lingering grammar issues, clarify the thesis statement, and ensure the essay maintains a cohesive focus.

Take Breaks 

Proofreading can be mentally taxing, so it’s important for writers to take breaks and come back to the essay with fresh eyes. This can help them better identify errors and inconsistencies that may have been missed during the initial proofreading sessions.

Develop a Proofreading Checklist 

Creating a personalized proofreading checklist can help writers ensure that they consistently check for the most common mistakes in their writing. This can be especially helpful for writers who tend to struggle with particular grammar or structural issues.

Proofreading errors can be a significant obstacle for college students when writing essays, but by being aware of the most common mistakes and the importance of proofreading, writers can improve the quality of their work. From grammar and punctuation issues to structural problems and citation errors, a thorough proofreading process can help writers identify and correct a wide range of mistakes. By developing strong proofreading skills, college students can increase their chances of producing high-quality essays that showcase their knowledge, critical thinking, and writing abilities.

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Last updated August 1, 2024

Every piece we write is researched and vetted by a former admissions officer. Read about our mission to pull back the admissions curtain.

Blog > Common App , Essay Advice > 9 Biggest College Essay Mistakes

9 Biggest College Essay Mistakes

Admissions officer reviewed by Ben Bousquet, M.Ed Former Vanderbilt University

Written by Alex McNeil, MA Admissions Consultant

Key Takeaway

Sometimes the best way to learn how to do something is to learn how not to do something.

Learning from the mistakes of others can be one of the most effective ways to improve because you can skip the trouble of making the mistakes yourself.

Some mistakes have minor consequences, but college essay mistakes can seriously hurt your chances of admission. You want to avoid them at all costs.

In this post, I break down nine of the biggest mistakes I see students making when writing their college essays.

These mistakes range the gamut, from college essay themes to tone. By the end of the post, you’ll know exactly what not to do.

Let’s dive in.

Mistake #1: Staying shallow.

College essays aren’t a time to mess around. As I’ve described at length in the college essay writing guide , they are a time to be deeply personal, even vulnerable.

Shallow personal statements tell an admissions officer nothing about who you are as a person or student. They ooze boredom, and an admissions officer is likely to simply skim your essay. A shallow essay is one you can get the gist of pretty quickly because you’ve already read hundreds of essays just like it. It has few to no unique identifiers and makes generic statements about life.

So what does it mean to write vulnerably instead? It means taking your essay beyond a surface-level look at who you are. I recommend doing this by honing in on one or two of your core strengths.

By writing about a strength, you immediately get at one of the central characteristics that makes up who you are. You show an admissions officer something personal about yourself, and you clearly demonstrate how your strength influences the way you interact with the world around you.

College essay writing requires courage to be so personal with readers you’ve never met. But pushing yourself to write meaningfully instead of superficially will have a big payoff.

Mistake #2: Trying to game the system

I said you need to focus on your strengths. But the strengths you choose to highlight in your college essay matter. There are good strengths to highlight and, well, less-good ones.

The main type of "bad strength" I see students regularly talk about (like, in half of the essays I read, especially the ones that come from places like Reddit) are those that focus on achievements or skills. When students write about strengths that are actually covert ways to try to game the system, admissions officers can see right through it.

Often these essays will start out with a false problem: “Oh god, I can't seem to perfectly master my argument for the debate championship!”

Then, they'll proceed to a "revelation" that feels a bit... fake? "Then it hit me: I just needed to allow my creative spirit to work alongside my analytical one!"

Finally, they finish stronger than before: "Now, as a debater who unifies my left and right brains, I am truly capable of anything at the podium."

There are a couple reasons why this doesn't work. First, this kind of essay progression violates the basic rules I laid out in the college essay writing guide about choosing a truly meaningful topic. While debate may be very meaningful to you, the story feels like a convenient way to write about an accomplishment rather than a deep, organic transformation in the way you see or operate in the world. It reads like a vessel to highlight your capacity for self-improvement.

When students write these essays, they’re unwilling to be real about the struggles or meaningful periods in their life. They think schools want to hear neat stories about "overcoming obstacles" or "undergoing self-improvement."

They may seem safe, but they're actually the most damaging essays you can write because they feel ingenuine and fail the main goal of the personal statement: to make you stand out as an individual human being with real experiences to write about.

Don't be this person. Don't try to mind game admissions offices and write an "impressive" essay. Focus on the real but dark stuff, or talk with unbridled enthusiasm about something you love. Always go for real emotions and complexity over a simple, linear narrative that handily resolves itself by the final paragraph.

Mistake #3: Not focusing on yourself

Lots of writers have a tendency when writing about someone (or something) who has played a big role in their life to allow that thing to become the subject of the essay.

I think a grammar lesson here can be helpful. Remember the difference between the subject and the object of a sentence?

Alex used the broom. "Alex" is the subject of the sentence, and "broom" is the object. In this sentence, which is about an action I took, the focus is on me.

Here's a different sentence: "The broom was a perfect instrument for Alex to clean the house." While I'm still the one performing the action here, cleaning the house, the new sentence construction has placed the broom front and center. The sentence is about how good the broom is as a tool. It's no longer about my action.

Analogously, many students will write an essay about a family member, a loved one, or something in their life, which ends up taking the subject position rather than the object position.

A subject-position essay says too much about the person/thing in question, foregrounding them in the essay. An object-position essay, by contrast, foregrounds YOU as the subject and talks about your development using them to illustrate your growth. But you remain at the "beginning of the sentence."

That may be a bit abstract. Ask yourself this question to evaluate whether you need to go back to the drawing board:

If someone I've never met were to read my essay, would they come away with more information about me or about ______?" (With _______ meaning the person or thing that shares the spotlight.)

If the answer is even a close tossup, that's a sign you might need to rethink your approach.

Mistake #4: Getting lost in the sauce

Lots of essays get lost in the sauce. They start off well, maybe giving a long exposé about a topic that connects to the writer's life and development. But then they never bring it home to focus on themselves. They spend half the essay on an extended metaphor about how split pea soup is a major metaphor for personal growth or for the greatest lessons one can learn in life. They revel in the creative writing process but don’t sufficiently personalize their essay.

At the end of the day they may be left with a solid essay with personal elements, but a pretty lousy personal reflection.

You can avoid getting lost in the sauce by forming a plan upfront for your essay and sticking with it.

Try to identify the core strengths and themes that you'll anchor your essay around. Usually, you can do this as soon as you know what story you're going to be telling. Or sometimes, you can even identify the values you want to hit first and then find a meaningful story that fits.

But after you have this basic combination—an idea about your values and a story to encase them in—you can identify the basic "shape" of your story.

A story shape is like an outline, but even less granular. You can think about it as a set of instructions that you'll rely on to make sure your personal essay gets from point A to point B. A basic idea of the direction your essay needs to take will help you avoid situations where you veer hopelessly off course and fail to make a coherent point or narrative.

Don't get lost in the sauce. Don't just start writing stuff. Have a basic plan in place before you start writing and stick to it as faithfully as you can. (Need help formulating your plan? Read the college essay writing guide.)

Mistake #5: Feeling obligated to write about a specific topic

We’ve all heard the conflicting advice. You should write your college essay about your greatest trauma. No, you should write about an academic interest. Wait—no, you should write about an achievement. Maybe the perfect topic is actually a combination: an academic interest that showcases an achievement but actually traumatized you…? Of course not. That’s how ridiculous that advice is.

Forget all of it.

You’re not obligated to write about any specific topic. When an admissions officer opens up your essay, they aren’t sitting on the edge of their office chair saying, “Wow, I hope this one’s about something sad.” or “This person better tell me about their robotics final.” Admissions officers are way too busy for that.

What they are saying is, “I can’t wait to get to know this student.”

The best college essay topic is the one that’s right for you. There’s no shortcut, no hack. What is perfect for you might be the worst choice for someone else. Choosing the right topic is a simple matter of thoughtful reflection on your strengths and experiences.

Mistake #6: Writing something other than a personal statement

A personal statement isn’t an academic essay. It’s not a diary entry or a school newspaper article. It’s probably unlike anything you’ve written before.

Because a personal statement is its own kind of writing, there are specific conventions for you to follow.

In short, your personal statement should…

• be strengths-based and communicate something positive about yourself.
• have a clear theme or central message.
• be written in your authentic voice.
• show some level of creative writing and personal reflection.

If your college essay isn’t doing any of these things, then you might consider some revisions. Your personal statement is the centerpiece of your cohesive application narrative , so it's important that it's doing its job.

Mistake #7: Being too negative

One of the biggest issues students have when trying to write about a serious topic is being too negative. This issue is often perpetuated by the idea that your college essay should be about something sad to increase your chances of admission. But this isn’t a good approach.

Don’t get me wrong. Your college essay can definitely be sad, somber, poignant, or difficult. If that’s the story you want and need to tell, then by all means go for it.

But there are many ways to approach essays about hard topics, and some are better than others.

One of the worst ways is to revel in the negative emotions. Whether that means harping on someone you don’t like or hounding your reader with unnecessary sad details, being too negative doesn’t do you any good. You might need to write out all those negative emotions, but they probably shouldn’t make it to your final draft.

Why shouldn’t your essay be too negative? Because it goes against the underlying purpose of a personal statement. Remember that, at the end of the day, your personal statement is intended to get you into college. Lingering on negative emotions also leaves your readers—the admissions officers who decide whether or not to admit you—with negative emotions. They want to see your strength and resilience, so it’s important to end whatever you write on at least a small note of hope. If you don’t feel that you’re ready to do that, then you might explore different topic options.

I’ve written before about u/AdmissionsMom’s concept of “more phoenix, fewer ashes.” The idea is from the mythology of the phoenix, which comes to life from the ashes of the phoenix before it. It essentially means that your essay should focus less on the rough stuff—the ashes—and more on the positive stuff—the new life. This approach is a perfect way to imagine a college essay about a negative topic because it helps you keep the course and write an essay that is ultimately hopeful in its message.

Mistake #8: Bragging too much

On the flip side of being too negative is being too braggadocious. While your college essay should convey a core strength, leaning too far into positive emotions can lead to an essay that sounds inauthentic and braggy.

One of the worst ways you can use your college essay is to restate your resume. Remember that admissions officers can already see your activities section; you don’t need to write an essay that lists all of your accomplishments again. Doing so might even make your accomplishments less impressive because it’ll look like your accomplishments are the only noteworthy thing about you. Similarly, going on and on about why you’re so amazing paints you as a one-dimensional person.

Answering a question about what diversity you bring to a community, for example, by saying something like “I care more than the average person” is akin to answering an interview question about your greatest weakness with something like “I work too hard.”

This approach doesn't work. These essays fall flat because they are boring, inauthentic, and reductive. It goes back to mistake #2. Admissions officers will see right through the brags to the lack of substance underneath.

Instead of writing an essay that brags, write one that is vulnerable and shows the good, bad, and real parts of you and your life. That doesn’t mean that your essay necessarily has to have a negative component, but it’s important to be realistic in how you portray yourself.

If you want to write your personal statement about winning a big essay competition, you wouldn’t say, “I won the competition because I was the best writer in my district. I was born naturally gifted with words, and I know how to write beautifully about anything.” No. You’d write about the effort it took to get there, the emotional work you went through, the care you spent revising and revising again, or the fact that this was the fifth time you’d submitted a piece. While the former is boring (and, frankly, annoying), the latter shows that you’re a whole human being, an interesting person an admissions officer would love to meet.

Mistake #9: Overthinking

It may seem like BS advice to tell you "don't overthink" in a college essay. But I'm gonna say it anyway.

Don't overthink.

If you try to play mind games with admissions officers, anticipating the formula for the perfect college essay, you'll lose. Not because they're smarter than you or better at mind games. There just is no formula for a perfect essay. Go out and read 100 example essays. You'll find merit in each one, and you'll probably notice that each one has an entirely different structure, tone, and emotional arc. Some will be funny, others poignant, some inspirational and others will seem like an indulgent reflection about some niche intellectual topic.

There is no perfect formula for an essay. Heraclitus pointed to the river and said that the only constant was change itself. With college essays, the only constant indicator of quality is your ability to fashion a meaningful story out of your own voice and genuine expression. That's really, really hard to do. But successful essays come from that place—from careful, genuine writing—not from any formula that derives the perfect essay.

When we're working with students, a lot of our time is spent reading between the lines of a resume, listening for moments when students lose themselves in a story. Often, their whole demeanor will change, even though they may not realize it. That's where the pay-dirt lies: in a meaningful story that may or may not have anything to do with your formal accomplishments.

Now you know exactly what not to do in your college essays. Instead of writing surface-level pleasantries that don’t do much for you (and can actually make things worse for you), write authentically about your strengths.

With these mistakes in mind, go forth and write your essays. If you want more information about the right way to approach your college essays, you can find a step-by-step walkthrough in our ultimate guide to college essays . 

Liked that? Try this next.

The Incredible Power of a Cohesive College Application

How to Write a College Essay (Exercises + Examples)

12 Common App Essay Examples (Graded by Former Admissions Officers)

How to Write Supplemental Essays that Will Impress Admissions Officers

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We built the best admissions chancer in the world . How is it the best? It draws from our experience in top-10 admissions offices to show you how selective admissions actually works.

Twelve Common Errors

Download this Handout PDF

This list includes only brief examples and explanations intended for you to use as reminders while you are editing your papers. If you would like to learn more, consider the following options:

• Take one of the free grammar, style, and punctuation classes offered by the Writing Center.
• Set up an appointment for an individual conference in the Writing Center.
• Confer with your course instructor.
• Consult a handbook for additional examples and complete explanations

1. Sentence fragments

Make sure each word group you have punctuated as a sentence contains a grammatically complete and independent thought that can stand alone as an acceptable sentence.

Tests of the Shroud of Turin have produced some curious findings. For example, the pollen of forty-eight plants native to Europe and the Middle East.

[2nd sentence = fragment]

Tests of the Shroud of Turin have produced some curious findings. For example, the cloth contains the pollen of forty-eight plants native to Europe and the Middle East.

Scientists report no human deaths due to excessive caffeine consumption. Although caffeine does cause convulsions and death in certain animals.

Scientists report no human deaths due to excessive caffeine consumption, although caffeine does cause convulsions and death in certain animals.

2. Sentence sprawl

Too many equally weighted phrases and clauses produce tiresome sentences.

The hearing was planned for Monday, December 2, but not all of the witnesses could be available, so it was rescheduled for the following Friday, and then all the witnesses could attend.

[There are no grammatical errors here, but the sprawling sentence does not communicate clearly and concisely.]

The hearing, which had been planned for Monday, December 2, was rescheduled for the following Friday so that all witnesses would be able to attend.

3. Misplaced and dangling modifiers

Place modifiers near the words they describe; be sure the modified words actually appear in the sentence.

Not sure what a modifier is? Check our our FAQ.

When writing a proposal, an original task is set for research.

When writing a proposal, a scholar sets an original task for research.

Many tourists visit Arlington National Cemetery, where veterans and military personnel are buried every day from 9:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m.

Every day from 9:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m., many tourists visit Arlington National Cemetery, where veterans and military personnel are buried.

Still unsure? For more explanation and examples, see our grammar and style FAQ.

4. Faulty parallelism

Be sure you use grammatically equal sentence elements to express two or more matching ideas or items in a series.

The candidate’s goals include winning the election, a national health program, and the educational system.

The candidate’s goals include winning the election, enacting a national health program, and improving the educational system.

Some critics are not so much opposed to capital punishment as postponing it for so long.

Some critics are not so much opposed to capital punishment as they are to postponing it for so long.

5. Unclear pronoun reference

All pronouns must clearly refer to definite referents [nouns].

Use it, they, this, that, these, those, and which carefully to prevent confusion.

Einstein was a brilliant mathematician. This is how he was able to explain the universe.

Einstein, who was a brilliant mathematician, used his ability with numbers to explain the universe.

Because Senator Martin is less interested in the environment than in economic development, he sometimes neglects it.

Because of his interest in economic development, Senator Martin sometimes neglects the environment.

6. Incorrect pronoun case

Determine whether the pronoun is being used as a subject, or an object, or a possessive in the sentence, and select the pronoun form to match.

Castro’s communist principles inevitably led to an ideological conflict between he and President Kennedy.

Castro’s communist principles inevitably led to an ideological conflict between him and President Kennedy.

Because strict constructionists recommend fidelity to the Constitution as written, no one objects more than them to judicial reinterpretation.

Because strict constructionists recommend fidelity to the Constitution as written, no one objects more than they [do] to judicial reinterpretation.

7. Omitted commas

Use commas to signal nonrestrictive or nonessential material, to prevent confusion, and to indicate relationships among ideas and sentence parts.

When it comes to eating people differ in their tastes.

When it comes to eating, people differ in their tastes.

The Huns who were Mongolian invaded Gaul in 451.

The Huns, who were Mongolian, invaded Gaul in 451.

[“Who were Mongolian” adds information but does not change the core meaning of the sentence because Huns were a Mongolian people; this material is therefore nonrestrictive or nonessential.]

For more information on commas see Commas: Punctuating Restrictive and Non-restrictive Modifiers and Punctuating Coordinating Conjunctions and Sentence Adverbs , or take one of the free grammar, style, and punctuation workshops offered by the Writing Center.

8. Superfluous commas

Unnecessary commas make sentences difficult to read.

Field trips are required, in several courses, such as, botany and geology.

Field trips are required in several courses, such as botany and geology.

The term, “scientific illiteracy,” has become almost a cliche, in educational circles.

The term “scientific illiteracy” has become almost a cliche in educational circles.

9. Comma splices

Do not link two independent clauses with a comma (unless you also use a coordinating conjunction: and, or, but, for, nor, so, yet ).

Instead use a period or semicolon, or rewrite the sentence.

Comma splice:

In 1952 Japan’s gross national product was one third that of France, by the late 1970s it was larger than the GNPs of France and Britain combined.

In 1952 Japan’s gross national product was one third that of France. By the late 1970s it was larger than the GNPs of France and Britain combined.

Diseased coronary arteries are often surgically bypassed, however half of all bypass grafts fail within ten years.

Diseased coronary arteries are often surgically bypassed; however, half of all bypass grafts fail within ten years.

10. Apostrophe Errors

Apostrophes indicate possession for nouns ( “Jim’s hat,” “several years’ work” ) but not for personal pronouns (its, your, their, and whose).

Apostrophes also indicate omissions in contractions ( “it’s” = “it is” ).

In general, they are not used to indicate plurals.

In the current conflict its uncertain who’s borders their contesting.

In the current conflict it is [it’s] uncertain whose borders they are [they’re] contesting.

The Aztecs ritual’s of renewal increased in frequency over the course of time.

The Aztecs’ rituals of renewal increased in frequency over the course of time.

11. Words easily confused

“Effect” is most often a noun (the effect), and “affect” is almost always a verb.

Other pairs commonly confused: “lead”/”led” and “accept”/”except.”

Check a glossary of usage to find the right choice.

The recession had a negative affect on sales.

The recession had a negative effect on sales. (or) The recession affected sales negatively.

The laboratory instructor chose not to offer detailed advise.

The laboratory instructor chose not to offer detailed advice.

12. Misspellings

Spelling errors are usually perceived as a reflection of the writer’s careless attitude toward the whole project.

Don’t allow your hard work to be marred in this way!

In addition to comprehensive dictionaries, you may want to use electronic spell checks, spelling dictionaries, and lists of frequently misspelled words found in handbooks.

Grammar and Punctuation

This is an accordion element with a series of buttons that open and close related content panels.

Using Dashes

Using Commas

Using Semicolons

Using Coordinating Conjunctions

Using Conjunctive Adverbs

Subject-Verb Agreement

Using Gender–Neutral Pronouns in Academic Writing

How to Proofread

Twelve Common Errors: An Editing Checklist

Clear, Concise Sentences

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11 Typical Essay Writing Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Writing is not an easy task. However it is a part of our lives, especially when it comes in the form of an obligatory academic assignment.

We all know basic rules of writing an essay, starting from the thesis statement and ending with an amazing, unforgettable conclusion. But is it all that simple?

Of course, it is not. People still dread showing their work to others because they are uncertain of their own abilities to identify all parts of the essay that need to be changed. The truth is there is no universal template you can learn in order to solve all your essay writing mistakes.

This is why we decided to assist you in becoming your own editor of the essays you write.

We are sharing with you a carefully crafted checklist of the 11 typical essay writing mistakes, including a guide on how to avoid them.

Neglecting a Thesis Statement

A thesis statement should be a part of both your introduction and the essay in general.

A common problem is when people forget to add this statement in the most engaging part of the essay – the introduction. If you do not reveal the statement as the main idea of your essay, you are unable to tell the readers what your writing is all about.

How to Avoid

• Make sure that your thesis statement is both clear and engaging. Remember, this is a part that should entice readers to continue reading the essay.
• It is a good idea to place the thesis statement at the end of the introduction. In this way, it can blend with the main body of the essay

Repeating the Introduction

People often repeat the beginning of their essays in the ending.

The last paragraph of your essay, i.e. the conclusion, is not the place to repeat the introduction in different words. Instead of being a place of restatement, this part of the essay holds great importance and should not be neglected.

The only way to prove that you have made any kind of progress throughout the paper is to demonstrate this in the conclusion.

• A successful essay ending should consist of an engaging statement on what the essay proved or concluded, leaving the reader with some new ideas.
• Raise questions, explore additional implications or end your essay with a relevant, intriguing quote.
• Never start your conclusion with the phrase ‘In conclusion’. When people see that this is your last paragraph, it will be clear to them that this can only be the essay’s conclusion.

Too Much Information and Too Many Facts

Even though you were taught to create detailed and meaningful essays, this does not mean that you shouldn’t filter the information you provide. Your aim is to present the topic to the reader while giving them sufficient, but narrowed information.

• Stick to the prompt of the essay. If it is complicated, make sure you analyze the final draft before you submit the writing
• Make sure to include the key information your essay needs
• Exclude all unnecessary information and facts

Crafting a Hard-to-Read Essay

Many students mistake the competence of writing an essay with creating a complex structure. When instructors ask students to write a topic that will adhere to the style guidelines, this does not mean that the essay should be hard to read. It simply means that the students need to present the message, but in a clear way.

• Do not use extra phrases and words
• Stick to the main idea of the essay
• Use clear constructions in the essay
• Use simple sentences to include the information you want to present

Wrong Formatting

The essay is not all about the content. No matter how you craft the content, you should never neglect the formatting details. If you do, it won’t really matter how well your content is written. If an essay looks bad, it can be seen as a bad one.

• Choose proper style and format
• Pay attention to paper size, font size, paged numbers, margins and spaces
• Follow the general rules and instructions

Too Many Typos

You may have heard that typos are not an indicator of your grammar knowledge or language proficiency and they can be found in every writing. However, submitting your essay without proofing it is a pointer to you not being attentive enough.

• Revise your writing thoroughly prior to printing it out
• Look for typos, spelling mistakes and incorrect construction
• Do not solely rely on spell checkers

Plagiarism is cheating and no professor or instructor will allow this. Also, today’s advancement in technology allows us to easily detect plagiarism.

• Reference the sources you are using
• Cite examples from literature, scientific work etc.
• Make sure to rephrase the idea you are using from another source
• Never use a quotation as your own sentence.

Lack of Citations

Using proper citations is crucial when it comes to academic essay writing. It shows that you have done your research, and provides a reference to where your information came from. Without citations, you could be marked down on your paper and your work could lose credibility.

• Make sure you conduct thorough research for your paper
• Use credible sources for research
• Make use of an APA citation generator for accuracy

No Transitions Between the Paragraphs

Paragraphs are separate thoughts and should be formatted as such. However, this does not mean that they should sound like separate pieces of two different essays.

• Make sure that you use transitions between the paragraphs
• Make your essay coherent and smooth
• Use phrases such as: To put it briefly, regarding this, speaking about this, despite/according to the previous arguments/statements etc.

Too Many Topics in the Essay

Including too many subjects and topics in the essay will most certainly defeat the statement’s purpose. Your essay must have a topic that fits the idea only.

• Make sure that your topic answers the essay’s question
• Focus on the question of your essay and its answer
• Do not stray from the main idea

Using Wrong or Generic Titles

The title of the essay should be a reflection of its content. When a person reads the title, they should be aware of what the essay will capture. If you present them with a topic that is not related to the essay, they may be enticed to read something you do not have and this cannot result in good impression. Also, try not to use a generic title.

• Do not use big words in your title
• Do not make your title too long. Make it concise and unique.
• Never steal another author’s title
• Make sure to proofread your title, too

Further Reading from Skills You Need

The Skills You Need Guide for Students

Develop the skills you need to make the most of your time as a student.

Our eBooks are ideal for students at all stages of education, school, college and university. They are full of easy-to-follow practical information that will help you to learn more effectively and get better grades.

Essay writing is a key factor in every student’s education.

Following the guidelines of the instructor in crafting a good piece is a key factor in succeeding and learning how a proper essay structure should look like.

Learning the basic guidelines for writing an essay can come in very handy in combination with good writing skills. This is something every student should know and be willing to implement in their writing.

About the Author

Julie Petersen is a private English language tutor and a blogger, who shares educational trends and writing tips in her articles.

Continue to: Essay Planning Top Tips for Effective Study

See also: Writing a Dissertation or Thesis Academic Referencing How to Ace the University of Texas at Austin Essay

Common Writing Mistakes that Could Ruin Your Essay

It’s a common occurrence for anyone to have errors in their writing—we’re all human, right? But wouldn’t it be nice to avoid them altogether?

By being more alert to typical pitfalls, you’ll save a lot of time on revisions and write essays that are clearer and more coherent from the start. Also, readers will find your message more trustworthy; even small errors in your writing can take away from your credibility.

The most commonly made mistakes tend to fall into five categories:

• Format and style

Punctuation

Let’s take a closer look at each of these.

Format and Style

Essay organization and inconsistencies in overall tone and style are an important place to be on the lookout for errors. Here are a few steps to help you format your own writing correctly:

Use paragraphs

This one seems easy, right? But it might surprise you to find how often paragraphs aren’t put together correctly or are left out altogether. Always remember to layout all written work using structured paragraphs.

Include all parts of your essay

Double-check to make sure you have an introduction (with a clear thesis statement ), supporting details, and a conclusion. Without all of these essential parts, your essay won’t be coherent or complete.

Keep the focus on your central purpose

Everything you write should support your main idea. Don’t wander. Always refer back to your thesis statement or essay’s purpose to make sure you are staying on point.

Avoid fragments and run-on sentences

Incomplete thoughts or thoughts that go on and on are poor writing tactics. Be sure you are writing in complete sentences; at a minimum, each sentence should include a noun and a verb.

Don’t be repetitive or lengthy

State what needs to be stated and then move on. Repetitive and lengthy essays are boring for your reader and ineffective in getting your message across on paper.

Keep your tone and point of view consistent

Decide what your tone is and stick with it throughout your essay. If you are serious in your introduction, stay serious throughout. If you are trying to be humorous, keep up the humor throughout.

Also, keep your point of view consistent. Choose to tell your story in the first, second, or third person and avoid switching in between!

When you are writing anything, regardless of what it is for, make sure the grammar is accurate. In writing (as opposed to speaking), there is a permanent record of your words. Improve your grammar usage with these helpful hints:

Make sure subjects and verbs agree

This means that the subject has the correct verb form next to it.

For example, look at “was” vs “were” :

I was at the party. We were at the party.

I was and we were are both in agreement. However, if you flip them, I were and we was , you are using the wrong verb form for each subject.

Take a look at this example:

I seen this girl at the party. She was hot!

The correct verb tense is I saw this girl. Verbs need to agree in the present and past tenses as well.

Identify pronouns

If you are using she, he, it, they, or any other pronoun, make sure these pronouns are identified clearly .

For example:

I saw the dog, the mouse, and the cat. He was the funniest one.

This leaves the reader asking, “ Who was the funniest one?”

To clarify, you need to give the reader more information:

I saw the dog, the mouse, and the cat. The cat was making me laugh so hard. He was the funniest one.

In this case, he is obviously referring to the cat .

All pronouns need to be clear so your reader isn’t left guessing who you are talking about.

Understand “good” and “well”

Good is an adjective that describes a person, place, or thing. Well is an adverb that describes a verb— how someone does something.

For example, we often hear people (incorrectly) state, “I did so good on my English test today!” Actually, it should be “I did well.”

Keep in mind that you can be a good writer when you learn to write well .

While spell check is very helpful, it doesn’t catch everything. Start by being aware of words that are often misspelled and keep track of your own words that seem to stump you.

Learn to spell the most commonly misspelled words

Here are a few words to learn and file away for future use. Write this list on a big piece of paper and keep it nearby when you start an essay:

Make your own list of words you can never remember how to spell

Always wondering if each other is one word or two? Eachother or each other ? (Hint: It’s two words.)

Are you questioning your spelling of whether again? Whether , wether , or weather ?

Add these words to your list of commonly misspelled words and refer to it frequently.

Choosing the correct word to use can sometimes be tricky. Here are a few of the most common words people confuse when writing:

Onto vs. On To

Use onto when you mean on top of :

He lifted the book onto the shelf.

Use on to when the verb needs on in order to function:

He logged on to his computer.

Affect vs. Effect

Affect is a verb . Effect is a noun.

Take a look:

Your grades will affect your chances of getting accepted to the college of your choice.

Poor grades can have a negative effect on your college search.

Former vs. Latter

Former and latter are used to distinguish between two things. Former refers to the first of these two things, and latter refers to the second item.

Milk and cookies are a great snack. The former provides healthy calcium for your bones. The latter is just a yummy, delicious treat.

There vs. Their vs. They’re

There is a pronoun that indicates a location. Their shows possession. They’re is a contracted form of they are.

San Francisco? They have been living there for three years now.

Their tiny apartment in Atlanta was very expensive.

They’re happy they decided to move.

Your vs. You’re

Your shows possession. You’re is the contracted form of you are.

Your children are lovely!

You’re so lucky to have such a beautiful family.

Its vs. It’s

Its shows possession. It’s is the contracted form of it is.

The hamster loves its wheel.

It’s a great form of exercise.

Punctuation mistakes can be the hardest to detect since they are minor details. But keep in mind even the smallest details can have an enormous impact on your writing.

There are way too many comma rules to mention all of them here. However, one of the most basic is to use a comma to address someone or separate a thought.

Check out this common example:

Let’s eat, Grandma.

Let’s eat Grandma.

In the first sentence, you’re suggesting to grandma that it is time to eat. In the second, you’re suggesting that you eat Grandma. That’s a BIG difference made by one little comma.

Possessives

To make a singular noun possessive, you usually add an apostrophe then an s .

This is the little girl’s room.

To make a plural possessive, simply add an apostrophe to the word.

All of the girls’ rooms need to be cleaned.

Capitalization

Wondering what to capitalize? Do you capitalize seasons? Do you capitalize holidays?

Here are a few reminders:

Capitalize: holidays, days, months, planets, religions

DO NOT capitalize: seasons, elements, sun, moon

By avoiding some common writing errors, your writing will be more clear, coherent, and intelligent. If you pay attention to these details, you can write a college essay that stands out for all of the right reasons. Being precise in your word usage, punctuation, and grammar will create an essay that looks polished and is ready to be taken seriously.

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