What does that mean?
It means in both content and delivery, show your admissions readers you’re ready for graduate school.
Many undergrads take zero English classes. They earned their composition credits in high school, so once in college, they dove into their disciplines. Oftentimes their coursework demanded writing different from the breeziness of a seasoned essayist or the concision of an expert journalist. Rarely were their programs writing-intensive. True, these would-be scholars might be promising masters in their fields, but they haven’t conquered college essay writing.
Those of you saying, “Phew, I was a humanities major, so I’ve got this covered,” should also rethink your preparedness. Many students have been rewarded for their convoluted prose. Those A's told them they were strong writers, and professors, with their heavy course loads, overflowing rosters, and pressure to publish, prioritized content over delivery. I teach college, and I confess that I don’t have time to unknot every tangled sentence.
Brilliant students are not always brilliant writers. Writing is a skill that demands instruction and practice.
To be clear, I don’t need my surgeon or pilot or bridge-builder to be a master writer. They can screw up semicolons all they like. Heck, I prefer they save their precision for their profession, but if they want to get accepted into that professional program, they need to write bang-up college essays. From beginning to end, every element of their application should be carefully considered and well-crafted.
If this feels like a plug for college essay services, fine. What I really want to convey, however, is that graduate and professional school applicants, no matter the program, should treat their writing with great care. They must demonstrate their smarts and readiness.
Start early. Get organized. Know your stuff. Knock it out of the park.
Look, when you applied to undergraduate programs, you couldn’t know your stuff. You were just getting started. Today you can. You can show that you’re the perfect candidate for this grad school or med school or law school or any post-graduate program. Make sure your personal statement, activities list, resume, and supplemental essays prove to your admissions readers that they'd be making a huge mistake to let you slip away.
Read more tips HERE.
Photo Credit: Fleur
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