Hey Aaron!

Your essay is what sets you apart from all the other candidates that apply for the same spot as you do. So, making sure that you know how to write a college essay about yourself that stands out is of utmost importance.

Here are a few tips to help you along-

Test your writing skills
Along with your IELTS or TOEFL, your essay is also a direct reflection of your English language skills.
So be careful not to make any grammatical mistakes, use proper vocabulary, and have someone proofread the essay for you. Research, don’t copy
One of the worst things you could do while writing your essay is to copy a template or sample essay from the internet and use it as it is.
Your content is what makes the essay unique and convinces the university to let you in.
So yes, do your research, but always make sure that you put your own original words inside your college essay. Show, don’t tell
Instead of just talking about what you’ve done or how you feel, share examples to support your point. If you’re a state-level rugby champion, I would rather hear about one of the most difficult moments in your game rather than a line that simply says you’ve won the intercollege rugby championship in 2018. The three words
It is said that a writer’s 3 favorite words are- What happens next?
If her words leave the reader asking this question at every turn, she knows how to keep the reader engaged – hook, line, and sinker.
If you can pull this off, you have nailed your college essay…but how will you know that your essay is captivating? Well… Have someone review your essay
It’s easy to feel exhausted by writing and rewriting your essay while checking for loopholes and grammatical errors.
Asking a mentor or a friend to read it will not only help you fix the problems in your college essay but also provide you with a fresh perspective.

If you want to know more about how to write a college essay, then you should read: How to write a college essay about yourself that stands out

If you still need help choosing the right country for you, our study abroad experts can help. Reach out to them at +91 9145332283 or info@ischoolconnect.com.

@shruti-rai
your college essay is one of the most important documents to get you into the university. It's important to know how and what to include in it. Follow some below-mentioned tips to ace your college essay:
1.) Read some of the college essays to know exactly how to go about it.
2.) Create a hook in the beginning
3.) Share your experiences
4.) Storytelling works wonders
5.) Talk about your goals.

You can detailed description of how to write a college essay that stands out, here:https://ischoolconnect.com/blog/how-to-write-a-college-essay-about-yourself-that-stands-out/

The way I wrote mine was,
I asked myself-
"Which 4 qualities do I value the most?"
"Why do I value them?"
"How do they affect me personally? And professionally?"
"Why do I think they're valuable?"
That gave me a story which I could write about myself in my college essay

My suggestion - follow the story curve, tell a story about yourself!

Exposition
Start with a compelling introduction. Say who you are and hint at what you’re trying to achieve. Break the routine
Talk about a personal moment in your life – an incident that changed everything. Challenges
Talk about your challenges, mini victories, and then more challenges. Climax
Let your conflict show – talk about what has always stopped you from achieving your goals and how you finally overcame (or want to overcome) that hurdle. New routine
Talk about the future you imagine for yourself and share the new routine you’ve always dreamed of having. Bring out how much contrast there is between your old and your new routines.

A quick Google search tells us that the best college essays are between 500 and 650 words.
It’s the ideal length for an essay because it gives you a lot of freedom to highlight your achievements.

You can also talk about the committees or student clubs you might wanna join (if the word limit permits)

If they both fit in your word count, yes
Include them both
But if not, write only about your co-curricular activities
Or maybe just include a couple of lines about extra-curricular
At the same time, follow the SOP writing structure

Here's a guide on how to write your SOP

They also consider the way you plan your future
So, mention where you see yourself 5 and 10 years down the line after graduation

In 200-250 words, talk about a personal life incident that made you choose to study the course you are applying for
That should nail it

Get rid of adverbs and adjectives
If you have 5 of them, cut down to 1
It helps a lot

Hi Lana,
Some universities ask you to do this.
They mention it in the application requirements.
If they've stated it as a requirement, you should put your name on the header of your SOP.

Hi Lana, you can look at this answer to see what the difference is between an SOP and a Personal Statement.
In a Personal Statement, you have to relate your life decisions with your personal experiences.

In your Personal Statement, you'll have to emphasize more on how your personal life led you to make decisions about your professional life
So, you have to make sure you don't stray away from talking about your career and interests as you write about your personal life

I'd say you shouldn't write more than 8 to 10 lines

Hi Robert,
Avoid talking about your grades at all.
Instead, talk about the subjects you scored well in, and the projects and papers you worked on, in relation to the program you're applying for.
However, if a school asks you for justification, you can say it was because of a major sickness or a family emergency.

Hey there,

One small typo won't cause you too much of a problem especially, if most of your SOP is well-written. Most people ignore the typo and assume that it's a genuine mistake. But if there are more than one or two mistakes in your Statement of Purpose, then it shows your carelessness. So make sure you get your SOP proofread either by online tools and that you don't make the same mistakes again. Here are some tips to follow while writing SOP for future universities:

The most common tip would be not to over think and let it go. If the typo is some official date or title then that could affect your application and make a bad impression. While universities don't usually allow re submissions, you could try writing an official email to the university and request to rectify your mistake. The last tip would be to check if your university offers re submissions

Hope this helped you out.

Your SOP is what makes or breaks your college application and as far as I know, SOP's are compulsory for college applications as they represent your ideas and will for applying for the college. But if you don't want to write your SOP you can ask your respective university if they offer an alternative option like a university interview. But mostly, one way or another, most universities ask you to write an SOP or an Essay. I personally, would recommend that you should write an SOP. Doing so will help you build your application profile and will increase your chances of getting accepted in the university of your choice. But still, if you feel like you don't want to write an SOP, make an inquiry with the university you want to apply to.