You’ve probably imagined college life to take place in one of the top universities in town. You have an above-average GPA and even scored high on your SAT. Unfortunately, so did other applicants. With the sea of candidates competing for the limited slot, you can secure your entry to your chosen university by submitting an admission essay that will set you apart from them. Just how can you do just that, here are some practical tips:
Write as you speak
The common mistake in writing an application essay is making it seem like it’s written by another person. Some essays barely make any impression at all because the writing seems detached. It’s as if the applicant is merely listing down all good reasons to get accepted to the college program. These are not enough to convince the admissions panel, since almost everybody has the same good reasons as yours.
When you write as you speak, it’s as if you’re letting the panel view the world through your own eyes. Give a fresh take on a topic that’s been discussed a million times before by citing personal experiences. You can illustrate the kind of person you are through this style of writing.
Although your personal statement for college is a matter that should be taken seriously, it shouldn’t stop you from being creative with the way you relay your thoughts. Write as if you’re just telling a story to a friend. This writing style will make your essay sound more original and truly personal. You can easily connect with your audience this way.
Be more introspective
Don’t just offer a summary of your accomplishments. The purpose of the essay is not to rewrite your resume. You should provide details about yourself that are not found in other application requirements such as your recommendation letter.
Because of the word limit, you should be more selective of the experiences you will share. You can also cite personal anecdotes that can best describe as who you are, or quotes that will serve as starting points in discussing your application. Others also pose rhetorical questions to best exhbit their logical reasoning and communication skills.
You need to be more introspective and think about situations in your life that made you who you are and who you want to be. These kinds of stories will appeal more to your audience.
Make it a fun read
Keep it short but entertaining. If you want to get your readers hooked, don’t start lamely. Have an attention-grabbing intro to keep them going. The details you provide in the body should support the thesis of your personal statement; the subtopics should also be well connected.
Make the time spent in going over your essay worthwhile for your readers. Don’t make them cringe because of the big words you’re using or trite expressions they’ve heard for the nth time. Write as if you’re talking to them directly. This will surely keep their interest. You can use a sample personal statement essay as a guide.
The prestigious private school Yale University has been hailed as one of the world’s best universities to attend. With its top-notch education and fully featured facilities, it is no wonder why Yale is regarded by so many as one of the best schools. There are, however, some facts that may make you want to avoid attending Yale. Whether you are just getting ready to apply for college or your Yale application was rejected, you may want to know about these facts that make some people decide against Yale. This article will cover a number of reasons not to attend Yale University.
It’s a home of world changers and jerks alike
Throughout the years, Yale has produced some of the finest graduates, including US Presidents, Nobel laureates, academic leaders, masters of technology and innovation, and Pulitzer Prize winners.(1) Aside from these numerous world changers, however, Yale has also been associated with a number of disappointments. In 1977, for example, a Yale graduate by the name of Richard Herrin used a hammer to murder Bonnie Garland, a senior at Yale at that time. Garland tried to break off the relationship with Herrin, sparking the murder.(2) Another shameful truth about Yale is that the university supported slavery and slave-owners in the past. In fact, some of the buildings and colleges at the university are named after pro-slavery politicians or slave-owners. Just because slavery was accepted at that time, it does not mean that an intellectual, scholarly, and academic institution such as Yale should also approve slavery and its resulting degredation of human dignity.(3)
It’s just too expensive
Let’s face it. Most Ivy League schools are just plain expensive. You may be paying for a great education, but you can probably get a similar education at lower costs in another school. Ever since the 1998 to 1999 school year, Yale has been steadily increasing its tuition. From the 1998 to 1999 to the 2008 to 2009 school years, there has been a compound growth rate of about 4%. For the 2008 to 2009 school year, the normal tuition at Yale was over $35,000.(4)
The students can be jerks
Another annoying thing about Yale University is that many of the students are pompous jerks. Just because you go to a school with a great reputation, that doesn’t give you the right to treat others as though they are lower than you. They may be rich, smart, and talented, but some Yale students can still be asses – literally.
You’re not trying to be the cream of the crop
As mentioned above, Yale has helped to train, educate, and mold numerous influential figures in the world. Still, if you aren’t looking to make a huge, world-altering impact, you may want to think of going to another school. If all you want is to get a degree and get by at a reputable school, then you may not want to deal with such high tuition, a disappointing history in slavery, and a pompous student body. It seems that Yale isn’t all that it’s cracked up to be.
(1) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Yale_University_people
(2) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bonnie_Garland
(3) http://hnn.us/articles/213.html
(4) http://www.yale.edu/oir/open/pdf_public/W082_Tuits_U.pdf
The University of California, Berkeley is one of the oldest universities in California and it has also become one of the most well-known universities in the world. There are a number of reasons that may persuade you to go to school at Berkeley, such as the wide variety of courses in both undergraduate and graduate degree courses. If you applied at the school and got rejected or changed your mind about attending Berkeley, you may want to know some good reasons for not attending Berkeley – here they are:
Massive classes
Berkeley may be a well-known school, but it isn’t well-known for having small class sizes that are conducive to learning and teaching. If you’re used to a nurturing educational environment wherein each student can easily communicate with the teacher, you probably won’t get it from Berkeley. In fact, Berkeley is known to have classes with 500 students, making it practically impossible for teachers to get to know every student and cater to a student’s specific learning needs. Small classes are rare in Berkeley because of the large school population and the budget constraints that the school deals with. Going to a class at six in the morning to make your way through an oversized crowd doesn’t exactly create a motivating experience.(1)
Better system at Stanford
As though it weren’t so obvious already, another reason not to go to Berkeley is because it isn’t Stanford. A number of the people who go to Berkeley are those who did not get accepted into Stanford, which is considered by some to be more prestigious than Berkeley. There are a lot of reasons to choose Stanford over Berkeley, including the more relaxed environment that makes Stanford a great place for learning. With Stanford’s smaller student body, the school is able to provide smaller class sizes, better enrollment options, and more privileged treatment for the students.(1, 2, 3)
The “active” student body
Both the residents of the city of Berkeley and the students at UC Berkeley have a reputation for being activists, hippies, and leftists. In fact, some have even gone as far as to call Berkeley students “tree huggers,” “marijuana smokers,” or “reggae lovers” because of the strong activist and hippie history at the university. Many students actively participate in rallies, protests, or other public showings of political and social beliefs. If you’re not one of the “hippie” types or you don’t like the commotion that they bring, you’d probably be glad about not going to Berkeley.(4, 5, 6)
The fraternity system and sports
Another disappointing fact about Berkeley is that the fraternity system and the school’s sports teams aren’t that good. People looking to have a great time enjoying fraternity parties or sports games with beautiful people and successful school teams will find Berkeley lacking. Cal has a bad record when it comes to football and basketball, and they are probably better known for producing Nobel laureates and post-graduate degree holders than having a good-looking student body.(7)
(1) http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/stanford-university/327444-stanford-vs-berkeley.html
(2) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_of_California,_Berkeley
(3) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stanford
(4) http://www.truthout.org/031209A
(5) http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2008-09-09-2142499057_x.htm
(6) http://berkeley.edu/news/media/releases/2003/12/18_pov.shtml
(7) http://berkeley.edu/news/media/releases/96legacy/sigma.html
Now that you’re taking the big step from being a high school graduate to someone who is paving a career path, the question is in which institution of higher learning you should go to. Incoming college freshmen usually have two choices: either they go to a university or they go to a community college. What is the difference? As follows:
* University – Universities usually have strict requirements and guidelines for college freshman admissions. Not too many prospective college students get through the admissions process. But the quality of education as well as the amenities are great. Plus, universities have a wide range of courses and majors.
* Community college – Some college students use the community college as a stepping stone to universities. That’s because while universities are bent on bringing their students to perfection, the kind of training one gets from community colleges is like preparation for life in the university. Courses and majors, as well as cultural diversity, are limited.
Should you go to a university or a community college? Here are factors that you have to consider:
* Cost – If you prefer to cut down on costs, then the community college would be your best bet. That’s because tuition in community colleges is usually just half than that in universities. The catch, though, comes when your course or major of choice is not available in the community college. It’s either you just look for another community college, or you just invest and go to the university, where you’ll surely find your course of choice.
* Location – From the name itself, community colleges are obviously nearer to your place because they are just located near your locality. But if you’d rather stay away from your place so that you’ll have more freedom to study on your own, then you can go ahead and seek for university admissions. Universities are usually equipped with dorms which will provide your needed accomodation.
* Transition – If you want an easier transition from high school to college, opt for a community college. Universities impose standards right on the onset of the class, so you have to exert effort on your part to cope with these changes. If you do decide to go to a university, you will have to submit a number of requirements such as the admissions essay. If you are still clueless on what should you include in the essay, you can sample personal statement essay samples online.
Photo Credit : Ralph Hockens
