Mistakes to Avoid in College Essay - A Guide by an Essay Writer

We all know how college essays are written. According to an essay writer’s traditional method, you start with an introduction throwing in a hook, followed by three paragraphs of stories and personal experiences, and a neat conclusion.

To draft a perfect essay doesn’t just include a perfect pattern. To write an effective and winning college essay make sure you avoid some mistakes highlighted by an essay writer. If you don’t want the committee and the officers to discuss and use your college essay as a bad example, just avoid a few mistakes and you are good to go.

1. What is a College Essay?

A college essay, commonly known as the college application or a personal statement, is a piece of work written by an applicant to get admission to a specific college.

This essay reflects the personality and the perspectives of an applicant on which a group of people or a committee grants admission to him.

A good college essay or a personal statement includes an unexpected and astonishing topic with amazing execution and presentation. On the other hand, an erroneous essay usually has a complex and unclear subject that is poorly executed.

1.1 Topic Related Problems

The first thing that can ruin your essay is your wrong perception of what an essay is about and how you will discuss your personal experiences. Poorly chosen and written essay content can be a big put off for the officers in a number of ways.

According to essay writers, the college essay is way more valuable than you think it is. The college essay reveals your personality, skills, talents, and character to the admission committee of a college.

So if your topic is horrible you will not just end up writing a hideous essay but will also risk the admission in your dream college and don't even get me started on the impression you will leave on the officers.

Bad topics give an image of your immaturity, poor sense of judgment, that you are boring and cold person, and also that you are not aware and disconnected from the world around you.

Choosing the right topic is everything to start with.

1.2 Execution Related Problems

Sometimes, you are judged entirely on the content of the portrayal of your personal experiences. Not just the right pattern and topic would do everything for you but the execution and presentation are equally important.

The clarity of the writing style reveals the maturity level of an applicant. The writing mechanics should be perfect, also the syntax and punctuation should be correct.

You can totally mess up the execution of your topic if you are careless about the essay prompt. This gives an image of you as an irresponsible person who just casually blows off the instructions provided.

2. College Essay Topics that Should Never be Chosen

Ever had a question in mind that why are the college essay topics so mundane and ask about your day-to-day life? It is because the simpler the topic the harder it is to put it on the paper.

The professionals suggest avoiding these silly topics to make your college essay exceptional

2.1 Personal

Do not get overly personal in your essay. Expressing your personal life shows that you do not understand the writing boundaries and can be a cause of negative marking.

Too personal topics include:

• Writing about your relationships in particular.
• Writing too much about your weaknesses, disabilities, and illnesses.

2.2 Revealing Your Bad Judgment

Just do not provide the details of your life like past illegal activities and immoral actions in your college essay. You are to leave a good impression on the jury rather than making them firm not to select a ‘bad influence' for others in the college.

Examples:

• Never talk casually about committing a crime for fun.
• Do not show them that you are a drug abuser.
• Do not share stories that are fake and made up.
• Do not only show the flaws in your personality.

2.3 Overconfidence

It is great to be confident about your topic in the essay but it is worse to be overconfident about yourself. It is appreciated that you firmly believe in your abilities and skills, but do not show off yourself.

The jury should believe that you are the right person who's abilities can be polished in the institute and not that you are already learned and jack of all trades.

Examples:

• Do not brag about knowing and not knowing at all in an essay.
• Do not show unawareness of your scope and accomplishments.

2.4 Too Mainstream

Make yourself unique and interesting and not mundane and dull. Present how you are different from others by avoiding writing cliche.

Examples:

• Do not restate what is there in the resume already.
• Writing about sports in your essay.
• Do not tell them that you moved to a third world country for a community service trip.
• Do not try to be a professional by giving ideas on how to fix world issues.
• Using a famous quotation as an opening statement is old. Avoid it.
• Do not use common objects as a metaphor to describe your personality.

2.5 Off-Topic

Keep in mind that you are writing an essay to tell readers about you. Your personality, your background, your present, and your future. Do not even try to go in the wrong direction by providing off the topic details.

Examples:

• Mentioning about something and someone who is extremely close to you is useless.
• Do not include other people's perceptions and ideas.
• Talking about a piece of art that inspired you and moved you is boring.

2.6 Extremely Offensive

Your tone in the essay should sound like a lecture. Do not tell people what to do regarding an issue. Also, showing that you are not aware of new trends and ideas is a bad impression to put on the readers.

Examples:

• Do not critically analyze political, religious and other sensitive topics.
• Avoid talking explicitly about taboos and stereotypes.
• Never mention the flaws and rumors about the institute you are applying to.

3. College Essay Execution Problems that Should be Avoided - H2

It is not just the topic that affects your college essay but the content that the topic executes also plays its part in ruining the essay.

It is commonly observed that many college essays have brilliant topics but they still end up in the second category. This is because the content is so awfully written that the jury cant really accepts it.

3.1 The Tone of your Essay

The committee is looking for an optimist candidate who is full of life and is active in nature. Your essay should portray all of this to get you an admission in the college.

Examples:

• Do not whine about your life and problems the whole time in your essay.
• Use humor correctly and appropriately.
• Do not sound depressed, cynical and pessimistic

3.2 Lack of Uniqueness

While writing your college essay make sure that no one is writing what you are about to write. The uniqueness and the element of your personality should be present in your essay to distinguish you from other applicants.

Tell how differently you observe the world and its issues. Your jury wants to hear you out.

Examples:

• Do not portray yourself as a heartless person who doesn't have emotions and is dead inside. Over enthusiasm is also not the answer.
• Do not miss reaction, feeling, understanding, and transformation while describing something.

3.3 Off-Kilter Style

Although many prompts suggest you submit your portfolio of other work you did that doesn't mean you submit everything available in the house. Sticking to the prompt and requirements is safe playing.

Examples:

• Do not submit things other than what's asked to.
• Do not act smart and try to write your essay in the form of a play. Writing experiences, stories, and ideas in bullets and points are inappropriate.
• Use vocabulary and language that compliments your writing and doesn't take the originality out of your essay.

3.4 Not Giving Importance to Proofreading

No matter what, proofread your essay. Take some time to sit and critically analyze and evaluate your essay and check for mistakes. You might not find any mistakes at first but revising it for the third time will surely bring up mistakes and errors.

Never submit your essay before rechecking it at least 5 times. Make others read your essay and take their reaction as your feedback.

Improve the quality of your personal statement by checking grammar, punctuation, syntax, spelling, and vocabulary.

4. College Essay Examples

To provide a better understanding, some examples are presented for your guide and help.

Sample College Essay (PDF)

College Essay Example (PDF)

Personal Statement Sample Example (PDF)

It is always recommended to seek a professional essay writer's help if you are uncertain about something. College essays should be perfectly written as your whole process of admission to the college depends on it.