Top 10 College Application Essay Mistakes

You may already have a draft of your Common App personal statement, or you may be unsure how to start. What are the most common mistakes students make?

How can you edit your essay to make your application stand out? Learn how to take your essay to the next level and avoid common mistakes in this course.

Mistake 1: Resume list. Remember that colleges already have a list of your accomplishments, awards, and grades, so there is no need to list them. At best, it is repetitive. At worst, it can feel like bragging.

Mistake 2: Writing an academic essay. The personal statement is not the place for writing a five-paragraph research paper. Instead, it should read more like a memoir, recounting a story about your life.

Mistake 3: Overused topics. In this course, you will learn about so-called "overused topics" and how to avoid cliches. Few topics are truly unusable, and by using the strategies in this course, you will be able to find a topic that speaks to you and write about it in a unique way.

Mistakes 4-5: Top 10 informal words. Which 10 words drive English teachers and college admissions officers crazy? You will learn which words to avoid in this course. Even more importantly, you will learn alternative words that you can use, so you will feel confident when editing your essay.

Mistake 6: Inconsistent verb tense. What's wrong with this sentence? Last year, I drove all the way to Michigan and win an award. Why, the verb tense, of course! "Drove" is in the past tense, while "win" is present. Make sure that your paragraphs stick to the same tense.

Mistake 7: Striving for the perfect first draft. Most great personal statements require four drafts, so don't worry about making your first draft perfect. Plan to make significant edits, and just focus on getting something down on paper, no matter how imperfect.

Mistake 8: Meandering. Make it clear what the conflict is. What is the main takeaway? What do you want admissions officers to learn about you?

Mistake 9: Dialogue vs. quotes. What is the difference, and how can the misuse of quotations destroy a good essay?

Mistake 10: Trying to please everyone. In the end, your personal statement is yours. Feedback is helpful, but sometimes you just need to trust your gut and turn it in!