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College Admissions Essays that Take 1st Place

Congratulations on your move toward a college degree. And congratulations on seeking support for writing your admissions essay/dissertation statement. The squeaky motor gets the oil, so you will be slick and running sleekly in a just a few days…in plenty of time to submit and relax before transferring from a community college or crossing over from high school to higher learning.

While the application and entry process is exciting, it is also rigorously demanding… when it comes to writing the prompted essays. But instead of getting intimidated, remember, it is a process with a series of many laps around the track. Do the steps one at a time, on time, and even ahead of time; be just as rigorous as the entry requirements are; and use the following as a checklist throughout the entire personal statement writing process, and you will create a worthy piece of writing that will smoothly slide you right into the institution of your choice.

1. Use that fine machine (your head): get ahead, start ahead.

___Start early. If the application and essay are due in three months, start working on it in two.

2. Start small.

___If the task seems overwhelming, choose an easy, quick, or interesting part of the task. Then you will have a momentum that will push you forward into the larger, more time consuming tasks. For example, you know your name, address, and (maybe) what you want to major in. Fill out the application.

3. Read X3 before you start to build.

___The first time, read the directions and the prompt choices for the personal statement(s) you have to write as if you are reading a magazine for fun.

___The second time, read the prompt choices as if you are reading a catalog and shopping for the one (best) item (prompt). Choose the one topic that you feel you have the most to write on, the one you like, the one you are drawn to.

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