10 Tips on How to Get Inspiration for Writing a College Essay

Featured Image Caption: Top Ten Tips for Writing a College Essay

Research professor- Xavier Trepat once quoted “The easiest decision a reader can make is to stop reading!” Imagine if the person whose opinion is crucial to your college admission makes the dreadful decision to stop reading, not because the essay does not have the information they are seeking, but because the presentation is not done to the expected standard.

How then do you ensure you don’t keep skirting around what you want to say in the essay? How do you choose which words you want to use and which ones you avoid? What guides you during this process? How do you know you are still on course and have not veered off?

Writing may not always be a walk in the park. When you put pen to paper, or fingers to keyboard for that matter, words seem to retreat back to an irretrievable part of the brain! How then do you get your words back? Here are a few tips on how to get inspiration for writing a college essay:

Inspiration for your college essay

1. Do your homework. To get inspiration for writing this college essay. Be conversant with what the institution stands for. This involves reading about the founders dream if there is any, the vision that guides the establishment and perhaps the activities carried out by the college recently. Get to their website and do your homework. This will guide what you write to be in alignment to their ultimate goal- justifying that your admission will be a step towards achieving their goal.
2. Be personal. Instead of just stating your hobbies and achievements, be personal. At some point, you will have to answer the question of why you chose this particular college. This is not the time to mention their numerous achievements- that time will come- Rather show how being in the place will work for you, how it will be convenient for your interests and potential growth as an individual.
3. The anecdote. The big word really, but such a simple concept behind it. If you meet a random person called Tom, walking his dog and he says, “I’m Tom and this is Tim-my dog.” chances are five minutes later you won’t remember which one of the two is Tom. What if there was a story behind it like, “I’m Tom, and this is white Tim, my best friend”? Not only will you not take an interest in the dog this time but the additional information will also make it memorable. When you use a short RELEVANT story in your essay, it may just turn out to be what the panel is looking for. It makes you relatable. So you might want to think about how the thought of joining college felt at first because it may just form your anecdote. The key here is to be relevant!
4. Be Intentional. Simply put, this means to a purpose. As you write the best way to stay on course is to ensure your purpose is outlined. Decide prior to your writing which side you are selling to the panel. Are you the unrelenting go-getter or the curious seeker? Make sure whichever side it is you choose to sell is favorable to you and allows you to express yourself best in your essay.
5. Talk to others who have done it before. Seeking advice is always a good idea because it helps to point you in the right direction. The truth is, is you are doing something for the first time it may appear harder than it really is. Someone who has done it before may however not experience the same difficulty. Talk to that cousin who got into Harvard last year and ask them for a few pointers. It will not hurt one bit!
6. Find samples on the Internet. The internet is a hub of information relating to any topic you can think of. I bet you go to Google occasionally when you do not understand something and haven’t the time to dash to a library. So why not call on Uncle Google for a few pointers on writing your college essay? Easy, right? Simply go online and search for samples then go through over them. Remember, the college admission panel is looking for authenticity, uniqueness, and honesty. DO NOT copy somebody else’s essay word by word because you have different purposes and goals.
7. Reminisce a little. College essays are more about you than they are about the institution. Think about your life. Evaluate your past. What drives you? How have you achieved what you have achieved so far? What more would you like to achieve? Thinking about your past, dreams, and motivations is a good way to get inspiration for your college essay because well, you get in touch with yourself!
8. Watch a movie. Nothing screams inspiration like a good old story. Movies entertain us by telling a story. Pay attention to the storytelling techniques of the creator and use these to draft your own story.
9. Embrace your insignificance. This may sound a little too harsh but hey! Tough love! The truth is most people fear failure so much that they end up never trying. Remember that nobody really cares that much because they are too busy obsessing over their own flaws. Besides, what’s the worst that can happen if you try?
10. Desire to be great. Focus on writing an essay that will not be forgotten. Aspire to impress so much that you put all your effort into writing the essay.

A little dumb never hurt anyone

Perfection is unattainable; stop struggling to achieve it. Do your best and hope for the best. Pining over your flaws will not make your essay any better.

The above tips will definitely help you get inspiration for writing a college essay. However, we understand that you may still lack inspiration if writing really is not for you. CustomWritings.com offers professional college essay writing services at the touch of a button so that you do not have to worry about finding inspiration. Contact them now and let experts help you with your college essay.