In today’s post, I’d like to draw your attention to the 2011 US News college rankings, which were recently released. You can check those out here:

http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges

While many students, parents, and education professionals put substantial stock in these rankings, I want to take this opportunity to warn against focusing on them too much. Why? Simple. These rankings aim to be objective (at least to some degree), but in doing so, they don’t consider the most important element in the application process.

You.

Just because Harvard is ranked first in the US News rankings doesn’t mean that Harvard should automatically be at the top of your college list. Your list should be based on which schools seem to fit you particularly well, not which schools are at the top of some list.

Many applicants focus way too much on where schools fall on this list. In reality, however, a school’s ranking is one of the last things you should be worried about as you prepare to apply. So Harvard is ranked #1. Great. It obviously has an excellent reputation. Don’t fall into the trap of believing that its rank and reputation automatically mean you want to go there, though. Do your own research and make your own decisions. You may find that schools farther down the list are a much better match for your particular goals, passions, and personality.

So take a look at the rankings, but take them with a grain of salt. Instead of focusing on the rankings themselves, you’re much better off using lists like this to learn more about the featured colleges. You can then take what you learn and use it to inform your own decision about which college should be at the top of your own list.

Is it Friday already? Wow.

Over the course of this week, we’ve provided a brand new blog post every single day dealing with a variety of topics relevant to those writing – or preparing to write – admissions essays. We’ve talked about planning ahead, content and style, avoiding repetition, and using humor. And over the last year, we’ve featured posts on many more admissions-related issues.

But what’s the point?

I’m not asking this in a grand, existential sense. Instead, I’m asking why your’e writing an essay or essays in the first place.

Well, at a basic level, you’re applying somewhere and it’s required as part of the application. But what about digging deeper?

I’d suggest that more than anything else, the point of your admissions essay is to show that you are a real person. Your essay transforms a collection of grades, scores, and biographical information into something much more personal. It’s a chance for you to speak to the reader, even without actually meeting him or her. And it’s a chance for you to be yourself.

That’s why questions like, “What do they want to hear?” or “What should I say?” aren’t the right ones to be asking. You should never attempt to write an essay by basing it on what you think someone else wants to hear. Doing so defeats the most important purpose of the essay. If you try to be anyone other than yourself, you’re ultimately doing everyone involved in this process a disservice.

Think about it.

First of all, your essay is just one part of your application. If you write an essay that attempts to make you seem like someone you’re not, it’s likely that it will clash with some other aspects of your application. Such discrepancies are quickly noticed by readers, and will usually hurt your candidacy.

Secondly, if you have to make yourself seem like someone you’re not, are you really applying to a school or program that’s a good fit? If you don’t feel that you can earn admission by being yourself, maybe you should rethink applying in the first place. Applications aren’t only used to determine whether you’re qualified for admission; they also help admissions committees determine whether you’d be a good fit at their institution.

And finally, essays that are written with a clear personal touch are almost always more effective than those that lack that personal touch, or those that seem like they aren’t being honest. Simple as that.

If those reasons aren’t enough for you to recognize the importance of that personal touch in your admissions essay, I don’t know what will be. For now, I’m going to get this post up, finish my work for the day, and get out to enjoy some summer weather this weekend. I hope you can do the same.

Knock Knock.

…

Hello? Anyone there? This is a great joke, I promise.

…

Hm. How about this one. How many college students does it take to change a lightbulb?

…

Still nothing? C’mon, I guarantee you’ll laugh at this one.

No? I guess nobody wants to hear a funny joke today. Sad.

But that does bring us to the topic of today’s post: should you use humor in your admissions essay?

The answer to that question will be different for every individual, just like pretty much everything related to the admissions process, so you’re going to have to answer it for your yourself. I’ve got some advice that should help you make that decision, though, based on your particular circumstances.

First, to what type of school or program are you applying? While this isn’t true in absolutely every case, essays or statements for more advanced or professional programs – medical school, business school, and law school in particular – should usually be a little more formal. Now, that’s not to say that you need to write as if you’re constructing a government memo or doctoral thesis. You just need to make sure that your essay makes a compelling case for your admission to your chosen program, and that it reflects your seriousness about joining the ranks of that field. If you can accomplish this while throwing in a bit of humor, by all means go for it, but it’s unwise to make your entire essay a joke.

College essays are probably the best in which to include humor. That doesn’t mean that it will work for everyone, though. In fact, writing an excellent humorous essay is an extremely difficult task, even harder than writing a generally excellent essay. Why? Here are a few things to consider.

1. What type of humor do you plan on using? Satire? Irony? Just a joke that fits in well with your story? Whatever you choose, don’t use it unless it’s something at which you’re adept. There’s a reason that very few people in the world can succeed as comedians (or comediennes, as the case may be). Humor is easy to use informally or poorly; it’s very difficult to use in a way that comes off as more professional and well done. If you write a humorous essay that isn’t polished, it will seem like you were only using humor as a gimmick to get noticed.

2. Remember that humor isn’t universal. What one person finds amusing may be bland to another, or even worse, offensive. Since you don’t know who exactly will be reading your essay, you need to ensure that your humor is broad and understandable enough that it won’t alienate your reader.

3. Are you just going to include a single joke, or will your entire essay be funny? If the former, make sure that it doesn’t seem like you’re simply throwing in something funny for the heck of it. Your joke or humorous point needs to connect to the rest of the essay in some way. If the latter, make sure that you don’t spend the entire essay setting up an elaborate punch line at the very end – your reader should be entertained throughout and recognize that your essay is based on humor soon after he or she starts reading.

4. How will your essay connect to you and tell a story about you? When you’re trying to be funny, other considerations sometimes get thrown out the window. Remember that the specific style of your essay will always be secondary to whether it succeeds at helping the reader get to know you. Make sure that even as you are funny, you’re also providing insights into who you are as a person and applicant.

Hopefully those points shed a little light on the issue of humor in admissions essays. Now are you sure you don’t want to hear a good joke?

I hope everyone out there is having a great Wednesday.

Today, we’re going to take a look at the way content and style apply to your admissions essay. You see, at an extremely basic level, everything you write consists of two components: content and style. Content is what you’re writing about – the information….

Wait, what’s that? I’m simply repeating the information I provided in yesterday’s post? Well what’s wrong with that? It’s good information, isn’t it? So why can’t I just present it here again? It’s just as valid today as it was yesterday, and maybe repeating it will emphasize its importance.

While that may be true, it’s doesn’t justify me repeating yesterday’s post in today’s space. You’re reading this blog to get a broad cross section of advice about admissions essays and the overall application process. That means you don’t want to simply hear the same thing over and over again. You want to learn about different aspects of essay writing.

The same idea applies to your admissions packet. While you may have a few stories or points that you consider extremely important, you need to make sure that you’re not repeating those stories in multiple essays. Your application needs to show you to be a multifaceted applicant. You should be able to talk about various aspects of your past without constantly referencing one or two things that you’re particularly proud of or consider especially important.

This point applies to more than just your essays; you need to consider all parts of your application. Remember that the person reviewing it will have access to your transcripts, test scores, recommendations, and any other biographical information that you’ve submitted. As a result, you don’t need to spend time in your essays discussing what a great student you are or listing your entire work history. If you’ve provided that information elsewhere in your application, it’s best to avoid talking about it in your essays. Unless, that is, you need to elaborate on it in some way, or your essay prompt specifically asks you to comment on those issues.

Overall, just remember that your essays won’t be read in a vacuum; those who review your application will see the entire thing and will use all of those components to form a picture of who you are as an individual and an applicant. Thus, the less information you repeat, the better you’ll stand out as a person with a diverse background, interests, and skills.

If you missed yesterday’s post, we’re trying something a bit different this week at the EssayEdge blog, featuring a brand-new post every single day (well, Monday through Friday at least… c’mon, I can’t think about essays all the time).

Yesterday I reiterated the importance of planning ahead, a simple message that really can’t be repeated enough when it comes to both essays and the admissions process as a whole. Today, I’d like to look at something more focused to essay writing: what makes a story great?

At an extremely basic level, everything you write consists of two components: content and style. Content is what you’re writing about – the information you’re trying to convey or plot of the story you’re telling. Style is the way in which you present that information – your word choice, organization, and other details of the writing. Those aren’t technical definitions of content and style, but they’re one way to understand those terms in the context of essay writing.

Ideally you want both strong content and strong style in your essay, but many applicants focus way too much on content rather than style. They assume that unless they’re writing about volunteering in a poverty-stricken village, conducting advanced research of a new cancer treatment, or singlehandedly leading their sports team to a last-second victory, the story shouldn’t be featured in their admissions essay. In reality, though, many of the best essays out there are written based on content that is fairly mundane. That’s because focusing too much on picking the perfect content can lead applicants to neglect style.

In an admissions essay, even if you’re sharing an amazing experience, your essay will fall flat if you convey the story in a bland or flawed manner. On the other hand, everyday experiences can make for an outstanding essay if you present them in an original way. I’ve read amazing essays on subjects such as napping, learning to drive a manual-transmission car, and terrible gardening skills. I’ve also read bore-you-to-tears essays that talked about skydiving and starting a multi-million-dollar business from scratch. The first group told stories about common events, but did so in remarkably eloquent and engaging ways. The second group talked about amazing experiences, but in a way that made it seem as though they were describing paint dry.

I’m not arguing here that style is more important than content; rather, I’m pointing out that style can make up for seemingly boring content in many instances. And of course, don’t forget that your content, whether an exceptional experience or everyday event, needs to be connected to you personally on some level and give the reader insights into who you are and why you’re a great applicant. Otherwise, all the style in the world won’t make your essay strong.

So keep that in mind as you prepare to write your essays. You don’t always have to discuss the craziest, most impressive, most unique thing that’s ever happened to you. Sometimes, a more everyday experience can make for an even stronger essay, provided that you tell it in an engaging way.

It’s been several weeks since our last post here at the EssayEdge blog. We’ve been working on some new projects, which will be announced here in the coming weeks. I also took a short, but much needed, vacation. Hey, everyone deserves some time off every now and then!

So to get us back in the swing of things, I’m going to try something a bit different this week. Rather than one or two posts, there will be a new post featured on the EssayEdge blog every single day. As we move toward the busiest time of the year for those who are working on applications, there’s no shortage of things to talk about.

I also want to encourage you to submit any comments or questions you have while reading. As with most things in life, it’s likely that if you’re wondering about something, other people are too. I’d love to base future blog posts on actual reader questions.

Today, I’m going to ease back into posting with a simple message: plan ahead. While this is excellent general life advice, it’s particularly important when it comes to the application process. Why? Because the more organized and prepared you are, the less stressful the process will be.

Now, I’m not saying that planning ahead will make this process completely free of stress. When you’re dealing with something that will have a gigantic impact on your life moving forward, there will inevitably be stress involved. But for many applicants, much of that stress is unnecessary; it’s caused by trying to research schools, fill out paperwork, write essays, and do everything else required on applications with a deadline just days or even hours away.

By planning ahead, you can minimize that type of last-minute stress and instead focus your efforts on excelling at what you are able to control. Look at it this way: would you rather be working to fill your 500-word limit shortly before midnight on the day your application is due, or working on polishing your concluding sentence at that point?

This isn’t rocket science, nor is it anything that hasn’t been said before. But it’s so important that it bears repeating. It’s extremely easy to look at the application process now and say, “Yeah, of course I’m going to plan ahead and stay on top of everything.” As you move into the fall, though, things like school and work may leave you saying, “I’ll start next week.” Before you know it, your deadline could be days away and you could have several essays that haven’t even been started.

So keep that in mind as the summer winds down and application season gears up. And don’t forget to check the blog regularly (and to leave questions or comments whenever you have them) – we’ll be here providing advice to help you write the best essays that you can.

I’d just like to take a moment away from our admissions essay conversations to acknowledge the passing of Ernie Cline. Until very recently, our friend and colleague was the system administrator for EssayEdge, and several other businesses under the Nelnet and Peterson’s umbrella. We remember Ernie as a funny guy, with a quiet but hysterical sense of humor.

Every day, we benefited from his skill, professionalism, and the unending work needed to keep us up and running as the business grew. Like all professional websites with high traffic, we had challenges during inconvenient times, like holidays or the Super Bowl. We could always count on Ernie to guide us out of those troubles.

Ernie was a type I diabetes sufferer. As such, and in remembrance, Nelnet is making a donation to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF).  If you’d like to donate, we encourage you to click here.

Thanks for your time and attention. We’ll miss you, Ernie.

- The EssayEdge Team

With medical school application in full swing, I’d like to take this opportunity to share a brief list of overused content from medical school personal statements. These five points, however phrased, pop up over and over again in essays submitted to our editors, and they almost never add real value to the applicant’s work.

As we go through these, keep in mind that you can still make a similar point in a successful manner, so long as you find a way to make it personal. The primary reason comments like these drag a personal statement down is because they are so general. If one of these applies to you, make sure that you make it unique to your individual experience if you plan to include it in your admissions writing.

For example, if you have already participated in research of a particular disease, you can likely share your interest in furthering that research in your personal statement. It would then be logical and extremely valid for you to say something about how you hope such research will ultimately lead to improved treatments and, ideally, a cure for that disease. Although, “I want to cure X disease,” is a horribly overused cliché, by sharing your personal experience and showing how you specifically have made and can continue to make contributions in that regard, you can turn it into a compelling part of your personal statement.

1. I want to improve lives. Countless med school applicants feel compelled to make this point for some reason, even though it’s almost universal across all applicants. You probably wouldn’t be applying to med school if you didn’t have some desire to improve lives. So using such a statement to justify your application won’t do much to set you apart from everyone else.
2. I want to serve others. See my explanation of the first example; this is almost exactly the same, as such feelings are almost universal among med school applicants.
3. I want to cure [insert disease here]. While you may have unique justification for making a point like this, as described above, many applicants say something like this without offering any further explanation. Doing so will leave the reader feeling as if you don’t have deeper reasons for applying.
4. I have wanted to be a doctor since I was [insert age between 5 and 10 here]. Few things tell an admissions committee less than a statement like this. It’s simply information that, at best, may introduce a cute story. The truth of the matter is that having had the motivation to become a doctor for 20 years is not automatically better than having had that motivation for 2 years. What’s much more important is why you want to embark on this career, how you’ve prepared, and what you will accomplish down the road.
5. I want to become a doctor to make my [family member] proud. Even if this is the case for you, don’t share in your personal statement. A comment like this can make your personal interest in medicine seem driven by someone else. You don’t want the reader to come away from your statement believing that a large part of your work to this point has solely been to please a parent.

Last week’s post provided some suggestions for high school students currently entering the summer before their senior year. Believe it or not, there are quite a few ways you can make substantial progress on the essay-writing and admissions fronts without spending your entire summer enrolled in classes, doing community service, and visiting colleges. You can check out the easy-to-follow suggestions from that post here.

Today, I’d like to supplement last week’s post with a simple message that’s probably hard for many to swallow: try not to let other people stress you out about the admissions process.

In the course of my daily duties here at EssayEdge, I read a tremendous amount of material on essay writing and the admissions process in general. And to be perfectly honest, the overarching message I see in many of those articles and postings is something along the lines of, “Do this or else you will [probably] get rejected.”  It’s actually quite depressing. Because it’s virtually impossible to tell nervous applicants what they can do to guarantee admission (the simple fact of the matter is that nobody is guaranteed admission), many writers have taken to framing their recommendations in a different way. Instead of showcasing things that can make the process easier, they present suggestions by claiming that everyone else is doing something, so you’d better be doing it too.

At EssayEdge, we don’t believe in such scare tactics. While the college admissions process is complicated, competitive, and challenging, it’s not something that should ruin other things in your life.  Like any challenge it will require thought, preparation, and hard work to succeed, but that doesn’t mean that you need to stop living a balanced life as you prepare to submit applications.

So my advice to you this week is simple: don’t let other people stress you out. Sure it’s natural to feel some stress about the coming months, but you shouldn’t let books, blogs, or friends whip you into a frenzy about the admissions process. It’s going to take time and hard work, but if you go into it with a level head and basic understanding of what needs to be done, you’ll do fine.

So check out last week’s post for some suggestions about what you can do this summer to prepare for application season this fall while still finding time to relax and socialize. As we get closer to the school year, we’ll provide more in-depth tips that will help you conquer the writing process to the best of your ability.

June has arrived and with it, the end of the school year for students from elementary school to law school. Summer’s not all baseball games, beaches, and barbecues, though, especially for those who may be applying to new schools in the coming year.

The summer is a great time to get a jump on the admissions process. I don’t advocate spending huge amounts of time focused on applications, tutoring, and other preparations, but even just a few minutes every day or week can make things easier on you come the fall.

Check out these simple ideas for ways that you can prepare for the rigorous admissions process without sacrificing all of your relaxing time this summer.

• Keep a journal. Even if you’ve never done so before, keeping a journal can be an outstanding way to keep your writing skills in shape during a break from school. In addition, it will give you something to review in the fall when you may be seeking inspiration or a particular story in response to a challenging admissions essay prompt. Rather than desperately trying to remember something you did months ago, you’ll be able to relive the experiences by scanning through your journal entries.
• Spend some time thinking about what’s important to you in a school. Educational opportunities are everywhere these days, and students at all levels are applying to more schools than ever, whether they are colleges, graduate programs, or even medical schools. With competition intense, some students have started applying to practically every school that they can think of. Despite this trend, it’s important that you think long and hard about what you want in your next educational institution. Otherwise, you could end up spending a substantial amount of time and effort submitting applications to schools that you have no interest in attending.
• Start exploring schools online. While some students are able to take extensive trips to visit dozens of colleges around the country, not everyone is so lucky. Thanks to the Internet, however, you can learn an enormous amount about most schools without leaving your desk. Why not take a few minutes every week to check out websites from schools that interest you. If you’re really ambitious, you can even take a look at their applications, particularly the essay prompts, and get a head start on thinking about them.
• Read. And I don’t mean read SAT guidebooks and AP English novels. Read things that you want to read. Read a broad variety of work, from your favorite blogs to local newspapers to national bestsellers. Many students forget how closely related reading and writing are; you’ll strengthen your writing skills without even noticing it by spending some time each day with your nose buried in a book… or computer… or iPad… or – well, you get the picture.
• Relax. Hey, you’ve made it through another school year. Even if you’re now working a summer job or unpaid internship, be sure to find some time to take it easy. Trust me – you’ll be glad you did once the fall rolls around.