The Complete Guide to Writing Effective College Applications & Essays

Applying to college can be one of the most stressful times in a student's life. Not only are you faced with the task of finding the perfect school for you, but you also have to find scholarships to be able to go to the school you want. These two intertwining obstacles require a lengthy application and a seemingly perfect essay. The essay is crucial to demonstrate your values, creativity, and depth of knowledge, and the writing is important because it reflects your power of persuasion, organizational skills, and style. This newly revised book will teach you how to write effective applications and essays for college admissions and scholarships, helping shoulder some of the weight of applying.

The second edition to The Complete Guide to Writing Effective College Applications and Essays For Admissions and Scholarships has been updated to provide you with all the tools you need to complete your application and write a winning essay. You will learn how to choose a topic, keep your focus narrow and personal, edit and revise your work, tweak your essays to use them on various applications, choose your tone and structure, avoid common pitfalls, overcome writer's block, and make your application stand out from the rest.

Additionally, you will learn strategies for getting started, requirements for application, critical writing tips, and what committees look for in an applicant. This book also has a catalogue of websites with scholarship opportunities, sample essays and essay questions, and even examples of the essays specific colleges use. You will find those samples on the companion CD-ROM, along with brainstorming exercises and sample applications.

Admissions officers have chimed in with their expertise to provide insider information on how to compose impressive applications and essays for admissions and scholarships. Whether you are a high school freshman seeking a head start or a senior hoping to glean some last minute tips, this book is your answer.