How Sample Graduate School Essays Prepare You for Your Application in Graduate School
It is a fact that an excellent graduate school essay would boost your chances of getting accepted in your school of choice, whether it be an Ivy League school such as Harvard or any high-quality learning institution. The big question is: what exactly would a topnotch essay accomplish for you?
A strong essay would elevate your application from the multitudes of other candidates whose qualifications are about as solid as yours. In cases wherein the admissions officers are having a hard time choosing between two equally good applications, the better admission essay might be the “deadlock breaker.”
A very good essay should have a theme, also called a “thesis statement”. This would be the central topic to which the essay would revolve around. If the essay is compelling, original, and personal, this could only strengthen your chances of getting into your dream school. A good essay should not have the following bad parts: elements that make the essay an angry narrative, too many attempts to make the readers laugh, or simply an essay that goes in circles.
Other tips for a more effective admission essay
# Have the materials prepared. Get copies of resume, transcripts, the application form, sample graduate school essays, etc. Create a list of crucial data such as titles of jobs in the past, duties you did, and the names of former employers. Using sample essays is very helpful, especially if you don’t have any idea on how to start writing your own.
# Use “I” appropriately. It is good to be a little creative in writing one’s admission essay, but this is not a piece of creative writing or fiction. In creative writing, the use of first or second or third case all depends on the style or mood of the writer. In the admissions essay however, using the first person is crucial, because this would enliven your writing. A little warning though. Beginning all sentences with “I” is overkill.
# Do not be redundant. If you have included certain information in the other application documents (transcript, resume, etc.), then you need not repeat those information on the admission essay. Doing so would make your essay redundant.
# Be conscious of your essay’s length. How long should it be? If it is too short, the admissions board might think you didn’t put a lot of thought in it. If it’s too long, they might get tired of reading it. Admission essays must follow the given length range. However, if yours is a two-paged essay and you feel that cutting it shorter would be detrimental to your chances of getting accepted, then let it be.
A strong admission essay must have a solid thesis statement. To write a topnotch essay, the following are crucial things to consider: preparation involving the use of sample essays, properly using the first person, avoiding redundancy, and being conscious of the length. While not a 100% guarantee on getting accepted, an exceptional admission essay would most surely raise your chances of landing a spot at your preferred school.
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Writing your graduate school thesis is very different from writing your graduate school admissions essays. For admissions essays, you have the benefit of guides like sample graduate school essays. With the thesis, there is no equivalent to the sample graduate school essays. You are left to your own devices – without the benefit of step-by-step guides. Nevertheless, you still have your thesis adviser to guide you in the process.
To begin to write, you need to thoroughly prepare for it. The graduate school thesis is probably the most crucial output you’ll need to come out with at this point in your life.
Here are steps for you to prepare to write your graduate school thesis:
1. Topic selection: Since you will be spending months on your thesis, select topics that you are interested in, and then discuss these with your advisors. With their advice and approval, you will come down to a topic that you are passionate about. This is the start of any good (if not great) thesis.
2. Research: During the thesis-writing phase, you will be spending a bulk of your time doing research. You can scour libraries, scholarly publications and reputable online sources for second hand data. You may also need to do some 1st-hand data gathering through surveys and interviews. Some national organization have data you can use. You will just need permission to access and use them for your paper.
3. Drafting an Outline: Before you sit down and write, it’s best to have an outline ready. Outlines guide you with the flow of your paper. It can give you a quick glimpse if you’ve covered everything that’s necessary to reach your conclusion. Outlines also helps with organizing your paper. It becomes more readable as ideas won’t be all over the place.
4. Doing the first draft: Expect to do several drafts of your thesis. It won’t be just a one-time writing. You will find that advisors and experts will comment on one point or another. You will need to redraft and redraft until you get it done perfectly.
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