Essays are written for the reader of the application, and the reader must clearly understand the message.
This week, I’m featuring one of my quotes
| “It’s not what you want to say that counts. Rather, it’s what you want the reader to think and perceive that counts.” Parents often wonder why their child was denied admission to schools where they thought their child was a solid qualifier. There’s a good reason. Academic qualifications help students advance through the first round of admission review, where many are denied based on having lesser academic credentials. Reaching the second round means that essays will be read. That’s where acceptances are won. In writing essays, here are four secrets to capturing the reader’s interest and attention. 1) The writer must clearly express a definitive, meaningful message. 2) The writer must create the perception they desire from the reader. 3) The writer must provide easily understood content, with a natural flow from beginning to end. 4) The writer must make sure to use proper paragraph form and sentence structure. Before getting started and writing what they “want to say”, the writer must determine: What message do I want to convey?What perception of me do I want to create? How can I capture the reader’s immediate interest and maintain their attention?Most essays that I review, from all levels of students, are usually only a few super-long paragraphs made up of several run-on sentences that lack any clear direction. That will turn the reader off in a short time. A disinterested reader will close the application and deny the applicant. That’s how important essays are. Students who focus on what they want to say become indecisive and stuck. They continue to change their mind. The essay loses structure and flow. That’s how “qualified applicants” get denied. I’m not saying that writers should focus on what the reader wants to read…not at all. Instead, writers must focus on what they want the reader to perceive and understand about them. If you’d like your child to convey clear messages to strengthen their applications, let’s chat. |
