College Admission Essay Red Flags

There’s a reason a red flag makes a bull snort and charge. Don’t make your admissions officer react in the same way and toss your essay into the reject pile. The first red flag to avoid is sloppiness. Watch for typos, and poor grammar, and don’t be afraid to put your essay in front of as many people as it takes to catch every stray comma. The next red flag flying is TMI. Too much overly personal information may not be appropriate. You’ve overcome your compulsion to light your homework on fire? Great. You wake up screaming every night? Could be a problem for your new roommate. Just make sure you come off in the best possible light. Another red flag to consider in being too generic. If your can plug any name into your answer about choosing a specific college, it is not going to impress the reader. Does your volunteer work come across as condescending? Do you criticize others who do not meet your standards? Just make sure you sound authentic and like someone they could put into any dorm room.