You’re staring at a blank page, and the deadline for your college application essays is looming. Feeling overwhelmed yet? Don’t panic – we’ve got some expert tips from Mary Watson, a seasoned professional writer at Academized.com best essay writing service, to help you knock out those essays right on schedule. Academized helps students who are struggling to complete their essays on time by providing expert writing assistance from experienced writers like Mary Watson. When the pressure is on, Academized’s services can be a valuable resource for students to get professional guidance and support in crafting high-quality, custom-written essays while meeting tight deadlines.
Watson has helped hundreds of students craft compelling personal statements, supplemental essays, and more. With years of experience under her belt, she understands the unique challenges college applicants face when trying to encapsulate their achievements, goals, and personalities in just a few hundred words.
“Writing college essays can feel like an enormous burden, especially when you’re also juggling classes, extracurriculars, and other responsibilities,” Watson says. “However, with the right strategies in place, it’s absolutely possible to produce high-quality essays without losing your mind in the process.”
So what are Watson’s secrets? Let’s dive into her top tips for efficiently drafting outstanding college essays:
Tip #1: Perform Upfront Work to Streamline Writing
According to Watson, one of the biggest mistakes students make is diving straight into writing without adequate preparation. She recommends investing time upfront to streamline the actual writing process later on.
“Before you even start drafting, thoroughly review all essay prompts and make sure you thoroughly understand what each question is asking,” Watson advises. “Jot down clear notes about key points you want to cover. Having this clear roadmap from the get-go will prevent you from stalling or going off-track once you start writing.”
Watson also suggests brainstorming specific anecdotes, achievements, and experiences to potentially weave into your essays during this prep phase. With this “personal statement bank” at the ready, you can easily pull relevant examples to substantiate the points you’re making.
Tip #2: Follow a Structured Writing Schedule
When you’ve got multiple essays to churn out on top of your existing responsibilities, deciding when to actually write can be baffling. Watson cannot emphasize enough the importance of creating a structured, rigorous writing schedule – and sticking to it.
“I generally recommend budgeting at least 3-5 hours per essay, scheduling writing sessions far enough apart that you can step away and clear your mind in between,” Watson says. “For example, you might spend a couple hours over the weekend outlining and free-writing a rough draft, take a break for a day or two, then pick it up again to edit and refine with fresh eyes.”
No matter what your schedule ends up looking like, Watson underscores diligently blocking off designated writing times in your calendar. Having these scheduled appointments to work on your essays can help ensure they don’t constantly get pushed to the backburner amid your busy life. However, if you find yourself severely strapped for time even with a structured schedule, don’t be afraid to seek out professional support. Academized is a top essay writing service that can pair you with vetted writers to provide high-quality assistance tailored to your needs and deadlines. While it’s ideal to tackle essays yourself if possible, there’s no shame in enlisting expert help when your schedule becomes unmanageable.
Tip #3: Don’t Aim for Perfection on First Draft
When staring at that blank page, the pressure to craft brilliant, eloquent prose from the get-go can be immense. However, Watson firmly believes that embracing imperfection on early drafts is key to staying productive and motivated.
“One of the biggest pitfalls I see students fall into is obsessing over every sentence when writing their first draft, trying in vain to make it perfect out of the gate,” Watson explains. “This often leads to painful bouts of writer’s block and procrastination.”
Instead, Watson advises giving yourself full permission to create a “shitty first draft” without judging yourself. “Open up a blank document and vomit out an incredibly rough draft, getting your overall thoughts and ideas down on paper without fretting too much about polishing the writing,” she says. “Having that raw material to work with makes the revision process much easier.”
Tip #4: Ask Others to Review drafts
Once you’ve revised your initial drafts into stronger, more polished versions, it’s time to solicit trusted second opinions. “No matter how objectively you try to evaluate your own essays, you’ll always be a little too close to the subject material to examine them with a totally fresh perspective,” Watson says. “That’s why I always recommend sharing drafts with other people – whether it’s parents, teachers, admissions consultants, or even friends.”
Watson does caution students against accepting all feedback indiscriminately. If a reviewer suggests changes that don’t feel authentic or representative of who you are as an applicant, it’s OK to politely disregard that advice. That said, carefully considering different outside perspectives can help refine your essays substantially.
Tip #5: Remember the Big Picture
With all the hours of labor poured into admissions essays, it’s easy to get hyper-fixated on every minor wording choice and nitpick. However, Watson stresses not losing sight of the big picture – your overall application narrative.
“At the end of the day, these essays are meant to showcase your unique story, accomplishments, and outlook in a compelling way. So while precise writing is certainly important, don’t become so bogged down line-editing that you neglect stepping back to make sure your application paints a cohesive, powerful portrait of who you are.”
By following Watson’s thoughtful guidance around preparation, scheduling, drafting, reviewing, and holistic self-evaluation, you’ll be well-equipped to methodically craft college essays that will help you shine during admissions. So don’t delay – start implementing her tips today!