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How to Write a College Essay | A Complete Guide & Examples

The college essay can make or break your application. It’s your chance to provide personal context, communicate your values and qualities, and set yourself apart from other students.

A standout essay has a few key ingredients:

  • A unique, personal topic
  • A compelling, well-structured narrative
  • A clear, creative writing style
  • Evidence of self-reflection and insight

To achieve this, it’s crucial to give yourself enough time for brainstorming, writing, revision, and feedback.

In this comprehensive guide, we walk you through every step in the process of writing a college admissions essay.

Table of contents

Why do you need a standout essay, start organizing early, choose a unique topic, outline your essay, start with a memorable introduction, write like an artist, craft a strong conclusion, revise and receive feedback, frequently asked questions.

While most of your application lists your academic achievements, your college admissions essay is your opportunity to share who you are and why you’d be a good addition to the university.

Your college admissions essay accounts for about 25% of your application’s total weight一and may account for even more with some colleges making the SAT and ACT tests optional. The college admissions essay may be the deciding factor in your application, especially for competitive schools where most applicants have exceptional grades, test scores, and extracurriculars.

What do colleges look for in an essay?

Admissions officers want to understand your background, personality, and values to get a fuller picture of you beyond your test scores and grades. Here’s what colleges look for in an essay :

  • Demonstrated values and qualities
  • Vulnerability and authenticity
  • Self-reflection and insight
  • Creative, clear, and concise writing skills

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It’s a good idea to start organizing your college application timeline in the summer of your junior year to make your application process easier. This will give you ample time for essay brainstorming, writing, revision, and feedback.

While timelines will vary for each student, aim to spend at least 1–3 weeks brainstorming and writing your first draft and at least 2–4 weeks revising across multiple drafts. Remember to leave enough time for breaks in between each writing and editing stage.

Create an essay tracker sheet

If you’re applying to multiple schools, you will have to juggle writing several essays for each one. We recommend using an essay tracker spreadsheet to help you visualize and organize the following:

  • Deadlines and number of essays needed
  • Prompt overlap, allowing you to write one essay for similar prompts

You can build your own essay tracker using our free Google Sheets template.

College essay tracker template

Ideally, you should start brainstorming college essay topics the summer before your senior year. Keep in mind that it’s easier to write a standout essay with a unique topic.

If you want to write about a common essay topic, such as a sports injury or volunteer work overseas, think carefully about how you can make it unique and personal. You’ll need to demonstrate deep insight and write your story in an original way to differentiate it from similar essays.

What makes a good topic?

  • Meaningful and personal to you
  • Uncommon or has an unusual angle
  • Reveals something different from the rest of your application

Brainstorming questions

You should do a comprehensive brainstorm before choosing your topic. Here are a few questions to get started:

  • What are your top five values? What lived experiences demonstrate these values?
  • What adjectives would your friends and family use to describe you?
  • What challenges or failures have you faced and overcome? What lessons did you learn from them?
  • What makes you different from your classmates?
  • What are some objects that represent your identity, your community, your relationships, your passions, or your goals?
  • Whom do you admire most? Why?
  • What three people have significantly impacted your life? How did they influence you?

How to identify your topic

Here are two strategies for identifying a topic that demonstrates your values:

  • Start with your qualities : First, identify positive qualities about yourself; then, brainstorm stories that demonstrate these qualities.
  • Start with a story : Brainstorm a list of memorable life moments; then, identify a value shown in each story.

After choosing your topic, organize your ideas in an essay outline , which will help keep you focused while writing. Unlike a five-paragraph academic essay, there’s no set structure for a college admissions essay. You can take a more creative approach, using storytelling techniques to shape your essay.

Two common approaches are to structure your essay as a series of vignettes or as a single narrative.

Vignettes structure

The vignette, or montage, structure weaves together several stories united by a common theme. Each story should demonstrate one of your values or qualities and conclude with an insight or future outlook.

This structure gives the admissions officer glimpses into your personality, background, and identity, and shows how your qualities appear in different areas of your life.

Topic: Museum with a “five senses” exhibit of my experiences

  • Introduction: Tour guide introduces my museum and my “Making Sense of My Heritage” exhibit
  • Story: Racial discrimination with my eyes
  • Lesson: Using my writing to document truth
  • Story: Broadway musical interests
  • Lesson: Finding my voice
  • Story: Smells from family dinner table
  • Lesson: Appreciating home and family
  • Story: Washing dishes
  • Lesson: Finding moments of peace in busy schedule
  • Story: Biking with Ava
  • Lesson: Finding pleasure in job well done
  • Conclusion: Tour guide concludes tour, invites guest to come back for “fall College Collection,” featuring my search for identity and learning.

Single story structure

The single story, or narrative, structure uses a chronological narrative to show a student’s character development over time. Some narrative essays detail moments in a relatively brief event, while others narrate a longer journey spanning months or years.

Single story essays are effective if you have overcome a significant challenge or want to demonstrate personal development.

Topic: Sports injury helps me learn to be a better student and person

  • Situation: Football injury
  • Challenge: Friends distant, teachers don’t know how to help, football is gone for me
  • Turning point: Starting to like learning in Ms. Brady’s history class; meeting Christina and her friends
  • My reactions: Reading poetry; finding shared interest in poetry with Christina; spending more time studying and with people different from me
  • Insight: They taught me compassion and opened my eyes to a different lifestyle; even though I still can’t play football, I’m starting a new game

Brainstorm creative insights or story arcs

Regardless of your essay’s structure, try to craft a surprising story arc or original insights, especially if you’re writing about a common topic.

Never exaggerate or fabricate facts about yourself to seem interesting. However, try finding connections in your life that deviate from cliché storylines and lessons.

Admissions officers read thousands of essays each year, and they typically spend only a few minutes reading each one. To get your message across, your introduction , or hook, needs to grab the reader’s attention and compel them to read more..

Avoid starting your introduction with a famous quote, cliché, or reference to the essay itself (“While I sat down to write this essay…”).

While you can sometimes use dialogue or a meaningful quotation from a close family member or friend, make sure it encapsulates your essay’s overall theme.

Find an original, creative way of starting your essay using the following two methods.

Option 1: Start with an intriguing hook

Begin your essay with an unexpected statement to pique the reader’s curiosity and compel them to carefully read your essay. A mysterious introduction disarms the reader’s expectations and introduces questions that can only be answered by reading more.

Option 2: Start with vivid imagery

Illustrate a clear, detailed image to immediately transport your reader into your memory. You can start in the middle of an important scene or describe an object that conveys your essay’s theme.

A college application essay allows you to be creative in your style and tone. As you draft your essay, try to use interesting language to enliven your story and stand out .

Show, don’t tell

“Tell” in writing means to simply state a fact: “I am a basketball player.” “ Show ” in writing means to use details, examples, and vivid imagery to help the reader easily visualize your memory: “My heart races as I set up to shoot一two seconds, one second一and score a three-pointer!”

First, reflect on every detail of a specific image or scene to recall the most memorable aspects.

  • What are the most prominent images?
  • Are there any particular sounds, smells, or tastes associated with this memory?
  • What emotion or physical feeling did you have at that time?

Be vulnerable to create an emotional response

You don’t have to share a huge secret or traumatic story, but you should dig deep to express your honest feelings, thoughts, and experiences to evoke an emotional response. Showing vulnerability demonstrates humility and maturity. However, don’t exaggerate to gain sympathy.

Use appropriate style and tone

Make sure your essay has the right style and tone by following these guidelines:

  • Use a conversational yet respectful tone: less formal than academic writing, but more formal than texting your friends.
  • Prioritize using “I” statements to highlight your perspective.
  • Write within your vocabulary range to maintain an authentic voice.
  • Write concisely, and use the active voice to keep a fast pace.
  • Follow grammar rules (unless you have valid stylistic reasons for breaking them).

You should end your college essay with a deep insight or creative ending to leave the reader with a strong final impression. Your college admissions essay should avoid the following:

  • Summarizing what you already wrote
  • Stating your hope of being accepted to the school
  • Mentioning character traits that should have been illustrated in the essay, such as “I’m a hard worker”

Here are two strategies to craft a strong conclusion.

Option 1: Full circle, sandwich structure

The full circle, or sandwich, structure concludes the essay with an image, idea, or story mentioned in the introduction. This strategy gives the reader a strong sense of closure.

In the example below, the essay concludes by returning to the “museum” metaphor that the writer opened with.

Option 2: Revealing your insight

You can use the conclusion to show the insight you gained as a result of the experiences you’ve described. Revealing your main message at the end creates suspense and keeps the takeaway at the forefront of your reader’s mind.

Revise your essay before submitting it to check its content, style, and grammar. Get feedback from no more than two or three people.

It’s normal to go through several rounds of revision, but take breaks between each editing stage.

Also check out our college essay examples to see what does and doesn’t work in an essay and the kinds of changes you can make to improve yours.

Respect the word count

Most schools specify a word count for each essay , and you should stay within 10% of the upper limit.

Remain under the specified word count limit to show you can write concisely and follow directions. However, don’t write too little, which may imply that you are unwilling or unable to write a thoughtful and developed essay.

Check your content, style, and grammar

  • First, check big-picture issues of message, flow, and clarity.
  • Then, check for style and tone issues.
  • Finally, focus on eliminating grammar and punctuation errors.

Get feedback

Get feedback from 2–3 people who know you well, have good writing skills, and are familiar with college essays.

  • Teachers and guidance counselors can help you check your content, language, and tone.
  • Friends and family can check for authenticity.
  • An essay coach or editor has specialized knowledge of college admissions essays and can give objective expert feedback.

The checklist below helps you make sure your essay ticks all the boxes.

College admissions essay checklist

I’ve organized my essay prompts and created an essay writing schedule.

I’ve done a comprehensive brainstorm for essay topics.

I’ve selected a topic that’s meaningful to me and reveals something different from the rest of my application.

I’ve created an outline to guide my structure.

I’ve crafted an introduction containing vivid imagery or an intriguing hook that grabs the reader’s attention.

I’ve written my essay in a way that shows instead of telling.

I’ve shown positive traits and values in my essay.

I’ve demonstrated self-reflection and insight in my essay.

I’ve used appropriate style and tone .

I’ve concluded with an insight or a creative ending.

I’ve revised my essay , checking my overall message, flow, clarity, and grammar.

I’ve respected the word count , remaining within 10% of the upper word limit.

Congratulations!

It looks like your essay ticks all the boxes. A second pair of eyes can help you take it to the next level – Scribbr's essay coaches can help.

Colleges want to be able to differentiate students who seem similar on paper. In the college application essay , they’re looking for a way to understand each applicant’s unique personality and experiences.

Your college essay accounts for about 25% of your application’s weight. It may be the deciding factor in whether you’re accepted, especially for competitive schools where most applicants have exceptional grades, test scores, and extracurricular track records.

A standout college essay has several key ingredients:

  • A unique, personally meaningful topic
  • A memorable introduction with vivid imagery or an intriguing hook
  • Specific stories and language that show instead of telling
  • Vulnerability that’s authentic but not aimed at soliciting sympathy
  • Clear writing in an appropriate style and tone
  • A conclusion that offers deep insight or a creative ending

While timelines will differ depending on the student, plan on spending at least 1–3 weeks brainstorming and writing the first draft of your college admissions essay , and at least 2–4 weeks revising across multiple drafts. Don’t forget to save enough time for breaks between each writing and editing stage.

You should already begin thinking about your essay the summer before your senior year so that you have plenty of time to try out different topics and get feedback on what works.

Most college application portals specify a word count range for your essay, and you should stay within 10% of the upper limit to write a developed and thoughtful essay.

You should aim to stay under the specified word count limit to show you can follow directions and write concisely. However, don’t write too little, as it may seem like you are unwilling or unable to write a detailed and insightful narrative about yourself.

If no word count is specified, we advise keeping your essay between 400 and 600 words.

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What is the College Essay? Your Complete Guide for 2023

Bonus Material: 30 College Essays That Worked

The college essay is one of the most important parts of your college application. 

As important as it is, however, it’s very different from the essays you’re used to writing in high school. 

From word count to genre, the college essay is in a category entirely of its own–and one that can be unfamiliar for most students applying to college.

So, what is the college essay? What role does it play in college admissions?

And, most importantly, how do you get started writing an amazing essay?

We answer all of these questions in this complete college essay guide. 

Plus, we give readers access to 30 college essays that earned applicants acceptance into the nation’s top colleges. They’re free and you can grab them below right now!

Download 30 College Essays That Worked

Here’s what we cover in this guide:

What is the College Essay?

  • Our Expert Definition
  • A College Essay That Worked
  • The Essay’s Role in College Admissions

The 7 Common Challenges in Writing the College Essay

  • How To Get Started Writing an Amazing Essay — 6 Tips
  • Bonus: 30 College Essays That Worked

Most students will use the Common App to apply to U.S. colleges and universities. A smaller number of colleges require students to submit applications through Coalition .

Regardless, both platforms require students to submit a personal statement or essay response as part of their application. Students choose to respond to one of the following prompts in 650 words or fewer .

College Essay Prompts 2022-2023

What do these questions all have in common? They all require answers that are introspective, reflective, and personal. 

Take a look at some of these buzzwords from these prompts to see what we mean:

  • Understanding
  • Belief / Idea
  • Contribution

These are big words attached to big, personal concepts. That’s the point!

But because that’s the case, that means the college essay is not an academic essay. It’s not something you write in five paragraphs for English class. Nor is it a formal statement, an outline of a resume, or a list of accomplishments.

It’s something else entirely.

Our Definition of the College Essay

How do we define the college essay? We’ll keep it short and sweet.

The college essay is a personal essay that tells an engaging story in 650 words or fewer. It is comparable to memoir or creative nonfiction writing, which relate the author’s personal experiences. 

The college essay is fundamentally personal and creative. It is rich with introspection, reflection, and statements of self-awareness. It can have elements of academic writing in it, such as logical organization, thesis statements, and transition words. But it is not an academic essay that fits comfortably into five paragraphs.

Your task with the college essay is to become a storyteller–and, in the process, provide admissions officers with a valuable glimpse into your world, perspective, and/or experiences.

admission essay def

Example of a College Essay That Worked

Take a look at this essay that earned its writer acceptance into Princeton. We won’t take a super deep dive into the components that make it great. 

But we do want to point out a handful of things that align with our definition of the college essay. This essay:

  • Tells an engaging story
  • Clearly conveys the author’s voice
  • Is rich with introspection and reflection
  • Provides insight into the author’s character, values, and perspective
  • Is not an academic essay or list of accomplishments
  • Is deeply personal

It also exemplifies the 7 qualities of a successful college essay .

Here’s the full essay:

“So long as you have food in your mouth, you have solved all questions for the time being.” – Franz Kafka

Kafka, I’m afraid, has drastically overestimated the power of food. And though it pains me to undermine a statement by arguably the greatest writer of the 20 th century, I recognize it as a solemn duty. Perhaps Kafka has never sat, tongue wild in an effort to scrape residual peanut butter off his molars, and contemplated the almost ridiculous but nevertheless significant role of peanut butter in crafting his identity. Oh, did I just describe myself by accident? Without further ado, the questions (and lack of answers, I point out) that I contemplate with peanut butter in my mouth.

When I was three and a half years old, my tongue was not yet versed in the complex palate of my peers, consisting mainly of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. (It did not help my transition into pre-school that I did not speak English, but Russian and that my name, which had been hurriedly switched from Alya to Alex, was unpronounceable to me.) But it is most worth noting that I refused lunch for months, waited at the windowsill with tear-stained cheeks every day unless my mom left law school midday to bring my own comfort food: borscht, katlety, kampot.

I slowly assimilated into American culture, like most immigrant kids. I began to eat the peanut butter sandwiches at pre-school in the presence of my mom, and then did not need her altogether. She must have been elated that I was comfortable, that she could stay at school all day without worrying. She must have been destroyed when I waved her away the first time and told her I did not need her to come anymore.

I realized much later that the Russian food my mother brought me in pre-school made me comfortable enough to learn the language of the children there, to share their lunches, to make friends. Ironically, my Russian culture enabled the rise and dominance of American culture. When my parents wanted to visit their birthplace, my birthplace, Odessa, Ukraine, I rolled my eyes and proclaimed Disney Land, Florida. I rolled my eyes when I spoke too fast for my parents to understand. I rolled my eyes when I checked my mom’s grammar and when she argued with customer service in her thick Russian accent.

Peanut butter, and foods like it, represented not only my entrance into American culture, but the swift rejection of anything Russian that followed. Chicken noodle soup replaced borscht, meatballs replaced katlety, Sunny D triumphed over kampot. I became embarrassed by the snacks packed in my brown paper bag, begged for Cheetos, lime Jell-O cups, and that creamy spread between two damp pieces of Wonder Bread. My American identity tried to eclipse the Russian one altogether.

I realized later still that the identity battle I fought must have been more difficult to watch for my parents than it could have ever been for me to experience. They let me figure myself out, even though it meant I spent years rolling my eyes at them. Though I do not claim to have discovered a perfect balance of Russian and American, I would venture that a healthy start is eating peanut butter for lunch and katlety at dinner.

So, Kafka, I hope that next time a memorable quote comes to mind, you think before you speak. Because when peanut butter cleaves to the roof of my mouth, I think about what it means “to cleave:” both to adhere closely to and to divide, as if by a cutting blow, especially along a natural weakness. And I think about my dual identity, how the Russian side and American side simultaneously force each other apart and bring each other together. I think about my past, feeling a little ashamed, and about my present and future, asking how I can create harmony between these two sides of me. That, Kafka, does not sound like solved questions to me.

Want to read more essays that worked? Download our 30 college essays that earned their writers Ivy League acceptance for free below.

The College Essay’s Role in Admissions

In our post about what college admissions officers are looking for , we outline the Golden Rule of Admissions.

The Golden Rule of Admissions

We also define “a student of exceptional potential.” In general, competitive applicants to top U.S. colleges and universities exemplify three pillars:

  • Character and personal values
  • Extracurricular distinction
  • Academic achievement

3 Pillars of Successful Applicants

Admissions officers have a lot at their disposal when it comes to assessing extracurricular distinction and academic achievement. They’ve got transcripts, test scores, resumes, and letters of recommendation. 

But how do they assess character and personal values?

A recent survey of admissions officers revealed some interesting answers to this question.

admission essay def

Source : National Association for College Admissions Counseling

Notice how an overwhelming 87% of officers surveyed reported that they infer character and personal qualities of an applicant from the content of the college essay!

The Common Data Set for individual colleges further supports this notion that officers infer character and values through the college essay, teacher recommendations, and other application components. The CDS for Cornell , for example, reveals that the application essay and character/personal qualities are “very important” in admission decisions.

admission essay def

What’s more, the COVID-19 pandemic profoundly altered the college application landscape by introducing some serious inequity in the realm of extracurricular activities, academics, and general access. 

Many admissions officers have stressed their focus on character and personal values (more qualitative components) in recent admissions cycles as a result.

admission essay def

Schools are hungry for as much material as possible that they can use to assess students’ character and values! This is one of the reasons why many top colleges require applicants to answer supplemental essay questions — ones in addition to the college essay. These essays can range from 50-650 words, and many colleges have more than one.

For example, Princeton requires applicants to respond to six supplemental essay questions . Here’s one of them from the 2022-2023 admissions cycle:

At Princeton, we value diverse perspectives and the ability to have respectful dialogue about difficult issues. Share a time when you had a conversation with a person or a group of people about a difficult topic. What insight did you gain, and how would you incorporate that knowledge into your thinking in the future?

So how important is the college essay in the application process?

Princeton’s former Dean of Admissions summed it up nicely with this quote about the college essay in a conversation with the New York Times :

Your ability to write well is critical to our decision because your writing reflects your thinking. No matter what question is asked on a college application, admission officers are looking to see how well you convey your ideas and express yourself in writing. It is our window to your world.

Now that you know what the college essay is and how it influences college admissions, let’s discuss the challenges in writing it. This list isn’t comprehensive, but it does compile some of the most common challenges most students face when preparing to write their personal statement.

Challenge #1: The Pressure

The college essay is integral to the college admissions process. It’s only likely to carry more weight in coming admission cycles in the wake of COVID-19 .

There is immense pressure on students to write essays that will make them competitive in admissions! This essay can also very much feel like uncharted territory for students given their lack of experience in the world of personal writing. This pressure can become a veritable roadblock in writing the college essay.

Challenge #2: What’s Introspection?

Successful college essays are deeply personal and full of introspection. We define introspection as reflection on what’s important in your life — values, beliefs, opinions, experiences, etc. It also can have a lot to do with what makes you you .

To some students, introspection might come naturally. To others, it might not! This is understandable. The high school classroom doesn’t necessarily give space for students to reflect on what they’ve learned from certain experiences or what they believe are their core values. However, this is exactly what admissions officers are looking for in essays!

admission essay def

Challenge #3: You Just Don’t Write Personal Essays in School

Most English classes spend a lot of time on the academic essay . But most don’t include many units on writing personal essays or creative nonfiction–if any!

Many students writing the college essay thus face an entirely unfamiliar genre that comes with its own word limit, structure, and style of writing.

Challenge #4: The Word Limit

Both the Common App and Coalition require students to limit their essays to 650 words. That’s a little over a page of writing, single-spaced.

This means that students have to be incredibly concise in crafting their responses. This can be a tall order given what the college essay often includes: big ideas, big themes, and big reflection!

Challenge #5: Choosing a Topic

Given the college essay’s requirements, it can be tough to choose the “right” topic . Should you discuss an extracurricular activity ? Personal experience? An important mentorship figure?

Some students have a wide variety of experiences and personal stories to choose from. Others might feel that they have a limited number.

Challenge #6: Choosing a Structure

Let’s say that you’ve chosen your college essay topic. Now how do you fit it into a concise structure that gives ample air space to what college admissions officers are looking for?

Choosing a structure can be critical for telling your specific story in a compelling fashion. But once again, this is unfamiliar terrain for most students who haven’t really written a personal essay before.

And when we say that structure really is critical for college essay writing, we mean it–we’ve written an entire post on college essay structure .

Challenge #7: Getting Started

Last but not least, it can be incredibly difficult simply to start the college essay writing process. From choosing a topic to writing that first draft, there’s a lot to navigate. Many students also have a lot going on in general when they get around to writing their essays, including AP exams, summer programs , and the chaos of senior fall schedules.

If this sounds like where you’re at in the college essay writing journey, keep reading. We’ve got 6 tips coming up to help you take those first steps.

How To Write an Amazing College Essay – 6 Tips

You’ve learned what a college essay is and the weight it carries in college admissions. You’ve also heard a bit about what makes this essay challenging. Now what?

It’s time to get started writing your very own. 

The following tips are designed to help you begin the journey towards an amazing college essay, regardless of your story, college aspirations, or timeline. Let’s dive in.

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Tip #1: Give Yourself Time & Get Organized

Good college essays take time, and we mean time . We recommend that students establish a generous timeline for writing their personal statements. Ideally, students should start thinking about their essays seriously in the spring of their junior year or summer immediately following.

It’s also important to get organized. Create separate documents for brainstorming and free-writes, for example, and clearly mark your drafts based on where you’re at in the writing process.

We also recommend researching supplemental essay prompts for the colleges on your list and keeping track of these–including deadlines and word limits–in a spreadsheet. This is especially important for students applying early.

Tip #2: Practice Introspection

You can start flexing your introspective muscles before writing your essay! Practice journaling, for example, or responding to daily reflective prompts like the following:

  • What is your greatest strength? Weakness?
  • What is one of your core beliefs? Why is it core?
  • What is your best quality?
  • What matters to you? Why?
  • What challenges you? Why?

The New York Times has even released 1,000 free writing prompts for students that range from identity and family to social life and technology.

With introspection, focus on using “I” as much as possible. This can feel awkward, especially as most English teachers encourage students to avoid using “I” in academic essays. But it’s the key to deep reflection.

You can also check out our post on College Essay Brainstorming or download 30 FREE college essay brainstorming questions right here.

Tip #3: Familiarize Yourself with Personal Writing & Storytelling

Immerse yourself in examples of powerful personal writing and storytelling. A great place to start is by downloading our 30 examples of college essays that earned students Ivy League acceptance or checking out our 11 College Essays That Worked post .

Otherwise, check out memoirs or creative essay collections.

The Moth , a storytelling radio project, is another great resource for students looking to learn more about how people tell personal stories in an engaging fashion. Plus, it’s just plain fun to listen to!

Tip #4: Know What Makes for An Amazing Essay

What qualities do most successful college essays have?

We’ve done the research. A successful college essay is often:

  • Introspective and reflective
  • Full of a student’s voice
  • Descriptive and engaging
  • Unconventional and distinct
  • Well-written

We take a deeper dive into these 7 qualities of a successful college essay in a separate post.

Tip #5: Review Supplemental Essay Questions

Don’t forget about supplemental essay questions! It’s easy to overlook these or assume that they are less important than the college essay.

But remember–many colleges require supplemental essays as a means of gaining more information about competitive applicants. The Common App and Coalition also now have optional COVID-19 essay questions (learn our tips for answering these COVID-related questions here ).

Don’t save your supplemental essays for the last minute! Review questions well in advance through the Common App or Coalition platform so that you are aware of the other responses you’ll have to write.

We’ve actually compiled the supplemental essay questions for the top 50 U.S. colleges and universities right here.

You can also check out our 8 tips for writing amazing supplemental essay responses .

Tip #6: Work with a Mentor

Yes, it is possible to write your college essay, personal as it is, under the right one-on-one guidance. Mentors can help you with all stages of the college essay writing process, from topic brainstorms to final draft polishing.

They can also help create an actionable timeline for tackling both the college essay and all of those supplements, and hold students accountable!

You can sign up to work with one of PrepMaven’s master essay consultants if you’d like. Or check out our summer College Essay Workshops .

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One of the best ways to start the college essay writing process is to look at examples of successful essays. But these examples can be hard to find, and few and far between.

That’s why we compiled 30 college essays that earned their writers acceptance into Ivy League schools. You can download these examples for FREE below.

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Kate is a graduate of Princeton University. Over the last decade, Kate has successfully mentored hundreds of students in all aspects of the college admissions process, including the SAT, ACT, and college application essay. 

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Steps For Writing an Admission Essay

1. Carefully read through the website of the university or college to which you are applying. Be sure you fully understand the mission and the direction of development and values the university or college proclaims. Furthermore, each educational institution may also have some specific requirements to narrow down and simplify your essay.

2. Make a short list of points you wish to emphasize in your admission essay. Include answers to questions such as: “Why do I want to study in this particular institution?”; “What makes me suitable for the program I chose?”; “What past experiences of mine will help me better adjust to the new environment when I enroll in the university/college to which I am applying?”

3. Plan your essay structure before you begin writing it. Start with general information about yourself, mentioning only the most relevant and preferably recent experiences that relate to your major. Then write two or three paragraphs about your motivation and rationale for studying at this particular institution. End by mentioning the extracurricular activities and hobbies you are interested in, and how these activities correlate to the institution you are applying for.

4. Conclude your admission essay with a sentence addressing the committee or board of your college directly. In a formal manner, let the person reading your admission essay know how much enrolling in this institution means to you and that you will be looking forward to the decision of the board.

5. Lay your writing aside for some time and then do thorough proofreading. Consider revising those parts that are too general or do not have a clear meaning. Make sure every sentence is not just a general statement about how much you want to become a student of this particular institution, but also presents your personality, motivation, and abilities that relate to the selected discipline of your future major.

Key Points to Consider

  • It is crucial to settle on the appropriate tone. It has to be formal but not too business-like. It has to demonstrate your positive attitude and respect for the committee, but at the same time it has to be tailored to suit the specific institution to which you are applying. Be sure to browse through all the webpages of your selected college or university, and get a clear understanding of what sort of tone would be most appropriate when applying to become a student of this particular institution.
  • Write every admission essay from scratch, even if you are applying for the same program at several institutions. Try to approach every admission essay from a new perspective based on the values and mission of the particular institution, as well as the specifics of a certain program or course.
  • Be unique in your admission essay. Remember: your essay has to be different from all the others. Make it is zestful by personalizing the general essay structure and adding particular emotions to enrich your writing. Make sure the committee will have a clear and true picture of your personality, experience, and skills after reading your essay.
  • Choose a maximum of three major points. Develop each point in a separate paragraph. Instead of including too many details about yourself, focus on these three major positive traits that best emphasize your beneficial qualities for the program, course, or institution.
  • Be logical in your writing. Instead of jumping from one idea to another, create a clear outline of how you wish to present yourself; in what order you will formulate your thoughts; at which point will you switch from personal traits to relevant practical experience, then to background information, or hobbies and interests, and so on. Make sure that your essay flows smoothly in a particular direction—the one you opted for when listing major points in your draft earlier.

Do and Don’t

Common mistakes.

  • Repetitions throughout your admission essay are usually a sign that you do not have much to tell the committee about yourself. If you believe some personal trait or past experience of yours is extremely important, instead of repeating it several times, mention it only once, but give a vivid example or briefly outline a real-life situation to help the reader form a better picture and, in doing so, remember this particular bit of your admission essay.
  • A dryly written admission essay has a strong chance of failing. Do not confuse “formal” language with “dry” language. Using emotional adjectives and adverbs is not necessarily taboo. As long as the situation or experience you are describing calls for a bright and colorful description, go for it.
  • Overloading your admission essay with first-person pronouns. While your essay does have to be personalized, too many me , my , I , and mine will only make it sound self-indulgent and immature.
  • Using passive voice too often is another mistake applicants get trapped into, trying to sound more sophisticated and formal. Make your admission essay vivid and lively by using active voice, as this will help create a more positive image of your personality.
  • Writing in long confusing sentences, as well as run-on sentences. This is why you have to proofread your admission essay a few times. If you cannot follow your own idea halfway through the sentence, rephrase it into several short and simple sentences. Remember, reading and understanding your admission essay should be a pleasure rather than a tough, mind-boggling task.

Now that you have acquainted yourself with the basic admission essay writing tips and rules, you can check out our admission essay samples to link theory with practice.

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Writing a Scholarship Essay

Writing a personal statement, writing a statement of purpose, samples for writing an admission essay, prompt: please state your reasons for applying for the program you have selected in our university essay sample, example, describe a person you admire essay sample, example, prompt: please tell us about yourself and how you will help the university carry out its mission essay sample, example.

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College Application Essay Format Rules

admission essay def

The college application essay has become the most important part of applying to college. In this article, we will go over the  best college essay format for getting into top schools, including how to structure the elements of a college admissions essay: margins, font, paragraphs, spacing, headers, and organization. 

We will focus on commonly asked questions about the best college essay structure. Finally, we will go over essay formatting tips and examples.

Table of Contents

  • General college essay formatting rules
  • How to format a college admissions essay
  • Sections of a college admissions essay
  • College application essay format examples

General College Essay Format Rules

Before talking about how to format your college admission essays, we need to talk about general college essay formatting rules.

Pay attention to word count

It has been well-established that the most important rule of college application essays is to  not go over the specific Application Essay word limit .  The word limit for the Common Application essay is typically 500-650 words.

Not only may it be impossible to go over the word count (in the case of the  Common Application essay , which uses text fields), but admissions officers often use software that will throw out any essay that breaks this rule. Following directions is a key indicator of being a successful student. 

Refocusing on the essay prompt and eliminating unnecessary adverbs, filler words, and prepositional phrases will help improve your essay.

On the other hand, it is advisable to use almost every available word. The college essay application field is very competitive, so leaving extra words on the table puts you at a disadvantage. Include an example or anecdote near the end of your essay to meet the total word count.

Do not write a wall of text: use paragraphs

Here is a brutal truth:  College admissions counselors only read the application essays that help them make a decision .  Otherwise, they will not read the essay at all. The problem is that you do not know whether the rest of your application (transcripts, academic record, awards, etc.) will be competitive enough to get you accepted.

A very simple writing rule for your application essay (and for essay editing of any type) is to  make your writing readable by adding line breaks and separate paragraphs.

Line breaks do not count toward word count, so they are a very easy way to organize your essay structure, ideas, and topics. Remember, college counselors, if you’re lucky, will spend 30 sec to 1 minute reading your essay. Give them every opportunity to understand your writing.

Do not include an essay title 

Unless specifically required, do not use a title for your personal statement or essay. This is a waste of your word limit and is redundant since the essay prompt itself serves as the title.

Never use overly casual, colloquial, or text message-based formatting like this: 

THIS IS A REALLY IMPORTANT POINT!. #collegeapplication #collegeessay.

Under no circumstances should you use emojis, all caps, symbols, hashtags, or slang in a college essay. Although technology, texting, and social media are continuing to transform how we use modern language (what a great topic for a college application essay!), admissions officers will view the use of these casual formatting elements as immature and inappropriate for such an important document.

How To Format A College Application Essay

There are many  tips for writing college admissions essays . How you upload your college application essay depends on whether you will be cutting and pasting your essay into a text box in an online application form or attaching a formatted document.

Save and upload your college essay in the proper format

Check the application instructions if you’re not sure what you need to do. Currently, the Common Application requires you to copy and paste your essay into a text box.

There are three main formats when it comes to submitting your college essay or personal statement:

If submitting your application essay in a text box

For the Common Application, there is no need to attach a document since there is a dedicated input field. You still want to write your essay in a word processor or Google doc. Just make sure once you copy-paste your essay into the text box that your line breaks (paragraphs), indents, and formatting is retained. 

  • Formatting like  bold , underline, and  italics  are often lost when copy-pasting into a text box.
  • Double-check that you are under the word limit.  Word counts may be different within the text box .
  • Make sure that paragraphs and spacing are maintained;  text input fields often undo indents and double-spacing .
  • If possible, make sure the font is standardized.  Text input boxes usually allow just one font . 

If submitting your application essay as a document

When attaching a document, you must do more than just double-check the format of your admissions essay. You need to be proactive and make sure the structure is logical and will be attractive to readers.

Microsoft Word (.DOC) format

If you are submitting your application essay as a file upload, then you will likely submit a .doc or .docx file. The downside is that MS Word files are editable, and there are sometimes conflicts between different MS Word versions (2010 vs 2016 vs Office365). The upside is that Word can be opened by almost any text program.

This is a safe choice if maintaining the  visual  elements of your essay is important. Saving your essay as a PDF prevents any formatting issues that come with Microsoft Word, since older versions are sometimes incompatible with the newer formatting. 

Although PDF viewing programs are commonly available, many older readers and Internet users (who will be your admissions officers) may not be ready to view PDFs.

  • Use 1-inch margins . This is the default setting for Microsoft Word. However, students from Asia using programs like Hangul Word Processor will need to double-check.
  • Use a standard serif font.  These include Times New Roman, Courier, and Garamond. A serif font adds professionalism to your essay.
  • Use standard 12-font size. 
  • Use 1.5- or double-spacing.  Your application essay should be readable. Double spaces are not an issue as the essay should already fit on one page.
  • Add a Header  with your First Name, Last Name, university, and other required information.
  • Clearly   separate your paragraphs.  By default, just press ‘ENTER’ twice.

Sections Of A College Admissions Essay

University admissions protocols usually allow you to choose the format and style of your writing. Despite this, the general format of “Introduction-Body-Conclusion” is the most common structure. This is a common format you can use and adjust to your specific writing style.

College Application Essay Introduction

Typically, your first paragraph should introduce you or the topic that you will discuss. You must have a killer opener if you want the admissions committees to pay attention. 

Essays that use rhetorical tools, factual statements, dialog, etc. are encouraged. There is room to be creative since many application essays specifically focus on past learning experiences.

College Application Essay Body

Clearly answering the essay prompt is the most important part of the essay body. Keep reading over the prompt and making sure everything in the body supports it. 

Since personal statement essays are designed to show you are as a person and student, the essay body is also where you talk about your experiences and identity.

Make sure you include the following life experiences and how they relate to the essay prompt. Be sure to double-check that they relate back to the essay prompt. A college admissions essay is NOT an autobiography:

Personal challenges

  • How did you overcome them?
  • How or how much do past challenges define your current outlook or worldview? 
  • What did you learn about yourself when you failed?

Personal achievements and successes

  • What people helped you along the way?
  • What did you learn about the nature of success

Lessons learned

  • In general, did your experiences inform your choice of university or major?

Personal beliefs

  • Politics, philosophy, and religion may be included here, but be careful when discussing sensitive personal or political topics. 
  • Academic goals
  • Personal goals
  • Professional goals
  • How will attending the university help you achieve these goals?

College Application Essay Conclusion

The conclusion section is a call to action directly aimed at the admissions officers. You must demonstrate why you are a great fit for the university, which means you should refer to specific programs, majors, or professors that guided or inspired you. 

In this “why this school” part of the essay, you can also explain why the university is a great fit for  your  goals. Be straightforward and truthful, but express your interest in the school boldly.

common app essay format, essay sections 1

College Application Essay Format Examples

Here are several formatting examples of successful college admission essays, along with comments from the essay editor.

Note: Actual sample essays edited by  Wordvice professional editors .  Personal info has been redacted for privacy. This is not a college essay template.

College Admission Essay Example 1

This essay asks the student to write about how normal life experiences can have huge effects on personal growth:

Common App Essay Prompt: Thoughtful Rides

The Florida turnpike is a very redundant and plain expressway; we do not have the scenic luxury of mountains, forests, or even deserts stretching endlessly into the distance. Instead, we are blessed with repetitive fields of grazing cows and countless billboards advertising local businesses. I have been subjected to these monotonous views three times a week, driving two hours every other day to Sunrise and back to my house in Miami, Florida—all to practice for my competitive soccer team in hopes of receiving a scholarship to play soccer at the next level. 

The Introduction sets up a clear, visceral memory and communicates a key extracurricular activity. 

When I first began these mini road trips, I would jam out to my country playlist and sing along with my favorite artists, and the trek would seem relatively short. However, after listening to “Beautiful Crazy” by Luke Combs for the 48th time in a week, the song became as repetitive as the landscape I was driving through. Changing genres did not help much either; everything I played seemed to morph into the same brain-numbing sound.  Eventually, I decided to do what many peers in my generation fail to do: turn off the distractions, enjoy the silence, and immerse myself in my own thoughts. In the end, this seemingly simple decision led to a lot of personal growth and tranquility in my life. 

The first part of the Body connects the student’s past experience with the essay prompt: personal growth and challenging assumptions.

Although I did not fully realize it at the time, these rides were the perfect opportunity to reflect on myself and the people around me. I quickly began noticing the different personalities surrounding me in the flow of traffic, and this simple act of noticing reminded me that I was not the only human on this planet that mattered. I was just as unimportant as the woman sitting in the car next to mine. Conversely, I also came to appreciate how a gesture as simple as letting another driver merge into your lane can impact a stranger’s day. Maybe the other driver is late for a work interview or rushing to the hospital because their newborn is running a high fever and by allowing them to advance in the row of cars, you made their day just a little less stressful. I realized that if I could improve someone else’s day from my car,  I could definitely be a kinder person and take other people’s situations into consideration—because you never know if someone is having one of the worst days of their lives and their interaction with you could provide the motivation they need to keep going on . 

This part uses two examples to support the writer’s answer to the essay prompt. It ends the paragraph with a clear statement.

Realizing I was not the only being in the universe that mattered was not the only insight I attained during these drives. Over and over, I asked myself why I had chosen to change soccer clubs, leaving Pinecrest, the team I had played on for 8 years with my best friends and that was only a 10-minute drive from my house, to play for a completely unfamiliar team that required significantly more travel.  Eventually, I came to understand that I truly enjoy challenging myself and pushing past complacency . One of my main goals in life is to play and experience college soccer—that, and to eventually pursue a career as a doctor. Ultimately, leaving my comfort zone in Pinecrest, where mediocrity was celebrated, to join a team in Sunrise, where championships were expected and college offers were abundant, was a very positive decision in my life. 

This part clearly tells how the experience shaped the writer as a person. The student’s personality can be directly attributed to this memory. It also importantly states personal and academic goals.

Even if I do not end up playing college soccer, I know now that I will never back down from any challenge in my life; I am committed to pushing myself past my comfort zone. These car rides have given me insight into how strong I truly am and how much impact I can have on other people’s lives. 

The Conclusion restates the overall lesson learned.

College Admission Essay Example 2

The next essay asks the reader to use leadership roles or extracurricular activities and describe the experience, contribution, and what the student learned about themselves.

As I release the air from the blood-pressure monitor’s valve, I carefully track the gauge, listening for the faint “lub-dub” of  Winnie’s heart. Checking off the “hypertensive” box on his medical chart when reading 150/95, I then escort Winnie to the blood sugar station. This was the typical procedure of a volunteer at the UConn Migrant Farm Worker Clinic. Our traveling medical clinic operated at night, visiting various Connecticut farms to provide healthcare for migrant workers. Filling out charts, taking blood pressure, and recording BMI were all standard procedures, but the relationships I built with farmers such as Winnie impacted me the most.

This Introduction is very impactful. It highlights the student’s professional expertise as a healthcare worker and her impact on marginalized communities. It also is written in the present tense to add impact.

While the clinic was canceled this year due to COVID-19, I still wanted to do something for them. During a PPE-drive meeting this July, Winnie recounted his family history. I noticed his eyebrows furrow with anxiety as he spoke about his family’s safety in Tierra Blanca, Mexico. I realized that Winnie lacked substantial information about his hometown, and fear-mongering headlines did nothing to assuage his fears. After days of searching, I discovered that his hometown, Guanajuato, reported fewer cases of COVID-19 in comparison with surrounding towns. I then created a color-coded map of his town, showing rates across the different districts. Winnie’s eyes softened, marveling at the map I made for him this August. I didn’t need to explain what he saw: Guanajuato, his home state, was pale yellow, the color I chose to mark the lowest level of cases. By making this map, I didn’t intend to give him new hope; I wanted to show him where hope was.

The student continues to tell the powerful story of one of her patients. This humbles and empowers the student, motivating her in the next paragraph.

This interaction fueled my commitment to search for hope in my journey of becoming a public health official. Working in public health policy, I hope to tackle complex world problems, such as economic and social barriers to healthcare and find creative methods of improving outcomes in queer and Latinx communities. I want to study the present and potential future intervention strategies in minority communities for addressing language barriers to information including language on posters and gendered language, and for instituting social and support services for community youth. These stepping stones will hopefully prepare me for conducting professional research for the Medical Organization for Latino Advancement. I aspire to be an active proponent of healthcare access and equity for marginalized groups, including queer communities. I first learned about the importance of recognizing minority identities in healthcare through my bisexual sister, Sophie, and her nonbinary friend, Gilligan. During discussions with her friends, I realized the importance of validating diverse gender expressions in all facets of my life.

Here, the past experience is directly connected to future academic and professional goals, which themselves are motivated by a desire to increase access among communities as well as personal family experiences. This is a strong case for why personal identity is so important.

My experiences with Winnie and my sister have empowered me to be creative, thoughtful, and brave while challenging the assumptions currently embedded in the “visual vocabulary” of both the art and science fields. I envision myself deconstructing hegemonic ideas of masculinity and femininity and surmounting the limitations of traditional perceptions of male and female bodies as it relates to existing healthcare practices. Through these subtle changes, I aim to make a large impact.

The Conclusion positions the student as an impactful leader and visionary. This is a powerful case for the admissions board to consider.

If you want to read more college admissions essay examples, check out our articles about  successful college personal statements  and the  2021-2022 Common App prompts and example essays .

Wordvice offers a full suite of proofreading and editing services . If you are a student applying to college and are having trouble with the best college admissions essay format, check out our application essay editing services  (including personal statement editing ) and find out  how much online proofreading costs . 

Finally, don’t forget to receive common app essay editing and professional admissions editing for any other admissions documents for college, university, and post-doctoral programs.

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Articles & Advice > College Admission > Articles

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How to Write a Great College Admission Essay, Step-by-Step

You already know how to write an academic essay. Now forget all that, because learning how to write the college application essay is totally different.

by Lori Greene Vice President of Enrollment Management, Butler University

Last Updated: Oct 4, 2023

Originally Posted: Sep 1, 2016

You already know how to write an academic essay: you start with an introduction, throw in a thesis statement, find about three paragraphs’ worth of evidence, and wrap it all up with a tidy conclusion…Now forget all that, because a successful college application essay is totally different.

The purpose of the admission essay

Your college application essay needs to breathe life into your application. It should capture your genuine personality, explaining who you are beyond a series of grades, test scores, and after-school activities. But that’s not nearly as scary as it seems, because you get to choose what to share and how to share it. Take a minute and think about the college or university admission officers who will be reading your essay. How will your essay convey your background and what makes you unique? If you had the opportunity to stand in front of an admission committee to share a significant story or important information about yourself, what would you say? The college application essay is your chance to share your personality, goals, influences, challenges, triumphs, life experiences, or lessons learned. Not to mention why you're a good fit for the college or university—and why it's a good fit for you. These are the stories behind the list of activities and leadership roles on your application.

One of the most common struggles students encounter is resisting the urge to squeeze everything they’ve seen, done, and heard into their essay. But your application essay isn’t your life story in 650 words. Instead, pick one moment in time and focus on telling the story behind it . Admission officers realize that writing doesn’t come easily to everyone, but with some time and planning, anyone can write a college application essay that stands out. One way to do that is to work step-by-step, piece-by-piece. The end result should be a carefully designed, insightful essay that makes you proud. Take advantage of being able to share something with an audience who knows nothing about you and is excited to learn what you have to offer. Brag ( without being overly boastful ). Write the story no one else can tell.

Get to know your prompt

Ease yourself into the essay-writing process. Take time to understand the question or prompt being asked. The single most important part of your essay preparation may be simply making sure you truly understand the essay prompt . When you're finished writing, you need to make sure that your essay still adheres to the prompt. College essay questions often suggest one or two main ideas or topics of focus. These can vary from personal to trivial, but all seek to challenge you and spark your creativity and insight.

  • Read the essay questions and/or prompts. Read them again. Then read them one more time.
  • Take some time to think about what is being asked. Let it really sink in before you let the ideas flow.
  • Define what it is you’re trying to accomplish. Before you even start brainstorming, ask yourself: Is this essay prompt asking you to inform? Defend? Support? Expand upon?
  • Relate the question back yourself . Ask, “How does this—or how could this—apply to me?”
  • Avoid sorting through your existing English class essays.  Topics you wrote about in classes are unlikely to fit the bill as these pieces rarely showcase who you are as an applicant.

Brainstorm topic ideas

Get your creative juices flowing by brainstorming all the possible ideas you can think of to address your college essay question. Believe it or not, the brainstorming stage may be more tedious than writing the actual application essay. The purpose is to flesh out all of your possible ideas so when you begin writing, you know and understand where you're going with the topic.

  • Reflect. You have years to draw from, so set aside time to mentally collect relevant experiences or events that serve as strong, specific examples. This is also time for self-reflection. “What are my strengths?” “How would my friends describe me?” “What sets me apart from other applicants?”
  • Write any and all ideas down . There’s no technique that works best, but you’ll be thankful when you're able to come back to ideas you otherwise may have forgotten.
  • Narrow down the options. Choose three concepts you think fit the college application essay prompt best and weigh the potential of each. Which idea can you develop further and not lose the reader? Which captures more of who you really are?
  • Choose your story to tell. From the thoughts you’ve narrowed down, pick one. You should have enough supporting details to rely on this as an excellent demonstration of your abilities, characteristics, perseverance, or beliefs.

Related: 5 Fun and Unique Ways to Brainstorm Your College Essays

Create an outline

Map out what you’re going to write by making an outline. Architects use a blue print. A web page is comprised of code. Cooks rely on recipes. What do they all have in common? They have a plan. The rules for writing a good essay are no different. After you brainstorm, you’ll know what you want to say, but you must decide how you’re going to say it. Create an outline that breaks down the essay into sections.

  • Shape your story so that it has an introduction, body, and conclusion. All good stories have a beginning, a middle, and an end, so following this natural progression will make your essay coherent and easy to read.
  • Strategize. How are you going to open your essay ? With an anecdote? A question? Dialogue? Use of humor? Try to identify what the tone of your essay is going to be based on your ideas.
  • Stick to your writing style and voice. It’s particularly important when writing a piece about yourself that you write naturally. Put the words in your own voice. By planning the layout of your essay ahead of time, you’ll avoid changing your writing style mid-story.

Write the essay

Once you're satisfied with your essay in outline format, start writing! By now you know exactly what you'll write about and how you want to tell the story. So hop on a computer and get to it. Try to just let yourself bang out a rough draft without going back to change anything. Then go back and revise, revise, revise. Before you know it, you'll have told the story you outlined—and will have reached the necessary word count—and you'll be happy you spent all that time preparing! Here are some points to focus on as you write for better work . 

  • Keep your essay’s focus narrow and personal. Don’t lose your reader. Start with your main idea and follow it from beginning to end.
  • Be specific. Avoid using clichéd, predictable, or generic phrases by developing your main idea with vivid and detailed facts, events, quotations, examples, and reasons.
  • Be yourself. Admission officers read plenty of application essays and know the difference between a student’s original story and a recycled academic essay, or—worse—a piece written by your mom or dad or even plagiarized. Bring something new to the table, not just what you think they want to hear. Use humor if appropriate.
  • Be concise. Don’t use 50 words if five will do. Try to only include the information that is absolutely necessary.

Related: How to Show, Don't Tell to Boost Your Writing for School and Beyond

Proofread and edit

The last step is editing and proofreading your finished essay. You've worked so hard up until this point, and while you might be relieved, remember: your essay is only as good as your editing. Grammatical errors or typos could indicate carelessness—not a trait you want to convey to a college admission officer.

  • Give yourself some time. Let your essay sit for a while (at least an hour or two) before you proofread it. Approaching the essay with a fresh perspective gives your mind a chance to focus on the actual words rather than seeing what you think you wrote.
  • Don’t rely solely on the computer spelling and grammar check . Computers can't detect the context in which you're using words, so be sure to review carefully. Don’t abbreviate or use acronyms or slang. They might be fine in a text message, but not in your college essay.
  • Have another person (or several!) read your essay, whether it’s a teacher, guidance counselor, parent, or trusted friend. You know what you meant to say, but is it clear to someone else reading your work? Have these people review your application essay to make sure your message is on target and clear to any audience.
  • Read your essay backwards. This may sound a bit silly, but when reading in sequential order, your brain has a tendency to piece together missing information, or fill in the blanks, for you. Reading each sentence on its own and backwards can help you realize not only typos and mistakes in grammar but also any forgotten articles such as “a” or “the.”
  • Read your essay out loud. This forces you to read each word individually and increases your chances of finding a typo. Reading aloud will also help you ensure your punctuation is correct, and it’s often easier to hear awkward sentences than see them.
  • Check for consistency. Avoid switching back and forth from different tenses. Also, if you refer to a particular college in the essay, make sure it is the correct name and is consistent throughout the piece. You don’t want to reference two different schools in the same paper!

Related: College App Proofreading Tips From an Editor-in-Chief

Celebrate finishing what you started

Writing the college essay takes time and effort, and you should feel accomplished. When you submit your essay, remember to include your name, contact information, and ID number if your college provided one, especially if you send it to a general admission email account. Nothing is worse than trying to match an application essay with no name (or, worse, an email address such as [email protected]) to a file. Make sure to keep copies of what you sent to which schools and when—and follow up on them! Be certain the college or university you're applying to received your essay. You don’t want all that hard work to go to waste.

Looking for more admission essay help? C heck out all Our Best Advice for Writing Your College Application Essays  in one convenient place!

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  •   Best Ways to Prepare for 5 Different Supplemental Essays
  •   How to Write an Effective, Powerful Personal Statement
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  •   6 of the Worst College Admission Essay Myths You Shouldn't Listen To
  •   Top College Essay Tips From Admission Insiders

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How to Write a Personal Essay for Your College Application

admission essay def

What does it take to land in the “accept” (instead of “reject”) pile?

How can you write an essay that helps advance you in the eyes of the admissions officers and makes a real impression? Here are some tips to get you started.

  • Start early.  Do not leave it until the last minute. Give yourself time when you don’t have other homework or extracurriculars hanging over your head to work on the essay.
  • Keep the focus narrow.  Your essay does not have to cover a massive, earth-shattering event. Some people in their teens haven’t experienced a major life event. Some people have. Either way, it’s okay.
  • Be yourself.  Whether writing about a painful experience or a more simple experience, use the narrative to be vulnerable and honest about who you are. Use words you would normally use. Trust your voice and the fact that your story is interesting enough in that no one else has lived it.
  • Be creative.  “Show, don’t tell,” and that applies here — to an extent. The best essays typically do both. You can help your reader see and feel what you are describing by using some figurative language throughout your piece.
  • Make a point. As you finish your final body paragraphs ask yourself “So what?” This will help you hone in on how to end your essay in a way that elevates it into a story about an insight or discovery you made about yourself, rather than just being about an experience you had.

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Where your work meets your life. See more from Ascend here .

We’ve all heard about the dreaded “college essay,” the bane of every high school senior’s existence. This daunting element of the college application is something that can create angst for even the most accomplished students.

  • AA Amy Allen is a writer, educator, and lifelong learner. Her freelance writing business,  All of the Write Words , focuses on providing high school students with one-on-one feedback to guide them through the college application process and with crafting a thoughtful personal essay. A dedicated poet, Amy’s work has also been published in several journals including  Pine Row Press ,  Months to Years,  and  Atlanta Review .

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The 2021-22 Common Application Essay Prompts

Tips and Guidance for the 7 Essay Options on the New Common Application

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  • Ph.D., English, University of Pennsylvania
  • M.A., English, University of Pennsylvania
  • B.S., Materials Science & Engineering and Literature, MIT

For the 2021-22 application cycle, the Common Application  essay prompts remain unchanged from the 2020-21 cycle with the exception of an all new option #4. As in the past, with the inclusion of the popular "Topic of Your Choice" option, you have the opportunity to write about anything you want to share with the folks in the admissions office.

The current prompts are the result of much discussion and debate from the member institutions who use the Common Application. The essay length limit stands at 650 words (the minimum is 250 words), and students will need to choose from the seven options below. The essay prompts are designed to encourage reflection and introspection. The best essays focus on self-analysis, rather than spending a disproportionate amount of time merely describing a place or event. Analysis, not description, will reveal the critical thinking skills that are the hallmark of a promising college student. If your essay doesn't include some self-analysis, you haven't fully succeeded in responding to the prompt.

According to the folks at the Common Application , in the 2018-19 admissions cycle, Option #7 (topic of your choice) was the most popular and was used by 24.1% of applicants. The second most popular was Option #5 (discuss an accomplishment) with 23.7% of applicants. In third place was Option #2 on a setback or failure. 21.1% of applicants chose that option.

From the Admissions Desk

"While the transcript and grades will always be the most important piece in the review of an application, essays can help a student stand out. The stories and information shared in an essay are what the Admissions Officer will use to advocate for the student in the admissions committee."

–Valerie Marchand Welsh Director of College Counseling, The Baldwin School Former Associate Dean of Admissions, University of Pennsylvania

Always keep in mind why colleges are asking for an essay: they want to get to know you better. Nearly all selective colleges and universities (as well as many that aren't overly selective) have holistic admissions, and they consider many factors in addition to numerical measures such as grades and standardized test scores. Your essay is an important tool for presenting something you find important that may not come across elsewhere in your application. Make sure your essay presents you as the type of person a college will want to invite to join their community.

Below are the seven options with some general tips for each:

Option #1  

Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.

"Identity" is at the heart of this prompt. What is it that makes you you? The prompt gives you a lot of latitude for answering the question since you can write a story about your "background, identity, interest, or talent." Your "background" can be a broad environmental factor that contributed to your development such as growing up in a military family, living in an interesting place, or dealing with an unusual family situation. You could write about an event or series of events that had a profound impact on your identity. Your "interest" or "talent" could be a passion that has driven you to become the person you are today. However you approach the prompt, make sure you are inward looking and explain how and why  the story you tell is so meaningful. 

  • See more Tips and Strategies for Essay Option #1
  • Sample essay for option #1: "Handiwork" by Vanessa
  • Sample essay for option #1: "My Dads" by Charlie
  • Sample essay for option #1: "Give Goth a Chance"
  • Sample essay for option #1: "Wallflower"

Option #2  

The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?

This prompt may seem to go against everything that you've learned on your path to college. It's far more comfortable in an application to celebrate successes and accomplishments than it is to discuss setbacks and failure. At the same time, you'll impress the college admissions folks greatly if you can show your ability to learn from your failures and mistakes. Be sure to devote significant space to the second half of the question—how did you learn and grow from the experience? Introspection and honesty are key with this prompt.

  • See more Tips and Strategies for Essay Option #2
  • Sample essay for option #2: "Striking Out" by Richard
  • Sample essay for option #2: "Student Teacher" by Max

Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. What prompted your thinking? What was the outcome?

Keep in mind how open-ended this prompt truly is. The "belief or idea" you explore could be your own, someone else's, or that of a group. The best essays will be honest as they explore the difficulty of working against the status quo or a firmly held belief. The answer to the final question about the "outcome" of your challenge need not be a success story. Sometimes in retrospection, we discover that the cost of an action was perhaps too great. However you approach this prompt, your essay needs to reveal one of your core personal values. If the belief you challenged doesn't give the admissions folks a window into your personality, then you haven't succeeded with this prompt.

  • See more Tips and Strategies for Essay Option #3
  • Sample essay for option #3: "Gym Class Hero" by Jennifer

Reflect on something that someone has done for you that has made you happy or thankful in a surprising way. How has this gratitude affected or motivated you?

Here, again, the Common Application gives you a lot of options for approaching the question since it is entirely up to you to decide what the "something" and "someone" will be. This prompt was added to the Common Application in the 2021-22 admissions cycle in part because it gives students the opportunity to write something heartfelt and uplifting after all the challenges of the previous year. The best essays for this prompt show that you are a generous person who recognizes the contributions others have made to your personal journey. Unlike many essays that are all about "me, me, me," this essay shows your ability to appreciate others. This type of generosity is an important character trait that schools look for when inviting people to join their campus communities.

  • See more Tips and Strategies for Essay Option #4

Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others.

This question was reworded in 2017-18 admissions cycle, and the current language is a huge improvement. The prompt use to talk about transitioning from childhood to adulthood, but the new language about a "period of personal growth" is a much better articulation of how we actually learn and mature (no single event makes us adults). Maturity comes as the result of a long train of events and accomplishments (and failures). This prompt is an excellent choice if you want to explore a single event or achievement that marked a clear milestone in your personal development. Be careful to avoid the "hero" essay—admissions offices are often overrun with essays about the season-winning touchdown or brilliant performance in the school play (see the list of bad essay topics for more about this issue). These can certainly be fine topics for an essay, but make sure your essay is analyzing your personal growth process, not bragging about an accomplishment.

  • See more Tips and Strategies for Essay Option #5
  • Sample essay for option #5: "Buck Up" by Jill

Describe a topic, idea, or concept you find so engaging that it makes you lose all track of time. Why does it captivate you? What or who do you turn to when you want to learn more?

This option was entirely new in 2017, and it's a wonderfully broad prompt. In essence, it's asking you to identify and discuss something that enthralls you. The question gives you an opportunity to identify something that kicks your brain into high gear, reflect on why it is so stimulating, and reveal your process for digging deeper into something that you are passionate about. Note that the central words here—"topic, idea, or concept"—all have rather academic connotations. While you may lose track of time when running or playing football, sports are probably not the best choice for this particular question.

  • See more Tips and Strategies for Essay Option #6

Share an essay on any topic of your choice. It can be one you've already written, one that responds to a different prompt, or one of your own design.

The popular "topic of your choice" option had been removed from the Common Application between 2013 and 2016, but it returned again with the 2017-18 admissions cycle. Use this option if you have a story to share that doesn't quite fit into any of the options above. However, the first six topics are extremely broad with a lot of flexibility, so make sure your topic really can't be identified with one of them. Also, don't equate "topic of your choice" with a license to write a comedy routine or poem (you can submit such things via the "Additional Info" option). Essays written for this prompt still need to have substance and tell your reader something about you. Cleverness is fine, but don't be clever at the expense of meaningful content.

  • See more Tips and Strategies for Essay Option #7
  • Sample essay for option #7: "My Hero Harpo" by Alexis
  • Sample essay for option #7: "Grandpa's Rubik's Cube"

Final Thoughts

Whichever prompt you chose, make sure you are looking inward. What do you value? What has made you grow as a person? What makes you the unique individual the admissions folks will want to invite to join their campus community? The best essays spend significant time with self-analysis rather than merely describing a place or event.

The folks at The Common Application have cast a wide net with these questions, and nearly anything you want to write about could fit under at least one of the options. If your essay could fit under more than one option, it really doesn't matter which one you choose. Many admissions officers, in fact, don't even look at which prompt you chose—they just want to see that you have written a good essay.

  • Tips for Writing an Essay on an Event That Led to Personal Growth
  • Tips for the Pre-2013 Personal Essay Options on the Common Application
  • Common Application Essay Option 2 Tips: Learning from Failure
  • Common Application Essay Option 3 Tips: Challenging a Belief
  • Common Application Essay on a Meaningful Place
  • 2020-21 Common Application Essay Option 4—Solving a Problem
  • "Grandpa's Rubik's Cube"—Sample Common Application Essay, Option #4
  • Common Application Essay, Option 1: Share Your Story
  • 5 Tips for a College Admissions Essay on an Important Issue
  • Tips for an Application Essay on a Significant Experience
  • How to Ace Your University of Wisconsin Personal Statements
  • Addressing Diversity in a College Application Essay
  • The Length Requirements for the Common Application Essay in 2020-21
  • Tips for the 8 University of California Personal Insight Questions
  • Tips for Writing a Winning College Transfer Essay
  • Private School Application Essay Tips

The Writing Center • University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Application Essays

What this handout is about.

This handout will help you write and revise the personal statement required by many graduate programs, internships, and special academic programs.

Before you start writing

Because the application essay can have a critical effect upon your progress toward a career, you should spend significantly more time, thought, and effort on it than its typically brief length would suggest. It should reflect how you arrived at your professional goals, why the program is ideal for you, and what you bring to the program. Don’t make this a deadline task—now’s the time to write, read, rewrite, give to a reader, revise again, and on until the essay is clear, concise, and compelling. At the same time, don’t be afraid. You know most of the things you need to say already.

Read the instructions carefully. One of the basic tasks of the application essay is to follow the directions. If you don’t do what they ask, the reader may wonder if you will be able to follow directions in their program. Make sure you follow page and word limits exactly—err on the side of shortness, not length. The essay may take two forms:

  • A one-page essay answering a general question
  • Several short answers to more specific questions

Do some research before you start writing. Think about…

  • The field. Why do you want to be a _____? No, really. Think about why you and you particularly want to enter that field. What are the benefits and what are the shortcomings? When did you become interested in the field and why? What path in that career interests you right now? Brainstorm and write these ideas out.
  • The program. Why is this the program you want to be admitted to? What is special about the faculty, the courses offered, the placement record, the facilities you might be using? If you can’t think of anything particular, read the brochures they offer, go to events, or meet with a faculty member or student in the program. A word about honesty here—you may have a reason for choosing a program that wouldn’t necessarily sway your reader; for example, you want to live near the beach, or the program is the most prestigious and would look better on your resume. You don’t want to be completely straightforward in these cases and appear superficial, but skirting around them or lying can look even worse. Turn these aspects into positives. For example, you may want to go to a program in a particular location because it is a place that you know very well and have ties to, or because there is a need in your field there. Again, doing research on the program may reveal ways to legitimate even your most superficial and selfish reasons for applying.
  • Yourself. What details or anecdotes would help your reader understand you? What makes you special? Is there something about your family, your education, your work/life experience, or your values that has shaped you and brought you to this career field? What motivates or interests you? Do you have special skills, like leadership, management, research, or communication? Why would the members of the program want to choose you over other applicants? Be honest with yourself and write down your ideas. If you are having trouble, ask a friend or relative to make a list of your strengths or unique qualities that you plan to read on your own (and not argue about immediately). Ask them to give you examples to back up their impressions (For example, if they say you are “caring,” ask them to describe an incident they remember in which they perceived you as caring).

Now, write a draft

This is a hard essay to write. It’s probably much more personal than any of the papers you have written for class because it’s about you, not World War II or planaria. You may want to start by just getting something—anything—on paper. Try freewriting. Think about the questions we asked above and the prompt for the essay, and then write for 15 or 30 minutes without stopping. What do you want your audience to know after reading your essay? What do you want them to feel? Don’t worry about grammar, punctuation, organization, or anything else. Just get out the ideas you have. For help getting started, see our handout on brainstorming .

Now, look at what you’ve written. Find the most relevant, memorable, concrete statements and focus in on them. Eliminate any generalizations or platitudes (“I’m a people person”, “Doctors save lives”, or “Mr. Calleson’s classes changed my life”), or anything that could be cut and pasted into anyone else’s application. Find what is specific to you about the ideas that generated those platitudes and express them more directly. Eliminate irrelevant issues (“I was a track star in high school, so I think I’ll make a good veterinarian.”) or issues that might be controversial for your reader (“My faith is the one true faith, and only nurses with that faith are worthwhile,” or “Lawyers who only care about money are evil.”).

Often, writers start out with generalizations as a way to get to the really meaningful statements, and that’s OK. Just make sure that you replace the generalizations with examples as you revise. A hint: you may find yourself writing a good, specific sentence right after a general, meaningless one. If you spot that, try to use the second sentence and delete the first.

Applications that have several short-answer essays require even more detail. Get straight to the point in every case, and address what they’ve asked you to address.

Now that you’ve generated some ideas, get a little bit pickier. It’s time to remember one of the most significant aspects of the application essay: your audience. Your readers may have thousands of essays to read, many or most of which will come from qualified applicants. This essay may be your best opportunity to communicate with the decision makers in the application process, and you don’t want to bore them, offend them, or make them feel you are wasting their time.

With this in mind:

  • Do assure your audience that you understand and look forward to the challenges of the program and the field, not just the benefits.
  • Do assure your audience that you understand exactly the nature of the work in the field and that you are prepared for it, psychologically and morally as well as educationally.
  • Do assure your audience that you care about them and their time by writing a clear, organized, and concise essay.
  • Do address any information about yourself and your application that needs to be explained (for example, weak grades or unusual coursework for your program). Include that information in your essay, and be straightforward about it. Your audience will be more impressed with your having learned from setbacks or having a unique approach than your failure to address those issues.
  • Don’t waste space with information you have provided in the rest of the application. Every sentence should be effective and directly related to the rest of the essay. Don’t ramble or use fifteen words to express something you could say in eight.
  • Don’t overstate your case for what you want to do, being so specific about your future goals that you come off as presumptuous or naïve (“I want to become a dentist so that I can train in wisdom tooth extraction, because I intend to focus my life’s work on taking 13 rather than 15 minutes per tooth.”). Your goals may change–show that such a change won’t devastate you.
  • And, one more time, don’t write in cliches and platitudes. Every doctor wants to help save lives, every lawyer wants to work for justice—your reader has read these general cliches a million times.

Imagine the worst-case scenario (which may never come true—we’re talking hypothetically): the person who reads your essay has been in the field for decades. She is on the application committee because she has to be, and she’s read 48 essays so far that morning. You are number 49, and your reader is tired, bored, and thinking about lunch. How are you going to catch and keep her attention?

Assure your audience that you are capable academically, willing to stick to the program’s demands, and interesting to have around. For more tips, see our handout on audience .

Voice and style

The voice you use and the style in which you write can intrigue your audience. The voice you use in your essay should be yours. Remember when your high school English teacher said “never say ‘I’”? Here’s your chance to use all those “I”s you’ve been saving up. The narrative should reflect your perspective, experiences, thoughts, and emotions. Focusing on events or ideas may give your audience an indirect idea of how these things became important in forming your outlook, but many others have had equally compelling experiences. By simply talking about those events in your own voice, you put the emphasis on you rather than the event or idea. Look at this anecdote:

During the night shift at Wirth Memorial Hospital, a man walked into the Emergency Room wearing a monkey costume and holding his head. He seemed confused and was moaning in pain. One of the nurses ascertained that he had been swinging from tree branches in a local park and had hit his head when he fell out of a tree. This tragic tale signified the moment at which I realized psychiatry was the only career path I could take.

An interesting tale, yes, but what does it tell you about the narrator? The following example takes the same anecdote and recasts it to make the narrator more of a presence in the story:

I was working in the Emergency Room at Wirth Memorial Hospital one night when a man walked in wearing a monkey costume and holding his head. I could tell he was confused and in pain. After a nurse asked him a few questions, I listened in surprise as he explained that he had been a monkey all of his life and knew that it was time to live with his brothers in the trees. Like many other patients I would see that year, this man suffered from an illness that only a combination of psychological and medical care would effectively treat. I realized then that I wanted to be able to help people by using that particular combination of skills only a psychiatrist develops.

The voice you use should be approachable as well as intelligent. This essay is not the place to stun your reader with ten prepositional phrases (“the goal of my study of the field of law in the winter of my discontent can best be understood by the gathering of more information about my youth”) and thirty nouns (“the research and study of the motivation behind my insights into the field of dentistry contains many pitfalls and disappointments but even more joy and enlightenment”) per sentence. (Note: If you are having trouble forming clear sentences without all the prepositions and nouns, take a look at our handout on style .)

You may want to create an impression of expertise in the field by using specialized or technical language. But beware of this unless you really know what you are doing—a mistake will look twice as ignorant as not knowing the terms in the first place. Your audience may be smart, but you don’t want to make them turn to a dictionary or fall asleep between the first word and the period of your first sentence. Keep in mind that this is a personal statement. Would you think you were learning a lot about a person whose personal statement sounded like a journal article? Would you want to spend hours in a lab or on a committee with someone who shuns plain language?

Of course, you don’t want to be chatty to the point of making them think you only speak slang, either. Your audience may not know what “I kicked that lame-o to the curb for dissing my research project” means. Keep it casual enough to be easy to follow, but formal enough to be respectful of the audience’s intelligence.

Just use an honest voice and represent yourself as naturally as possible. It may help to think of the essay as a sort of face-to-face interview, only the interviewer isn’t actually present.

Too much style

A well-written, dramatic essay is much more memorable than one that fails to make an emotional impact on the reader. Good anecdotes and personal insights can really attract an audience’s attention. BUT be careful not to let your drama turn into melodrama. You want your reader to see your choices motivated by passion and drive, not hyperbole and a lack of reality. Don’t invent drama where there isn’t any, and don’t let the drama take over. Getting someone else to read your drafts can help you figure out when you’ve gone too far.

Taking risks

Many guides to writing application essays encourage you to take a risk, either by saying something off-beat or daring or by using a unique writing style. When done well, this strategy can work—your goal is to stand out from the rest of the applicants and taking a risk with your essay will help you do that. An essay that impresses your reader with your ability to think and express yourself in original ways and shows you really care about what you are saying is better than one that shows hesitancy, lack of imagination, or lack of interest.

But be warned: this strategy is a risk. If you don’t carefully consider what you are saying and how you are saying it, you may offend your readers or leave them with a bad impression of you as flaky, immature, or careless. Do not alienate your readers.

Some writers take risks by using irony (your suffering at the hands of a barbaric dentist led you to want to become a gentle one), beginning with a personal failure (that eventually leads to the writer’s overcoming it), or showing great imagination (one famous successful example involved a student who answered a prompt about past formative experiences by beginning with a basic answer—”I have volunteered at homeless shelters”—that evolved into a ridiculous one—”I have sealed the hole in the ozone layer with plastic wrap”). One student applying to an art program described the person he did not want to be, contrasting it with the person he thought he was and would develop into if accepted. Another person wrote an essay about her grandmother without directly linking her narrative to the fact that she was applying for medical school. Her essay was risky because it called on the reader to infer things about the student’s character and abilities from the story.

Assess your credentials and your likelihood of getting into the program before you choose to take a risk. If you have little chance of getting in, try something daring. If you are almost certainly guaranteed a spot, you have more flexibility. In any case, make sure that you answer the essay question in some identifiable way.

After you’ve written a draft

Get several people to read it and write their comments down. It is worthwhile to seek out someone in the field, perhaps a professor who has read such essays before. Give it to a friend, your mom, or a neighbor. The key is to get more than one point of view, and then compare these with your own. Remember, you are the one best equipped to judge how accurately you are representing yourself. For tips on putting this advice to good use, see our handout on getting feedback .

After you’ve received feedback, revise the essay. Put it away. Get it out and revise it again (you can see why we said to start right away—this process may take time). Get someone to read it again. Revise it again.

When you think it is totally finished, you are ready to proofread and format the essay. Check every sentence and punctuation mark. You cannot afford a careless error in this essay. (If you are not comfortable with your proofreading skills, check out our handout on editing and proofreading ).

If you find that your essay is too long, do not reformat it extensively to make it fit. Making readers deal with a nine-point font and quarter-inch margins will only irritate them. Figure out what material you can cut and cut it. For strategies for meeting word limits, see our handout on writing concisely .

Finally, proofread it again. We’re not kidding.

Other resources

Don’t be afraid to talk to professors or professionals in the field. Many of them would be flattered that you asked their advice, and they will have useful suggestions that others might not have. Also keep in mind that many colleges and professional programs offer websites addressing the personal statement. You can find them either through the website of the school to which you are applying or by searching under “personal statement” or “application essays” using a search engine.

If your schedule and ours permit, we invite you to come to the Writing Center. Be aware that during busy times in the semester, we limit students to a total of two visits to discuss application essays and personal statements (two visits per student, not per essay); we do this so that students working on papers for courses will have a better chance of being seen. Make an appointment or submit your essay to our online writing center (note that we cannot guarantee that an online tutor will help you in time).

For information on other aspects of the application process, you can consult the resources at University Career Services .

Works consulted

We consulted these works while writing this handout. This is not a comprehensive list of resources on the handout’s topic, and we encourage you to do your own research to find additional publications. Please do not use this list as a model for the format of your own reference list, as it may not match the citation style you are using. For guidance on formatting citations, please see the UNC Libraries citation tutorial . We revise these tips periodically and welcome feedback.

Asher, Donald. 2012. Graduate Admissions Essays: Write Your Way Into the Graduate School of Your Choice , 4th ed. Berkeley: Ten Speed Press.

Curry, Boykin, Emily Angel Baer, and Brian Kasbar. 2003. Essays That Worked for College Applications: 50 Essays That Helped Students Get Into the Nation’s Top Colleges . New York: Ballantine Books.

Stelzer, Richard. 2002. How to Write a Winning Personal Statement for Graduate and Professional School , 3rd ed. Lawrenceville, NJ: Thomson Peterson.

You may reproduce it for non-commercial use if you use the entire handout and attribute the source: The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

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How to Write an Admissions Essay

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How to Write an Admission Essay: Guide From College Application Experts

An admission essay is one of the college application documents that applicants find extremely challenging. For some, it might be unclear what is the purpose of writing an admission essay, and others might wonder what to write about to stand out among other applicants.

We are here to explain everything about admission essay writing! In this article, you will find the essential information you need to know to write a great essay.

What Is an Admission Essay: Definition and Importance

First of all, let’s define what an admission essay is. In simple words, it is an essay that demonstrates your unique qualities, background, and view of life to admission officers. Usually, applicants describe their personal experience beyond academic performance to show their interests, aspirations, and motivation in life.

So, why is this essay so important for successful admission to college? Colleges do attach greater importance to prospective students’ grades, as it is the best way to evaluate student academic performance. But, as colleges usually receive thousands of applications, many applicants can have similar scores. It makes the selection process more difficult.

Thus, to select the best students, admission officers review students’ admission essays. These essays help the admission committee better understand the unique character of each student, and make a final decision about their admission or rejection. So, the way you tell your personal story in the essay directly impacts your chances to enter the college of your dreams.

College Essay Format: How Long Should a College Admissions Essay Be?

There is no specific format for admission essay. Usually, an admission essay should be no more than 400-600 words. It is enough to tell your story and be sure the admission officer will read it to the end. But, to know for sure, it is always better to visit your target college’s website and search for specific requirements for admission essays. All colleges usually mention word count limits, so it won’t be a problem.

You also don’t need to follow formatting styles like APA, MLA, and others. Just keep it simple, and follow the recommendations below:

  • Choose fonts like Times New Roman or Arial. No need to use any informal fonts.
  • A 12-point font size is perfect for an admission essay.
  • Use 1.5 or double spacing.
  • Avoid using bold and italic text.

These are general rules, but you should always first check if your target college has any specific requirements for admission essay formatting.

College Admission Essay Outline and Formatting

An outline is another thing you need to think about. There are no specific requirements for structure, so first, you need to understand what you want to include in your essay and in what order to put your paragraphs.

Creating an outline will help you with it. Start by brainstorming your ideas, choose a key idea for your essay and what experience you want to tell about, think about how you want to present your ideas, and find the best way to structure it. There are two basics structures for an admission essay:

  • Single story (focus on one particular experience).
  • Multiple experiences (tell about your values and qualities through several experiences).

It is entirely your choice what option to choose. Down below, you will find a detailed explanation of each of these structures.

Writing an Admission Essay: Step-by-step Guide

We want to give you an example of what you can write in your admission essay, and what important elements you need to include to make a long-lasting impression. So, here are the general recommendations for writing an admission essay.

Usually, you can divide all your paragraphs into 3 parts:

  • Introduction (grab attention)
  • Body paragraphs (tell your story)
  • Conclusion (finish your story and recall your main point).

But, depending on what way of storytelling you choose, the parts of your essay will include different information. So, let’s talk about each way in more detail.

Single-Story Structure

If you want to focus on one story, you need to choose an experience that changed you the most. Think about what situation from your past gave you a valuable lesson that changed your view of life or helped you to become a better version of yourself. Then tell your story in the following order:

  • Introduction: Start with a hook sentence. Something that captures attention and is connected to your main point. Tell a few words about the story’s background and describe the situation (keep it short, about 2-4 sentences).
  • Body paragraphs: Explain why this experience was valuable for you (1-2 paragraphs) and what lessons you learned (1 paragraph).
  • Conclusion: Tell about how this experience changed you and how it’s connected to your current views of life and plans for the future.

Multiple Narratives Structure

Another way is to tell a few stories in one essay and connect them all to one theme. For example, you can choose a few of the qualities and values you want to emphasize in your admission essay. Then, think about what stories show the development of these qualities and values the best. Here is an example of how you can organize the information:

  • Introduction: Again, start with an attention-grabber. Tell a few words about your background and what challenges you faced. Then, make a statement about your personal growth.
  • Body paragraphs: Tell about the challenges one by one. Describe a challenging experience, how you overcame it, and what you learned from it (one paragraph for each experience).
  • Conclusion: Summarize your points and explain how they helped you to develop your values and qualities (1 paragraph).

Proofread and Edit

The last step before submitting your final draft is proofreading and editing. Don’t skip this step, even if you’re sure your text is flawless. It is always good to review your work one more time. You can notice some grammar mistakes and bad wording, or even come up with a new idea for the essay.

You can also ask for help from professionals. For example, an essay writing service usually offers proofreading and editing services. After your work is checked by an expert, you can rest assured of its quality.

College Admission Essay Tips From Experts

As there are no specific rules on how to write a college admission essay, students frequently feel confused when working on their essays. They don’t know what information to include, how to organize sentences, and what a good admission essay should look like. Don’t worry, we want to help you to find answers to at least a few of your questions. Take a look at the tips down below.

Keep It Short

Of course, you probably have many stories that showcase your strengths the best and want to mention them in your essay for college admission. But it doesn’t mean that you need to dedicate the whole paragraph to one story. Remember, that you only have about 400-600 words to tell about your background and achievements. So, describe each achievement in one sentence maximum and make sure they are connected to the thesis statement of your essay.

Tell What You Learn From Experience

Sometimes, students are so focused on telling about their background and demonstrating their achievements, that they simply start to recount them in admission essays. But what is more important is to show what you learn from each experience you have. It will demonstrate your personal growth, which is more important for an admission committee.

Revise, Revise, Revise

If you expect your first draft to be perfect, we are going to disappoint you. To create a decent admission essay, you will need to revise and change it several times. After writing each draft, read it carefully to find all possible errors, ensure logical flow, and see what paragraphs and sentences can be improved. It will take time, but, believe us, it will be worth it. Also, you can ask someone to read your essay and give feedback. For example, your teacher or friend can notice errors you missed, or recommend how to make your essay more powerful.

Ask for Help From Professionals

If you feel like you can’t write a good admission essay, there is still a way for you to get it done. You can ask for professional assistance from an admission essay writing service . Essay writing experts can consult you on what information to include in your essay, what to choose as your thesis statement, and any other questions you have about admission essays.

Wrapping Up

We hope this article has helped you to get a better idea of what an essay for college admission is and how to write it. Keep in mind that the most important thing is to showcase your strengths and unique personality traits that make you a worthy student for a particular college. Follow our tips, don’t forget to proofread your essay before submitting it, and you will get the desired result for sure.

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College Admission Glossary: Learn the Lingo

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What does admission mean? What is a transcript? What's the difference between early action and early decision? When applying to college, you're bound to come across unfamiliar collegiate terms. This glossary can help you make sense of all the college terms you're sorting through.

A standardized college admission test. It features four main sections: English, math, reading and science — and an optional essay section.

Admissions Process

The entire process you go through to get into college. To define admissions, you need to include a number of components. The process starts early in high school as you begin building your GPA and ends when you move into your dorm. Your research, college visits, applications, letters of recommendation, high school transcripts, and admissions essays are all important parts of the admissions meaning.

Admissions Decisions

The decisions made by the college admissions committee about which applicants receive acceptance letters and which applicants do not. Early decisions are available to students who submit their applications within each school's early decision timeline. See "Early Decision (ED)" for further information.

Admission Tests

Also known as college entrance exams, these are tests designed to measure students' skills and help colleges evaluate how ready students are for college-level work. The ACT and the College Board's SAT are two standardized admission tests used in the United States. The word "standardized" means that the test measures the same thing in the same way for everyone who takes it. Read more about admission tests .

Articulation Agreement

An agreement between two-year and four-year colleges that makes it easier to transfer credits between them. It spells out which courses count for degree credit and the grades you need to earn to get credit.

Bachelor's Degree

When you complete the required courses and earn enough credits, typically after four years in college, you will earn a BA or bachelor's degree. Depending upon your major, you may earn a bachelor of arts (BA), bachelor of science (BS), or bachelor of fine arts (BFA).

Candidates Reply Date Agreement (CRDA)

An agreement many colleges follow that gives applicants until May 1 to accept or decline offers of admission. This deadline gives students time to get responses from most of the colleges they have applied to before deciding on one.

A measurement of how your academic achievement in high school compares with that of other students in your grade. Your class ranking is primarily based on your GPA. Some schools calculate class rank differently than others, so check with your school officials for information on how your school calculates GPA.

Coalition Application

A standard application form accepted by members of the Coalition for College. You can use this application to apply to any of the more than 90 colleges and universities that are members of the Coalition.

College Application Essay

An essay that a college requires students to write and submit as part of their application. Some colleges offer applicants specific questions to answer, while others simply ask applicants to write about themselves. Colleges may refer to this as a “personal statement.” Learn more about college application essays .

College Credit

What you get when you successfully complete a college-level course. You need a certain number of credits to graduate with a degree. Colleges may also grant credit for scores on exams, such as those offered by the College Board’s AP Program® and CLEP. Learn more about AP and CLEP . 

College Financial Aid Offer

An offer of financial assistance to those who receive acceptance to a college. The offer includes all the monetary assistance available to you to pay for college. Also called an award letter, a financial aid award letter, or simply an offer, your letter will include the need-based assistance you qualify to receive based on your FAFSA® (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) and any other required forms such as the CSS Profile or an institutional form.

Common Application

A standard application form accepted by all colleges that are members of the Common Application association. The definition of the Common Application is synonymous with college application. You can fill out the Common App once and submit it to any one or several of the nearly 700 colleges that accept it. Go to the Common Application .

Deferred Admission

Permission from a college that has accepted you to postpone enrolling in the college. The postponement is usually for up to one year. Often, a college requires a good-faith deposit to hold your place for the deferment period. Additionally, your college may ask you to account for your experiences during deferment.

Demonstrated Interest

An action that demonstrates you have a sincere interest in attending a particular college. Many admissions committees consider this factor in making their decisions. Some of the ways you can demonstrate an interest in attending include a campus visit or virtual tour participation, having an initial interview, conversations with admission representatives, and applying for early admission.

Early Action (EA)

An option to submit an application to your first-choice college before the regular deadline. When you apply early decision, you get an admission decision earlier than usual. Early decision plans are binding. You agree to enroll in the college immediately if admitted and offered a financial aid package that meets your needs. Some colleges have an early decision option called ED II, which has a later application deadline than their regular ED plan. Learn more about applying early .

Early Decision (ED)

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Everyone planning to attend college should fill in and submit a FAFSA prior to their first year. It determines if you qualify for financial assistance with tuition so you can attend the school of your choice. Your college offer may be based on your FAFSA results.

Financial Aid

Money given or loaned to you to help pay for college. Financial aid can come from federal and state governments, colleges, and private organizations. It might also include work-study assistance. Learn more about financial aid .

Grade Point Average (GPA)

A number that shows overall academic performance. It's computed by assigning a point value to each grade you earn. It is also a key factor in determining your class rank.

Legacy Applicant

A college applicant with a relative (usually a parent or grandparent) who graduated from that college. Some colleges give preference to legacy applicants (also called "legacies").

Need-Blind Admission

A policy of making admission decisions without considering the financial circumstances of applicants. Colleges that use this policy may or may not offer enough financial aid to meet a student's full need.

Open Admission

A policy of accepting any high school graduate, no matter what his or her grades are, until all spaces in the incoming class are filled. Almost all two-year community colleges have an open-admission policy. However, a college with a general open-admission policy may have admission requirements for certain programs.

Placement Tests

Tests that measure the academic skills needed for college-level work. They cover reading, writing, math, and sometimes other subjects. Placement test results help determine what courses you are ready for and whether you would benefit from remedial classes. They can also determine whether you need to take a basic course. Read more about placement tests . 

Priority Date or Deadline

The date by which your application—whether it's for college admission, student housing, or financial aid—must be received to be given the strongest consideration.

The college official who registers students. The registrar may also be responsible for keeping permanent records and maintaining your student file.

Rolling Admission

An admission policy of considering each application as soon as all required information (such as high school records and test scores) has been received, rather than setting an application deadline and reviewing applications in a batch. Colleges that use a rolling admission policy usually notify applicants of admission decisions quickly.

College Board’s standardized college admission test. It features three main sections: math, reading and writing, which includes a written essay. Learn more about the SAT .

Sophomore Standing

The status of a second-year student. A college may grant sophomore standing to an incoming first-year student if they have earned college credits through courses, exams, or other programs at a previous school.

The official record of your coursework at a school or college. Your high school transcript is usually required for college admission, and for some financial aid packages or scholarship applications.

Transfer Student

A student who enrolls in a college after having attended another college. Before transferring, you should check with your current and future colleges to find out which credits will transfer.

Undergraduate

A college student who is working toward an associate degree or a bachelor's degree.

Universal College Application

A standard application form accepted by all colleges that are Universal College Application (UCA) members. Established in 2007, this application offers shortcuts—such as no recommendation letter requirement—that may help you complete your package sooner. However, not all colleges accept it, so check with your school to make sure. Go to the Universal College Application .

Waiting List

The list of applicants who may be admitted to a college if space becomes available. Colleges wait to hear if all the students they accepted decide to attend. If students don't enroll and there are empty spots, a college may fill them with students who are on the waiting list. Learn more about waiting lists .

Weighted Grade Point Average (GPA)

A grade point average that's calculated using a system that assigns a higher point value to grades in certain classes, typically more difficult ones. For example, some high schools assign the value of 5.0 (instead of the standard 4.0) for an A earned in an AP class.

Virtual College

Online college classes. Some colleges are entirely virtual and do not maintain an actual campus, while others offer online and in-person courses. While virtual college classes are often more convenient because they allow you to set your own schedule, some subjects, such as science labs, require hands-on participation that you cannot do online.

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Admission Essay – Definition, Tips, Structure, Do’s & Don’ts

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In today’s competitive academic realm, academic essays are becoming more important than ever before. Writing a graduate degree essay may seem a formidable task, but it is easy when you know what should be counted in it. Essays are used to study more about your whys and wherefores for applying to the course or university and your capability to profit from and add to it. Before starting to write your graduate admissions essay, students should analyze why they have chosen to pursue this explicit field. Consider why earning a graduate degree is important. Will you be seeking to change careers? A hardened student who likes to keep learning?

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What are Admission Essays?

Admission essay topics.

  • Describe in detail your career goals.
  • What actions or achievements have added to your own progress?
  • Describe a circumstance in which you had significant responsibility and what it taught you.
  • Describe your strengths and weaknesses in accomplishing goals, and functioning with peers.
  • Define your career ambitions leading you to apply to this program.
  • Tell us something about yourself, your most important life events?
  • How would your room, phone or bike describe you?
  • If you could meet or have lunch with anyone in the past, who would it be and why?
  • What was your most significant endeavor in high school and why?
  • Foresee important subjects in the next decade – nationally, worldwide.
  • Term an act that has had a great impact on you and why?
  • Describe a trial and what you learnt about yourself as you retorted to this challenge?

Be specific and give details that will allow the admissions committee to understand your motivation.Explain your reasons and include high school services, activities, awards, travel experience and how they impacted you etc. Define an accomplishment that you fought to achieve in school and how the event changed you as a person.

Common Mistakes in Admission Essay

  • Spelling mistakes
  • Grammatical errors
  • Misappropriation and misuse of words
  • Informality and Casualness
  • Not thinking before writing
  • Trying to be someone else
  • Not having connection with the application
  • Trying to be extraordinarily different.
  • Forcing humor.
  • Not writing to the specific college.
  • Sharing excessive Information
  • Making reasons and excuses

Do’s and Don’ts

Admission Essays have no specific focus and thus, puts applicants in trouble with where to start and where to end. Applicants are often confused when asked, “tell us about yourself” they have trouble deciding which part of their lives to write about. Nevertheless, to be admitted, you need to determine that you are more than simply qualified. Put together the story about your goals, desires, passions, and prior knowledge, how the course or program fits into the mix that will make the change, and how the business school is for you.

Admission Essay Do's and Don'ts

Tips for Writing Admission Essay

Keep in mind the following points while writing an Admission Essay

  • Relate past and present experiences to the future
  • Elaborate on your qualifications
  • Precisely describe why the institution is the best fit
  • Introduce the main idea for each body paragraph in the topic sentence
  • Utilize white space – provide ample space for at least 1” margins

Structure of an Admission Essay

Structure of an Admission Essay

The first draft – Taper the topic be specific Brainstorm – jot down everything you think of about the topic. Write a rough draft – Pick out the good stuff and prepare a brief outline. Ask yourself:

  • Have I concentrated on the topic?
  • Have I responded to the question?
  • Is it detailed and complete?
  • Have I written in my own opinion?

Polish the essay

  • Hook the reader with the very first sentence
  • Add particulars to make it ironic and more interesting
  • Be revealing – not confessional
  • Use sentimentality sparingly
  • Beware of assuming to impress us with what you consider we want to hear.
  • Don’t “prove” your intelligence by picking a topic you think makes you sound smart.
  • Avoid stylish words when simpler ones suffice.
  • Don’t be afraid to be eccentric and use your imagination
  • Be concise – show detail, don’t tell
  • Use quotations sensibly – to move the story or prove a point.
  • Concentrate on what the application says about essay length.

Navigational hazards

  • The tad particulars aren’t the most important part of the essay, but you are trying to make a good impression.
  • Always proofread before creating the final draft.
  • Check for spelling errors. Spell check won’t clasp everything!
  • Check your word choice by reading the paper loud.
  • Ensure that if you include the university’s name in the essay, it’s the correct university.
  • Don’t try to inject humor. It often doesn’t translate in writing.
  • Remember that a college essay is not a research paper.

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10+ Admission Essay Examples [ College, Scholarship, School ]

10 Admission Essay Examples College Scholarship School

It is always a student’s lucky day when they have been given admission to their favorite school, favorite college or university. Even those who may apply for a scholarship and have been granted admission would be without a doubt amazing. To many, this may sound like an easy task and not something to be proud of, but for those who have gone through a lot of effort in attaining the place they want, it is nothing short of a feat. To be admitted to your dream college or university, or even to be admitted to a scholarship grant, any student can tell you that it is never easy. That you need to adhere to the requirements, and one of which is an admission essay . For you to be able to get a complete picture of what an admission essay is, check out 10+ admission essay examples below. 

10+ Admission Essay Examples

1. college admission essay.

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2. Graduate Admission Essay

graduate admission essay

Size: 188 KB

3. Admission Application Essay

admission application essay

Size: 261 KB

4. Scholarship Admission Essay

scholarship admission essay

Size: 183 KB

5. Student Admission Essay

student admission essay

Size: 149 KB

6. University Admission Essay

university admission essay

7. Draft Admission Essay

draft admission essay

Size: 52 KB

8. Standard Admission Essay

standard admission essay

Size: 33 KB

9. Education Admission Essay

education admission essay

Size: 53 KB

10. Application for Admission Essay

application for admission essay

Size: 559 KB

11. MBA Admission Essay

mba admission essay

Size: 27 KB

Definition of Admission Essay

An admission essay also called an application essay is an essay written by a potential student applying for college or for a scholarship. It is also an essay that gives out a personal statement about the student and the reason why they should be accepted. These types of essays usually give out some information about the potential applicant, their strengths and weaknesses, their dreams and aspirations. These essays are often asked to be written so that the people assigned for admission to students can evaluate if these students are the ones they are looking for. Admission essays often depend on how long or short potential students may write it.

Importance of Admission Essay

The importance of an admission essay is it gives out information about you as a person to the admission committees. It also shows them your writing abilities and understands you on a personal and academic level. Admission essays play an important role when you are applying for college or a scholarship. As this is what they often base who they admit to their schools or to the said scholarship. It is not easy to write an admission essay especially when you are limited to how you want people to see you and how you want people to know about you both personally and academically.

Tools Used for Admission Essay

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Tips for Writing an Admission Essay

As you begin writing your admission essay, there are some things you may want to consider. These tips below will help you out before writing the essay. Think of these tips as a guide throughout your essay. A roadmap to writing your admissions essay. With these tips and with your ideas, it would be a breeze.

  • Read the instructions – This may sound cliché but some students do not bother reading the instructions. They are there for a reason. To know what you are going to write, read what they are asking you to do. Not only is this an important thing to remember, the people in charge would also know that you are not the type of person who may act on impulse. Read what is asked first.
  • Organize your thoughts – Before you begin writing your essay , start by making a list of your ideas in a separate piece of paper. Better yet, start by making a draft of the ideas you may want to write about. The best way of having to write an essay is by making a draft of the ideas you have and being able to organize your thoughts. This is also a better way for you to be able to write smoothly from then on.
  • Stick to your topic – Learn more about your topic, by doing this, you are able to concentrate on what you want to write about. Choose a topic that you are familiar with and have something to talk about. Avoid choosing topics that may be too difficult for you or would cause a lot of misunderstandings. Also, avoid moving back and forth between two topics. Stick to the topic you choose to write about.
  • Avoid misspelled words, fragments and runny sentences – Check your spelling , fragments and runny sentences. Avoid these as much as possible as this can also affect your score. When you write your final output, these must not be a part as much as possible. In addition to that, always recheck just in case.
  • Review your work – Writing the final output should be enough for some. But it is also best if you check your work for anything that you may have missed. It is best to review all you have written, to see if you have followed the instructions and given what is being asked. Once you have done so, you may now hand it over and wait for the results.

Is there a word limit to writing an admission essay?

You are expected to write around two hundred to six hundred and fifty words in your admission essay. This includes who you are as a person, your skills, talent and the reason why you want to be admitted to the university of your choice or to the scholarship of your choice.

What should be avoided when writing an admission essay?

Avoid writing things that are not being asked of you. Also, do not use flowery language or difficult jargon. Rather, use words that are easy to understand or words and phrases that are appropriate for your age range. In addition to that, avoid writing things that may not be true to you just to make your admission sound better.

How can I make my admission essay better?

Make a draft before you write your final output. That way you are able to adjust your thoughts and write what is true to you. In addition to that, it also helps you rearrange your ideas and be able to write a better admission essay that is true to you.

Who is the audience for my admission essay?

The school you are applying for or the scholarship you are applying for would be the audience to your essay. Be careful how you write or word your essay.

Writing an admission essay to get to a school or college or a scholarship is never easy. You must be very careful how you write and should only write what is true to you. There may be times you might get tempted to write something to make it sound better, but this is not the case. It is better to be honest with how you write about yourself than to make it sound fancier and more unreal.

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College Admissions , College Essays

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In addition to standardized test scores and transcripts, a personal statement or essay is a required part of many college applications. The personal statement can be one of the most stressful parts of the application process because it's the most open ended.

In this guide, I'll answer the question, "What is a personal statement?" I'll talk through common college essay topics and what makes for an effective personal statement.

College Essay Glossary

Even the terminology can be confusing if you aren't familiar with it, so let's start by defining some terms:

Personal statement —an essay you write to show a college admissions committee who you are and why you deserve to be admitted to their school. It's worth noting that, unlike "college essay," this term is used for application essays for graduate school as well.

College essay —basically the same as a personal statement (I'll be using the terms interchangeably).

Essay prompt —a question or statement that your college essay is meant to respond to.

Supplemental essay —an extra school or program-specific essay beyond the basic personal statement.

Many colleges ask for only one essay. However, some schools do ask you to respond to multiple prompts or to provide supplemental essays in addition to a primary personal statement.

Either way, don't let it stress you out! This guide will cover everything you need to know about the different types of college essays and get you started thinking about how to write a great one:

  • Why colleges ask for an essay
  • What kinds of essay questions you'll see
  • What sets great essays apart
  • Tips for writing your own essay

Why Do Colleges Ask For an Essay?

There are a couple of reasons that colleges ask applicants to submit an essay, but the basic idea is that it gives them more information about you, especially who you are beyond grades and test scores.

#1: Insight Into Your Personality

The most important role of the essay is to give admissions committees a sense of your personality and what kind of addition you'd be to their school's community . Are you inquisitive? Ambitious? Caring? These kinds of qualities will have a profound impact on your college experience, but they're hard to determine based on a high school transcript.

Basically, the essay contextualizes your application and shows what kind of person you are outside of your grades and test scores . Imagine two students, Jane and Tim: they both have 3.5 GPAs and 1200s on the SAT. Jane lives in Colorado and is the captain of her track team; Tim lives in Vermont and regularly contributes to the school paper. They both want to be doctors, and they both volunteer at the local hospital.

As similar as Jane and Tim seem on paper, in reality, they're actually quite different, and their unique perspectives come through in their essays. Jane writes about how looking into her family history for a school project made her realize how the discovery of modern medical treatments like antibiotics and vaccines had changed the world and drove her to pursue a career as a medical researcher. Tim, meanwhile, recounts a story about how a kind doctor helped him overcome his fear of needles, an interaction that reminded him of the value of empathy and inspired him to become a family practitioner. These two students may seem outwardly similar but their motivations and personalities are very different.

Without an essay, your application is essentially a series of numbers: a GPA, SAT scores, the number of hours spent preparing for quiz bowl competitions. The personal statement is your chance to stand out as an individual.

#2: Evidence of Writing Skills

A secondary purpose of the essay is to serve as a writing sample and help colleges see that you have the skills needed to succeed in college classes. The personal statement is your best chance to show off your writing , so take the time to craft a piece you're really proud of.

That said, don't panic if you aren't a strong writer. Admissions officers aren't expecting you to write like Joan Didion; they just want to see that you can express your ideas clearly.

No matter what, your essay should absolutely not include any errors or typos .

#3: Explanation of Extenuating Circumstances

For some students, the essay is also a chance to explain factors affecting their high school record. Did your grades drop sophomore year because you were dealing with a family emergency? Did you miss out on extracurriculars junior year because of an extended medical absence? Colleges want to know if you struggled with a serious issue that affected your high school record , so make sure to indicate any relevant circumstances on your application.

Keep in mind that in some cases there will be a separate section for you to address these types of issues, as well as any black marks on your record like expulsions or criminal charges.

#4: Your Reasons for Applying to the School

Many colleges ask you to write an essay or paragraph about why you're applying to their school specifically . In asking these questions, admissions officers are trying to determine if you're genuinely excited about the school and whether you're likely to attend if accepted .

I'll talk more about this type of essay below.

admission essay def

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What Kind of Questions Do Colleges Ask?

Thankfully, applications don't simply say, "Please include an essay about yourself"; they include a question or prompt that you're asked to respond to . These prompts are generally pretty open-ended and can be approached in a lot of different ways .

Nonetheless, most questions fall into a few main categories. Let's go through each common type of prompt, with examples from the Common Application, the University of California application, and a few individual schools.

Prompt Type 1: Your Personal History

This sort of question asks you to write about a formative experience, important event, or key relationship from your life . Admissions officers want to understand what is important to you and how your background has shaped you as a person.

These questions are both common and tricky. The most common pit students fall into is trying to tell their entire life stories. It's better to focus in on a very specific point in time and explain why it was meaningful to you.

Common App 1

Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.

Common App 5

Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others.

University of California 2

Every person has a creative side, and it can be expressed in many ways: problem solving, original and innovative thinking, and artistically, to name a few. Describe how you express your creative side.

University of California 6

Think about an academic subject that inspires you. Describe how you have furthered this interest inside and/or outside of the classroom.

Prompt Type 2: Facing a Problem

A lot of prompts deal with how you solve problems, how you cope with failure, and how you respond to conflict. College can be difficult, both personally and academically, and admissions committees want to see that you're equipped to face those challenges .

The key to these types of questions is to identify a real problem, failure, or conflict ( not a success in disguise) and show how you adapted and grew from addressing the issue.

Common App 2

The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?

Harvard University 7

The Harvard College Honor Code declares that we “hold honesty as the foundation of our community.” As you consider entering this community that is committed to honesty, please reflect on a time when you or someone you observed had to make a choice about whether to act with integrity and honesty.

Prompt Type 3: Diversity

Most colleges are pretty diverse, with students from a wide range of backgrounds. Essay questions about diversity are designed to help admissions committees understand how you interact with people who are different from you .

In addressing these prompts, you want to show that you're capable of engaging with new ideas and relating to people who may have different beliefs than you.

Common App 3

Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. What prompted your thinking? What was the outcome?

Johns Hopkins University

Tell us about an aspect of your identity (e.g., race, gender, sexuality, religion, community) or a life experience that has shaped you as an individual and how that influenced what you’d like to pursue in college at Hopkins.  This can be a future goal or experience that is either [sic] academic, extracurricular, or social.

Duke University Optional 1

We believe a wide range of personal perspectives, beliefs, and lived experiences are essential to making Duke a vibrant and meaningful living and learning community. Feel free to share with us anything in this context that might help us better understand you and what you might bring to our community. 

body_oddpencilout

Prompt Type 4: Your Future Goals

This type of prompt asks about what you want to do in the future: sometimes simply what you'd like to study, sometimes longer-term career goals. Colleges want to understand what you're interested in and how you plan to work towards your goals.

You'll mostly see these prompts if you're applying for a specialized program (like pre-med or engineering) or applying as a transfer student. Some schools also ask for supplementary essays along these lines. 

University of Southern California (Architecture)

Princeton Supplement 1

Prompt Type 5: Why This School

The most common style of supplemental essay is the "why us?" essay, although a few schools with their own application use this type of question as their main prompt. In these essays, you're meant to address the specific reasons you want to go to the school you're applying to .

Whatever you do, don't ever recycle these essays for more than one school.

Chapman University

There are thousands of universities and colleges. Why are you interested in attending Chapman?

Columbia University

Why are you interested in attending Columbia University? We encourage you to consider the aspect(s) that you find unique and compelling about Columbia.

Rice University

Based upon your exploration of Rice University, what elements of the Rice experience appeal to you?

Princeton University

Princeton has a longstanding commitment to understanding our responsibility to society through service and civic engagement. How does your own story intersect with these ideals?

Prompt Type 6: Creative Prompts

More selective schools often have supplemental essays with stranger or more unique questions. University of Chicago is notorious for its weird prompts, but it's not the only school that will ask you to think outside the box in addressing its questions.

University of Chicago

“Vlog,” “Labradoodle,” and “Fauxmage.” Language is filled with portmanteaus. Create a new portmanteau and explain why those two things are a “patch” (perfect match).

University of Vermont

Established in Burlington, VT, Ben & Jerry’s is synonymous with both ice cream and social change. The “Save Our Swirled” flavor raises awareness of climate change, and “I Dough, I Dough” celebrates marriage equality. If you worked alongside Ben & Jerry, what charitable flavor would you develop and why?

body_uchicago

What Makes a Strong Personal Statement?

OK , so you're clear on what a college essay is, but you're still not sure how to write a good one . To help you get started, I'm going to explain the main things admissions officers look for in students' essays: an engaging perspective, genuine moments, and lively writing .

I've touched on these ideas already, but here, I'll go into more depth about how the best essays stand out from the pack.

Showing Who You Are

A lot of students panic about finding a unique topic, and certainly writing about something unusual like a successful dating app you developed with your friends or your time working as a mall Santa can't hurt you. But what's really important isn't so much what you write about as how you write about it . You need to use your subject to show something deeper about yourself.

Look at the prompts above: you'll notice that they almost all ask you what you learned or how the experience affected you. Whatever topic you pick, you must be able to specifically address how or why it matters to you .

Say a student, Will, was writing about the mall Santa in response to Common App prompt number 2 (the one about failure): Will was a terrible mall Santa. He was way too skinny to be convincing and the kids would always step on his feet. He could easily write 600 very entertaining words describing this experience, but they wouldn't necessarily add up to an effective college essay.

To do that, he'll need to talk about his motivations and his feelings: why he took such a job in the first place and what he did (and didn't) get out of it. Maybe Will took the job because he needed to make some money to go on a school trip and it was the only one he could find. Despite his lack of enthusiasm for screaming children, he kept doing it because he knew if he persevered through the whole holiday season he would have enough money for his trip. Would you rather read "I failed at being a mall Santa" or "Failing as a mall Santa taught me how to persevere no matter what"? Admissions officers definitely prefer the latter.

Ultimately, the best topics are ones that allow you to explain something surprising about yourself .

Since the main point of the essay is to give schools a sense of who you are, you have to open up enough to let them see your personality . Writing a good college essay means being honest about your feelings and experiences even when they aren't entirely positive.

In this context, honesty doesn't mean going on at length about the time you broke into the local pool at night and nearly got arrested, but it does mean acknowledging when something was difficult or upsetting for you. Think about the mall Santa example above. The essay won't work unless the writer genuinely acknowledges that he was a bad Santa and explains why.

admission essay def

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Eloquent Writing

As I mentioned above, colleges want to know that you are a strong enough writer to survive in college classes . Can you express your ideas clearly and concisely? Can you employ specific details appropriately and avoid clichés and generalizations? These kinds of skills will serve you well in college (and in life!).

Nonetheless, admissions officers recognize that different students have different strengths. They aren't looking for a poetic magnum opus from someone who wants to be a math major. (Honestly, they aren't expecting a masterwork from anyone , but the basic point stands.) Focus on making sure that your thoughts and personality come through, and don't worry about using fancy vocabulary or complex rhetorical devices.

Above all, make sure that you have zero grammar or spelling errors . Typos indicate carelessness, which will hurt your cause with admissions officers.

Top Five Essay-Writing Tips

Now that you have a sense of what colleges are looking for, let's talk about how you can put this new knowledge into practice as you approach your own essay. Below, I've collected my five best tips from years as a college essay counselor.

#1: Start Early!

No matter how much you want to avoid writing your essay, don't leave it until the last minute . One of the most important parts of the essay writing process is editing, and editing takes a lot of time. You want to be able to put your draft in a drawer for a week and come back to it with fresh eyes. You don't want to be stuck with an essay you don't really like because you have to submit your application tomorrow.

You need plenty of time to experiment and rewrite, so I would recommend starting your essays at least two months before the application deadline . For most students, that means starting around Halloween, but if you're applying early, you'll need to get going closer to Labor Day.

Of course, it's even better to get a head start and begin your planning earlier. Many students like to work on their essays over the summer, when they have more free time, but you should keep in mind that each year's application isn't usually released until August or September. Essay questions often stay the same from year to year, however. If you are looking to get a jump on writing, you can try to confirm with the school (or the Common App) whether the essay questions will be the same as the previous year's.

#2: Pick a Topic You're Genuinely Excited About

One of the biggest mistakes students make is trying to write what they think the committee wants to hear. The truth is that there's no "right answer" when it comes to college essays . T he best topics aren't limited to specific categories like volunteer experiences or winning a tournament. Instead, they're topics that actually matter to the writer .

"OK," you're thinking, "but what does she mean by 'a topic that matters to you'? Because to be perfectly honest, right now, what really matters to me is that fall TV starts up this week, and I have a feeling I shouldn't write about that."

You're not wrong (although some great essays have been written about television ). A great topic isn't just something that you're excited about or that you talk to your friends about; it's something that has had a real, describable effect on your perspective .

This doesn't mean that you should overemphasize how something absolutely changed your life , especially if it really didn't. Instead, try to be as specific and honest as you can about how the experience affected you, what it taught you, or what you got out of it.

Let's go back to the TV idea. Sure, writing an essay about how excited you are for the new season of Stranger Things  probably isn't the quickest way to get yourself into college, but you could write a solid essay (in response to the first type of prompt) about how SpongeBob SquarePants was an integral part of your childhood. However, it's not enough to just explain how much you loved SpongeBob—you must also explain why and how watching the show every day after school affected your life. For example, maybe it was a ritual you shared with your brother, which showed you how even seemingly silly pieces of pop culture can bring people together. Dig beneath the surface to show who you are and how you see the world.

When you write about something you don't really care about, your writing will come out clichéd and uninteresting, and you'll likely struggle to motivate yourself. When you instead write about something that is genuinely important to you, you can make even the most ordinary experiences—learning to swim, eating a meal, or watching TV—engaging .

body_spongebob

#3: Focus on Specifics

But how do you write an interesting essay? Focus.

Don't try to tell your entire life story or even the story of an entire weekend; 500–650 words may seem like a lot, but you'll reach that limit quickly if you try to pack every single thing that has happened to you into your essay. If, however, you just touch on a wide range of topics, you'll end up with an essay that reads more like a résumé.

Instead, narrow in on one specific event or idea, and talk about it in more depth . The narrower your topic, the better. For example, writing about your role as Mercutio in your school's production of Romeo and Juliet is too general, but writing about opening night, when everything went wrong, could be a great topic.

Whatever your topic, use details to help draw the reader in and express your unique perspective. But keep in mind that you don't have to include every detail of what you did or thought; stick to the important and illustrative ones.

#4: Use Your Own Voice

College essays aren't academic assignments; you don't need to be super formal. Instead, try to be yourself. The best writing sounds like a more eloquent version of the way you talk .

Focus on using clear, simple language that effectively explains a point or evokes a feeling. To do so, avoid the urge to use fancy-sounding synonyms when you don't really know what they mean. Contractions are fine; slang, generally, is not. Don't hesitate to write in the first person.

A final note: you don't need to be relentlessly positive. It's OK to acknowledge that sometimes things don't go how you want—just show how you grew from that.

#5: Be Ruthless

Many students want to call it a day after writing a first draft, but editing is a key part of writing a truly great essay. To be clear, editing doesn't mean just making a few minor wording tweaks and cleaning up typos; it means reading your essay carefully and objectively and thinking about how you could improve it .

Ask yourself questions as you read: is the progression of the essay clear? Do you make a lot of vague, sweeping statements that could be replaced with more interesting specifics? Do your sentences flow together nicely? Do you show something about yourself beyond the surface level?

You will have to delete and rewrite (potentially large) parts of your essay, and no matter how attached you feel to something you wrote, you might have to let it go . If you've ever heard the phrase "kill your darlings," know that it is 100% applicable to college essay writing.

At some point, you might even need to rewrite the whole essay. Even though it's annoying, starting over is sometimes the best way to get an essay that you're really proud of.

body_aplus

What's Next?

Make sure to check out our other posts on college essays , including our step-by-step guide to how to write your college essay , our analysis of the Common App Prompts , and our collection of example essays .

If you're in need of guidance on other parts of the application process , take a look at our guides to choosing the right college for you , writing about extracurriculars , deciding to double major , and requesting teacher recommendations .

Last but not least, if you're planning on taking the SAT one last time , check out our ultimate guide to studying for the SAT and make sure you're as prepared as possible.

Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points? We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

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Alex is an experienced tutor and writer. Over the past five years, she has worked with almost a hundred students and written about pop culture for a wide range of publications. She graduated with honors from University of Chicago, receiving a BA in English and Anthropology, and then went on to earn an MA at NYU in Cultural Reporting and Criticism. In high school, she was a National Merit Scholar, took 12 AP tests and scored 99 percentile scores on the SAT and ACT.

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application letter for loan liquidation

Sample Filled

Loan Closure Letter Format Sample in Word

Whenever you want to close your loan some times you need to write a request letter to the bank or finance company to close your loan.  It applies to all kinds of loans like personal clowns, vehicle loans and home loans, etc.

After closing your loan you need to get a no due certificate, which acts as proof that you have paid all the balance loan amount.

Table of Contents

  • Required documents to close loan
  • Perosonal loan closure letter format
  • Bike/car loan closure letter format
  • Home loan closure letter format

Required Documents to Close Loan

  • Loan A/c number.
  • Loan approval letter
  • Customer KYC like Aadhar & PAN.

Here you can find sample loan closure letter formats which you can also download in Word format.

Sample personal Loan Closure Letter Format

To The Bank Manager Bank name, Address.

From Your name, Address.

Sub: Personal loan closure application. 

Dear Sir/Madam,

I am writing this letter to request you close my personal loan bearing account no. _______ because I have paid (all the EMIs / paid full loan amount / loan tenure has completed / other reason) .

Please find all the required documents enclosed with this letter such as the loan sanction letter, my KYC documents like Aadhar & PAN copies.

I permit you to deduct the loan closure charges if applicable.

Thanking you.

Sincerely, Your name.

Personal loan closure letter format in Word sample

Bike/Car Loan Closure Letter Format

To The Branch Manager, Bank name, Address.

Form Your name, Address.

Sub: Vehicle loan closure letter format.

With due respect, I request you to close my vehicle loan under a/c no _________, which I have taken to purchase my bike/car of registration no. ______ .

I want to close the loan because I have cleared all the EMIs/ paid full amount/ loan tenure has completed/ other reasons. Kindly let me know the further steps to close my vehicle loan.

Regards, Your name. Mobile no.

Bike / car loan closure letter format in word sample

Home Loan  Closure Letter Format

To Branch Manager, Bank Name,  Bank Address.

Sub: Home loan closure application.

I, [your name] writing this request letter to close my home loan bearing loan account number [321XXXX1234].

I have paid all my pending home loan amount and please find the copies of bill receipts enclosed with this letter.

Therefore kindly close my home loan and issue me the no due certificate and other required documents.

Yours sincerely, Your name.

Home loan closure letter format in word sample

How to close my personal loan

  • Visit your bank’s branch.
  • Fill the loan closure application
  • Pay any pending loan amount/charges.
  • Submit your KYC & loan closure letter.
  • Sign the required documents.
  • Collect the acknowledgment.

How do I know my loan was closed?

You will receive a loan closure SMS on your mobile and the bank send the loan closing documents to your address.

Should I need to pay any loan closure charges?

There is no need to pay any charges in normal cases, except  If you have any pending EMIs (or) if you wish to foreclose the loan. These charges vary from one bank to another bank.

Recommended:

SBI home loan closure letter format.

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  • Budgeting , Loans

Loan liquidation how to liquidate your loan

application letter for loan liquidation

  • Reviewed by Matt Mayerle
  • Edited by CreditNinja
  • October 15, 2022

loan liquidation

Do you have a business or company you are trying to finance? Owning your own business comes with plenty of assets to keep track of, and staying organized is essential if you want to reduce your financial risk. Loan liquidation may be a great way to take care of business expenses without acquiring a massive amount of debt. 

But what is a liquidated loan? What’s the difference between a personal loan vs. a business loan ? How do you know which option is right for you? CreditNinja has your back with all the answers you need here! 

What Is a Self Liquidating Loan?

A liquidated loan means any loan that has been used to finance assets, where the money borrowed is repaid by the cash flow acquired by the sale of that asset. Ideally, a self liquidating loan should essentially pay for itself. Since self liquidating loans are meant to pay for themselves, the payback period for this type of funding is usually relatively short. 

Business owners may utilize a self liquidating loan in order to prepay for assets needed to run their business. Then, as the business runs and sells off those acquired assets, business owners can use those proceeds to repay their loans. 

For example, a shop owner that sells primarily winter clothes like heavy jackets, hats, and scarves may not sell very much inventory during the summer months. However, business is most likely much more profitable during the colder winter months. Therefore, towards the beginning of the season that business owner may use a self liquidating loan to purchase clothing they intend to sell in the winter. Then, after the season ends, the owner can use the profits made from their sales to pay off their loan. 

How Does Loan Liquidation Work?

Getting a liquidated loan works much like getting any other form of financing. First, contact a lender and fill out a brief application. Upon approval, that lender will need to retrieve information about your finances, such as a credit score, how long your business has been running, how profitable your business has been in the past, and how much money you are looking to acquire. 

After you’ve discussed the basics with your lender, they will then give you a loan contract to sign. Read everything carefully. If the terms look good to you, you can go ahead and sign your agreement and receive your money. 

Can Loan Liquidation Affect My Personal Credit Score? 

As long as you keep your business and personal finances apart, loan liquidation shouldn’t be able to affect your personal credit score. When you apply for a business loan, the lender may take a look at your personal credit score to ensure you aren’t a lending risk. But as long as the loan is taken out on behalf of a business, not you personally, your personal FICO score shouldn’t be affected at all. 

If you plan on taking out a personal loan for business purposes, be sure to have a solid repayment schedule planned out to avoid a business loan having a negative effect on personal credit . 

If you use a personal loan responsibly, you may end up seeing an improvement in your credit score over time. Your credit score is determined by various financial habits and behaviors, which include paying back loans and other financial obligations on time. When you keep up with your monthly payments, you are working towards establishing a healthy payment history and minimizing your debts. This type of behavior is particularly appealing to credit bureaus because it means you are a responsible and reliable borrower. Then, when you go to apply for funds again in the future, the lender will be able to see this positive history, which will increase your chances of receiving instant approval and potentially a better loan deal! The general factors that contribute to your credit score are: 

  • Payment history.  
  • The total amount of debt you owe. 
  • Types of credit accounts. 
  • Hard credit inquiries you have on your account. 
  • Length of credit history. 

Why Is Having a Good Credit Score Important?

Credit scores are a financial tool used by lenders to determine how much of a financial risk a borrower may be. Borrowers with high credit are usually considered more reliable borrowers, which means lenders are more willing to approve them for a wider variety of loan products, higher loan amounts, more convenient payback schedules, are more. On the other hand, borrowers with a lower credit score may have a history of financial struggles, which may cause lenders to think twice before approving them for a loan.  

How Do I Know if Loan Liquidation Is Right for Me?

If you own a business that sells goods or services you need to pre-invest in; a liquidated loan may be the right choice for you. However, before you dive into this type of business loan, consider the pros and cons first. 

On the bright side, self liquidated loans allow entrepreneurs to immediately acquire the funding they need for their business needs. That way, they can make the purchases they need in order for their business to be successful up front instead of waiting until they earn enough profits on their own. 

But, there are also potential disadvantages of a liquidated loan as well. Business owners who don’t make enough profits may not be able to pay back funding that was originally taken out to be a liquidated loan. In this case, the business owner would have to come up with some other means of repaying such loan. Depending on the state of your finances, this may be extremely difficult to do. It may be a good idea to have a financial business plan mapped out before you take out a liquidated loan.

Are There Other Alternatives Besides Self Liquidating Loans?

What if a self liquidating loan is not the right financial option for you? Good news, there are other financial options for you to consider. 

However, when looking for an alternative loan, be mindful to stay away from predatory lenders. For example, some lenders market easy payday loans online as a convenient financial solution when in fact, these types of loans typically have high-interest rates and inconvenient payback terms. Before you apply for any kind of loan, do some lender research first, so you know you are going with the smartest option. 

Check out more information below on other ways you can fund your business besides via self liquidating loans. 

Acquire Investors 

Investors are people who are willing to put their money toward a particular business venture. To acquire investors, put together a brief presentation explaining your business structure, how an investment would assist in making that business structure profitable, and how investors themselves can benefit by contributing funds. If your argument is convincing enough, you may be able to find people who want to invest in your business and share in the profits! 

  • Business Loans

If you have a long-term business plan you need funding for; a short-term liquidating loan may not be the best way to borrow money. Instead, you can apply for a traditional business loan from banks or other financial institutions. Depending on your financial situation, these places may be able to offer you an extended payback plan, so you don’t have to worry about paying back your business loan immediately. 

Business Line of Credit or Business Credit Card 

If your business has recurring or varying expenses, a revolving line of credit like a business credit card may be the most convenient option. With a business credit card, you can pay for expenses as they pop up and only pay interest on what you spend. Your available line of credit will be renewed with each billing cycle, so you’ll always have that funding to fall back on if needed. But, be sure to prioritize paying off the balance; otherwise, you may find yourself with unmanageable debt that your business profits may not be able to cover. 

Personal Installment Loans 

Should you use a business loan or personal loan for small businesses ? Well, that depends on a few factors. If your business is a small operation that doesn’t require a lot of startup financing, you may be able to get by with a personal loan for your business. For instance, a small business owner who makes candles in their basement may only need a small personal loan of about $1,000 or so to get the supplies they need to run their business. But, for more involved operations like restaurants or brick-and-mortar retail shops, entrepreneurs may need a larger business loan over a personal installment loan. 

Bottom Line: Self Liquidating Loans and Loan Liquidation

A self liquidating loan may be the perfect financial solution for business owners who just need a bit of funding to kickstart their business for a short period of time. People looking for more time to repay their loans may want to look at the other options available. If you need financing for personal reasons, you may want to consider something like a personal installment loan from a direct lender. 

Looking for more free financial resources about loans? Check out the CreditNinja blog! 

References: Fund Your Business | SBA.gov

application letter for loan liquidation

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  • Letter Writing
  • Formal Letter Writing In English
  • Loan Closure Letter

Loan Closure Letter │ How to Write, Format and Sample Letters for You

Almost every grown up working individual today has a history of paying educational loans, house loans, car loans, property loans and so on. Loans are meant to help people by providing them with a considerable amount of cash when required with the condition that they pay it on a monthly or yearly basis. This varies according to the type of loan and the terms and conditions of the particular loan. You can learn more about how to apply for a loan and close a loan by reading this article. Also, learn how to write a loan closure letter by going through the sample loan closure letters.

How to Apply for a Loan?

Closing a loan, personal loan closure letter format, home loan closure letter sample, car loan closure letter format, frequently asked questions on loan closure letter.

If you are thinking of applying for a loan, there are a few things you should know before you approach a particular bank with your loan application. There are different types of loans like personal loans, house loans, car loans, educational loans, etc. Personal loans can be used for various purposes, including weddings, travel purposes, renovations and so on.

In order to apply for a loan, you have to first find out if you are eligible to do so. The factors you should look into are the following:

  • Your age is one of the most fundamental requirements. Only people above the age of 18 are usually considered eligible to apply for a loan.
  • Your housing situation plays a vital role in the approval of your loan. Having your own house will for sure be an added advantage as it is easier to avail a loan in this scenario than a rented house.
  • Your existing credit is another important factor. If you have already applied for another loan, the chance of getting a loan is low as it is necessary that the loan applicant possesses the required credit amount. You should be able to show proof that you have a stable job or a permanent income that supports you and would help you pay back the loan.
  • You also need to have a good track record of credit that proves your ability to pay back the loan.

If you remember, the loan officer or the bank officials would have mentioned the terms and conditions of the loan. This includes the time period in which you have to pay back your loan, foreclosure fee, a lien on the property you are taking a loan for, etc. For vehicle loans and personal loans, there might be a prepayment penalty of 1% to 5% of the outstanding balance before the pre-closure. Make sure you obtain a No Objection Certificate, which certifies that you do not have any pending payment dues. Do not forget to collect all the original documents that you had submitted when you applied for the loan.

You can follow the format of a formal letter when writing a loan closure letter. Make sure you provide your complete details along with the supporting documents. Provide your contact details so that they can contact you in case they have any questions or clarifications to be made.

Sample Loan Closure Letters

If you are looking for sample loan closure letters, you have come to the right place. Check out the following loan closure letter samples to understand the format well so that you can write your own letter without a doubt.

21/56, N B C Layout 2 nd Street

Mettupalayam Road

Coimbatore – 641012

January 15, 2022

The Branch Manager

State Bank of India

G N Mills Main Branch

Subject: Request for loan closure

Dear Sir/Ma’am,

I am Sudharshana Karthik, and I have a personal loan in my account in your bank. I am writing this letter to request you to close my personal loan account with the number 1526xxxxx4656.

I have paid all my EMIs, and the loan tenure is complete. I am attaching herewith all the mentioned documents, including the No Objection Certificate, Payment Receipts, Loan Sanction Documents, a copy of my Aadhaar Card and PAN Card as per the requirements of the bank. Kindly do the needful and let me know the further procedure of the closure of my personal loan. Please feel free to contact me in case of any queries.

Thank you for your support and cooperation.

Yours sincerely,

Signature of the sender

SUDHARSHANA KARTHIK

Contact details:

Phone number : 123445

Email id : [email protected]

Attached documents

1. No Objection Certificate

2. Payment Receipts

3. Loan Sanction Documents

4. Copy of Aadhaar Card

5. Copy of PAN Card

Apartment No. 142, Green Hill Apartments

Lakshmi Nagar 4 th Street

Tambaram West

Chennai – 600054

January 24, 2022

Central Bank of India

Tambaram West Branch

Subject: Request for home loan closure

I am Shahul Hamid. I hold a home loan account in your bank. I would like to bring to your notice that I have completed all the EMI payments in full, so I would like to request you to close my home loan account.

The actual tenure of my home loan with the account number 1623xxxx6536 ends in July. I was told that I would have a minimum of a 3% prepayment penalty as I am closing the loan prior to the completion of the loan tenure. Therefore, I authorise you to debit the said charges from my account.

I am enclosing a copy of my Aadhaar Card, a copy of my PAN Card, Loan Sanction Documents, EMI Payment Receipts and a copy of my bank passbook as informed. I request you to kindly do the needful and close my home loan account as early as possible.

Looking forward to a positive response from your end.

Thanking you

SHAHUL HAMID

45/156, B B Street

Anna Nagar East

Chennai – 600012

January 27, 2022

Union Bank of India

Anna Nagar East Branch

Subject: Request application for car loan closure

I am Stan Hudson, and I am writing to request you to close my car loan account with the account number (mention your account number).

I would like to inform you that the tenure of my Car Loan is over, and I have paid all my dues. I have attached all the documents as per the instructions. I request you to kindly close my car loan account and provide me with all the original documents I had submitted when I applied for the loan. Kindly let me know if there is anything else that I have to do as part of the closing procedure.

STAN HUDSON

Contact information

Phone number: 99999

Email address: [email protected]

1. Loan Sanction Letter

2. Copy of Aadhaar Card

3. Copy of PAN Card

4. No Objection Certificate

Check out different types of Letter Writing including Informal Letter s, cheque book request letter , enquiry letter , application for bank statement and application for closing bank account

How do I close a loan?

In order to close a loan, you should have paid all your dues and let your bank manager know that you would like to close your loan account. Make sure you collect all your original documents once the closing procedure is over.

How do you write a loan closure letter?

I am Sudharshana Karthik, and I have a personal loan in my account in your bank. I am writing this letter to request you to close my personal loan account with the number (mention your account number).

What are the details I should include in the loan closure letter?

Make sure you provide your complete loan account details and the reason why you are closing your loan account. You should also attach all the necessary documents according to the instructions given by the bank officials.

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First Steps in Liquidation and Collection of a 7(a) SBA Loan

While borrowers should repay their indebtedness in accordance with the terms and conditions of the loan, this is not always the case.  Borrowers default and, as a result, lenders must liquidate and commence collection in a prompt, cost-effective, and commercially reasonable manner.  However, when the defaulted loan is a Small Business Administration (“SBA”), guaranteed loan, the liquidation and collection must be consistent not only with prudent lending standards, but also in accordance with the applicable SBA Standard Operating Procedures (“SOPs”), and SBA Authorization issued at the time the loan was originated.

The SBA requires that lenders liquidate and exhaust all possible avenues of collection until a loan may be charged off and application made for payment on an SBA guaranty.   However, if the liquidation and collection efforts of a lender do not comply with the applicable SOPs and SBA Authorization, and a loss results, the SBA can either deny a request for purchase of its guaranteed portion, or reduce the amount of its purchase by the amount of the loss (commonly known as a repair).  Therefore, carefully adhering to the applicable SOPs during the liquidation and collection process can significantly decrease the chance of a denial or repair.  Accordingly, lenders should keep these initial steps in mind when liquidating and collecting on a defaulted SBA 7(a) loan.

Know when to accelerate

When there is a default on the note for SBA 7(a) loan, a lender needs to determine whether the loan should be accelerated.  Generally, a loan should be accelerated when it is clear to a prudent lender that, after a good faith effort to assist the borrower to bring the loan current, the default cannot be cured.  In making this determination, lenders should rely on their own policies and procedures for similarly-sized, non-SBA guaranteed commercial loans.

Special attention should be paid to the fact that a lender’s right to accelerate amounts due under the note are different than a lender’s right to request a guaranty purchase from the SBA. Generally, a borrower must be in default on a payment for more than sixty (60) calendar days before a lender can request a guaranty repurchase. A lender may not request a guaranty repurchase based solely on a non-payment default , however this limitation does not per se preclude the lender from accelerating the note. For example, there may be instances where there is sufficient collateral to fully compensate the lender for amounts due under the note, and no purchase request will be submitted to the SBA. In these cases it may be advisable, based on the value of the collateral, the terms of the underlying documents, and the lender’s internal policies, to accelerate amounts due under the note based on a non-payment based default.

Once a loan is accelerated, it is in “liquidation” status, and the SBA will need to be notified.  At this time, if the SBA guaranteed portion of the loan was sold in the secondary market, it must be repurchased.

After acceleration, a demand letter should be sent to all obligors under the loan, unless prohibited by applicable law.  If the default remains uncured, lenders are responsible for conducting all steps to recover the outstanding amounts due and owing under the SBA 7(a) loan, unless and until the SBA exercises its right to take over the liquidation of the loan.

Conduct Thorough Post-Default Site Visits

Once an SBA 7(a) loan is in default, lenders should conduct a thorough inspection of the borrower’s business premise.  The reason is twofold.  First, it provides lenders with the opportunity to identify the status of the available collateral.  An accurate assessment of the recoverable value of the collateral at an early stage of liquidation and collection is an invaluable tool that can significantly influence the recovery process, allowing the lender to quickly eliminate or solidify potential liquidation and collection options.

Second, lenders can assess whether out-of-court liquidation and collection avenues, such as workouts or repossession via self-help, are feasible.  The process of resolving a defaulted SBA 7(a) loan through a workout generally avoids the liquidation of collateral by the lender.  Post-default site visits may provide insight on whether an obligor can revitalize the business and possibly resolve the problems that caused the default.

A post-default site visit is mandatory unless specifically exempted. Generally, post-default site visits are required within sixty (60) calendar days of an uncured payment default.  For non-payment defaults (such as bankruptcy filing, business shutdown, or foreclosure by a prior lienholder), the site visit must occur within fifteen (15) calendar days of the occurrence of the adverse event.  Site visits should occur earlier if there is concern that the collateral could be removed, lost, or dissipated.

Certain loans are exempt from a post-default site visit.  If the loan is unsecured, a site visit is not required.  In addition, depending on the recoverable value of the collateral, a site visit may be unnecessary.  If the aggregate recoverable value of the personal property collateral is less than $5,000 or the recoverable value of each parcel of real property collateral is less than $10,000, a site visit is not required.

Whether or not a loan is exempt from a post-default site visit or the site visit was conducted, all lenders must prepare a post-default Site Visit Report, explaining why the site visit was not necessary or detailing the lender’s findings from the inspection, including an inventory of the remaining collateral and an assessment of its condition and value.

Identify Competing Interests

Often, lenders will have lending relationships with borrowers, other than the SBA loan. Lenders cannot take any action in the liquidation or collection of a SBA 7(a) loan that would result in an actual or apparent conflict of interest.  Any action taken by a lender must not favor recovery of the lender’s own loan over the SBA-guaranteed loan.  Therefore, early in the process, it is prudent to identify any non-SBA guaranteed loans to any obligor of the defaulted SBA 7(a) loan. Proper documentation of the justification for actions taken by the lender, supporting no actual or apparent conflict of interest, will reduce the risk of a repair or denial when the lender requests a guaranty purchase from the SBA in the event of a loss.

Prepare a Liquidation Plan

Prior to initiating liquidation or collection, a Liquidation Plan should be prepared.  A comprehensive liquidation plan is a great roadmap for lenders to pinpoint the specific steps it should take to maximize recovery.

Particularly, a Liquidation Plan should be prepared prior to taking any material action to liquidate an SBA loan.  The Liquidation Plan should consists of, among other things, site visit findings, feasibility of workout, expected recoverable value of the collateral, available methods of liquidation, the obligor(s) ability to repay the loan, and any non-SBA loans the obligor(s) has with the lender.  Unless the loan was authorized under the Certified Lender Program, a lender does not need to submit the Liquidation Plan for approval prior to implementing liquidation and collection proceedings.

Know when to submit a Litigation Plan for approval

In some cases, lenders will need to commence litigation to collect the obligations owed under the SBA loan.  Prior to taking any material legal action, lenders should prepare a Litigation Plan and determine whether SBA approval is necessary.  Routine litigation, such as uncontested litigation, non-adversarial matters in bankruptcy, and undisputed foreclosure actions, does not require the SBA’s prior approval, provided the estimated legal fees do not exceed $10,000 .

Conversely, non-routine litigation must be approved by the SBA.  Non-Routine Litigation includes:

i.   All litigation where factual or legal issues are in dispute;

ii.  Any litigation where legal fees are estimated to exceed $10,000;

iii.   Any litigation involving a loan where a lender has an actual or potential conflict of interest with the SBA; or

iv.   Any litigation where the lender has made a separate loan to the same borrower which is not a SBA 7(a).

Once legal fees exceed $10,000, all litigation is non-routine, and the Litigation Plan must be approved by the SBA.  As there is a threshold dollar amount, it is vital that routine litigation legal fees are closely monitored to ensure they do not exceed $10,000.

In addition, whenever there is a material change in the litigation, including changes which may affect legal expenses, an amended Litigation Plan should be prepared and a lender must determine whether SBA approval is necessary.

Adequately Document Every Action That Does Not Require SBA Approval

The Servicing and Liquidation Matrix for SBA 7(a) loans sets forth the liquidation-related actions that lenders are allowed to take without SBA approval (with or without notice to the SBA), as well as those actions that require approval. Lenders should always document the justification for liquidation-related actions, making sure to retain supporting documentation pursuant to the applicable SBA guidelines specific to the particular action. The Servicing and Liquidation Matrix in effect at the time of the action governs whether SBA approval is required. Thus, in order to properly document the justification for taking a certain action without SBA approval, a lender should keep a copy of the Servicing and Liquidation Matrix, which it relied upon in taking such action, in the loan file.

By recognizing and implementing these careful and considered initial steps, lenders who liquidate and collect defaulted SBA 7(a) loans can significantly reduce the risk of a repair or a denial from the SBA in the event of a loss.

Published by:

Lindsay W. Cremona

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application letter for loan liquidation

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Self-Liquidating Loan: What it is, How it Works

Adam Hayes, Ph.D., CFA, is a financial writer with 15+ years Wall Street experience as a derivatives trader. Besides his extensive derivative trading expertise, Adam is an expert in economics and behavioral finance. Adam received his master's in economics from The New School for Social Research and his Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in sociology. He is a CFA charterholder as well as holding FINRA Series 7, 55 & 63 licenses. He currently researches and teaches economic sociology and the social studies of finance at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem.

application letter for loan liquidation

What Is a Self-Liquidating Loan?

A self-liquidating loan (or self-liquidating offer) is a form of short- or intermediate-term credit instrument that is repaid with money generated by the assets it is used to purchase. The repayment schedule and maturity of a self-liquidating loan are timed to coincide with when the assets are expected to produce income. These loans are intended to finance purchases that will quickly and reliably generate cash.

Key Takeaways

  • A self-liquidating loan is a type of short term loan whereby the funds borrowed are used to buy some asset, which is in turn sold at the loan's maturity to repay the loan.
  • Cash-producing assets or projects are often the target of these loans since they can easily be repaid by selling the capital purchased, and pocket the cash generated as profit in the interim.
  • Some types of financial scams that seem too good to be true utilize self-liquidation as a hook to lure unsuspecting marks.

How a Self-Liquidating Loan Works

Although few loans are legally named "self-liquidating," the term is commonly used by bankers to refer to lending arrangements that work in this manner. It is also used by some scam artists, as we explain below.

A retail business might use a self-liquidating loan to purchase extra inventory in anticipation of the holiday shopping season. The revenue generated from selling that inventory would then be used to repay the loan. Self-liquidating loans are not always a wise credit choice for businesses. For example, they do not make sense for buying fixed assets , such as real estate, or depreciable assets, such as machinery or office equipment.

In many ways, a self-liquidating loan is much like a revenue bond with a sinking-fund feature. Revenue bonds are secured by specific revenue sources, such as tolls in the case of a highway, and a sinking fund dedicates money to be set aside for debt settlement.

Self-liquidating loans don't make sense for buying fixed or depreciable assets.

Self-Liquidating Loan Scams

There are also a number of investment scams that call themselves "self-liquidating loans" or "self-liquidating assets." Most of these use the vagaries surrounding "self-liquidating" to give the appearance of less risk or more security than is justified. An unsuspecting or financially inexperienced investor or business owner can fall victim to good salesmanship and misrepresentation.

application letter for loan liquidation

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Letters in English

Letters in English

Sample Letters, Letter Templates & Formats

Home » Letters » Bank Letters » Request Letter to Bank for Closing Loan Account

Request Letter to Bank for Closing Loan Account

To, The Branch Manager, ____________ (Loan Department) ____________ (Name of the Bank) ____________ (Branch Address)

Date: __/__/____ (Date),

Subject- Closure of the loan account (Loan Account number)

Respected sir,

I, ___________(Name) hold a ____________ (type of loan account) account in your bank. I am writing this letter to request you to close my ____________ (type of loan account) account bearing account number ____________ (Loan Account no.).  The reason for closure is due to  ___________ (reason for account closure – loan tenure complete/EMI Complete/ Full Amount Paid/Any other reason).

Details of the account are mentioned below: Loan Account holder/s name: ____________ Account number: ____________

As per bank requirement, I am enclosing ___________ (Loan account closure form, KYC, other documents if applicable) with the application. I have already _________ (completed the tenure/All EMI Paid /Full Amount Paid). I am authorizing to debit charges from the account for the closure of the loan account (if any).

Thanking you,

Kind regards, ____________ (Name) ____________ (Address), ____________ (Contact Number)

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Published In: Applications

How to Write a Loan Application Letter (with Samples)

Sometimes we need financial assistance to push through with our business idea, education, medical emergencies, or any other personal project or goals that require a huge amount of money for its realization. Basically, it is for this reason that banks and other money lending institutions exist.

Applying for a loan from any lending institution requires the applicant to first fill out a form.  Along with this form, the applicant can attach a loan application letter that provides more details on what he/she intends to do with the money and an overview of how the loan will be paid.

As a loan applicant, you need to learn how to write the loan request letter in a polite and convincing tone to appeal to your lender for your loan to be granted successfully.

What is a Loan Application Letter?

A Loan application letter is a document that informs the financial lending institution of the amount of money you are asking for, a clear outline of what you intend to do with the money, and convinces the bank why you are a good investment risk. Because it is a request, a loan application letter should be written in a polite tone, short and to the point.

The Loan Application Process

Based on the financial institution you choose, the process and time it takes for you to receive funding may vary. However, the typical loan application process may take on the following critical stages:

Pre-qualification stage

Prior to the loan contract, the potential borrower receives a list of items that they need to submit to the lender for them to get a loan. This may include Identification proof, credit score, current employment information, bank statements as well as previous loan statements.

Immediately this information is submitted, the lender reviews the documents and makes a pre-approval- meaning the borrower can move on to the next phase of the loan application process.

Loan application

In the second phase of the loan origination process, the borrower fills-in the loan application form either electronically- through mobile apps, websites, or paper-based. The data collected is then tailored to specific loan products.

The aspects that are included in the loan application form include the following;

The payment method- if it will be personal, through a check, or via online banking.

The payment frequency- There are several payment frequency methods, for example, Monthly installments, annually, or if the loan will be paid once.

The amount of interest accumulated on the loaned amount. This is the amount of money charged by the lender to the borrower on top of the amount which he/she has loaned.

The assets in the form of properties of the borrower will serve as collateral damage/guarantees in case the borrower defaults loan repayment or is unable to make his payments as per the agreed time.

Application processing

Once the application is received by the credit department, it is reviewed for accuracy, genuineness, and completeness.  Lenders then use Loan Originating Systems to determine an applicant’s creditworthiness.

Underwriting process

This process only begins after an application is totally completed. In this stage, the lender checks the application in consideration of various accounts, such as an applicant’s credit score, risk scores, and other industry-based criteria. Today, this process is fully automated using Rule Engines and API integrations with credit scoring engines.

Credit Decision

Based on the results from the underwriting phase, the lender makes a credit decision. The loan is either approved, denied, or sent back to the originator for additional information. If the criteria used do not match with what is set in the engine system, there is an automatic change in the loan parameters, for instance, reduced loan amount or a different interest rate on the loaned amount.

Quality Check

Quality check of the loan application process is very critical since lending is highly regulated. The loan application is then sent to the Quality Control Team to analyze critical variables of the loan against internal and external regulations on loans. This is often the last step of the application process before funding is approved.

Loan funding

Once the loan documents are signed by both the borrower and the lender, funds are released shortly after. Nevertheless, business loans, loans on properties, and second mortgage loans may comparatively take more time to be approved due to legal and compliance reasons.

Essential Elements of a Loan Application Letter

Now that you have already understood the complex loan application process, it is important that you know the critical points to include in your loan request letter to convince your lender to give you a business loan.

Here is how to effectively write a loan application letter:

Header and greetings

The first and most important element of your business or personal loan application letter should be a header and an appropriate greeting.

In your header, include the following details:

  • Your business names
  • The physical address of your business
  • Business telephone and cell phone numbers
  • Lender’s contact details
  • Lender’s or Loan Agent’s Name and Title
  • A subject line stating the loan amount you are requesting for.

Once you have written your header, include a friendly but professional greeting to start off your loan application letter in a cordial tone.

Business Loan Request Summary

The body of your business or personal loan request letter should start with a brief summary of your loan request amount, why you need the loan, your basic business information, and why you are an ideal risk investment for the lender. This section should be brief and concise. Only include the relevant information to capture your loan agent’s interest and keep them reading the body of your loan application letter.

Basic Details about your Business

Ideally, this is the third paragraph of your loan application letter. Use a few short and concise sentences to give a clear outline of your business.

Be sure to include the details below:

  • The legal name of your business and any DBA that your business uses
  • Your business structure- if it is a corporation- partnership, individually owned, etc.
  • A summary of what your business does.
  • How long your business has been operational
  • Total number of employees
  • A brief description of your current annual revenue

Once you have provided your basic business information, it is time to write the meat of your business loan request letter- clearly explaining why you need the business loan and how you intend to recuperate the investment.

The purpose of the business loan

In the fourth paragraph of your loan application letter, explain succinctly how you will use the business loan. Additionally, tell the lender why your intended use of the business loan will be a wise business investment.

While detailing this section, be as specific as possible and demonstrate to the lender that you have carefully considered the kind of revenue generation this new debt will accomplish for your business. for instance, don’t just say that you intend to use the loan for working capital. Rather, say that you plan to increase your inventory by 45% or that you need to increase your Human Resources to 4 to generate more income by 6%.

In the same paragraph, inform the lender exactly how the loaned amount will help generate more profits necessary to cover repayment plus the interest accumulated on loan.

Proof that you’ll be able to fully repay the loan

In this section, you need to demonstrate to the lender that you can pay back the loaned amount together with interest as per the agreed repayment period. You will want to use any figures from your latest income statements or balance sheets to prove your business is financially healthy and that it is a low-risk investment decision for your lender. In case you have other existing debts, be sure to mention them and include a business debt schedule if possible. If your business is profitable, highlight that in your letter since it something that most lenders pretty much look for in successful loan applicants.

In addition to that, consider including specific cash flow projections to demonstrate to your lender how you plan to fit repayment of the loaned amount plus interest into your budget.

Sample: Loan Application Letter

Sample 1: business loan application letter.

Samira Mitchell,

Mitchell Face Masks Limited,

4680 Forest Road

939, New York.

January 17, 2021

Mr. Wesley Kingston

Guarantor Trust Bank

679, New York State

Ref: Loan Request for $10,000

Exactly two years ago, I started my small face mask vending business in our local market. Over the last two years, my business has picked up really well to an extent where I need to expand to a bigger face mask vending company.

It is for this reason that I am writing this letter. I am confident that there is a great market niche for face masks, especially due to the current worldwide Novel Covid-19 Pandemic. Thus far, I have had many repeat customers, new customer links through referrals, and my client base has grown rapidly. Generally, there is an increase in demand for my products; therefore, I am requesting for a loan amounting to $10,000 to be able to supply more and satisfy all my clients.

This money, along with the amount that I have saved up from my profits, will enable me to lease a large, modern storefront and to import supplies that will help me launch my business plan.

I have attached my business plan, my latest business balance sheets, current business schedules, as well as my credit history statements for your perusal and review. If you have any questions or need any further clarifications, please contact me directly on (111) 345 679 or email me at Mitchel.facemasksltd.co.ke. Thank you for your consideration.

Samira Mitchel.

Sample 2: Personal Loan Application Letter

Dear Michael,

It is common for everyone to face difficult situations and bitter realities in life. I am currently facing a situation where everything seems bleak, and there seems to be no way out of this difficult situation. I am in debt, and I need to pay at least 30% of my house’s mortgage will be taken over by the bank, and I am currently ailing and weak, I’ll not be able to survive such a nervewrecking situation.

The only way I can avoid such a fate is by paying the full amount that is needed by the bank. I can be able to do so if I am allowed to take out a loan from the office, which is a privilege that the company has granted to all the employees. I would be thankful if the company allows me to borrow the money against my monthly pay.

Mr Brandon Brown

Do’s and Don’ts of Writing a Loan Request Letter

A loan application letter may increase or break your chances of receiving funding from any lending institution. This is because it is the first thing that lenders look for in the underwriting process when you submit an application. That said, you must know the dos and don’ts of writing a winning loan request letter to help you receive the funding that you really need.

  • Check your personal and business credit scores before sending a loan request letter and take the necessary steps to improve them.
  • Have all your financial statements ready, including cash flow statements, business balance sheets, P$L statements, etc
  • Make sure to submit all your relevant credentials along with your loan application request letter.
  • Always provide the correct and factual information to avoid fraudulent consequences.
  • Don’t make your letter too long and unnecessarily wordy
  • Don’t use an informal format while writing the loan application letter. Instead, follow the proper rules on writing formal letters
  • Don’t include any false information in your loan request letter- be it your business’s current financial health, assets, and liabilities that may be used as collateral damage in case you default payment or why you need the money.

Things to Remember When Writing a Loan Application Letter

Generally, you should always consider the following essential tips if you want to write a winning loan application letter:

  • The loan application letter is a formal document. Therefore, observe the proper rules of writing a formal letter.
  • Clearly state your intent to borrow a given amount of money
  • Provide a vivid but brief description of why you need the money. Your explanation should be concise, genuine, and transparent. While at it, explain how you plan to use the loaned amount and be very sincere about it.
  • Explain why your business is a low-risk investment decision for the lender.
  • Enumerate your assets and liabilities
  • Include the time, date, manner, and method that you will use to make your payment.

Free Loan Application Letter Templates

Are you looking to get some financing for your business or personal emergency? Download our free, well-crafted Loan application letter templates to help you customize your loan request letter. Our Templates includes all the critical elements of a winning loan request letter that will successfully help convince your lender to grant you the funding you need. Download our templates today to help you get started!

Car-Loan-Application-Sample

Collateral is defined as something that helps secure a loan. Generally, based on the type of lending institution you pick, the lender will give you less than your pledged asset value. Lenders every so often quote an acceptable loan to value ratio, meaning that if you borrow against your house, for example, and it worth $400,000, you will be given a loan amounting to $380,000. Again, this depends on the bank.

The prepayment penalty is a fee that some lenders charge if you pay off all or part of your loan before the loan’s maturity date. These do not usually apply if you pay extra principal on your loaned amount in small amounts at a time. However, it is good that you counter check with your lender.

Every lender follows a different criterion to approve a business or personal loan. The application process depends on several factors; therefore, the time taken to receive funding in your account may take anywhere from a few minutes to several days. This depends on the type of institution you choose and the type of loan you are asking for.

Acquiring a loan is sometimes a necessity in one’s business or personal life.  Nonetheless, it is not always easy to get a loan as lenders are wary of granting loans due to loan repayment defaults and fraudulent borrowers. This article has provided you with great insight on loan application letters, the loan application process, essential tips for writing a winning loan application letter, and the dos and don’ts of writing a convincing loan request letter. If you keep these things in mind every time you are thinking of applying for a loan, you are sure to get the funds you need to ensure the smooth running of your business and sort any personal emergency that may come your way.

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Writing a Good Loan Application Letter (with Sample)

Use this sample loan application letter as a template for your formal application letter. ​ ​ last updated on june 22, 2023.

  • The names and job details of the management team including the legal structure of the business, senior management and qualifications
  • A clear understanding of the current marketplace including how the business attracts customers and their daily or monthly sales numbers
  • Proof of substantial experience in the industry such as years the business has been functioning and how the profits have increased each year
  • Writing a Business Loan Request Letter (with Sample)
  • Writing a Salary Loan Request Letter (with Sample)
  • Writing a Personal Loan Letter (with Sample Letter)
  • Writing a Business Line of Credit Request Letter (with Sample) ​  ​

application letter for loan liquidation

Loan liquidation – Meaning and how to liquidate your Loan

Last updated on dec 11th, 2023.

Olamide

Debt is a term that describes the amount of money that a party owes to another party. In other words, it is money borrowed by a person or legal entity from another. 

Generally, a loan is one of the most common types of liquidated debts. Loans could be in the form of a home loan, car loan or even student loan. 

This article covers all you need to know about the meaning of Loan liquidation and how to liquidate your loan.

Loan liquidation

What is loan liquidation? 

Liquidation often refers to the process whereby a business folds up and I sell its free or unpledged assets out. 

The proceeds of this sale are afterwards used to pay the business’ debts. Usually, in finance, liquidation occurs when a company becomes bankrupt and it cannot settle its debts and obligations. 

From another point of view, liquidation could mean the transfer of valuables or potential assets into monetary form. However, this definition is not particularly applicable here, as the subject loan is usually already in monetary form.

Accordingly, a Liquidated Loan means a Loan which has been liquidated or paid back. The liquidation of a loan can be either by way of payment in full, a disposition, a refinance or  a compromise. In addition it can also be a sale to a charged Off Loan Purchaser or any other means of liquidation of such Loan.

How can you liquidate your loan?

Before opting for any loan agreement , it is important that you have a repayment source and plan in mind. In other words, your liquidation plan ought to begin with your loan plan. That way, you do not get stranded along the line. 

There are certain tips you must keep in mind to experience a successful loan liquidation process:

  • Make your repayment or liquidation plan a priority: when your repayment plan is your priority, you get to make a conscious effort towards it. These efforts include saving ahead to cover your EMI even before it becomes due.
  • Focus on repaying your high-interest loans first: Most people often focus on paying the smaller debts first and gradually move up to the bigger ones. However, research has shown that this would only prolong your repayment period and increases the interest you get to pay. Therefore, try to direct the maximum amount you can afford to pay to your high rate loans while securing necessary payments on the smaller ones.
  • The higher your income gets, the higher your repayment percentage: this is another factor that can help you go through a successful liquidation process. Make a conscious effort to increase your repayment percentage each time you obtain an income increase. This would cut short the time that your repayment plan would have lasted and put your mind at ease.
  • Use bonuses and windfall gains to pay larger debts:

 Rather than spend your bonuses on the latest gadgets and explore your desires, settle your costly debts.

  •  You can also use existing investments to repay debt: 

While it may seem unwise to use your investment for loan liquidation, it goes beyond that in reality. Not only does your indebtedness reduce your total credit worth, but it also ends up making the top of your expenditure list. Therefore, to avoid being clogged by debts, it is better to clear them off when you have what it takes.

There are several entities, corporations or private investors that issue out loans. Most of which also provides liquidation or pre-liquidation options for their customers. An example of these is banks. Liquidating your loans can come easily, especially when you fuel it by your willingness, discipline and determination.

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Loan Application Letter

Loan Application Letter in Word, Google Docs, PDF, Apple Pages, Outlook

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Download this Loan Application Letter Design in Word, Google Docs, PDF, Apple Pages, Outlook Format. Easily Editable, Printable, Downloadable.

A neat and well layered application template that you can get for free. The design is perfect for those who are applying for any kind of loan. High-quality and printable, this template is easy to edit.

LOAN APPLICATION LETTER

Dear [RECIPIENT NAME],

I have a current savings account in your bank with account number [NUMBER] for the past [NUMBER 1] years. I want to apply for a [NAME] loan for the purpose of expanding my business.

I can assure you that the field of my venture has a large and strong market in [COUNTRY/STATE/PROVINCE]. Currently, I have stable customers and my business is growing. I would like to expand my business to be able to provide my services to other people. The money I have saved up and this loan, if granted, will be put up to expand my business in [DETAIL].

I would like to ask for the details, formalities and requirements needed for the loan, and I shall make arrangements to meet with you as soon as possible. 

[YOUR SIGNATURE]

[YOUR NAME]

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Table of contents

What is an employee loan application letter, when you need a loan application letter, what to include in while writing this letter to organization, what are the terms and conditions for pre-writing considerations, 1. make header relevant, 2. mention the purpose or reason of the loan, 3. add basic information about the job, 4. assure borrowed repayment, 5. closing a personal loan application letter, loan application letter sample, personal loan application letter sample, wrapping up with bonus offer.

  • BLOG DETAILS

What HR & Employees Need to Know about Loan Application Letter?

  • personal loan application letter sample
  • 10 min read
  • October 5, 2023

Loan Application Letter

Need of money? Whenever it is required, the only way to adopt is to advance or loan! However, most companies provide loans to employees, when needed. As an employee, if you’re worried about asking for a loan, you need a perfect loan application letter and process for that.

If you are one who wants a loan and, doesn’t know how to ask or how to draft the letter loan application request then superworks provides a letter format for loan application, which makes the process easy and hassle-free.

So, don’t stress about it. Use personal loan application letter templates to confidently approach your employer and request financial help whenever needed.

Here’s what you need to know about writing an employee loan application letter, including when you need it, what information you need before writing it, examples to look at, what format to use, and a template to help you write your own.

Note: You can download directly from here and edit as per your need.

What Is an Employee Loan Application Letter

A loan application letter for an employee is correspondence an employee writes and submits to the organization as part of the loan application process.

It basically includes,

Loan amount

Explanation of cause

Details about the repayment of the loan

Use of funds

Loan application letters are needed in two main situations:

1. You can consider the loan application letter to bank when you want to borrow money from a regular bank and want to show that your business is doing well.

2. You can consider the loan application letter to other organizations or your own organization for a personal loan.

In both cases, you need a perfect loan application letter to bank or organization. Whether you want loan from a third party or bank.

There are no strict rules while writing this HR document – an application letter for a loan. It’s up to the person who wants the loan to decide what to put in it while approaching. However, a usual loan application has these things:

Contact number

The reason why you need a loan

How much amount you want?

What you will use the money for?

Work history

The salary you are earning right now

Names of people who can say good things about you

Info about your job or business

A list of papers that prove what you said.

Terms And Conditions

Before approaching for the loan, you need to be ready! There are some terms and conditions, pre pre-writing considerations regarding loan application.

Before you start, do some homework about the loan you’re getting the loan from.

Consider multiple reasons why you are a good fit for a loan.

Also, think about what you want to tell them about your project.

Write down any questions you might have during the loan application process.

Check your credit score and know your rights as you are borrowing money.

Once you’ve done all that, look over everything you’ve written and then collect the papers regarding that. Make sure it makes sense to someone who hasn’t seen your notes or looked at your finances. If you’re applying for a big loan, you’ll usually need to write a loan application letter for that you need to collect sample letter for loan application from company like Superworks. But remember, just the letter alone might not be enough to get you the loan unless you have good credit so check it as well.

Remember these 2 things if you need the loan:

1. Check your personal and business credit scores for loans.

2. Get your financial records together, like your profit and loss statement. However, if you are applying to your company then consider your salary statement.

Read more: An Ultimate Guide Of Easy-To-Use Joining Letter Format For Employee

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Transform the way you manage HR tasks within your organization. Take the first step towards a more streamlined HR process.

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How To Write A Loan Application Letter?

How To Write A Loan Application Letter

Knowing how to write a letter asking for a loan is important, as it helps to borrow money from the employer via HR. Whether you want from the organization or from outside, you can get the loan application letter sample from a good HR software provider and use it for your process.

Writing a loan request letter might seem a bit scary, but download it free or check these steps to write it.

The header is very important before writing this letter to your company for a personal loan, you should include these details.

You need to add the date, month, day, and year when you’re writing the loan application letter. Make sure the date is correct.

Your name is necessary of course. Add your full name, contact info & address. You need to include a mailing address with a work email, a zip code, and your phone number.

Mention the name of the organization or person, Usually, it is someone from the finance department, or higher authority, or a bank.

After you’ve mentioned everything on the header, you need to add the purpose of the loan. So for that, you need to make it clear and short how you’ll spend the money you want from the loan.

Use a tone like convincing when you explain why this is a smart move for your business or project.

To write a good personal loan application letter that’s clear, helpful, and convincing, start with a header and a friendly greeting.

Include these things:

Your address

The name of the person asking for a loan

How to contact you

A subject line with how much money you want

After you’ve talked about what you’ll do with the loan money, now give them a surety about the repayment. Use facts and good reasons to explain this. You can also mention the history of making smart money decisions to prove you’re responsible with your finances.

Explain your plan to repay the loan: You need to describe shortly what is your business or job and how you repay this. Include a timeline and back it up with things in your salary.

Show the proof of your money: Sometimes, you’ll need to give proof of your earnings. You need to submit evidence regarding your salary, bank statements, tax papers, etc. Things like bank statements or tax papers can help you prove you have other sources of money.

Make yourself seem trustworthy: To get a loan, you need the lender to trust you. You can do this by telling them about your job, showing some ID, and explaining why they can trust you.

It’s important to close the personal loan application letter with wise and grateful words. Be polite and professional to increase your chances of approval. You might even be able to talk about getting a lower interest rate in your loan request letter.

Loan Application Letter Sample

Every company should take care of their employees as they provide a personal loan to them. In that case, there are several documents needed and an application letter is one of them. This problem can easily solved by a good HR management tools provider if you don’t want to make any application letter and all. You can directly approach the loan from one of the features of the HR & payroll software . We are here to solve all HR-related problems, so contact our expert to know more!

The main goal of sending a loan application letter to an employer is to formally request financial help for your required things. It serves to provide a clear and professional explanation of why the loan is needed & when you repay it.

To structure a loan application letter for an employer, begin with a polite greeting and introduction explaining the purpose of the letter. The body of the letter should detail the reason for the loan, specify the desired loan amount, and propose a repayment plan.

You can download this letter from the Superworks website, by getting the HR toolkit access free. You just need to fill out the form and get the document for free.

Written By :

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Alpesh Vaghasiya

The founder & CEO of Superworks, I'm on a mission to help small and medium-sized companies to grow to the next level of accomplishments. With a distinctive knowledge of authentic strategies and team-leading skills, my mission has always been to grow businesses digitally. The core mission of Superworks is Connecting people, Optimizing the process, Enhancing performance.

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Birmingham-Southern makes another request to State Treasurer Young Boozer for $30 million state loan

  • Updated: Dec. 10, 2023, 2:15 p.m. |
  • Published: Dec. 10, 2023, 11:22 a.m.
  • Mike Cason | [email protected]

Birmingham-Southern College has told State Treasurer Young Boozer it can offer the state first-claim position on its collateral assets, which would fix one of the deficiencies Boozer cited in his decision to deny the college’s request for a $30 million loan in state funds.

Birmingham-Southern President Daniel Coleman and the college’s board chair sent a letter to Boozer on Friday with its latest proposal in seeking the loan, which the private college is pursuing to help keep its doors open.

Boozer said Friday afternoon he would review the proposal.

Boozer turned down the Birmingham-Southern request in October, saying the college did not meet the qualifications to receive a loan under the Distressed Institutions of Higher Education program, which the Legislature created earlier this year in response to Birmingham-Southern’s request for state funds. The legislation put the state treasurer in charge of the loan program and gave him discretion on whether to approve a loan.

The law requires the college to provide a first security interest in its collateral assets, as well as a financial restructuring plan to provide for repaying the loan.

Boozer, in his Oct. 13 letter denying the application, said Birmingham-Southern could not provide first-security interest in its collateral assets, which include the 192-acre campus. Boozer also said the college’s financial restructuring plan did not adequately provide for repayment of the loan. The college also disputes that.

Boozer, in an interview on Thursday with AL.com , explained his reasons in reaching the conclusions stated in his Oct. 13 letter turning down the loan application.

Among those reasons, Boozer said, are the college’s existing debt to ServisFirst Bank and its bond debt. ServisFirst bank has first security interest in the college’s collateral assets. Student tuition revenues are pledged as collateral for the bond debt.

In response to questions from AL.com on Friday, Birmingham-Southern said it offered the state first-security position in writing on two previous occasions and again in Friday’s proposal, which the college said included a letter from ServisFirst Bank.

Birmingham-Southern said it owes ServisFirst Bank $16.5 million. The bond debt is $8.5 million, the college said.

‘The College has offered the State a first secured position in collateral that exceeds several times the amount of the proposed $30 million loan, including its 192-acre campus in west Birmingham and U.S. Treasury securities,” Birmingham-Southern said in an email. “First secured position was offered in writing on May 12, 2023, August 24, 2023, and again on December 8, 2023.

The college said those offers were made verbally in two meetings in Boozer’s office on Nov. 30, one with the treasurer and his staff and three representatives of the Birmingham-Southern Board of Trustees, and the other with the treasurer and his staff and two members of the Alabama Legislature.

Boozer noted that the liquidation value of Birmingham-Southern’s collateral assets is $22 million. Boozer said that was not enough to provide security on the ServisFirst debt plus additional debt that would come with a loan from the state.

Birmingham-Southern mentions the $22 million liquidation figure but also includes additional collateral values in its letter to Boozer on Friday, according to an excerpt sent to AL.com (the bold print is from the college). The letter also mentions the Nov. 30 meetings:

“We understand from conversations with these legislators that the release of all collateral from ServisFirst Bank will address the collateral issue raised in your October 13, 2023, letter to the College.

“This release will enable the College to provide the State with a first security interest in its collateral assets, a minimum requirement in the Act that established the Distressed Institutions of Higher Learning Revolving Loan Program.

“To this end, we have attached a letter from ServisFirst Bank confirming their willingness to release all assets they have as collateral.

“In addition, we have attached the most recent appraisal of the main campus as well as those for the 146-unit Hilltop Apartments and the nearly 15,000-square-foot Consolidated Pipe and Supply Company corporate headquarters, both owned by the College. This information was previously provided in writing to the Treasurer’s office on May 12, 2023, and August 24, 2023.

“The most conservative numbers for the main campus ($22 million liquidity value, $55 million to $75 million in appraised value), the Hilltop Apartments ($9.45 million), and the appraised value of the Consolidated Pipe building ($2.46 million) total approximately $34 million. In addition, BSC can pledge a life insurance policy that will increase the collateral to $35 million.

“In summary, the College can offer first security interest in all its collateral assets, giving the state first priority interest in Birmingham-Southern’s entire campus, a campus which provides more than adequate security for a $30 million loan.”

Two weeks ago, the Birmingham City Council a pproved $5 million in loans to Birmingham-Southern. Coleman called that a step in the right direction and said the college should be able to open in the fall of 2024. Coleman said the college would also seek money from the Jefferson County Commission.

AL.com first reported in December 2022 that Birmingham-Southern was in financial distress and was in danger of closing. The college initially sought a state grant, as well as money from the Birmingham City Council and the Jefferson County Commission, funding the college said would be a bridge until it could raise money for its endowment. The Legislature approved the Distressed Institutions of Higher Education Loan Program in response to Birmingham-Southern’s requests.

After Boozer denied the loan, Birmingham-Southern filed a lawsuit disputing Boozer’s claims that it failed to meet the minimum qualifications and said Boozer had exceeded his authority and undermined the intent of the Legislature when he turned down the loan application.

Montgomery County Circuit Judge James Anderson granted the state’s request to dismiss the lawsuit, finding that the Legislature gave Boozer the discretion to deny the loan.

This story was edited at 2:04 p.m. change the term liquidity value of Birmingham-Southern’s assets to liquidation value.

Read more: Birmingham-Southern College disputes state treasurer’s claims

State treasurer compares Birmingham-Southern College to ‘junk bond’

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application letter for loan liquidation

Address. From Your name, Address. Sub: Personal loan closure application. Dear Sir/Madam, I am writing this letter to request you close my personal loan bearing account no. _______ because I have paid (all the EMIs / paid full loan amount / loan tenure has completed / other reason).

LOAN LIQUIDATION . Office of Capital Access . U.S. Small Business Administration . November 15, 2010 . SOP 50 51 3 . ... Lender's Demand Letter for Guaranty Purchase d. Lender's Transcript of Account (SBA Form 1149) e. Wrap-up Report for Standard 7(a), CLP, PLP and EWCP Loans

First, contact a lender and fill out a brief application. Upon approval, that lender will need to retrieve information about your finances, such as a credit score, how long your business has been running, how profitable your business has been in the past, and how much money you are looking to acquire.

An Application Letter for a Loan Officer is a formal document submitted by an individual to a bank or financial institution, expressing interest in obtaining a specific loan. This letter outlines the purpose of the loan, provides personal and financial information, and might also detail the applicant's creditworthiness and repayment strategy.

Home Forms Library Application for liquidation of loan Get the up-to-date application for liquidation of loan 2023 now Show details 4.9 out of 5 371 votes 44 reviews 23 ratings 15,005 10,000,000+ 303 100,000+ users Here's how it works 01. Edit your letter of liquidation sample online

A loan application letter is a formal letter written to a financial institution by a borrower requesting a loan, payable in a specified amount of time. The letter helps lenders get acquainted with the borrowers better to determine if they qualify for the loan based on the information provided or not.

Your age is one of the most fundamental requirements. Only people above the age of 18 are usually considered eligible to apply for a loan. Your housing situation plays a vital role in the approval of your loan. Having your own house will for sure be an added advantage as it is easier to avail a loan in this scenario than a rented house.

The following examples of printable letters apply to loan purposes for COVID-19, small business template capital, personal loans, home loans, mortgage payment, education, car loans, wedding/marriage, medical emergency, foreclosure, and bank loans. Loan Application Letter [/ns _col] Details File Format Google Docs Word Apple Pages PDF Download Now

Once an SBA 7 (a) loan is in default, lenders should conduct a thorough inspection of the borrower's business premise. The reason is twofold. First, it provides lenders with the opportunity to identify the status of the available collateral. An accurate assessment of the recoverable value of the collateral at an early stage of liquidation and ...

A self-liquidating loan (or self-liquidating offer) is a form of short- or intermediate-term credit instrument that is repaid with money generated by the assets it is used to purchase. The...

Respected sir, I, ___________ (Name) hold a ____________ (type of loan account) account in your bank. I am writing this letter to request you to close my ____________ (type of loan account) account bearing account number ____________ (Loan Account no.).

A Loan application letter is a document that informs the financial lending institution of the amount of money you are asking for, a clear outline of what you intend to do with the money, and convinces the bank why you are a good investment risk.

Cover Letter for Loan Book; Offer to Loan Customers to Move December Payment; Sample Letter for Payoff of Loan Held by Mortgage Company; Sample Letter for Reinstatement of Loan; Sample Letter for Employer's Verification on Loan Application; Sample Letter for Loan; Sample Letter for Request to Creditor for Temporary Reduction of Loan Payment Amount

A Loan Request Letter is a letter written by a loan applicant and addressed to a lending institution, generally sent as a part of the loan application process. A loan request letter introduces you to the bank or other lending institution, clearly describes your planned use for the loan funds, and describes how you will pay back the loan.

Downloaded osfc-vl-1 commonwealth of pennsylvania office of the state fire commissioner volunteer loan assistance program 2605 interstate drive, harrisburg, pennsylvania 17110-9364 (717) 651-2200 or 800-670-3473 loan application and letter of...

Liquidation hardship relief request for disaster loan servicing action request packages. Download .pdf. File size: 201KB. Owned by : Office of Capital Access. Related Programs : Disaster.

Thankfully, our reliable letter templates can help you if you are aiming to write professional-looking loan request letters. Check out Loan Application Letters Templates to get access to our numerous original, customizable ready-made templates and be able to download them on your mobile phone or PC. Write a loan request without having to start ...

Name of Bank or Lending Institution. Address of Bank or Lending Institution. City, State, Zip Code. RE: Application for loan of $50,000. Dear Name of Loan Officer: This letter is a formal request that you favorably consider my loan application. I have been a patron of this bank for the past 20 years.

This letter must include: The SBA loan number; Obligor's name and address; How and when the Obligor can be contacted; Copies of the documents that substantiate the change in circumstances. Completed, signed and dated Consent to Verify Information and 3rd Party Authorization (Borrower Authorization).

To fill out an application for liquidation of, follow these steps: 01 Gather all the necessary documents, such as financial records, company agreements, and any relevant legal documents. 02 Clearly state the reason for liquidation in the application and provide any supporting documentation or evidence. 03

Last Updated on Dec 11th, 2023 Debt is a term that describes the amount of money that a party owes to another party. In other words, it is money borrowed by a person or legal entity from another. Generally, a loan is one of the most common types of liquidated debts. Loans could be in the form of a home loan, car loan or even student loan.

Download this Loan Application Letter Design in Word, Google Docs, PDF, Apple Pages, Outlook Format. Easily Editable, Printable, Downloadable. A neat and well layered application template that you can get for free. The design is perfect for those who are applying for any kind of loan.

1. Make Header Relevant. The header is very important before writing this letter to your company for a personal loan, you should include these details. You need to add the date, month, day, and year when you're writing the loan application letter. Make sure the date is correct. Your name is necessary of course.

Boozer, in his Oct. 13 letter denying the application, said Birmingham-Southern could not provide first-security interest in its collateral assets, which include the 192-acre campus.

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This writing form has a value that goes beyond the college application as it nurtures self-reflection and inspires creativity.

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I still remember my own personal essay that I wrote decades ago during my college admissions process. My essay focused on movies and how movies were a conduit of curiosity. It was also about the death of my father and how movies, in part, had provided a common ground for us—a connection. Although my essay, of course, was not the sole determining factor in my admission, it’s a predominant memory from that time of my life. To this day, I feel it had a persuasive effect on my admittance.

In fact, now looking back, I can’t recall my grade point average or my class rank or the final grade that my English teacher gave me on my literary analysis of Heart of Darkness. Even my exact SAT score, back then a real measure of academic aptitude, remains fuzzy to me all these years later, “shaded in wistful half-lights,” as described by Norman Maclean. I can, however, remember nearly every sentence, if not quite every word, of the personal essay I submitted to my first-choice college, which has undoubtedly, for me, over the years remained one of the most important pieces of writing I have ever produced.

The personal essay is an enduring literary genre and an art form that provides often-challenging material in English classes. In my Advanced Placement Language and Composition course, we frequently read works from an array of authors from various eras, including Michel de Montaigne, Virginia Woolf, E. B. White, Joan Didion, André Aciman, Brian Doyle, Dr. Oliver Sacks. These writers function as exemplars for my students to both analyze and model not only for their rhetorical value but also for their stylistic technique and philosophical ruminations.

Power of Personalization

One of the most predominant rhetorical strategies we recognize in these texts is personalization. And so Woolf’s “The Death of the Moth” has impacted my students throughout the years with its frank depiction of psychological tension, addressing philosophical themes on an existential level that never fail to capture their attention—so much so, that a group of students painted a mural on the wall outside my classroom, a visual interpretation of Woolf’s essay that they titled Memento Mori .

The candor and intimacy of Dr. Oliver Sacks’s depiction of his final days before his death from cancer have engendered numerous touching and insightful comments from my students during our Socratic seminars analyzing his almost unendurably moving personal essay, “My Periodic Table.” 

Students respond viscerally, it seems, to the personal. Sadly, many students have been touched by some of the same tragic subject matter that we analyze through these texts. During our seminars and journal assignments, my students have revealed their own personal connections to some of the personal essays we read in class, connecting, I think, to the shared experiences that we have all had throughout human history. 

Our students often find themselves facing a vortex of standardized tests, AP exams, and benchmarks throughout the school year, which often emphasize the formulaic. The active process of personal choice on topic and subject seems lost. So often my students ask me questions when writing an essay, seeking a particular answer, as if literary analysis were calculus. Missing is the creativity, the exploration of writing free from academic constraints like rubrics and scoring guides. Writer-editor Steve Moyer asserts in  Edsitement , “Nuanced thought... requires a greater gestation period than the nearly instant gratification made possible on Twitter.” I have witnessed this impatience from my own students.

There can be a restlessness in the writing process, a hesitancy for revision or drafting. Personal essays require self-reflection and a free-flowing freedom from rigid form that my students embrace in a way that they don’t with an argument or research-based essay. On more than one occasion during parent-teacher conferences, I have had parents tell me that their child used to love creative writing, but somewhere along the way, the rigor of school seemed to have killed it.

Personal essays, then, restore that creativity, since they encourage a freedom from form. Students can experiment with style and figurative language and syntax in ways that the traditional academic five-paragraph essay often thwarts.

Personal essays also allow teachers to really get to know our students, too. The inherent intimacy of a personal essay, the connection between the writer and the reader—in this case, a student and a teacher—provides insight into the concerns, the dreams, the emotions of our students in addition to allowing us to assess how they exercise their compositional skills, including imagery, syntax, diction, and figurative language. Here, then, a teacher has the best of both worlds. We’re able to both connect to our students on an emotional level and evaluate their learning on an academic level. Personal essays also serve as an emotional outlet. 

There seems to be a common assumption that personal essays for high school students serve only the college application process, so the process begins during their senior year. Personal writing, however, should occur throughout a student’s academic experience. The narrative essays that most elementary school students encounter evolve into the more ruminative, philosophical, and reflective personal writing they will encounter during their senior year from many of Common App essay prompts.

Many teachers implement journal writing in their classrooms that provides a firm foundation for the type of personal writing that the college admissions essay requires. In my own class of juniors, the last assignment we complete for the year is a personal essay. My intent is to help prepare them for the college essay they will write, hopefully, during the summer so that they will have a solid draft before the application process begins. 

Teaching our students this strategy in their own writing benefits them in their futures, not only for the imminent college application process but also for job interviews. For example, I was mentoring a student, a senior who had no desire to go to college, about the job interview process he would soon face after graduation. We rehearsed and practiced the types of questions he might encounter from a future employer. I encouraged him to remember the personal details of his experience, personalizing everything in a way that would allow him to ideally stand out as a job candidate.

Through personal essay writing, my overarching, grand ambition is to instill in my students ultimately a love of reflection, looking back on their experience, reminiscing on significant memories that linger, carefully considering the seemingly little moments that, only upon reflection, have an enormous impact on us.

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Definition of admission

  • acknowledgment
  • acknowledgement
  • self-confession

Examples of admission in a Sentence

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'admission.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Middle English admyssion, borrowed from Anglo-French, borrowed from Latin admissiōn-, admissiō "controlled mating (of animals), admittance to an interview," from admittere "to admit entry 1 " + -tiōn-, -tiō, suffix of verbal action

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing admission

  • by one's own admission
  • general admission
  • open admission
  • pre - admission

Dictionary Entries Near admission

Admission Day

Cite this Entry

“Admission.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary , Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/admission. Accessed 19 Feb. 2024.

Kids Definition

Kids definition of admission, medical definition, medical definition of admission, legal definition, legal definition of admission.

Note: In civil cases admissions are often agreed to and offered in writing to the court before trial as a method of reducing the number of issues to be proven at trial.

Note: Under the Federal Rules of Evidence an admission is not hearsay. Silence can sometimes be construed as an admission where a person would reasonably be expected to speak up.

More from Merriam-Webster on admission

Nglish: Translation of admission for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of admission for Arabic Speakers

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SlashGear

The Risky Words That Might Make School Admissions Suspect AI Wrote Your Essay

W hen the ChatGPT-mania kicked off last year, the first uproar emerged from the academia. Teachers were worried that students now had a potent tool to cheat on their assignments, and like clockwork, multiple AI plagiarism detectors popped up with variable degrees of accuracy. Students were worried that these AI plagiarism detectors could get them in trouble even if the error rate were low. Experts, on the other hand, opined that one needs to rely on intuition and natural language skills to detect signs of AI by looking for signatures such as repetitive phrases, an out-of-character use of words, a uniformly monotonous flow, and being more verbose than is needed in a regular human conversation.

No method is infallible, but the risk avenues keep spiraling out of control while the underlying large language models get even more nuanced in their word regurgitation skill. Among those avenues is the all-too-important essay required for college applications. According to a Forbes report, students are using AI tools to write their school and college essays, but academics and people on the admission committee have developed a knack for spotting AI word signatures. For example, one of the words that seems to pop up frequently in essays is "tapestry," which, honestly, is rarely ever used or heard in a conversation or even text-based material, save for poetry or works of English literature.

"I no longer believe there's a way to innocently use the word 'tapestry' in an essay; if the word 'tapestry' appears, it was generated by ChatGPT," one of the experts who edit college essays told Forbes. Unfortunately, he also warns that in the rare scenarios where an applicant inadvertently, and with good intentions, ends up using the word, they might face rejection by the admission committee over perceived plagiarism.

Read more: Major PC Monitor Brands Ranked Worst To Best

What To Avoid?

The Forbes report compiles responses from over 20 educational institutions, including top-tier names like Harvard and Princeton, about how exactly they are factoring AI while handling applications. While the institutions didn't provide any concrete answers in terms of a proper policy, members handling the task hinted that spotting AI usage in essays is pretty easy, both in terms of specific word selection, which they described as "thin, hollow, and flat," as well as the tone. Some independent editors have created an entire glossary of words and phrases that she often sees in essays and which she tweaks to give "human vibes" to the essays.

Some of the code-red AI signatures, which don't even require AI detection tools to spot them, include:

  • "leadership prowess"
  • "stems from a deep-seated passion"
  • "aligns seamlessly with my aspirations"
  • "commitment to continuous improvement and innovation"
  • "entrepreneurial/educational journey"

These are just a few giveaways of AI involvement. Moreover, they can change and may not even be relevant soon as more sophisticated models with better natural language capabilities arrive on the scene. Plus, people from non-academic domains appear to have established their own framework to detect AI-generated work. "If you have enough text, a really easy cue is the word 'the' occurs too many times," Google Brain scientist Daphne Ippolito said to MIT Technology Review . 

Ippolito also pointed out that generative AI models rarely make typos, which is a reverse-engineered way to assess if a piece of writing is the result of some AI tool. "A typo in the text is actually a really good indicator that it was human written," she notes. But it takes practice to be good at identifying the pattern, especially at reading aspects like unerring fluency and the lack of spontaneity.

It's All Still A Big Mess

An AI text generator is essentially a glorified parrot, which is exceptional at echoing but not so much at delivering surprises. Indeed, drafting an invitation email or shooting a message to your pals might seem like you're following a script, yet there's a whimsical flair to our human way of chatting that's quite the trick to nail down for an AI. Despite all the advancements that Google has made with its PaLM 2 or whatever it is that Meta or OpenAI continue to achieve with Llama 2 or GPT-4, it is simply not worth the risk to be using AI for college, work, or any other high-stakes task. 

One of the biggest reasons to avoid relying squarely on AI chatbots is their tendency to hallucinate, which is essentially an AI model cooking up an imaginary scenario and serving it as fact. Next, there is always a risk that the work can be flagged down the road, either by a keen human mind or the makers of these AI tools using some proprietary AI fingerprinting tool. There are already tools out there, such as GPTZero, that can spot AI plagiarism. However, those tools are also far from infallible , so there's a tangible risk that even an original work can be flagged as AI-generated garbage.

To avoid such a scenario, the best way is to enable a progress history feature , one that tracks how a piece of work moved ahead, one small at a time. For example, if you are into writing, products like Google Docs and Microsoft Word offer a version history system that essentially saves different versions of an ongoing work every time some change is made. The progress is saved, essentially creating a time-stamped proof of each stage. 

Read the original article on SlashGear .

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A Legal Showdown on the Border Between the U.S. and Texas: What to Know

A court in Austin heard oral arguments in the federal government’s bid to block Texas from imposing a wide-ranging new immigration law.

Officers in Border Patrol uniforms talk to several people standing near a large border wall.

By J. David Goodman

Reporting from Austin

The Biden administration is suing the State of Texas over a new state law that would empower state and local police officers to arrest migrants who cross from Mexico without authorization.

On Thursday, a federal court in Austin heard three hours of arguments over whether to halt the implementation of the law, which is set to go into effect on March 5.

The case has far-reaching implications for the future of immigration law and border enforcement and has been closely watched across the country. It comes amid fierce political fighting between the parties — and within them — over how to handle illegal immigration and follows the impeachment by House Republicans of the secretary of homeland security , and the failure of a bipartisan Senate deal to bolster security at the border.

Texas has argued that its law is necessary to deter migrants from crossing illegally, as has happened in record numbers over the past year. The Biden administration argues that the law conflicts with federal law and violates the U.S. Constitution, which gives the federal government authority over immigration matters.

The judge hearing the case, David A. Ezra of the Western District of Texas, was appointed to the bench by President Ronald Reagan. He had frequent questions, particularly when the lawyer representing the Texas attorney general was speaking, and appeared skeptical of the law.

“Let’s say for the purpose of argument that I agree with you,” Judge Ezra told the state’s lawyer, Ryan Walters. California might then want to pass its own immigration and deportation law, he said. Maybe then Maine would follow, he added, and then other states.

“That turns us from the United States of America into a confederation of states,” Judge Ezra said. “What a nightmare.”

What does the Texas law say?

The law passed by the Texas Legislature, known as Senate Bill 4 , makes it a crime to cross into Texas from a foreign country anywhere other than a legal port of entry, usually the international bridges from Mexico.

Under the law, known as S.B. 4, any migrant seen by the police wading across the Rio Grande could be arrested and charged in state court with a misdemeanor on the first offense. A second offense would be a felony. After being arrested, migrants could be ordered during the court process to return to Mexico or face prosecution if they don’t agree to go.

Texas lawmakers said they had designed S.B. 4 to closely follow federal law, which already bars illegal entry. The new law effectively allows state law enforcement officers all over Texas to conduct what until now has been the U.S. Border Patrol’s work.

It allows for migrants to be prosecuted for the new offense up to two years after they cross into Texas.

How does it challenge federal immigration authority?

Lawyers for the Biden administration argue that the Texas law conflicts with numerous federal laws passed by Congress that provide for a process for handling immigration proceedings and deportations.

The administration says the law interferes with the federal government’s foreign diplomacy role, pointing to complaints already lodged against Texas’ border actions by the government of Mexico. The Mexican authorities said they “rejected” any legislation that would allow the state or local authorities to send migrants, most of whom are not Mexican, back over the border to Mexico.

The fight over the law is likely to end up before the U.S. Supreme Court, legal experts have said . If so, it will give the 6-to-3 conservative majority a chance to revisit a 2012 case stemming from Arizona’s attempt to take on immigration enforcement responsibilities. That case, Arizona v United States, was narrowly decided in favor of the power of the federal government to set immigration policy.

Immigrant organizations, civil rights advocates and some Texas Democrats have criticized the law because it could make it more difficult for migrants being persecuted in their home countries to seek asylum, and it does not protect legitimate asylum seekers from prosecution in state courts.

Critics have also said that the law could lead to racial profiling because it allows law enforcement officers even far from the border to arrest anyone they suspect of having entered illegally in the previous two years. The result, they warn, could lead to improper traffic stops and arrests of anyone who looks Hispanic.

Wait, didn’t the Supreme Court already rule against Texas?

Not in this case.

Texas and the Biden administration have been battling for months over immigration enforcement on several legal fronts.

One case involves the placement by Texas of a 1,000-foot barrier of buoys in the middle of the Rio Grande, which Gov. Greg Abbott said would deter crossings. The federal government sued, arguing that the barrier violated a federal law over navigable rivers. In December, a federal appeals court sided with the Biden administration, ordering Texas to remove the barrier from the middle of the river while the case moved forward.

A second case involves Border Patrol agents’ cutting or removing of concertina wire — installed by the Texas authorities on the banks of the Rio Grande — in cases where agents need to assist migrants in the river or detain people who have crossed the border. The Texas attorney general, Ken Paxton, filed a lawsuit claiming that Border Patrol agents who removed the wire were destroying state property.

It was a fight over an injunction in that case that reached the Supreme Court on an emergency application. The justices, without giving their reasons, sided with the Biden administration , allowing border agents to cut or remove the wire when they need to while further arguments are heard in the case at the lower court level.

Why the stakes are higher now

Unlike the other cases, the battle over S.B. 4 involves a direct challenge by Texas to what courts and legal experts have said has been the federal government’s unique role: arresting, detaining and possibly deporting migrants at the nation’s borders.

“This will be a momentous decision,” said Fatma E. Marouf, a law professor and director of the Immigrant Rights Clinic at the Texas A&M University School of Law. “If they uphold this law, it will be a whole new world. It’s hard to imagine what Texas couldn’t do, if this were allowed.”

The federal government is seeking an injunction to prevent the law from going into effect next month.

“S.B. 4 is clearly invalid under settled precedent,” said Brian Boynton, who presented the Justice Department’s case.

“There is nothing in S.B. 4 that affords people the rights they have under federal law,” he said, later adding that the law would interfere with foreign affairs and the actions of the Department of Homeland Security.

Lawyers for Texas argued that the new law would not conflict with existing federal law. “This is complementary legislation,” said Mr. Walters, a lawyer for the state.

But Judge Ezra expressed concern that the law did not allow a judge to pause a prosecution for illegally entering Texas in the case of someone applying for asylum, calling that provision of the Texas law “troublesome” and “very problematic.”

“It just slaps the federal immigration law in the face,” he said.

Texas argued that the record number of migrant arrivals at the Texas border constituted an “invasion” that Texas had the power to defend itself against under Article I, Section 10 of the U.S. Constitution, which prohibits states from engaging in war on their own “unless actually invaded.”

The state has cited the same constitutional provision in the other pending cases between Texas and the federal government. But legal experts said the argument was a novel one.

And Judge Ezra appeared unconvinced on Thursday, as he had been when the same argument was presented last year in the buoy barrier case, which he decided in favor of the federal government .

“I do not see any evidence that Texas is at war,” he said on Thursday.

Before adjourning, the judge turned to Mr. Walters, the Texas lawyer, and said that he would work quickly to issue his decision so that if the state wanted to appeal before March 5, “you can.” He then turned to the federal government’s lawyers and added: “Either of you.”

J. David Goodman is the Houston bureau chief for The Times, reporting on Texas and Oklahoma. More about J. David Goodman

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  21. The Importance of the Personal Essay in High School

    The personal essay is an enduring literary genre and an art form that provides often-challenging material in English classes. In my Advanced Placement Language and Composition course, we frequently read works from an array of authors from various eras, including Michel de Montaigne, Virginia Woolf, E. B. White, Joan Didion, André Aciman, Brian Doyle, Dr. Oliver Sacks.

  22. Admission Definition & Meaning

    admission noun ad· mis· sion əd-ˈmi-shən ad- plural admissions Synonyms of admission 1 : an act of admitting : the fact or state of being admitted: such as a : the act of allowing something for consideration before a court

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  26. A Legal Showdown on the Border Between the U.S. and Texas: What to Know

    Texas lawmakers said they had designed S.B. 4 to closely follow federal law, which already bars illegal entry. The new law effectively allows state law enforcement officers all over Texas to ...