Are you staring at a blank page for almost an hour now? Having trouble in writing your grad school admission essay is not uncommon. In fact, even professional essay writers encounter a moment of total inability to write something sensible. Some call it the writer’s block. The pressure placed on submitting a high quality application essay can also set you back a few days before you can write anything for your personal statement, while for some people, keeping their emotions at bay can be their biggest problem.
Let’s discuss these barriers to writing effective grad school essays, so you’ll know what to do when faced with any of these situations.
Writer’s block
The dreaded writer’s block happens when you spend hours trying to write an essay but just can’t find the inspiration or motivation to do so. No matter how hard you try, it seems like your efforts are put to waste. You can’t seem to find the right words or can’t express a sensible thought.
Instead of moping around, it’s best to identify what’s causing the writer’s block. It could be pressure to put out your best, depression, fatigue, or even certain conditions that make writing impossible for you such as insufficient lighting or cramped room space. All these can affect your mood.
Once you know what’s setting you back, you can then focus on the solution. Try to find a place with conditions that are ideal for writing. Some people prefer working in a quiet place; others work better with music as background. Find out what works best for you. Also make sure that you’re not too stressed out. Stress can affect the way you write and only add to the pressure. If you must, schedule a day that’s entirely dedicated to writing your essay. Have enough enough rest, eat well, and forget about the strenuous task before that day.
Do you know that drinking water can also improve concentration? According to some writers, walking can also help alleviate the pressure you’re feeling. A change in position every once in a while can also set the mood for writing or let thoughts run free. Other writers also advise that you should keep writing even without the best ideas, so don’t get trapped with a blank page. Eventually, you’ll be surprised to see that you’re making sense even with your random thoughts.
Lack of self confidence
Since it’s an essay for grad school, you think you should do better than your college application essay. While it might be true for some, there’s not much difference except, of course, for the requirements. Now that you have more experience, your essay should talk about your chosen field, your contributions, and your general interest in pursuing higher studies. Other than these, the rules in essay writing basically remain the same.
Lack of self confidence starts when you compare yourself to other people. Most of the time, this can only bruise your ego. Might as well focus on your accomplishments, what you can do better than others, and your sincere interest in entering grad school. Remember, nobody gets it right the first time. Even novelists had to go through several revisions and were once rejected by publishers.
Getting too emotional
You cannot let emotions control you. Entering grad school is a big decision, and so, you must show some level of emotional maturity if you want to make it through and earn your degree. Don’t let frustration get in the way. Instead, find your motivation. Going through several revisions is no reason for you to stop improving your essay. If you can find the inspiration, don’t be too hard on yourself. Take some time off, but never leave things hanging midway through. Try reading a sample graduate school essay. You may draw inspiration from this, and learn a few techniques in writing.
A college internship is more than a school requirement; it is also one of the most effective tools in supporting your graduate school application. Completing an internship in college says a lot of good things about you. Here are the benefits of completing a college internship:
For an impressive graduate school essay
When applying for graduate school, your objective is to convince the evaluators that you are genuinely interested in pursuing the particular field you applied for. One good way of supporting your claim is to include a college internship entry in your graduate school essay. Having a college internship experience will give the evaluators the impression that you are determined to do everything just to succeed in whatever you aspire to be. It just proves that you have what it takes to turn your dreams into reality.
For an admirable personal reputation
Juggling time between school work and college internship is not an easy task. When done properly, however, it will provide you sweet rewards. First of all, mentioning your college internship in your application form or graduate admission essay will give the evaluators an impression that you are the type of person who knows how to set priorities. It shows a great deal of determination and a great level of responsibility to endure the stress and pressure that comes from both school work and college internship. You’ll definitely get thumbs up for that.
For an impressive curriculum vitae
A college internship will make your resume even more valuable. Successfully managing your time between school work and college internship is one good sign that you have what it takes to survive in the real world. You are both responsible and dependable – these traits are what most human resource officers are looking for in an employee.
For a relevant working experience
Aside from being a great resume entry, college internship is also a good preparation for life after graduation. Jobs and careers are inevitable and getting a college internship is one good way of getting used to applying what you learned in school. A college internship will teach you how it’s like to work in the real world – something that you will never learn inside a classroom.
Although a college internship may appear like another activity to squeeze into your already tight schedule, you will surely enjoy its benefits afterwards. Pursuing a college internship will not only improve your professionalism, but will also increase your chances of getting accepted in the graduate school of your choice.
Photo Credit : Martin Kingsley
Admission evaluators are not only interested in knowing how satisfactory your grades. Some of them are would rather learn what kind of person you are. You may have straight As in your school subjects, but may also have straight Fs in your social life. Interpersonal skills, aside from academic aptitude, is very important. Good letters of recommendation will show that you are a good student, but great letters of recommendation will also show that you are a good team member or colleague. Letters of recommendation, in their own way, support and validate whatever information you mentioned in your admission essay.
How to choose your references
The selection of references for letters of recommendation should not only be based on the professor’s teaching reputation. You also have to choose references based on familiarity. Which of your professors know you well? Who noticed your potential? Another tip in choosing references? Choose a professor or instructor who actually gave you a good grade.
How to narrow your selection
Choose a reference who has seen you at your best. Your reference can the professor who noticed your determination or a colleague who experienced your reliability first-hand. You have to make sure that your reference knows you well enough to adequately answer whatever questions admissions evaluators may pose to them. It is also wise to choose an articulate reference to avoid any confusion on the message of the letter.
How to finalize your list
It is important to choose a reference who really knows you well. Your reference must know you well enough to write a positive yet honest recommendation letter for you. It is also important that you actually have a good professional relationship with your reference so you can anticipate what your reference will write in the recommendation letter. Trust plays a big role in recommendation letters. You have to remember that by asking people to write letters of recommendation for you, you are also entrusting your chance of getting admitted to them.
Letters of recommendation are only one element of the application process. You still have to do good on your admission. For an well-crafted personal statement, use sample graduate school essay as a guide. Learn how the dos and donts when reading a sample graduate school essay. Get tips from a sample graduate school essay. Instead of writing a mere summary of your resume, include personal traits and experiences that make you a good candidate for grad school.
Photo Credit : Ixsocon
