Figuring out the application process and deadline of 10 different universities is hard enough itself. Now add the pressure of writing a personal essay and you have the recipe for the perfect storm. (Psst, worry not cause counsellors at PPRO EED can make your life easier) To all the day-dreamers out there, let us introduce you to the expectations we know you will have about writing the essay and allow us to bring you back to the ground reality.

 

 

E – Writing about yourself will be a cakewalk.

My life, my story… how hard can it be?

 

R – Realizing that the only thing you’ve excelled in is Procrastination.

Expert advice: you can’t just include random incidents in your personal essay. This essay is a reflection of you and your words will introduce you to the admissions committee. So, play to your strengths cause the first impression is the last impression.

 

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E – Getting yourself to start writing is the hardest part.

As the skilled procrastinators, we are, we have mastered the art of convincing ourselves that once we start writing, the pages will fill themselves and so we, in our unwarranted overconfidence take writing the essay for granted.

 

R – Writing the whole dammed essay is the hardest part.

Once you actually start writing, you’ll realize writing an essay isn’t as easy as it seems. You need to stick to the word limit. You need to be effective and efficient in your expressions. Your content needs to be gripping.

 

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E – Will submit the essay a week before the deadline and then live life king size.

One of the biggest flaws of mankind is overestimating their ability to achieve their targets.

 

R – Nothing beats the thrill of living life on edge by submitting the essay 30 seconds before the deadline.

Earth to procrastinators. Hi, now that I have your attention, let me remind you of some of the numerous barriers that you will face, aka, writer’s block, inability to think straight and write for 8 hours in a go. And oh, the possibility that you aren’t Shakespeare which means that you need to write and re-write drafts before you produce your masterpiece.

 

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E – The structure of the personal essay will be simple.

Personal essay? Easy. Para 1- My seemingly perfect childhood with hidden challenges. Para 2- Dealing with puberty and discovering my love for music. Para 3- How I became the high school Rockstar. Para 4- I’m applying to this academics-oriented college because I’m an allrounder prodigy.

 

R – “How do I CONNECT these paragraphs!?”

What are these connecting verbs!? What do you mean my essay isn’t flowing?

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E – Only 2000 words!! Write my amazingly awesome life story under this word limit? Challenge Accepted.

Beware: Don’t underestimate the power of the 0s in 2000.

 

R – Wondering if my counsellor will accept 211 words as a first draft.

Thinking about the word limit seems trivial. Though, in reality, writing an essay is all about the art of using the right word at the right place. Sentence structure and length, vocabulary and expression are some of the most important aspects of a good essay.

 

Credits: Content contributed by Vrinda Khattar, a PPRO EED student who is currently pursuing her undergraduate degree in English from the Ashoka University.