The application is a lifeless thing--a few sheets of paper and a few numbers.
The essay is the best way to breathe life into it. - Admissions Officer

Lesson One: Tackling the Question

Question-specific strategies and samples of various types of  questions with comments by admissions officers:

• College

• Business School

• Law School

• Medical School

EssayEdge Extra: Who's reading my essay?

Lesson Two: Brainstorming and Selecting an Essay Topic

• Brainstorming worksheet

• Selecting a Topic: Do's and don'ts with comments by experienced admissions officers

 

EssayEdge Extra: One essay, multiple applications

Lesson Three: Structure and Outline

• Descriptions and examples of five popular essay structures

• Sample outline and essay

• Strategies and examples of short essays

• Templates, severe writer's block cure

Lesson Four: Style and Tone

• Sentence variety with exercise

• Word choice: Common pitfalls

• Transitions: Improving flow

• Verbs: Active voice vs. Passive voice

  • Active or Passive? Verb quiz

  • Making sentences active voice, an exercise

  • Essay cliches: Top 10 essay cliches 

     

EssayEdge Extra: Trimming the Fat - Reducing wordiness

Lesson Five: Introductions and Conclusions

• Descriptions, examples, and critiques of nine popular styles of introduction

• Conclusions: Do's and don'ts

EssayEdge Extra: No Introduction??!!

Lesson Six: Editing and Revising

• Paying attention to substance, structure, interest, and proofreading

• Actual essay gaffes (funny)

• Final steps

EssayEdge Extra: To title or not to title