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"If one thing could
be perfect, it should be the essay."
- Admissions Officer Writing is not a one-time act.
Writing is a process. Memorable writing comes more from rewriting than it
does from the first draft. By rewriting you will improve your essay --
guaranteed. If you skimp on the rewriting process, you significantly reduce
the chances that your essay will be as good as it could be. Once you have taken a break
from your essay, come back and read it through one time with a fresh
perspective. Analyze it as objectively as possible based on the following
three components: substance, structure, and interest. Do not worry yet about
surface errors and spelling mistakes; focus instead on the larger issues.
Consider reordering your supporting details, delete irrelevant sections, and
make clear the broader implications of your experiences. Allow your more
important arguments to come to the foreground. Take points that might only
be implicit and make them explicit. In order to figure out where
revisions are necessary, you are going to need as many different sets of
eyes to read your essay as possible. Whether it is you or one of your
friends, family members or teachers, these questions will help guide your
revision process. For inspiration, click
here to see a collection of EssayEdge's sample edits. Some
essayists decide to add a title to their essay, although most do
not. Titles are definitely not required, and if you are wondering
whether or not to add one to yours, remember the old adage: when
in doubt, leave it out.
Copyright 1998 by Dan Kaufman. Reprinted by arrangement with Barron's Educational Series, Inc.
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Introduction