Prewriting
¡@¡@The Prewriting section contains information and
tips on getting started with writing your application
essay as well as general information about the
application essay.
¡@¡@For students who have just started
considering studying abroad or who do not really know the
point of writing application essays, let Bob give you a
brief introduction:
Bob's Introduction to Essay Writing
and the
Application Process
¡@¡@The admissions procedure for graduate schools in
the United States is somewhat different than that for
graduate schools in Taiwan. When you apply to an American
graduate school, not only are you required to send the
school your transcript and test scores, you are also
required to submit one or more written essays. Different schools
and programs require different essays. No matter what the essay
requirement is though, the essay is always an
important part of the application.
¡@¡@The application essay is your chance to
introduce yourself to the graduate schools to which you
are applying. Your essays should present information that
you think is both important to express and is not
sufficiently detailed elsewhere in your application.
Therefore, writing an essay is not only a test of your
English ability but also a test of your judgment.
¡@¡@The essay reveals your
ability to survive and succeed in graduate school. While
test scores and grades demonstrate your ability to
comprehend a subject, essays help demonstrate how
clearly you have thought out your academic and career goals
as how serious you are about pursuing them.
¡@¡@Graduate school admissions committees look
carefully at BOTH quantitative criteria (test scores and
grades) and qualitative criteria (essays and
recommendations) in deciding if whether or not to admit an applicant.
For many business schools, essays are even more
important than either grades or test scores.
¡@¡@Regardless of how important the schools you
apply to treat the application essay, by the time you do
apply your grades and work experiences will already be
fixed. It will be too late to improve these
qualifications. The essay will be the only part of the
application that you still have control over, and a well-written
essay will greatly improve your chances of getting into
graduate school.
For more information, check out these articles:
The Different Types of
Application Essays
What Graduate Schools Look for
in Application Essays
What a Unique Essay is and Why
to Write One
The First Step:
Self-Examination
Sample Essay Questions
When to Begin Writing
If You are Worried about
your English
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