Hi everyone!

I spend a lot of time proofreading and editing college essays, and a question I get pretty often is "How do I make sure that my common app essay stands out from all other applicants?" It's definitely an important question to map out seriously, but when you're competing against 23,000 other students for one of just 2,300 spots, the answer to that question is harder to find. I can't say there's an exact answer either, but I believe personalizing your common app essay plays a big part in it being outstanding. As part of your essay editing toolkit, here are some tips on how to do so:

• Don't general, be specific
  • You don't need to tell your life story for your essay to be captivating. Instead select a specific story, perhaps a life milestone, and tie it to who you are as an individual (your values, goals, aspirations, etc.)
• Don't write about a cliche, be creative with your topic
  • An example would be - don't write about your dead dog (I apologize if your dog did die). Think outside of the box, and use creativity to write about something unique to you and your experiences (or perhaps your unique approach to dealing with every day experiences)
• Use lots of sensory-esque details
  • This ties to my first point of being specific, but is more related to your writing style tahn it is to your actual topic. Use enough detail to help your reader feel, smell, taste, touch whatever is it you're trying to convey. Details will help him/her connect to your story in a meaningful way.

Utilize these tips and I'm sure you'll have a personalized, STAND OUT essay. For more features to your essay editing toolkit visit: http://www.ivyskolar.com/ivyskolar-essay-editing-toolkit

Good luck!

Your IvySkolar expert,

Maria