Wednesday 7 December 2011

How to Write College Admission Essays Using SMART Mnemonic

Nine out of ten college students who write college admissions essays use popular writing techniques and persuasion strategies to win the hearts of the evaluator. SMART mnemonic, though widely used in project management vocabulary, is now extending its hands to help students write college admission essays better and smarter. SMART stands for Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Time bound. This is article is not just fun to read but easy to apply too.
Specific: Examiners look for candidates who are specific, clear and concise in their thoughts and opinions in the essays. For instance, If you think you believe hard work and smart work together play vital role for success, give specific instances and incidents in your life that supports your belief to persuade the examiner.
Measurable: Here, measurable means a measurable tone of voice. Does your essay have a friendly, polite, yet persuasive style of language? Does it contain phrases that are positive, words that are politically correct, statements that do not provoke any community, culture, tradition and custom beliefs in to arguments? If yes, you have more chances to get good scores in your essay tests.
Attainable: "Once I graduate from your University, I will cure AIDS, eliminate this deadly disease from the world" is one statement made by a medical student in one essay. Is this promise attainable? If yes, what are your support details? Are these details persuasive enough so that the examiner accepts them as practical evidence?
Realistic: Though you are selling yourself in the admission essay, the sales pitch must be realistic. Too exaggerated vocabulary such as "I saved the life of millions" or "I am the only responsible son in the family other any of my siblings" could be avoided.
Time Bound - Do you still carry the old resume as your essay? Or using the out-dated essay format that you used last year? Or copy-paste an essay template to all the colleges irrespective of the subject, place and course? It is time to up-date your college admission essay. Time bound is including all your recent achievements in a chronological order with the recent awards and recognitions at the top of essay.

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