How To Write A College Application Essay

How To Write A College Application Essay For twelve years that was our beautiful home, and we enjoyed every moment together. Last summer, Emily visited my new home of five years, San Francisco, for the first time. We still laughed until our faces turned tomato red. We still screamed our favorite Taylor Swift songs as if there was no tomorrow. Through this life-changing sport I have strengthened not only my body but also my mind, learning the beauty of problem solving. The best things about climbing is that there is no clear-cut way to climb a wall, and that there is always a new challenge. My climbing partners say that I take the most unorthodox routes when climbing, but ironically they’re the most natural and comfortable paths for me. I get lost in the walls and climb for hours, as time becomes irrelevant. Nothing could get in between the love we had for each other, even our vehemently opposing opinions. Patience, collaboration, and determination are all needed when climbing a wall, like in any field of research. I no longer say I can’t do something, instead approaching challenges with the utmost confidence. If one plan falls short, I reassess and approach the wall from another angle. I am comfortable making decisions, even when I don’t know what the outcome may be. If I completely disagree with their opinions, I use their counterargument to articulate a more potent version of my position. The value in telling my story is just as important as hearing another. I love group projects in school, where ideas and creativity flow between people. I adore the end of a cross country race when all the girls from different schools hug and laugh with one another. I may not always send up agreeing with Emily, or other people I care about, but I should at least try to understand a different perspective. Only then can I create a bridge that connects two different ideas, allowing for a more harmonious world. So, I try to listen with an open mind, even when that feels extremely difficult. Sometimes, pure adrenaline rushes through my body, making me want to bang my hands on the table out of complete anger towards an opinion. They are surrounded by different cultures and experiences. I don’t necessarily have to find validity in everyone’s viewpoints to at least listen to their reasoning. “These people are just confused,” Emily whispered to me as she stared out the car window at the gay couples walking down the rainbow streets of the Castro. I was utterly offended by her statement, but I replied calmly, “Let people be who they are.” Emily and I grew up in Texas together as inseparable friends. Jumpstart the writing process by performing an in-depth research of the subject that you could then use as a basis for your paper. Spark your creativity by offering a list of original topics you'd love to write about. Sign up to receive emails for events, news, info sessions, and other admission related information. Finally, I extend my hesitant arm to pick up the pack of masa harina and proceed to pour it into the bowl. I have learned, though, that suppressing my emotional side during a time of disagreement and instead responding with calmness gets my point across more effectively. When that irritation begins to overtake my ability to concentrate on another person’s outlook, I always try to draw from my experiences of living both in the South and in the West. As I pour the masa harina, I cannot help but think about how much it resembles my journey to America. When I moved, I brought my Guatemalan heritage with me into the massive bowl that is the United States. Continuing with the recipe, I gradually add water to the masa harina and knead it until it becomes the desired texture. Assimilating into American culture and the American way of life was no easy feat for me and I struggled at first, but I found ways to manage. Although my parents were not fluent in English, I was able to learn English with the help of Dora the Explorer, Barney, and my surroundings. Little by little, American culture poured into my life, intermingling with my Guatemalan roots. The more I remain nonjudgmental, the more my own beliefs develop and become nuanced. I extract small pieces of their perspectives in order to enhance my own. I cherish being on a soccer team, where the bond between my teammates and me is essential for achieving success. Appreciating uniqueness and connecting to different characters augments my own maturity and depth. Despite our differences, Emily and I have a healthy relationship in which we are able to learn from one another; the acknowledgement of our individual value allows us to avoid bitterness. I strive to continue improving my ability to be comfortable with disagreement in order to learn more from my peers.

Essential Vocabulary for an Academic Writing Style

Essential Vocabulary for an Academic Writing Style Introduction The academic writing style is quite different from other styles of writing. The primary distinction that makes it different is the choice of words. The words that are written in this form of writing need to be chosen extremely wisely. This is because academic papers must adhere to the principles of critical writing. At the same time, academic writing needs to be concise and correct. Further, this style of writing encompasses a formal tone. This means that there should be no use of short-form vocabulary. Such a formal context requires the use of certain essential words. Here is a review of the essential vocabulary for academic writing style. Essential Vocabulary There are a lot of words which we use on a daily basis while conversing with our friends, family, and colleagues. However, not all words are suitable for the academic writing style. This is due to the fact that academic writing needs to be formal in its tone. Words which are conversational in nature do not fit the definition of academic writing. For example, there are five kinds of words which are informal or casual due to their tone and they need to be replaced by words that have a more formal connotation. These include contractions, slang words, abbreviations, clichà ©s, etc. These kind of words are not to be used since they are extremely casual and do not sound formal. By using casual words, the logical flow of your academic piece can be hampered a great deal. This is not the right way to go about it. Instead of these, there are some other words which are an absolute must for the academic writing style. These include words such as â€Å"Alternatively†, â€Å"However†, â€Å"Conversely†, â€Å"On the other hand†, and â€Å"On the contrary†. Such words are vital since they denote the different ways to compare and contrast text. Without the use of such words, it would be very difficult to write in the academic style since comparisons are a critical component of academic writing. Often, you are required to compare two opposing sets of views, which can only be done correctly by making use of these words. The next set of words is the ones which denote similarities. These include words such as â€Å"Likewise†, â€Å"Equally†, â€Å"Similarly†, â€Å"In the same way†, and â€Å"Correspondingly†. Whenever one is comparing literature or reviewing it, such words can come in handy since they have a formal connotation attached to them. There are also some general set of words which can add value to your academic research. These include words such as â€Å"Firstly†, â€Å"Coupled with†, â€Å"Not to mention†, â€Å"As well as†, â€Å"Moreover† and â€Å"Furthermore†. Such words can ensure that the overall flow of your academic piece is maintained. These words can be used for a number of reasons. They can help you in building convincing arguments and also in adding further information in support of your theory. It is advisable that these words are also used in academic writing pieces wherein literature is being reviewed. This is because literature reviews need linking words that have a formal tone to them and at the same time can improve the flow of the writing. The next set of words is the ones used for referring to cause and effect. This forms a very important part of academic writing since causes, and their effects are widely mentioned in academic text due to their inheren t reasoning-based nature. Also, these set of words can come in handy when you are looking to create a link between two sets of thoughts or even data sets. Such words include â€Å"Consequently†, â€Å"Accordingly†, â€Å"Hence†, â€Å"Since†, â€Å"Therefore†, â€Å"Because†, and â€Å"For this reason†. Such words have been prominently used in academic text and their importance cannot be overstated. Apart from these, there are also certain words which show limitations or contradictions. These include words like â€Å"Even so†, â€Å"Despite†, â€Å"Nevertheless†, â€Å"Although†, â€Å"Admittedly†, and â€Å"On the contrary†. Often, academic texts are full of these words due to the fact that almost all forms of research have some form of limitation or the other. Thus, it becomes inevitable that some of these words are used in order to refer to such limitations. There are a further set of words that are vital for the academic style of writing. These are the words used to lay emphasis on a particular point. These words include â€Å"Especially†, â€Å"In fact†, â€Å"Moreover†, â€Å"Typically†, â€Å"In addition†, â€Å"Namely†, and â€Å"For instance†. All of these words are illustrative in nature. They point to something that is about to be mentioned, and this is central to the idea of academic writing. In this style, theories are often presented first, and then they are followed by examples or illustrations. Thus, using such words becomes very important. The final set of essential vocabulary for the academic style of writing includes the words used to summarise. Such words are again important since they allow you to conclude or infer things from your research. It is a set of words widely used in the academic style of writing since almost all pieces of research have a conclusion that they in fer. Some of these words are â€Å"As can be seen†, â€Å"Finally†, â€Å"As described†, â€Å"Given the above†, â€Å"ultimately†, and â€Å"It can be concluded that†. All of these words are a great medium to summarise your findings in a formal manner. Therefore, they are critical for your vocabulary while attempting to write in the academic style. Conclusion To sum up, there are various sets of words which are essential for you to use in the academic style of writing. Using these words not only ensures that your piece of writing has a formal connotation to it, but also makes sure that your flow of words becomes more logical and connected. This will lead to an academic writing style which is convincing and at the same time has a good connection between the words. By using these, you will be able to infer better, summarise better, and make your overall writing style much improved.