Grammar and writing tips

Complete guide to college application essays - The Princeton Review 2020

Grammar and writing tips

GOOD GRAMMAR = GOOD FORM

You should strive to make your writing 100 percent grammatically accurate. Think of each essay you write as a building. If it doesn’t have structural integrity, admissions officers will tear through it with a wrecking ball.

Let’s face it: Though a thoughtful essay that offers true insight will undoubtedly stand out, it will not receive serious consideration if it’s riddled with poor grammar and misspelled words. It’s critical that you avoid grammatical errors. We can’t stress this enough. Misspellings, awkward constructions, run-on sentences, and misplaced modifiers cast doubt on your efforts, not to mention your intelligence.

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“We can let one or two minor grammatical mistakes slide, but beyond that it becomes harder to justify.”

—College of the Atlantic

Most Common Grammar Mistakes

Chances are you know the difference between a subject and a verb. So we won’t spend time here reviewing the basic components of English sentence construction. (If you feel like you could use a refresher, check out our book, Grammar Smart.) Instead, we will focus on problems of usage.

Below is a brief overview of the seven most common English usage errors. Knowing what they are will help you remove them from your own writing.

Mistake #1: Misplaced Modifier

A modifier is a descriptive word or phrase inserted into a sentence to add dimension to the thing it modifies. For example:

Because he could talk, Mr. Ed was a unique horse.

Because he could talk is the modifying phrase in the sentence. It describes a characteristic of Mr. Ed. Generally speaking, a modifying phrase should be right next to the thing it modifies. If it’s not, the meaning of the sentence may change. For example:

Every time he goes to the bathroom outside, John praises his new puppy for being so good.

Who’s going to the bathroom outside? In this sentence, it’s John. There are laws against that! In order to properly communicate that this is referring to the dog, descriptive phrase every time he goes to the bathroom outside needs to be near puppy. For instance, “Every time he goes to the bathroom outside, the puppy is praised by John for being so good.”

When you are writing sentences that begin with a descriptive phrase followed by a comma, make sure that the thing that comes after the comma is the person or thing being modified.

Mistake #2: Pronoun Agreement

As you know, a pronoun is a little word that is inserted to represent a noun (he, she, it, they, etc.) Pronouns must agree with their nouns. The pronoun that replaces a singular noun must also be singular, and the pronoun that replaces a plural noun must be plural, with one major exception. For the most part, the pronoun “they” can be used to replace “he or she,” so if you had a sentence such as “If a writer misuses words, they will not do well on the SAT,” it would be acceptable, even though “they,” a plural pronoun, is being used with “writer,” a singular noun.

This may seem obvious, but it is also the most commonly violated rule in ordinary speech. How often have you heard people say, The class must hand in their assignment before leaving? Class is singular. But their is plural. Class isn’t the only tricky noun that sounds singular but is actually plural. Here’s a list of “tricky” nouns—technically called collective nouns. These are nouns that typically describe a group of people but are considered singular and therefore need a singular pronoun:

Family

Jury

Group

Team

Audience

Congregation

United States

If different pronouns are used to refer to the same subject or one pronoun is used to replace another, the pronouns must also agree. The following pronouns are singular:

Either

Neither

None

Each

Anyone

No one

Everyone

If you are using a pronoun later in a sentence, double-check to make sure it agrees with the noun/pronoun it is replacing.

Mistake #3: Subject-Verb Agreement

The rule regarding subject-verb agreement is simple: singular with singular, plural with plural. If you are given a singular subject (he, she, it), then your verb must also be singular (is, has, was).

Sometimes you may not know if a subject is plural or singular, making it tough to determine whether its verb should be plural or singular. (Just go back to our list of collective nouns that sound plural but are really singular.)

Subjects joined by and are plural:

Bill and Pat were going to the show.

However, nouns joined by or can be singular or plural—if the last noun given is singular, then it takes a singular verb; if the last noun given is plural, it takes a plural verb.

Bill or Pat was going to get tickets to the show.

When in doubt about whether your subjects and verbs agree, trim the fat! Cross out all the prepositions, commas, adverbs, and adjectives separating your subject from its verb. Stripping the sentence down to its component parts will allow you to quickly see whether your subjects and verbs are in order.

Mistake #4: Verb Tense

As you know, verbs come in different tenses—for example, is is present tense, while was is past tense. The other tense you need to know about is “past perfect.”

Past perfect refers to some action that happened in the past and was completed (perfected) before another event in the past. For example:

I had already begun to volunteer at the hospital when I discovered my passion for medicine.

You’ll use the past perfect a lot when you describe your accomplishments to admissions officers. For the most part, verb tense should not change within a sentence (e.g., switching from past to present).

Mistake #5: Parallel Construction

Remember this from your SATs? Just as parallel lines line up with one another, parallelism means that the different parts of a sentence line up in the same way. For example:

Jose told the career counselor his plan: he will be taking the MCAT, attend medical school, and become a pediatrician.

In this sentence, Jose is going to be taking, attend, and become. The first verb, be taking, is not written in the same form as the other verbs in the series. In other words, it is not parallel. To make this sentence parallel, it should read:

Jose told the career counselor his plan: he will take the MCAT, attend medical school, and become a pediatrician.

It is common to make errors of parallelism when writing sentences that list actions or items. Be careful.

Mistake #6: Comparisons

When comparing two things, make sure that you are comparing what can be compared. Sound like double-talk? Look at the following sentence:

Larry goes shopping at Foodtown because the prices are better than Shoprite.

Sound okay? Well, sorry—it’s wrong. As written, this sentence says that the prices at Foodtown are better than Shoprite—the entire store. What Larry means is that the prices at Foodtown are better than the prices at Shoprite. You can only compare like things (prices to prices, not prices to stores). To fix this, you would simply need to add a possessive to Shoprite: “Larry goes shopping at Foodtown because the prices are better than Shoprite’s.”

The word that is used to compare two things is different than the word used to compare more than two things—thanks, English!

more (for two things) versus most (for more than two)

Given Alex and David as possible dates, Alex is the more appealing of the two.

In fact, of all the guys I know, Alex is the most attractive.

less (for two things) versus least (for more than two)

I am less likely to be chosen than you are.

I am the least likely person to be chosen from the department.

better (for two things) versus best (for more than two)

Taking a cab is better than hitchhiking.

My organic chemistry professor is the best professor I have ever had.

between (for two things) versus among (for more than two)

Just between you and me, I never liked her anyway.

Among all the people here, no one likes her.

Keep track of what’s being compared in a sentence so you don’t fall into this grammatical black hole.

Mistake #7: Diction

Diction means choice of words. There are tons of frequently confused words in the English language that can be broken down into words that sound the same but mean different things (there, they’re, their), words and phrases that are made up (refudiate), and words that are incorrectly used as synonyms (fewer, less).

Words that sound the same but mean different things are homonyms. Some examples are:

there, they’re, their: There is used to indicate a location in time or space. They’re is a contraction of “they are.” Their is a possessive pronoun.

it’s/its: It’s is a contraction of “it is.” Its is a possessive pronoun.

effect/affect: Effect is the result of something. Affect is to influence or change something.

conscience/conscious: Conscience is a psychological term (Freudian) and is a sense of right or wrong. Conscious is to be awake.

principle/principal: Principle is a value. Principal is the person in charge at a school.

eminent/imminent: Eminent describes a person who is highly regarded. Imminent means impending.

Imaginary words tend to crop up from widespread misuse over time, slang usage, or accidental recall. For instance, alot isn’t actually a word—that would be a lot.

In this category are also misremembered words that sound like the real ones, like refudiate instead of repudiate.

Finally, there are words that are included in dictionaries but which are listed as “nonstandard,” like irregardless. Unless you’re making a point of the usage—that is, showing the reader that you know how regardless is the more accepted version—you should stay away from such words.

Sometimes people don’t know when to use a word. How often have you seen this sign?

Express checkout: Ten items or less.

Unfortunately, supermarkets across America are making a blatant grammatical error when they post this sign. When items can be counted, you must use the word fewer. When something cannot reasonably be counted (like the grains of sand on a beach), you would use the word less. For example:

If you eat fewer French fries, you can use less ketchup.

Here are some other words people make the mistake of using interchangeably:

number/amount: Use number when referring to something that can be counted. Use amount when it can not.

aggravate/irritate: Aggravate and irritate are not synonymous. To aggravate is to make worse. To irritate is to annoy.

disinterested/uninterested: Someone who is disinterested is impartial, or has an absence of strong feelings—good or bad—about something. A person who is uninterested, however, is bored.

Diction errors require someone to cast a keen, fresh eye on your essay because they trick your ear and require focused attention to catch.

Here’s a handy guide to help you remember the most common grammar usage errors:

Grammatical Category: Misplaced Modifier

What’s the Rule?

A modifier is a word or phrase that describes something and should go right next to the thing it modifies.

Bad Grammar

1. Eaten in Mediterranean countries for centuries, northern Europeans viewed the tomato with suspicion.

2. A former greenskeeper now about to become the Masters champion, tears welled up in my eyes as I hit my last miraculous shot.

Good Grammar

1. Eaten in Mediterranean countries, the tomato was viewed with suspicion by Northern Europeans.

2. I was a former greenskeeper who was now about to become the Masters champion; tears welled up in my eyes as I hit my last miraculous shot.

Grammatical Category: Pronoun Agreement

What’s the Rule?

A pronoun must refer unambiguously to a noun, and it must agree in number with that noun.

Bad Grammar

1. Although brokers are not permitted to know executive access codes, they are widely known.

2. Unfortunately, both candidates for whom I worked sabotaged their own campaigns by accepting a contribution from illegal sources.

Good Grammar

1. Although brokers are not permitted to know executive access codes, the passwords are widely known.

2. Unfortunately, both candidates for whom I worked sabotaged their own campaigns by accepting contributions from illegal sources.

Grammatical Category: Subject-Verb Agreement

What’s the Rule?

The subject must always agree in number with the verb. Make sure you don’t forget what the subject of a sentence is, and don’t use the object of a preposition as a subject.

Bad Grammar

1. Each of the people involved in the extensive renovations were engineers.

2. Federally imposed restrictions on the ability to use certain information has made life difficult for lawbreakers.

Good Grammar

1. Each of the people involved in the extensive renovations was an engineer.

2. Federally imposed restrictions on the ability to use certain information have made life difficult for lawbreakers.

Grammatical Category: Verb Tense

What’s the Rule?

Always make sure your sentences’ tenses match the time frame being discussed.

Bad Grammar

1. After he finishes working on his law school essays he would go to the party.

Good Grammar

1. After he finishes working on his law school essays he will go to the party.

Grammatical Category: Parallel Construction

What’s the Rule?

Two or more ideas in a single sentence that are parallel need to be similar in grammatical form.

Bad Grammar

1. The two main goals of the Eisenhower presidency were a reduction of taxes and to increase military strength.

2. To provide a child with the skills necessary for survival in modern life is like guaranteeing their success.

Good Grammar

1. The two main goals of the Eisenhower presidency were to reduce taxes and to increase military strength.

2. Providing children with the skills necessary for survival in modern life is like guaranteeing their success.

Grammatical Category: Comparisons

What’s the Rule?

You can only compare things that are alike in category.

Bad Grammar

1. The rules of written English are more stringent than spoken English.

2. The considerations that led many colleges to impose admissions quotas in the last few decades are similar to the quotas imposed in the recent past by large businesses.

Good Grammar

1. The rules of written English are more stringent than those of spoken English.

2. The considerations that led many colleges to impose admissions quotas in the last few decades are similar to those that led large businesses to impose quotas in the recent past.

Grammatical Category: Diction

What’s the Rule?

There are many words that sound the same but mean different things.

Bad Grammar

1. Studying had a very positive affect on my score.

2. My high SAT score has positively effected the outcome of my college applications.

Good Grammar

1. Studying had a very positive effect on my score.

2. My high SAT score has positively affected the outcome of my college applications.

Using Punctuation Correctly

Now that we’ve got that covered, it’s time to talk about punctuation, and not the kind that’s used for an emoticon.

A formal essay is not like the notes you take in organic chemistry. “W/” is not an acceptable substitute for with, and neither is “b/c” for because. Symbols are also not acceptable substitutes for words (@ for at, & for and, etc.). (In fact, try to avoid the use of “etc.”; it is not entirely acceptable in formal writing. Use “and so forth” or “among others” instead.) And please don’t indulge in any “cute” spelling (“nite” for night, “tho” for though). This kind of writing conveys a message that you don’t care about your essay. Show the admissions officers how serious you are by eliminating these shortcuts.

Don’t leave anything up for misinterpretation; use punctuation wisely and correctly. Here’s what you need to know:

Commas (,)

Very few people understand every rule for proper comma use in the English language.

This lack of understanding leads to two disturbing phenomena: essays without commas and essays with commas everywhere. Here is a quick summary of proper comma use:

Use Commas to Set Off Introductory Elements.

·  Breezing through my SAT essay, I wondered if everyone were as well-prepared as I.

·  Incidentally, I got a “4” on the Writing Sample section.

Use Commas to Separate Items in a Series.

·  She made hot chocolate, cinnamon toast, scrambled eggs with cheese, and coffee cake.

[Note: There’s always great debate as to whether the final serial comma (before the and) is necessary. In this case, the comma must be added; otherwise, there will be a question about the contents of the scrambled eggs. In cases where no such ambiguity exists, the extra comma seems superfluous. Use your best judgment. When in doubt, separate all the items in a series with commas.]

Use a Comma to Separate Independent Clauses.

Use a comma when the independent clauses are joined by the proper conjunction: for, and, nor, but, yet, so.

·  Lindsay ate a big breakfast, but just an hour later, her stomach was still rumbling for more.

Use Commas Around a Phrase or Clause That Could Be Removed Logically from the Sentence.

·  The Critical Reading section, the first section of the SAT, always makes my palms sweat.

·  Xavier, the student whose test was interrupted by marching-band practice, would have liked to have had earplugs.

Use a Comma to Separate Coordinate (Equally Important) Adjectives. Do Not Use a Comma to Separate Noncoordinate Adjectives.

·  It was a dark, stormy night.

·  It was a messy triple bypass.

Do Not Use a Comma to Separate a Subject and a Verb.

·  incorrect: My new ACT study group, meets at the local café.

·  correct: My new ACT study group meets at the local café.

Do Not Use a Comma to Separate Compound Subjects or Predicates.

(A compound subject means two “do-ers”; a compound predicate means two actions done.)

·  incorrect: My best friend Xavier, and his brother Lou always tell me the truth about my practice essays.

·  correct: My best friend Xavier and his brother Lou always tell me the truth about my practice essays.

·  incorrect: Because of the strange tickling in the back of my throat, I stayed in bed, and gave myself a break from studying.

·  correct: Because of the strange tickling in the back of my throat, I stayed in bed and gave myself a break from studying.

Colons (:)

Use a colon to introduce an explanation or a list.

·  “I think you judge Truman too charitably when you call him a child: he is more like a sweetly vicious old lady.” Tennessee Williams

·  “When I am dead, I hope it may be said: ’His sins were scarlet, but his books were read.’ ” Hilaire Belloc

·  “Everything goes by the board to get the book written: honor, pride, decency…” William Faulkner

Semicolons (;)

Use a semicolon to join related independent clauses in a single sentence (a clause is independent if it can logically stand alone).

·  “An artist is born kneeling; he fights to stand.” Hortense Calisher

·  “Why had I become a writer in the first place? Because I wasn’t fit for society; I didn’t fit into the system.” Brian Aldiss

Dashes (—)

Use a dash for an abrupt shift. Use a pair of dashes (one on either side) to frame a parenthetical statement that interrupts the sentence. Dashes are more informal than colons.

·  “Like a lot of what happens in novels, inspiration is a sort of spontaneous combustion—the oily rags of the head and heart.” Stanley Elkin

·  “Writers should be read—but neither seen nor heard.” Daphne du Maurier

·  “Of all the cants which are canted in this canting world, —though the cant of hypocrites may be the worst, —the cant of criticism is the most tormenting.” Laurence Sterne

Apostrophes (’)

Use apostrophes in contractions or to show possession. Where you place the apostrophe depends on whether the word is singular or plural (the exception being plural words that don’t end with s.) Are you trying to make a word plural? Don’t use an apostrophe.

·  “Writer’s block is only a failure of the ego.” Norman Mailer

·  Karen was proud of her friends’ test scores since she knew they had been studying for months.

Exclamation Points (!)

Use exclamation points sparingly. Try to express excitement, surprise, or rage in the words you choose. A good rule of thumb is one exclamation point per essay, at the most.

·  “You don’t know what it is to stay a whole day with your head in your hands trying to squeeze your unfortunate brain so as to find a word…Ah! I certainly know the agonies of style.” Gustave Flaubert

Question Marks (?)

Use a question mark after a direct question. Don’t forget to use a question mark after rhetorical questions (ones that you make in the course of argument that you answer yourself).

·  “Why shouldn’t we quarrel about a word? What is the good of words if they aren’t important enough to quarrel over? Why do we choose one word over another if there isn’t any difference between them?” G. K. Chesterton

Quotation Marks (“ ”)

Use quotation marks to indicate a writer’s exact words in dialogue or as a citation. Use quotation marks for titles of songs, chapters, essays, articles, or stories—a piece that is part of a larger whole. Periods and commas always go inside the quotation mark. Exclamation points and question marks go inside the quotation mark when they belong to the quotation and not to the larger sentence. Colons, semicolons, and dashes go outside the quotation mark.

·  “That’s not writing, that’s typing.” Truman Capote

Writing clearly

Now that you’ve gotten a refresher in the building blocks of good writing, it’s time to talk about the other half of the equation: style. If grammar and punctuation represent the mechanics of your writing, style represents the choices you make in sentence structure, diction, and figures of speech that reveal your personality to admissions officers. We can’t recommend highly enough that you read The Elements of Style, by William Strunk Jr., E. B. White, and Roger Angell. This little book is a great investment. Even if you’ve successfully completed a course or two in composition without it, it will prove invaluable and become your new best friend—and hopefully also your muse.

Eliminating Wordiness

Remember, good writing is writing that’s easily understood. You want to get your point across, not bury it in words. Make your prose clear and direct. Admissions officers who have to struggle to figure out what you’re trying to say might not bother reading further. Abide by word limits and avoid the pitfall of overwriting. Here are some suggestions that will help clarify your writing by eliminating wordiness.

Address One Idea at a Time

Don’t try to put too much information into one sentence. If you’re ever uncertain whether a sentence needs three commas and two semicolons or two colons and a dash, just make it into two separate sentences. Two simple sentences are better than one long, convoluted one. Which of the following examples seems clearer to you?

Example #1:

Many people, politicians for instance, act like they are thinking of the people they represent by the comments made in their speeches, while at the same time they are filling their pockets at the expense of the taxpayers.

Example #2:

Many people appear to be thinking of others, but are actually thinking of themselves. For example, many politicians claim to be thinking of their constituents, but are in fact filling their pockets at the taxpayers’ expense.

Use Fewer Words to Express an Idea

In a 500-word essay, you don’t have time to mess around. In an attempt to sound important, many of us “pad” our writing. Always consider whether there’s a shorter way to express your thoughts. We are all guilty of some of the following types of clutter:

Cluttered

Clear

due to the fact that

because

with the possible exception of

except

until such time as

until

for the purpose of

for

referred to as

called

at the present time

now

at all times

always

in order to

to

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ACTIVITY

Eliminating Wordiness

Another way in which unnecessary words may sneak into your writing is through the use of redundant phrases. Pare each phrase listed below down to a single word:

·  cooperate together

·  resulting effect

·  large in size

·  absolutely unprecedented

·  disappear from sight

·  new innovation

·  repeat again

·  totally unique

·  necessary essentials

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Use Fewer Qualifiers

A qualifier is a little phrase we use to cover ourselves. Instead of plainly stating, “Former President Reagan sold arms in exchange for hostages,” you might say, “It’s quite possible that former President Reagan practically sold arms in a kind of exchange for people who were basically hostages.” This form of overqualifying weakens your writing, especially in a personal essay in which you should be authoritative enough to firmly assert each point. Prune out these words and expressions wherever possible:

kind of

a bit

sort of

pretty much

rather

basically

practically

essentially

in a way

quite

There is also the personal qualifier, “in my opinion.” This is almost always redundant, and need only be used when it isn’t clear that you’re stating an opinion. If you’re using any of the following, try re-reading the sentence without them and see if they can be pruned.

to me

in my opinion

in my experience

I think

it is my belief

it is my contention

the way I see it

Use Fewer Adverbs

If you choose the right verb or adjective to begin with, an adverb is often unnecessary.

Use an adverb only if it does useful work in the sentence. It’s fine to say “the politician’s campaign ran smoothly up to the primaries,” because the adverb “smoothly” tells us something important about the running of the campaign. The adverb could be eliminated, however, if the verb were more specific: “The politician’s campaign sailed up to the primaries.” The combination of the strong verb and the adverb, as in “the politician’s campaign sailed smoothly up to the primaries,” is unnecessary because the adverb does no work. Here are other examples of unnecessary adverbs:

very unique

instantly startled

dejectedly slumped

effortlessly easy

absolutely perfect

totally flabbergasted

completely undeniable

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ACTIVITY

Eliminating Wordiness (Part 2)

Rewrite these sentences to make them less wordy.

1.It can be no doubt argued that the availability of dangerous and lethal guns and firearms are in part, to some extent, responsible for the undeniable explosion of violence in our society today.

2.Why is it always imperative and necessary for the teaching educational establishment to subdue and suppress the natural spirits and energies of adolescents in scholarly settings?

3.It seems to me that I believe one must not ignore the fact that Hamlet was a heroic character as well as a tragic and doomed character fated to suffer.

4.No one would deny the strong and truthful fact that young teenage pregnancy is on the rise and is increasing at unbelievable rates each and every single day of the year.

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Eliminating Fragments and Run-Ons

Sentences with too few words are just as annoying to admissions officers as those with too many.

A fragment is an unfinished sentence. It may lack a subject or verb, or it may be a dependent clause. Use this test for sentence fragments: Can the fragment logically stand alone, without the preceding or following sentences?

·  Fragment: My pencil broke during the last five minutes of the test. Pieces rolling beneath my chair.

·  Correct Sentence: My pencil broke during the last five minute of the test, and the pieces rolled beneath my chair.

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You have to first know the rules before you can break them. You can use fragments to shift the tone of your essay, but that intention must be clear to the reader so that they do not think you’ve simply made a mistake.

A run-on is an instance where two sentences run together when they should be separate. Sometimes the author forgets the necessary conjunction or the proper punctuation. Sometimes the two sentences are simply too long to fit together well.

·  Run-on: Regardless of the weather, I will go spearfishing in Bali the water is as clear as glass.

·  Correct Sentence: Regardless of the weather, I will go spearfishing in Bali, where the water is as clear as glass.

Make sure your sentences don’t contain these hard-to-read errors.

Limiting Your Use of Passive Voice

Consistently writing in the active voice and limiting your use of the passive voice can make your writing more forceful, authoritative, and interesting. Look at the sentences below. They convey essentially the same basic idea, but they have very different effects on the reader.

·  The tobacco industry deliberately withheld data about the dangers of secondhand smoke.

·  Data about the dangers of secondhand smoke were deliberately withheld [by the tobacco industry].

The first sentence is in the active voice; the second is in the passive voice. The active voice has a clear subject-verb relationship that illustrates that the subject is doing the action. A sentence is in the passive voice when the subject of the sentence is acted upon instead of acting. By distancing the subject from the verb, the passive voice makes it appear that the action is being done to the subject. The passive voice uses a form of be (is, am, are, was, were, been) plus the main verb in past participle form. The “do-er” of a passive-voice sentence is either absent or relegated to the end of the sentence in a “by” phrase.

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ACTIVITY

Eliminating the Passive Voice

Put each of the following sentences into the active voice:

1.The Constitution was created by the Founders to protect individual rights against the abuse of federal power.

2.Information about the Vietnam War was withheld by the government.

3.The right to privacy was called upon by the Supreme Court to form the foundation of the Roe v. Wade decision.

4.Teachers in many school districts are now often required by administrators to “teach to the test.”

5.Residents of planned communities are mandated by Block Associations to limit the number of cars parked in their driveways.

6.Mistakes were made by the dancer.

7.The gaze of the tiny porcupine was captured by the headlights of the oncoming Range Rover.

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Using Nonsexist Language

We mentioned earlier that recent shifts in English usage have allowed for the use of they or their as a means of avoiding he/she or his/her. (There is, after all, no gender-neutral singular pronoun in English.)

However, using nonsexist language also means finding alternatives for the word man when you are referring to humans in general. Instead of mankind you can write humankind or humanity; instead of mailman, you can use mail person; rather than stating that something is man-made you can call it artificial.

There are any number of good reasons for you to use nonsexist language, but by far the best is that nonsexist language tends to be more accurate. Some of the people who deliver mail, for example, are female, so you are not describing the real state of affairs by referring to all of the people who deliver your mail as men.

If you’ve been using a word for a long time, like fireman instead of firefighter, it may feel awkward at first to switch. Practice until it comes to seem natural, as you never know who is going to be reading your work.

Avoid Clichés Like the Plague

Clichés are comfortable. When we’re stuck for the next word, a cliché will suddenly strike us, and we’ll feel lucky. We write something like “this tried and true method” or “he was one of the best and brightest.” A cliché may let the writer off the hook, but the reader will be turned off. The reason a cliché is a cliché is because it is overused. Try something original instead of the following overused clichés:

“I’ve Always Wanted to Be”

A great personal statement should clearly illustrate the applicant’s commitment to and interest in professional goals. Even so, avoid throwaway lines and generic statements that could be repeated by any other wannabe. You’ll often see this in conjunction with something like “I’ve always wanted to be a doctor.” Many students who choose to study something as specific as medicine truly feel the decision is the result of a long-term life calling, but making such statements will not distinguish you from the crowd. Instead, it would be better to focus on how you demonstrated that commitment academically and through your activities.

“I Want to Help People.”

Let’s be clear: If you really want to spend your life saving lives, then by all means write about it. Just keep in mind that many other people will go this abstract route as well, and not all of them will mean it. As a result of this overuse, many essays about saving lives and healing others risk coming across as bogus and insincere. Even if you’re heartfelt, your essay may get tossed into the same pile as all the insincere ones. Admissions officers will take your professed altruistic ambitions (and those of the hundreds of other applicants with identical personal statements) with a sizeable grain of salt. The key is to demonstrate your commitment to public service through examples of the work you have done. If you can in good conscience say that you’re committed to a career in the public interest, you must show the committee something tangible on your application and in your essay that will allow them to see your statements as more than hollow assertions.

Speak from experience, not from desire. This is exactly where those details we’ve already discussed come into play. If you can’t show that you’re already a veteran in the good fight, then don’t claim to be. Be forthright. Nothing is as impressive to the reader of a personal statement as the truth.

Here’s a handy guide to help you remember the most common style issues:

Style Category: Wordiness

What’s the Rule?

Sentences should not contain any unnecessary words.

Bad Style

1. The medical school is accepting applications at this point in time.

2. She carries a book bag that is made out of leather and textured.

Good Style

1. The medical school is accepting applications now.

2. She carries a textured-leather book bag.

Style Category: Fragments

What’s the Rule?

Sentence should contain a subject and a verb and express a complete idea.

Bad Style

1. I went to class. I went to the library.

Good Style

1. I went to class and then I went to the library.

Style Category: Run-ons

What’s the Rule?

Sentences that consist of two independent clauses should be joined by the proper conjunction.

Bad Style

1. The test has a lot of difficult information in it, you should start studying right away.

Good Style

1. The test has a lot of difficult information in it, so you should start studying right away.

Style Category: Passive/Active Voice

What’s the Rule?

Choose the active voice, in which the subject performs the action.

Bad Style

1. The ball was hit by the bat.

2. My time and money were wasted trying to keep www.justdillpickles.com afloat single-handedly.

Good Style

1. The bat hit the ball.

2. I wasted time and money trying to keep www.justdillpickles.com afloat single-handedly.

Style Category: Nonsexist Language

What’s the Rule?

Sentences should not contain any gender bias.

Bad Style

1. A professor should correct his students’ papers according to the preset guidelines.

2. From the beginning of time, mankind has used language in one way or another.

3. Are there any upperclassmen who would like to help students in their lit classes?

Good Style

1. Professors should correct their students’ papers according to the preset guidelines.

2. From the beginning of time, humans have used language in one way or another.

3. Are there any seniors who would like to help students in their lit classes?

Navigating the Minefield

Besides grammatical concerns, students should keep in mind the following points while writing their admissions essays.

Don’t Repeat Information from Other Parts of Your Application

The admissions staff already has your transcripts, standardized test scores, and list of academic and extracurricular achievements. The personal statement is your only opportunity to present all other aspects of yourself in a meaningful way. Even if you don’t mind wasting your own time, admissions officers will mind if you waste theirs.

In General, Avoid Generalities

Admissions officers have to read an unbelievable number of boring essays. You’ll find it harder to be boring if you write about particulars. It’s the details that stick in a reader’s mind.

Don’t Go On at Length About Your Goals

With all respect to you, you’re young. Many seemingly single-minded students go on to change their majors and careers throughout both college and their post-graduate life. That’s normal! With that in mind, maybe focus a little more on what you’ve done and what you immediately want to do, and leave your 75-year plan alone for now.

Maintain the Proper Tone

Your essay should be memorable without being outrageous and easy to read without being too formal or sloppy. When in doubt, err on the formal side.

Don’t Try to Be Funny, Unless What You Have to Say Is Actually Funny

An applicant who can make an admissions officer laugh never gets lost in the shuffle. No one will be able to bear tossing your application into the “reject” pile if you garner a genuine chuckle. But beware! Only a select few are able to pull off humor in this context.

Stay Away from Anything Even Remotely Off-Color

Avoid profanity. It’s not a good idea to be irreverent in admissions essays. Also, there are some things admissions officers don’t need (or want) to know about you, so keep those things to yourself.

Circumvent Political Issues If Possible

Admissions officers don’t care about your political perspectives as long as your viewpoints are thoughtful. They don’t care what your beliefs are as long as you are committed to the preservation of human life. The problem is that if you write about a political issue, you may come across as the type of person who is intolerant or unwilling to consider other viewpoints. In college (and certainly in your professional career), you’ll occasionally be challenged to defend a position with which you disagree—and you don’t want to seem like someone who is so impassioned that you are incapable of arguing both sides of an issue. If you opt to write about politics, do so in an open manner, and be careful to avoid close-minded offenses.

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“When a student writes in ways that seem to negate others’ perspectives as valid, especially with inflammatory language, we may wonder whether this person will be a healthy participant in campus dialogues.”

—Sarah Lawrence College

Consider Your Audience If You Want to Write About Religion

As a general rule, don’t make religion the focal point of your essay unless you’re applying to a college with a religious affiliation. Don’t misunderstand us—religion is not taboo. It’s totally fine to mention religion in any personal statement; just make sure to put it within the context of the whole, dynamic person you are.

No Gimmicks, No Gambles

Avoid tricky stuff. You want to differentiate yourself but not because you are some kind of daredevil. Don’t rhyme. Don’t write a satire or mocked-up front-page newspaper article. Gimmicky personal statements mostly appear contrived and, as a result, they fall flat, taking you down with them.

Excuses, Excuses…

Admissions officers have seen every excuse in the book for bad grades and lousy test scores. Rather than make excuses, you want to come across as resolute and capable of doing better.

“My Test Score Isn’t Great, But I’m Just Not a Good Test Taker.”

Don’t dwell on a low standardized test score in your personal statement. If there were extenuating circumstances, you can briefly mention them, or you can include a separate note in your application. If there were no such circumstances, it’s best to avoid mention of your score. There’s a reason for the test being taken before entrance to college—it’s a primer, the first of many tests that you will take as a student. If you don’t take tests well and the SAT or the ACT confirms it, don’t make excuses for it; instead, resolve to do better. Consider also that a low standardized test score speaks for itself—all too eloquently. It doesn’t need you to speak for it too. The test may be flawed, but don’t argue the unfairness of them to admissions officers who use them as a primary factor in their admissions decisions. We feel for you, but you’d be barking up the wrong tree there.

“My Grades Weren’t That High, But…”

This issue is a little more complicated than the low test score. If your grades fall below average acceptance criteria to most medical programs, or if there are certain anomalous periods of low achievement on your transcript, it’s probably best to offer some form of explanation—especially if you have a good reason for lower performance, such as illness, family issues, or a demanding work schedule. College admissions committees will be more than willing to listen to your interpretation of your high school performance, but only within limits. Keep in mind that schools require official transcripts for a reason. Members of the admissions committee will be aware of your academic credentials even before they read your essay.

If your grades are unimpressive, the best strategy is to offer the admissions committee something else by which to judge your abilities. Many admissions committees say that they are willing to consider students whose grades or test scores fall slightly below the average acceptance criteria, particularly if they’ve demonstrated extraordinary altruism or service to the community. Again, the best argument for looking past your grades is evidence of achievement in another area, whether it is your test score, extracurricular activities, overcoming economic hardship as an undergraduate, or career accomplishments.