Essay samples are abundant in virtual space. But, can any essay you read set a precedent for good essay writing? Which are those essays that score a high grade in terms of writing, ideation, structure, creativity, logic, and presentation? As you search through this world of virtual space, you will find some essays that raise the standards, some that fall far below, and some that are average. So what are good essays?
John Hopkins University’s Center for Talented Youth site has some samples that could teach us a thing or two about writing.
This site has samples with reviewer’s comments. You can find the reworked essay, the first-time brilliant essay, and the essay that passes muster. Read, for example, the prize winning essay “Why I Write,†or the reviewers’ critique of other essays. The award winning essays, as well as the critiqued essays hold a lot of lessons for the early essay writer, still learning her ropes.
The essays on this site are representative of good essays in general. So what makes an essay good? For one, it begins in an interesting way, and therefore grabs reader attention. Notice how the opening lines of these essays make you want to learn more, gets you into that “what’s next†frame of mind. Next, you have the description and the language. The essays build word pictures that send your imagination into a pleasant overdrive. Many of these essays have something interesting or new to say; they don’t provide the same old ideas rebottled and branded. The freshness of what the writers say stays with you as read through the piece.
When you read Phi Theta Kappa’s samples of award winning essays, you notice the directness of the approach and the crispness of language. These are attributes also of the good essay. You do not beat around the bush; you do not couch your ideas in fancy language without getting to the point. The directness hits you and makes you think of what the writer says.
What you think as the writer of an essay has a direct impact on what evaluators for college admissions think of you as a candidate. So what differentiates the good essay from the average one? There could be many factors or a combination of some factors such as the ability to answer the question precisely and in a concise manner, the ability to give good examples, use good illustration, and be sure of what you want to say. How this translates into a brilliant admission essay is evident in the compilation of award winning essays on Essay Start. These essays have been collated from Internet sources and presented to you on one site Essay samples, as I said, are abundant. It is from these wonderful examples that you have to hone your skills, patiently and diligently. Each essay is a resource that tells you how to write and what to write. Whether for the class assignment, admission, or competition, these samples provide you with a good starting point for emulation.
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