The structure of an application essay

Most students when asked to write an application essay often find it challenging to come up with one. This is because even though they know what to write or talk about they are not sure of the structure that an application essay should adopt. A properly organized and structured essay could very well be the deciding factor as to weather a student will be accepted or rejected into a learning institution. This is because to the admission board, a well written essay is evidence of a student who is coherent, able to think logically and an ideal candidate for grad school. A properly written essay should include an introduction, the body and the conclusion.

a) Introduction

This is the section that introduces the whole essay to the reader. A poorly written introduction or an introduction that is not attention grabbing often works to the detriment of the essay. To enable this therefore the opening statement should be one that is compelling and thought provoking creating the desire to read more. The introduction part should explain in a creative manner the reasons as to why the applicant is interested in or motivated to study the subject in question. The aim of the introductory part is to entice the admission board member reading the essay to go on reading beyond the first paragraph.

b) The body

The body of the essay involves several paragraphs detailing evidence that supports the desire of the applicant to get admitted. It involves highlighting of the experiences that the applicant has, the accomplishments that he or she has achieved, future goals and any relevant evidence that would contribute positively to the application. The paragraphs should be smooth flowing and should have a topic statement which often serves as the theme for the paragraph, and each paragraph should end with a meaningful sentence that serves as an opening statement for the next paragraph. For instance one paragraph might highlight the applicant’s education background; the next paragraph could indicate the applicant’s experiences and reasons for wanting that particular course, while the subsequent paragraph could emphasize the reasons that make the applicant a good match for the program. This provides the reader with a clear understanding of how the essay is flowing and heading to.

c) Conclusion

As the name states this is the last section or paragraph of the admission essay. It is often a brief and conclusive statement that conveys the applicant’s fit into the said program by matching the experiences and accomplishments.


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