How a sample graduate school essay can help you
Even if you are a literary genius, there are certain requirements for successful graduate admission essays that go beyond exceptional usage of the elements of style. Your admission essay should present you as a suitable candidate for the graduate degree that you wish to earn. If you get to read a sample or two, you would find out that what these essays have in common include consistency of purpose, clarity of goals, and a rundown of activities and experiences that make the writers worthy of acceptance into relevant programs.
Learning vicariously from those who made it
Study the sample essays and do a reverse outline. For instance, if an essay for a Master’s or PhD in Psychology began with, “Every man is three men: the man he thinks he is, the man others think he is, and the man he really is,” you would notice that it reflects the writer’s philosophy, and at the same time, it is relevant to the field that he or she wants to specialize in. In addition, it makes for a good transition to how the writer can then describe himself or herself and his or her motivations. Think about a principle or quote that represents your beliefs, and then relate how it leads you to pursue a graduate degree in a particular academic discipline.
Review other elements that you could find in the sample. Browse through as many samples as you can, so you will get plenty of ideas and a variety of approaches that you may use when you start writing your own. Remember that you will be using the samples only as reference. Never copy the entire essay and substitute specific content with your own. It is dishonest and will make you feel less confident with your application. pangee.