How to Write a Compelling UG Essay 2024?
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Essays let you speak directly to an admissions committee (Ad Com) and help them learn about you as a person. While writing your essays, you should illustrate that you are a good match for the university, by reviewing your thoughts, intellectualism, worldview, attitudes, experiences, aspirations, and personal qualities. Through essays, you can bring your application to life.
Creating a compelling UG essay can be an uphill task, especially since there is much to convey to the university’s admissions committee about your motivations, achievements and goals. Moreover, each university or college have separate guidelines for applicants, along with word or character limitations. They may provide individual prompts or questions for you to answer, or could ask you about something you are passionate about. Thus, while drafting your UG essay, try to answer only what the prompt asks for and do not deviate from the topic. Remember to give your essay a compelling start and understand what the university actually wants to know through the admission essay.
Essays let you speak directly to an admissions committee (Ad Com) and help them learn about you as a person. While writing your UG essay, you should illustrate that you are a good match for the university, by reviewing your thoughts, intellectualism, worldview, attitudes, experiences, aspirations, and personal qualities. Through essays, you can bring your application to life
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Common Essay Topics
Here are some common UG essay question topics that undergraduate applicants may come across during their application process:
- Tell us about yourself: Use this prompt to talk about yourself, but keep it short and do not write about your whole life story. Mention about critical formative experiences, which may have helped shape your personality, influenced your academic choices or showcase you in a good light. Include things that you want to convey to the Ad Com, or things that they should know about you.
- Academic interests:If an area of study or topic interests you deeply, do mention that in the SOP. Mention why you are interested in that particular area/ topic/ subject and what led to your interest. Go beyond ‘I am good in that’ and do some research on your future aspirations after studying the subject; and mention a strong reason why you like that subject and want to pursue it further.
- Activity essay:This essay provides you an opportunity to tell the Ad Com about yourself, the things you like doing, and activities you have done beyond the classroom. This can be any activity, hobby, sports, music or anything you are really passionate about. You can also use this opportunity to talk about your participations and accomplishments, or even a personal challenge you overcame. It can be even be related to your job or the work you are doing. Maybe you led a team, helped a teammate out or even worked your way around a problem, mention what makes you unique or different from the others.
- Why this school: This is perhaps the most important and direct question that the university will ask you, and you need proper research to write it. Before answering this UG Essay prompt, you must visit the university’s website and find out more about the course and curriculum it offers. Mention the things you like about the university and its course that suit your requirements, or can enhance your profile. This can include everything from curriculum to electives, amenities, research opportunities, and even clubs or communities at the university that you wish to join. If there are any notable faculty members, whose work you like, or have read about, you can name them and express your desire to work with them as well. Keeping in mind your goals and aspirations, you can also discuss how studying the program can help you inch closer to them.
- Why UG: This prompt basically asks you about your reasons for pursing the undergraduate program. To answer the why UG prompt, mention your reasons or motivations behind wanting to study the program, and the reasons that drive you. You can also mention how the said undergraduate program can help you achieve your goals.
- Important current issue:Colleges often look for students who keep themselves aware about the world around them and are cognizant of current global affairs. Thus, you should be well-informed about the topic, to express you views on it. If the issue is related to your field of study, you should tread with more even more caution and do ample research, as your essay’s evaluators might be experts in that very field. Also, ensure that all the opinions that you share are backed by strong reasons or facts, so that you do not appear ill-informed, prejudiced or biased.
- Amaze us with your cleverness and creativity:Tap into your creative juices for this essay, and showcase your unique talents and the admissions committee really wants to know who ‘You’ are. You may talk about skills, activities or subjects that you have a natural flair for, or discuss talents or experiences that set you apart from the rest. Do not be afraid to stand out, and let your personality, worldview, or skills come to the fore through this essay.
- Important risk or event:At just 17 or 18 years old, most students answering this UG essay question are confused and conflicted about what to write here. Typically, universities are looking for events or incidents that have had a profound impact on you, either academically or personally, or both. So it can be a documentary you saw that made you want to pursue a particular subject, or even an incident at school that left a major impact on you. You may also mention about incidents that inspired your academic journey or challenges you overcame, and discuss how it affected you.
How to Select a Topic?
Before selecting a topic, you need to introspect about yourself. You also need to evaluate your strengths and weaknesses, which will help you in writing a convincing UG Essay.
- Think about what in your personality or accomplishments illustrates your strongest points. What makes you who you are?
- Identify three main themes in your life? Explain what defines you? You can ask your parents or friends who know you better to describe you as a person, so, you can get an idea of how to write about it.
- Decide which theme(s) are most important to you that you are keen to write about? What do you want the reader to know about you.
Also read:
| Sample Admission Essays | Types of Admission Essays |
| Shiksha Guidelines for Admission Essays | Top Universitiy Admission Essay Samples |
Guidelines for Writing a Compelling UG Essay
There is no select list of UG essay questions and answers that you need to focus on while working on UG essay questions and answers. However, there are a few points you need to keep in mind while writing a UG essay/ Personal Statement:
- If you are talking about an important event, then don’t just give details related to that event, but also mention your reaction to it or your learning from it.
- What do you want the Ad Com to know about you and your personality?
- Remember, you aim to ‘show’ them who you are, and not ‘tell’ them who you are.
- Focus not just on how you are in a classroom but how you are outside the classroom too. You need not focus only on your academics; you can also focus on any of your strong areas, whether it is music, sports, or any other activity.
- Before writing the essay think about who you are, what you have accomplished, and eventually where you are heading.
- You need not explain your whole life story. Also, you don’t need to explain all your extracurricular or academic accomplishments.
- Remember, you don’t know who is going to check the essay, so, try to avoid controversial topics as it can give a negative outlook to your application.
- Avoid topics like the bathroom, drugs, bitter family situations, romantic relationships and the like.
- Don’t try to be someone you are not! Be authentic to who you are.
- If you are a funny person, write a humorous essay, but if you are not, then don’t go for something you are not. Also, try to avoid writing an outrageous or over-the-top essay.
- You need not use fancy or flowery language; be careful while selecting your words; this is not an essay for your English class.
- Be careful with the flow and structure; it must be simple yet appealing with no grammatical mistakes.
- Follow application directions/guidelines completely whether it is with regard to the question/prompt, the formatting, word count, or spacing.
- Don’t argue with the question while answering it and always ensure that you answer the question/prompt entirely and convincingly.
- Remember that the reader, who is the admission representative, could be anywhere between 25-65 years of age, and from a variety of backgrounds.
- As the author of the essay, it is all about you. Though it is fine to do a bit of research, you need not follow whatever you find on the internet. Be authentic and original!
- Always conduct thorough research, prior to applying to any university. Check the specific features of the university and make sure that the courses offered by the university will help you in achieving your goals. So, now that you have all the necessary information to write the essay, just go for it! All the best!
Also Read:
FAQs for UG Essays
Q. Can the essays compensate for something missing in your application? (For example – a low academic score)
A. You can use this space to write the essay, do not miss this opportunity and give details asked in the essay. You can use the details which you want the Ad Com should know about you in the space provided under the section ‘Additional Information’.
Q. Do essays matter more than extracurricular?
A. Universities are not necessarily looking for any particular skills in the candidates. The Ad Com will look at the complete profile and not focus only on one aspect of a student’s personality.
Q. What if a student is more inclined towards academics and doesn’t have much to show in areas of extracurricular or other activities?
A. The Ad Com considers the background from where he/she is coming from, what all opportunities he/she got, and how he/she made use of those opportunities. The admissions committee wants to know you as a person, so, even if the student does not have many activities to showcase in the essay, he/she can talk about themselves, their likes/dislikes, or anything which highlights their personality.
Q. Can the common app essay and supplement essay be similar?
A. The topic for both the Common App Essay and the Supplemental essay can be similar at times. In such a scenario, do not make the mistake of using the same content in both essays. Write different content/instances for different essays.
Q. Do I need to add the extracurricular activities in the resume or should I mention these in my essay?
A. Essays are meant to respond to specific questions e.g. a common app essay can be about a failure you experienced in your life. In that case, you need to focus on the topic and give the answer accordingly. However, if there is scope for giving your achievements, then you can write about your accomplishments in the various activities you achieved.
Q. Does a student need to make a tailor-made essay for any university?
A. If you are applying through Common App, then create a generic essay, and try to avoid writing about any particular school. However, some universities have supplemental essays with specific questions.
Q. If a candidate has a strong SAT score but is not good in terms of writing skills, what can one do in that case?
A. Even if a candidate does not have strong writing skills, he/should be able to communicate his thoughts effectively, otherwise, he/she will not be able to draft a compelling essay.
Q. Most of the members in the Ad Com are between the age group of 25-65 years. So we need to keep that in mind while writing the essay?
A. Focusing on your own strengths and accomplishments will be more effective for writing an gripping UG essay. Always focus on your skills rather than on pleasing anyone, so be authentic while giving the information. The content you provide should be accurate and interesting.
Q. I do beat-boxing. Can I mention that in an essay?
A. It is all about the candidate who is applying. It can be beat-boxing or any other activity, if you think you are good at something, you can write about it, but always adhere to the guidelines or the essay prompt.
Q. What will happen if the content of the essay is found to be plagiarized?
A. You are the author of the essay, so, the information has to be about you. Plagiarizing content can have negative consequences on your application, it is always best to avoid it. A plagiarised application can even result in a rejection from the university.
Q. What mistakes should be avoided when drafting an admission essay?
A. Applicants must keep in mind the following pointers while drafting an admission essay and they are as follows:
- Create a draft and get it checked by teachers or seniors
- Take suggestions for improvements
- Avoid spelling mistakes
- Ensure you follow the word limit
- Avoid beating around the bush, be specific with what you have to say
Q: How can I get admission in the University of Manchester?
The application process at the University of Manchester may vary depending on the course and level of study. However, here is the application process for UG and PG courses:
The Undergraduate Application Process:
Step 1: You can apply through the UCAS common application portal.
Step 2: Go to the website and select the course you are interested in.
Step 3: Ensure you meet the Entry requirements (Academic qualifications, English proficiency, etc.
Step 4: Once you decide on the course, submit documents such as SOP, Transcripts and personal statements.
Check out: tips to improve your SOP.
Step 5: You can track the application's progress through your given credentials by UCAS.
Step 6: Once the applicant submits the application to UCAS, it forwards to the University, and the admission teams carefully analyse the application document.
Step 7: The university will send you an offer letter once selected. Hence keep checking your UCAS portal for your application status.
The Postgraduate application process:
Step 1: Select the postgraduate course you are interested in from the University of Manchester.\
Step 2: Ensure you meet the entry requirements for the chosen program, as they vary depending on the course.
Step 3: Complete the online application by providing your personal information.
Step 4: Upload the required documents, such as Academic transcripts and proof of English language proficiency ( TOEFL/ IELTS). experience in your fields and references (depending on the course). You also may require Two LORs depending on the course.
To make your admission better, check out the following: How Admission Officers Evaluate your application.
Step 5: If your application is successful, you will receive an offer from the University of Manchester.
Q: Is university of West of Scotland good for international students?
The University of the West of Scotland has five modern and diverse campuses in United Kingdom. The University has welcomed more than 3,000 international students which are representing 1/3 of the globe. They also have 130 European partners who are actively in global study and exchange options through the Commonwealth universities programmes. The University also offers study abroad opportunities for UWS who are eligible for the same and also have more than 20 transnational education partners worldwide which helps them deliver UWS Bachelors and Masters Degrees around the world.
Q: What is University of Wales, Trinity Saint famous for?
University of Wales, Trinity Saint (UWTSD) was founded in 2010, is a public institution for higher education and research at multiple locations. It was set up under the 1828 royal charter of Lampeter, the institution was the result of the merger between Trinity University College and the University of Wales. The institution merged with the Swansea Metropolitan University in 2013.
- Top Ranked University: The UWTSD is not ranked by any major ranking body, however as per the university ranking given on the official website of the university, it is ranked among:
- #1st in Wales and UK Top 5 Film Production and Photography
- #1st in Wales and UK Top 5 Fashion and Textiles
- #1st in Wales and UK Top 20 Graphic Design
- #1st in Wales and UK Top 5 Education
- #1st in Wales and UK Top 20 Sports Science
- #1st in Wales and UK Top 20 Mechanical Engineering
- #1st in Wales for Fine Arts
- Variety of Courses: UWTSD offers more than 300 programs at various levels including undergraduate, postgraduate degrees as well as multiple online courses.
- Highly distinguished and learned faculties: the faculty at UWTSD is highly learned and distinguished which enables students to be the best in their field of study.
- High Placements: According to Graduate Outcome data 2019-2020 quoted by the UWTSD, more than 95% of its graduates were found to be employed within 15 Months of graduation. The average salary of a graduate is not explicitly released by UWTSD, however, as per some unofficial sources the average salary of the graduates of UWTSD is approximately INR 30-35L. with the highest salary being reported as high as INR 66.5L for jobs in Financial Services.
Q: What rank is Wolverhampton University in UK?
The University of Wolverhampton is one of the best universities in the United Kingdom. The university is consistently ranked among the best universities nationally and globally. For nearly 200 years, the University of Wolverhampton has been consistently providing a quality of education to students and producing highly skilled graduates. The national rankings of the University of Wolverhampton are given below:
| Ranking Body | Ranking |
|---|---|
| The Guardian University Guide 2024 | #101 |
| The Complete University Guide 2024 | #117 |
Q: Does the University of Essex require IELTS?
International students whose native language is not English must meet the University of Essex English language requirements to get admission. The university accepts IELTS scores as proof of English language proficiency. Mentioned below are the IELTS scores required for UG and PG admission at the university:
English Language Test | Score |
|---|---|
IELTS | Overall score of 5.5 to 8.0 with minimum of 5.5 to 7.5 in each section |
The university also accepts the score of other English language tests such as TOEFL and PTE for admission to undergraduate and graduate programs:
English Language Test | Score |
TOEFL iBT | Overall score of 72 to 114 |
PTE | Overall score of 59 to 84 with minimum of 59 to 80 in each section |
Also read: Required IELTS Score for UK Universities
Q: Why indian students choose to study at Hult International Business School - UK?
Indian students choose to study at Hult International Business School in the UK for several reasons, including its highly ranked programs, global outlook, and career support. Hult offers a range of full-time master’s degrees, immersive bachelor's programs, and MBA options that prepare students to excel in the global job market. The school is the largest and top-ranked global business school, providing students with an incomparable universal outlook. Additionally, Hult's focus on experiential learning, extensive career support, and the opportunity to study at multiple campuses around the world are attractive to Indian students seeking a global business education. Furthermore, the school's emphasis on innovation and meeting the needs of students and employers may also contribute to its appeal to Indian students
Q: How to prepare for UK 10th board exam 2025?
Those who are preparing for the UK Class 10 exam 2025 are recommended to follow the tips below.
- Know the exam pattern
- Make a proper time table as per the syllabus
- Solve previous year question papers
- Make short notes of important formulas and theorems
- Revise regularly
- Figure out weaker areas and learn them well
With proper planning and hard work, students can easily clear the UK 10th board exam.
Q: How to download UK Board 12th date sheet 2024?
Following are the steps to download the UK 12th date sheet 2024.
- Open the Uttarakhand Board's official website at ubse.uk.gov.in
- Click on 'Examination Scheme' available on the homepage
- A new window will appear on the screen containing a link of the UK Board 12th date sheet 2024
- Click the link and download the Uttarakhand 12th date sheet 2024
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