A College recruiter gets hundreds and thousands of study abroad application essays every month from across the globe trying to apply to any university. One works to the bone for the grades, for extracurricular activities and for building a polished application, but so does every individual applying for college.
How does one stand out from the rest of the crowd and do something that catches the eye of the college recruiter to give you the seat?
Building a compelling essay can mean the difference when this is the one time you have a captive audience and can speak about your own experience. This blog will provide you with various techniques for writing a great abroad study essay, with a sample essay to see in action.
6 Principles To Write A Compelling Essay
Be Real Rather Than Artificial
The requested college essays often have a strict word limit of 600-1000 words and how to build a strong impression quickly. One cannot be artificial as it is detectable to the reader when someone is not being their true self but instead is trying to say what college recruiters want to hear.
Being authentic will make for a compelling read because it cuts through the crowd and honestly connects more deeply to the world of artificiality.
Find Your Story
Every applicant has a story to tell, and this is the time to say to the college what this opportunity to study abroad in college means. The idea of telling your story may seem vague and overwhelming, so hiring the best study abroad consultants is essential because they will help build your account and craft a great college application.
The story behind your college application must be personal to you as a person and must tell how the decision to apply for this position is what you were meant to be. It can be a personal anecdote about the country, its culture or how your dreams of going to college have manifested and influenced your life.
One has to dig deep within the past and think out of the box to tell a compelling story.
Edit Fluff
As mentioned, the application piece must be brief, answer all the questions a recruiter might have and concisely tell your story. One must edit, edit, and edit every line of the application. Every word must be chosen carefully to ensure you can embed the maximum amount of information and feelings.
Initially, the study abroad application essay will be meandering, but the more one edits, the more one gets to the crux of any paragraph. Once the fluff is entirely non-existent, then only the piece can be sent out.
Also read: The Ultimate Guide to Study Abroad Applications: Tips and Tricks to Follow
What are you getting at
An essential aspect of telling a robust and compelling piece is having a solid crux to what you are writing. The best way to understand this aspect is by studying essays abroad and seeing how they build with each sentence and how they transition through sentences.
A reader must not feel lost or like the writing has devolved into ramblings that might make sense in one’s head but feel bland on the page.
A good intro builds a sense of curiosity, immediately hooks the reader, and makes a statement of expectation or reward. You will go through your journey and story, with the conclusion bringing a thematic resonance to your whole piece. It must feel full and get a complete understanding.
Create Value
When approaching a study abroad application essay, it is optional to mention what the college can do for you but also what you can do for the college itself. One must sell how being in the college will enhance their reputation or add to their already established sports and extracurricular activities.
Showcase your talents and bring forth all your achievements on full display. Stay humble in one’s approach but subtly embed the vision of being part of the college programs.
If you are in a technical field, many STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) oriented colleges always search for people to do lab jobs or be part of breakthrough research.
Read the details and fine lines.
Every college has a particular request and mentions what they are looking for. Stay within the mentioned prompt and adhere strictly if it is peculiar. Many often have put specific formatting requests and fonts, etc., to be included within the college essay.
Focusing on all the details might seem bizarre. Still, the reality is that getting the college prompt or formatting wrong may lead to your application being rejected, regardless of how compelling it is. One cannot overstate the importance of being detail-oriented and careful when crafting every little thing.
Now that you have read all the principles to write a compelling essay let’s see it in action.
Here is a Sample Essay you can emulate for your piece of writing.
Title- Study Abroad Application Essay for MBA
Introduction
I have often thought about a kid running around in skinny pyjamas selling paper for 2rs in the morning. He would go to school, sell soda for 20 rs on a hot sunny day, and study under the light of a candle at night.
The boy’s house was small, but the walls were tall enough to always remain high. He saved, earned every rupee with honesty and hard work and learned ways to turn it into 100.
Poverty nearly impoverished his will to succeed, rise beyond the shackles, and write this letter to apply for a life-changing opportunity: Studying abroad in your[ University Name].
Part-1
My childhood is filled with many difficult memories but also equally happy ones. I learnt the value of hard work and the importance of education in success. My father instilled a work ethic and understanding of business that I am discovering in adulthood.
In my various small endeavours to build wealth, I learnt the art of accounting and people skills to maximise productivity empathetically. Education filled in the gaps as I saw that we are part of a global society where information and trade are now at one’s fingertips.
I want to explore the various cultures and meet people with a different worldview from me, mesh into the cultural melting pot that is America. Explore the grand canyons, visit Times Square and make a trade at the New York Stock Exchange. Watch the city lit up with Christmas lights and New Year’s Eve fireworks.
I am an avid reader of the business titans and entrepreneurs who have changed the business world. My inspirations at the darkest hours have always been going back and reading the biographies of Elon Musk and Steve Jobs. I almost forgot- my favourite autobiography, My Life and Work, by Henry Ford.
All the greats have found their footing and have a name to claim because the USA is the land of freedom and dreams. The idea of being in the US is the reason I burn the midnight oil regardless of how tired I am.
Part-2
I was at the top of my class at my school and college while running various businesses such as an e-commerce, tea chain, clothing, and app development company. My hunger for knowledge always kept me going, and I learnt multiple skills such as accounting, marketing, coding, and so much more.
I have represented my college in various levels of entrepreneurship programs and represented my team at the international level. I am proud of my accomplishments, but it’s not enough. I want to go deeper into learning the tricks of the trade by being part of your MBA course.
I want to apply my previous learning to being part of the college and represent the university in a global community.
Part-3
A college should not be judged by its cover, but by the bright minds it has generated. I look up to the work of the outstanding alumni such as [Mention the names of people who have passed from the college]. To be a part of the Hall of Fame for the university is my dream, and to support my family’s financial needs and responsibilities.
The journey from a boy with nothing to his name to reaching this position has been a rollercoaster. I remember my father as an honest man who was an incorruptible force that guided me with the valuable nuggets of knowledge of Artha (Prosperity).
I plan to live up to my father’s legacy and be part of this great university.
Also read: 8 Tips to Ensure Choosing the Right Study Abroad Program
Let’s break down this study abroad application essay.
In the Introduction, I immediately told a childhood anecdote of the person who established his hustle mindset and has had real-world experiences in an extreme situation. It is a lifelong dream for this person to get to the university to rise above and feel empowered.
A hard-hitting intro that immediately catches one’s eye and imagination.
In Part One, I establish why education is crucial to the person and why going abroad is vital. I showed the US first as a place of desire in terms of beauty and from a travelling aspect, then switched to an immigrant businessman who thrived.
We added Henry Ford as a favourite. The previous two are the default answer for many young people, but Ford is often not, and that shows a more profound curiosity.
In Part- 2, We kept the person’s interests varied rather than strictly business and listed many extracurricular achievements. The end sentence is a sell to the college of the value the person here can add to the college.
Part 3 is where we focus on college being a vital part of the person’s journey to support the family and how college helps achieve this. We focus on bonding with the father first and it becomes an emotional aspect that always stays with a person. Using ancient Sanskrit words breaks the traditional flow and shows a strong cultural heritage.
Your study abroad essay might not have an extreme story, but one must find a compelling point of view that turns it into one. I hope you better understand how to apply the techniques to creating your passage.
Conclusion
Crafting a study abroad application essay is a long process and must be completed on time as it is a data point in deciding whether to take an applicant.
Going through an abroad study essay will undoubtedly give you a strong perspective on what works, but crafting a unique piece requires years of experience and help from learned wordsmiths.
It is advisable to hire the best study abroad consultants who have helped guide thousands of students through the system and will help you achieve your dreams, too.
