How Do I Write a School Application Letter?

A well-written school application letter should be organized, coherent, interpretive, specific and personal. A school application letter makes a case for the student based both on the letter’s content and how the information is expressed, so it’s important that the writing is articulate and focuses on substantial points.

Applications typically offer a prompt or question, and students should attempt to respond to this as deliberately as possible. Try to understand what information the question is requesting and determine the most effective overall answer. Be sure not to speak in generalities; the essay should focus on specific personal goals and achievements. Highlight unique qualities and accomplishments and show how these relate to the essay prompt. Providing explicit answers to the question will help an application essay stand out from the hundreds of others that admissions staff must read. Focus on using strong adjectives and verbs that articulately describe characteristics and achievements. The adjective “good” doesn’t really say much about an individual, whereas “curious” and “confident” do. Don’t be afraid to share personal stories or experiences as long as they are relevant to the essay prompt. To organize the essay, create an outline and make sure each paragraph offers a coherent main idea and supporting details. A well-organized application letter reflects a well-organized student.

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