Students Share Tips for Editing College Essays

When writing a college admissions essay, there are typically three phases or steps that students must complete: brainstorming, writing and revising. For some, the last step can seem like an irritating after-thought, but the revision phase of the writing process is just as important to a college admissions essay as it is to a high school English assignment.But how do you proceed? How can you ensure your editing is top-notch and you impress admissions committees? Below, two current college students share their top editing advice.Approach the editing phase with a professional mindset. Whether you are preparing for an Early Action deadline in November or a regular decision deadline in January, you are likely overwhelmed with academic, extracurricular, familial and social commitments. As a result, you may be tempted to conserve your college application time by rushing through the editing phase.This, however, is a mistake. You should instead approach your admissions essay edits with a professional mindset. One senior at Southern Illinois University—Edwardsville, Megan Grove, describes this technique as active editing. “Don't be lazy in your editing," she wrote in an email. "You must be an active editor in order to have a successful and professional-sounding essay.”