Application Tip - have someone else read your essays

This is one of the oldest and most often repeated pieces of advice. Having someone else read your essays not only gives you another set of eyes that can catch mistakes such as typos and grammatical errors but they can also provide input on how well you've expressed your point. If your reader is having trouble understanding parts of your essay then chances are an admissions officer will too.

When asking someone to proofread your essays, be sure to ask them what they think the essay expresses (ie, this candidate is very active in community service or is a superior student, etc). What a reader gets from a piece of writing may not always be what the writer intended.