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Lesson Six: Editing and Revising
 Introduction
"If
one thing could be perfect, it should be the essay."
- Admissions
Officer
Writing is not
a one-time act. Writing is a process. Memorable writing comes
more from rewriting than it does from the first draft. By
rewriting you will improve your essay -- guaranteed. If you
skimp on the rewriting process, you significantly reduce the
chances that your essay will be as good as it could be.
Once you have taken
a break from your essay, come back and read it through one
time with a fresh perspective. Analyze it as objectively as
possible based on the following three components: substance,
structure, and interest. Do not worry yet about surface errors
and spelling mistakes; focus instead on the larger issues.
Consider reordering your supporting details, delete irrelevant
sections, and make clear the broader implications of your
experiences. Allow your more important arguments to come to
the foreground. Take points that might only be implicit and
make them explicit.
In order to figure
out where revisions are necessary, you are going to need as
many different sets of eyes to read your essay as possible.
Whether it is you or one of your friends, family members or
teachers, these questions will help guide your revision process.
Select One:
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EssayEdge
Extra: To Title or Not to Title?
Some
essayists decide to add a title to their essay,
although most do not. Titles are definitely not
required, and if you are wondering whether or not
to add one to yours, remember the old adage: when
in doubt, leave it out.
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From ESSAYS THAT WILL GET YOU INTO COLLEGE, by Amy Burnham,
Daniel Kaufman, and Chris Dowhan.
Copyright 1998 by Dan Kaufman. Reprinted by arrangement
with Barron's Educational Series, Inc.
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