Fluent Essays

Submit your Intro Essay #1  (see below for details or see this .docx downloador .pdf downloaddocument) here.  Essay #1: Introductions You will use what you brainstormed in the bullet activity to write an application letter. You will choose only one of the following, based on whether or not you have graduated from high school. High School Students Not yet graduated from high school? Use the sentences you composed from your bullet points to develop paragraphs that answer one of the following Apply Texas Common Application questions: Tell us your story. What unique opportunities or challenges have you experienced throughout your high school career that have shaped who you are today?            OR Most students have an identity, an interest, or a talent that defines them in an essential way. Tell us about yourself. Format your Apply Texas Common App essay in correct MLA format (Links to an external site.). High School Graduates Already a high school graduate with some work experience? Use the ideas you brainstormed in your bullet points assignment compose a college application letter or a scholarship application letter or a job application cover letter. Format your letter in correct block business letter format (Links to an external site.). Resources about writing college or scholarship application essays and letters: The purpose of your college application essay or program application letter is to show the committee who you are as a person, what you value, what you hope to do with your life. Equally important, the application letter or essay serves as a sample that the committee can use to assess not just your grasp of grammar and vocabulary but also your ability to think critically and construct an argument (the argument that you, more than the thousands of other applicants, deserve to be selected. Think hard about your readers expectations. Sometimes it helps to imagine your reader as a teacher in your school-one who doesnt know you or your work. That reader will expect a good essay, on topic, free from errors. Also bear in mind that your reader is probably reading a lot of other essays in addition to yours; do your very best to make his experi­ence pleasant and rewarding. Brainstorm extensively for these essays, both before you start your draft and during revision. Make sure your content is the best it can possi­bly be. Because this is a formal essay, you can be sure that your reader will be looking at how youve organized it. Is your structure logical? Take some time to outline your essay, and dont be afraid to reorganize it once youve drafted it; essays often evolve as you write them and may need to be reoutlined and adjusted during the revision phase. Expect to go through several drafts before you finalize your essay. Give yourself plenty of time to write, revise, and rewrite. Dont feel youve failed if you dont write a perfect draft the first time through: editing and rewriting are part of the writing process. Proofreading is a critical part of the revision process. For obvious reasons, your spelling, punctuation, and grammar must be perfect. DOs and DON’Ts of College Admissions Letter or Essay Writing Do Don’t Write it yourself. Its a good idea to have trusted friends, family, or advisers read your drafts and make suggestions. However, the essay must be completely your own work from start to finish. Admissions committees are very adept at detect­ing when someone else has written an essay for you. Dont let anyone else write any part of it for you. Your essay must be your work, and your work alone. The admissions committee will definitely know if your mom wrote even a little: nothing is more obvious to an experienced reader than changes in tone, vocabulary, and attitude. When you get feedback from friends or family, dont let them rewrite those sections for you. Absorb what theyve said to you, and put it in your own words. Answer the question (or prompt} exactly as its posed. Some schools use the Common Application (often known as the Common App), which allows students to complete a single application packet for submission to multiple schools. However, not all schools use the Common App, and some might even require additional essays. If youre applying to multiple schools, it can be a hassle to customize your essays to meet their requirements, but doing so is absolutely critical to your success. Dont rehash quantitative information that appears elsewhere in your application. The admissions committee will look at your application as a whole including data such as test scores and grades. Dont waste the precious opportunity the essay affords by restating this information, no matter how impressive it may be. Answer the whole question. Many questions have multiple parts. One typical question is to ask you to identify an important issue or person in your life and then to explain why. Dont neglect the why part of the question. That section is your opportunity to reflect, analyze, and show whats important to you as a potential member of the col­lege community. Read the question carefully and be sure to answer it fully. Dont use fancy words where ordinary ones will do. If you mean praise, dont use laud. If you mean think, dont use cogitate. If you mean walk, dont use perambulate. You dont get extra points for extra syllables. Write in your own, natural, intelligent voice. Observe the conventions of a formal essay. Your essay should have a clear structure, with a consistent point of view, and it should be written with an eye to keeping the reader’s interest. Dont indulge in excessive praise of the school youre applying to. Good schools already know how good they are. Its wise to show that you know something about the school youre applying to, but its best to show this knowledge when you explain that youre an ideal fit for the culture and values of the school. Your essay is not an e-mail to a friend, or a friendly conversation, or a list of accomplish­ments. Its a formal piece of writing with an introduction and conclusion-a clear beginning, middle, and end. Ideally, your essay should be interesting for anyone to read, not just the admissions committee. Dont overemphasize what the university can do for you. You should show that youre aware of their offerings and emphasis, but you should put more emphasis on what you can do for the univer­sity community. Be yourself. The committee wants to know who you are, so your essay should employ your natural voice, albeit in the context of a formal essay. Dont try to impress by using big words, convoluted sentences, or pretentious ideas. Show the very best of who you really are. Dont submit an essay with typos, misspellings, and punctuation errors. This essay is your writing sample, and it also demonstrates how much you care about your application. If you allow sloppy mistakes in your application essay, the admissions committee has every right to decide that you wont care about the work you do in college. Get several people you trust to proofread your essay before you submit it. Use humor sparingly: don’t go overboard. Many students think that a jokey tone will convey their personality better or set them apart from other applicants. Be wary of self-deprecating humor, especially if its used to provide reasons for a less-than-stellar aca­demic record. This kind of approach almost always fails. If you have concerns about your test scores or grades, address them in a straightforward, serious way. Proofread, proofread, proofread. Do not rely on spell-check or grammar-check programs; they sometimes make mistakes. Proofread the essay carefully yourself; then give it to at least two other competent people (not your best friend who got a C in English) to proof it. Its even well worth the investment to pay a professional to proofread your final draft before you submit Resources about writing job application cover letters: Harvard Business Reviews, How to Write a Cover Letter  (Links to an external site.) Columbia Universitys, How and Why to Write a Good Cover Letter  (Links to an external site.) Forbes Magazines 6 Secrets To Writing A Great Cover Letter  (Links to an external site.) indeed.coms 7 Powerful Ways to Start a Cover Letter (With Examples)  (Links to an external site.) DOs and DON’Ts of Cover Letter Writing Do Don’t Tailor your cover letter to the particular job you’re applying for. If you are applying for a hundred jobs, plan to write 100 letters. Develop a few different templates to use as a basis for your different letters, but be sure the cover letter you send is customized for the job you’re applying for. Don’t rehash the information on your resume.  Your cover letter should motivate the reader to look carefully at your resume, not simply reiterate the information there. Address a particular person in your salutation. Try to avoid “To Whom It May Concern,” if possible. Don’t explain the company to the reader. Your reader knows that her employer is the world’s leader in vaccine production, for example. Your job in the cover letter is to explain why you’re the best fit for the job in that company. State why you are writing and which job you’re applying for. If someone recommended you apply for the position, say so and how you know that person. Don’t fudge about salary issues. Companies ask about salary history because they need to know if you fit within their budget. If you are uncomfortable talking salary expectations, provide a salary range you’d be willing to accept. Refer to the relevant information on your resume that fits with this job. Focus on what you have to offer the employer, not what the job can offer you. Write in your own voice. This is a business letter, so it should be businesslike, but you will make a stronger impression writing like your voice instead of “business-ese.” Keep it brief. Don’t ramble. Instead, pique the reader’s interest. Don’t give yourself completely away. Rubric Essay 1 Intro YourselfEssay 1 Intro YourselfCriteriaRatingsPtsThis criterion is linked to a learning outcomeIntroduction grabs the readers attention and sets up the essay topic. Conclusion brings the essay full-circle, reminding the reader of what was said in the introduction.15 pts This criterion is linked to a learning outcomeEssay is composed of complete and concise sentences, utilizing vivid verbs and a variety of sentence styles.15 pts This criterion is linked to a learning outcomeParagraphs are focused on one topic and are developed with a topic sentence and details.15 pts This criterion is linked to a learning outcomeEssay is typed in correct format.15 pts This criterion is linked to a learning outcomeEssay is organized logically, with transitional words and phrases.15 pts This criterion is linked to a learning outcomeEssay is written concisely, free of sentence-level errors, and not distracting with other grammatical errors.25 pts Total points: 100 Comments:Essay #1: Introductions You will use what you brainstormed in the bullet activity to write an application letter. You will choose only one of the following, based on whether or not you have graduated from high school. High School Students Not yet graduated from high school? Use the sentences you composed from your bullet points to develop paragraphs that answer one of the following Apply Texas Common Application questions: 1. Tell us your story. What unique opportunities or challenges have you experienced throughout your high school career that have shaped who you are today? OR 2. Most students have an identity, an interest, or a talent that defines them in an essential way. Tell us about yourself. Format your Apply Texas Common App essay in correct MLA format. High School Graduates Already a high school graduate with some work experience? Use the ideas you brainstormed in your bullet points assignment compose a college application letter or a scholarship application letter or a job application cover letter. Format your letter in correct block business letter format. Resources about writing college or scholarship application essays and letters: The purpose of your college application essay or program application letter is to show the committee who you are as a person, what you value, what you hope to do with your life. Equally important, the application letter or essay serves as a sample that the committee can use to assess not just your grasp of grammar and vocabulary but also your ability to think critically and construct an argument (the argument that you, more than the thousands of other applicants, deserve to be selected. Think hard about your readers expectations. Sometimes it helps to imagine your reader as a teacher in your school-one who doesnt know you or your work. That reader will expect a good essay, on topic, free from errors. Also bear in mind that your reader is probably reading a lot of other essays in addition to yours; do your very best to make his experi­ence pleasant and rewarding. Brainstorm extensively for these essays, both before you start your draft and during revision. Make sure your content is the best it can possi­bly be. Because this is a formal essay, you can be sure that your reader will be looking at how youve organized it. Is your structure logical? Take some time to outline your essay, and dont be afraid to reorganize it once youve drafted it; essays often evolve as you write them and may need to be reoutlined and adjusted during the revision phase. Expect to go through several drafts before you finalize your essay. Give yourself plenty of time to write, revise, and rewrite. Dont feel youve failed if you dont write a perfect draft the first time through: editing and rewriting are part of the writing process. Proofreading is a critical part of the revision process. For obvious reasons, your spelling, punctuation, and grammar must be perfect. DOs and DON’Ts of Colle