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8 Steps to Start Your College Essay 

Keep it brief -  That’s certainly not many words for such an important piece of writing, so it’s necessary for you to keep the essay introduction brief.

Start with an attention grabber -  The very first sentence of your essay should be the “hook” or “grabber.” This sentence “hooks” readers or “grabs” their attention, making them want to read more.

Vividly describe an anecdote related to your essay’s main point -  After the initial grabber , it’s a good idea to include a vivid anecdote. Like the grabber, a detailed anecdote can keep your reader engaged and wanting to know more.

Connect the descriptive anecdote to the overall point of your essay -  A descriptive anecdote is creative, engaging, and a fun way to introduce the essay topic. But it’s not very effective unless you explain how this anecdote is connected to the rest of the essay.

Avoid stale, overused introductory techniques -  The goal here is to write a college essay introduction that is not like the other hundreds or even thousands of introductions the admissions officer has read. This means it’s important to avoid boring, predictable introductory techniques.

Don’t try to use impressive vocabulary words -  It is best if you don’t try too hard to use multi-syllable vocabulary words intended to impress admissions officers.

Write your college essay introduction last -  The introduction comes first in the essay, but that doesn’t mean you have to write it first. If the introduction seems a little tricky, or if you get stuck with writer’s block, write the rest of the essay first.

Proofread -  This is true of the college essay in general, but it’s especially important for the introduction. The college essay introduction is the very first impression the college admissions officer will get of you.

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