Write Your Way into the Graduate School of Your Choice with Donald Asher's Graduate Admissions Essays

Graduate Admissions Essays by Donald Asher: A Comprehensive Guide for Aspiring Graduate Students

If you are planning to apply for graduate school, you probably know that you need to write a great admissions essay that will impress the admissions committee and increase your chances of getting accepted. But how do you write such an essay? What should you include? How should you structure it? How should you style it? How should you edit it?

graduate admissions essays donald asher pdf free download

Fortunately, there is a book that can help you with all these questions and more. It is called Graduate Admissions Essays: Write Your Way into the Graduate School of Your Choice, written by Donald Asher, a renowned career expert and author of several best-selling books on education and career development.

In this article, we will review this book and show you how it can help you write a winning graduate admissions essay. We will also show you where you can find and download the book in PDF format for free, so you can access it anytime and anywhere. Let's get started!

Why You Need a Great Graduate Admissions Essay

Writing a great graduate admissions essay is not just a matter of fulfilling a requirement or following a format. It is a matter of presenting yourself as a unique and qualified candidate who deserves a spot in the program of your choice.

A graduate admissions essay is your opportunity to showcase your personality, goals, and fit for the program. It is your chance to tell your story, explain your motivation, demonstrate your skills, and highlight your achievements. It is your way of convincing the admissions committee that you are not just another applicant, but someone who has something valuable to offer and contribute to the academic community.

Therefore, you need to write an essay that is compelling and persuasive, that captures the attention and interest of the readers, and that makes them want to learn more about you and meet you in person. You need to write an essay that stands out from the crowd and makes a lasting impression.

How to Choose a Topic for Your Essay

One of the first steps in writing a great graduate admissions essay is choosing a topic that reflects your interests and strengths. A good topic is one that is relevant, specific, and personal. It should be related to the program you are applying for, the field you want to study, or the career you want to pursue. It should be narrow enough to focus on a particular aspect or angle of your experience or background. It should be personal enough to show who you are, what you care about, and why you are passionate about it.

Here are some tips on how to choose a topic for your essay:

• Brainstorm: Write down any ideas that come to your mind when you think about yourself, your education, your work, your hobbies, your achievements, your challenges, your aspirations, or anything else that defines you or influences you. Don't censor yourself or worry about the quality or relevance of your ideas at this stage. Just let them flow and see what emerges.

• Research: Do some research on the program you are applying for, the faculty members, the current students, the alumni, the research projects, the courses, the facilities, or anything else that can help you learn more about it and its expectations. Look for clues on what kind of topics they are interested in, what kind of questions they ask, what kind of qualities they value, or what kind of problems they want to solve.

• Narrow down: Review your brainstorming and research results and identify the most promising topics that match your interests and strengths with the program's goals and requirements. Eliminate any topics that are too broad, too vague, too common, too controversial, or too irrelevant. Select one or two topics that are specific, clear, original, meaningful, and feasible.

• Test: Test your chosen topic by asking yourself some questions such as: Why did I choose this topic? What do I want to say about it? How does it relate to my goals and fit for the program? How can I support it with evidence and examples? How can I make it interesting and engaging for the readers? If you can answer these questions confidently and convincingly, then you have a good topic for your essay.

How to Structure Your Essay

Another important step in writing a great graduate admissions essay is structuring it in a way that is logical, coherent, and clear. A good structure helps you organize your ideas, develop your arguments, and guide your readers. It also helps you avoid confusion, repetition, or omission of important information.

A typical structure for a graduate admissions essay consists of three main parts: an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Each part has a specific function and purpose in the essay. Here are some guidelines on how to structure each part:

Introduction

The introduction is the first part of your essay and it serves as an opening statement that introduces your topic, establishes your purpose, and grabs the attention of the readers. It should be brief but informative, catchy but relevant.

Here are some elements that you should include in your introduction:

• A hook: A hook is a sentence or phrase that captures the interest of the readers and makes them want to read more. It can be a question, a quote, a statistic, a fact, an anecdote, or anything else that relates to your topic and sparks curiosity.

evidence, examples, and analysis.

• An overview: An overview is a brief summary of the main points or subtopics that you will discuss in your body paragraphs. It should provide a roadmap for your readers and show them what to expect from your essay.

Here is an example of an introduction for an essay on the topic of "graduate admissions essays donald asher pdf free download":

Have you ever wondered how to write a great graduate admissions essay that will get you into the program of your dreams? If so, you are not alone. Many aspiring graduate students struggle with this crucial part of their application process. Fortunately, there is a book that can help you with this challenge. It is called Graduate Admissions Essays: Write Your Way into the Graduate School of Your Choice, written by Donald Asher, a renowned career expert and author of several best-selling books on education and career development. In this essay, I will review this book and show you how it can help you write a winning graduate admissions essay. I will also show you where you can find and download the book in PDF format for free, so you can access it anytime and anywhere. Specifically, I will cover the following points: why you need a great graduate admissions essay, how to choose a topic for your essay, how to structure your essay, how to write with style and clarity, how to edit and proofread your essay, and how to use Graduate Admissions Essays by Donald Asher as a resource. By the end of this essay, you will have a clear idea of how to write a great graduate admissions essay and where to find the best guide for it.

Body Paragraphs

The body paragraphs are the main part of your essay and they serve as the development and support of your thesis statement. They should be organized, coherent, and cohesive. They should also be relevant, specific, and detailed.

Here are some elements that you should include in each body paragraph:

• A topic sentence: A topic sentence is a sentence that introduces the main idea or subtopic of the paragraph. It should be related to your thesis statement and provide a transition from the previous paragraph.

• Supporting sentences: Supporting sentences are sentences that provide evidence, examples, and analysis to back up your topic sentence and thesis statement. They should be factual, logical, and convincing.

• A concluding sentence: A concluding sentence is a sentence that summarizes the main point of the paragraph and connects it to the next paragraph or the overall argument of your essay. It should also reinforce your thesis statement and show its significance.

Here is an example of a body paragraph for an essay on the topic of "graduate admissions essays donald asher pdf free download":

One of the reasons why you need a great graduate admissions essay is that it can make a difference between getting accepted or rejected by your desired program. According to Donald Asher, "the essay is often the only guide admissions officers have of your ambition, personality, and interests" (p. 3). Therefore, your essay should not only demonstrate your academic qualifications and achievements, but also reveal your personality, goals, and fit for the program. Your essay should show who you are as a person, what you care about as a scholar, and why you are passionate about your field of study. Your essay should also show how you can contribute to the academic community and society at large. By writing a great graduate admissions essay, you can increase your chances of getting noticed and admitted by the admissions committee.

Conclusion

The conclusion is the last part of your essay and it serves as a closing statement that summarizes your main points, restates your thesis statement, and ends with a call to action or a final impression. It should be brief but effective.

Here are some elements that you should include in your conclusion:

• A summary: A summary is a brief recap of the main points or subtopics that you discussed in your body paragraphs. It should remind your readers of what you have said and why it matters.

• A restatement: A restatement is a paraphrase or rewording of your thesis statement in different words. It should reinforce your main argument and show its validity.

• A call to action or a final impression: A call to action or a final impression is a sentence or phrase that encourages your readers to take action or leaves them with a memorable impression. It can be a recommendation, a suggestion, a question, a quote, a prediction, a warning, or anything else that relates to your topic and purpose.

Here is an example of a conclusion for an essay on the topic of "graduate admissions essays donald asher pdf free download":

In conclusion, Graduate Admissions Essays by Donald Asher is a comprehensive guide for aspiring graduate students who want to write a great admissions essay. It provides useful tips and advice on how to choose a topic, structure an essay, write with style and clarity, edit and proofread an essay, and use the book as a resource. It also provides sample essays, exercises, feedback, and resources for further learning. By following this book, you can write a winning graduate admissions essay that will get you into the program of your choice. If you are interested in reading this book, you can find and download it in PDF format for free from various sources, such as Internet Archive, Google Books, or Library Genesis. These sources offer easy and convenient access to the book anytime and anywhere. So what are you waiting for? Download the book today and start writing your way into the graduate school of your choice!

How to Write with Style and Clarity

Besides having a good structure, your essay should also have a good style and clarity. Style refers to the way you express your ideas and convey your tone and voice. Clarity refers to the way you make your ideas understandable and coherent for your readers. Both style and clarity are important for making your essay engaging and effective.

Here are some tips on how to write with style and clarity:

• Use an informal tone: An informal tone is a tone that is friendly, conversational, and personal. It helps you connect with your readers and show your personality. To use an informal tone, you can use personal pronouns (such as I, you, we), contractions (such as don't, can't, won't), colloquialisms (such as awesome, cool, amazing), and humor (such as jokes, puns, irony).

• Use simple language: Simple language is language that is easy to understand and follow. It helps you communicate your ideas clearly and concisely. To use simple language, you can use short words (such as good, bad, big), short sentences (such as The book is helpful. I recommend it.), active voice (such as I wrote the essay. The essay impressed the committee.), and common vocabulary (such as graduate school, admissions essay, program).

• Engage the reader: Engaging the reader is making the reader interested and involved in your essay. It helps you capture the reader's attention and keep it throughout your essay. To engage the reader, you can use rhetorical questions (such as Have you ever wondered how to write a great graduate admissions essay?), anecdotes (such as When I was applying for graduate school, I had no idea how to write an essay.), or quotations (such as According to Donald Asher, "the essay is often the only guide admissions officers have of your ambition...").

• Use the active voice: The active voice is when the subject of the sentence performs the action. It helps you make your sentences direct and dynamic. To use the active voice, you can place the subject before the verb (such as I downloaded the book from Internet Archive.) and avoid using passive verbs (such as The book was downloaded by me from Internet Archive.).

, you can use one word instead of two (such as use instead of make use of), use one clause instead of two (such as I downloaded the book because it was free. instead of I downloaded the book for the reason that it was free.), and delete any words that do not add meaning or value (such as very, really, actually, basically).

• Use rhetorical questions: Rhetorical questions are questions that you ask without expecting an answer. They help you engage the reader and make them think about your topic. To use rhetorical questions, you can ask a question that relates to your thesis statement or main point (such as How can you write a great graduate admissions essay?), a question that challenges a common assumption or belief (such as Do you think that writing an essay is easy?), or a question that invites the reader to imagine a scenario or situation (such as What if you could get into the program of your choice with just one essay?).

• Incorporate analogies and metaphors: Analogies and metaphors are figures of speech that compare two things that are different but have something in common. They help you illustrate your ideas and make them more vivid and memorable. To incorporate analogies and metaphors, you can use a familiar or concrete thing to explain an unfamiliar or abstract thing (such as Writing an essay is like baking a cake.), use a simile to make a comparison using like or as (such as Your essay should be like a magnet that attracts the readers.), or use a metaphor to make a comparison without using like or as (such as Your essay is a window into your personality.).

How to Edit and Proofread Your Essay

The final step in writing a great graduate admissions essay is editing and proofreading it. Editing and proofreading are processes of checking and correcting your essay for any errors or mistakes that can affect its quality and effectiveness. Editing focuses on the content, structure, and style of your essay, while proofreading focuses on the grammar, spelling, punctuation, word choice, sentence structure, transitions, and formatting of your essay.

Here are some tips on how to edit and proofread your essay:

• Edit for content: Editing for content is checking and improving the relevance, accuracy, completeness, and coherence of your ideas and arguments. To edit for content, you can ask yourself some questions such as: Does my essay address the topic and purpose? Does my essay have a clear thesis statement and main points? Does my essay provide sufficient evidence and examples to support my thesis statement and main points? Does my essay have a logical and clear structure? Does my essay have smooth transitions between paragraphs and sentences? Does my essay have a consistent and appropriate tone and voice?

• Edit for structure: Editing for structure is checking and improving the organization and layout of your essay. To edit for structure, you can ask yourself some questions such as: Does my essay have an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion? Does each paragraph have a topic sentence, supporting sentences, and a concluding sentence? Does each paragraph focus on one main idea or subtopic? Does each paragraph follow the same structure? Does each paragraph have a proper length?

• Edit for style: Editing for style is checking and improving the expression and presentation of your ideas and arguments. To edit for style, you can ask yourself some questions such as: Does my essay use an informal tone, personal pronouns, simple language, active voice, rhetorical questions, analogies, and metaphors? Does my essay avoid jargon, slang, clichés, repetition, redundancy, ambiguity, or vagueness? Does my essay use varied sentence structures and lengths? Does my essay use precise and appropriate word choices?

, you can ask yourself some questions such as: Does my essay use correct verb tenses, forms, and agreements? Does my essay use correct noun forms and agreements? Does my essay use correct pronoun forms and references? Does my essay use correct modifier forms and placements? Does my essay use correct sentence structures and types?

• Proofread for spelling: Proofreading for spelling is checking and correcting any errors or mistakes in the writing or representation of words. To proofread for spelling, you can ask yourself some questions such as: Does my essay use correct spelling of words? Does my essay use correct capitalization of words? Does my essay use correct hyphenation of words? Does my essay use correct abbreviations and acronyms of words?

• Proofread for punctuation: Proofreading for punctuation is checking and correcting any errors or mistakes in the marks or symbols that separate or clarify words or sentences. To proofread for punctuation, you can ask yourself some questions such as: Does my essay use correct punctuation marks such as periods, commas, semicolons, colons, apostrophes, quotation marks, parentheses, dashes, and ellipses? Does my essay use correct punctuation rules such as end-of-sentence punctuation, comma usage, semicolon usage, colon usage, apostrophe usage, quotation mark usage, parenthesis usage, dash usage, and ellipsis usage?

• Proofread for word choice: Proofreading for word choice is checking and correcting any errors or mistakes in the selection or usage of words. To proofread for word choice, you can ask yourself some questions such as: Does my essay use appropriate and precise words that convey my meaning and tone? Does my essay avoid using words that are too informal, too formal, too vague, too general, too specific, too technical, too colloquial, too slangy, too clichéd, or too offensive? Does my essay avoid using words that are easily confused or misused such as homonyms (words that sound alike but have different meanings), synonyms (words that have similar meanings), antonyms (words that have opposite meanings), or false friends (words that look alike but have different meanings)?

Proofread for sentence structure: Proofreading for sentence structure is checking and correcting any errors or mistakes in the arrangement or combination of words into sentences. To proofread for sentence structure, you can ask yourself some questions such as: Does my essay use complete sentences that have a subject