Writing college assignment is very tedious and challenging task. The topic might be too difficult or something you have no knowledge about. Then, you realize the deadline is also approaching. Stress and pressure gradually creeps in. And you see your dream grades slowly going away from your reach.

But relax! By using a clear-cut strategy, nothing is too difficult to get in this world. And yes, by following a proper plan, you too can write a winning college essay. Let’s explore what you can do:

1. Plan your essay

You got your topic and now you’ll jump into writing. Great. You are set for a failure! And we say this because you cannot start writing without a plan. You need to begin by making a ‘to-do’ list. For example, the three major things to do will be conducting research, writing and then proofreading your essay. In this way, you will be breaking a daunting task into smaller chunks.

Then, make a schedule, keeping your deadline in mind. This will ensure you submit the assignment on time. Finally, make a note of the points on which your professor will grade you. Because why should you even write something on which you won’t be credited.

2. Analyze and Brainstorm your key ideas

After planning, read the topic carefully and identify what exactly has to be addressed in your essay. Highlight the keywords and focus on any “W questions” mentioned in your topic. The six W questions are What, Where, Why, Who, When and How. Also, analyze any special instructions. For example, do you have to make any comparisons? Do you have to investigate something? Write all the relevant points you think you should cover while writing your college essay.

3. Structure your essay

The next step is to divide the points between the introduction, body, and conclusion. While this is a common structure of any essay, you should still confirm the format to follow from your professor. Your introduction should give a brief description of the topic, any major points you have covered in the essay and your intended outcome. In the main body, discuss each point in separate paragraphs.

Generally, a paragraph should start with a topic sentence stating the main idea, supported by statistics and examples. Finally, the conclusion should summarize the main points, arguments, and findings of your essay. However, make sure to write the introduction in the end. Since you would have written the body of the essay already, it will be easier to write a relevant introduction. Similarly, do not include any new information in the conclusion.

4. Conduct appropriate research

Because how will you even write your essay? It is important to not just conduct research but to do it in the right way. This is where your brainstorming and planning will help. Take help from prescribed text and reference books. Visit relevant websites and use class notes to stick to the facts. You can refer to the points and exactly know what to research. This will save you time as well.

5. Start your essay

Now to the grunt work. Once you have found all the relevant information, you can begin writing your first draft. Now, the first draft doesn’t have to be perfect. At this stage, you can just use your outline and write all the relevant information under the paragraphs. Once you have written everything, you should revise the work and make any appropriate changes. This means that your writing should be in flow, paragraphs should be connected and only the relevant information should be included under each paragraph. You can have more than two drafts but in the end, only the best draft should be the final one. And don’t forget to cite any appropriate references.

6. Proofread and edit your essay

Once you have written the final draft, re-read it again to catch any grammatical mistakes and language errors. Don’t depend entirely on grammar software, as they don’t pick all the minor errors in the document. You should also check if you have covered the topic in the right direction, answered all the problem statements, and presented your ideas well.

Last-minute Tips.

The best way to write your college essay is to keep all the distractions away while working. Make sure you proofread your essay after one entire day of writing, so you can check it with a fresh mind. Finally, avoid plagiarism at all costs. College professors hate it and you should too. Once satisfied, submit your essay with confidence.