<p>Question: By voice, do you mean that the essay should be written the way I would SPEAK, or the way I like to WRITE?</p>
<p>Am I being to literal here? I know that I'm supposed to show my "voice" and sound like myself, but I certainly don't write like I speak...</p>
<p>Thank you in advance!</p>
<p>Just make sure you essay has A voice. Don't come across as a robot.</p>
<p>Oh, I won't have trouble sounding descriptive and whatnot... the thing is, my writing vocabulary is pretty different (and much more articulate) than my speaking vocabulary...</p>
<p>Do adcoms want to know someone's writing "voice" or speaking voice??</p>
<p>I'm a bit confused.</p>
<p>... just write how you write and make it the best essay you can.</p>
<p>I was going to ask the exact same question. It's sort of odd to write like you speak after all the years of schooling that teaches us otherwise. So it's ok to use things like "I" and "we"?</p>
<p>Write like you're writing an essay. I don't understand why this is so hard to understand. It's an essay. Use normal essay techniques. Yes, you can use 'I' if that is what a sentence requires. Remember it's better to show instead of tell so don't say 'I learned this blahblahblah.'</p>
<p>Have you read any sample essays? There are 100s out there. Read one or two.</p>
<p>Wow, you don't have to be such a b**** about it.</p>
<p>I have read quite a few sample essays, and I do understand (sorry mtrinh91) that I can use "I"... I simply was wondering if I should use phrases I would only use in writing and not while speaking.</p>
<p>If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all.</p>
<p>Phrase it as if you were writing it. Remember that the people reviewing your essay will be reading it, not hearing it. Write for your audience.</p>
<p>When people say "your voice", they mean that it should sound like it came from YOU, and it should show the reader something about you that is not apparent from the rest of the application. While editing is OK, it shouldn't read as if your teacher or your parents wrote it.</p>
<p>I am sorry I said it so rudely, but I had already said it once (note the 4th post on this thread). I really can't understand what is so hard to understand about it, but Chedva said it nicely so follow that advice.</p>
<p>So, I made myself sound like and idiot, but even though I knew you could use "I", I just thought that it made the essay sound less, writing-like and more speech-like [which I didn't really see a college admissions essay as being speech-like]. I guess that what I was trying to say?</p>
<p>But as I was reading this one site, it tackled this particular question nicely by stating something along the lines of "Your essay should sound like your speech, but more polished."</p>
<p>abcdefgh88- </p>
<p>Nobody asked you to repeat yourself. The first post would've sufficed.</p>
<p>Sorry we're not all as smart as you are.</p>
<p>I guess now I'm being rude, but I just can't stand it when people somehow think it's their duty to tell someone with a sincere question what an idiot they are. Really, what is the point in telling us "I really can't understand what is so hard to understand about it"... who are you trying to help???</p>