Unusual Essays

<p>I've been trying to start on some admission essays, so that i have some choices when its time to actually apply, and I keep running in to the same problems. </p>

<p>I'm wondering how much I can get away with in my essays, with respect to structure. Do colleges mind if I break some conventions? I would really like to use fragment sentences, because I think it makes my story come to life more. </p>

<p>Is this a really bad decision? I'm not going to break any other rules, and my essay is all spelled correctly. Would it reflect poorly on me, or would it help me stand out?</p>

<p>Also, would it make me seem to pretentious? as though I think I'm too good for the rules?</p>

<p>Just to give an idea of where I'm applying (reach - safety):
Yale, Claremont McKenna, Macalester, Whitman, Lewis and Clark</p>

<p>You can get away with a lot in regards to structure. If it’s readable and the structure makes an impact, then you’re set. Just don’t write fragments as if you’re doing stream of consciousness or something like that, because it won’t look very good. If you feel the modified structure will benefit your plot, then go for it.</p>

<p>Thanks!</p>

<p>And no stream of consciousness. I promise!</p>

<p>Yeah, you have a great deal of flexibility with college essays. Sometimes you have to use fragments or break typical grammatical conventions or else it’ll sound like a research paper.</p>

<p>like anomaly said, you can get away with a lot, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that unconventional structures will help you.</p>

<p>you mentioned that you think fragmented sentences help your essay come to life more, but can you explain in what ways?</p>

<p>anomaly by itself is rarely enough; it has to accomplish something</p>

<p>(sorry, had to)</p>

<p>I agree. I think it is fine to use an unusual structure. Just remember to make sure it sounds like you!</p>

<p>I’m describing a situation where I was pretty nervous, and my mind was all scattered. I think that using a fragment or two might better express my state of mind. It just seems like a more natural way of telling my story, and it makes the essay a little more natural and closer to what I would say if i were telling the story aloud, as opposed to writing an essay.</p>

<p>I think that using that mode of storytelling might help me to stand out.</p>