If you're like many prospective college students, you're anxious about your chances of admission to your top-choice schools. With the admissions process becoming more and more competitive at many top colleges and universities, it can be hard to stand out, especially if your standardized test scores, grades, or extracurricular activities aren't much to write home about.

For many students, the admission essay can be what makes (or breaks) your opportunity to attend the college of your choice; as a result, it can be crucial to have your essay proofread and edited by a professional to ensure it's polished enough to set you apart. Read on to learn more about some of the factors you'll want to take into account when seeking professional editing services for your college admission essay.

Can You Ensure Your Voice Shines Through?

Many college admissions officers indicate frustration with what they deem as "over-edited" essays: those that include words, references, and even personal stories with which the author isn't familiar. If you're called in for an in-person interview and the admissions officer asks you a question about something in your essay, being unable to give a clear answer or explain what you meant could defeat the purpose of submitting a well-written essay in the first place. 

It's important to ensure that your voice shines through, regardless of how much your essay is edited; with more and more prospective students moving toward essay editing services, admissions officers have become more adept at spotting essays that have received more than just a bit of help with word choice or formatting. While having your essay edited to improve flow and impact can go a long way toward putting you at the head of the pack when compared to other prospective students, it's important to ensure it remains genuine in tone.

Can You Focus On What You Can Bring To The College?

Too many students begin their admission essays with a laundry list of the reasons they'd like to attend a certain college. However, admissions officers already know their college is desirable--after all, if it weren't, you wouldn't be applying. Instead, the better essay focus for most students is on what you can bring to the college and how your unique experiences, perspective, and other background attributes can make you a valuable addition to the student body. 

This is one area in which professional editing can provide a tremendous boost. While still using your own words and tone, your editor will be able to craft your essay to convey each of the reasons you'd make a well-rounded addition to the student body without sounding overly boastful or egotistical.

Can You Avoid Cliches?

Another area in which a professional editor or editing service can be invaluable is in helping you avoid some of the most common essay topics and tropes. These include everything from a lesson you've learned from a recently-deceased relative, how your struggle in high school sports helped shape your personality and work ethic, how a certain aspect or quality of your ethnic or cultural background sets you apart, or why you've turned the corner from slacker to committed student (often as a way to explain a lower-than expected GPA). 

While some essays on these topics can be done well, admissions officers see enough essays that fall into one of these three categories that it can take a bit more "oomph" to overcome this initial bias. Focusing on another topic or weaving in some of your life lessons in a different context can give your essay a freshness that may lead admissions officers to sit up and take notice. 

Contact a service like Crimson and Ivy to find out more about crafting a great college essay.