What If There’s A Typo In Your College Essay?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

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It’s a tough spot. If you find the error(s) – especially if you find 1 or 3 – soon after hitting

SUBMIT, you can contact the school and say that you accidentally submitted the wrong draft of your essay

(s). Maybe, just maybe, someone will have mercy on you and let you submit the corrected draft.

What happens if I have a typo on my college application?

So what should you do if you discover an error in an application that has already been submitted? If it absolutely needs to be corrected, such as an incorrect essay version or glaring typo,

the student should call the school and ask what their policy is for correcting the mistake

.

How bad is a typo in a college essay?

If your on your own, try changing the font and printing out your essay (sometimes it’s easier to catch things in print) and reading it aloud, or

copying and pasting it into a text to speech site to hear it read to you

. Though not perfect, that should help you catch most mistakes.

Do colleges care about spelling mistakes?


Mistakes happen all the time

!

So what should you do if you discover an error in an application that has already been submitted? If it absolutely needs to be corrected, such as an incorrect essay version or glaring typo, the student should call the school and ask what their policy is for correcting the mistake.

Can you curse in a college essay?

As expressed in an article of “The Daily Beast,”

don’t use profanities in your college

essays. It’s a major mistake. Otherwise, he would have gotten in.” If cursing didn’t take the cake, another Ivy League admissions counselor said this about an essay: “We had one great line. …

Do admissions officers care about grammar?

Admissions officers generally won’t dock minor mistakes in punctuation, but

grammatical errors always look sloppy

. “Proof it,” Warren says. “I think students would be surprised by how many essays we read that have lots of errors.

Does grammar matter in college essays?

Too many college applicants make these very errors.

Grammatical mistakes in college essays are not alright

. … It’s a rarity when we read through a college essay and don’t find a ton of mistakes. And we’re talking about major mistakes.

Do colleges look at grammar in essays?

When you are submitting a college admission essay, college admission officers expect said essay to be perfect, and if it’s not, THEY

WILL JUDGE YOU

. When you are submitting a college application and you make silly grammar goofs, college admission officers WILL JUDGE YOU.

Do typos in college essays matter?


It isn’t really a typo either

, and it usually results in rejection. If you are adapting an essay from one school’s application to another school’s application, do a “Find and Replace” for any form of the first school’s name before you even begin any other revising.

What should you not do in a college essay?

  • Never rehash your academic and extracurricular accomplishments.
  • Never write about a “topic”
  • Never start with a preamble.
  • Never end with a “happily ever after” conclusion.
  • Never pontificate.
  • Never retreat into your thoughts.
  • Never hold back.
  • Never give TMI.

Is it bad to talk about anxiety in college essays?

Recently, I’ve noticed a concerning uptick in the number of students asking whether it’s appropriate for them to write about mental health issues, most frequently ADD and/or anxiety, in their college applications. So the short answer:

don’t do it.

… Do not write your main essay about the issue.

Can professors swear?

Currently,

there is no guideline in the Faculty Conduct Policy prohibiting professors from

swearing in the classroom. Faculty members are allowed to decide for themselves what language is appropriate in different situations and might use curse words to get students attention.

What do admissions officers look for in college essays?

Admissions officers look for students

whose essays reveal their character and perspective through their real experiences, not contrived situations

. Admissions officers say most essays they read are safe, generic and do nothing to make them remember or want to advocate for the students who wrote them.

Do admissions officers read all essays?


Admissions officers tell us they read every essay

. The number of reviewers reading the essays vary from school to school.

Are sentence fragments OK in college essays?

Your essay should sound like you’re telling a story. … (Although, I avoid “would’ve” and “should’ve” because I think they’re too casual for college essays.) 2.

Don’t Use Sentence Fragments.

Should I use exclamation marks in college essays?

Exclamation Marks. They are used to

add emphasis

, but in many professional writings, including college essays, exclamation marks tend to make you look like you’re trying too hard. You don’t want to seem overeager! Instead of relying on a single punctuation mark, use word choice to convey your emotion.

Juan Martinez
Author
Juan Martinez
Juan Martinez is a journalism professor and experienced writer. With a passion for communication and education, Juan has taught students from all over the world. He is an expert in language and writing, and has written for various blogs and magazines.