Wrong Major

Right off, this a big one! If you are using the Common App or MyCoalition, you will notice a drop-down for majors at the school.

Many of us quickly pick the drop-down option we want and move on. Sometimes we should double-check we had the right one since many schools can accept you based on your major. Cause it will look weird when your major essay is all about Mechanical Engineering but, your application saved your major as machine learning.

Now, if you already made this mistake, don't fret! Just contact the school about it promptly.

Narcissism 

Guys, I get it, we have lots of trouble talking about ourselves when it comes to essays. We brag about ourselves in an application so that the admissions officers think we are amazing!

We are amazing, but we should also understand the humblebrag. We can't sound like we conquered the world like Alexander, cause we didn't. Sound like you are pleased with your current accomplishments and how you desire to proceed to do more.

A great YouTube channel to give you guys more advice on this is @SupertutorTV. Get a peer to reread your essay to make sure you don't like all that and a bag of chips.

Not Being Specific

Sometimes we are afraid to be too specific about our dream when we apply to a school. Let's think like an admissions officer for one moment. I have two amazing students with excellent grades, stellar extracurriculars.

But, when it comes to essays, one of them generally stated why they like a school while the other one had a definite intention to come to my institution. Some of these purposes could be meeting a particular professor, working with a distinct program, or getting the opportunity to use a unique piece of machinery.

I would choose the one with a specific goal over the one whose essay is a copy, cut, and paste.

Cliches

The previous one relating to nonspecificity can go hand in hand with this one. Don't write fluff! That's it! Just don't do it! If your essay sounds like something you coughed out of AP Lang, please don't send in your application. Be genuine, not cliché.

Spelling Errors and Grammar Issues

I don't think I have to explain this much. Guys, I know sometimes we rush to finish so many college applications. Some of us turn it into 15 or 20 different institutions with varying essays. It can get hard to keep track, so I suggest you guys use Grammarly to help you with this.

Middle-School Peaker

Let's be honest. We all have once thought of putting our middle school awards on our college application because we found them to be impressive.

Please don't add them. If they are related to an activity, like sports, and you still participate in it, then you can add them in the little description box or the more info box in your application.

This way, you represent an increased time commitment to a specific activity and how the depth of that activity affected you.

Summarize Your Transcript

There is a reason our high schools make us pay to send an official transcript to the institution. Also, there is another section in every college application format for honors and awards.

Please don't summarize these things. That's just being redundant. If you want to describe a specific experience or how a particular activity you did affect your life, now that's an essay.

Don't say you played lacrosse. Tell how lacrosse improved your time management skills, etc.