Advanced words to use in writing to impress admissions officers?

Hello! One of my teachers suggested that using some advanced vocabulary in my college essays could help showcase my writing skills. Any suggestions on words or phrases that would make a strong impression on admissions officers without sounding overly pretentious?

Hello! While it's true that showcasing your writing skills can be beneficial in your college essays, it's important not to focus solely on using advanced vocabulary. Instead, prioritize clarity, genuine expression, and storytelling. Your essay should sound like you and not attempt to impress admissions officers by using obscure words or phrases.

That being said, you can improve your writing by incorporating stronger vocabulary and varied sentence structures in a natural way. Avoid using words that you're not familiar with or that feel unnatural to you, as they may come across as pretentious or forced.

Here are a few tips and examples to enhance your writing without sounding overly pretentious:

1. Use precise language: Instead of writing "very big," consider using "enormous" or "immense." Instead of "very small," use "minuscule" or "tiny."

2. Enhance your verbs: Use strong action verbs that convey a clear image. For example, use "scamper" or "sprint" instead of "run" when appropriate.

3. Replace common adjectives: Find more descriptive adjectives to replace overused words like "good" with "stellar," "extraordinary," or "exceptional."

4. Vary your sentence structure: Mix short and long sentences, and consider incorporating parallelism or varying the placement of clauses.

5. Use transition words: Connect your ideas smoothly with transition words such as "however," "moreover," "furthermore," "in contrast," and "in addition."

Remember, the key is to let your genuine voice shine through while demonstrating your writing prowess. Focus on telling your unique story and expressing your thoughts authentically. When you do that, your writing will naturally impress without the need to rely solely on advanced vocabulary. Good luck!