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College Application Essay Review

Need help with your college application essay? Get Schooled will review your college essay for free!

FREE College Application Essay Review

Get Schooled is here to help you with the essays for your college applications and scholarships. Submit your personal statement, supplemental college application essays, and scholarship essays for feedback and we’ll provide actionable suggestions and feedback within 7-10 days.

Let us help you have the best chance to stand out to the colleges and scholarships on your list with our FREE college application essay review!

Get Schooled has reviewed more than 6,500 college application essays since 2017!

A better approach to college essay review

Get detailed college essay feedback from an admissions expert in as little as 2 hours.

From grammar and syntax to the strength of the topic, expert reviewers on CollegeVine are thorough in helping your voice stand out and write essays that actually resonate with admissions officers.

Find the perfect reviewer for you

CollegeVine is home to the largest marketplace of admissions experts. Choose from advisors with diverse backgrounds, areas of expertise, services, price points, and return times.

What families are saying

Robbie herbst, reuben stern, samara watkins, we make it easy to get a fast, professional essay review.

It’s easy to find an advisor who specializes in your dream school

• University of Michigan
• University of Pennsylvania
• Harvard University
• New York University
• Cornell University
• Stanford University
• Brown University
• University of Texas at Austin
• Columbia University
• Yale University
• Duke University
• University of North Carolina at chapel Hill
• Princeton University
• University of Southern California
• University of California Los Angeles
• Purdue University
• University of California Berkeley
• University of Virginia
• Georgia Institute of Technology
• University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign
• Boston University
• Northwestern University
• Vanderbilt University
• Northeastern University
• Johns Hopkins University
• Carnegie Mellon University
• University of Miami
• University of Florida
• Pennsylvania State University
• Rice University
• Ohio State University
• University of Wisconsin Madison
• Dartmouth College
• Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• University of Maryland College Park
• University of Washington
• University of Chicago
• University of California San Diego
• Texas A M University
• Emory University

Other essay resources on CollegeVine

Essay prompts & guides

At CollegeVine, our goal is to make the college application process a little less stressful, so we’ve compiled the latest essay prompts for the top 100 schools in one easy, searchable database.

Review a peer essay

Build confidence and improve your own writing by reviewing peer essays. Get into the mindset of a reader trying to understand the writer, just like an admissions officer.

Differentiating yourself is more important than ever

With more schools going test-optional, college essays can help you stand out from the rest, and they can often make the difference between rejection and acceptance.

Essays are 35% of your application

Grades alone won’t get you accepted to your dream school. The college essay is an extremely important piece of your college application. Essays help you stand out from the rest.

Show your personality

Admissions officers want to better understand who you are through your essays. Showcasing your unique view of the world and the experiences that have led you to where you are is pivotal.

Become memorable to admissions

Admissions officers only spend a few minutes on each application. Ensure your essay will be memorable by getting honest feedback from people who don’t already know your story well.

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Did you forget to call the client_side_endpoints helper?

How to Write Your College Essay: The Ultimate Step-by-Step Guide

Getting ready to start your college essay? Your essay is very important to your application — especially if you’re applying to selective colleges.

Become a stronger writer by reviewing your peers’ essays and get your essay reviewed as well for free.

We have regular livestreams during which we walk you through how to write your college essay and review essays live.

College Essay Basics

Just getting started on college essays? This section will guide you through how you should think about your college essays before you start.

• Why do essays matter in the college application process?
• What is a college application theme and how do you come up with one?
• How to format and structure your college essay

Before you move to the next section, make sure you understand:

How a college essay fits into your application

What a strong essay does for your chances

How to create an application theme

Learn the Types of College Essays

Next, let’s make sure you understand the different types of college essays. You’ll most likely be writing a Common App or Coalition App essay, and you can also be asked to write supplemental essays for each school. Each essay has a prompt asking a specific question. Each of these prompts falls into one of a few different types. Understanding the types will help you better answer the prompt and structure your essay.

• How to Write a Personal Statement That Wows Colleges
• Personal Statement Essay Examples
• How to Write a Stellar Extracurricular Activity Essay
• Extracurricular Essay Examples
• Tips for Writing a Diversity College Essay
• Diversity Essay Examples
• Tips for Writing a Standout Community Service Essay
• How to Write the “Why This Major” Essay
• How to Write a “Why This Major” Essay if You’re Undecided
• How to write the “Why This College” Essay
• How to Research a College to Write the “Why This College” Essay
• Why This College Essay Examples
• How to Write The Overcoming Challenges Essay
• Overcoming Challenges Essay Examples

Identify how each prompt fits into an essay type

What each type of essay is really asking of you

How to write each essay effectively

The Common App essay

Almost every student will write a Common App essay, which is why it’s important you get this right.

• How to Write the Common App Essay
• Successful Common App Essay Examples
• 5 Awesome College Essay Topics + Sample Essays
• 11 Cliché College Essay Topics + How to Fix Them

How to choose which Common App prompts to answer

How to write a successful Common App essay

What to avoid to stand out to admissions officers

Supplemental Essay Guides

Many schools, especially competitive ones, will ask you to write one or more supplemental essays. This allows a school to learn more about you and how you might fit into their culture.

These essays are extremely important in standing out. We’ve written guides for all the top schools. Follow the link below to find your school and read last year’s essay guides to give you a sense of the essay prompts. We’ll update these in August when schools release their prompts.

See last year’s supplemental essay guides to get a sense of the prompts for your schools.

Essay brainstorming and composition

Now that you’re starting to write your essay, let’s dive into the writing process. Below you’ll find our top articles on the craft of writing an amazing college essay.

• Where to Begin? 3 Personal Essay Brainstorming Exercises
• Creating the First Draft of Your College Application Essay
• How to Get the Perfect Hook for Your College Essay
• What If I Don’t Have Anything Interesting To Write About In My College Essay?
• 8 Do’s and Don’t for Crafting Your College Essay
• Stuck on Your College Essay? 8 Tips for Overcoming Writer’s Block

Understand how to write a great hook for your essay

Complete the first drafts of your essay

Editing and polishing your essay

Have a first draft ready? See our top editing tips below. Also, you may want to submit your essay to our free Essay Peer Review to get quick feedback and join a community of other students working on their essays.

• 11 Tips for Proofreading and Editing Your College Essay
• Getting Help with Your College Essay
• 5 DIY Tips for Editing Your College Essay
• How Long Should Your College Essay Be?
• Essential Grammar Rules for Your College Apps
• College Essay Checklist: Are You Ready to Submit?

Proofread and edited your essay.

Had someone else look through your essay — we recommend submitting it for a peer review.

Make sure your essay meets all requirements — consider signing up for a free account to view our per-prompt checklists to help you understand when you’re really ready to submit.

Advanced College Essay Techniques

Let’s take it one step further and see how we can make your college essay really stand out! We recommend reading through these posts when you have a draft to work with.

• 10 Guidelines for Highly Readable College Essays
• How to Use Literary Devices to Enhance Your Essay
• How to Develop a Personalized Metaphor for Your College Applications

Write an Essay Admissions Will Remember

Increase your chances of acceptance with expert feedback on your college essay. Receive comprehensive edits and comments from top-rated Ivy League consultants in as little as 24 hours. 100% satisfaction guarantee.

Our students have been accepted to...

We'll help you avoid clichés and ensure your story stands out to admissions officers.

More than spell check. Receive honest and detailed advice to help your essay shine.

Our consultants come from the nation's top universities, such as Harvard and Yale.

More Than Grammar Edits

We'll help you craft an acceptance-worthy essay.

The college essay is one of the most critical parts of your application. It goes beyond your grades and test scores to give schools a sense of your personality and potential—qualities that numbers alone cannot show. A compelling piece that exudes intellectual vitality, vulnerability, and humor can tip the admissions odds in your favor. We'll review your college essay to ensure it's one that admissions officers won't forget.

I am confined by my name. The active construction better captures the reader's attention. My name confines me. I am the latest iteration in a long line, the third to be exact, This is wordy. Consider this edit instead. third to inherit a dusty family heirloom: the name Ambrose. There are multiple reasons why I "Abhor" is alarming word choice. Perhaps use "dislike" or "disapprove"? abhor my name , whenever. Whenever my mom announces it in "Announces at" is more idomatic than "announces in." at a family gathering , three people answer , and my Dad opens all my mail thinking that its it's his. Yet the more pressing reason that I dislike my name is that it sounds The tone here is a bit formal compared to the rest of your writing. primeval , and I am constantly in the shadow of those who came before me This is commonplace way to describe the effect of a family's legacy on your identity. Be specific. compared to my dad and grandpa .

What is the context here? One day , trying to express anger at my name, I fixed the dangling modifier here. I complained to my father listened to my complaint without much of a reaction , who did not react much . He shrugged, saying names are just names; they don’t define who you are. I tried to argue, but I realized he might be right and I wondered if I was searching for meaning in the wrong place.

OVERALL COMMENTS:

Hi Ambrose! This is a thoughtful essay in which you discuss how your family’s legacy has impacted your sense of identity and how you overcame the burden of their expectations. For those reasons, this topic has promise to be a compelling personal statement. However, your essay requires some edits to achieve that promise. First, I recommend that at the end of your second paragraph, you add more detail as to why that conversation with your father was so pivotal, as it significance is currently ambiguous to the reader.

We'll check for errors like dangling modifiers, comma splices, and ambiguous pronouns.

We help you steer clear of overused phrases and common pitfalls that can weaken your essay.

We'll suggest ways to inject more of your unique style into your writing to make it more engaging.

We'll offer ideas to deepen your main points and provide more compelling evidence or examples.

We provide guidance on organizing your thoughts and improving the overall flow of your essay.

We'll provide a 2–3 paragraph evaluation of the overall strength of your essay.

“If there was an option for 6 stars out of 5, I would give this service 10.”

Next Admit stuck with me as I sent essay after essay for review with such a small amount of turnaround time and I could never be more grateful for all the work they do. The feedback is both fair and kind, and I felt better trusting consultants that had just gone through the whole college admissions ordeal and gotten in rather than consultants who hadn’t been through the process in decades.

Find the Right Solution

Two paths to a standout application, college essay review, college app review, want us to review all your essays for all your schools.

Contact us for our bulk pricing!

Your Essay’s in Good Hands

Get honest feedback from your dream team.

Having gone through a rigorous vetting process, our consultants know how to craft a winning application. Many have professional writing experience and have graduated from the nation's most esteemed institutions.

At Harvard, Hana is involved with the Institute of Politics, Model Congress, and Women in Business. In high school, Hana spent her time getting involved in education policy work, winning a seat on her Board of Education.

• Scholastic Writing Gold Key
• Director at Harvard IOP

At Harvard, Julia served as the President of the Undergraduate Women in Law Association and provides mentorship to students as a Peer Concentration Advisor. In high school, Julia spent much of her time engaging in community service.

• Harvard Crimson Writer
• Rhodes Scholarship Finalist

Don’t Just Hear It From Us

94% of our clients have been accepted to 1+ of their top 6 schools.

Justine was amazing. Her feedback and detailed comments were very helpful. She not only pointed out what could be better, but she also provided solutions and tips to make my writing better. I'm glad she edited two of my essays, and I wish she had reviewed them all. She was outstanding and made my experience with Next Admit worth it.

Ordered Essay Review

Very constructive and in-depth feedback! I really appreciate the positive comments alongside the corrections; it gives me confidence knowing that I can write a "decent" essay by myself. Thank you so much Natalia for polishing up my essay and for relieving my anxiety during this application cycle.

Lauren gave very insightful advice on how to improve the communication of my ideas and tweak the structure of my essay to focus on depth rather than breadth. Her comments were extremely detailed and thorough as well. She also returned her feedback on my essay a few days before the one-week deadline which was great!

We'll take the stress out of the writing process...

Understand what to improve.

Our consultants will provide you with detailed, line-by-line feedback to help improve your essay. Learn where your essay falls flat and how to take it to the next level.

Stand out among the crowd

We'll help you craft a unique, compelling piece that stands out to admissions officers. Having read thousands of essays, our team can help you identify and eliminate clichés.

Let your authentic voice shine

We'll keep your original voice and ideas intact. Our detailed feedback will enhance your story and align with your voice, not detract from it.

Work with Ivy League consultants

We've assembled a team of consultants from the nation's top universities. Many have professional writing experience and studied the humanities in college.

Ask clarifying questions

If you have any questions about your edits, feel free to message your consultant through the Next Admit Portal. We're always happy to clarify our feedback.

Receive feedback quickly

Our team can provide detailed feedback in as little as 24 hours. Our team is working around the clock to help make sure that you press submit just in time.

...for every type of essay

The Common App Essay

This is the centerpiece of your application. We'll ensure your story and voice stand out to admissions officers.

Supplemental Essays

Supplemental essays are important for establishing fit. We'll help you craft intentional and memorable responses.

The UC Essays

The UC PIQs can be tricky to navigate. We'll help you write clear and straightforward responses that stand out.

How It Works

Our streamlined editing process, submit essay.

Consultant Match

Track essay, receive edits, the next admit portal, find everything in one place, work closely with your consultant.

Your consultant is here for you from start to finish. Our built-in messaging system allows you to ask your consultant follow-up questions and provide clarifying details. We understand that crafting the perfect application is a dynamic journey, and our system allows for seamless communication.

Track your orders to the minute

Our system keeps you informed about exactly when you'll receive your order. With clear deadlines and real-time order tracking, you’ll never be left wondering about the status of your submission. We are committed to full transparency and delivering high-quality, timely edits so you can press submit just in time.

Don’t Take It From Us

See what our students say.

Lauren was really helpful in giving detailed feedback! I was really surprised to see how she went through each and every one of my sentences and gave me direct feedback on how to expand my ideas. I feel really confident about submitting my application now thanks to her comments!

I absolutely loved the feedback I received! I had actually worked with another college essay service for my personal statement, and they didn't provide me nearly as much feedback. The suggestions were thorough, and I gained a great understanding of how my essay is perceived.

Fred did a great job of putting himself into the shoes of an admissions officer and offering constructive criticism. He not only pointed out flaws, but also provided great suggestions for fixing them. Thanks for such a comprehensive edit.

Mahad thoroughly edited my essay, and his extensive comment inspired me to completely revamp my essay to make it more unique. I really appreciate his help, and would definitely recommend him.

As usual, these essay edits are incredibly thorough, understandable, and beneficial. I am able to fix mistakes that I would otherwise overlook. Thank you so, so much for the detailed insight and advice!

Super valuable feedback. The edits were very helpful and provided me insight into the parts of my essay that had potential for improvement. I definitely feel much more confident in my essay and more ready to submit my application!

...and hundreds more five-star reviews!

Frequently asked questions.

The college essay is one of the most important parts of your application. Put your best foot forward by having one of our consultants polish your piece, ensuring it reflects your story in the best light possible while maintaining your true voice.

No, but we are here to help you put your best foot forward. Since the admissions process is holistic and unpredictable, a strong essay alone is not enough to guarantee acceptance. However, our consultants will help you feel confident in your writing and tell an engaging story, all while keeping your voice intact.

Yes. We will not share your essay with any third parties or publish it online. Your essay will remain secure in our system.

Because of high order volume, you cannot choose a specific consultant for your essay review. However, our algorithm will match your essay to the optimal consultant based on availability and the schools you're applying to.

No. We will not write your essay for you. We will, however, provide advice to help you write the best essay you can.

After you receive your essay review, you can order a second revision through the Next Admit Portal for 10% off.

Yes. If, for example, you order a three-day review on Friday, you will receive your edits on Monday.

If you are not satisfied with your revisions, please contact us at [email protected]. We will handle all cases on an individual basis.

100% Satisfaction Guarantee

We're here to help you put your best foot forward. If you're unhappy for any reason, contact us so we make it right.

Ready to craft the perfect essay?

We'll make sure your essay is one admissions will remember. Submit now for feedback in as little as 24 hours.

Write college application essays that get you admitted

with expert help from College Essay Advisors

One-on-One Advising

Work with one of CEA’s expert Advisors to conceptualize, edit and refine admissions essays that stick with admissions and make you stand out.

• YouTube Tutorials

Master each step of the admissions essay writing process and learn what it takes to craft a memorable submission one video at at time.

Why Choose College Essay Advisors?

Our Top Resources

• Our Approach & Team
• Undergraduate Testimonials
• Postgraduate Testimonials
• Where Our Students Get In
• CEA Gives Back
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• International Student Admissions
• Common App Essay Guide
• Supplemental Essay Guide
• Coalition App Guide
• The CEA Podcast
• Admissions Stats
• Notification Trackers
• Deadline Databases
• College Essay Examples
• Academy and Worksheets
• Waitlist Guides
• Get Started

Essay Editing Service

Get accepted at your dream school.

Expert essay editors polish your writing to reflect the work you put into it. Professional college essay editing will:

• Make sure that your essay will get read
• Make sure you'll leave a positive impression
• Make you stand out from your peers

• College Essay Editing & Coaching

Professional editors

Same day delivery, 100% happiness guarantee.

College Essay Editing Services

Our college essay editing package.

The first draft is always the hardest. Work with an admissions essay coach who will give you practical, step-by-step guidance on how to develop your essay and make your story come alive.

Your coach will…

• Read your profile
• Review your essay draft
• Share feedback to help you refine your topic, structure, and voice
• Leave in-text feedback and suggestions
• Proofread for grammar and punctuation
• Give you a roadmap to guide your revisions

We’ll help you show your best traits to college admissions officers and prove that you’re college-ready! With help from our essay coaches, you’ll improve your chances of getting accepted – so what are you waiting for?

Meet Scribbr's essay experts

At Scribbr, you can rest assured that only the best editors will work on your college essay.

All our 800+ editors have passed the challenging Scribbr Academy, which has a passing rate of only 2%.

We handpick your college essay editor on several criteria, including field of study.

Janice holds a PhD in German studies from Duke University. As a former professor, she has helped many students refine their application essays for competitive degree programs and study-abroad programs. Today, she helps students improve their writing skills at Scribbr. In her spare time, when she's not writing or editing, she enjoys working on the small family farm that she owns and operates.

Alexandra earned an Erasmus Mundus MA in cultural narratives and a BA in English from Emory University. As a teacher, editor, and writing coach, she has spent nearly a decade helping students find their voice and express their ideas.

Originally from Maryland, Amy headed west to attend Scripps College in California, where she earned a bachelor's degree in music and gender studies. In 2009, she began working for the admissions office of her alma mater, where she focused on reviewing applications and interviewing prospective students.

“Extremely professional and timely”

Extremely professional and timely! Regis did an amazing job bringing my admission essay to life. It went from overly wordy and unclear to very professional and concise. If I don’t get into my desired program, it won’t be because of my essay.

How it works

Get quality feedback in 4 easy steps, upload your college essay.

Upload your college essay , and tell us a little about yourself. We’ll match you with a certified college essay coach.

Sit back and relax

Your coach will edit your essay and share in-depth advice to help you strengthen your structure, content, and narrative.

Receive your feedback

We’ll send back your fully edited essay. Applying to college is nerve-racking, but at Scribbr you never have to wait for long.

Revise and submit your essay

Thanks to your coach’s feedback, you’ll feel clear about the next steps and confident when you hit “send” on your application.

Scribbr & academic integrity

Scribbr is committed to protecting academic integrity. Our proofreading service, our AI writing tools ( plagiarism checker , paraphrasing tool , grammar checker , summarizer,  Citation Generator ) as well as our free Knowledge Base content are designed to help students produce quality academic papers.

We make every effort to prevent our software from being used for fraudulent or manipulative purposes.

Your questions, answered.

We know that waiting for feedback can be nerve-racking. If you select our faster deadline option, you’ll hear from your personal statement editor in 12 hours or less – including on weekends and holidays. 

We never engage in rewriting or adding text at Scribbr. Our personal statement editors will make grammatical corrections and leave suggestions using Word’s track changes and commenting feature. However, we always make sure that your perspective and voice remain front and center in your essay.

We know that waiting for feedback can be nerve-racking. If you select our faster deadline option, you’ll hear from your college essay coach in 12 hours or less – including on weekends and holidays.

Yes. All our college essay coaches are subject-matter experts and can help you make decisions regarding the content of your essay. Your coach will help you make a strong case for your admission.

Our essay coaches will provide feedback on…

• Whether your topic is appropriate and how to strengthen it
• Whether your essay demonstrates positive traits and authenticity
• Whether the narrative flows smoothly and grabs the reader’s attention
• How to dig deeper and show self-reflection and insight
• What content is missing and should be added
• What content is weak and should be removed
• How to shorten your essay to meet a word count limit

However, we will never…

• Write or rewrite content for you
• Research or fact-check your essay’s content

If you have any questions, feel free to email [email protected].

When you submit your essay to our College Essay Editing & Coaching service, you’ll be asked to indicate what type of content feedback you would like to receive. You can choose from three options:

Dig deep and challenge me

Give me the standard treatment

Tread lightly

Whichever option you choose, you’ll receive in-depth content feedback from your essay coach. However, the type of feedback your essay coach provides may differ, and the option you should choose depends on what outcome you want from the review. You can always elaborate on what type of feedback you want in your note to your essay coach.

Learn more about the three options below.

Choose from three options

If you choose this option, we’ll challenge you to write the best possible essay – no content suggestions are off-limits, including reorienting your topic or reframing your story. Students who choose this option aren’t afraid to go back to the drawing board if it’ll increase their chances of getting accepted. You may have to roll up your sleeves and do some more work on your essay, but your essay will be much stronger because of it.

Select this option if your priority is to have the best possible essay, even if it requires some extra work on your side.

We’ll strike a balance between “dig deep and challenge me” and “tread lightly.” We may suggest changes to your structure and narrative, including removing weak content, elaborating on certain sections, and adding content to strengthen your arguments. You may have to rework sentences and paragraphs, but we won’t suggest major content changes.

With this option, we’ll focus on improving your essay in a way that requires little additional work from you. We’ll provide you with targeted suggestions for how to refine your essay’s structure and narrative, but we will work within your current structure and topic. While you may have to make a few tweaks here and there, we’ll aim to return you a polished draft that’s ready to be submitted to your chosen colleges.

Select this option if you are fairly satisfied with your essay and don’t want to make major changes or if you have limited time to revise.

At Scribbr, we promise to make every customer 100% happy with the service we offer. Our philosophy: Your complaint is always justified – no denial, no doubts.

Our customer support team is here to find the solution that helps you the most, whether that’s a free new edit or a refund for the service.

Get in touch, with real people

We answer your questions quickly and personally from 9:00 to 23:00 CET

• Start live chat
• Email [email protected]
• Call +1 (510) 822-8066
• WhatsApp +31 20 261 6040

Knowledge Base

Finish your college essay with scribbr’s top-rated guides.

College Essay

How to Write a College Essay

What colleges look for in an essay, choosing your college essay topic, college essay format & structure.

College Essay Guy is proud to operate on a one-for-one model, which means that for every student who pays, we provide free support to a low-income student.

Get the essay help you need

"Thanks to this platform, I was able to write deeply personal and finely-crafted essays." - Andie B.

"There is no way my essays would have been the same caliber without this platform." - Nick E.

Our essay review platform offers you immediate and free access to the editing tools you need to create an essay that:

• Makes the reader want to know more about you
• Demonstrates how you’ll contribute to campus life
• Hypes your creativity, originality, and all-round awesomeness

Scroll down to get started with the free version.

What types of essays are OK to submit?

We’ll happily review any essay used in the college application process. Examples include:

• The 650-word personal statement for the Common Application
• The 550-word main essay for the Coalition Application
• Any of the 350-word University of California Personal Insight Questions (UC PIQs)
• Any additional or supplemental essays that are a part of the application for specific universities (ex: MIT / Brown / Stanford / UVA / USC)
• Essays for the Apply Texas, New York, or other state school systems
• Essays for the UCAS application in the UK

If your submission contains multiple essays, we’ll review the first one listed.

Essay help in just a few minutes

Upload your essay.

Tell us about your essay

If you don't have a Google account, sign up for free.

If you're looking for even more personalized essay support, we offer several one-on-one essay counseling services via Zoom. If that sounds like a good fit, you can get started with a free chat with a member of our team.

Calculate for all schools

Your chance of acceptance, your chancing factors, extracurriculars, any recommendations for a free college essay editor.

Hi! I'm working on my college essays, and I want to make sure they're the best they can be before I submit them. Does anyone know of a reputable and free college essay editing service? I appreciate any help you can offer!

Hello! College essay editing can definitely make a difference in ensuring your essays are top-notch. CollegeVine offers a free peer essay review service. You can submit your essay and receive feedback from fellow students who are in the same situation as you.

While it may not be a 'professional' editing service, it's a useful tool for getting a fresh perspective on your writing. Plus, it's always great to have more eyes on your work, especially those who can relate to the college application process. You can find this service here: https://www.collegevine.com/essays/review

Remember, the best way to improve your essay is to consider multiple viewpoints and refine it accordingly. Good luck with your essays, and I hope you find CollegeVine's peer essay review helpful!

About CollegeVine’s Expert FAQ

CollegeVine’s Q&A seeks to offer informed perspectives on commonly asked admissions questions. Every answer is refined and validated by our team of admissions experts to ensure it resonates with trusted knowledge in the field.

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Crimson’s Essay Review Service

Our experts are top college essay specialists who have supported hundreds of students in constructing meaningful essays that stand out about the competition. Our experts provide a highly comprehensive review with in depth suggestions — while assuring the student's work is their own and that their personal voice resonates to admissions officers who review essays in minutes. Our experts review:

The Common App Personal Statement

This critical essay is a major determining factor in top college admissions. The 650 word (max) essay can be extremely hard to master without the nuanced guidance of experts who have read thousands of essays and understand the difference between one that stands out and one that does not.

University of California Application Essay

If you’re planning to apply to schools in the University of California system, you’ll have to complete their Personal Insight Questions, choosing 4 out of the 8 questions to answer and writing up to 350 words for each prompt you choose. Each prompt requires a specialized approach, which our expert reviewers will help you identify and achieve.

Supplemental College Essays

College-specific supplemental essays are vital in convincing admissions officers that you have researched what their institution offers and why you will be a great fit for their institution. Detail is incredibly important, as is knowing exactly how to construct an essay that will resonate with that particular school.

Scholarship Essays

Many merit scholarships require one or more essays asking why you have applied for this scholarship, how your life experience relates to your application, and what you will contribute to campus if successful. Our experts understand what each application requires and how to maximize your chances of success via creative expression.

UCAS Personal Statement

For students applying to top UK universities such as the Universities of Oxford or Cambridge, our UK experts understand the nuance of academically and experience driven essays that convince admissions officers that you are dedicated to their university and the qualified to undertake the course you are applying to.

Individual essay review from $70 USD

Verify originality of an essay

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How to Write a Movie Review: Tips for Aspiring Critics

Updated 02 Sep 2024

If you wish to know how to write a movie review, then you are on the right page. A movie review forms part of essays college students writes. While many cinema-loving students find it interesting, others don’t. A film review does not mean writing what happened in a film; instead, it involves doing a critical assessment of the same as an art form that reflects cultural and societal values. Also, you can proof your paper instantly with the Edubirdie plagiarism tool .

What is a movie review? A movie review is a detailed analysis of a film or a documentary. It involves analysis, research, and reporting the writer’s views in a structured way. The writer assumes a position of educating readers whether they have watched the film or not. In fact, many people read movie reviews to decide whether they want to see a film or not.

Film criticism, as a historical and evolving practice, shapes the discourse around cinema. Notable critics and the transition of film reviews from traditional media to various platforms highlight the importance of analysis and personal insights in creating effective movie reviews.

A film review tests students’ critical thinking and reporting skills. It also examines their dexterity in writing in a logical, concise, lucid, and creative manner. This post shall teach you to craft the best film review in your class without being redundant in writing , and you can find many interesting tips on how to write a movie review for college and movie reviews examples. Writing a movie review requires critical analysis and attention to detail, and if you need assistance, a literature review writing service can help you craft a comprehensive and insightful review.

How to Write a Movie Review Like a Professional Critic

Watch the movie:.

Before you can review any film, you must watch it. You cannot review a motion picture you have not watched. Therefore, for success watch the film at least twice. Note: do not watch it like you’re a regular moviegoer or movie enthusiast. Be focused and conscious through the film. Take notes if necessary.

You will need to take notes hence have a notebook and pen handy. Record all events and characters (major and minor). Try to be meticulous do not overlook anything.

Research the movie

Watching the film should give you the overview and feel of the movie. With that, it should be easy and exciting to research the movie. The research augments what you have watched in the movie. In your research, you should find out who the filmmaker is, what prompted the making of the movie, the characterization, historical events the lead to the film, location, plot and so on.

If you are aware of the details behind the movie, the movie will be more understandable and engaging. Note also that if you do not understand the movie you cannot move to the next step which involves analysis. Try not to proceed to the next step unless you vividly understand the movie. If it entails watching it again until you fully get it, do it. The following should form part of your findings regarding the film:

• Title and year
• Names of the lead actors
• Name of the director
• Title of the book (if based on a book)

Draft the review outline

Draft an outline with which you will write the review. The overview will help you organize your review concisely and logically. The outline is more like the skeletal frame on which the whole study will stand. A good draft will yield a perfect report, and the reverse is also true.

An outline enhances the quality of the film review, and it is essential you have your outline before you start writing. A sample outline looks like this:

1. Introduction

• Date released
• Background info

2. Summary of the story

Main characters and their significance in the plot

3. Analysis of the plot elements

4. creative elements, 5. opinions (add examples to back up your claims).

• Camera techniques
• Special effects and so on

6. Conclusion

Analyze the movie.

After fully understanding the movie, you can start its analysis. Critically evaluate the film from the beginning to the end, noting every detail. While analyzing, if you observed any confusing part, re-watch to grasp the idea portrayed there fully. After you fully understand it, then you are set to write the movie review. To write a decent analysis, you need to know how to write a film critique. Observing different camera angles can enhance the viewer's understanding and engagement with the film.

Augment Your Review with Examples

While watching the movie, your observations should be supported with examples, i.e., mention scenes the event took place. If the plot is faulty, mention it but state examples to support that claim. You can also mention poorly developed characters evident in the movie and others. Everything you observed in the film must be noted.

Examples of notables include locations, faulty or beautiful dialogues, quotes that appeal to you, poorly made speeches, bloopers, editing errors and so on. Do take note that it is not enough to make general statements about how awesome or awful the movie is, you must support your claim with evidence in the film. That is why it is called a movie review and not opinion sampling interview about the movie.

Comment on the originality of the movie

Finally mention the uniqueness of the film which you noticed in the one you’ve watched. But even if the movie happens to be a standard feature with conventional approaches, you can still mention this as well. A regular film is still a film.

Write Your Review

With all the fact gathered above, you can now use the outline to write your film review. Make every part easy and enjoyable to read. Importantly, make the introduction engaging and captivating. You should go for a grand opening that will grab the attention of any reader. A good opening keeps the reader on the article.

Let us assume your introduction is watertight and engaging; any sloppy body will lose your reader. Hence, make the body informative and engaging. The review aims to reveal as much information as possible. Therefore, do your best to give all the details in the film to the reader. Engage your analytic mind. Analyzing technical aspects such as cinematography, lighting, and sound quality is crucial for a comprehensive review.

Another essential part of the review is the closing or conclusion. Here you give your view about the movie with evidence revealed in the body. Connect the conclusion with the introduction creatively.

Edit Your Final Draft

After writing your first version of the review, you can re-write the final one after editing. Also, you should check the final draft for spelling errors, grammar mistakes, and so on. Ensure sentences connects logically to each other and watch the format used. Make a final comparison of your work with the requirement by your professor or lecturer.

With the help of free word counter check the number of words required and cut them if more than needed but if not, add relevant information to make them up. Do not add irrelevant details for the sake of space. Ensure your final submitted draft is well edited, polished, plagiarism-free and presented in the recommended format or style.

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Tips to Follow While Writing a Movie Review: Personal Opinion

Since a movie review essay requires dedication and time investment, you might want to know the special tips to get you through the assignment seamlessly. Do recall that perfect conclusion of this assignment will add to your grades, hence the need to take it seriously. If you wish to know How to write a movie critique easily, then this section will tell you that.

The useful tips you should consider are as follows:

• Watch the film at least two times
• If you have seen it before, make sure you re-watch it for the assignment.
• Watch the movie not as a moviegoer but with an analytic mindset of a professional reviewer
• Pay attention to details. Remember, your personal opinion is crucial as it provides a subjective interpretation of the film's events.
• Take notes as you watch
• Don’t be in a rush - take your time, but be aware of the deadline
• Do not write out of the contest of your coursework. Tailor your review to the target audience and their expectations.
• Follow the requirements of your professor
• Use an outline to organize your work
• Start working on the body of your film review first and the introduction next
• Write an engaging introduction and a powerful closing.
• Never forget to edit your work.

Read also: How to write an editorial Essay: Useful Tips for Those Who Want To Perfect Their Skill 

Elements of a Professional Movie Review: Plot Summary

One similar thing about these reviews is that they all should contain the same elements regardless of the genre. The elements of a movie review provide the structure on which you will base the analysis. A proper movie review format comprises the following components:

It’s not enough that the movie title appears on the headline, it must appear in the review too. Mention it in the text and feature it in the introductory paragraph; there is no harm in doing that. A movie review evaluates a particular film and helps readers decide whether to watch it.

The Storyline (Plot)

The motion picture review itself refers to the summary of the movie. Present it in a concise way for people who are yet to watch it. When you are beginning to write a movie review, never have the mindset that your professor or any would-be reader has watched the movie. Therefore, never leave important points or events out. Your job is to elucidate the movie clearly to the reader: mention the faults observed, and the filmmaker’s brilliant points or downers. Including a plot summary provides a brief overview of the film's plot, which is essential for a comprehensive review.

What is a movie analysis without the filmmaker? Your review must feature him or her. Therefore, dedicate a paragraph to him, write about the kind of personality he or she is. Reveal the filmmaker’s political stance (if relevant), background, the controversial life of the person (if he is one), etc. You can also use the opportunity to talk about other movies the director has worked on before now, and then connect it with the one under review.

Significance to your class

Relate the content of the film or documentary to your course topic. Check its importance for historical accuracy. If the film is for history class, discuss any over-dramatization noticed in the act. However, if the film was based on a book you have reviewed in one of your classes, mention the connection between the book and the movie: state variances, comparisons and other elements present in the book that are missing in the film.

Creative elements

Creative elements make or mar films, that is why filmmakers go out of their ways to add them to their movies. It is your job to state how these elements work in the plot and the film in general. For instance, comment on the effectiveness of the sound effect in enriching the viewing experience of the movie? Talk about the lighting, costume, makeup, colors, camera, etc.

The cast carry the movie; without them, there is no movie. Your review should reveal if they acted well or poorly. State if their acting was realistic or not. Do not fail to mention if they have the skills and charisma to portray the role they played. You can also state if they were the right actors to play the role they did. Furthermore, you can suggest actors who could have played certain roles better than those in the film.

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Common Movie Review Mistakes You Should Avoid

After your arduous work of submitting your film report, you might be shocked to learn that your hard work received a query. You may wish to know why, well it could be because you commit any of the following common mistakes:

• Focusing on the wrong thing: Do not shift your focus. You might want to connect the film with some historical events, however, do not give unnecessary analysis or details that are not relevant to the movie under review. For instance, avoid giving the history of motion picture unless the film is about the development of the industry. Try and be focused.
• Alienating yourself from the review: You are the one writing the review, therefore, do not insert yourself in it. The review already has your name and signature on it so adding the possessive pronoun “I” should be discarded. The mistake most student make is writing in the first person, e.g., “I like the movie a lot, I admired the lead character,” and so on. Since the review exposes your understanding, opinions, likes, and dislikes, then it is unnecessary to insert yourself in it.
• Not doing your research: As said earlier, watching the movie is one side of the coin, you need to check out other details. Researching the film is highly critical because it would expound to you all the nitty-gritty details, not in the motion picture.
• Lack of evidence: In writing about a motion picture, you must substantiate any opinion or claim. You need to state your reason for liking, disliking, etc. of the film.
• Avoid irrelevant discussion: Do not start explaining issues not related directly with the motion picture you are analyzing.
• Unstructured review: Never write a movie review without structure, it would reveal you as an unorganized student. Hence structure your review properly by first creating the outline and organize your work. A good movie review should include a structured summary, critical analysis, and a persuasive tone to guide readers in their decision to watch the film or not.
• Avoid Generalization and be Precise: Never generalize ideas when you write a movie review. Avoid general statements like “a fantastic movie,” “beautiful set,” “excellent acting,” and such like. Support any comment you make with evidence from the film.
• Review lacking substance and analysis: Avoid writing a motion picture review that does not have substance or analysis. A review is a piece of educational literature, therefore, add intelligent analysis to it.

Movie Review Example from Top Writers

Here are a few examples of movie review topics to steer you in the right direction:

• Avatar Movie Review
• Beautiful Woman Movie Review
• Black Panther and its Global Significance
• In Pursuit of Happiness: Lessons to Learn
• iRobot: The Depiction of AI in the Future
• Matrix Movie Review
• Roots and Its Implication on the Life of the Black Men
• The Good, the Bad, the Ugly Movie Review
• The Last Holiday Movie Review and the Lesson of Living Life Too Cautiously
• Titanic Movie Review

Quick & Reliable Writing Help

As you can see, a movie review essay is an interesting paper to write. Recall that the whole point of a movie review is to inform the reader about the film and the ideas behind it. Also, it reflects your unbiased and objective view about the film. Adopt all our tips, and you shall submit a professional-looking report.

However, if you don't care about movies or still have issues coming to terms with all we have explained above, then contact us for help. At EduBirdie, our movie and book review writing service  are poised to help with your assignment and guarantee a high-quality review at an affordable price. With us, you shall learn how to do a movie review that will wow any professor.

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Written by Elizabeth Miller

Seasoned academic writer, nurturing students' writing skills. Expert in citation and plagiarism. Contributing to EduBirdie since 2019. Aspiring author and dedicated volunteer. You will never have to worry about plagiarism as I write essays 100% from scratch. Vast experience in English, History, Ethics, and more.

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