It was not until the first semester of my junior year of college that I realized the huge difference another set of eyes could make on an application, paper, or assignment.
In midst of applying for summer internships, I realized that I needed more set of eyes to ensure that my applications were truly masterpieces.
Proofreading applications is critical. Another pair of eyes can catch typos, grammatical errors, and other mistakes in essays that the author overlooked. Microsoft Word is not bullet proof. The tricky part of this is making sure that what a proofreader does is just that: proofread.
I advise you to ask a teacher, tactful friend, counselor, or family member to look over your essays or applications before you submit. Be sure to not let them rewrite or alter you’re your writing. Do not allow your proofreader to completely alter your ideas or allow their suggestions to change the essence of your writing. Your writing should be yours, original and present your voice.
You can brainstorm, run ideas by someone or talk over your essay topic. Your proofreader should identify spelling and grammatical mistakes, and offer suggestions and reactions to the flow and message of your essay. All of this will help you write to the best of your ability and avoid error.
Most importantly, get feedback about whether your writing represents who you are and expresses your voice. Colleges and employers want to get a sense of who you are as a student and individual.