What should I look for when reviewing my Louisiana State University college essay before submitting it?

Before submitting your LSU essay, make sure it sounds clear, specific, and genuinely like you. The strongest final review checks whether each paragraph has a purpose, whether your examples are concrete instead of vague, and whether there are no distracting grammar or spelling mistakes. For LSU, a straightforward, polished essay usually works better than one that tries too hard to sound impressive.

Start by reading it once just for the main message. You should be able to answer in one sentence what the essay says about you, such as a value, perspective, or experience that matters. If the essay seems to cover too many topics at once, it will feel less focused.

Then check the structure. The opening should quickly give a sense of the topic, the middle should develop it with 1 or 2 specific moments or examples, and the ending should show why it matters. If a paragraph could be removed without changing the essay much, that usually means it is not doing enough work.

For clarity, look for general phrases like “I learned a lot” or “this changed me” and replace them with what you actually learned or how you changed. Specific details make the essay more believable and memorable. A small moment described well is usually stronger than a big story told broadly.

On the final pass, look for common errors: repeated words, awkward sentences, tense shifts, missing punctuation, and incorrect school name references. Also make sure the tone stays natural. If a sentence is not how you would ever speak, it may sound forced on the page.

A good test is to read it out loud slowly. If you stumble, the sentence probably needs revision. Another useful check is whether someone who reads it would learn something meaningful about you beyond grades, activities, or achievements already listed elsewhere in your application.