What are the best transition words to use in college application essays?
I'm in the middle of drafting my Common App essay and some of my supplemental essays, but I'm struggling with making my writing flow smoothly from one idea to the next. I keep reading that using transition words can help, but I'm not sure which ones sound natural in a college essay context.
Are there certain transitions that work better or come across as more sophisticated when you're trying to connect paragraphs or tell a story? I want to make sure the admissions officers find my essay easy to follow, but I also don't want it to sound too formulaic or forced. My counselor told me to avoid things like 'Firstly,' and 'In conclusion,' but didn't really give alternatives.
Could anyone suggest some good transition phrases or words you’ve used successfully in your essays? Also, do colleges care a lot about this, or is it more about the story itself? Any specific examples from actual essays would be super helpful!
Are there certain transitions that work better or come across as more sophisticated when you're trying to connect paragraphs or tell a story? I want to make sure the admissions officers find my essay easy to follow, but I also don't want it to sound too formulaic or forced. My counselor told me to avoid things like 'Firstly,' and 'In conclusion,' but didn't really give alternatives.
Could anyone suggest some good transition phrases or words you’ve used successfully in your essays? Also, do colleges care a lot about this, or is it more about the story itself? Any specific examples from actual essays would be super helpful!
2 months ago
•
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Camille L.
• 2 months ago
Advisor
Transition words and phrases are definitely helpful for guiding readers through your essay, but you're right—overusing generic or formulaic transitions like "Firstly" or "In conclusion" can make your writing feel stiff or rehearsed. Admissions officers appreciate essays that sound natural, so choosing more subtle and context-specific transitions will often work better.
Some versatile and sophisticated transitions you might use include: "Eventually," "Suddenly," "Meanwhile," "At that moment," "Later on," "In contrast," "Even so," "As a result," "For instance," and "That experience taught me…" You can also use phrases that reference logic and emotion, like "Looking back," "Although I didn't realize it then," "Despite my fear," or "What surprised me most was…"
A key tip: transitions do not always have to be single words stuck at the start of a sentence. Sometimes carrying an image or a motif from one paragraph to another works even better. For example, if your essay describes finding comfort in baking after a move, you might move from "the scent of vanilla" in one paragraph to "the memory of warm cookies" in the next, making the sensory detail itself a bridge.
Here's an example from a student's essay:
"I was terrified the first day at my new school. The halls buzzed with familiarity I didn't share. Weeks passed, and I started looking for patterns: the way the lunchroom grew loudest right before the bell, or how the librarian always had a new book recommendation. Gradually, I discovered my place in these routines."
Notice "Gradually" as a transition. It's natural, signaling progress without being formal. Another example: "I expected the robotics team to be intimidating. Instead, it became my home."
Colleges care more about the clarity and flow of your story than about specific transition words. Smooth transitions help with clarity, but the writing should always sound like you. Read your essay out loud: natural pauses or shifts are often places where a subtle transition can help.
Aim for transitions that help your voice shine through and make your essay easy to follow, rather than ones that call attention to themselves. If something feels forced or interrupts your storytelling, try rephrasing or connecting ideas in a more conversational way. That approach will leave a stronger impression than simply sprinkling in academic words.
Some versatile and sophisticated transitions you might use include: "Eventually," "Suddenly," "Meanwhile," "At that moment," "Later on," "In contrast," "Even so," "As a result," "For instance," and "That experience taught me…" You can also use phrases that reference logic and emotion, like "Looking back," "Although I didn't realize it then," "Despite my fear," or "What surprised me most was…"
A key tip: transitions do not always have to be single words stuck at the start of a sentence. Sometimes carrying an image or a motif from one paragraph to another works even better. For example, if your essay describes finding comfort in baking after a move, you might move from "the scent of vanilla" in one paragraph to "the memory of warm cookies" in the next, making the sensory detail itself a bridge.
Here's an example from a student's essay:
"I was terrified the first day at my new school. The halls buzzed with familiarity I didn't share. Weeks passed, and I started looking for patterns: the way the lunchroom grew loudest right before the bell, or how the librarian always had a new book recommendation. Gradually, I discovered my place in these routines."
Notice "Gradually" as a transition. It's natural, signaling progress without being formal. Another example: "I expected the robotics team to be intimidating. Instead, it became my home."
Colleges care more about the clarity and flow of your story than about specific transition words. Smooth transitions help with clarity, but the writing should always sound like you. Read your essay out loud: natural pauses or shifts are often places where a subtle transition can help.
Aim for transitions that help your voice shine through and make your essay easy to follow, rather than ones that call attention to themselves. If something feels forced or interrupts your storytelling, try rephrasing or connecting ideas in a more conversational way. That approach will leave a stronger impression than simply sprinkling in academic words.
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Camille L.
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