Essay Editing Tip

I usually keep a sharp focus on the GMAT on this site, but I wanted to share a quick digression that is applicable to your application essays.

Typos and grammatical errors are embarrassing, and you are probably already taking many steps to avoid them. In a perfect world, you'd finish a draft a few weeks early, come back to it several days later, spellcheck it, re-read it several times, and have friends read it as well.

I've discovered a great way (for me, anyway) to catch my own mistakes without having to wait so long.

Change the font. Simple, huh? If you've been staring at Microsoft Word for a long time, every sentence in your essay starts to look familiar. Part of the reason that it's beneficial to come back several days later is that, by then, the essay looks fresh. You can accomplish the same thing with a drastic font change.

Specifically, I recommend finding the most different font possible, changing (probably increasing) the font size, and maybe even making the text bold. You want your essay to be clear and readable, but also unfamiliar.

About the author: Jeff Sackmann has written many GMAT preparation books, including the popular Total GMAT Math, Total GMAT Verbal, and GMAT 111. He has also created explanations for problems in The Official Guide, as well as 1,800 practice GMAT math questions.

• Business School Admissions: more articles
• All articles at GMAT Hacks
• Search GMAT Hacks

Total GMAT Verbal The comprehensive guide to the GMAT Verbal section. Recognize, dissect, and master every question type you'll face on the test. Everything you need, all in one place, including 100+ realistic practice questions. Click to read more.