Do Not or Don’t? 3 Reasons why Contractions Matter!

We are or We’re?

I have or I’ve?

Cannot or Can’t?

Should you use contractions in your essay? The answer is YES! Here are 3 reasons why using contractions can make a world of difference.

Using contractions allows you to:

1.) Be Yourself.  So often in life you’ll hear “Just be yourself!” But how? When it comes to writing, it’s little techniques like using contractions that allow your voice to shine through. Remember, Admissions Officers aren’t admitting GPA’s alone, they’re admitting actual people who will add to their campus, their dorms, classrooms and communities. Using contractions makes your writing more relatable. Your personality won’t be hidden behind stuffy, formal writing.

2) Be Authentic. One of the best pieces of writing advice you’ll ever receive is “Write how you speak.” Contractions help you do just that by making you sound conversational. Even when we read in our head, there’s still that little voice that’s reading to us. So make your writing sound like you’re chatting with an Admissions Officer. When you write how you speak, your writing will be more more informal and you’ll sound more authentic.  

3.) Make Your Writing Real.  Imagine you’re engrossed in reading a book and in the book the doorbell rings. The main character springs from the couch and shouts, “That is the doorbell! I will get it.” It’s jarring! No one speaks like that. Formal sentences without contractions can break the bond that a reader forms with the writing. Admissions officers are speed reading! Contractions will make it easier for them to stay in your story, get engrossed in the details and plow through your essay.

Bottom line, contractions make you sound more natural! So instead of “I cannot use a contraction in my college essay.” Think , “This’ll make my story shine.”