🏫 College Advising

An advisor notes that a student's essay draft sounds overly formal and uses complex vocabulary that feels forced, rather than natural. The student explains they believe this makes them sound more intelligent. What advice should the advisor give?

A Encourage the student to continue using sophisticated vocabulary to impress admissions officers.
B Advise the student to rewrite the essay in their own genuine voice, using language that feels natural to them, while still maintaining academic standards.
C Suggest they use a thesaurus to find even more advanced synonyms for common words.
D Tell them to simplify the essay completely to a basic vocabulary level.

✓ Correct Answer: Option B

B is correct. Colleges want to hear the student's authentic voice, not a fabricated persona. Genuine expression, within academic standards, reveals character and allows admissions to connect with the applicant.

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