![\"Twas](\"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/Twas-the-Night-Before-Deadlines-Cliches-300x150.jpg\")
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\u2018Twas the night before deadlines, and all through the world,<\/em> The clich\u00e9s! Oh, forsake! Terrible, were they \u2013<\/em> So we cleaned and we scrubbed and we checked all the words;<\/em> And oh, the good cheer and ah, the delight,<\/em> Moral of the story:<\/strong> phrases and idioms come and go in waves. While it\u2019s okay to use some popular phrasing, you want to make sure that your essay is original and not chock full of clich\u00e9s. The first time someone used \u201ctake it to the next level\u201d in their essay, the reader probably stopped and thought \u2013 wow, that\u2019s a great way to put it. They probably thought the same thing the second and third and even tenth time they heard it. But the hundredth time? The thousandth? It\u2019s just not as impressive. In fact, after original phrases get used to death, they become boring, even silly, and lose their meaning.<\/p>\n We recently polled Accepted\u2019s consultants<\/a> and asked \u201cWhat are the most abused and misused clich\u00e9s used by applicants?\u201d When we dug out from under the flood of responses, we found the following to be the ultimate winners\/losers:<\/p>\n \u2022 Take it to the next level<\/p>\n \u2022 Lend a helping hand<\/p>\n \u2022 Been there for me<\/p>\n \u2022 Want to give back<\/p>\n \u2022 Outside my comfort zone<\/p>\n \u2022 Making a difference<\/p>\n \u2022 Disruptive-anything<\/p>\n \u2022 Global-anything<\/p>\n \u2022 Diverse-anything<\/p>\n \u2022 Onboarding<\/p>\n \u2022 Thinking outside the box<\/p>\n \u2022 Synergy<\/p>\n \u2022 Touch base<\/p>\n \u2022 Circle back<\/p>\n When writing your essays, try to move outside your comfort zone and take your writing to the next level. You want to really make a difference and get on board with this global thinking and diverse wordification.<\/p>\n Yeah, we thought that would help make our point.<\/p>\n Does your application essay need a good, solid edit? Take advantage of Accepted\u2019s expert admissions consulting and editing services,<\/a> whether you\u2019re just getting started with your essays or are ready for that final clich\u00e9-abolishing polish. Our advisors are ready to help you take your essays to the next level create the most impressive essays possible!<\/strong><\/p>\n Related Resources:<\/strong><\/p>\n \u2022 From Example to Exemplary<\/a>, a free guide to writing outstanding essays This article<\/a>\u00a0originally appeared on\u00a0blog.accepted.com<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n Applying to a top b-school? The talented folks at Accepted have helped hundreds of applicants get accepted to their dream programs. Whether you are figuring out where to apply, writing your application essays, or prepping for your interviews, we are just a call (or click) away.<\/em><\/p>\n
\n Our consultants sat cramming, coffee brewing, brows furrowed;<\/em>
\n Though the essays were written with effort and care,<\/em>
\n There were still a few things that were cause for despair!<\/em><\/p>\n
\n That all our consultants could think was \u201coy vey!\u201d<\/em>
\n The bloopers! The follies! The overused phrases \u2013<\/em>
\n Oh what would the adcom say? Imagine the look on their faces!<\/em><\/p>\n
\n We made sure that nothing sounded clich\u00e9d or absurd.<\/em>
\n Then swift as a mouse looking for plum pie crumbs,<\/em>
\n We sent those essays back with the click of our thumbs.<\/em><\/p>\n
\n To see a perfect essay with no clich\u00e9s in sight!<\/em>
\n Then with boundless cheer and some joy and some tears;<\/em>
\n The applicants submitted their essays! Phew \u2013 they were in the clear!<\/em><\/p>\n![\"5](\"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/mba-application-mistakes-to-avoid.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"Get](\"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/Accepted-blue-rectangle.png\")
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\n\u2022 Common Grammatical Errors: How to Use \u201cLeverage\u201d & \u201cComprise\u201d Properly<\/a>
\n\u2022 Review Your Essays Like an Admissions Consultant: Use the Editing Funnel<\/a><\/p>\n