<p>My teacher says I do, but I think it’s because she’s grading it as an essay. I’m 50 words over the limit and I desperately need to remove sentences. Anyone’s help will be appreciated. </p>
<p>Write one for your class assignment.</p>
<p>Write a different one for your actual application.</p>
<p>thanks, so you don’t think colleges will mind if I don’t have a topic sentence? </p>
<p>I write for a living. I don’t write topic sentences. You need to have a logical flow. You need to be clear. You need to have transitions. You don’t need topic sentences. </p>
<p>I agree with happymomof1. Give your teacher what they want. But if you can delete a topic sentence and your essay still makes sense and flows well, then you don’t need it.</p>
<p>Thank you so much @SansSerif I actually feel like my topic sentence just makes my point more repetitive! </p>
<p>Any other opinions?</p>
<p>You need a “grabby” opening line more than you need a topic sentence. Adcoms are reading hundreds of essays daily during application season, so just be as interesting as you can.</p>
<p>I understand that, but my only problem is I can’t get to the 650 word limit. I’m around 22 words over the limit now. This is so hard</p>
<p>Delete adjectives? Usually they just weaken the sentence.</p>
<p>Try walking away from this essay for a bit. Write a completely different one on an entirely different topic. Then when your brains have relaxed a bit, go back to the first one. If you can’t see what to cut, read it backwards (last sentence, then next-to-last, etc.) and you will almost certainly find something that can go.</p>
<p>22 words is easy to remove. Just reread the essay and you’ll spot them right away. There was an old thread in this. Just google it.</p>
<p>Agree that you hope to get their attention with the first sentence. A classic “topic sentence” may not be the way to do that… At least for the one you submit, you can probably ditch it, but you do need a good lead into the essay. But a college essay isn’t a traditional “5 paragraph” essay anyway. My kids had no trouble with the lead ins, but they wrestled mightily with the closing sentence…</p>
<p>Take out the topic sentence and just put the prompt above the actual essay for the copy you give to your teacher. I agree with SansSerif, your teacher is misguided if he/she believes a topic sentence is necessary.</p>
<p>If you were writing about an event that changed your life, you should’nt start out with "
“The event that changed my life was…”</p>
<p>but</p>
<p>“It was the bottom of the 9th. I was up to bat. …”</p>
<p>Thank you all. I decided to take it off, and now I’m down to 4 words! I have to get this done before the early action deadline (November 1st)</p>
<p>Topic sentences HELP. English teachers enforce them because most/many in their class might have issues with writing concisely and coherently. But when you’re at a point where you know yourself and your ability to read whether your essay is structured properly, it’s up to you.</p>