I haven’t decided whether to have an annual Clichés of the Year post, but I have decided to have one this year. Either I am getting old and crotchety since becoming a grandmother for the second time, (Actually I’m thrilled. She’s gorgeous, 3 weeks old tomorrow, and this was simply the first time I figured out a way to mention her .) or you folks are including more clichés in your writing, or it’s just time to write about them. I think the latter.
A cliche according to Dictionary.com:
“a trite, stereotyped expression; a sentence or phrase, usually expressing a popular or common thought or idea, that has lost originality, ingenuity, and impact by long overuse.”
I like that definition. But I’ll also share my own description. In a recent email to Accepted.com editors asking for their “favorites,” I wrote:
“Every year certain phrases seem to come into vogue, almost like an outlandish fashion that works only on a few models and rare occasions… and somehow everyone who is anyone wears it everywhere and all the time.”
Then it ceases to be fashion statement. It ceases to express anything.
So what are my “favorite clichés” in applicant personal statements and essays? And the winner is…
Take it to the next level
This poor phrase, abused and overused, has lost all meaning, distinctiveness, and color. Like the frequently washed tie-die T-shirt form the 70’s, it’s long past retirement age. It’s more than ready for the rag heap. Strike it from your essays! Frankly, when I see “take X to the next level” my eyes glaze over, and I really just don’t want to read more because I have read this so many times before. That’s not the reaction you want your essay to engender.
Now the Runner’s Up, in no particular order.
- Synergies: Jennifer Bloom nominates “synergies.” She thinks they’re “going nuts this year.” Sheila Bender adds that she feels like sneezing when she sees “synergies” in a personal statement. You also don’t want your essays to trigger allergic reactions.
- Leverage: Tanis Kmetyk is seeing less of “leverage,” but I still see too much of it for my taste.
- Been there for me: So banal and hackneyed. And vague. Did he or she listen to you rant and rave at all hours of the night? Walk with you daily to help you deal with loss? Visit regularly? Sit with you quietly? Work long hours? Simply lend profound emotional support in uncounted ways large and small? For Heaven’s sake tell me what they did!
- The bottom line: Whatever happened to “conclusion,” “summary,” “crux,” “main point,” “core,” or a host of other phrases. Bottom line means Income – Expenses. Limit its use to income statements.
These are just a few of the most pernicious clichés that infest your essays. Don’t use them!!!!!
Ok. I feel better now. If other admissions readers, Accepted.com editors, English teachers, or admissions consultants are reading this blog and want to share their “favorite” clichés from application essays and personal statements — you know the ones you really, really despise and never want to see again — please add them in a comment. Maybe, just maybe, we won’t see them so often if applicants know how evil they are.
We can only hope, although I recognize this post reflects the tip of the iceberg. And yes, That’s a cliche.
If something isn’t overused and abused, then how is it considered cliche?
Is this sentence cliché? I have tried numerous times to find a better way to say this, but I have no found it. "Life is a process of discovery; and I’m learning to roll with the punches."
Abdu,
"Pursue a career in medicine" is not a cliche. It’s a statement of intent, clear and straightforward.
Frequently cliches are metaphors that have been overused. Examples: "cutting edge," "out of the box," or "bottom line."
Best,
Linda
Neal, I have to respond because I’m feeling itchy (I guess another unpleasant physiological response)…your statement is unfortunately pretentious only because it embellishes a very simple concept, which is that you use language to communicate like everyone else. A good rule to follow is that, if it’s a simple concept, express it in simple language. I do not actually know what you are trying to say by this statement, so I do not want to give an alternative yet, but if you provide for me your intention in this statement, I may be able to help.
I agree that some of these "cliches" are clearly harmful, but some are not, and in such, please provide alternatives. For example, I used "pursue a career in medicine" in my personal statement…if this is a cliche, what would be an alternative?
Thanks,
Abdu
Would this be an acceptable expression of ‘passion’?
"As dear to me as the air, water, and food I consume, language is the conduit through which I have interacted with every human being I have ever encountered."
I know it’s long, but I was trying to avoid using ‘passion’ and ‘obsession’ has a negative connotation.
Specifics. Words that convey meaning or paint a picture not found everywhere else. Words not used by every other applicant, PR writer, and marketer on the planet. You might be interested in http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buzzword . It’s not exhaustive, but it will get you started.
Best,
Linda
If these mentioned phrases or words are ‘abused’ in your opinion, then what isn’t? Just curious.
It’s a cliche with a little "c." Yes it is a cliche, but at least it isn’t an over-used and abused one. If you use it once in one essay, I promise not to cringe. 🙂
Linda
is "best of both worlds" a cliche?
"Passion" and "passionate" tends to be overused. Demonstrating your passion through anecdotes, examples, and specifics works better.
Linda
Is "passionate" really a cliched word? I used it in my opening paragraph but it seemed to fit well there.
What’s a better way to express a strong love for a subject?
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I believe the spelling is pursue or was the wrong spelling part of the point?
It’s redundant and cliched.
Is this sentence filled with cliches? "Success is the zenith, summit and peak of all life’s achievements"
Freer, I believe is a word, however it sounds awful to use it in the context you provided!
Can someone tell me if "freer" is a word? (E.g.: my schedule will be ‘freer’ tomorrow).
Thanks,
Nick.
Thanks for the additions.
I’m a UK student but I found this interesting.
The ones I have seen and get on my nerves are:
pursue a career in….
my desire to… stems from…
I hope I manage to write my personal statement without using any!
Malaz 🙂
here’s one you probably won’t like either:
get over yourself.
its becoming pretty cliche to whine about cliches…
I nominate "passionate," "diverse" and "unique." These words need to be used carefully, if at all! Also, of course, "unique" with adjectives–as in "very unique" (which I told a group of high-school students yesterday was impossible, in the same way that "sort of pregnant" is. Something’s unique or it’s not.)
Leverage. ALWAYS, always leverage. I really don’t like that one, though I know that it’s a widely-used term these days.
Another phrase that’s really bugging me lately is "breadth and depth," which sometimes comes up over and over again in a single essay–"the breadth and depth of my experience/my interests/my academic background…"
I’ve also always disliked the phrases "cutting edge," "bleeding edge" and "state of the art," though I know they’re OK in some cases. They just seem like fancy ways to say nothing much… whenever possible, I like to get people to replace them with something more specific and focused.
Oy… don’t get me started. 🙂
Sonia
Jimmy, I’m glad you’re avoiding them.
Eric, you caught me! In my defense, it may be a somewhat overused technique, but it is not a cliche. 🙂
Luckily, I haven’t used any of them yet. Nice article. I hope my essays are not filled with too many clichés!
You also forgot inadvertently highlighted the cliched use of a dictionary definition as a means to illustrate your point. 🙂
I forgot "outside the box." Another one that causes unpleasant physiological symptoms. A little creativity please.