PS. Some things that work for me. This is a buffet; take what you want
1. For review, print out a hard copy and use red pen/pencil. It is much harder to proof work on a screen.
2. For grammar/punctuation, read the work backwards, one line at a time. Use a blank sheet to cover content above. The technique forces your brain to focus on what is on the page as opposed to what you think is there. When you spend a lot of time with a given work, your brain tends to automatically fill in the gaps.
3. Have someone else read the prompt to you first and then read your work to you. Great benefit to have an objective , fresh (not exposed to either the prompt or your work yet) third party listen in. Neither you nor the third party should have a copy. Listen and take notes. I find that this step results in revisions at least a couple of times. You want the written work to flow like a story.
Few know what goes on in the USNA admission committee meetings. I have, however, been involved in recruiting meetings for large organizations. Frequently, the conversation over candidates will gravitate to one member saying "listen to this" and then proceed to read out loud to everyone in the room (who MAY have the same material in front of them).
4. When you think you are done, put it aside for a week - really. Then come back and read the prompt fresh and make an outline/checklist of what you would like to cover as if you lost your "final" and had to start over. Then r