college essay tips 2022

Tips for Writing an Effective Application Essay

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Writing an essay for college admission gives you a chance to use your authentic voice and show your personality. It's an excellent opportunity to personalize your application beyond your academic credentials, and a well-written essay can have a positive influence come decision time.

Want to know how to draft an essay for your college application ? Here are some tips to keep in mind when writing.

Tips for Essay Writing

A typical college application essay, also known as a personal statement, is 400-600 words. Although that may seem short, writing about yourself can be challenging. It's not something you want to rush or put off at the last moment. Think of it as a critical piece of the application process. Follow these tips to write an impactful essay that can work in your favor.

1. Start Early.

Few people write well under pressure. Try to complete your first draft a few weeks before you have to turn it in. Many advisers recommend starting as early as the summer before your senior year in high school. That way, you have ample time to think about the prompt and craft the best personal statement possible.

You don't have to work on your essay every day, but you'll want to give yourself time to revise and edit. You may discover that you want to change your topic or think of a better way to frame it. Either way, the sooner you start, the better.

2. Understand the Prompt and Instructions.

Before you begin the writing process, take time to understand what the college wants from you. The worst thing you can do is skim through the instructions and submit a piece that doesn't even fit the bare minimum requirements or address the essay topic. Look at the prompt, consider the required word count, and note any unique details each school wants.

3. Create a Strong Opener.

Students seeking help for their application essays often have trouble getting things started. It's a challenging writing process. Finding the right words to start can be the hardest part.

Spending more time working on your opener is always a good idea. The opening sentence sets the stage for the rest of your piece. The introductory paragraph is what piques the interest of the reader, and it can immediately set your essay apart from the others.

4. Stay on Topic.

One of the most important things to remember is to keep to the essay topic. If you're applying to 10 or more colleges, it's easy to veer off course with so many application essays.

A common mistake many students make is trying to fit previously written essays into the mold of another college's requirements. This seems like a time-saving way to avoid writing new pieces entirely, but it often backfires. The result is usually a final piece that's generic, unfocused, or confusing. Always write a new essay for every application, no matter how long it takes.

5. Think About Your Response.

Don't try to guess what the admissions officials want to read. Your essay will be easier to write─and more exciting to read─if you’re genuinely enthusiastic about your subject. Here’s an example: If all your friends are writing application essays about covid-19, it may be a good idea to avoid that topic, unless during the pandemic you had a vivid, life-changing experience you're burning to share. Whatever topic you choose, avoid canned responses. Be creative.

6. Focus on You.

Essay prompts typically give you plenty of latitude, but panel members expect you to focus on a subject that is personal (although not overly intimate) and particular to you. Admissions counselors say the best essays help them learn something about the candidate that they would never know from reading the rest of the application.

7. Stay True to Your Voice.

Use your usual vocabulary. Avoid fancy language you wouldn't use in real life. Imagine yourself reading this essay aloud to a classroom full of people who have never met you. Keep a confident tone. Be wary of words and phrases that undercut that tone.

8. Be Specific and Factual.

Capitalize on real-life experiences. Your essay may give you the time and space to explain why a particular achievement meant so much to you. But resist the urge to exaggerate and embellish. Admissions counselors read thousands of essays each year. They can easily spot a fake.

9. Edit and Proofread.

When you finish the final draft, run it through the spell checker on your computer. Then don’t read your essay for a few days. You'll be more apt to spot typos and awkward grammar when you reread it. After that, ask a teacher, parent, or college student (preferably an English or communications major) to give it a quick read. While you're at it, double-check your word count.

Writing essays for college admission can be daunting, but it doesn't have to be. A well-crafted essay could be the deciding factor─in your favor. Keep these tips in mind, and you'll have no problem creating memorable pieces for every application.

What is the format of a college application essay?

Generally, essays for college admission follow a simple format that includes an opening paragraph, a lengthier body section, and a closing paragraph. You don't need to include a title, which will only take up extra space. Keep in mind that the exact format can vary from one college application to the next. Read the instructions and prompt for more guidance.

Most online applications will include a text box for your essay. If you're attaching it as a document, however, be sure to use a standard, 12-point font and use 1.5-spaced or double-spaced lines, unless the application specifies different font and spacing.

How do you start an essay?

The goal here is to use an attention grabber. Think of it as a way to reel the reader in and interest an admissions officer in what you have to say. There's no trick on how to start a college application essay. The best way you can approach this task is to flex your creative muscles and think outside the box.

You can start with openers such as relevant quotes, exciting anecdotes, or questions. Either way, the first sentence should be unique and intrigue the reader.

What should an essay include?

Every application essay you write should include details about yourself and past experiences. It's another opportunity to make yourself look like a fantastic applicant. Leverage your experiences. Tell a riveting story that fulfills the prompt.

What shouldn’t be included in an essay?

When writing a college application essay, it's usually best to avoid overly personal details and controversial topics. Although these topics might make for an intriguing essay, they can be tricky to express well. If you’re unsure if a topic is appropriate for your essay, check with your school counselor. An essay for college admission shouldn't include a list of achievements or academic accolades either. Your essay isn’t meant to be a rehashing of information the admissions panel can find elsewhere in your application.

How can you make your essay personal and interesting?

The best way to make your essay interesting is to write about something genuinely important to you. That could be an experience that changed your life or a valuable lesson that had an enormous impact on you. Whatever the case, speak from the heart, and be honest.

Is it OK to discuss mental health in an essay?

Mental health struggles can create challenges you must overcome during your education and could be an opportunity for you to show how you’ve handled challenges and overcome obstacles. If you’re considering writing your essay for college admission on this topic, consider talking to your school counselor or with an English teacher on how to frame the essay.

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The 2021-2022 Common App Essay Prompts Are Here

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What’s Covered:

2021-2022 common app prompts, what has changed, tips for writing your common app essay.

• How to Get Your Essay Reviewed for Free

The Common App recently released their essay prompts for the 2021-2022 admissions cycle, and unlike the past several years, the prompts are not the same as before.

In this post, we’ll go over the prompts, the changes, and tips for writing a strong Common App essay.

Here is a list of the prompts for this cycle. While they are largely unchanged, Prompt #4 is different this year (which is kind of a big deal, considering that the prompts have been the same since 2017).

Prompt #1: Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.

Prompt #2: The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?

Prompt #3: Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. What prompted your thinking? What was the outcome?

Prompt #4 (NEW): Reflect on something that someone has done for you that has made you happy or thankful in a surprising way. How has this gratitude affected or motivated you?

Prompt #5: Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others.

Prompt #6: Describe a topic, idea, or concept you find so engaging that it makes you lose all track of time. Why does it captivate you? What or who do you turn to when you want to learn more?

Prompt #7: Share an essay on any topic of your choice. It can be one you’ve already written, one that responds to a different prompt, or one of your own design.

As usual, there are six prompts, with the seventh allowing you to write on a topic of your choice. The prompts are all the same except for Prompt #4. 

Here’s a side-by-side of the old and new versions of the prompt.

Before: Describe a problem you’ve solved or a problem you’d like to solve. It can be an intellectual challenge, a research query, an ethical dilemma – anything that is of personal importance, no matter the scale. Explain its significance to you and what steps you took or could be taken to identify a solution.

After: Reflect on something that someone has done for you that has made you happy or thankful in a surprising way. How has this gratitude affected or motivated you?

While all Common App essays should be personal, the old prompt was more “scientific” and analytical than the new one. The focus of the essay was a problem, its relevance to your life, and how you found a solution (or how you would find a solution).

The theme of the new prompt is gratitude, and it is inherently more reflective than the old prompt, as the focus is a personal story. The new prompt is likely to apply to more students, but there are some potential tripwires to keep in mind.

A common mistake is to spend too much time elaborating on the “thing” that was done, or on the person who did it. While you should absolutely provide some context, the essay should mainly be about you and how this event impacted your life.

It’s also important to note that the prompt asks for an act that “made you happy or thankful in a surprising way. ” Admissions officers don’t want just a classic feel good story about an act of kindness. This act of kindness can be small or significant, but it should have a relatively big impact on your life that you may not have expected. The act itself may have also been surprising, or maybe your response to it was the unexpected part. 

While this prompt may seem straightforward, it’s actually encouraging a reflection on a nuanced situation. Some examples of good topics would be: 

• Your friend signs you up for robotics even though you didn’t want to join at first, but then you discover a love for programming and want to use it to help build medical devices and prosthetics.
• Your parents don’t approve of your artistic pursuits due to their immigrant background and desire for stability in “practical” careers, but after years of showing no interest in your art, they attend your gallery opening. This leads to a mutual understanding and inspires you to create art based on your parents’ struggles.

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1. Get a head start

The topics are out, so you should consider drafting your Common App essay before the rush of the fall semester. Once senior year begins, you’ll be dealing with schoolwork, supplemental essays, extracurriculars, and other responsibilities. Your Common App essay will go to most, if not all, of the schools on your list, so it’s important that you take the time to write, edit, and get feedback on your essay. 

Read our ultimate guide to the Common App essay (which will soon be updated with the new prompt) and take a look at some strong essay examples to get a better idea of what admissions officers are looking for.

2. Know what topics are good, and which ones to avoid

There are two ways to brainstorm your essay. You can either pick a prompt that resonates with you and look for a matching story from your life, or come up with a story essential to who you are and find a prompt to match.

Keep in mind that there are some essay topics to avoid, however. Some cliche college essay topics include:

• Sports injury story
• Working hard in a challenging class
• Immigrant story
• Tragedy (death, divorce, illness)
• Volunteer trip
• Your religion
• Romantic relationships
• Family pressure to pursue a particular field

In general, these topics are bad because they’re extremely common and too often focus on the event itself rather than you and your personality. This doesn’t mean you can’t cover these topics, but it’s very difficult to do so in an effective way (see the post linked above for tips on how to revamp these cliche topics).

On the flip side, some good topic ideas are:

• A unique extracurricular activity or passion
• An activity or interest that contrasts heavily with your profile
• A seemingly insignificant moment that speaks to larger themes within your life
• Using an everyday experience or object as a metaphor to explore your life and personality
• An in the moment narrative that tells the story of a important moment in your life

These topics are much broader and allow for greater creativity. 

3. Answer the 4 core questions

The point of the Common App essay is to humanize your application and put a face to your transcript. That’s a tall order for only 650 words max! 

To make sure you’re sharing the fullest range possible of who you are, try to answer these four core questions in your essay:

• Why Am I Here?
• What is Unique About Me?
• What Matters to Me?

4. Consider the different college essay structures

The Common App essay is a piece of creative storytelling, and not your typical analytical paper for school. You don’t necessarily want to write an essay with the standard introduction, thesis, and supporting body paragraphs. 

How should you structure your essay, then? Here are a few ideas:

• In-the-moment narrative: Take us to a specific moment in time and share your story as it’s unfolding, using this moment as a segue into broader themes of your life.
• Narrative told over an extended period of time: This structure allows you to cover several experiences, and is well-suited for those looking to highlight their long-term development.
• Series of anecdotes, or montage: Use several scenes (that aren’t necessarily related or chronological) to highlight an element of your life or personality.

There are also unconventional essay structures that you may consider, such as writing a movie script or a poem. These are high risk, but also high reward if executed correctly.

Learn more about essay structures and see examples in our blog post.

5. Show, don’t tell

One common mistake students make is to simply state what happened in their essay, rather than to use storytelling techniques like imagery and dialogue. To keep your essay as engaging as possible, you need to bring us to these experiences and allow us to be there with you, rather than telling us what happened. 

Here’s an example of telling: “Running a half marathon was a challenge.”

And here’s an example of showing: “My shoe became untied at mile 11, so I paused and bent over to lace it back up. Pain shot through my lower back. I grimaced and let out an audible groan.”

Where to Get Your Essay Edited for Free

Once you clear the academic threshold for selective schools, your essays and extracurriculars are the deciding factors for admissions officers. In fact, your essays and extracurriculars matter almost as much as grades and test scores at top schools. Why is this? Most students applying to top schools will have stellar academics. Your essays and extracurriculars are your chance to stand out and share your personality.

This is especially true for the Common App essay, as the prompts invite reflection and personal storytelling. It’s vital that your essay is engaging and presents you as someone who would enrich the campus community.

Before submitting your application, you should have someone else review your Common App essay. It’s even better if that person doesn’t know you personally, as they can best tell whether your personality shines through your essay. 

That’s why we created our Peer Essay Review tool , where you can get a free review of your essay from another student. You can also improve your own writing skills by reviewing other students’ essays. We highly recommend giving this tool a try!

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College Essay Tips for Admission in 2023-2024

Why is the college application essay important?

With colleges  refocusing their admissions priorities , the admissions essay has increased in importance. Furthermore, many applications, such as the Common Application and Coalition Application, have announced new prompts specific to COVID-19 for fall applicants.

Here are five college essay tips for increasing your chance of admission for the 2023-2024 school year.

1. Make the essay deeply personal.

The best-performing admissions essays show a trend of being intensely personal. When members of an admissions committee are comparing two prospective students that are similar in terms of academic and extracurricular achievements, they are more likely to choose the student they feel a personal connection to. Furthermore, with the de-prioritization of standardized test scores and academic records since COVID-19, colleges are  emphasizing the personal aspects of an application .

Students should tell stories that they “own” – stories that only they can tell. They should also write about their feelings, their life priorities, how they approach problems, and how they make decisions.

 2. Avoid writing about cliché topics.

Avoiding clichés is a basic rule for all writing, and admissions essays are no exception. Producing an essay with fresh content is more important than ever with the essay’s increased significance as part of a college application.

Understandably, many students struggle with figuring out which topics have been overworked. A good rule of thumb is to make sure that an essay answers the  Four Core Questions  that should be answered in a good college admissions essay:

(1) “Who am I?”

(2) “Why am I here?”

(3) “What is unique about me?”

(4) “What matters to me?”

In addition, it may help to look up various sources on admissions essay clichés. Some frequently mentioned ones are epiphanies (e.g., “suddenly I realized…”), short-term volunteer work/community service (e.g., blood drives, a one-time stint at a soup kitchen, etc.), immigration to America, sports, and travel experiences.

A stand-out essay describes  an uncommon topic, makes uncommon connections, or uses uncommon language . Students who have chosen to write about a common experience can avoid cliché by connecting it to an unexpected value or telling the story in a surprising way.

3. Study successful admissions essays.

Reading successful admissions essays is a good way to develop a sense of the kinds of essays admissions committees gravitate towards. Some schools,  such as Johns Hopkins University , post selects of admitted student essays on their websites. There are also many online resources that share previous admissions essays. On top of that, applications – including the most widely used Common App – rarely change their prompts. This makes it easy for students to access essays that are not only excellent but also relevant to the prompts they are seeking to answer.

 4. Don’t put COVID-19 at the center of your story.

With COVID-19 having impacted the lives of so many worldwide, students may be tempted to write admissions essays about their pandemic experiences. However, college admissions consultants are generally  advising students against writing about COVID-19 in their admissions essays . Many students have been affected by the pandemic in similar ways, and an essay about such a ubiquitous experience is unlikely to stand out. Not to mention that now that the pandemic is officially over, stories centered around COVID are likely to come off as somewhat out-of-date.

This does not mean students should avoid writing about COVID-19 altogether. Many applications, such as the Common Application and the Coalition Application, are providing coronavirus-specific prompts with the purpose of giving students the opportunity to share their pandemic experiences. Students should try to limit writing about COVID-19 to these prompts and use their main essays to  elaborate upon their interests and perspectives beyond COVID-19 . Because the effects of the pandemic have lingered in many households around the world, you can of course include these effects in your paper if they have impacted your individual financial, emotional, or social situation.

5. Check out essay editing services to take your essay to the next level

Online admissions essay editing services are ideal for international students who struggle with English or simply want to take their essays to the next level. Students should take care to choose a company that’s reputable and employs highly qualified editors .

Wordvice employs professional editors who not only correct grammatical and mechanical errors but also improve the style and flow of an essay. Check out our  English proofreading and editing services , including essay editing services , to learn how our editors can improve your essays and help you get into your dream school. And for instant essay proofreading, try the FREE AI Proofreading Tool and AI Paraphrasing Tool available with the Wordvice AI Online Writing Assistant .

In the meantime, check out some of our other resource articles on writing admissions essays.

Wordvice Admissions Resources

• How to Write the Common App Essay in 2021-2022
• How to Write an Admissions Essay to Get Into Top Schools
• 5 Tips for Writing Your Admissions Essay
• Wordvice Ranked Best Admissions Edit Service by Wired.com 
• 3 Reasons to Get Editing for Your College Admissions Essays

• College Application

How To Write a College Essay That Gets Accepted!

Wondering how to write a college essay? You're not the only one. Many students who are getting ready to apply to colleges do not know where to begin when it comes to their college admissions essay. After taking IB or AP classes and working hard to make sure you have the perfect grades and high school resume , you do not want to submit an application with a weak college essay and risk your chances of getting into your dream school. That's why in this blog, we share with you some of the tips and strategies that our college essay advisors use to help students craft their essays. We've even included some examples to give you some inspiration. So keep reading if you want to find out how to write an outstanding college essay.

>> Want us to help you get accepted? Schedule a free strategy call here . <<

Article Contents 8 min read

What is a college essay.

College essays are an essential element of most college applications; they are sometimes referred to as personal statements, college admissions essays, or common app essays for those who are submitting their application through the common application portal. Furthermore, some colleges may request supplemental essays as part of a secondary application after you've submitted your primary application. Most of the time, the school provides a prompt or question that your essay is supposed to answer, but there are also times when there are no prompts, and you are expected to simply write about yourself and why you are applying to a particular school.

Many students are intimated by the idea of writing a college essay, and understandably so. Not only does the college essay carry a lot of weight in the admissions process, but it can be challenging to write about yourself in a way that is flattering but still likable and not arrogant. That's why we're going to go over the winning three-step strategy that our college advisors use to help students brainstorm and write an essay that will communicate their story effectively to the admissions board.

Step 1: What’s your story?

The first thing you want to do is figure out what you want to share with the admissions committee. You should think about what you want the premise of your essay to be. If you have a prompt, then a big part of this step is already done for you. If there is no prompt, you can choose to talk about something specific. For example, if you are planning on becoming a doctor, you could choose to tell the admissions board about how you figured out that medical school is right for you and how their college will help you achieve your goal.

Once you know what question your essay is answering, you should write down as much information about yourself as possible. We call this 'gathering your story' because this is when you want to write down everything that has led you to this moment. Ask yourself the following questions and write down the answers. Remember that you're just brainstorming so it doesn't need to be perfect but it should be specific and detailed. The end goal is to have two or three specific events or examples that you can include in your essay.

How did you decide to apply to college? "}]">

You will not need to include all this information in your essay, but the process of thinking about it and writing it down can help you remember relevant experiences that you may have forgotten. It can also help you identify information that may have seemed insignificant but is actually pertinent to your decision to pursue a specific field or attend a particular school. Use the list of questions above as a guide to help you get started and try to think of other information that could be relevant.

You should write down the skillsets and non-cognitive skills you picked up from different experiences as you answer these questions. It's also a good idea to elaborate on the impact that those experiences, classes, and activities had on you. Think about why you chose those activities, what you hoped to get out of them and what you actually learned. For example, maybe you joined the high school volleyball team because you enjoy the sport and you thought it might be an excellent way to make new friends, but in the end, it taught you how to be a team player.

Interested in checking out 3 quick tips for college essays or personal statements? This video is for you:

Once you have a rough idea of the type of essay you want to write and what it will include, the next step is to create an outline. As mentioned earlier, a good college essay needs to follow the same structure as an academic paper. It can be several paraphs long, but it needs to have the following: 

Your conclusion should wrap up your college essay, but it shouldn't just be a dry summary of facts. Instead, you should try to finish the essay with something insightful or creative that will impact the reader. For example, you can end the essay with a quote or a statement about your hopes for the future. "}]" code="timeline2">

You should start organizing your thoughts and creating a rough outline. At this point, you should know what the focus or theme of each part will be. For example: “I will start by discussing how my background made me love sports. Then I will discuss this formative experience I had in high school at the swim meet. Then I will discuss what I learned about my love for various sports from that experience, how it shaped me, and why it matters to me as a person.”

Step 3: Outline and expand

Some students like to free write and then edit as they go, but our college admissions consulting experts advise using a different process. First, we recommend that you create an outline for your college essay. Since you know what you want the essay to say and you now have a good idea of what the essay's structure needs to be, you can start outlining your information in a way that follows that structure. Having a clear outline will make it easier for you to write an essay that will be easy for the reader to follow. Once you have an outline that you are happy with, you can start expanding on it one paragraph at a time until you have a first draft.

Additional tips for a strong college essay

Even if you are a gifted writer, college admissions consulting services have more experience reading and writing these types of essays than you do, so they can see things that you can't. It is definitely worth investing in their services so that they can look over your drafts or help you through the entire process. Their constructive feedback and high-yield strategies can make a world of difference. ","label":"Have someone look it over","title":"Have someone look it over"}]" code="tab1" template="BlogArticle">

Conclusion 

Writing any type of college essay can be intimidating, but it can be a lot easier when you're using the right process and have the right tools. In our highly sought-after application review packages, we use these very same strategies and more to help students write outstanding college essays that help them get into their chosen schools. In other words, by following the steps and tips that we outlined in this blog, you are already taking a step in the right direction.

Now, take a look at the examples below. Pay attention to what we just mentioned as you read this essay. Notice the length of the essays, the introductions, and what the admissions committee can deduce from the information provided, for example. 

University of Pennsylvania Prompt: How did you discover your intellectual and academic interests, and how will you explore them at the University of Pennsylvania? (300-450 words) 

I'd like to say that it all started on a sunny Monday morning in March, but the truth is that the details are fuzzy. What I do remember is the feeling that I got when I finished reading "We need new names" by NoViolet Bulawayo. I was in the tenth grade, and my literature teacher, Ms. Stevens, had informed us that we would be reading it for the first half of the semester. I opened the book intending to read the first chapter, do my assignment and move on. Instead, I finished the book in two days and found myself on my way to my teacher's office to discuss it. It was only after spending my lunch break discussing literary devices with Ms. Stevens and enjoying it that I decided that I wanted to have a career that revolved around books. 

Books have been a part of my life for as long as I can remember, so I'd always had some appreciation for the written word, but this was the first time I read a book where I could see a family like mine, and it completely changed my world. My parents are immigrants from Zimbabwe, but my siblings and I were born and raised in Canada. This means that we grew up in a bi-cultural home where poutine was just as common as traditional Zimbabwean dishes like Sadza. Until my teacher put that book in my hands, I had never seen another family like mine in any form of media, and it made me feel seen. 

I immediately started looking for more books about immigrant stories, and before I knew it, I was reading all kinds of books, from classics like A tale of two cities to fun memoirs like Born a Crime by Trevor Noah. Furthermore, I started an after-school book club for other bookworms like myself at my high school. It now has a total of 23 members, and I am very proud of the books that we read and the amazing conversations that those books have sparked. 

  That experience only made my interest in literature grow. It has led to the point where I am now actively seeking an education that will allow me to introduce others to the enchanting world of books. I am confident that the University of Pennsylvania's unrivaled English program would allow me to continue exploring this interest and give me the skills that I need to achieve my goal. 

I have found that many communities are not reflected in many of the books traditionally considered classics and taught in schools. My goal is to be a part of changing that, the way Ms. Stevens was by introducing me to NoViolet Bulawayo. 

Want to review more advice for college essays? Take a look at this video:

College essay example #2

Stanford University prompt : The Stanford community is deeply curious and driven to learn in and out of the classroom. Reflect on an idea or experience that makes you genuinely excited about learning. (100-250 words)

Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic”. Those are Arthur C. Clarke's words, and I wholeheartedly believe them to be true because I find technology as fascinating as magic, and I am genuinely excited to learn more about it. 

According to my mother, I've always been curious about everything. I believe her when she says this because it has not changed much. I still enjoy learning new things, pulling something apart and trying to figure out how it works, and spending hours on google researching a random topic. 

However, the subject that I am most curious about is technology. I remember being young and being very confused at the idea of a telephone. I could not wrap my head around the fact that this small device allowed me to speak with my cousins in Europe from my house in Canada. Today, I understand how telephones work, but I have more questions about other aspects of technology like coding and programming. 

I have been teaching myself how to code since the seventh grade, but I know there is much to learn. My hope is that I will be able to attend Stanford University in the fall and gain the knowledge that I will need to one day create my own piece of technology that will be indistinguishable from magic. 

It is essentially a personal essay that is required for most college applications.

Yes, college essays are actually very important. Having a perfect GPA and extracurriculars is great, but the truth is that many students have an impressive academic background. Your college essay is one of the things that can make you stand out from the crowd. 

This varies greatly depending on the instructions given by the school, but usually, they range between 200 and 650 words.

A college essay needs to follow the structure of a typical academic essay, meaning that it should have an introduction, main body, and conclusion. 

The right ones can! Our college essay advisors can help you brainstorm and edit your essay to make sure it is competitive and compelling.

Not all of them do. The school will often give you a prompt, but this won't always be the case.

Most of the time, the school will give you a pretty open-ended prompt, so you can write about anything as long it answers the prompt. If there is no prompt, you can write about yourself and what motivated you to apply to college or what got you interested in your chosen field of study. 

Colleges care about your grades, but also about you - the person. They want to get a sense of who the person behind the application is, and college essays allow them to do that.

We recommend starting with an anecdote, a quote, or a gripping fun fact about you so that you can grab the reader's attention from the very beginning. People tend to remember a strong opening. 

In short, yes. The college admissions essay is an essential part of your application, and unfortunately, it is often the weak link for many students who have an otherwise impressive record. If your college essay is weak, it can be the thing that keeps you from attending your dream college. 

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First-year essay prompts

Common App has announced the 2024-2025 essay prompts.

Below is the complete list of the common app essay prompts..

• Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.
• The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?
• Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. What prompted your thinking? What was the outcome?
• Reflect on something that someone has done for you that has made you happy or thankful in a surprising way. How has this gratitude affected or motivated you?
• Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others.
• Describe a topic, idea, or concept you find so engaging that it makes you lose all track of time. Why does it captivate you? What or who do you turn to when you want to learn more?
• Share an essay on any topic of your choice. It can be one you've already written, one that responds to a different prompt, or one of your own design.

We will also retain the  optional community disruption  question within the Writing section. 

Looking for tips on how to approach the essay? Check out this video. 

Solutions center for first-year students

Solutions center for transfer students.

Essay Guides 2021-22

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Essay Guides and Essay Examples

Your best college essay: tips for writing a college essay that helps you stand out.

Your college essays are a key chance to set yourself apart in the college admissions process. A strong college essay will showcase all of your unique qualities that will help you succeed on a college campus. Avoid the fatal mistake of leaving your college essays until the last minute. Instead, reserve enough time to craft a college admission essay beyond compare.

Keep in mind that the average acceptance rate for college applicants is 68% , but the rate for your dream school may be even lower. For example, many of the best colleges in the U.S. , including Ivy League universities, have single-digit acceptance rates. Admissions departments across the U.S. received well over a million Common App applications for the 2022-2023 school year. Many schools are growing more competitive every year, so it’s more important than ever to stand out.

Your personal essay and supplemental essays can easily get lost in the wave of other applicants. In truth, only the best college essays will rise to the top, so it is important to make sure yours is among them.

CollegeAdvisor’s resources will guide you through the entire process, including key information on:

Selecting college essay topics.

• College essay ideas
• Types of college essay prompts
• How to write a great college essay

College essay format

• How to start a great college essay
• How to start a ‘why this college’ essay
• How to end college essays

Writing about yourself isn’t easy, but you can also find more great tips on how to write a college essay for individual schools at CollegeAdvisor.com. As you begin, keep in mind that knowing how to write a college essay is the mark of a great candidate. 

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Brown Essays Examples  If you’re applying to Brown University, reading Brown essays examples can help you begin to craft your own supplements. The Brown supplemental essays are a critical part […]

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In this Carnegie Mellon University essay guide, we’ll be diving into some tips to help future applicants best represent themselves in the Carnegie Mellon University supplemental essays. For more guidance […]

Carnegie Mellon Supplemental Essays 2023-24 Carnegie Mellon University is renowned for its unwavering commitment to academic excellence, especially in engineering and computer science. As one of the nation’s top universities, […]

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Not sure how to approach the Case Western supplemental essays? CollegeAdvisor.com’s guide to the Case Western Reserve University supplemental essays will show you exactly how to write engaging Case Western […]

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Common App Transfer Essay — Introduction If you’re considering transferring colleges, you’ve likely started thinking about your college transfer essay. At CollegeAdvisor, we’re here to fill you in on the […]

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Dartmouth Essays Like many schools, Dartmouth College requires supplemental essays as a part of the admissions process. Through the Dartmouth essays, you can showcase elements of your application that may […]

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Emory Essays  Emory University, nestled in Atlanta, Georgia, is known for its commitment to intellectual rigor and interdisciplinary exploration. The Emory essays offer students a great chance to stand out […]

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Extracurricular Activities Essay Examples – Introduction  As you work through your college applications, you may come across a version of the extracurricular activities essay. Many college application requirements include an […]

Fordham Supplemental Essays 2022-2023 Fordham Supplemental Essays: Quick Facts How many essays does Fordham require? So, does Fordham have supplemental essays? The answer is yes, Fordham gives students the opportunity […]

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Georgetown Supplemental Essays 2023-24 Supplemental essays are an important part of every college application, and Georgetown is no exception. Each Georgetown essay is an opportunity for applicants to share something […]

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In this Georgetown University Essay Guide, CollegeAdvisor.com Admissions Experts and Georgetown graduates Brynlee and Tamara will cover how to approach the 2020-2021 Georgetown University supplementary essays. For more guidance on […]

Georgia Tech Essay 2022-23 Georgia Tech Essay: Quick Facts Does Georgia Institute of Technology have supplemental essays? Yes. In addition to your Common App Personal Statement, you will craft a why […]

Georgia Tech Essays 2023-24 Georgia Institute of Technology is a public university in the University System of Georgia, located in Atlanta. As one of the nation’s premier research universities, the […]

Harvard Supplemental Essays 2023-2024 If you’re applying to Harvard, you might be wondering how to approach the Harvard supplemental essays. Harvard is one of the most prestigious schools in the […]

The following essay examples were written by several different authors who were admitted to Harvard University and are intended to provide examples of successful Harvard University application essays. All names […]

The oldest university in the United States and one of the most renowned higher education institutions in the world, Harvard is a private research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, a few […]

In this Harvard University Essay Guide, CollegeAdvisor.com Admissions Experts Jesper (Harvard ‘19), Julia (Harvard ‘21), and Miranda (Harvard ‘19) cover how to approach the 2020-2021 Harvard supplementary essays. For more […]

Not sure how to approach the Harvard essay prompts? With tips from a Harvard graduate, CollegeAdvisor.com’s guide to the Harvard supplemental essays will show you exactly how to write engaging […]

Not sure how to approach the “Why Harvey Mudd” essay and other Harvey Mudd essay prompts? With advice from a trained Admissions Expert, CollegeAdvisor.com’s guide to the Harvey Mudd supplement […]

Haverford Supplemental Essays Interested in applying to Haverford College? Well, the Haverford supplemental essay is a crucial part of your overall application. As one best colleges in Pennsylvania, Haverford is […]

Not sure how to write an Indiana University supplemental essay? CollegeAdvisor.com’s guide to the Indiana University application essay will show you exactly how to write an engaging Indiana University supplemental […]

Ivy League Essay Examples Ivy League colleges like Harvard, Yale, and Princeton are notoriously competitive. By reading Ivy League essay examples, students can prepare for the application process. The best […]

Not sure how to approach the Johns Hopkins essay prompts? CollegeAdvisor.com’s guide to the Johns Hopkins supplemental essays will show you exactly how to write engaging Johns Hopkins essays and […]

Johns Hopkins Essays – An Introduction Writing college essays is one of the hardest parts of the college application process. If you’re wondering how to get into Johns Hopkins, you’ll […]

Johns Hopkins Supplemental Essays 2022 – 2023 In this guide, we’ll walk you through how to approach each of the Johns Hopkins essays. But before diving into how to write […]

Lehigh Supplemental Essays 2023-24  If you’re wondering how to get into Lehigh University, this guide to the Lehigh supplemental essays is for you. To craft a strong and compelling application, […]

Not sure how to respond to the Lehigh supplemental essays?  CollegeAdvisor.com’s guide to the Lehigh University supplemental essay questions will show you how to write strong Lehigh supplemental essays and […]

Macalester College Supplemental Essays 2023-24 Students applying to Macalester College will be faced with an important decision: should I complete the Macalester College supplemental essays? Without a doubt, the answer […]

Not sure how to approach the MIT essay prompts? With tips from an Ivy League graduate, CollegeAdvisor.com’s guide to the MIT essay questions will show you exactly how to write […]

In this Massachusetts Institute of Technology Essay Guide, we will cover how to approach the 2020-2021 MIT supplementary essays. For more guidance on personal essays and the college application process […]

MIT Essays that Worked – Introduction In this guide, we’ll provide you with several MIT essays that worked. After each, we’ll discuss elements of these MIT essay examples in depth. […]

Not sure how to approach the Morrill Scholarship essay? With tips from an Ivy League graduate, CollegeAdvisor.com’s guide to the OSU Morrill Scholarship essay will show you exactly how to […]

Mount Holyoke Supplemental Essays  If you want your application to stand out to Mount Holyoke Admissions, you’ll need to write compelling Mount Holyoke supplemental essays. The Mount Holyoke prompts can […]

NC State Supplemental Essay Examples North Carolina State University is a highly-ranked public research university in Raleigh, North Carolina. Holding the #72 spot on the U.S. News Best National Universities […]

Not sure how to approach the “Why NYU” essay prompt? CollegeAdvisor.com’s “Why NYU” Essay Guide will show you exactly how to write an engaging “Why NYU” essay to maximize your […]

In this New York University Essay Guide, CollegeAdvisor.com Admissions Experts Elinor and Shruthi will cover how to approach the 2020-2021 NYU supplementary essays. For more guidance on personal essays and […]

The following essay examples were written by several different authors who were admitted to Northwestern University and are intended to provide examples of successful Northwestern University application essays. All names […]

In this Northwestern University Essay Guide, you’ll find tips on how to best respond to the supplemental essay prompts for Northwestern. For more guidance on personal essays and the college […]

Not sure how to approach the Northwestern essay prompt? With tips from a Harvard graduate, CollegeAdvisor.com’s guide to the Northwestern supplemental essays 2021 will show you how to write an […]

Notre Dame Essay Examples Feeling stuck as you begin to write your Notre Dame essay? By reading Notre Dame essay examples, you can prepare yourself to write your own Why […]

Notre Dame Essay Guide: 2022-2023 Notre Dame Essay Guide Quick Facts:  Not sure how to approach the Notre Dame essay prompts? Our guide to the Notre Dame essay supplemental essays […]

Notre Dame Supplemental Essays 2023-24 Wondering how to approach the Notre Dame supplemental essays? We’ve got you covered.  The University of Notre Dame, located in the vibrant state of Indiana, […]

The following essay examples were written by authors who were admitted to New York University and are intended to provide examples of successful NYU application essays. All names have been […]

NYU Supplemental Essays New York University, also known as NYU, is in the Greenwich Village neighborhood of Manhattan. NYU is not only one of the best universities in New York […]

Occidental Supplemental Essays With the Occidental acceptance rate hovering around 30%, many students are eager to make a game plan for how to get into Occidental College. Occidental College, affectionately […]

Penn State Supplemental Essays 2023-24 With test-optional colleges like Penn State on the rise, mastering the Penn State supplemental essay has never been more important. Beyond seeing a strong academic […]

Not sure how to approach the Penn State essay prompts? With tips from a Penn State graduate, CollegeAdvisor.com’s guide to the Penn State supplemental essays will show you how to […]

Found in the heart of Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania State University (PSU) is a public, land-grant university with a multitude of locations and the primary campus being at University Park, Pennsylvania. PSU […]

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Not sure how to get started on your Pitzer supplement essay? CollegeAdvisor.com’s guide to the Pitzer supplemental essays will provide you with the Pitzer core college values, the Pitzer College […]

Pitzer Supplemental Essays 2023-24 If you’re considering applying to Pitzer, you’ll want to do everything you can to stand out from the other applicants. And that means writing stellar Pitzer […]

Pomona Supplemental Essays  If you’re planning to apply to Pomona College, you’ll also need to prepare to write several Pomona supplemental essays. Each Pomona essay that you write should expand […]

Princeton Supplemental Essays 2023-24 If you’re wondering how to get into Princeton, the Princeton supplemental essays play a major role in the admissions process. In this Princeton essay guide, we’ll […]

Princeton Essay Examples – Introduction  Are you wondering how to write the Princeton supplemental essays? Then this Princeton essay guide is just what you need! In fact, we’ll look at […]

In this Princeton University Essay Guide, we will cover how to approach the 2020-2021 Princeton supplementary essays. For more guidance on personal essays and the college application process in general, […]

Princeton Supplemental Essay 2022-2023 There are seven Princeton University supplemental essays that all applicants must write. While this may feel daunting, take comfort—each Princeton supplemental essay is on the shorter […]

Purdue Supplemental Essay 2022-2023 Purdue Supplemental Essay: Quick Facts What are Purdue University’s essays? In addition to the Common App essay, students must also complete the Purdue supplemental essay prompts.  […]

In this Rice University essay guide, we’ll be diving into some tips to help future applicants best represent themselves with the Rice University supplemental essays. For more guidance on personal […]

Rice Supplemental Essays 2023-2024 The Rice University supplemental essays play an integral role in any student’s “how to get into Rice” plan. As one of the top universities in the […]

Rutgers Supplemental Essay Rutgers University, located in New Jersey, is celebrated as one of the premier public universities in the nation. Consequently, Rutgers Admissions carefully review thousands of applications, each […]

Not sure how to approach the Rutgers essay prompts? CollegeAdvisor.com’s guide to the Rutgers supplemental essays will show you how to write engaging Rutgers essays and maximize your admissions odds. […]

Santa Clara University Supplemental Essays 2022-23 Santa Clara University is a research university located in California. If you want to stand out in the SCU admissions process, the Santa Clara […]

Smith Supplemental Essays  If you’re considering applying to Smith, you’ll need to tackle the Smith essays. Smith College stands out as one of the premier private liberal arts colleges in […]

Spelman College Supplemental Essays 2023-24 Are you wondering how to write the Spelman essays? Like other highly-ranked colleges, the application process at Spelman College is competitive. However, understanding how to […]

About St. Olaf College St. Olaf College is a small, private liberal arts college affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) and is listed as one of the […]

Stanford Supplemental Essays  The Stanford essays form a critical part of the application process. Like at many top schools around the country, when you apply to Stanford, you’ll complete school-specific […]

Stanford Essays Examples – Introduction Located in sunny California, Stanford is a top choice school for many students. In this guide, we’ll look at the Stanford supplemental essays. Then, we’ll […]

In this Stanford University Essay Guide, CollegeAdvisor.com Admissions Experts Michele, Becky, and Matthew will cover how to approach the 2020-2021 Stanford supplementary essays. For more guidance on personal essays and […]

Not sure how to approach the Stanford essay prompts? With tips from an Ivy League graduate, CollegeAdvisor.com’s guide to the Stanford essay prompts will show you exactly how to write […]

Swarthmore Supplemental Essays  Writing the Swarthmore supplemental essays is an important step for any applicant hoping to gain admission to this competitive school. Swarthmore College is one of the best […]

Syracuse Supplemental Essays Looking for guidance on how to get into Syracuse? One key part of your application is the Syracuse supplemental essays. Namely, the Why Syracuse essay will play […]

TCU Supplemental Essays 2022-23 Located in Fort Worth, Texas, TCU is one of the top 100 colleges in the nation. So, as you prepare to apply, you should think carefully […]

Texas A&M Supplemental Essays 2023-24 If you’re thinking about how to get into Texas A&M, you’ve probably come across the Texas A&M supplemental essays. Texas A&M is one of the […]

Not sure how to approach the Texas A&M essay prompts? CollegeAdvisor.com’s guide to the Texas A&M application essays will breakdown the Texas A&M essay requirements and show you exactly how […]

Texas Tech Essays 2023-24 If you’re a student looking to learn how to get into Texas Tech, this guide is for you. One way to stand out from other applicants […]

Tufts Essay 2023-2024 If you’re considering applying to Tufts this cycle, you’ve come to the right place. In order to know how to get into Tufts and impress the admissions […]

Tufts Supplemental Essays 2022-2023 If you’ve already started researching how to get into Tufts, stats like the The Tufts acceptance rate may make the Tufts application seem daunting. Getting familiar […]

Tulane Essay Guide: 2022-2023 Tulane Essay Guide Quick Facts: What are Tulane’s supplemental essays? Each Tulane essay for the 2022-2023 application cycle is posted on the Common App site. The Tulane […]

UC Essay Prompts 2023-2024 Students applying to UC schools must be prepared to answer the UC prompts as part of the application process. Each year, the University of California receives […]

UChicago Essay Examples  As one of the world’s top-ranked universities, the University of Chicago deeply values inquisitive and creative learners. For that reason, UChicago essays that worked are some of […]

The following essay examples were written by several different authors who were admitted to University of Chicago and are intended to provide examples of successful UChicago application essays. All names […]

UChicago Essay Prompts 2023-24 If you’re looking to learn more about the UChicago essay prompts, you’ve come to the right place.  Located in Hyde Park, Illinois, UChicago is one of […]

UIUC Supplemental Essays 2023-24 If you’re interested in attending UIUC, writing effective UIUC essays is an important step toward gaining admission. The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC), located in […]

UNC Supplemental Essay Examples The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is one of the top public universities in the United States.  Many students wonder how to get into […]

UNC Supplemental Essays 2022-23 UNC Supplemental Essays: Quick Facts How many essays does the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill require? The UNC supplemental essays come in two categories. […]

Not sure how to approach the UC Personal Insight Questions? With tips from an Ivy League graduate, CollegeAdvisor.com’s guide to the UC essay prompts will show you how to write […]

The following essays were written by several different authors who were admitted to University of California (UC) schools and are intended to provide examples of successful UC essays. All names […]

University of California, Berkeley, is part of the 10 campuses of the UC system and has been ranked consistently as one of the top public universities in the world. It […]

In this University of California essay guide, CollegeAdvisor.com Admissions Experts and UC alumni Angela, Kaitlin, and Zoë will discuss how to best respond to the University of California Personal Insight Questions (PIQs). For […]

Not sure how to approach the UChicago essay prompts? With tips from one of our Admissions Experts, CollegeAdvisor.com’s UChicago supplement essay guide will show you exactly how to write engaging […]

In this University of Chicago Essay Guide, CollegeAdvisor.com Admissions Experts Arielle and Caroline will cover how to approach the 2020-2021 University of Chicago supplementary essays. For more guidance on personal […]

Not sure how to approach the University of Florida supplemental essays? CollegeAdvisor.com’s guide to the University of Florida supplemental essays will show you exactly how to write engaging UF supplemental […]

Not sure how to approach the UIUC essay prompts? With tips from an Ivy League graduate, CollegeAdvisor.com’s guide to the UIUC essay prompts will show you exactly how to write […]

University of Maryland Supplemental Essays 2023-24 Wondering how to write your University of Maryland supplemental essays? If so, you’re in the right place. The UMD essay prompts are unique, both […]

Not sure how to approach the University of Miami essay prompts? With tips from an Ivy League graduate, CollegeAdvisor.com’s guide to the University of Miami supplemental essays will show you […]

University of Miami Supplemental Essays 2023-24 Wondering how to write your University of Miami supplemental essays? For many students, writing the University of Miami essays can feel like a daunting […]

The following University of Michigan essay examples were written by authors who were admitted to University of Michigan (UMich). All names have been redacted for anonymity. Please note that CollegeAdvisor.com […]

Having trouble answering the University of Michigan’s three supplemental essay prompts? Look no further! In this University of Michigan Essay Guide, we will cover how to approach the 2020-2021 supplementary […]

University of Michigan Supplemental Essays 2023-24 Like all college essays, the University of Michigan supplemental essays offer the admissions team insight into who you are and what you’ll bring to […]

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To write a standout college essay, you will have to be creative and original. This means you should avoid the overused typical college essay ideas, such as:

• A historical figure you admire
• Your favorite place to visit
• How you saved the day by making a winning sports play

These and other similar college essay topics are too common, so they won’t help you stand out . Even if you have to use a prompt that looks like this, try to attack it in an unexpected way. You don’t want your college essay to be just one of many cliché college essays that don’t inspire your reader.

Other potentially ineffective college essay ideas to avoid in a college admission essay are those that provide too much personal detail. For example, if you want to write about a serious accident and how you overcame your injuries, avoid taking a deep dive into the medical procedures and details about the accident itself. That is not how to start a college essay. In fact, you could end up putting off members of the admissions committee rather than intriguing them. Instead, a good college essay idea would focus on how you turned a challenge into an opportunity. 

Avoid poetry and fiction

Also, don’t turn in a long poem or a piece of fiction in lieu of a college essay. This advice applies to supplemental essays as well. Although your creative prose might reveal aspects of your spirit and personality, creative writing is a college essay format that admissions teams don’t always appreciate. Your college essay should teach your readers more about you —not your poetry chops. 

That said, creativity is still important in college essays. Your college essay should highlight your ability to illustrate points with strong imagery. The best college essays will use vivid imagery, strong language, and a well-structured form to highlight key parts of the writer’s identity. 

Additionally, boasting about your personal achievements in college essays often does not present your character in the best light. This doesn’t mean you can’t highlight your accomplishments in your college essays. However, if you want to describe an accomplishment, add context. Don’t use language that is too self-congratulatory or prideful. Of course, you can be proud of your achievements. But, the best college admission essay is one that exudes confidence, not arrogance.

College essays are no joke

The best college essays also do not solely rely on humor or jokes to engage an audience. Humor is quite subjective, so what tickles your funny bone may not have the same effect on others. Try not to overuse humor in your college admission essay. 

Instead, take a tip from college essays that worked. Use unique descriptions and insights that help your readers understand who you are. If that includes humor, feel free to add in a few clever jokes throughout your college admission essay. However, don’t use them to distract from the actual content of the essay itself. 

In addition, resist the urge to write a college essay that reads like a travelog. Describing the weather in the South of France does not reveal much about who you are and why a college should accept you. Your college essays need to be about you! 

At times, you might be asked to write a college essay about someone else. These essays might seem deceptive, but at their core, they should still center around you. Think about someone you know or a historical figure you admire. How do their experiences and values relate to your life? What about them engages you, and how does that speak to your identity? 

Stay positive

When writing a college essay, you should also avoid making negative observations about the school you’re applying to (or even other colleges). Admissions officers want their students to have a  positive outlook. So, avoid negativity and criticism in your college essays.

One way to accomplish this is to select college essay topics you care about. Choose a theme that reveals your passion and positivity. Get started with some brainstorming strategies to help you identify a few great college essay ideas. 

Additionally, take advantage of CollegeAdvisor.com’s library of webinars to help you create an application that showcases your personal narrative. Your college admission essay should work in conjunction with your extracurricular and academic interests to show who you are as a whole person. So, as you write your college essays, keep your application narrative in mind. 

After brainstorming

Once you’ve identified some viable college essay topics, see how they compare to some popular topics for college essays that worked, including :

• A college essay on the valuable lessons you learned from a setback or failure
• A college essay reviewing how anc accomplishment inspired your growth
• An essay topic about the ways in which gratitude has broadened your horizons
• A unique college essay about how your favorite hobby adds dimension to your academic interests
• A college essay detailing how one experience impacted your life and goals for the future

These structures give you room to tell a story about who you are and how you’ve grown. However, if you’re not careful, these topics can become cliché. So, if you opt to write your college essay on a common topic, make sure it has your own personal spin. 

Most importantly, use your own voice and be sincere in any college essay you write. Admissions committees do not want to read the same college essay topics over and over. Instead, they want to see college essays and supplemental essays with fresh voices and thought-provoking. 

College essays that worked are insightful, authentic, unique, and personal. So, as you draft your college essay, keep these qualities in mind. 

Different kinds of College Essay prompts

The personal statement .

Typically, the longest essay you will write in the college application process is your primary College Essay or Personal Statement. This essay will be based on college essay prompts set forth by the Common App and Coalition App.  These college essay prompts typically include an array of predetermined topics as well as an option to write on a subject of your choice. You can find the college essay prompts on each application website. 

The Common App and Coalition App typically release their college essay prompts in the summer before application season begins. That way, they’re available several months before your college applications are due. This gives you ample time to research college essays that worked and develop your own strategy for getting started on a college essay.

The Common App publishes its college essay prompts online each year. The Coalition App college essay prompts are also available online. Additionally, if you are planning to submit your college applications through QuestBridge , you can find the college essay prompts on its website. QuestBridge also offers valuable hints on how to write a great college essay.

School-specific essays

You will also likely be required to write school-specific essays as part of your college application process. These school specific essays, also called supplemental essays, are different from your primary college essay or personal statement. However, supplemental essays are just as important, if not more so, to admissions officers. 

Supplemental essays differ between schools and application systems. So, do your research on which college essays you will need to write well before your college application deadlines.

More on supplemental essays

Each university creates its own supplemental part of the college application. Most schools require you to write supplemental essays specific to them. These are a school’s way to assess how you would fit into their specific school community. They also give you the chance to show each school why you are a good fit!

Some schools ask applicants to write more than one supplemental essay. Some supplemental essays consist of several short questions and one longer supplemental essay. The typical college essay length for a long answer is similar to that of your regular college essay, around 400-650 words.

College essay length requirements for short answer questions are likely to be around 150-200 words. Before you start writing, research  the colleges you are applying to. First, find out the type, number, and college essay length of the supplemental essays they ask for. Then, take your time to learn more about each school and its values—this can help you write an essay sure to stand out. 

Supplemental essay example

For example, if you apply to New York University , the supplemental essay is school-specific. NYU wants its applicants to answer the question “Why NYU?” in a 400-word essay. Specifically, the NYU supplemental essay prompt for 2021-2022 was worded as such:

We would like to know more about your interest in NYU. What motivated you to apply to NYU? Why have you applied or expressed interest in a particular campus, school, college, program, and or area of study? If you have applied to more than one, please also tell us why you are interested in these additional areas of study or campuses. We want to understand – Why NYU? 

For a college essay prompt like this, you’ll want to start by researching NYU. Then, choose one or two things about NYU that intrigue you. Don’t be too general, and don’t just talk about going to school in New York—instead, show why you would thrive at NYU specifically, and highlight what you would bring to their campus. 

You can get more tips on writing a great supplemental essay at CollegeAdvisor.com. We’ve curated supplemental essay guides for all of the top 100 colleges.

Short answer essays 

Others, like University of Southern California , ask for a series of short response questions alongside their supplemental essays. Short responses questions tend to be around 100-150 characters, but they vary based on school. 

As you write your supplemental essays and short response answers, keep the required college essay length in mind. Also, remember that shorter essays aren’t always easier. Give yourself plenty of time to write a standout 150-word essay; don’t leave it until the last minute. 

“Optional” supplemental essays

In addition to any required college essay prompts, some schools list their supplemental essays as optional. However, if you are applying to a top-tier school, it’s a good idea to answer all prompts, optional or not. Instead of seeing these optional essays as added work, think of them as an invaluable opportunity to share more about yourself.

That said, there are certain cases where you should skip the optional supplemental essay. For example, if the supplemental essay asks you to expand on any extenuating circumstances that impacted your application, and you don’t have any, don’t make something up. These supplemental essays are designed for students to explain an extremely low grade in a class or a personal event that affected their academic performance. In some cases, this will not apply to you. So, don’t feel pressure to answer those types of supplemental essay questions. 

Schools with no supplemental essays

You may also find during your college application process that some universities do not require any supplemental essays. 

State universities like the University of Colorado-Denver and the University of Pittsburg do not ask for supplemental essays. Nor do some liberal arts schools like Lawrence University , Colby College , and Middlebury College . Take these schools’ policies as another incentive to make your personal statement shine. 

How to Write a Great College Essay

Test scores, your GPA, and the list of extracurricular activities you’re involved in provide admissions committees with a sketch of your accomplishments. Your college essay is your opportunity to fill in the rest of the story . 

If your test scores are good but not exceptional, your college essay can convey how exceptional you really are. If your GPA is less than flawless, a great college essay can help strengthen your application.

However, there is no shortcut to writing a college essay that stands out. You will need to spend time brainstorming, drafting, and editing your college essay. College essays that worked for past applicants were not written in a day, or even a week. It can take a few months to write a college admission essay that you’re proud of. 

Check out these hints to write the best college essays possible:

• Choose college essay prompts that fit: The college essay prompts you choose should provide an opening for the topics/stories you have decided to discuss.
• Know your parameters: Before you begin, make sure you are clear on the required college essay length and college essay format.
• Create an outline : Organization is critical to writing a college essay that shines, so structure your ideas into a formal outline to guide you as you write. This will also help you get started on a college essay if you’re feeling stumped.
• Start out strong: Come up with a “hook” in the first few sentences of your college essay that grabs your readers and reels them in. For example, “On New Year’s Day 2020, my life changed forever.”
• Write a rough draft: Do not plan on writing a college essay in a couple of hours. Treat your first effort as a draft that you will reread and revise until it is perfect.
• Follow your outline: Keep your essay prompts and college essay ideas firmly in mind as you write your first draft; you can revise it later to make it one of the best college essays possible.
• Do not go over the college essay length for any of your college essays: Pay attention to college essay length requirements, especially with supplemental essays. Also, do not deviate from standard college essay format. Doing so indicates that you cannot follow instructions.
• Use proper grammar and accurate spelling: Resist the urge to use slang or texting abbreviations in any college essays.
• Observe the rules of best college essays: Breaking college essay format rules or deviating from the college essay prompts will not earn you any points. Be prepared to showcase your excellence as a writer—within your given parameters. 

It’s also a good idea to review the websites of your colleges of choice to see whether they offer guidelines on how to write a strong supplemental essay. In addition, research guides on how to write a great college essay from other resources .

You should also follow the college essay format mentioned in your college essay guidelines , if there is one. If the application does not specify a college essay format, use the standard MLA guidelines for how to write a college essay.

While some colleges may not place any importance on format, most schools expect college essays to meet strict academic standards. So, do not rely on your memory for correct grammar, spelling, and vocabulary definitions. When in doubt, look it up.

How to Start a College Essay

Choosing your college essay prompts and structuring an outline for your college essay format is a great beginning. Now, you’ll probably wonder, how do you start a college essay?

The best method for getting started on a college essay is creating a thesis statement . This is a single-sentence response to the college essay prompts you choose to tackle. It states your topic and the main point of your college essay.

A strong thesis statement forms the foundation of the best college essays. It should be clear and concise. The following paragraphs of your college essay should then provide supportive examples and/or evidence to prove your thesis.

Let’s take a look at the Johns Hopkins “Essays that Worked” page for some examples. For college essay prompts like, “ Describe an obstacle or challenge that you struggled to overcome ,” your thesis statement should be clear and compelling. Your thesis could be, “When I transferred to a new bigger high school and joined the squash team, I discovered how rewarding it is to push myself outside of my comfort zone.” 

When you’re getting started on a college essay like this , start with a bit of context. Then, make sure each paragraph directly relates to the thesis statement and reveals something crucial about you . For example, you might describe a distinct strategy or action that pushed you out of your comfort zone. Was it the fast pace of the sport, or maybe the shyness you felt meeting new people? You might also highlight a specific moment when you overcame insecurities and conquered new challenges. However, don’t try to tackle all of these questions at once; instead, choose one story, and stay focused on your narrative and its relevance to your life. 

Finally, make sure that your essay reflects something crucial about who you are. Don’t just tell an interesting story—instead, explicitly connect this story to your identity and growth. To return to the squash team example, your essay might show how you persevere in the face of difficulty and that you are not afraid to learn from new experiences. 

What about the ending?

So, once you’re this far, you’ll begin wondering how to end a college essay. In most cases, the final paragraph of the best college essays will return to your thesis. Then, it will offer a conclusion that puts the entire experience into context.

In our example about joining the squash team at your new high school, your college essay might conclude with, “The experience showed me that the more I push myself outside of my comfort zone, the more my comfort zone grows.” This sentence shows the reader the relevance of your essay beyond its topic—that is, it shows how your experience helped you grow not just as a squash player, but as a person. 

The above example shows how to end a college essay on a positive note. It will leave your readers feeling good about your experience, just like you did. It also gives you room to talk about how you will apply your new faculties in college. That’s the best strategy when it comes to how to end a college essay.

Key Components of the Best College Essays

Many colleges, including Harvard and the University of California , no longer require you to submit SAT or ACT test scores. In the absence of these scores, an even greater emphasis falls upon your supplemental essays.

That means to get into top schools, you must focus on creating one of the best college essays in response to the college essay prompts. Your college essay provides much-needed insight into both your academic talent and your character.

Before you submit your college admission, check your college essay against the following tenets of how to write a college essay. 

Does your college essay do all of these things?

• Communicate your unique character: What you reveal about yourself in your college essays both answers and expands upon the college essay topics.
• Write with an authentic voice: Your college essays should sound like you, so unless you frequently use complex language or long words, avoid them in both your college essay and supplemental essays.
• Don’t be too broad: College essays should cover a single concept in depth rather than skimming through several concepts. For example, instead of talking a little about each of the jobs you’ve had in your life, focus on one key experience. Anywhere from 1-3 examples is a good amount to aim for in each of your college essays. 
• Provide evocative details: The best college essays draw readers in with interesting and enriching details. Remember to show, don’t tell, when writing a college essay.
• Use specific language/imagery: Put your readers in the scene with adjectives and images that help them see, smell, touch, taste, hear or otherwise feel the event or emotions you describe. That is a common trait of college essays that worked. 
• Tell a story with a beginning, a middle and an end: The best college essays don’t skip around in a confusing manner. Instead, strong college essays simply relay events as they actually happened.
• Contain excellent grammar and spelling : The best college essays are virtually flawless in terms of mechanics. You don’t want to distract from your college admission essay with something as small as a misspelled word. 
• Stay within the college essay format parameters: Show respect for the standard college essay format. Edit until your college essay falls within the stated word limit for college essays. If your essay is too long, you may be denied admission for not following the required college essay length. 

How to Write a College Essay About Yourself

No matter which of the college essay prompts you choose, the story, observations, and reflections should ultimately reveal more about yourself than your test scores and extracurricular activities do. Your college essay is the place to let your personality shine. 

Remember, you are pitching yourself as an excellent fit for a particular university. So, your college essays should present you in the best possible light.

However, you may have never written a personal essay before. So, you’re stuck wondering how to write a college essay about yourself. The trick to writing about yourself is avoiding some of the common pitfalls of autobiography. Avoid describing yourself in such a way that garners sympathy rather than admiration. Try not to sound too negative or bad-tempered. 

For example, instead of indulging in self-pity, describe how a specific challenge has made you stronger. That’s the best approach to the question of how to write a college essay about yourself. Focus on your reactions, your growth, and your takeaways. Communicate how you’ve transformed a negative experience into a positive opportunity for learning and growth.

As you brainstorm college essay ideas and wonder how to start a college essay, remember that you are not the only hero in your story. Your college essay can also mention those who helped you with an important accomplishment. Describing your relationships with others is also a good way to write about yourself. In fact, it illustrates your humility and gratitude, two admirable character traits. However, at the end of the day, stay focused on yourself. 

When thinking about how to write a college essay about yourself, at all costs, be truthful. There’s no need to exaggerate your victories. That’s one of the top takeaways from how to write a college essay. Tell the truth, and be yourself.

In addition, use descriptions that support your thesis statement. If you want your readers to understand your empathy for others, describe a situation that illustrates this rather than just saying so. Relay an anecdote about a time you helped someone without an ulterior motive.

Finally, explain how a story, experience, or accomplishment changed you or broadened your outlook. Don’t just state it; show it .

Find the college essay topic that works for you

Some college essay topics are more personal than others. Some college essay prompts inspire intensely personal reactions. The trick to choosing the right college essay prompts is to find one that allows you to reveal your character without getting overly personal .

The college essay topics you choose should reveal something about who you are and why you will be an asset to a college. If you feel that the best college essay topics are particularly sensitive ones, the best approach is honesty. Focus on the positives , and show how your trials have made you stronger. 

You do not have to give details that might be off-putting to your readers. Try to use each of the college essay topics as a window into your character and the kind of adult you want to become.

How to Start a “Why This College” Essay

You will likely come across college essay prompts asking , “Why this college?” One or more of your supplemental essays will likely be a version of this question. We frequently refer to these essays as “Why School” essays, and they are some of the most common college essay prompts you will encounter.

What is the admissions team trying to find out from these types of college essay prompts? It could be several things:

• How much do you know about a college you are applying to?
• Are you serious about attending if you get accepted?
• Do you have a realistic view of the school’s academics and campus life?
• Will you be a good fit for this particular college?

You should always do your homework before answering these college essay prompts. Research the course offerings, the faculty, the location, dorm life, and study abroad programs. All of these details will be helpful when you’re wondering how to start a “why this college” essay. 

Also, read student reviews to get a perspective from the inside. Then, come up with a definitive and specific answer to each of the “why school” essay prompts that you must answer.

Schedule a campus visit

Before you start a “why this college” essay, visit the campus in person, if possible. Not only will it help you come up with college essay ideas, but also, visiting a school is one of the best ways to show your interest in attending.

Many college admissions officers throughout the U.S. place value on your demonstrated interest (DI) in the college when considering your application. In fact, 16% of colleges consider your DI to have considerable importance.

Rather than just walking around the school campus, try to make an appointment in advance to speak with someone from admissions. When you show up in person, on time and eager, your admissions counselor will be able to connect your application and college essays to a familiar face.

Take a guided tour with a current student. Eat in the cafeteria. Attend a weekend event. Then, you can speak with authority in your college essay when you describe what draws you to the school.

Focus on the school in your college essays

Even though you’re applying to more than one university, you don’t need to mention that in your “why this college” essay. Instead, stay focused on each individual school as you write your school-specific college essays. 

Furthermore, when writing a college essay, put yourself in the role of a student at the school in question. What features do you love? What activities will you join? How would you, personally, embody the mission of the university?

Things to avoid

One thing to avoid in a “why school” essay is mentioning the school’s national rankings. Such statistics are not in themselves a reason to attend. Instead, write about how the school’s philosophy and academic approach align with your own.

Additionally, admissions officers already know about the school’s history, founders, reputation, and graduation rate. Your essay should offer information they don’t know, such as why you chose to apply or how that specific college would nurture your academic growth.

Use the two-part answer strategy

Having trouble deciding how to start a “why this college” essay? As you approach these college essay prompts, think of your essay as a two-part answer. First, describe the intellectual appeal of the college and the ways it speaks to your interests. Second, your “why school” essay should also mention how you will give back as a student.

For example, maybe you want to start a club for other West African students like yourself. Or, maybe you want to work with kids in the school’s inner-city community outreach programs. Colleges will be impressed that you already know how you’d contribute to their campus. 

Examples of College Essays That Worked

Part of the research you do as you begin planning your college essay should be reading college essays that worked. These college essay resources and examples of college essays can offer more expert insight. 

Since supplemental essay prompts are college-specific, use the essays-by-school resource from CollegeAdvisor.com. For example, if you want to apply to the University of Pennsylvania , find out all you can from people who have successfully gained admission to UPenn. Read actual examples of UPenn college essays that worked on our website.

Do your research on each supplemental essay requirement—UPenn asks for two supplemental essays. Along with actual essay prompts, find resources that provide example college essays that worked. These college essay resource pages also offer quick tips for how to write a college essay about yourself.

Our library of resources also includes advice from former admissions officers. This can give you even more insight into how to approach different college essay prompts. With help from our team of experts, you’ll find out what essay topics are most impressive to admissions officers and some tips on past college essays that worked.

At CollegeAdvisor.com, you can read actual examples of college essays that worked. They illustrate what admissions teams look for in a successful supplemental essay. You can also find out how to write a college essay about yourself that is effective.

Final thoughts on College Essays

Generally speaking, the more selective the university, the more important it is to submit stellar college essays. For example, schools like Harvard typically accept less than   5% of those students who apply.

Most of the applicants to selective schools have the best academic records, scores, and teacher recommendations. So, college essays can make a huge difference. 

Think of your college essay, then, as a chance to further your quest for college acceptance. Make the most of it. Find solid resources on how to write a college essay. Then, produce well-planned, well-written college essays that show your readers who you are.

In a 2019 survey of college admissions departments nationwide, respondents ranked the college essay fifth in importance among admissions materials.

First on the list was the student’s high school GPA. Second was the average grade earned in college prep courses, and third was the academic reputation of the student’s high school. Fourth on the level of importance was SAT/ACT scores, and then the essay. However, now that so many schools are test-optional, college essays have become even more important.

Even at larger schools like the University of Minnesota , which accepts about half of those who apply, your college essay carries weight.

Within a large pool of candidates, it’s more important than ever to stand out. Excellent college essays will attract the eye of discerning readers. So, learning how to write a college essay is well worth your time.

A second pair of eyes can make a huge difference on your college essays. However, choose your readers and editors carefully. Choose who to ask how to write a college essay—not everyone can provide the right kind of support. You might ask a teacher, advisor, or family member for a second opinion. 

Finally, focus on what you can control. Nobody can predict if certain college essay prompts will be more of a hit with a particular admissions office. It’s impossible to know beforehand how to write a college essay that will click with all your readers. So, strive to write a college essay that best represents you. 

Rely on what you know about each college and how that intersects with your personality, interests and academic goals. Once you’ve figured that out, you should have a good idea how to write a great college essay.

Beyond the College Essays: College Interviews

Although many universities have made applying easier by eliminating standardized tests and financial aid steps, some colleges still consider applicant interviews to be an important part of the admissions process.

It’s a good idea to do your research or touch base with the admissions office before you visit a college. Then, you’ll know whether you can schedule an interview during your visit.

Larger schools send out admissions representatives to various cities or lean on a network of alumni to conduct interviews on their behalf. If your chosen college is among these schools, you can usually schedule interviews during their visits.

Typically, a college interview does not carry as much weight for getting into a school as your GPA or college essay. This is especially true if interviews are optional.

If a college does mandatory interviews , though, they will have some bearing on your acceptance. Prepare in advance and dress to impress, and you will make a positive impression at your interview.

Just like the prep for a college essay, preparing for a college interview involves some research about each specific college. As you gather information, start making a list that includes specific reasons why you want to attend. It’s sure to be one of your interview topics!

Also, as questions arise during your research, take notes. Some of the answers you can find with a quick search of the college website or on CollegeAdvisor.com . If you cannot find an answer to one of your questions, jot it down so you have something to ask at your interview.

Other popular interview questions you may encounter include:

• What should I know about you that I won’t find out from your application?
• What do you enjoy doing outside of school?
• Tell me about a mistake you made that became a positive learning experience.

Keep in mind during your interview that how you answer questions is just as important as the answer itself. Try to relax and be yourself. Getting to know you is your interviewer’s primary interest. Think of your interview as a conversation, and try not to stress. 

It’s also a good idea to:

• Know the interviewer’s name and how to say it.
• Smile often, and offer to shake the interviewer’s hand when you first meet.
• Be prepared to begin with rapport-building small talk.
• Practice good grammar when you speak.
• Listen carefully and take time to think as needed.
• Close the interview with a positive comment.
• Afterward, send the interviewer a thank you note.

Write down your impressions once you’ve completed your interview. Some of the topics you discussed or information you learned could become great college essay ideas. Also, if the colleges on your shortlist do not conduct pre-application interviews, that places more importance on your college essays and supplemental essays. Make sure your personality shines through especially as you compose your “why this college” essay.

Beyond the College Essays: Recommendation Letters

In many ways, the letters of recommendation from your teachers are similar to your college essays. They should tell the truth, talk about your character, be interesting, and be concise. However, you typically don’t have a lot of control over what is said in your recommendation letters. So, you should take care with the aspect you can control: who you choose to write the letter.

You should choose a teacher who knows you well and taught you recently. Ideally, this would be a junior year teacher. Teachers who had you freshman year are not the best choice, as you haven’t been in their classroom for three years. A sophomore year teacher is okay for one of your letters, but try not to have two sophomore teachers writing your recommendation letters. 

Although your teachers will likely submit their recommendations directly to the college admissions office, be sure to ask them to send you a copy too. Most of your teachers will probably agree.

However, if you sign a waiver in your application that waives your right to review your application file, you can’t legally access official copies of your recommendations. Many schools ask you to sign these waivers, so don’t expect to be able to view your recommendations. 

You should be sure to ask teachers for recommendations early. That gives them plenty of time to write a great letter that sings your praises.

However, since truthfulness is a hallmark of a strong recommendation letter, you should ask faculty members that know you well. You don’t want a letter that provides only vague information and faint praise. Ask those teachers with whom you have built rapport over your years in high school. They’ll be familiar not only with your GPA but also your personal character.

Sometimes it takes advance planning to build rapport with your teachers, but it is rewarding in many ways. Often, a coach you have played sports for and also taken classes from is a great choice.

CollegeAdvisor can help

We offer extensive resources at CollegeAdvisor.com for students at every stage of the college admissions process. We add new information about college admissions and college essays constantly, including exclusive webinars with former admissions officers.

Use CollegeAdvisor to research universities like Princeton . Narrow down your choices based on reliable information, and learn how to optimize your chances of admission.

When you join CollegeAdvisor, you’ll have access to our best tips about college admissions from students, former students, and former admissions officers at top universities. You’ll get expert advice on writing college essays that work from students who are attending their dream schools.

We have more than 400 Admissions Experts and former Admissions Officers available to meet with you, discuss your needs, and provide support. To date, we have helped students from the U.S. and 60 countries worldwide gain admission to Ivy League and Top 50 colleges across the nation. 

Applying to college is hard—you shouldn’t have to do it alone. Get started with CollegeAdvisor today.

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60+ College Essay Prompts From Actual 2023-2024 Applications

Ideas to inspire every college applicant.

Writing a college application essay can be a stressful task for a lot of students. The more practice they get in advance, the better! This roundup of college essay prompts gives applicants a chance to explore their thinking, polish their writing, and prepare to make the best possible impression on selection committees. Every one of these questions is taken from real college applications for the 2023-2024 season, so they’re meaningful and applicable to today’s high school seniors.

Common App 2023-2024 College Essay Prompts

2023-2024 coalition for college essay prompts, life experiences college essay prompts, personal college essay prompts, academics college essay prompts, creative college essay prompts.

Hundreds of colleges and universities use the Common App process . For many schools, this includes responding to one of several college essay topics, which can change each year. Here are the essay prompts for the current application cycle (check with your chosen school/s to see if an essay is required).

• Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.
• The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?

• Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. What prompted your thinking? What was the outcome?
• Reflect on something that someone has done for you that has made you happy or thankful in a surprising way. How has this gratitude affected or motivated you?
• Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others.

• Describe a topic, idea, or concept you find so engaging that it makes you lose all track of time. Why does it captivate you? What or who do you turn to when you want to learn more?
• Share an essay on any topic of your choice. It can be one you’ve already written, one that responds to a different prompt, or one of your own design.

More than 150 colleges and universities use the Coalition for College process . Here are their essay prompts for 2023-2024.

• Tell a story from your life, describing an experience that either demonstrates your character or helped to shape it.

• What interests or excites you? How does it shape who you are now or who you might become in the future?
• Describe a time when you had a positive impact on others. What were the challenges? What were the rewards?
• Has there been a time when an idea or belief of yours was questioned? How did you respond? What did you learn?
• What success have you achieved or obstacle have you faced? What advice would you give a sibling or friend going through a similar experience?

• Submit an essay on a topic of your choice.

Answer these questions by sharing specific examples from your own experience.

• Who is your favorite conversation partner? What do you discuss with that person?
• Discuss a time when reflection or introspection led to clarity or understanding of an issue that is important to you.
• Share an example of how you have used your own critical-thinking skills on a specific subject, project, idea, or interest.

• Describe a time when you were challenged by a perspective that differed from your own. How did you respond?
• What are the best words of advice you have received? Who shared them, and how have you applied them in your own life?
• Elaborate on an activity or experience you have had that made an impact on a community that is important to you.
• Using your personal, academic, or volunteer/work experiences, describe the topics or issues that you care about and why they are important to you.
• Who do you agree with on the big, important things, or who do you have your most interesting disagreements with? What are you agreeing or disagreeing about?
• Reflect on a personal experience where you intentionally expanded your cultural awareness.
• When was the last time you questioned something you had thought to be true?
• Discuss the significance to you of the school or summer activity in which you have been most involved.
• Reflect on a time when you or someone you observed had to make a choice about whether to act with integrity and honesty.
• Describe an example of your leadership experience in which you have positively influenced others, helped resolve disputes, or contributed to group efforts over time.

• Describe a time you did not meet expectations and what impact the experience had on you.

These essay topics give schools a better sense of who you are, what you value, and the kind of student citizen you might be.

• What drives you to create, and what do you hope to make or have you made?
• Which book, character, song, monologue, or piece of work (fiction or nonfiction) seems made for you? Why?
• What would you want your future college roommate to know about you?
• How has your own background influenced the types of problems you want to solve, the people you want to work with, and the impact you hope your work can have?

• Describe any meaningful travel experiences you’ve had.
• What would you want to be different in your own country or community to further principles of equality, equity, or social justice?
• What strength or quality do you have that most people might not see or recognize?
• If you could live your life fighting for one cause, what would it be and why?
• What gives meaning to your life?
• If you wrote a letter to yourself to be opened in 20 years, what would it say?
• If you had the power to change the course of history in your community or the world, what would you do and why?

• Choose one of the communities to which you belong, and describe that community and your place within it.
• What is the greatest compliment you have ever been given? Why was it meaningful to you?
• Explain how a text you’ve read—fiction, nonfiction, poetry, or literature of any kind—has helped you to understand the world’s complexity.

Topics like these show your academic interests and demonstrate your commitment to learning and discovery.

• What does it mean to you to be educated?
• What is your motivation for pursuing higher education?
• Describe your reasons for wanting to attend the specific school you’re applying to. Who or what factored into your decision?
• Academic inquiry starts with bold questions. What are some of the bold questions you have pondered that get you excited, and why do they interest you?

• What has been your best academic experience in the last two years, and what made it so good?
• If you decide to take a “gap year” between high school and college, what would you do during that time?
• Many schools place a high value on diverse student populations. How can you contribute to and support a diverse and inclusive student population at your chosen school?
• Imagine you were just awarded a research grant for a project of your choice. What are you researching and why?
• What do you love about the subject(s) you selected as potential major(s)? If undecided, share more about one of your academic passions.

• Describe a time when you’ve felt empowered or represented by an educator.
• Describe how you have taken advantage of a significant educational opportunity or worked to overcome an educational barrier you have faced.

Use these college essay topics to show off your creativity and innovative thinking.

• You are tasked with creating a new category for the Nobel Prize. Explain what it would be, why you chose your specific category, and the criteria necessary to achieve this accomplishment.

• Pick one person—a historical figure, fictitious character, or modern individual—to converse with for an hour, and explain your choice.
• If you could witness a historic event (past, present, or future) firsthand, what would it be and why?
• If you could have a theme song, what would it be and why?
• Discuss a book that you would call a “great book.” What makes the book great in your view?
• If you could give any historical figure any piece of technology, who and what would it be, and why do you think they’d work so well together?
• If I could travel anywhere, I would go to …
• My favorite thing about last Tuesday was …
• Write a short thank-you note to someone you have not yet thanked and would like to acknowledge.
• If you had 10 minutes and the attention of a million people, what would your TED Talk be about?
• What are your three favorite words in the English language? Explain what they mean to you.
• Imagine that you could have one superpower. What would it be and how would you use it? What would be your kryptonite?

• Which Ben & Jerry’s ice cream flavor (real or imagined) best describes you?
• If you could create a college course that all students would take, what would it be about and why?
• What website is the internet missing?

How do you help your students prepare their college application essays? Come share your ideas and ask for advice in the We Are Teachers HELPLINE group on Facebook .

Plus, check out  the ultimate guide to college scholarships.

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College Essay Topics for 2022

Overwhelmed by the many college essay topics you can write about? Don’t be. We’ll show you potential topics you can choose for your college essay.

As discussed in the post about   How to Choose an Essay Topic , don’t start with the Common App, Coalition App, or other college application essay prompts. Instead, begin writing your essay and go back and choose the prompt it answers best later.

Key Takeaways

• The college essay starts with a compelling essay topic.
• It's not easy to come up with a college essay topic that is interesting, original, and supports the overall theme of your college application.
• Start here for ideas on the best college essay topics of 2022

Table of Contents

What is the college essay.

The college essay is the piece of writing in your college application where you tell admission officers:

• Who you are
• What value you’d bring to the campus community
• Why they should accept you. 

The college essay brings color to your file and can give “aha” moments to highlight or bring clarity about why you’re a good candidate for the college. Your college essay is so important that a great essay can push you over the edge if it’s between you and another candidate. A bad college essay will likely lead to a decision to decline your application. College essay topics set the tone of the entire essay.

2020 is the first year that most colleges considered files without test scores. They placed more emphasis on the college essay. Things will be the same in 2020. The University of California and many other colleges have announced that 2021-2022 will also be test-optional.

While we never know the exact impact of the college essay on admissions, before COVID-19,  75% of admissions officers responded that they found the college essay to be a factor in their decisions . This shows that the college essay is important. The essay you write is guided by the college essay topics you choose.  With so many things happening in your life, how do you choose which to write about? 

This post digs into the most compelling topics of the 2022 college application season. The examples presented here will get you started on writing an essay that is unique to you and makes the case for your admissions.

Something you're afraid of

Fear is a great topic to explore in your college essay. It’s one of the most primal of all human emotions. Fear keeps us from making decisions that can hurt us. But more often than not, fear also holds us back from doing things that will help us grow. With a key objective in your essay to show growth, writing your essay about something that keeps you up at night is sure to be a winner. 

Some examples can include the fear of loneliness, fear of failure, or the fear of success . I had a former student write an essay about his fear of heights and how he overcame that fear and worked his way up to riding the Tower of Terror at Hollywood Studios. Here’s an excerpt from the student’s essay:

"I am scared of many things (needles, sharks, blood), but no fear has conquered me more than height fright. I spent a decade visiting Disney World with my mom, dad, and younger brother and never set foot on a thrill ride. I especially feared The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, a Hollywood Studios headliner, engineered to drop at accelerated speeds while being struck by lightning bolts or what epitomized my waking nightmare. In August 2011, when my dad suggested we ride Terror, I profusely refused. His stone-cold face glared at me down when he said, "Logan, this ride isn't even scary!" But I, arms crossed and standing my ground, wouldn't waver. Of course, I got my way, and he stayed back with me. Although relieved for the time being, upon returning to New York, I felt bad that I had burdened my family with my fear, which persisted for five more years. Then, last year, I rode Terror and haven't looked back since. Here's how I did it." Student Writer

Something you're grateful for

This topic perfectly aligns with the Common Apps new 2021-2022 essay prompt that says: 

Reflect on something that someone has done for you that has made you happy or thankful in a surprising way. How has this gratitude affected or motivated you?

The motivation for this question update is that so much has happened in the last two years. After the COVID-19 pandemic, the world will never be the same. We have lost so many lives. Also, there is social unrest, economic decline, and lots of uncertainty. Some people liken what’s happening to the early 20th century, ironically in the same 20s decade. If you’re alive, breathing, and have had good fortunes this year, this may be an excellent topic for you to dig into further.

Someone who has inspired you

For this essay topic, you’d write about a real person in your life . Avoid choosing a celebrity, popular politician or pubic figure, out of the risk of being too clich é . The person you choose should have a direct or indirect influence on the person you have become. 

This could be someone like your mom or dad, a grandparent, aunt or uncle, cousin, friend, teacher, coach, or anyone else who you can speak vividly and candidly about lessons they have taught you. This person can be living or may have passed on. The essay you write will illustrate what insights and learnings you can apply to your life because of the influence they have had on you.

Here’s an excerpt from a sample student who wrote about her late father: 

"In his final days, I recall my father reclining on a plush black couch. His expressionless face was attached to a gas mask and oxygen tank. It still brings me to tears that the father I loved - the man who walked ten blocks every Sunday to Parisi's Bakery to buy his little girl strawberry-filled bread cookies - was losing his battle with lung cancer. Even as his health started to deteriorate, my father proved himself to be a hero. Like a devout Muslim, he read his favorite Koran passages and prayed five times daily until the eleventh hour. Oblivious to his weakening condition, I sat by his side, asking questions about everything like spelling a word, the question to a Jeopardy answer, and what a fact means. Hoarse and out of breath, my father always gave me an answer. He was aware that this moment might be the last time we would have together. But I believed that he would pull through cancer and be around forever. After all, real heroes never die, right? While difficult to be fully expressed in words, my father strived to be a good parent to my brothers and me. He made sure we got to school on time, taught us how to save for the future, and encouraged us to value our Muslim beliefs. Still, more importantly, he made us earn his approval. On those rare occasions, when I could get him to share a proud smile for something that I achieved, I felt like my world was complete. For example, my father walked with my brothers and me to Rainey Park on Saturdays, where he challenged us to a relay race. Of course, he always won. But during each race, he yelled at me to run faster, pull through the pain gushing through my legs, and pump harder and harder. After following his advice, on one particular Saturday afternoon, I beat him! And when I waited for his expression, his grave eyes finally gave me the approval I yearned for. On the way home, he stopped at the store to buy me red Baby Bottle Pop candy. It was the perfect day!" Student Writer

Something you're fighting for

2020 is arguably the year of the most protests in your lifetime (and my lifetime!). Mashable featured a great article about the 15 protests of 2020 that you’ll tell your children about. Why wait? Your college essay is a great place to start, especially if you’ve been part of any of the protests. Nothing explains who you are and what you stand for than sharing causes that you care about. 

Something you're sacrificing for

One of the most incredible moves you can make in your life is sacrificing something in your life for the greater good. For example, maybe you’re an aspiring teen entrepreneur and next founder or creator. You’re building a business, like a few of my students. 

One has a jewelry company and sells her products on Etsy. Another is buying and selling cryptocurrency on an exchange. Running a business comes with sacrifices, such as missing out on having fun with friends. Or perhaps your grades. Many of my entrepreneurial students have less than stellar grades or limited extracurricular involvement because they’ve spent more time building their businesses. 

This essay would serve a dual purpose of explaining why their grades aren’t perfect (addressing something that admissions officers would want to know) and showing their passion for something worth sacrificing the time and energy they’d spend elsewhere that wasn’t as significant.

Something or someone you value

A classic topic, you can use it as your general essay. Some schools, like Stanford University, use this topic as a supplemental essay. At its core, motivation, and passion lead to action. In this essay, you can show admissions officers what type of person you are, how you show up in the world, and your plans for the future – for yourself, the campus community, and society. 

To be sure, this is a BIG essay to write. If you select this topic, be sure to focus on one thing (as opposed to ten) that is meaningful and most important to you. Avoid repeating anything you have said in another part of your application. A great example of this essay is a student who wrote about a memory box where she keeps her most precious treasures. She speaks about each treasure, a book from her mom and a pair of gold hoop earrings, and the significance they’ve had in her life. Here’s an excerpt:

Here’s a college essay excerpt from a student who wrote about a box for her most precious treasures: 

I am a collector. It started with a box. But my head is ingrained with the idea that every object worth saving has a story worth remembering. Peeking out from the edge of the box was Our Moon Has Blood Clots, a book my mom had given me two years ago to read. It vividly details Kashmir's purge of the Kashmiri Pandit community, a part of our history my mom felt was important to understand. But I avoided it. For me, it was too uncomfortable to face a past ridden with war, violence, rape, and exile. I didn't want to relive my parents escaping their homes with only a few documents, living in tents, and everything they worked for and knew was gone and forced to restart their lives from ground zero. Instead of reading it, I buried it, deep, in my memory box. Although I was born 13 years later, I read in a PBS article that trauma is an inherited trait. And like so many victims of trauma, be it first-hand or through DNA, we hold on to things but put memories away. I am without a piece of myself. One day, I'll face the truth and accept how the mass exodus has shaped me. But today, I find solace in understanding that my parents' struggle gave rise to more opportunities I could hope for given their arrival as American refugees. By taking advantage of everything at my disposal, I am grateful for my education and relationships, all assets no one can ever take away." Student Writer

Something you're passionate about

This essay topic is a great way to show your curiosity and hunger for knowledge or mastering a skill . You wouldn’t want to write this essay about anything already in your college application, like why you enjoy biology or why you joined your school’s video club. Instead, you’d write about something that shows your interest in something that would not fit anywhere else. You enjoy something so unique that your application would not be complete unless they knew this about you.

Interests you can write about like:

• Podcasting and video blogging
• Bitcoin and cryptocurrency
• Real estate investing
• Running your own business or nonprofit
• Spoken word poetry
• Knitting, scrapbooking, or other creative arts
• Social media and being an influencer

These are a few examples, and you likely have your own examples of interests you’re passionate about that you do on your own and outside of school. Speaking about your hobbies and interests can give insight into what else you’ve been up to during your high school years. Often for students, these interests may lead to career options or influence how you’ll engage in the campus community, both of which admissions officers are very interested in learning about you.

Your cultural roots and background

If you’re a newcomer to the United States or a first-generation American with parents who migrated to our country, this may be a good topic for you to explore. You have a unique voice and perspective that college admissions officers highly value. You can speak about so many things — experiences, culture, food — what meaning these things have had in your life, how you’re balancing with ideals in American culture.

You can speak about it directly, such as telling the reader about your journey as a newcomer or first-generation American student. Or you can talk about it indirectly, as one of my students from last year did. The student wrote about his joy in making empanadas. He shares his grandmother’s recipe and what it’s like making them with her and ties it to his cultural ties to Equador and being of Italian heritage. Here’s an excerpt from his essay:

Here’s a college essay excerpt from a student who wrote about his joy of cooking empanadas for his family: 

"I have become more comfortable with the recipe, and I am confident that I can make any empanada I want. I like making empanadas for several reasons. First, I can be very creative with them, changing the ingredients every time I make them. Over the years, I have made empanadas with all kinds of varieties of beef, chicken, cheese, and vegetables. But if I wanted to, I could fill it with tomato sauce and cheese to make a pizza empanada or American cheese and beef to make a cheeseburger empanada. From start to finish, no matter what you put inside, it takes half an hour, and you have yourself a meal. Also, around the time that I made my first empanadas, it was not often that I would find a restaurant that sold them. I had to make them myself. However, as time has passed, I have seen more restaurants and food trucks that strictly serve empanadas open in my neighborhood, where there are few from my Ecuadorian culture living here. And like so many other things, empanadas have arrived in mainstream American culture, making their mark on the world, something so unique, diverse, and delicious. But most importantly, empanadas represent a significant part of Ecuadorian culture, to which I've always felt connected through my grandma's stories. Growing up, I remember vivid stories about her life in Ecuador. She eventually moved to the United States at 18-years-old and was immersed in American culture as a young woman and immigrant. Learning to cook empanadas and staying true to her recipe has strengthened my relationship with my grandma. While I have never traveled to Quito, Ecuador's capital city, where she was born, the empanadas link me to my cultural roots." Student Writer

Once you decide on a topic, then you can proceed to write your college essay. Start here with this post about Writing a College Essay. Also, you can check out an upcoming College Essay Workshop .

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College Application Essay Tips: Class of 2022!

Updated: Jun 24, 2022

The college application essay provides an opportunity for the student’s personal voice, personality, and perspective to come alive, making it a critical part of the application that mostly focuses on closed-ended responses, numbers, lists, and checked boxes. With many schools becoming test-optional, test-blind, and text flexible since COVID-19, the personal essay has gained even more vitality in the admissions process.

No matter the application completed—The Common Application (also known as the Common App), the Coalition for College application, or a college’s own application—the essay must showcase strong skills in writing, critical thinking, personal reflection, and presentation. A solid, noteworthy, and polished college admissions essay can make a student stand above the competition, providing a glimpse of the unique and motivated individual behind the generic lists of scores and activities.

As a point of reference for the class of 2022, although some criteria and essay topics may change, The Common Application ( https://www.commonapp.org/ ) for the class of 2021 offered 7 different essay prompts to choose from and kept its usual 650 word count for responses. Question four was revamped from writing about a problem you solved to reflecting on something that sparked gratitude. The application also featured a 250-word optional essay for students impacted by COVID-19.

For the Coalition for College’s 2021 MyCoalition application ( https://www.coalitionforcollegeaccess.org/ ), the essay offered five prompt choices with their usual recommended word count of 500 to 650 words. Both applications offer a “topic of your choice” prompt. Visit their respective websites for more information on each application and their essay requirements once applications officially open in August 2021. Some individual colleges also require supplemental essays, usually ranging from 100 to 800 words per response.

Regardless of the prompt you select, the three writing phases outlined below are a clear-cut path to presenting your best essay for your college admissions application. Following these critical steps simplifies the writing process to reduce the stress and uncertainty most students experience while writing their admissions essay.

While most college applications open August 1st, The Common Application and MyCoalition application’s essay prompts usually don’t change much from year to year. Since both admissions platforms allow students to start their applications ahead of finishing their junior year of high school, the earlier you start your application and essays, the better your outcomes will be. It is advised you use the summer months leading into your senior year of high school to finish most of your applications, including the main and supplemental essays.

Step #1 : Planning and Selecting

Get started as soon as possible! Procrastinating adds stress and anticipation makes the task seem worse with each passing day

Read the essay prompt choices a choose one or two that interest you the most or that align with the topic you want to write about

Brainstorm ideas that align with the prompt(s) (make as long of a list as possible at this point; cast a wide net)

If none of the prompts interests you more than the others at this point, brainstorm using the prompt that allows “a topic of your choice”

If your school of choice does not use The Common Application or MyCoalition application, you will have to address the prompt you are given for that specific school; often, the prompt you chose for The Common Application or MyCoalition application will fit with some revisions

If you are doing multiple applications, assess all of your essay choices across the applications and choose similar essay prompt choices so you don’t have to write several different essays for each application platform

Next, go over your list of possible ideas to write about and select the most unique, uncommon, and interesting one you jotted down; if none of your ideas qualify, think about which idea(s) you can develop into something interesting with a little bit of creativity

Start writing about the idea(s) you selected for 10 minutes or so; this is free writing, without a plan, topic, outcome, or concern for proper grammar, usage, sentence structure, organization, word choice, spelling, or punctuation

While it is okay to start with something listed on your application (a sport, activity, academic accomplishment, volunteer experience, award, etc.), this will have to be developed in detail with a “show, don’t tell” approach (you will learn more about this in the next section entitled “During Your Writing”) or you will sound like many other students submitting their essays and will not stand out from the crowd

Create a loose outline of what you want to accomplish in each paragraph so your essay will have a progression

Step #2 : Writing

Just start writing (you can cut out or add parts later to accommodate the word count, once you get the general content down)

Show, don’t tell (put the reader in the moment with you through “showing” details and emotions; don’t just “tell” what happened)

Stay focused on your topic and outline so you don’t veer off track; if you do veer off track, maybe your essay needs to go someplace else and you have discovered a better topic…go with it, if this is the case!

Make sure your essay has these important parts: a strong lead, one focus throughout, personal perspective, prompt alignment, unique voice, personal passion/character, specific details, and a conclusion that shows personal growth and a lesson learned for future application (perhaps at college or in your career)

Make sure your essay is somewhat loosely organized, logical, and easy to follow

Don’t worry about word count now

Don’t pay attention to proper grammar, usage, sentence structure, organization, word choice, spelling, or punctuation at this point

Step #3 : Polishing to Perfection

Check your word count (cut down or add content as necessary)

Make sure you answered all parts of the prompt and have maintained your focus throughout

Check that your essay is logical and easy to follow for the reader, as well as interesting

Proofread now for proper grammar, usage, sentence structure, organization, word choice, spelling, or punctuation

Share your essay with others for constructive comments or suggestions (keep in mind some advice may be well-meaning but wrong; don’t change your essay to be like those your peers wrote)

Put the essay aside for a few days, then read it again with fresh eyes; make any revisions you need

Proofread it again (see the fourth bullet above)!

Have a fresh set of eyes proofread it for you

Proofread it one last time (remember the fourth bullet above)!

Relax and submit your essay with confidence!

While other college admissions consultants offer a broad range of financial and school selection advice, our expertise focuses solely on the essay portion of the process. In fact, many of our clients come to us after using college admissions consultants with concerns that their essays are not as strong as they could be; usually, our thorough assessments confirm their concerns.

Christa is here to assist with the entire college application essay process, from brainstorming, idea selection, and prompt alignment through detailed content development/analysis and final proofreading.

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Highly-selective colleges and universities often require supplemental application materials. These materials help further personalize the admissions process so that each college’s admissions committee has the information it needs to select a vibrant and diverse incoming class. 

In this article, we will look at 10 supplemental essay prompts from top colleges and universities for the 2022-23 admissions cycle. Once you get a better sense of what to expect from a supplemental essay prompt, we will outline key strategies for answering these prompts, as well as provide practical writing tips to help you get started.

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What are supplemental essays and are they important?

Each college has its own sets of values and criteria that it looks for in applicants. This is why determining college fit is so important. By carefully researching each school on your college list and having several clear and compelling reasons for wanting to attend, you will increase your overall chances of admission.    

One way that colleges gauge whether or not a student would be a good fit for their university is by posing unique supplemental essay prompts. This is why knowing how to write a supplemental essay is so important. Most colleges with supplemental essays will have applicants write the “why this college” essay . 

Many selective colleges will require additional supplemental essays as well. In some cases, you will need to prepare an additional five essays per school, so give yourself plenty of time to complete each essay thoughtfully, write multiple drafts, seek out feedback, and proofread. The college application process can feel overwhelming at times, so make sure you brainstorm ways to stay organized during the college application process . 

Although the style and content of the actual prompts can vary greatly, at the core these prompts have one thing in common: They are designed to get to know who you are as a person, what your values are, and whether you demonstrate compatibility with the university’s overall mission. 

How to write supplemental essays

If you’re looking for supplemental essay tips, you’ve come to the right place! In this section, we will discuss how to write a good supplemental essay, by providing several key application essay tips. 

To start, it’s important to remember that the process of writing supplemental essays is similar to the process of writing a successful personal statement . Review components of a strong personal statement to give yourself a fresh perspective before beginning your supplemental essays.

Tips for writing supplemental essays

Supplemental essays are typically pretty brief. This is why it’s important to learn how to write concisely and powerfully. Having very few words to respond does not mean that you should prepare your responses casually or that your responses shouldn’t include lots of details. Rather, approach each word limit creatively. Whether you have 50 words, 200 words, or 500 words, try to use each sentence and detail to your advantage. One of the best ways to do this is to begin by freewriting. Write down everything that comes to mind. Take time to fully flush out your ideas. Then review what you’ve written and see what feels most important. These are the details you will want to highlight in your response.

Some colleges will require three to five additional essays. Maybe even more! This is why it’s important to be prepared and plan ahead. Supplemental essays are an important part of your college application and they require a lot of time and effort. While some supplemental essay prompts may be similar between schools, in general, you want to avoid recycling your college essays. Admissions officers can tell when a student is tweaking an existing essay to fit a prompt.

While some essay prompts are required, others are optional. In general, try to answer each prompt thoughtfully and creatively. After all, it’s no secret that college admissions are highly competitive so it’s great to give your application “an edge” whenever possible. That said, there are times when you should pass on writing an optional essay. If you’re not sure whether or not you should submit an essay for an optional prompt, begin by drafting a response. Then ask yourself if the essay feels forced or genuine. Does the essay convey something new about you that isn’t included in the rest of your application? If the question doesn’t seem to apply to you and you are genuinely unsure what to contribute, you should probably skip that particular essay. After all, no one wants to read an uninspired essay that doesn’t contribute to your overall application.

2022-23 supplemental essay prompts

As mentioned, supplemental essay prompts can vary significantly. Some prompts ask you to respond in 50 words while other prompts ask you to respond in 500 words. Some prompts focus on academics while others ask you to reflect carefully on your cultural upbringing or life philosophies. Still, other prompts will ask you to introduce who you are as a person or discuss something that you enjoy.

Just as supplemental essay prompts vary in style, your responses will also vary. Some prompts will require you to be thoughtful and serious, while other prompts may encourage you to be humorous or creative. It all depends.

Brown University supplemental essay prompt

As a part of the 2022-23 college applications, Brown University requires three supplemental essays. One of the supplemental essay prompts is as follows:

Brown’s culture fosters a community in which students challenge the ideas of others and have their ideas challenged in return, promoting a deeper and clearer understanding of the complex issues confronting society. This active engagement in dialogue is as present outside the classroom as it is in academic spaces. Tell us about a time you were challenged by a perspective that differed from your own. How did you respond? (200-250 words)

Columbia University supplemental essay prompt

As a part of the 2022-23 college applications, Columbia University requires the following supplemental materials: 1 list of 75 words, 1 list of 125 words, 3 essays of 200 words each, and 1 short answer of 35 words. One of their supplemental essay prompts is as follows:

For the following questions, we ask that you list each individual response using commas or semicolons; the items do not have to be numbered or in any specific order. No explanatory text or formatting is needed. (For example, it is not necessary to italicize or underline titles of books or other publications. No author names, subtitles or explanatory remarks are needed.)  

List the titles of the books, essays, poetry, short stories or plays you read outside of academic courses that you enjoyed most during secondary/high school. (75 words or fewer)

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Dartmouth college supplemental essay prompt.

As a part of the 2022-23 college applications, Dartmouth College requires three supplemental essays. One of the supplemental essay prompts is as follows:

“Be yourself,” Oscar Wilde advised. “Everyone else is taken.” Introduce yourself in 200-250 words. 

Duke University supplemental essay prompt

As a part of the 2022-23 college applications, Duke University requires at least one supplemental essay, with the option to submit an additional two supplemental essays. One of the optional supplemental essay prompts is as follows:

What has been your best academic experience in the last two years, and what made it so good?

Emory University supplemental essay prompt

As a part of the 2022-23 college applications, Emory University requires two supplemental essays. One of the supplemental essay prompts is as follows:

Emory If you could witness a historic event (past, present or future) first-hand, what would it be, and why?

Harvard University supplemental essay prompt

As a part of the 2022-23 college applications, Harvard University requires three supplemental essays. One of the supplemental essay prompts is as follows:

Please briefly elaborate on one of your extracurricular activities or work experiences. (50-150 words)

MIT supplemental essay prompt

As a part of the 2022-23 college applications, MIT requires five supplemental essays. One of the supplemental essay prompts is as follows:

We know you lead a busy life, full of activities, many of which are required of you. Tell us about something you do simply for the pleasure of it.

Princeton University supplemental essay prompt

As a part of the 2022-23 college applications, Princeton University requires three supplemental essays and three short responses. One of the short-answer prompts is as follows:

Please respond to each question in 75 words or fewer. There are no right or wrong answers. Be yourself!

What is a new skill you would like to learn in college?

What brings you joy? 

What song represents the soundtrack of your life at this moment?

Stanford University supplemental essay prompt

As a part of the 2022-23 college applications, Stanford University requires three supplemental essays and five short answer responses. One of the short-answer prompts is as follows:

How did you spend your last two summers? (50-word limit)

UPenn supplemental essay prompt

As a part of the 2022-23 college applications, UPenn requires three supplemental essays. One of the supplemental essay prompts is as follows: 

Write a short thank-you note to someone you have not yet thanked and would like to acknowledge. (We encourage you to share this note with that person, if possible, and reflect on the experience!) (150-200 words)

Yale University supplemental essay prompt

As a part of the 2022-23 college applications, Yale University requires the following supplemental materials: 1 list; 6 short answer questions; 1 additional short essay of 400 words. One of the short answer prompts is as follows:

Yale’s residential colleges regularly host conversations with guests representing a wide range of experiences and accomplishments. What person, past or present, would you invite to speak? What would you ask them to discuss? (200 characters or fewer)

Supplemental essay examples

One of the best ways to prepare your supplemental essay responses is to look at successful past examples. In this section, we will look at three examples and explain why each response is successful. 

This first example was submitted as a part of Harvard’s college application. This essay is in response to the prompt: Please briefly elaborate on one of your extracurricular activities or work experiences. (50-150 words).

Feet moving, eyes up, every shot back, chants the silent mantra in my head. The ball becomes a beacon of neon green as I dart forward and backward, shuffling from corner to far corner of the court, determined not to let a single point escape me. With bated breath, I swing my racquet upwards and outwards and it catches the ball just in time to propel it, spinning, over the net. My heart soars as my grinning teammates cheer from the sidelines. While I greatly value the endurance, tenacity, and persistence that I have developed while playing tennis throughout the last four years, I will always most cherish the bonds that I have created and maintained each year with my team.

This essay uses rich, descriptive language to evoke a clear sense of movement and place. The first paragraph shows a creative and expert control of language, whereas the second paragraph uses straightforward language to highlight key characteristics. Overall, this response is creative, well-balanced, and uses each word to its advantage. 

Source: https://www.collegeadvisor.com/essay-guides/harvard-university-essay-examples-and-why-they-worked/  

This essay was submitted as a part of an MIT college application. The supplemental essay prompt that it addresses is: Describe the world you come from; for example, your family, clubs, school, community, city, or town. How has that world shaped your dreams and aspirations?

We were moving away from my home of thirteen years to go miles and miles away, from my whole life. Worst of all: away from New York City – the only place in the world worth knowing – or so I thought. The town might as well have been called “Miniscule Ville”. I resented every second of it. The real shocking thing to me was almost that anything existed outside of New York City. NYC is a world of its own, with its own pulses and lifeblood. I still think it’s a great place, and I’ll likely at least visit it someday, but right now, I want to visit everywhere. My move humbled me. I began to love nature walks, the friendly camaraderie of the small town, and saw a world I never imagined. I thought I knew it all just because I lived in New York. Here was a great place, hidden from view. I loved experiencing that new world, learning local history, and most of all, learning the life stories of my new neighbors, each one of whom had a fascinating life. My greatest dream is to be a journalist, covering other countries, and learning about new worlds and neighbors. My old perspective feels so limited. If I can share global stories, I can open up my perspective, and I can share those stories with a thousand homes so readers can learn about other perspectives as well. The world is full of different lives. Everywhere is somebody’s home.

This essay covers a lot of material; most impressively, it shows a shift in perspective and its effect on the student’s lived experience. It also clearly explains the student’s academic and professional goals. The tone of this essay is both confident and humble. It demonstrates who this student is as a person, what their goals are, and what they value.  

Source: https://bemoacademicconsulting.com/blog/mit-supplemental-essay-examples  

This essay was submitted as a part of a Duke college application. The essay addresses the prompt: What has been your best academic experience in the last two years, and what made it so good?

Most teachers who taught me talked a big game about wanting students to engage in debate, or “dialectic” as they called it, and to challenge their ideas. In my experience, most of this was a fabrication. The best essay grades and participation marks were found through parroting what was dictated from on high. Did the teacher think such-and-such is the “correct” interpretation of a novel? You did, too, or you lost points. None of that was true for Ms. Jackie Winters. The first essay I sent her came back with the note, “This doesn’t sound like you; it sounds like me.” I asked her about the note, and this initiated a marvelous learning environment, in which I grew faster than I ever have in any other class. Discussions were lively, and the more I presented my authentic views, the more I was respected. My grades were dependent on being backed up by rhetoric, sources, and logic, not by compliance. Due to this engagement, this was the most enjoyable English literature class I had, and I feel like my viewpoints were challenged. I learned to question my ideas and dig into a text for the best results. Best of all, I was putting in more and more effort to find good, quality sources to back up my arguments. I was held to a high standard and shown respect, and I believe that those qualities made for the best learning environment possible

This essay clearly shows a shift in perspective and the effects it had on this student’s ability to think, speak, and write critically. Structurally, this essay uses an anecdote to introduce and contextualize a topic, but the essay itself isn’t overly narrative. Rather, the student explains, in detail, how this teacher’s encouragement and guidance have influenced their willingness and ability to engage with the source material and academic discourse.

Source: https://bemoacademicconsulting.com/blog/duke-supplemental-essay-examples  

Key takeaways and moving forward

Supplemental essays are an important part of your college applications. In fact, they are a key factor in what college admissions officers look for in an applicant . Highly-selective colleges and universities use supplemental essays to further personalize the college admissions process. After all, thousands of qualified students apply to Ivy League institutions each year and only a small fraction are admitted. Supplemental essays allow you to share more about who you are as a person and as a student. Use each prompt as an opportunity to add something new to your college application. If you feel like you could benefit from professional guidance throughout this process, reach out to learn more about our services .

Frequently asked questions and answers

Still have questions about supplemental essays and the effects they have on college applications? Review the following frequently asked questions and answers for further insight on supplemental essays. 

How important are supplemental essays?

Supplemental essays are an incredibly important part of your college applications and should be properly prioritized. If a college didn’t care about your response, they wouldn’t ask you in the first place. Put plenty of time and care into your responses. Write several drafts, seek out feedback, and always proofread.

How long should supplemental essays be?

Always follow directions. Colleges will specify how long each supplemental essay should be, usually right after the prompt itself. Depending on the college, and the prompt, a supplemental essay’s word count may range anywhere from 50 to 500 words.

Do supplemental essays change every year?

It all depends on the college. Colleges often reuse past prompts, but there are no guarantees. This is why it’s important to plan ahead and make a list of supplemental essay prompts early on in the college application process.

Are supplemental essays required?

Sometimes colleges will have both required and optional supplemental essays. That said, the essay prompts are clearly labeled. In short, each college will specify whether supplemental essays are required. 

Do all colleges have supplemental essays?

No, not all colleges have supplemental essays. Highly-selective colleges, however, often require at least one additional essay.

• December 14, 2022

Supplemental Essay Guide for 2022-23 Prompts

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USC Football: Caleb Williams Reacts To Reggie Bush's Heisman Trophy Return

The projected first overall pick speaks out.

• Author: Ricardo Klein

In this story:

The USC fans, faculty, alumni, and football program are enthusiastic about legendary running back and 2005 Heisman Trophy winner Reggie Bush 's getting back what was rightfully his from the start. Everyone involved with USC and college football fans alike is pouring in from all over to celebrate Bush for getting back what is his.

It was a long road, but Bush didn't give up. It's a great day for everyone involved, and people are flocking in to express their happiness, including USC's 2022 Heisman trophy winner and future No. 1 overall pick, Caleb Williams. Williams congratulated Bush as he prepares for the 2024 NFL draft in Detroit. 

Live from the NFL draft 🎤 @CALEBcsw x @ReggieBush 🏆 pic.twitter.com/nyUzBITq3R — USC Football ✌️ (@uscfb) April 24, 2024

Williams says he can't wait to see his number back up by the USC peristyle at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Bush had arguably the best season a Heisman winner has ever had. The 2005 season was memorable for Bush and USC, as he rushed for 1,740 yards and gained 478 receiving yards, bringing him to a grand total of 2218 scrimmage yards, and returned 18 punts for 179 yards and gained 493 yards on 28 kickoff returns. Oh, and he collected 18 total touchdowns and led his team to a national championship appearance in his junior year. 

This is long overdue. We can't wait to see Williams' number 13 alongside Bush's number 5 at the Coliseum. 

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