advice for yourself essay

How To Write About Yourself: Great Tips For Personal Writing That Won't Sound Awkward

Does writing about yourself feel like pulling teeth ? Or maybe writing a personal essay feels like wrestling an angry cat into a tiny Christmas sweater? Or perhaps it just feels like a rainy Saturday on the first free weekend you’ve had in months?

For lots of high school students, writing about yourself feels awkward and forced. How can you share personal things without resorting to cliches or feeling braggy ? How do you write an essay describing yourself and your accomplishments without making it sound like a resume?

Well, just like most things, you get better at writing about yourself … by writing about yourself. You practice. That’s it.

Your personal statement is a big part of any college application and writing it shouldn’t be the first time you’ve ever written about yourself, your accomplishments, or the challenges you’ve faced .

To help you hone your writing chops and prepare for your personal essay, here are four of the best ways to learn how to write about yourself.

How to write about yourself:

Become a better writer by journaling

It’s good to write more, period

Different types of writing help you know your audience + hone your voice accordingly

Good personal writing is vulnerable

1. Become a better writer by journaling

Journaling has been shown to help manage anxiety and reduce stress —both things that are helpful as you navigate this challenging time of standardized testing and college applications. Journaling also helps you hone your writing voice outside of academic expectations or social media’s pressure to be funny or deep.

If writing about your feelings in a notebook every night feels a little too Judy Blume/Dear Diary, there are plenty of other options. You could keep a giant Google Doc filled with bullet points or record voice notes on your phone.

You could keep a video journal—you don’t have to show it to anyone or upload it to YouTube! You could write lists on any topic that sparks your interest—fantasy jobs, favorite books, times I thought I’d ruined everything but it turned out fine.

If you’re not sure what to journal about, here are a few journaling prompts:

The two moments I’ll never forget in my life are (describe them in great detail, and what makes them so unforgettable)

The words I’d like to live by are…

I couldn’t imagine life without…

When I’m in pain — physical or emotional — the kindest thing I can do for myself is…

Make a list of the people in your life who genuinely support you, and whom you can genuinely trust. (Then make time to hang out with them.)

Regardless of the shape your journal takes, keeping a record of your thoughts helps you track important experiences in your life—something that will come in handy when you’re writing that personal essay.

2. It’s good to write. Period.

The more you write the better your writing will be.

And any kind of writing counts! Emails, journal entries, long Instagram captions—any writing that helps you tap into your voice and your experiences will prepare you for your college essays.

You’ll get in the habit of including details, crafting narrative arcs, and structuring your sentences with care. We all need junky first drafts, and the more you write, the more first drafts you’ll have that can be edited into something great.

3. Good personal writing includes interesting details.

Good personal writing, whether you’re writing a social media post or scholarship essay, includes interesting details. Specifics add color and context to a story. Telling your reader you were shy, for example, is fine. But opening your essay with this paragraph is more interesting:

The clock was remarkably slow as I sat, legs tightly crossed, squirming at my desk. “Just raise your hand,” my mind pleaded, “ask.” But despite my urgent need to visit the restroom, I remained seated, begging time to move faster. You see, I was that type of kid to eat French Fries dry because I couldn’t confront the McDonalds cashier for some Heinz packets. I was also the type to sit crying in front of school instead of asking the office if it could check on my late ride. Essentially, I chose to struggle through a problem if the solution involved speaking out against it. For the rest of this essay, click here.

Telling your readers that you took a trip to an unfamiliar place is fine. But this paragraph is better:

Day 1: “Labbayka Allāhumma Labbayk. Labbayk Lā Sharīka Laka Labbayk,” we chant, sweat dripping onto the wispy sand in brutal Arabian heat, as millions of us prepare to march from the rocky desert hills of Mount Arafat to the cool, flat valleys of Muzdalifa. As we make our way into the Haram, my heart shakes. Tears rolling down my cheeks, we circumvent the Ka’ba one last time before embarking on Hajj, the compulsory pilgrimage of Islam. It became the spiritual, visceral, and linguistic journey of a lifetime. For the rest of this essay, click here .  

4. Be vulnerable.

Writing about yourself doesn’t need to reopen emotional wounds. If you’re wondering what to write your personal essay about, the answer isn’t necessarily “That thing I go to therapy for.”

That being said, being vulnerable in your writing is one of the best ways to showcase your accomplishments without being annoying or braggy. Share your own personal before and after—the challenges you overcame in order to accomplish something, the self-doubt you worked through to become good.

When you’re writing about yourself, contextualize it by providing a backstory. How many hours did you practice that trumpet solo before you auditioned? How many times did you run that lab test before you got the results you wanted? How many times did you try out for the varsity soccer team before you made it?

And good personal writing doesn’t always end with a traditional win. Maybe you never made the varsity soccer team, but you learned a lot about yourself when you tried out. Perhaps the results of your lab tests didn’t turn out the way you expected, but you discovered something important in the process. Show us the work that went into the person you are now.

Learning how to write about yourself doesn’t have to feel awkward or uncomfortable. Promise! Use these personal writing tips to practice being reflective before you start your college essays. Practice may not make perfect, but it will definitely make it easier for you to showcase yourself to colleges down the line.

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How to Write a Personal Essay for Your College Application

What does it take to land in the “accept” (instead of “reject”) pile?

How can you write an essay that helps advance you in the eyes of the admissions officers and makes a real impression? Here are some tips to get you started.

• Start early.  Do not leave it until the last minute. Give yourself time when you don’t have other homework or extracurriculars hanging over your head to work on the essay.
• Keep the focus narrow.  Your essay does not have to cover a massive, earth-shattering event. Some people in their teens haven’t experienced a major life event. Some people have. Either way, it’s okay.
• Be yourself.  Whether writing about a painful experience or a more simple experience, use the narrative to be vulnerable and honest about who you are. Use words you would normally use. Trust your voice and the fact that your story is interesting enough in that no one else has lived it.
• Be creative.  “Show, don’t tell,” and that applies here — to an extent. The best essays typically do both. You can help your reader see and feel what you are describing by using some figurative language throughout your piece.
• Make a point. As you finish your final body paragraphs ask yourself “So what?” This will help you hone in on how to end your essay in a way that elevates it into a story about an insight or discovery you made about yourself, rather than just being about an experience you had.

Where your work meets your life. See more from Ascend here .

We’ve all heard about the dreaded “college essay,” the bane of every high school senior’s existence. This daunting element of the college application is something that can create angst for even the most accomplished students.

• AA Amy Allen is a writer, educator, and lifelong learner. Her freelance writing business,  All of the Write Words , focuses on providing high school students with one-on-one feedback to guide them through the college application process and with crafting a thoughtful personal essay. A dedicated poet, Amy’s work has also been published in several journals including  Pine Row Press ,  Months to Years,  and  Atlanta Review .

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Tips for Writing an Effective Application Essay

How to Write an Effective Essay

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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Sat / act prep online guides and tips, the 13 best college essay tips to craft a stellar application.

College Essays

In many ways, the most labor-intensive part of your college application process is the essay. It’s not just about forwarding transcripts or entering a list of extracurricular activities—you have to craft something personal and compelling to show the admissions committee who you are beyond your resume.

In this article, we’ll go over our 13 best tips for writing college essays. We’ll give tips for every step of the process including planning, writing, and editing your essay, as well as some quick and easy tips to boost any essays you already have written! With these college essay tips, you’ll be that much closer to the best admissions essay ever!

5 Tips for College Essay Planning

Doing a good job planning makes the college essay process that much easier. These five college essay tips will help you get started and pave the way for a great final product.

#1: Make a Plan of Attack for Your Essays

The first thing you’ll need to do is identify all the essays you’ll need to write and their deadlines. It may help you to make a spreadsheet with the essay guidelines for each school, the word count, the prompts, the due date, and any special instructions. This will help you figure out:

How many essays you’ll need to write, and how long those essays need to be.

Whether you can reuse any essays: In general, you can reuse essays for prompts that are about your life, broadly similar in theme, and have a similar word count. You probably can’t reuse essays that are very specific to the college, like “Why This College” essays .

Which essay you should write first: You’ll probably want to start first on the essay with the earliest application deadline. Alternatively, if you have plenty of time or the deadlines are close together, you could start with the longest essay (which will take the most time) or the essay that will be used for the most schools (like a Common Application essay). Do what you feel most comfortable with.

With all this information gathered, you’ll be able to make a plan of attack for your essays and make sure nothing gets lost in the application shuffle. (In fact, I actually advise keeping track of all necessary components of your application in a spreadsheet for the same reason).

#2: Start Early

You want to start writing way before the deadline. If possible, give yourself at least two months, and maybe even more time if you can. This will make sure that you have enough time to adequately plan your essay, draft it, and edit it.  

And, of course, the more essays you have to write, the earlier you should start!

#3: Choose the Right Topic

Choosing the right topic has two facets: first, choosing the right prompt (if there’s a choice) and second, choosing the right topic to write about for that prompt.

The Right Prompt

If there’s a choice of prompts, you may want to actually start by brainstorming the specific topic or thing in your life that you want to write about, and then reverse-engineer back to the most appropriate prompt. Most college essay prompts are pretty vague, so a broad range of topics and issues can be applied.

You can also use prompts to help you brainstorm if you’re having a hard time figuring out what to write about. Think about the prompt that seems most appealing to you at first. What intrigues you about it? What do you think you could communicate about yourself through that question?

Here’s some tailored guidance on some of the most common college essay prompt types . And if you’re writing a Common Application essay, here’s advice on how to choose the right Common App prompt for you .

The Right Topic

When you’re trying to choose something about your life to write about, consider the following:

What are you excited to write about? A good college essay can be about a wide variety of topics, but it should show that you’re passionate about something. This could be anything from a hobby you have to your favorite book or even your most beloved stuffed animal, just so long as you can make it memorable and positive. Also, your writing will be a lot better if you are writing about something you care about and are interested in!

Whatever you write about should be primarily about you. You should be the focal point. Even if you’re writing about someone who has influenced you, for example, you need to relate it back to yourself. What does this tell admission officers about you?

What makes you stand out? This should be something that goes beyond what’s in the rest of your application. Your test scores and GPA are already there. What really shows something unique about you?

Choose a topic you can be honest about . If you’re not being genuine, it will end up coming through in your writing. So don’t write about how much your membership in Youth Group meant to you if you only went to make your mom happy and you actually didn’t care that much.

In general, you should avoid topics that are overly controversial, like things that are politically charged, doing things that are illegal, or anything involving graphic descriptions of any bodily function. So if you’re going to write about recovering from hip surgery, probably leave out the gory details of you being constipated and your oozy scars.

Check out our 35 brainstorming techniques for college essays for even more help coming up with a topic!

If you’re really stumped, consider asking your friends and family what they think could be good topics. They may help you figure out something memorable and interesting. But also, don’t feel like you have to write about a topic just because someone else thinks it would be great. You need to be genuinely interested in what you’re writing about to write an engaging essay!

#4: Decide on Your Approach

In general, there are two main approaches you might take to write your essay. It might primarily take a narrative format, or it might take a thematic format.

In a narrative format, you’ll be relating a particular anecdote or experience and what it means to you. In a thematic format, you’ll present a particular theme—say, your love of parakeets or your secret talent for balancing books on your head—and expound on that theme in a descriptive way to reveal more about you and your personality.

Sometimes your approach will be determined by the prompt or topic that you choose. For example, if a prompt says to relate a particular event or anecdote, you’ll probably use a narrative approach. By contrast, if you want to write about how your favorite book changed your life, that will probably be a thematic essay.

#5: Write an Outline

Doing a little bit of outlining before you put fingertips to keyboard to write your essay is always a good idea. You don’t necessarily need to make a super-detailed plan before you starting writing, but a general idea of where you are going and the points you want to make will be very helpful when you start drafting. Otherwise, you may find yourself spending a lot of time staring at a blank Word document.

Yes, good, very detailed essay plan. 

4 Top College Essay Writing Tips

Here are four tips for writing college essays and making sure your work  stands out in a good way:

#6: Use Specific Details

The more details you use, the more your writing will come alive. Try to use words that are vivid and specific, instead of ones that are vague like “nice,” “good,” and so on. This will really flesh out the scene and help the reader picture what’s going on.

So take something like this:

One of my biggest accomplishments in life was teaching my little brother to ride a bicycle. I encouraged him to keep going when he fell down. Now he’s a great cyclist!

To something more like this:

One of my biggest accomplishments in life was teaching my eight-year-old brother to ride the racy red bicycle he got for his birthday. He wanted to give up when he took a tumble and skidded across the sidewalk. But while I bandaged up his knees with Batman band-aids, I convinced him to give it another try. I told him to think about how he would be able to bike all around the neighborhood exploring. Now I smile whenever I see him zooming down our street—wearing his helmet, of course!

See the difference? Wouldn’t you rather read the second one?

#7: Be Genuine

It’s important to get beyond the superficial in your personal statement. You should be writing about something that’s genuinely important or significant to you, so try to get beyond the surface. Instead of writing vague platitudes about how you really like the violin but it’s hard, really get at the meat: did you ever think about quitting? What’s frustrated you the most? What really keeps you going?

This means you shouldn’t try to write about things where it’s too painful to be honest. So if your parents got a divorce last year, it may be too raw to write about, which is perfectly fine. If, however, they got divorced when you were 5 and you can honestly reflect on how it changed your life, go for it.

Of course, you want to be honest in a reasonable and appropriate way. If you overshare, it will make it seem like you have bad judgment or don’t understand social norms—not good impressions to give the admissions committee. So probably don’t write about how much you despise your mother and think she is evil since she had an affair with your school librarian. It’s fine to feel how you feel, but there are some things that are a little too charged to write in your college essay.

#8: Be Unique, but Not Bizarre

You definitely want your writing to set you apart—but you want it to set you apart in a good way. This means you want high-quality writing about unique experiences and qualities you bring to the table that aren’t covered elsewhere in your application.

This does not mean you should get really avant-garde with your essay formatting. Don’t send in a piece of art instead of an essay, or make a video, or write a poem instead of an essay, unless those things are explicitly allowed.

Similarly, while your essay doesn’t have to be 100% deadly serious in tone, you should be careful with humor. This doesn’t mean absolutely no jokes or tongue-in-cheek moments or that your essay should read like an 18th-century book of sermons. But if your essay relies too much on humor, you’ve got a lot riding on whether or not the person reading your essay “gets” it. They may well be annoyed. So deploy humor carefully and selectively.

#9: Avoid Cliches and Platitudes

The more cliches you use in your writing, the more boring and less insightful your essay will be. Cliches are phrases that are so overused that they are essentially meaningless, and they are likely to make any reader roll their eyes. Phrases like “a dime a dozen,” “outside the box,” “cold as ice,” “dirt cheap,” “flash in the pan,” and so on are frequently deployed in conversation because they convey a common idea quickly. But you don’t want your essay to be common, so avoid cliches. Try to think about how you can communicate the same idea in a more specific and interesting way.

Here’s a list of over 600 cliches . But for the most part, you won’t need a list; you’ll know something is a cliche because you will have heard it a million times already.

You should also avoid platitudes or sweeping generalizations about life. These are statements that are so broad and far-reaching as to be both obvious and completely uninsightful.

So avoid making statements like “And that’s how I learned that hard work pays off,” or “There’s no ‘I’ in team.” You may think you sound sage or wise, but the truth is, platitudes are going to sound immature and poorly-formed to the reader. Similarly, don’t say things that sound like they could come from an inspirational quote account on Instagram. (See, ahem, “You miss 100% of the shots you never take,” “Shoot for the moon,” and so on.)

How do you avoid the platitude problem? Try to keep what you’re saying specific to you. So instead of saying “And that’s how I learned that hard work pays off,” try, “This experience helped me to realize that when I put concentrated effort into something that’s important to me, I can accomplish it even when there are roadblocks.” Keep the focus on what you can and will do in your own life.

Avoid  trite sayings like this one.

2 Tips for Editing Your College Essay

You may think that once you’ve gotten a draft done that you’re good to go. Not so! Editing is one of the most important parts of writing the best college essay possible, and here are two essential college essay tips for editing.

Tip #10: Ask for Help

It’s always wise to get another set of eyes on your college essays. In fact, several sets of eyes is even better! Other people can help you make sure your essay flows, you have enough detail, that everything is relevant, and that you sound as engaging and interesting as you really are! They can also help you catch typos and other minor errors—although you’ll want to double and triple-check for that yourself before submitting.

Here’s advice on how to ask for help with all parts of the college essay process , including editing.

Tip #11: Be Prepared to Cut a Lot

Brace yourself for cutting up your initial draft into tiny little ribbons and rearranging the remaining pieces Frankenstein-style. A first draft is really just a starting place to get your ideas down before you revamp the entire thing into a more streamlined, better organized, highly polished version. So you have to be ready to let go of pieces of your essay, no matter how much you love a particular turn of phrase or analogy. The ultimate goal is to turn the rough stone of your first draft into a polished and clear piece of writing—and that’s going to take a lot of chipping and sanding!

2 Final Tips for College Essay Success

Here are two quick but essential college essay tips you can implement easily.

Tip #12: Have a Standout First Sentence

One thing you can do to give any essay a boost is to make sure that your first sentence is attention-grabbing. If you can pique the interest of the admissions counselor right away, you’ll help keep their attention throughout your essay.

Here’s our guide to getting that perfect first sentence!

Tip #13: Triple-check for Typos and Errors

The most important quick thing you can do for your essay is to make sure there are no typos or grammatical errors. It will make your essay look sloppy and unfinished, and that’s the last thing you want! College admissions officers expect a polished product, and there’s nothing less polished than misspelled words and comma splices.

13 College Essay Tips: Key Takeaways for a Great College Essay

To recap, here’s our 13 tips for the best college essay ever:

College Essay Planning Tips:

• Create a plan of attack for all of your essays so you can keep track of everything.
• Start early—at least two months before the due date, if not more.
• Choose the right prompt and topic for you.
• Decide between a narrative or a thematic approach to the topic.
• Outline before you start writing!

College Essay Writing Tips:

• Use vivid, specific details.
• Be genuine—get beyond the superficial.
• Be unique, but not bizarre.
• Avoid cliches and platitudes; they are boring and unimaginative.

College Essay Editing Tips:

• Get other people to look at your essay.
• Be prepared to change, cut, and rearrange a lot!

Final Tips for College Essays:

• Make sure your first sentence is stellar.
• Triple check for typos and grammatical errors!

What’s Next?

You’ve read our tips for success—now see 10 college essay mistakes to avoid .

Looking for some college essay examples? See 133 essay examples and expert analysis here , along with 11 more places to find great college essay examples .  

Check out our complete guides to ApplyTexas essays , UC Personal Insight questions , and the Common Application essay !

Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points?  We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

Ellen has extensive education mentorship experience and is deeply committed to helping students succeed in all areas of life. She received a BA from Harvard in Folklore and Mythology and is currently pursuing graduate studies at Columbia University.

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12 Strategies to Writing the Perfect College Essay

College admission committees sift through thousands of college essays each year. Here’s how to make yours stand out.

Pamela Reynolds

When it comes to deciding who they will admit into their programs, colleges consider many criteria, including high school grades, extracurricular activities, and ACT and SAT scores. But in recent years, more colleges are no longer considering test scores.

Instead, many (including Harvard through 2026) are opting for “test-blind” admission policies that give more weight to other elements in a college application. This policy change is seen as fairer to students who don’t have the means or access to testing, or who suffer from test anxiety.

So, what does this mean for you?

Simply that your college essay, traditionally a requirement of any college application, is more important than ever.

A college essay is your unique opportunity to introduce yourself to admissions committees who must comb through thousands of applications each year. It is your chance to stand out as someone worthy of a seat in that classroom.

A well-written and thoughtful essay—reflecting who you are and what you believe—can go a long way to separating your application from the slew of forgettable ones that admissions officers read. Indeed, officers may rely on them even more now that many colleges are not considering test scores.

Below we’ll discuss a few strategies you can use to help your essay stand out from the pack. We’ll touch on how to start your essay, what you should write for your college essay, and elements that make for a great college essay.

Be Authentic

More than any other consideration, you should choose a topic or point of view that is consistent with who you truly are.

Readers can sense when writers are inauthentic.

Inauthenticity could mean the use of overly flowery language that no one would ever use in conversation, or it could mean choosing an inconsequential topic that reveals very little about who you are.

Use your own voice, sense of humor, and a natural way of speaking.

Whatever subject you choose, make sure it’s something that’s genuinely important to you and not a subject you’ve chosen just to impress. You can write about a specific experience, hobby, or personality quirk that illustrates your strengths, but also feel free to write about your weaknesses.

Honesty about traits, situations, or a childhood background that you are working to improve may resonate with the reader more strongly than a glib victory speech.

Grab the Reader From the Start

You’ll be competing with so many other applicants for an admission officer’s attention.

Therefore, start your essay with an opening sentence or paragraph that immediately seizes the imagination. This might be a bold statement, a thoughtful quote, a question you pose, or a descriptive scene.

Starting your essay in a powerful way with a clear thesis statement can often help you along in the writing process. If your task is to tell a good story, a bold beginning can be a natural prelude to getting there, serving as a roadmap, engaging the reader from the start, and presenting the purpose of your writing.

Focus on Deeper Themes

Some essay writers think they will impress committees by loading an essay with facts, figures, and descriptions of activities, like wins in sports or descriptions of volunteer work. But that’s not the point.

College admissions officers are interested in learning more about who you are as a person and what makes you tick.

They want to know what has brought you to this stage in life. They want to read about realizations you may have come to through adversity as well as your successes, not just about how many games you won while on the soccer team or how many people you served at a soup kitchen.

Let the reader know how winning the soccer game helped you develop as a person, friend, family member, or leader. Make a connection with your soup kitchen volunteerism and how it may have inspired your educational journey and future aspirations. What did you discover about yourself?

Show Don’t Tell

As you expand on whatever theme you’ve decided to explore in your essay, remember to show, don’t tell.

The most engaging writing “shows” by setting scenes and providing anecdotes, rather than just providing a list of accomplishments and activities.

Reciting a list of activities is also boring. An admissions officer will want to know about the arc of your emotional journey too.

Try Doing Something Different

If you want your essay to stand out, think about approaching your subject from an entirely new perspective. While many students might choose to write about their wins, for instance, what if you wrote an essay about what you learned from all your losses?

If you are an especially talented writer, you might play with the element of surprise by crafting an essay that leaves the response to a question to the very last sentence.

You may want to stay away from well-worn themes entirely, like a sports-related obstacle or success, volunteer stories, immigration stories, moving, a summary of personal achievements or overcoming obstacles.

However, such themes are popular for a reason. They represent the totality of most people’s lives coming out of high school. Therefore, it may be less important to stay away from these topics than to take a fresh approach.

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Write With the Reader in Mind

Writing for the reader means building a clear and logical argument in which one thought flows naturally from another.

Use transitions between paragraphs.

Think about any information you may have left out that the reader may need to know. Are there ideas you have included that do not help illustrate your theme?

Be sure you can answer questions such as: Does what you have written make sense? Is the essay organized? Does the opening grab the reader? Is there a strong ending? Have you given enough background information? Is it wordy?

Write Several Drafts

Set your essay aside for a few days and come back to it after you’ve had some time to forget what you’ve written. Often, you’ll discover you have a whole new perspective that enhances your ability to make revisions.

Start writing months before your essay is due to give yourself enough time to write multiple drafts. A good time to start could be as early as the summer before your senior year when homework and extracurricular activities take up less time.

Read It Aloud

Writer’s tip : Reading your essay aloud can instantly uncover passages that sound clumsy, long-winded, or false.

Don’t Repeat

If you’ve mentioned an activity, story, or anecdote in some other part of your application, don’t repeat it again in your essay.

Your essay should tell college admissions officers something new. Whatever you write in your essay should be in philosophical alignment with the rest of your application.

Also, be sure you’ve answered whatever question or prompt may have been posed to you at the outset.

Ask Others to Read Your Essay

Be sure the people you ask to read your essay represent different demographic groups—a teacher, a parent, even a younger sister or brother.

Ask each reader what they took from the essay and listen closely to what they have to say. If anyone expresses confusion, revise until the confusion is cleared up.

Pay Attention to Form

Although there are often no strict word limits for college essays, most essays are shorter rather than longer. Common App, which students can use to submit to multiple colleges, suggests that essays stay at about 650 words.

“While we won’t as a rule stop reading after 650 words, we cannot promise that an overly wordy essay will hold our attention for as long as you’d hoped it would,” the Common App website states.

In reviewing other technical aspects of your essay, be sure that the font is readable, that the margins are properly spaced, that any dialogue is set off properly, and that there is enough spacing at the top. Your essay should look clean and inviting to readers.

End Your Essay With a “Kicker”

In journalism, a kicker is the last punchy line, paragraph, or section that brings everything together.

It provides a lasting impression that leaves the reader satisfied and impressed by the points you have artfully woven throughout your piece.

So, here’s our kicker: Be concise and coherent, engage in honest self-reflection, and include vivid details and anecdotes that deftly illustrate your point.

While writing a fantastic essay may not guarantee you get selected, it can tip the balance in your favor if admissions officers are considering a candidate with a similar GPA and background.

Write, revise, revise again, and good luck!

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About the Author

Pamela Reynolds is a Boston-area feature writer and editor whose work appears in numerous publications. She is the author of “Revamp: A Memoir of Travel and Obsessive Renovation.”

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How to Write a Short Essay About Yourself: Step-By-Step

Updated 06/4/2022

Published 06/19/2020

Yvonne Bertovich

Contributing writer

Cake values integrity and transparency. We follow a strict editorial process to provide you with the best content possible. We also may earn commission from purchases made through affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Learn more in our affiliate disclosure .

Writing or even talking about yourself may not come easily to you. However, for professional or educational reasons, it’s often a necessity. There are other instances when writing about yourself may make more sense, as you can provide the rawest and most honest perspective.

Jump ahead to these sections:

Steps for writing about yourself, tips for writing about yourself creatively or confidently.

• Examples of Things to Write About Yourself

You should feel empowered—not intimidated—in taking on a writing project about yourself. Use it as a way to challenge how you view your own experiences, talents, and more. We’ll discuss some steps for writing about yourself as well as provide a few examples.  

Writing isn’t for everyone, especially when it’s required. As much as you may dislike it, following the steps below can help the process go that much more smoothly.

If you find that following a different order than what we’ve recommended for you works better for your process, feel free to adjust accordingly. 

Step 1: Determine your purpose 

What’s causing you to write this “thing” about yourself? What exactly are you writing? It may surprise you that people write all kinds of pieces for themselves—even writing your own obituary isn’t out of the question anymore. 

The more specific you can get with yourself about your purpose will help the rest of the process. If it’s something stressful, like a college admission essay or a cover letter, try to frame the project in a different light. 

For example, “I’m writing this essay to show people my heart and how passionate I am about removing disparities and barriers in healthcare. I believe in my abilities, and I want to further my education, so I can help heal people.”

Step 2: Ask yourself some questions 

For any good piece of writing, there has to be fact behind it (if even these facts are abstract in narrative or fiction). The best way to gather facts about any subject is to ask a variety of questions, both soft- and hard-hitting. 

You may ask these questions internally, during research, or directly and literally. Treat this question step as a self-interview.

Here are some questions to ask yourself . You may also ask yourself:

• What is my goal of writing this piece?
• What themes or ideas do I want to focus on?
• What are my strengths and weaknesses?
• What are some important lessons I’ve learned?
• What do I want others to know or understand about me?

Step 3: Organize your answers 

After asking yourself the example questions above as well as others, you should be sure to write down your answers and begin organizing them if you haven’t already. 

It may be tempting to just answer your own questions in your head as you go—but don’t. This will just make the writing step more difficult. You may think that you’ll remember every good point or profound thought you come up with, but memory is a tricky thing. 

If you’re working through your questions during a time when you’re not ready or able to sit down and type or scribble them out, at least make some notes in your phone or in a journal so you can have some descriptive hints for later. No matter how big of an epiphany you may have, it’s possible you’ll forget it. 

Step 4: Write a draft 

If your ideas are already fairly organized, writing your draft should come fairly easily to you. The draft process, however, is when you can start spicing things up with anecdotes, your own personal voice, themes, metaphors—all that fun stuff. The point in you writing something about yourself for yourself is for the very reason that you can make it unquestionably you .

Dull, watered-down words or even over-hyped language from a thesaurus plug-in isn’t going to impress anyone. Writing something about yourself (unless the assignment is creative or unorthodox) isn’t the time to act like something you’re not.

All of this being said, don’t stress yourself out too much. Letting your ideas flow freely and then editing or revising them later is how you should approach the process anyway. You don’t want to put too many restrictions on your ideas from the get-go. Warring with yourself about your ideas while writing is only going to tire you out sooner. 

Think about it—you may spend hours trying to write a piece while overthinking that’s no better than a draft you could have written in 30 minutes on the fly. Not being totally in love with your first draft is normal. It just allows you that much more room to improve. 

Step 5: Put your progress aside

Much like during the draft process, it’s very possible to overthink your work after it’s mostly done. If you constantly keep re-reading it or rehashing your ideas in your head, they may start to sound odd, or you may try to add where you need to trim. 

For example, the same concept applies to repeating the same word over and over aloud — it’ll likely start to sound strange or even wrong the more you hear it. This also applies to music — ever play a song you love over and over till you hate it? 

You need to give your words and your brain some time to rest away from each other until you try to make any drastic edits or changes. That being said, you may love what you’ve written already and decide you don’t need to change a thing—that’s great!

Step 6: Review and edit

After your break, you can pick up your writing once again. Read it with a critical eye. Go back and think deeply about your purpose and any provided prompts. Have you answered everything you intended to or are required to?

It’s not uncommon—though devastating—to write an entire piece only to realize you wrote from the wrong frame of reference or focused on the wrong issue. For example, if you were asked to write about a challenge you overcame in your life by following an important virtue, but you only wrote about winning a basketball championship and not the struggle behind it, this may miss the mark. 

If you find a good number of issues in your work, don’t feel tempted to scrap the entire thing. What may work instead is to copy and paste your writing line-by-line into a new document. This way, you can save as much as possible while being sure to resolve even small discrepancies.

Step 7: Finalize your work

After you’ve undergone the brutal process of self-editing (or enlisting help from someone else you trust) you can prepare yourself for the home stretch. Finalizing your work shouldn’t take very long.

Y our process may differ; however, it’ll likely come down to reading over your work a few more times just to make sure you haven’t missed words, punctuation, or proper grammar. 

It’s OK to use this step to feel proud of yourself, too. You may not take a lot of time to reflect on your life and everything you’ve been through—it’s important to practice self-love in this way and celebrate your accomplishments.

Talking or writing about yourself may not be everyone’s cup of tea. For example, did you need to provide a fun fact recently but draw a blank? You’re not alone. In fact, many people have a false assumption that they’re boring. 

On the flip side, perhaps you’re used to talking about yourself, or, at least you’ve got the “fake it till you make it” type of confidence down-pat. However, you too can only benefit from adding a bit more razzle-dazzle to your spiels and writing assignments. Here are a few tips for writing about yourself creatively or confidently.  

Allow yourself space

If you have an upcoming project or writing assignment that has you on edge, consider stepping away. Even if you don’t consider yourself an outdoorsy person, a walk around the block may help you breathe and get your creativity flowing. Naturally, the more sound your idea or angle, the more confident you’ll feel about your upcoming performance.  

Keep that ego in check

An underinflated ego is just as bad as an overinflated one. Pay close attention to your internal dialogue when approaching new projects or writing tasks (or, honestly anything that comes up during your day). How much of what swirls around in your mind is fact? How much of it is just fleeting thoughts or opinions? You are not your thoughts, and you always have choices. Make good ones and be kind to yourself. 

Try this: Instead of thinking to yourself, “Wow, this is a really complex writing assignment. I can’t do this.” Or, “How am I ever going to get into my dream school with this essay? I’m not a strong writer.” 

Change your internal dialogue to, “I have good ideas. I may not have my plan figured out right now, but I’ll get it done,” or, “I have so many great skills to bring to the table and I am very passionate about what’s brought me here. I will convey this the best I can.”

Crowdsource

Sometimes an outside opinion can give us much-needed perspective. Ask your friends, family, loved ones, or coworkers to describe you in a few words or even in abstract ways. Don’t view this as you’re fishing for compliments. Ask your loved ones for honesty, as this insight can only help you when writing about yourself. 

Build up a fuel bank

Pulling inspiration out of thin air may not always be possible. However, if you build up a few reliable sources of inspiration, the next time a project hits, you’ll be prepared. You can fuel your creativity and confidence in a variety of ways. 

For example, you can create certain playlists for different moods, save favorite art or graphics in a digital folder or keep printed versions in your home or office, write down affirmations or notes-to-self in a journal or app, and so on. 

Reflect on past accomplishments and setbacks

Even if you aren’t a fan of journaling, writing about yourself is far easier if you take the time to reflect, if only mentally. If you know you have a deadline to write about yourself in the near future, you may want to physically or mentally jot down a few real-life examples or experiences that come to mind. 

But how do you get in the right headspace to reflect? What if you only witness recurring thoughts about past events while trying to fall asleep? Be sure to practice the first tip in this section: Give yourself some space to think. For once, limit the distractions, keep all other screens put away or turn on your "do not disturb" feature.

Now, think about some past accomplishments or setbacks that may not even seem relevant to the topic of the assignment. You may have an epiphany about unrelated things or discover something about how you operate. For example, you might realize that you feel less nervous in social and professional settings if you call out your anxiety as being excited. 

Examples of Writing About Yourself

Even if you feel super confident about writing about yourself now, we wanted to provide a few short examples to help you get started. Your tone, word choice, and more may differ depending on which piece you’re working on.

Here are some tips for writing or publishing your life story you may also find helpful. 

In a memoir or essay

Those were probably the best and the worst days of my life. I had never felt more happy and never felt more sad. I felt as though I were so close to having everything I had ever wanted, yet it seemed with every step forward, I had to take two steps back. It was exhausting. How did I get through it? To be quite honest, I have no damn idea. 

Perspective helped. I knew I could have had it way worse; I knew that my struggle wasn’t unique. I knew, too, that even when the small wins would come they’d have yet another loss right on their tails. I paid dearly for having too much heart and optimism, so I regularly had to hose myself down with logic and pessimism. 

On your blog or website

If you’re reading this, it’s too late. Just kidding! That’s just a really good Drake album. I wanted to take some time to talk about what’s been going on in my life lately for those of you who are nosey enough to care. Again, kidding, I know some of you really care. I’m so grateful to have even this small following that I have. It’s wild, really. Who would have thought that people want to know what’s going on in my head at any given time? Joke’s on you guys, though, because I don’t fully know all the time. 

I guess I’ll start off by saying that work has been a whirlwind. As you all know, it isn’t an easy time for anyone, so please don’t take this declaration as a complaint. I’m thrilled to still have a job despite everything going on. However, leaving this reflection at just that would be doing both myself and you all a disservice. It’s weak. It doesn’t really describe what’s been going on. Allow me to continue.  

In a college essay

When I was young, my grandmother told me I couldn’t please everyone — that some people just wouldn’t like me for no reason at all. This was very hard for me to swallow at times. What does this have to do with who I am today and why I plan to attend your university? 

Well, this early lesson demonstrates that in order for this world to keep spinning, we all have to be unwavering in our own pursuits. We are ourselves. We can’t be anyone else. In that, we all have the responsibility to bring our unique talents, wisdom, and heart to the table — even when we’re seated across from people who may not like us. 

Sometimes Only You Can Do It

Writing about yourself may always be challenging for you, but who better to do so than who knows you best? If you work through the process in every situation and give yourself some patience, there’s no question that you can’t craft something amazing. You may also be interested in this article about how to write family stories .

Your written words mean more than you think. This becomes a part of your legacy when you're gone, and it's one of the ways you'll be remembered. While many families choose custom urns from Foreverence or even to craft memorial diamonds from Eterneva , your words are something that live after you're gone.

While it might not seem natural at first, learning to write about yourself, your perspective, and your experiences carries a lot of significance. Who knows who might read these words when you're gone?

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9 Tips for Writing an Essay About Yourself

You know yourself better than anyone else, but writing about yourself can still be tough! When applying for scholarships or to college, essay prompts  can feel so general (and yet so specific!) that they leave us stumped.  So we’ll show you 8 tips to write an essay about yourself, so that you can land more scholarships. (Psst – Going Merry makes applying easy .)

1. Create a List of Questions

2. brainstorm and outline, 3. be vulnerable, 4. use personal examples, 5. write in the first person, 6. don’t be afraid to show off…but stay on topic, 7. show personality , 8. know your audience, 9. proofread and edit.

Let’s start with some examples of personal essay prompts:

• Tell me about yourself.
• Describe a challenge or event that made you who you are today.
• What are your short and long-term goals, and how do you plan to achieve them?
• Write about a time you failed at something. How did it affect you?

These are just a few of many scholarship essay prompts that require you to look internally, to answer a question, solve a problem, or explain a scenario in your life.  

We get it. You might not be a big fan of bragging about yourself, or you might want to keep your personal stories to yourself. But by opening up and sharing your story, you can show scholarship providers, colleges and universities who you are, and why you’re deserving of their scholarship.

(Don’t just take our word for it – check out our scholarship winners page full of students like you who were brave enough to share their stories with us).

To get started, check out these 9 tips on how to write an essay about yourself:

After reading through the scholarship essay prompt, breathe, and make a list of smaller questions you can answer, which relate to the big essay prompt question. 

Let’s say the main essay prompt question asks you, “What were challenges or barriers you had to work to overcome?” Then the smaller questions might be something like:

• What is your background? Family, finances, school.
• What was challenging about that background?
• What’s your greatest accomplishment? How did you get there? How have previous challenges influenced your goals?

Think of these questions as mini-prompts. They explain your story and help you answer the main essay prompt with more details than if you just answered it without a plan in place.

After considering smaller questions, it’s time to brainstorm your answers.  Take out a pen and paper – or open up a document on a computer – and take your time in answering each mini-prompt. Organize your responses in order:

• Intro to main essay prompt.
• Answer about 3 mini-prompt questions.
• Conclude by rewriting the answer to the main essay prompt with a summary of your mini-prompt answers.

This organization will help you stay on topic and answer the prompt directly. (Or check out these 6 scholarship essay examples for alternative essay structures.)

Don’t be afraid to let your strengths, challenges, and personal stories shine through in your essay! Scholarship and admissions committees love to see that you’re self-aware how you can improve as a person, or how you’ve grown because of your experiences. Honest writing can help tell the best stories (in this case, YOUR story).

Since this essay is all about you , you should make your answer as specific as possible! Avoid using generalizations (e.g., “I’m really good at music). Instead, go for more personalized statements (e.g., “My fourth-grade teacher Ms. Matay really inspired me to pursue my interest in the clarinet”). Your personal examples are what will help your scholarship essay stand out among the thousands of applicants..

 You’re telling your story, so write from your perspective! You can narrate your story. You can provide an overview of what you learned from your experiences. However you choose to answer the prompt, we recommend writing in an active tone, and using “I” and “me” throughout your essay.

Most students worry about bragging in their essay, but we say go for it! This is your time to shine, so highlight your accomplishments and strengths.  Review your essay to make sure that you’re keeping the tone informative and that you’re still on topic. (Brag while answering the essay prompt; don’t just mention random, unrelated but impressive facts about yourself!)You can use this brag sheet where you can brainstorm your accomplishments. While the worksheet is geared toward requesting letters of recommendation , you can still use it to write out your hobbies, interests, college list , and strengths to help you answer your scholarship essay prompt.

Just because it’s an essay doesn’t mean it has to be dry and boring. This essay is all about you, so let your personality shine through. If you’re the class clown, you can use a bit of humor. If you wear your heart on your sleeve, don’t be afraid to show emotion. Trying your best to express who you are as a person will have a huge effect on the admissions or scholarship committee!

If you’re applying for a scholarship, research the scholarship provider. If you’re applying to college, research the school. Understanding what makes the provider/college unique and what their motivations are, will allow you to incorporate that information in your essay. For example, many scholarships are funded by private companies that sell products. You might want to reference those products in your essay. A good example of this is Emily Trader’s essay for the Life Happens organization , where she uses her personal narrative to explain the importance of insurance planning, since that is the mission of the organization (which is funded by insurance companies).

The last step in answering your essay prompt is to double-check your work! One typo can be distracting and cause scholarship providers to scratch their head while reading the essay. ( Psst, humble brag: Going Merry’s application platform includes spellcheck because we’ve got your back .) In addition to proofreading for typos and grammatical errors, also consider whether the sentence or paragraph structure makes sense. Are you breaking paragraphs in the right place? Are you using topic sentences well to signpost your main ideas? Does the essay flow? Consider these “bigger” structural questions too.  You might also want to ask a friend, family member, teacher, or guidance counselor to review your essay. They might catch something you didn’t see the first time around, and that can really help your essay! In fact, that is scholarship winner Daniel Gill ’s #1 tip. (Another tip is to apply for scholarships using Going Merry !)

Also, check out this helpful list of the 10 most common scholarship essay topics while you’re brainstorming!

Now that you know how to write an essay about yourself, it’s time to start applying for scholarships! Remember: You’ve got this. 

Sign up for your free Going Merry profile . From there, you can easily upload and submit your essay for thousands of scholarships. We make it easy so you’ll only need to enter your profile information once! And then, you can apply away. In fact, we even have some bundled scholarships so that you only enter your essay once, to apply for multiple scholarships at the same time.

Or if you’re not ready to register, simply sign up to receive an email with 20 new scholarship opportunities each week. Just enter your email address below:

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How to Write the Best Personal Statement Essay for College (with Tips and Examples)

It means that how you tell your story is almost as important as the content inside it. That said, remember that college admission officers know that most high school students don’t take creative writing courses. They don’t expect you to be the next Fitzgerald. 

However, as you already know, the competition remains fierce and many students will have impressive test scores, GPAs, and extracurricular activities across the board. If you’re serious about increasing your chances of getting into a decent university, ensure that every aspect of your application is as perfect as possible, including your admission essay.

How to Create an Effective Personal Statement Essay

Once you decide which Common App prompt you wish to address, you can start working on your essay.

Bring your story to life using tone, style, and figurative/rhetorical devices. We’ll explain how to do that in our tips below.

Tip 1: Don’t cram.

Don’t view preparation as a means to an end with these essays. The goal isn’t to cram in as many creative writing tips and to read as much as possible to absorb writing skills via osmosis. 

Rather, you want to express your ideas clearly — a skill useful in college, the workforce, and in daily communication. By the way, I also suggest that you start treating reading as a leisure activity (not a chore) or you may find college difficult.

Tip 2: Make your essay memorable and moving.

Make all the essays you write memorable and moving, whether you write a personal statement or supplement. Reveal your personality through your “voice.” Most personal essays don’t allow for a heavy injection of creativity but your essay responses for shorter, more straightforward supplemental prompts will still benefit from the use of rhetorical and/or figurative devices.

Tip 3: Show, don’t tell.

When discussing emotions, you should use the “showing, not telling” strategy. “Telling” emotions usually come across as forced and unreal. 

For example, rather than saying “I was so nervous about my math exam,” show the reader your anxiety. Use language like, “My hands shook as I picked up the pencil.” 

Rather than saying, “I was shy around the handsome boy,” describe how your “face turned beet red as he looked my way” or your “heart skipped a beat or three.”

Every once in a while, you might want to “tell” instead of “show,” especially if you wish to skip whole scenes. For example, rather than describing your bus ride home from school, you can simply skip from school to home with a transition such as, “Later that day…” Read through more examples of when you should tell and not show in this excellent article .

Finally, show actions and personality traits. Check out these two examples: 

•     Weaker sentence: He is a horrible driver. 
•     Improved sentence: He wove between lanes and narrowly avoided a head-on collision.
•     Weaker sentence: He was a kindhearted gentleman. 
•     Improved sentence: He frequently donated to children’s charities and other community events. 

Never toot your own horn by saying something like, “I’m proud of my resilience.” Instead, let your actions speak for themselves and reflect whichever virtue or trait you wish to convey.

Tip 4: Use sensory descriptions. 

Can you almost hear your English teacher talking about sensory descriptions? She probably said, “Use sensory descriptions to pull the reader into the story! What did you see, hear, taste, feel, or smell?”

You can infuse sensory descriptions wherever applicable and especially when you describe a setting. For example, if you’re describing a day at the beach, you could mention the taste of the saltwater, the noxious smell of sunblock, the sand gritting against your legs, the blue of the ocean melting into the sky, and the cawing of the seagulls overhead. Don’t overdo it! Aim for two to four sensory descriptions per essay.

Try using synesthesia, which means you use a word typically associated with one sense to describe another. Synesthesia causes your reader to do a double-take: 

•     Her voice dripped with honey.
•     The cookies smelled like Christmas morning.
•     The velvet sky was thick with stars.

Good stuff, huh?

Tip 5: Pay attention to adjectives. 

A wise writer once said, “Pick adjectives the way you would pick diamonds.” In other words, choose carefully and opt for quality over quantity. 

• For example, note the difference between “green eyes” and “emerald eyes.” Emerald not only describes a specific shade of green, but it also makes the reader imagine that sparkly, jewel-like quality characteristic of bright eyes. See how just one specific adjective can provide layers of description? 
• Another example: “Red lips” versus “cherry lips.” “Cherry lips” not only brings to mind the darker hue of cherries but also evokes images of summer or a sweet taste.

When writing, balance your adjectives so your reader doesn’t get bogged down by the description and/or can’t imagine what is happening.

Tip 6: Check your nouns. 

The same tips for adjectives apply to nouns. You may want to use a more specific noun, such as “mint chocolate chip ice cream” instead of the broader word “dessert.” Even a one-word tweak can help your reader visualize what you intend to depict. 

•     Weaker sentence: The woman walked a dog.
•     Improved sentence: The woman walked a Yorkie. 

See how the second sentence really allows the reader to form a more concrete image of a small terrier? 

Now, it’s perfectly fine to use vague nouns, such as “tall man” rather than “the six-foot man.” Think about what deserves more of a description and use your best judgment.

Tip 7: Slash dead weight from your verbs. 

One thing that most writers agree on is that adverbs add deadweight to your prose. Ninety-nine percent of the time, you can replace an adverb with a strong verb. For example: 

•     Weaker sentence: She ran quickly. 
•     Improved sentence: She sprinted. 

Whenever you edit your essay and spot an adverb, ask yourself: Can I replace this with a strong verb?

Tip 8: Use figurative language.

You can also replace an adverb with figurative language. For example:

•     Improved sentence: She ran like a hyper-caffeinated bunny.

Figurative language perks up the reader’s imagination, makes your writing more memorable, allows you to express ideas in a more creative way, and adds to the “magic of literature.” Don’t forget to tap into similes, metaphors, hyperbole, and personification as well. (Ask your English teacher for more direction!)

Tip 9: Sprinkle in dialogue, if applicable. 

If it fits into your essay, dialogue can provide the reader with a momentary respite from dense prose and help bring your personal statement essay to life.

Play with sentence structure for pacing. Use shorter sentences, fewer descriptions, and more action scenes to speed up your essay. Use more adjectives, complex sentences, and internal monologue (inner thoughts) to slow down your story.

You may want to add more creativity to your essay structure, deviating from the traditional five-paragraph format. Examples of other narrative formats include: 

• Diary format: This could work well if your story takes place over several days, such as in a transformative vacation.
• Manifestos: You could compile a manifesto that declares your origins and reasons behind your veganism or your metaphysical beliefs, for example.
• Pivotal essays: You start with the conflict as your hook.

You may also want to leave the reflection paragraph out and simply conclude with the end of your story. If you choose this method, make sure that whatever realizations you would have written in your conclusion are revealed throughout the story itself. 

How to Set Deadlines for Your Personal Statement 

When you set deadlines for yourself, you take ownership over the development of your Personal Statement by allotting ample time to reflect on your experiences, thoughts, and what inspires you to do your best. 

Tip 10: Set deadlines yourself .

You feel more in control when you physically set your own deadlines for brainstorming, strategizing topics, drafting, revising, and editing your personal statement essay. Mark everything on a calendar or save it as a note on your phone to help you self-manage and work toward achieving reasonable goals over a long period of time. 

Tip 11: Don’t wait until the last minute. 

When students wait until the last minute to write their personal statement, they compromise quality (not a surprise, right?). Admissions application readers can easily tell when students rushed through their writing! Take the essay seriously and give it the appropriate level of attention so you develop an essay that reflects the best version of yourself.  

High school juniors should aim to complete personal statement essays over the summer, allowing time for multiple revisions. Read through our Personal Statement brainstorming blog post , which poses 10 important self-reflection questions.

Tip 12: Work on your Personal Statement essay over the summer.

Students who procrastinate during the summer risk having a lot of essays to write in the fall, especially when they encounter Early Application/Early Decision deadlines. Every year, more colleges require additional supplemental essays as part of their application. For example, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill requires a Personal Statement essay and two supplemental essays by its October 15 Early Action deadline.

You might find it difficult to manage application deadlines and everything else that comes your way during fall of senior year, so plan well! 

Personal Statement Essay Prompt

The Personal Statement essay prompts give you the launchpad to tell your story. Take a look at the 2023-2024 Common App essay prompts so you know your full list of options. 

Think carefully about each prompt and which option fits in with your life. Hopefully, one prompt in particular compels you to write like crazy! 

Personal Statement Essay Example

Take a look at this Personal Statement essay and use it to get ideas for your own Personal Statement essay: 

To celebrate the last day of classes in the tenth grade, I wore a pretty dress that my mom had gifted me. The smooth swirl of the dress brushing above my knee added an involuntary skip to my step. I could just taste the freedom!

But when I tried to step into my classroom, the teacher greeted me at the threshold, arms akimbo. “Sherry, return to the dorms and change immediately! Your skirt is obscenely short! Don’t you know that’s against school policy?”

I was flabbergasted! Scanning the classroom, I noticed all the boys were wearing shorts that exposed their thighs. Some of the girls started to protest this unjust double standard, yet my teacher only replied, “Rules are rules. And girls should be protected.”

Protected? From what? Our skirts?!

One of my male classmates quipped, “I don’t know… Maybe some boys like to stare. Teachers may think that showing too much leg will distract them.”

Wow. I couldn’t believe my ears. In five minutes, I had become someone who needs protection from my apparent vanity as if the lack of fabric in my dress meant that I’m lacking in intellect. My strong legs, which were praised on the track field, had suddenly become objectified and sexualized.

I huffed and puffed my way back to the dorms. I later learned that the school’s AI surveillance camera (which automatically scans everyone walking around campus) had detected my rule-breaking and automatically published an image of me and my skirt onto the school’s WeChat page! My teacher had seen the image before I’d even reached the classroom. Thanks to AI, I had effectively been branded with a scarlet letter.

My anger didn’t dissipate as summer vacation progressed. The more I thought about the issue, the more frustrated I became. However, I’m a believer in the power of words and I started writing many letters to my principal about the unfairness and outdatedness of our policy. The strict dress code, no-makeup rule, and no dating rules were always more harshly applied toward female students. To resolve this issue, I proposed several ideas, including pretty school uniforms, but the principal completely ignored them.

By the end of summer, I was ready to battle this like Joan of Arc. Unfortunately, it was just me. Although they agreed with me, my girlfriends moved on from their initial anger and didn’t want to cause trouble. Realizing that I wouldn’t be able to change anything without first changing the girls’ minds, I decided to gather my troops.

I’ve been leading casual book discussions with my friends since freshman year. For the following months’ meetups, I assigned “Little Women” and “Gone with the Wind” while emphasizing that our discussion would center around a modern feminist twist. We passionately discussed Scarlett O’Hara in her contradicting characteristics, seeing marriage as a means of securing economic stability while also showing determination and courage against her own destiny. We vented over how the creative and ambitious Jo’s worth was determined merely by her marital status in Little Women. Since then, nothing was off the table for discussion.

On Sundays, you’ll catch us in flowery dresses and sweatpants, sneakers and heels, elaborately painted and bare-faced, animatedly debating hate crimes toward women, the media objectification of females, and the idealization of youth. Looking around, I swell in pride that my troops are getting stronger. Not to pick a fight but to be the catalyst of change so we are not judged solely by our cover, silenced at the table, or put in a box we don’t want to be in. My battle to change our school policy is still ongoing. However, it’s no longer just me. Our fight has become a community project, and I have faith that together we will keep raising our voices until there’s no choice but to hear us.

Know the Importance of the Personal Statement Essay

As many colleges announce the continuation of test-optional policies, the Personal Statement essay has become an even more important factor in the application review. Colleges have fewer application items to review, so they will heavily weigh the Personal Statement essay. 

It’s wonderful to have professional colleagues at Ivy & Quill support the Campus to Career Crossroads’ community by providing so many helpful writing tips for high school juniors in this blog post. If you can integrate these tips into your writing, you’ll create a more competitive Personal Statement essay that stands out to admission application readers.

About the guest coauthors: 

Marisa De Marco-Costanzo, Executive Director and Co-founder of Ivy & Quill Admission Essay Consulting and Editing Services, received a Master’s degree in Art and Art Education from Teachers College, Columbia University, and a Bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts from the Fashion Institute of Technology at the State University of New York. Since 2015, Marisa has closely worked with college-bound students to develop their admission essays by providing extensive consulting and editing services. Marisa has devoted her career to educating students from all walks of life and guiding them to reach their highest potential.

Andrea Schiralli, Executive Director and Co-founder of Ivy & Quill Admission Essay Consulting and Editing Services, holds a Master’s degree in Education from Harvard University (2014) and a Bachelor’s degree in French literature from Cornell University (2010). She enjoys helping students appreciate classic poems and novels, teaching them to manipulate language for effect and have fun while finding their writing voices.

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How to Start a College Essay to Hook Your Reader

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What’s Covered:

What is the purpose of the college essay introduction, tips for getting started on your essay, 6 effective techniques for starting your college essay.

• Cliche College Essay Introduction to Avoid

Where to Get Your Essay Edited for Free

Have you sat down to write your essay and just hit a wall of writer’s block? Do you have too many ideas running around your head, or maybe no ideas at all?

Starting a college essay is potentially the hardest part of the application process. Once you start, it’s easy to keep writing, but that initial hurdle is just so difficult to overcome. We’ve put together a list of tips to help you jump that wall and make your essay the best it can be.

The introduction to a college essay should immediately hook the reader. You want to give admissions officers a reason to stay interested in your story and encourage them to continue reading your essay with an open mind. Remember that admissions officers are only able to spend a couple minutes per essay, so if you bore them or turn them off from the start, they may clock out for the rest of the essay.

As a whole, the college essay should aim to portray a part of your personality that hasn’t been covered by your GPA, extracurriculars, and test scores. This makes the introduction a crucial part of the essay. Think of it as the first glimpse, an intriguing lead on, into the read rest of your essay which also showcases your voice and personality. 

Brainstorm Topics

Take the time to sit down and brainstorm some good topic ideas for your essay. You want your topic to be meaningful to you, while also displaying a part of you that isn’t apparent in other aspects of your application. The essay is an opportunity to show admissions officers the “real you.” If you have a topic in mind, do not feel pressured to start with the introduction. Sometimes the best essay openings are developed last, once you fully grasp the flow of your story.

Do a Freewrite

Give yourself permission to write without judgment for an allotted period of time. For each topic you generated in your brainstorm session, do a free-write session. Set a time for one minute and write down whatever comes to mind for that specific topic. This will help get the juices flowing and push you over that initial bit of writer’s block that’s so common when it comes time to write a college essay. Repeat this exercise if you’re feeling stuck at any point during the essay writing process. Freewriting is a great way to warm up your creative writing brain whilst seeing which topics are flowing more naturally onto the page.

Create an Outline

Once you’ve chosen your topic, write an outline for your whole essay. It’s easier to organize all your thoughts, write the body, and then go back to write the introduction. That way, you already know the direction you want your essay to go because you’ve actually written it out, and you can ensure that your introduction leads directly into the rest of the essay. Admissions officers are looking for the quality of your writing alongside the content of your essay. To be prepared for college-level writing, students should understand how to logically structure an essay. By creating an outline, you are setting yourself up to be judged favorably on the quality of your writing skills.

1. The Scriptwriter

“No! Make it stop! Get me out!” My 5-year-old self waved my arms frantically in front of my face in the darkened movie theater.

Starting your essay with dialogue instantly transports the reader into the story, while also introducing your personal voice. In the rest of the essay, the author proposes a class that introduces people to insects as a type of food. Typically, one would begin directly with the course proposal. However, the author’s inclusion of this flashback weaves in a personal narrative, further displaying her true self.

Read the full essay.

2. The Shocker

A chaotic sense of sickness and filth unfolds in an overcrowded border station in McAllen, Texas. Through soundproof windows, migrants motion that they have not showered in weeks, and children wear clothes caked in mucus and tears. The humanitarian crisis at the southern border exists not only in photographs published by mainstream media, but miles from my home in South Texas.

This essay opener is also a good example of “The Vivid Imaginer.” In this case, the detailed imagery only serves to heighten the shock factor. While people may be aware of the “humanitarian crisis at the southern border,” reading about it in such stark terms is bound to capture the reader’s attention. Through this hook, the reader learns a bit about the author’s home life; an aspect of the student that may not be detailed elsewhere in their application. The rest of the essay goes on to talk about the author’s passion for aiding refugees, and this initial paragraph immediately establishes the author’s personal connection to the refugee crisis.

3. The Vivid Imaginer

The air is crisp and cool, nipping at my ears as I walk under a curtain of darkness that drapes over the sky, starless. It is a Friday night in downtown Corpus Christi, a rare moment of peace in my home city filled with the laughter of strangers and colorful lights of street vendors. But I cannot focus. 

Starting off with a bit of well-written imagery transports the reader to wherever you want to take them. By putting them in this context with you, you allow the reader to closely understand your thoughts and emotions in this situation. Additionally, this method showcases the author’s individual way of looking at the world, a personal touch that is the baseline of all college essays.

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4. The Instant Plunger

The flickering LED lights began to form into a face of a man when I focused my eyes. The man spoke of a ruthless serial killer of the decade who had been arrested in 2004, and my parents shivered at his reaccounting of the case. I curiously tuned in, wondering who he was to speak of such crimes with concrete composure and knowledge. Later, he introduced himself as a profiler named Pyo Chang Won, and I watched the rest of the program by myself without realizing that my parents had left the couch.

Plunging readers into the middle of a story (also known as in medias res ) is an effective hook because it captures attention by placing the reader directly into the action. The descriptive imagery in the first sentence also helps to immerse the reader, creating a satisfying hook while also showing (instead of telling) how the author became interested in criminology. With this technique, it is important to “zoom out,” so to speak, in such a way that the essay remains personal to you.

5. The Philosopher 

Saved in the Notes app on my phone are three questions: What can I know? What must I do? What may I hope for? First asked by Immanuel Kant, these questions guide my pursuit of knowledge and organization of critical thought, both skills that are necessary to move our country and society forward in the right direction.

Posing philosophical questions helps present you as someone with deep ideas while also guiding the focus of your essay. In a way, it presents the reader with a roadmap; they know that these questions provide the theme for the rest of the essay. The more controversial the questions, the more gripping a hook you can create. 

Providing an answer to these questions is not necessarily as important as making sure that the discussions they provoke really showcase you and your own values and beliefs.

6. The Storyteller

One Christmas morning, when I was nine, I opened a snap circuit set from my grandmother. Although I had always loved math and science, I didn’t realize my passion for engineering until I spent the rest of winter break creating different circuits to power various lights, alarms, and sensors. Even after I outgrew the toy, I kept the set in my bedroom at home and knew I wanted to study engineering.

Beginning with an anecdote is a strong way to establish a meaningful connection with the content itself. It also shows that the topic you write about has been a part of your life for a significant amount of time, and something that college admissions officers look for in activities is follow-through; they want to make sure that you are truly interested in something. A personal story such as the one above shows off just that.

Cliche College Essay Introductions to Avoid

Ambiguous introduction.

It’s best to avoid introductory sentences that don’t seem to really say anything at all, such as “Science plays a large role in today’s society,” or “X has existed since the beginning of time.” Statements like these, in addition to being extremely common, don’t demonstrate anything about you, the author. Without a personal connection to you right away, it’s easy for the admissions officer to write off the essay before getting past the first sentence.

Quoting Someone Famous

While having a quotation by a famous author, celebrity, or someone else you admire may seem like a good way to allow the reader to get to know you, these kinds of introductions are actually incredibly overused. You also risk making your essay all about the quotation and the famous person who said it; admissions officers want to get to know you, your beliefs, and your values, not someone who isn’t applying to their school. There are some cases where you may actually be asked to write about a quotation, and that’s fine, but you should avoid starting your essay with someone else’s words outside of this case. It is fine, however, to start with dialogue to plunge your readers into a specific moment.

Talking About Writing an Essay

This method is also very commonplace and is thus best avoided. It’s better to show, not tell, and all this method allows you to do is tell the reader how you were feeling at the time of writing the essay. If you do feel compelled to go this way, make sure to include vivid imagery and focus on grounding the essay in the five senses, which can help elevate your introduction and separate it from the many other meta essays.

Childhood Memories

Phrases like “Ever since I was young…” or “I’ve always wanted…” also lend more to telling rather than showing. If you want to talk about your childhood or past feelings in your essay, try using one of the techniques listed earlier (such as the Instant Plunger or the Vivid Imaginer) to elevate your writing.

CollegeVine has a peer essay review page where peers can tell you if your introduction was enough to hook them. Getting feedback from someone who hasn’t read your essay before, and thus doesn’t have any context which may bias them to be more forgiving to your introduction, is helpful because it mimics the same environment in which an admissions officer will be reading your essay. 

Writing a college essay is hard, but with these tips hopefully starting it will be a little easier!

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How To Write An Essay: Beginner Tips And Tricks

Updated: July 11, 2022

Published: June 22, 2021

Many students dread writing essays, but essay writing is an important skill to develop in high school, university, and even into your future career. By learning how to write an essay properly, the process can become more enjoyable and you’ll find you’re better able to organize and articulate your thoughts.

When writing an essay, it’s common to follow a specific pattern, no matter what the topic is. Once you’ve used the pattern a few times and you know how to structure an essay, it will become a lot more simple to apply your knowledge to every essay. 

No matter which major you choose, you should know how to craft a good essay. Here, we’ll cover the basics of essay writing, along with some helpful tips to make the writing process go smoothly.

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Types of Essays

Think of an essay as a discussion. There are many types of discussions you can have with someone else. You can be describing a story that happened to you, you might explain to them how to do something, or you might even argue about a certain topic. 

When it comes to different types of essays, it follows a similar pattern. Like a friendly discussion, each type of essay will come with its own set of expectations or goals. 

For example, when arguing with a friend, your goal is to convince them that you’re right. The same goes for an argumentative essay. 

Here are a few of the main essay types you can expect to come across during your time in school:

Narrative Essay

This type of essay is almost like telling a story, not in the traditional sense with dialogue and characters, but as if you’re writing out an event or series of events to relay information to the reader.

Persuasive Essay

Here, your goal is to persuade the reader about your views on a specific topic.

Descriptive Essay

This is the kind of essay where you go into a lot more specific details describing a topic such as a place or an event. 

Argumentative Essay

In this essay, you’re choosing a stance on a topic, usually controversial, and your goal is to present evidence that proves your point is correct.

Expository Essay

Your purpose with this type of essay is to tell the reader how to complete a specific process, often including a step-by-step guide or something similar.

Compare and Contrast Essay

You might have done this in school with two different books or characters, but the ultimate goal is to draw similarities and differences between any two given subjects.

The Main Stages of Essay Writing

When it comes to writing an essay, many students think the only stage is getting all your ideas down on paper and submitting your work. However, that’s not quite the case. 

There are three main stages of writing an essay, each one with its own purpose. Of course, writing the essay itself is the most substantial part, but the other two stages are equally as important.

So, what are these three stages of essay writing? They are:

Preparation

Before you even write one word, it’s important to prepare the content and structure of your essay. If a topic wasn’t assigned to you, then the first thing you should do is settle on a topic. Next, you want to conduct your research on that topic and create a detailed outline based on your research. The preparation stage will make writing your essay that much easier since, with your outline and research, you should already have the skeleton of your essay.

Writing is the most time-consuming stage. In this stage, you will write out all your thoughts and ideas and craft your essay based on your outline. You’ll work on developing your ideas and fleshing them out throughout the introduction, body, and conclusion (more on these soon).

In the final stage, you’ll go over your essay and check for a few things. First, you’ll check if your essay is cohesive, if all the points make sense and are related to your topic, and that your facts are cited and backed up. You can also check for typos, grammar and punctuation mistakes, and formatting errors.  

The Five-Paragraph Essay

We mentioned earlier that essay writing follows a specific structure, and for the most part in academic or college essays , the five-paragraph essay is the generally accepted structure you’ll be expected to use. 

The five-paragraph essay is broken down into one introduction paragraph, three body paragraphs, and a closing paragraph. However, that doesn’t always mean that an essay is written strictly in five paragraphs, but rather that this structure can be used loosely and the three body paragraphs might become three sections instead.

Let’s take a closer look at each section and what it entails.

Introduction

As the name implies, the purpose of your introduction paragraph is to introduce your idea. A good introduction begins with a “hook,” something that grabs your reader’s attention and makes them excited to read more. 

Another key tenant of an introduction is a thesis statement, which usually comes towards the end of the introduction itself. Your thesis statement should be a phrase that explains your argument, position, or central idea that you plan on developing throughout the essay. 

You can also include a short outline of what to expect in your introduction, including bringing up brief points that you plan on explaining more later on in the body paragraphs.

Here is where most of your essay happens. The body paragraphs are where you develop your ideas and bring up all the points related to your main topic. 

In general, you’re meant to have three body paragraphs, or sections, and each one should bring up a different point. Think of it as bringing up evidence. Each paragraph is a different piece of evidence, and when the three pieces are taken together, it backs up your main point — your thesis statement — really well.

That being said, you still want each body paragraph to be tied together in some way so that the essay flows. The points should be distinct enough, but they should relate to each other, and definitely to your thesis statement. Each body paragraph works to advance your point, so when crafting your essay, it’s important to keep this in mind so that you avoid going off-track or writing things that are off-topic.

Many students aren’t sure how to write a conclusion for an essay and tend to see their conclusion as an afterthought, but this section is just as important as the rest of your work. 

You shouldn’t be presenting any new ideas in your conclusion, but you should summarize your main points and show how they back up your thesis statement. 

Essentially, the conclusion is similar in structure and content to the introduction, but instead of introducing your essay, it should be wrapping up the main thoughts and presenting them to the reader as a singular closed argument. 

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Steps to Writing an Essay

Now that you have a better idea of an essay’s structure and all the elements that go into it, you might be wondering what the different steps are to actually write your essay. 

Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. Instead of going in blind, follow these steps on how to write your essay from start to finish.

Understand Your Assignment

When writing an essay for an assignment, the first critical step is to make sure you’ve read through your assignment carefully and understand it thoroughly. You want to check what type of essay is required, that you understand the topic, and that you pay attention to any formatting or structural requirements. You don’t want to lose marks just because you didn’t read the assignment carefully.

Research Your Topic

Once you understand your assignment, it’s time to do some research. In this step, you should start looking at different sources to get ideas for what points you want to bring up throughout your essay. 

Search online or head to the library and get as many resources as possible. You don’t need to use them all, but it’s good to start with a lot and then narrow down your sources as you become more certain of your essay’s direction.

Start Brainstorming

After research comes the brainstorming. There are a lot of different ways to start the brainstorming process . Here are a few you might find helpful:

• Think about what you found during your research that interested you the most
• Jot down all your ideas, even if they’re not yet fully formed
• Create word clouds or maps for similar terms or ideas that come up so you can group them together based on their similarities
• Try freewriting to get all your ideas out before arranging them

Create a Thesis

This is often the most tricky part of the whole process since you want to create a thesis that’s strong and that you’re about to develop throughout the entire essay. Therefore, you want to choose a thesis statement that’s broad enough that you’ll have enough to say about it, but not so broad that you can’t be precise. 

Write Your Outline

Armed with your research, brainstorming sessions, and your thesis statement, the next step is to write an outline. 

In the outline, you’ll want to put your thesis statement at the beginning and start creating the basic skeleton of how you want your essay to look. 

A good way to tackle an essay is to use topic sentences . A topic sentence is like a mini-thesis statement that is usually the first sentence of a new paragraph. This sentence introduces the main idea that will be detailed throughout the paragraph. 

If you create an outline with the topic sentences for your body paragraphs and then a few points of what you want to discuss, you’ll already have a strong starting point when it comes time to sit down and write. This brings us to our next step… 

Write a First Draft

The first time you write your entire essay doesn’t need to be perfect, but you do need to get everything on the page so that you’re able to then write a second draft or review it afterward. 

Everyone’s writing process is different. Some students like to write their essay in the standard order of intro, body, and conclusion, while others prefer to start with the “meat” of the essay and tackle the body, and then fill in the other sections afterward. 

Make sure your essay follows your outline and that everything relates to your thesis statement and your points are backed up by the research you did. 

Revise, Edit, and Proofread

The revision process is one of the three main stages of writing an essay, yet many people skip this step thinking their work is done after the first draft is complete. 

However, proofreading, reviewing, and making edits on your essay can spell the difference between a B paper and an A.

After writing the first draft, try and set your essay aside for a few hours or even a day or two, and then come back to it with fresh eyes to review it. You might find mistakes or inconsistencies you missed or better ways to formulate your arguments.

Add the Finishing Touches

Finally, you’ll want to make sure everything that’s required is in your essay. Review your assignment again and see if all the requirements are there, such as formatting rules, citations, quotes, etc. 

Go over the order of your paragraphs and make sure everything makes sense, flows well, and uses the same writing style . 

Once everything is checked and all the last touches are added, give your essay a final read through just to ensure it’s as you want it before handing it in. 

A good way to do this is to read your essay out loud since you’ll be able to hear if there are any mistakes or inaccuracies.

Essay Writing Tips

With the steps outlined above, you should be able to craft a great essay. Still, there are some other handy tips we’d recommend just to ensure that the essay writing process goes as smoothly as possible.

• Start your essay early. This is the first tip for a reason. It’s one of the most important things you can do to write a good essay. If you start it the night before, then you won’t have enough time to research, brainstorm, and outline — and you surely won’t have enough time to review.
• Don’t try and write it in one sitting. It’s ok if you need to take breaks or write it over a few days. It’s better to write it in multiple sittings so that you have a fresh mind each time and you’re able to focus.
• Always keep the essay question in mind. If you’re given an assigned question, then you should always keep it handy when writing your essay to make sure you’re always working to answer the question.
• Use transitions between paragraphs. In order to improve the readability of your essay, try and make clear transitions between paragraphs. This means trying to relate the end of one paragraph to the beginning of the next one so the shift doesn’t seem random.
• Integrate your research thoughtfully. Add in citations or quotes from your research materials to back up your thesis and main points. This will show that you did the research and that your thesis is backed up by it.

Wrapping Up

Writing an essay doesn’t need to be daunting if you know how to approach it. Using our essay writing steps and tips, you’ll have better knowledge on how to write an essay and you’ll be able to apply it to your next assignment. Once you do this a few times, it will become more natural to you and the essay writing process will become quicker and easier.

If you still need assistance with your essay, check with a student advisor to see if they offer help with writing. At University of the People(UoPeople), we always want our students to succeed, so our student advisors are ready to help with writing skills when necessary. 

Related Articles

8 Pieces of Advice for Beginners in Essay Writing 

It’s great to be a beginner in something. There’s so much that you can learn!

A popular belief is that perfecting a certain skill is easier than learning it from scratch, but that’s not quite true. In fact, learning the basics is often the most exciting part. 

Essay writing is a complex skill , and to master it, one needs a lot of knowledge and practice.

But basically, it comes down to a simple scheme that you need to hone to perfection. To learn this scheme, you need to be a diligent student, attend classes, and read textbooks.

There’s also an abundance of essay writing guides online if you want additional information. 

So, we’re not going to offer you yet another step-by-step writing guide here.

Instead, here is a list of the best pieces of advice that are not so obvious but will certainly be of great help to any beginner:

1. Believe In Yourself

First and foremost, you have to believe that you can learn to write essays well.

There can be nothing worse than trying to come up with something decent while being sure that nothing good will ever come of it.

So, be brave. Don’t sit there looking at a blank piece of paper or an empty document on your laptop screen. Write something! 

2. Learn Your Theory

However creative you are, you won’t be able to write an academic paper without knowing your theory.

So, make sure to attend your lectures and seminars, and read your textbooks ! The more you do it, the less you have to study on your own. 

However, students, even the most diligent ones, often need additional information on essay writing theory to learn it well

 If you are one of such students, don’t hesitate to look for essay writing guides for beginners online. But be careful to only use reliable sources! 

3. Analyze Sample Essays

Knowing the theory is great, but then again, most students find it difficult to put theory into practice.

If you’re experiencing the same problem, here’s how you can solve it: analyze example essays! 

Be aware that perfect examples are not that easy to find. Of course, there are a lot of samples online, but how can one tell if they are written properly? To avoid repeating other student’s mistakes, only study example essays provided by reliable sources.

The best way to obtain a perfect sample essay that’s tailored to meet all your teacher’s requirements is to order it from a professional writer.

But be careful! There are a lot of scams on the internet, so take your time and find the custom essay service that can guarantee high-quality work.

A reputable source should list their authors and allow you to communicate to them in the process. 

4. Make Mind Maps

Mind maps have become very popular recently, and that’s for a reason. Creating a mind map is a great visual way to structure your thoughts on any subject – including your essay topic.

So, if you’re struggling to come up with ideas concerning your topic, try drawing a mind map first, and proceed with writing your essay afterward. 

The simplest way to make a mind map is by using good old pen and paper, but you can use technological means, too, if you like.

There are a lot of online tools for such purposes, and it’s not too difficult to find those that are most suitable for students .

5. Read a Lot

Reading is key to writing well. That’s no news – you’ve probably heard it thousands of times before.

But do you really follow this advice? If not, then you’re seriously sabotaging your development as a student and a writer!

Another important thing is, you need to watch what you read. There’s a lot of low-quality writing online and even in print – don’t waste your time on it!

Instead, read classic fiction and quality editorials: the former will teach you descriptive writing, and the latter – persuasive and argumentative. 

6. Expand Your Vocabulary

A great side effect of reading is expanding your vocabulary in the process. Many words and phrases we get from context, and, after seeing them here and there several times, can start using them unconsciously.

This trick can significantly improve your writing style, especially if you’re not a native English speaker.  

If you want to accelerate the process, highlight or write out all the interesting words and phrases while you read, and then check their meanings and how they are used in a sentence. 

It’s also important to know and use synonyms in your writing in order to make your texts engaging and easy to read.

So, you feel like you overuse certain words, find and learn a few of their synonyms.

7. Engage In Discussions

When you read or watch something, or when you hear the news, or when you become witness to a certain situation, you get some impressions that are likely to provoke some thoughts.

Don’t keep them to yourself – share them with friends, relatives, followers on social media. Start a discussion! 

Knowing how to initiate and conduct discussions is very important if you want to learn how to write good essays because it encompasses the same process of developing and defending your statements, arguments , and counterarguments.

So, if you feel like you’re stuck on your topic, just discuss it with someone!

8. Keep a Journal

Keeping a journal is a popular way of training one’s writing abilities. Daily journaling can help you learn how to write better essays in many ways. 

Namely, it:

• helps you explore new ideas;
• gives an opportunity to engage in writing on a regular basis; 
• develops analytical skills and critical thinking; 
• helps you polish your writing style and hone language skills. 

What, you still don’t have a journal? Then it’s high time to start one! 

Afterthoughts

Even if you follow all of the pieces of advice listed above, remember that your first essays written on your own may turn out to be not so impressive.

You may even get mediocre marks for your first attempts but don’t get downhearted if this happens!

Remember – practice makes perfect.

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7 Pieces of Advice I'd Like to Give to My Younger Self

Founder & CEO of The Happiness Planner

This post originally appeared on BrandMentalist.com

Looking back to my younger years, I am sometimes amazed at how life has turned. Nothing is exactly what I had originally planned for. The only thing that stays the same is who I am, my values, and my interests.

Fast forward to today, I have moved to a new country and to two different cities. Most importantly I have got myself involved in a lot of things I would have never thought of if I was living a mundane life and tried to stick to plans. Nonetheless, I have summed up what I have learned -- the new perspectives on life. And if I could go back in time and hang out with my younger self for a day, here's what I will tell her.

1. Everything happens for a reason.

Whether it's good or bad, everything comes into your life for a reason, even though at the time, something might seem to come into your life to hurt you. It is only natural to feel like things are not meant to happen this way -- people are not meant to leave, you are not meant to get rejected, accidents are not meant to happen -- and if you had done something differently, the situation might have turned out different. However, as time has passed, you realize that things were supposed to happen the way they did because one event led to another. People come into your life to teach you something. Things that seemed horrible, painful, or unfair at the time happened for a reason. And in reflection, you realize that they happened to help you become stronger.

So here's the advice I'd like to give to my younger self:

Everything happens for a reason -- understand this. Without mistakes and failure, you would have never learned. Without breakups, you would have never met someone new. Without pain, you would have never grown. Once you understand this -- really understand this -- you will know that everything comes in to serve a purpose and then it will go. You will not dwell on disappointments or view unfortunate events as regrets. But rather, you'd see them as opportunities in disguise -- only those with a sharp brain and a spiritual mind can understand the fleeting nature of events in life. So don't stress or ever think that life is unfair, because everything happens for a reason. And only time will tell.

2. Focus on one thing at a time. You can have it all but not all at once.

It seems like we forever debate on the topic of productivity whether it's practical for us to multitask. At one point in my life, I was multitasking like an expert. I got myself involved in 3 start-ups plus my own consulting work, another writing gig, and managing this blog. I was single and had all the time in the world to myself. So why not keep myself busy right? I thought I could manage. I thought I could wait to see which startup would take off first and that would become my main focus for years to come. But I was wrong. I felt overwhelmed. I was multitasking too much. At the end of the day, I realize that none of the startups was my true dreams. This blog is my true passion. Having my own brand is my true passion. Nonetheless, the experience I had while I was at the start-ups taught me quite a few things. I learned what it's like to pitch to investors. I learned about growth hacking and a bit of coding. I met so many talented people during those times whom I'm still friends with and can ask for business advice. I don't regret my decision for taking on too many things. Although none of them succeeded because I did not focus, I learned a great deal. And I believe the process which you may feel like you have wasted time in is actually needed for you to grow and learn so that you can be ready.

Focus on one thing at a time. You can have it all in life, but not all at once. And if you don't keep your focus right, you might not achieve anything.

It is not surprising that many of us are doing too many things at once. We need to make ends meet. Working on a start-up that is our dream can be an emotional burden for us in the early days. But doing three jobs at a time, rarely you will succeed at any of them. You need to put all of your energy towards it -- whatever it is you want to achieve the most in life. You have to keep your eyes on the big picture. Extra few hundred dollars might help you make ends meet but the opportunity cost might actually be worth thousands. Can you move back to your parents' to save rent for half a year? Can you sacrifice eating out to work on your dream? I got distracted several times over the past few years because every opportunity presented in front of me seemed great. They seemed interesting, seemed to potential, and seemed to align with my interests. However, opportunities will keep coming in. You have to ask yourself what exactly is it that you want to achieve for the next 10 years? What is that one main goal? Make it a priority. Focus on one thing at a time. Achieve your goal one by one. Make a to-do list and a bucketlist and work towards ticking them off ONE BY ONE.

3. You can plan ahead but your plan will definitely change when the time comes.

I remember so vividly that when I was a kid I used to dream of going to an Ivy league. I wanted to go to the US for college. I wanted to work in branding in New York. I had it all mapped out in my head and I was working on the plan to achieve those goals. Fast forward to today -- my plan has changed completely, as if there was never any plan. My goal to go to the US fell through. I ended up in Zurich, Switzerland, and instantly fell in love with the place. But then, I had to leave. I cried really hard on my flight back. Then, never did I thought I would actually move to Australia for college (well, they call it university here)... or actually, for good. I didn't even know where Melbourne was. I'd been to Sydney and I loved it. So I moved to Australia to study Marketing and half way through it I ended up studying Entertainment (Music) Business Management instead. I became a club promoter to make new friends and happened to become one of the most well-known promoters in 2010. Everything happened like the snowball effect. One event after another -- life was flowing like crazy. I had the happiest years of my life. The next thing I knew, I started to adopt the Australian way of life and started to "go with the flow" instead of planning things too far ahead. I learned to be spontaneous and embrace life as it comes. I found myself opportunities and jumped into them without fear -- like becoming a promoter even though I didn't know anyone to start with.

You can plan ahead because sometimes planning ahead can give you a clearer direction of where you want to go, drive you, and motivate you. The planning process can teach you something. However, don't be too fixated on a plan. Plans will almost definitely always change -- be prepared! Live life with open arms. You will go where you're supposed to be headed. Don't stress.

4. Trust your instincts.

Doubt occurs several times throughout our lives. It could be in the job you're not happy waking up to doing everyday, in the relationship you wonder whether it will last, in the people you've just met and whether you can trust them, or in the move you have to make and whether you should go left or right.

Prior to writing this article, I asked 20 friends of mine "what life lessons would you like to give to their younger self?". This is the one answer I particularly like,

The sooner in life you realize that you gain more from feeling your way through than thinking your way through , the better life is and the more you can achieve.

There are a lot of factors that influence the way we think, the way we feel, and the way we see the world. A lot of it has to do with our upbringing. Some parents are more logical than other. Some are free-spirited, artistic and creative. Some are practical and pragmatic. This has become the way of life for us and how we react to things in life.

I myself grew up with a conservative Asian mother who is very pragmatic and practical and a father who is a creative thinker. Even though I possess innate artistic abilities, I am still heavily influenced by my mother's practical nature which makes me more inclined to find logic in things. However, as I get older, I realize that no matter how logical some things are, if they don't feel right, sooner or later you will realize that they are not right. And if you ever have any doubt between two choices -- one choice follows logic; the other follows heart -- always follow your heart.

Having lived overseas over the past seven years without my family in this new city, I've learned to embrace autonomy and make decisions on my own. With so much freedom in hands, it's sometimes hard to pick between choices. However, after several trials and errors, I can assure you that your gut instincts never lie. They are always right. Even if you follow logic in the beginning, you will change your mind later, and let your heart win.

Don't worry too much about a decision you have to make. Don't try to weigh pros and cons and follow logic. Just do what feels right. Do what you believe would make you most happy. You know what you want. You might consult other people. But deep down, you know what you want. You don't need to seek outside assurance to confirm what your heart knows best. Do what makes you happy. Because at the end of the day, even if you follow logic, you will want to quit and follow your heart.

Always. If something doesn't feel right or you have doubt in it, even just for a little bit, it's probably not right.

5. It's OK to be unsure about your purpose in life.

At one point in life, you might stop and ask yourself "what is your purpose in life?". The thing you're working on doesn't seem to give your life meaning anymore. You feel like you have lost your purpose. You try to search for it. And... as you keep going, you might feel a bit lost, confused, and unsure.

I was one of those super determined kids who tried to map her life out and plan ahead in the best possible way. I was passionate about a lot of things and I was very good at all of the things I was passionate about. However, when I graduated, I felt a bit lost. Suddenly, there were so many options to choose from. Even though I knew exactly what my passions were, picking that one career path I thought was going to fulfill me on a deeper level and make me feel like I'm living a purposeful life wasn't so easy. I had to dip my toes into quite a few different things -- each took at least a few months until I realized it's not my purpose in life. With pressure from parents and the society -- where some people seem to be sticking to one career path -- can make you feel a bit like a loser. However, without trying so many different things, I wouldn't have known what I know now. I wouldn't be the confident and assured person I am today.

You might be graduating or have hit a turning point in your life with career. You might feel a bit lost and not sure where to go. It's okay. Go out there and try as many different things as you can. Don't ever feel like you're wasting your time. The process that you'll be going through will shape you into who you will be. If you let your intuition guide you, you will almost certainly be in your most fulfilled place in the future when your find your purpose in life. Enjoy the journey. Don't rush. Every little path you have to go through will lead you somewhere. And looking back, you will be able to connect the dots. It will all make sense.

6. Don't try too hard with people

Dating can sometimes feel tiring when you have been going on dates for a while and feel like you don't meet anyone that you really like or get along with really well. Once in a while you meet someone who seems to tick all of your boxes. However, you still have to work hard to make it work. You try to impress them. You learn about their interests. You make sure that you portray yourself as the person of their dreams as well. It's all hard work, isn't it? Then a couple of months down the track, you realize that this is never going to work -- it's too much work!

Besides dating, entering college, starting a new job, and moving to a new city, you will certainly have to make new friends. It can sometimes be a little awkward when you don't know anyone. Sometimes you try very hard to get along with people. You try to fit in -- only to end up feeling uncomfortable with yourself and have to go back to who you truly are. Making new friends is not easy especially if you are not very outgoing. You may sometimes feel like you have to make a lot of effort with people -- in trying to be friends and get close to someone. However, this can be tiring and sometimes you just want to back off and be home alone.

I'm sure you have been in a situation where you feel like the people you meet are not like you. You have to try hard to get the conversation going. It doesn't flow. It's like going on the first date with someone you don't feel like kissing at the end of the night -- it's a little awkward and uncomfortable. And even though you manage to become friends with them, deep down, you don't feel very happy. You just hang out with them for the sake of going out, for that you can feel like you have an exciting social life. However, you'd rather just be home curled up in your PJs and watch your favorite TV shows. You feel much happier....but you feel a little bit like a loser with no social life.

Yup, I've been in that kind of situation several times. Sometimes it's because you tag along someone and you don't particularly get along with their friends. Sometimes it's your work mates, so you have to try very hard to get along with them. Sometimes it's the people you meet and go on dates with. Things just don't flow naturally. The conversation doesn't flow -- you have to THINK ABOUT what you should talk to that person about.

One day I got tired of this process. I decided that I was not going to go to any work drinks I don't particularly enjoy anymore. I was not going to try to make friends with people whom I have to THINK ABOUT what to talk about. Weirdly enough, by stopping putting up with this and trying too hard with people, I started to attract people who are similar to me. All of a sudden I started to be surrounded by people are similar to me, share the same world view, and have similar interests. The conversation just flows. There's no hard work required. Work drinks just seem to go on forever until late hours without me trying to find an excuse to leave.

Don't worry if you feel like it's hard to make new friends. Don't worry if you feel like you haven't met anyone who's like you and you feel absolutely happy to be around. Just be yourself and be as open as you can. Never stop going to events or attend Meet Ups of your interests and do your thing. The people who are compatible with you will find their ways to you. They will instantly be attracted to you as much as you are attracted to them. The conversation will flow. Both of you will feel like there's no hard work. It might take a while until you find those people -- new best friends and a mate for life -- but when you do, you will know it. It's not hard work. So, just do your thing and be yourself.

7. Take a leap of faith in yourself

It can be scary to feel like we have nothing else and no one else to rely on but ourselves. But if you have a dream, whatever that may be, you cannot rely on someone else but yourself to make that come true. The bigger our dreams are, the scarier it seems to take a leap of faith in ourselves and jump. If you have never achieved anything in your life, it can be very hard to take a big jump. However, starting from small steps, you will slowly gain self-confidence and self-esteem. And one day, you will be ready to take a big jump.

For me, it started from applying for smaller competitions. However, the first big jump I had to make was the move to Australia on my own. It was scary. I didn't know anyone. However, with my independent nature, I did not have a hard time moving somewhere on my own. The bigger jump I had to make was in convincing myself that I could achieve anything I wanted to achieve. I decided to be a club promoter. As a foreigner, that was almost the most foolish idea. I didn't know anyone -- how would I get people to go through the door so I could get paid for it? That was the first leap of faith I took in myself, in taking initiative and making things happen. I just took that challenge up and found a way to make myself become well-known in the area at the time. That success led me to transition into Australia smoothly. My life became extremely exciting for a few years. Most importantly. it's the first step I took where I took a leap of faith in myself and I made it. I then know if I want something to happen, I have no one else to count on but me -- I have to believe in me and trust in my own ability to make it come true.

The second jump I made was to become a writer. For anyone who has always wanted to write "publicly" but has only just started or still hasn't started yet, you know how hard it is to actually start your first official blog post where you pour your heart and brain out without the fear of being judged. That's right, we are all scared of being judged and that's the fear most artists face. I always dreamed of becoming a writer. As a child, I used to write a novel and passed it around to my classmates to read. I used to write stories and submit them to comic books. As I got older, I got busier with school and didn't have time to write novels or poetry anymore. However, I still enjoyed writing essays -- I really did. And only just about two years ago when I first started writing my own content without sharing other people's quotes, I dreamed of one day becoming a writer with articles published on big publications. To be honest, I didn't think I would make it. But somehow when I have a goal in mind, I like to strategically think about how I can reach that goal. So when I decided to become a writer, I spent time crafting my writing skill. I looked up how I could have my articles published on big publications and took another leap of faith in myself again. What else did I have to lose? I could only just try again and again until I succeed.

The third jump was when I decided to invest money in my current business, The Happiness Planner . I have always loved stationery, design, and branding, but somehow I was never sure how I was going to make my dreams come true. My blog has given birth to the idea of The Happiness Planner. I knew there was something missing in the market and I was sure there was a demand for it. I started doing some research, designed the pages, and took a leap of faith in myself by investing in it. After achieving smaller milestones in my life, I now believe that I can achieve anything I set my mind to and give it all I've got. The sale has been great so far and I'm even more excited about how I can expand the product line and inspire more people with this beautiful unique stationery line that focuses on self-development.

Take a leap of faith in yourself. You've got nothing to lose but everything to gain. If you fail, you'll become smarter, If you succeed, you'll gain even more self-confidence and the emotional and financial rewards. You'll never know the limit of how much you can achieve until you take a leap of faith in yourself and try. Keep your focus right. Invest in yourself. Accelerate your learning curve. See life as a progressive journey. And you'll most certainly always achieve anything you set your mind to.

Mo is the owner of BrandMentalist.com , an inspirational blog about modern life wisdoms, and the founder of The Happiness Planner , a planner designed to help you welcome more positivity, joy, and happiness into your life.

If you'd like to follow Mo's posts via email, please sign up here.

Follow her on Twitter @BrandMentalist and Instagram @BrandMentalist and @HappinessPlanner

This blog post is part of a series for HuffPost Moments Not Milestones called 'Lived and Learned: What I Want My Younger Self To Know.' To see all the other posts in the series, click here .

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• How to write an essay introduction | 4 steps & examples

How to Write an Essay Introduction | 4 Steps & Examples

Published on February 4, 2019 by Shona McCombes . Revised on July 23, 2023.

A good introduction paragraph is an essential part of any academic essay . It sets up your argument and tells the reader what to expect.

The main goals of an introduction are to:

• Catch your reader’s attention.
• Give background on your topic.
• Present your thesis statement —the central point of your essay.

This introduction example is taken from our interactive essay example on the history of Braille.

The invention of Braille was a major turning point in the history of disability. The writing system of raised dots used by visually impaired people was developed by Louis Braille in nineteenth-century France. In a society that did not value disabled people in general, blindness was particularly stigmatized, and lack of access to reading and writing was a significant barrier to social participation. The idea of tactile reading was not entirely new, but existing methods based on sighted systems were difficult to learn and use. As the first writing system designed for blind people’s needs, Braille was a groundbreaking new accessibility tool. It not only provided practical benefits, but also helped change the cultural status of blindness. This essay begins by discussing the situation of blind people in nineteenth-century Europe. It then describes the invention of Braille and the gradual process of its acceptance within blind education. Subsequently, it explores the wide-ranging effects of this invention on blind people’s social and cultural lives.

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Table of contents

Step 1: hook your reader, step 2: give background information, step 3: present your thesis statement, step 4: map your essay’s structure, step 5: check and revise, more examples of essay introductions, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about the essay introduction.

Your first sentence sets the tone for the whole essay, so spend some time on writing an effective hook.

Avoid long, dense sentences—start with something clear, concise and catchy that will spark your reader’s curiosity.

The hook should lead the reader into your essay, giving a sense of the topic you’re writing about and why it’s interesting. Avoid overly broad claims or plain statements of fact.

Examples: Writing a good hook

Take a look at these examples of weak hooks and learn how to improve them.

• Braille was an extremely important invention.
• The invention of Braille was a major turning point in the history of disability.

The first sentence is a dry fact; the second sentence is more interesting, making a bold claim about exactly  why the topic is important.

• The internet is defined as “a global computer network providing a variety of information and communication facilities.”
• The spread of the internet has had a world-changing effect, not least on the world of education.

Avoid using a dictionary definition as your hook, especially if it’s an obvious term that everyone knows. The improved example here is still broad, but it gives us a much clearer sense of what the essay will be about.

• Mary Shelley’s  Frankenstein is a famous book from the nineteenth century.
• Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein is often read as a crude cautionary tale about the dangers of scientific advancement.

Instead of just stating a fact that the reader already knows, the improved hook here tells us about the mainstream interpretation of the book, implying that this essay will offer a different interpretation.

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Next, give your reader the context they need to understand your topic and argument. Depending on the subject of your essay, this might include:

• Historical, geographical, or social context
• An outline of the debate you’re addressing
• A summary of relevant theories or research about the topic
• Definitions of key terms

The information here should be broad but clearly focused and relevant to your argument. Don’t give too much detail—you can mention points that you will return to later, but save your evidence and interpretation for the main body of the essay.

How much space you need for background depends on your topic and the scope of your essay. In our Braille example, we take a few sentences to introduce the topic and sketch the social context that the essay will address:

Now it’s time to narrow your focus and show exactly what you want to say about the topic. This is your thesis statement —a sentence or two that sums up your overall argument.

This is the most important part of your introduction. A  good thesis isn’t just a statement of fact, but a claim that requires evidence and explanation.

The goal is to clearly convey your own position in a debate or your central point about a topic.

Particularly in longer essays, it’s helpful to end the introduction by signposting what will be covered in each part. Keep it concise and give your reader a clear sense of the direction your argument will take.

As you research and write, your argument might change focus or direction as you learn more.

For this reason, it’s often a good idea to wait until later in the writing process before you write the introduction paragraph—it can even be the very last thing you write.

When you’ve finished writing the essay body and conclusion , you should return to the introduction and check that it matches the content of the essay.

It’s especially important to make sure your thesis statement accurately represents what you do in the essay. If your argument has gone in a different direction than planned, tweak your thesis statement to match what you actually say.

To polish your writing, you can use something like a paraphrasing tool .

You can use the checklist below to make sure your introduction does everything it’s supposed to.

Checklist: Essay introduction

My first sentence is engaging and relevant.

I have introduced the topic with necessary background information.

I have defined any important terms.

My thesis statement clearly presents my main point or argument.

Everything in the introduction is relevant to the main body of the essay.

You have a strong introduction - now make sure the rest of your essay is just as good.

• Argumentative
• Literary analysis

This introduction to an argumentative essay sets up the debate about the internet and education, and then clearly states the position the essay will argue for.

The spread of the internet has had a world-changing effect, not least on the world of education. The use of the internet in academic contexts is on the rise, and its role in learning is hotly debated. For many teachers who did not grow up with this technology, its effects seem alarming and potentially harmful. This concern, while understandable, is misguided. The negatives of internet use are outweighed by its critical benefits for students and educators—as a uniquely comprehensive and accessible information source; a means of exposure to and engagement with different perspectives; and a highly flexible learning environment.

This introduction to a short expository essay leads into the topic (the invention of the printing press) and states the main point the essay will explain (the effect of this invention on European society).

In many ways, the invention of the printing press marked the end of the Middle Ages. The medieval period in Europe is often remembered as a time of intellectual and political stagnation. Prior to the Renaissance, the average person had very limited access to books and was unlikely to be literate. The invention of the printing press in the 15th century allowed for much less restricted circulation of information in Europe, paving the way for the Reformation.

This introduction to a literary analysis essay , about Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein , starts by describing a simplistic popular view of the story, and then states how the author will give a more complex analysis of the text’s literary devices.

Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein is often read as a crude cautionary tale. Arguably the first science fiction novel, its plot can be read as a warning about the dangers of scientific advancement unrestrained by ethical considerations. In this reading, and in popular culture representations of the character as a “mad scientist”, Victor Frankenstein represents the callous, arrogant ambition of modern science. However, far from providing a stable image of the character, Shelley uses shifting narrative perspectives to gradually transform our impression of Frankenstein, portraying him in an increasingly negative light as the novel goes on. While he initially appears to be a naive but sympathetic idealist, after the creature’s narrative Frankenstein begins to resemble—even in his own telling—the thoughtlessly cruel figure the creature represents him as.

If you want to know more about AI tools , college essays , or fallacies make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples or go directly to our tools!

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Your essay introduction should include three main things, in this order:

• An opening hook to catch the reader’s attention.
• Relevant background information that the reader needs to know.
• A thesis statement that presents your main point or argument.

The length of each part depends on the length and complexity of your essay .

The “hook” is the first sentence of your essay introduction . It should lead the reader into your essay, giving a sense of why it’s interesting.

To write a good hook, avoid overly broad statements or long, dense sentences. Try to start with something clear, concise and catchy that will spark your reader’s curiosity.

A thesis statement is a sentence that sums up the central point of your paper or essay . Everything else you write should relate to this key idea.

The thesis statement is essential in any academic essay or research paper for two main reasons:

• It gives your writing direction and focus.
• It gives the reader a concise summary of your main point.

Without a clear thesis statement, an essay can end up rambling and unfocused, leaving your reader unsure of exactly what you want to say.

The structure of an essay is divided into an introduction that presents your topic and thesis statement , a body containing your in-depth analysis and arguments, and a conclusion wrapping up your ideas.

The structure of the body is flexible, but you should always spend some time thinking about how you can organize your essay to best serve your ideas.

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Well-Being • Wisdom

17 Nuggets of Wisdom We Wish We Could Tell Our Younger Selves

Marina Khidekel

There are a lot of great things about being an adult — including, but not limited to, setting our own bedtimes and owning the pet of our choice. But perhaps most importantly, with age comes the wisdom and perspective we only wish we had when we were younger.

This Is Us actress Mandy Moore opened up to Variety about some of the key lessons she’s learned since she first entered the entertainment business: “I feel like I’m operating at my best now. I know what I want; I know how to ask for it; I know how to not settle until I get that,” she told the magazine. “I’m better at stepping up to the plate and acknowledging the value I bring to the plate . I guess that just only comes with the wisdom and clarity of time and age.”

Though we can’t go back in time, we can reflect on the hard-earned knowledge we wish we had known then. We can even use it to inspire our future selves.

So we asked members of the Thrive Global community to share the advice they would give their younger, greener selves . Here’s what they wished they’d known earlier:

Stop changing yourself to make other people happy

“My younger self probably wouldn’t listen to any long-winded advice, so I’d keep it simple and say: ‘Stop trying to change yourself to please others, and start focusing on the things that fill you with joy. You’ll see that you’re enough…exactly as you are.’”

—Susie Ramroop, mindset coach, London, England

It’s OK to fail

“I would tell my younger self that it’s OK to fail and keep trying. I spent so much time beating myself up and feeling depressed over my first business that didn’t work out. Only years later, I now realise that it was merely a stepping stone to bigger and better things. Without failure, there’s no lesson. Every idea won’t be a success — especially the first one — and you’ll need to get back up many times in life. Entrepreneurship is built on belief, courage, and strength, and unless you’re willing to fail, you’ll never succeed.”

—Raimonda Jankunaite, entrepreneur, speaker, mentor, and founder, UK

Know your worth and ask for what you want

“I would stop believing the lie that I wasn’t qualified or worthy to ask for what I deserved. My male counterparts seemed to have no problem asking for exactly what they desired. If I wanted the job or the opportunity, I would say to ask for it — I don’t need to wait until I feel 100 percent qualified, because that won’t happen!”

—Kelli Thompson, life and leadership coach, Omaha, NE

Don’t believe your inner critic

“Just because you think it doesn’t mean it’s true. For years I believed all my negative self-talk, as if it had some useful information or was helpful, impartial advice. Now in my late 40s, I understand that this thinking is nothing more than a glitch in the system. It can’t advise or help me — it’s simply a thought, nothing more, nothing less. I have everything I need within me and when I let the unhelpful thinking go, I return to being completely ok.”

—Andrea Morrison, personal performance coach, York, UK

Focus on what you can control

“Time has taught me that we control very little of how life turns out. However, we control nearly every aspect of our response to the situations and events that are out of our control.”

—Colleen Wildenhaus, teacher, writer, and founder, Columbus, OH

Remember that you’re the director of your life story

“Surround yourself with people, places, and things that make you feel safe, lucky, and successful. You are the director of your life story, so live it the way you’d want to see it on the big screen.”   

—Carrie McEachran, executive director and founder, Mooretown, Ontario, Canada

Cut yourself some slack

“I’d say that it’s okay to relax a little, lighten up, and kick back. It’ll be alright.”

—Janice Taylor, career coach and writer, Brighton, UK

Don’t let others’ expectations drown out your desires

“It’s fine to not want what others expect you to. Everyone doesn’t want to get married and start a family. Taking ownership for your own needs and desires requires deep introspection and bravery. Always honour yourself.”

—Marian Toledo, marketing assistant, Ontario, Canada

Bask in the moment

“Memento mori. ‘Remember that you shall die.’ This isn’t morbid — it’s befriending your death and letting it inform your life. Let death drive urgency into your life. Let it make you grateful for all the beauty that elates you.”

—Paul Boardman, funeral chaplain, Seattle, WA

Show people how you want to be treated

“People will treat you the way you let them. Whether it’s a friend, lover, or family… you dictate how they treat you. If you let people disrespect you, there will be a vicious cycle of anger and forgiveness. Often times, when you set emotional boundaries at the start of a relationship, both people understand that respect is a must.”

—Tina Johnson, family travel blogger, Windham, NH  

So much of what we worry about doesn’t matter

“Many of the things we stress out about aren’t that big of a deal. Petty people, deadlines, and our unsure future are all parts of life. While some require our attention, we don’t need to feel extra stress from making things a bigger deal than they need to be. If I had to give my younger self advice, it’d be that there are more important things to worry about. I spent way too much time wondering if a girl liked me, if I would pass my class, or if I would look like an idiot for speaking my mind. Once I let that go and realized that most of our daily challenges aren’t that major, I handled them a lot better, and I began feeling a lot better. I didn’t hold myself back. I had more space to focus on life’s big challenges.”  

—Andrew Kuttain, communications and recruitment specialist, Ontario, Canada

You don’t need a 5-year plan

“Throw that five-year plan out the window! I used to lose countless hours of sleep coming up with how to best position my accomplishments in order to set me up for those notorious one-, three-, and five-year career plans. I’ve learned that if you focus on the now, you’ll still be successful and probably much happier. Harness that energy towards executing your current project well, and the opportunities will naturally present themselves.”

—Hank Hoang, data analytics, Washington, DC

Be more open to feedback

“Accept and value criticism and negative feedback because it’ll be extremely valuable in the years to come. Also, take it less personally because it might not be about you, but rather, the person sharing the feedback.”

—Sabrina Cadini, certified brain fitness coach and life-work balance strategist, San Diego, CA

Invest in yourself

“Invest in your goals and dreams, and allow yourself to become the person you truly want to be. Invest in your mental health, educating yourself, eating healthy and taking care of yourself. Invest in your future and security by investing financially as soon as possible, even if it’s only a nominal amount. You only get one you, so treat yourself like gold. Clothes and trends come in and out of style, but who you decide to be and the body you’re living in is yours for a lifetime. Also wear your sunscreen — sun damage isn’t fashionable at any age.”   

—Karla Kueber, health and wellness blogger, Chicago

Just go for it

“Just do the damn thing, whatever it is! Stop focusing on why it can’t be done or the fear, and just do it. No one’s going to give you permission or an invitation, so stop waiting for it. Stop looking over your shoulder for fear you’re going to be ‘caught’ or called out for being a fraud — you’ve got just as much of a right to be here, engage, and participate as anyone else. You’ve worked so hard, so it’s time to step into your power and intentionally choose success instead of withdrawing and worrying about failure. The future hasn’t happened yet, so make your future whatever you want it to be.”

—Heather Larivee, founder and CEO, Milford, NH

Use your unique traits to your advantage

“Everyone’s a little messed up. The older you get, the more you start to notice how everyone you meet has this side to themselves, and no matter how hard they try to hide it, whatever issue they’re dealing with, your intuition will detect it. What’s important is having the capacity to embrace your craziness, come to terms with it, understand it and learn how to control it because despite its ability to ruin your mindset. It has its purposes, so use it to your advantage.”

—Adam Young, filmmaker, Manchester, UK

Everything’s going to be OK

“I would tell my younger self that it’ll all work out! All the stress and being overwhelmed isn’t worth it. My mom told me once that three bad things may come down the path, but two always fall in the ditch. It took me many years to finally understand that! But it’s the truth. Somehow it all works out.”

—Sharon Torrence Jones, Ed.D., computer science/technology educator, Charlotte, NC

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Dear Life Kit

In NPR Life Kit's advice column, experts answer your most pressing and personal anonymous questions.

10 pieces of well-worn life advice you may need to hear right now

Becky Harlan

Sylvie Douglis

Andee Tagle

Advice is tricky. If it's unwelcome or poorly timed, it can feel like an ill-fitting sweater — constricting, itchy and unflattering. Even if it's solid wisdom, maybe it's just not the right fit or style for the person on the receiving end.

But advice that's desired — and imparted with empathy, experience and humility? That's like a favorite pair of jeans you come back to year after year because they make you feel like the best version of yourself.

To give better advice, try less fixing and more listening

At Life Kit, we interview a lot of people who give advice for a living. We wondered what pointers they keep on steady rotation. So we asked them: What's the best piece of advice you've ever received?

Here are 10 pieces of well-worn advice from therapists, career coaches, relationship experts and writers. We hope you find something that resonates.

Responses have been edited for length and clarity

1. 'There's more than one way to do something'

I remember scrubbing a pan when I was maybe 8 or 9 years old. There was something stuck on the pan that wouldn't come off, and I just kept scrubbing it. My dad stopped me, grabbed a fork and just scraped it off. And he looked at me and said, "Jody, there's more than one way to do something." From that moment on, I've been looking at every problem in my life like how can I do this a different way? — Jody Adewale , clinical psychologist

2. 'The hate will come at the same rate as the love'

The best advice I ever received was that the hate will come at the same rate as the love. There will always be people who are so dissatisfied with themselves that they have to project that onto other people. And instead of trying to focus on the negativity, I tend to try to put more energy into the people and the things that are showing me love, support and good energy. — Kiaundra Jackson , marriage and family therapist

A behavioral scientist's advice for changing your life

3. 'do smaller loads of laundry'.

I used to work at a small grocery store, and before moving away to college, I asked the store manager, "What's the No. 1 thing that I need to know about going away to college?" And he said, "Do smaller loads of laundry. Your clothes will come out cleaner." — Shaun Galanos , a relationship coach and host of The Love Drive podcast

4. 'Being vulnerable means taking off our armor'

I was talking with my therapist about how I didn't mind being vulnerable as long as I knew the other person would be warm, that they wouldn't judge and all of that. And she said, "that's not vulnerable. Being vulnerable means taking off our armor and going in not knowing how we'll be received, but putting ourselves out there a little bit anyway." — Tania Israel , a professor of psychology at the University of California, Santa Barbara

5. 'Go where the energy goes'

The best piece of advice I ever received was "Go where the energy goes." What has good vibes? What makes you feel good about yourself? Where is that good energy? Head in that direction. — Betty Who , pop star and the host of the reality dating series, "The One That Got Away"

Need A Career Change? Here's The Best Job Advice We've Heard On Life Kit

6. 'it's not all about you'.

The best piece of advice I was given was, "Shanita, it's not all about you." When I'm in a situation where a tough decision has to be made and it feels personal, I remind myself it's not all about me, and that I'm one piece of a bigger universe that's at play right now. — Shanita Williams , career coach and the author of Feedback Mentality

7. Expect yourself to change

We all change every five years or so. More or less, we have to expect ourselves to change, and we have to expect people in our lives to change. That little piece of advice has given me a lot of space for room and for growth. — Lindsay Bryan-Podvin , a financial therapist and host of the Mind Money Balance podcast

Dear Life Kit: My husband is living under COVID lockdown. I'm ready to move on

8. 'when people show you who they are, believe them'.

When people show you who they are, believe them. Far too often, I have seen us try to recreate who we want people to be, only to later find out they are exactly what they've been demonstrating. — Nedra Glover Tawwab , licensed therapist and the author of Set Boundaries, Find Peace

9. Pace out your self-improvement

Don't be so overly involved with your self-improvement. Accept the gifts and abilities that you have, and don't spend so much time trying to develop new ones that you sacrifice your gifts. Be yourself. — David Defoe , a psychotherapist who specializes in depression, anxiety and grief

10. It's OK to say 'I don't know'

Something I've benefited a lot from is telling yourself, "I don't know. And that's exactly where I should be when I take that first step." I'm as ready as I ever will be. I'm going to do it, and I'll know more after. — Becky Kennedy , clinical psychologist and author of Good Inside: A Guide to Becoming the Parent You Want to Be

This Life Kit story was produced by our visuals editor Beck Harlan . Our digital editor is Danielle Nett .

The Dear Life Kit series is hosted by Andee Tagle and produced by Beck Harlan and Sylvie Douglis . Bronson Arcuri is the managing producer and Meghan Keane is the supervising editor.

Listen to Life Kit on Apple Podcasts and Spotify , or sign up for our newsletter .

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How to Answer “Tell Me About Yourself” in an Interview (Plus Examples!)

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By Stav Ziv

“Tell me about yourself” might seem like an easy win of an  interview question —after all, you know all about yourself! And good thing, too, because it’s often the very first thing an interviewer will ask you to do—whether you’re having a preliminary phone screen, speaking to your prospective boss, or sitting down with the CEO during the final round.”

Read the full article on The Muse: https://www.themuse.com/advice/tell-me-about-yourself-interview-question-answer-examples