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How to Write a Great Engineering School Personal Statement

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You have spent months researching and identifying the best engineering schools, studying for and completing the SATs, GRE, or other standardized tests, and filling out tedious college applications. You are on the verge of burnout when it hits you: you have to write a personal statement.

How important is it to write a great personal statement? Ask the admissions committee, and they’ll tell you that writing a personal statement is like applying for a job. Stephen J Aguilar, an assistant professor of education at USC, reported in 2020 to Inside Higher Ed that a personal statement should be less revealing and more persuasive. At its core, the personal statement needs to answer these two questions:

• Why are you applying here?
• How do your interests and experiences align with the program or the faculty you’ve identified?

However, the importance of reading and understanding the question prompts cannot be overstated. For example, the University of Iowa College of Engineering, which places 97 percent of its undergraduates in jobs post-graduation and currently has 284 master’s and doctoral students, goes one step further to differentiate personal statements from statements of purpose .

This institution wants to know in the statement of purpose , “Why is this program a good fit for you?” By contrast, the personal statement elicits answers to the question: “Who are you?” and allows applicants to explain themselves to admissions committees regarding academic achievements and life events that have shaped them and will positively influence the campus community.

That said, a personal statement is not just an essay. It has to be intelligent, engaging, typo-free, and capable of convincing admissions reviewers that you are a better fit for their program. Fret not. With lots of research and preparation, you can submit a college essay that reflects your passion and capabilities.

Read on to learn the what, the why, and the how-to of writing great personal statements to gain admission into engineering school.

How Is a Personal Statement Evaluated?

The title "personal statement" is generally synonymous with college essays. However, some admissions professionals use it to refer more specifically to written statements that explore applicants’ program readiness and intentions if admitted. The purpose of these statements for engineering school applicants is three-fold.

First, colleges want to know that they can write well, and not just from a technical perspective. Of course, grammar matters, but perhaps more important is the ability to communicate ideas.

Second, engineering schools want to know who a student is—the nuggets that are not conveyed through a conventional application or school transcripts. This is the written equivalent of the interview question “tell us about yourself” and is the applicant’s chance to share who they are, what they want to do, and how gaining admission to this program will be mutually beneficial.

Finally, colleges want to ensure applicants are familiar with and committed to the program. The best personal statements fulfill these goals, often in 700 words or less.

Does this sound like a tall order? Here are some tips for getting it right.

Six Tips for Writing a Stellar Engineering School Personal Statement

1. Do the research

It may sound simplistic, but one of the most important (and often overlooked) steps toward getting into the right school is taking the time to research a prospective engineering program, review its admissions policies and—this cannot be overstated—read and reread its application essay prompt. Candidates who don’t sufficiently answer an institution’s question or convey some misunderstanding about the prompt or its expectations are unlikely to be admitted.

Prospective students completing the Common Application should take the time to contact each engineering school they are applying to inquire about additional admissions requirements. The Princeton Review emphasizes that a personal statement should not repeat a previously discussed part of your application, nor should its information contradict another part.

2. Go deep, not broad

Personal statement prompts tend to be targeted. Engineering schools want to know what specific qualities or experiences make each student a good fit for their programs. Common inquiries include recalling a time you solved a problem, explaining why you applied, describing your academic goals and intentions, and addressing any extenuating circumstances that might have impacted your school record. Rather than offering a broad synopsis of your life, choose the experience or intent most relevant to the question and explore it in depth.

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology Graduate School offers advice for writing an in-depth personal statement for engineering schools using the “qualified match” approach. The steps include:

• Make a statement that fits the essay prompt, like “I am a dedicated and hard-working student.”
• Quantify your statement with specific details about your life. You might, for example, discuss how many hours per week you spend on school work and how you overcome any obstacles to committing that time.
• Interpret how those details make you a stronger applicant. To continue with the above example, that might include writing about the knowledge you gained during your studies, your time-management skills, your passion for learning, and your commitment to succeed despite challenges.

3. Be relevant

If a personal statement has only one goal, it is to be shown to a review committee that you are the right fit for its school. That’s why applicants to Stanford University’s Institute for Computational & Mathematical Engineering are asked to specify their personal and professional goals in their statement of purpose, as well as discuss their developments and intentions for study and life beyond their doctoral program.

Read the mission statements of each program to get a feel for what they are looking for and keep that in mind as you write. Rather than getting carried away detailing the hours you log volunteering each week, discuss experiences and activities as they relate to your academic and career goals or scientific interests. Also, be sure not to waste valuable ink rehashing information available elsewhere on your application, such as extracurricular activities or your stellar GPA.

4. Avoid gimmicks and cliches

Did you love playing with Legos as a kid? Did those plastic bricks lay the foundation for your drive to be an engineer? If so, the College of Engineering at the University of Washington suggests you are in good company, but not in a good way. Every year, the committee reads personal essays on how Legos were the building blocks of a student's career in engineering.

To stand out, engineering school applicants should avoid using cliches in their statements. Of course, setting yourself apart from other applicants is imperative, but you must do so in a meaningful and unique way. Admissions review panels have seen it all and are unlikely to be moved by creative gimmicks and attention-grabbers that do not get to the heart of what makes you a great candidate.

5. Mind your mechanics

This tip refers more to the mechanics of writing than any scientific drive, though the latter undoubtedly has a place in an engineering school personal statement. Remember when we said one of the goals of college essays is verifying applicants can communicate effectively? Applicants should consider the following elements as they prepare their outline (more on that next):

• Voice – Is your voice appropriate for the task? Is it too formal or casual? Are you using active language rather than passive and wishy-washy statements? Do you come across as academic?
• Structure – Do your ideas flow logically and support one main idea? If you are unsure where to start, know that following the reliable five-paragraph essay format is perfectly acceptable: introduction, three supporting paragraphs, and a tidy conclusion.
• Length – Engineering schools usually have a good reason for requesting personal statements with a specific word count. Those that are too short have too little to say, and those that are too long are likely to repeat the same concepts.
• Grammar – College students are expected to know and use basic grammar. Edit, edit, and then edit again.
• Completeness – Have you addressed the admissions essay prompt in full? What about any supplemental school or department-specific requests?

6. Edit, edit, edit

Writing a personal statement may seem like a herculean task, so it is tempting to push it aside when you type that final period and not look back. This is a mistake—and perhaps the biggest one you can make. Sometimes we get so caught up in our thoughts and ideas that we miss lapses in our writing, whether grammatical or contextual. To avoid this:

• Begin with an outline.
• Write the first draft.
• Write a second draft.
• Read the essay out loud.
• Review your essay again a day or two later.
• Ask parents, friends, teachers, and others to read your work.

There is never any excuse for typos, and even the slightest error can turn a committee review member off. Ask a friend or family member to review your essay for grammatical mistakes when in doubt. It may be intimidating, but the process is an excellent way to identify missing words or ideas. What's more, applicants today are blessed with the power of technology. Online tools like Grammarly are free to use and quickly catch any glaring typos.

Starting Your Engineering School Admissions Essay

One of the biggest challenges to writing a stellar college essay is simply getting started in the first place. Personal statements are, by design, personal, and that can be intimidating. Applicants also put significant pressure on themselves to write the perfect essay.

Fortunately, many colleges try to ease the burden by providing tips online. Purdue University’s Online Writing Lab offers examples of successful personal statements. Some engineering schools even post examples of successful personal statements, including MIT , Johns Hopkins University , and Cornell University . While your essay should be wholly original, these resources can guide you through creating a unique and inspirational narrative to impress admissions committees.

Aimee Hosler is a long-time journalist specializing in education and technology. She is an advocate for experiential learning among all ages and serves as the director of communications for a non-profit community makerspace. She holds a degree in journalism from California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo.

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Home — Essay Samples — Science — Technology & Engineering — Engineering

Essays on Engineering

Crafting an engineering essay isn't just about equations and diagrams; it's a blend of science, creativity, and effective communication. We're here to sprinkle some wisdom your way with tips, prompts, and a bunch of inspiring ideas to get those engineering gears turning.

1. Prompts to Get Your Brain Buzzing

Let's explore some sample prompts. These will help you understand the types of questions you might encounter:

• Discuss the impact of emerging technologies on the field of civil engineering.
• Analyze the environmental sustainability challenges in modern electrical engineering projects.
• Examine the role of robotics in revolutionizing manufacturing processes.
• Explore the ethical considerations in engineering decision-making, using a real-life case study.

These prompts serve as springboards for your essay, guiding your thoughts and helping you structure your content effectively.

2. Brainstorming Epic Essay Topics

Choosing the right topic is the first step towards crafting an outstanding engineering essay. Here are some points to consider while brainstorming:

• Passion: Pick a topic that genuinely excites you. Your enthusiasm will shine through in your writing.
• Relevance: Ensure your chosen topic is relevant to current engineering trends or issues.
• Originality: Avoid well-trodden paths and aim for a unique angle or fresh perspective.
• Research Potential: Confirm that there's enough research material available to support your chosen topic.
• Practicality: Consider the practical aspects of your topic and whether it can be explored effectively in an essay format.

Once you've considered these points, you'll be better equipped to select a topic that'll make your essay stand out.

3. 20 Engineering Essay Topics to Ignite Your Imagination

Now, let's get those creative engineering juices flowing with a list of unique and thought-provoking essay topics:

• 3D Printing Revolution: Explore the impact of 3D printing technology on various engineering disciplines.
• Engineering Marvels: Analyze a renowned engineering project like the Panama Canal or the Burj Khalifa, highlighting its challenges and innovations.
• AI in Healthcare: Discuss the role of artificial intelligence in improving healthcare technology and patient outcomes.
• Sustainable Energy Solutions: Examine the advancements in renewable energy sources and their potential to combat climate change.
• Space Exploration and Engineering: Explore the engineering feats behind space missions, such as the Mars rovers or the International Space Station.
• Green Building Technologies: Analyze the latest trends in eco-friendly construction methods and materials.
• The Ethics of Autonomous Vehicles: Discuss the ethical dilemmas surrounding self-driving cars and their impact on society.
• Water Resource Management: Examine innovative engineering solutions for sustainable water supply and management.
• The Future of Transportation: Explore the possibilities of hyperloop technology and its potential to revolutionize transportation.
• Engineering in Disaster Relief: Analyze the role of engineering in disaster response and recovery efforts.
• Nanotechnology Breakthroughs: Discuss the recent breakthroughs and applications of nanotechnology in various engineering fields.
• Biomechanics and Sports Engineering: Examine the engineering behind sports equipment and how it enhances athlete performance.
• Space Elevators: Explore the theoretical concept of space elevators and their feasibility for future space travel.
• Renewable Energy Storage: Analyze innovative methods for storing renewable energy efficiently.
• Engineering in Art Conservation: Discuss how engineering techniques are used to preserve and restore valuable works of art and cultural heritage.
• Humanoid Robotics: Examine the development of humanoid robots and their potential applications in various industries.
• The Role of Engineers in Climate Change Mitigation: Discuss how engineers are actively working to combat climate change through sustainable solutions.
• Environmental Impact of E-Waste: Analyze the environmental consequences of electronic waste and potential engineering solutions.
• Engineering Challenges in Underwater Exploration: Explore the unique challenges engineers face in designing equipment for underwater exploration.
• Smart Cities: Discuss the concept of smart cities and how engineering plays a pivotal role in their development.

These topics offer a wide range of exciting possibilities to explore in your engineering essay. Pick one that resonates with your interests and dive right in!

4. Inspiration for Crafting Stellar Paragraphs

Now, let's sprinkle some inspiration on your essay with sample paragraphs and phrases that can elevate your writing:

Paragraph 1: Introduction

Engineering is the backbone of modern civilization, driving innovation, and shaping our world. In this essay, we embark on a thrilling journey through the fascinating realm of engineering, exploring its diverse facets, challenges, and contributions to society. From cutting-edge technologies to sustainable solutions, we'll delve deep into the heart of engineering excellence.

Paragraph 2: The Impact of 3D Printing Technology

3D printing technology has revolutionized the way we design and manufacture products across various industries. Its applications span from aerospace to healthcare, offering cost-effective and efficient solutions. For instance, in the aerospace sector, 3D printing has enabled the creation of intricate and lightweight components, reducing fuel consumption and carbon emissions. This breakthrough technology not only enhances engineering efficiency but also paves the way for a more sustainable future.

Paragraph 3: Ethics in Engineering Decision-Making

Engineering isn't just about technical know-how; it also involves ethical considerations that can have far-reaching consequences. Take the example of the decision-making process in designing autonomous vehicles. Engineers face complex moral dilemmas, such as how an autonomous car should prioritize passenger safety over pedestrians or vice versa. These ethical questions require careful examination and transparent discussions to ensure that engineering advancements align with societal values and priorities.

Paragraph 4: The Future of Sustainable Energy

As the world grapples with the impending climate crisis, engineers play a pivotal role in developing sustainable energy solutions. Solar panels, wind turbines, and energy-efficient buildings are just a few examples of engineering innovations aimed at reducing carbon footprints. For instance, the incorporation of energy-efficient materials in construction not only lowers energy consumption but also contributes to the longevity of buildings, reducing maintenance costs. This intersection of engineering and sustainability holds the promise of a greener and cleaner future.

Paragraph 5: The Challenges of Space Exploration

Engineering marvels are prominently displayed in the field of space exploration. The challenges engineers face are immense, from designing spacecraft capable of surviving the harsh conditions of space to ensuring the safety of astronauts during extended missions. The Mars rovers, with their remarkable ability to explore the Red Planet remotely, showcase the engineering ingenuity required for interplanetary exploration. These endeavors expand our understanding of the universe and inspire the next generation of engineers to reach for the stars.

And there you have it, dear engineering essay enthusiast! Armed with prompts, brainstorming tips, unique topics, and inspirational sample paragraphs, you're well-equipped to embark on your journey of crafting an exceptional engineering essay. So, roll up your sleeves, grab your keyboard, and let your engineering brilliance shine through your words. Happy writing!

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Engineering is a discipline and profession that applies scientific, mathematical, and technical knowledge to design, create, improve, and innovate various systems, structures, machines, and processes to address practical problems and meet human needs. It involves the application of scientific principles, empirical evidence, and practical expertise to develop practical solutions that improve the quality of life, enhance efficiency, and contribute to societal advancements.

Engineering has its origins in the earliest human civilizations, where primitive engineering techniques were employed to build structures and develop technologies to meet various needs. The history of engineering is a testament to humanity's ingenuity and problem-solving abilities. The roots of engineering can be traced back to ancient civilizations such as Mesopotamia, Egypt, and Indus Valley, where advancements in agriculture, irrigation systems, and construction techniques took place. These early developments laid the foundation for engineering principles that are still relevant today. Over time, engineering evolved and diversified into various disciplines such as civil engineering, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, and many more. The Industrial Revolution in the 18th and 19th centuries marked a significant milestone in engineering history, with the emergence of innovative technologies and machinery that revolutionized manufacturing processes and transportation systems. Throughout the 20th century, engineering continued to advance rapidly, driven by scientific discoveries and technological breakthroughs. The fields of aerospace engineering, computer engineering, and biomedical engineering, among others, emerged, shaping the modern world and expanding the boundaries of human capabilities. Today, engineering plays a vital role in addressing global challenges and improving quality of life. Engineers are at the forefront of designing sustainable infrastructure, developing renewable energy solutions, creating advanced technologies, and finding innovative solutions to complex problems.

Civil Engineering: This branch deals with the design, construction, and maintenance of infrastructure such as buildings, bridges, roads, dams, and water supply systems. Mechanical Engineering: Mechanical engineers work on the design, development, and manufacturing of machinery, engines, vehicles, and other mechanical systems. Electrical Engineering: Electrical engineers specialize in the study and application of electrical systems, including power generation, transmission, and utilization, as well as electronics and telecommunications. Chemical Engineering: Chemical engineers are involved in the design and operation of processes that transform raw materials into useful products, such as pharmaceuticals, fuels, and chemicals. Aerospace Engineering: Aerospace engineers focus on the design, development, and testing of aircraft, spacecraft, and related technologies. Computer Engineering: Computer engineers work on the design and development of computer systems, hardware, and software, including areas like computer networks, cybersecurity, and artificial intelligence. Environmental Engineering: Environmental engineers work to protect and improve the environment by designing sustainable solutions for waste management, pollution control, and resource conservation. Biomedical Engineering: Biomedical engineers combine engineering principles with medical and biological sciences to develop solutions for healthcare, including medical devices, prosthetics, and imaging systems.

Nikola Tesla: A Serbian-American inventor and electrical engineer, Tesla's work revolutionized the field of electrical power and laid the foundation for the development of alternating current (AC) systems. Leonardo da Vinci: Although best known as an artist, da Vinci was also an engineer and inventor. His designs and sketches showcased his visionary ideas for inventions such as flying machines, bridges, and military weapons. Thomas Edison: An American inventor and businessman, Edison is credited with numerous inventions, including the practical electric light bulb, phonograph, and motion picture camera, which revolutionized the modern world. Grace Hopper: An American computer scientist and naval officer, Hopper played a pivotal role in the development of computer programming languages. Her work on the development of COBOL (Common Business-Oriented Language) paved the way for modern software engineering. Elon Musk: A contemporary entrepreneur and engineer, Musk has made significant contributions to various fields, including electric vehicles (Tesla), space exploration (SpaceX), and renewable energy (SolarCity).

Innovation and Advancement: Engineering drives innovation by developing new technologies, products, and solutions to address societal needs. It fosters advancements in various fields, including transportation, communication, healthcare, energy, and more. Infrastructure Development: Engineers design and construct critical infrastructure such as buildings, bridges, roads, and transportation systems. These structures are the backbone of societies, facilitating economic growth, connectivity, and improved quality of life. Problem Solving: Engineers are problem solvers, using scientific and mathematical principles to analyze complex challenges and develop practical solutions. Their expertise is essential in finding sustainable and efficient ways to tackle global issues like climate change, pollution, and resource scarcity. Economic Growth: Engineering contributes to economic growth by fostering innovation, creating job opportunities, and driving productivity. It supports industries and entrepreneurship, leading to the development of new businesses and the generation of wealth. Safety and Sustainability: Engineers play a critical role in ensuring the safety and sustainability of our built environment. They develop and implement measures to mitigate risks, protect the environment, and promote sustainable practices in areas such as waste management, renewable energy, and urban planning. Global Challenges: Engineering is instrumental in addressing global challenges such as climate change, water scarcity, and healthcare accessibility. Through sustainable engineering practices, efficient resource management, and the development of resilient infrastructure, engineers contribute to a more sustainable and inclusive future.

1. The word "engineer" is derived from the Latin word "ingeniator," which means "clever contriver" or "deviser of engines." 2. The Great Wall of China, one of the most iconic engineering marvels, spans over 13,000 miles (21,196 kilometers) and took centuries to build. 3. The world's tallest man-made structure, the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, stands at a height of 2,717 feet (828 meters) and required the expertise of thousands of engineers. 4. The Panama Canal, an engineering feat completed in 1914, shortened the sea journey between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans by approximately 8,000 nautical miles. 5. The Hoover Dam, located on the border of Nevada and Arizona in the United States, generates enough electricity to serve over 1.3 million people and provides water to millions of acres of farmland. 6. According to the American Society for Engineering Education, the number of engineering bachelor's degrees awarded in the United States has been steadily increasing, with over 114,000 degrees awarded in the 2019-2020 academic year.

Engineering is a topic of utmost importance to explore and discuss in an essay due to its profound impact on society and the world we live in. This field plays a crucial role in shaping our infrastructure, technology, and quality of life. By studying engineering, we gain insights into the innovative solutions that engineers develop to address complex challenges and improve various aspects of our lives. An essay on engineering allows us to delve into the diverse branches of engineering, such as civil, mechanical, electrical, and biomedical, highlighting their unique contributions to society. It enables us to explore the fascinating history of engineering, from ancient marvels to modern advancements, showcasing humanity's quest for progress and innovation. Moreover, engineering is intricately linked to key global issues, including sustainability, renewable energy, transportation, healthcare, and urban development. By examining these topics in an essay, we can explore the ways engineers contribute to finding sustainable solutions, mitigating environmental impact, and creating a better future for all.

1. Bucciarelli, L. L. (1994). Engineering philosophy. Springer. 2. Budynas, R. G., & Nisbett, J. K. (2016). Shigley's mechanical engineering design (10th ed.). McGraw-Hill Education. 3. Dowling, N. E., & Carew, A. L. (2015). Engineering your future: A comprehensive introduction to engineering (9th ed.). Oxford University Press. 4. Gere, J. M., & Goodno, B. J. (2017). Mechanics of materials (9th ed.). Cengage Learning. 5. Helsel, S. C., & Helsel, J. L. (2012). Engineering ethics: Concepts and cases. Cengage Learning. 6. Hillier, F. S., Lieberman, G. J., & Lieberman, M. A. (2013). Introduction to operations research (10th ed.). McGraw-Hill Education. 7. Kutz, M. (Ed.). (2016). Mechanical engineers' handbook: Materials and engineering mechanics (4th ed.). Wiley. 8. Moran, M. J., Shapiro, H. N., Boettner, D. D., & Bailey, M. B. (2010). Fundamentals of engineering thermodynamics (7th ed.). Wiley. 9. O'Brien, J. A., & Marakas, G. M. (2010). Management information systems (10th ed.). McGraw-Hill Education. 10. Shigley, J. E., & Budynas, R. G. (2014). Mechanical engineering design (10th ed.). McGraw-Hill Education.

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December 14, 2023

How to Write Your Master’s in Engineering Statement of Purpose

Top engineering graduate programs expect applicants to have a high GPA, and some schools also expect an impressive GRE score , though in recent years, more schools have made GRE scores optional. However, many of the applicants you will be competing against have high scores. 

Your  statement of purpose  (SOP) is what will allow the adcom to view you as a person with unique goals, potential, interests, values, inspirations, and motivations. It helps adcoms understand what drives you, what your short- and long-term goals are, and how their school can help you realize your dreams. This is the part of the application that enables the adcom to assess whether you are a good match for their program.

Structuring an Engineering Statement of Purpose

Your SOP will ideally include the following:

• An introductory paragraph that grabs the reader’s attention and sets the stage for the paragraphs to follow
• A few highlights of your abilities, education, and work accomplishments 
• Reasons for any gaps in your chronological work history or lower-than-average GRE score or GPA
• A description of your short- and long-term goals
• An explanation of your interest in this particular program and school, ideally including courses or professors (and their research) of interest to you and student organizations or research institutes in which you’d like to participate
• A summary paragraph that highlights key points and ties back to the introductory paragraph

Tell a Story in Your Statement of Purpose

While it’s important to include the elements listed in the previous section,  a winning essay  is also  creative and  interesting  to the reader. It is not formulaic and shouldn’t read like a checklist.

In essence, you are telling a story – your story. An engineer recently said to me in a somewhat panicked voice, “I know how to write facts; I don’t know how to tell a story!” The typical MBA candidate loves to discuss their background and is frequently delighted to relate the many exciting adventures they’ve had. In contrast, if I say to an engineering candidate, “Tell me about yourself,” I am sometimes met with silence and a reluctance to divulge personal information.

Engineers are taught to think logically, rationally, in black-and-white facts and figures where there is a right and a wrong answer. A graduate school application expects you to explore the “gray” in your life. What made you decide on that option? What motivated you to take that action? Why is it important to you? There is no right or wrong, which can be freeing. 

Why Engineering?

Engineering schools want to know what or who inspired you to become an engineer. At what age did you first believe that this was the right career path for you, and why? You need to step away and look at your life with a level of objectivity, so that you can explain your life trajectory and the reasons you took certain turns.

Most schools have a page or word limit for their SOP, but don’t let that inhibit you when you’re first creating your story from your outline. A good engineering admissions consultant can help you  tell your story effectively  and still meet the word limit requirements. Telling that story compellingly sometimes requires multiple drafts, and some of my past clients wrote as many as 12 drafts before they were satisfied with the final product.

As with the other elements of the application, give yourself sufficient time to write your SOP. It can be the reason the adcom at the engineering graduate program you’re targeting decides in favor of your admission.

With 30 years of career and admissions experience at four universities, including Cornell’s College of Engineering and Johnson Business School, Dr. Karin Ash facilitated students’ entry into the world’s best companies. As an adcom member, she also evaluated applications and therefore knows what schools and employers seek. Want Karin to help you get Accepted? Click here to get in touch!  

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• The Engineering Student

A simple bridge truss was the first structure I ever analyzed. The simple combination of beams that could hold cars, trains, and trucks over long spans of water fascinated me. Having the tools to analyze the loads on the truss further increased my interest in structures. I encountered the bridge in a textbook for my first engineering class.

Knowing that the professor, Mr. John Doe, was a tough teacher, I asked him for the textbook so I could study and get ready for the class over the summer. Just arrived from Belize, I was determined to succeed. In class we learned about forces on simple members and then we put the members together to form a simple truss. At this point I had almost decided that structural engineering was the career for me. From there the class just took off: We went on to frames, distributed loads, considered friction; basically we were incorporating real world considerations into structural members. I loved the practical, problem solving aspects of the field.

At UC my classes were even more advanced. In my analysis and design classes, I especially enjoyed studying steel design because we not only learned the use of the load resistance factor design but also applied that knowledge — I designed a four-story building. The professor was a practicing engineer, and he always related the subject to real life steel structures he had engineered, for example, the SB Medical Center, an all steel building with a base isolated campus. This is the kind of project on which I would like to work, designing the structure and considering how the building will respond to ground motion. After two quarters of structural analysis, I had come as close as possible to analyzing real world structures. Looking back I realize, I had learned great tools for structural analysis, but my "tool box" was still inadequate. I lacked a very important tool: finite element analysis. According to my professor, finite element analysis has revolutionized structural analysis.

Although I liked my classes, my internship experiences really confirmed my interest in structural engineering. While working at Caltrans as a student volunteer, I reviewed computer grading output for streets under construction. The computer suggested numbers for the road grading, and I had to plot the numbers and make sure there were no abrupt grade changes so the water can drain off easily to the sides of the road. It was exciting to know that I was the last checkpoint before the whole project went for approval. It was enjoyable working on something real — Main Street — but I was somewhat disappointed I did not have the chance to work on any structures.

At UC I volunteered through the Student Research Program to work in the geotechnical library. I worked directly with a doctoral student and helped him to develop a geotechnical data base for the local area. I interpreted the data Caltrans had collected and recorded it in a form accessible to the computer and easy to read. It took hours to finish the job, but I enjoyed the precision involved so I did not mind putting in the time. My supervisor liked my work so much, he hired me to continue the project during the summer. Working on this project also showed me the importance of soils in determining buildings’ responses to earthquakes and awakened my interest in the response of skyscrapers to seismic stress and movement.

At First Choice U, I plan to enroll in the structural engineering and geomechanics program. In this program I hope to draw on my structural analysis and geotechnical research background as a foundation for studying more advanced concepts. I am particularly interested in researching the ties between the structural engineering, geomechanics, and applied mechanics. I believe research is necessary to acquire data and formulate theories, but it is just as important to know how to apply those theories and use that data in the real world. I hope to be involved in some structurally related research at First Choice U. I am particularly interested in two research facilities: The Structures and Composites Laboratory and the Earthquake Engineering Center.

After completing my degree in engineering and working on engineering projects, I know I want to design structures. That is what has fascinated me since I took Mr. Doe’s class. I also know, however, that designing structures of a complexity that appeals to me requires "more tools in my toolbox." Those I can acquire only by continuing my education. To be competent and competitive I will need a masters degree. After completing my degree, I would like to work for an American engineering consulting firm and engineer complex structures and tall buildings, perhaps focusing on the problems surrounding designing for earthquakes. My long-term goals are to return to Belize and found my own engineering consulting firm there.

Structural engineering will allow me to pursue a career where I can be creatively involved in problem-solving and design functional structures, like the simple truss bridge that initially captivated me in Mr. Doe’s class. My classes, work at Caltrans, and internship in geotechnical engineering have increased my knowledge of and interest in structural engineering since I first looked at the textbook shortly after my arrival in the U.S. A masters degree will give me the up-to-date tools and knowledge to be competitive and competent.

How to Write Your Master’s in Engineering Statement of Purpose

Are You Ready? Take the Engineering Admissions Quiz and Find Out!

Masters in Engineering Admissions: 9 Things You Need to Do to Get Accepted

Other Sample Essays

Cornell Office of Undergraduate Admissions

Search cornell admissions, cornell first-year writing supplement prompts.

In the online Common Application Writing Supplement, please respond to both the Cornell University essay question and the essay prompt that corresponds to the undergraduate college or school to which you are applying.  

Cornell University Essay Question

In the aftermath of the U.S. Civil War, Ezra Cornell wrote, "I would found an institution where any person can find instruction in any study." For over 150 years, Cornell University has remained deeply committed to Ezra’s vision. Explain how your life experiences will help inform your contributions to a learning community devoted to “... any person … any study.” We encourage you to think broadly about your life experiences, including how local (e.g., family, school, neighborhood) or global communities you’ve been part of have helped shape your perspective. (350 word limit)

College- and School-Specific Essay Questions

College of agriculture and life sciences.

Required: Why are you drawn to studying the major you have selected? Please discuss how your interests and related experiences have influenced your choice. How will an education from the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) at Cornell University specifically serve to support your learning, growth, and the pursuit of your goals? (650-word limit)  

Instructions: The optional short-answer questions invite you to share additional information about your background, interests, and experiences as they relate to aspects of the Cornell CALS mission. The content of any responses submitted will be included in the holistic review of your application (which is also the case for any optional additional information submitted as part of your Common Application or uploaded through your Cornell Application Portal once you've applied).

Optional: At Cornell CALS, we aim to leave the world better than we found it, so we seek out those who are not simply driven to master their discipline, but who are also passionate about doing so to serve the public good. Please elaborate on an experience where you had a meaningful impact on people, a community, and/or an environment of importance to you. (200-word limit)

Optional: Cornell CALS is dedicated to purpose-driven study of the agricultural, life, environmental, and social sciences and welcomes students with interests that span a wide variety of disciplines. Given our agricultural history and commitment to educating the next generation of agriculturalists, please share if you have a background or interest in agriculture, regardless of your intended major. An "agricultural entity" for the purpose of this question is defined as cultivating soil, growing crops, and raising livestock (e.g., farm, ranch, greenhouse, vineyard, etc.). 

Select all that apply:

• A primary source of income for my parent/guardian(s) comes from ownership of or employment by an agricultural entity.
• My extended family owns or operates an agricultural entity.
• I have experience working in an agricultural entity.
• I have interest in pursuing a career in an agricultural entity.                                           

Please feel free to share additional details (optional). (100-word limit)

College of Architecture, Art, and Planning

How do your interests directly connect with your intended major at the College of Architecture, Art, and Planning (AAP)? Why architecture (B.Arch), art (BFA), or urban and regional studies (URS)? B. Arch applicants, please provide an example of how a creative project or passion sparks your motivation to pursue a 5-year professional degree program. BFA applicants may want to to consider how they could integrate a range of interests and available resources at Cornell into a coherent art practice. URS students may want to emphasize their enthusiasm and depth of interest in the study of urban and regional issues. (650 word limit)

College of Arts & Sciences

At the College of Arts and Sciences, curiosity will be your guide. Discuss how your passion for learning is shaping your academic journey, and what areas of study or majors excite you and why. Your response should convey how your interests align with the College, and how you would take advantage of the opportunities and curriculum in Arts and Sciences. (650 word limit)

Cornell Jeb E. Brooks School of Public Policy

Why are you drawn to studying public policy? Drawing on your experiences, tell us about why you are interested in your chosen major and how attending the Brooks School will help you achieve your life goals. (650 word limit)

Cornell SC Johnson College of Business

What kind of a business student are you? Using your personal, academic, or volunteer/work experiences, describe the topics or issues that you care about and why they are important to you. Your response should convey how your interests align with the school to which you are applying within the Cornell SC Johnson College of Business (Charles H. Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management or the Peter and Stephanie Nolan School of Hotel Administration). (650 word limit)

College of Engineering

Instructions: All applicants are required to write two supplemental essays. Each has a limit of 250 words. Essay 1 is required of all applicants. For Essay 2, you must choose between Question A and Question B.

Essay 1: Required response. (250-word limit)

How do your interests directly connect with Cornell Engineering? If you have an intended major, what draws you to that department at Cornell Engineering? If you are unsure what specific engineering field you would like to study, describe how your general interest in engineering most directly connects with Cornell Engineering. It may be helpful to concentrate on one or two things that you are most excited about.

Essay 2: Choose either Question A and Question B. (250-word limit)

Question A: Describe an engineering problem that impacts your local community. This could be your school, neighborhood, town, region, or a group you identify with. Describe one to three things you might do as an engineer to solve the problem.

Question B: Diversity in all forms is intrinsic to excellence in engineering. Engineering the best solutions to complex problems is often achieved by drawing from the diverse ingenuity of people from different backgrounds, lived experiences, and identities. How do you see yourself contributing to the diversity and/or the inclusion of the Cornell Engineering community? What is the unique voice you would bring to the Cornell Engineering community?

College of Human Ecology

How have your related experiences influenced your decision to apply to the College of Human Ecology (CHE)? How will your choice of major impact your goals and plans for the future? Your response should show us that your interests and aspirations align with CHE and your choice of major. (Refer to our essay application tips before you begin.) (650 word limit)

School of Industrial and Labor Relations

Using your personal, academic, or volunteer/work experiences, describe the topics or issues that you care about and why they are important to you. Your response should show us that your interests align with the ILR School. (650 word limit)

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Sat / act prep online guides and tips, 177 college essay examples for 11 schools + expert analysis.

College Admissions , College Essays

The personal statement might just be the hardest part of your college application. Mostly this is because it has the least guidance and is the most open-ended. One way to understand what colleges are looking for when they ask you to write an essay is to check out the essays of students who already got in—college essays that actually worked. After all, they must be among the most successful of this weird literary genre.

In this article, I'll go through general guidelines for what makes great college essays great. I've also compiled an enormous list of 100+ actual sample college essays from 11 different schools. Finally, I'll break down two of these published college essay examples and explain why and how they work. With links to 177 full essays and essay excerpts , this article is a great resource for learning how to craft your own personal college admissions essay!

What Excellent College Essays Have in Common

Even though in many ways these sample college essays are very different from one other, they do share some traits you should try to emulate as you write your own essay.

Visible Signs of Planning

Building out from a narrow, concrete focus. You'll see a similar structure in many of the essays. The author starts with a very detailed story of an event or description of a person or place. After this sense-heavy imagery, the essay expands out to make a broader point about the author, and connects this very memorable experience to the author's present situation, state of mind, newfound understanding, or maturity level.

Knowing how to tell a story. Some of the experiences in these essays are one-of-a-kind. But most deal with the stuff of everyday life. What sets them apart is the way the author approaches the topic: analyzing it for drama and humor, for its moving qualities, for what it says about the author's world, and for how it connects to the author's emotional life.

Stellar Execution

A killer first sentence. You've heard it before, and you'll hear it again: you have to suck the reader in, and the best place to do that is the first sentence. Great first sentences are punchy. They are like cliffhangers, setting up an exciting scene or an unusual situation with an unclear conclusion, in order to make the reader want to know more. Don't take my word for it—check out these 22 first sentences from Stanford applicants and tell me you don't want to read the rest of those essays to find out what happens!

A lively, individual voice. Writing is for readers. In this case, your reader is an admissions officer who has read thousands of essays before yours and will read thousands after. Your goal? Don't bore your reader. Use interesting descriptions, stay away from clichés, include your own offbeat observations—anything that makes this essay sounds like you and not like anyone else.

Technical correctness. No spelling mistakes, no grammar weirdness, no syntax issues, no punctuation snafus—each of these sample college essays has been formatted and proofread perfectly. If this kind of exactness is not your strong suit, you're in luck! All colleges advise applicants to have their essays looked over several times by parents, teachers, mentors, and anyone else who can spot a comma splice. Your essay must be your own work, but there is absolutely nothing wrong with getting help polishing it.

And if you need more guidance, connect with PrepScholar's expert admissions consultants . These expert writers know exactly what college admissions committees look for in an admissions essay and chan help you craft an essay that boosts your chances of getting into your dream school.

Check out PrepScholar's Essay Editing and Coaching progra m for more details!

Want to write the perfect college application essay? Get professional help from PrepScholar.

Your dedicated PrepScholar Admissions counselor will craft your perfect college essay, from the ground up. We'll learn your background and interests, brainstorm essay topics, and walk you through the essay drafting process, step-by-step. At the end, you'll have a unique essay that you'll proudly submit to your top choice colleges.

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Links to Full College Essay Examples

Some colleges publish a selection of their favorite accepted college essays that worked, and I've put together a selection of over 100 of these.

Common App Essay Samples

Please note that some of these college essay examples may be responding to prompts that are no longer in use. The current Common App prompts are as follows:

1. Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story. 2. The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience? 3. Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. What prompted your thinking? What was the outcome? 4. Reflect on something that someone has done for you that has made you happy or thankful in a surprising way. How has this gratitude affected or motivated you? 5. Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others. 6. Describe a topic, idea, or concept you find so engaging that it makes you lose all track of time. Why does it captivate you? What or who do you turn to when you want to learn more?

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

Now, let's get to the good stuff: the list of 177 college essay examples responding to current and past Common App essay prompts. 

Connecticut college.

• 12 Common Application essays from the classes of 2022-2025

Hamilton College

• 7 Common Application essays from the class of 2026
• 7 Common Application essays from the class of 2022
• 7 Common Application essays from the class of 2018
• 8 Common Application essays from the class of 2012
• 8 Common Application essays from the class of 2007

Johns Hopkins

These essays are answers to past prompts from either the Common Application or the Coalition Application (which Johns Hopkins used to accept).

• 1 Common Application or Coalition Application essay from the class of 2026
• 6 Common Application or Coalition Application essays from the class of 2025
• 6 Common Application or Universal Application essays from the class of 2024
• 6 Common Application or Universal Application essays from the class of 2023
• 7 Common Application of Universal Application essays from the class of 2022
• 5 Common Application or Universal Application essays from the class of 2021
• 7 Common Application or Universal Application essays from the class of 2020

Essay Examples Published by Other Websites

• 2 Common Application essays ( 1st essay , 2nd essay ) from applicants admitted to Columbia

Other Sample College Essays

Here is a collection of essays that are college-specific.

Babson College

• 4 essays (and 1 video response) on "Why Babson" from the class of 2020

Emory University

• 5 essay examples ( 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ) from the class of 2020 along with analysis from Emory admissions staff on why the essays were exceptional
• 5 more recent essay examples ( 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ) along with analysis from Emory admissions staff on what made these essays stand out

University of Georgia

• 1 “strong essay” sample from 2019
• 1 “strong essay” sample from 2018
• 10 Harvard essays from 2023
• 10 Harvard essays from 2022
• 10 Harvard essays from 2021
• 10 Harvard essays from 2020
• 10 Harvard essays from 2019
• 10 Harvard essays from 2018
• 6 essays from admitted MIT students

Smith College

• 6 "best gift" essays from the class of 2018

Books of College Essays

If you're looking for even more sample college essays, consider purchasing a college essay book. The best of these include dozens of essays that worked and feedback from real admissions officers.

College Essays That Made a Difference —This detailed guide from Princeton Review includes not only successful essays, but also interviews with admissions officers and full student profiles.

50 Successful Harvard Application Essays by the Staff of the Harvard Crimson—A must for anyone aspiring to Harvard .

50 Successful Ivy League Application Essays and 50 Successful Stanford Application Essays by Gen and Kelly Tanabe—For essays from other top schools, check out this venerated series, which is regularly updated with new essays.

Heavenly Essays by Janine W. Robinson—This collection from the popular blogger behind Essay Hell includes a wider range of schools, as well as helpful tips on honing your own essay.

Analyzing Great Common App Essays That Worked

I've picked two essays from the examples collected above to examine in more depth so that you can see exactly what makes a successful college essay work. Full credit for these essays goes to the original authors and the schools that published them.

Example 1: "Breaking Into Cars," by Stephen, Johns Hopkins Class of '19 (Common App Essay, 636 words long)

I had never broken into a car before.

We were in Laredo, having just finished our first day at a Habitat for Humanity work site. The Hotchkiss volunteers had already left, off to enjoy some Texas BBQ, leaving me behind with the college kids to clean up. Not until we were stranded did we realize we were locked out of the van.

Someone picked a coat hanger out of the dumpster, handed it to me, and took a few steps back.

"Can you do that thing with a coat hanger to unlock it?"

"Why me?" I thought.

More out of amusement than optimism, I gave it a try. I slid the hanger into the window's seal like I'd seen on crime shows, and spent a few minutes jiggling the apparatus around the inside of the frame. Suddenly, two things simultaneously clicked. One was the lock on the door. (I actually succeeded in springing it.) The other was the realization that I'd been in this type of situation before. In fact, I'd been born into this type of situation.

My upbringing has numbed me to unpredictability and chaos. With a family of seven, my home was loud, messy, and spottily supervised. My siblings arguing, the dog barking, the phone ringing—all meant my house was functioning normally. My Dad, a retired Navy pilot, was away half the time. When he was home, he had a parenting style something like a drill sergeant. At the age of nine, I learned how to clear burning oil from the surface of water. My Dad considered this a critical life skill—you know, in case my aircraft carrier should ever get torpedoed. "The water's on fire! Clear a hole!" he shouted, tossing me in the lake without warning. While I'm still unconvinced about that particular lesson's practicality, my Dad's overarching message is unequivocally true: much of life is unexpected, and you have to deal with the twists and turns.

Living in my family, days rarely unfolded as planned. A bit overlooked, a little pushed around, I learned to roll with reality, negotiate a quick deal, and give the improbable a try. I don't sweat the small stuff, and I definitely don't expect perfect fairness. So what if our dining room table only has six chairs for seven people? Someone learns the importance of punctuality every night.

But more than punctuality and a special affinity for musical chairs, my family life has taught me to thrive in situations over which I have no power. Growing up, I never controlled my older siblings, but I learned how to thwart their attempts to control me. I forged alliances, and realigned them as necessary. Sometimes, I was the poor, defenseless little brother; sometimes I was the omniscient elder. Different things to different people, as the situation demanded. I learned to adapt.

Back then, these techniques were merely reactions undertaken to ensure my survival. But one day this fall, Dr. Hicks, our Head of School, asked me a question that he hoped all seniors would reflect on throughout the year: "How can I participate in a thing I do not govern, in the company of people I did not choose?"

The question caught me off guard, much like the question posed to me in Laredo. Then, I realized I knew the answer. I knew why the coat hanger had been handed to me.

Growing up as the middle child in my family, I was a vital participant in a thing I did not govern, in the company of people I did not choose. It's family. It's society. And often, it's chaos. You participate by letting go of the small stuff, not expecting order and perfection, and facing the unexpected with confidence, optimism, and preparedness. My family experience taught me to face a serendipitous world with confidence.

What Makes This Essay Tick?

It's very helpful to take writing apart in order to see just how it accomplishes its objectives. Stephen's essay is very effective. Let's find out why!

An Opening Line That Draws You In

In just eight words, we get: scene-setting (he is standing next to a car about to break in), the idea of crossing a boundary (he is maybe about to do an illegal thing for the first time), and a cliffhanger (we are thinking: is he going to get caught? Is he headed for a life of crime? Is he about to be scared straight?).

Great, Detailed Opening Story

More out of amusement than optimism, I gave it a try. I slid the hanger into the window's seal like I'd seen on crime shows, and spent a few minutes jiggling the apparatus around the inside of the frame.

It's the details that really make this small experience come alive. Notice how whenever he can, Stephen uses a more specific, descriptive word in place of a more generic one. The volunteers aren't going to get food or dinner; they're going for "Texas BBQ." The coat hanger comes from "a dumpster." Stephen doesn't just move the coat hanger—he "jiggles" it.

Details also help us visualize the emotions of the people in the scene. The person who hands Stephen the coat hanger isn't just uncomfortable or nervous; he "takes a few steps back"—a description of movement that conveys feelings. Finally, the detail of actual speech makes the scene pop. Instead of writing that the other guy asked him to unlock the van, Stephen has the guy actually say his own words in a way that sounds like a teenager talking.

Turning a Specific Incident Into a Deeper Insight

Suddenly, two things simultaneously clicked. One was the lock on the door. (I actually succeeded in springing it.) The other was the realization that I'd been in this type of situation before. In fact, I'd been born into this type of situation.

Stephen makes the locked car experience a meaningful illustration of how he has learned to be resourceful and ready for anything, and he also makes this turn from the specific to the broad through an elegant play on the two meanings of the word "click."

Using Concrete Examples When Making Abstract Claims

My upbringing has numbed me to unpredictability and chaos. With a family of seven, my home was loud, messy, and spottily supervised. My siblings arguing, the dog barking, the phone ringing—all meant my house was functioning normally.

"Unpredictability and chaos" are very abstract, not easily visualized concepts. They could also mean any number of things—violence, abandonment, poverty, mental instability. By instantly following up with highly finite and unambiguous illustrations like "family of seven" and "siblings arguing, the dog barking, the phone ringing," Stephen grounds the abstraction in something that is easy to picture: a large, noisy family.

Using Small Bits of Humor and Casual Word Choice

My Dad, a retired Navy pilot, was away half the time. When he was home, he had a parenting style something like a drill sergeant. At the age of nine, I learned how to clear burning oil from the surface of water. My Dad considered this a critical life skill—you know, in case my aircraft carrier should ever get torpedoed.

Obviously, knowing how to clean burning oil is not high on the list of things every 9-year-old needs to know. To emphasize this, Stephen uses sarcasm by bringing up a situation that is clearly over-the-top: "in case my aircraft carrier should ever get torpedoed."

The humor also feels relaxed. Part of this is because he introduces it with the colloquial phrase "you know," so it sounds like he is talking to us in person. This approach also diffuses the potential discomfort of the reader with his father's strictness—since he is making jokes about it, clearly he is OK. Notice, though, that this doesn't occur very much in the essay. This helps keep the tone meaningful and serious rather than flippant.

An Ending That Stretches the Insight Into the Future

But one day this fall, Dr. Hicks, our Head of School, asked me a question that he hoped all seniors would reflect on throughout the year: "How can I participate in a thing I do not govern, in the company of people I did not choose?"

The ending of the essay reveals that Stephen's life has been one long preparation for the future. He has emerged from chaos and his dad's approach to parenting as a person who can thrive in a world that he can't control.

This connection of past experience to current maturity and self-knowledge is a key element in all successful personal essays. Colleges are very much looking for mature, self-aware applicants. These are the qualities of successful college students, who will be able to navigate the independence college classes require and the responsibility and quasi-adulthood of college life.

What Could This Essay Do Even Better?

Even the best essays aren't perfect, and even the world's greatest writers will tell you that writing is never "finished"—just "due." So what would we tweak in this essay if we could?

Replace some of the clichéd language. Stephen uses handy phrases like "twists and turns" and "don't sweat the small stuff" as a kind of shorthand for explaining his relationship to chaos and unpredictability. But using too many of these ready-made expressions runs the risk of clouding out your own voice and replacing it with something expected and boring.

Use another example from recent life. Stephen's first example (breaking into the van in Laredo) is a great illustration of being resourceful in an unexpected situation. But his essay also emphasizes that he "learned to adapt" by being "different things to different people." It would be great to see how this plays out outside his family, either in the situation in Laredo or another context.

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Example 2: By Renner Kwittken, Tufts Class of '23 (Common App Essay, 645 words long)

My first dream job was to be a pickle truck driver. I saw it in my favorite book, Richard Scarry's "Cars and Trucks and Things That Go," and for some reason, I was absolutely obsessed with the idea of driving a giant pickle. Much to the discontent of my younger sister, I insisted that my parents read us that book as many nights as possible so we could find goldbug, a small little golden bug, on every page. I would imagine the wonderful life I would have: being a pig driving a giant pickle truck across the country, chasing and finding goldbug. I then moved on to wanting to be a Lego Master. Then an architect. Then a surgeon.

Then I discovered a real goldbug: gold nanoparticles that can reprogram macrophages to assist in killing tumors, produce clear images of them without sacrificing the subject, and heat them to obliteration.

Suddenly the destination of my pickle was clear.

I quickly became enveloped by the world of nanomedicine; I scoured articles about liposomes, polymeric micelles, dendrimers, targeting ligands, and self-assembling nanoparticles, all conquering cancer in some exotic way. Completely absorbed, I set out to find a mentor to dive even deeper into these topics. After several rejections, I was immensely grateful to receive an invitation to work alongside Dr. Sangeeta Ray at Johns Hopkins.

In the lab, Dr. Ray encouraged a great amount of autonomy to design and implement my own procedures. I chose to attack a problem that affects the entire field of nanomedicine: nanoparticles consistently fail to translate from animal studies into clinical trials. Jumping off recent literature, I set out to see if a pre-dose of a common chemotherapeutic could enhance nanoparticle delivery in aggressive prostate cancer, creating three novel constructs based on three different linear polymers, each using fluorescent dye (although no gold, sorry goldbug!). Though using radioactive isotopes like Gallium and Yttrium would have been incredible, as a 17-year-old, I unfortunately wasn't allowed in the same room as these radioactive materials (even though I took a Geiger counter to a pair of shoes and found them to be slightly dangerous).

I hadn't expected my hypothesis to work, as the research project would have ideally been led across two full years. Yet while there are still many optimizations and revisions to be done, I was thrilled to find -- with completely new nanoparticles that may one day mean future trials will use particles with the initials "RK-1" -- thatcyclophosphamide did indeed increase nanoparticle delivery to the tumor in a statistically significant way.

A secondary, unexpected research project was living alone in Baltimore, a new city to me, surrounded by people much older than I. Even with moving frequently between hotels, AirBnB's, and students' apartments, I strangely reveled in the freedom I had to enjoy my surroundings and form new friendships with graduate school students from the lab. We explored The Inner Harbor at night, attended a concert together one weekend, and even got to watch the Orioles lose (to nobody's surprise). Ironically, it's through these new friendships I discovered something unexpected: what I truly love is sharing research. Whether in a presentation or in a casual conversation, making others interested in science is perhaps more exciting to me than the research itself. This solidified a new pursuit to angle my love for writing towards illuminating science in ways people can understand, adding value to a society that can certainly benefit from more scientific literacy.

It seems fitting that my goals are still transforming: in Scarry's book, there is not just one goldbug, there is one on every page. With each new experience, I'm learning that it isn't the goldbug itself, but rather the act of searching for the goldbugs that will encourage, shape, and refine my ever-evolving passions. Regardless of the goldbug I seek -- I know my pickle truck has just begun its journey.

Renner takes a somewhat different approach than Stephen, but their essay is just as detailed and engaging. Let's go through some of the strengths of this essay.

One Clear Governing Metaphor

This essay is ultimately about two things: Renner’s dreams and future career goals, and Renner’s philosophy on goal-setting and achieving one’s dreams.

But instead of listing off all the amazing things they’ve done to pursue their dream of working in nanomedicine, Renner tells a powerful, unique story instead. To set up the narrative, Renner opens the essay by connecting their experiences with goal-setting and dream-chasing all the way back to a memorable childhood experience:

This lighthearted–but relevant!--story about the moment when Renner first developed a passion for a specific career (“finding the goldbug”) provides an anchor point for the rest of the essay. As Renner pivots to describing their current dreams and goals–working in nanomedicine–the metaphor of “finding the goldbug” is reflected in Renner’s experiments, rejections, and new discoveries.

Though Renner tells multiple stories about their quest to “find the goldbug,” or, in other words, pursue their passion, each story is connected by a unifying theme; namely, that as we search and grow over time, our goals will transform…and that’s okay! By the end of the essay, Renner uses the metaphor of “finding the goldbug” to reiterate the relevance of the opening story:

While the earlier parts of the essay convey Renner’s core message by showing, the final, concluding paragraph sums up Renner’s insights by telling. By briefly and clearly stating the relevance of the goldbug metaphor to their own philosophy on goals and dreams, Renner demonstrates their creativity, insight, and eagerness to grow and evolve as the journey continues into college.

An Engaging, Individual Voice

This essay uses many techniques that make Renner sound genuine and make the reader feel like we already know them.

Technique #1: humor. Notice Renner's gentle and relaxed humor that lightly mocks their younger self's grand ambitions (this is different from the more sarcastic kind of humor used by Stephen in the first essay—you could never mistake one writer for the other).

My first dream job was to be a pickle truck driver.

I would imagine the wonderful life I would have: being a pig driving a giant pickle truck across the country, chasing and finding goldbug. I then moved on to wanting to be a Lego Master. Then an architect. Then a surgeon.

Renner gives a great example of how to use humor to your advantage in college essays. You don’t want to come off as too self-deprecating or sarcastic, but telling a lightheartedly humorous story about your younger self that also showcases how you’ve grown and changed over time can set the right tone for your entire essay.

Technique #2: intentional, eye-catching structure. The second technique is the way Renner uses a unique structure to bolster the tone and themes of their essay . The structure of your essay can have a major impact on how your ideas come across…so it’s important to give it just as much thought as the content of your essay!

For instance, Renner does a great job of using one-line paragraphs to create dramatic emphasis and to make clear transitions from one phase of the story to the next:

Suddenly the destination of my pickle car was clear.

Not only does the one-liner above signal that Renner is moving into a new phase of the narrative (their nanoparticle research experiences), it also tells the reader that this is a big moment in Renner’s story. It’s clear that Renner made a major discovery that changed the course of their goal pursuit and dream-chasing. Through structure, Renner conveys excitement and entices the reader to keep pushing forward to the next part of the story.

Technique #3: playing with syntax. The third technique is to use sentences of varying length, syntax, and structure. Most of the essay's written in standard English and uses grammatically correct sentences. However, at key moments, Renner emphasizes that the reader needs to sit up and pay attention by switching to short, colloquial, differently punctuated, and sometimes fragmented sentences.

Even with moving frequently between hotels, AirBnB's, and students' apartments, I strangely reveled in the freedom I had to enjoy my surroundings and form new friendships with graduate school students from the lab. We explored The Inner Harbor at night, attended a concert together one weekend, and even got to watch the Orioles lose (to nobody's surprise). Ironically, it's through these new friendships I discovered something unexpected: what I truly love is sharing research.

In the examples above, Renner switches adeptly between long, flowing sentences and quippy, telegraphic ones. At the same time, Renner uses these different sentence lengths intentionally. As they describe their experiences in new places, they use longer sentences to immerse the reader in the sights, smells, and sounds of those experiences. And when it’s time to get a big, key idea across, Renner switches to a short, punchy sentence to stop the reader in their tracks.

The varying syntax and sentence lengths pull the reader into the narrative and set up crucial “aha” moments when it’s most important…which is a surefire way to make any college essay stand out.

Renner's essay is very strong, but there are still a few little things that could be improved.

Connecting the research experiences to the theme of “finding the goldbug.”  The essay begins and ends with Renner’s connection to the idea of “finding the goldbug.” And while this metaphor is deftly tied into the essay’s intro and conclusion, it isn’t entirely clear what Renner’s big findings were during the research experiences that are described in the middle of the essay. It would be great to add a sentence or two stating what Renner’s big takeaways (or “goldbugs”) were from these experiences, which add more cohesion to the essay as a whole.

Give more details about discovering the world of nanomedicine. It makes sense that Renner wants to get into the details of their big research experiences as quickly as possible. After all, these are the details that show Renner’s dedication to nanomedicine! But a smoother transition from the opening pickle car/goldbug story to Renner’s “real goldbug” of nanoparticles would help the reader understand why nanoparticles became Renner’s goldbug. Finding out why Renner is so motivated to study nanomedicine–and perhaps what put them on to this field of study–would help readers fully understand why Renner chose this path in the first place.

4 Essential Tips for Writing Your Own Essay

How can you use this discussion to better your own college essay? Here are some suggestions for ways to use this resource effectively.

#1: Get Help From the Experts

Getting your college applications together takes a lot of work and can be pretty intimidatin g. Essays are even more important than ever now that admissions processes are changing and schools are going test-optional and removing diversity standards thanks to new Supreme Court rulings .  If you want certified expert help that really makes a difference, get started with  PrepScholar’s Essay Editing and Coaching program. Our program can help you put together an incredible essay from idea to completion so that your application stands out from the crowd. We've helped students get into the best colleges in the United States, including Harvard, Stanford, and Yale.  If you're ready to take the next step and boost your odds of getting into your dream school, connect with our experts today .

#2: Read Other Essays to Get Ideas for Your Own

As you go through the essays we've compiled for you above, ask yourself the following questions:

• Can you explain to yourself (or someone else!) why the opening sentence works well?
• Look for the essay's detailed personal anecdote. What senses is the author describing? Can you easily picture the scene in your mind's eye?
• Find the place where this anecdote bridges into a larger insight about the author. How does the essay connect the two? How does the anecdote work as an example of the author's characteristic, trait, or skill?
• Check out the essay's tone. If it's funny, can you find the places where the humor comes from? If it's sad and moving, can you find the imagery and description of feelings that make you moved? If it's serious, can you see how word choice adds to this tone?

Make a note whenever you find an essay or part of an essay that you think was particularly well-written, and think about what you like about it . Is it funny? Does it help you really get to know the writer? Does it show what makes the writer unique? Once you have your list, keep it next to you while writing your essay to remind yourself to try and use those same techniques in your own essay.

#3: Find Your "A-Ha!" Moment

All of these essays rely on connecting with the reader through a heartfelt, highly descriptive scene from the author's life. It can either be very dramatic (did you survive a plane crash?) or it can be completely mundane (did you finally beat your dad at Scrabble?). Either way, it should be personal and revealing about you, your personality, and the way you are now that you are entering the adult world.

Check out essays by authors like John Jeremiah Sullivan , Leslie Jamison , Hanif Abdurraqib , and Esmé Weijun Wang to get more examples of how to craft a compelling personal narrative.

#4: Start Early, Revise Often

Let me level with you: the best writing isn't writing at all. It's rewriting. And in order to have time to rewrite, you have to start way before the application deadline. My advice is to write your first draft at least two months before your applications are due.

Let it sit for a few days untouched. Then come back to it with fresh eyes and think critically about what you've written. What's extra? What's missing? What is in the wrong place? What doesn't make sense? Don't be afraid to take it apart and rearrange sections. Do this several times over, and your essay will be much better for it!

For more editing tips, check out a style guide like Dreyer's English or Eats, Shoots & Leaves .

What's Next?

Still not sure which colleges you want to apply to? Our experts will show you how to make a college list that will help you choose a college that's right for you.

Interested in learning more about college essays? Check out our detailed breakdown of exactly how personal statements work in an application , some suggestions on what to avoid when writing your essay , and our guide to writing about your extracurricular activities .

Working on the rest of your application? Read what admissions officers wish applicants knew before applying .

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:

The recommendations in this post are based solely on our knowledge and experience. If you purchase an item through one of our links PrepScholar may receive a commission.

Anna scored in the 99th percentile on her SATs in high school, and went on to major in English at Princeton and to get her doctorate in English Literature at Columbia. She is passionate about improving student access to higher education.

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Essays About Engineering: Top 5 Essay Examples Plus Prompts

Engineering is one of the most sought after professions for the 21st century. If you are writing essays about engineering, use these examples below.

A common stereotype of engineers is that they build houses, but that is simply not the case. Nearly all of the things we enjoy today are because of engineers. The food you buy at the grocers is deemed as safe thanks to the chemical engineers who analyzed its contents. The smartphone or laptop you’re using to read this right now was made possible by computer engineers.

The house you’re living in, the offices you go to work at, these marvels made our life easier because of engineers who dedicated their time to innovate and solve our problems through science and mathematics. After all, accuracy is what sets engineers apart.

If you are writing an essay about engineering, here are 5 essay examples to help you write an insightful piece.

1. Why Engineers Are Becoming Increasingly Important by Christopher McFadden

2. women in engineering: why i chose an engineering degree by purity muhia, 3. taking lessons from what went wrong by william j. broad, 4. the way i work: brendan walker by gary ryan, 5. engineering ethics and its impact on society by dr. william m. marcy and jane b. rathbun, 1. different types of engineering, 2. future of engineering, 3. how to become an engineer, 4. pros and cons of engineering innovation, 5. is engineering hard.

“ Now consider a society that is completely free of engineers. What would it look like? It’s a hard thing to picture because for as long as humans have existed, engineers (in some fashion) have also existed. 

The closest we can probably think about would be a hunter-gatherer one. This society would literally be one of pure survival. There would be no innovation, no technology of any kind. As soon as one or other members of that society created a trap, a spear or improved on a technique for smashing things an engineer will have been “born” .”

McFadden eloquently discussed how engineers transformed our way of living and the big role they’ll be playing as society becomes increasingly reliant on technology. He also discussed the impact engineers have in different sectors such agriculture, health, and education.

“ There are some girls who still grow up thinking that engineering and science isn’t meant for women. It is important to remember women can thrive in the world of engineering. I chose engineering because I loved math and science, and engineering promised real opportunities to change the world. ”

Muhia is now one step closer to achieving her dreams of making a change in the world as she now holds a master’s degree in Environmental Engineering. 

In this essay, which she wrote back in 2016 as a student intern, she discussed the origins of her interest in engineering and aimed to inspire other young women to pursue this profession as a way to bring a different perspective to a vocation dominated by men.

“ It is not that failure is desirable, or that anyone hopes for or aims for a disaster. But failures, sometimes appalling, are inevitable, and given this fact, engineers say it pays to make good use of them to prevent future mistakes.

The result is that the technological feats that define the modern world are sometimes the result of events that some might wish to forget. ”

Two-time Pulitzer Prize winner William Broad took a dive into the subject of how some of the innovations we enjoy today were conceptualized based on the tragedies of the past. Written in the midst of the Deepwater Horizon Drilling Rig Disaster, the article gathered the takes of distinguished engineers and used infamous engineering mishaps to discuss the adjustments made to improve work conditions and quality of life.

“ Novelty is a big part of creating a thrilling experience, so fairgrounds have historically been early adopters of new technology… Now the challenge for people like me is to produce content that controls and choreographs people’s emotional experience using this technology. ”

Coined as the world’s only thrill engineer, Brendan Walker reminisced his transition from an aeronautical engineer to conceptualizing and designing roller coasters and other theme park rides, and how understanding the physiological responses is key to providing patrons an unforgettable, thrilling experience.

“One aspect of many of the recent and prominently technological changes is a vast array of unintended consequences that the designers never anticipated. Unintended consequences frequently overshadow the anticipated benefits designers of a new technology had in mind. While many unintended consequences may have tremendous positive impacts on society, others may not. Ethical considerations must be included in every step of the design, documentation and deployment process to help anticipate and mitigate negative consequences.”

Dr. Marcy and Rathbun’s insightful essay examines how to assist engineers facing ethical dilemmas. It proposes addressing the three fundamental issues regarding engineering ethics – namely engineering ethics education, ethical decision making in professional practice, and protecting the rights of engineers to make such decisions.

Essay Prompts About Engineering

It can be a challenge to think of ideas and questions when writing an essay, especially if the subject revolves on something as technical as engineering. Here are five essay topics about engineering that might be able to help you out.

At present, there are up to 21 types of engineers that’s making a difference in the world we live in. From biochemical engineers to software engineers, this essay topic can discuss each branch and tackle their area of expertise as well as the groundbreaking innovations they’ve provided over the last few years. If you can’t investigate all, you can prompt to choose one type and focus your research on there.

Looking for more suggestions? Check out our essays about technology for your next project.

As mentioned, all types of engineers are working day in and day out to improve our way of living. With 21 types of engineers to choose from, you can choose which branch will impact your or your family’s future. For instance, if you’re an environmentally-conscious individual, you can home in on the research done by environmental engineers. Alternatively, you can focus on picturing what the next high-rise buildings will look like or what are the medical advancements 10 or 20 years from now.

This can be a range of different things. It can be an essay topic on how easy or difficult acquiring an engineering degree can be based on personal experience. It can be about how to inspire your kids to become future engineers by piquing their interest in infrastructures, space exploration, and even video games in a way that they will understand.

Technological advancements have their ups and downs. We won’t be able to see it at first, but a crack in its foundation will show after years of usage. An investigative essay showing an innovation’s advantages and disadvantages might reveal the next scientific discovery of the century that will change the world’s future.

Consider writing a short essay about the merits of the engineering profession. These types of essays are good because they help aspiring engineers and students figure out if they want to work in this career path. It also encourages to writer to either reflect on their experiences or consult more knowledgeable experts. 

Tip: If writing an essay sounds like a lot of work, simplify it. Write a simple 5 paragraph essay instead.

Bryan Collins is the owner of Become a Writer Today. He's an author from Ireland who helps writers build authority and earn a living from their creative work. He's also a former Forbes columnist and his work has appeared in publications like Lifehacker and Fast Company.

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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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Faculty Recognized for Impactful Computer Graphics Papers

March 20, 2024 By Amanda Norvelle

• Computer Science and Engineering

In the fall, the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) released a collection of the most original, boundary-pushing papers that have been presented at their computer graphics conferences. Dr. Scott Schaefer, professor and department head, and Dr. Wenping Wang, professor, of the Department of Computer Science and Engineering at Texas A&M University authored papers selected for the collection. 

The ACM is a professional society that includes Special Interest Groups (SIGs) representing various areas of computing. The Special Interest Group on Computer Graphics and Interactive Techniques (SIGGGRAPH) released Seminal Graphics Papers Volume 1 in 1998 to celebrate 25 years of SIGGRAPH conferences. Wang and Schaefer’s papers were included in Seminal Graphics Papers Volume 2 , which was recently released to commemorate 50 years of SIGGRAPH conferences.

“I am truly honoured that our work has received such distinguished recognition by SIGGRAPH and happy to see that this work has had a profound impact on geometric processing research in computer graphics. There is no doubt our strong group at Texas A&M will continue to produce first class research and educate the next generation of students of the highest caliber in computer graphics,” said Wang.

Wang’s paper was originally published in 2006 and was the first paper about architectural geometry presented at a SIGGRAPH conference. Wang and his co-authors addressed several persistent design problems concerning freeform architectural surfaces like roofs. Some of the design challenges for freeform surfaces include how to break them down into multi-layered, structurally stable panels. Other challenges include manufacturing panels efficiently while still ensuring they meet aesthetic requirements. Wang and his co-authors proposed conical meshes — flat quadrilaterals arranged in a web-like pattern — as a solution.

Schaefer’s paper was originally presented at the SIGGRAPH conference in 2005. Schaefer and his co-authors addressed how barycentric coordinates, which had previously been applied only to 2D shapes, could be applied to 3D triangulated surfaces (surfaces graphically overlayed with a net of triangles). Barycentric coordinates describe the position of a point within a triangle. Beyond that, this paper detailed how barycentric coordinates could be used to describe changes in a 3D surface’s size or shape, called 3D surface deformation or cage-based deformation.

“I was excited to see our work recognized as a seminal SIGGRAPH paper,” Schaefer said. “Barycentric coordinates is a very interesting field for me, and I am happy to see others appreciate the work as well.” 

The co-authors on Wang’s paper were Yang Liu, Helmut Pottmann, Johannes Wallner and Yong-Liang Yang. The co-authors on Schaefer’s paper were Tao Ju and Joe Warren.

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The Best Way to Find Out if We Can Cool the Planet

By Jeremy Freeman

Dr. Freeman is the executive director of CarbonPlan, a climate research nonprofit.

A few years ago, the idea of deliberately blocking the sun to combat climate change was taboo for scientists. But a lot can change in a short time .

As the disastrous effects of climate change mount, Congress has asked federal scientists for a research plan , private money is flowing and rogue start-ups are attempting experiments — all signs that momentum around solar geoengineering is building fast. The most discussed approach involves spraying tiny particles into the stratosphere to reflect sunlight and cool the planet. Other proposals include injecting sea salt into clouds to increase their reflectivity or using giant space parasols to block the sun .

It might all sound like dystopian science fiction, but some techno-futurists, like OpenAI’s chief executive, Sam Altman, are already normalizing it: “We’re going to have to do something dramatic with climate like geoengineering as a Band-Aid, as a stopgap,” he said in January at the World Economic Forum in Davos.

No one fully understands the risks of these technologies — which could include calamitous disruptions in weather — or how significant the benefits could be. I’m increasingly convinced that we should do more research on solar geoengineering . But such high-stakes science requires extraordinary levels of transparency and accountability to the global public. The alternative is clandestine research controlled by corporations or autocratic regimes, lurching toward deployment without knowing — or knowing and not sharing — the true risks.

The potential risks of solar geoengineering are serious. Spraying reflective particles in one place, for example, could significantly change rainfall patterns elsewhere. What’s more, once anyone starts solar geoengineering at a larger scale, suddenly stopping it could lead to “ termination shock ” — global temperatures rapidly readjusting to where they would have been without geoengineering. With such terrifying points of no return, every accelerating step of research requires global public participation and deliberation.

Most research so far has been tentative and contained to computer simulations . But to know what will happen in the real world, we also need outdoor experiments. By launching an instrument-laden balloon into the stratosphere, for example, researchers could release a tiny amount of particles and measure how they interact with the atmosphere, with minimal environmental risk.

But already we’ve seen a backlash to these kinds of experiments: Harvard geoengineering researchers planned a dry run of their instruments in Sweden in 2021 only to be shut down after the Indigenous Saami Council and local environmental groups protested the tests. A key concern was how such research could redirect attention and investment from more pressing efforts to reduce emissions, thereby becoming a moral hazard . More recently, Mexico banned geoengineering experiments after discovering an American tech entrepreneur had launched a balloon test without permission. And a startup out of Israel has now raised millions of dollars and is planning experiments with little to no transparency. Some assessments suggest that more experiments, and even larger deployments, are increasingly likely. It would be far better if they happened in the open, as in Sweden, rather than in secret.

Even in places where no experiments have been planned, the public is wary. Most people haven’t heard of geoengineering in the United States, but of those who have, 72 percent reported being very concerned we’ll use it before understanding its impact. More broadly, while there’s evidence of support for research , that support is reluctant and conditional. Without transparency and trust, public debate on geoengineering could devolve into conspiracy theories and partisan ideology.

A reluctance to trust scientists is understandable. Science as a profession has for too long pursued prestige at the expense of integrity, and public scientific institutions have been increasingly privatized with minimal accountability. With a long, troubled history that includes eugenics and weapons of war, we cannot pretend that science is either pure or infallible.

But science is fallible precisely because it is a practice , a cooperative human activity. And as the moral philosopher Alasdair MacIntyre reminds us, engaging in a practice well requires exercising its virtues — which for science include transparency, honesty, humility, skepticism and collaboration. For geoengineering, that means disclosing all funding and effectively managing potential conflicts of interests, ensuring the participation of stakeholders from around the world in decision making , avoiding groupthink, sharing early-stage results and data to accelerate research and engaging in radically open science .

Transparency on its own may not lead to the widespread adoption of a new technology. A study on Covid-19 vaccine communication showed that increased transparency, especially about negative outcomes, led to lower vaccine acceptance — but it did increase trust in public health. A potential lesson for solar geoengineering is that transparency is important even when or perhaps especially when it doesn’t result in an outcome scientists initially imagine.

We should be especially wary of ceding control over geoengineering research to the tech industry. Often under the guise of virtue, techno-futurists capitalize on the power that comes from scientific knowledge while exploiting people and the environment, a pattern The Atlantic’s Adrienne LaFrance diagnoses as techno-authoritarianism. We cannot allow private for-profit entities to steer, or covertly fund, solar geoengineering research.

Instead, any research must be done by institutions acting in the public’s interest. If private funding is the only option, scientists will need to choose carefully where they work and defend their integrity against external pressures. They must clearly communicate research findings, positive and negative, and educate the public about what’s possible and what’s at stake. That way the public can in turn hold policymakers, regulators and scientists to account, with everyone working together in pursuit of a common good.

When confronted with the prospect of solar geoengineering, we may wish it had never come to this point. But we can still decide how to move forward responsibly, with and for the public.

Jeremy Freeman is the executive director of CarbonPlan, a climate research nonprofit. Much of CarbonPlan’s work has focused on carbon dioxide removal, another controversial climate technology.

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• Electrical and Computer Engineering

The School of Electrical and Computer Engineering was established in 2006E.C under the College of Engineering and Technology at Samara University. When the Department was established, the purpose of our university was to create a moral, knowledgeable and competent problem-solving workforce. As a result, the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Samara University is providing teaching, learning, research and community services. It is currently enrolling 23 second-year students in the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department of the regular program, as well as 19 third-year students, 101 fourth-year students (Power-25, Control-29, Communication-24 and Computer Engineering-22).

Electrical and Computer Engineering graduates work in both the Technical and non- Technical professions and contribute significantly to the socio-economic development of the country.

The Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECEG) Department is preparing young men and women to lead productive and rewarding professional lives at the forefront of Engineering in the 21st century and pursues research and linkage with the industry to advance the state-of-the-art in electrical and computer engineering education.

At present, the Department is running a B.Sc. degree program in a unified Electrical and Computer Engineering program. In addition, the Department is running a continuing education program that leads to B.Sc. degree.

The graduates of the Department have profound knowledge in basic science, mathematics, social science and the major disciplines: Communications, Power Engineering, Control Systems, and Computer Engineering (Hardware & Software).

The Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECEG) Department aspires to excel in teaching, research, and industry linkage/consultancy at a national level as well as regionally and also in producing competent engineers within the field of electrical, electronic, and computer engineering to solve the problem of our country and bring about growth.

Realization of this vision requires focusing on specializations relevant to the need of the country; namely, Communication Engineering, Electrical Power Engineering, Computer Engineering, and Industrial Control Engineering. This in turn requires institutional reorganization such as upgrading to faculty level where each discipline may have its own department.

Department Facilities

The Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering offers courses in comfortable classrooms that it shares with other departments of the College of Engineering and Technology. Furthermore, the Department has a well-equipped is equipped with laboratories for practical courses comprising the following independent sections.

• Basic electrical Engineering Laboratory
• Electrical Installation and workshop Laboratory
• Computer Laboratory
• Power Electronics Laboratory
• Communication Laboratory

Administration

The department head.

The Department Head is selected from among the teaching staff of the department on the basis of merit and interest as soon as the college announces the vacancy for the post. The term of office of the Department Head is two years. Currently, Mr. Jemal Mohammed Amin is serving as Head of the Department.  

Contact Address

Email:  [email protected]

• Office Telephone:  
• Mobile: +251-914-352-253
• P.O. Box: 132, Samara, Ethiopia

Bachelor Programs

Program objectives, general objectives.

• To train high level technical manpower which can participate in the national development activities;
• To carry out research in the areas of electrical and computer engineering and relevant to the needs of the Country;
• To render consultancy services to the community.

Specific Objectives

• To train electrical and computer engineers.
• To prepare graduates with the capability of following the current and future developments in the field and related applications.

Graduate Profiles

The following streams (focus areas) of Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECEG) are identified as very important for the development of the country.

       I.            Electrical Engineer with Communication Engineering Focus

• Design and maximize the utilization of communication network efficiently and with the least possible delay and adequate quality.
• Able to carry out research in the area of system design/networking and bring solution in operational settings.
• Able to solve problems in intensive signal processing and routing of information packets.

    II.            Electrical Engineer with Electrical Power Engineering Focus

• Plan, design, analyze and develop power transmission and distribution system.
• Design, analysis, construction, installation, control, operation and maintenance of electrical machines, power electronic devices and drives.

 III.            Electrical Engineer with Computer Engineering Focus

• Install, operate and maintain computer systems.
• Work as a computer hardware engineer, software engineer, system analyst, data communication analyst, computer network engineer, database analyst, data administrator, network administrator, information systems quality assurance analyst, information system consultant, system tester, system security analyst, customer support analyst, system auditor, computer service engineer, web designer, webmaster, interactive media developer. 

  IV.            Electrical Engineer with Industrial Control Engineering Focus

• Plan, produce, install, implement, operate and maintain the control and instrumentation systems.

Duration of the Program

This newly revised of Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECEG) degree program is a 5-year program, including industry internship semester, which prepares graduates for careers as professional engineers in such areas as Communication, Electrical Power, Computer and Industrial Control Engineering.

Admission Requirements

Students who have successfully completed the 10 plus 2 years preparatory secondary education and have secured a minimum cutoff point with high scores in Physics and Mathematics are eligible to join the regular undergraduate B.Sc. degree program in Electrical and Computer Engineering.

Depending on available spaces, diploma graduates from TVET (Technical Vocational Education and Training) in the fields of Electrical and Computer Engineering will be admitted based on grades on competitive basis.

Applicants with a minimum cutoff point and with high scores in Physics and Mathematics in foreign countries examinations equivalent to the 10+2 preparatory program are also eligible. The equivalence is determined by department.

Graduation Requirements

Students must take and pass all the required courses to satisfy the requirements for graduation. The total number of credit points required for graduation with the Degree of Bachelor of Science in all the four focus areas of Electrical and Computer Engineering is 300 ECTS (158credit hours), including the 30 ECTS mandatory internship (industry placement). Besides the total credit hour required for graduation student’s

• overall cumulative grade point average (CGPA),
• CGPA for the core electrical engineering courses, and
• CGPA for focus area courses must each be at least 2.0 for successful completion.

Degree Nomenclature

After successful completion of all the requirements a student graduating from the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering will be entitled to earn a degree with the following nomenclatures.

• Bachelor of Science Degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering (Communications Engineering)

የሳይንስ ባችለር ዲግሪ በኤሌትሪካል እና ኮምፒዩተር ምህንድስና(ኮምዩኒኬሽን ምህንድስና)

• Bachelor of Science Degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering (Electrical Power Engineering)

       የሳይንስ ባችለር ዲግሪ በኤሌትሪካል እና ኮምፒዩተር ምህንድስና (ኤሌክትሪካል ፓወር ምህንድስና)

• Bachelor of Science Degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering (Computer Engineering)

       የሳይንስ ባችለር ዲግሪ በኤሌትሪካል እና ኮምፒዩተርምህንድስና (ኮምፕዩተር ምህንድስና)

• Bachelor of Science Degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering (Industrial Control Engineering)

   የሳይንስ ባችለር ዲግሪ በኤሌትሪካል እና ኮምፒዩተርምህንድስና (ኢንዱስትሪያል ኮንትሮል ምህንድስና)

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School of Electrical and Computer Engineering

College of engineering, bakir named director of the packaging research center.

Muhannad Bakir has been named director of the Institute for Electronics and Nanotechnology’s 3D Systems Packaging Research Center.

Muhannad Bakir  has been named director of the Institute for Electronics and Nanotechnology’s  3D Systems Packaging Research Center  (PRC).

"We’re thrilled to have Professor Bakir joining us as the new director,” said Michael Filler, IEN’s interim executive director. “His wealth of experience and pioneering work in advanced packaging make him an excellent fit to lead the PRC into an exciting new era of innovation and technological impact.”

Originating as a National Science Foundation Engineering Research Center in 1993, the PRC is a national leader in the advanced packaging of microelectronics. Advanced packaging in microelectronics refers to innovative techniques for merging and interconnecting multiple components within a single electronic entity. This enables more powerful, efficient, and versatile microelectronic systems, driving innovation across various industries. The Center conducts research and education in all aspects of electronics packaging, including design, materials, process, assembly, thermal management, and system integration. Its work is driven by a wide range of applications, such as high-performance computing, artificial intelligence, automotive systems, wireless communications, and space exploration.

“I am honored for the opportunity to lead the PRC and look forward to working with the campus community and our industry, government, and academic partners on a research agenda that tackles the multifaceted challenges in advanced packaging and heterogeneous integration,” said Bakir.

As director, Bakir will guide the PRC into the future of advanced packaging through his vision and expertise. He is responsible for ensuring that the PRC's world-class facilities support the emerging needs of advanced packaging of microelectronics and supports members of the campus community who uses these facilities.

“We are excited to lead the science and engineering that culminates in system level prototyping and demonstrators for AI, mm-wave, photonic systems, and beyond,” he said.

Bakir, who also serves as the Dan Fielder Professor in the  School of Electrical and Computer Engineering  and leads the  Integrated 3D Systems Group , brings a wealth of experience to his new role as PRC director. He and his research group have received more than 30 paper and presentation awards including seven from the IEEE Electronic Components and Technology Conference, four from the IEEE International Interconnect Technology Conference, and one from the IEEE Custom Integrated Circuits Conference. His group was also awarded the 2014 and 2017 Best Papers of the IEEE Transactions on Components Packaging and Manufacturing Technology.

Bakir is the recipient of the 2013 Intel Early Career Faculty Honor Award, 2012 DARPA Young Faculty Award, 2011 IEEE CPMT Society Outstanding Young Engineer Award, and was an Invited Participant in the 2012 National Academy of Engineering Frontiers of Engineering Symposium. He is the co-recipient of the 2018 IEEE Electronics Packaging Society Exceptional Technical Achievement Award “for contributions to 2.5D and 3D IC heterogeneous integration, with a focus on interconnect technologies.” He is also the co-recipient of the 2018 McKnight Foundation Technological Innovations in Neuroscience Awards. In 2020, Bakir received the Georgia Tech Outstanding Doctoral Thesis Advisor Award.

He serves as a senior area editor for the  IEEE Transactions on Components, Packaging and Manufacturing Technology  and was previously an Editor for  IEEE Transactions on Electron Devices . He has also served as a distinguished lecturer for IEEE EPS.

Learn more about PRC

Amelia Neumeister Research Communications Program Manager

[email protected]

Samara National Research University

34, Moskovskoye shosse , Samara 443086 Russian Federation | Website

Samara National Research University Rankings

Samara National Research University is unranked in Best Global Universities. Schools are ranked according to their performance across a set of widely accepted indicators of excellence. Read more about how we rank schools .

• Unranked in Best Global Universities
• Unranked in Best Global Universities in Europe
• Unranked in Best Global Universities in Russia

Samara National Research University Subject Rankings

• # 207 in Optics  (tie)

2022-2023 Indicator Rankings

Thirteen indicators were used to calculate Samara National Research University's overall Best Global Universities rank. Here is a breakdown of how this institution ranked relative to other schools for each indicator.

Global Universities

Optics overall score

Optics publications

Optics conferences

Optics normalized citation impact

Optics total citations

Optics number of publications that are among the 10% most cited

Optics percentage of total publications that are among the 10% most cited

Optics international collaboration - relative to country

Optics international collaboration

Optics number of highly cited papers that are among the top 1% most cited

Optics percentage of highly cited papers that are among the top 1% most cited

Featured Advice

Samara National Research University: Statistics

Updated: February 29, 2024

Quick Review

Acceptance rate & admissions.

We've calculated the 60% acceptance rate for Samara National Research University based on the ratio of admissions to applications and other circumstantial enrollment data. Treat this information as a rough guide and not as a definitive measure of your chances of admission. Different programs may have significantly varying admissions rates.

Research profile

Samara National Research University has published 9,685 scientific papers with 49,576 citations received. The research profile covers a range of fields, including Engineering, Physics, Quantum and Particle physics, Chemistry, Materials Science, Environmental Science, Computer Science, Biology, Liberal Arts & Social Sciences, and Organic Chemistry.

Samara National Research University majors

by publication & citation count

Annual publication & citation counts

The tuition table for Samara National Research University gives an overview of costs but prices are approximate and subject to change and don't include accommodation, textbooks, or living expenses. The costs of programs might differ significantly for local and international students. The only source of truth for current numbers is the university's official website.

The currency used is Russian Ruble (RUB).

Samara National Research University has financial aid programs and on-campus housing.

Programs and Degrees

The table below displays academic fields with programs and courses that lead to Bachelor's, Master's, and Doctorate degrees offered by Samara National Research University.

Note that the table provides a general overview and might not cover all the specific majors available at the university. Always visit the university's website for the most up-to-date information on the programs offered.

Notable alumni

Michal Klusáček

Michal Klusáček is a Czech politician and flight engineer. In 2001–2007 he studied construction of air engines at Samara State Aerospace University. In 2012–2019, he was leader of the Czech National Social Party, when he replaced Jaroslav Rovný. Due to dispute tensions in the party, he was excluded from the party in August 2019 by the new party leadership around Vladislav Svoboda.

Samara National Research University faculties and divisions

General information, location and contacts, samara national research university in social media.

What are your chances of acceptance?

Calculate for all schools, your chance of acceptance.

Your chancing factors

Extracurriculars.

College Essay Tips for Software Engineering Programs

This article was written based on the information and opinions presented by Hale Jaeger in a CollegeVine livestream. You can watch the full livestream for more info.

What’s Covered:

“why this . . .” essays for software engineering, writing your essay.

For many college applications, you’ll write essays in addition to the Common App personal statement . These prompts will often ask you about what you’re planning on pursuing at the college. This article will give you practical advice for explaining your interest in software engineering. 

Many supplemental essay prompts are quite common, such as “ Why this major? ” and “ Why this school? ” If you’re sure about pursuing software engineering and know which college you want to kick off your career at, you should already know the answers to these questions. 

Certain schools have strong software engineering and computer science programs. If this is the case for your chosen college, it should be easy for you to say that you can identify with their program. You can add that you’re excited to use the specific resources there and how they will help you reach your goal of becoming a software engineer.

When talking about your major, bring up what attracts you to the field. Your eventual salary and career prospects are incentives, but you want to explain what specifically about the study of computer science and engineering makes you excited. Why do you like to learn about it? Maybe you’re fascinated by the inner workings of technology. Perhaps you’re interested in how specific tools on certain websites work. It’s also possible that you want to improve user experience and innovate existing software.

These reasons are a bit less shallow than money. They also get to the heart of why you want to pursue software engineering: you like to build things and solve problems. 

From Abstract to Specific

In general, when writing your essays, you should work on funneling these types of ideas about your major from the abstract to the specific. You can open with a particular anecdote or story to catch the reader’s attention, of course, but try to start with high-level interests. Fundamental things like identifying the inner workings of a website can lead to more niche topics.

Personal Experiences

When writing your essays, make sure you touch on any personal experiences that can help show why this subject is your passion. It can all add to the personal narrative that you’ve been building in your entire application and help make the admissions officers understand you better.

If you had an experience with technology that fascinated you, drew you into the subject, and made you want to learn more, then include that. Be sure to add the important details so the reader can get a good sense of the scene. Another way to go is if you had the opposite experience: you encountered a frustrating piece of technology and were desperate to figure out how to get it working. You realized that you wanted to go into the field to improve software and make people’s lives easier. You can try writing about your interests that way. 

Another way to write your essay is to back up an explanation of your passions with a personal story that will make your essay compelling. Try to draw on an anecdote, and if possible, explain what you’ve accomplished after your initial interest was sparked. 

How did you get involved in coding? If you found technology that was glitching all the time or something that excited you, did this inspire you to figure out how it all worked? Write about how you’ve developed your skills in coding and science and how much you’ve learned about good systems and malfunctioning systems. Then, write about what you want to accomplish and innovate in the field.

Plans for the Future

When you’ve discussed the past and present, you can begin to probe the future. For the sake of narrative, try to include how you’ve grown and what your ultimate ambitions are. If you’re not sure exactly what branch of software engineering you want to go into, that’s fine. You can name a few options, such as game design or mobile design, or you can just talk about how you want to build things and make better technology to improve people’s lives. 

When you’re talking about personal things, you should aim to be specific. Draw on stories when you can, and be honest about what interests you about this subject and what you want to do in the field. This is your chance to explore why you’re looking to go into software engineering, so you should come away from these essays feeling much more confident about your planned course of study.

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