When an admissions officer reads your essay, they seek a deeper understanding of who you are beyond what your grades and test scores reveal. This is your chance to share something about yourself that isn’t reflected elsewhere in your application, offering a personal glimpse into your character, values, and experiences. A compelling essay brings your application to life, allowing the reader to connect with you on a more meaningful level.
Start with brainstorming exercises—they will be helpful regardless of the structure you choose (see below).
Create an outline. Decide between a chronological (narrative) structure, where events unfold in sequence, or a montage structure, where experiences are connected thematically (use the Five Things brainstorming exercise for a montage outline).
Write your first draft.
Meet with your College Counselor for feedback on structure, clarity, and overall impact.
Revise and write a second draft. Share it with trusted friends, family, or teachers for additional feedback.
Proofread carefully to ensure correct grammar, punctuation, and formatting.
Repeat steps 4 through 6 as needed until you have a polished, compelling final draft ready for submission.
A boring essay chooses a boring topic, makes obvious connections, and uses obvious language. A stand-out essay chooses an uncommon topic, makes uncommon connections, and uses uncommon language. The key to writing a stand-out essay begins with brainstorming and research, below are several tools you can use to jumpstart your brainstorming process.
Tool 1 – Personality Trait Survey
This will give you your strengths in depth, but also new language and ideas. When you have your strengths, think back on your life and try to pinpoint moments when they manifested. The more specific you can be, the better stories will come from it. Don’t explicitly use your strengths by name in the essay, instead weave a narrative and let the reader draw their own conclusions.
Tool 2 - Three words
Identify three to four people who know you well—such as two friends, a parent, a teacher, a coach, or a sibling—and ask each of them the same question: What three adjectives best describe me? Write down their exact responses.
Once you have their answers, look for patterns and group similar words together. Then, connect these themes to personal experiences. Do these adjectives remind you of specific moments in your life? What stories can you tell that bring these traits to life? These reflections can provide powerful insights for your essay, helping you showcase your authentic personality through your lived experiences.
Tool 3- Journal prompts
Write them in story format, and share the stories with friends and family, and get feedback. What resonates with people?
Tool 4 - The Five Things Exercise from The College Essay Guy
Step 1: Pick five linked things in your life.
Step 2: Outline how each of the five could connect to different experiences that show different values.
Step 3: Write a short paragraph on each one.
Common Application Essay Prompts (Choose one)
Coalition Application Essay Prompts (Choose one)
University of California Personal Insight Questions (Choose 4 of 8 prompts)
A quick note on supplemental essays that ask, ‘Why do you want to attend THIS university specifically? Universities can tell the difference if you are using a cookie-cutter essay, that skims over some of the basic knowledge found on their website, versus someone who has taken the time to thoroughly research and find the reasons why they are a great fit for the university. You will have a limited amount of words to convey ‘fit,’ so it’s important to be concise and sincere.
Here is a list of some ideas to make your essay as specific to the school as possible:
Visit the campus, and if you can not visit in person, plan virtual tours, both official through their website and unofficial through YouTube and other social media platforms. Write down building names you see yourself studying in, restaurants that feature cuisine you love, little details like having access to green spaces, to the measures they implement to keep students safe, such as night lighting and quick alarms, can be utilized.
Interview alumni and current students to get a feel for the student experience and niche traditions. How do you see yourself fitting into their unique world? What sets this student experience apart from other university students?
Mention specific professors you would like to study under, their research, and how you want to contribute.
Research clubs and organizations, ones you want to join, and how you will further their mission.
Research the university mission and values, find one or more that resonates with you and write about it.
Read student reviews on niche.com and other sites, they can provide you with deep insight into the student experience.
Mention specific opportunities you did not have access to during high school but are looking forward to experiencing at their university.
Here are some common mistakes to avoid:
Mistake #1: Write about the school's size, location, reputation, weather, or ranking.
Mistake #2: Using emotional language to show how you fit in, “passion” is not enough without substance.
Mistake #3: Reusing material from a different essay.
Mistake #4: Restating the language on the website.
Mistake #5: Describing traditions the school is well-known for.
Also use the Essays section within the Universities tab in Maia Learning. The essay topics for most American universities are listed assuming that the university is on your Considering or Applying list. There is also a feature that allows you to brainstorm essay topics, including the UC Insight questions.