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The term “essay” can mean a variety of things in the college application process. Some schools call it a personal statement, while others call them supplemental questions or short responses, and many just call them essays. No matter what it is called by different schools, the essay represents an opportunity to share information about you that is not already evident in the rest of your application. Essay topics can vary widely from Tell us about who you are to Why our school? to What are your hopes and dreams? to Discuss a societal issue that is important to you and more! No matter the topic, the admissions committee is looking for a way to distinguish you from all of the other candidates (who are often just as qualified academically) and determine whether you will be a good fit for their campus community. They are also getting a glimpse at your writing skills, creativity, thought processes, and personality.
Why is it Important?
The weight of the essay in the application review process differs from college to college, but many admissions representatives indicate that the college essay is the fourth most important factor behind grades, test scores, and the strength of your chosen curriculum. While grades, test scores, and academic preparation tell admissions committees whether you are likely to be successful at their institution, your essay responses tell them much more about your passions, your talents, and how you might pursue those passions and contribute your talents on their campus. The essay is the personal piece of the application puzzle, and how you tell your personal story can make a significant difference.
Where Can I Get Help?
The first place you should always seek help in writing your college essays is the college application and website itself. Start by reading the instructions and essay prompts carefully. Check the college’s website for any advice they may offer about what they are looking for in the essay. As mentioned previously, some even post “essays that worked” on their websites.
Words of Wisdom
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. Describe a problem you've solved or a problem you'd like to solve. It can be an intellectual challenge, a research query, an ethical dilemma - anything that is of personal importance, no matter the scale. Explain its significance to you and what steps you took or could be taken to identify a solution.
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.
How Do You Write a College Essay?
• Get Organized—Before you start writing, you should identify which schools require essays and take note of the type of essays or responses you are being asked to write. Make a chart or list of the essays you will need to write (including deadlines) so that you have an overall idea about the task ahead of you. Doing this will save you time later, because often you can use one essay for more than one application or at the very least tweak and adjust an essay to submit to multiple schools. Often there are patterns in the various essay prompts that will help you narrow down how you might approach the essays you will need to write.
• Reflect—Next you will want to think about your high school (and life) experiences and identify core qualities or ideas that you wish to emphasize and convey. Creating your resume BEFORE you try to write your essay(s) can be helpful in reminding you about your accomplishments, how you have pursued your passions (academic and otherwise), and most importantly bring to mind specific events or encounters that may prove to be ideal topics for an essay. Ultimately, the goal in reflecting is to be able to answer the following questions: What is the story I want to tell? What do I want colleges to know about me? What do I have to offer as a potential member of their campus community? In what way(s) have I had a positive impact on my family, school, and/or community?
• Brainstorm—Once you have an idea about the key things you wish to share about yourself, start to generate a list of ways that you can tell your story. Make a list of memorable experiences, or write down your most unique or quirky personality traits. Make a list of people whom you admire or who have made an impact in your life, or account for all the ways in which you have changed over the past four or more years. It might also be helpful to look at sample essays to get ideas. Some colleges post Essays That Worked on their websites, and there are abundant print and online resources with essay writing tips and sample essays.
• Draft—It may be the case that you identify several ideas for writing your essay(s). That is absolutely OK! Students often draft several different essays and then choose the one that they feel best communicates what they want colleges to know about them. Try writing two or three brief essays and then turn the ones you like the most into longer responses. Consider using the Into-Through-Beyond approach to organizing your essay:
> Lead the reader INTO your story by grabbing them with a story or experience > Take the reader THROUGH your story by providing context for your story or experience and sharing the
key parts. Along the way find ways to reveal the qualities about you that you wish to convey. > Address how this story or experience affects you BEYOND high school by making connections between
who you are now and who you want to be. What did you learn? How are you different as a result? No matter your approach be sure that you stay focused, and be open to taking some risks vs. writing an essay that looks like all of the others. BE YOURSELF!
• Edit—It is vital that you plan ahead when writing your college essay and be sure to leave time for editing and multiple drafts before submitting the final version. Start by writing a first draft. Put it away for a few days, and then come back to it. Ask your parents, a friend, or a teacher to read the essay and give you feedback, BUT do not allow them to revise it. This is your essay, and it needs to reflect your authentic voice, not that of your parents or others. Instead, ask them to comment on how they believe it reflects what they know about you or whether it provides new insights about you that they did not know before. Admissions committees are looking for genuine and honest essays that also incorporate some individuality and creativity. However, be careful about focusing too much on the creative piece at the expense of losing sight of who you are.
2022-2023 Common App Essay Prompts
Below is the full set of essay prompts for 2022-2023. We will also retain the optional COVID-19 question within the Additional Information section.
Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.
The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?
Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. What prompted your thinking? What was the outcome?
Reflect on something that someone has done for you that has made you happy or thankful in a surprising way. How has this gratitude affected or motivated you?
Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others.
Describe a topic, idea, or concept you find so engaging that it makes you lose all track of time. Why does it captivate you? What or who do you turn to when you want to learn more?
Share an essay on any topic of your choice. It can be one you've already written, one that responds to a different prompt, or one of your own design.
College Essays Prompts
• Make sure that your essay is not a reiteration of your transcript or resume. Instead, your essay should complement these things and tell your unique story.
• Be certain to take note of character or word limits for essays. Respect these limits and know that in some cases your essay will be cut off if you do not keep within the limit. Do not settle for the lower limit when it comes to character or word count. Maximize your opportunity to tell your story, but stay within the stated limits.
• If you use an essay for more than one application, BE CERTAIN that you carefully proofread and take care that the appropriate college name is in the essay.
• For students using the Common Application, be sure to take note of which colleges require supplemental essays in addition to the common essay prompts.
What you’ll learn
Tips for completing college applications
How to use the Common Application
How to write your college application essay
College Essays - Example
For examples visit the following sites:
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