admission essay definition

How to Write College Application Essays

Use the links below to jump directly to any section of this guide:

College Application Essay Fundamentals 

How to prepare to write your essay , how to approach different essay types, how to structure your essay , how to revise your essay, how to find essay writing help , resources for teaching students how to write a college essay, additional resources (further reading).

Of all the materials in a college application, the essay provides the greatest opportunity for you to set yourself apart. Unlike the transcript or resume, the essay is creative and expressive; in it, you can show the admissions counselors who you are and what you can do (that is, how well you can write!). A good application essay should have a memorable main idea, a cohesive structure, and a strong introduction and conclusion. Although essay topics can vary by college, the most common prompts deal with personal experiences and aspirations for the future. This guide   contains a diverse set of resources to help you orient yourself to the college application essay and, ultimately, to write the most competitive essay possible. 

The college application essay is a requirement for admission to almost all institutions of higher learning. Though in some ways it resembles essays you've written in class or on standardized tests, in other ways it's a unique writing exercises with its own particular requirements. Use the resources below to help you understand how the essay should be structured and what kind of content to include. 

"How Long Should College Application Essays Be?" (Learn.org)

This webpage guides you through some basic tips on writing the college essay—including essay length, sticking to the prompt, and maintaining an original tone. 

"College Application Essay" (College Board)

This webpage from the College Board discusses the different types of application essays, what length you should aim for, and most importantly, why colleges value this aspect of the application so much. 

"College Essays, College Applications" (College Board) 

The College Board's website is a great resource for any student looking to apply to college. This webpage contains several links to helpful resources, including sample essays and genuine student interviews. 

"Timeline for College Applications" (College Essay Guy)

This colorful, one-page guide from a college application specialist offers an illustrated timeline for high school students looking to apply for college. 

Before putting your ideas down on paper, it's important to conceptualize your essay, to craft strategically your tone and style, and,  crucially, to choose a topic that suits you and the school to which you're applying. The resources in this section include writing tips, lists of common mistakes you should avoid, and guides dedicated to the college application essay.

How to Plan Your Essay

"3 Common College Essay Mistakes to Avoid" (CNBC)  

This article from CNBC broadly outlines the most common mistakes students make when writing their college application essays. Although these mistakes may seem obvious, even the most experienced writers can fall into these common traps.

"7 Effective Application Tips" (Peterson's)

This article from Peterson's (a company providing academic materials for test prep, application help, and more) lists seven pieces of advice designed to make your writing pop. 

"The Secret to Show, Don't Tell" ( The Write Practice Blog)  

You've heard it before: show, don't tell. This is a great writing tip, but how do you pull it off? Here, the writing blog  The Write Practice  outlines how you can make your writing more descriptive and effective. 

"Passive Voice" (University of North Carolina)  

Avoiding passive construction is a subtle yet effective way to upgrade any piece of writing. Check out this webpage from a university writing center for some tips on recognizing and avoiding passive voice. 

"Using Appropriate Words in an Academic Essay" (National University of Singapore)

There are many ways to upgrade your vocabulary. Often, words can be replaced with more impressive substitutes, phrases can be shortened or lengthened depending on context, and transitions can be used for a smoother flow. The link above expands on these strategies and offers several others. 

How to Brainstorm Topic Ideas

"Bad College Essays: 10 Mistakes to Avoid" (PrepScholar)

This article from a well-known tutoring service and test prep program describes what to avoid when writing your essay. Essays that are too graphic, too personal, or too overconfident are all problematic, and this article explains why. 

"5 Tricks for Choosing Your College Essay Topic" (CollegeXpress)

Lost on how to choose a topic? This webpage from CollegeXpress outlines five sources of inspiration you can mine for ideas as you're getting started.

"The College Admission Essay: Finding a Topic" (The Choice Blog)

This article from New York Times  blog The Choice  breaks down three essential questions to ask yourself when choosing a topic for your college essay. 

"COLLEGE ESSAY GUIDE: Choosing a Prompt for the Common Application" (YouTube)

In this five-minute video, a Yale student discusses how to choose a college essay prompt and how to approach the essay writing process. His channel is filled with original videos on the college application process. 

"Where to Begin? 3 Personal Essay Brainstorming Exercises" ( CollegeVine Blog)

Approaching the Common App essay prompts can be difficult. This blog post explains several tactics you can use to narrow down your options, such as writing down a list of your greatest convictions.

"Using First Person in an Academic Essay: When Is It Okay?" (WritingCommons.org)

Most high school students are told to avoid using the first person point of view; this can be confusing when writing college essays, which typically ask what  you  think. This article breaks down when (and why) it's acceptable to write in the first person. 

Although all college essays serve the same purpose - articulating why you should get into a college - they come in different kinds. While topics on the Common Application are relatively consistent from year to year, personal statements and so-called "supplemental essays" vary by institution. Each of these essays requires a slightly different approach. The resources in this section will prepare you to answer the various types of essay prompts you're likely to encounter. 

Common Application Essays

CommonApp.org

The Common Application's official website is the best place to start getting acquainted with the service to which the majority of US colleges and universities now subscribe - a service which allows you to streamline your application process and minimize duplication of materials.

"What's App-enning" Blog (Common App)  

The Common App runs a blog with a wealth of information on common application-related news, including periodic updates on common application essay prompts for each application cycle. You can practice brainstorming with old prompts, or even start preparing your application by looking at this year's prompts.

125 College Essay Examples (PrepScholar Blog)

Here, PrepScholar provides a variety of Common App essays that got their respective applicants into their desired schools. Along with the body text of the essays, the website provides analysis on  what  makes the essays so great. 

A Few Essays That Worked (And a Few That Didn't) (NYTimes Blog)

This article analyzes unsuccessful essays, illuminating the ways in which they fell short. Although you should exercise caution and adjust your approach to your specific school, it's always good to pick up on general things to avoid. 

Personal Statements

What Is a Personal Statement? (PrepScholar Blog)

Although personal statements and Common App essays are similar, not all personal statement essays are administered through the Common App. This article from PrepScholar's blog will provide you with everything you need to know about writing a personal statement.

Examples of Successful Statements (Purdue OWL)

The Purdue OWL online writing lab collate links on this page to several successful personal statement. It can be useful to read successful statements and to consider how and why the statements made an impact on their readers. 

Past Threads on Advice for Writing Your College Essay (Reddit Post)

Although not about the personal statement  per se , this Reddit post has links to several past threads that may be of use to any prospective college applicant. 

What 10 Things Should Your Personal Statement Include? (Which University UK)  

This site outlines ten things to consider when writing a personal statement, including outlining what you will bring to the course, not what the course will bring to you. 

Supplemental Essays

How to Write Great Supplemental College Essays (IvyWise Newsletter)

Supplemental essays can often be challenging, asking a range of questions from the mundane to the oddly specific. This article from college application site IvyWise will break down example prompts to make them more approachable. 

Write Your Supplemental Essays (College Essay Guy)

Looking for a comprehensive guide to supplemental essays? Look no further than this page provided by the "College Essay Guy," who breaks down how to write supplemental essays that ask different kinds of questions. 

An Awesome Guide to the UChicago Supplement (Dyad)

Dyad, a college mentoring service, walks you through how to approach UChicago's supplemental essay question. Although the article is specific to UChicago, it contains general tips that are helpful to any college applicant. 

Reading My Yale Supplement Essay (YouTube)

Josh Beasley is back in this short YouTube video, where he reads the supplemental essay that got him into Yale and extrapolates advice for current and prospective applicants. 

A college application essay (like any academic essay) should have an introduction, a conclusion, and body paragraphs. Additionally, it should have overall coherence (that is, it should make a point) and cohesion (that is, it should flow well from paragraph to paragraph). We've collected the most relevant resources here to help you structure your college essay correctly and efficiently. 

How to Make Your Essay Stand Out 

College Essays That Stand Out From the Crowd (NYTimes)

This NYTimes article includes links to several recent essays that caught the eyes of the admissions readers by taking risks. You can even listen to an essay being read aloud by a current Princeton student.

50 Successful Ivy League Application Essays (Gen / Kelly Tanabe)  

If you have some time on your hands, this hefty PDF document contains 50 essays from successful Ivy League applicants. After reading these essays, consider what they have in common and how they might be a model for your own essay.

Make Your Application Essay Stand Out (CampusExplorer.com)

In this article from CampusExplorer, you'll find general tips on how to make your essay more appealing to the admissions readers. The writers include general writing tips as well as more targeted advice for the tone and audience of the application essay.

How to Write a College Application Essay that Stands Out (Boston University)

This short video from BU's own admissions department touches briefly on what impresses their admissions readers, including risk-taking, memorable stories, and honesty. 

Essay Structure (Monash University)

This chart from Monash University visually demonstrates how your content should be organized in order to keep your argument or story on track. 

How to Write an Introduction

How to Start a Personal Statement: The Killer Opening (Which University UK)  

Any good introduction both forecasts what your essay will be about and catches the reader's attention. This page will give you some helpful advice on starting your essay with a bang. 

How to Start a College Essay Perfectly (PrepScholar Blog)

This article from PrepScholar shows you how to "hook" your reader at the start of your application essay with colorful language, a vivid story, and an "insightful pivot" to your main point.

Let Me Introduce Myself (Stanford University)

This article from Stanford U's alumni page details the first-line openings of the essays for some current Stanford undergrads. 

Five Ways to NOT Start Your College Application Essays (PowerScore)

In this article, you'll learn five techniques to avoid, as they typically land a college application essay in the "reject" pile; these include beginning with dictionary definitions or famous quotations. 

How to Write a Conclusion 

Ending the Essay: Conclusions (Harvard University)

Harvard's writing center suggests bringing closure to your essay (that is, wrapping up your argument) while still expanding outward to broader applications or insights in your final paragraph.

Concluding Paragraph (Easybib)  

Although you may have used Easybib to make a bibliography before, did you know they have many resources on how to write a good essay? Check out this page for succinct advice on what your conclusion should entail. 

5 Ways to Powerfully End Your College Essay (College Greenlight)

This blog post instructs you to end with action (that is, a story or anecdote) rather than summary, giving you five ways to do this effectively, including addressing the college directly.

How to Write the Best Conclusion for a College Application Essay and Supplement (Koppelman Group)

The Koppelman Group, a college application consulting firm, warns you, above all, not to end "in conclusion" or "to conclude." They also provide targeted advice for the Common App and Supplement essays, respectively. 

No essay is perfect in its first-draft form; college application essays in particular are limited by word counts that can be difficult to meet. Once you've communicated your ideas, you'll want to edit your essay in order to make sure it's the best it can be. You'll also need to cut or add words to make sure it's within the specifications set by the institution. The resources in this section include tips and tricks for revising your college application essay. 

3 Ways to Increase Word Count (WikiHow)

Complete with illustrations, this WikiHow page outlines several ways you might go about substantively expanding your essay. These tips include clarifying points, reworking your introduction and conclusion, adding new viewpoints and examples, and connecting loose threads. 

Admissions 101: What an Essay Word Limit Really Means (Veritas Prep) 

In this blog post, Veritas Prep's college preparation tutors assure you that being a little over or under the limit is acceptable, recommending ways you can think about the word limit's purpose.

College Essay Word Limit - Going Under? (College Confidential) 

In this College Confidential discussion forum, students discuss the possible ramifications of writing under the word limit for a college essay. 

How to Increase Your Essay Word Count (WordCounter)

This article from WordCounter outlines different ways you might go about meeting word count, including addressing different viewpoints, adding examples, and clarifying statements. 

Hitting the Target Word Count in Your College Admissions Essay (Dummies.com)

This article details how to hit the target word count. Scroll down to the middle of the article for advice on where you should cut words from to meet word count. 

Some Tricks to Reduce Word Count (EastAsiaStudent.net)

This article recommends simplifying your style, deleting adverbs, deleting prepositions, and revisiting connectives and adjectives to reduce word count. 

Advice on Whittling Your Admissions Essay (NYTimes) 

In this New York Times article, Andrew Gelb discusses how to go about cutting down your admissions essay in order to meet the requisite word limit.

How to Shorten an Essay Without Ruining the Content (Quora) 

This Quora post from a concerned student yielded useful community responses on how to effectively shorten an essay without losing the original message. 

Feel like you've hit a wall revising your essay on your own? You're not alone, and there are plentiful resources on the web through which you can connect with fellow college applicants and/or professional tutors. The links in this section will take you to free services for improving your college application essay, as well as two of the top paid writing tutor services.

College Confidential Forums 

College Confidential is a free, public forum in which you can post your essay and receive feedback from current college students, current college applicants, and even teachers or other experienced users. 

/r/CollegeEssays (Reddit)

This subreddit is a great place to look for crowdsourced help on your essay, ask questions about college essays, or even find a private tutor. 

Essayforum.com

Essayforum.com provides another platform for students to share their application essays. Although this link takes you to the site's forum for applicants to undergraduate degree programs, you can submit and review essays in other categories as well.  Varsity Tutors

Varisty Tutors offers tutoring services from freelance tutors based on location. Prices and services vary, but their site is easy to use and there are many tutors available to choose from.

Princeton Review

Princeton Review, one of the largest providers of college preparation tutoring (ranging from standardized test preparation to essay help) offers online essay tutoring services with a free trial period. 

Using in-class time to prepare your students to write college application essays is, of course, rewarding, but can also be challenging. If you're a teacher looking to incorporate the college essay into your curriculum but you're not sure where to start, take a look at the useful resources below.

TeachersPayTeachers

College Essay Writing

This product includes material for more than one full lesson plan, including powerpoint presentations, assessments, and homework on the topic of college essays. 

Narrative Writing Ideas and Prompts

Appealing to students 9th grade and up, this product includes lesson plans, handouts, and homework for developing narrative writing for the college essay process. 

College Essay: Comprehensive 7-Session Workshop Series

This PDF includes entire courses, manuals, and handouts designed to teach students the ins and outs of the college essay process, either in an individual or group setting. 

College Essay Revision Forms & Rubrics

These PDFs provide students with visual organizers and rubrics to assess their own writing and learn how to become better college essay writers. 

Free Resources

Teaching the College Essay (Edutopia) 

Teaching your students about writing the college essay can be incredibly intimidating -- as a teacher, how should you approach the process? This article from Edutopia outlines how to go about introducing the college essay to your students. 

Essay Lesson Plan Ideas for College Applications (EssayHell)

If you're a teacher looking for a concrete lesson plan on college essays, this guide recommends using the first day to discuss the importance of the essay, the second day for brainstorming, and so on. Click on the link above to examine their full guide. 

Help Your Students Write a Killer College Essay (EdWeek Blog)

This blog post goes over various techniques designed to help your students choose an appropriate topic and write their essay with passion. 

The Biggest College Essay Mistakes & How to Fix Them (Talks With Teachers)

Looking to help your students avoid the minefield of mistakes in the college essay field? Check out this post from Talks With Teachers, a journal that shares "inspiring ideas for English teachers." 

Curious to read more about college application essays, or to see fun and unusual examples of what students have written? The articles, blog posts, and books in this section are a good place to start surveying the field.

One Over-the-Top Admissions Essay (Huffington Post)

This piece from the Huffington Post talks about a humorous response to a Stanford supplemental essay topic, the so-called "letter to my future roommate."

College & University - Statistics and Facts (Statista.com) 

In the process of writing your college essay, you may find yourself wondering who exactly goes to college, how many colleges there are in the United States, etc. This site gives the up-to-date statistics for various US demographics, both in aggregate and by university, as well as other information.

Who Made That College Application? (NYTimes)

This piece from the NYTimes outlines the history of the college essay from its origins in the 1800s, to the first "modern" college application, produced by Columbia University in 1919, to the present.  

How They Got Into Harvard (Staff of the Harvard Crimson)

This highly-rated collection of successful Harvard application essays, available on Amazon, is both an entertaining read and an instructive resource for anyone looking for exemplary essays to use as models. 

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What is the College Essay? Your Complete Guide for 2023

Bonus Material: 30 College Essays That Worked

The college essay is one of the most important parts of your college application. 

As important as it is, however, it’s very different from the essays you’re used to writing in high school. 

From word count to genre, the college essay is in a category entirely of its own–and one that can be unfamiliar for most students applying to college.

So, what is the college essay? What role does it play in college admissions?

And, most importantly, how do you get started writing an amazing essay?

We answer all of these questions in this complete college essay guide. 

Plus, we give readers access to 30 college essays that earned applicants acceptance into the nation’s top colleges. They’re free and you can grab them below right now!

Download 30 College Essays That Worked

Here’s what we cover in this guide:

What is the College Essay?

• Our Expert Definition
• A College Essay That Worked
• The Essay’s Role in College Admissions

The 7 Common Challenges in Writing the College Essay

• How To Get Started Writing an Amazing Essay — 6 Tips
• Bonus: 30 College Essays That Worked

Most students will use the Common App to apply to U.S. colleges and universities. A smaller number of colleges require students to submit applications through Coalition .

Regardless, both platforms require students to submit a personal statement or essay response as part of their application. Students choose to respond to one of the following prompts in 650 words or fewer .

College Essay Prompts 2022-2023

What do these questions all have in common? They all require answers that are introspective, reflective, and personal. 

Take a look at some of these buzzwords from these prompts to see what we mean:

• Understanding
• Belief / Idea
• Contribution

These are big words attached to big, personal concepts. That’s the point!

But because that’s the case, that means the college essay is not an academic essay. It’s not something you write in five paragraphs for English class. Nor is it a formal statement, an outline of a resume, or a list of accomplishments.

It’s something else entirely.

Our Definition of the College Essay

How do we define the college essay? We’ll keep it short and sweet.

The college essay is a personal essay that tells an engaging story in 650 words or fewer. It is comparable to memoir or creative nonfiction writing, which relate the author’s personal experiences. 

The college essay is fundamentally personal and creative. It is rich with introspection, reflection, and statements of self-awareness. It can have elements of academic writing in it, such as logical organization, thesis statements, and transition words. But it is not an academic essay that fits comfortably into five paragraphs.

Your task with the college essay is to become a storyteller–and, in the process, provide admissions officers with a valuable glimpse into your world, perspective, and/or experiences.

Example of a College Essay That Worked

Take a look at this essay that earned its writer acceptance into Princeton. We won’t take a super deep dive into the components that make it great. 

But we do want to point out a handful of things that align with our definition of the college essay. This essay:

• Tells an engaging story
• Clearly conveys the author’s voice
• Is rich with introspection and reflection
• Provides insight into the author’s character, values, and perspective
• Is not an academic essay or list of accomplishments
• Is deeply personal

It also exemplifies the 7 qualities of a successful college essay .

Here’s the full essay:

“So long as you have food in your mouth, you have solved all questions for the time being.” – Franz Kafka

Kafka, I’m afraid, has drastically overestimated the power of food. And though it pains me to undermine a statement by arguably the greatest writer of the 20 th century, I recognize it as a solemn duty. Perhaps Kafka has never sat, tongue wild in an effort to scrape residual peanut butter off his molars, and contemplated the almost ridiculous but nevertheless significant role of peanut butter in crafting his identity. Oh, did I just describe myself by accident? Without further ado, the questions (and lack of answers, I point out) that I contemplate with peanut butter in my mouth.

When I was three and a half years old, my tongue was not yet versed in the complex palate of my peers, consisting mainly of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. (It did not help my transition into pre-school that I did not speak English, but Russian and that my name, which had been hurriedly switched from Alya to Alex, was unpronounceable to me.) But it is most worth noting that I refused lunch for months, waited at the windowsill with tear-stained cheeks every day unless my mom left law school midday to bring my own comfort food: borscht, katlety, kampot.

I slowly assimilated into American culture, like most immigrant kids. I began to eat the peanut butter sandwiches at pre-school in the presence of my mom, and then did not need her altogether. She must have been elated that I was comfortable, that she could stay at school all day without worrying. She must have been destroyed when I waved her away the first time and told her I did not need her to come anymore.

I realized much later that the Russian food my mother brought me in pre-school made me comfortable enough to learn the language of the children there, to share their lunches, to make friends. Ironically, my Russian culture enabled the rise and dominance of American culture. When my parents wanted to visit their birthplace, my birthplace, Odessa, Ukraine, I rolled my eyes and proclaimed Disney Land, Florida. I rolled my eyes when I spoke too fast for my parents to understand. I rolled my eyes when I checked my mom’s grammar and when she argued with customer service in her thick Russian accent.

Peanut butter, and foods like it, represented not only my entrance into American culture, but the swift rejection of anything Russian that followed. Chicken noodle soup replaced borscht, meatballs replaced katlety, Sunny D triumphed over kampot. I became embarrassed by the snacks packed in my brown paper bag, begged for Cheetos, lime Jell-O cups, and that creamy spread between two damp pieces of Wonder Bread. My American identity tried to eclipse the Russian one altogether.

I realized later still that the identity battle I fought must have been more difficult to watch for my parents than it could have ever been for me to experience. They let me figure myself out, even though it meant I spent years rolling my eyes at them. Though I do not claim to have discovered a perfect balance of Russian and American, I would venture that a healthy start is eating peanut butter for lunch and katlety at dinner.

So, Kafka, I hope that next time a memorable quote comes to mind, you think before you speak. Because when peanut butter cleaves to the roof of my mouth, I think about what it means “to cleave:” both to adhere closely to and to divide, as if by a cutting blow, especially along a natural weakness. And I think about my dual identity, how the Russian side and American side simultaneously force each other apart and bring each other together. I think about my past, feeling a little ashamed, and about my present and future, asking how I can create harmony between these two sides of me. That, Kafka, does not sound like solved questions to me.

Want to read more essays that worked? Download our 30 college essays that earned their writers Ivy League acceptance for free below.

The College Essay’s Role in Admissions

In our post about what college admissions officers are looking for , we outline the Golden Rule of Admissions.

We also define “a student of exceptional potential.” In general, competitive applicants to top U.S. colleges and universities exemplify three pillars:

• Character and personal values
• Extracurricular distinction
• Academic achievement

Admissions officers have a lot at their disposal when it comes to assessing extracurricular distinction and academic achievement. They’ve got transcripts, test scores, resumes, and letters of recommendation. 

But how do they assess character and personal values?

A recent survey of admissions officers revealed some interesting answers to this question.

Source : National Association for College Admissions Counseling

Notice how an overwhelming 87% of officers surveyed reported that they infer character and personal qualities of an applicant from the content of the college essay!

The Common Data Set for individual colleges further supports this notion that officers infer character and values through the college essay, teacher recommendations, and other application components. The CDS for Cornell , for example, reveals that the application essay and character/personal qualities are “very important” in admission decisions.

What’s more, the COVID-19 pandemic profoundly altered the college application landscape by introducing some serious inequity in the realm of extracurricular activities, academics, and general access. 

Many admissions officers have stressed their focus on character and personal values (more qualitative components) in recent admissions cycles as a result.

Schools are hungry for as much material as possible that they can use to assess students’ character and values! This is one of the reasons why many top colleges require applicants to answer supplemental essay questions — ones in addition to the college essay. These essays can range from 50-650 words, and many colleges have more than one.

For example, Princeton requires applicants to respond to six supplemental essay questions . Here’s one of them from the 2022-2023 admissions cycle:

At Princeton, we value diverse perspectives and the ability to have respectful dialogue about difficult issues. Share a time when you had a conversation with a person or a group of people about a difficult topic. What insight did you gain, and how would you incorporate that knowledge into your thinking in the future?

So how important is the college essay in the application process?

Princeton’s former Dean of Admissions summed it up nicely with this quote about the college essay in a conversation with the New York Times :

Your ability to write well is critical to our decision because your writing reflects your thinking. No matter what question is asked on a college application, admission officers are looking to see how well you convey your ideas and express yourself in writing. It is our window to your world.

Now that you know what the college essay is and how it influences college admissions, let’s discuss the challenges in writing it. This list isn’t comprehensive, but it does compile some of the most common challenges most students face when preparing to write their personal statement.

Challenge #1: The Pressure

The college essay is integral to the college admissions process. It’s only likely to carry more weight in coming admission cycles in the wake of COVID-19 .

There is immense pressure on students to write essays that will make them competitive in admissions! This essay can also very much feel like uncharted territory for students given their lack of experience in the world of personal writing. This pressure can become a veritable roadblock in writing the college essay.

Challenge #2: What’s Introspection?

Successful college essays are deeply personal and full of introspection. We define introspection as reflection on what’s important in your life — values, beliefs, opinions, experiences, etc. It also can have a lot to do with what makes you you .

To some students, introspection might come naturally. To others, it might not! This is understandable. The high school classroom doesn’t necessarily give space for students to reflect on what they’ve learned from certain experiences or what they believe are their core values. However, this is exactly what admissions officers are looking for in essays!

Challenge #3: You Just Don’t Write Personal Essays in School

Most English classes spend a lot of time on the academic essay . But most don’t include many units on writing personal essays or creative nonfiction–if any!

Many students writing the college essay thus face an entirely unfamiliar genre that comes with its own word limit, structure, and style of writing.

Challenge #4: The Word Limit

Both the Common App and Coalition require students to limit their essays to 650 words. That’s a little over a page of writing, single-spaced.

This means that students have to be incredibly concise in crafting their responses. This can be a tall order given what the college essay often includes: big ideas, big themes, and big reflection!

Challenge #5: Choosing a Topic

Given the college essay’s requirements, it can be tough to choose the “right” topic . Should you discuss an extracurricular activity ? Personal experience? An important mentorship figure?

Some students have a wide variety of experiences and personal stories to choose from. Others might feel that they have a limited number.

Challenge #6: Choosing a Structure

Let’s say that you’ve chosen your college essay topic. Now how do you fit it into a concise structure that gives ample air space to what college admissions officers are looking for?

Choosing a structure can be critical for telling your specific story in a compelling fashion. But once again, this is unfamiliar terrain for most students who haven’t really written a personal essay before.

And when we say that structure really is critical for college essay writing, we mean it–we’ve written an entire post on college essay structure .

Challenge #7: Getting Started

Last but not least, it can be incredibly difficult simply to start the college essay writing process. From choosing a topic to writing that first draft, there’s a lot to navigate. Many students also have a lot going on in general when they get around to writing their essays, including AP exams, summer programs , and the chaos of senior fall schedules.

If this sounds like where you’re at in the college essay writing journey, keep reading. We’ve got 6 tips coming up to help you take those first steps.

How To Write an Amazing College Essay – 6 Tips

You’ve learned what a college essay is and the weight it carries in college admissions. You’ve also heard a bit about what makes this essay challenging. Now what?

It’s time to get started writing your very own. 

The following tips are designed to help you begin the journey towards an amazing college essay, regardless of your story, college aspirations, or timeline. Let’s dive in.

Tip #1: Give Yourself Time & Get Organized

Good college essays take time, and we mean time . We recommend that students establish a generous timeline for writing their personal statements. Ideally, students should start thinking about their essays seriously in the spring of their junior year or summer immediately following.

It’s also important to get organized. Create separate documents for brainstorming and free-writes, for example, and clearly mark your drafts based on where you’re at in the writing process.

We also recommend researching supplemental essay prompts for the colleges on your list and keeping track of these–including deadlines and word limits–in a spreadsheet. This is especially important for students applying early.

Tip #2: Practice Introspection

You can start flexing your introspective muscles before writing your essay! Practice journaling, for example, or responding to daily reflective prompts like the following:

• What is your greatest strength? Weakness?
• What is one of your core beliefs? Why is it core?
• What is your best quality?
• What matters to you? Why?
• What challenges you? Why?

The New York Times has even released 1,000 free writing prompts for students that range from identity and family to social life and technology.

With introspection, focus on using “I” as much as possible. This can feel awkward, especially as most English teachers encourage students to avoid using “I” in academic essays. But it’s the key to deep reflection.

You can also check out our post on College Essay Brainstorming or download 30 FREE college essay brainstorming questions right here.

Tip #3: Familiarize Yourself with Personal Writing & Storytelling

Immerse yourself in examples of powerful personal writing and storytelling. A great place to start is by downloading our 30 examples of college essays that earned students Ivy League acceptance or checking out our 11 College Essays That Worked post .

Otherwise, check out memoirs or creative essay collections.

The Moth , a storytelling radio project, is another great resource for students looking to learn more about how people tell personal stories in an engaging fashion. Plus, it’s just plain fun to listen to!

Tip #4: Know What Makes for An Amazing Essay

What qualities do most successful college essays have?

We’ve done the research. A successful college essay is often:

• Introspective and reflective
• Full of a student’s voice
• Descriptive and engaging
• Unconventional and distinct
• Well-written

We take a deeper dive into these 7 qualities of a successful college essay in a separate post.

Tip #5: Review Supplemental Essay Questions

Don’t forget about supplemental essay questions! It’s easy to overlook these or assume that they are less important than the college essay.

But remember–many colleges require supplemental essays as a means of gaining more information about competitive applicants. The Common App and Coalition also now have optional COVID-19 essay questions (learn our tips for answering these COVID-related questions here ).

Don’t save your supplemental essays for the last minute! Review questions well in advance through the Common App or Coalition platform so that you are aware of the other responses you’ll have to write.

We’ve actually compiled the supplemental essay questions for the top 50 U.S. colleges and universities right here.

You can also check out our 8 tips for writing amazing supplemental essay responses .

Tip #6: Work with a Mentor

Yes, it is possible to write your college essay, personal as it is, under the right one-on-one guidance. Mentors can help you with all stages of the college essay writing process, from topic brainstorms to final draft polishing.

They can also help create an actionable timeline for tackling both the college essay and all of those supplements, and hold students accountable!

You can sign up to work with one of PrepMaven’s master essay consultants if you’d like. Or check out our summer College Essay Workshops .

One of the best ways to start the college essay writing process is to look at examples of successful essays. But these examples can be hard to find, and few and far between.

That’s why we compiled 30 college essays that earned their writers acceptance into Ivy League schools. You can download these examples for FREE below.

Kate is a graduate of Princeton University. Over the last decade, Kate has successfully mentored hundreds of students in all aspects of the college admissions process, including the SAT, ACT, and college application essay. 

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Application Essays

What this handout is about.

This handout will help you write and revise the personal statement required by many graduate programs, internships, and special academic programs.

Before you start writing

Because the application essay can have a critical effect upon your progress toward a career, you should spend significantly more time, thought, and effort on it than its typically brief length would suggest. It should reflect how you arrived at your professional goals, why the program is ideal for you, and what you bring to the program. Don’t make this a deadline task—now’s the time to write, read, rewrite, give to a reader, revise again, and on until the essay is clear, concise, and compelling. At the same time, don’t be afraid. You know most of the things you need to say already.

Read the instructions carefully. One of the basic tasks of the application essay is to follow the directions. If you don’t do what they ask, the reader may wonder if you will be able to follow directions in their program. Make sure you follow page and word limits exactly—err on the side of shortness, not length. The essay may take two forms:

• A one-page essay answering a general question
• Several short answers to more specific questions

Do some research before you start writing. Think about…

• The field. Why do you want to be a _____? No, really. Think about why you and you particularly want to enter that field. What are the benefits and what are the shortcomings? When did you become interested in the field and why? What path in that career interests you right now? Brainstorm and write these ideas out.
• The program. Why is this the program you want to be admitted to? What is special about the faculty, the courses offered, the placement record, the facilities you might be using? If you can’t think of anything particular, read the brochures they offer, go to events, or meet with a faculty member or student in the program. A word about honesty here—you may have a reason for choosing a program that wouldn’t necessarily sway your reader; for example, you want to live near the beach, or the program is the most prestigious and would look better on your resume. You don’t want to be completely straightforward in these cases and appear superficial, but skirting around them or lying can look even worse. Turn these aspects into positives. For example, you may want to go to a program in a particular location because it is a place that you know very well and have ties to, or because there is a need in your field there. Again, doing research on the program may reveal ways to legitimate even your most superficial and selfish reasons for applying.
• Yourself. What details or anecdotes would help your reader understand you? What makes you special? Is there something about your family, your education, your work/life experience, or your values that has shaped you and brought you to this career field? What motivates or interests you? Do you have special skills, like leadership, management, research, or communication? Why would the members of the program want to choose you over other applicants? Be honest with yourself and write down your ideas. If you are having trouble, ask a friend or relative to make a list of your strengths or unique qualities that you plan to read on your own (and not argue about immediately). Ask them to give you examples to back up their impressions (For example, if they say you are “caring,” ask them to describe an incident they remember in which they perceived you as caring).

Now, write a draft

This is a hard essay to write. It’s probably much more personal than any of the papers you have written for class because it’s about you, not World War II or planaria. You may want to start by just getting something—anything—on paper. Try freewriting. Think about the questions we asked above and the prompt for the essay, and then write for 15 or 30 minutes without stopping. What do you want your audience to know after reading your essay? What do you want them to feel? Don’t worry about grammar, punctuation, organization, or anything else. Just get out the ideas you have. For help getting started, see our handout on brainstorming .

Now, look at what you’ve written. Find the most relevant, memorable, concrete statements and focus in on them. Eliminate any generalizations or platitudes (“I’m a people person”, “Doctors save lives”, or “Mr. Calleson’s classes changed my life”), or anything that could be cut and pasted into anyone else’s application. Find what is specific to you about the ideas that generated those platitudes and express them more directly. Eliminate irrelevant issues (“I was a track star in high school, so I think I’ll make a good veterinarian.”) or issues that might be controversial for your reader (“My faith is the one true faith, and only nurses with that faith are worthwhile,” or “Lawyers who only care about money are evil.”).

Often, writers start out with generalizations as a way to get to the really meaningful statements, and that’s OK. Just make sure that you replace the generalizations with examples as you revise. A hint: you may find yourself writing a good, specific sentence right after a general, meaningless one. If you spot that, try to use the second sentence and delete the first.

Applications that have several short-answer essays require even more detail. Get straight to the point in every case, and address what they’ve asked you to address.

Now that you’ve generated some ideas, get a little bit pickier. It’s time to remember one of the most significant aspects of the application essay: your audience. Your readers may have thousands of essays to read, many or most of which will come from qualified applicants. This essay may be your best opportunity to communicate with the decision makers in the application process, and you don’t want to bore them, offend them, or make them feel you are wasting their time.

With this in mind:

• Do assure your audience that you understand and look forward to the challenges of the program and the field, not just the benefits.
• Do assure your audience that you understand exactly the nature of the work in the field and that you are prepared for it, psychologically and morally as well as educationally.
• Do assure your audience that you care about them and their time by writing a clear, organized, and concise essay.
• Do address any information about yourself and your application that needs to be explained (for example, weak grades or unusual coursework for your program). Include that information in your essay, and be straightforward about it. Your audience will be more impressed with your having learned from setbacks or having a unique approach than your failure to address those issues.
• Don’t waste space with information you have provided in the rest of the application. Every sentence should be effective and directly related to the rest of the essay. Don’t ramble or use fifteen words to express something you could say in eight.
• Don’t overstate your case for what you want to do, being so specific about your future goals that you come off as presumptuous or naïve (“I want to become a dentist so that I can train in wisdom tooth extraction, because I intend to focus my life’s work on taking 13 rather than 15 minutes per tooth.”). Your goals may change–show that such a change won’t devastate you.
• And, one more time, don’t write in cliches and platitudes. Every doctor wants to help save lives, every lawyer wants to work for justice—your reader has read these general cliches a million times.

Imagine the worst-case scenario (which may never come true—we’re talking hypothetically): the person who reads your essay has been in the field for decades. She is on the application committee because she has to be, and she’s read 48 essays so far that morning. You are number 49, and your reader is tired, bored, and thinking about lunch. How are you going to catch and keep her attention?

Assure your audience that you are capable academically, willing to stick to the program’s demands, and interesting to have around. For more tips, see our handout on audience .

Voice and style

The voice you use and the style in which you write can intrigue your audience. The voice you use in your essay should be yours. Remember when your high school English teacher said “never say ‘I’”? Here’s your chance to use all those “I”s you’ve been saving up. The narrative should reflect your perspective, experiences, thoughts, and emotions. Focusing on events or ideas may give your audience an indirect idea of how these things became important in forming your outlook, but many others have had equally compelling experiences. By simply talking about those events in your own voice, you put the emphasis on you rather than the event or idea. Look at this anecdote:

During the night shift at Wirth Memorial Hospital, a man walked into the Emergency Room wearing a monkey costume and holding his head. He seemed confused and was moaning in pain. One of the nurses ascertained that he had been swinging from tree branches in a local park and had hit his head when he fell out of a tree. This tragic tale signified the moment at which I realized psychiatry was the only career path I could take.

An interesting tale, yes, but what does it tell you about the narrator? The following example takes the same anecdote and recasts it to make the narrator more of a presence in the story:

I was working in the Emergency Room at Wirth Memorial Hospital one night when a man walked in wearing a monkey costume and holding his head. I could tell he was confused and in pain. After a nurse asked him a few questions, I listened in surprise as he explained that he had been a monkey all of his life and knew that it was time to live with his brothers in the trees. Like many other patients I would see that year, this man suffered from an illness that only a combination of psychological and medical care would effectively treat. I realized then that I wanted to be able to help people by using that particular combination of skills only a psychiatrist develops.

The voice you use should be approachable as well as intelligent. This essay is not the place to stun your reader with ten prepositional phrases (“the goal of my study of the field of law in the winter of my discontent can best be understood by the gathering of more information about my youth”) and thirty nouns (“the research and study of the motivation behind my insights into the field of dentistry contains many pitfalls and disappointments but even more joy and enlightenment”) per sentence. (Note: If you are having trouble forming clear sentences without all the prepositions and nouns, take a look at our handout on style .)

You may want to create an impression of expertise in the field by using specialized or technical language. But beware of this unless you really know what you are doing—a mistake will look twice as ignorant as not knowing the terms in the first place. Your audience may be smart, but you don’t want to make them turn to a dictionary or fall asleep between the first word and the period of your first sentence. Keep in mind that this is a personal statement. Would you think you were learning a lot about a person whose personal statement sounded like a journal article? Would you want to spend hours in a lab or on a committee with someone who shuns plain language?

Of course, you don’t want to be chatty to the point of making them think you only speak slang, either. Your audience may not know what “I kicked that lame-o to the curb for dissing my research project” means. Keep it casual enough to be easy to follow, but formal enough to be respectful of the audience’s intelligence.

Just use an honest voice and represent yourself as naturally as possible. It may help to think of the essay as a sort of face-to-face interview, only the interviewer isn’t actually present.

Too much style

A well-written, dramatic essay is much more memorable than one that fails to make an emotional impact on the reader. Good anecdotes and personal insights can really attract an audience’s attention. BUT be careful not to let your drama turn into melodrama. You want your reader to see your choices motivated by passion and drive, not hyperbole and a lack of reality. Don’t invent drama where there isn’t any, and don’t let the drama take over. Getting someone else to read your drafts can help you figure out when you’ve gone too far.

Taking risks

Many guides to writing application essays encourage you to take a risk, either by saying something off-beat or daring or by using a unique writing style. When done well, this strategy can work—your goal is to stand out from the rest of the applicants and taking a risk with your essay will help you do that. An essay that impresses your reader with your ability to think and express yourself in original ways and shows you really care about what you are saying is better than one that shows hesitancy, lack of imagination, or lack of interest.

But be warned: this strategy is a risk. If you don’t carefully consider what you are saying and how you are saying it, you may offend your readers or leave them with a bad impression of you as flaky, immature, or careless. Do not alienate your readers.

Some writers take risks by using irony (your suffering at the hands of a barbaric dentist led you to want to become a gentle one), beginning with a personal failure (that eventually leads to the writer’s overcoming it), or showing great imagination (one famous successful example involved a student who answered a prompt about past formative experiences by beginning with a basic answer—”I have volunteered at homeless shelters”—that evolved into a ridiculous one—”I have sealed the hole in the ozone layer with plastic wrap”). One student applying to an art program described the person he did not want to be, contrasting it with the person he thought he was and would develop into if accepted. Another person wrote an essay about her grandmother without directly linking her narrative to the fact that she was applying for medical school. Her essay was risky because it called on the reader to infer things about the student’s character and abilities from the story.

Assess your credentials and your likelihood of getting into the program before you choose to take a risk. If you have little chance of getting in, try something daring. If you are almost certainly guaranteed a spot, you have more flexibility. In any case, make sure that you answer the essay question in some identifiable way.

After you’ve written a draft

Get several people to read it and write their comments down. It is worthwhile to seek out someone in the field, perhaps a professor who has read such essays before. Give it to a friend, your mom, or a neighbor. The key is to get more than one point of view, and then compare these with your own. Remember, you are the one best equipped to judge how accurately you are representing yourself. For tips on putting this advice to good use, see our handout on getting feedback .

After you’ve received feedback, revise the essay. Put it away. Get it out and revise it again (you can see why we said to start right away—this process may take time). Get someone to read it again. Revise it again.

When you think it is totally finished, you are ready to proofread and format the essay. Check every sentence and punctuation mark. You cannot afford a careless error in this essay. (If you are not comfortable with your proofreading skills, check out our handout on editing and proofreading ).

If you find that your essay is too long, do not reformat it extensively to make it fit. Making readers deal with a nine-point font and quarter-inch margins will only irritate them. Figure out what material you can cut and cut it. For strategies for meeting word limits, see our handout on writing concisely .

Finally, proofread it again. We’re not kidding.

Other resources

Don’t be afraid to talk to professors or professionals in the field. Many of them would be flattered that you asked their advice, and they will have useful suggestions that others might not have. Also keep in mind that many colleges and professional programs offer websites addressing the personal statement. You can find them either through the website of the school to which you are applying or by searching under “personal statement” or “application essays” using a search engine.

If your schedule and ours permit, we invite you to come to the Writing Center. Be aware that during busy times in the semester, we limit students to a total of two visits to discuss application essays and personal statements (two visits per student, not per essay); we do this so that students working on papers for courses will have a better chance of being seen. Make an appointment or submit your essay to our online writing center (note that we cannot guarantee that an online tutor will help you in time).

For information on other aspects of the application process, you can consult the resources at University Career Services .

Works consulted

We consulted these works while writing this handout. This is not a comprehensive list of resources on the handout’s topic, and we encourage you to do your own research to find additional publications. Please do not use this list as a model for the format of your own reference list, as it may not match the citation style you are using. For guidance on formatting citations, please see the UNC Libraries citation tutorial . We revise these tips periodically and welcome feedback.

Asher, Donald. 2012. Graduate Admissions Essays: Write Your Way Into the Graduate School of Your Choice , 4th ed. Berkeley: Ten Speed Press.

Curry, Boykin, Emily Angel Baer, and Brian Kasbar. 2003. Essays That Worked for College Applications: 50 Essays That Helped Students Get Into the Nation’s Top Colleges . New York: Ballantine Books.

Stelzer, Richard. 2002. How to Write a Winning Personal Statement for Graduate and Professional School , 3rd ed. Lawrenceville, NJ: Thomson Peterson.

You may reproduce it for non-commercial use if you use the entire handout and attribute the source: The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

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How to Write an Admissions Essay

• Essay Writing Guides

How to Write an Admission Essay: Guide From College Application Experts

An admission essay is one of the college application documents that applicants find extremely challenging. For some, it might be unclear what is the purpose of writing an admission essay, and others might wonder what to write about to stand out among other applicants.

We are here to explain everything about admission essay writing! In this article, you will find the essential information you need to know to write a great essay.

What Is an Admission Essay: Definition and Importance

First of all, let’s define what an admission essay is. In simple words, it is an essay that demonstrates your unique qualities, background, and view of life to admission officers. Usually, applicants describe their personal experience beyond academic performance to show their interests, aspirations, and motivation in life.

So, why is this essay so important for successful admission to college? Colleges do attach greater importance to prospective students’ grades, as it is the best way to evaluate student academic performance. But, as colleges usually receive thousands of applications, many applicants can have similar scores. It makes the selection process more difficult.

Thus, to select the best students, admission officers review students’ admission essays. These essays help the admission committee better understand the unique character of each student, and make a final decision about their admission or rejection. So, the way you tell your personal story in the essay directly impacts your chances to enter the college of your dreams.

College Essay Format: How Long Should a College Admissions Essay Be?

There is no specific format for admission essay. Usually, an admission essay should be no more than 400-600 words. It is enough to tell your story and be sure the admission officer will read it to the end. But, to know for sure, it is always better to visit your target college’s website and search for specific requirements for admission essays. All colleges usually mention word count limits, so it won’t be a problem.

You also don’t need to follow formatting styles like APA, MLA, and others. Just keep it simple, and follow the recommendations below:

• Choose fonts like Times New Roman or Arial. No need to use any informal fonts.
• A 12-point font size is perfect for an admission essay.
• Use 1.5 or double spacing.
• Avoid using bold and italic text.

These are general rules, but you should always first check if your target college has any specific requirements for admission essay formatting.

College Admission Essay Outline and Formatting

An outline is another thing you need to think about. There are no specific requirements for structure, so first, you need to understand what you want to include in your essay and in what order to put your paragraphs.

Creating an outline will help you with it. Start by brainstorming your ideas, choose a key idea for your essay and what experience you want to tell about, think about how you want to present your ideas, and find the best way to structure it. There are two basics structures for an admission essay:

• Single story (focus on one particular experience).
• Multiple experiences (tell about your values and qualities through several experiences).

It is entirely your choice what option to choose. Down below, you will find a detailed explanation of each of these structures.

Writing an Admission Essay: Step-by-step Guide

We want to give you an example of what you can write in your admission essay, and what important elements you need to include to make a long-lasting impression. So, here are the general recommendations for writing an admission essay.

Usually, you can divide all your paragraphs into 3 parts:

• Introduction (grab attention)
• Body paragraphs (tell your story)
• Conclusion (finish your story and recall your main point).

But, depending on what way of storytelling you choose, the parts of your essay will include different information. So, let’s talk about each way in more detail.

Single-Story Structure

If you want to focus on one story, you need to choose an experience that changed you the most. Think about what situation from your past gave you a valuable lesson that changed your view of life or helped you to become a better version of yourself. Then tell your story in the following order:

• Introduction: Start with a hook sentence. Something that captures attention and is connected to your main point. Tell a few words about the story’s background and describe the situation (keep it short, about 2-4 sentences).
• Body paragraphs: Explain why this experience was valuable for you (1-2 paragraphs) and what lessons you learned (1 paragraph).
• Conclusion: Tell about how this experience changed you and how it’s connected to your current views of life and plans for the future.

Multiple Narratives Structure

Another way is to tell a few stories in one essay and connect them all to one theme. For example, you can choose a few of the qualities and values you want to emphasize in your admission essay. Then, think about what stories show the development of these qualities and values the best. Here is an example of how you can organize the information:

• Introduction: Again, start with an attention-grabber. Tell a few words about your background and what challenges you faced. Then, make a statement about your personal growth.
• Body paragraphs: Tell about the challenges one by one. Describe a challenging experience, how you overcame it, and what you learned from it (one paragraph for each experience).
• Conclusion: Summarize your points and explain how they helped you to develop your values and qualities (1 paragraph).

Proofread and Edit

The last step before submitting your final draft is proofreading and editing. Don’t skip this step, even if you’re sure your text is flawless. It is always good to review your work one more time. You can notice some grammar mistakes and bad wording, or even come up with a new idea for the essay.

You can also ask for help from professionals. For example, an essay writing service usually offers proofreading and editing services. After your work is checked by an expert, you can rest assured of its quality.

College Admission Essay Tips From Experts

As there are no specific rules on how to write a college admission essay, students frequently feel confused when working on their essays. They don’t know what information to include, how to organize sentences, and what a good admission essay should look like. Don’t worry, we want to help you to find answers to at least a few of your questions. Take a look at the tips down below.

Keep It Short

Of course, you probably have many stories that showcase your strengths the best and want to mention them in your essay for college admission. But it doesn’t mean that you need to dedicate the whole paragraph to one story. Remember, that you only have about 400-600 words to tell about your background and achievements. So, describe each achievement in one sentence maximum and make sure they are connected to the thesis statement of your essay.

Tell What You Learn From Experience

Sometimes, students are so focused on telling about their background and demonstrating their achievements, that they simply start to recount them in admission essays. But what is more important is to show what you learn from each experience you have. It will demonstrate your personal growth, which is more important for an admission committee.

Revise, Revise, Revise

If you expect your first draft to be perfect, we are going to disappoint you. To create a decent admission essay, you will need to revise and change it several times. After writing each draft, read it carefully to find all possible errors, ensure logical flow, and see what paragraphs and sentences can be improved. It will take time, but, believe us, it will be worth it. Also, you can ask someone to read your essay and give feedback. For example, your teacher or friend can notice errors you missed, or recommend how to make your essay more powerful.

Ask for Help From Professionals

If you feel like you can’t write a good admission essay, there is still a way for you to get it done. You can ask for professional assistance from an admission essay writing service . Essay writing experts can consult you on what information to include in your essay, what to choose as your thesis statement, and any other questions you have about admission essays.

Wrapping Up

We hope this article has helped you to get a better idea of what an essay for college admission is and how to write it. Keep in mind that the most important thing is to showcase your strengths and unique personality traits that make you a worthy student for a particular college. Follow our tips, don’t forget to proofread your essay before submitting it, and you will get the desired result for sure.

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Steps For Writing an Admission Essay

1. Carefully read through the website of the university or college to which you are applying. Be sure you fully understand the mission and the direction of development and values the university or college proclaims. Furthermore, each educational institution may also have some specific requirements to narrow down and simplify your essay.

2. Make a short list of points you wish to emphasize in your admission essay. Include answers to questions such as: “Why do I want to study in this particular institution?”; “What makes me suitable for the program I chose?”; “What past experiences of mine will help me better adjust to the new environment when I enroll in the university/college to which I am applying?”

3. Plan your essay structure before you begin writing it. Start with general information about yourself, mentioning only the most relevant and preferably recent experiences that relate to your major. Then write two or three paragraphs about your motivation and rationale for studying at this particular institution. End by mentioning the extracurricular activities and hobbies you are interested in, and how these activities correlate to the institution you are applying for.

4. Conclude your admission essay with a sentence addressing the committee or board of your college directly. In a formal manner, let the person reading your admission essay know how much enrolling in this institution means to you and that you will be looking forward to the decision of the board.

5. Lay your writing aside for some time and then do thorough proofreading. Consider revising those parts that are too general or do not have a clear meaning. Make sure every sentence is not just a general statement about how much you want to become a student of this particular institution, but also presents your personality, motivation, and abilities that relate to the selected discipline of your future major.

Key Points to Consider

• It is crucial to settle on the appropriate tone. It has to be formal but not too business-like. It has to demonstrate your positive attitude and respect for the committee, but at the same time it has to be tailored to suit the specific institution to which you are applying. Be sure to browse through all the webpages of your selected college or university, and get a clear understanding of what sort of tone would be most appropriate when applying to become a student of this particular institution.
• Write every admission essay from scratch, even if you are applying for the same program at several institutions. Try to approach every admission essay from a new perspective based on the values and mission of the particular institution, as well as the specifics of a certain program or course.
• Be unique in your admission essay. Remember: your essay has to be different from all the others. Make it is zestful by personalizing the general essay structure and adding particular emotions to enrich your writing. Make sure the committee will have a clear and true picture of your personality, experience, and skills after reading your essay.
• Choose a maximum of three major points. Develop each point in a separate paragraph. Instead of including too many details about yourself, focus on these three major positive traits that best emphasize your beneficial qualities for the program, course, or institution.
• Be logical in your writing. Instead of jumping from one idea to another, create a clear outline of how you wish to present yourself; in what order you will formulate your thoughts; at which point will you switch from personal traits to relevant practical experience, then to background information, or hobbies and interests, and so on. Make sure that your essay flows smoothly in a particular direction—the one you opted for when listing major points in your draft earlier.

Do and Don’t

Common mistakes.

• Repetitions throughout your admission essay are usually a sign that you do not have much to tell the committee about yourself. If you believe some personal trait or past experience of yours is extremely important, instead of repeating it several times, mention it only once, but give a vivid example or briefly outline a real-life situation to help the reader form a better picture and, in doing so, remember this particular bit of your admission essay.
• A dryly written admission essay has a strong chance of failing. Do not confuse “formal” language with “dry” language. Using emotional adjectives and adverbs is not necessarily taboo. As long as the situation or experience you are describing calls for a bright and colorful description, go for it.
• Overloading your admission essay with first-person pronouns. While your essay does have to be personalized, too many me , my , I , and mine will only make it sound self-indulgent and immature.
• Using passive voice too often is another mistake applicants get trapped into, trying to sound more sophisticated and formal. Make your admission essay vivid and lively by using active voice, as this will help create a more positive image of your personality.
• Writing in long confusing sentences, as well as run-on sentences. This is why you have to proofread your admission essay a few times. If you cannot follow your own idea halfway through the sentence, rephrase it into several short and simple sentences. Remember, reading and understanding your admission essay should be a pleasure rather than a tough, mind-boggling task.

Now that you have acquainted yourself with the basic admission essay writing tips and rules, you can check out our admission essay samples to link theory with practice.

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Feb 22 2012

Writing a Scholarship Essay

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A college application essay is a written piece that applicants submit as part of their college admission process. It serves as an opportunity for prospective students to showcase their personality, skills, experiences, and aspirations to the admissions committee. A college essay helps the admissions officers understand the applicant beyond their academic achievements, test scores, and extracurricular activities.

So if you ask what the most important part of a college application is, we will bring your attention to college essays. What can be more important than the text where you introduce yourself, define your future life and career goals, and show motivation to be a student? A college admission essay is really a big deal, and you need to put all your efforts into writing a winning essay. 

This blog is your guide to writing a college essay that will bring you to your dream university. Here you can find a definition and basic explanation of what the admission committee wants to see in prospective students' essays. And what is more important, here you can find useful tips that will make your admission paper successful! Avail from our college essay writing help to nail your admission essay effort-free!

What Is a College Essay: Definition

When applying to college , you will find that most competitive schools require you to submit college essays along with a personal statemen t. First and foremost, let;’s define what a college application essay is.

A college essay is a one-page-long essay that outlines your life story, worldview, educational background, and future plans. This is your chance to introduce yourself to the admission committee, who read thousands of essays, but should pay attention to your story! This is why creating a strong college essay that will make a committee consider your application is so important. 

An application essay is not too long, usually around 650 words. In past years, many colleges have gone to “test-blind” admission, which means college admissions officers start application evaluation by reading essays and not rating your grades and test scores. This is why a good college essay is one of the most essential parts of your application!

But how to make your college admissions essay stand out? This is what we are going to learn from the following sections.

Purpose of a College Admissions Essay

If you want to write a good college admissions essay, you need to understand what the committee wants to see in this text. In other words, what is a college essay's aim, and why did it become more important than test scores? 

The main purpose of a college essay is to underline your best skills and make an introduction to a committee that will make them want to see you as a student in a particular college. 

Here is a list of goals that college essays have, and you should be clear with them in writing a compelling admission essay:

• Demonstrate your personality and passion for education or a specific field
• Underline your soft skills (e.g., leadership, creativity, problem-solving approach in study, analytical thinking)
• Show if you are a good match for college
• Epitomize your constancy with educational and career goals.

What Makes a Good College Essay?

Thousands of colleges and universities in the US admit students because they find their essays a perfect match for their place. But what makes some application essays good for Harvard and Yale , and others – for the University of Texas at Austin or Wisconsin School of Journalism ?

Let’s define what makes a powerful and winning college essay. In general, it should:

• Reflect students’ thoughts and beliefs that make them a good fit for the program.
• Answer the question of what unique perspective the student can bring to university life.
• Show tremendous passion for education and building a future career.
• Be well-structured and don’t contain any spelling or grammar mistakes.
• Be memorable for the committee and make them consider your personality.

How to Write a College Application Essay Step-by-Step?

When you have a basic knowledge of what you need to include in your college essay, you will need to begin organizing your ideas. But how to start a college essay? What examples to incorporate? How much time do you need for this task? 

Let’s discuss what you should write in your college essay. We will answer all your questions in the next paragraphs of our guide. Let’s learn about creating a fantastic piece that will make you a student at a dream school!

1. Read the Task Carefully

When you write your college admission essay, start by carefully reading the requirements from each school you are applying to. In most cases, officers outline specific instructions on the admission page. For example, some universities will ask you to write no more than 500 words, while others will require you to address particular questions like your career plans. 

You may think that all college essays are the same. However, competitive schools may have unique requirements. And it is not a surprise. They get thousands of applications yearly and will consider only the best students. Demonstrate that you are one of them!

2. Come Up With Ideas From Your Life

Writing an admissions essay is telling a story that reflects your beliefs and personal feelings. What can be better than bringing examples from your life? Maybe it was something or someone who helped you become who you are today. Share the story about it! 

Be authentic, as this is the only way to stay real and honest. You may have an experience that no one else had, and it made you make a decision on your future life and career. Think carefully about the people, things, and circumstances that formed you and your passion, and you can write in your essay. Also, it should be something that is really important to you and your choices, not just a fun story from your life.

3. Interest a Reader From the Get-Go

Start your college essay writing from a hook. What does it mean? You need to be emotional, interesting, and specific at the beginning of the text. Why is it important for an exceptional college essay? 

First and foremost, you will be one of the thousands which means that you will have a few seconds to get the admission officers involved. It should be catching text from the first sentences. Astonish your reader, show your relevance to the program, and impress them with a bold position. You can also integrate an inspirational quotation that will lead further to your text.

You may also begin a college application essay with a story relevant to your application. It can be something that influences life decisions or causes research passion. 

>> Learn more: How to Write a Hook in an Essay

4. Share Your Personal Experience

College admission essays should inspire readers with a story of your life, and this is why the most essential part is to be authentic. You can’t use someone's story or come up with your own just to make a text more catchy. It should be an introduction to your experience, beliefs, position, and life views. 

The admission committee wants a unique and personalized voice in your text. Include your personal story in a text. It can be something you remember from childhood, important events, or a situation involving people who mentored you. 

Think about your motivation to go to college. When and why did you decide to apply? What story is behind your decision? Remember: your essay should be relevant to your ideas and motivation.

5. Make Self-Reflection

A college essay is not only about numbers or grades, nor it is about test scores and sports achievements. Go deeper into self-reflection and explain what made the kind of person you are now. Your readers want to see that you can deal with complicated situations, are consistent with your dreams, and clearly know your goals. 

The admission board will look at what brings you to the college, your motives, and what circumstances became definitive for this choice. That is why you should spend time on self-reflection and think about prominent things in your experience. 

For example, you can connect your summer job to a future career choice. Or focus on your sports competitions and explain how they made you a stronger person ready for college challenges. Ensure that you utilize transition words to build a bridge between your ideas.

6. Wrap Up Your College Essay

The best college essays will have a great “kicker” at the end – an essay conclusion paragraph that ties pieces together like a puzzle. In other words, you need to compose a final paragraph that will create a lasting impression. Your application essay should guide readers, making them believe you are the best candidate for this program. That is why be careful with a conclusion. It should not repeat all the facts but bring everything together for a logical summary. 

For a solid summary, you must focus on the key points and bring questions for future discussion. Writing admission essays will take a lot of time. Do not skip careful and thoughtful work with the final paragraphs. Clarifying your readers' thoughts at the end of the story is important.

7. Edit Your Draft

A college essay is not a writing test where you should complete 300 words in 40 minutes. Here, your focus is not on how to write an essay quickly . Instead, you should emphasize quality. This is more solid and grounded text, and you need plenty of time for editing and writing. Having your text's first, second, and third drafts is normal. You need to find the outstanding structure and wording that will work best for achieving your goal and being accepted to the university. That is why you need time for essay revision . 

You may also ask friends who are already students to read your text and underline critical points. And it would be great if you could find someone from your target college to read and edit your essay.

Tips for Writing a College Application Essay

A good college admissions essay is your key introduction to the admission committee. They will remember your application based on some details from this text. 

As already mentioned, your college essay should be unique, as no one can speak better for you. This is your voice and life experience; only authentic text can make you a great fit for the program. Discover some application essay writing tips to create a decent piece.

Pay Attention to All Requirements

Many competitive universities have specific college essay requirements. Read carefully what the admission is looking for in students' texts. For example, some universities will ask you to outline what book or person influenced your decision to apply. Sometimes, the college may ask to mention faculty members with whom you want to work in research classes. There also can be specific requirements to how long should an essay be or what citations to include in the text. For example, you may be asked to submit a 700 word essay, double spaced.

Focus on Your Personal Story

Your story and personality are important for a captivating admission essay. Some may say that “sports, disease, death” are taboo topics for college statements. Mostly because those topics are used quite often to underline struggles and challenges. But let’s be honest. This is your story, and you need to be open-hearted. If you think that sport made you become this kind of person, you need to write about it. Do not try to use someone’s story. This is an essay about you!

Use Real Examples to Back Up Your Ideas

How to illustrate your passion for research, persistence in achieving goals, or strength to deal with complicated circumstances? You need to use examples from your life in a college application paper. 

What examples can it be? Think about difficulties in your life and how you dealt with them. Highlight any problem from school or other activity and demonstrate how you solved it. It will be a great way to show your consistent efforts in attaining your goals and managing complicated situations. 

You may think your life is too boring and there is nothing to share with the committee. However, every person can find something fascinating. Just dedicate some time to this task!

Highlight Things That Make You Stand Out

Why should admissions officers consider your application instead of hundreds of others? This is the key question to writing a good text! You need to demonstrate your uniqueness: 

• Why you are the best fit for the program?
• What makes you different?
• Why should you be admitted to this program?

These are the questions to address in your statements. This is a chance to bring attention to your candidacy before the committee moves to test scores and grades.

Write Your College Essay With Committee in Mind

Your essay will be read and evaluated by several people. However, you should feel what they are looking for and what is the ideal candidate for the program. Put yourself into their shoes. Make your text easy to read but also valuable and thoughtful, with deep beliefs and a strong position. They are real people who will read hundreds of essays. Keep in mind this while writing. You must write an essay catered to their expectations!

Avoid Repetitions and Cliches

In your essay, answer all prompt questions and do not repeat any previous application facts. It may be a few open questions in the application, where you should write a short and complete response in 100-150 words. If you have already mentioned examples about sports or volunteering endeavors, do not offer the same examples in the essay. Your key admission introduction should be unique and not repeat any other part of an application.

Read Your Application Essay Aloud

Reading your final text aloud is a great technique to check your text's logic, stylistic choice, and structure. You may spend much time scanning the text and checking each paragraph. But reading aloud will help to make everything clear. For example, you may find some paragraphs hard to read, so you should rephrase them.

Ask Somebody to Read Your Applicant Essay

No doubt that you should ask other people to read your essay and appraise it. That’s when you may need a professional online essay writer who will help you polish your work. They can provide expert advice on the best way to present your arguments, ensuring that your piece stands out from this intense competition. You may also ask your parents what feelings they have after the reading. Or ask your friends who are already in college what they would change. Maybe, they will point out that some parts of your text are illogical or unclear. It will be a good sign to rewrite it.

Things to Avoid During Your Application Writing

Writing an application essay that will open the college doors is sophisticated and consistent work. But even if you know what to include in your text, what story to narrate, and how to introduce your personality, you also should remember things to avoid in admission writing. 

Here are some of the pitfalls:

• Making grammar and spelling mistakes.
• Plagiarizing someone’s story instead of showcasing your personal experience.
• Not following requirements stipulated by university.
• Submitting an essay with the wrong school or college name.
• Not doing research about the institution before submitting your application essay.
• Submitting a too general essay with no examples from your life.
• Using cliches and generic statements.
• Sharing irrelevant information.
• Excessively boasting accomplishments and sounding arrogant.
• Not following a logical  essay structure .

Checklist on How to Write a College Essay

Are you ready to start writing an essay for college admission? Already have an idea that will emphasize your solid sides and outline your beliefs and motivation? Then you can use this checklist to ensure you got all the stages of application writing. 

Here is a checklist:

• checkbox I followed all specific college requirements, including direct questions and word count.
• checkbox I shared a personal story and delineated my experience relevant to the program.
• checkbox My application essay has a clear organization with an introduction, body, and coherent conclusion.
• checkbox  I included specific examples from my life.
• checkbox In my admission essay, I effectively conveyed deep self-examination and introspection.
• checkbox My text has a logical flow and proper tone of voice.
• checkbox I proofread my writing and fixed all grammar and spelling mistakes.

Bottom Line on How to Write a College Admission Essay

What is the difference between a good student and the best one? The best students know how to outline and bring light to their outstanding experience. They also know what future they are looking for and have plans for the next years. Competitive universities try to find the best students for their programs. And this blog guides you on writing a college admission essay that will increase your chances of being accepted. We have gathered the best college essay tips and defines what to include and avoid in your text. Make sure you follow our guidelines and don;t miss any essential details. 

A college essay is a critical part of your application that introduces your voice and opens up your beliefs and goals. Be consistent and confident in your writing – this is a secret to your success.

Trust StudyCrumb to provide you with expert assistance. Buy college essays online from our skillful academic professionals who can craft a high-quality application essay in line with your needs.

FAQ About Writing College Application Essays

1. how to start a college essay.

The best way to start a college essay is to build a hook that will catch readers’ attention. It can be an interesting and relevant story from your life connected with your decision to apply to the program or field of study. It can also be a fun fact or citation that affected your life.

2. Can I start my application essay with a question?

Starting your application essay with a question can engage your readers and draw them into your topic. However, keep in mind your primary purpose: you have to introduce yourself and demonstrate why you're an ideal candidate for the college. While using a question can be an effective rhetorical device, it should still be relevant to the overall theme of your writing.

3. Do all colleges require an application essay?

Almost all colleges and universities require students to submit an essay as a part of the application process. This is the place for sharing personal experiences and attitudes. Some quite competitive colleges will ask you for other supplementary material. They may also include personal statements and motivational letters in an application list.

4. How important are college essays?

In recent years, college essays have gained considerable importance in the application process. Some universities have adopted a "blind review" approach, assessing students based on their application essays without considering factors like school name, grades, or test scores. In these cases, the admissions committee focuses primarily on the student's personality. This makes a college essay a crucial component in showcasing your unique qualities and securing a place at your desired college or university.

5. How to make my college essay stand out?

The best way to make your college essay astounding is to be authentic and original. Let your individual voice shine through and share a personal story that has influenced your mindset and life choices. Embrace who you are, rather than attempting to be the perfect candidate. By showcasing your uniqueness, you'll make a memorable impression on the admissions office among the hundreds of other applicants.

6. What I shouldn't write in an admission essay?

When writing your admissions essay, remember to stay true to yourself and not fabricate stories. Focus on sharing relevant experiences from your life. Avoid reiterating information already mentioned in other parts of the application. Steer clear of clichés and make sure to write about topics that genuinely matter to you.

7. Can I use quotes in a college application essay?

You can include quotes from people or sources in your admissions essay. If a specific quote has had a significant impact on you or was determinant for your life choices, feel free to mention it. However, since this isn't an academic paper, there's no need to adhere to formal citation styles like APA style or Chicago style . Instead, simply incorporate the quote into your text in a natural manner.

8. What person should I write my admission essay in?

Your admissions essay serves as a self- introduction and should be written in the first-person singular. Since you will describe your life events, unique experiences, and values, you shouldnt- be formal like in traditional academic writing. Using the first person is the most suitable choice for emphasizing your personality.

Rachel R. Hill is a real educational devotee. She prides in writing exceptional general guides while listening to every need of students.

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Sat / act prep online guides and tips, what is a personal statement everything you need to know about the college essay.

College Admissions , College Essays

In addition to standardized test scores and transcripts, a personal statement or essay is a required part of many college applications. The personal statement can be one of the most stressful parts of the application process because it's the most open ended.

In this guide, I'll answer the question, "What is a personal statement?" I'll talk through common college essay topics and what makes for an effective personal statement.

College Essay Glossary

Even the terminology can be confusing if you aren't familiar with it, so let's start by defining some terms:

Personal statement —an essay you write to show a college admissions committee who you are and why you deserve to be admitted to their school. It's worth noting that, unlike "college essay," this term is used for application essays for graduate school as well.

College essay —basically the same as a personal statement (I'll be using the terms interchangeably).

Essay prompt —a question or statement that your college essay is meant to respond to.

Supplemental essay —an extra school or program-specific essay beyond the basic personal statement.

Many colleges ask for only one essay. However, some schools do ask you to respond to multiple prompts or to provide supplemental essays in addition to a primary personal statement.

Either way, don't let it stress you out! This guide will cover everything you need to know about the different types of college essays and get you started thinking about how to write a great one:

• Why colleges ask for an essay
• What kinds of essay questions you'll see
• What sets great essays apart
• Tips for writing your own essay

Why Do Colleges Ask For an Essay?

There are a couple of reasons that colleges ask applicants to submit an essay, but the basic idea is that it gives them more information about you, especially who you are beyond grades and test scores.

#1: Insight Into Your Personality

The most important role of the essay is to give admissions committees a sense of your personality and what kind of addition you'd be to their school's community . Are you inquisitive? Ambitious? Caring? These kinds of qualities will have a profound impact on your college experience, but they're hard to determine based on a high school transcript.

Basically, the essay contextualizes your application and shows what kind of person you are outside of your grades and test scores . Imagine two students, Jane and Tim: they both have 3.5 GPAs and 1200s on the SAT. Jane lives in Colorado and is the captain of her track team; Tim lives in Vermont and regularly contributes to the school paper. They both want to be doctors, and they both volunteer at the local hospital.

As similar as Jane and Tim seem on paper, in reality, they're actually quite different, and their unique perspectives come through in their essays. Jane writes about how looking into her family history for a school project made her realize how the discovery of modern medical treatments like antibiotics and vaccines had changed the world and drove her to pursue a career as a medical researcher. Tim, meanwhile, recounts a story about how a kind doctor helped him overcome his fear of needles, an interaction that reminded him of the value of empathy and inspired him to become a family practitioner. These two students may seem outwardly similar but their motivations and personalities are very different.

Without an essay, your application is essentially a series of numbers: a GPA, SAT scores, the number of hours spent preparing for quiz bowl competitions. The personal statement is your chance to stand out as an individual.

#2: Evidence of Writing Skills

A secondary purpose of the essay is to serve as a writing sample and help colleges see that you have the skills needed to succeed in college classes. The personal statement is your best chance to show off your writing , so take the time to craft a piece you're really proud of.

That said, don't panic if you aren't a strong writer. Admissions officers aren't expecting you to write like Joan Didion; they just want to see that you can express your ideas clearly.

No matter what, your essay should absolutely not include any errors or typos .

#3: Explanation of Extenuating Circumstances

For some students, the essay is also a chance to explain factors affecting their high school record. Did your grades drop sophomore year because you were dealing with a family emergency? Did you miss out on extracurriculars junior year because of an extended medical absence? Colleges want to know if you struggled with a serious issue that affected your high school record , so make sure to indicate any relevant circumstances on your application.

Keep in mind that in some cases there will be a separate section for you to address these types of issues, as well as any black marks on your record like expulsions or criminal charges.

#4: Your Reasons for Applying to the School

Many colleges ask you to write an essay or paragraph about why you're applying to their school specifically . In asking these questions, admissions officers are trying to determine if you're genuinely excited about the school and whether you're likely to attend if accepted .

I'll talk more about this type of essay below.

What Kind of Questions Do Colleges Ask?

Thankfully, applications don't simply say, "Please include an essay about yourself"; they include a question or prompt that you're asked to respond to . These prompts are generally pretty open-ended and can be approached in a lot of different ways .

Nonetheless, most questions fall into a few main categories. Let's go through each common type of prompt, with examples from the Common Application, the University of California application, and a few individual schools.

Prompt Type 1: Your Personal History

This sort of question asks you to write about a formative experience, important event, or key relationship from your life . Admissions officers want to understand what is important to you and how your background has shaped you as a person.

These questions are both common and tricky. The most common pit students fall into is trying to tell their entire life stories. It's better to focus in on a very specific point in time and explain why it was meaningful to you.

Common App 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.

Common App 5

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

University of California 2

Every person has a creative side, and it can be expressed in many ways: problem solving, original and innovative thinking, and artistically, to name a few. Describe how you express your creative side.

University of California 6

Think about an academic subject that inspires you. Describe how you have furthered this interest inside and/or outside of the classroom.

Prompt Type 2: Facing a Problem

A lot of prompts deal with how you solve problems, how you cope with failure, and how you respond to conflict. College can be difficult, both personally and academically, and admissions committees want to see that you're equipped to face those challenges .

The key to these types of questions is to identify a real problem, failure, or conflict ( not a success in disguise) and show how you adapted and grew from addressing the issue.

Common App 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?

Harvard University 7

The Harvard College Honor Code declares that we “hold honesty as the foundation of our community.” As you consider entering this community that is committed to honesty, please reflect on a time when you or someone you observed had to make a choice about whether to act with integrity and honesty.

Prompt Type 3: Diversity

Most colleges are pretty diverse, with students from a wide range of backgrounds. Essay questions about diversity are designed to help admissions committees understand how you interact with people who are different from you .

In addressing these prompts, you want to show that you're capable of engaging with new ideas and relating to people who may have different beliefs than you.

Common App 3

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

Johns Hopkins University

Tell us about an aspect of your identity (e.g., race, gender, sexuality, religion, community) or a life experience that has shaped you as an individual and how that influenced what you’d like to pursue in college at Hopkins.  This can be a future goal or experience that is either [sic] academic, extracurricular, or social.

Duke University Optional 1

We believe a wide range of personal perspectives, beliefs, and lived experiences are essential to making Duke a vibrant and meaningful living and learning community. Feel free to share with us anything in this context that might help us better understand you and what you might bring to our community. 

Prompt Type 4: Your Future Goals

This type of prompt asks about what you want to do in the future: sometimes simply what you'd like to study, sometimes longer-term career goals. Colleges want to understand what you're interested in and how you plan to work towards your goals.

You'll mostly see these prompts if you're applying for a specialized program (like pre-med or engineering) or applying as a transfer student. Some schools also ask for supplementary essays along these lines. 

University of Southern California (Architecture)

Princeton Supplement 1

Prompt Type 5: Why This School

The most common style of supplemental essay is the "why us?" essay, although a few schools with their own application use this type of question as their main prompt. In these essays, you're meant to address the specific reasons you want to go to the school you're applying to .

Whatever you do, don't ever recycle these essays for more than one school.

Chapman University

There are thousands of universities and colleges. Why are you interested in attending Chapman?

Columbia University

Why are you interested in attending Columbia University? We encourage you to consider the aspect(s) that you find unique and compelling about Columbia.

Rice University

Based upon your exploration of Rice University, what elements of the Rice experience appeal to you?

Princeton University

Princeton has a longstanding commitment to understanding our responsibility to society through service and civic engagement. How does your own story intersect with these ideals?

Prompt Type 6: Creative Prompts

More selective schools often have supplemental essays with stranger or more unique questions. University of Chicago is notorious for its weird prompts, but it's not the only school that will ask you to think outside the box in addressing its questions.

University of Chicago

“Vlog,” “Labradoodle,” and “Fauxmage.” Language is filled with portmanteaus. Create a new portmanteau and explain why those two things are a “patch” (perfect match).

University of Vermont

Established in Burlington, VT, Ben & Jerry’s is synonymous with both ice cream and social change. The “Save Our Swirled” flavor raises awareness of climate change, and “I Dough, I Dough” celebrates marriage equality. If you worked alongside Ben & Jerry, what charitable flavor would you develop and why?

What Makes a Strong Personal Statement?

OK , so you're clear on what a college essay is, but you're still not sure how to write a good one . To help you get started, I'm going to explain the main things admissions officers look for in students' essays: an engaging perspective, genuine moments, and lively writing .

I've touched on these ideas already, but here, I'll go into more depth about how the best essays stand out from the pack.

Showing Who You Are

A lot of students panic about finding a unique topic, and certainly writing about something unusual like a successful dating app you developed with your friends or your time working as a mall Santa can't hurt you. But what's really important isn't so much what you write about as how you write about it . You need to use your subject to show something deeper about yourself.

Look at the prompts above: you'll notice that they almost all ask you what you learned or how the experience affected you. Whatever topic you pick, you must be able to specifically address how or why it matters to you .

Say a student, Will, was writing about the mall Santa in response to Common App prompt number 2 (the one about failure): Will was a terrible mall Santa. He was way too skinny to be convincing and the kids would always step on his feet. He could easily write 600 very entertaining words describing this experience, but they wouldn't necessarily add up to an effective college essay.

To do that, he'll need to talk about his motivations and his feelings: why he took such a job in the first place and what he did (and didn't) get out of it. Maybe Will took the job because he needed to make some money to go on a school trip and it was the only one he could find. Despite his lack of enthusiasm for screaming children, he kept doing it because he knew if he persevered through the whole holiday season he would have enough money for his trip. Would you rather read "I failed at being a mall Santa" or "Failing as a mall Santa taught me how to persevere no matter what"? Admissions officers definitely prefer the latter.

Ultimately, the best topics are ones that allow you to explain something surprising about yourself .

Since the main point of the essay is to give schools a sense of who you are, you have to open up enough to let them see your personality . Writing a good college essay means being honest about your feelings and experiences even when they aren't entirely positive.

In this context, honesty doesn't mean going on at length about the time you broke into the local pool at night and nearly got arrested, but it does mean acknowledging when something was difficult or upsetting for you. Think about the mall Santa example above. The essay won't work unless the writer genuinely acknowledges that he was a bad Santa and explains why.

Eloquent Writing

As I mentioned above, colleges want to know that you are a strong enough writer to survive in college classes . Can you express your ideas clearly and concisely? Can you employ specific details appropriately and avoid clichés and generalizations? These kinds of skills will serve you well in college (and in life!).

Nonetheless, admissions officers recognize that different students have different strengths. They aren't looking for a poetic magnum opus from someone who wants to be a math major. (Honestly, they aren't expecting a masterwork from anyone , but the basic point stands.) Focus on making sure that your thoughts and personality come through, and don't worry about using fancy vocabulary or complex rhetorical devices.

Above all, make sure that you have zero grammar or spelling errors . Typos indicate carelessness, which will hurt your cause with admissions officers.

Top Five Essay-Writing Tips

Now that you have a sense of what colleges are looking for, let's talk about how you can put this new knowledge into practice as you approach your own essay. Below, I've collected my five best tips from years as a college essay counselor.

#1: Start Early!

No matter how much you want to avoid writing your essay, don't leave it until the last minute . One of the most important parts of the essay writing process is editing, and editing takes a lot of time. You want to be able to put your draft in a drawer for a week and come back to it with fresh eyes. You don't want to be stuck with an essay you don't really like because you have to submit your application tomorrow.

You need plenty of time to experiment and rewrite, so I would recommend starting your essays at least two months before the application deadline . For most students, that means starting around Halloween, but if you're applying early, you'll need to get going closer to Labor Day.

Of course, it's even better to get a head start and begin your planning earlier. Many students like to work on their essays over the summer, when they have more free time, but you should keep in mind that each year's application isn't usually released until August or September. Essay questions often stay the same from year to year, however. If you are looking to get a jump on writing, you can try to confirm with the school (or the Common App) whether the essay questions will be the same as the previous year's.

#2: Pick a Topic You're Genuinely Excited About

One of the biggest mistakes students make is trying to write what they think the committee wants to hear. The truth is that there's no "right answer" when it comes to college essays . T he best topics aren't limited to specific categories like volunteer experiences or winning a tournament. Instead, they're topics that actually matter to the writer .

"OK," you're thinking, "but what does she mean by 'a topic that matters to you'? Because to be perfectly honest, right now, what really matters to me is that fall TV starts up this week, and I have a feeling I shouldn't write about that."

You're not wrong (although some great essays have been written about television ). A great topic isn't just something that you're excited about or that you talk to your friends about; it's something that has had a real, describable effect on your perspective .

This doesn't mean that you should overemphasize how something absolutely changed your life , especially if it really didn't. Instead, try to be as specific and honest as you can about how the experience affected you, what it taught you, or what you got out of it.

Let's go back to the TV idea. Sure, writing an essay about how excited you are for the new season of Stranger Things  probably isn't the quickest way to get yourself into college, but you could write a solid essay (in response to the first type of prompt) about how SpongeBob SquarePants was an integral part of your childhood. However, it's not enough to just explain how much you loved SpongeBob—you must also explain why and how watching the show every day after school affected your life. For example, maybe it was a ritual you shared with your brother, which showed you how even seemingly silly pieces of pop culture can bring people together. Dig beneath the surface to show who you are and how you see the world.

When you write about something you don't really care about, your writing will come out clichéd and uninteresting, and you'll likely struggle to motivate yourself. When you instead write about something that is genuinely important to you, you can make even the most ordinary experiences—learning to swim, eating a meal, or watching TV—engaging .

#3: Focus on Specifics

But how do you write an interesting essay? Focus.

Don't try to tell your entire life story or even the story of an entire weekend; 500–650 words may seem like a lot, but you'll reach that limit quickly if you try to pack every single thing that has happened to you into your essay. If, however, you just touch on a wide range of topics, you'll end up with an essay that reads more like a résumé.

Instead, narrow in on one specific event or idea, and talk about it in more depth . The narrower your topic, the better. For example, writing about your role as Mercutio in your school's production of Romeo and Juliet is too general, but writing about opening night, when everything went wrong, could be a great topic.

Whatever your topic, use details to help draw the reader in and express your unique perspective. But keep in mind that you don't have to include every detail of what you did or thought; stick to the important and illustrative ones.

#4: Use Your Own Voice

College essays aren't academic assignments; you don't need to be super formal. Instead, try to be yourself. The best writing sounds like a more eloquent version of the way you talk .

Focus on using clear, simple language that effectively explains a point or evokes a feeling. To do so, avoid the urge to use fancy-sounding synonyms when you don't really know what they mean. Contractions are fine; slang, generally, is not. Don't hesitate to write in the first person.

A final note: you don't need to be relentlessly positive. It's OK to acknowledge that sometimes things don't go how you want—just show how you grew from that.

#5: Be Ruthless

Many students want to call it a day after writing a first draft, but editing is a key part of writing a truly great essay. To be clear, editing doesn't mean just making a few minor wording tweaks and cleaning up typos; it means reading your essay carefully and objectively and thinking about how you could improve it .

Ask yourself questions as you read: is the progression of the essay clear? Do you make a lot of vague, sweeping statements that could be replaced with more interesting specifics? Do your sentences flow together nicely? Do you show something about yourself beyond the surface level?

You will have to delete and rewrite (potentially large) parts of your essay, and no matter how attached you feel to something you wrote, you might have to let it go . If you've ever heard the phrase "kill your darlings," know that it is 100% applicable to college essay writing.

At some point, you might even need to rewrite the whole essay. Even though it's annoying, starting over is sometimes the best way to get an essay that you're really proud of.

What's Next?

Make sure to check out our other posts on college essays , including our step-by-step guide to how to write your college essay , our analysis of the Common App Prompts , and our collection of example essays .

If you're in need of guidance on other parts of the application process , take a look at our guides to choosing the right college for you , writing about extracurriculars , deciding to double major , and requesting teacher recommendations .

Last but not least, if you're planning on taking the SAT one last time , check out our ultimate guide to studying for the SAT and make sure you're as prepared as possible.

Alex is an experienced tutor and writer. Over the past five years, she has worked with almost a hundred students and written about pop culture for a wide range of publications. She graduated with honors from University of Chicago, receiving a BA in English and Anthropology, and then went on to earn an MA at NYU in Cultural Reporting and Criticism. In high school, she was a National Merit Scholar, took 12 AP tests and scored 99 percentile scores on the SAT and ACT.

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College Admission Glossary: Learn the Lingo

Find the right college for you..

What does admission mean? What is a transcript? What's the difference between early action and early decision? When applying to college, you're bound to come across unfamiliar collegiate terms. This glossary can help you make sense of all the college terms you're sorting through.

A standardized college admission test. It features four main sections: English, math, reading and science — and an optional essay section.

Admissions Process

The entire process you go through to get into college. To define admissions, you need to include a number of components. The process starts early in high school as you begin building your GPA and ends when you move into your dorm. Your research, college visits, applications, letters of recommendation, high school transcripts, and admissions essays are all important parts of the admissions meaning.

Admissions Decisions

The decisions made by the college admissions committee about which applicants receive acceptance letters and which applicants do not. Early decisions are available to students who submit their applications within each school's early decision timeline. See "Early Decision (ED)" for further information.

Admission Tests

Also known as college entrance exams, these are tests designed to measure students' skills and help colleges evaluate how ready students are for college-level work. The ACT and the College Board's SAT are two standardized admission tests used in the United States. The word "standardized" means that the test measures the same thing in the same way for everyone who takes it. Read more about admission tests .

Articulation Agreement

An agreement between two-year and four-year colleges that makes it easier to transfer credits between them. It spells out which courses count for degree credit and the grades you need to earn to get credit.

Bachelor's Degree

When you complete the required courses and earn enough credits, typically after four years in college, you will earn a BA or bachelor's degree. Depending upon your major, you may earn a bachelor of arts (BA), bachelor of science (BS), or bachelor of fine arts (BFA).

Candidates Reply Date Agreement (CRDA)

An agreement many colleges follow that gives applicants until May 1 to accept or decline offers of admission. This deadline gives students time to get responses from most of the colleges they have applied to before deciding on one.

A measurement of how your academic achievement in high school compares with that of other students in your grade. Your class ranking is primarily based on your GPA. Some schools calculate class rank differently than others, so check with your school officials for information on how your school calculates GPA.

Coalition Application

A standard application form accepted by members of the Coalition for College. You can use this application to apply to any of the more than 90 colleges and universities that are members of the Coalition.

College Application Essay

An essay that a college requires students to write and submit as part of their application. Some colleges offer applicants specific questions to answer, while others simply ask applicants to write about themselves. Colleges may refer to this as a “personal statement.” Learn more about college application essays .

College Credit

What you get when you successfully complete a college-level course. You need a certain number of credits to graduate with a degree. Colleges may also grant credit for scores on exams, such as those offered by the College Board’s AP Program® and CLEP. Learn more about AP and CLEP . 

College Financial Aid Offer

An offer of financial assistance to those who receive acceptance to a college. The offer includes all the monetary assistance available to you to pay for college. Also called an award letter, a financial aid award letter, or simply an offer, your letter will include the need-based assistance you qualify to receive based on your FAFSA® (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) and any other required forms such as the CSS Profile or an institutional form.

Common Application

A standard application form accepted by all colleges that are members of the Common Application association. The definition of the Common Application is synonymous with college application. You can fill out the Common App once and submit it to any one or several of the nearly 700 colleges that accept it. Go to the Common Application .

Deferred Admission

Permission from a college that has accepted you to postpone enrolling in the college. The postponement is usually for up to one year. Often, a college requires a good-faith deposit to hold your place for the deferment period. Additionally, your college may ask you to account for your experiences during deferment.

Demonstrated Interest

An action that demonstrates you have a sincere interest in attending a particular college. Many admissions committees consider this factor in making their decisions. Some of the ways you can demonstrate an interest in attending include a campus visit or virtual tour participation, having an initial interview, conversations with admission representatives, and applying for early admission.

Early Action (EA)

An option to submit an application to your first-choice college before the regular deadline. When you apply early decision, you get an admission decision earlier than usual. Early decision plans are binding. You agree to enroll in the college immediately if admitted and offered a financial aid package that meets your needs. Some colleges have an early decision option called ED II, which has a later application deadline than their regular ED plan. Learn more about applying early .

Early Decision (ED)

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Everyone planning to attend college should fill in and submit a FAFSA prior to their first year. It determines if you qualify for financial assistance with tuition so you can attend the school of your choice. Your college offer may be based on your FAFSA results.

Financial Aid

Money given or loaned to you to help pay for college. Financial aid can come from federal and state governments, colleges, and private organizations. It might also include work-study assistance. Learn more about financial aid .

Grade Point Average (GPA)

A number that shows overall academic performance. It's computed by assigning a point value to each grade you earn. It is also a key factor in determining your class rank.

Legacy Applicant

A college applicant with a relative (usually a parent or grandparent) who graduated from that college. Some colleges give preference to legacy applicants (also called "legacies").

Need-Blind Admission

A policy of making admission decisions without considering the financial circumstances of applicants. Colleges that use this policy may or may not offer enough financial aid to meet a student's full need.

Open Admission

A policy of accepting any high school graduate, no matter what his or her grades are, until all spaces in the incoming class are filled. Almost all two-year community colleges have an open-admission policy. However, a college with a general open-admission policy may have admission requirements for certain programs.

Placement Tests

Tests that measure the academic skills needed for college-level work. They cover reading, writing, math, and sometimes other subjects. Placement test results help determine what courses you are ready for and whether you would benefit from remedial classes. They can also determine whether you need to take a basic course. Read more about placement tests . 

Priority Date or Deadline

The date by which your application—whether it's for college admission, student housing, or financial aid—must be received to be given the strongest consideration.

The college official who registers students. The registrar may also be responsible for keeping permanent records and maintaining your student file.

Rolling Admission

An admission policy of considering each application as soon as all required information (such as high school records and test scores) has been received, rather than setting an application deadline and reviewing applications in a batch. Colleges that use a rolling admission policy usually notify applicants of admission decisions quickly.

College Board’s standardized college admission test. It features three main sections: math, reading and writing, which includes a written essay. Learn more about the SAT .

Sophomore Standing

The status of a second-year student. A college may grant sophomore standing to an incoming first-year student if they have earned college credits through courses, exams, or other programs at a previous school.

The official record of your coursework at a school or college. Your high school transcript is usually required for college admission, and for some financial aid packages or scholarship applications.

Transfer Student

A student who enrolls in a college after having attended another college. Before transferring, you should check with your current and future colleges to find out which credits will transfer.

Undergraduate

A college student who is working toward an associate degree or a bachelor's degree.

Universal College Application

A standard application form accepted by all colleges that are Universal College Application (UCA) members. Established in 2007, this application offers shortcuts—such as no recommendation letter requirement—that may help you complete your package sooner. However, not all colleges accept it, so check with your school to make sure. Go to the Universal College Application .

Waiting List

The list of applicants who may be admitted to a college if space becomes available. Colleges wait to hear if all the students they accepted decide to attend. If students don't enroll and there are empty spots, a college may fill them with students who are on the waiting list. Learn more about waiting lists .

Weighted Grade Point Average (GPA)

A grade point average that's calculated using a system that assigns a higher point value to grades in certain classes, typically more difficult ones. For example, some high schools assign the value of 5.0 (instead of the standard 4.0) for an A earned in an AP class.

Virtual College

Online college classes. Some colleges are entirely virtual and do not maintain an actual campus, while others offer online and in-person courses. While virtual college classes are often more convenient because they allow you to set your own schedule, some subjects, such as science labs, require hands-on participation that you cannot do online.

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Admission Essay

Admission essay generator.

It is always a student’s lucky day when they have been given admission to their favorite school, favorite college or university. Even those who may apply for a scholarship and have been granted admission would be without a doubt amazing. To many, this may sound like an easy task and not something to be proud of, but for those who have gone through a lot of effort in attaining the place they want, it is nothing short of a feat. To be admitted to your dream college or university, or even to be admitted to a scholarship grant, any student can tell you that it is never easy. That you need to adhere to the requirements, and one of which is an admission essay . For you to be able to get a complete picture of what an admission essay is, check out 10+ admission essay examples below. 

10+ Admission Essay Examples

1. college admission essay.

Size: 105 KB

2. Graduate Admission Essay

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3. Admission Application Essay

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4. Scholarship Admission Essay

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5. Student Admission Essay

Size: 149 KB

6. University Admission Essay

7. Draft Admission Essay

Size: 52 KB

8. Standard Admission Essay

Size: 33 KB

9. Education Admission Essay

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10. Application for Admission Essay

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11. MBA Admission Essay

Size: 27 KB

Definition of Admission Essay

An admission essay also called an application essay is an essay written by a potential student applying for college or for a scholarship. It is also an essay that gives out a personal statement about the student and the reason why they should be accepted. These types of essays usually give out some information about the potential applicant, their strengths and weaknesses, their dreams and aspirations. These essays are often asked to be written so that the people assigned for admission to students can evaluate if these students are the ones they are looking for. Admission essays often depend on how long or short potential students may write it.

Importance of Admission Essay

The importance of an admission essay is it gives out information about you as a person to the admission committees. It also shows them your writing abilities and understands you on a personal and academic level. Admission essays play an important role when you are applying for college or a scholarship. As this is what they often base who they admit to their schools or to the said scholarship. It is not easy to write an admission essay especially when you are limited to how you want people to see you and how you want people to know about you both personally and academically.

Tools Used for Admission Essay

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Tips for Writing an Admission Essay

As you begin writing your admission essay, there are some things you may want to consider. These tips below will help you out before writing the essay. Think of these tips as a guide throughout your essay. A roadmap to writing your admissions essay. With these tips and with your ideas, it would be a breeze.

• Read the instructions – This may sound cliché but some students do not bother reading the instructions. They are there for a reason. To know what you are going to write, read what they are asking you to do. Not only is this an important thing to remember, the people in charge would also know that you are not the type of person who may act on impulse. Read what is asked first.
• Organize your thoughts – Before you begin writing your essay , start by making a list of your ideas in a separate piece of paper. Better yet, start by making a draft of the ideas you may want to write about. The best way of having to write an essay is by making a draft of the ideas you have and being able to organize your thoughts. This is also a better way for you to be able to write smoothly from then on.
• Stick to your topic – Learn more about your topic, by doing this, you are able to concentrate on what you want to write about. Choose a topic that you are familiar with and have something to talk about. Avoid choosing topics that may be too difficult for you or would cause a lot of misunderstandings. Also, avoid moving back and forth between two topics. Stick to the topic you choose to write about.
• Avoid misspelled words, fragments and runny sentences – Check your spelling , fragments and runny sentences. Avoid these as much as possible as this can also affect your score. When you write your final output, these must not be a part as much as possible. In addition to that, always recheck just in case.
• Review your work – Writing the final output should be enough for some. But it is also best if you check your work for anything that you may have missed. It is best to review all you have written, to see if you have followed the instructions and given what is being asked. Once you have done so, you may now hand it over and wait for the results.

Is there a word limit to writing an admission essay?

You are expected to write around two hundred to six hundred and fifty words in your admission essay. This includes who you are as a person, your skills, talent and the reason why you want to be admitted to the university of your choice or to the scholarship of your choice.

What should be avoided when writing an admission essay?

Avoid writing things that are not being asked of you. Also, do not use flowery language or difficult jargon. Rather, use words that are easy to understand or words and phrases that are appropriate for your age range. In addition to that, avoid writing things that may not be true to you just to make your admission sound better.

How can I make my admission essay better?

Make a draft before you write your final output. That way you are able to adjust your thoughts and write what is true to you. In addition to that, it also helps you rearrange your ideas and be able to write a better admission essay that is true to you.

Who is the audience for my admission essay?

The school you are applying for or the scholarship you are applying for would be the audience to your essay. Be careful how you write or word your essay.

Writing an admission essay to get to a school or college or a scholarship is never easy. You must be very careful how you write and should only write what is true to you. There may be times you might get tempted to write something to make it sound better, but this is not the case. It is better to be honest with how you write about yourself than to make it sound fancier and more unreal.

Text prompt

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• Professional

Write an admission essay about a challenge you've overcome and what you learned from it.

Describe in an admission essay a project or activity that sparked a passion for your chosen field.

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Definition of admission

• acknowledgment
• acknowledgement
• self-confession

Examples of admission in a Sentence

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'admission.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Middle English admyssion, borrowed from Anglo-French, borrowed from Latin admissiōn-, admissiō "controlled mating (of animals), admittance to an interview," from admittere "to admit entry 1 " + -tiōn-, -tiō, suffix of verbal action

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing admission

• by one's own admission
• general admission
• open admission
• pre - admission

Dictionary Entries Near admission

Admission Day

Cite this Entry

“Admission.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary , Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/admission. Accessed 29 May. 2024.

Kids Definition

Kids definition of admission, medical definition, medical definition of admission, legal definition, legal definition of admission.

Note: In civil cases admissions are often agreed to and offered in writing to the court before trial as a method of reducing the number of issues to be proven at trial.

Note: Under the Federal Rules of Evidence an admission is not hearsay. Silence can sometimes be construed as an admission where a person would reasonably be expected to speak up.

More from Merriam-Webster on admission

Nglish: Translation of admission for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of admission for Arabic Speakers

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The Role of Internships in Shaping Professional Careers: a Comprehensive Definition and Analysis

This essay about internships highlights their crucial role in professional development, connecting academic knowledge with real-world experience. It discusses the diverse structures of internships, their benefits for both interns and organizations, and their impact on education and industry innovation. Additionally, it addresses challenges such as unequal access and the need for meaningful learning experiences, emphasizing the importance of inclusive and accessible internships to foster a skilled and adaptable workforce.

How it works

Internships stand as the cornerstone of professional development, forging a direct link between theoretical knowledge and practical application in the professional realm. In today’s fiercely competitive job market, they have evolved from mere resume embellishments to indispensable avenues for career advancement and industry insight. This comprehensive exploration delves into the intricate layers of internships, unraveling their profound significance, distinctive attributes, and the transformative influence they wield on individuals and sectors alike.

At their core, internships represent immersive learning opportunities extended by organizations to students or recent graduates, enabling them to garner hands-on experience, explore career pathways, and forge invaluable connections within their chosen field.

Unlike the confines of traditional classroom settings, internships plunge participants into the throes of real-world operations, offering firsthand encounters with industry challenges and fostering skill refinement. This experiential approach not only bolsters skill acquisition but also nurtures adaptability and instills a nuanced comprehension of industry dynamics.

One defining facet of internships lies in their diverse structures and scopes. Ranging from brief, project-based stints to year-long placements, internships traverse myriad industries, roles, and corporate cultures. Some internships offer monetary compensation, recognizing the intern’s contributions, while others provide academic credit or serve as conduits for invaluable networking opportunities. Irrespective of their form, internships serve as catalysts for personal and professional growth, serving as a launchpad for future accomplishments.

Moreover, internships epitomize a symbiotic investment for both interns and host organizations. For companies, internships emerge as talent reservoirs, enabling them to identify and nurture potential future assets. By furnishing interns with mentorship, training, and substantive projects, organizations gauge their competencies, work ethic, and cultural alignment, thus streamlining the recruitment process and mitigating hiring risks. Additionally, hosting interns engenders a culture of innovation and knowledge exchange within the company, as novel perspectives and insights invigorate established paradigms.

For interns, the benefits extend beyond the acquisition of technical proficiencies. Internships offer a firsthand glimpse into workplace realities, honing essential soft skills such as communication, collaboration, and time management. Furthermore, internships serve as conduits for career exploration, empowering individuals to make informed decisions regarding their professional trajectories. Through networking engagements, professional development workshops, and interactions with industry stalwarts, interns expand their professional networks and accrue invaluable mentorship, thereby paving the way for future opportunities.

However, the influence of internships transcends individual realms, permeating broader domains of education, workforce development, and industry innovation. As academic institutions increasingly prioritize experiential learning, internships assume integral positions within academic curricula, enriching theoretical knowledge with practical acumen. Furthermore, internships play pivotal roles in addressing skill lacunae and facilitating seamless transitions from academia to employment, thus aligning industry demands with workforce proficiencies.

Additionally, internships catalyze industry innovation and adaptation by engaging with burgeoning talent and harnessing their fresh perspectives. Organizations, by welcoming interns, remain attuned to market dynamics, technological advancements, and evolving consumer preferences. The infusion of youthful vigor, creativity, and digital fluency not only challenges conventional wisdom but also propels organizational metamorphosis. Thus, internships cultivate environments conducive to continuous learning and evolution, positioning companies for sustained growth and competitiveness amidst dynamic global landscapes.

Nevertheless, internships encounter challenges and constraints. Access to quality internships remains disparate, with students from marginalized backgrounds often grappling with financial constraints, networking deficits, and systemic biases. Moreover, some internships may prioritize menial tasks over substantive learning experiences, leaving participants disenchanted and undervalued. Addressing these issues necessitates concerted efforts from educational institutions, employers, and policymakers to ensure equitable access to internships that adhere to best practices in talent cultivation.

In summation, internships constitute pivotal conduits for professional development, intertwining experiential learning, skill honing, and industry immersion. As precursors to future employment, they furnish individuals with avenues to explore their passions, broaden their networks, and glean firsthand insights into diverse industries. Furthermore, internships confer benefits upon host organizations, serving as talent incubators and engines of innovation. Nonetheless, to unlock their full potential, internships must be inclusive, accessible, and aligned with evolving workforce dynamics. By investing in internships, stakeholders sow the seeds for a skilled and adaptable workforce poised to thrive in an ever-evolving landscape.

Cite this page

The Role of Internships in Shaping Professional Careers: A Comprehensive Definition and Analysis. (2024, May 21). Retrieved from https://papersowl.com/examples/the-role-of-internships-in-shaping-professional-careers-a-comprehensive-definition-and-analysis/

"The Role of Internships in Shaping Professional Careers: A Comprehensive Definition and Analysis." PapersOwl.com , 21 May 2024, https://papersowl.com/examples/the-role-of-internships-in-shaping-professional-careers-a-comprehensive-definition-and-analysis/

PapersOwl.com. (2024). The Role of Internships in Shaping Professional Careers: A Comprehensive Definition and Analysis . [Online]. Available at: https://papersowl.com/examples/the-role-of-internships-in-shaping-professional-careers-a-comprehensive-definition-and-analysis/ [Accessed: 29 May. 2024]

"The Role of Internships in Shaping Professional Careers: A Comprehensive Definition and Analysis." PapersOwl.com, May 21, 2024. Accessed May 29, 2024. https://papersowl.com/examples/the-role-of-internships-in-shaping-professional-careers-a-comprehensive-definition-and-analysis/

"The Role of Internships in Shaping Professional Careers: A Comprehensive Definition and Analysis," PapersOwl.com , 21-May-2024. [Online]. Available: https://papersowl.com/examples/the-role-of-internships-in-shaping-professional-careers-a-comprehensive-definition-and-analysis/. [Accessed: 29-May-2024]

PapersOwl.com. (2024). The Role of Internships in Shaping Professional Careers: A Comprehensive Definition and Analysis . [Online]. Available at: https://papersowl.com/examples/the-role-of-internships-in-shaping-professional-careers-a-comprehensive-definition-and-analysis/ [Accessed: 29-May-2024]

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