Don't read the Common Application prompts. This college essay tip is by Brad Schiller, MIT graduate and CEO of Prompt, which provides individualized feedback on thousands of students’ essays each year.ģ. A weak lede will have your reader thinking "reject"-a mindset from which it's nearly impossible to recover. A strong lede (journalist parlance for "lead") will place your reader in the "accept" mindset from the beginning of the essay.
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Think about any article you've read-how do you decide to read it? You read the first few sentences and then decide. "Don't bury the lede!" The first few sentences must capture the reader's attention, provide a gist of the story, and give a sense of where the essay is heading. This college essay tip is by Abigail McFee, Admissions Counselor for Tufts University and Tufts ‘17 graduate.
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On the other hand, if you're writing about something you love, something that excites you, something that you've thought deeply about, chances are I'm going to set down your application feeling excited, too-and feeling like I've gotten to know you. But if sitting down to write your essay feels like a chore, and you're bored by what you're saying, you can imagine how the person reading your essay will feel. No one's idea of a good time is writing a college essay, I know. Imagine how the person reading your essay will feel. Check out five of our favorite college essay tips below.ġ. We asked dozens of experts on essay writing and test scores for their take on what makes a great college essay. Whether it’s a supplemental essay, personal statement, Common App essay, or diversity essay, the essays below can help you better understand what can result from following a college essay format or applying tips for how to write a college essay to help you get into your dream school. College admissions officers reading your college application will want to know how your values, qualities, and skills will flourish in college- and how good your writing skills are. Many of these essays also demonstrate vulnerability.
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The key to many of these essays is that they describe a story or an aspect of the student’s life in a way that is dynamic: It reflects many of their values, strengths, interests, volunteer work, and life experiences. These application essays show many sides of a person. It can be one you've already written, one that responds to a different prompt, or one of your own design. Why does it captivate you? What or who do you turn to when you want to learn more?Ĭreate-Your-Own Essay: Share an essay on any topic of your choice. Topic Essay: Describe a topic, idea, or concept you find so engaging that it makes you lose all track of time. How has this gratitude affected or motivated you?Īccomplishment Essay: Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others. Gratitude Essay: Reflect on something that someone has done for you that has made you happy or thankful in a surprising way. What prompted your thinking? What was the outcome? How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?īelief Essay: Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.Ĭhallenge Essay: The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. Looking for more college admissions essay examples about yourself? Check out more personal statements here.īehold, some of the best college essays of 2023 (in my humble opinion).Īccording to the 2022/2023 Common Application, the common app essays topics are as follows:īackground Essay: Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. And yes, a few of these essays did help these students get accepted into the Ivy League, (I’m not telling you which!) though these are all great essays regardless of where (or if) students were admitted to their top choice school.
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Some essay samples below are by students who chose to write about a challenge, while other examples may be helpful if you’re looking to write about yourself more generally. Or, check out my complete guide for answering the most popular college essay prompts on the Common App. Need help writing your college essay? Click here for my ultimate guide. I've compiled a few of my favorite essay examples here that cover a variety of college essay topics. One of the best ways to write a successful college essay for your college application is by learning from real college essay examples that worked.