how do you make your college essay stand out

What do outstanding essays have in common? Here are our 23 most effective strategies based on lessons from admitted students.

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23 College Essay Tips To Stand Out

Over the years, we've read and helped students write thousands of essays that worked.

And one thing has become clear: there's no "rules" or magic formulas to writing outstanding essays.

Great college essays come in all sorts of varieties, and that uniqueness is what makes them great.

In this guide, you’ll learn 23 easy-to-implement strategies that actually help your essays stand out, including:

• How to write a powerful hook that captivates the reader
• A simple strategy to come up with tons of essay ideas
• How to showcase your achievements without bragging
• Ways to find your authentic and best writing style

...And much more!

These strategies are based on the advice from admissions officers, expert college counselors, and most importantly: the real essays of admitted students.

Apply these tips to your own college essays and watch they become more engaging and interesting.

Let’s get started!

Only write from your perspective

Don’t try to write like a novel, or other books you may have read in the past.

In describing moments, avoid writing from outside of your own perspective.

Don't write:

I grimaced when I heard the bad news

How could you be seeing yourself react? Who is watching you in that moment?

Your college essays are personal pieces, so only write from your perspective. Don’t write from outside your own perspective, or about things you wouldn’t be able to perceive.

Since your essays are written in the 1st person, you should tell your reader what you feel. Describe what you felt, and let the reader infer the meaning.

Instead try:

I felt a pang in my gut when I heard the bad news

By writing from your perspective only, you will automatically show, not tell.

Your essay will always be stronger if you show the physical actions, details of your characters, and your feelings. Allow your reader to do the thinking and knowing.

Watch out for this subtle difference, which can have a big impact on how your essays read.

Use specific and nerdy words

You shouldn’t dumb down your knowledge when writing your personal essay.

Instead, showcase your understanding by naming things specifically and using some jargon or technical language. Rather than saying:

My biggest fear is being unengaged.

You could try:

My slimy, monolithic, Lovecraftian fear is unengagement.

As long as it is authentic, you should make specific references to your interests, passions, or knowledge.

It shouldn’t be “over the top” or forced, but doing this sparingly throughout your essay can showcase your character.

Writing specifically (while not being overly detailed) also automatically makes your essay more interesting to read.

Tell a story, tell many stories

Humans are naturally drawn to stories, and great stories stay with us after reading them.

You want the admissions officers to remember and think about your essays after reading them, and stories help you do just that.

Remember these additional tips for writing stories in a personal essay:

• Focus on why those stories matter (your insights )
• Avoid overly descriptive writing, which can be easy to gloss over
• Don’t write only stories, have a balance of reflection and analysis too

Here’s a technique for reflecting on your stories and experiences:

Write a story in the past tense. Then add, “Now I realize...” and continue writing.

This phrase will get you to reflect, and later while revising you can remove it.

Remember that your stories needs conflict, setting, and context. At the end of your story, you need to answer the question “Why does it matter?”

Write stories, lots of stories, and use them as the starting point for your essays. They shouldn’t take up too much of your final essay though.

This gets to my next tip about finding the best essay ideas...

The best ideas come while you write

Here’s the truth about getting brilliant essay ideas: you need to write first , and ideas will come later.

Our brains are great at making connections , and by writing you’re putting material in front of your brain, which lets it start coming up with connections (AKA your ideas).

Human brains are not as great at spurring up ideas on the spot. It’s nearly impossible to just sit down and force yourself to think up great, unique ideas.

Your best ideas will likely come about while you’re writing. Often, those interesting ideas are the spontaneous ones.

That’s why most students need 4-10+ drafts to write an outstanding personal statement.

Why write so much? Because your initial drafts are just for thinking out ideas. Expect not to use 90% of what you write at the start.

And writing to get ideas is actually easier than thinking to get ideas, because you’ll end up getting to good ideas faster.

So choose a topic and start writing. It’s the most effective way to start getting ideas.

Paragraph breaks are your friend

Paragraph breaks make it easier for the reader to read. Spaces help your eyes from skipping over dense blocks of text.

Use paragraphs to organize your ideas into groups. Then, you can move them around and see what works best. Small changes in placement can have a big impact on how your essay flows.

Avoid “writing like a suburb,” which is writing with lots of evenly sized paragraphs (1). This can make for a boring reading experience.

Instead, use paragraph breaks freely and make your essay be like Paris, with a variety of paragraph lengths.

If your paragraphs are too dense, they’ll also be easier to skip over. Having longer paragraphs is good, but make sure to have a balance.

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Tips for Writing an Effective Application Essay

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Writing an essay for college admission gives you a chance to use your authentic voice and show your personality. It's an excellent opportunity to personalize your application beyond your academic credentials, and a well-written essay can have a positive influence come decision time.

Want to know how to draft an essay for your college application ? Here are some tips to keep in mind when writing.

Tips for Essay Writing

A typical college application essay, also known as a personal statement, is 400-600 words. Although that may seem short, writing about yourself can be challenging. It's not something you want to rush or put off at the last moment. Think of it as a critical piece of the application process. Follow these tips to write an impactful essay that can work in your favor.

1. Start Early.

Few people write well under pressure. Try to complete your first draft a few weeks before you have to turn it in. Many advisers recommend starting as early as the summer before your senior year in high school. That way, you have ample time to think about the prompt and craft the best personal statement possible.

You don't have to work on your essay every day, but you'll want to give yourself time to revise and edit. You may discover that you want to change your topic or think of a better way to frame it. Either way, the sooner you start, the better.

2. Understand the Prompt and Instructions.

Before you begin the writing process, take time to understand what the college wants from you. The worst thing you can do is skim through the instructions and submit a piece that doesn't even fit the bare minimum requirements or address the essay topic. Look at the prompt, consider the required word count, and note any unique details each school wants.

3. Create a Strong Opener.

Students seeking help for their application essays often have trouble getting things started. It's a challenging writing process. Finding the right words to start can be the hardest part.

Spending more time working on your opener is always a good idea. The opening sentence sets the stage for the rest of your piece. The introductory paragraph is what piques the interest of the reader, and it can immediately set your essay apart from the others.

4. Stay on Topic.

One of the most important things to remember is to keep to the essay topic. If you're applying to 10 or more colleges, it's easy to veer off course with so many application essays.

A common mistake many students make is trying to fit previously written essays into the mold of another college's requirements. This seems like a time-saving way to avoid writing new pieces entirely, but it often backfires. The result is usually a final piece that's generic, unfocused, or confusing. Always write a new essay for every application, no matter how long it takes.

5. Think About Your Response.

Don't try to guess what the admissions officials want to read. Your essay will be easier to write─and more exciting to read─if you’re genuinely enthusiastic about your subject. Here’s an example: If all your friends are writing application essays about covid-19, it may be a good idea to avoid that topic, unless during the pandemic you had a vivid, life-changing experience you're burning to share. Whatever topic you choose, avoid canned responses. Be creative.

6. Focus on You.

Essay prompts typically give you plenty of latitude, but panel members expect you to focus on a subject that is personal (although not overly intimate) and particular to you. Admissions counselors say the best essays help them learn something about the candidate that they would never know from reading the rest of the application.

7. Stay True to Your Voice.

Use your usual vocabulary. Avoid fancy language you wouldn't use in real life. Imagine yourself reading this essay aloud to a classroom full of people who have never met you. Keep a confident tone. Be wary of words and phrases that undercut that tone.

8. Be Specific and Factual.

Capitalize on real-life experiences. Your essay may give you the time and space to explain why a particular achievement meant so much to you. But resist the urge to exaggerate and embellish. Admissions counselors read thousands of essays each year. They can easily spot a fake.

9. Edit and Proofread.

When you finish the final draft, run it through the spell checker on your computer. Then don’t read your essay for a few days. You'll be more apt to spot typos and awkward grammar when you reread it. After that, ask a teacher, parent, or college student (preferably an English or communications major) to give it a quick read. While you're at it, double-check your word count.

Writing essays for college admission can be daunting, but it doesn't have to be. A well-crafted essay could be the deciding factor─in your favor. Keep these tips in mind, and you'll have no problem creating memorable pieces for every application.

What is the format of a college application essay?

Generally, essays for college admission follow a simple format that includes an opening paragraph, a lengthier body section, and a closing paragraph. You don't need to include a title, which will only take up extra space. Keep in mind that the exact format can vary from one college application to the next. Read the instructions and prompt for more guidance.

Most online applications will include a text box for your essay. If you're attaching it as a document, however, be sure to use a standard, 12-point font and use 1.5-spaced or double-spaced lines, unless the application specifies different font and spacing.

How do you start an essay?

The goal here is to use an attention grabber. Think of it as a way to reel the reader in and interest an admissions officer in what you have to say. There's no trick on how to start a college application essay. The best way you can approach this task is to flex your creative muscles and think outside the box.

You can start with openers such as relevant quotes, exciting anecdotes, or questions. Either way, the first sentence should be unique and intrigue the reader.

What should an essay include?

Every application essay you write should include details about yourself and past experiences. It's another opportunity to make yourself look like a fantastic applicant. Leverage your experiences. Tell a riveting story that fulfills the prompt.

What shouldn’t be included in an essay?

When writing a college application essay, it's usually best to avoid overly personal details and controversial topics. Although these topics might make for an intriguing essay, they can be tricky to express well. If you’re unsure if a topic is appropriate for your essay, check with your school counselor. An essay for college admission shouldn't include a list of achievements or academic accolades either. Your essay isn’t meant to be a rehashing of information the admissions panel can find elsewhere in your application.

How can you make your essay personal and interesting?

The best way to make your essay interesting is to write about something genuinely important to you. That could be an experience that changed your life or a valuable lesson that had an enormous impact on you. Whatever the case, speak from the heart, and be honest.

Is it OK to discuss mental health in an essay?

Mental health struggles can create challenges you must overcome during your education and could be an opportunity for you to show how you’ve handled challenges and overcome obstacles. If you’re considering writing your essay for college admission on this topic, consider talking to your school counselor or with an English teacher on how to frame the essay.

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12 Strategies to Writing the Perfect College Essay

College admission committees sift through thousands of college essays each year. Here’s how to make yours stand out.

Pamela Reynolds

When it comes to deciding who they will admit into their programs, colleges consider many criteria, including high school grades, extracurricular activities, and ACT and SAT scores. But in recent years, more colleges are no longer considering test scores.

Instead, many (including Harvard through 2026) are opting for “test-blind” admission policies that give more weight to other elements in a college application. This policy change is seen as fairer to students who don’t have the means or access to testing, or who suffer from test anxiety.

So, what does this mean for you?

Simply that your college essay, traditionally a requirement of any college application, is more important than ever.

A college essay is your unique opportunity to introduce yourself to admissions committees who must comb through thousands of applications each year. It is your chance to stand out as someone worthy of a seat in that classroom.

A well-written and thoughtful essay—reflecting who you are and what you believe—can go a long way to separating your application from the slew of forgettable ones that admissions officers read. Indeed, officers may rely on them even more now that many colleges are not considering test scores.

Below we’ll discuss a few strategies you can use to help your essay stand out from the pack. We’ll touch on how to start your essay, what you should write for your college essay, and elements that make for a great college essay.

Be Authentic

More than any other consideration, you should choose a topic or point of view that is consistent with who you truly are.

Readers can sense when writers are inauthentic.

Inauthenticity could mean the use of overly flowery language that no one would ever use in conversation, or it could mean choosing an inconsequential topic that reveals very little about who you are.

Use your own voice, sense of humor, and a natural way of speaking.

Whatever subject you choose, make sure it’s something that’s genuinely important to you and not a subject you’ve chosen just to impress. You can write about a specific experience, hobby, or personality quirk that illustrates your strengths, but also feel free to write about your weaknesses.

Honesty about traits, situations, or a childhood background that you are working to improve may resonate with the reader more strongly than a glib victory speech.

Grab the Reader From the Start

You’ll be competing with so many other applicants for an admission officer’s attention.

Therefore, start your essay with an opening sentence or paragraph that immediately seizes the imagination. This might be a bold statement, a thoughtful quote, a question you pose, or a descriptive scene.

Starting your essay in a powerful way with a clear thesis statement can often help you along in the writing process. If your task is to tell a good story, a bold beginning can be a natural prelude to getting there, serving as a roadmap, engaging the reader from the start, and presenting the purpose of your writing.

Focus on Deeper Themes

Some essay writers think they will impress committees by loading an essay with facts, figures, and descriptions of activities, like wins in sports or descriptions of volunteer work. But that’s not the point.

College admissions officers are interested in learning more about who you are as a person and what makes you tick.

They want to know what has brought you to this stage in life. They want to read about realizations you may have come to through adversity as well as your successes, not just about how many games you won while on the soccer team or how many people you served at a soup kitchen.

Let the reader know how winning the soccer game helped you develop as a person, friend, family member, or leader. Make a connection with your soup kitchen volunteerism and how it may have inspired your educational journey and future aspirations. What did you discover about yourself?

Show Don’t Tell

As you expand on whatever theme you’ve decided to explore in your essay, remember to show, don’t tell.

The most engaging writing “shows” by setting scenes and providing anecdotes, rather than just providing a list of accomplishments and activities.

Reciting a list of activities is also boring. An admissions officer will want to know about the arc of your emotional journey too.

Try Doing Something Different

If you want your essay to stand out, think about approaching your subject from an entirely new perspective. While many students might choose to write about their wins, for instance, what if you wrote an essay about what you learned from all your losses?

If you are an especially talented writer, you might play with the element of surprise by crafting an essay that leaves the response to a question to the very last sentence.

You may want to stay away from well-worn themes entirely, like a sports-related obstacle or success, volunteer stories, immigration stories, moving, a summary of personal achievements or overcoming obstacles.

However, such themes are popular for a reason. They represent the totality of most people’s lives coming out of high school. Therefore, it may be less important to stay away from these topics than to take a fresh approach.

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Write With the Reader in Mind

Writing for the reader means building a clear and logical argument in which one thought flows naturally from another.

Use transitions between paragraphs.

Think about any information you may have left out that the reader may need to know. Are there ideas you have included that do not help illustrate your theme?

Be sure you can answer questions such as: Does what you have written make sense? Is the essay organized? Does the opening grab the reader? Is there a strong ending? Have you given enough background information? Is it wordy?

Write Several Drafts

Set your essay aside for a few days and come back to it after you’ve had some time to forget what you’ve written. Often, you’ll discover you have a whole new perspective that enhances your ability to make revisions.

Start writing months before your essay is due to give yourself enough time to write multiple drafts. A good time to start could be as early as the summer before your senior year when homework and extracurricular activities take up less time.

Read It Aloud

Writer’s tip : Reading your essay aloud can instantly uncover passages that sound clumsy, long-winded, or false.

Don’t Repeat

If you’ve mentioned an activity, story, or anecdote in some other part of your application, don’t repeat it again in your essay.

Your essay should tell college admissions officers something new. Whatever you write in your essay should be in philosophical alignment with the rest of your application.

Also, be sure you’ve answered whatever question or prompt may have been posed to you at the outset.

Ask Others to Read Your Essay

Be sure the people you ask to read your essay represent different demographic groups—a teacher, a parent, even a younger sister or brother.

Ask each reader what they took from the essay and listen closely to what they have to say. If anyone expresses confusion, revise until the confusion is cleared up.

Pay Attention to Form

Although there are often no strict word limits for college essays, most essays are shorter rather than longer. Common App, which students can use to submit to multiple colleges, suggests that essays stay at about 650 words.

“While we won’t as a rule stop reading after 650 words, we cannot promise that an overly wordy essay will hold our attention for as long as you’d hoped it would,” the Common App website states.

In reviewing other technical aspects of your essay, be sure that the font is readable, that the margins are properly spaced, that any dialogue is set off properly, and that there is enough spacing at the top. Your essay should look clean and inviting to readers.

End Your Essay With a “Kicker”

In journalism, a kicker is the last punchy line, paragraph, or section that brings everything together.

It provides a lasting impression that leaves the reader satisfied and impressed by the points you have artfully woven throughout your piece.

So, here’s our kicker: Be concise and coherent, engage in honest self-reflection, and include vivid details and anecdotes that deftly illustrate your point.

While writing a fantastic essay may not guarantee you get selected, it can tip the balance in your favor if admissions officers are considering a candidate with a similar GPA and background.

Write, revise, revise again, and good luck!

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About the Author

Pamela Reynolds is a Boston-area feature writer and editor whose work appears in numerous publications. She is the author of “Revamp: A Memoir of Travel and Obsessive Renovation.”

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There are several ways parents can lend support to their children during the college application process. Here's how to get the ball rolling.

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The Division of Continuing Education (DCE) at Harvard University is dedicated to bringing rigorous academics and innovative teaching capabilities to those seeking to improve their lives through education. We make Harvard education accessible to lifelong learners from high school to retirement.

Katherine Martinelli

Updated Oct 23, 2017

7 Ways to Make Your College Application Essay Stand Out

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There’s so much that goes into a college application, combining years of hard work that lead up to the final moment when you hit “send.”

Grades and test scores are important components, but numbers only tell a portion of your story. What colleges really want to know — and what sets you apart from the crowd of other applicants — is who you are and what makes you tick. Your best opportunity to go beyond the letters and numbers on your high school transcript is through the application essay , or personal statement, which is precisely that: your invitation t o let your personality shine. For admissions officers comparing students with similar scores and extracurricular activities, a compelling essay that brings an applicant to life can lift that student to the top of the pile. 

To make your college essay stand out, consider these expert tips.

1. Choose a Thoughtful Title

College essays are not typically required to have a title, but crafting one can be a powerful tool to make your essay stand out right away — which is why Benjamin Caldarelli, co-founder of Princeton College Consulting , recommends adding one. He says a strong, simple title is perfectly effective, though you may be able to make a positive impact with a well-chosen cultural reference. “Using a variation on the title of a well-known book or movie is an example,” he says. A winning title he saw recently was “Mindful Middle Class Indian.” It was a play on the popular book-turned-movie Crazy Rich Asians .

Even with a more straightforward title, Caldarelli says it’s important to pique the interest of the reader. Another effective title he noticed was “The Cheesecake.” It’s simple, relatable and leaves you to wonder what that dessert has to do with college. The essay turned out to be a creative and unusual approach the applicant used to demonstrate their perseverance by making a fancy, labor-intensive cake, and Caldarelli says the title was the perfect setup.

You need to start with the meaty part right off the bat. Phyllis Zimbler Miller

2. Jump Right In

Just as people often judge whether to read a book based on its first sentence or two, the college essay should waste no time in grabbing a reader’s attention. “Frequently, first paragraphs are weak, as if the writer is winding up to write the meaty part of the essay. You need to start with the meaty part right off the bat,” says Phyllis Zimbler Miller , author of How to Succeed in High School and Prep for College . Her recommendation? Write your first draft and then chop off the first paragraph to see how it reads. Chances are that’s a good place to start strong.

Lindsey Conger, an independent college counselor at MoonPrep.com , agrees that the first paragraph is crucial and suggests starting with an anecdote, particularly one in which you can draw the reader into the action. “I recommend that you throw your reader right into the middle of the story,” she says.  

3. Don’t Be Afraid to Use Humor

Moments of levity can be a welcome relief for admissions associates who are knee-deep in earnest essays. To pull them in, Brian Galvin, chief academic officer for Varsity Tutors , recommends using humor or a semi-sensational statement. His example of an intriguing line? “When I was three, I was abducted by aliens. My life has never been the same.” That’s an essay you want to continue reading, right? And a couple of lines is the perfect amount of humor — after all, your essay isn’t meant to be, and shouldn’t be, a standup routine. Instead, it is designed to present the fullest, truest and most compelling version of yourself. If you choose a humorous opening line, Galvin suggests transitioning into a particular passion or interest. This alien opener might “transition to a student’s deep interest in astrophysics or aerospace engineering,” he says.

4. Use Specific Examples

It can be tempting to use the essay to showcase all of your positive attributes, but remember, it shouldn’t feel like a résumé. For a successful college essay, keep your focus narrow and then use strong examples to illustrate your points. “Don’t just tell us that you are empathetic; tell us about a time you volunteered at a nursing home and spent hours talking with a particular resident. Tell us how you felt and the impact the conversation had on you and the resident. Those types of stories will stick out much more to the admission officer reading your essay,” advises Conger.

5. Channel Your Most Unusual Passions

Chances are, if you’ve chosen to write about something you’re genuinely passionate about, your excitement will shine through and will distinguish your essay from those that sound robotic. And the more unusual that interest is, the better — whether it’s skydiving or cosplay, think about the things you love that set you apart. 

To make a particular interest really stand out in the context of a college essay, discuss how it aligns with your educational objectives. You might explain what skills you’ve mastered from a hobby that will be meaningful in your future career, or perhaps point to a specific experience that highlights your individual growth and personal development.

6. Be Vulnerable and Authentic

If you want your college essay to leave an impression, don’t be afraid to open up and show genuine emotion. “Being very vulnerable and sharing a painful or intense experience honestly can make for compelling essay material,” says Galvin. Just be mindful of the fine line between sharing difficult experiences and painting yourself as a victim. “It’s OK to talk about the challenges you’ve faced in life, but if you do that, also talk about how you grew as a result and worked to overcome the challenge,” says Louise Grant, associate director of admissions for Husson University . 

You don’t need to have experienced personal tragedy to have material for a memorable college essay. Acknowledging a mistake you made and reflecting on it honestly and with maturity can display emotional depth and vulnerability too.

7. Draw Connections

It’s pretty easy to just talk about yourself, but to bring your essay to the next level, try to connect it to the world at large. “What often elevates an essay is that the writer is able to place their own story and insights in a larger historical, cultural, philosophical or intellectual context. Ask the question: What is an important and authentic context for my story? Whether it is an idea that frames the entire essay or just finds its way in through telling details, it often separates good from great,” says Caldarelli. In a well-known example , one student framed her essay within the context of shopping at Costco while deftly bringing in physics concepts and literary references and demonstrating her own personal growth.

These suggestions are your guide to writing a college essay that stands out — in a good way. Equally important is that your essay not stand out for the wrong reasons — because of poor grammar, careless typos, divisive or offensive statements or straying far from the topic or word count. To avoid these pitfalls, be sure to proofread your essay several times and then have it reviewed by an extra set of eyes (or two) before hitting send. 

Following the above do’s — and don’ts — will help you compose an essay that communicates the best of you, guaranteeing that it will be compelling and utterly original. 

Interviews for this article were conducted in 2019.

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Related articles, how to write admission essays that get you noticed and get you in, where to draw the line in your child’s college application process, how to communicate with admissions officers when you’re applying to college, how to balance senior year and college applications.

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How to Make Your College Essay Stand Out: Essential Tips

Your Personal Statement for the Common Application—the classic “college essay” that you’ve been hearing about since freshmen year—is the biggest piece of individual storytelling in the college application process, and it has only continued to grow in importance for college admissions officers. Now, with the number of applications to top US colleges surging higher , writing an essay that distinguishes you from the pack has become tougher than ever.

The challenge of the college essay might seem straightforward: 650 words about what makes you… well, you. If you’ve looked over the Common App Personal Statement prompts , you’ve noticed that they aren’t too intimidating. Maybe you even started writing a response to one for your English teacher, and hey, it went fine!

That’s all well and good, but anyone who takes the assignment lightly is dooming their application for failure. Because the truth is, despite the neat prompts and hundreds of models and outlines, there is no one formula for the perfect personal statement . 

Snatching an outline from the internet or reading over dozens of college essay examples from former admits are habits that will hurt your process, rather than help it. When you’re overloaded with information, it’s easy to end up in a state of analysis paralysis. This can make you hypercritical of your own stories and experiences, even though they are authentic to who you are. It can also lead to procrastination and imposter syndrome.

So before you go back over that draft you scribbled out in class months ago, or gobble up every daring college essay you can find on the web, take a moment to reimagine the challenge of the piece. Then, use our essential tips below to make your college essay stand out from the crowd—not through clever wordplay, name dropping, or mimicking examples found online, but by tapping into your own motivations, staying rooted in your own story, and launching into writing confidently.

Start with you, not the essay prompt

Writing about yourself is hard. Writing about yourself in the context of a high-stakes application can be excruciating.

Many of us would prefer to write about anything other than ourselves. That’s why so many college essays become stories about inspiring figures: grandparents, teachers, Elon Musk. But none of these people are the person who the essay should be about, so these essays fall flat.

When you start your college essay with the belief that you must write for a prompt, you’ve already constrained your opportunities. You will make artificial rules out of your interpretation of the prompt, then second-guess your most original ideas. You’ll write for your audience rather than for yourself. And this is one of the worst traps you can fall into.

That’s why, when brainstorming your college essay, you should resist the urge to look at prompts, read examples, or borrow templates.

Instead, focus only on yourself. 

What do you most love to do in your free time? What behaviors do you detest? What small mistake have you never forgotten? What about yourself do you have trouble understanding or accepting?

You must get comfortable making everything about you in order to get to the heart of your personal story. These are examples of questions that can push your reflection in the right direction, but there are countless others. And the most effective way to approach such questions is through a conversation.

Rather than generate and respond to intense personal questions yourself, arrange to have a conversation about them with someone close to you. This person should be a trusted confidante you’ve known for years, but shouldn’t be a parent, sibling, or anyone bringing too much emotional baggage into the conversation. They could be a family friend, an aunt or uncle, a coach, teacher, mentor, or college counselor—but it’s best if they are not a peer.

Have an open conversation focused only on your own life stories, values, and motivations—and record it . Keep a record of every word you say in your discussion. Encourage the other person to dig deeper into topics they find intriguing or unclear, no matter how uncomfortable this might be for you. If you’re surprised by something they find fascinating, make a note of it.  

Reflecting on and listening over this conversation is the surest way to discover the memories and parts of your identity that matter most.

Establish a regular writing routine

As you move from generating ideas into drafting, you’re likely to encounter some roadblocks. Actually expressing the story that’s clear in your mind may turn out to be surprisingly frustrating. You may be unsatisfied with each attempt you make. You may hear extraordinary stories about exceptional people and doubt whether your idea is any good in the first place.

In order to make the writing process less daunting, focus on getting into the habit of simply putting words down on paper, instead of expecting yourself to produce brilliant content. The most important thing is that you do this every day for at least five days a week. Here are some keys for making this routine work:

• Daily writing sessions can be as short as 15 minutes or as long as an hour. Give yourself a slight buffer to first think through what you want to write about, then a chunk of time to write, and a few more minutes at the end to consider what your next step will be.
• Following from this, aim to finish each writing session when you still have more to say . Knowing what you want to say next doesn’t mean you need to put it down on paper immediately. In fact, it’s helpful to intentionally leave off your final paragraph. Write as the Japanese eat , until your page is 80% full of what you set out to say. That last paragraph will then become a starting point the next day, and you’ll have 24 hours to let your mind work on what comes next.
• Schedule your writing sessions at the same time every day . For many, jamming in an evening time slot may seem more attractive than waking up early. But consider honestly when you are sharpest: many of us, even self-professed night owls, have our best focus and presence of mind in the morning.
• Write the way you speak . If you’d like, you can even keep dictating your thoughts, rather than writing them. More on this later.
• Write about anything : your pet, what you see out your window, even why you hate writing. You do not always need to continue where you left off the day before. What you produce on a given day doesn’t even need to correspond to the general topic or story you are developing. Remind yourself that the most important thing is the writing itself, and force yourself to do it anyway, even when it feels like pulling teeth. 
• Do not worry about the quality of what you produce . No good comes from pondering every word or reengineering every phrase. The more you write, and the more often you write, the more the words should spill out naturally. Yes, you will need to do some serious editing at some point. But no one needs to know if your first drafts were flimsy.

Over time, a cycle of honest conversation and regular writing practice will produce results. Trust in this process and stick to your plan: you will likely end up with even more juicy content than you can possibly fit in your college essay—and this is great! You can often re-work stories and stances into your shorter, supplemental college essays, and almost always share them in interviews or networking conversations. The process itself will help you become a more compelling person overall.

Trust your instincts & keep it simple

Admissions officers are all too used to reading college essays written in a style or voice that seems forced. These essays are littered with complex clauses and semicolons. The words that fill them are unwieldy and questionably used. Metaphors, analogies, and grand claims abound.

These mistakes make sense: if personal creative writing doesn’t come naturally to you (as it doesn’t to most people), it’s understandable that you’d want to elevate your language. You are, after all, applying to selective colleges that expect whip-smart high school students.

But writing can be overdone. And overdoing your college essay is a pitfall you must avoid. 

As a student, you’re bombarded daily with writing: you may read snippets of a novel, a magazine, a history textbook, a philosophical discourse, and a chemistry paper—all on the same day. It’s all too easy to lose track of what you actually sound like amidst all those voices in all those texts.

And in the worst case scenario, this causes you to write like you’re thumbing through a thesaurus. Case in point: the compulsion to replace each usage of the word “use” with “utilize.”

To avoid this, whenever you are drafting, rely on your instincts. As the ideas pop into your mind, write them in the exact phrasing in which they appear . If you lose your train of thought, go back over the recording you made of your conversation, and listen again to what you said when you weren’t thinking about an essay . Perhaps you used slang, or a pet phrase; perhaps there was an unexpected moment of sarcasm, and you can tap back into that humorous state.

Most importantly, keep it simple . Remember that sentences do not need to be long in order to be engaging, and that a story is best presented plainly enough that it allows a reader to do some interpreting. If you attempt to explain every detail of your story, you will spend the entire essay explaining rather than actually telling the story itself. 

In order to preserve your natural voice and keep your writing simple and meaningful, get in the following habits:

• When you start your writing session, spend 10 minutes thinking about what you’ll write, and do not read anything else . 
• If you get stuck on writing, begin to speak your ideas freely and record them exactly as you speak them. Even if you spend an entire session speaking rather than writing, it is worthwhile.
• Don’t go back over the sentence you just wrote . It isn’t perfect, and you know that. Forge ahead regardless. Return to tweak your phrasing only at the end of your writing session, and later, when you have reached the editing phase of your process.
• Remember that this is not an academic essay . Don’t fall into the patterns that have served you well in English or History courses. Topic sentences are not summaries of entire paragraphs. Grammar does not need to be impeccable: the priority is the natural flow of the writing—how it sounds when read aloud—not the preciseness of each clause.

Remember that you are writing to a normal person

As you go through the intense process of assembling your application package, it can begin to feel that you are performing, to some extent, for an admissions committee shrouded in mystery. These admissions officers hold your fate in their hands, and given the acceptance rates at top colleges, it’s hard not to assume that they are cold-blooded critics looking for any excuse to kill your application in the water. Most students who make this assumption automatically go on the defensive, doing whatever they can to cover up potential red flags and appear flawless. 

And this approach does them no good.

No 17-year-old is perfect, and the admissions officer reading your application will be eminently aware of this. They are not looking for perfection, but for authenticity. They want to bring students to their university who could genuinely benefit from and contribute to the learning experience on campus. If you come across as someone who believes they’ve already mastered everything life can throw at them, will you sincerely challenge yourself and grow while in college? It’s doubtful.

Let the other parts of your application speak for themselves. Your goal in the college essay is not to impress an admissions committee, but to connect with them . This means you need to come across as a human. To do this, think of creating a casual encounter with the person reading your essay. Imagine that you are at a party, and you’re sharing a story with someone you just met. What does this mean?

• Write as though you are speaking to a peer . Admissions officers are not predisposed to judge you; in fact, they are seeking to understand the person inside all the statistics and materials. They are smart and compassionate people looking for things to like about you. You don’t need to spell out basic facts or waste space drilling the same point home. Trust that they will be able to interpret your deeper themes because they sincerely want to learn more about you.
• Don’t exaggerate or undersell . Both are important. You can immediately tell when someone you’ve met is bragging or being disingenuous. At the same time, you’re at your most engaging when you acknowledge your own talents and don’t shy away from sharing them. Try to present both your positive qualities and the skills you’re still working on as plainly as you can, without apologizing or aggrandizing. 
• Avoid going into too much detail about your lowest low points . This may seem counterintuitive, given everything else we’ve written about being authentic with your story and style. And yes, there is huge value in being vulnerable—to an extent. But if you meet someone at a party, your scarring experiences with clinical depression or childhood trauma are probably not your best icebreaker. These may be important elements of your life, which you refer to when sharing what you care about. But in the end, your application reader is not a close friend or a trusted confidante. Don’t overwhelm them with darkness you’ve begun breaking through: focus on the progress you’ve made and how your past drives you forward.

Don’t have too many readers

It’s more likely than not that you have several people interested in reading your college essay and giving their opinion on it. When you do feel that you’ve fleshed out a story and you see its shape coming together, it is useful to seek some outside perspective. After all, admissions committees are made up of multiple personalities, all of which will contribute to the decision of whether to accept or deny your application. 

But be careful not to have more than two or three other people give you feedback on your personal statement. If you show it to your counselor, your teacher, your soccer coach, your piano instructor, your mom, your aunt, and your cousin… you are going to be overwhelmed by competing opinions, each with their own biases.

If you’re not working closely with a consultant or counselor, the first person to read your college essay should be the same person who had that original brainstorming conversation with you. They will come into the reading with a sense of what makes you special, but without too much bias related to their personal feelings on your character. Have them read the essay without you present, first. Then meet, and ask them:

• Did they learn anything new or unexpected about you in this essay?
• Did they find themselves thinking back on the essay after they were done reading it? If so, what part(s) were they thinking about?
• Would they want to have a coffee with you after reading this essay? Or collaborate on a project with you? 

There are no right or wrong answers to these questions, but asking them will help you to gauge whether your story communicates what you want it to about who you are.

Following these guidelines will enable you to set your sights in the right direction for your college essay and launch your writing process with confidence. Check back in soon for part two in this series: we’ll be sharing an article on the next steps for editing your Common App Personal Statement into its most compelling final state.

More Help on the College Admissions Process

Have these tips helped you brainstorm or draft? Are you interested in personalized advice for planning your own personal statement, extracurricular activities, school list, and more? Tell us about your goals and what you’ve been doing using our college admissions calculator , and we’ll get back to you shortly with tips for just your profile. Or, skip straight to a free phone consultation to discuss your application strategy with our expert college admissions consulting team.

Stand out in the college admissions process with tailored college admissions consulting services. Let our team of expert College Consultants support you every step of the way.

Menlo Coaching also has a team of dedicated SAT tutors to help boost your test scores.

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Seven Ways to Make your College Essay Stand Out

Because the college essay is not the same kind of essay that you write for your high school English teacher, it does not have to have the typical essay introduction which would usually provide a thesis statement. Most students are unaware of this fact. Just as you want to prepare the best answers to your college interview , here are seven tips for writing an engaging essay that will stand out from the rest!

1. Your first paragraph should grab the reader

The college essay has to grab the attention of an admission’s reader.  It is imperative, then, that the introduction to the college essay capture the reader’s attention and make the reader want to read more.

There are different ways to grab the reader.

• Try starting with a question.
• Begin with a bold statement.
• Use an interesting quote.
• Put the reader in medias res, that is, in the middle of things. Place the reader in the middle of something happening or in the middle of a conversation.
• Challenge the reader by speaking directly to him/her.
• Tell the reader what you do NOT want to do in your writing.
• Sometimes even a single word that stands as a paragraph can make the reader wonder and read on.

2. Be a real person, not an anonymous author

Do not be just another of thousands of applicants that do not make an impression. If you are reading a newspaper article, the writer fades behind the facts and you know nothing about the writer except that s/he can collect, organize, and present the facts that you need to now. You want the admissions reader to say, “Ah, this is a real person writing to me.

That means you should write with voice, that is, you need to write with your own personality. Honesty, humor, talking the way you talk, showing the way you think, all help to create voice.

3. Don’t be boring

Trying to be proper or trying to impress or trying to be intellectual can be a drag. What you should be are doing is getting noticed as unique. It’s like you are on a date with the admissions reader and you want to be asked out again.

If you are on a date, you would naturally want to be smart, funny, nice, caring, unique, not boring. You also want to have an opinion, not step back like an unthinking geek. Write your essay as though you would be a great second date.

4. Make your essay correct and beautiful

Dates should look good, too. You can make your essay beautiful by giving thought to a few things. Use a font that is readable. Consider whether or not a bold typeface could make your essay easier to read. Don’t crowd your essay near the top of the page, but balance it on the page and attend to soothing margins. Provide the essay prompt at the opening. Separate paragraphs in a consistent way, either by indenting each paragraph or by using block style, keeping all the words to the left margin but spacing extra between paragraphs.

If there are a lot of mistakes in your essay, it can not be pretty. Make sure you have spelled everything correctly. Make sure your basic punctuation is correct.

Did you separate dialogue correctly from the rest of your text? Did you use capitalization correctly? Check out our article on the most common mistakes in college essays for more tips to ensure your essay reads well.

5. Approach the essay from a different angle

If you look at things a little differently from others you stand out. In answering an essay prompt, you need not always do it the most normal way.

• What if you were to take the negative approach to answer the prompt? What are your hopes? Maybe you can tell what your hopes are by writing what you do not hope for.
• Perhaps you can create a little mystery by not answering the prompt immediately. What do you want to study? Maybe you could reveal that in the last sentence of your prompt after telling about all the little things that have some relevance to your area of study. For example, you might describe much natural flora, observe fauna, then list feelings you have about nature to lead up to writing that you want to study biology.
• You might even bury your answer to a prompt in a story or in a moral tale or even in a description.

6. Be clear and logical

As much as you wish to shine, the shine will be lost if your sentences and thoughts do not string together logically. You must make sense to the reader.

Reread your essay as though you have no idea what the writer is talking about. Does it make sense? Are there transitions between different sections of the essay? Is the essay organized? Have you started at the beginning? Have you provided an ending? Have you given enough background information?

It is a good idea to make sure different audiences understand what you have tried to write. Test your essay with a friend, a teacher, a parent, even a younger reader. Ask them not to judge but simply read to see if they know what you are saying. “Tell me,” say to them, “exactly what you got from this.” If there is confusion, fix it.

7. Leave your reader with a lasting impression

People remember the last things first or, at least, best. As Alan Alda said in a commencement address he delivered to his daughter’s graduating college class, the most important things are said on the way out the door. His last words in that speech were, “I love you.”

In the same way, you should end your college essay with something that not only summarizes the most important aspects of you but that is also memorable. Memorable endings are poignant, making the reader feel an emotion. Or, they capture a several-line conclusion in one pithy, well-worded phrase or sentence. Or, maybe they end with a simple, clean truth written from the heart.

Final Tips! If you are having trouble getting started on your essay, you might want to check out Academichelp.net where they provide sample essays and free writing guides or check out The Essay Guy for more great essay writing tips. Lastly, if English is not your first language, you might want to look for some tips on how to improve your English writing skills to make sure you can be clear and concise with your writing.  Good Luck!

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How to Stand-Out with Your College Essay

Implement these tips into your college essay and you’ll be doing a victory dance at your dream college (or in a kayak on your semester!) in no time.

We know you’ve been reading up on “College Essays that Worked” threads on Reddit for weeks.

Every essay you read seems so unique and well-done… It’s like every applicant has some wildly special story and a magical way of stringing their words together, and you’re thinking, how in the world can I top that?!

We’re here to tell you that you don’t have to have hiked Mount Everest or started a non-profit to stand out (although it’s awesome if you have!). You don’t even have to be an amazing writer. You just need to be yourself and give the reader a glimpse into your mind.

If you have no idea how to even get started, we’re here to help. Read on for our best tips for writing a college essay that will make YOU stand out!

Get some inspiration! Perhaps that means talking with a friend, entering a new environment, or researching something interesting. A semester abroad is jam-packed with all three, even in quiet moments of reflection like this Milan student.

PHASE 1: The Brainstorm

Writer’s block is no joke and getting started is always the hardest part.

It can be especially discouraging when you feel the pressure to come up with some big, grand, dramatic story about yourself. The good news is, you don’t.

Whether you’ve experienced some challenging and unique situations or are more of an average-Joe, we know you have a wealth of life experiences that make you, you. To find what those experiences are, you may have to dig deep though.

To start off, give yourself the chance to reflect by doing a freeflow brainstorm.

Sit with an empty document or piece of paper and just bullet point any and every idea that comes to you, no judgment, no matter how lousy it may seem.

Some questions to ask yourself in the brainstorm: What is one moment in your life that you can’t get out of your head and why? What traits would you use to describe yourself? What motivates you to try your best? What do you value most? What do your friends think is unique about you?

The New York Times shares some great questions to get you thinking as well.

To get a fresh perspective, talk to friends, family, and other people in your life that you trust and that know you well. Ask for feedback on their observations about you, challenges they’ve seen you overcome, unique talents you consistently show up with, or some of your quirks. Document this and sit with it.

If you notice some themes being repeated over and over again by different people, those could potentially be great leads.

And if you need some extra support with the brainstorming phase, The College Essay Guy offers two really helpful brainstorming activities to try out here and here .

Once you have your ideas, pick your favorite idea so far, and just start writing. Let yourself write completely freely at first. Do this with a few other ideas until you find one that clicks and says something bold about you.

✓ Don’t share something any other student could share.

For example, avoid topics like your parent’s divorce, a sports injury, or when your team won a game, unless you have a really unique angle on that topic or it is deeply connected to who you are.

In general, the more a story is specific and unique to you, the better.

Don’t be afraid to get playful! We’ve seen people write about some super niche and personal topics: someone who was made fun of for being short wrote about how what she lacks in height she makes up for in her big personality and strong leadership. One student used her bad habit of burping as a metaphor to describe how she marches to the beat of her own drum. Another talked about how the spines on their bookshelf represent the different facets of their personality.

Feel free to be quirky and be you.

✓ Avoid general topics.

While these might be great themes to explore, spending an entire essay rambling about your love of science or your passion for writing is going to make for a pretty boring read.

Instead, use those themes as starting points, but get really specific about a particular incident or moment that illustrates exactly what you want to say.

✓ If you struggle with writing, don’t write.

If it’s the writing part that’s getting you stuck, no worries at all, record a voice memo on your phone and just start talking freely. Then, transcribe what you said and work on your draft from there.

✓ Don’t put off starting or expect to get it done in one sitting.

This is a project to put your heart into and the earlier you get started on this the better.

In particular, the summer before senior year is a great time to work on this since you won’t have to juggle your studies at the same time. We recommend aiming to at least have a very rough draft ready by the time school starts.

If you’re already getting a bit of a late start, don’t panic. You can totally pull this off, you just have to push yourself to take that first leap and begin the process today.

It may help to put yourself in comfortable surroundings as you prepare to write – check out the view from students’ desks on a London semester.

PHASE 2: Go Time

Getting the perfect draft is a long process and should not be done like an “assignment.” This project should be an opportunity for reflection and creativity. Don’t stop until you LOVE it.

As you refine your essay, look to other great writers for inspiration. Some great resources are Kindra Hall (she talks about storytelling that sticks) and The College Essay Guy .

You can also check out some examples of other student work like pieces from the New York Times personal narrative essay contest . Try to notice what that author does well and what parts of their essay most draw you in.

✓ Get super clear on your goals for the essay.

What do you want the reader to understand about you when they finish reading your essay? How does this show what you will contribute to a college?

✓ Tell a story.

You can think about it in this framework: Who is the old person and what were they like? What is/are the situation(s) that happened? BOOM – who is the new you and how do they act/look like now?

✓ Use your voice.

How would you describe your voice or the voice you want to use? What are its most noticeable and important qualities?

We all have different styles of speaking that we use for different situations, so think about what you want your tone to convey.

No matter which of your voices you choose, this essay should sound undeniably like you.

This article gives some great questions to think about:

“Do you use a lot of slang? Do you love “big” words? Do you tend to go off on tangents when you talk, or do you stick to the point? Are you loud or quiet? Funny or serious? Do you speak quickly or slowly? Are you self-deprecating or confident? What makes your way of speaking and writing unique?”

If you’re not sure, you can record yourself having a conversation about your essay with a friend or family member. Notice the type of language you use to express yourself, the length and structure of your sentences and where you put your emphasis.

Another trick to capture your voice in writing is to think of someone in your life who you are close to and can always be honest with, and then write your essay as if you’re writing to that person.

✓ Show, don’t tell.

The college admissions officer who is reading your essay probably reads dozens of essays a day, and hundreds of essays a week. If you want to capture their attention, you have to use language that is going to make your piece engaging to read.

Remember, admissions officers are human beings too, so the key is to remember that you are writing for a real-life audience, not a “perfect-applicant” algorithm.

The reader should be able to visualize the situation you are describing– so much so that they feel like they are in the experience with you.

This article gives some more great examples:

Don’t say: ‘My sister ran off.’ Instead, say: ‘My sister jumped a foot in the air and disappeared behind the closest tree.’;

Don’t say: ‘Everyone felt on edge.” Instead, say: “We were all afraid to breathe. Nobody made a sound.’”

When sharing about something you learned or a new trait you developed, really explain what that looks like in practice and how your behaviors are different now. For example:

Instead of: “I learned not to make judgments about people based on their appearances.”

You could try: “The next time I encountered a similar situation, instead of jumping to conclusions, I became curious about the reason behind their behavior. I asked more questions. I listened more carefully. I dove deeper to learn the whole story and I reminded myself to have empathy and compassion by choosing to keep an open mind.”

✓ Be authentic.

Don’t get caught up in trying to impress the reader or make grand statements. Focus on describing specific details that are really true to you.

A great essay is less about using fancy words, and more about successfully sharing the quality of your ideas. Although you do want to demonstrate your writing skills and use descriptive imagery, you don’t want to get so zoomed into that that you miss the point of sharing the deeper meaning behind your story.

You don’t need to try to make yourself “sound smart.” You are smart! Have that confidence and be playful and relaxed with your writing.

The big moment! When it’s time to send, have confidence that you’ve put your best foot forward, like these Latin America students completing a final project at their base house.

PHASE 3: Ready, Set, Send

Once you have a final draft that you’re feeling really good about, it’s time to put the essay through a few rounds of constructive scrutiny.

It’s critical that you enlist the help of others to proofread. These people should review not just for spelling, punctuation, typos, and grammar, but also for the content. Ask them to describe to you what they learned about you from reading this piece. Does it match what you’re trying to say?

Ask someone you trust, but also someone who will not be afraid to give you feedback to help you grow. If you are going to someone because you know they will make you feel good about yourself – choose someone else!

✓ Read your essay out loud.

And have someone else read it out loud to you. Do any parts sound awkward or feel hard to read?

✓ Does it pass the bff test?

If your best friend found your essay in the hallway at school without your name on it, would they undoubtedly know it’s you?! That’s the level of personal and individualized you want it to be.

✓ Check in with your feelings.

How do you feel when you read your essay? Are you proud of yourself? If you’re not feeling excited or moved after reading it, the admissions officer won’t either.

When your essay passes these tests, take a deep breath, count to three, and click send!

This work might feel draining now, but it’s going to be so rewarding knowing that you gave this opportunity your absolute best shot. Plus, it will be so fun to look back on your college essays and have that great insight into your sense of self from back in the day. So have fun with it and get to work!

At Verto, we want to help students put their best foot forward when it comes to success in college and beyond. We’d love to chat if you want to learn more about how we can make an incredible start to college possible for you.

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College essays are an entirely new type of writing for high school seniors. For that reason, many students are confused about proper formatting and essay structure. Should you double-space or single-space? Do you need a title? What kind of narrative style is best-suited for your topic?

In this post, we’ll be going over proper college essay format, traditional and unconventional essay structures (plus sample essays!), and which structure might work best for you. 

General College Essay Formatting Guidelines

How you format your essay will depend on whether you’re submitting in a text box, or attaching a document. We’ll go over the different best practices for both, but regardless of how you’re submitting, here are some general formatting tips:

• There’s no need for a title; it takes up unnecessary space and eats into your word count
• Stay within the word count as much as possible (+/- 10% of the upper limit). For further discussion on college essay length, see our post How Long Should Your College Essay Be?
• Indent or double space to separate paragraphs clearly

If you’re submitting in a text box:

• Avoid italics and bold, since formatting often doesn’t transfer over in text boxes
• Be careful with essays meant to be a certain shape (like a balloon); text boxes will likely not respect that formatting. Beyond that, this technique can also seem gimmicky, so proceed with caution
• Make sure that paragraphs are clearly separated, as text boxes can also undo indents and double spacing

If you’re attaching a document:

• Use a standard font and size like Times New Roman, 12 point
• Make your lines 1.5-spaced or double-spaced
• Use 1-inch margins
• Save as a PDF since it can’t be edited. This also prevents any formatting issues that come with Microsoft Word, since older versions are sometimes incompatible with the newer formatting
• Number each page with your last name in the header or footer (like “Smith 1”)
• Pay extra attention to any word limits, as you won’t be cut off automatically, unlike with most text boxes

Conventional College Essay Structures

Now that we’ve gone over the logistical aspects of your essay, let’s talk about how you should structure your writing. There are three traditional college essay structures. They are:

• In-the-moment narrative
• Narrative told over an extended period of time
• Series of anecdotes, or montage

Let’s go over what each one is exactly, and take a look at some real essays using these structures.

1. In-the-moment narrative

This is where you tell the story one moment at a time, sharing the events as they occur. In the moment narrative is a powerful essay format, as your reader experiences the events, your thoughts, and your emotions with you . This structure is ideal for a specific experience involving extensive internal dialogue, emotions, and reflections.

Here’s an example:

The morning of the Model United Nation conference, I walked into Committee feeling confident about my research. We were simulating the Nuremberg Trials – a series of post-World War II proceedings for war crimes – and my portfolio was of the Soviet Judge Major General Iona Nikitchenko. Until that day, the infamous Nazi regime had only been a chapter in my history textbook; however, the conference’s unveiling of each defendant’s crimes brought those horrors to life. The previous night, I had organized my research, proofread my position paper and gone over Judge Nikitchenko’s pertinent statements. I aimed to find the perfect balance between his stance and my own.

As I walked into committee anticipating a battle of wits, my director abruptly called out to me. “I’m afraid we’ve received a late confirmation from another delegate who will be representing Judge Nikitchenko. You, on the other hand, are now the defense attorney, Otto Stahmer.” Everyone around me buzzed around the room in excitement, coordinating with their allies and developing strategies against their enemies, oblivious to the bomb that had just dropped on me. I felt frozen in my tracks, and it seemed that only rage against the careless delegate who had confirmed her presence so late could pull me out of my trance. After having spent a month painstakingly crafting my verdicts and gathering evidence against the Nazis, I now needed to reverse my stance only three hours before the first session.

Gradually, anger gave way to utter panic. My research was fundamental to my performance, and without it, I knew I could add little to the Trials. But confident in my ability, my director optimistically recommended constructing an impromptu defense. Nervously, I began my research anew. Despite feeling hopeless, as I read through the prosecution’s arguments, I uncovered substantial loopholes. I noticed a lack of conclusive evidence against the defendants and certain inconsistencies in testimonies. My discovery energized me, inspiring me to revisit the historical overview in my conference “Background Guide” and to search the web for other relevant articles. Some Nazi prisoners had been treated as “guilty” before their court dates. While I had brushed this information under the carpet while developing my position as a judge, it now became the focus of my defense. I began scratching out a new argument, centered on the premise that the allied countries had violated the fundamental rule that, a defendant was “not guilty” until proven otherwise.

At the end of the three hours, I felt better prepared. The first session began, and with bravado, I raised my placard to speak. Microphone in hand, I turned to face my audience. “Greetings delegates. I, Otto Stahmer would like to…….” I suddenly blanked. Utter dread permeated my body as I tried to recall my thoughts in vain. “Defence Attorney, Stahmer we’ll come back to you,” my Committee Director broke the silence as I tottered back to my seat, flushed with embarrassment. Despite my shame, I was undeterred. I needed to vindicate my director’s faith in me. I pulled out my notes, refocused, and began outlining my arguments in a more clear and direct manner. Thereafter, I spoke articulately, confidently putting forth my points. I was overjoyed when Secretariat members congratulated me on my fine performance.

Going into the conference, I believed that preparation was the key to success. I wouldn’t say I disagree with that statement now, but I believe adaptability is equally important. My ability to problem-solve in the face of an unforeseen challenge proved advantageous in the art of diplomacy. Not only did this experience transform me into a confident and eloquent delegate at that conference, but it also helped me become a more flexible and creative thinker in a variety of other capacities. Now that I know I can adapt under pressure, I look forward to engaging in activities that will push me to be even quicker on my feet.

This essay is an excellent example of in-the-moment narration. The student openly shares their internal state with us — we feel their anger and panic upon the reversal of roles. We empathize with their emotions of “utter dread” and embarrassment when they’re unable to speak. 

For in-the-moment essays, overloading on descriptions is a common mistake students make. This writer provides just the right amount of background and details to help us understand the situation, however, and balances out the actual event with reflection on the significance of this experience. 

One main area of improvement is that the writer sometimes makes explicit statements that could be better illustrated through their thoughts, actions, and feelings. For instance, they say they “spoke articulately” after recovering from their initial inability to speak, and they also claim that adaptability has helped them in other situations. This is not as engaging as actual examples that convey the same meaning. Still, this essay overall is a strong example of in-the-moment narration, and gives us a relatable look into the writer’s life and personality.

2. Narrative told over an extended period of time

In this essay structure, you share a story that takes place across several different experiences. This narrative style is well-suited for any story arc with multiple parts. If you want to highlight your development over time, you might consider this structure. 

When I was younger, I was adamant that no two foods on my plate touch. As a result, I often used a second plate to prevent such an atrocity. In many ways, I learned to separate different things this way from my older brothers, Nate and Rob. Growing up, I idolized both of them. Nate was a performer, and I insisted on arriving early to his shows to secure front row seats, refusing to budge during intermission for fear of missing anything. Rob was a three-sport athlete, and I attended his games religiously, waving worn-out foam cougar paws and cheering until my voice was hoarse. My brothers were my role models. However, while each was talented, neither was interested in the other’s passion. To me, they represented two contrasting ideals of what I could become: artist or athlete. I believed I had to choose.

And for a long time, I chose athlete. I played soccer, basketball, and lacrosse and viewed myself exclusively as an athlete, believing the arts were not for me. I conveniently overlooked that since the age of five, I had been composing stories for my family for Christmas, gifts that were as much for me as them, as I loved writing. So when in tenth grade, I had the option of taking a creative writing class, I was faced with a question: could I be an athlete and a writer? After much debate, I enrolled in the class, feeling both apprehensive and excited. When I arrived on the first day of school, my teacher, Ms. Jenkins, asked us to write down our expectations for the class. After a few minutes, eraser shavings stubbornly sunbathing on my now-smudged paper, I finally wrote, “I do not expect to become a published writer from this class. I just want this to be a place where I can write freely.”

Although the purpose of the class never changed for me, on the third “submission day,” – our time to submit writing to upcoming contests and literary magazines – I faced a predicament. For the first two submission days, I had passed the time editing earlier pieces, eventually (pretty quickly) resorting to screen snake when hopelessness made the words look like hieroglyphics. I must not have been as subtle as I thought, as on the third of these days, Ms. Jenkins approached me. After shifting from excuse to excuse as to why I did not submit my writing, I finally recognized the real reason I had withheld my work: I was scared. I did not want to be different, and I did not want to challenge not only others’ perceptions of me, but also my own. I yielded to Ms. Jenkin’s pleas and sent one of my pieces to an upcoming contest.

By the time the letter came, I had already forgotten about the contest. When the flimsy white envelope arrived in the mail, I was shocked and ecstatic to learn that I had received 2nd place in a nationwide writing competition. The next morning, however, I discovered Ms. Jenkins would make an announcement to the whole school exposing me as a poet. I decided to own this identity and embrace my friends’ jokes and playful digs, and over time, they have learned to accept and respect this part of me. I have since seen more boys at my school identifying themselves as writers or artists.

I no longer see myself as an athlete and a poet independently, but rather I see these two aspects forming a single inseparable identity – me. Despite their apparent differences, these two disciplines are quite similar, as each requires creativity and devotion. I am still a poet when I am lacing up my cleats for soccer practice and still an athlete when I am building metaphors in the back of my mind – and I have realized ice cream and gummy bears taste pretty good together.

The timeline of this essay spans from the writer’s childhood all the way to sophomore year, but we only see key moments along this journey. First, we get context for why the writer thought he had to choose one identity: his older brothers had very distinct interests. Then, we learn about the student’s 10th grade creative writing class, writing contest, and results of the contest. Finally, the essay covers the writers’ embarrassment of his identity as a poet, to gradual acceptance and pride in that identity. 

This essay is a great example of a narrative told over an extended period of time. It’s highly personal and reflective, as the piece shares the writer’s conflicting feelings, and takes care to get to the root of those feelings. Furthermore, the overarching story is that of a personal transformation and development, so it’s well-suited to this essay structure.

3. Series of anecdotes, or montage

This essay structure allows you to focus on the most important experiences of a single storyline, or it lets you feature multiple (not necessarily related) stories that highlight your personality. Montage is a structure where you piece together separate scenes to form a whole story. This technique is most commonly associated with film. Just envision your favorite movie—it likely is a montage of various scenes that may not even be chronological. 

Night had robbed the academy of its daytime colors, yet there was comfort in the dim lights that cast shadows of our advances against the bare studio walls. Silhouettes of roundhouse kicks, spin crescent kicks, uppercuts and the occasional butterfly kick danced while we sparred. She approached me, eyes narrowed with the trace of a smirk challenging me. “Ready spar!” Her arm began an upward trajectory targeting my shoulder, a common first move. I sidestepped — only to almost collide with another flying fist. Pivoting my right foot, I snapped my left leg, aiming my heel at her midsection. The center judge raised one finger. 

There was no time to celebrate, not in the traditional sense at least. Master Pollard gave a brief command greeted with a unanimous “Yes, sir” and the thud of 20 hands dropping-down-and-giving-him-30, while the “winners” celebrated their victory with laps as usual. 

Three years ago, seven-thirty in the evening meant I was a warrior. It meant standing up straighter, pushing a little harder, “Yes, sir” and “Yes, ma’am”, celebrating birthdays by breaking boards, never pointing your toes, and familiarity. Three years later, seven-thirty in the morning meant I was nervous. 

The room is uncomfortably large. The sprung floor soaks up the checkerboard of sunlight piercing through the colonial windows. The mirrored walls further illuminate the studio and I feel the light scrutinizing my sorry attempts at a pas de bourrée , while capturing the organic fluidity of the dancers around me. “ Chassé en croix, grand battement, pique, pirouette.” I follow the graceful limbs of the woman in front of me, her legs floating ribbons, as she executes what seems to be a perfect ronds de jambes. Each movement remains a negotiation. With admirable patience, Ms. Tan casts me a sympathetic glance.   

There is no time to wallow in the misery that is my right foot. Taekwondo calls for dorsiflexion; pointed toes are synonymous with broken toes. My thoughts drag me into a flashback of the usual response to this painful mistake: “You might as well grab a tutu and head to the ballet studio next door.” Well, here I am Master Pollard, unfortunately still following your orders to never point my toes, but no longer feeling the satisfaction that comes with being a third degree black belt with 5 years of experience quite literally under her belt. It’s like being a white belt again — just in a leotard and ballet slippers. 

But the appetite for new beginnings that brought me here doesn’t falter. It is only reinforced by the classical rendition of “Dancing Queen” that floods the room and the ghost of familiarity that reassures me that this new beginning does not and will not erase the past. After years spent at the top, it’s hard to start over. But surrendering what you are only leads you to what you may become. In Taekwondo, we started each class reciting the tenets: honor, courtesy, integrity, perseverance, self-control, courage, humility, and knowledge, and I have never felt that I embodied those traits more so than when I started ballet. 

The thing about change is that it eventually stops making things so different. After nine different schools, four different countries, three different continents, fluency in Tamil, Norwegian, and English, there are more blurred lines than there are clear fragments. My life has not been a tactfully executed, gold medal-worthy Taekwondo form with each movement defined, nor has it been a series of frappés performed by a prima ballerina with each extension identical and precise, but thankfully it has been like the dynamics of a spinning back kick, fluid, and like my chances of landing a pirouette, unpredictable. 

This essay takes a few different anecdotes and weaves them into a coherent narrative about the writer’s penchant for novel experiences. We’re plunged into her universe, in the middle of her Taekwondo spar, three years before the present day. She then transitions into a scene in a ballet studio, present day. By switching from past tense to present tense, the writer clearly demarcates this shift in time. 

The parallel use of the spoken phrase “Point” in the essay ties these two experiences together. The writer also employs a flashback to Master Pollard’s remark about “grabbing a tutu” and her habit of dorsiflexing her toes, which further cements the connection between these anecdotes. 

While some of the descriptions are a little wordy, the piece is well-executed overall, and is a stellar example of the montage structure. The two anecdotes are seamlessly intertwined, and they both clearly illustrate the student’s determination, dedication, reflectiveness, and adaptability. The writer also concludes the essay with a larger reflection on her life, many moves, and multiple languages. 

Unconventional College Essay Structures

Unconventional essay structures are any that don’t fit into the categories above. These tend to be higher risk, as it’s easier to turn off the admissions officer, but they’re also higher reward if executed correctly. 

There are endless possibilities for unconventional structures, but most fall under one of two categories:

1. Playing with essay format

Instead of choosing a traditional narrative format, you might take a more creative route to showcase your interests, writing your essay:

• As a movie script
• With a creative visual format (such as creating a visual pattern with the spaces between your sentences forming a picture)
• As a two-sided Lincoln-Douglas debate
• As a legal brief
• Using song lyrics

2. Linguistic techniques

You could also play with the actual language and sentence structure of your essay, writing it:

• In iambic pentameter
• Partially in your mother tongue
• In code or a programming language

These linguistic techniques are often hybrid, where you write some of the essay with the linguistic variation, then write more of an explanation in English.

Under no circumstances should you feel pressured to use an unconventional structure. Trying to force something unconventional will only hurt your chances. That being said, if a creative structure comes naturally to you, suits your personality, and works with the content of your essay — go for that structure!

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How to Start a College Essay: 5 Effective Techniques

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Impressionable Openers

Descriptions and demonstrations, show vulnerability, be authentic, stay personal, fun & quirky, common mistakes to avoid in your college essay.

• Ways to Overcome Writer's Block

Frequently Asked Questions About Starting a College Essay

College essays are a huge part of your college career. If not huge, one of the biggest, and for someone who has been there and done that, I know the amount of pressure the beginning of a college essay, as well as the entire essay, can put on your shoulders.

Not only are you trying to juggle things like word count and grammar errors, but you're also trying to create the perfect college essay introduction that will attract admissions officers to your application or professors to your writing skills. And that, itself, can feel impossible, fill you with dread and self-doubt, but just breathe. I am here to help all present and future students know how to start a college essay.

Today is all about starting a college essay. I have come up with five easy and effective techniques that will help you create essays so good you're going to leave your readers wanting more , starting with your opening sentence! So, this is for all college students and college applicants. Stress no more! This guide was created to help you write a successful college essay. Let's get into it.

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The beginning of your essay should, first and foremost, always have a strong opening sentence . This sentence sets the tone for not only your readers but for the entire essay. Having a wobbly, almost interesting opener can steer an admissions officer and/or professor away, so you want it to be strong. And it doesn't have to be complicated! Less is more in this situation. Here are a couple of ways you can accomplish this.

• Look within and be relatable
• Use your real life for inspiration
• Think about ways to evoke emotion

Here are some examples of impressionable openers:

• Example 1: When I was 11 years old, my mother told me she had cancer over breakfast.
• Example 2: Maybe yellow isn't my favorite color.
• Example 3: I sat next to this girl in class who made me feel stupid.

DISCLAIMER : your opener should ALWAYS adhere to the essay prompts. These are just a few examples that can capture your reader's attention almost immediately.

In order to keep readers interested, visuals are key . Image-based descriptions will not only add value to your writing, it will give your readers front seats to your essay's journey. These descriptions let actions speak for themselves.

Here is an example of a description and demonstration in an essay:

• Example 1: "I was sitting on a bar stool when the word 'cancer' hit me like the smell of her coffee brewing on the stove. The Rice Krispies were popping in my cereal bowl, and MTV Jams was playing in the background, yet all I could hear was the sound of doom all around me. The lips of my mother were moving, but I was frozen, crumbling on this stool like my mother's health. She was sick, and I didn't know how sick or what that even meant, and that terrified me."

Why This Works:

Here you can clearly feel the writers emotional state: shocked, still, scared. Not only is this moment at breakfast traumatic, you feel frozen in time with the writer. Using descriptions like this will evoke so much emotion and leave your reader wanting more.

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Something one of my teachers told me in high school was any good essay will have personal elements in it, no matter the topic. That always stuck with me and became the way I approached my college essays. Showing vulnerability in your writing will always guarantee interest. It also evokes emotion.

You can show vulnerability by:

• Being honest
• Explaining what's going on inside underneath the exterior
• Describe what's going on around you at the moment
• Letting go of the fear of being seen
• Connecting with the topic
• Being transparent about mistakes/flaws

Examples of showing vulnerability:

• Example 1 : My mother telling me she had cancer over breakfast was not on my bingo card this year.
• Example 2 : I never thought losing someone I love would change me.
• Example 3: I had to lose everything in order to gain everything.

I know being vulnerable can be tough for some , but showing this side of you to college admissions officers and/or professors will not only make you stand out, but it can also help free you of things that might be weighing on your mind. Not to sound corny, but it can be therapeutic and make you a better writer . Just make sure you are staying on track with the essay prompt, and you're set!

Whether it's believed or not, an admissions officer wants to see pieces of you in your personal statement, so starting your essay by showing authenticity is a major major key. Along with being vulnerable, there are a few ways you can achieve this.

• Reflect : Take the time to reflect on your experiences, values, and beliefs that have shaped who you are today. Let your values, passions, and interests shine through in your writing.
• Mind Your Voice : Write in your own voice and avoid trying to sound like someone you're not. Authenticity comes from being genuine and true to yourself.
• Tell Your Story : Share personal anecdotes and insights that show your unique perspective.
• Be True to You : Focus on what matters to YOU (as long as you're on topic!). Write about what is meaningful and important to you rather than what you think admissions officers want to hear.

Above all, be open . Showing introspection and self-awareness in your essay will show any admissions committee who you are beneath the surface, as well as your personal growth.

You can also begin your essay being as random and silly as you'd like . It goes hand-in-hand with other important factors like vulnerability and authenticity. But don't get too crazy . Beginning your essay with something strange will definitely draw readers in. Let me show you what I mean.

• Example 1 : I start my mornings off in silence and solitude to keep people away from me.
• Example 2 : Sometimes, I like to circle big words in complex articles to learn new words. Yeah, but to also keep one in my back pocket for later use.
• Example 3 : Being the youngest child means getting away with everything you want, and that's exactly how I like it.

Do you see how each sentence draws you in? Not only are they light-hearted, but they also make you want to know why you want to keep people away in the morning and what kind of weapon you're forming against others with new words. And every youngest sibling will attest to feeling that exact same way. All of these examples are sure to make your essay fun, show who you are, and leave readers wanting more.

Years of writing college essays have taken me through every high and low of the process possible. And when they're good, they're great! But for some reason, my mistakes stick out more than anything. So, I've compiled a list of common mistakes to avoid when writing your college essay .

• Avoid Being Cliche - While you want to be captivating, you want to avoid overly used syntax and phrases that could potentially lose your reader's curiosity. For example, "in today's day and age," "follow my heart," "don't judge a book by its cover," etc. are all cliches that can be avoided by thinking outside of the box.
• Using Vocabulary to be Impressive - I know you want to impress the admissions committees, but it's important to stick to what you know and not what you can allude to. That is, use verbiage that resonates with your personality. Using extravagant words can work against you, and they can also sound forced. College admissions officers want to see the real you, so show it to them.
• Steer Clear of Controversy - Though it's not said enough, your college essay should tell your personal story and not touch on things that can stir the pot. For instance, talking about politics and religious beliefs may not be the route you want to take UNLESS it's called for in the college essay topic. And if so, stay on track with the essay prompts.
• Procrastinating : Waiting until the last minute to start writing your essay will bite you in the butt. You will feel rushed and end up writing a poorly crafted piece. Give yourself enough time to complete an essay draft, edit the draft, and repeat this two-step cycle until your essay is complete.
• Lack of originality : This goes hand-in-hand with avoiding cliches. Your college essay should exude a lot of your personality, so show admissions officers and teachers who you are! Include your cultural background, test scores that you're proud of, any future aspirations, etc. This all depends on the essay prompts, of course, but in my experience, every essay topic has room to show who you are.
• Ignoring the prompt : This is a major key. STAY ON TRACK. Make sure to carefully read and understand the essay prompt, and write your essay accordingly. The last thing you want to do is write a college essay that has nothing to do with the prompt. Reading is essential here.
• Lack of focus : If you want to know how to start a college essay, that means knowing how to stay focused. Find a quiet space, turn off electronics, hide your phone, and really nestle into how you want to capture your reader's attention. This will help you use your five senses clearly, keep your writing strong and not write an overly wordy essay. Focus is the tool here.
• Poor organization : Make sure your essay has a strong structure with clear transitions between paragraphs. An outline will work best to accomplish this. If you go into starting your college essay without a plan, be prepared to hit all roadblocks.
• Neglecting to Revise and Edit : Like procrastinating, don't fail to revise and edit your work. Always, always, always proofread your essay for grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors , as well as clarity and coherence.
• Not Seeking Feedback : Listen, I know that completing an essay is an accomplishment in itself, and you immediately want to submit it, but it's so beneficial to have others read your essay for feedback. You can only spot so many holes in your work when your eyes are constantly reviewing it, so a second, third, or even fourth set of eyes can help point out areas for improvement.

Above all, trust the writing process. Though I do want you to be aware of your jargon, don't get too wrapped up in thinking you're making a mistake. That's what editing is for! Once you complete your college essay, you should always revise and edit accordingly . What you thought sounded good might make you edit it to sound great. Just keep in mind that many colleges are looking for honesty and authenticity vs how well you can sound on paper . So, if you're aware of these factors, you'll be good to go.

Ways to Overcome Writer's Block

Take it from someone who has suffered from chronic writer's block, it's a pain to get through . Imagine being on a writing streak so good that when you stop, the entire essay writing process stops as a whole. It's definitely a challenge, but after 10 years of writing essays and really honing my craft, I learned a few things that have helped me get through even the thickest of writer's blocks, and I want to share them with you. Check them out:

• Take a break : This works every single time. Take a short break and step away from your computer to clear your mind and come back with a fresh perspective. For me, 15 minutes is all I ever need. If you need more time, that's okay. Just try not to make your break a rest.
• Freewriting : Sometimes, I'd start writing without worrying about my structure or grammar to get the ideas flowing, and surprisingly enough, I found my essay taking a pleasant turn.
• Change your environment : Move around. Don't underestimate the effects of a different location or workspace to stimulate creativity. Try coffee shops, bookstores, a park, or a new room in your house. New environment, new energy.
• Set small goals : This one is actually the most important. Some people get overwhelmed with the word "essay" for things like lack of proper writing skills, pressure to write a great essay, etc. But if you try breaking down your writing task into smaller, manageable chunks to make it less overwhelming, it can help. For example, set a goal of three paragraphs one day, take a day to edit those paragraphs, two more the next day, and so forth. Find a formula that works for you.
• Brainstorming : Write down all your ideas--everything. No matter how small you think the idea is, write it down. Even if these ideas seem unrelated, they will help you generate new thoughts and connections.
• Read or listen to music : It took me a while to realize this helps, but engaging in other forms of art can inspire new ideas and break through mental blocks. And new creativity can lead you to impress admissions officers.
• Talk it out : As a writer, it's hard to let people in on the creative process, but discussing my ideas with a friend, family member, or colleague helped me gain new perspectives and insights.
• Relax and Meditate : Hear me out: it works! Practice deep breathing and/or meditation to reduce stress and anxiety that may be contributing to writer's block.

I won't sugarcoat it: the college application process can be intimidating , but it doesn't have to throw you off your game. When it comes to college essays, I see them as opportunities to be fun and expressive. Trust me when I say if you have fun with it, you'll attract the reader's attention , paint vivid details, and write an essay that will leave the admissions officer wanting you at their school. So, take it one step at a time and watch your personal statement come to life.

How can I make my college essay stand out to admissions officers?

Simply put, be yourself. As long as you stay on track with the essay's topic, showing pieces of yourself will allow admissions officers to know more about who you are. Essays are meant to show readers who you are, how you feel, and what you think naturally, not robotically, so be authentic in your writing, and you'll be sure to stand out amongst the rest.

What are some common mistakes to avoid when writing a college essay?

Some common mistakes to avoid in your essay are using cliches and boring wording. You also want to avoid procrastinating, wasting time, not focusing, not editing, etc. When writing your essay, you want to make sure you give your writing the time and attention it deserves, so make sure you're aware of what is pulling you away from your writing. This will help you stay focused. If you have any other doubts, refer to the section about mistakes in this article and let it guide you to success.

How important is the college essay in the admissions process?

Your college essay is key in the admissions process . It's an admissions committee's first impression of you as a writer and potential student, so it should be taken very seriously. Trying to cut corners or rush through the writing process will be obvious, and it will stand out more than things like test scores, academic achievements, extracurricular activities, and any other positive influence you've had in your life. So, don't take the easy way out and really work on your essay.

Feeling confident in your college essay skills and want to explore some other essay content? Explore our blog on the comma splice to enhance your technical writing skills!

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Articles & Advice > College Admission > Articles

7 Unique Ways to Stand Out on Your College Applications

No one wants to be just another piece of paper in the college admission process. Here are a few ways to make your application stand out from the crowd.

by Kara E. Joyce Freelance Writer

Last Updated: Jul 5, 2023

Originally Posted: Jun 19, 2019

No one wants to be just another piece of paper when it comes to the college application process—but unless you're partaking in college interviews, it's easy to succumb to that. There are plenty of articles on how to make your college essay stand out with original language and powerful stories, but how do you make the rest of your application pop too? After all, if writing isn’t your strongest asset, it’s daunting to have such high stakes resting on the admission essay. So if you're not a writer, what other things can you highlight to show your worth in paper and ink? The good news is there are plenty of ways to make your college applications stand out other than writing a Pulitzer Prize–worthy essay. Here are just a few.

1. A top-notch portfolio

If you’re planning to major in Art, Graphic Design, Film/Photography, or Creative Writing, chances are you’ll be asked to provide a portfolio of work for review . Put your best foot forward for this requirement. Don’t overdo it—if the school asks for five pieces, don’t give them 10—but make sure those five pieces are the best they can be. Make sure your portfolio submissions are true to you. If your favorite subject to draw is office supplies, don’t submit drawings of flowers because you think that’s what the admission council wants to see. You’re choosing this major because you’re passionate about the work and your content. Don’t cheat your passions because you’re afraid they’re unusual. Maybe the professor reviewing your portfolio loves drawing office supplies too!

When you’re preparing your portfolio, don’t be the only one to look over your submissions. Pick out your top 10 works and ask a trusted teacher or mentor to help you choose which ones they think are best. Also ask them to help you improve those top choices. Nothing is perfect, but you want to make sure these are as close to perfect as possible. Also, if you have a piece that won an award of some sort (schoolwide, statewide, or nationwide) but you feel like it doesn’t fully showcase your ability, you don’t have to include it. But if you do think it’s a testament to your abilities, then you’ll definitely want to!

Related: How to Make Your Art Portfolio Pop

2. Your awards

Speaking of awards, make sure to include these on your application too. There are two places in the Common Application you can mention awards: either the “Honors” subsection in the Education section or in the Activities section. According to CollegeVine, you should list achievements that aren’t directly related to an activity in “Honors” and list activity-related awards in the Activities section. For example, if you won a national poetry contest your sophomore year, that would go in the “Honors” subsection of Education. But if you placed first in a dance competition with the team you’ve been on since you were 10 years old, that would go in Activities.

However, be aware of certain “honor societies” that allude selectivity but make you pay an exorbitant price to join the club. According to College Confidential, including societies that aren’t selective as long as you can pay the right price isn’t worth it. Colleges are well aware of which societies are highly selective and which aren’t, so make sure you do your research before you sign up to join strictly for a résumé builder . And do plenty of research to make sure these groups aren’t scams.

In short, if you’re in the National Honor Society or won a prestigious fellowship through your school, put that on your application. If you get a random email inviting you to join the self-proclaimed prestigious Red-Headed League, it might not be worth mentioning. Also, don’t do it.

3. Odd jobs

One of the easiest ways to stand out to colleges is to get unique work experience. There are plenty of interesting jobs out there, and you don’t need a college degree to get most of them. And these jobs don’t even have to be related to your major. Extra bonus: not only can working a unique job make you stand out on your application, you make some money too!

From being a carnival hawker to leading historical tours of your city to working as an ice cream scooper, there are tons of interesting part-time jobs out there. And if you’re worried about work interfering with your grades, look for seasonal positions to keep you busy during the summer or places that will let you work on the weekend. Also, if you received any certifications for your job, such as PSIA/AASI (ski and snowboard), ISA (surfing), or ASA (sailing) certifications, make sure to mention those the same way you reported your other awards in the Activities section. It may not feel like an award, but with all the hard work that went into getting it, that little piece of paper or pin is practically a trophy!

4. Major-specific jobs

This might seem a bit tougher because most jobs related to your potential major will be built for students who are already in college. An obvious option is being a counselor at a camp with a focus on your intended studies. If you’ve attended computer, Bible, basketball, music, or another type of camp, there might be an opportunity for you to participate from the other side now. You need to be 18 or older to be a camp counselor, but many camps have junior counselor positions available to high school students. It never hurts to ask about these opportunities, especially if you’re a camp regular.

Outside of summer camps, cities like Chicago, New York, San Francisco, and Boston provide job opportunities for resident students. These cities partner with local and national companies to place students in internships for the summer, and students are often placed in positions based on specific interests. For example, if you’re planning to major in US History, you might be able to work at a nonprofit focused on historical preservation.

Taking on one of these positions shows colleges you’re dedicated to your potential major outside of academics. If you’re not sure what programs are available to you locally, do a simple Google search for “high school internships,” talk to your guidance counselor, or ask your parents if their company provides these opportunities.

Related:  5 Ways to Beef Up Your College Applications

5. Volunteering

You can even volunteer in ways that support your potential studies. See if you can be a peer tutor in your favorite subject at your high school or for students in middle and elementary school. If you’re interested in teaching, see if you can help out during summer school or summer bridge programs. Outside of volunteering at school, try to find ways to help out in your own backyard. Go to your community center or the local YMCA and see what opportunities are there for you to improve your community. Children’s hospitals, nursing homes, and group homes typically look for volunteers for a variety of purposes. Don’t dismiss your religious affiliation either. Speak with the leader of your family’s church, synagogue, temple, or mosque and see how you can be active in the community. Ask if you can assist in teaching younger students in religion classes or help with planning or setting up for events.

6. Non-school activities

Never forget about non-school clubs, especially if the activity is something you’ve been involved in for a while. Obviously, you wouldn’t leave out your Gold Award or Eagle Scout merits, but don’t forget to include the five years you’ve spent in sailing and the 15 you’ve spent taking dance lessons. If you’re a member of a less traditional club like the National High School Rodeo or American Youth Circus, those should find a place in your Activities. If you’re trying to stand out and you’re worried your essay might not help you do that, your offbeat extracurricular activities will certainly make you memorable (in a good way!).

7. Video essay

In recent years, video essays have been gaining popularity at colleges across the country. Many schools give the option to submit a video essay in place of the standard application essay, while even more accept it as supplemental material. A superb video essay not only puts a face to your name but can successfully assert your professionalism and dedication in a genuine voice. Be aware that first impressions matter exponentially with your video essay. According to U.S. News & World Report , most counselors will have a strong opinion on the candidate within the first seven seconds of a video. Even though it’s a change of format, consider some of the same advice for the traditional college essay. Make sure you have a strong, original opening. Keep your tone casual but professional. Follow the directions ; if they ask for a three- to five-minute video, don’t send in a seven-minute clip. In general, be clear and concise with your language. Make sure the content is targeted to the specific college, especially if it’s a supplemental piece.

Additionally, try to minimize the number of times you say “um” or “like.” You should have a neutral background, such as a plain wall or a quiet outdoor space. And make sure you’re dressed professionally. You can show you’re dedicated to geology in business casual attire—you don’t need to wear your faded “Metamorphic rocks are gneiss!” T-shirt.

Related: How to Make a College Application Video That Will Impress

Though the application essay is an important part of your college application, it’s not the only way to stand out as the individual you are—though experiences like these do make great topics for your essay! You still have plenty of time to take advantage of unique opportunities that can make you stand out, so go out there and find them.

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Unlock your winning college essay with these 5 strategies.

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CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS - JUNE 29: People walk through the gate on Harvard Yard at the Harvard ... [+] University campus on June 29, 2023 in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that race-conscious admission policies used by Harvard and the University of North Carolina violate the Constitution, bringing an end to affirmative action in higher education. (Photo by Scott Eisen/Getty Images)

The college application season is upon us, and students everywhere are staring down one of the most daunting tasks: the college essay. As someone who has guided countless students through the admissions process and reviewed admissions essays on an undergraduate admissions committee, I've pinpointed the essential ingredient to a differentiated candidacy—your college admissions X-factor .

The essential ingredient to your college admissions X-factor is your intellectual vitality . Intellectual vitality is your passion for learning and curiosity. By demonstrating and conveying this passion, you can transform an average essay into a compelling narrative that boosts your chances of getting accepted to your top schools. Here are five dynamic strategies to achieve that.

Unleash Your Authentic Voice

Admissions officers sift through thousands of essays every year. What stops them in their tracks? An authentic voice that leaps off the page. Forget trying to guess what the admissions committee wants to hear. Focus on being true to yourself. Share your unique perspective, your passions, and your values. Authenticity resonates deeply, making your essay memorable and impactful. You need not have experienced trauma or tragedy to create a strong narrative. You can write about what you know—intellectually or personally—to convey your enthusiasm, creativity, and leadership. Intellectual vitality shines through when you write with personalized reflection about what lights you up.

Weave a Captivating Story

Everyone loves a good story, and your essay is the perfect place to tell yours. The Common Application personal statement has seven choices of prompts to ground the structure for your narrative. The most compelling stories are often about the smallest moments in life, whether it’s shopping at Costco or about why you wear socks that have holes. Think of the Common Application personal statement as a window into your soul rather than a dry list of achievements or an overly broad event-based story of your life. Use vivid anecdotes to bring your experiences to life. A well-told story can showcase your growth, highlight your character, and illustrate how you've overcome challenges. Intellectual vitality often emerges in these narratives, revealing how your curiosity and proactive approach to learning have driven you to explore and innovate.

Reflect and Reveal Insights

It's not just about what you've done—it's about what you've learned along the way. When you are writing about a specific event, you can use the STAR framework—situation, task, action, and result (your learning). Focus most of your writing space on the “R” in this framework to dive deeply into your experiences and reflect on how they've shaped your aspirations and identity.

A 3 Point Cheat Sheet For Creating Romantic Chemistry By A Psychologist

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The most insightful college-specific supplement essays demonstrate depth of thought, and the ability to connect past experiences with your future life in college and beyond. Reflecting on your intellectual journey signals maturity and a readiness to embrace the college experience. It shows admissions officers that you engage deeply with your studies and are eager to contribute to the academic community.

Highlight Your Contributions—But Don’t Brag

Whether it's a special talent, an unusual hobby, or a unique perspective, showcasing what you can bring to the college environment can make a significant impact. Recognize that the hard work behind the accomplishment is what colleges are interested in learning more about—not retelling about the accomplishment itself. (Honors and activities can be conveyed in another section of the application.) Walk us through the journey to your summit; don’t just take us to the peak and expect us know how you earned it.

Intellectual vitality can be demonstrated through your proactive approach to solving problems, starting new projects, or leading initiatives that reflect your passion for learning and growth. These experiences often have a place in the college-specific supplement essays, to ground the reasons why you want to study in your major and at the particular college.

Perfect Your Prose

Great writing is essential. Anyone can use AI or a thesaurus to assist with an essay, but AI cannot write your story in the way that you tell it. Admissions officers don’t give out extra credit for choosing the longest words with the most amount of syllables.

The best essays have clear, coherent language and are free of errors. The story is clearly and specifically told. After drafting, take the time to revise and polish your writing. Seek feedback from teachers, mentors, or trusted friends, but ensure the final piece is unmistakably yours. A well-crafted essay showcases your diligence and attention to detail—qualities that admissions officers value highly. Intellectual vitality is also reflected in your writing process, showing your commitment to excellence and your enthusiasm for presenting your best self.

Crafting a standout college essay is about presenting your true self in an engaging, reflective, and polished manner while showcasing your intellectual vitality. Happy writing.

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How to Make Your College Paper Stand Out (in a Good Way)

One of the biggest transitions students have to make from high school to college is learning how to write a college paper  that stands out.

I remember the first essay I ever got assigned during my freshman year of college . My professor pretty much told us to forget everything we learned before about introductory sentences and rephrasing questions.

I had been practically brainwashed my entire grade school years to write one way and now they were expecting me to do something completely different?

I may or may not have had a minor panic attack while I was writing my first college paper because I wasn’t sure how to make it stand out in a way that was going to impress, not depress, my professors.

Thankfully, I got better and better at my papers as the years went on and by the time I enrolled for my master’s degree program, I knew exactly what I needed to do to get an A on every writing assignment that was presented to me.

I want to see you succeed, and that’s why I’m sharing my tips for how to make your college paper stand out (in a good way, of course).

[RELATED]  How Not to Write a College Paper (So You Get Better Grades)

1. Take Your Stand

I didn’t realize how lenient my high school teachers were until I got into my college English class and got dinged for not having enough of a strong stand on my chosen topic.

The old me thought that simply stating your opinion and providing a few examples for why would be enough information to write a convincing paper.

Little did I know that college wasn’t going to work that way.

I had to learn that writing a stand out college paper meant seeking out scholarly references to support my point-of-view. I also had to make my stand blatantly clear right from the start. I couldn’t just talk around a key point and hope that my words eventually made sense.

No, I had to make sure my voice was being heard, and why it was being presented the way it was.

I found that one of the easiest ways to help me make my stand was to write down all the main ideas I was going to present. Under each of those ideas, I would find at least one or two references that supported my idea so that it wasn’t just based on my own opinion. This helped me validate my answers and it gave my papers more of an academic feel.

I guess what I’m saying here is that your voice needs to show up in your college papers and it needs to be supported with someone of worth.

If you can convince your professors of something through your writing, then you’re doing something right!

2. Write According to Each Professor’s Expectations

In other words, you need to be flexible in your writing!

Every professor is going to have their own style, so while one professor is praising you for your word usage, another might ask you to fix it on the next assignment.

The key is to use your first written assignment as a sort of test. By this point, you should have at least an idea of what your professor is looking for (either because they gave you a grading rubric or they’ve shown you what information they want you to include).

You’ll want to take that information and use it to write the best first paper you can. Make sure you take the time to check your grammar and spelling, as well as paper formatting. These all seem like minuscule details, but the truth is that having errors in these areas can greatly impact your overall paper grade.

Once you get your paper back from your professor, make a note of any corrections or comments they added. Did they want you to expand on your ideas more? Did your paper need more references to support the facts you presented?

All of the feedback they provide is valuable and should be used on the next paper as a reference for what the expectations are going to be.

As you progress through your college years, you’ll become a better writer and you’ll learn to alter your style to fit in with what each professor considers to be “quality” writing.

Bonus Tip : Connect with a student who had the professor in a previous semester and ask if you can see one of their graded papers. You’ll be able to get a sense of what the expectations are going to be before you even have to write your first paper, giving you an exceptional advantage! This will definitely teach you how to write a stand out paper right from day one!

3. Read Your Paper Backwards and Out Loud to Catch Errors

One of the simplest ways to make your college paper stand out is to turn it in with no errors.

Sorry friends, spell check just isn’t going to cut it these days.

To really give yourself the advantage and make sure you’ve proofread your work to the best of your ability, you need to read your paper backwards and out loud.

Why This Works

Our brains get so used to reading left-to-right that we will often fail to see any errors in our work when we proofread this way.

To trick your brain into really focusing in on the words you’ve written, you need to change things up a bit and force your brain to see the errors that really do exist.

I started using this proofreading approach halfway through my college years and I wish I had started doing it sooner. You’d be surprised at all the little errors you’ll make when you write multiple papers every week. I call it “paper hypnosis” because your fingers just type away without your brain even processing what is going on the paper half the time.

So remember, the next time you have a college paper that is due, take the time to read it backwards and out loud before you turn it in for final grading. You’ll thank me later!

4. Don’t Be Afraid to Challenge Something

Do you really want to make your college paper stand out?

Try challenging an idea that you discussed in your class.

Not only will you spark your professor’s curiosity, but you will demonstrate that you aren’t afraid to use your critical thinking skills to work through something.

Now, it’s important to remember that if you decide to challenge something, you’ll need to have references and some type of support to back you up in your claims.

Oh, and don’t worry about whether the professor is going to agree with you or not… I noticed that professors gave out higher grades to those students that really worked through the material and came to their own conclusions than to those that merely skimmed the surface and failed to dive deep into the subject at hand.

And along with this point comes #5…

5. Demonstrate That You Learned Something

A college paper won’t stand out if it contains bland writing that is pretty much a summary of everything that was discussed during class time.

No. You need to do something bigger than that.

This is one of the places where providing examples, scholarly support, and connecting material comes into play.

I found that some of my most highly graded work came from the college papers that connected week one ideas with those we were discussing in week ten. I was able to see similarities and differences and use that knowledge to create a paper that demonstrated my grasp of not just the concepts at hand, but the entire course.

6. Cut the Filler Words and Use Different Vocabulary

A lot of students tend to use filler words in their writing when they have a minimum page requirement.

My advice is instead of using filler words, try finding a scholarly source to cite so that your college paper ends up with some substantial support rather than empty words that no one cares about reading. (You can read more about citing sources effectively at How to Write a Research Paper )

By doing this, you are again showing your professors that you are stretching your thoughts and pulling from sources outside of your own mind (always a good thing to do when you’re writing at the college level).

In addition to cutting out the filler words, you’ll want to use a thesaurus to help you come up with different vocabulary for the same words you want to use over and over.

No one likes to have the same word on repeat every sentence, so don’t be afraid to change it up a bit!

Struggling to Make Your College Paper Stand Out? Chat With Your Professor!

I know a lot of students struggle with making their college papers stand out, and that’s why you shouldn’t be afraid to talk to your professors about what you can do to make your writing better.

I had several conversations with my professors and I became a better learner because of it.

I also have another post that could be helpful for you. Be sure to read it here:  How Not to Write a College Paper (So You Get Better Grades) .

And if you’re noticing that you’re struggling with college in general, try reading some of these posts to get more tips for success:

• Best Study Tips for College Students
• 10 Study Tips for College Students
• My Secrets for Getting A’s in College
• Preparing for College Exams: Tips That Really Work

I love the idea of editing the paper by reading it backwards. I will have to try that.

Chase the Write Dream is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

NCAA signs off on deal that would change landscape of college sports — paying student-athletes

A major change could be coming for college athletes — they may soon start getting paid.

A tentative agreement announced Thursday by the NCAA and the country’s five biggest conferences to a series of antitrust lawsuits could direct millions of dollars directly to athletes as soon as fall 2025.

The nearly $2.8 billion settlement, which would be paid out over the next decade to 14,000 former and current student-athletes, “is an important step in the continuing reform of college sports that will provide benefits to student-athletes and provide clarity in college athletics across all divisions for years to come,” NCAA President Charlie Baker said in a joint statement Thursday night with the commissioners of the ACC, the Big 10, the Big 12, the Pac-12 and the SEC.

The federal judge overseeing the case must still sign off on the agreement, but if it is approved, it would signal a major shift in college sports in which students would play for compensation, not just scholarships, exposure and opportunities.

“This landmark settlement will bring college sports into the 21st century, with college athletes finally able to receive a fair share of the billions of dollars of revenue that they generate for their schools,” said Steve Berman, one of the lead attorneys for the plaintiffs. “Our clients are the bedrock of the NCAA’s multibillion-dollar business and finally can be compensated in an equitable and just manner for their extraordinary athletic talents.”

The NCAA and power conferences called the settlement a “road map” that would allow the uniquely American institution to provide unmatched opportunity for millions of students and write the “next chapter of college sports.”

The case, which was set to go to trial early next year, was brought by a former and a current college athlete who said the NCAA and the five wealthiest conferences improperly barred athletes from earning endorsement money. Former Arizona State swimmer Grant House and Sedona Prince, a former Oregon and current TCU basketball player, also contended in their suit that athletes were entitled to a piece of the billions of dollars the NCAA and those conferences earn from media rights agreements with television networks.

Michael McCann, a legal analyst and sports reporter at Sportico , told NBC News in an interview on Top Story with Tom Llamas the case has two components that “move away from amateurism” — one that deals with how players are paid for the past loss of earnings, including money they could have made for name, image and likeness.

“The going forward part is that colleges can opt in, conferences can opt in, as well, to pay players, to share revenue with them, to have direct pay, and that would be of course a radical from the traditions of college sports,” McCann said, adding many would say that change is warranted. “Now the athletes, at least at some schools, will get a direct stake.”

Terms of the deal were not disclosed, though some details have emerged in the past few weeks. They signal the end of the NCAA’s bedrock amateurism model that dates to its founding in 1906. Indeed, the days of NCAA punishment for athletes driving booster-provided cars started vanishing three years ago when the organization  lifted restrictions on endorsement deals  backed by so-called name, image and likeness, or NIL, money.

Now it is not far-fetched to look ahead to seasons when a star quarterback or a top prospect on a college basketball team not only is cashing in big-money NIL deals but also has a $100,000 school payment in the bank to play.

A host of  details are still to be determined . The agreement calls for the NCAA and the conferences to pay $2.77 billion over 10 years to more than 14,000 former and current college athletes who say now-defunct rules prevented them from earning money from endorsement and sponsorship deals dating to 2016.

Some of the money would come from NCAA reserve funds and insurance, but even though the lawsuit specifically targeted five conferences that comprise 69 schools (including Notre Dame),  dozens of other NCAA member schools  would get smaller distributions from the NCAA to cover the mammoth payout.

Schools in the Big Ten, the Big 12 and the Atlantic Coast and Southeastern conferences would end up bearing the brunt of the settlement at a cost of about $300 million apiece over 10 years, the majority of which would be paid to athletes going forward.

The Pac-12 is also part of the settlement, with all 12 current schools sharing responsibility even though Washington State and Oregon State will be the only league members left by this fall after the 10 other schools leave.

Paying athletes

In the new compensation model, each school would be permitted but not required to set aside up to $21 million in revenue to share with athletes per year, though as revenues rose, so could the cap.

Athletes in all sports would be eligible for payments, and schools would be given the freedom to decide how the money is divvied up among sports programs. Roster restrictions would replace scholarship limits by sport.

McCann said the back pay would disproportionately go to some sports — such as football and basketball.

“The schools that I think that are certainly big football schools will probably opt in because they’re going to want to compete, they’re going to want to get the best players, because college football generates a lot of revenue,” he said. 

Whether the new compensation model is subject to the Title IX gender equity law is unknown, along with whether schools would be able to bring NIL activities in-house as they hope and squeeze out the booster-run collectives that have sprouted up in the last few years to pay athletes. Both topics could lead to more lawsuits.

“There are all sorts of areas of turbulence that could present themselves,” McCann said of roadblocks that could arise.

More sports coverage

• Four decades after Michael Jordan, Caitlin Clark is getting her own line of Wilson basketballs
• Mario Andretti: Formula 1 owner personally threatened to shut out team Andretti
• Student-athletes are inking lucrative endorsement deals, but a patchwork of laws has created chaos in college sports

Other cases

The settlement is expected to cover two  other antitrust cases  facing the NCAA and major conferences that challenge athlete compensation rules. Hubbard v. the NCAA and Carter v. the NCAA are also in front of judges in the Northern District of California.

A fourth case, Fontenot v. NCAA, creates a potential complication, as it remains in a Colorado court after a judge  denied a request  to combine it with Carter. Whether Fontenot becomes part of the settlement is unknown, and it matters because the NCAA and its conferences don’t want to be on the hook for more damages should they lose in court.

“We’re going to continue to litigate our case in Colorado and look forward to hearing about the terms of a settlement proposal once they’re actually released and put in front of a court,” said George Zelcs, a plaintiffs’ attorney in Fontenot.

Headed in that direction

The solution agreed to in the settlement is a landmark but not surprising. College sports have been trending in this direction for years, with athletes receiving more and more monetary benefits and rights they say were long overdue.

In December, Baker, the former governor of Massachusetts who has been on the job for 14 months,  proposed creating a new tier of Division I athletics  in which the schools with the most resources would be required to pay at least half their athletes $30,000 per year. That suggestion, along with many other possibilities, remains under discussion.

The settlement would not make every issue facing college sports go away. There is still a question of whether athletes should be  deemed employees  of their schools, which Baker and other college sports leaders  are fighting.

Some type of federal legislation or antitrust exemption would most likely still be needed to codify the terms of the settlement, protect the NCAA from future litigation and pre-empt state laws that attempt to neuter the organization’s authority. As it is,  the NCAA still faces lawsuits  that challenge its ability to govern itself, including setting rules limiting multiple-time transfers.

“This settlement is also a road map for college sports leaders and Congress to ensure this uniquely American institution can continue to provide unmatched opportunity for millions of students,” the joint statement said. “All of Division I made today’s progress possible, and we all have work to do to implement the terms of the agreement as the legal process continues. We look forward to working with our various student-athlete leadership groups to write the next chapter of college sports.”

Federal lawmakers have indicated they would like to get something done, but while  several bills have been introduced , none have gone anywhere.

Despite the unanswered questions, one thing is clear: Major college athletics is about to become more like professional sports than ever before.

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Your chance of acceptance, your chancing factors, extracurriculars, how do i make my application essay stand out.

Hey guys, I'm a junior starting to work on my college application essays. I'm really struggling to come up with a unique and engaging topic that will make my essay stand out. Any tips or suggestions on how to write an exceptional essay? Your input would be really helpful. Thanks a lot!

Hey! I can relate to your struggle, as my child went through the same process not long ago. The key to making your application essay stand out is to choose a topic that showcases your personality and experiences in a unique way. Don't worry about having a groundbreaking story; instead, focus on telling your own story in an engaging manner. Here are a few tips that might help:

1. Reflect on your personal experiences: Think about moments in your life that have shaped you or made you grow as a person. These can be anything from a challenging obstacle you overcame to a simple yet meaningful interaction.

2. Be authentic: Be true to yourself and write about something you genuinely care about. Avoid trying to guess what the admissions officers want to read.

3. Show, don't tell: Use vivid descriptions and anecdotes to illustrate your point. This will make your essay more engaging and memorable.

4. Edit and revise: Don't be afraid to rewrite and rework your essay multiple times. Getting feedback from others can also be invaluable in refining your essay.

Best of luck, and I'm sure you'll write an amazing essay!

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