College Essay

Helpful Resources

• Examples of essays: 

  • https://www.shemmassianconsulting.com/blog/college-essay-examples  

  • https://www.collegeessayguy.com/blog/common-app-essay-examples 

  • https://blog.collegevine.com/common-app-essay-examples 

• Video on writing a strong essay by leading universities: https://youtu.be/tRC0HZyNCW4 

Prompts

Below is the full set of essay prompts for 2024–2025.

1. Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.

2. The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?

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

4. Reflect on something that someone has done for you that has made you happy or thankful in a surprising way. How has this gratitude affected or motivated you?

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

6. Describe a topic, idea, or concept you find so engaging that it makes you lose all track of time. Why does it captivate you? What or who do you turn to when you want to learn more?

7. Share an essay on any topic of your choice. It can be one you've already written, one that responds to a different prompt, or one of your own design.

https://www.commonapp.org/apply/essay-prompts

Tips for Writing a College Essay

The college essay application is your chance to make you sound unique and tell your experiences you have had and what you have learned from them. Show the college what you care about and the kind of person you are. Some topics could include:

• family history and culture: how you connect to your ancestors, heritage, and parents

• important events: how one or two events have really shaped your identity or perspective on learning or life

• challenging experience: how you persevered through a challenging experience and what you learned

• goals and dreams: what your goals, ambitions, or dreams are

• issues of personal, local, or national concern: how are you connected to a specific global issue that is important to you and how has it guided to your goals, dreams, or identity

• failures or set backs: what are some important lessons from failures or set backs you have experienced and what have they taught you

• challenging beliefs: how have you challenged beliefs to speak your truth

• unique talents or experiences: what unique talents or experiences have made you wonderfully you in how you see the world and how have they contributed to you as a learner and your career interests

Essay Structure

Come up with two or three main points that you want to develop. Remember, colleges want to hear your voice and your story, so include narrative elements into your paper or short anecdotes. 

1. Introduction: include a  brief hook and then lead into a thesis statement addressing the prompt

2. Support Point #1: include your first support point that will support your thesis and include examples and explanations to support the point. 

3. Support Point #2: include your second support point that will support your thesis and include examples and explanations to support the point. 

4. Support Point #3: include your third support point that will support your thesis and include examples and explanations to support the point. 

5. Conclusion: reemphasize your main point and leave on an insight about yourself and your future