These sample college essays did a great job of answering their respective college essay prompts. As such, they each stood out to admissions teams as strong college application essay examples. Later in this guide to college essay examples, we’ll break down the best college essays in detail. But first, let’s look at a few sample college ...
In this article, I'll go through general guidelines for what makes great college essays great. I've also compiled an enormous list of 100+ actual sample college essays from 11 different schools. Finally, I'll break down two of these published college essay examples and explain why and how they work.
Reading college essay examples is a great way of preparing yourself for writing your own. Whether you’re aiming to get into your local college or looking to attend an Ivy League school, your college essay is a key component of your college application.In this blog, we have 32 awesome college essay examples from some of the top universities in the world, including Harvard, Stanford, Cornell ...
Writing your college essays can be challenging. And in 2025, with many schools dropping test scores from their application, your college essays are one of the most important parts of your application if you want to get accepted. That means there's a whole lot more opportunity for students without the best SAT or ACT scores to boost their chances of admission by writing outstanding essays.
Read our best essay examples for public universities like the University of California, University of Michigan, and more. Public colleges receive the most applicants out of all types of schools, so your application essays are increasingly important each year.
Many college applications require a personal essay, which can be daunting for students to write. But a few simple tips, some introspection and insight into what admissions officers are looking for ...
8. Three Examples of Top College Essays. Writing a college essay may seem like a scary task, especially if you still don’t know where are you going to apply. You need to check some examples of inventive statements just to get a feel of what is expected. Then you can make up your mind and base your work on your unique circumstances. 9.
The conclusion of this essay is a prime example of the “Same, but Different” technique described in our article on How to End Your College Essay. As the student describes how, in the end, their complicated cultural identity still exists but transitions to a source of strength, readers are left feeling happy for the student.
COLLEGE ESSAY EXAMPLE #2 – I am an aspiring hot sauce sommelier. Author: Elizabeth Class Year: Princeton University 2021 Type of Essay: Common Application Personal Statement School Acceptances: Princeton University, Duke University, Northwestern University, Cornell University, University of Virginia, University of North Carolina, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, University of ...
Essay 1: Sharing an identity or background through a montage. This essay uses a montage structure to show snapshots of a student’s identity and background. The writer builds her essay around the theme of the five senses, sharing memories she associates with sight, sound, smell, touch, and taste.
College Essay Example #8: Pomona College. With parents emphasizing independence and nature, my blankets became emotional anchors through frequent moves. From Venezuela to Florida, they offered comfort amidst chaos. Moving often fostered my adaptability, blending cultures into a unique lifestyle.
Where to Find Great College Essay Examples. Here are my recommendations for excellent resources, as well as some warnings about resources that I think you should avoid. College Essays Collected in Books. I've taken a look at many of the books that collect college essays, so here are my recommendations. I've divided them into three categories:
Reading examples of successful Common App essays is a great way to start thinking about how to best approach your college essays. By identifying key strategies and characteristics that helped set these essay examples apart, you are one step closer to writing your own successful personal statement.
To do this, they look to college application essays to discover your interests, values, habits, passions and views about life. Writing an essay that truly reflects you is an important step in the college admissions process and will help match you with your best-fit college—and win scholarships. 1. Show Your Passion
For example, writing about how you failed a class or got caught breaking a rule doesn’t exactly leave a great impression. If you want to write about a challenge or difficult experience, make sure you’re also sharing a lesson learned or a positive perspective. ... Narrative college essay example. Here’s an example of an effective narrative ...
