A college application essay (also known as a personal statement) is a critical component of your college applications. It allows you to tell your story in your own authentic voice, helping the colleges and universities you’re applying to truly get to know you outside of your resume and application. The "best" college application essay is one that's just as unique as the person writing it. There isn't one perfect example or template that works for everyone's story, so the key is finding a way to express who you are through engaging storytelling and self-reflection. Here are some tips for writing your college application essay!

Choose the right prompt for your story

Choosing a prompt you're passionate about will breathe energy and life into your essay. This will help it stand out from the thousands of essays that college admissions reviewers will read. Your college essay can be read by an admissions officer, a group of people, alumni of the college, or an admissions committee.  

The Common App has 7 different prompts to choose from, and other colleges may have their own prompts as well. Ideally, the prompt you choose should help you best tell your story and give your reader some insight into your personality: your values, what fascinates and excites you, how you've grown, and what motivates you about the future. 

Keep your essay focused

You want your essay topic to be an inch wide and a mile deep. What does that mean? Don't try to talk about your whole life! Pick a specific story or example (inch wide) but tell it in full with lots of detail (mile deep) so your reader feels like they fully understand the story and its impact on who you are. While detailing your experiences is important, avoid going off topic or including any unnecessary details. Make sure each experience relates back to your essay prompt or has a common theme that ties them together.

Show, don’t tell

The saying, “show, don’t tell” is a common guideline when writing your college application essay. This means instead of stating what happened, describe what happened using vivid details and examples. By “painting” a picture with your words, your reader is better able to understand and follow along in your story.

For example, instead of saying, “I was the president of the Key Club, which taught me leadership skills,” you can “show” it by describing a time when you had to coordinate a team of volunteers, or describing your emotions and thought process when you had to make important decisions under pressure. 

Keep your essay organized

While a college application essay doesn’t require a specific structure, it’s important that your story flows smoothly with a clear beginning, middle, and end. Here’s a quick outline of how that can work:

1. Introduction paragraph (your thesis statement): Your intro paragraph addresses the prompt and introduces the story you are about to tell. This paragraph is where you’ll clearly state your thesis statement, or the main point you’ll be exploring in your essay, which gives the reader an idea of what to expect and helps focus your narrative. Often, this paragraph starts with a "hook" - a sentence, statement, or introduction that grabs your reader's attention and draws them into the rest of your story.
2. Body paragraph(s): The body paragraph (or paragraphs) is where you’ll delve deeper into any experiences or details that support your main topic. It includes specific examples or anecdotes that highlight your personal growth, challenges you’ve overcome, or moments that helped shape your perspective. When sharing your examples, reflect on how it’s impacted you or how it contributed to your personal development.
3. Conclusion: This is a place to wrap up the story you’ve outlined and discussed in the previous paragraphs, and should not include any new information for the reader. Use this paragraph as an opportunity to show the reader how you’ve grown from your experiences, what you’ve learned, and how you’ll take these lessons with you throughout your college journey. Reflecting on your experiences and looking thoughtfully towards the future shows that you’re ready to make a positive impact at the college you’re applying to.

Download our College Essay Checklist to help you write a strong college or scholarship application essay!

Mind your word limit

Pay close attention to your word limit. Common App essay prompts are usually 650 words or less. Other colleges and universities may require essays to have a 400-800 word limit. If your essay is over its word limit, it may get cut off or will not be reviewed entirely.

Write several drafts 

Your college application essay shouldn't be written in one sitting! Make your initial draft before giving yourself a bit of a break and returning to it with fresh eyes. Time and space between drafts will stir inspiration and help you remember important details you want to add. 

Proofread

You will want to ensure that your final draft is free of grammatical and punctuation errors. Taking time to proofread and polish your final essay demonstrates to your reader that you have a strong attention to detail and solid writing skills–both of which are essential for college students. Try using Grammarly or ChatGPT to proofread your final draft before submitting, or have a trusted educator take a look!

Let us help you! 

We're here to help! Submit all of your college and scholarship application essays to us for free review here. We'll have them back to you with actionable suggestions and feedback within 7-10 days.

Have any questions about drafting your college application essay? Text #College to 33-55-77 to chat with one of our advisors. If you're using a mobile device, click here to have the text message set up for you!