Writing the college admissions essay is challenging for everyone! Use the resources on this page to help you get started, compose, and revise your essay before you submit it.
As you’ll see from this page with the Common Application Essay prompts, you have a lot of options for your essay–and all involve telling your story. So, you have everything you need to start your essay–because it’s about you!
Remember! The essay is only one part of your application, so you’ll need a good checklist for all the other components as well. Ask your school counselor what resources they offer, and be sure to take a look at application guidance from The Common App and SCOIR. It can be overwhelming, but take it one task at a time, make progress each week, and ask for help if you get stuck!
Step 1: Learn about the goals and expectations for application essays
Familiarize yourself with what the reader of your essay wants to know and what your purpose is for writing the essay:
What’s the goal?
The essay should convince your reader that you’ll be a determined college student and a dedicated member of the campus community. The good news is there’s no need to invent anything new–instead, try to share parts of yourself and your experience that will help someone understand who you already are.
What does the reader want to know?
The person who reads your application essay wants to read a story that has a main point or focus and has a beginning, middle, and end. They’re eager to learn more about you!
Step 2: Start Brainstorming!
Then, start brainstorming!
Use the prompts below to make some brainstorming notes.
Take a look at this resource on telling your story, which provides some questions to get you started.
List your activities. This can include sports, clubs, jobs, hobbies, volunteering in your community, etc. You might think the things you do every day are pretty ordinary, but they can show how well you organize your time, commit to goals, and care about others.
List how the people closest to you might describe you. Our friends and family find it pretty easy to identify what makes us special. What would they say are the most unusual, unique, or surprising things about you?
List what you enjoy doing/learning about/thinking about. What’s the best paper, exam, or lab you’ve written in high school, and why? What could you spend a lot of time learning about or doing without getting bored? What writers, articles, books, or films have impacted you?
Dream without limits. If money/resources were not a factor, what would you most like to do for your career? How will a college education help you reach your future goals?
Step 3: Find your application deadlines & make a writing plan
Next, find out the application deadlines–and create a plan for your writing process.
Once you have some of your brainstorming notes written down and have found out what the deadlines are for the schools you want to apply to, it’s time to make a plan! We recommend that you get some help with this step from a talk further with a teacher, school college/career counselor, family member, friend, or tutor. It can be scary to ask for help, but it also reminds you that you are not alone
Working back from the deadline, make a writing process plan. Steps might include:
- Date to complete a rough draft
- Date to get feedback from teacher, school counselor, or tutor
- Date to complete revised draft
- Date to get more feedback from teacher, school counselor, or tutor
- Date to complete a final draft
- Date to proofread and submit your application
Step 4: Set reminders on your phone or calendar so that you stay on track
Using the steps and dates you identified in Step 3, you can use your phone’s “Reminders” app or calendar to remind you when due dates are coming up.
PRO TIP: Some students find it helpful to set a regular reminder each day/week to work on their application essays, even if it’s just for 15 minutes. Every little bit helps!
Step 5: Read Sample Essays and look for other resources at your school
What do effective college admissions essays look like? Check out some sample essays to get an idea.
“Essays that Worked” from Johns Hopkins University
Your school or college & career counselor may have other sample essays they can share.
Step 6: Talk with a teacher, school counselor, and/or tutor to get feedback and advice
If you haven’t already, be sure to make an appointment to discuss your essay with someone else! The earlier the better, and you don’t have to have any writing done to talk with someone or ask for help.
Step 7: Time to Submit. Good luck!
Okay, you did it! You’ve followed the advice in Steps 1-6 and now have a complete, proofread draft of your application essay. Now all you have to do is hit that “submit” button on the application. Some students find this to be the hardest step, but it’s the most important one on the list. Need help finding out the best place to submit? You can ask for help from a teacher or school counselor. You’ve got this!
Once you submit, be sure to celebrate! It will take awhile for the admissions committee to get back to you with a decision; be patient and recognize that this is a process.
Step 8: Next up? Scholarship Applications!
Do you want to feel productive while waiting for that admissions decision? No problem! You can spend your time revising that application essay into scholarship application essays. Ask your school counselor for a list of options (and/or check out web resources like ScholarshipAmerica.org) and get started!
Good luck! We are rooting for you!