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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.
- This is a college essay that worked for Harvard University. (Note: Learn about how to get into Harvard undergrad) This past summer, I had the privilege of participating in the University of Notre Dame’s Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) program .
- This student was admitted to Harvard University. I believe that humans will always have the ability to rise above any situation, because life is what you make of it.
- This is a college essay that worked for Duke University. (Note: Learn about how to get into Duke) As soon as the patient room door opened, the worst stench I have ever encountered hit me square in the face.
- This student was admitted to Stanford University. (Note: Learn about how to get into Stanford undergrad) (Note: This is a supplemental essay example)
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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. "Identity" is at the heart of this prompt. What is it that makes you you? The prompt gives you a lot of latitude for answering the question since y...
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? This prompt may seem to go against everything that you've learned on your path to college. It's far more comfortable in an application...
Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. What prompted your thinking? What was the outcome? Keep in mind how open-ended this prompt truly is. The "belief or idea" you explore could be your own, someone else's, or that of a group. The best essays will be honest as they explore the difficulty of working against the status...
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? Here, again, the Common Application gives you a lot of options for approaching the question since it is entirely up to you to decide what the "something" and "someone" will be. This prompt was...
Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others. This question was reworded in 2017-18 admissions cycle, and the current language is a huge improvement. The prompt use to talk about transitioning from childhood to adulthood, but the new language about a "period ...
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? This option was entirely new in 2017, and it's a wonderfully broad prompt. In essence, it's asking you to identify and discuss something that enthralls you. The question...
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. The popular "topic of your choice" option had been removed from the Common Application between 2013 and 2016, but it returned again with the 2017-18 admissions cycle. Use this option if you have a sto...
- Allen Grove
Nov 29, 2023 · Pre-developed college essay prompts. Some colleges and universities will give you a series of prompts to choose from. These will vary from school to school, and can either be questions or statements. Here are a few examples of both. Sample question prompts: What excites your intellectual curiosity? How has your upbringing shaped the person you ...
Sep 13, 2023 · With the 2023-2024 college admissions cycle in full swing and now that all of America’s highly selective universities have released their supplemental essay prompts, let’s analyze the most popular types of essay questions asked of applicants to the Class of 2028. So here goes! Most Common Supplemental Essay Prompts for 2023-2024.
Nov 19, 2021 · Revised on May 31, 2023. If you’re applying for college via the Common App, you’ll have to write an essay in response to one of seven prompts. Here’s a brief overview of the Common App essay and seven examples of effective Common App essays, along with explanations of why they work.
