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The Purpose of the College Essay and Why It Matters

This article was written based on the information and opinions presented by Jordan Sanchez in a CollegeVine livestream. You can watch the full livestream for more info.

What’s Covered:

Admissions profiles, the common app essay.

In this post, we discuss the purpose and importance of the college essay . For more information on college essays, check out this post about how to write this year’s Common App essays .

There are several aspects to your admissions profile. The first is your academic performance, which is measured by your GPA, class rank, and other academic achievements. The second is your extracurricular activities, which should speak to your passions inside and outside of the classroom. The third is your scores on exams, including the SAT, ACT, AP, IBS, and subject tests. The fourth and final part of your admissions profile is essays, including your personal statement and any supplemental essays.

However, many schools are now adopting test-optional policies, and, for some students, that can mean losing the exam section of their admissions profile. In this case, the essay will hold even more weight. Essays usually make up 25% to 30% of an admissions profile.

The Common App essay is typically the only chance that admissions officers have to hear from you directly, so make the most of this opportunity. Whether an essay is optional or required, you should always complete it to the best of your ability.

The Common App essay should give the admissions committee a clear sense of who you are. Your writing should showcase your personality and how you would fit in with the culture of the school to which you’re applying. The essay functions to complete the picture that you’ve painted with the rest of your application. It’s a chance to show how you’ve grown throughout your high school experience or how you’ve remained consistent if that’s the case. You can talk about major life experiences or lessons that you’ve learned; many students focus on a specific moment in their lives and how it has affected them.

In your writing, be as specific as possible about yourself and your experiences. Throughout the process, ask yourself this question: could anyone else write this essay? Writing about your specific life experiences is a guaranteed way to make your essay stand out.

Remember, a strong essay can even make up for weaknesses in other areas of your application.

How important is the college essay

How important is the college essay.

Bonus Material: 30 College Essays that Worked

If you’re getting started with the college application process, you’ve probably already given some thought to the application essays you’ll have to write.

But a lot of students wonder how much these essays actually matter: do admissions counselors really care what you write here, or does everything come down to grades and test scores anyway?

In this post, we’ll explore how important the college essay is depending on the kind of university you’re applying to and the overall strength of your application–all backed up by data from polls of admissions officers. Knowing how the college essay factors into your overall application can help you approach it more strategically, maximizing your chances of earning an acceptance.

Download 30 College Essays That Worked

Jump to section: How do colleges evaluate your application? How do colleges weigh the essay? Selective vs less selective schools “Strong” vs “weak” applications: strategies Next steps

How do colleges evaluate your application?

We’ve got a dedicated post just on this very question that you can check out here , but for now you should now that, at selective schools, the process will most likely resemble some version of these four steps:

Applications are organized primarily by geographical area and sent to the readers who work specifically on applications from that area.

Individual reads

Depending on school, between 1 and 3 people will individually read over your application, usually taking notes and usually giving your application one of our recommendations: Accept, Likely Accept, Likely Deny, Deny.

Note that this can vary a lot from school to school: a very selective school is much more likely to immediately put lots of applicants into the “Deny” pile while putting very, very few into the “Accept pile” initially.

After a series of individual reads, the application is discussed briefly by an admission

committee that reviews the notes from individual readers and evaluates the strengths and weaknesses of your application.

Final decision

This varies quite a bit by school. Some schools make a decision by majority vote; others leave the decision up to the most senior member of the committee.

How do colleges weigh the college essay?

Naturally, an exact number can be hard to come by. However, a recent poll of admissions officers taken by the National Association for College Admissions Counseling is indicative of the application essay’s importance:


74.5	15	5.5	5
73.2	16.8	5.9	4.1
62.1	21.9	8.7	7.3
45.7	37.1	12.2	5
25.9	44.4	13.9	15.7
23.2	33.2	24.1	19.5
16.1	23.9	28	32.1
15.1	40.4	26.6	17.9
14.2	40.2	26.5	19.2
9.1	29.1	34.1	27.7
6.4	42.9	32	18.7
6.4	11.9	26.9	54.8
5.5	18.3	35.2	41.1
5.5	16.4	28.3	49.8
4.1	28.6	36.9	30.4
2.3	8.7	18.8	70.2
1.9	5.6	14.8	77.8

Source: NACAC 2018-2019 Counseling Trends Survey

While the four top categories are essentially quantitative, the next three aren’t: Positive Character Attributes and Essay or Writing Sample, and Student’s Demonstrated Interest are all expressed through your essays!

Even though the “Essay or Writing Sample” is only one category here, remember that your “positive character traits” are going to be most evident in your personal statement. And your “demonstrated interest” will be evident in each school’s supplemental essays.

Looking at the numbers, 70.3% of polled admissions officers give your character moderate or considerable importance. What’s especially interesting is that, when it comes to SAT/ACT scores, 82.8% of admissions officers give them the same level of importance. While that’s certainly higher, it’s surprisingly close!

Viewed this way, your personal statements and supplemental essays can have a lot of influence on multiple elements of your application–not only on how admissions committees view your writing, but, far more importantly, how likely they are to think you’re someone with a positive character who’s legitimately interested in attending their school.

If you want to read more about exactly what kind of topics you should focus on to make sure your college essay conveys those positive character attributes, you should check out our post on the Diamond Strategy here.

There’s another factor to consider here: the application essay is the part of your application over which you have the most immediate control.

By the time you’re applying to college, your grades are already mostly set in stone. Your standardized test scores, depending on your timeline, may also already be locked in. But the application essay is something you have full control over: you get to decide how much you invest into it, and you get to decide when it’s “good enough.”

Regardless of where you are in the college application process, our comprehensive, free guides can walk you through how to brainstorm your college essay and how to write it to maximize your chances of admission.

Take a look below for 30 real essays that worked, ones you can use as inspiration. You’ll be able to tell that the writers of these essays took them seriously–and were rewarded with admission into schools like Princeton.

Selective vs less selective schools

Though the exact importance of the college essay at any given school is going to be murky, there are some general trends that hold true.

One major one is that selective schools with fewer overall applicants will value the application essay more.

According to the NACAC Admissions Trends survey , compared to less selective colleges, “more selective colleges also rated more highly the essay writing sample, counselor and teacher recommendations, extracurricular activities, and work.”

In part, this is practical: large, less selective schools (for example, most state universities) simply have too many applicants and not enough resources to meticulously debate the merits of your essay. For them, it’s most often a numbers game: if your stats are good enough and there are no red flags, you’ll quickly be sorted into the “Accept” pile. If your stats are far below the benchmark, odds are you’ll simply be denied.

At elite, selective colleges (Ivy Leagues, for sure, but also many of those smaller schools whose acceptance rates are below 30%), the situation is totally different. Fewer applicants and more resources mean that these schools can spend more time with each application.

More importantly, because these schools essentially get their pick of the best applicants in the country, they’re often in search of ways to decide among them. Because most applicants to these top-tier schools will all have stellar grades and near perfect test-scores, those quantitative aspects of the application don’t serve to distinguish one applicant from another–they’re really more like prerequisites.

So, if a school like Princeton is looking at thousands of applications with similar (amazing) grades and similar (amazing) test scores, what do they look at? Extracurriculars, certainly, but also those intangible things like “character” and “demonstrated interest.” In other words: your essay.

In those situations, the essay may become even more important in the application process than the statistics cited above suggest. This of course assumes that your test scores and GPA are strong enough to make the cut: most evidence suggests that a strong essay won’t, on its own, be enough to save an otherwise weak application.

“Strong” vs “weak” application: strategies.

The other key factor to consider is your relative strength as an applicant for any given university.

Let’s take a hypothetical student with a 3.9 unweighted GPA and 1550 SAT who took tons of AP classes. If this student applies to a university like York College, which had an average GPA of 3.02 and SAT of 1055 for the incoming class of 2026, their essay isn’t going to matter very much. Their stats are so comparatively high that, whether the essay is mediocre or amazing, it’ll make little difference.

Witn one caveat: a personal statement that raises serious red flags can disqualify even that stellar applicant from a less-selective school like York. That kind of college essay is rare, but it’s worth mentioning that a really, really terrible college essay can sink the application of any candidate.

But let’s say that same student now applies to Duke University, with an acceptance rate under 10%, an average SAT of 1510, and an average GPA of 4.19 for the class of 2026. Now, this student’s amazing academic accomplishments are more or less just par for the course: they won’t automatically be rejected, but nobody on the admissions committee is going to be blown away by their score or grades either.

Here, the essay (along with extracurriculars and other factors) can serve as the deciding factor between similar, extremely qualified candidates. In this case, the student needs a college essay that makes them stand out.

All other things being equal, a well-written, safe essay that is perfectly okay but not memorable won’t help the student in the admissions process. It might not literally “hurt” them, but it will have been a wasted opportunity to impress admissions officers. In cases like these–where a student is an average or below average applicant at a highly selective school–it generally benefits to take risks, aiming for a college admissions essay that is unusual, unexpected, and memorable.

Note: when it comes to schools like Ivies, basically nobody is a “strong” applicant by their numbers. At best, you’ll be an average (for the school) applicant who’ll get a fair and thorough consideration. But never expect that your test scores or grades will be enough to impress admissions committees at the highest tier of selective universities.

So, your overall application strength and the schools you’re applying to can actually significantly affect your college essay strategy.

If your goal is to get into an ultra-selective school, you can’t waste the opportunity presented to you by the college essay. Your application essay should take risks and be inventive (along with being a compelling piece of writing that shares something crucial about yourself). If you’re in this category, we highly recommend reading our guide on “How to write a college essay” . And you should definitely read through these 30 real essays that worked to get a feel for what kind of risks you should be taking. CU link]
If your goal is to get into a less selective (above 30% acceptance) where your stats are significantly stronger than that of the average applicant, the college essay will likely matter less for you. You can get by with just a “fine” college essay.
If you’re applying to a less selective school where your stats are not much stronger than that of the average applicant, there’ll be more importance placed on your essay. Once again, that means you’ll be well-served by taking risks and putting as much effort and time into your essay as possible.

Of course, as we’ve suggested before, even a strong applicant can ruin their chances with a particularly bad essay. What’s the best way to avoid falling into that trap? We can pair you with a college essay expert who can help you walk the line between an appropriately risky college essay and a dangerous one.

At the end of the day, there’s no scenario where a strong, creative college application essay is a bad thing. Given the insane competitiveness of college admissions now, you should be maximizing every opportunity to favorably impress college admissions committees.

And that means taking the time to really perfect your college admission essay. In addition to our free resources and guides on how to do so, we offer live, personalized support from tutors who have themselves gained admission to elite schools like Princeton. Our essay tutors know what works because they’ve done it themselves.

In the meantime, check out our whole series of posts on college essay writing (linked below) and download our collection of 30 college admissions essays that can help you figure out what the perfect college application essay looks like.

Download 30 College Essays That Worked

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How to Write an Impressive College Application Essay

IvyWise On-Demand: Catch Their Eye: How to Write Compelling College Application Essays

Join IvyWise college admissions experts to learn how you can showcase your best self when applying to college. They will cover:

Each step of the Common App, including the activities section and the optional community disruption question.
How to stand out to admissions officers when applying with the Common App.
Tips for brainstorming essay topics, beginning the first draft, word choice and tone, editing the final personal statement essay.
How to use supplemental essays to demonstrate interest in each college on your list.

College application essays are a critical aspect of the admissions process, offering an opportunity to showcase your individuality beyond the standard application forms and test scores. A well-crafted essay can highlight your unique personality, experiences, and aspirations, providing college admissions officers with a more holistic view of who you are.

That said, many students find writing college essays to be one of the more challenging parts of the application. Keep reading for tips on how to make your college essays stand out.

How to Write an Impressive College Application Essay: Table of Contents

What Is a College Essay?

Why colleges ask for supplemental essays , when to start writing your college essay .

How Important Is It to Be Unique in College Essays?

How to Format Your College Essay

How Important Is Grammar in Writing College Essays?

What Makes a Great College Essay: Tips from IvyWise’s Admissions Counselors

The latest essay prompts   .

  Need Help with Your College Essay

The college admissions essay is designed to give admissions officers insight into your character, experiences, and motivations. Unlike standardized test scores and transcripts , which provide quantitative data, the college essay allows students to showcase their unique voice, creativity, and personal journey. It often addresses prompts that encourage reflection on significant life events, personal growth, or aspirations, enabling you to highlight what makes you a compelling candidate for admission.

How Important Is the College Essay?

Your academic performance in high school indicates how well you might do in your college coursework, but it doesn’t paint the entire picture. College essays are critical because the admissions committee at most institutions, particularly more selective colleges, want to know more about you beyond grades and test scores. They want to know how you’ll fit into the campus culture, so your essay is an opportunity to share what makes you unique — your experiences, personality, perspectives, values, interests, and activities beyond the classroom.

What if essay writing isn’t one of your strengths? It’s a good idea to practice your essay writing skills before you even start applying to colleges by reading as much narrative nonfiction as you can. You can also find online courses on Coursera and other websites that focus on memoir and personal essay writing. You can also get help with developing your writing skills through tutoring at IvyWise.

Do College Essays Matter More than GPA? 

Grades are the most important factor that admissions officers consider when evaluating college applications. However, grades and GPA alone don’t guarantee admission. Each school has its own rubric for evaluating applications, and both your GPA and college essay are typically components of this rubric. Great grades can get you to the “let me think about it” pile, but a dull and uninspired essay can bring your rubric score down. However, a stellar essay can set you apart from other applicants who are similar to you academically, which can help the admissions committee narrow the field.

Thousands of students with similar GPA, course rigor, and test scores apply to the same colleges every year. It can be hard to stand out with the sheer number of candidates with similar academic qualifications. This is where other components of your application will come in, such as your college essay, that could tip the scales in your favor. While a great GPA is important, it doesn’t necessarily make you stand out. Other soft factors, like your essay, will.

In addition to the personal statement, which is submitted to each school you apply to, many colleges include supplemental essay questions in their application. Why do supplemental essays matter? These supplements are the perfect opportunity to articulate why you are interested in a specific school and demonstrate your knowledge of the institution.

Some colleges may explicitly ask students why they are interested in their institution while other universities may include less direct prompts that focus on long-term goals and ambitions. Regardless of the nature of the question, applicants should strive to tailor their responses to the university they are applying to and weave in school-specific details that highlight their knowledge about programs and opportunities on campus. 

College Supplemental Essay Tips for Particular Selective Schools 

How to write the Brown supplemental essay
How to tackle Yale supplemental essay
How to write the NYU supplemental essay
What strategy to use for Columbia University supplemental essays
What to write in the Princeton supplemental essays
How to craft a winning Why Dartmouth essay

Applying to other schools? We have more tips for supplemental essays.

The Common App essay prompts are released every year well ahead of the August 1 opening date. Additionally, many colleges and universities announce their supplemental essay prompts in July. We recommend students begin writing their essays during the summer before the rigors of senior year. This gives you plenty of time to draft, revise, get feedback, and proofread before it’s ready to submit.

How Important Is It to Be Unique in College Essays?  

Teenagers have such limited life experiences that it’s not easy to be truly unique in college essays. Instead, focus on being authentic. Your essay should be an expression of your authentic voice — which in itself is unique. Keep in mind that admissions officers evaluate thousands of applications each year. You’re unlikely to write about something they haven’t read before.

Choose an essay topic based on what you want the admissions officers to know about you, not what you think will impress them or be “different.” Often students trying to be unique in their essays — like writing in a poetic structure or in a weird voice — come off as disingenuous. Write an essay about a topic that will give them a good idea of who you are and how you will contribute to the school both inside and outside of the classroom.

Of course, a lot of things make you who you are, and you can’t write about them all. Doing some research on what to write in a personal statement can help you focus on what will impress the admissions committee.

While the content of your essay is important, you also need to think about how to format it properly. By following these guidelines, you can present a polished essay.

Font and Size : Use a standard, easy-to-read font like Times New Roman, Arial, or Calibri in 12-point size. Avoid formatting, such as italics, bold, underlines, emojis, and all caps.
Margins : Set one-inch margins on all sides of the document.
Spacing : Use 1.5 or double spacing to improve readability.
Indentation : Indent the first line of each paragraph by half an inch.
Title : Include a title if the application instructions require it, centered at the top of the first page.
Header : Some colleges may request your name and application ID in the header of each page. Check specific application instructions for details.
Length : Adhere to the word limit specified in the prompt, typically around 250-650 words.
File Format : Submit the essay in the required format, often a PDF or Word document, to preserve the formatting.

How to Start Your College Essay

A compelling essay starts with a “hook” that draws the reader in and sets the tone for the rest of your essay. You might begin with an engaging story, a vivid description of a scene, or a personal anecdote that relates to the main theme of your essay, but keep it brief. Other strategies include using a meaningful quote, a thought-provoking question, or an intriguing statement that sets up the central idea of your essay.

How Long Should Your Essay Be

While the college essay writing process is mostly about authenticity and creativity, you generally will have to stick to a word limit. The Common App essay has a limit of 650 words. Most supplemental essays will be shorter than 650 words, but it depends on the school you’re applying to.

How to End the Essay

Ending your college essay on a strong note is crucial as it leaves a lasting impression on the reader. Here are some suggestions:

Reflect on your journey. Summarize how the experiences you’ve discussed have shaped you and your aspirations. Reflect on personal growth and how these insights have prepared you for college.
Look to the future. Connect your past experiences and current achievements to your future goals. Explain how the college you’re applying to fits into your plans and how you hope to contribute to their community.
Circle back. Revisit an anecdote, quote, or question from your introduction to create a sense of cohesion and closure. This can highlight your main theme and underscore your narrative.
Close with an impactful statement. End with a strong, memorable statement that summarizes your main message or leaves the reader with something to ponder.
Express gratitude. Convey genuine appreciation for the opportunity to share your story and excitement about the potential to join the college community.

Ensure your conclusion reinforces the key points of your essay and leaves the reader with a clear understanding of your character, goals, and why you are an excellent fit for the college.

How Important Is Grammar in Writing College Essays?  

Strong essays also tend to be relatively free of grammatical errors and spelling mistakes because they demonstrate your attention to detail. You aren’t expected to be perfect, but it helps to know some common grammar and spelling mistakes to avoid in essays .

Proofreading is essential to catch avoidable errors, especially since you can’t always rely on spell or grammar check to catch all your mistakes. And a second pair of eyes never hurts. You may find it helpful to ask someone else to proofread your essay.

To create a compelling essay, focus on authentic storytelling, clearly articulate your passion for the specific college or program, and demonstrate how your goals align with the institution’s values and opportunities. Thorough research, genuine enthusiasm, and a reflective approach are key elements that can transform your essay into a memorable and impactful narrative. Here are some additional college essay tips .

# 1 Add Personality to Your Application

Every applicant is more than the sum of their grades, test scores, and extracurricular involvements . College application essays give students the opportunity to reveal who they truly are and the personality traits that set them apart. Consequently, students shouldn’t be afraid to use their own authentic voices in their essays and let their unique character shine through.

Many essay prompts focus on moments of growth and self-discovery, which can provide applicants with an opportunity to discuss the personal experiences that have defined them and helped them grow. Instead of striving to write something that sounds academic, focus on creating compelling essays using your own authentic voice. It can be helpful to read your essay drafts out loud to ensure your words sound like something you would really say. 

#2 Reveal Something New About Yourself

Application essays can be the perfect place to reveal something new about yourself or discuss something that is not obvious elsewhere in your application. Students may wish to consider drafting personal statements about experiences that aren’t highlighted in their resume or transcript.

For example, instead of writing about scoring the winning goal, a star athlete may choose to focus on an experience outside of their chosen sport, since it is likely that this extracurricular activity is referenced throughout their application. A student like this may choose to focus on what they learned from a summer job, a volunteer experience that changed their perspective, or a personal challenge that enabled them to grow. 

#3 Articulate Your Impact on Campus

Admissions officers are looking to admit applicants who will become active participants on campus . Take advantage of personal statements and supplements to convey not just who you are now, but what you wish to achieve. For school-specific supplements, applicants may wish to highlight the groups and programs that they are eager to join if admitted.

Similarly, students may choose to weave in details about their future goals and ambitions in a personal statement, which can help give admissions officers a sense of the impact they wish to make.

Learn how to brainstorm for essay topics.
See 10 college essay dos and don’ts

Many colleges and universities require you to respond to one of the Common App essay prompts . You are asked to respond to your chosen prompt in 250-650 words, so it helps to be concise and focused. This personal statement is sent to all the colleges you apply to through the Common App.

You may be required to respond to school-specific supplemental essay prompts as well. Some schools provide quirky college essay prompts, but that’s good news. It means you’re encouraged to be creative! Plus, unique prompts can make the admissions process a little less daunting. However, you should still take all essay prompts seriously regardless of how unconventional or easy they seem. Take your time and provide a thoughtful response that gives the admissions committee insight into who you are. 

Need Help with Your College Essay

Given the importance of college essays, students should start drafting their pieces well in advance. This can be one of the most daunting parts of your college application, which is why it can be beneficial to seek expert guidance. All IvyWise college admissions counselors have direct experience in admissions at some of the most selective colleges and universities in the U.S. They have read thousands of college essays and know what makes students stand out.

If you are currently working on application essays and looking for expert guidance, our team of college admissions counselors can help you find your voice. Schedule your Initial Consultation to speak to one of our experts.

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187 College Essay Examples for 11 Schools + Expert Analysis

College Admissions , College Essays

The personal statement might just be the hardest part of your college application. Mostly this is because it has the least guidance and is the most open-ended. One way to understand what colleges are looking for when they ask you to write an essay is to check out the essays of students who already got in—college essays that actually worked. After all, they must be among the most successful of this weird literary genre.

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. With links to 187 full essays and essay excerpts , this article is a great resource for learning how to craft your own personal college admissions essay!

Worried about college applications? Our world-class admissions counselors can help. We've guided thousands of students to get into their top choice schools with our data-driven, proprietary admissions strategies.

What Excellent College Essays Have in Common

Even though in many ways these sample college essays are very different from one other, they do share some traits you should try to emulate as you write your own essay.

Visible Signs of Planning

Building out from a narrow, concrete focus. You'll see a similar structure in many of the essays. The author starts with a very detailed story of an event or description of a person or place. After this sense-heavy imagery, the essay expands out to make a broader point about the author, and connects this very memorable experience to the author's present situation, state of mind, newfound understanding, or maturity level.

Knowing how to tell a story. Some of the experiences in these essays are one-of-a-kind. But most deal with the stuff of everyday life. What sets them apart is the way the author approaches the topic: analyzing it for drama and humor, for its moving qualities, for what it says about the author's world, and for how it connects to the author's emotional life.

Stellar Execution

A killer first sentence. You've heard it before, and you'll hear it again: you have to suck the reader in, and the best place to do that is the first sentence. Great first sentences are punchy. They are like cliffhangers, setting up an exciting scene or an unusual situation with an unclear conclusion, in order to make the reader want to know more. Don't take my word for it—check out these 22 first sentences from Stanford applicants and tell me you don't want to read the rest of those essays to find out what happens!

A lively, individual voice. Writing is for readers. In this case, your reader is an admissions officer who has read thousands of essays before yours and will read thousands after. Your goal? Don't bore your reader. Use interesting descriptions, stay away from clichés, include your own offbeat observations—anything that makes this essay sounds like you and not like anyone else.

Technical correctness. No spelling mistakes, no grammar weirdness, no syntax issues, no punctuation snafus—each of these sample college essays has been formatted and proofread perfectly. If this kind of exactness is not your strong suit, you're in luck! All colleges advise applicants to have their essays looked over several times by parents, teachers, mentors, and anyone else who can spot a comma splice. Your essay must be your own work, but there is absolutely nothing wrong with getting help polishing it.

And if you need more guidance, connect with PrepScholar's expert admissions consultants . These expert writers know exactly what college admissions committees look for in an admissions essay and chan help you craft an essay that boosts your chances of getting into your dream school.

Check out PrepScholar's Essay Editing and Coaching progra m for more details!

Want to write the perfect college application essay? We can help. Your dedicated PrepScholar Admissions counselor will help you craft your perfect college essay, from the ground up. We learn your background and interests, brainstorm essay topics, and walk you through the essay drafting process, step-by-step. At the end, you'll have a unique essay to proudly submit to colleges. Don't leave your college application to chance. Find out more about PrepScholar Admissions now:

Links to Full College Essay Examples

Some colleges publish a selection of their favorite accepted college essays that worked, and I've put together a selection of over 100 of these.

Common App Essay Samples

Please note that some of these college essay examples may be responding to prompts that are no longer in use. The current Common App prompts are as follows:

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.

Now, let's get to the good stuff: the list of 187 college essay examples responding to current and past Common App essay prompts.

Connecticut college.

12 Common Application essays from the classes of 2022-2025

Hamilton College

7 Common Application essays from the class of 2026
7 Common Application essays from the class of 2022
7 Common Application essays from the class of 2018
8 Common Application essays from the class of 2012
8 Common Application essays from the class of 2007

Johns Hopkins

These essays are answers to past prompts from either the Common Application or the Coalition Application (which Johns Hopkins used to accept).

1 Common Application or Coalition Application essay from the class of 2026
6 Common Application or Coalition Application essays from the class of 2025
6 Common Application or Universal Application essays from the class of 2024
6 Common Application or Universal Application essays from the class of 2023
7 Common Application of Universal Application essays from the class of 2022
5 Common Application or Universal Application essays from the class of 2021
7 Common Application or Universal Application essays from the class of 2020

Essay Examples Published by Other Websites

2 Common Application essays ( 1st essay , 2nd essay ) from applicants admitted to Columbia

Other Sample College Essays

Here is a collection of essays that are college-specific.

Babson College

4 essays (and 1 video response) on "Why Babson" from the class of 2020

Emory University

5 essay examples ( 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ) from the class of 2020 along with analysis from Emory admissions staff on why the essays were exceptional
5 more recent essay examples ( 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ) along with analysis from Emory admissions staff on what made these essays stand out

University of Georgia

1 “strong essay” sample from 2019
1 “strong essay” sample from 2018
10 Harvard essays from 2024
10 Harvard essays from 2023
10 Harvard essays from 2022
10 Harvard essays from 2021
10 Harvard essays from 2020
10 Harvard essays from 2019
10 Harvard essays from 2018
6 essays from admitted MIT students

Smith College

6 "best gift" essays from the class of 2018

Books of College Essays

If you're looking for even more sample college essays, consider purchasing a college essay book. The best of these include dozens of essays that worked and feedback from real admissions officers.

College Essays That Made a Difference —This detailed guide from Princeton Review includes not only successful essays, but also interviews with admissions officers and full student profiles.

50 Successful Harvard Application Essays by the Staff of the Harvard Crimson—A must for anyone aspiring to Harvard .

50 Successful Ivy League Application Essays and 50 Successful Stanford Application Essays by Gen and Kelly Tanabe—For essays from other top schools, check out this venerated series, which is regularly updated with new essays.

Analyzing Great Common App Essays That Worked

I've picked two essays from the examples collected above to examine in more depth so that you can see exactly what makes a successful college essay work. Full credit for these essays goes to the original authors and the schools that published them.

Example 1: "Breaking Into Cars," by Stephen, Johns Hopkins Class of '19 (Common App Essay, 636 words long)

I had never broken into a car before.

We were in Laredo, having just finished our first day at a Habitat for Humanity work site. The Hotchkiss volunteers had already left, off to enjoy some Texas BBQ, leaving me behind with the college kids to clean up. Not until we were stranded did we realize we were locked out of the van.

Someone picked a coat hanger out of the dumpster, handed it to me, and took a few steps back.

"Can you do that thing with a coat hanger to unlock it?"

"Why me?" I thought.

More out of amusement than optimism, I gave it a try. I slid the hanger into the window's seal like I'd seen on crime shows, and spent a few minutes jiggling the apparatus around the inside of the frame. Suddenly, two things simultaneously clicked. One was the lock on the door. (I actually succeeded in springing it.) The other was the realization that I'd been in this type of situation before. In fact, I'd been born into this type of situation.

My upbringing has numbed me to unpredictability and chaos. With a family of seven, my home was loud, messy, and spottily supervised. My siblings arguing, the dog barking, the phone ringing—all meant my house was functioning normally. My Dad, a retired Navy pilot, was away half the time. When he was home, he had a parenting style something like a drill sergeant. At the age of nine, I learned how to clear burning oil from the surface of water. My Dad considered this a critical life skill—you know, in case my aircraft carrier should ever get torpedoed. "The water's on fire! Clear a hole!" he shouted, tossing me in the lake without warning. While I'm still unconvinced about that particular lesson's practicality, my Dad's overarching message is unequivocally true: much of life is unexpected, and you have to deal with the twists and turns.

Living in my family, days rarely unfolded as planned. A bit overlooked, a little pushed around, I learned to roll with reality, negotiate a quick deal, and give the improbable a try. I don't sweat the small stuff, and I definitely don't expect perfect fairness. So what if our dining room table only has six chairs for seven people? Someone learns the importance of punctuality every night.

But more than punctuality and a special affinity for musical chairs, my family life has taught me to thrive in situations over which I have no power. Growing up, I never controlled my older siblings, but I learned how to thwart their attempts to control me. I forged alliances, and realigned them as necessary. Sometimes, I was the poor, defenseless little brother; sometimes I was the omniscient elder. Different things to different people, as the situation demanded. I learned to adapt.

Back then, these techniques were merely reactions undertaken to ensure my survival. But one day this fall, Dr. Hicks, our Head of School, asked me a question that he hoped all seniors would reflect on throughout the year: "How can I participate in a thing I do not govern, in the company of people I did not choose?"

The question caught me off guard, much like the question posed to me in Laredo. Then, I realized I knew the answer. I knew why the coat hanger had been handed to me.

Growing up as the middle child in my family, I was a vital participant in a thing I did not govern, in the company of people I did not choose. It's family. It's society. And often, it's chaos. You participate by letting go of the small stuff, not expecting order and perfection, and facing the unexpected with confidence, optimism, and preparedness. My family experience taught me to face a serendipitous world with confidence.

What Makes This Essay Tick?

It's very helpful to take writing apart in order to see just how it accomplishes its objectives. Stephen's essay is very effective. Let's find out why!

An Opening Line That Draws You In

In just eight words, we get: scene-setting (he is standing next to a car about to break in), the idea of crossing a boundary (he is maybe about to do an illegal thing for the first time), and a cliffhanger (we are thinking: is he going to get caught? Is he headed for a life of crime? Is he about to be scared straight?).

Great, Detailed Opening Story

It's the details that really make this small experience come alive. Notice how whenever he can, Stephen uses a more specific, descriptive word in place of a more generic one. The volunteers aren't going to get food or dinner; they're going for "Texas BBQ." The coat hanger comes from "a dumpster." Stephen doesn't just move the coat hanger—he "jiggles" it.

Details also help us visualize the emotions of the people in the scene. The person who hands Stephen the coat hanger isn't just uncomfortable or nervous; he "takes a few steps back"—a description of movement that conveys feelings. Finally, the detail of actual speech makes the scene pop. Instead of writing that the other guy asked him to unlock the van, Stephen has the guy actually say his own words in a way that sounds like a teenager talking.

Turning a Specific Incident Into a Deeper Insight

Suddenly, two things simultaneously clicked. One was the lock on the door. (I actually succeeded in springing it.) The other was the realization that I'd been in this type of situation before. In fact, I'd been born into this type of situation.

Stephen makes the locked car experience a meaningful illustration of how he has learned to be resourceful and ready for anything, and he also makes this turn from the specific to the broad through an elegant play on the two meanings of the word "click."

Using Concrete Examples When Making Abstract Claims

"Unpredictability and chaos" are very abstract, not easily visualized concepts. They could also mean any number of things—violence, abandonment, poverty, mental instability. By instantly following up with highly finite and unambiguous illustrations like "family of seven" and "siblings arguing, the dog barking, the phone ringing," Stephen grounds the abstraction in something that is easy to picture: a large, noisy family.

Using Small Bits of Humor and Casual Word Choice

My Dad, a retired Navy pilot, was away half the time. When he was home, he had a parenting style something like a drill sergeant. At the age of nine, I learned how to clear burning oil from the surface of water. My Dad considered this a critical life skill—you know, in case my aircraft carrier should ever get torpedoed.

Obviously, knowing how to clean burning oil is not high on the list of things every 9-year-old needs to know. To emphasize this, Stephen uses sarcasm by bringing up a situation that is clearly over-the-top: "in case my aircraft carrier should ever get torpedoed."

The humor also feels relaxed. Part of this is because he introduces it with the colloquial phrase "you know," so it sounds like he is talking to us in person. This approach also diffuses the potential discomfort of the reader with his father's strictness—since he is making jokes about it, clearly he is OK. Notice, though, that this doesn't occur very much in the essay. This helps keep the tone meaningful and serious rather than flippant.

An Ending That Stretches the Insight Into the Future

But one day this fall, Dr. Hicks, our Head of School, asked me a question that he hoped all seniors would reflect on throughout the year: "How can I participate in a thing I do not govern, in the company of people I did not choose?"

The ending of the essay reveals that Stephen's life has been one long preparation for the future. He has emerged from chaos and his dad's approach to parenting as a person who can thrive in a world that he can't control.

This connection of past experience to current maturity and self-knowledge is a key element in all successful personal essays. Colleges are very much looking for mature, self-aware applicants. These are the qualities of successful college students, who will be able to navigate the independence college classes require and the responsibility and quasi-adulthood of college life.

What Could This Essay Do Even Better?

Even the best essays aren't perfect, and even the world's greatest writers will tell you that writing is never "finished"—just "due." So what would we tweak in this essay if we could?

Replace some of the clichéd language. Stephen uses handy phrases like "twists and turns" and "don't sweat the small stuff" as a kind of shorthand for explaining his relationship to chaos and unpredictability. But using too many of these ready-made expressions runs the risk of clouding out your own voice and replacing it with something expected and boring.

Use another example from recent life. Stephen's first example (breaking into the van in Laredo) is a great illustration of being resourceful in an unexpected situation. But his essay also emphasizes that he "learned to adapt" by being "different things to different people." It would be great to see how this plays out outside his family, either in the situation in Laredo or another context.

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Example 2: By Renner Kwittken, Tufts Class of '23 (Common App Essay, 645 words long)

My first dream job was to be a pickle truck driver. I saw it in my favorite book, Richard Scarry's "Cars and Trucks and Things That Go," and for some reason, I was absolutely obsessed with the idea of driving a giant pickle. Much to the discontent of my younger sister, I insisted that my parents read us that book as many nights as possible so we could find goldbug, a small little golden bug, on every page. I would imagine the wonderful life I would have: being a pig driving a giant pickle truck across the country, chasing and finding goldbug. I then moved on to wanting to be a Lego Master. Then an architect. Then a surgeon.

Then I discovered a real goldbug: gold nanoparticles that can reprogram macrophages to assist in killing tumors, produce clear images of them without sacrificing the subject, and heat them to obliteration.

Suddenly the destination of my pickle was clear.

I quickly became enveloped by the world of nanomedicine; I scoured articles about liposomes, polymeric micelles, dendrimers, targeting ligands, and self-assembling nanoparticles, all conquering cancer in some exotic way. Completely absorbed, I set out to find a mentor to dive even deeper into these topics. After several rejections, I was immensely grateful to receive an invitation to work alongside Dr. Sangeeta Ray at Johns Hopkins.

In the lab, Dr. Ray encouraged a great amount of autonomy to design and implement my own procedures. I chose to attack a problem that affects the entire field of nanomedicine: nanoparticles consistently fail to translate from animal studies into clinical trials. Jumping off recent literature, I set out to see if a pre-dose of a common chemotherapeutic could enhance nanoparticle delivery in aggressive prostate cancer, creating three novel constructs based on three different linear polymers, each using fluorescent dye (although no gold, sorry goldbug!). Though using radioactive isotopes like Gallium and Yttrium would have been incredible, as a 17-year-old, I unfortunately wasn't allowed in the same room as these radioactive materials (even though I took a Geiger counter to a pair of shoes and found them to be slightly dangerous).

I hadn't expected my hypothesis to work, as the research project would have ideally been led across two full years. Yet while there are still many optimizations and revisions to be done, I was thrilled to find -- with completely new nanoparticles that may one day mean future trials will use particles with the initials "RK-1" -- thatcyclophosphamide did indeed increase nanoparticle delivery to the tumor in a statistically significant way.

A secondary, unexpected research project was living alone in Baltimore, a new city to me, surrounded by people much older than I. Even with moving frequently between hotels, AirBnB's, and students' apartments, I strangely reveled in the freedom I had to enjoy my surroundings and form new friendships with graduate school students from the lab. We explored The Inner Harbor at night, attended a concert together one weekend, and even got to watch the Orioles lose (to nobody's surprise). Ironically, it's through these new friendships I discovered something unexpected: what I truly love is sharing research. Whether in a presentation or in a casual conversation, making others interested in science is perhaps more exciting to me than the research itself. This solidified a new pursuit to angle my love for writing towards illuminating science in ways people can understand, adding value to a society that can certainly benefit from more scientific literacy.

It seems fitting that my goals are still transforming: in Scarry's book, there is not just one goldbug, there is one on every page. With each new experience, I'm learning that it isn't the goldbug itself, but rather the act of searching for the goldbugs that will encourage, shape, and refine my ever-evolving passions. Regardless of the goldbug I seek -- I know my pickle truck has just begun its journey.

Renner takes a somewhat different approach than Stephen, but their essay is just as detailed and engaging. Let's go through some of the strengths of this essay.

One Clear Governing Metaphor

This essay is ultimately about two things: Renner’s dreams and future career goals, and Renner’s philosophy on goal-setting and achieving one’s dreams.

But instead of listing off all the amazing things they’ve done to pursue their dream of working in nanomedicine, Renner tells a powerful, unique story instead. To set up the narrative, Renner opens the essay by connecting their experiences with goal-setting and dream-chasing all the way back to a memorable childhood experience:

This lighthearted–but relevant!--story about the moment when Renner first developed a passion for a specific career (“finding the goldbug”) provides an anchor point for the rest of the essay. As Renner pivots to describing their current dreams and goals–working in nanomedicine–the metaphor of “finding the goldbug” is reflected in Renner’s experiments, rejections, and new discoveries.

Though Renner tells multiple stories about their quest to “find the goldbug,” or, in other words, pursue their passion, each story is connected by a unifying theme; namely, that as we search and grow over time, our goals will transform…and that’s okay! By the end of the essay, Renner uses the metaphor of “finding the goldbug” to reiterate the relevance of the opening story:

While the earlier parts of the essay convey Renner’s core message by showing, the final, concluding paragraph sums up Renner’s insights by telling. By briefly and clearly stating the relevance of the goldbug metaphor to their own philosophy on goals and dreams, Renner demonstrates their creativity, insight, and eagerness to grow and evolve as the journey continues into college.

An Engaging, Individual Voice

This essay uses many techniques that make Renner sound genuine and make the reader feel like we already know them.

Technique #1: humor. Notice Renner's gentle and relaxed humor that lightly mocks their younger self's grand ambitions (this is different from the more sarcastic kind of humor used by Stephen in the first essay—you could never mistake one writer for the other).

My first dream job was to be a pickle truck driver.

I would imagine the wonderful life I would have: being a pig driving a giant pickle truck across the country, chasing and finding goldbug. I then moved on to wanting to be a Lego Master. Then an architect. Then a surgeon.

Renner gives a great example of how to use humor to your advantage in college essays. You don’t want to come off as too self-deprecating or sarcastic, but telling a lightheartedly humorous story about your younger self that also showcases how you’ve grown and changed over time can set the right tone for your entire essay.

Technique #2: intentional, eye-catching structure. The second technique is the way Renner uses a unique structure to bolster the tone and themes of their essay . The structure of your essay can have a major impact on how your ideas come across…so it’s important to give it just as much thought as the content of your essay!

For instance, Renner does a great job of using one-line paragraphs to create dramatic emphasis and to make clear transitions from one phase of the story to the next:

Suddenly the destination of my pickle car was clear.

Not only does the one-liner above signal that Renner is moving into a new phase of the narrative (their nanoparticle research experiences), it also tells the reader that this is a big moment in Renner’s story. It’s clear that Renner made a major discovery that changed the course of their goal pursuit and dream-chasing. Through structure, Renner conveys excitement and entices the reader to keep pushing forward to the next part of the story.

Technique #3: playing with syntax. The third technique is to use sentences of varying length, syntax, and structure. Most of the essay's written in standard English and uses grammatically correct sentences. However, at key moments, Renner emphasizes that the reader needs to sit up and pay attention by switching to short, colloquial, differently punctuated, and sometimes fragmented sentences.

Even with moving frequently between hotels, AirBnB's, and students' apartments, I strangely reveled in the freedom I had to enjoy my surroundings and form new friendships with graduate school students from the lab. We explored The Inner Harbor at night, attended a concert together one weekend, and even got to watch the Orioles lose (to nobody's surprise). Ironically, it's through these new friendships I discovered something unexpected: what I truly love is sharing research.

In the examples above, Renner switches adeptly between long, flowing sentences and quippy, telegraphic ones. At the same time, Renner uses these different sentence lengths intentionally. As they describe their experiences in new places, they use longer sentences to immerse the reader in the sights, smells, and sounds of those experiences. And when it’s time to get a big, key idea across, Renner switches to a short, punchy sentence to stop the reader in their tracks.

The varying syntax and sentence lengths pull the reader into the narrative and set up crucial “aha” moments when it’s most important…which is a surefire way to make any college essay stand out.

Renner's essay is very strong, but there are still a few little things that could be improved.

Connecting the research experiences to the theme of “finding the goldbug.” The essay begins and ends with Renner’s connection to the idea of “finding the goldbug.” And while this metaphor is deftly tied into the essay’s intro and conclusion, it isn’t entirely clear what Renner’s big findings were during the research experiences that are described in the middle of the essay. It would be great to add a sentence or two stating what Renner’s big takeaways (or “goldbugs”) were from these experiences, which add more cohesion to the essay as a whole.

Give more details about discovering the world of nanomedicine. It makes sense that Renner wants to get into the details of their big research experiences as quickly as possible. After all, these are the details that show Renner’s dedication to nanomedicine! But a smoother transition from the opening pickle car/goldbug story to Renner’s “real goldbug” of nanoparticles would help the reader understand why nanoparticles became Renner’s goldbug. Finding out why Renner is so motivated to study nanomedicine–and perhaps what put them on to this field of study–would help readers fully understand why Renner chose this path in the first place.

4 Essential Tips for Writing Your Own Essay

How can you use this discussion to better your own college essay? Here are some suggestions for ways to use this resource effectively.

#1: Get Help From the Experts

Getting your college applications together takes a lot of work and can be pretty intimidatin g. Essays are even more important than ever now that admissions processes are changing and schools are going test-optional and removing diversity standards thanks to new Supreme Court rulings . If you want certified expert help that really makes a difference, get started with PrepScholar’s Essay Editing and Coaching program. Our program can help you put together an incredible essay from idea to completion so that your application stands out from the crowd. We've helped students get into the best colleges in the United States, including Harvard, Stanford, and Yale. If you're ready to take the next step and boost your odds of getting into your dream school, connect with our experts today .

#2: Read Other Essays to Get Ideas for Your Own

As you go through the essays we've compiled for you above, ask yourself the following questions:

Can you explain to yourself (or someone else!) why the opening sentence works well?
Look for the essay's detailed personal anecdote. What senses is the author describing? Can you easily picture the scene in your mind's eye?
Find the place where this anecdote bridges into a larger insight about the author. How does the essay connect the two? How does the anecdote work as an example of the author's characteristic, trait, or skill?
Check out the essay's tone. If it's funny, can you find the places where the humor comes from? If it's sad and moving, can you find the imagery and description of feelings that make you moved? If it's serious, can you see how word choice adds to this tone?

Make a note whenever you find an essay or part of an essay that you think was particularly well-written, and think about what you like about it . Is it funny? Does it help you really get to know the writer? Does it show what makes the writer unique? Once you have your list, keep it next to you while writing your essay to remind yourself to try and use those same techniques in your own essay.

#3: Find Your "A-Ha!" Moment

All of these essays rely on connecting with the reader through a heartfelt, highly descriptive scene from the author's life. It can either be very dramatic (did you survive a plane crash?) or it can be completely mundane (did you finally beat your dad at Scrabble?). Either way, it should be personal and revealing about you, your personality, and the way you are now that you are entering the adult world.

Check out essays by authors like John Jeremiah Sullivan , Leslie Jamison , Hanif Abdurraqib , and Esmé Weijun Wang to get more examples of how to craft a compelling personal narrative.

#4: Start Early, Revise Often

Let me level with you: the best writing isn't writing at all. It's rewriting. And in order to have time to rewrite, you have to start way before the application deadline. My advice is to write your first draft at least two months before your applications are due.

Let it sit for a few days untouched. Then come back to it with fresh eyes and think critically about what you've written. What's extra? What's missing? What is in the wrong place? What doesn't make sense? Don't be afraid to take it apart and rearrange sections. Do this several times over, and your essay will be much better for it!

For more editing tips, check out a style guide like Dreyer's English or Eats, Shoots & Leaves .

What's Next?

Still not sure which colleges you want to apply to? Our experts will show you how to make a college list that will help you choose a college that's right for you.

Interested in learning more about college essays? Check out our detailed breakdown of exactly how personal statements work in an application , some suggestions on what to avoid when writing your essay , and our guide to writing about your extracurricular activities .

Working on the rest of your application? Read what admissions officers wish applicants knew before applying .

Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points? We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download them for free now:

The recommendations in this post are based solely on our knowledge and experience. If you purchase an item through one of our links PrepScholar may receive a commission.

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College Application Essay

The essay is an opportunity for students to personalize their college application beyond grades and scores. It can also be one of the more nerve-wracking parts of the application process. Help your students learn the skills they need to write an application-worthy essay.

What the Essay Can Do for Students

A powerful, well-written essay can make a difference and elevate an applicant in an admission committee’s eyes when colleges have to choose between applicants with similar qualifications.

Students can also use the essay to show that they’ve thought carefully about why they’re a good match for the college they’re applying to. They can show their commitment to learning and their eagerness to contribute to the college community.

What Is a Well-Written Essay?

Admissions officers read a lot of essays, and a well-written one can make a refreshing change. Advise your students to check their essays against these criteria:

Does the essay provide a direct answer to the essay question?
Does it have a strong opening paragraph that captures the reader’s interest?
Does it put forth a comprehensive argument or narrative? Does the student make a point and stick to it?
Does it have a natural style that’s comfortable for the student and appropriate for the subject matter?
Did the student use effective word choice, syntax, and structure?
Does it contain correct grammar, punctuation, and spelling?
Is it succinct? Did the student pay attention to the recommended length?

How to Help Your Students

A common concern for admissions officers is just how much help a student has received with their essay. Many colleges even ask applicants to sign statements saying that the essays they’ve submitted are their own work. This can cause counselors to wonder how much help is too much. Here are some appropriate ways to help your students:

Suggest they get advice from teachers who understand the role of the essay and who know them well.
Recommend brainstorming techniques that help them face the blank page.
Look over the student’s essay for signs that a parent may have “helped” too much.
Give general feedback on a finished or nearly finished essay. You can point out areas that need revision, but don’t rewrite or edit—the essay must be the student's work.

And remember: Your encouragement, ideas, and overall support will go a long way.

How Important Are College Essays? What’s Their Role in Admissions?

EssayEdge > Blog > How Important Are College Essays? What’s Their Role in Admissions?

If they wanted to, the best universities could simply rank students according to their test scores and achievements and send acceptance letters to those who had the highest qualifications. However, universities do not actually do this. They look to your college admission essay to help them choose an ideal student body. Why?

Ultimately, human beings attend college, not test scores, transcripts, or resumes. Admissions officers know that the highest qualified students often hail from very similar backgrounds. Moreover, they understand that, while not just any student belongs in their program, the students who do belong in their program can come from anywhere.

Perhaps finances or other things restricted your ability to have the kinds of accomplishments that other students have. If you lived in a rural or lower-income urban area, there simply may not have been as many opportunities available for you to have a string of club memberships to submit in your application.

However, the most common scenario is that you have scores, grades, and a resume that are, well, average . Maybe above or even at the top of national averages, but among the applicant pool, the more ‘technical’ aspects of your application can seem rather bland. Yet, admissions committees are looking for the ‘best’. And this is why college admissions essays are more important than ever.

College Admission Essays are More Important than Ever - EssayEdge

The College Admission Essay is Where You Can Set Yourself Apart From the Crowd

Despite the mountain of college admission essay advice available, the vast majority of applicants still make the same mistakes: turning the essay into a resume in literary format, citing irrelevant anecdotes, lacking a coherent theme, having an essay that starts strong and ends weak, and submitting a college admission essay that has errors in grammar, punctuation, and word choice.

For this reason, creating an essay that gets the ‘fundamentals’ right will help you stand head and shoulders above the crowd. Although it can seem counterintuitive after spending so much time trying to show yourself to be a ‘well-rounded individual’, college admissions essays should focus on only one or two of your most significant accomplishments.

Need help? Check out EssayEdge editing services:

Additionally, make sure that the information that you are including is important for the admissions committee to know for a potential applicant, not the information that would be important for someone to know about you if you were making a personal friend. If your essay has a theme, weave that theme throughout the essay. It is better for college admissions essays to be straightforward without literary flourishes than to include them, but poorly. Finally, do not underestimate the importance of proofreading. These errors are glaring and distract the reader from the message that you are conveying in your college admissions essays.

SAT, ACT, and other tests will never become more important than an admission essay. It’s the only assignment helping the admissions committee assess each applicant’s personality. Fortunately, you don’t need to have exceptional writing skills to get the acceptance letter. Order college essays editing at EssayEdge and see what we can do for you.

You may also like : How a Weak College Application Essay Can Hurt Your Chance of Admission

Why College is Important to Me

University: University of California, Berkeley

About this sample

Words: 665 |

Published: Feb 15, 2024

Words: 665 | Pages: 1 | 4 min read

College education has always been considered a vital milestone in one's life, and it holds immense significance for me as well. From an early age, I have been fervently passionate about acquiring knowledge, seeking intellectual growth, and expanding my horizons. College serves as the ideal platform to fulfill these aspirations, providing opportunities for personal, academic, and professional development that are unparalleled. In this essay, I will delve into the reasons why college is crucial to me, exploring its potential to shape my future and contribute to my overall growth.

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First and foremost, college offers a unique learning environment that fosters intellectual growth and critical thinking. It is a realm where I can immerse myself in a diverse range of subjects, explore my passions, and develop a deeper understanding of the world. The college curriculum exposes students to various disciplines, enabling them to gain a broader perspective and engage in interdisciplinary learning. This not only enhances their knowledge but also strengthens their analytical and problem-solving skills.

Moreover, college provides a stimulating atmosphere where I can engage in meaningful discussions and debates with professors and peers who share similar interests. These interactions challenge my ideas, broaden my perspectives, and push me to think outside the box. College education encourages the development of a questioning mindset, enabling me to question assumptions, challenge conventions, and seek innovative solutions to complex problems.

Another crucial aspect of college is the opportunity it offers for personal growth and self-discovery. College is a time of exploration, where I can discover my passions, talents, and values. It allows me to break out of my comfort zone, interact with individuals from diverse backgrounds, and foster a sense of empathy and understanding. College provides a supportive network of mentors, advisors, and peers who encourage personal growth and self-reflection. This nurturing environment helps shape my character, instills resilience, and equips me with essential life skills.

Furthermore, college plays a pivotal role in preparing me for the professional world. In today's highly competitive job market, a college degree has become increasingly essential for securing a promising career. College education equips me with the necessary knowledge and skills demanded by employers, increasing my employability and career prospects. Through internships, co-op programs, and career development services, colleges provide valuable opportunities for practical experience, networking, and professional growth.

Additionally, college education facilitates the development of essential soft skills, such as effective communication, critical thinking, teamwork, and leadership. These skills are not only vital for professional success but also for personal and social interactions. College acts as a training ground, allowing me to hone these skills through group projects, presentations, and extracurricular activities. Moreover, the diverse range of student organizations and clubs on campus provides avenues for pursuing hobbies, cultivating leadership qualities, and fostering a well-rounded personality.

Besides academic and professional aspects, college also enables personal and intellectual independence. It empowers me to make informed choices, take responsibility for my decisions, and develop a sense of autonomy. Living away from home in a college environment forces me to adapt to new situations, manage my time efficiently, and learn to prioritize effectively. These experiences foster a sense of self-reliance and resilience, preparing me for the challenges that lie ahead in both personal and professional realms.

Lastly, college offers a plethora of opportunities for networking and building lifelong connections. It brings together individuals from diverse backgrounds, cultures, and perspectives, opening doors to new friendships and collaborations. These connections can extend beyond college years, forming a valuable professional network that can boost career prospects and provide support throughout my professional journey.

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In conclusion, college holds immense importance to me due to its potential to shape my future and contribute to holistic growth. It provides a unique learning environment that nurtures intellectual curiosity, promotes personal growth, and prepares me for the professional world. College education equips me with indispensable skills, broadens my perspectives, and empowers me to become a lifelong learner. It is not just a stepping stone to a successful career but also a transformative journey that molds me into a well-rounded individual.

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Does College Matter?

College does matter and is absolutely worth it - if you choose a program that matches your career goals, graduate on time, and avoid too much debt.

Almost every job that leads to a promising career, with good pay and benefits, requires education or training beyond high school. For most high-paying professional jobs, that means a four-year college degree.

At the same time, career training or short-term educational programs for a growing number of technical fields can pay off, too.

For many, the question is: college or trade school?

Is college worth the cost?

If you stick with your studies and graduate in a reasonable time, college is worth the cost. The vast majority of college graduates are better off financially than their peers who didn’t complete college. College degrees are still in high demand from employers, and completing college is a strong sign that you’re ready for high-skilled work.

The key is finding a school where you’re likely to graduate and finish with low or modest debt. The national average is about $29,400 , which most graduates are able to pay off because their degree helped them earn a well-paying job. You can find detailed information about college graduation rates, the real cost of college over time, and how potential earnings vary by career field at bigfuture.org. And you can give yourself the opportunity to save time and money toward a degree while you’re in high school by scoring a 3 or higher on an AP Exam to earn college credit .

Students can get into trouble when they don’t graduate, or when they take on significant debt before they’re able to finish. Many college students don’t graduate on time, which makes a degree more expensive. Or they don’t finish at all, which means they don’t get the benefit of higher earnings.

Finishing college is the single most important thing you can do to make it affordable. Students who leave college without graduating are the most likely to have trouble with debt and future employment. As many as 4 in 10 students who start a 4-year degree program don’t finish in 6 years. Colleges with more resources, like generous financial aid funding, good counselors, and mentoring programs, typically have a better track record of graduating their students on time and with low debt.

What about career or technical training?

There are valuable training and credential options available, but there are also a lot of expensive programs that don’t add much to your résumé. It’s important to know what kind of training is most valuable for your planned career field.

Specific training programs in fields like construction, manufacturing, and healthcare can lead to immediate job opportunities and above-average pay. Job training credentials offered by community colleges, often in partnership with local employers, are some of the highest-rated programs.

Some larger tech companies like IBM, Google, and Apple will accept proof of specific coding or data analytics skills for entry-level jobs. However, they still normally require college degrees for higher-level positions.

Building a long-term career—taking on more responsibility, managing other people, earning more money—is often easier for those with both a college degree and industry-specific credentials. Employers usually see a college degree as meaning you have a set of flexible skills, like critical thinking and communication. Industry-specific credentials are a sign that you have hard skills like coding or database management.

Together, they make a stronger case that you’re ready for skilled work than either alone. Unless you have a very clear sense of your dream job and its required training programs, it’s generally better to pursue both college and industry credentials.

Should I go to college?

Thinking clearly about your goals and college options can help you make the right choice. Feeling confident about your next step after high school, whether that’s college or a high-value career path, will set you up for success.

Many variables affect your life and career, and it’s impossible to plan and predict all of them. It’s most important to find a field that genuinely interests you, then get all the valuable education and training you can in that field. Here are some tips on how to be successful after high school:

Take classes in college or through a training program.
Pursue internships with companies or organizations that can give you experience in your chosen field.
Cultivate mentors who have built careers that interest you and ask how they did it.

You’re much more likely to complete a worthwhile degree or training program if you’re working toward a life and a job you’ll love. Focus on the future you want and be open to different options for getting there.

Find the right college for you.

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An extensive body of research has argued that obtaining a college diploma is a good deal for graduates on almost any measure – from higher earnings to lower unemployment rates. By the same token, those without a college degree can find their upward mobility in the job market limited by a lack of educational credentials: This survey finds that one-third of Americans who lack a four-year college degree report that they have declined to apply for a job they felt they were qualified for, because that job required a bachelor’s degree.

But despite the potential benefits and opportunities available to college graduates – and the potential challenges faced by those who lack a college diploma – Americans have somewhat mixed attitudes about the effectiveness of traditional four-year colleges and other higher education institutions. On a personal level, many college graduates describe their own educational experience as having a generally positive impact on their personal and professional development. Roughly six-in-ten (62%) college graduates with two- or four-year degrees think their degree was very useful for helping them grow personally and intellectually, while roughly half think it was very useful for opening up job opportunities (53%) or for providing them with useful job-related skills and knowledge (49%).

Yet even as many college graduates view their own educational experience in positive terms, the public as a whole – including a substantial share of college graduates – expresses reservations about the extent to which various higher education institutions prepare students for the workforce more generally. Just 16% of Americans think that a four-year degree prepares students very well for a well-paying job in today’s economy, and 51% say this type of degree prepares students “somewhat well” for the workplace. Some 12% think that a two-year associate degree prepares students very well (46% say somewhat well), and 26% feel that certification programs in a professional, technical, or vocational field prepare students very well (52% say somewhat well).

The purpose of college: Americans view workforce-relevant skills and knowledge as more important than personal and intellectual growth

Americans’ views of what a college education should be tend to prioritize specific, workplace-related skills and knowledge rather than general intellectual development and personal growth. Half of Americans say that the main purpose of college should be to teach specific skills and knowledge that can be used in the workplace, while 35% think its main purpose should be to help students grow and develop personally and intellectually and 13% volunteer that these objectives are equally important. The public’s views on this issue have shifted slightly in favor of skills development since the last time Pew Research Center asked this question in 2011. At that point, 47% said main purpose of college should be to teach specific skills and knowledge and 39% said it should be to promote personal and intellectual growth.

Americans who have engaged in additional schooling beyond a bachelor’s degree are especially likely to say that the main purpose of college should be personal and intellectual growth, rather than the acquisition of specific skills and knowledge. Some 47% of those with a postgraduate or professional degree think the main purpose of college should be personal and intellectual growth, while 35% think it should be teaching workplace-relevant skills.

In contrast, those with limited college experience (or no college experience at all) are more likely to prioritize the development of specific skills over general intellectual improvement. For instance, 56% of Americans with a high school diploma or less say college should be primarily a place to develop specific work-oriented knowledge and skills, while just 31% see it primarily as a place for personal and intellectual growth.

There is also a partisan element to these views, with Republicans and Democrats expressing highly differing opinions on the purpose of college. Democrats (including Democratic-leaning independents) are about evenly split on which of these objectives is more important: 42% say colleges should prioritize personal and intellectual growth, while 43% say they should prioritize the development of workforce-relevant skills. But among Republicans and Republican leaners, 58% say that the main purpose of college should be teach specific skills – while just 28% feel that the main purpose should be general personal and intellectual growth.

These partisan differences hold true even after accounting for differences in educational attainment. Democrats and Democratic leaners with high levels of educational attainment are more likely to prioritize personal and intellectual growth relative to Democrats and Democratic leaners with lower levels of educational attainment.

But Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents at all educational levels are more likely than Republicans and Republican-leaning independents with similar levels of education to believe that personal and intellectual growth should be the main purpose of college.

Along with Democrats and those who have progressed beyond a bachelor’s degree, younger adults (those ages 18 to 29) are more likely than older adults to feel that personal and intellectual growth should be the primary purpose of college: some 43% of 18- to 29-year olds feel this way, compared with roughly one-third of those in older age groups.

In addition, Americans who themselves work in the education field tend to place a greater emphasis on personal and intellectual growth as the primary purpose of college: 46% believe that this should be the main purpose of a college degree, while 35% believe that college should mainly be a place to develop specific skills and knowledge (19% of those who work in the education industry consider them equally important).

Most college graduates regard their college experience as very useful for intellectual growth; views are more mixed when it comes to job opportunities and marketable skills

When asked to assess certain aspects of their own educational experience, about six-in-ten (62%) college graduates (including those who graduated from a two-year degree program) feel that their time in college was very useful in helping them grow personally and intellectually. About half say their college experience was very useful in helping them access job opportunities (53%) or in helping them develop skills and knowledge they could use in the workplace (49%).

The further people have progressed in their college career, the more likely they are to consider their experience very useful. Those with a postgraduate or professional degree are more likely to say that their college education was very useful in each of these respects compared with four-year degree holders, who are in turn more likely than those with a two-year associate degree to say that their education was very useful across each of these measures. For example, while two-thirds of those with a postgraduate or professional degree say their college education was very useful in opening doors to job opportunities, 56% of those with a four-year degree, and an even smaller share (40%) among those with a two-year degree, say the same. And while 57% of those with more than a bachelor’s degree say college was very useful in helping them develop marketable skills, about half or a smaller share among those with a four- or two-year degree hold this view (49% and 43%, respectively).

When it comes to helping them grow professionally and intellectually, majorities of those with a postgraduate or professional degree (77%) and those with a bachelor’s degree (64%) say college was very useful, compared with 46% of those with a two-year college degree.

Americans have mixed views about the extent to which college prepares students for a well-paying job in today’s economy

When asked a broader set of questions about the impact of college more generally, the public expresses somewhat mixed views about the extent to which a college education prepares students for success in the workforce.

Two-thirds of Americans (67%) think that a traditional four-year degree prepares students for a well-paying job in today’s economy at least somewhat well, but just 16% think it prepares them very well, and 29% think it does not prepare them well. A somewhat smaller share of Americans (58%) think that a two-year community college degree prepares students for a well-paying job either very (12%) or somewhat (46%) well, while 38% think that these programs do not prepare students well.

Interestingly, Americans with a four-year college degree are generally no more positive – or negative – than those with less education about the relationship between a four-year degree and a well-paying job: 13% of those with a bachelor’s degree or more education say a four-year degree prepares people very well, as do 11% of those with a two-year associate degree, 12% of those with some college experience but no degree, and 17% of those with a high school diploma. Among those who did not complete high school, however, 40% believe that a four-year college degree does a very good job of preparing people for a well-paying job.

When it comes to assessments of a two-year college degree, about one-in-six (16%) Americans who hold this type of degree say it prepares workers very well for a well-paying job. This is considerably larger than the share of those with at least a bachelor’s degree (7%) who say a two-year degree prepares people very well, but not necessarily more positive than the views of those with less education.

Blacks and Hispanics are more likely than whites to say four- and two-year degrees prepare people very well for a job in today’s economy. For example, about three-in-ten (29%) Hispanics and about a quarter (24%) of blacks say this about a four-year degree, compared with 12% of whites. And while about one-in-five blacks and Hispanics (18% each) say a two-year associate degree prepares people very well, one-in-ten whites share this view.

These findings are consistent with previous Pew Research Center surveys that found that black and Latino parents view college as more essential for their children’s success than do white parents.

A substantially larger share of the public has positive attitudes towards certification programs in a professional, technical or vocational field in the context of workforce development. Some 78% of Americans think that these programs prepare students well for a job in today’s economy, including 26% who think they prepare students very well. Just roughly one-in-five (19%) think they do not prepare students well. It is important to note, however, that respondents were not asked about the effectiveness of certification programs instead of a college education.

Positive assessments of certificate programs as a way to prepare workers for jobs in today’s economy are particularly widespread among those who did not complete high school; 44% in this group say these types of programs prepare people very well, compared with about a quarter (27%) of those with a high school diploma and a similar share of those with some college, but no degree (22%), a two-year degree (28%), or a four-year degree or more education (22%). Certificate programs are also particularly well-regarded among Hispanics, 39% of whom say they prepare people very well for a good job in today’s economy. About a quarter of blacks (25%) and whites (23%) say the same.

One-third of Americans without a bachelor’s degree have elected to not apply for a job they felt they were qualified for because it required a four-year degree

Recent research has argued that there is a “ credentials gap ” in today’s workforce, as employers increasingly require a bachelor’s degree for positions that did not demand this level of schooling in the past. And the survey finds that 33% of Americans who do not have a four-year college degree report that they have declined to apply for a job they felt they were qualified for, because it required a bachelor’s degree.

Americans who have engaged in some type of formal education beyond high school (short of obtaining a bachelor’s degree) are particularly likely to believe they’ve been adversely affected by credentialing requirements as they work their way up the educational ladder. Some 25% of Americans with a high school diploma or less and no additional schooling beyond that have not applied for a job because of a bachelor’s degree requirement. But that figure rises to 34% among those with a high school diploma plus additional vocational schooling, to 38% among those with some college experience but no degree, and to 44% among those with a two-year associate degree. Put somewhat differently, as people receive additional formal education without actually obtaining a bachelor’s degree, they may develop relevant skills without the on-paper credentials to match.

In addition, adults younger than 50 are much more likely than older adults to have refrained from applying to a job they felt they were qualified for because they didn’t meet the formal educational requirements. About four-in-ten non-college graduates ages 18 to 29 (41%) and ages 30 to 49 (44%) say this has happened, compared with 31% of those ages 50 to 64 and just 12% of those 65 and older.

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Importance of College Education: Why it is Important to go to College

You are approaching high school graduation and wondering what’s in store next. Sure, the thought of going straight into the workforce to immediately generate an income sounds exciting. But have you considered furthering your studies to expand your earning potential within today’s economy? While higher education may easily be one of the largest expenses you will face in your lifetime, attending college provides opportunities for graduates that may not be as widespread for those without a university degree.

Did You Know? : According to the U.S. Department of Education college graduates with a bachelor’s degree typically earn 66 percent more than those with only a high school diploma, and are also far less likely to face unemployment.

Why Consider Going to College?

The biggest advantage of going to college is the gateway to increased opportunity. We aren’t just talking about more work opportunities after graduation, but also the endless possibilities of making new connections that may become of value to you for life, the benefits of gaining knowledge , the encouragement of discovering new passions, and so much more!

Make Valuable Connections

Attending college gives you the opportunity to meet new people of different backgrounds with unique interests, increasing your chances of connecting with people in your potential career field. Knowing the right people can take you far in life! You never know who is going to help you land your dream job, or connect you with the right person who will.

Some ways you can expand your network in college is by becoming a part of clubs that align with your interests, playing sports, or volunteering for an organization. Joining a sorority or a fraternity is also a surefire way to meet some close friends for many. You could even pick up an internship or part-time job on or off-campus, and meet people that way as well. Learning from someone more established is also a fantastic way to test the waters in a field of interest, and in that sense, get to know yourself better!

Exercise the Mind

Students pursuing higher education are presented with the opportunity to read books and listen to lectures of top experts in their fields. As a result, they gain advanced knowledge in areas that interest them most. This stimulation encourages individuals to think critically, question concepts, and explore new ideas, which allow for additional growth and development. Generally, college graduates have an edge in the job market over those who have just come out of high school. In recent years, seniors have also been going back to college to exercise their minds and to learn from new opportunities to help them as they grow older.

Open Up to More Job Opportunities

Finally, most people pursuing a college degree look forward to promising job prospects after graduating. The good news is that many recruiters in the United States now look for candidates that have experienced higher education. We have shifted from a manufacturing-based economy to a knowledge-based economy, which makes having a college education especially important these days. Regardless of what career field plan to commit to, you will likely benefit from going to college!

Get Well-Rounded

By experiencing things like being a part of a club, participating in a group study, taking a variety of courses, and continually enhancing your work ethic, you innately get to know yourself as an individual better.

More often than not, those entering their twenties without a clue on what they want to do for a living will develop a better sense of their “calling” after taking different classes that were not offered in high school. Some examples of such courses may include psychology, communications, sociology, business, and computer science, to name a few.

Many higher education students are also living away from home for the first time, and that independence and freedom allows them to try things they didn’t feel totally comfortable doing in their high school years. New discoveries could lead to new passions and potential career paths after college!

With the global economy becoming increasingly competitive, going to college is a smart way to give yourself the best chance at landing a stable, well-paying job. Gain a wealth of knowledge and experience that you would never receive if you decided to skip higher education. You’ll be surprised at how much personal development you will experience, too!

Why You Should Go to College

Fred dews fred dews managing editor, new digital products - office of communications.

October 16, 2014

More students than ever before are enrolling in degree-granting institutions in the United States. Between 2001 and 2011, enrollment increased 32 percent while more women and more non-whites are entering postsecondary education than ever before (National Center for Educational Statistics). Brookings is home to extensive research on the benefits of and challenges to postsecondary education in America. This post highlights recent Brookings research on key areas related to the value of a college degree: the economic return to a college degree; student loan debt and paying for college; the changing model of postsecondary education; and overcoming barriers to college. All of it points to one conclusion, to quote Richard Reeves: “ go to college .”

Is college worth it? (yes, almost always)

Read: Regardless of the Cost, College Still Matters

The Hamilton Project has also recently studied how earnings vary across college majors. In a new interactive feature, the project found that “lifetime earnings vary tremendously by major” but that “a college degree—in any major—is important for advancing one’s earnings potential.”

Visit the interactive .

Gary Burtless argues that “ The economic reward from attending and completing college has probably never been higher.” Despite the very real increase in costs to attend college and the tighter labor market college grads face today, the key to understanding why college still has such a big payoff, explains Burtless, “is that the prospects for twenty-somethings who do not complete college are much worse than those of the ones who do. What is more, the economic prospects of the young adults who do not complete college have worsened over time, and much faster than the prospects facing new college grads.”

Read: College Is Not a Ludicrous Waste of Money .

Richard Reeves and Kerry Searle Grannis identify “five strong starts for social mobility,” one of which involves college. Although earning a high school diploma is “vitally necessary,” it “is not sufficient” to succeed in today’s economy. “Attending college,” they write, “even if not for a full four-year degree, results in labor market rewards: each additional year of school means, on average, an extra 10% return in annual income.”

Learn more about strong starts to boost social mobility .

How big a problem is student loan debt?

And yet, according to Beth Akers and Matt Chingos, “Our analysis of more than two decades of data on the financial well-being of American households suggests that the reality of student loans may not be as dire as many commentators fear.” Akers and Chingos analyzed a variety of factors that mitigate conclusions of a “crisis,” including: higher average debt levels of borrowers with graduate as opposed to bachelor’s degrees; average lifetime incomes of college-educated Americans are keeping pace with debt loads; and the monthly payment burden is about the same or a little less than it has been.

“These data indicate that typical borrowers are no worse off now than they were a generation ago, and also suggest that the borrowers struggling with high debt loads frequently featured in media coverage may not be part of a new or growing phenomenon,” they conclude.

Get more data and analysis on this issue here .

Akers also discusses the student loan issue and solutions in a recent Brookings Cafeteria podcast .

See also Susan Dynarski’s economic perspective on student debt , including whether there is a debt crisis; the costs and benefits of interest subsidies; and an income-based repayment system.

The Hamilton Project has also explored innovative policy proposals for higher education financing. These include: reforming federal lending and financial aid programs, such as the Pell Grant; expanding the use of “net-price calculators” to provide prospective students with a better estimate of the real cost of attending college; and a new system for federal lending that allows repayment schedules to rise and fall with a borrower’s income.

Learn more about these proposals .

Akers has also called attention to “the plight of recent college grads” who are facing lower earnings, or even unemployment, at the beginnings of their careers but have immediate debt burdens to contend with. “It’s important,” Akers says, “to allow graduates to repay their debts during the times in their careers when they are reaping the economic benefits of their degrees.”

Read: Assessing the Plight of Recent College Grads .

Isabel Sawhill says there are three ways to make college more affordable : government or philanthropy pick up more of the cost; borrow the money; improve the productivity of the sector “so that students learn as much (or more) but at a lower (or the same) cost.

Read what she proposes as possible solutions to the third way.

Akers explains how Income Share Agreements are another solution to finance higher education . ISAs “allow students to raise funds to pay for their degrees by selling ‘shares’ in their future earnings,” she explains.

Read: How Income Share Agreements Could Play a Role in Higher Ed Financing

Are there alternatives to four-year college?

Stuart Butler argues that college leaders should look at the recent experience of music, book and film industries and “recognize that the higher education industry is encountering a multi-pronged and existential threat composed of successive waves of disruptive innovation. This disruption will force top-to-bottom changes in the very concept of higher education and its relationship with the broader economy.”

Read: Tottering Ivory Towers .

In another piece, Butler explores what the future college business model will look like under today’s competitive pressures, which are intensifying, “particularly as the cost of information transfer to students declines to near zero.”

Read: The Future College as Travel Agent .

Community college “will remain the most appropriate option for postsecondary learning” for many , especially those from less advantaged backgrounds, according to Quentin Karpilow and Richard Reeves. Although community college enrollees exhibit low completion rates, there is, they argue, “huge scope for improving mobility outcomes through the development of the community college system, especially by boosting Associate degree attainment rates and helping students transfer to 4-year institutions.”

Read more here and find all of Brookings’s research on community colleges here .

How do we address barriers to college access?

Should everyone go to college? Isabel Sawhill and Stephanie Owen’s research on the question shows that “on average, the benefits of a college degree far outweigh the costs.” The total wage premium over a lifetime for a bachelor’s degree is $570,000, they found. On average. But several “key dimensions significantly affect the return on a college degree,” they write, including: school selectivity, college major, and graduation rate.

See their interactive for more detail and also policy recommendations to help students make smart investments in postsecondary education.

Sawhill has also pointed to another issue: an uneven playing field when it comes to college completion , high school preparation, and the intersection of these with class. Despite the well-understood link between college and higher income, and taking into account the research on the key dimensions that affect the return on a college degree, Sawhill finds that half of college students, “and much higher proportions of poor and minority students,” drop out before completing a degree. Thus, “despite our dedication to the idea of a higher education system open to all,” she writes, “we are not doing a very good job of leveling the playing field. The result is that opportunity is still linked too strongly to class.”

Learn more about Sawhill’s work on Higher Education and the Opportunity Gap .

Ron Haskins testified to Congress that a “primary reason that disadvantaged students have trouble both getting into college and completing a degree is that they are not academically prepared to do college work.” He evaluated the major federal college-preparation programs and found that they have little or no impact on enrollment or graduation. He proposed a five-step reform to these programs.

Read his testimony .

In a Hamilton Project report on policies to address poverty in America , Bridget Terry Long observes that “academic preparation may be an equally formidable barrier to postsecondary education.”

Read her three recommendations for better addressing the academic preparation problem with the hope of improving rates of college success.

Also as part of The Hamilton Project’s report , Harry Holzer argues that the high drop-out rate among low-income youth and adults and, for those who complete degrees, a choice of low-compensation fields “hurt the poor, and weaken the impacts of large national investments in higher education.” He proposes state- and federal-level reforms to improve earnings prospects for graduates and “to encourage two- and four-year colleges to be responsive to labor market demand.”

Read: Improving Employment Outcomes for Disadvantaged College Students .

Visit the archive of Brookings’s research on U.S. higher education , and also the Brown Center on Education Policy .

Charmaine Crutchfield contributed to this post.

Higher Education

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COMMENTS

How Important is the College Essay?
At the top 250 schools, your essays generally account for 25% of your overall application. This is only slightly behind the 30% for extracurriculars. Essays are actually ahead of the 20% for grades and coursework, 15% for test scores, and 10% for recommendations and interviews. Now that many schools are going test-optional or test-blind ...
How to write a college application essay: 7 tips + step-by-step how-to
Step 0: choose a structure. By "structure," we mean what you'll use to organize your essay's content in a way that helps your reader understand clearly and easily. We'll talk through two structural options below: "montage" and "narrative.". Some quick definitions:
35+ Best College Essay Tips from College Application Experts
Use your essays to empower your chances of acceptance, merit money, and scholarships.". This college essay tip is by Dr. Rebecca Joseph, professor at California State University and founder of All College Application Essays, develops tools for making the college essay process faster and easier. 15. Get personal.
27 Outstanding College Essay Examples From Top Universities 2024
This college essay tip is by Abigail McFee, Admissions Counselor for Tufts University and Tufts '17 graduate. 2. Write like a journalist. "Don't bury the lede!" The first few sentences must capture the reader's attention, provide a gist of the story, and give a sense of where the essay is heading.
Ultimate Guide to Writing Your College Essay
Sample College Essay 2 with Feedback. This content is licensed by Khan Academy and is available for free at www.khanacademy.org. College essays are an important part of your college application and give you the chance to show colleges and universities your personality. This guide will give you tips on how to write an effective college essay.
How important is the essay?
The college essay. It is more important to some colleges than others. For instance, if you are an automatic admit (in the top 10% of your graduating class) the essays need to be written but they aren't going to make the difference between getting in or being declined. For smaller colleges a great essay is a tip factor, meaning that it could ...
The Purpose of the College Essay and Why It Matters
The essay functions to complete the picture that you've painted with the rest of your application. It's a chance to show how you've grown throughout your high school experience or how you've remained consistent if that's the case. You can talk about major life experiences or lessons that you've learned; many students focus on a ...
How important is the college essay
However, a recent poll of admissions officers taken by the National Association for College Admissions Counseling is indicative of the application essay's importance: All Factors in Admission. Considerable Importance. Moderate Importance. Limited Importance. No Importance. Grades in All Courses. 74.5. 15.
How to Write an Impressive College Application Essay
Margins: Set one-inch margins on all sides of the document. Spacing: Use 1.5 or double spacing to improve readability. Indentation: Indent the first line of each paragraph by half an inch. Title: Include a title if the application instructions require it, centered at the top of the first page.
177 College Essay Examples for 11 Schools + Expert Analysis
Smith College. Each year, Smith asks its applicants to answer a different prompt with a 200-word essay. Here are six of these short essays answering the 2014 prompt: "Tell us about the best gift you've ever given or received." 6 "best gift" essays from the class of 2018. You really can find everything at the library.
College Application Essay
The essay is an opportunity for students to personalize their college application beyond grades and scores. It can also be one of the more nerve-wracking parts of the application process. Help your students learn the skills they need to write an application-worthy essay. What the Essay Can Do for Students
The College Admission Essay is More Important than Ever
The College Admission Essay is Where You Can Set Yourself Apart From the Crowd. Despite the mountain of college admission essay advice available, the vast majority of applicants still make the same mistakes: turning the essay into a resume in literary format, citing irrelevant anecdotes, lacking a coherent theme, having an essay that starts strong and ends weak, and submitting a college ...
What Admissions Officers Think of 3 Common College Essay Topics
It ranked as the fifth most important factor in the admissions process in a 2019 National Association for College Admission Counseling survey. The essay followed other factors: high school GPA ...
How to Write a College Essay Step-by-Step
Step 2: Pick one of the things you wrote down, flip your paper over, and write it at the top of your paper, like this: This is your thread, or a potential thread. Step 3: Underneath what you wrote down, name 5-6 values you could connect to this. These will serve as the beads of your essay.
Importance Of College Education: [Essay Example], 650 words
The value of a college education transcends mere academic knowledge and extends into the realm of personal growth and career development. One of the key benefits of pursuing a college degree is the acquisition of critical thinking skills. Through rigorous coursework and intellectual challenges, students learn how to analyze information ...
14 College Essay Examples From Top-25 Universities (2024-2025)
College essay example #6. This student was admitted to UC Berkeley. (Suggested reading: How to Get Into UC Berkeley and How to Write Great UC Essays) The phenomenon of interdependency, man depending on man for survival, has shaped centuries of human civilization.
Why College is Important to Me [Admission Essay Example]
Get custom essay. In conclusion, college holds immense importance to me due to its potential to shape my future and contribute to holistic growth. It provides a unique learning environment that nurtures intellectual curiosity, promotes personal growth, and prepares me for the professional world. College education equips me with indispensable ...
Why College Is Important- BigFuture
College degrees are still in high demand from employers, and completing college is a strong sign that you're ready for high-skilled work. The key is finding a school where you're likely to graduate and finish with low or modest debt. The national average is about $29,400, which most graduates are able to pay off because their degree helped ...
5. The value of a college education
October 6, 2016. The State of American Jobs. 5. The value of a college education. An extensive body of research has argued that obtaining a college diploma is a good deal for graduates on almost any measure - from higher earnings to lower unemployment rates. By the same token, those without a college degree can find their upward mobility in ...
How Important is the College Essay?
Ultimately, the college essay remains important because it can be a key factor in the admissions process. So before you submit that application packet, make sure your essay has all the "write" ingredients to help you stand out. Special thanks to Chris for writing this blog post. Chris Snellgrove is an English Professor at Northwest Florida ...
Why is College Important?: Reasons Why You Should Go To College
The biggest advantage of going to college is the gateway to increased opportunity. We aren't just talking about more work opportunities after graduation, but also the endless possibilities of making new connections that may become of value to you for life, the benefits of gaining knowledge, the encouragement of discovering new passions, and ...
Why You Should Go to College
Isabel Sawhill says there are three ways to make college more affordable: government or philanthropy pick up more of the cost; borrow the money; improve the productivity of the sector "so that ...
THE PERSONAL STATEMENT
A seven-part online course designed to gives students and counselors everything they need to figure out (or help someone else figure out) how to write a personal statement for the Common App. Watch the Q&A sessions after each session where I answer important questions about the personal statement-writing process and give feedback on essays to ...
Column: National Voter Registration Day is more important than ever
National Voter Registration Day provides an opportunity for individuals to check their registration status, register if necessary, and encourage friends, family, and coworkers to do the same.

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# 1 Add Personality to Your Application

#2 Reveal Something New About Yourself

#3 Articulate Your Impact on Campus

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Choose Your Test

187 College Essay Examples for 11 Schools + Expert Analysis

What Excellent College Essays Have in Common

Visible Signs of Planning

Stellar Execution

Links to Full College Essay Examples

Common App Essay Samples

Now, let's get to the good stuff: the list of 187 college essay examples responding to current and past Common App essay prompts.

Hamilton College

Johns Hopkins

Essay Examples Published by Other Websites

Other Sample College Essays

Babson College

Emory University

University of Georgia

Smith College

Books of College Essays

Analyzing Great Common App Essays That Worked

Example 1: "Breaking Into Cars," by Stephen, Johns Hopkins Class of '19 (Common App Essay, 636 words long)

What Makes This Essay Tick?

An Opening Line That Draws You In

Great, Detailed Opening Story

Turning a Specific Incident Into a Deeper Insight

Using Concrete Examples When Making Abstract Claims

Using Small Bits of Humor and Casual Word Choice

An Ending That Stretches the Insight Into the Future

What Could This Essay Do Even Better?

Example 2: By Renner Kwittken, Tufts Class of '23 (Common App Essay, 645 words long)

One Clear Governing Metaphor

An Engaging, Individual Voice

4 Essential Tips for Writing Your Own Essay

#1: Get Help From the Experts

#2: Read Other Essays to Get Ideas for Your Own

#3: Find Your "A-Ha!" Moment

#4: Start Early, Revise Often

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What the Essay Can Do for Students

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