how to find your college essay topic

Ultimate Guide to Writing Your College Essay

Tips for writing an effective college essay.

College admissions essays are an important part of your college application and gives you the chance to show colleges and universities your character and experiences. This guide will give you tips to write an effective college essay.

Want free help with your college essay?

UPchieve connects you with knowledgeable and friendly college advisors—online, 24/7, and completely free. Get 1:1 help brainstorming topics, outlining your essay, revising a draft, or editing grammar.

Writing a strong college admissions essay

Learn about the elements of a solid admissions essay.

Avoiding common admissions essay mistakes

Learn some of the most common mistakes made on college essays

Brainstorming tips for your college essay

Stuck on what to write your college essay about? Here are some exercises to help you get started.

How formal should the tone of your college essay be?

Learn how formal your college essay should be and get tips on how to bring out your natural voice.

Taking your college essay to the next level

Hear an admissions expert discuss the appropriate level of depth necessary in your college essay.

Student Stories

Student Story: Admissions essay about a formative experience

Get the perspective of a current college student on how he approached the admissions essay.

Student Story: Admissions essay about personal identity

Get the perspective of a current college student on how she approached the admissions essay.

Student Story: Admissions essay about community impact

Student story: admissions essay about a past mistake, how to write a college application essay, tips for writing an effective application essay, sample college essay 1 with feedback, sample college essay 2 with feedback.

This content is licensed by Khan Academy and is available for free at www.khanacademy.org.

The Admissions Strategist

How to choose the best college essay topics & ideas: the ultimate guide.

If you came for an awesome infographic, scroll all the way down. If you came for the entire guide, read on!

When applying to colleges and universities, students often struggle the most with the college application essay.

It’s an important piece of your application:

• The  essay  gives admissions officers a chance to get to know you beyond your stats, and it’s sometimes used as the deciding factor between similarly qualified applicants.

Of course, choosing your essay topic isn’t easy. You have about 650 words to craft a stellar essay; showcase your personality, character, and goals; and make a great impression on admissions officers.

Finding strong college essay ideas can be difficult for many students, due to the open-ended nature of the assignment.

So, what should you write about? Choosing the right topic may be tricky, but you can use the tips and ideas below to help you find some inspiration.

Click above to watch a video on the best college essay ideas.

College Essay Topic & Ideas Guidelines

First, many students applying to college want to know if they can write about  any topic of their choice.

Typically, you’ll be provided with some topic options.

However, these options are usually so broad and varied that you can write about almost anything you wish.

For instance, let’s take a look at  the Common Application  (Common App) essay topics for 2018-2019. Over 700 colleges and universities currently accept the Common App, so chances are that you’ll be writing a Common App essay.

Even if you don’t fill out the Common App, most colleges and other applications offer very similar topics.

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. Describe a problem you’ve solved or a problem you’d like to solve. It can be an intellectual challenge, a research query, an ethical dilemma – anything that is of personal importance, no matter the scale. Explain its significance to you and what steps you took or could be taken to identify a solution.

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.

As you can see, a wide range of topic ideas can fit within these guidelines.

And if you have an idea that doesn’t work well with Options 1-6, you can write “an essay on any topic of your choice” for Option 7.

• Although you technically  can  write about almost anything,  there are a few topics you should avoid .
• Don’t write about illicit or immoral behavior, cliché topics that admissions officers have seen hundreds of times, romantic relationships, or hot-button issues like politics and religion.
• You don’t know who will be reading your essay or what their views are, so you don’t want to risk alienating or upsetting the person who will decide your admissions fate.
• You also don’t want to write about something that can be found elsewhere in your application, and you want to be sure you’re the “star” of your essay.

The essay is a chance for admissions officers to get to know you on a deeper level, so don’t make the essay all about a hero or role model of yours.

If you do write about another person, make sure the emphasis is on how this person has influenced or shaped you.

Choose three favorite prompts from the provided list

Once you understand each of the provided prompts, the next step is to choose your three favorites.

If your preferred college or university offers only one topic (although this is rare), you can skip this step.

When choosing your favorite prompts, you should consider the following:

• Do you have something meaningful to say about this topic?
• Can you write at least 500 words on this topic?
• Do you have something unique to say about this topic? (You don’t need to try too hard to think of a brand-new, never-before-seen idea, but you should be able to take an approach that isn’t overused or cliché.)
• Will writing about this topic give admissions officers insight into who you are and what is important to you?

Based on these criteria, choose your top three prompts from the provided list.

What makes a great college essay topic?

A  great college essay topic  should be engaging, memorable, and somewhat unique.

It should capture your personality and ambitions, and it should help admissions officers picture what you could contribute to a college campus.

Ideally, your college essay topic should tell a story.

• Draw on your experiences to find a story that only  you  can tell.
• Choose a story that you think is a good illustration of who you are as an individual and who you will be as a college student.
• Of course, make sure that it casts you in a positive light. You want to make a good impression!

In addition to telling a story, you should also show off your ability to analyze and think critically about events in your life.

• What conclusions can you draw from this event?
• How has this event impacted your life as a whole?
• How has it shaped you, changed you, or made you a better person?
• Ask yourself, “So, what will the college admissions officer learn about me?” She should learn about your themes and values.

Try to focus on a particular moment, and then make it come to life.

Use specific, vivid details to give admissions officers a glimpse into this important slice of your life.

Be sure that the story you tell is personal and meaningful to you, and your authentic voice will shine through.

When in doubt, think about your favorite novels, epics, movies, and televisions shows.

• Almost all have one thing in common: a story with a conflict. Stories worth telling have a conflict that drives the characters and plot.
• Conflict is what makes the journey worth the time and emotional investment.

If you’re having a tough time determining how to answer an array of college admissions prompts, your safest bet is to choose a few you’re most comfortable with and brainstorm from there.

Now, the key to brainstorming here is to find one story from your life that relates to each prompt — how you failed to stand up to a bully, supported your family when mom got sick, took initiative for an extracurricular activity, or designed an invention that could help your community — any of these work.

As long as there’s conflict, significant or subtle, you can use the story.

If you aren’t sure what story to tell, consider the ideas and brainstorming techniques below to help you find the perfect college essay topic.

Consider your hobbies and interests

What do you like to do?

This doesn’t have to be an extracurricular activity that’s already been heavily mentioned in your application. It can be something else that you like to do in your free time.

Do you have any hobbies or interests that might be surprising to people? What do you do on the weekends? What did you do last summer?

Reflecting back on your experiences and answering questions like these are great ways to find inspiration for the right topic.

You’re looking for any interesting moments, impactful experiences, or great stories to tell.

It doesn’t have to be something hugely impressive.

For instance, you can write an essay about the week you spent building a tree house with your best friend.

Through this essay, you can demonstrate your commitment, creativity, ability to plan and execute, love of the outdoors, etc.

Think about work experience

If you’re a high school junior or senior, you probably haven’t had any major jobs yet. But any type of work experience can provide a wealth of material for an essay topic.

Even if you’ve worked at your local movie theater, had a babysitting gig, or sold retail, think back on your experiences.

• Is there anything particularly memorable that happened?
• Any time you were challenged and rose to the occasion?
• Or do you have unique work experiences that could provide an interesting essay idea?

If you can find a story that resonates with you and can help demonstrate your character, write it!

Look around for inspiration

Look around your bedroom, home, car, and backyard for inspiration.

• What’s hanging up in your bedroom?
• What books line your shelves?
• Do you collect anything interesting — and if you do, why?
• What memories come to mind as you look around your house?

You can even look around your garage or basement. Any interesting items — a unicycle? A ukulele? Something you built with your dad? A Halloween costume you made yourself?

If you have journals or scrapbooks, browse through them for some ideas.

You can even scroll through your pictures and posts on social media.

These little “treasure hunts” for inspiration can unlock some creative and engaging topics.

The topics that might seem silly or mundane at first glance often lead to far better essays than topics you choose just to seem impressive.

These topics also tend to be more unique, engaging, and personal.

Reflect on your defining qualities

How would you describe yourself?

How would other people describe you? (If you aren’t sure, ask some friends or family members to describe you in a few words.)

• Come up with some defining characteristics.
• Are you creative?
• Passionate?
• Persistent?

Once you can decide on a few characteristics that define you as an individual, think of experiences you’ve had that demonstrate these qualities.

You can also consider experiences that have helped shape or develop this aspect of your personality.

Think about your challenges

Challenges or problems tend to provide excellent stories that also give insight into your character and how you handle adversity.

These challenges can include times you struggled, failed, confronted a fear, made a difficult decision, faced an obstacle, or dealt with a major change.

• If you choose to take this approach, be sure to focus on the positive.
• How did you address or deal with the situation?
• What did you learn?
• How did you change or grow as a result of this challenge?

For instance, one student who was accepted to Brown, Georgetown, and Tulane wrote an essay about her childhood struggle with shyness and how this struggle ultimately led her to pursue a career in communications.

Find something unique

Have you had any experiences that may set you apart from others? Do you have a unique family background? Has your childhood brought challenges that others may not have endured?

• You don’t have to focus on finding a never-before-seen essay topic.
• But if there’s anything about you that sets you apart from others and can help you tell a fascinating story, go for it!
• This is especially true if you think these unique experiences have played a major role in your life or in shaping your personality and character.

If you can’t think of anything in particular, don’t worry, and definitely don’t make anything up! The best essay will be one that tells your story, not the story you think admissions officers want to hear.

Be authentic.

Avoid overused topics

By now, you’ve probably heard that it’s important to submit a unique, original college essay.

This is true, but you don’t have to try too hard to come up with a zany, completely unheard-of topic.

It’s most important for the essay to be well-written, compelling, and a good reflection of your ability to contribute to a college campus.

However, try to  avoid these overused topics :

• Cliché life lessons learned from sports, like, “Hard work always pays off.” (Any athlete can write an essay like this. What’s a different perspective or experience you can offer?)
• “Traveling to [insert country here] has broadened my horizons.” (Again, this is a story any traveler can tell. If you want to write about travel experiences, make sure you are the focus of the essay. What did you learn about yourself from the experience? What’s something specific you did in this country for the first time? Did anything unusual or unexpected happen?)
• “How community service taught me the importance of helping others…” (If community service honestly is an important part of your life, you can talk about a specific experience and how it impacted you. But a general, cliché essay about how community service or participating in a blood drive is life-changing will bore the admissions officer. And it certainly won’t make you stand out.)
• Exaggerated hardship. (A legitimate, difficult hardship can produce a meaningful essay. But writing about “hardships” that weren’t particularly challenging or are very common isn’t a great idea. For example, college admissions officers claim to read far too many “pet eulogies.” Essays about divorce or death in the family are also very common.)
• Essays about immigrating to/adjusting to life in another country. (These essays can be interesting IF you take a unique approach. For example, focus on a specific experience related to life as an immigrant, rather than writing in general about the difficulties of living in a new place.)
• An essay about how a parent or grandparent has been an inspiration. (This is another topic that can be interesting if you have a unique perspective or a specific experience to talk about. If you choose a topic along these lines, make sure 1/3 or less of the essay focuses on the inspiration, while the other 2/3 is about what you have been inspired to do as a result.)

Do not to worry too much about having the most original idea ever.

Avoid overly cliché ideas like the topics listed above, and your topic should be perfectly fine.

If you want to address a topic that’s somewhat common, make sure you can offer a fresh perspective or a unique twist.

Don’t be too controversial

It’s best to avoid overly controversial topics, especially those related to politics and religion.

You never know who will be reading your essay or what they believe, but you do know that they have a say in whether or not you get admitted to this college or university.

Some students write essays about life issues they’ve worked through that are illegal or illicit.

• These include drinking, drugs, sexual behavior, or arrests. Although it’s possible to address these topics effectively, it’s best to avoid such risky subjects.

Again, you don’t know who will be reading the essay or how they will feel about such topics. You don’t want your judgment, morals, or behavior to be questioned.

The ultimate goal of the college essay is to get you admitted to a college or university, so make sure you don’t take unnecessary risks or go with a topic idea that is too controversial.

Answer analytical questions

Another effective brainstorming exercise is to answer thought-provoking questions about yourself.

As you answer these questions, you might  discover an essay topic  of which you wouldn’t have thought before.

Here are some questions you can consider:

• What’s the most important decision you’ve ever made? How did you decide? What happened as a result?
• When did you first feel like you were no longer a child? What happened? What’s the difference between your childhood self and your more adult self?
• Of what are you most proud? Is it a personality trait? An accomplishment? A skill? Why?
• What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever gotten? Why was it such good advice? Have you used it in your life?
• What has been your most challenging class or teacher? Why was it so challenging? How did you respond or rise to the challenge?
• If you could return to one moment from your life, what moment would it be why? To relive something happy? To change what happened, fix a mistake, or make a different choice?
• Think about the traditions you’ve grown up with. Which will you pass on? Which will you change?
• What’s something about yourself that you could never change while still remaining the same person? Is there a central piece of your personality, appearance, or background that defines you or makes you who you are?
• What do you like about yourself the most? How was this quality shaped? How has it changed or benefited your life?
• What are you passionate about? What could you do or learn about for hours? Why?
• What is your most cherished possession? What’s the story behind it? Why is so valuable to you? What does this say about you?
• Are there any global, national, or community issues that are especially significant to you? What personal experiences or interests have contributed to your feelings about this issue?
• Have you ever faced an ethical dilemma? How did you handle the situation? What did you learn from it? What does this reveal about your character and beliefs?
• Are there any books you’ve read independently (not in school) that have been influential in your life? What book? How did it influence you?
• What are your goals? What do you want to achieve, accomplish, or pursue? What inspired these goals or your interest in these areas?
• Who has been most influential in your life? Why do you respect or admire them so much? How has their presence in your life changed or influenced you?
• What have you learned from the family or community you grew up in? What do you particularly value about your family or community?
• Can you think of any moments or events that have changed your life? How did they change your life or you as a person? What lessons did you learn from these moments or events?

You can complete this brainstorming activity mentally or in writing, but it’s certainly helpful to jot down any particularly interesting ideas or anecdotes that spring to mind.

As you look over your notes, you should find at least one idea that could lead to an excellent essay.

If you’re stuck between a few ideas, you can always try writing an outline or a couple of paragraphs for each to determine which one is most promising.

Get specific. Tell a story. 

You will likely have a  500-750 word limit for your essay .

That’s not a lot of space to work with. For this reason, it’s important to have a specific topic idea.

Specific topic ideas can also help you be more original.

Everyone can write about how traveling broadened their horizons, but perhaps only you can write about that time in Spain when, for the first time, you summoned the courage to get out on a dance floor.

Narrow down your topic ideas.

• For example, if you want to write about volunteering at a nursing home, what is a specific experience that has impacted you?
• Is there a specific person you’ve spent significant time with?
• A story they shared with you that influenced or inspired you?
• Anything unusual or surprising that occurred?

If you want to write something about your family’s culture, make sure the essay isn’t generic or vague.

• Can you talk about a specific tradition?
• A piece of clothing or a food that’s culturally significant and meaningful to you?
• Something specific about your culture that others have struggled to understand?

Once you have a solid topic idea, push yourself to get as specific as possible. 500-750 words is not enough space to adequately address a broad topic.

The more specific your topic gets, the more meaningful, thought-provoking, and well-written your essay can be.

Going further, a great college essay topic often comes from stories we tell about ourselves.

Creating a narrative that has elements of plot, setting, character, conflict, and resolution will help you decide if you’ve chosen the right topic.

• For example, maybe you visited a Buddhist temple in Japan last summer, or maybe you were the fastest runner in a cross-country meet.
• If you aren’t able to dramatize these events, then the topic isn’t right for you.

If, however, you can put your readers inside that temple or in your shoes as you’re running, it will help them to truly  understand your experience .

Great storytelling is about details.

Remember that you are an expert at the things you do, but not everyone knows those details as intimately as you.

Draw on your expertise to create a compelling topic.

If you’re still having trouble, focus on a great conflict you’ve faced. Why?

• Conflict drives all stories.
• That’s why the best books, movies, TV shows, and redemption stories feature a conflict.
• Conflict means something important is at stake.

It raises the importance of your story and, thus, the interest level of the reader.

Consider what the topic idea says about you

The true purpose of the essay is to help admissions officers “get to know” you.

The essay should give the admissions committee insight into who you are as a person and how you would contribute to the school.

• Make sure the topic you choose casts you in a positive light, and make sure it tells the admissions committee something about you, something they wouldn’t know from simply looking at your GPA or SAT score.

Perhaps the essay demonstrates your generosity, kindness, sense of humor, leadership abilities, motivation, persistence, willingness to learn from others, flexibility, resilience, patience, or passion.

No matter what story the essay says about you, it needs to demonstrate positive qualities that would be an asset on any college campus.

As you’re brainstorming college essay topic ideas, remember to ask yourself, “What does this say about you? What will admissions officers learn about you from reading this essay?”

The best stories have a point.

We can all remember hearing stories that don’t seem to go anywhere and not being sure why we heard them in the first place.

In order to choose a great college essay topic, you want your story to  make sense to your  audience, while reflecting your best qualities.

Ask yourself these questions:

• What did I learn from this experience?
• Did I change as a person?
• Would I have made the same choices again?
• What does the story I’m telling say about me?
• Does this story define me in any way?

If you can answer these questions, you’re on  the right track  to finding the perfect topic for you.

Remember, your topic choice must demonstrate who you are. If a family trip or a favorite food doesn’t help you discuss the way you understand yourself, it won’t be right.

On the other hand, if you can explore your idea in depth, and if you really feel a connection to it, take that topic seriously.

Don’t forget the importance of growing from adversity. Throughout your life, you may have faced many challenges you’ve had to overcome.

• Some of these are small, like the time you had to pass a difficult math class by studying your hardest.
• Other challenges might be more profound: coping with the death of a family member, or facing a physical injury.

Colleges want to know that you’re a person who can experience something difficult and grow from it.

Those challenging aspects of your life are not represented on anything else in your college application, so consider using the personal statement as your opportunity to discuss it.

When writing about adversity, you need to strike the right tone.

Do not attempt to make someone feel bad for you.

Remember, this is about growth, not heartbreak.

If you can pinpoint something that has made you into a more caring person, a more confident student, or a more reflective thinker, you should write about that.

• Learning and growing from adversity is, perhaps, one of life’s greatest pleasures.
• People love a success, but success only comes after learning from failure.

A student who can identify failures and explain what he learned and how he grew is someone who is well-equipped for college and beyond. Growth enables change, adaptation, and success.

Demonstrate to the university how you are equipped for college and professional success.

Tell them about your failure and how you applied the lessons from this failure to better your life.

You should be the focus of the essay.

Along these same lines, it’s important to choose a college essay topic  in which you are the focus .

• For example, you shouldn’t write an entire essay about your grandmother’s wonderful qualities (even if she is a spectacular person).
• Similarly, an essay about traveling shouldn’t read like a travel journal of all the fun things to do in Ireland. An essay about sports shouldn’t be focused solely on how hard the team worked, or the great pre-game speeches the coach gave.

You must be the center of the essay, so choose a topic accordingly. Regardless of what you write about, the main focus should be how this experience or person has influenced, impacted, and shaped you.

• What have you learned as a result, and how have you put these lessons into practice in your life?

As you think about your topic ideas, ask yourself to think about the answers to these questions. If you’re not able to answer them in a meaningful, logical way, you may need to choose a different topic.

A college essay topic that really explains who you are will often be based on action.

• Consider the things you  do  in your life.
• An action can be anything from a sport, activity, hobby, or experience.

Maybe you’re an excellent pastry chef, and you’ve decorated cakes for a local bakery. Maybe you’re a fantastic photographer who loves taking pictures of city skylines.

Choosing your topic is also your opportunity to think about what it’s actually like to do those things.

• You won’t want to emphasize all of the awards you won; that’s what your transcript is for.
• Colleges can already see your achievements, so this essay should help you describe why doing something is meaningful to you.

Many students will write about service trips they’ve taken or important connections with family members.

While there’s nothing wrong with those topics, they don’t necessarily help you stand out.

The more you can make your topic specific and active, the more effective it will be.

• For example, maybe your grandfather is the most important person in your life.
• While you could write a lot about him, it’s best to emphasize action.
• If going fishing together or attending baseball games were shared pastimes, focus on those specific moments because they will help ground your topic in a way your reader can clearly see.

Focusing on action is pivotal because it demonstrates how you take a proactive approach to your life.

Successful, passionate, and driven people are proactive. They see problems and address them.

The more proactive you are, the greater the amount opportunities you will cultivate. The more opportunities you have, you will create chances to succeed, so long as you work hard.

Think of the importance of this concept from the university’s perspective:

• They want students who focus on action because these kinds of individuals are bound to do great things after college.
• These great things include climbing the professional ladder, starting companies, mentoring youth, raising happy families, and inventing valuable devices.

Eventually, these people come back to the university and donate money for buildings, programs, and scholarships.

Be authentic

We mentioned this briefly before, but it’s important for you to pick a topic that truly resonates with you.

It should be something you’re passionate about, interested in, and excited to share with others.

You want your enthusiasm and genuine personality to shine through.

• If you choose a topic just because you think it will be impressive, admissions officers will notice.
• The essay is supposed to help the admissions officers get to know you, so you want it to reflect who you truly are.

As you think about your list of topic ideas, make sure they reflect your genuine abilities, interests, and personality.

Avoid topics that are “trying too hard” or don’t authentically represent you as an individual.

Keep in mind that most people write about a topic that makes them look good. There’s nothing wrong with that.

However, you should focus on a topic that also makes you look like  you .

Take some time to think about what experiences you’ve had that most people haven’t.

Each person is unique, and it’s a good idea to consider what makes you different.

It could be a job you’ve had, a place you’ve traveled, or a meaningful interaction.

Explore your personal, familial, or cultural traditions.

Remember that your perspective on the world is a result of everything you’ve done in your life, and some of your more meaningful experiences will help you communicate your personality honestly.

Last, don’t fall into the trap of comparing your stories to your classmates’.

• Why? You will inevitably judge yourself and feel bad about how your topic doesn’t compare to something extravagant your friend is writing about.
• When self-doubt sets in, your writing will suffer because you’ll be spending valuable mental energy on worrying than on writing.

So, focus on authenticity. Authenticity is unbeatable.

Browse resources: great ideas come from others

Another way to find inspiration is to make use of the many resources available online. You can search for sample essays that were successful, for instance.

Of course, you don’t want to follow these essays too closely, but you may find that reading examples gives you interesting ideas of your own.

You can also look up essay topics for colleges to which you aren’t applying.

• Many colleges use creative, thought-provoking prompts to learn more about their applicants.
• You may want to write to these prompts, or they may remind you of an anecdote that would make for the perfect essay.

Other resources can include your family and friends. Is there anything that stands out about you that they think would make for an engaging essay?

Do your parents remember anything from your childhood that’s an interesting and revealing story?

Ultimately, you want to pick a topic that you love, but talking to others can get your ideas flowing.

Think about your values

It all comes back to values. When all else fails, think about the themes and values that make up your personality.

How do you brainstorm your values? Ask yourself these questions, answer the relevant ones, and write down your answers.

Choose at least seven questions to answer. The end result of writing down your values is a thought tree. You can base your essay answers off the values you discover:

• When did you feel fear the most?
• Name an experience during which you felt most alive.
• How do you earn money?
• What is the most important value you expect from a friend?
• Name a situation during which you were loyal.
• When did you become aware of your identity?
• What’s the biggest challenge you’ve faced?
• What’s the hardest physical feat you’ve accomplished?
• What’s the hardest mental feat you’ve accomplished?
• What’s the best piece of advice or feedback you’ve received?
• How do you feel about your family?
• Which family member(s) are you closest to?
• What is your most cherished possession, and why?
• If you could invent anything, what would it be?
• Name your best dream and worst nightmare.
• What makes you lose your self-esteem?
• What makes you question your dedication or love for your passions?
• Which figure in history do you look up to, and why?
• What’s your favorite quote, and why?
• How do you feel about your mother, and how would life be different without her?
• How do you feel about your father, and how would life be different without him?
• What’s the most humiliating experience of your life?
• What’s an art or hobby you’ve gained respect for, and why?
• If you could run a successful business, what would it be?
• What’s your favorite subject, and why?
• Describe your perfect day.
• What are your favorite hobbies, and why?
• What are your most vivid memories?
• Name an experience that truly changed your life.
• Where is the best placed you’ve traveled?
• Where do you most want to travel?
• If you had a million dollars, what would you do or spend it on?
• What is your dream career?
• What makes you angry?
• What makes you upset?
• How did you experience the worst injury you’ve ever had?
• Who have you lost in your life, through death or any other experience?
• What’s your biggest regret?
• What do you constantly think about?
• What are you most curious about?
• Name an ethical dilemma that you’ve had, and explain what happened?
• What’s your favorite image, and why?
• What do you love about your best friends?
• If you could change anything that would definitely make the world a better place, what would you change?

Know of any other great questions? Ask yourself these questions, and write down your responses.

Still having a tough time?

Here are some values and themes. How do you relate to the ones that are pertinent to you?

Remember, you don’t need to write about all of them when answering your college essay; focus on the ones that play an important role in your daily decision-making, themes, ambitions, and the like:

• Humiliation
• Arduousness
• Exhilaration
• Perseverance
• Opportunity
• Achievement

There are other values you can use. These are great starting points.

To determine which values are the most evocative, ask yourself which characteristic or question…

• Hit me the hardest?
• Resonates the most with me?
• Could I write the most about?
• Features a noteworthy conflict? This is the most important one

Remember, you’re not trying to write a literary masterpiece; you’re trying to write about yourself.

Be simple. Don’t choose values that are too complex or too broad to explain.

While your essay might not be about these elements per se, they will link to other portions of your life. You have two choices when approaching your elements:

• You can write about the elements…
• or you can write about the experiences or thoughts they link to.

Don’t pick a topic that is overly complex. Just focus on self-exposition and writing about yourself in a clear and concise manner.

A Helpful Infographic

When using this infographic, remember to have a pencil and piece of paper by your side. Record your answers.

Once you have finished brainstorming, you can choose the right essay idea. Make sure that the idea you select is:

• Relevant to the selected prompt (can address all parts of the question)
• A good reflection of you and your interests
• Engaging, interesting, or thought-provoking
• Somewhat original (something the admissions officer won’t have to read about dozens or hundreds of times)
• A topic you are genuinely interested in and want to write about (The essay should come across as sincere, not forced.)

Conclusion: Finding the Best College Essay Topic & Ideas

The possibilities for a college application essay topic are nearly endless. Sometimes, this is exactly what makes settling on one topic so difficult.

Look for a topic that allows you to tell a story and reflect on how this experience has shaped you, what this experience tells admissions officers about you, or how this experience has been significant in your life. Ultimately, the essay should be one that only  you  could write.

Think about your hobbies and interests, work experience, defining qualities, and challenges. Do those lead to any good stories?

Look around your bedroom, car, and home. Are there any items that provide a spark of inspiration? Ask your family and friends for ideas, answer analytical questions, and browse the resources available online.

In the end, you’re sure to find an engaging story about  you  that will provide valuable insight to admissions officers. Don’t worry so much about finding the most impressive topic — just tell your own unique story, and you’re certain to write a powerful college application essay!

And if you’re interested in gaining an edge in college admissions essay writing,  check out our college essay boot camp.

Stay on track and ease your anxiety with our second-to-none college application assistance.

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By submitting my email address. i certify that i am 13 years of age or older, agree to recieve marketing email messages from the princeton review, and agree to terms of use., popular college application essay topics (and how to answer them).

Get help writing your college application essays. Find this year's Common App writing prompts and popular essay questions used by individual colleges.

The college essay is your opportunity to show admissions officers who you are apart from your grades and test scores (and to distinguish yourself from the rest of a very talented applicant pool).

2023–24 Common App Essays

Nearly 700 colleges accept the The Common Application , which makes it easy to apply to multiple schools with just one form. If you are using the Common App to apply for college admissions, you will have 250–650 words to respond to ONE of the following prompts:

• 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.
• 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?
• Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. What prompted your thinking? What was the outcome?
• 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?
• Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others.
• 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?
• 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.

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Read More: Get Expert Essay Advice From Former Admissions Officers!

Tackling the Common App Essay Prompts

Prompt #1: share your story..

Answer this prompt by reflecting on a hobby, facet of your personality, or experience that is genuinely meaningful and unique to you. Admissions officers want to feel connected to you and an honest, personal statement about who you are draws them in. Your love of superheroes, baking chops, or family history are all fair game if you can tie it back to who you are or what you believe in. Avoid a rehash of the accomplishments on your high school résumé and choose something that the admissions committee will not discover when reading the rest of your application.

Prompt #2: Learning from obstacles.

You're trying to show colleges your best self, so it might seem counterintuitive to willingly acknowledge a time you struggled. But overcoming challenges demonstrates courage, grit, and perseverance! That’s why the last piece of this prompt is essential. The obstacle you write about can be large or small, but you must show the admissions committee how your perspective changed as a result.

Prompt #3: Challenging a belief.

Your answer to this question could focus on a time you stood up to others or an experience when your own preconceived view was challenged. Choose this prompt if you have a relevant—and specific!—experience to recount (and reflect on). A vague essay about a hot button issue doesn’t tell the admissions committee anything useful about YOU.

Prompt #4: Reflecting on gratitude.

Colleges are looking for students with unique experiences that can enhance their future campus community, and this is your chance to share that by recognizing what someone else has done for you. Even though this prompt requires you to reflect on the action of another person, make sure that the focus remains on how the act of kindness impacted you and the way you live your life. This essay should make you and the reader smile.

Prompt #5: Personal growth.

Just like Prompt #2, the accomplishment or event you write about can be anything from a major milestone to a smaller "aha" moment. Describe the event or accomplishment that shaped you but take care to also show what you learned or how you changed. Colleges are looking for a sense of maturity and introspection—pinpoint the transformation and demonstrate your personal growth. 

Prompt #6: What captivates you?

This prompt is an invitation to write about something you care about. (So avoid the pitfall of writing about what you think will impress the admission office versus what truly matters to you). Colleges are looking for curious students, who are thoughtful about the world around them. The "what or who do you turn to when you want to learn more” bit isn't an afterthought—it's a key piece of the prompt. Make sure you explain how you pursue your interest, as well.

Read More: QUIZ: Test Your College Knowledge!

Prompt #7: Topic of your choice.

This question might be for you if you have a dynamo personal essay from English class to share or were really inspired by a question from another college’s application. You can even write your own question! Whatever topic you land on, the essentials of a standout college essay still stand: 1.) Show the admissions committee who you are beyond grades and test scores and 2.) Dig into your topic by asking yourself how and why. There isn’t a prompt to guide you, so you must ask yourself the questions that will get at the heart of the story you want to tell.

More College Essay Topics

Individual schools sometimes require supplemental essays. Here are a few popular application essay topics and some tips for how to approach them:

Describe a person you admire.

Avoid the urge to pen an ode to a beloved figure like Gandhi or Abraham Lincoln. The admissions committee doesn't need to be convinced they are influential people. Focus on yourself: Choose someone who has actually caused you to change your behavior or your worldview, and write about how this person influenced you .

Why do you want to attend this school?

Be honest and specific when you respond to this question. Avoid generalities like "to get a good liberal arts education” or “to develop career skills," and use details that show your interests: "I'm an aspiring doctor and your science department has a terrific reputation." Colleges are more likely to admit students who can articulate specific reasons why the school is a good fit for them beyond its reputation or ranking on any list. Use the college's website and literature to do your research about programs, professors, and other opportunities that appeal to you.

Read More: 5 Ways College Application Essays and High School Essays Are Different

What is a book you love?

Your answer should not be a book report. Don't just summarize the plot; detail why you enjoyed this particular text and what it meant to you. What does your favorite book reveal about you? How do you identify with it, and how has it become personal to you?

Again, be honest in answering this question—don't choose a classic from your literature class or a piece of philosophy just because you think it will make you seem smarter. Writing fluently and passionately about a book close to you is always better than writing shakily or generally about a book that doesn't inspire you.

What is an extracurricular activity that has been meaningful to you?

Avoid slipping into clichés or generalities. Take this opportunity to really examine an experience that taught you something you didn't previously know about yourself, got you out of your comfort zone, or forced you to grow. Sometimes it's better to write about something that was hard for you because you learned something than it is to write about something that was easy for you because you think it sounds admirable. As with all essay questions, the most important thing is to tell a great story: how you discovered this activity, what drew you to it, and what it's shown you about yourself.

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College Essays

Writing the college application essay is a tough gig. You've got to be charming, personal, memorable, and insightful--all in under two pages! But I'm going to tell you a secret: half of a great personal essay is a great topic idea. If you're passionate about what you're writing, and if you're truly documenting something meaningful and serious about yourself and your life, then that passion and meaning will come alive on the page and in the mind of your reader.

So how do you come up with an essay idea? The best way is to brainstorm your way to an event from your life that reveals a core truth about you. In this article, I will help you do just that. Keep reading to find 35 jumping off points that touch on every possible memory you could harness, as well as advice on how to use your brainstorming session to fully realize your idea for an essay topic.

What Makes an Essay Topic Great?

What does your application tell admissions officers about you? Mostly it's just numbers and facts: your name, your high school, your grades and SAT scores. These stats would be enough if colleges were looking to build a robot army, but they aren't.

So how do they get to see a slice of the real you? How can they get a feel for the personality, character, and feelings that make you the person that you are? It's through your college essay. The essay is a way to introduce yourself to colleges in a way that displays your maturity. This is important because admissions officers want to make sure that you will thrive in the independence of college life and work.

This is why finding a great college essay topic is so hugely important: because it will allow you to demonstrate the maturity level admissions teams are looking for. This is best expressed through the ability to have insight about what has made you into you, through the ability to share some vulnerabilities or defining experiences, and through the ability to be a creative thinker and problem solver.

In other words, a great topic is an event from your past that you can narrate, draw conclusions from, explain the effect of. Most importantly, you should be able to describe how it has changed you from the kind of person you were to the better person that you are now. If you can do all that, you are well ahead of the essay game.

How Do You Know If Your College Essay Topic Is Great?

Eric Maloof, the Director of International Admission at Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas has a great checklist for figuring out whether you're on the right track with your essay topic . He says, if you can answer "yes" to these two questions, then you've got the makings of a great essay:

• Is the topic of my essay important to me?
• Am I the only person who could have written this essay?

So how do you translate this checklist into essay topic action items?

Make it personal. Write about something personal, deeply felt, and authentic to the real you (but which is not an overshare). Take a narrow slice of your life: one event, one influential person, one meaningful experience—and then you expand out from that slice into a broader explanation of yourself.

Always think about your reader. In this case, your reader is an admission officer who is slogging through hundreds of college essays. You don't want to bore that person, and you don't want to offend that person. Instead, you want to come across as likable and memorable.

Put the reader in the experience with you by making your narrow slice of life feel alive. This means that your writing needs to be chock-full of specific details, sensory descriptions, words that describe emotions, and maybe even dialog. This is why it's very important to make the essay topic personal and deeply felt. Readers can tell when a writer isn't really connected to whatever he is writing about. And the reverse is true as well: deep emotion shows through your writing.

Coming Up With Great College Essay Ideas

Some people know right off the bat that they have to write about that one specific defining moment of their lives. But if you're reading this, chances are you aren't one of these people. Don't worry—I wasn't one of them either! What this means is that you—like me—will have to put in a little work to come up with the perfect idea by first doing some brainstorming.

I've come up with about 35 different brainstorming jumping off points that ask questions about your life and your experiences. The idea here is to jog your memory about the key life events that have shaped you and affected you deeply.

I recommend you spend at least two minutes on each question, coming up with and writing down at least one answer—or as many answers as you can think of. Seriously—time yourself. Two minutes is longer than you think! I would also recommend doing this over several sittings to get your maximum memory retrieval going—even if it takes a couple of days, it'll be worth it.

Then, we will use this list of experiences and thoughts to narrow your choices down to the one topic idea that you will use for your college essay.

Brainstorming Technique 1: Think About Defining Moments in Your Life

• What is your happiest memory? Why? What was good about it? Who and what was around you then? What did it mean to you?
• What is your saddest memory? Would you change the thing that happened or did you learn something crucial from the experience?
• What is the most important decision you've had to make? What was hard about the choice? What was easy? Were the consequences of your decision what you had imagined before making it? Did you plan and game out your choices, or did you follow gut instinct?
• What decision did you not have any say in, but would have wanted to? Why were you powerless to participate in this decision? How did the choice made affect you? What do you think would have happened if a different choice had been made?
• What the most dangerous or scary thing that you've lived through? What was threatened? What were the stakes? How did you survive/overcome it? How did you cope emotionally with the fallout?
• When did you first feel like you were no longer a child? Who and what was around you then? What had you just done or seen? What was the difference between your childhood self and your more adult self?
• What are you most proud of about yourself? Is it a talent or skill? A personality trait or quality? An accomplishment? Why is this the thing that makes you proud?

Brainstorming Technique 2: Remember Influential People

• Which of your parents (or parental figures) are you most like in personality and character? Which of their traits do you see in yourself? Which do you not? Do you wish you were more like this parent or less?
• Which of your grandparents, great-grandparents, or other older relatives has had the most influence on your life? Is it a positive influence, where you want to follow in their footsteps in some way? A negative influence, where you want to avoid becoming like them in some way? How is the world they come from like your world? How is it different?
• Which teacher has challenged you the most? What has that challenge been? How did you respond?
• What is something that someone once said to you that has stuck with you? When and where did they say it? Why do you think it's lodged in your memory?
• Which of your friends would you trade places with for a day? Why?
• If you could intern for a week or a month with anyone—living or dead, historical or fictional—who would it be? What would you want that person to teach you? How did you first encounter this person or character? How do you think this person would react to you?
• Of the people you know personally, whose life is harder than yours? What makes it that way—their external circumstances? Their inner state? Have you ever tried to help this person? If yes, did it work? If no, how would you help them if you could?
• Of the people you know personally, whose life is easier than yours? Are you jealous? Why or why not?

Brainstorming Technique 3: Recreate Important Times or Places

• When is the last time you felt so immersed in what you were doing that you lost all track of time or anything else from the outside world? What were you doing? Why do you think this activity got you into this near-zen state?
• Where do you most often tend to daydream? Why do you think this place has this effect on you? Do you seek it out? Avoid it? Why?
• What is the best time of day? The worst? Why?
• What is your favorite corner of, or space in, the place where you live? What do you like about it? When do you go there, and what do you use it for?
• What is your least favorite corner of, or space in, the place where you live? Why do you dislike it? What do you associate it with?
• If you had to repeat a day over and over, like the movie Groundhog Day , what day would it be? If you'd pick a day from your life that has already happened, why would you want to be stuck it in? To relive something great? To fix mistakes? If you'd pick a day that hasn't yet occurred, what would the day you were stuck in be like?
• If you could go back in time to give yourself advice, when would you go back to? What advice would you give? Why? What effect would you want your advice to have?

Brainstorming Technique 4: Answer Thought-Provoking Questions

• If you could take a Mulligan and do over one thing in your life, what would it be? Would you change what you did the first time around? Why?
• Or, if you could take another crack at doing something again, what would you pick? Something positive—having another shot at repeating a good experience? Something negative—getting the chance to try another tactic to avoid a bad experience?
• Which piece of yourself could you never change while remaining the same person? Your race? Ethnicity? Intellect? Height? Freckles? Loyalty? Sense of humor? Why is that the thing that you'd cling to as the thing that makes you who you are?
• Which of your beliefs, ideas, or tastes puts you in the minority? Why do you think/believe/like this thing when no one else seems to?
• What are you most frightened of? What are you not frightened enough of? Why?
• What is your most treasured possession? What would you grab before running out of the house during a fire? What is this object's story and why is it so valuable to you?
• What skill or talent that you don't have now would you most like to have? Is it an extension of something you already do? Something you've never had the guts to try doing? Something you plan on learning in the future?
• Which traditions that you grew up with will you pass on? Which will you ignore? Why?

Brainstorming Technique 5: Find a Trait or Characteristic and Trace It Back

• What are three adjectives you'd use to describe yourself? Why these three? Which of these is the one you're most proud of? Least proud of? When did you last exhibit this trait? What were you doing?
• How would your best friend describe you? What about your parents? How are the adjectives they'd come up with different from the ones you'd use? When have they seen this quality or trait in you?
• What everyday thing are you the world's greatest at? Who taught you how to do it? What memories do you have associated with this activity? Which aspects of it have you perfected?
• Imagine that it's the future and that you've become well known. What will you become famous for? Is it for something creative or a performance? For the way you will have helped others? For your business accomplishments? For your athletic prowess? When you make a speech about this fame, whom will you thank for putting you where you are?
• What do you most like about yourself? This is different from the thing you're most proud of—this is the thing that you know about yourself that makes you smile. Can you describe a time when this thing was useful or effective in some way?

How to Turn Your Brainstorming List Into an Essay Topic

Now that you have a cornucopia of daydreams, memories, thoughts, and ambitions, it's time to thin the herd, prune the dead branches, and whatever other mixed metaphors about separating the wheat from the chaff you can think of.

So how do you narrow down your many ideas into one?

Use the magic power of time. One of the best things you can do with your stack of college essay topics is to forget about them. Put them away for a couple of days so that you create a little mental space. When you come back to everything you wrote after a day or two, you will get the chance to read it with fresh eyes.

Let the cream rise to the top. When you reread your topics after having let them sit, do two things:

• Cross out any ideas that don't speak to you in some way. If something doesn't ring true, if it doesn't spark your interest, or if it doesn't connect with an emotion, then consider reject it.
• Circle or highlight any topics that pop out at you. If it feels engaging, if you get excited at the prospect of talking about it, if it resonates with a feeling, then put it at the top of the idea pile.

Rinse and repeat. Go through the process of letting a few days pass and then rereading your ideas at least one more time. This time, don't bother looking at the topics you've already rejected. Instead, concentrate on those you highlighted earlier and maybe some of the ones that were neither circled nor thrown away.

Trust your gut instinct (but verify). Now that you've gone through and culled your ideas several times based on whether or not they really truly appeal to you, you should have a list of your top choices—all the ones you've circled or highlighted along the way. Now is the moment of truth. Imagine yourself telling the story of each of these experiences to someone who wants to get to know you. Rank your possible topics in order of how excited you are to share this story. Really listen to your intuition here. If you're squeamish, shy, unexcited, or otherwise not happy at the thought of having to tell someone about the experience, it will make a terrible essay topic.

Develop your top two to four choices to see which is best. Unless you feel very strongly about one of your top choices, the only way to really know which of your best ideas is the perfect one is to try actually making them into essays. For each one, go through the steps listed in the next section of the article under "Find Your Idea's Narrative." Then, use your best judgment (and maybe that of your parents, teachers, or school counselor) to figure out which one to draft into your personal statement.

How to Make Your Idea Into a College Essay

Now, let's talk about what to do in order to flesh out your topic concept into a great college essay. First, I'll give you some pointers on expanding your idea into an essay-worthy story, and then talk a bit about how to draft and polish your personal statement.

Find Your Topic's Narrative

All great college essays have the same foundation as good short stories or enjoyable movies—an involving story. Let's go through what features make for a story that you don't want to put down:

A compelling character with an arc. Think about the experience that you want to write about. What were you like before it happened? What did you learn, feel, or think about during it? What happened afterwards? What do you now know about yourself that you didn't before?

Sensory details that create a "you are there!" experience for the reader. When you're writing about your experience, focus on trying to really make the situation come alive. Where were you? Who else was there? What did it look like? What did it sound like? Were there memorable textures, smells, tastes? Does it compare to anything else? When you're writing about the people you interacted with, give them a small snippet of dialog to say so the reader can "hear" that person's voice. When you are writing about yourself, make sure to include words that explain the emotions you are feeling at different parts of the story.

An insightful ending. Your essay should end with an uplifting, personal, and interesting revelation about the kind of person you are today, and how the story you have just described has made and shaped you.

Draft and Revise

The key to great writing is rewriting. So work out a draft, and then put it aside and give yourself a few days to forget what you've written. When you come back to look at it again look for places where you slow down your reading, where something seems out of place or awkward. Can you fix this by changing around the order of your essay? By explaining further? By adding details? Experiment.

Get advice. Colleges expect your essay to be your work, but most recommend having someone else cast a fresh eye over it. A good way to get a teacher or a parent involved is to ask them whether your story is clear and specific, and whether your insight about yourself flows logically from the story you tell.

Execute flawlessly. Dot every i, cross every t, delicately place every comma where it needs to go. Grammar mistakes, misspellings, and awkward sentence structure don't just make your writing look bad—they take the reader out of the story you're telling. And that makes you memorable, but in a bad way.

The Bottom Line

• Your college essay topic needs to come from the fact that essays are a way for colleges to get to know the real you , a you that is separate from your grades and scores.
• A great way to come up with topics is to wholeheartedly dive into a brainstorming exercise. The more ideas about your life that tumble out of your memory and onto the page, the better chance you have of finding the perfect college essay topic.
• Answer my brainstorming questions without editing yourself at first. Instead, simply write down as many things that pop into your head as you can—even if you end up going off topic.
• After you've generated a list of possible topics, leave it alone for a few days and then come back to pick out the ones that seem the most promising.
• Flesh out your top few ideas into full-blown narratives , to understand which reveals the most interesting thing about you as a person.
• Don't shy away from asking for help. At each stage of the writing process get a parent or teacher to look over what you're working on, not to do your work for you but to hopefully gently steer you in a better direction if you're running into trouble.

What's Next?

Ready to start working on your essay? Check out our explanation of the point of the personal essay and the role it plays on your applications .

For more detailed advice on writing a great college essay, read our guide to the Common Application essay prompts and get advice on how to pick the Common App prompt that's right for you .

Thinking of taking the SAT again before submitting your applications? We have put together the ultimate guide to studying for the SAT to give you the ins and outs of the best ways to study.

Anna scored in the 99th percentile on her SATs in high school, and went on to major in English at Princeton and to get her doctorate in English Literature at Columbia. She is passionate about improving student access to higher education.

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College Essay Basics

Just getting started on college essays? This section will guide you through how you should think about your college essays before you start.

• Why do essays matter in the college application process?
• What is a college application theme and how do you come up with one?
• How to format and structure your college essay

Before you move to the next section, make sure you understand:

How a college essay fits into your application

What a strong essay does for your chances

How to create an application theme

Learn the Types of College Essays

Next, let’s make sure you understand the different types of college essays. You’ll most likely be writing a Common App or Coalition App essay, and you can also be asked to write supplemental essays for each school. Each essay has a prompt asking a specific question. Each of these prompts falls into one of a few different types. Understanding the types will help you better answer the prompt and structure your essay.

• How to Write a Personal Statement That Wows Colleges
• Personal Statement Essay Examples
• How to Write a Stellar Extracurricular Activity Essay
• Extracurricular Essay Examples
• Tips for Writing a Diversity College Essay
• Diversity Essay Examples
• Tips for Writing a Standout Community Service Essay
• How to Write the “Why This Major” Essay
• How to Write a “Why This Major” Essay if You’re Undecided
• How to write the “Why This College” Essay
• How to Research a College to Write the “Why This College” Essay
• Why This College Essay Examples
• How to Write The Overcoming Challenges Essay
• Overcoming Challenges Essay Examples

Identify how each prompt fits into an essay type

What each type of essay is really asking of you

How to write each essay effectively

The Common App essay

Almost every student will write a Common App essay, which is why it’s important you get this right.

• How to Write the Common App Essay
• Successful Common App Essay Examples
• 5 Awesome College Essay Topics + Sample Essays
• 11 Cliché College Essay Topics + How to Fix Them

How to choose which Common App prompts to answer

How to write a successful Common App essay

What to avoid to stand out to admissions officers

Supplemental Essay Guides

Many schools, especially competitive ones, will ask you to write one or more supplemental essays. This allows a school to learn more about you and how you might fit into their culture.

These essays are extremely important in standing out. We’ve written guides for all the top schools. Follow the link below to find your school and read last year’s essay guides to give you a sense of the essay prompts. We’ll update these in August when schools release their prompts.

See last year’s supplemental essay guides to get a sense of the prompts for your schools.

Essay brainstorming and composition

Now that you’re starting to write your essay, let’s dive into the writing process. Below you’ll find our top articles on the craft of writing an amazing college essay.

• Where to Begin? 3 Personal Essay Brainstorming Exercises
• Creating the First Draft of Your College Application Essay
• How to Get the Perfect Hook for Your College Essay
• What If I Don’t Have Anything Interesting To Write About In My College Essay?
• 8 Do’s and Don’t for Crafting Your College Essay
• Stuck on Your College Essay? 8 Tips for Overcoming Writer’s Block

Understand how to write a great hook for your essay

Complete the first drafts of your essay

Editing and polishing your essay

Have a first draft ready? See our top editing tips below. Also, you may want to submit your essay to our free Essay Peer Review to get quick feedback and join a community of other students working on their essays.

• 11 Tips for Proofreading and Editing Your College Essay
• Getting Help with Your College Essay
• 5 DIY Tips for Editing Your College Essay
• How Long Should Your College Essay Be?
• Essential Grammar Rules for Your College Apps
• College Essay Checklist: Are You Ready to Submit?

Proofread and edited your essay.

Had someone else look through your essay — we recommend submitting it for a peer review.

Make sure your essay meets all requirements — consider signing up for a free account to view our per-prompt checklists to help you understand when you’re really ready to submit.

Advanced College Essay Techniques

Let’s take it one step further and see how we can make your college essay really stand out! We recommend reading through these posts when you have a draft to work with.

• 10 Guidelines for Highly Readable College Essays
• How to Use Literary Devices to Enhance Your Essay
• How to Develop a Personalized Metaphor for Your College Applications

QuestBridge supports high-achieving students from low-income backgrounds on their path to a top college. This is your chance to dream big. 

We’re here to connect Scholars and Alumni to the people and opportunities you need to reach your full potential.

Our partnerships bridge the gap between the nation’s brightest minds and the opportunities they deserve.

Learn more about who we are and how we help students dream big on their path to, through, and beyond college.

How to Write a College Essay

Let QuestBridge help you with college essay writing tips. We cover what to write about, how to get feedback, and more!

The low-income lens in college essays

Students from low-income backgrounds may not realize that they have a unique perspective to present to admissions officers. If your identity has been shaped by financial difficulties and other obstacles, consider writing about these challenges in your college essays so that admissions officers understand the full context of your successes and academic accomplishments.

Bring us into your world. We want to know you. We want to know your truth.

Student challenges and extenuating circumstances

You may describe specific challenges that you have risen above in your college essays, such as:

• You hold significant responsibilities in your household, such as providing care for an ill family member, babysitting siblings, or preparing family meals.
• You have a part-time job to pay for school activities or household expenses.
• You live with people other than your immediate family or have been in foster care.
• You experienced homelessness or other temporary housing situations.
• A parent has passed away or is not present in your life.
• You commute a long distance to attend school.
• Your family or community is not supportive of your educational goals.
• You faced obstacles because English is not your first language.

Proper tone for college essays

If you choose to write about challenges in your life, be careful to avoid using overly critical or negative language when writing a college essay. This is a good opportunity to emphasize your emotional maturity and how challenges in your life have helped you grow as a person. You may compromise that impression if your tone is resentful or excessively dramatic.

College essay topic choice

Giving admissions officers a window into difficult experiences can present your story in your college application, but there are other topics that can also make for a strong essay (e.g. a favorite book, a community service project). Whichever angle you select to tell your story, highlight the most important things that have shaped and continue to shape your identity.

The writing process: brainstorm, outline, and draft

Writing a college essay can seem daunting at first, but it doesn’t have to be. Watch our webinar,  Write a College Essay that Stands Out , and download our worksheet as a template and foundation to help you craft a strong college essay. This college essay format may help you write your essay in a manner that goes beyond just a chronological explanation of your life or an expansion of your resume.

Essay feedback and revisions

Ask teachers, mentors, family, or friends for feedback on your essay. Reach out well in advance of any deadlines, and give them at least two weeks to provide feedback. Ask them in person if you can, but if you cannot, send them an email. If they agree to take a look, you can send them a message with your essay. Download a sample message below.

After receiving feedback, revise! You should plan on going through a few drafts. Here are some things to keep in mind: 

• You do not have to incorporate all feedback. Accept what you think is most helpful. 
• Edits and revisions should not remove your voice or completely alter your writing style. 
• Pay attention to spelling, grammar, punctuation, and even formatting. 
• It may help to read your essay out loud to catch mistakes you might otherwise skim over. 
• Read your college essay from an admissions officer’s perspective.
• For more college essay writing tips, continue reading the FAQs below.

Detailed FAQs about college admissions essays

Mechanics, structure, and content are vital parts of a successful essay. Our Detailed College Essays FAQs page covers each category in detail to give your essay a strong start and finish. Learn about how to write a college essay, how long a college essay should be, and more.

How to Start a College Essay: 5 Effective Techniques

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Impressionable Openers

Descriptions and demonstrations, show vulnerability, be authentic, stay personal, fun & quirky, common mistakes to avoid in your college essay.

• Ways to Overcome Writer's Block

Frequently Asked Questions About Starting a College Essay

College essays are a huge part of your college career. If not huge, one of the biggest, and for someone who has been there and done that, I know the amount of pressure the beginning of a college essay, as well as the entire essay, can put on your shoulders.

Not only are you trying to juggle things like word count and grammar errors, but you're also trying to create the perfect college essay introduction that will attract admissions officers to your application or professors to your writing skills. And that, itself, can feel impossible, fill you with dread and self-doubt, but just breathe. I am here to help all present and future students know how to start a college essay.

Today is all about starting a college essay. I have come up with five easy and effective techniques that will help you create essays so good you're going to leave your readers wanting more , starting with your opening sentence! So, this is for all college students and college applicants. Stress no more! This guide was created to help you write a successful college essay. Let's get into it.

Visit our Scholarship Blog to learn how to create your free Bold profile , and start applying for scholarships designed to help you save BIG on your college education.

The beginning of your essay should, first and foremost, always have a strong opening sentence . This sentence sets the tone for not only your readers but for the entire essay. Having a wobbly, almost interesting opener can steer an admissions officer and/or professor away, so you want it to be strong. And it doesn't have to be complicated! Less is more in this situation. Here are a couple of ways you can accomplish this.

• Look within and be relatable
• Use your real life for inspiration
• Think about ways to evoke emotion

Here are some examples of impressionable openers:

• Example 1: When I was 11 years old, my mother told me she had cancer over breakfast.
• Example 2: Maybe yellow isn't my favorite color.
• Example 3: I sat next to this girl in class who made me feel stupid.

DISCLAIMER : your opener should ALWAYS adhere to the essay prompts. These are just a few examples that can capture your reader's attention almost immediately.

In order to keep readers interested, visuals are key . Image-based descriptions will not only add value to your writing, it will give your readers front seats to your essay's journey. These descriptions let actions speak for themselves.

Here is an example of a description and demonstration in an essay:

• Example 1: "I was sitting on a bar stool when the word 'cancer' hit me like the smell of her coffee brewing on the stove. The Rice Krispies were popping in my cereal bowl, and MTV Jams was playing in the background, yet all I could hear was the sound of doom all around me. The lips of my mother were moving, but I was frozen, crumbling on this stool like my mother's health. She was sick, and I didn't know how sick or what that even meant, and that terrified me."

Why This Works:

Here you can clearly feel the writers emotional state: shocked, still, scared. Not only is this moment at breakfast traumatic, you feel frozen in time with the writer. Using descriptions like this will evoke so much emotion and leave your reader wanting more.

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Something one of my teachers told me in high school was any good essay will have personal elements in it, no matter the topic. That always stuck with me and became the way I approached my college essays. Showing vulnerability in your writing will always guarantee interest. It also evokes emotion.

You can show vulnerability by:

• Being honest
• Explaining what's going on inside underneath the exterior
• Describe what's going on around you at the moment
• Letting go of the fear of being seen
• Connecting with the topic
• Being transparent about mistakes/flaws

Examples of showing vulnerability:

• Example 1 : My mother telling me she had cancer over breakfast was not on my bingo card this year.
• Example 2 : I never thought losing someone I love would change me.
• Example 3: I had to lose everything in order to gain everything.

I know being vulnerable can be tough for some , but showing this side of you to college admissions officers and/or professors will not only make you stand out, but it can also help free you of things that might be weighing on your mind. Not to sound corny, but it can be therapeutic and make you a better writer . Just make sure you are staying on track with the essay prompt, and you're set!

Whether it's believed or not, an admissions officer wants to see pieces of you in your personal statement, so starting your essay by showing authenticity is a major major key. Along with being vulnerable, there are a few ways you can achieve this.

• Reflect : Take the time to reflect on your experiences, values, and beliefs that have shaped who you are today. Let your values, passions, and interests shine through in your writing.
• Mind Your Voice : Write in your own voice and avoid trying to sound like someone you're not. Authenticity comes from being genuine and true to yourself.
• Tell Your Story : Share personal anecdotes and insights that show your unique perspective.
• Be True to You : Focus on what matters to YOU (as long as you're on topic!). Write about what is meaningful and important to you rather than what you think admissions officers want to hear.

Above all, be open . Showing introspection and self-awareness in your essay will show any admissions committee who you are beneath the surface, as well as your personal growth.

You can also begin your essay being as random and silly as you'd like . It goes hand-in-hand with other important factors like vulnerability and authenticity. But don't get too crazy . Beginning your essay with something strange will definitely draw readers in. Let me show you what I mean.

• Example 1 : I start my mornings off in silence and solitude to keep people away from me.
• Example 2 : Sometimes, I like to circle big words in complex articles to learn new words. Yeah, but to also keep one in my back pocket for later use.
• Example 3 : Being the youngest child means getting away with everything you want, and that's exactly how I like it.

Do you see how each sentence draws you in? Not only are they light-hearted, but they also make you want to know why you want to keep people away in the morning and what kind of weapon you're forming against others with new words. And every youngest sibling will attest to feeling that exact same way. All of these examples are sure to make your essay fun, show who you are, and leave readers wanting more.

Years of writing college essays have taken me through every high and low of the process possible. And when they're good, they're great! But for some reason, my mistakes stick out more than anything. So, I've compiled a list of common mistakes to avoid when writing your college essay .

• Avoid Being Cliche - While you want to be captivating, you want to avoid overly used syntax and phrases that could potentially lose your reader's curiosity. For example, "in today's day and age," "follow my heart," "don't judge a book by its cover," etc. are all cliches that can be avoided by thinking outside of the box.
• Using Vocabulary to be Impressive - I know you want to impress the admissions committees, but it's important to stick to what you know and not what you can allude to. That is, use verbiage that resonates with your personality. Using extravagant words can work against you, and they can also sound forced. College admissions officers want to see the real you, so show it to them.
• Steer Clear of Controversy - Though it's not said enough, your college essay should tell your personal story and not touch on things that can stir the pot. For instance, talking about politics and religious beliefs may not be the route you want to take UNLESS it's called for in the college essay topic. And if so, stay on track with the essay prompts.
• Procrastinating : Waiting until the last minute to start writing your essay will bite you in the butt. You will feel rushed and end up writing a poorly crafted piece. Give yourself enough time to complete an essay draft, edit the draft, and repeat this two-step cycle until your essay is complete.
• Lack of originality : This goes hand-in-hand with avoiding cliches. Your college essay should exude a lot of your personality, so show admissions officers and teachers who you are! Include your cultural background, test scores that you're proud of, any future aspirations, etc. This all depends on the essay prompts, of course, but in my experience, every essay topic has room to show who you are.
• Ignoring the prompt : This is a major key. STAY ON TRACK. Make sure to carefully read and understand the essay prompt, and write your essay accordingly. The last thing you want to do is write a college essay that has nothing to do with the prompt. Reading is essential here.
• Lack of focus : If you want to know how to start a college essay, that means knowing how to stay focused. Find a quiet space, turn off electronics, hide your phone, and really nestle into how you want to capture your reader's attention. This will help you use your five senses clearly, keep your writing strong and not write an overly wordy essay. Focus is the tool here.
• Poor organization : Make sure your essay has a strong structure with clear transitions between paragraphs. An outline will work best to accomplish this. If you go into starting your college essay without a plan, be prepared to hit all roadblocks.
• Neglecting to Revise and Edit : Like procrastinating, don't fail to revise and edit your work. Always, always, always proofread your essay for grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors , as well as clarity and coherence.
• Not Seeking Feedback : Listen, I know that completing an essay is an accomplishment in itself, and you immediately want to submit it, but it's so beneficial to have others read your essay for feedback. You can only spot so many holes in your work when your eyes are constantly reviewing it, so a second, third, or even fourth set of eyes can help point out areas for improvement.

Above all, trust the writing process. Though I do want you to be aware of your jargon, don't get too wrapped up in thinking you're making a mistake. That's what editing is for! Once you complete your college essay, you should always revise and edit accordingly . What you thought sounded good might make you edit it to sound great. Just keep in mind that many colleges are looking for honesty and authenticity vs how well you can sound on paper . So, if you're aware of these factors, you'll be good to go.

Ways to Overcome Writer's Block

Take it from someone who has suffered from chronic writer's block, it's a pain to get through . Imagine being on a writing streak so good that when you stop, the entire essay writing process stops as a whole. It's definitely a challenge, but after 10 years of writing essays and really honing my craft, I learned a few things that have helped me get through even the thickest of writer's blocks, and I want to share them with you. Check them out:

• Take a break : This works every single time. Take a short break and step away from your computer to clear your mind and come back with a fresh perspective. For me, 15 minutes is all I ever need. If you need more time, that's okay. Just try not to make your break a rest.
• Freewriting : Sometimes, I'd start writing without worrying about my structure or grammar to get the ideas flowing, and surprisingly enough, I found my essay taking a pleasant turn.
• Change your environment : Move around. Don't underestimate the effects of a different location or workspace to stimulate creativity. Try coffee shops, bookstores, a park, or a new room in your house. New environment, new energy.
• Set small goals : This one is actually the most important. Some people get overwhelmed with the word "essay" for things like lack of proper writing skills, pressure to write a great essay, etc. But if you try breaking down your writing task into smaller, manageable chunks to make it less overwhelming, it can help. For example, set a goal of three paragraphs one day, take a day to edit those paragraphs, two more the next day, and so forth. Find a formula that works for you.
• Brainstorming : Write down all your ideas--everything. No matter how small you think the idea is, write it down. Even if these ideas seem unrelated, they will help you generate new thoughts and connections.
• Read or listen to music : It took me a while to realize this helps, but engaging in other forms of art can inspire new ideas and break through mental blocks. And new creativity can lead you to impress admissions officers.
• Talk it out : As a writer, it's hard to let people in on the creative process, but discussing my ideas with a friend, family member, or colleague helped me gain new perspectives and insights.
• Relax and Meditate : Hear me out: it works! Practice deep breathing and/or meditation to reduce stress and anxiety that may be contributing to writer's block.

I won't sugarcoat it: the college application process can be intimidating , but it doesn't have to throw you off your game. When it comes to college essays, I see them as opportunities to be fun and expressive. Trust me when I say if you have fun with it, you'll attract the reader's attention , paint vivid details, and write an essay that will leave the admissions officer wanting you at their school. So, take it one step at a time and watch your personal statement come to life.

How can I make my college essay stand out to admissions officers?

Simply put, be yourself. As long as you stay on track with the essay's topic, showing pieces of yourself will allow admissions officers to know more about who you are. Essays are meant to show readers who you are, how you feel, and what you think naturally, not robotically, so be authentic in your writing, and you'll be sure to stand out amongst the rest.

What are some common mistakes to avoid when writing a college essay?

Some common mistakes to avoid in your essay are using cliches and boring wording. You also want to avoid procrastinating, wasting time, not focusing, not editing, etc. When writing your essay, you want to make sure you give your writing the time and attention it deserves, so make sure you're aware of what is pulling you away from your writing. This will help you stay focused. If you have any other doubts, refer to the section about mistakes in this article and let it guide you to success.

How important is the college essay in the admissions process?

Your college essay is key in the admissions process . It's an admissions committee's first impression of you as a writer and potential student, so it should be taken very seriously. Trying to cut corners or rush through the writing process will be obvious, and it will stand out more than things like test scores, academic achievements, extracurricular activities, and any other positive influence you've had in your life. So, don't take the easy way out and really work on your essay.

Feeling confident in your college essay skills and want to explore some other essay content? Explore our blog on the comma splice to enhance your technical writing skills!

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How to Craft Your Ideal Thesis Research Topic

Table of contents

Catherine Miller

Writing your undergraduate thesis is probably one of the most interesting parts of studying, especially because you get to choose your area of study. But as both a student and a teacher who’s helped countless students develop their research topics, I know this freedom can be just as intimidating as it is liberating.

Fortunately, there’a a step-by-step process you can follow that will help make the whole process a lot easier. In this article, I’ll show you how to choose a unique, specific thesis topic that’s true to your passions and interests, while making a contribution to your field.

Choose a topic that you’re interested in

First things first: double-check with your teachers or supervisor if there are any constraints on your research topic. Once your parameters are clear, it’s time to identify what lights you up — after all, you’re going to be spending a lot of time thinking about it.

Within your field of study, you probably already have some topics that have grabbed your attention more than others. This can be a great place to start. Additionally, consider using the rest of your academic and extra-curricular interests as a source of ideas. At this stage, you only need a broad topic before you narrow it down to a specific question. 

If you’re feeling stuck, here are some things to try:

• Look back through old course notes to remind yourself of topics you previously covered. Do any of these inspire you?
• Talk to potential supervisors about your ideas, as they can point you toward areas you might not have considered.
• Think about the things you enjoy in everyday life — whether that’s cycling, cinema, cooking, or fashion — then consider if there are any overlaps with your field of study.
• Imagine you have been asked to give a presentation or record a podcast in the next three days. What topics would you feel confident discussing?
• Watch a selection of existing lectures or explainer videos, or listen to podcasts by experts in your field. Note which topics you feel curious to explore further.
• Discuss your field of study with teachers friends and family, some with existing knowledge and some without. Which aspects do you enjoy talking about? 

By doing all this, you might uncover some unusual and exciting avenues for research. For example, when writing my Master’s dissertation, I decided to combine my field of study (English teaching methodology) with one of my passions outside work (creative writing). In my undergraduate course, a friend drew on her lived experience of disability to look into the literary portrayal of disability in the ancient world. 

Do your research

Once you’ve chosen your topic of interest, it’s time to dive into research. This is a really important part of this early process because it allows you to:

• See what other people have written about the topic — you don’t want to cover the same old ground as everyone else.
• Gain perspective on the big questions surrounding the topic. 
• Go deeper into the parts that interest you to help you decide where to focus.
• Start building your bibliography and a bank of interesting quotations. 

A great way to start is to visit your library for an introductory book. For example, the “A Very Short Introduction” series from the Oxford University Press provides overviews of a range of themes. Similar types of overviews may have the title “ A Companion to [Subject]” or “[Subject] A Student Companion”. Ask your librarian or teacher if you’re not sure where to begin. 

Your introductory volume can spark ideas for further research, and the bibliography can give you some pointers about where to go next. You can also use keywords to research online via academic sites like JStor or Google Scholar. Check which subscriptions are available via your institution.

At this stage, you may not wish to read every single paper you come across in full — this could take a very long time and not everything will be relevant. Summarizing software like Wordtune could be very useful here.

Just upload a PDF or link to an online article using Wordtune, and it will produce a summary of the whole paper with a list of key points. This helps you to quickly sift through papers to grasp their central ideas and identify which ones to read in full. 

Get Wordtune for free > Get Wordtune for free >

You can also use Wordtune for semantic search. In this case, the tool focuses its summary around your chosen search term, making it even easier to get what you need from the paper.

As you go, make sure you keep organized notes of what you’ve read, including the author and publication information and the page number of any citations you want to use. 

Some people are happy to do this process with pen and paper, but if you prefer a digital method, there are several software options, including Zotero , EndNote , and Mendeley . Your institution may have an existing subscription so check before you sign up.

Narrowing down your thesis research topic

Now you’ve read around the topic, it’s time to narrow down your ideas so you can craft your final question. For example, when it came to my undergraduate thesis, I knew I wanted to write about Ancient Greek religion and I was interested in the topic of goddesses. So, I:

• Did some wide reading around the topic of goddesses
• Learned that the goddess Hera was not as well researched as others and that there were some fascinating aspects I wanted to explore
• Decided (with my supervisor’s support) to focus on her temples in the Argive region of Greece

As part of this process, it can be helpful to consider the “5 Ws”: why, what, who, when, and where, as you move from the bigger picture to something more precise. 

Why did you choose this research topic?

Come back to the reasons you originally chose your theme. What grabbed you? Why is this topic important to you — or to the wider world? In my example, I knew I wanted to write about goddesses because, as a woman, I was interested in how a society in which female lives were often highly controlled dealt with having powerful female deities. My research highlighted Hera as one of the most powerful goddesses, tying into my key interest.

What are some of the big questions about your topic?

During your research, you’ll probably run into the same themes time and time again. Some of the questions that arise may not have been answered yet or might benefit from a fresh look. 

Equally, there may be questions that haven’t yet been asked, especially if you are approaching the topic from a modern perspective or combining research that hasn’t been considered before. This might include taking a post-colonial, feminist, or queer approach to older texts or bringing in research using new scientific methods.

In my example, I knew there were still controversies about why so many temples to the goddess Hera were built in a certain region, and was keen to explore these further.

Who is the research topic relevant to?

Considering the “who” might help you open up new avenues. Is there a particular audience you want to reach? What might they be interested in? Is this a new audience for this field? Are there people out there who might be affected by the outcome of this research — for example, people with a particular medical condition — who might be able to use your conclusions?

Which period will you focus on?

Depending on the nature of your field, you might be able to choose a timeframe, which can help narrow the topic down. For example, you might focus on historical events that took place over a handful of years, look at the impact of a work of literature at a certain point after its publication, or review scientific progress over the last five years. 

With my thesis, I decided to focus on the time when the temples were built rather than considering the hundreds of years for which they have existed, which would have taken me far too long.

Where does your topic relate to?

Place can be another means of narrowing down the topic. For example, consider the impact of your topic on a particular neighborhood, city, or country, rather than trying to process a global question. 

In my example, I chose to focus my research on one area of Greece, where there were lots of temples to Hera. This meant skipping other important locations, but including these would have made the thesis too wide-ranging.

Create an outline and get feedback

Once you have an idea of what you are going to write about, create an outline or summary and get feedback from your teacher(s). It’s okay if you don’t know exactly how you’re going to answer your thesis question yet, but based on your research you should have a rough plan of the key points you want to cover. So, for me, the outline was as follows:

• Context: who was the goddess Hera?
• Overview of her sanctuaries in the Argive region
• Their initial development 
• Political and cultural influences
• The importance of the mythical past

In the final thesis, I took a strong view on why the goddess was so important in this region, but it took more research, writing, and discussion with my supervisor to pin down my argument.

To choose a thesis research topic, find something you’re passionate about, research widely to get the big picture, and then move to a more focused view. Bringing a fresh perspective to a popular theme, finding an underserved audience who could benefit from your research, or answering a controversial question can make your thesis stand out from the crowd.

For tips on how to start writing your thesis, don’t miss our advice on writing a great research abstract and a stellar literature review . And don’t forget that Wordtune can also support you with proofreading, making it even easier to submit a polished thesis.

How do you come up with a research topic for a thesis?

To help you find a thesis topic, speak to your professor, look through your old course notes, think about what you already enjoy in everyday life, talk about your field of study with friends and family, and research podcasts and videos to find a topic that is interesting for you. It’s a good idea to refine your topic so that it’s not too general or broad.  

Do you choose your own thesis topic?

Yes, you usually choose your own thesis topic. You can get help from your professor(s), friends, and family to figure out which research topic is interesting to you. 

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Your chance of acceptance, your chancing factors, extracurriculars, interesting topics for argument writing.

I have to write an argumentative paper for my English class, but I'm running out of ideas. Can anyone suggest some engaging topics for argument writing? What have you guys enjoyed writing or reading about before?

It's always fun to explore new topics for an argumentative paper, especially when they're relevant to current events or spark engaging discussions. Here's a list of some interesting topics to consider for your English paper:

1. The impact of social media on mental health and society.

2. Climate change: responsibilities of individuals vs. corporations.

3. The role of artificial intelligence in the workforce and its impact on job security.

4. The benefits and drawbacks of online education.

5. The pros and cons of universal basic income (UBI).

6. Animal rights and the ethics of using animals for testing and research.

7. The effects of the gig economy on worker rights and employment stability.

8. The influence of advertisements and consumerism on culture and values.

9. The impact of privacy and surveillance in the digital age.

10. The role of news media in shaping public opinion and the prevalence of "fake news."

11. Legalization of some drugs and its impact on society.

12. The moral and social implications of gene editing and CRISPR technology.

13. The role of sports in society and its impact on young athletes.

14. The effects of immigration on the economy and society.

15. The benefits and challenges associated with renewable energy sources.

When selecting your topic, consider what genuinely interests you and how your perspective can contribute to the conversation. It's essential to research thoroughly, address counterarguments, and support your claims with evidence to create a compelling argumentative paper. Good luck with your assignment!

About CollegeVine’s Expert FAQ

CollegeVine’s Q&A seeks to offer informed perspectives on commonly asked admissions questions. Every answer is refined and validated by our team of admissions experts to ensure it resonates with trusted knowledge in the field.

The Impact of Global Supply Chain Disruptions on Small Businesses

This essay about the profound impact of supply chain disruptions on small businesses. It highlights the challenges faced by SMEs in accessing critical inputs, managing operational and financial instability, and maintaining customer trust. The essay emphasizes the importance of proactive strategies such as diversifying supply sources, embracing digital technologies, and fostering collaboration to build resilience. By navigating these challenges effectively, small businesses can not only survive but also thrive in an ever-changing global economy.

How it works

In recent times, the global economy has been rocked by unprecedented disruptions to supply chains, sending shockwaves through industries and economies alike. While larger corporations have resources to weather the storm, it’s the small businesses that often find themselves in the eye of the hurricane, grappling with challenges that threaten their very existence. This essay delves into the profound implications of supply chain disruptions on small businesses and explores potential strategies for resilience in the face of uncertainty.

The COVID-19 pandemic laid bare the vulnerabilities inherent in global supply chains, exposing the fragility of interconnected systems that underpin modern commerce.

From manufacturing delays to transportation bottlenecks, businesses of all sizes have been confronted with unprecedented challenges. However, it is the small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that have borne the brunt of these disruptions, lacking the financial resources and logistical capabilities to swiftly adapt to rapidly changing circumstances.

One of the primary challenges faced by small businesses in times of supply chain disruptions is the inability to access critical inputs and raw materials. With suppliers facing their own set of challenges, including closures, capacity constraints, and increased costs, SMEs are often left scrambling to find alternative sources or face production delays. This not only impacts their ability to fulfill customer orders but also erodes their competitive edge in a marketplace where agility is paramount.

Moreover, supply chain disruptions can have cascading effects on small businesses, extending beyond immediate operational challenges to encompass financial instability and reputational damage. For instance, missed deadlines and product shortages can lead to customer dissatisfaction and loss of trust, potentially tarnishing the brand image that small businesses work tirelessly to cultivate. Additionally, fluctuating costs and unpredictable demand patterns can wreak havoc on financial planning, making it difficult for SMEs to maintain profitability and sustain growth.

In response to these challenges, small businesses must adopt a proactive approach to mitigate the impacts of supply chain disruptions and build resilience for the future. This involves diversifying supply sources to reduce dependence on a single supplier or region, thereby spreading risk and enhancing flexibility. Embracing digital technologies and data analytics can also empower SMEs to anticipate disruptions, optimize inventory management, and streamline operations, enabling them to respond swiftly to changing market dynamics.

Furthermore, collaboration and partnerships can play a pivotal role in enhancing the resilience of small businesses in the face of supply chain disruptions. By forging strategic alliances with suppliers, distributors, and other stakeholders, SMEs can pool resources, share expertise, and collectively navigate challenges, thereby strengthening their collective bargaining power and enhancing their ability to withstand shocks.

In conclusion, supply chain disruptions represent a formidable challenge for small businesses, threatening their survival and undermining their competitiveness. However, by embracing innovation, fostering collaboration, and adopting proactive strategies, SMEs can navigate turbulent waters and emerge stronger on the other side. As the global economy continues to evolve, the ability of small businesses to adapt and thrive in the face of uncertainty will be crucial in shaping the future of commerce.

Cite this page

The Impact of Global Supply Chain Disruptions on Small Businesses. (2024, May 28). Retrieved from https://papersowl.com/examples/the-impact-of-global-supply-chain-disruptions-on-small-businesses/

"The Impact of Global Supply Chain Disruptions on Small Businesses." PapersOwl.com , 28 May 2024, https://papersowl.com/examples/the-impact-of-global-supply-chain-disruptions-on-small-businesses/

PapersOwl.com. (2024). The Impact of Global Supply Chain Disruptions on Small Businesses . [Online]. Available at: https://papersowl.com/examples/the-impact-of-global-supply-chain-disruptions-on-small-businesses/ [Accessed: 29 May. 2024]

"The Impact of Global Supply Chain Disruptions on Small Businesses." PapersOwl.com, May 28, 2024. Accessed May 29, 2024. https://papersowl.com/examples/the-impact-of-global-supply-chain-disruptions-on-small-businesses/

"The Impact of Global Supply Chain Disruptions on Small Businesses," PapersOwl.com , 28-May-2024. [Online]. Available: https://papersowl.com/examples/the-impact-of-global-supply-chain-disruptions-on-small-businesses/. [Accessed: 29-May-2024]

PapersOwl.com. (2024). The Impact of Global Supply Chain Disruptions on Small Businesses . [Online]. Available at: https://papersowl.com/examples/the-impact-of-global-supply-chain-disruptions-on-small-businesses/ [Accessed: 29-May-2024]

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10 Tips on Writing an Admission Essay

An admission essay is your chance to reveal your personality to the admission committee. One way to get a quality admission essay is to order it on  WritingCheap . However, there also are tips that can help you to write it yourself. 

The college season is well under way, and you should write an amazing application essay. How can you make your essay stand out? What does the admission committee want to read about in your essay?

You just need to stay calm and consider proven tips to help with your college admission essay.

Tips for Writing an Outstanding Admission Essay

1. identify your strongest traits of character.

Simplify the task of writing by listing your strengths, and all that comes to mind when you think about who you are. This is an important step for entrance exams to give an admission committee a glimpse into your life. Summarize the facts which were not included in the resume and test results.

2. Avoid information included in your resume

As a rule, college admission essays should contain no more than 650-700 words. Do not shorten your admission essay to a list of your accomplishments in academic and extracurricular activities. Admissions officers will feel like they are reading your resume again, which is annoying. Interest them by exposing your personality. This gives them a reason to read further with greater concentration, and you can show how your life experience is unique. When you tell your story in an attractive way, it sets you apart from other candidates. For example, you can discuss the difficult times in your life and how you have overcome them. This helps to reveal more information about who you are and what gives you the right to enroll to a particular college, and it is more effective than just presenting a simple list of achievements.

3. Focus on a specific topic

Some colleges have questions or suggestions for writing, while others give students the freedom to choose topics. In both cases, select a focused topic rather than a general one. It can be your interest or a unique experience. Extend your topic using your interest or experience or relate them to a topic or question (if you have one). Adhere to this point of view throughout the admission essay. 

If the college asked a question, it is better to immediately answer it and not go astray. Use an outline of the points before you start writing the essay to convey your message properly and answer the questions completely. 

4. Show your writing skills 

Write your essay in such a way as to demonstrate your writing skills. To be more successful during the admission process, you should have strong writing skills. It is important to show your skills as a writer and communicator, as admission committees equate this with intellectualism. With your essay, the college can determine your ability to state and confirm a fact that a standardized test cannot do. Some college departments pay great attention to applicants’ writing skills, especially those who apply for creative and language programs. 

5. Be honest  

It is not a secret that you want to impress the admissions office as much as possible. However, you must honestly talk about your experience without trying to distort yourself. Members of the admissions committee may notice uncertainty in the answers of applicants who write to simply make an impression. It is better to write on issues that matter rather than exaggerate or lie. If there is a hero in your life, just mention how this person influenced your life, and, accordingly, increased your interest in this college. If you write more about this person, you are informing college admissions officers about him or her, not about you.

6. Remove unnecessary parts

After reading your essay, if you start yawning at a certain point, do not hesitate to rewrite or even delete the particular part. If your own writing style bothers you, the admissions committee will probably also not enjoy reading it.

7. Make it neat and accurate

Do not include photographs and graphics. Make sure your essay is neatly formatted and easy to read.

8. Be original

Try to read your essay like you are member of the admissions committee. Try to think about the banal stories that they read in most cases – do not repeat them.

9. Take a chance

With possible side effects in mind, you can consider risky options for attracting attention, if necessary. An example of this approach can be some unexpected recognition or being a little more sincere in your admission essay.

10. Edit, relax, and wait

Before submitting an essay, proofread and edit it. When you read it, ask yourself if the paper sounds like you. After you have done everything possible to polish your paper, sit back and relax. At the moment, you cannot influence the result. Hope for the best, and an admission letter may arrive before you even begin to worry.    

I hope that all these tips will help you to succeed in writing your admission essay. Good luck!          

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