college essay about standing up for yourself

Tips for Writing an Effective Application Essay

Find the right college for you.

Writing an essay for college admission gives you a chance to use your authentic voice and show your personality. It's an excellent opportunity to personalize your application beyond your academic credentials, and a well-written essay can have a positive influence come decision time.

Want to know how to draft an essay for your college application ? Here are some tips to keep in mind when writing.

Tips for Essay Writing

A typical college application essay, also known as a personal statement, is 400-600 words. Although that may seem short, writing about yourself can be challenging. It's not something you want to rush or put off at the last moment. Think of it as a critical piece of the application process. Follow these tips to write an impactful essay that can work in your favor.

1. Start Early.

Few people write well under pressure. Try to complete your first draft a few weeks before you have to turn it in. Many advisers recommend starting as early as the summer before your senior year in high school. That way, you have ample time to think about the prompt and craft the best personal statement possible.

You don't have to work on your essay every day, but you'll want to give yourself time to revise and edit. You may discover that you want to change your topic or think of a better way to frame it. Either way, the sooner you start, the better.

2. Understand the Prompt and Instructions.

Before you begin the writing process, take time to understand what the college wants from you. The worst thing you can do is skim through the instructions and submit a piece that doesn't even fit the bare minimum requirements or address the essay topic. Look at the prompt, consider the required word count, and note any unique details each school wants.

3. Create a Strong Opener.

Students seeking help for their application essays often have trouble getting things started. It's a challenging writing process. Finding the right words to start can be the hardest part.

Spending more time working on your opener is always a good idea. The opening sentence sets the stage for the rest of your piece. The introductory paragraph is what piques the interest of the reader, and it can immediately set your essay apart from the others.

4. Stay on Topic.

One of the most important things to remember is to keep to the essay topic. If you're applying to 10 or more colleges, it's easy to veer off course with so many application essays.

A common mistake many students make is trying to fit previously written essays into the mold of another college's requirements. This seems like a time-saving way to avoid writing new pieces entirely, but it often backfires. The result is usually a final piece that's generic, unfocused, or confusing. Always write a new essay for every application, no matter how long it takes.

5. Think About Your Response.

Don't try to guess what the admissions officials want to read. Your essay will be easier to write─and more exciting to read─if you’re genuinely enthusiastic about your subject. Here’s an example: If all your friends are writing application essays about covid-19, it may be a good idea to avoid that topic, unless during the pandemic you had a vivid, life-changing experience you're burning to share. Whatever topic you choose, avoid canned responses. Be creative.

6. Focus on You.

Essay prompts typically give you plenty of latitude, but panel members expect you to focus on a subject that is personal (although not overly intimate) and particular to you. Admissions counselors say the best essays help them learn something about the candidate that they would never know from reading the rest of the application.

7. Stay True to Your Voice.

Use your usual vocabulary. Avoid fancy language you wouldn't use in real life. Imagine yourself reading this essay aloud to a classroom full of people who have never met you. Keep a confident tone. Be wary of words and phrases that undercut that tone.

8. Be Specific and Factual.

Capitalize on real-life experiences. Your essay may give you the time and space to explain why a particular achievement meant so much to you. But resist the urge to exaggerate and embellish. Admissions counselors read thousands of essays each year. They can easily spot a fake.

9. Edit and Proofread.

When you finish the final draft, run it through the spell checker on your computer. Then don’t read your essay for a few days. You'll be more apt to spot typos and awkward grammar when you reread it. After that, ask a teacher, parent, or college student (preferably an English or communications major) to give it a quick read. While you're at it, double-check your word count.

Writing essays for college admission can be daunting, but it doesn't have to be. A well-crafted essay could be the deciding factor─in your favor. Keep these tips in mind, and you'll have no problem creating memorable pieces for every application.

What is the format of a college application essay?

Generally, essays for college admission follow a simple format that includes an opening paragraph, a lengthier body section, and a closing paragraph. You don't need to include a title, which will only take up extra space. Keep in mind that the exact format can vary from one college application to the next. Read the instructions and prompt for more guidance.

Most online applications will include a text box for your essay. If you're attaching it as a document, however, be sure to use a standard, 12-point font and use 1.5-spaced or double-spaced lines, unless the application specifies different font and spacing.

How do you start an essay?

The goal here is to use an attention grabber. Think of it as a way to reel the reader in and interest an admissions officer in what you have to say. There's no trick on how to start a college application essay. The best way you can approach this task is to flex your creative muscles and think outside the box.

You can start with openers such as relevant quotes, exciting anecdotes, or questions. Either way, the first sentence should be unique and intrigue the reader.

What should an essay include?

Every application essay you write should include details about yourself and past experiences. It's another opportunity to make yourself look like a fantastic applicant. Leverage your experiences. Tell a riveting story that fulfills the prompt.

What shouldn’t be included in an essay?

When writing a college application essay, it's usually best to avoid overly personal details and controversial topics. Although these topics might make for an intriguing essay, they can be tricky to express well. If you’re unsure if a topic is appropriate for your essay, check with your school counselor. An essay for college admission shouldn't include a list of achievements or academic accolades either. Your essay isn’t meant to be a rehashing of information the admissions panel can find elsewhere in your application.

How can you make your essay personal and interesting?

The best way to make your essay interesting is to write about something genuinely important to you. That could be an experience that changed your life or a valuable lesson that had an enormous impact on you. Whatever the case, speak from the heart, and be honest.

Is it OK to discuss mental health in an essay?

Mental health struggles can create challenges you must overcome during your education and could be an opportunity for you to show how you’ve handled challenges and overcome obstacles. If you’re considering writing your essay for college admission on this topic, consider talking to your school counselor or with an English teacher on how to frame the essay.

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How to Write a Stand-Out College Essay

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

What’s Covered:

Introduction to college admission essays, make your college admission essays stand out, choose a compelling topic.

College admission essays comprise approximately 20% to 25% of the evaluation criteria for college applications. This is especially true when applying to top-tier institutions with large pools of applicants who are equally competitive with respect to their academic performance, standardized test scores, and extracurricular involvement. Most schools require applicants to submit a Common Application essay and their own school-specific supplemental short responses and essays. However, they also require applicants to respond to different types and quantities of topics, and you need to confirm which essays are required for each school. 

Essays are the most significant personal component of the application process. They serve an integral role in humanizing you and helping colleges understand who you are, how you came to be, what you value, and how you respond to different challenges and situations. This information is critical because it helps admissions officers determine what you can contribute to their respective school, which is important because you need to demonstrate why a college should want you to attend and not just why you want to go to that college. 

Essays will range from 100 to 700 words in length. Short responses may range between one or two words to several sentences. You may also have the opportunity to submit a multi-page document or a portfolio of your work for a particular program or for admission in general.

When it comes to writing college admission essays, most applicants feel pressured to write about something that others will perceive as exceptionally interesting and impressive, such as a national award or a niche hobby. Applicants may feel unsure and insecure about not being talented, accomplished, or interesting enough, and the events and experiences in their daily life may feel too mundane or clichéd to write about. These pressures and insecurities stem from applicants internalizing the incessant messaging that they need to be exceptional and unique in order to distinguish themselves from other applicants and be attractive to schools. 

Most applicants have not accomplished anything of regional, national, or international significance. Even for the few who have such accomplishments, the accolades in and of themselves are not sufficient to craft a compelling essay. 

What actually makes a compelling essay is not what you choose to write about but how you write about whichever topic you choose. The essay will stand out because of your voice, your perspective, and your way of experiencing the world. You will not be penalized for what you have not experienced or achieved, as admissions officers understand that not everyone has access to the same set of opportunities and that geographic location, socioeconomic status, family connections, and many other factors constrain and determine what you are able to do in high school. 

Once you divorce yourself from the misconception that your essay needs to be about something dramatic, life-altering, or incredibly exciting, you can start to home in on the content of your life that is worth writing about. Moments from and aspects of your everyday life—a book that was particularly meaningful to you, a relationship that you cherish, a memory of time spent with loved ones, a time when you were humiliated—are the seeds of great essays because they are the vehicles by which you can reveal something significant about who you are and how you think.

Your essay can be about anything you want, so long as it is appropriate for a general audience, satisfies the prompt to which you are responding, and shows the admissions officers something important about you that they could not find anywhere else in your application. Topics and content to avoid include any statements that could be construed as racist, sexist, classist, homophobic, xenophobic, or otherwise prejudiced against any particular group of people. You should also avoid the use of unsupported facts, obscene language, illicit activities, violence, or graphic subjects. 

If you are considering writing about something that could be considered controversial, you need to recognize and prepare for the reality that your reader may completely disagree with you and may finish reading your essay doubting your character. Although there is a slight chance that you could write a really strong essay about one of these topics, you run a great risk that is unnecessary and will likely not prove worthwhile. 

For more information about how to write strong college admission essays, review our comprehensive articles on “ How to Write the Common Application Essays ” and “ 19 Stellar Common App Essay Examples ” to get inspired.

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12 Strategies to Writing the Perfect College Essay

College admission committees sift through thousands of college essays each year. Here’s how to make yours stand out.

Pamela Reynolds

When it comes to deciding who they will admit into their programs, colleges consider many criteria, including high school grades, extracurricular activities, and ACT and SAT scores. But in recent years, more colleges are no longer considering test scores.

Instead, many (including Harvard through 2026) are opting for “test-blind” admission policies that give more weight to other elements in a college application. This policy change is seen as fairer to students who don’t have the means or access to testing, or who suffer from test anxiety.

So, what does this mean for you?

Simply that your college essay, traditionally a requirement of any college application, is more important than ever.

A college essay is your unique opportunity to introduce yourself to admissions committees who must comb through thousands of applications each year. It is your chance to stand out as someone worthy of a seat in that classroom.

A well-written and thoughtful essay—reflecting who you are and what you believe—can go a long way to separating your application from the slew of forgettable ones that admissions officers read. Indeed, officers may rely on them even more now that many colleges are not considering test scores.

Below we’ll discuss a few strategies you can use to help your essay stand out from the pack. We’ll touch on how to start your essay, what you should write for your college essay, and elements that make for a great college essay.

Be Authentic

More than any other consideration, you should choose a topic or point of view that is consistent with who you truly are.

Readers can sense when writers are inauthentic.

Inauthenticity could mean the use of overly flowery language that no one would ever use in conversation, or it could mean choosing an inconsequential topic that reveals very little about who you are.

Use your own voice, sense of humor, and a natural way of speaking.

Whatever subject you choose, make sure it’s something that’s genuinely important to you and not a subject you’ve chosen just to impress. You can write about a specific experience, hobby, or personality quirk that illustrates your strengths, but also feel free to write about your weaknesses.

Honesty about traits, situations, or a childhood background that you are working to improve may resonate with the reader more strongly than a glib victory speech.

Grab the Reader From the Start

You’ll be competing with so many other applicants for an admission officer’s attention.

Therefore, start your essay with an opening sentence or paragraph that immediately seizes the imagination. This might be a bold statement, a thoughtful quote, a question you pose, or a descriptive scene.

Starting your essay in a powerful way with a clear thesis statement can often help you along in the writing process. If your task is to tell a good story, a bold beginning can be a natural prelude to getting there, serving as a roadmap, engaging the reader from the start, and presenting the purpose of your writing.

Focus on Deeper Themes

Some essay writers think they will impress committees by loading an essay with facts, figures, and descriptions of activities, like wins in sports or descriptions of volunteer work. But that’s not the point.

College admissions officers are interested in learning more about who you are as a person and what makes you tick.

They want to know what has brought you to this stage in life. They want to read about realizations you may have come to through adversity as well as your successes, not just about how many games you won while on the soccer team or how many people you served at a soup kitchen.

Let the reader know how winning the soccer game helped you develop as a person, friend, family member, or leader. Make a connection with your soup kitchen volunteerism and how it may have inspired your educational journey and future aspirations. What did you discover about yourself?

Show Don’t Tell

As you expand on whatever theme you’ve decided to explore in your essay, remember to show, don’t tell.

The most engaging writing “shows” by setting scenes and providing anecdotes, rather than just providing a list of accomplishments and activities.

Reciting a list of activities is also boring. An admissions officer will want to know about the arc of your emotional journey too.

Try Doing Something Different

If you want your essay to stand out, think about approaching your subject from an entirely new perspective. While many students might choose to write about their wins, for instance, what if you wrote an essay about what you learned from all your losses?

If you are an especially talented writer, you might play with the element of surprise by crafting an essay that leaves the response to a question to the very last sentence.

You may want to stay away from well-worn themes entirely, like a sports-related obstacle or success, volunteer stories, immigration stories, moving, a summary of personal achievements or overcoming obstacles.

However, such themes are popular for a reason. They represent the totality of most people’s lives coming out of high school. Therefore, it may be less important to stay away from these topics than to take a fresh approach.

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Write With the Reader in Mind

Writing for the reader means building a clear and logical argument in which one thought flows naturally from another.

Use transitions between paragraphs.

Think about any information you may have left out that the reader may need to know. Are there ideas you have included that do not help illustrate your theme?

Be sure you can answer questions such as: Does what you have written make sense? Is the essay organized? Does the opening grab the reader? Is there a strong ending? Have you given enough background information? Is it wordy?

Write Several Drafts

Set your essay aside for a few days and come back to it after you’ve had some time to forget what you’ve written. Often, you’ll discover you have a whole new perspective that enhances your ability to make revisions.

Start writing months before your essay is due to give yourself enough time to write multiple drafts. A good time to start could be as early as the summer before your senior year when homework and extracurricular activities take up less time.

Read It Aloud

Writer’s tip : Reading your essay aloud can instantly uncover passages that sound clumsy, long-winded, or false.

Don’t Repeat

If you’ve mentioned an activity, story, or anecdote in some other part of your application, don’t repeat it again in your essay.

Your essay should tell college admissions officers something new. Whatever you write in your essay should be in philosophical alignment with the rest of your application.

Also, be sure you’ve answered whatever question or prompt may have been posed to you at the outset.

Ask Others to Read Your Essay

Be sure the people you ask to read your essay represent different demographic groups—a teacher, a parent, even a younger sister or brother.

Ask each reader what they took from the essay and listen closely to what they have to say. If anyone expresses confusion, revise until the confusion is cleared up.

Pay Attention to Form

Although there are often no strict word limits for college essays, most essays are shorter rather than longer. Common App, which students can use to submit to multiple colleges, suggests that essays stay at about 650 words.

“While we won’t as a rule stop reading after 650 words, we cannot promise that an overly wordy essay will hold our attention for as long as you’d hoped it would,” the Common App website states.

In reviewing other technical aspects of your essay, be sure that the font is readable, that the margins are properly spaced, that any dialogue is set off properly, and that there is enough spacing at the top. Your essay should look clean and inviting to readers.

End Your Essay With a “Kicker”

In journalism, a kicker is the last punchy line, paragraph, or section that brings everything together.

It provides a lasting impression that leaves the reader satisfied and impressed by the points you have artfully woven throughout your piece.

So, here’s our kicker: Be concise and coherent, engage in honest self-reflection, and include vivid details and anecdotes that deftly illustrate your point.

While writing a fantastic essay may not guarantee you get selected, it can tip the balance in your favor if admissions officers are considering a candidate with a similar GPA and background.

Write, revise, revise again, and good luck!

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How to Stand-Out with Your College Essay

Implement these tips into your college essay and you’ll be doing a victory dance at your dream college (or in a kayak on your semester!) in no time.

We know you’ve been reading up on “College Essays that Worked” threads on Reddit for weeks.

Every essay you read seems so unique and well-done… It’s like every applicant has some wildly special story and a magical way of stringing their words together, and you’re thinking, how in the world can I top that?!

We’re here to tell you that you don’t have to have hiked Mount Everest or started a non-profit to stand out (although it’s awesome if you have!). You don’t even have to be an amazing writer. You just need to be yourself and give the reader a glimpse into your mind.

If you have no idea how to even get started, we’re here to help. Read on for our best tips for writing a college essay that will make YOU stand out!

Get some inspiration! Perhaps that means talking with a friend, entering a new environment, or researching something interesting. A semester abroad is jam-packed with all three, even in quiet moments of reflection like this Milan student.

PHASE 1: The Brainstorm

Writer’s block is no joke and getting started is always the hardest part.

It can be especially discouraging when you feel the pressure to come up with some big, grand, dramatic story about yourself. The good news is, you don’t.

Whether you’ve experienced some challenging and unique situations or are more of an average-Joe, we know you have a wealth of life experiences that make you, you. To find what those experiences are, you may have to dig deep though.

To start off, give yourself the chance to reflect by doing a freeflow brainstorm.

Sit with an empty document or piece of paper and just bullet point any and every idea that comes to you, no judgment, no matter how lousy it may seem.

Some questions to ask yourself in the brainstorm: What is one moment in your life that you can’t get out of your head and why? What traits would you use to describe yourself? What motivates you to try your best? What do you value most? What do your friends think is unique about you?

The New York Times shares some great questions to get you thinking as well.

To get a fresh perspective, talk to friends, family, and other people in your life that you trust and that know you well. Ask for feedback on their observations about you, challenges they’ve seen you overcome, unique talents you consistently show up with, or some of your quirks. Document this and sit with it.

If you notice some themes being repeated over and over again by different people, those could potentially be great leads.

And if you need some extra support with the brainstorming phase, The College Essay Guy offers two really helpful brainstorming activities to try out here and here .

Once you have your ideas, pick your favorite idea so far, and just start writing. Let yourself write completely freely at first. Do this with a few other ideas until you find one that clicks and says something bold about you.

✓ Don’t share something any other student could share.

For example, avoid topics like your parent’s divorce, a sports injury, or when your team won a game, unless you have a really unique angle on that topic or it is deeply connected to who you are.

In general, the more a story is specific and unique to you, the better.

Don’t be afraid to get playful! We’ve seen people write about some super niche and personal topics: someone who was made fun of for being short wrote about how what she lacks in height she makes up for in her big personality and strong leadership. One student used her bad habit of burping as a metaphor to describe how she marches to the beat of her own drum. Another talked about how the spines on their bookshelf represent the different facets of their personality.

Feel free to be quirky and be you.

✓ Avoid general topics.

While these might be great themes to explore, spending an entire essay rambling about your love of science or your passion for writing is going to make for a pretty boring read.

Instead, use those themes as starting points, but get really specific about a particular incident or moment that illustrates exactly what you want to say.

✓ If you struggle with writing, don’t write.

If it’s the writing part that’s getting you stuck, no worries at all, record a voice memo on your phone and just start talking freely. Then, transcribe what you said and work on your draft from there.

✓ Don’t put off starting or expect to get it done in one sitting.

This is a project to put your heart into and the earlier you get started on this the better.

In particular, the summer before senior year is a great time to work on this since you won’t have to juggle your studies at the same time. We recommend aiming to at least have a very rough draft ready by the time school starts.

If you’re already getting a bit of a late start, don’t panic. You can totally pull this off, you just have to push yourself to take that first leap and begin the process today.

It may help to put yourself in comfortable surroundings as you prepare to write – check out the view from students’ desks on a London semester.

PHASE 2: Go Time

Getting the perfect draft is a long process and should not be done like an “assignment.” This project should be an opportunity for reflection and creativity. Don’t stop until you LOVE it.

As you refine your essay, look to other great writers for inspiration. Some great resources are Kindra Hall (she talks about storytelling that sticks) and The College Essay Guy .

You can also check out some examples of other student work like pieces from the New York Times personal narrative essay contest . Try to notice what that author does well and what parts of their essay most draw you in.

✓ Get super clear on your goals for the essay.

What do you want the reader to understand about you when they finish reading your essay? How does this show what you will contribute to a college?

✓ Tell a story.

You can think about it in this framework: Who is the old person and what were they like? What is/are the situation(s) that happened? BOOM – who is the new you and how do they act/look like now?

✓ Use your voice.

How would you describe your voice or the voice you want to use? What are its most noticeable and important qualities?

We all have different styles of speaking that we use for different situations, so think about what you want your tone to convey.

No matter which of your voices you choose, this essay should sound undeniably like you.

This article gives some great questions to think about:

“Do you use a lot of slang? Do you love “big” words? Do you tend to go off on tangents when you talk, or do you stick to the point? Are you loud or quiet? Funny or serious? Do you speak quickly or slowly? Are you self-deprecating or confident? What makes your way of speaking and writing unique?”

If you’re not sure, you can record yourself having a conversation about your essay with a friend or family member. Notice the type of language you use to express yourself, the length and structure of your sentences and where you put your emphasis.

Another trick to capture your voice in writing is to think of someone in your life who you are close to and can always be honest with, and then write your essay as if you’re writing to that person.

✓ Show, don’t tell.

The college admissions officer who is reading your essay probably reads dozens of essays a day, and hundreds of essays a week. If you want to capture their attention, you have to use language that is going to make your piece engaging to read.

Remember, admissions officers are human beings too, so the key is to remember that you are writing for a real-life audience, not a “perfect-applicant” algorithm.

The reader should be able to visualize the situation you are describing– so much so that they feel like they are in the experience with you.

This article gives some more great examples:

Don’t say: ‘My sister ran off.’ Instead, say: ‘My sister jumped a foot in the air and disappeared behind the closest tree.’;

Don’t say: ‘Everyone felt on edge.” Instead, say: “We were all afraid to breathe. Nobody made a sound.’”

When sharing about something you learned or a new trait you developed, really explain what that looks like in practice and how your behaviors are different now. For example:

Instead of: “I learned not to make judgments about people based on their appearances.”

You could try: “The next time I encountered a similar situation, instead of jumping to conclusions, I became curious about the reason behind their behavior. I asked more questions. I listened more carefully. I dove deeper to learn the whole story and I reminded myself to have empathy and compassion by choosing to keep an open mind.”

✓ Be authentic.

Don’t get caught up in trying to impress the reader or make grand statements. Focus on describing specific details that are really true to you.

A great essay is less about using fancy words, and more about successfully sharing the quality of your ideas. Although you do want to demonstrate your writing skills and use descriptive imagery, you don’t want to get so zoomed into that that you miss the point of sharing the deeper meaning behind your story.

You don’t need to try to make yourself “sound smart.” You are smart! Have that confidence and be playful and relaxed with your writing.

The big moment! When it’s time to send, have confidence that you’ve put your best foot forward, like these Latin America students completing a final project at their base house.

PHASE 3: Ready, Set, Send

Once you have a final draft that you’re feeling really good about, it’s time to put the essay through a few rounds of constructive scrutiny.

It’s critical that you enlist the help of others to proofread. These people should review not just for spelling, punctuation, typos, and grammar, but also for the content. Ask them to describe to you what they learned about you from reading this piece. Does it match what you’re trying to say?

Ask someone you trust, but also someone who will not be afraid to give you feedback to help you grow. If you are going to someone because you know they will make you feel good about yourself – choose someone else!

✓ Read your essay out loud.

And have someone else read it out loud to you. Do any parts sound awkward or feel hard to read?

✓ Does it pass the bff test?

If your best friend found your essay in the hallway at school without your name on it, would they undoubtedly know it’s you?! That’s the level of personal and individualized you want it to be.

✓ Check in with your feelings.

How do you feel when you read your essay? Are you proud of yourself? If you’re not feeling excited or moved after reading it, the admissions officer won’t either.

When your essay passes these tests, take a deep breath, count to three, and click send!

This work might feel draining now, but it’s going to be so rewarding knowing that you gave this opportunity your absolute best shot. Plus, it will be so fun to look back on your college essays and have that great insight into your sense of self from back in the day. So have fun with it and get to work!

At Verto, we want to help students put their best foot forward when it comes to success in college and beyond. We’d love to chat if you want to learn more about how we can make an incredible start to college possible for you.

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Choose Your Test

Sat / act prep online guides and tips, 177 college essay examples for 11 schools + expert analysis.

College Admissions , College Essays

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

In this article, I'll go through general guidelines for what makes great college essays great. I've also compiled an enormous list of 100+ actual sample college essays from 11 different schools. Finally, I'll break down two of these published college essay examples and explain why and how they work. With links to 177 full essays and essay excerpts , this article is a great resource for learning how to craft your own personal college admissions essay!

What Excellent College Essays Have in Common

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

Visible Signs of Planning

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

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

Stellar Execution

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

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

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

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

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

Links to Full College Essay Examples

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

Common App Essay Samples

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

1. Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story. 2. The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience? 3. Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. What prompted your thinking? What was the outcome? 4. Reflect on something that someone has done for you that has made you happy or thankful in a surprising way. How has this gratitude affected or motivated you? 5. Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others. 6. Describe a topic, idea, or concept you find so engaging that it makes you lose all track of time. Why does it captivate you? What or who do you turn to when you want to learn more?

7. Share an essay on any topic of your choice. It can be one you've already written, one that responds to a different prompt, or one of your own design.

Now, let's get to the good stuff: the list of 177 college essay examples responding to current and past Common App essay prompts. 

Connecticut college.

• 12 Common Application essays from the classes of 2022-2025

Hamilton College

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

Johns Hopkins

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

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

Essay Examples Published by Other Websites

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

Other Sample College Essays

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

Babson College

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

Emory University

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

University of Georgia

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

Smith College

• 6 "best gift" essays from the class of 2018

Books of College Essays

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

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

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

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

Heavenly Essays by Janine W. Robinson—This collection from the popular blogger behind Essay Hell includes a wider range of schools, as well as helpful tips on honing your own essay.

Analyzing Great Common App Essays That Worked

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

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

I had never broken into a car before.

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

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

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

"Why me?" I thought.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

What Makes This Essay Tick?

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

An Opening Line That Draws You In

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

Great, Detailed Opening Story

More out of amusement than optimism, I gave it a try. I slid the hanger into the window's seal like I'd seen on crime shows, and spent a few minutes jiggling the apparatus around the inside of the frame.

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

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

Turning a Specific Incident Into a Deeper Insight

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

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

Using Concrete Examples When Making Abstract Claims

My upbringing has numbed me to unpredictability and chaos. With a family of seven, my home was loud, messy, and spottily supervised. My siblings arguing, the dog barking, the phone ringing—all meant my house was functioning normally.

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

Using Small Bits of Humor and Casual Word Choice

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

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

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

An Ending That Stretches the Insight Into the Future

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

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

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

What Could This Essay Do Even Better?

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

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

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

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

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

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

Suddenly the destination of my pickle was clear.

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

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

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

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

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

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

One Clear Governing Metaphor

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

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

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

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

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

An Engaging, Individual Voice

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Suddenly the destination of my pickle car was clear.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

4 Essential Tips for Writing Your Own Essay

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

#1: Get Help From the Experts

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

#4: Start Early, Revise Often

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

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

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

What's Next?

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

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

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

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

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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How to Make Your College Essay Stand Out: Essential Tips

Your Personal Statement for the Common Application—the classic “college essay” that you’ve been hearing about since freshmen year—is the biggest piece of individual storytelling in the college application process, and it has only continued to grow in importance for college admissions officers. Now, with the number of applications to top US colleges surging higher , writing an essay that distinguishes you from the pack has become tougher than ever.

The challenge of the college essay might seem straightforward: 650 words about what makes you… well, you. If you’ve looked over the Common App Personal Statement prompts , you’ve noticed that they aren’t too intimidating. Maybe you even started writing a response to one for your English teacher, and hey, it went fine!

That’s all well and good, but anyone who takes the assignment lightly is dooming their application for failure. Because the truth is, despite the neat prompts and hundreds of models and outlines, there is no one formula for the perfect personal statement . 

Snatching an outline from the internet or reading over dozens of college essay examples from former admits are habits that will hurt your process, rather than help it. When you’re overloaded with information, it’s easy to end up in a state of analysis paralysis. This can make you hypercritical of your own stories and experiences, even though they are authentic to who you are. It can also lead to procrastination and imposter syndrome.

So before you go back over that draft you scribbled out in class months ago, or gobble up every daring college essay you can find on the web, take a moment to reimagine the challenge of the piece. Then, use our essential tips below to make your college essay stand out from the crowd—not through clever wordplay, name dropping, or mimicking examples found online, but by tapping into your own motivations, staying rooted in your own story, and launching into writing confidently.

Start with you, not the essay prompt

Writing about yourself is hard. Writing about yourself in the context of a high-stakes application can be excruciating.

Many of us would prefer to write about anything other than ourselves. That’s why so many college essays become stories about inspiring figures: grandparents, teachers, Elon Musk. But none of these people are the person who the essay should be about, so these essays fall flat.

When you start your college essay with the belief that you must write for a prompt, you’ve already constrained your opportunities. You will make artificial rules out of your interpretation of the prompt, then second-guess your most original ideas. You’ll write for your audience rather than for yourself. And this is one of the worst traps you can fall into.

That’s why, when brainstorming your college essay, you should resist the urge to look at prompts, read examples, or borrow templates.

Instead, focus only on yourself. 

What do you most love to do in your free time? What behaviors do you detest? What small mistake have you never forgotten? What about yourself do you have trouble understanding or accepting?

You must get comfortable making everything about you in order to get to the heart of your personal story. These are examples of questions that can push your reflection in the right direction, but there are countless others. And the most effective way to approach such questions is through a conversation.

Rather than generate and respond to intense personal questions yourself, arrange to have a conversation about them with someone close to you. This person should be a trusted confidante you’ve known for years, but shouldn’t be a parent, sibling, or anyone bringing too much emotional baggage into the conversation. They could be a family friend, an aunt or uncle, a coach, teacher, mentor, or college counselor—but it’s best if they are not a peer.

Have an open conversation focused only on your own life stories, values, and motivations—and record it . Keep a record of every word you say in your discussion. Encourage the other person to dig deeper into topics they find intriguing or unclear, no matter how uncomfortable this might be for you. If you’re surprised by something they find fascinating, make a note of it.  

Reflecting on and listening over this conversation is the surest way to discover the memories and parts of your identity that matter most.

Establish a regular writing routine

As you move from generating ideas into drafting, you’re likely to encounter some roadblocks. Actually expressing the story that’s clear in your mind may turn out to be surprisingly frustrating. You may be unsatisfied with each attempt you make. You may hear extraordinary stories about exceptional people and doubt whether your idea is any good in the first place.

In order to make the writing process less daunting, focus on getting into the habit of simply putting words down on paper, instead of expecting yourself to produce brilliant content. The most important thing is that you do this every day for at least five days a week. Here are some keys for making this routine work:

• Daily writing sessions can be as short as 15 minutes or as long as an hour. Give yourself a slight buffer to first think through what you want to write about, then a chunk of time to write, and a few more minutes at the end to consider what your next step will be.
• Following from this, aim to finish each writing session when you still have more to say . Knowing what you want to say next doesn’t mean you need to put it down on paper immediately. In fact, it’s helpful to intentionally leave off your final paragraph. Write as the Japanese eat , until your page is 80% full of what you set out to say. That last paragraph will then become a starting point the next day, and you’ll have 24 hours to let your mind work on what comes next.
• Schedule your writing sessions at the same time every day . For many, jamming in an evening time slot may seem more attractive than waking up early. But consider honestly when you are sharpest: many of us, even self-professed night owls, have our best focus and presence of mind in the morning.
• Write the way you speak . If you’d like, you can even keep dictating your thoughts, rather than writing them. More on this later.
• Write about anything : your pet, what you see out your window, even why you hate writing. You do not always need to continue where you left off the day before. What you produce on a given day doesn’t even need to correspond to the general topic or story you are developing. Remind yourself that the most important thing is the writing itself, and force yourself to do it anyway, even when it feels like pulling teeth. 
• Do not worry about the quality of what you produce . No good comes from pondering every word or reengineering every phrase. The more you write, and the more often you write, the more the words should spill out naturally. Yes, you will need to do some serious editing at some point. But no one needs to know if your first drafts were flimsy.

Over time, a cycle of honest conversation and regular writing practice will produce results. Trust in this process and stick to your plan: you will likely end up with even more juicy content than you can possibly fit in your college essay—and this is great! You can often re-work stories and stances into your shorter, supplemental college essays, and almost always share them in interviews or networking conversations. The process itself will help you become a more compelling person overall.

Trust your instincts & keep it simple

Admissions officers are all too used to reading college essays written in a style or voice that seems forced. These essays are littered with complex clauses and semicolons. The words that fill them are unwieldy and questionably used. Metaphors, analogies, and grand claims abound.

These mistakes make sense: if personal creative writing doesn’t come naturally to you (as it doesn’t to most people), it’s understandable that you’d want to elevate your language. You are, after all, applying to selective colleges that expect whip-smart high school students.

But writing can be overdone. And overdoing your college essay is a pitfall you must avoid. 

As a student, you’re bombarded daily with writing: you may read snippets of a novel, a magazine, a history textbook, a philosophical discourse, and a chemistry paper—all on the same day. It’s all too easy to lose track of what you actually sound like amidst all those voices in all those texts.

And in the worst case scenario, this causes you to write like you’re thumbing through a thesaurus. Case in point: the compulsion to replace each usage of the word “use” with “utilize.”

To avoid this, whenever you are drafting, rely on your instincts. As the ideas pop into your mind, write them in the exact phrasing in which they appear . If you lose your train of thought, go back over the recording you made of your conversation, and listen again to what you said when you weren’t thinking about an essay . Perhaps you used slang, or a pet phrase; perhaps there was an unexpected moment of sarcasm, and you can tap back into that humorous state.

Most importantly, keep it simple . Remember that sentences do not need to be long in order to be engaging, and that a story is best presented plainly enough that it allows a reader to do some interpreting. If you attempt to explain every detail of your story, you will spend the entire essay explaining rather than actually telling the story itself. 

In order to preserve your natural voice and keep your writing simple and meaningful, get in the following habits:

• When you start your writing session, spend 10 minutes thinking about what you’ll write, and do not read anything else . 
• If you get stuck on writing, begin to speak your ideas freely and record them exactly as you speak them. Even if you spend an entire session speaking rather than writing, it is worthwhile.
• Don’t go back over the sentence you just wrote . It isn’t perfect, and you know that. Forge ahead regardless. Return to tweak your phrasing only at the end of your writing session, and later, when you have reached the editing phase of your process.
• Remember that this is not an academic essay . Don’t fall into the patterns that have served you well in English or History courses. Topic sentences are not summaries of entire paragraphs. Grammar does not need to be impeccable: the priority is the natural flow of the writing—how it sounds when read aloud—not the preciseness of each clause.

Remember that you are writing to a normal person

As you go through the intense process of assembling your application package, it can begin to feel that you are performing, to some extent, for an admissions committee shrouded in mystery. These admissions officers hold your fate in their hands, and given the acceptance rates at top colleges, it’s hard not to assume that they are cold-blooded critics looking for any excuse to kill your application in the water. Most students who make this assumption automatically go on the defensive, doing whatever they can to cover up potential red flags and appear flawless. 

And this approach does them no good.

No 17-year-old is perfect, and the admissions officer reading your application will be eminently aware of this. They are not looking for perfection, but for authenticity. They want to bring students to their university who could genuinely benefit from and contribute to the learning experience on campus. If you come across as someone who believes they’ve already mastered everything life can throw at them, will you sincerely challenge yourself and grow while in college? It’s doubtful.

Let the other parts of your application speak for themselves. Your goal in the college essay is not to impress an admissions committee, but to connect with them . This means you need to come across as a human. To do this, think of creating a casual encounter with the person reading your essay. Imagine that you are at a party, and you’re sharing a story with someone you just met. What does this mean?

• Write as though you are speaking to a peer . Admissions officers are not predisposed to judge you; in fact, they are seeking to understand the person inside all the statistics and materials. They are smart and compassionate people looking for things to like about you. You don’t need to spell out basic facts or waste space drilling the same point home. Trust that they will be able to interpret your deeper themes because they sincerely want to learn more about you.
• Don’t exaggerate or undersell . Both are important. You can immediately tell when someone you’ve met is bragging or being disingenuous. At the same time, you’re at your most engaging when you acknowledge your own talents and don’t shy away from sharing them. Try to present both your positive qualities and the skills you’re still working on as plainly as you can, without apologizing or aggrandizing. 
• Avoid going into too much detail about your lowest low points . This may seem counterintuitive, given everything else we’ve written about being authentic with your story and style. And yes, there is huge value in being vulnerable—to an extent. But if you meet someone at a party, your scarring experiences with clinical depression or childhood trauma are probably not your best icebreaker. These may be important elements of your life, which you refer to when sharing what you care about. But in the end, your application reader is not a close friend or a trusted confidante. Don’t overwhelm them with darkness you’ve begun breaking through: focus on the progress you’ve made and how your past drives you forward.

Don’t have too many readers

It’s more likely than not that you have several people interested in reading your college essay and giving their opinion on it. When you do feel that you’ve fleshed out a story and you see its shape coming together, it is useful to seek some outside perspective. After all, admissions committees are made up of multiple personalities, all of which will contribute to the decision of whether to accept or deny your application. 

But be careful not to have more than two or three other people give you feedback on your personal statement. If you show it to your counselor, your teacher, your soccer coach, your piano instructor, your mom, your aunt, and your cousin… you are going to be overwhelmed by competing opinions, each with their own biases.

If you’re not working closely with a consultant or counselor, the first person to read your college essay should be the same person who had that original brainstorming conversation with you. They will come into the reading with a sense of what makes you special, but without too much bias related to their personal feelings on your character. Have them read the essay without you present, first. Then meet, and ask them:

• Did they learn anything new or unexpected about you in this essay?
• Did they find themselves thinking back on the essay after they were done reading it? If so, what part(s) were they thinking about?
• Would they want to have a coffee with you after reading this essay? Or collaborate on a project with you? 

There are no right or wrong answers to these questions, but asking them will help you to gauge whether your story communicates what you want it to about who you are.

Following these guidelines will enable you to set your sights in the right direction for your college essay and launch your writing process with confidence. Check back in soon for part two in this series: we’ll be sharing an article on the next steps for editing your Common App Personal Statement into its most compelling final state.

More Help on the College Admissions Process

Have these tips helped you brainstorm or draft? Are you interested in personalized advice for planning your own personal statement, extracurricular activities, school list, and more? Tell us about your goals and what you’ve been doing using our college admissions calculator , and we’ll get back to you shortly with tips for just your profile. Or, skip straight to a free phone consultation to discuss your application strategy with our expert college admissions consulting team.

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Katherine Martinelli

Updated Oct 23, 2017

7 Ways to Make Your College Application Essay Stand Out

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There’s so much that goes into a college application, combining years of hard work that lead up to the final moment when you hit “send.”

Grades and test scores are important components, but numbers only tell a portion of your story. What colleges really want to know — and what sets you apart from the crowd of other applicants — is who you are and what makes you tick. Your best opportunity to go beyond the letters and numbers on your high school transcript is through the application essay , or personal statement, which is precisely that: your invitation t o let your personality shine. For admissions officers comparing students with similar scores and extracurricular activities, a compelling essay that brings an applicant to life can lift that student to the top of the pile. 

To make your college essay stand out, consider these expert tips.

1. Choose a Thoughtful Title

College essays are not typically required to have a title, but crafting one can be a powerful tool to make your essay stand out right away — which is why Benjamin Caldarelli, co-founder of Princeton College Consulting , recommends adding one. He says a strong, simple title is perfectly effective, though you may be able to make a positive impact with a well-chosen cultural reference. “Using a variation on the title of a well-known book or movie is an example,” he says. A winning title he saw recently was “Mindful Middle Class Indian.” It was a play on the popular book-turned-movie Crazy Rich Asians .

Even with a more straightforward title, Caldarelli says it’s important to pique the interest of the reader. Another effective title he noticed was “The Cheesecake.” It’s simple, relatable and leaves you to wonder what that dessert has to do with college. The essay turned out to be a creative and unusual approach the applicant used to demonstrate their perseverance by making a fancy, labor-intensive cake, and Caldarelli says the title was the perfect setup.

You need to start with the meaty part right off the bat. Phyllis Zimbler Miller

2. Jump Right In

Just as people often judge whether to read a book based on its first sentence or two, the college essay should waste no time in grabbing a reader’s attention. “Frequently, first paragraphs are weak, as if the writer is winding up to write the meaty part of the essay. You need to start with the meaty part right off the bat,” says Phyllis Zimbler Miller , author of How to Succeed in High School and Prep for College . Her recommendation? Write your first draft and then chop off the first paragraph to see how it reads. Chances are that’s a good place to start strong.

Lindsey Conger, an independent college counselor at MoonPrep.com , agrees that the first paragraph is crucial and suggests starting with an anecdote, particularly one in which you can draw the reader into the action. “I recommend that you throw your reader right into the middle of the story,” she says.  

3. Don’t Be Afraid to Use Humor

Moments of levity can be a welcome relief for admissions associates who are knee-deep in earnest essays. To pull them in, Brian Galvin, chief academic officer for Varsity Tutors , recommends using humor or a semi-sensational statement. His example of an intriguing line? “When I was three, I was abducted by aliens. My life has never been the same.” That’s an essay you want to continue reading, right? And a couple of lines is the perfect amount of humor — after all, your essay isn’t meant to be, and shouldn’t be, a standup routine. Instead, it is designed to present the fullest, truest and most compelling version of yourself. If you choose a humorous opening line, Galvin suggests transitioning into a particular passion or interest. This alien opener might “transition to a student’s deep interest in astrophysics or aerospace engineering,” he says.

4. Use Specific Examples

It can be tempting to use the essay to showcase all of your positive attributes, but remember, it shouldn’t feel like a résumé. For a successful college essay, keep your focus narrow and then use strong examples to illustrate your points. “Don’t just tell us that you are empathetic; tell us about a time you volunteered at a nursing home and spent hours talking with a particular resident. Tell us how you felt and the impact the conversation had on you and the resident. Those types of stories will stick out much more to the admission officer reading your essay,” advises Conger.

5. Channel Your Most Unusual Passions

Chances are, if you’ve chosen to write about something you’re genuinely passionate about, your excitement will shine through and will distinguish your essay from those that sound robotic. And the more unusual that interest is, the better — whether it’s skydiving or cosplay, think about the things you love that set you apart. 

To make a particular interest really stand out in the context of a college essay, discuss how it aligns with your educational objectives. You might explain what skills you’ve mastered from a hobby that will be meaningful in your future career, or perhaps point to a specific experience that highlights your individual growth and personal development.

6. Be Vulnerable and Authentic

If you want your college essay to leave an impression, don’t be afraid to open up and show genuine emotion. “Being very vulnerable and sharing a painful or intense experience honestly can make for compelling essay material,” says Galvin. Just be mindful of the fine line between sharing difficult experiences and painting yourself as a victim. “It’s OK to talk about the challenges you’ve faced in life, but if you do that, also talk about how you grew as a result and worked to overcome the challenge,” says Louise Grant, associate director of admissions for Husson University . 

You don’t need to have experienced personal tragedy to have material for a memorable college essay. Acknowledging a mistake you made and reflecting on it honestly and with maturity can display emotional depth and vulnerability too.

7. Draw Connections

It’s pretty easy to just talk about yourself, but to bring your essay to the next level, try to connect it to the world at large. “What often elevates an essay is that the writer is able to place their own story and insights in a larger historical, cultural, philosophical or intellectual context. Ask the question: What is an important and authentic context for my story? Whether it is an idea that frames the entire essay or just finds its way in through telling details, it often separates good from great,” says Caldarelli. In a well-known example , one student framed her essay within the context of shopping at Costco while deftly bringing in physics concepts and literary references and demonstrating her own personal growth.

These suggestions are your guide to writing a college essay that stands out — in a good way. Equally important is that your essay not stand out for the wrong reasons — because of poor grammar, careless typos, divisive or offensive statements or straying far from the topic or word count. To avoid these pitfalls, be sure to proofread your essay several times and then have it reviewed by an extra set of eyes (or two) before hitting send. 

Following the above do’s — and don’ts — will help you compose an essay that communicates the best of you, guaranteeing that it will be compelling and utterly original. 

Interviews for this article were conducted in 2019.

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Standing Up For Yourself: Why It’s Important & Effective Ways To Do It

• Updated August 16, 2021

Do you struggle to stand up for yourself? Do you find that people seem to push you around or make choices on your behalf? Do you struggle with assertiveness and confidence? If so, you may be struggling with assertiveness.

Standing up for yourself is a key skill to develop and hone if you want to be successful in life, not just in your career but in all aspects of your life, from your relationships, to your spiritual beliefs, to your family, to your personal growth.

It’s not always easy to stand up for ourselves, especially if we’re used to taking a backseat. Some of us have learned to hold back on our wants and needs and prioritize those of other people.

This behavior is often learned in childhood and carries on into adulthood, where it manifests as people-pleasing, being a pushover, and struggling to get our needs met.

If you struggle to stand up for yourself, don’t worry. Standing up for yourself is a skill, and just like any other skill, it can be learned, developed, and improved upon.

In this article, we’ll explore why it’s so important to stand up for yourself. We’ll also teach you some effective ways to stand up for yourself, so you can prevent others from controlling your life. Even if you consider yourself shy or passive now, the good news is that anyone, regardless of their current level of confidence and assertiveness, can learn to stand up for themselves and stop taking a backseat in life.

Why is it important to stand up for yourself?

Many of us struggle with assertiveness, whether in the home, in the workplace, in a social setting, or in a relationship. Often, those of us who don’t stand up for ourselves feel bad about making a scene or disrupting the flow of things.

We often confuse being assertive with being aggressive and would rather keep the peace, usually fearing that others will tell us we’re overreacting or that ‘it’s not that big a deal.’

One might shy away from confrontation or conflict, even when their needs aren’t being met because the thought of it makes them deeply uncomfortable, and they’d rather move on quickly. This tactic may serve the person in the short term in that conflict and confrontation are successfully avoided, but it does more harm than good in the long run.

If we don’t stand up for ourselves, we risk not getting our needs met. The way we treat ourselves is how we teach others to treat us, so if we neglect our own needs by being passive and letting others take the reins, we do an injustice to ourselves.

Standing up for yourself shows others that you respect yourself and that you are confident in your self-worth and self-esteem. It demonstrates a strong belief in yourself and teaches others that you won’t be walked over.

Standing up for yourself takes confidence, but it also creates confidence. If you don’t feel confident now, you might think that you’ll never learn to stand up for yourself. You may have even resigned to the fact that you’ll always be a pushover. However, before you give up on your confidence, understand that it’s created with small steps.

You don’t have to become a charismatic, highly confident person overnight. Confidence is built step by step. The great thing about confidence is that the more we do to assert ourselves and get our needs met, even if only through small acts, the more confident we become. With greater confidence comes a greater ability to stand up for ourselves, which creates more confidence, and so on.

Related: How to Live for Yourself Instead of Others: 13 Practical Steps

The consequences of not standing up for yourself

If we don’t learn to stand up for ourselves, people are more likely to take advantage of us. In an ideal world, we would all be kind and compassionate toward one another, help others who are struggling and use our power and influence for good. However, we don’t live in an ideal world, and the truth is that there are people who seek to take advantage of others for their own gain.

People who take advantage of others are often skilled at identifying people’s vulnerabilities and weak points and use their own assertiveness to convince others that their way of doing things is the right way or that a person is wrong for having their own opinion or perspective.

Sometimes it’s a controlling parent; sometimes, it’s a toxic friend. Sometimes it’s a manipulative partner, and sometimes it’s a narcissistic co-worker. In whichever context you find yourself being taken advantage of, walked over, or manipulated , the effects of not standing up for yourself are detrimental to your health and well-being.

If we don’t stand up for ourselves, we may condition ourselves to believe that we are not worth it. The temporary comfort gained from avoiding conflict or confrontation is eventually outweighed by feelings of low self-worth, low self-esteem, and a lack of confidence.

Related: What is a Sense of Self? Why it’s Important and Tips to Develop Yourself

How to stand up for yourself

Perhaps you’re reading this article because of a recent incident in which you failed to stand up for yourself. Maybe a co-worker suggested to your boss that you take on extra work because they wanted to get out of doing it, even though you already have a lot on your plate.

Perhaps your partner is consistently late to meet you for dinner, and you’ve finally realized that it’s time for a confrontation on the matter. Perhaps a parent is constantly criticizing you or trying to get you to follow a career path you don’t love. Whatever your circumstances are, you can always benefit by being more assertive, confident and not tolerating others’ attempts to walk all over you.

Below we have outlined some key assertiveness skills to help you become more confident and self-assured in whatever situation in which you find yourself. Understand that building confidence takes time and happens in small steps, so try your best not to lose patience along the way.

With consistent practice and conscious intention, you’ll help yourself grow significantly and become the confident, assertive person you want to be.

Ways to stand up for yourself

Being able to stand up for yourself is a skill you can develop over time. It may feel a little uncomfortable at first, especially if you’re used to letting other people be in charge and neglecting your own wants and needs, but once you get the hang of it, it’s a life-changer!

Practice assertiveness

The most important tool you need to stand up for yourself is the ability to be assertive. Not to be confused with aggression, assertiveness is knowing what you want and what you don’t and being comfortable with sharing that with others. 

A research paper published in the  Journal of the Korean Academy of Nursing  defines assertiveness as ‘a core human behavior and is key to interpersonal relationships.’

When you’re assertive, you’re in touch with your wants and needs, and you’re willing to prioritize them. Thus, to be assertive toward others, the first step is to improve your self-awareness.

Instead of neglecting your wants and needs and eventually forgetting about them completely, bring your attention to what you need in each moment.

Do you need space? Do you need someone to respect your privacy? Do you need to say ‘no’ to extra work because you’re swamped already? Identify what you want and need before requesting others to support you. You might be surprised to find that people are more willing to help when you’re clear about what you want from them.

Related: How to Feel Better Instantly and Care for Yourself: 7 Strategies

Say ‘No’

It can be hard to say ‘no’ to others, especially if you’re not used to it. Many of us are conditioned to believe by our parents, teachers, or authority figures when we’re children that saying ‘no’ is rude or disrespectful. However, it becomes a lot easier to stand up for yourself when you learn to say ‘no’. 

Perhaps you’re a ‘yes’ person. You might say yes to every request, invite, or idea and feel bad if you return someone down. However, if you worry and stress over ever letting anyone down, you might become somewhat of a pushover and make it easier for others to take advantage of you. 

For example, if your co-worker asks you to cover their shift several times because they tell you they have important things to do, it might be hard to say no. You might be a kind person and willing to help others, even if it means staying an extra hour or two at work. Later you see them post on social media that they’re hanging out with their friends at a bar.

In this situation, the next time you’re asked to cover, say can politely say no. You don’t even need to explain yourself. It’s not your responsibility to make sure other people get their wants and needs met, and it’s unhealthy to neglect your own in the process. 

Saying no might initially feel uncomfortable and may cause a shocked or confused reaction in people who are used to walking over you. Still, if you are consistent and self-assured, they will eventually learn that they can’t use you as a doormat. 

Related: 20 Signs of a Manipulator and How to Protect Yourself from them

Make effective use of body language

We don’t only communicate through the words we speak. We also communicate through our body language, such as our facial expressions, our posture, the way we walk, sit, or stand, and how we approach eye contact. 

‘In the course of our everyday lives, we pick up information about what people are thinking and feeling through their body posture, mannerisms, gestures, and the prosody of their movements’ , explains Elisa de Stefani and Doriana de Marco in an article on the power of body language published in  Frontiers in Human Psychology .

Positive body language is that which elicits greater communication, respect, and trust. Maintaining eye contact, sitting or standing up straight, and directing our body towards another person are all examples of positive body language.

The use of positive, open non-verbal communication increases our chances of being heard and respected when we make a request or have to say no to someone else’s question. 

Negative body language hinders effective communication. Slouching, avoiding eye contact, and leaning away from a person are examples of negative body language and decrease our chance of being heard and respected.

Related: How to be Kind to Yourself: Why it’s Important and Personal Benefits

Learn how to set boundaries

Boundaries are how you let others know how to treat you. We cannot expect others to uphold boundaries for us because people will do as they wish and may not always consider our boundaries. Still, when we set a boundary, we inform those close to us what we will and will not tolerate. If they choose to ignore our boundaries, they already know that there will be a consequence. 

“It is necessary, even vital, to set standards for your life and the people you allow in it.”  – Mandy Hale.

For example, imagine you’re dating someone, and they keep showing up late to dinner, and that frustrates you. They don’t let you know in advance that they’re going to be late, and when they eventually show up, they offer no reasonable excuse as to why they kept you waiting. You might forgive them without an issue once or twice, but if their behavior persists, then you could stand up for yourself by setting a boundary. 

You could let them know that showing up late makes you feel disrespected and is inconsiderate of your time (note that the boundary is about you, not them – ‘ I  feel disrespected’). You could then explain that if they show up late again without offering an explanation in advance or letting you know that they can’t make it in enough time for you to arrange other plans, that there won’t be another date. If they want to continue seeing you then they will make the effort to respect your request.

Related: How to be Yourself in 12 Helpful Ways, When Others Want to Change You

Stay calm and grounded

If you’re faced with a confrontation and need to stand up for yourself, it’s important to stay calm and grounded. Sometimes when someone oversteps a line and forces us to make a stand, we can get a little hot-headed and go into attack mode. We might shout at the person, use aggressive body language, or even go so far as to call them names. This is not the wisest choice.

Standing up for yourself and not tolerating disrespect or being walked over is better heard when you confront it while calm, grounded, and clear.

Related: How to Focus on Yourself When No One Else Will: 15 Actionable Tips

In conclusion

If you want to get better at standing up for yourself, be patient. Assertiveness is a highly valuable life skill, and it’s something you most certainly should work towards developing, but it’s not developed overnight. It takes consistent practice, but the payoff far outweighs the cost.

Understand that self-assertion is not aggression. Remember that next time, and you get the urge to lash out at someone overstepping your boundary. Also remember that if a situation arises when you’re genuinely being assertive, but someone claims that you’re being aggressive. They may in fact be gaslighting you .

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Seven Ways to Make your College Essay Stand Out

Because the college essay is not the same kind of essay that you write for your high school English teacher, it does not have to have the typical essay introduction which would usually provide a thesis statement. Most students are unaware of this fact. Just as you want to prepare the best answers to your college interview , here are seven tips for writing an engaging essay that will stand out from the rest!

1. Your first paragraph should grab the reader

The college essay has to grab the attention of an admission’s reader.  It is imperative, then, that the introduction to the college essay capture the reader’s attention and make the reader want to read more.

There are different ways to grab the reader.

• Try starting with a question.
• Begin with a bold statement.
• Use an interesting quote.
• Put the reader in medias res, that is, in the middle of things. Place the reader in the middle of something happening or in the middle of a conversation.
• Challenge the reader by speaking directly to him/her.
• Tell the reader what you do NOT want to do in your writing.
• Sometimes even a single word that stands as a paragraph can make the reader wonder and read on.

2. Be a real person, not an anonymous author

Do not be just another of thousands of applicants that do not make an impression. If you are reading a newspaper article, the writer fades behind the facts and you know nothing about the writer except that s/he can collect, organize, and present the facts that you need to now. You want the admissions reader to say, “Ah, this is a real person writing to me.

That means you should write with voice, that is, you need to write with your own personality. Honesty, humor, talking the way you talk, showing the way you think, all help to create voice.

3. Don’t be boring

Trying to be proper or trying to impress or trying to be intellectual can be a drag. What you should be are doing is getting noticed as unique. It’s like you are on a date with the admissions reader and you want to be asked out again.

If you are on a date, you would naturally want to be smart, funny, nice, caring, unique, not boring. You also want to have an opinion, not step back like an unthinking geek. Write your essay as though you would be a great second date.

4. Make your essay correct and beautiful

Dates should look good, too. You can make your essay beautiful by giving thought to a few things. Use a font that is readable. Consider whether or not a bold typeface could make your essay easier to read. Don’t crowd your essay near the top of the page, but balance it on the page and attend to soothing margins. Provide the essay prompt at the opening. Separate paragraphs in a consistent way, either by indenting each paragraph or by using block style, keeping all the words to the left margin but spacing extra between paragraphs.

If there are a lot of mistakes in your essay, it can not be pretty. Make sure you have spelled everything correctly. Make sure your basic punctuation is correct.

Did you separate dialogue correctly from the rest of your text? Did you use capitalization correctly? Check out our article on the most common mistakes in college essays for more tips to ensure your essay reads well.

5. Approach the essay from a different angle

If you look at things a little differently from others you stand out. In answering an essay prompt, you need not always do it the most normal way.

• What if you were to take the negative approach to answer the prompt? What are your hopes? Maybe you can tell what your hopes are by writing what you do not hope for.
• Perhaps you can create a little mystery by not answering the prompt immediately. What do you want to study? Maybe you could reveal that in the last sentence of your prompt after telling about all the little things that have some relevance to your area of study. For example, you might describe much natural flora, observe fauna, then list feelings you have about nature to lead up to writing that you want to study biology.
• You might even bury your answer to a prompt in a story or in a moral tale or even in a description.

6. Be clear and logical

As much as you wish to shine, the shine will be lost if your sentences and thoughts do not string together logically. You must make sense to the reader.

Reread your essay as though you have no idea what the writer is talking about. Does it make sense? Are there transitions between different sections of the essay? Is the essay organized? Have you started at the beginning? Have you provided an ending? Have you given enough background information?

It is a good idea to make sure different audiences understand what you have tried to write. Test your essay with a friend, a teacher, a parent, even a younger reader. Ask them not to judge but simply read to see if they know what you are saying. “Tell me,” say to them, “exactly what you got from this.” If there is confusion, fix it.

7. Leave your reader with a lasting impression

People remember the last things first or, at least, best. As Alan Alda said in a commencement address he delivered to his daughter’s graduating college class, the most important things are said on the way out the door. His last words in that speech were, “I love you.”

In the same way, you should end your college essay with something that not only summarizes the most important aspects of you but that is also memorable. Memorable endings are poignant, making the reader feel an emotion. Or, they capture a several-line conclusion in one pithy, well-worded phrase or sentence. Or, maybe they end with a simple, clean truth written from the heart.

Final Tips! If you are having trouble getting started on your essay, you might want to check out Academichelp.net where they provide sample essays and free writing guides or check out The Essay Guy for more great essay writing tips. Lastly, if English is not your first language, you might want to look for some tips on how to improve your English writing skills to make sure you can be clear and concise with your writing.  Good Luck!

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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.

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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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Your chance of acceptance, your chancing factors, extracurriculars, harvard application advice needed.

Hi! I'm starting to work on my application for Harvard, and I'm feeling a little bit overwhelmed. Any tips or suggestions on how to make my application stand out?

Hey! Don't stress too much, we've all been there. Applying to Harvard can seem overwhelming, but remember, it's about presenting the best version of yourself. Here are some tips to help your application stand out:

1. "Spike": Harvard likes applicants with a highly-developed specialty, or "spike." Instead of being well-rounded, try to showcase a passion or talent in a specific field. Demonstrating your unique expertise can set you apart from other applicants.

2. Essays: Make your essays shine by sharing personal anecdotes and tying them to larger themes. Avoid cliche topics and focus on what makes you unique. Your essays are a chance for the admissions officers to get to know you, so use them as an opportunity to showcase your voice and personality.

3. Letters of Recommendations: Strong, personalized letters of recommendation can do wonders for your application. Ensure the teachers/coaches/mentors you ask know you well and will represent your strengths effectively. Give them ample time to write thoughtful letters.

4. Extracurriculars: Highlight your involvement in extracurricular activities, showcasing your leadership and impact in those organizations. Aim for a mix of activities that represent your passions and interests. Remember, it's quality, not quantity that counts.

5. Focus on additional components: Harvard's application has several extra components, such as the Additional Information section and optional art supplements. Utilize these parts wisely to provide more insight into your talents and experiences if it adds value to your application.

6. Academics and Test Scores: While not the sole deciding factor, strong grades and test scores demonstrate your ability to handle the rigorous coursework at Harvard. Make sure you're taking challenging courses and performing well in them while preparing for tests like the SAT or ACT.

7. Supplemental Essay: Harvard has an optional supplemental essay where you can further showcase your interests, talents, or experiences. Craft a strong, well-written response that adds to your overall application.

8. Demonstrated Interest: Although Harvard doesn't consider demonstrated interest as a major factor, showing genuine interest can help indirectly. Attend virtual events, webinars, or campus tours to learn more about the school. This knowledge can come through in your essays, making them more compelling.

9. Apply Early Action: Applying Early Action can show commitment and enthusiasm for the school. While it doesn't significantly impact the overall acceptance rate, it can be helpful in demonstrating your preference for Harvard.

Lastly, remember to stay authentic and true to who you are throughout the application process. Good luck with your application!

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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.

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Want to do a solo show? Grab a friend or two first, says Alex Edelman

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I’m asked sometimes now how to craft a solo show.

Well, if you’re me, at least, here’s how you start. First, assemble all the stand-up material that you’ve mined and scrounged from comedy sets on stages in Brooklyn breweries or Midwestern cities or Scottsdale malls and put them into various notebooks, emails to yourself or backs of receipts. Then, go to London and sit down at a table with your friend, Adam Brace. Then take all that stuff and throw it like rice at a wedding, at Adam, who, fortunately, also happens to be your longtime director.

For me, the phrase “solo show” has always kind of been an oxymoron. I craft my solo shows by bouncing ideas off of other people. Especially Adam.

That’s how “Just for Us” began. Before it was a Broadway offering, a touring show that your friend’s aunt really liked or a streaming special, my solo show was a story I told a pal over three ciders to try to make him laugh. This is my process. I find the friend whom I most want to be seen as clever by, and I empty out my mental backpack onto the table in front of them.

Adam sat across that table, one drink ahead of me. He hem-hawed and “mmm”-ed and tsk-ed and scribbled in a Moleskine and, occasionally, gave me my favorite sound in the world, which was this big, booming, hurling laugh that meant there was something there. And I told Adam this story about something that had happened since I last saw him: I had gone to a meeting of white nationalists in Queens, N.Y., and sat there for a while before being found out. The story would be more interesting to Adam than to a stranger — he knew my neuroses, my desire to be liked, my Orthodox Judaism from working on two previous shows together, and from his interjections and provocations, narrative was starting to emerge. “That story,” he told me, “there’s something in there. It might be enough for a show.”

‘I can’t do it anymore’: Alex Edelman on ending ‘Just for Us,’ his hit show about antisemitism

Alex Edelman has spent six years revising and performing “Just for Us,” but now he’s ending it with an encore run in L.A. that coincides with its HBO special on April 6.

March 26, 2024

Adam was right. Besides the fact that the meeting was a setting where so many parts of me could show up for comic examination, there was a tangentially geopolitical aspect to it. The question, which audiences found interesting, was the double bind of whiteness: In that room, I was allowed in because my skin color allowed me to pass for what the attendees found socially acceptable — but they considered me excluded because of my Judaism.

In the sandbox around that, I found jokes that were timely but also age-old. And not just limited to Jews. Audiences from all backgrounds found valence to a story that I found to be more about assimilation than antisemitism. And the conversations sparked by the show rebounded into it. An answer to a tough question on a sidewalk after Tuesday’s show might wind up in it on Thursday.

Later, I found help in a different conversation, over a different table, 5,000 miles from the one I ate at with Adam. I had gone to see Mike Birbiglia’s show “The New One,” and afterward hauled him to Grand Central Market for some Thai food. After a few bites, Birbiglia said, “I hear you have a decent solo show.”

“Yeah, my last one.”

“What’s it about?”

I told him. He blinked and stopped eating for a second.

“That’s not your last show,” he told me, “that’s your next show.”

Birbiglia considered.

“Why don’t we put it up in New York for a night, and if it’s any good, maybe we’ll do something with it.”

Birbiglia’s guidance too was essential in kicking the show on. It helps that he’s probably the best solo show artist in the country, and had done this before with Jacqueline Novak’s “Get on Your Knees.” He encouraged an even stricter adherence to the main narrative, and Adam and I set about cutting 20 minutes of tangential jokes and adding 30 or so new minutes.

Entertainment & Arts

Review: A Jewish man walks into a room full of neo-Nazis. Self-exploration, empathy and sly humor ensue

Comedian Alex Edelman brings his acclaimed Broadway show, in which he muses on Jewish identity, empathy and how he came to hang out with a group of white nationalists, to the Mark Taper Forum.

Nov. 13, 2023

When the show opened in New York, it found a home with audiences off-Broadway. Fulsome word-of-mouth and additional notes from visiting comedy legends — Billy Crystal, Jerry Seinfeld, Steve Martin — helped haul it on Broadway, where it was filmed for HBO. And the conversations. They sustained the show and then me through some tough bits. A show-threatening omicron shutdown, illness and the loss of Adam, who passed away at the end of April 2023. I could not possibly miss him more. A final essential collaborator was found in the multihyphenate Alex Timbers, who, stepping in as a creative consultant and eventual director of the special, elevated it in a way that no one else could have for Broadway and capture.

When I watched the special for the first time as a finished piece, I saw behind the jokes the breadcrumbs of countless arguments, debates and the masters of the stage and eagle-eyed audience members alike who had helped me sand it into something.

As I said, people ask me all the time now how to make a solo show. It’s easy.

All you need is thousands of other people.

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