• 100 Profile Essay Topics

As part of a school assignment or a college application, you may be asked to write a profile essay. This type of essay is a portrait of a person, place, thing, or idea. The goal is to provide readers with enough information so that they can understand the main subject of the essay.

But to write a profile essay that will earn you a good grade or acceptance into an educational institution, you’ll need to follow some specific guidelines.

To assist you in your writing endeavors, we’ve created this handy guide detailing everything you need to know about writing a profile essay and included 100 profile essay topics to help inspire your writing.

Is Profile Essay Writing Hard?

Completing a profile essay can be relatively simple for many students, assuming that they choose an interesting subject and have enough time to conduct a thorough investigation. However, some students find this type of essay writing more challenging than others.

One of the main reasons some students struggle with profile essays is that they don’t fully understand what this type of assignment is asking of them. Another common issue has to do with choosing an appropriate subject. Some students select a topic that is either too broad or too narrow in scope, making it challenging to write a well-rounded essay.

Ultimately, by sticking to the following guidelines, any student will be able to create an interesting profile essay that will stand out from the rest.

Instructions for Writing a Profile Essay

You need to follow three main steps to write a successful profile essay. These include:

  • Select an appropriate subject
  • Conduct research on your subject
  • Write your essay

Let’s take a closer look at each of these steps in more detail.

1. Select an appropriate subject

When it comes to choosing a subject for your profile essay, it’s essential to select someone or something that you are familiar with and that you can write about in an interesting way. For example, your subject could be a famous person, a politician, an artist, a musician, or even a local business owner.

2. Conduct research on your subject

Once you have selected your subject, it’s time to start conducting research. This will involve reading articles, watching videos, and interviewing people familiar with your topic. When doing your research, it’s important to take notes so that you can later reference this information in your essay.

3. Write your essay

After gathering all of the necessary information, you can start writing your essay. Begin by introducing your subject and providing some background information. Then, focus on including specific details to help readers understand your subject better.

Essential Writing Tips for a Profile Essay

When writing your profile essay, there are some helpful tips that you can follow to ensure that your essay is well-written and engaging for readers. These tips include:

Write in the third person

Avoid using personal pronouns such as “I,” “me,” “we,” and “us.” Instead, always refer to your subject by their name or use third-person pronouns such as “he,” “she,” “they,” and “them.”

Use strong verbs

When describing your subject, use strong verbs that will help bring your essay to life for readers. Some examples of strong verbs include:

Avoid overusing phrases

When writing your essay, avoid overusing phrases meant to be used as transitions between sentences such as “in conclusion,” “to sum up,” and “as a result.” These phrases can make your writing sound choppy and distract readers. Instead, opt for more original and interesting language that will help make your essay stand out. Some additional phrases to use in your writing include:

  • In order to
  • For the purpose of
  • With the goal of
  • The aim/objective of
  • As a result of
  • Consequently

Include quotes

In order to add more depth to your essay, consider including quotes from people who know your subject well. These could be quotes from interviews that you conducted or from articles that you read. Just be sure to properly cite any quotes you include in your essay.

Writing a Thesis for a Profile Essay

Like any essay writing assignment, your profile essay will need to have a clear and concise thesis statement. This statement should be included in your introduction, and it should briefly describe what your essay will be about.

A strong thesis statement for a profile essay should include:

  • The name of the person or thing that you are writing about
  • A brief description of what you will be discussing in your essay
  • The main reason why you are writing about this subject

Here is an example of a strong thesis statement for a profile essay:

“John Smith is a successful businessman who has created and maintained a successful business despite challenges in the current economy.”

As you can see, this thesis statement includes the name of the subject, a brief description of what will be discussed in the essay, and the main reason for writing about John Smith.

With the above guidelines for crafting a well-written profile essay in mind, you may now be wondering what topics you could write about. If you’re struggling to come up with ideas, here are 100 profile essay topics to get you started:

Profile Essay Topics About People

  • A close friend
  • A family member
  • A classmate
  • The cashier at your local grocery store
  • The barista at your favorite coffee shop
  • A famous actor or musician
  • A politician
  • A historical figure
  • Your doctor
  • Your dentist
  • Your teacher
  • The CEO of a company
  • A celebrity chef
  • A fashion designer
  • A web developer
  • A veterinarian

Profile Essay Topics About Places

  • Your hometown
  • A small town that you have visited
  • A large city that you have lived in or visited
  • Your favorite vacation spot
  • An amusement park
  • A national park
  • An art gallery
  • A music festival
  • A carnival or fair
  • Your church or place of worship
  • Your favorite restaurant
  • Your favorite store
  • A local business in your hometown
  • A farmer’s market
  • A movie theater

Profile Essay Topics About Things

  • Your house or apartment
  • Your favorite possession
  • An heirloom that has been passed down in your family
  • A piece of jewelry
  • A painting or photograph
  • A concert ticket
  • Your favorite book
  • Your favorite movie
  • Your favorite musical album
  • Your cellphone
  • Your computer
  • Your television
  • Your gaming console

Profile Essay Topics About Events

  • A wedding that you have attended
  • A birthday party
  • A baby shower
  • A retirement party
  • A holiday celebration
  • An anniversary party
  • A graduation ceremony
  • A sports tournament or game
  • A dance performance
  • A musical concert
  • A comedy show

Profile Essay Topics About Activities

  • Rock climbing
  • Playing an instrument
  • Drawing or painting
  • Bird watching

Profile Essay Topics About Concepts

Profile essay topics about social issues.

  • Immigration
  • Global warming
  • Child labor
  • Gun violence
  • Animal cruelty
  • The death penalty

Any of these 100 profile essay topics are sure to get you started on the right foot! Just remember to choose a subject that you’re passionate about, and you’ll be well on your way to writing an engaging and informative profile essay.

Related Posts

  • 130 Social Media Essay Topics
  • 125 Descriptive Essay Topics
  • 110 Personal Essay Topics
  • 100 Example Essay Topics
  • 140 Definition Essay Topics

Categories:

  • Essay Samples
  • Essay Topics
  • Essay Writing Guides

Recent posts:

  • 170 Ethics Essay Topics
  • 160 Satire Essay Topics
  • 160 Rhetorical Essay Topics
  • 155 Criminal Justice Essay Topics
  • 150 Political Essay Topics
  • 145 Classification Essay Topics
  • 140 Sociology Essay Topics
  • 140 Opinion Essay Topics
  • 140 Environmental Essay Topics
  • 135 Controversial Essay Topics
  • 125 Classification and Division Essay Topics
  • 120 Literary Essay Topics
  • 90 Heart of Darkness Essay Topics
  • 80 Holocaust Essay Topics

Testimonials

Group 6

Writing Universe - logo

  • Environment
  • Information Science
  • Social Issues
  • Argumentative
  • Cause and Effect
  • Classification
  • Compare and Contrast
  • Descriptive
  • Exemplification
  • Informative
  • Controversial
  • Exploratory
  • What Is an Essay
  • Length of an Essay
  • Generate Ideas
  • Types of Essays
  • Structuring an Essay
  • Outline For Essay
  • Essay Introduction
  • Thesis Statement
  • Body of an Essay
  • Writing a Conclusion
  • Essay Writing Tips
  • Drafting an Essay
  • Revision Process
  • Fix a Broken Essay
  • Format of an Essay
  • Essay Examples
  • Essay Checklist
  • Essay Writing Service
  • Pay for Research Paper
  • Write My Research Paper
  • Write My Essay
  • Custom Essay Writing Service
  • Admission Essay Writing Service
  • Pay for Essay
  • Academic Ghostwriting
  • Write My Book Report
  • Case Study Writing Service
  • Dissertation Writing Service
  • Coursework Writing Service
  • Lab Report Writing Service
  • Do My Assignment
  • Buy College Papers
  • Capstone Project Writing Service
  • Buy Research Paper
  • Custom Essays for Sale

Can’t find a perfect paper?

  • Essay Topics
  • Profile Essay

150 Profile Essay Topics Easy and Fun to Write

Profile essay topics are considered some of the most engaging assignments students usually get.  Writing profiles is an exciting process because you receive a chance to explore something on a deep level, but the problem is, there are lots of things that should be taken into account before you can even think about success. Profile essay is an informative type of writing where you provide your readers with a clear description of someone or something, be that a person, a character, an event, or even a place.

Such papers have two major features: they should have lots of vivid details and they must flow smoothly. Whatever profile ideas you choose, you should write in a specific style. It must be descriptive, objective, and engaging, instantly attracting readers’ attention and holding it until the very end. But first, you have to understand what exactly you’re going to be profiling, and here’s where you might need some help. Not all themes will be interesting, just as not all of them will inspire you to start writing. We have prepared a list of essay topic samples that students may use for any subject.

Getting Good Profile Essay Ideas

How to choose a topic for profiling? There are many options, but sometimes it feels like none of them work. If nothing immediately comes into your mind, don’t worry — start with general tips before narrowing them down to something more specific.

  • Look through samples of profile essays.  Before deciding on a topic, take a look at similar papers published online. Check example after example, noting down what other people decided to explore and letting it stimulate your own ideas. This way, you’ll get inspiration as well as gain an inkling as to what kind of profile essays you’d prefer to work on.
  • Consider subjects.  Think about what you like. Are there topics you find genuinely inspiring? Maybe there is a family member or a friend who you love and want to describe. Perhaps there is a movie character that haunts your thoughts, and a profile essay is a chance to understand them even better. If it’s an intriguing historical event or a place you dream of visiting, it’ll result in an exciting paper, too, so consider your surroundings and decide on the best profile ideas.
  • Prepare for an essay thoroughly.  If you think you’ve chosen suitable topic, start collecting information about this subject. In case this is a place, visit it or study pictures depicting it. The more detailed they are, the better. If this is a person, talk to them, ask them some interesting questions, and make extra notes about their personality. If you find them fascinating, you stand higher chances of conveying this to your readers and making them feel the same. All these steps will be of great help as you start writing an essay.

List of Good Profile Essays Topics

We came up with 150 essay topics that college students could find mentally stimulating. If you see an option you like, be sure to use it!

  • President Trump’s Profile: His Ambitions, Personal Qualities, and Intentions
  • Greece as a Country with the Most Interesting History
  • Typical Behavior for a Three-Year-Old Child
  • Christmas as the Most Favorite Holiday for Americans
  • Fox Mulder as the FBI Profiler: Understanding His Personality
  • Writing a Self-Profile: How I See My Personal Characteristics
  • Profile on the Person Who Has Most Hits in Google
  • Objective View on Africa: Its History, Real Problems, & Victories
  • Profiling Zodiac Killer: What Kind of Person They Could Have Been
  • Why Ted Bundy Was Not Caught For So Long: Charming Personality & Violent Interior
  • Understanding Why Cats Behave Like They Do & How to Build a Bond With Them
  • Profile One of Ancient Kings Based on Available Historical Information
  • My Role Model: A Person Who Helped Me Determine My Life Path
  • Adolf Hitler, His Ideology and Personality: What Drew So Many Germans to Him
  • Develop a Perfect Image of a Father Figure: What Kind of Features Should They Have?
  • Dogs as Human’s Best Friends
  • Why France is Considered the Most Romantic Country?
  • Mystery Surrounding Egypt: How It Appeared and What It Means
  • Analyze Your Favorite Bakery and Explain Why It’s Good
  • Hannibal Lecter: When Violence and Attachment Clash
  • Everything a New User Should Know About Facebook
  • Twitter as the Best Social Media Platform for Those Who Prefer Short Posts
  • How Birds Communicate with Each Other
  • Create Full Background For Your Favorite Movie
  • Bryan Fuller as the Strangest and Friendliest Director
  • The Most Genuine Charity in the US
  • Sportsman Who Has Had a Big Impact on the Country
  • How Sleep-Deprived Students Act & How to Recognize Them
  • Ideal President: Describe Him or Her
  • What Makes a Specific Holiday Resort Stand Out
  • Profile on Jack the Ripper
  • The Coziest Coffee Shop in the City
  • Profiling Jack Reeves and His Attitude to His Wives
  • What the Concept of Home Means for You
  • TV Brand Most Consumers Choose: Why is It Special?
  • Popularity of iPhones: Why Does It Happen?
  • Your Favorite Subject at College
  • Describe & Analyze the Latest Movie You Have Watched
  • My Mother as the Embodiment of Grace
  • My Father as Representation of Patience
  • My Grandfather as Picture of Endurance and Dry Wit
  • My Grandmother as Representative of Strength and Affection
  • Serial Cheaters: Why They Do What They Do
  • YouTube and Story Behind Its Development
  • Profile of President Putin and His Leadership
  • What Makes Lives of Movie Stars Difficult
  • Story Behind My Favorite Childhood Toy
  • How Dating Agencies Operate
  • What Kind of People Use Online Dating?
  • What My Best Friend’s Mind Is Represented By

Have you found some most interesting profile paper topics? If you haven’t yet, we have more options for your future essay.

  • Musical Performance That Changed My Life
  • Profile on a Person Who Experiences Frequent Panic Attacks
  • Profiling a Fictional Demon: Sebastian Michaelis
  • Create Picture of Your College
  • What Your Room Says About You
  • Why One Specific Chocolate Brand Stands Out in Your Mind
  • The Most Influential Person You Know
  • Best Camp For Children
  • Features That Turn Halloween Into Beloved Holiday
  • Most Comfortable Zoo I Visited
  • The Most Exciting Episode of House MD
  • Which Love Story Is Considered Most Beautiful
  • What Type of Dancing You Prefer
  • Most Expensive Painting in the World
  • Racial Profiling and How It Is Done
  • What Matchmakers Are Motivated By
  • Amazon, Its Assets, Challenges & Owners
  • People Who Become Police Officers
  • Why Someone Choose to Become Firefighters
  • Who Becomes a Nurse

Still nothing? There are more profile essay topics below.

  • What We Can Say About Humans Who Commit Hate Crimes
  • Profile Topic on Serial Rapists
  • Dana Scully as Embodiment of Rationality and Empathy
  • Famous Footballer: A Story of Determination
  • Why Opposites Attract: Reasons and Implications
  • Understanding How Starbucks Operates
  • Profile Topic on People With Volatile Temperament
  • Moscow as the New World Capital
  • Students Who Choose Philosophy as a Major
  • What We Can Assume About Queen Victoria
  • Hilton Chain of Hotels and Their Key Advantages
  • Types of Personalities That Decide on Being Surgeons
  • My Brother’s Girlfriend: Features and Observations
  • What Makes Females Commit Crimes
  • Profile Topic on Average Tumblr User
  • How Stalin Managed to Build a Strong Country
  • What People Usually Suffer from Panic Attacks?
  • Describe a Memorable Conflict: Why It Occurred & How It Was Resolved
  • What Motivates Countries to Start Wars
  • Taxi Drivers and the Stories They Could Tell
  • Deceased Celebrities and Why They Are Remembered Years Later
  • Person Who Corresponds to Conventional Beauty Standards
  • Largest Cemetery in the World
  • Worst Known Roommates
  • Most Impressive Ballet Opera in 2020
  • Most Famous Unsolved Murder
  • How & Why Social Networks Appeared
  • Why Some Winters Are Hot
  • Favorite Disney Princesses American Children Have
  • Why New York Is So Popular
  • What Turns Wine Expensive
  • Forgotten Historical Landmarks Few of Us Know About
  • The Fiercest Battle That Happened During WW2
  • War Museums in Germany & Their Meaning
  • Somali: Background, War, & Future Possibilities
  • How Weapons Appeared & Evolved Over the Years
  • Oldest Cold Case That Still Has Not Been Solved
  • The First Reality TV In History
  • Who Is the Richest Man in 2020 & Their Background
  • Richest Woman in the World & How She Handles Her Fortune

Here are ten other good profile essay ideas. Pick any topic you like and develop it for college essay.

  • Doctor at Your Local Hospital: Personal Interview and Insights
  • People Obsessed with Cars: How They Choose Their Passion?
  • Profile on Merlin From TV Show: His Obsession & Goodness
  • President Kennedy and What Made His Life Popular
  • Barack Obama and His Contribution to America
  • Humans Who Develop Drug Addiction Most Often
  • Old-Fashioned Wedding Rituals
  • COVID-19: Full Profile on the Known Symptoms & Treatment
  • Women Who Choose Breast Implants: Who Are They?
  • Known Ghosts in the United States & Their Story

Suffer from writer’s block?

Your unique essay is just a few clicks away!

Some profile essay topics for college students could be more creative.

  • Drawing Facts about Albert Camus From Available Works
  • What Jane Austen’s Novels Say About Her Personality
  • Everything We Know About the Genius That Was Leonardo Da Vinci
  • Generations Fighting For Slavery Abolition: What Motivated Them?
  • Influences That Shape Best Writers
  • Hugo Boss’ Success Story
  • Mindset That Most Successful Creative Designers Have
  • Trying To Understand Goldfish and Their Thought Process
  • People Who Do Not Care About Social Norms
  • Why Sailors Are Drawn In By the Sea

Here are more interesting profile paper topics for essays that high school students might prefer an.

  • Why Children Love to Have Sleepovers Together
  • How Unfair Treatment Affects Student’s Academic Success
  • What Makes Religion Dangerous
  • Who Uses Instagram
  • Dangerous Sports and People Who Love Them
  • Forces That Drive Politics
  • The Best US Store For Teenagers
  • Real Personality of Christopher Columbus
  • What Could Be Derived From David Wallace’s Works About His Personality
  • Stephen King as the Master of Horrors: What Earned Him This Status

And these are ten last profile essay topic ideas.

  • What People Knowingly Marry Imprisoned Serial Killers
  • The Best Racing Car From the Current Collection
  • Understanding Character of Bella Swan
  • Profile on Your Local Town Deputy
  • What Is Happening in the Minds of People Who Abuse Their Power
  • A Complete Profile on My Overweight Cat
  • People Who Survive Tragedies: What Makes Them Strong
  • An Objective Evaluation of a Person I Dislike
  • Understanding Irresponsible Dog Owners
  • Profile of a Person Who Faces Discrimination Since Childhood

Choose a Great Topic and Impress Your Audience

There is a huge amount of good profile essay topics. As a profiler, you get an opportunity to learn something on a deeper level as well as share your insights with others. To a big extent, your success depends on the choice of a topic, so pay a lot of attention to it. Don’t make random choices — instead, analyze something you feel interested in.

If you are still feeling stuck and unable to make a final decision, you could always buy college papers . We have experts of different kinds working for us, and they could create profile essay topic ideas just for you or even write your paper entirely. Your wish is our command, so if you’re having any problems, let us know! Drop us a message, call us, or leave a request online, and before you know it, your work will be completed.

Can’t come up with a topic for you paper? We’ve prepared a collection of essay topics for you

Want to write a winning essay but lack experience? Browse our free essay samples

Related Topics

Related essays to profile essays.

Words: 1211

Words: 1777

Words: 1070

Words: 1109

Got to the bottom and still stuck with essay ideas?

How to Write a Stellar Profile Essay?

09 February, 2021

13 minutes read

Author:  Tomas White

A profile essay, or article, is a piece of journalistic-cum-literary writing. The aim is to present factual information on a given topic (person, place, animal, or event) while writing with an individual tone and style. In this article, we will expand on the concept of a profile essay. We will also tackle what a profile is and what purpose profiles serve. Finally, we will present strategies for preparing your research and strengthening your writing technique, as well as offer tips on structure and potential topics.

Profile Essay

What Is a Profile Essay?

A profile essay can be considered a literary piece of writing, in which the writer mainly delivers a descriptive account of a person, place, or event. The goal of the profile essay is to be informative. It usually conforms to standards found in journalism – that is to say, using facts and offering impartial reportage – while conveying this information in a literary style.

profile essay

Literary style means offering more to the reader than a revised press release or stenographed interview. Offer insight and immersion to the reader, show them the layers of character and environment, and run these underlying factual happenings through your individual interpretation of it all. 

The Purpose of Profile Essays

The purpose of a profile essay is to be read and well-received by an audience. It is not an obscure technical writing piece, although it may cover obscure figures or events. In general, profile essays appear in magazines and newspapers – in either their print or digital formats. They also appear in scholarly or trade journals, usually covering rising or established people within these niches.

For the writer, a profile essay is a piece of writing aimed at joining the journalistic and literary style. As mentioned in the previous section, journalistic writing must be factual and rigorously checked for errors. Literary writing has some joy involved in its reading; in what way that joy comes out in ‘writing style’ is up to you.

Ultimately, with those two concepts in mind, the purpose of a profile essay is to get you, the writer, some more work. Profiles are highly prevalent and serve as a fantastic way of adding more pieces to your portfolio, whether you’re a new essay writer or a seasoned pro.

Prepare for your essay

Preparing for a profile depends on how close you are to starting writing. Writers coming to this article with a stretch of time ahead of them have the luxury of doing some background reading that is not directly related to the matter at hand. Finding a good profile essay example has the hidden benefit of looking like a lazy weekend afternoon; get a stack of magazines and read.

Some of the most common places to find quality profiles are The New Yorker, The New York Review of Books, the London Review of Books, Esquire, or National Geographic. Another perspective is to look for writers, head to your bookshelf or local book store, and do some digging. Again, read and make some notes on the qualities you enjoy and dislike in a range of profiles.

Lastly, in terms of reading, examine the differences between an essay or article profiling a person and one that profiles an event.

That form of preparation is more akin to education. It is needed to bolster your understanding of the broad picture and what is essentially the marketplace for your piece of work. 

Preparing for your actual essay, not the skill of writing an ambiguous profile essay, is another matter. The research and reading that are highly relevant to your subject matter will make or break your profile essay. 

To begin with, you must find all profiles of your subject that are in existence and don’t require a transatlantic flight to a dusty library archive – in this instance, simply email the library and ask if they’ve considered digitizing their collection, starting with your desired piece. 

One of the most surefire organization tactics for research is timelining. Start at the beginning; be sure to go into ‘negative digits’ and look at the parent’s history or the town’s history, or anything else that emerges in your research.

After ‘time’ as a category of thinking comes ‘significance.’ What were the defining features of this person’s life, and to what sort of ‘movement’ might they belong? Add this into your timeline research and press on.

Have you selected a person or place that is feasible to contact and ask for a quote or interview? You may also want to reach out to other players in the story you’re telling and see what they have to say on things.

Preparing all this research can get messy and cluttered. The best way to solve this problem is to  follow a system from the start, as mentioned above; time is a great organizer. Also, keep a running bibliography in a separate file on your computer. Keep tabs on everything you’ve read, and be as forensic as possible with maintaining records. Who knows what might happen in the future regarding the focus of your essay? They might run for president, or they might fade into obscurity. 

Profile Essay Outline

As a profile essay combines qualities of journalism and literary writing, the ideal outline doesn’t exist. Literary writing can take the reader on a journey; in fact, the only requirement of the structure is to guide this journey as magnificently as possible.

Were we to suggest a general profile essay outline, it would contain these sections and ingredients. The order is flexible to an extent. It depends on the content of your profile. Have you got an interview to draw upon, or are you using your storytelling powers to deduct and infer from other sources?

In your introduction, if you’ve conducted an interview, use a quote for your lede. A good quote is an excellent way to set the tone and give an impression of your subject to the reader. Those without an interview might consider a bold statement; be sure that you use something here to act as a powerful lede and bring the reader on board. 

Alluring mysteries are one thing; though the crunch point for this gambit is to make the pay-off worthwhile. Else, the cliff-edge and the tension you create will be for nothing in the end. 

There will be time to provide things like background and biography in the main body of a profile essay. These tend to follow the lede as they’re a nice cool-down; they give the reader a chance to build knowledge on an obscure topic. Whereas for the writer, both the background and biography offer an opportunity to peg in some facts, figures, and breadcrumbs to draw upon later.

The body of a profile essay is tricky. You, first of all, need to engagingly tell your readers the story in it. Remember to build tension and really ‘let go’ when it comes to releasing that tension. Tell it to a friend, read it aloud. Move around the paragraphs. Remember that the profile is following an arc and in your conclusions, hook back in the initial qualities of the opening part. This technique is like cadence in music, and it will please your audience as long as it isn’t too trite. 

Profile Essay Topics

A suitable subject or topic depends on your qualities as a writer and the desired outcome of writing such a profile essay. Now, it does not have to include an interview, but many profile essays do include them. Some profile essay topics may be inanimate objects or complex emergences of human life (events). If this is the case, you can still interview 

For interviews, considering you’re likely a lowly reporter on a college paper, getting an interview with a high-flying sportsperson, politician, or musician is unlikely. In any event, the lower-flying specimens of these species could make a good target. 

The most important thing to consider when choosing the topic or subject is to work with your gut and instinct. If you’re interested in the story, you’re going to have much more to put into it, and your excitement and verve will show through in writing. It may also make it easier to stomach the long hours of tedious research that can emerge when trying to prove or disprove an obscurity of some kind. 

If you haven’t decided on the topic, there’s still room for maneuver. You can look at the subject matter and present your perspective on the case; that’s the subjective element of a profile, your view.

This perspective of yours can focus on just one specific aspect of a person or event. By removing the duller or more well-trodden elements of a character, you open up the chance to explore a new side of a topic. It’s also a fantastic skill for writers to be able to recap well-known things or facts quickly. Writing in this style for a very general audience should be a skill in any writer’s arsenal. 

Profile Essay Examples 

Properly digesting the advice and points made in this article can be aided by reading some profile essay examples. Look for examples given out in your class, or search around using the main keyword – profile essay examples. 

Here are a few examples for you to get a catch on how to write profile essays excellently:

https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/profiles

https://longreads.com/2019/12/17/longreads-best-of-2019-profiles/

https://longreads.com/2017/12/18/longreads-best-of-2017-profile-writing/

Writing Tips for a Profile Essay

How to write a profile essay in three steps; pick a subject, do your research, and start writing. Remember that a profile essay is a literary and a journalistic piece of writing. It’s non-fiction, so your facts and figures must be accurate, and any discrepancies or controversies surrounding your data can form a part of your analysis.

Always write with your reader at the forefront of your mind. Visualize your reader, even if it’s a college essay, and think of how you could pitch your piece to a publication. The natural home of a profile is in the media, not in the college textbook. So write the essay with publication in mind. 

 Here are some essential tips for a profile essay composition:

  • Conduct thorough research on your topic, look for potential interviews or aspects not covered in previous profiles if they exist. Also, make sure you’ve read all of the profiles on or related to your subject matter; a profile is an evolving topic, and new facts can emerge.
  • Profile examples are available online, as well as those posted by educational institutes, and of course, those featured in the media. Reading these serves as excellent preparation and inspiration.
  • The structure and overall outline of a profile essay is something with a degree of flexibility. While the introduction and rounding off of the essay will look familiar, tracking a person’s profile or event can involve highly unique pieces of information. Unlike many other papers, profiles don’t have to strictly conform to the thesis, antithesis, and synthesis structure. However, this familiar form of writing still works in part when writing a profile. 

Write a Profile Essay with HandmadeWriting

HandmadeWriting can help with the development, construction, and polishing of a profile essay. As an organization, we draw on academics and writers’ expertise from across the spectrum of the written word. 

Getting started can be difficult, but consulting with HandmadeWriting offers a way to get the ball rolling. The writers at HandmadeWriting are used to working on a countless number of topics and essay styles. The staff is also familiar with working under a tight deadline, not to mention those tasks where the endpoint is less defined. 

HandmadeWriting makes composing an essay or profile piece simple. Talk with a skilled writer and editor today on your topic, and you can make a start immediately.

A life lesson in Romeo and Juliet taught by death

A life lesson in Romeo and Juliet taught by death

Due to human nature, we draw conclusions only when life gives us a lesson since the experience of others is not so effective and powerful. Therefore, when analyzing and sorting out common problems we face, we may trace a parallel with well-known book characters or real historical figures. Moreover, we often compare our situations with […]

Ethical Research Paper Topics

Ethical Research Paper Topics

Writing a research paper on ethics is not an easy task, especially if you do not possess excellent writing skills and do not like to contemplate controversial questions. But an ethics course is obligatory in all higher education institutions, and students have to look for a way out and be creative. When you find an […]

Art Research Paper Topics

Art Research Paper Topics

Students obtaining degrees in fine art and art & design programs most commonly need to write a paper on art topics. However, this subject is becoming more popular in educational institutions for expanding students’ horizons. Thus, both groups of receivers of education: those who are into arts and those who only get acquainted with art […]

 Gradehacker | Help for Homework

A Comprehensive Guide to Writing a Profile Essay Sample

Writing a profile essay can be an exciting and rewarding task, allowing you to delve deep into the life and experiences of an individual. Whether you are writing for a school assignment or a professional publication, a well-crafted profile essay can captivate your readers and provide them with a unique perspective on the subject.

In this comprehensive guide, we will walk you through the entire process of writing a profile essay, from understanding the basics to polishing your final draft. So, let’s begin our journey into the world of profile essay writing.

Understanding the Basics of a Profile Essay

Before we dive into the intricacies of writing a profile essay, let’s first define what it is exactly. A profile essay is a type of non-fiction writing that showcases the life, personality, and achievements of a particular individual.

Rather than simply presenting facts about the person, a profile essay aims to paint a vivid picture, providing readers with insights and anecdotes that go beyond the surface level.

Definition of a Profile Essay

A profile essay is a genre of writing that provides an in-depth portrait of a person, highlighting their unique characteristics, accomplishments, and impact on society. It goes beyond a mere biography or a collection of facts, offering readers a deeper understanding of the subject’s personality, motivations, and experiences.

When writing a profile essay, it is important to remember that the subject is not just a name on a page, but a complex individual with a rich history and a multitude of experiences. By delving into their story, you have the opportunity to bring their narrative to life, capturing the essence of who they are and what they stand for.

Through careful observation and research, you can uncover the hidden layers of a person’s life, revealing their passions, struggles, and triumphs. A profile essay allows you to delve into the subject’s thoughts and emotions, providing readers with a deeper understanding of their journey and the impact they have had on the world around them.

Purpose and Importance of a Profile Essay

Why should you write a profile essay? What is its purpose? The answer lies in the power of storytelling. Profile essays offer a platform to humanize individuals, shedding light on their triumphs, struggles, and contributions.

Through the art of storytelling, profile essays allow readers to connect with the subject on a personal level, evoking empathy, inspiration, and understanding.

By presenting a comprehensive and nuanced portrayal of the subject, a profile essay can challenge preconceived notions and stereotypes, fostering a greater sense of empathy and appreciation for the diversity of human experiences.

It allows readers to see the world through someone else’s eyes, expanding their horizons and broadening their understanding of the human condition.

Furthermore, profile essays have the power to inspire and motivate. By showcasing the achievements and resilience of individuals, these essays can serve as a source of inspiration for readers, encouraging them to pursue their own passions and overcome obstacles in their own lives.

Profile essays also play a crucial role in preserving history and documenting the stories of those who have made significant contributions to society. By capturing the narratives of individuals who have shaped the world in various ways, these essays ensure that their legacies are not forgotten, serving as a testament to their impact and influence.

In conclusion, a profile essay is not just a piece of writing; it is a window into the lives of extraordinary individuals. It allows readers to connect with the subject on a personal level, fostering empathy, understanding, and inspiration.

So, the next time you embark on writing a profile essay, remember the power of storytelling and the importance of capturing the essence of the person behind the words.

Preparing for Your Profile Essay

Before embarking on your profile essay writing journey, it is crucial to lay a solid foundation. Here are a few steps to help you prepare:

Choosing Your Subject

Selecting the right subject is essential for a successful profile essay. Consider individuals who have made significant contributions to their field or community or those whose stories resonate with your interests. Conduct thorough research and ensure their availability for interviews or access to relevant resources.

When choosing your subject, it is important to think about the impact they have had on their field or community. Look for individuals who have achieved remarkable success or have overcome significant challenges. Their stories will provide a rich and compelling narrative for your profile essay.

Additionally, consider selecting a subject who is accessible and willing to share their experiences with you. This will allow you to gather firsthand information and insights that will make your profile essay more authentic and engaging.

Conducting Preliminary Research

Once you have identified your subject, gather background information to familiarize yourself with their life and work. Read biographies, articles, and interviews to gain a comprehensive understanding of their journey. This research will serve as the foundation for your profile essay, guiding your writing process.

During your preliminary research, delve deep into the subject’s background and accomplishments. Explore their early life, education, career milestones, and any notable achievements or awards they have received.

This will provide you with a well-rounded perspective and enable you to highlight the most significant aspects of their life and work in your profile essay.

Furthermore, pay attention to any controversies or challenges your subject may have faced. Understanding the obstacles they have overcome will add depth and complexity to your profile essay, allowing readers to connect with the subject on a deeper level.

As you conduct your research, take notes and organize the information in a way that will make it easy to reference later. This will save you time during the writing process and ensure that you include all the important details in your profile essay.

Structuring Your Profile Essay

Now that you have selected your subject and conducted preliminary research, it’s time to structure your profile essay effectively. Let’s explore the key components:

Introduction to Profile Essay Structure

Your profile essay’s introduction should provide a compelling opening hook to grab the reader’s attention. One effective way to do this is by starting with an intriguing anecdote or a thought-provoking question related to your subject.

For example, if you are writing a profile essay about a renowned scientist, you could begin with a captivating story about their groundbreaking discovery or pose a question about the impact of their research on society.

After capturing the reader’s attention, you should introduce your subject and provide context for their significance. Explain why your subject is worth exploring and why their story is worth telling. This will help the reader understand the importance of the profile essay and create a sense of anticipation for what is to come.

Additionally, it is crucial to set the tone for the essay in the introduction. Consider the overall message or theme you want to convey and make it clear to the reader from the beginning. Whether you want to inspire, educate, or entertain, the introduction is the perfect place to establish the tone and create a connection with your audience.

Body Paragraphs and Their Organization

The body paragraphs of your profile essay should delve into various aspects of the subject’s life, accomplishments, and experiences. To ensure a well-structured and engaging essay, it is essential to organize these paragraphs effectively.

One approach is to organize the body paragraphs thematically. Identify key themes or topics related to your subject and dedicate each paragraph to exploring one of these themes. For example, if you are writing a profile essay about an artist, you could have paragraphs dedicated to their early influences, artistic style, notable works, and impact on the art world.

Another approach is to organize the body paragraphs chronologically. This works well when your subject’s life or journey has distinct phases or stages. You can start with their background and early life, then progress through their career milestones, and conclude with their current endeavors.

This chronological structure allows the reader to follow the subject’s progression and development over time.Regardless of the organizational approach you choose, each body paragraph should explore a specific aspect of your subject.

Provide supporting details, examples, and anecdotes to bring your subject to life. Use vivid descriptions and sensory language to immerse the reader in the subject’s world.

Crafting a Compelling Conclusion

As you approach the end of your profile essay, aim to leave a lasting impression on your readers. The conclusion should not be a mere summary but rather a reflection on the significance of your subject’s life and journey.

Recap the key highlights of your subject’s life and emphasize the most impactful moments or achievements. This will reinforce the main points you want the reader to remember.

Additionally, reflect on the impact your subject has made, not only on their own life but also on others or society as a whole. Discuss the lessons readers can take away from your subject’s story and how it can inspire or educate them.

Finally, end your profile essay with a thought-provoking statement that leaves your audience with something to ponder. This could be a question, a call to action, or a powerful quote related to your subject.

Remember, the goal of a profile essay is to capture the essence of your subject and present it in a compelling and engaging manner. By following these guidelines for structuring your essay, you will create a well-organized and captivating piece that will leave a lasting impact on your readers.

Writing Techniques for a Profile Essay

While structure is crucial, the writing techniques you employ can truly bring your profile essay to life. Here are a few techniques to consider:

Using Descriptive Language

Paint a vivid picture in your readers’ minds by incorporating descriptive language into your profile essay. Use sensory details and descriptive adjectives to create a rich and immersive experience, allowing your readers to visualize the subject and their surroundings.

Incorporating Narratives and Anecdotes

Add depth and personality to your profile essay by incorporating narratives and anecdotes. Share personal stories from the subject’s life or interviews to provide readers with a more intimate glimpse into their character. These narratives can help make the essay relatable and engaging.

Editing and Proofreading Your Profile Essay

Once you have completed your profile essay, your work is not yet done. Editing and proofreading are essential steps to ensure your essay is polished and error-free. Consider the following:

Importance of Revision in Writing

Take the time to review and revise your profile essay. Look for clarity, coherence, and flow. Check for any grammatical or punctuation errors. Revise your sentences and paragraphs to ensure they convey your intended message effectively. Seek feedback from peers or mentors for a fresh perspective.

Proofreading Strategies for a Flawless Essay

Proofreading is the final step before submitting your profile essay. Check for spelling, grammar, and punctuation errors. Ensure consistency in formatting and styling.

Read your essay aloud to catch any awkward phrasing or unclear sentences. Consider using online tools or enlisting the help of a professional proofreader to ensure your essay is flawless.

In conclusion, writing a profile essay can be a captivating and enlightening experience. By understanding the basics, preparing meticulously, and employing effective writing techniques, you can create a compelling profile essay that resonates with your readers.

Remember, each profile essay is an opportunity to share someone’s story and inspire others. So, embrace the power of storytelling and embark on your profile essay writing journey with confidence.

👋 Hi! I’m your smart assistant Amy!

Don’t know where to start? Type your requirements and I’ll connect you to an academic expert within 3 minutes.

Put a stop to deadline pressure, and have your homework done by an expert.

How To Write A Profile Essay Like A Professional Writer

how to write a profile essay

Welcome to our blog, where we embark on a journey to master the art of writing profiles essays. Whether you’re a high school or college student, understanding the critical components of a profile essay is essential for academic success. In this comprehensive guide, we will delve into the definition of a profile essay and provide practical tips, example of a profile essay, and expert advice to help you excel in this form of writing.

A profile essay is a captivating narrative that enables students to explore the lives and experiences of individuals. Through vivid descriptions and engaging storytelling, these essays offer readers a glimpse into the unique qualities and perspectives of the profiled subjects. By mastering the fundamentals of this writing style, you can effectively communicate your observations and insights, creating compelling and informative profiles.

In our blog, we will discuss the essential elements of a profile essay and emphasize the importance of high-quality writing and the benefits of expert guidance. Whether you’re a student aiming to improve your writing skills or a teacher seeking to enhance your students’ abilities, this guide is designed to provide you with the necessary tools and techniques to create exceptional profiles.

Join us on this enriching journey, where we share valuable knowledge, practical profile essay examples, and insider tips, empowering you to produce outstanding profile essays. Let’s unlock the secrets of this unique form of writing and achieve fast, awesome results together.

Table of Contents

What is a profile essay, how to start a profile essay, profile essay structure guides, key considerations for writing engaging profile essays, crafting an outstanding profile essay: essential tips, profile essays in academic settings.

A profile essay is not just a collection of facts and figures; it is a powerful literary piece that delves deep into the essence of a person, place, or event. This form of writing goes beyond surface-level descriptions to create a vivid and engaging portrayal that captivates readers emotionally.

When crafting a profile essay outline, the writer aims to explore a specific individual’s life, personality, experiences, achievements, or unique qualities of a place or event. It seeks to paint a comprehensive picture, offering readers a window into the subject’s world and allowing them to connect with it on a deeper level.

A well-written profile essay immerses the reader in the subject’s experiences, thoughts, and emotions by employing descriptive language, storytelling techniques, and insightful observations. It evokes empathy and understanding, enabling readers to forge a connection and gain a deeper appreciation for the person, place, or event being portrayed.

In summary, a profile essay is a literary work that aims to go beyond superficial details and statistics. It is a means of conveying the essence of a subject through engaging storytelling, providing readers with a rich and immersive experience that leaves a lasting impact.

The beginning of a profile essay is vital in capturing the reader’s attention and setting the tone for the rest of the piece. It requires careful consideration and strategic planning to ensure a strong start. Here are a few practical ways how to write a good profile essay:

  • Look for unique qualities: Seek out subjects with unique backgrounds, experiences, or achievements. These aspects can add depth and intrigue to your profile essay.
  • Consider relevance: Choose a subject relevant to your intended audience or the purpose of the assignment. This will help create a stronger connection and interest among your readers.
  • Interview your subject: Reach out to the individual you are profiling and request an interview. Prepare a thoughtful question list about their life, experiences, and perspectives. These interviews will provide invaluable insights and personal anecdotes that can enhance the depth of your essay.
  • Read articles and books: Explore articles, books, and other publications related to your subject. This will provide a broader context and enable you to include relevant background information in your profile essay.
  • Explore online sources: Utilize reputable online sources such as websites, blogs, and academic databases to gather additional information and perspectives on your subject. Be critical of your authorities and ensure they are credible and reliable.
  • Be concise and specific: State your main argument or the central theme of your profile essay clearly and concisely.
  • Make it captivating: Use language that captures the reader’s attention and creates intrigue. A compelling thesis statement will generate interest and encourage readers to continue reading.
  • Provide a roadmap: Your thesis statement should act as a roadmap for your essay, indicating the main points or areas of focus you will cover. This helps readers understand the structure and flow of your essay.

Starting a profile essay requires careful consideration of the subject, thorough research, and a well-crafted thesis statement. Choosing an intriguing topic, conducting a comprehensive analysis, and formulating a solid thesis statement can captivate your readers and set the stage for a compelling and informative profile essay. Remember, the start of your essay sets the tone for the entire piece, so invest time and effort into crafting a high quality and strong opening that engages and intrigues your readers.

Writing a profile essay requires a structured approach combining storytelling and factual information. Follow these steps to create a well-crafted profile essay:

  • Introduction: Begin your essay with a compelling opening sentence that hooks the reader. Provide some background information about the subject and introduce the main thesis statement.
  • Body Paragraphs: Divide your essay into multiple paragraphs, each focusing on a specific aspect or theme related to the topic. Use a mix of narrative storytelling and factual information to engage the reader. Include anecdotes, quotes, and descriptions to bring your subject to life.
  • Organization and Flow: Ensure a logical progression from one paragraph to another. Use transitional phrases to maintain the coherence of your essay. Consider arranging your sections thematically or chronologically, depending on what suits your subject best.
  • Descriptive Language: Incorporate vivid and descriptive language to create a sensory experience for the reader. Use specific details and imagery to make your subject come alive.
  • Conclusion: Summarize the main points discussed in your essay and leave the reader with a lasting impression. Reflect on the significance of your topic and its impact on the reader.

A profile essay offers a comprehensive portrayal of a person or place, providing readers with a detailed understanding of the subject. Whether it’s about a place or a person, crafting an engaging profile essay requires careful planning and effective storytelling. Here are some key steps to consider:

How to Write a Profile Essay on a Place:

Choose an intriguing place: Select a location that is unique and holds significance for the readers. Observe and research: Immerse yourself in the place, exploring its history, culture, and physical aspects. Structure your essay: Begin with an engaging introduction, describe the place vividly, and provide personal insights. Incorporate sensory details: Utilize descriptive language to appeal to the readers’ senses. Conclude with a reflection: Share your overall impression and highlight the significance of the place.

How to Write a Profile Essay on a Person:

Select a captivating individual: Find someone with an interesting background, achievements, or experiences. Conduct interviews: Engage in in-depth conversations to gather firsthand information about the person. Organize your essay: Begin with an attention-grabbing introduction, present the person’s background and accomplishments, and delve into their personality traits and influences. Use anecdotes and examples: Illustrate the person’s characteristics through real-life stories and specific instances. Wrap up with a reflection: Offer your personal insights, reflect on the person’s impact, and conclude with a memorable ending.

Remember, in both types of profile essays, it is crucial to maintain a balanced blend of factual information and compelling storytelling to engage readers and leave a lasting impression.

how to write a profile essay

When writing a profile essay, it’s essential to remember key elements that will enhance the quality of your work. Here are some essential tips to help you craft an outstanding profile essay:

  • Choose an Engaging Format: While there is no strict format for a profile essay, you can structure it to suit your subject and the narrative you want to create. You can opt for a chronological structure, a thematic approach, or a combination of both.
  • Conduct Thorough Interviews: Interviews are crucial in gathering firsthand information about your subject. Prepare a list of relevant questions and conduct interviews with the subject and individuals associated with them. These interviews will enrich your profile essay with unique insights and personal anecdotes.
  • Focus on Descriptive Details: Pay attention to descriptive details to bring your subject to life. Use sensory language to create a vivid picture in the reader’s mind. Describe the subject’s appearance, gestures, and mannerisms. Include details about the environment, sounds, and smells to transport the reader to the scene.
  • Utilize Direct Quotes: Direct quotes from your subject and others you interview add authenticity and credibility to your profile essay. Use quotes to highlight important points or capture the subject’s voice and perspective.
  • Show, Don’t Tell: Rather than simply stating facts, show the reader the subject’s personality, values, and experiences through storytelling. Engage the reader’s emotions by narrating impactful moments or sharing significant events that shaped the subject’s life.
  • Revise and Edit: Once you have completed your profile essay’s first draft, revise and edit it. Check for clarity, coherence, and grammar errors. Trim unnecessary information and ensure a smooth flow of ideas. Consider seeking feedback from peers or instructors to gain valuable insights.

Profile essays are commonly assigned in various academic settings, including high school, college, and university. These assignments allow students to develop their research, writing, and storytelling skills while exploring diverse subjects and honing their analytical thinking.

Following Guidelines:

When working on a profile essay for school or college, it’s crucial to follow the guidelines provided by your instructor. This ensures that you stay on track and meet the assignment requirements. Consider the following points:

  • Pay attention to specific requirements: Your instructor may provide instructions regarding length, formatting, citation style, and other essential details. Make sure to adhere to these guidelines to avoid any penalties.
  • Understand the objectives: Familiarize yourself with the purposes of the assignment. This will help you shape your essay and focus on the key aspects your instructor wants you to explore.
  • Align with learning outcomes: Consider how the profile essay fits into the broader learning outcomes of the course. This will enable you to approach the assignment with a clear understanding of its purpose and relevance.

Seeking Assistance:

If you struggle with the assignment or need extra support, online essay assignment help and custom writing services are available. These services offer expert guidance and assistance, ensuring you receive high-quality, well-crafted profile essays that meet your academic requirements. Here are some key points to consider:

  • Online homework helpers: These platforms connect you with knowledgeable tutors who can guide and answer your questions about profile essay writing. They can offer valuable insights and help you overcome challenges you may encounter.
  • Custom writing services: If you feel overwhelmed or lack time to complete the assignment, custom writing services can be a viable option. These services employ professional writers who can create custom profile essays tailored to your needs and requirements. However, it’s essential to choose a reputable and trustworthy service to ensure the quality and originality of the work.

Profile essays in academic settings offer students a valuable opportunity to develop their research, writing, and storytelling skills. By following the guidelines provided by your instructor and seeking assistance when needed, you can ensure that your profile essays meet the objectives of the assignment and align with the course’s learning outcomes. Remember, practice and persistence are crucial to mastering the art of writing compelling and informative profile essays.

Get Profile Essay Writing Help Today!

Mastering the art of writing a profile essay requires a combination of skill, guidance, and support. By following the guidelines and tips provided by experts, you can create captivating profiles that engage and resonate with your readers. Along the way, it’s essential to seek assistance when needed, and fortunately, there are affordable options available that provide class-leading customer support.

When embarking on the journey of writing a profile essay, remember to choose an intriguing subject and conduct thorough research to ensure the accuracy and depth of your piece. Craft a strong thesis statement that serves as a roadmap for your essay, guiding your readers through the main aspects you’ll be exploring.

In the process, it’s reassuring to know that expert guidance and support are accessible. Whether you require assistance structuring your essay, some college assignment help , or understanding the nuances of profile essay writing, affordable online platforms provide the expertise you need. These platforms offer friendly customer support to address your queries and provide valuable insights, ensuring you receive the guidance necessary to excel in your writing endeavors.

By availing yourself of these resources, you can enhance your profile essay writing skills, boost your confidence, and achieve outstanding results. So, embrace the art of writing profiles backed by expert guidance, affordable options, class-leading support, and friendly assistance. Let your words paint vivid portraits and create lasting connections with your readers through the power of the profile essay.

What is a profile essay, and what is its purpose?

A profile essay is a type of academic or journalistic writing that aims to provide a detailed description and analysis of a particular person, place, event, or organization. Its purpose is to present a comprehensive and engaging portrayal of the subject, highlighting its unique qualities, experiences, and significance.

How do I choose a suitable subject for my profile essay?

When selecting a subject for your profile essay, consider individuals, places, or events that possess distinct characteristics, have a compelling story, or hold relevance in a specific context. It could be a notable figure in your community, a memorable travel destination, or an event with cultural significance. The key is to choose a subject that allows for rich exploration and offers an opportunity to captivate your readers.

What are the essential elements to include in a profile essay?

A profile essay typically includes several key elements to portray the subject comprehensively. These elements may include a vivid and engaging introduction, background information, descriptive details, anecdotes, quotes, and personal observations. It is important to capture the subject’s personality, experiences, and significance through a well-structured narrative that keeps the reader engaged.

How can I ensure the accuracy and credibility of the information in my profile essay?

To maintain accuracy and credibility in your profile essay, conducting thorough research and gathering information from reliable sources is crucial. This can involve interviewing the subject, conducting background research, and seeking multiple perspectives. Always verify the information you gather and cross-reference it with trustworthy sources to ensure the accuracy of your content. Remember to attribute any quotes or specific details to their respective sources.

how to revise an essay

Get on top of your homework.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

  • Words with Friends Cheat
  • Wordle Solver
  • Word Unscrambler
  • Scrabble Dictionary
  • Anagram Solver
  • Wordscapes Answers

Make Our Dictionary Yours

Sign up for our weekly newsletters and get:

  • Grammar and writing tips
  • Fun language articles
  • #WordOfTheDay and quizzes

By signing in, you agree to our Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy .

We'll see you in your inbox soon.

How to Write a Successful Profile Essay

Woman seated in an interview

  • DESCRIPTION Woman seated in an interview
  • SOURCE EMS-FORSTER-PRODUCTIONS / DigitalVision / Getty Images

A profile essay is a type of informative essay describing a person, place, or event. It should be factual and descriptive but enjoyable to read. Get a step-by-step guide for how to write a profile essay that will be a hit with your readers.

How to Write a Profile Essay

Writing a successful and impactful profile essay takes work. Not only do you need to plan out your essay, but it’s important to gather the right information. To be prepared, take these steps before writing.

Read Professional Profile Essays

You can find profile essays in professional magazines and writing. Check out celebrity profiles in publications like the Washington Post , New Yorker , or Esquire . Take note of:

  • Interesting details the writer includes
  • Style and tone
  • Unique introduction techniques
  • Ways the conclusion works
  • Format used
  • Paragraph style

Read as many as you can. Remember, these are the best of the best. Emulating them will make your paper even better.

Choose a Subject

When it comes to choosing a subject, think about a person, place, or event of interest. Typically, a famous person or place will draw more reader interest because people are curious about them. However, depending on your writing style, an unknown person or place can make for a unique perspective.

Your level of interest is what will truly make or break your profile piece. If you’re enthusiastic about your subject, it shines through in your writing. And, it can make research fun.

Find Valid Information

First-hand information is always best because you get details not found elsewhere. Therefore, it would be beneficial to interview a person, event coordinator, or a curator/caregiver of a specific place. In an interview, make sure to ask questions they can expand on. Avoid yes and no style questions, which don’t seek in-depth information.

With a famous person or place, this isn’t an option. In this case, find detailed information describing the person, place, or event through online interviews, books, memoirs, and websites. This can help to craft a fun and engaging profile essay.

Create an Outline

An outline isn’t a required part of an essay unless your teacher says so; however, it will help organize your thoughts. Outlines don’t have to follow a specific format, but a few helpful formats are the keyword and sentence outline formats . Just choose the best one to fit you and begin outlining.

Writing a Profile Essay

With all your information and outline at hand, it’s time to draft your essay. Just like any other essay, include an introduction, body, and conclusion. Let’s look at each part, in turn, to make sure your essay is successful.

Draft an Introduction

An introduction should grab a reader’s attention. Make use of a writing hook to engage the reader. Ask thought-provoking questions or use an unknown detail to capture their interest. For example:

Did you know Calamity Jane was more than just a tall tale?

Consider adding an intriguing original quote from your subject, if possible. In the final sentence of your introduction, add your thesis statement to clarify what points the essay will cover.

Create a Body

With your intro crafted, it's time to write the body. This is the meat of your article. It's important to:

  • Include sensory details like sight, sound, and touch. For example, if you are describing a person, discuss their name, age, looks, height, and so on. If you are describing an event, add details about the weather and attitudes surrounding the event.
  • Add interview questions and information readers will be wondering about.
  • Connect each paragraph with information presented in the thesis statement.
  • Go in-depth with your profile, making your reader feel as if they are there with you.

Reach an Impactful Conclusion

Use the conclusion to sum up concisely all the information presented within the profile essay. Restate your thesis within your conclusion. Some writers also choose to add an ending hook to keep their readers thinking.

Pay Attention to Tone and Style

When crafting a profile essay, use a less academic style. For example, if you’re doing an interview, it should be in first-person. Keep the information professional and journalistic but think of creative ways to make the writing engaging and fun to read. For example, what's something the world doesn't know about Calamity Jane?

And don’t skimp on the details. Including those small, yet important, details are what will make your writing stand out.

A Successful Profile Essay

Profile essays can be fun. Choosing a subject that interests you and including fun details are what will make your writing stand out. Interested in learning more about essay styles? Dive into descriptive and expository essay examples. Tips for writing an excellent essay can also push your writing further.

StudySaurus

How to Write a Profile Essay

  • Posted 21 November 2020
  • By StudySaurus
  • Under Essay Writing
  • Discover a remarkable subject to write a profile essay about. The person can be well-known or somewhat ordinary. The subject is not limited to an individual but can be a location, leisure interest, or occupation. Expand your search beyond the computer and your neighborhood. Do primary source research on the subject to acquire background information. Go to the library and view back issues of local or regional newspapers and other rags or scan online sources.
  • Develop a loose outline based on the subject of your essay. Jot down the header, “Introduction.” Start listing possible details that will be disclosed later from interviews. Title another header as “Body” and note high points that will become the possible climax of the essay. Tie it all up in the “Conclusion” header and brainstorm solid ending possibilities.
  • Compose a list of specific interview questions. They should be open-ended but specific and relevant to your essay. Questions should draw out information not commonly known about the person. Make a list of possible interviewees to broaden the narrative for a multifaceted profile. This includes others in his or her circle or individuals linked to a location or activity.
  • Conduct the interview in a distraction-free zone. Establish a rapport early on to make the interviewee feel comfortable, which will churn out a more productive interview. Lay down a basic groundwork of what topics will be covered, the length of time needed, and the importance of the interview. Next, advance to the main interview. Be sure to take meticulous notes or get permission to tape the interview to transcribe later.
  • Jot down any observations immediately following the interview. Consider the individual’s habits, attitude, and other qualities that were observed. Transcribe and rearrange the interview questions to recount an interesting personal perspective or interpretation. This will become your rough draft.
  • Revise the draft, incorporating important details and factual incidents that were initially missed. Start with an attention-grabbing lead sentence. Ensure that the beginning grabs the reader and pulls him in. Intrigue your audience with an informative main section. Stay focused on your intended approach until the essay’s conclusion, which should give readers a closing impression of the subject and summarize your overall objective.
  • Read the essay aloud. Did you give a visual portrayal? Check that you interweaved dialogue, added physical descriptions in moderation, but used narrative freely.

Tips to Write a Profile Essay

A profile essay vividly presents a subject to the readers. The writing is a combination of objective and expressive: While presenting his observations and analysis to inform the reader, the writer also brings his own personal perspective and interpretations to the essay. A profile essay differs from biographical and autobiographical writing in that it takes newly acquired observation, through research or firsthand accounts; an autobiography or biography is about remembered experiences. The challenge of a profile essay is to gather the information and give it shape in an essay that conveys a main idea; there are several guidelines to aid a writer in doing this.

Choose the Subject Wisely

While profiles of exciting, controversial people are always interesting, even the mundane can be intriguing if the writer examines it closely and offers a distinctive perspective. A writer shouldn’t overlook the quietly remarkable person who seems ordinary on the outside.

Form an Engaging and Informative Plan

A profile essay will most likely be based on at least one interview with the subject, and may also include interviews with those that know the subject. Writers should resist the temptation to organize the essay in the order they ask the questions, as this can make for boring reading. Instead, the answers of the questions should be examined closely for an emerging image of the subject. The responses can then be incorporated into a more complex picture of the subject.

Provide a Vivid Description

A quality profile essay should incorporate a vivid word picture of the subject. Include specific details, such as how the subject looks, talks, dresses, smells and is motivated. Keep straight description, or just cataloging the obvious, to a minimum; instead, use description to give the sense that the subject’s outward appearance reveals inward character traits. Information from others in the essay should serve to describe the subject and not take on its own life.

Convey a Dominant Impression

A profile essay should convey a dominant impression of the subject: the writer’s personal interpretation and insight on the subject and what the writer has gained from observing and researching. Carefully select and arrange details so that they communicate your attitude. This interpretive element is what categorizes the profile essay as a genre and separates it from other forms of narrative and descriptive writing, such as the biography.

Profile Paper Example

“Good evening, Valparaiso. I’m storm shield meteorologist Jacob Van Horn here with a look at your forecast.” Ever since Jake was in grade school, he knew that he wanted to be a meteorologist. However, it wasn’t until high school that he realized his dream could truly become reality. Jake’s interest in weather began when he first watched the movie “Twister,” a collection of National Geographic documentaries provided by his school. With an abundance of hard work and dedication, Jake is working towards earning his bachelor’s degree in meteorology and achieving his dream of becoming a meteorologist.

Since Jake has always been an admirer of the weather, severe storms always brought him a thrill. His interest in weather peaked after an F-4 tornado struck a city near his home in November of 2002. His family drove through Van Wert, Ohio, to see the damage. “Those images will always be in my head,” he recalls.

Although Jake always knew that he wanted to become a meteorologist, it was not until high school when he recognized his full potential. He realized how good he was at science and math and how much he enjoyed each of these subjects. Math and science are a crucial part of meteorology; therefore, Jake decided to “give it a go.”

When it came to deciding upon a college to pursue his meteorology degree, Jake was torn between Purdue University and Valparaiso University. Both schools possessed a great meteorology program, but Jake was drawn to Valparaiso’s small school atmosphere and location. Although Valparaiso was a private university with higher tuition than Purdue, Jake received a presidential scholarship, which aided in paying for his tuition. Getting accepted into a college with an outstanding meteorology program brought Jake one step closer to achieving his dream.

Once college started, there were a broad range of meteorology classes that he had to take. They started as simple, introductory classes and progressed into much more specific classes, such as an aviation weather class to predict things such as turbulence and a tropical class, which not only focuses on hurricanes and tropical storms, but the impact of the ocean on the weather in general. These classes will be beneficial to his future career choice. A meteorologist’s job can be described as making a type of educated prediction. Jake will use what he has learned in his classes, apply that broad knowledge to whatever is happening in the forecast, look at where the weather is coming from, and predict what he believes will happen.

The summer between his freshman and sophomore years of college, Jake was an intern at a local news station, WANE 15. While at his internship, he often assisted the head meteorologist in creating graphics that were used on television. He liked using the graphics system to see what he could create and he also liked communicating to the people about what was going to be happening. Jake said that he was able to learn an abundance of new things that will be useful in his future endeavors. One night, during a large tornado outbreak, he stayed at the station until around 2AM, keeping the viewing areas informed about the potentially dangerous weather conditions. He said that it “was definitely a crazy night.”

When he returned back to campus his sophomore year, Jake was a lab aide for an introductory class, which helps to refresh students on the basics of meteorology. He was also an assistant weather director at the campus television station, which is helping him learn about the broadcasting side of meteorology. He has learned everything from production to graphic-making and even presentation skills on the green screen. Although he did not think he would like being on television, before he began classes, Jake has learned many skills that have opened his mind to the world of broadcasting.

About StudySaurus

Community. knowledge. success..

StudySaurus is run by two uni-students that still get a kick out of learning new things. We hope to share these experiences with you.

Ideas ,  concepts ,  tutorials,   essay papers  – everything we would’ve liked to have known, seen or heard during our high-school & UNI years, we want to bring to YOU.

Privacy & Cookies Policy Terms and Conditions DMCA Request

web analytics

How to Write a Profile Essay (+ Examples to Check)

In the article, you’ll find the profile essay definition and structure. Several examples are also here to help you see how to create a brilliant one.

What is a Profile Essay?

Such papers have two primary goals:

  •  Stay informative
  •  Provide as many exciting details about the subject as possible

Another essential detail is that you shouldn’t stray from the topic. Mention only the relevant things, and don’t be afraid to keep the focus as narrow as possible.

That’s the point of any profile essay.

Profile Essay Example

Profile essays look personal, but their style is matter-of-fact and academic. It seems challenging, but you can do that with appropriate examples at hand.

There are two common types of such papers: on a person and a place . Since each has its specifics, let’s jump right into the samples!

Profile essay example on a person 

Lucky you are when a professor assigns an essay about yourself. After all, it’s a person you know best, right? When writing about someone else, the key is to treat them how you’d treat yourself if you wrote your story.

Here’s an example of a profile essay on a person :

Profile essay example on a place  

Another profile paper is the one describing a specific location. It can include its history, spots, and the famous people who visited it. 

Choose the places you find exciting, but consider how much information you can dig up. Remember that a stellar profile essay must be informative. Put your emotions about what you’re describing aside.  Example:

How to Write a Profile Essay: Outline and Tips

profile-essay-structure

One of the profile essay challenges is making it long enough  to meet the word count.

You can do it through research and adding extra info during the writing process. Imagine you’re a detective compiling a case file!

More details:

Craft a profile essay outline before writing. It’s a plan for an intro, a body, and a conclusion [1]. Important: Outline the thesis and topic sentences for each paragraph. That way, you’ll get a template for your essay to fill in with relevant information.

How to start a profile essay

The best way to start your essay is a so-called attention grabber. Tell the most intriguing fact about your topic and elaborate on it in the following sentence.

As a finishing touch, focus on a thesis statement. That last sentence reveals all the details you’ll discuss in the upcoming paragraphs.

Body paragraphs

You need several main points, whether writing about a personality or describing a location. Derive topic sentences (your paragraphs’ first sentences) from research and make them informative.

The last sentence of each section should be a transition to the next one. It will make your essay easy to read.

Writing a profile essay conclusion

Unlike an interview or expository essay , your conclusion restates the thesis and summarizes the core info from your paper.

While it sounds simple, this part of your paper is the most significant. Ensure you end it with a relevant sum-up.

Practical tips on writing profile papers  

Profile papers are all about research and editing your essay to perfection. Below are three fruitful tips [2] on how to do that.

  • Use a reference finder . This tool works like a filter, removing all irrelevant sources from your search. It will help you invest less time in finding the materials you need.
  • Spend several hours resting before editing your paper . If you look for mistakes in your essay right after you’ve finished the draft, you’re likely to miss them. Give your brain time to refocus, and you’ll find more typos and inconsistencies.
  • Ask parents or friends how informative it is . If unsure about how your paper turned out, ask someone who doesn’t know much about the topic. If they find your draft engaging, it’s a success.

Bonus: Profile Essay Topics Ideas  

If a tutor doesn’t provide a specific topic for your profile essay and you struggle to find one, try any of these:

  •   My Hometown’s History: The Hero of People
  •   The Writer Who Shaped My View of Life
  •   The Best Five-Star Hotel In Our Country
  •   An Unusual Millionaire With a Kind Heart
  •   A Touching Story of a Famous Animal
  •   My Favorite Painter: A Biography
  •   My Favorite Touristic Location
  •   The Spookiest Location I’ve Ever Visited
  •   The Teacher Who Was My Role Model
  •   The Landmark I’ll Never Forget
  •   My Pet Animal: Facts and Stories
  •   My Hero: The Person I Want to Become
  •   The Most Impressive Water Body I’ve Seen
  •   The Place I Dream to Visit
  •   The Fictional Character I Learned Most From

Profile essays can be challenging. Yet, they’re great for training your writing and research skills. You pay attention to details so that a text flows and presents information logically.

It’s okay if you don’t create a masterpiece on your first try. Just remember to have fun in the process.

References:

  • https://www.adelaide.edu.au/english-for-uni/essay-writing
  • https://www.wccnet.edu/webfiles/writing-center/web/essay-structures/ProfileEssay.pdf
  • Essay samples
  • Essay writing
  • Writing tips

Recent Posts

  • Writing the “Why Should Abortion Be Made Legal” Essay: Sample and Tips
  • 3 Examples of Enduring Issue Essays to Write Yours Like a Pro
  • Writing Essay on Friendship: 3 Samples to Get Inspired
  • How to Structure a Leadership Essay (Samples to Consider)
  • What Is Nursing Essay, and How to Write It Like a Pro

Examples logo

Profile Essay

Profile Essay Examples

Let’s take a look at a profile essay. In order to understand what it means, you may allow yourself to engage in an interview where you are able to read a person’s autobiography . As you go long into this article, you will be able to know more about what a profile essay is and how to write a good profile essay.

10+ Profile Essay Examples

1. composition courses profile essay.

composition courses profile essay

Size: 322 KB

2. Profile Essay of a Soldier

profile essay of a soldier

Size: 112 KB

3. Profile of a Good Essay

profile of a good essay

Size: 374 KB

4. Proficiency Profile Essay

proficiency profile essay

Size: 238 KB

5. Profile in Courage Essay Contest

profile in courage essay contest

Size: 21 KB

6. Checklist for the Profile Essay

checklist for the profile essay1

Size: 45 KB

7. Student Writing Profile Essay

student writing profile essay

Size: 108 KB

8. Profile of an Expository Essay

profile of an expository essay

Size: 33 KB

9. Profile Essay Example

profile essay example

Size: 52 KB

10. Interview Profile Essay

interview profile essay

Size: 75 KB

11. Composition Profile Essay

composition profile essay

Size: 53 KB

What is a Profile Essay?

A profile essay is a form of literary writing that tells about a person, place or event. This is intended to provide a detailed profile of something that offers every reader to make a certain perspective or judgment over a subject. This is different from a descriptive essay. It does not only entails description of a subject, rather it is designed to answer questions to identify something.

How to Start Writing a Profile Essay?

Step 1: get the right information.

Doing research is the most important thing to do before you begin writing your research profile. This will help you get a detailed information about your subject. Always make sure that you are using trusted sources like library materials, online articles, etc.

Step 2: Validate Your Information

Check the release date of an article as well as have comprehensive the contents are. Avoid getting information from outdated sources.

Step 3: Outline Your Essay

Always prepare with you a profile essay outline. Essay outlines help in making it easier for you to pinpoint the first idea and what should follow next. This will help you organize your gathered data appropriately.

Step 4: Revise or Proofread Your Profile Essay

Once you have followed the three steps meticulously, you are also well aware that you will need to revise anything that needs to be revised. This includes proofreading any mistakes you may have made throughout. In order to present a good profile essay, you must also make sure it is presentable. No erasures and no mistakes as much as possible.

Do we still have to apply writing style in making a profile essay?

It is advisable to practice yourself to pay attention with the tone and style of your essay. This will make your piece engaging and interesting to read.

What is the purpose of making a profile essay?

The purpose of an essay is to give the readers a full description of your chosen topic. Aside from that, it is also for you to be able to express something about the subject, may it be an argument in response to a certain issue or question and on what you have learned about it. You may also use an essay to persuade your readers that your stand is reasonable.

What to do when picking for the right title of your essay?

Think about what you want to make in your essay. You should reflect on the main idea of your essay. Make it as the basis of creating a unique title for your piece.

What are some things to consider when choosing a subject for profile essay?

You should always choose a reasonable subject and don’t forget to research something about it.

What are the elements of a profile essay?

The elements of a profile essay starts with the introduction paragraph , followed by the body of the paragraph, and ends with the conclusion paragraph .

Before we are able to learn how to do  essay writing , we always seek for mastery  skills  in it. We all know that an essay is composed of the three basic parts namely the introduction, body paragraph, and the conclusion. You may see examples from different essays like  argumentative essay ,  informative essay ,  career essay  and more.

best profile essays

Profile Essay Generator

Text prompt

  • Instructive
  • Professional

Write a Profile Essay on a community leader who has made a difference in your area.

Discuss the achievements and challenges of a local entrepreneur in your Profile Essay.

Lila Neugebauer Interrogates the Ghosts of “Uncle Vanya”

Lila Neugebauer, photographed by Laszlo Konrath for The New Yorker.

A director of the modern uncanny steers the first Broadway production of Chekhov’s masterpiece in twenty years.

By Helen Shaw

March 25, 2024

How quinta brunson hacked the sitcom.

Quinta Brunson poses in a black dress before a pink seamless roll of paper.

With “Abbott Elementary,” the comedian and writer found fresh humor and mass appeal in a world she knew well.

By Molly Fischer

March 18, 2024

Percival everett can’t say what his novels mean.

Percival Everett, photographed by Tracy Nguyen for The New Yorker.

The author of “Erasure” is renowned for his satires of genre, identity, and America. But his great target may be language itself.

By Maya Binyam

March 11, 2024

Joe biden’s last campaign.

Joe Biden photographed at his desk in the Oval Office, by Thea Traff.

Trailing Trump in polls and facing doubts about his age, the President voices defiant confidence in his prospects for reëlection.

By Evan Osnos

March 4, 2024

Matt gaetz’s chaos agenda.

Matt Gaetz, photographed by Mark Peterson / Redux for The New Yorker.

The Florida Republican is among the most brazen and controversial figures in Donald Trump’s G.O.P. He’s also among the most influential.

By Dexter Filkins

February 19, 2024

The art world before and after thelma golden.

Thelma Golden, photographed by Lyle Ashton Harris.

When Golden was a young curator in the nineties, her shows, centering Black artists, were unprecedented. Today, those artists are the stars of the art market.

By Calvin Tomkins

February 5, 2024

Sofia coppola’s path to filming gilded adolescence.

Sophia Coppola sits on a stool under a bright light.

There are few Hollywood families in which one famous director has spawned another. Coppola says, “It’s not easy for anyone in this business, even though it looks easy for me.”

By Rachel Syme

January 22, 2024

The anxious precision of jacqueline novak’s comedy.

Jacqueline Novak, photographed by Julia Johnson.

“Get on Your Knees,” her new Netflix special, is a ninety-minute reflection on the blow job.

By Carrie Battan

January 15, 2024

The playwright has a few more changes.

Branden Jacobs-Jenkins, photographed by Maciek Jasik.

Branden Jacobs-Jenkins has been celebrated for his masterly appropriation of theatrical conventions—and for his eagerness to explode them.

By Julian Lucas

January 8, 2024

How a script doctor found his own voice.

best profile essays

For decades, Scott Frank earned up to three hundred thousand dollars a week rewriting other people’s screenplays—from “Saving Private Ryan” to “The Ring.” Finally, he decided to stop playing ventriloquist.

By Patrick Radden Keefe

December 25, 2023

  • Books & Culture
  • Fiction & Poetry
  • Humor & Cartoons
  • Puzzles & Games
  • Support Available 24/7/365
  • Toll Free: 1-866-707-2737
  • Local / International: 1-732-917-4119
  • Email Us: [email protected]

Logo

Essay Examples

  • Essay Writing Tutorials
  • Citation Guides

Need Writing Assistance?

Home / Essay Writing Tutorials / How to Write a Profile Essay (2022 Guide)

How to Write a Profile Essay (2019 Guide)

profile essay

  • Published Date: October 9, 2018

Table of Contents

  • 1 Definition
  • 2 How to Write a Profile Essay
  • 3.1 Outline Example
  • 4.1 College Profile Essay Topics
  • 4.2 Easy Profile Essay Topics
  • 4.3 Interesting Profile Essay Topics
  • 4.4 Personal Profile Essay Topics
  • 5 Profile Essay Example
  • 6 Conclusion
  • 7 References

Profile essays are fun to write because they allow you to put on a different hat than the standard student one. A profile essay is an assignment where you get to do what journalists do: center your writing on one person, place or thing. The task is comparable to a celebrity profile. Nearly everyone has read a celebrity profile : this is when a journalist details their time spent with a celebrity, usually during a time when the celebrity needs to promote an album or film. However, journalists write about places and things as well, with much frequency. Travel journalists review or detail hotels, cities and museums. Food bloggers detail their adventures dining out. While these pieces might feel more like reviews, critiques or informal blogs—at their core they originate from the profile essay. The profile essay forces you to shine a spotlight on a person, place or thing and write about them in an organized and cohesive manner. By the time you finish reading this article, you will have more nuanced insight into the best way to approach and execute a profile essay, allowing you to earn a passing grade or higher.

best profile essays

As already stated, at its simplest incarnation, a profile essay zeros in on a person, place or thing. However, when you’re assigned one of these essays, it’s important to keep the main goal of the essay at the front of your mind. This goal is to be illuminating: to offer information and a description about this person, place, or thing in a manner that is guaranteed to be enlightening to the reader. Since your teacher doesn’t want or expect a piece of journalism, you should organize your profile around a central theme or thesis.

This way, the bulk of the description that you provide can be about proving that this over-arching thesis is true.

This pattern is something you often (but not always) see in celebrity profiles. For example, many journalists will decide that this or that celebrity is a big jerk and just write an entire profile detailing this belief. Conversely, other journalists will decide that this or that celebrity is the greatest thing ever and will spend an entire profile gushing about him/her. For your profile, regardless of who or what you write about, you generally want to make it more nuanced than “this person/thing is awful/awesome.” A more scholarly profile will have nuances and layers to it, showing your teacher that you really have done all the work of examining something closely.

You’ll also recall that you’ve read profiles written by journalists on people/places/things that don’t really have any definable thesis or viewpoint. These essays just sort of meander around, rambling off bouts of description and facts here and there. These profiles are fine, but they’re not the strongest and generally don’t create the most memorable picture for the reader. Organizing all facts and description about a person or thing around a central thesis can be transformative regarding how it paints a much clearer, less forgettable picture for the reader.

You want to balance your writing and make sure that it is equal parts description and facts and that these two elements work together to prove your thesis. Your thesis is essentially your singular perspective on this person/place/thing. Crafting a strong thesis about the subject empowers you to create a more immersive experience for the reader. The reader gets a sense of the direction the essay will be taking and knows to a certain extent, what to expect.

How to Write a Profile Essay

  • Select your topic. If at all possible, pick a topic you have an innate interest in, as it will allow your writing to flow in a more organic manner.
  • Think deeply about this place, person, or thing. Do some light research. Pick the perspective you’d like to shape your writing in when covering this person.
  • Take that perspective and shape it into your thesis. Your thesis should be more than just this person/place/thing is good/bad, it should offer a more sophisticated take on the topic.
  • Select a hook that relates directly to the person or place you are discussing. For example, if you are writing about the Titanic, you might write something like “Which ship was marketed as unsinkable and was as long as three football fields?”
  • Use the remainder of the opening paragraph to discuss the topic of this essay further in a direction which will lead you directly to your thesis (“The Titanic was hubris incarnate, from its size to the fact that it didn’t carry enough lifeboats”).
  • Use your second paragraph to discuss further the facts and description of your topic, in a manner that centers it in support of your thesis. Use very specific details to offer support to your point.
  • Repeat this step with the third and fourth paragraph. By the time the reader finishes your last body paragraph, they should feel strongly influenced by the picture you have painted about your topic.
  • Use the first sentence of the final paragraph to repeat your thesis using new vocabulary. Remind the reader of your main descriptive and factual points. Connect your subject matter to a bigger picture concept or issue (for example: a profile essay on The Titanic might connect the maritime disaster to the inherent fallibility of hubris as demonstrated throughout history).

best profile essays

Profile Essay Outline

Drafting an outline for a profile essay might seem like an unnecessary step, particularly if you know what you want to write about and you’re passionate about it. However, taking a few minutes to create a quick draft can make all the difference in how readable and cohesive your essay is. This is particularly important for a profile essay, as it can be too easy to go on a tangent about one particular aspect of your subject.

Outline Example

I.  Hook sentence.

a.  Discuss theme in connection to topic.

b.  State thesis.

II.  First body paragraph: supporting details/facts.

III.  Second body paragraph: supporting details/facts

IV.  Third body paragraph: supporting details/facts

V.  Conclusion: recap thesis and main points.

Stuck Writing Your Profile Essay?

View All Our Example Profile Essays

Have A Custom Example Essay Written

Profile Essay Topics

College profile essay topics.

  • U.S. Senators
  • U.S. Representatives
  • Former Presidents
  • Female Politicians
  • Obscure historical landmarks
  • Notable battlefields of Civil War
  • Paul Revere
  • Female Geniuses
  • Female artists
  • Female CEOs
  • Clarence Thomas
  • Christine Blasey Ford
  • Brett Kavanaugh
  • The printing-press
  • The Supreme Court
  • The Holocaust Museum
  • The Whitney
  • The Guggenheim
  • The HIV/AIDS crisis
  • Pre-nuptial agreement

Easy Profile Essay Topics

  • Donald Trump
  • Abraham Lincoln
  • Barack Obama
  • John F. Kennedy
  • Hillary Clinton
  • Bill Clinton
  • Meryl Streep
  • New York City
  • Los Angeles
  • San Francisco
  • The common cold

Interesting Profile Essay Topics

  • Breast implants
  • Platform shoes
  • High-heeled shoes
  • Famous cartoon characters
  • Famous fairy tale characters
  • Famous Disney Princesses
  • Dead celebrities
  • Haunted historical sites
  • Haunted places
  • Famous ghosts
  • Hottest hot wings
  • Weirdest museum
  • Strangest deaths
  • Unsolved murders
  • Most beautiful person
  • Richest person
  • Reality TV shows
  • Reality stars
  • Most iconic film
  • Weirdest cemetery
  • Faded celebrities

Personal Profile Essay Topics

  • Your mother/father
  • Your sibling
  • Your childhood best friend
  • Your childhood enemy
  • Your first boyfriend/girlfriend
  • Your first roommate
  • Your first broken heart
  • Your first celebrity crush
  • Your first childhood home
  • Your first museum
  • Your first opera/ballet/play
  • Your first pet
  • Your favorite relative
  • Your best teacher
  • Your biggest influence

best profile essays

Profile Essay Example

Slavery, the humiliation of Jim Crow laws, lynchings, segregation, mass incarceration and the shooting of unarmed black men. Racial oppression has been a blight on the history and narrative of America for centuries. The Equal Justice Initiative (EJI), headed by Bryan Stevenson, makes the valid argument that healing cannot occur in America until the realities of the past are confronted and properly acknowledged. This is particularly true in the south, a place where many of the most hate-filled and nightmarish crimes against blacks have occurred for hundreds of years. Through the Equal Justice Initiative and the work of Stevenson, The Legacy Museum and the National Memorial to Peace and Justice have been created as sibling-sites to help Americans and the rest of the world tell the truth about the past. The Legacy Museum and the nearby Peace and Justice Memorial help to unravel the romanticized lies of the past that paint a picture of the South as a tranquil place of glorious history and a romanticized quaintness. This museum and memorial pairing help to remind everyone that the South’s history is riddled with the evils of human slavery, bondage, rape, torture and lynchings.

The Equal Justice Initiative has helped to restore the truth of America’s bloodied history by first acquiring more of the actual facts of the real numbers of lynchings that occurred in the Deep South. While work on the museum and memorial commenced, the EJI engaged in the most thorough research to determine the numbers and facts regarding lynchings that happened from 1877 to 1950 in the deep south. Three years ago EJI released a report: Lynching in America: Confronting the Legacy of Racial Terror that recorded the details of the lynchings over 4400 black Americans, 800 more than had been documented for this area by previous historians and researchers. Before the museum or memorial was even built, it was important to get the most accurate data about what life was like in the Deep South for black people so that the historical sites could present the truth with accuracy.

The museum and memorial has helped to establish a new consciousness about the dreadful collective history that has shaped and constructed modern day racial tensions and racial inequality. In front of the memorial is a sculpture that shows the horrors of slavery. This is crucial because slavery was the evil that set the rest of the horrors of racial oppression into motion. Without slavery as the starting point, Stevenson says, “…it wouldn’t be possible for white families to gather their children and go downtown to the courthouse square and watch a black person be burned to death, to watch a black person be hanged, to watch a black person be tortured” (Brown, 2018). In the task of setting the record straight, the memorial does not shy away from the fact that slavery was the blight upon humanity that caused the bulk of the pain that black people continued to suffer, decade after decade. The memorial is composed of steel columns, grouped by county. They first appear at the spectator’s eyelevel, comparable to a gravestone. However, as one traverses the memorial, the steel planks begin to rise, until they are dangling overhead like steel tombs. This structural detail was crucial in the representation of the South’s horrendous history. As Stevenson points out, the people that carried out these blatant, monstrous murders didn’t behave with the shame and desire to hide the way most murderers throughout history would. “But they didn’t want to do that. They wanted to lift it up to raise it over the entire community so every black person would be menaced and traumatized and terrorized” (Brown, 2018). The steel planks raised above the heads of the spectators directly mimics this fiendish desire and forces one to acknowledge the darkness of the history of the south and the evils that have shaped racial oppression today.

On the other hand, the museum uses a host of high-tech tools as a way of portraying the centuries-long enslavement of African Americans and how racial terror via lynchings evolved in response to this dark precedent set by history. The museum was created on the grounds of a past warehouse where “…enslaved black people were imprisoned, and is located midway between an historic slave market and the main river dock and train station where tens of thousands of enslaved people were trafficked during the height of the domestic slave trade. Montgomery’s proximity to the fertile Black Belt region, where slave-owners amassed large enslaved populations to work the rich soil, elevated Montgomery’s prominence in domestic trafficking, and by 1860, Montgomery was the capital of the domestic slave trade in Alabama, one of the two largest slave-owning states in America” (eji.org). Hence, the very fact that this museum exists in Montgomery is an act of rebellion and a means of offering atonement for the past. Just as compellingly, the museum is able to transport the spectator back in time with replicas of many environmental relic from this era. Visitors have to look at slave pen reproductions and get to see and hear the experience of being imprisoned while waiting to be sold at auction (eji.org). By forcing visitors to have such vivid experiences of the nightmare of slavery, it creates a heightened state of consciousness about the bloody reality of history in the south and the heinousness of racial oppression.

In summary, the Legacy Museum and the National Memorial for Peace and Justice are able to lift the collective consciousness about the realities of slavery in a manner that is so immediate and memorable, it can’t help but foster healing and atonement. While many people might argue that “they know all about slavery”  having been taught cursory facts about it in school. However, what they know usually just skims the surface of racially motivated violence and oppression. By creating such a visceral experience about the horrors of slavery through the work of the museum, the visitor can increase their empathy for all that black Americans have had to overcome, and reach a better understanding about the challenges of race relations in modern society and the needs of the black community. The memorial creates a compelling visual representation of the scale and sickening extent of lynchings in the Deep South. It is by looking face to face with the horrors of the past, can we begin to heal and move forward towards a more peaceful future.

Thus, one of the benefits of writing a profile essay is that it gives you full license to dig deep and really examine a person, place or thing. If you’re lucky enough to pick a topic on something you’re genuinely interested in, you get the benefit of learning more. The profile essay sharpens your abilities in shaping a description around one perspective. This endeavor is valuable to you because it shows you how to fine-tune your portrayal around an over-arching idea. Essentially in describing things just so , you’re compelling the reader to agree with your viewpoint on a person, place or thing. Profile essays help the student better master the subtle art of descriptive coaxing.

As always, if you’re ever unsure of how to start your profile essay or you want feedback on what you’ve already written, don’t hesitate to reach out to us. Our writers have completed hundreds of these types of essays on subjects both popular and obscure. They know what teachers are looking for and the common pitfalls to avoid so you can craft a winning essay.

Brown, D. L. (2018, April 24). ‘Lynch him!?: New lynching memorial confronts the nation’s brutal history of racial terrorism. Retrieved from https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/retropolis/wp/2018/04/24/lynch-him-new-lynching-memorial-forces-nation-confront-its-brutal-history-of-racial-terrorism/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.d47b28a350d0

Eji.org. (n.d.). The National Memorial for Peace and Justice. Retrieved from https://museumandmemorial.eji.org/memorial

sample essay writing service

Cite This Resource:

Latest apa format (6th edition), latest mla format (8th edition), latest chicago format (16th edition).

wpdiscuz_captcha

  • Bartleby the Scrivener Analysis Essay
  • Leadership in Global and Multicultural Organizations Essay
  • To Kill a Mockingbird Essay
  • President Donald Trump Essay
  • Bitcoin Essay
  • Seaworld Blackfish Documentary Essay
  • Robert Mueller Investigation Essay (Free Example)

Essay Tutorials

  • How to Write a Scholarship Essay (2020 Guide)
  • 119 Research Paper Topics to Explore (Updated for 2020)
  • Descriptive Essay Topics
  • How to Create an Effective Informative Essay Outline
  • How to Write an Illustration Essay (2020 Guide)
  • How to Write an Evaluation Essay
  • 50 Proposal Essay Topics to Get Started (2020 Edition)

order custom essay example

Student Questions

  • What are the best tips for essay writing?
  • Who am I Essays
  • How do I gather up my thoughts and effectively write my college application essays?
  • How to write a report
  • How can I write an essay about why education is important?

Presentations

  • Vitamix Blenders Marketing Communication Plan
  • Curriculum Evaluation Project
  • 77 Amazing Persuasive Speech Topics [Professor Approved]
  • Informative Speech Outline
  • Informative Speech on Cyberbullying

Need Assistance Writing Your Essay?

10% off your first order! (coupon code: 10OFFNEW)

100% Money Back Guarantee, 24/7/365 Customer Support

best profile essays

We use cookies to give you the best experience possible. By continuing we’ll assume you’re on board with our cookie policy

Logo

  • A Research Guide
  • Writing Guide
  • Essay Writing

How to Write a Profile Essay

  • Purpose of profile essay
  • How to start
  • Structure and outline

Step-by-step writing guide

  • Profile essay format

Helpful profile essay examples

What is the purpose of a profile essay, how to start a profile essay correctly, checking successful profile essays matters, choosing your profile essay subject, determine the style and tone of your writing, profile essay structure and outline, profile essay mandatory sections.

  • An Introduction. Under ideal conditions, it should contain several sentences and provide background information about the subject.
  • Body Sections. This part should discuss all the points mentioned in the introduction paragraph yet in greater detail.
  • Conclusion. It is where you provide a summary of all the key points.

1. Determining your profile

service-1

2. Choosing your profile essay subject

3. writing an introduction, 4. working on body paragraphs, 5. conclusion part, 6. final editing and proofreading, profile essay formatting tips.

  • Keep information accessible and clear to your readers.
  • Your sentences should not be overly long. Write to the point.
  • The structure of paragraphs must implement topic sentences as you write.
  • Choose your words and phrases wisely to convey the main meaning.
  • Offer details and examples along with key facts or an interview.
  • Offer a summary sentence in each paragraph to make smooth transitions.
  • Write in a focused and enjoyable manner by avoiding overexplaining things.
  • Use creative narration methods to keep things more inspiring.
  • When you are confused, approaching a cheap essay writing service with experienced writers may help you narrow things down.
  • Keep your writing balanced and offer explanations and glossary points for all the elements that may require an additional explanation.
  • 10+ Profile essay examples . These contain free expository and interview examples available free of charge.
  • Profile essay composition examples by Washtenaw Community College.
  • Purdue OWL Writing Lab formatting and writing style guides help.

aside icon

Receive paper in 3 Hours!

  • Choose the number of pages.
  • Select your deadline.
  • Complete your order.

Number of Pages

550 words (double spaced)

Deadline: 10 days left

By clicking "Log In", you agree to our terms of service and privacy policy . We'll occasionally send you account related and promo emails.

Sign Up for your FREE account

📕 Studying HQ

Profile essay examples – structure| tips| examples, dr. wilson mn.

  • July 25, 2022
  • Essay Topics and Ideas , Samples

This article discusses about What is a profle essay and provides 5 best Profile Essay Examples.

It’s common for students in college to have no idea how to write a good profile essay, but this can be avoided by learning to research and making the most of your available resources.

Choosing an interesting topic for a personal profile essay is essential if you want to achieve success. You’ll have plenty to write about if you do this.

People and places you are writing about need to be vividly portrayed in your mind.

What You'll Learn

What is a Profile Essay

A profile essay is an essay written to provide a description of a person, place, concept, or thing. It is a descriptive form of writing that aims at providing as much detail as possible on a particular topic.

In spite of the fact that a profile essay is often mistaken as a biography or autobiography, these other forms of writing are distinct in that they are much shorter in length. There are two types of essays: those that focus on a person’s life story, and those that focus on a specific topic. While a biography can be turned into a book, a profile essay is better suited for bios, profile descriptions, and the like.

Even though a profile essay isn’t as in-depth as a biography, it’s written to convey a lot of information in a short period of time. Journalism students and interviewers can benefit from this because it provides a sufficient amount of time to investigate one specific topic.

Keep in mind the possible questions that may arise when writing a profile essay, and address them. You must have taken note that some blogs usually append a frequently asked questions (FAQ) section to their content, usually at the end of a profile essay.

This gives the reader the required information that they need to understand the topic in question.

Profile Essay Structure

Introduction.

This is the thing that will attract or excuse your crowd. A decent presentation spellbinds the peruser and keeps him snared as far as possible.

Start with basic issues which will be clarified later in the paper. To make your article engaging, utilize significant and important data. Give perusers the data they want.

Beginning with a discussion is a decent method to make your paper spellbinding. These can be talks between numerous individuals.

You can uncover data that will be astounding to the perusers like when composing a profile exposition model about yourself you can uncover something that your perusers don’t know about.

This segment gives weight and importance to your article. The data given in the presentation is extended by utilizing a coordinated organization.

The body will decide whether the peruser keeps on taking part in your paper.

Contend your focus utilizing steady proof and attempt to persuade the crowd that you are a specialist with regard to your subject.

The thoughts referenced in the presentation structure the start of each passage as per the pattern in which they show up in.

Here and there, you may like to end a section utilizing an outline sentence albeit this is discretionary.

In an illustration of a profile article, you can summarize a section by giving the outcome of the subtleties clarified.

This is the last piece of your article. It is normally a couple of sentences contrasted with the body. While summarizing your composition presenting new ideas will confound the perusers.

In this part, you should simply rehash the significant focus helping the peruser to remember their significance, and points, and in the event that they have been satisfied.

In an illustration of character profile exposition about a craftsman, you can’t discuss his family foundation in the event that you had not referenced it in the presentation and in this way clarified in the article.

How to Write a Profile Essay

  • Discover a remarkable subject to write a profile essay about. The person can be well-known or somewhat ordinary.

The subject is not limited to an individual but can be a location, leisure interest, or occupation. Expand your search beyond the computer and your neighborhood.

Do primary source research on the subject to acquire background information.

Go to the library and view back issues of local or regional newspapers and other rags or scan online sources.

  • Develop a loose outline based on the subject of your essay. Jot down the header, “Introduction.” Start listing possible details that will be disclosed later in the interviews.

Title another header as “Body” and note high points that will become the possible climax of the essay.

Tie it all up in the “Conclusion” header and brainstorm solid ending possibilities.

As you continue, thestudycorp.com has the top and most qualified writers to help with any of your assignments. All you need to do is  place an order  with us. (Profile Essay Examples)

  • Compose a list of specific interview questions. They should be open-ended but specific and relevant to your essay.

Questions should draw out information not commonly known about the person. Make a list of possible interviewees to broaden the narrative for a multifaceted profile.

This includes others in his or her circle or individuals linked to a location or activity.

  • Conduct the interview in a distraction-free zone. Establish a rapport early on to make the interviewee feel comfortable, which will churn out a more productive interview.

Lay down a basic groundwork of what topics will be covered, the length of time needed, and the importance of the interview. Next, advance to the main interview.

Be sure to take meticulous notes or get permission to tape the interview to transcribe later.

  • Jot down any observations immediately following the interview. Consider the individual’s habits, attitude, and other qualities that were observed.

Transcribe and rearrange the interview questions to recount an interesting personal perspective or interpretation. This will become your rough draft.

  • Revise the draft, incorporating important details and factual incidents that were initially missed.

Start with an attention-grabbing lead sentence. Ensure that the beginning grabs the reader and pulls him in. Intrigue your audience with an informative main section.

Stay focused on your intended approach until the essay’s conclusion , which should give readers a closing impression of the subject and summarize your overall objective.

  • Read the essay aloud. Did you give a visual portrayal?

 Check that you interweaved dialogue, added physical descriptions in moderation, but used narrative freely.

What to Consider When Choosing a Subject for Profile Essay

The subject is at the core of your essay the one you choose will determine the outcome of the readers’ experience.

For an easier time writing your essay, consider the following points:

  • In case of an interview choose a subject who is easily available and make sure to consider the ones that actually give interviews. Crossing boundaries can land you in trouble.
  • What are the recent activities happening to the subject?
  • Do not include details that may harm the subject’s reputation or cost them their occupation
  • Respect the subject whether famous or infamous
  • In the instance of a place use factual information based on concrete evidence.
  • Remember to make enough research about your subject
  • Choose a reasonable subject. Doing this will ensure that you have all the resources you need.

A profile essay example of another planet is unreasonable because there are limited or no resources available to get information from.

You can also check out MLA Citation for Website: In text | Reference | Social Media|Examples

Tips to Write a Profile Essay

A profile essay vividly presents a subject to the readers. The writing is a combination of objective and expressive: While presenting his observations and analysis to inform the reader, the writer also brings his own personal perspective and interpretations to the essay.

A profile essay differs from biographical and autobiographical writing in that it takes newly acquired observation, through research or firsthand accounts; an autobiography or biography is about remembered experiences.

The challenge of a profile essay is to gather the information and give it shape in an essay that conveys the main idea; there are several guidelines to aid a writer in doing this.

Choose the Subject Wisely

While profiles of exciting, controversial people are always interesting, even the mundane can be intriguing if the writer examines it closely and offers a distinctive perspective.

A writer shouldn’t overlook the quietly remarkable person who seems ordinary on the outside.

Form an Engaging and Informative Plan

A profile essay will most likely be based on at least one interview with the subject, and may also include interviews with those that know the subject.

Writers should resist the temptation to organize the essay in the order they ask the questions, as this can make for boring reading.

Instead, the answers of the questions should be examined closely for an emerging image of the subject. The responses can then be incorporated into a more complex picture of the subject.

Provide a Vivid Description

A quality profile essay should incorporate a vivid word picture of the subject. Include specific details, such as how the subject looks, talks, dresses, smells and is motivated.

Keep straight description, or just cataloging the obvious, to a minimum; instead, use description to give the sense that the subject’s outward appearance reveals inward character traits.

Information from others in the essay should serve to describe the subject and not take on its own life.

Convey a Dominant Impression

A profile essay should convey a dominant impression of the subject: the writer’s personal interpretation and insight on the subject and what the writer has gained from observing and researching.

Carefully select and arrange details so that they communicate your attitude.

This interpretive element is what categorizes the profile essay as a genre and separates it from other forms of narrative and descriptive writing, such as the biography.

Profile Essay Examples

Profile essay example 1 – my happy dad.

My dad always said, “It takes fewer muscles to smile than it does to frown.” I have to believe this is true because I spent the earlier years of my life frowning. Going through life with a cortisol-fueled scowl on your face can make for an exhausting existence. But, when I began smiling—really smiling—I felt more confident, happier, and lighter in spirit. I started asking myself why I hadn’t tried smiling sooner.

My dad’s advice reminded me of an early astronomy class I took in college where the professor lectured us one day about this weird thing called dark energy. It turns out that if you look around you on Earth, everything has gravity—you know, the way things are attracted to each other? Well, apparently, there’s also dark energy that’s pushing all these things apart at an increasingly accelerated rate. Neat stuff to ponder when you’re just trying to pass the class, but something about it stuck with me years later because I think about it in terms of smiling. Like dark energy, when we smile, we can feel ourselves pushing things apart—we expand our own worlds and simultaneously help everyone around us do the same.

Smiling is such a simple act, but it takes muscles to get it done. You have to flex your cheek, bite down on your larynx, and unclench your tongue while simultaneously juggling a ball of hot air that you have to squeeze out your mouth. Then, if people don’t smile back at you, it’s all for naught because you’ve got nothing left to hold yourself together with. It’s a lot of work, but smiling changes everything once you’ve done it.

My dad is the reason I smile. He’s the reason I have the confidence to smile first, too. Looking back at my scowling days, I realize that he was smiling all along—but it took muscles for me to notice.

As you continue, thestudycorp.com has the top and most qualified writers to help with any of your assignments. All you need to do is  place an order  with us. (Profile Essay Examples)(Profile Essay Examples)

Profile essay examples

You can also check out Tips on Writing a Good APA Research Paper

Profile Essay Example 2 – Boston Marathon Bombings

On April 15th, 2013, the Boston Marathon Bombings shook the city of Boston and America as a whole. This was an extraordinary tragedy that will never be forgotten by those who witnessed it first hand, including myself. The families affected by this horrible tragedy are left to deal with their grief for years to come. What makes the Marathon Bombing event so significant is the fact that everyone felt affected by it. The fact that anyone could be a victim makes everyone feel vulnerable and scared. This event made America feel like we were all Bostonians and that we were united as one nation.

Caroline Richards was cheering on her mother at the 117th Boston Marathon when the first bomb exploded. She was only three feet from the explosion and was severely injured as a result. Caroline spent 35 days in Boston Medical Center recovering from serious injuries she sustained from the bombing. When interviewed about her experience, she made a statement that I will never forget: “There’s no room for fear. We all have to be compassionate and help those who were also injured and affected,” Caroline said. “I am so grateful for my family and friends who have been by my side supporting me.”

This event proves that although tragedies occur, there is always a silver lining. There was light and hope in the midst of the darkness because of all those affected by it. The things people did to help others in need made us feel proud to be human beings capable of love and kindness.

I believe this event will have an everlasting effect on the world because it made us realize how precious life is and that we should appreciate our loved ones. It also taught us to be aware of the things happening around us and to pay more attention, as one small action can trigger a series of large events.

Profile Essay Example 3 – Alice Walker

Alice Walker has made an enormous contribution to literature, not only through her novels and poetry but also by campaigning for civil rights during the 1960s. Born in Georgia in 1944, she grew up in a tiny rural community with her sharecropper parents. Although she grew up in poverty, Walker’s parents managed to raise eight children. Her father was one of the main reasons why Alice became interested in learning about African-American history and literature.

Walker’s love for reading and writing started after sustaining an injury to her right eye that left her permanently blind in that eye. As soon as she could, she went back to school and studied at several colleges. She received her bachelor’s degree in 1965.

Alice Walker made history when her novel The Color Purple won the Pulitzer Prize in 1982. This was the first time that an African-American woman had won this prestigious award. The book is about a young black woman, Celie, whose life is filled with pain and suffering. It was made into a movie in 1985 by Steven Spielberg.

Alice Walker has used her writing to express her opinions about the conditions that black people were forced into during segregation in America. Her work is not only important because it enlightened people about these incidents but also added dignity to the African-American culture.

Profile Essay Example 4 – My mother’s determination

The day my mother was born, doctors didn’t think she would live. Her tiny body just wasn’t strong enough to survive in this world. But, against all odds and after hours of intensive care from a rotating team of nurses, my mother defied the odds and continued to grow and thrive.

Her early battle with life made her strong, determined, and resilient—a warrior that would fight for what she wanted. Later in life, even though she had a successful career as a social worker and could easily provide for herself financially, my mother took on another challenge: raising five children.

This was not easy, but my mother never complained; she simply figured out how to make things work in her own way. She made our lives fun and happy by taking us on long walks in the park or baking cookies with us in the afternoon when we got home from school. My mother’s determination influenced me to keep trying even if I didn’t always succeed the first time.

Today, my mother is retired and lives in Florida with my father. So many times, she has told me how much she loves her life because every day is sunny, and nothing bad ever happens to her anymore. I am so grateful for all of the sacrifices she made on our behalf, but mostly I am thankful for her strength and resilience because those attributes have made me strong too.

Profile Essay Example 5

“Good evening, Valparaiso. I’m storm shield meteorologist Jacob Van Horn here with a look at your forecast.” Ever since Jake was in grade school, he knew that he wanted to be a meteorologist. However, it wasn’t until high school that he realized his dream could truly become reality. Jake’s interest in weather began when he first watched the movie “Twister,” a collection of National Geographic documentaries provided by his school. With an abundance of hard work and dedication, Jake is working towards earning his bachelor’s degree in meteorology and achieving his dream of becoming a meteorologist.

Since Jake has always been an admirer of the weather, severe storms always brought him a thrill. His interest in weather peaked after an F-4 tornado struck a city near his home in November of 2002. His family drove through Van Wert, Ohio, to see the damage. “Those images will always be in my head,” he recalls.

Although Jake always knew that he wanted to become a meteorologist, it was not until high school when he recognized his full potential. He realized how good he was at science and math and how much he enjoyed each of these subjects. Math and science are a crucial part of meteorology; therefore, Jake decided to “give it a go.”

When it came to deciding upon a college to pursue his meteorology degree, Jake was torn between Purdue University and Valparaiso University. Both schools possessed a great meteorology program, but Jake was drawn to Valparaiso’s small school atmosphere and location. Although Valparaiso was a private university with higher tuition than Purdue, Jake received a presidential scholarship, which aided in paying for his tuition. Getting accepted into a college with an outstanding meteorology program brought Jake one step closer to achieving his dream.

Once college started, there were a broad range of meteorology classes that he had to take. They started as simple, introductory classes and progressed into much more specific classes, such as an aviation weather class to predict things such as turbulence and a tropical class, which not only focuses on hurricanes and tropical storms, but the impact of the ocean on the weather in general. These classes will be beneficial to his future career choice. A meteorologist’s job can be described as making a type of educated prediction. Jake will use what he has learned in his classes, apply that broad knowledge to whatever is happening in the forecast, look at where the weather is coming from, and predict what he believes will happen.

The summer between his freshman and sophomore years of college, Jake was an intern at a local news station, WANE 15. While at his internship, he often assisted the head meteorologist in creating graphics that were used on television. He liked using the graphics system to see what he could create and he also liked communicating to the people about what was going to be happening. Jake said that he was able to learn an abundance of new things that will be useful in his future endeavors. One night, during a large tornado outbreak, he stayed at the station until around 2AM, keeping the viewing areas informed about the potentially dangerous weather conditions. He said that it “was definitely a crazy night.”

When he returned back to campus his sophomore year, Jake was a lab aide for an introductory class, which helps to refresh students on the basics of meteorology. He was also an assistant weather director at the campus television station, which is helping him learn about the broadcasting side of meteorology. He has learned everything from production to graphic-making and even presentation skills on the green screen. Although he did not think he would like being on television, before he began classes, Jake has learned many skills that have opened his mind to the world of broadcasting.

You can also check out Opinion Ideas for Writing/Opinion Essay Topics

A good profile essay should be easy to read and relatively short, with a strong beginning that grabs the reader’s attention.

The best profile essays are written with clear, concise language that showcases the personality of your subject.

Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions about writing an essay on a particular topic . We would be happy to help with this process.

Related FAQs

1. how to write a profile essay.

Before you start writing your profile essay, you should know its structure. This refers to the introduction, body of a paragraph and conclusion. This part draws the attention of your readers. This is your chance to hook them until the end of your piece.

2. What is a typical profile essay example?

A typical profile essay example is a creative description of a personality, an event, or an object that relates to a particular person. In some cases, you can choose topics or ideas that describe a celebrity or a scientist. It must deal with the facts and provide descriptions.

As you continue, thestudycorp.com has the top and most qualified writers to help with any of your assignments. All you need to do is  place an order  with us. (Profile Essay Examples)(Profile Essay Examples)(Profile Essay Examples)

3. How to write a comprehensive and balanced profile essay?

A comprehensive and balanced essay can be written by in-depth research and knowledge about the student’s subject. The first and foremost goal of a profile essay is to be informative. It is a literary work that focuses on the description of a person, place, or event.

4. What is the conclusion of a profile essay?

The conclusion is the final part where you are required to give a summary of your essay. Unlike the body, it should only contain a few sentences that restates all your major points pointing out your topic’s relevance. How to Start Writing a Profile Essay?

All Essays Articles

Start by filling this short order form order.studyinghq.com

And then follow the progressive flow. 

Having an issue, chat with us here

Cathy, CS. 

New Concept ? Let a subject expert write your paper for You​

Have a subject expert write for you now, have a subject expert finish your paper for you, edit my paper for me, have an expert write your dissertation's chapter, popular topics.

Business StudyingHq Essay Topics and Ideas How to Guides Samples

  • Nursing Solutions
  • Study Guides
  • Free Study Database for Essays
  • Privacy Policy
  • Writing Service 
  • Discounts / Offers 

Study Hub: 

  • Studying Blog
  • Topic Ideas 
  • How to Guides
  • Business Studying 
  • Nursing Studying 
  • Literature and English Studying

Writing Tools  

  • Citation Generator
  • Topic Generator
  • Paraphrasing Tool
  • Conclusion Maker
  • Research Title Generator
  • Thesis Statement Generator
  • Summarizing Tool
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Confidentiality Policy
  • Cookies Policy
  • Refund and Revision Policy

Our samples and other types of content are meant for research and reference purposes only. We are strongly against plagiarism and academic dishonesty. 

Contact Us:

📧 [email protected]

📞 +15512677917

2012-2024 © studyinghq.com. All rights reserved

PrepScholar

Choose Your Test

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

author image

College Admissions , College Essays

body-typewriter-writing-desk-cc0

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.

body-frog-cc0

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!

best profile essays

Want to write the perfect college application essay? Get professional help from PrepScholar.

Your dedicated PrepScholar Admissions counselor will craft your perfect college essay, from the ground up. We'll learn your background and interests, brainstorm essay topics, and walk you through the essay drafting process, step-by-step. At the end, you'll have a unique essay that you'll proudly submit to your top choice colleges.

Don't leave your college application to chance. Find out more about PrepScholar Admissions now :

Craft Your Perfect College Essay

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

body-library-cc0-2

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.

body-writing-notebook-student-cc0

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.

body_coathangers

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.

body-oil-spill

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.

best profile essays

Want to build the best possible college application?

We can help. PrepScholar Admissions is the world's best admissions consulting service. We combine world-class admissions counselors with our data-driven, proprietary admissions strategies . We've overseen thousands of students get into their top choice schools , from state colleges to the Ivy League.

We know what kinds of students colleges want to admit. We want to get you admitted to your dream schools .

Learn more about PrepScholar Admissions to maximize your chance of getting in.

Get Into Your Top Choice School

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.

body_fixers

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.

body-crying-upset-cc0

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.

body-gears-cogs-puzzle-cc0

#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 .

body_next_step_drawing_blackboard

What's Next?

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

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

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

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

Get eBook: 5 Tips for 160+ Points

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.

author image

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.

Student and Parent Forum

Our new student and parent forum, at ExpertHub.PrepScholar.com , allow you to interact with your peers and the PrepScholar staff. See how other students and parents are navigating high school, college, and the college admissions process. Ask questions; get answers.

Join the Conversation

Ask a Question Below

Have any questions about this article or other topics? Ask below and we'll reply!

Improve With Our Famous Guides

  • For All Students

The 5 Strategies You Must Be Using to Improve 160+ SAT Points

How to Get a Perfect 1600, by a Perfect Scorer

Series: How to Get 800 on Each SAT Section:

Score 800 on SAT Math

Score 800 on SAT Reading

Score 800 on SAT Writing

Series: How to Get to 600 on Each SAT Section:

Score 600 on SAT Math

Score 600 on SAT Reading

Score 600 on SAT Writing

Free Complete Official SAT Practice Tests

What SAT Target Score Should You Be Aiming For?

15 Strategies to Improve Your SAT Essay

The 5 Strategies You Must Be Using to Improve 4+ ACT Points

How to Get a Perfect 36 ACT, by a Perfect Scorer

Series: How to Get 36 on Each ACT Section:

36 on ACT English

36 on ACT Math

36 on ACT Reading

36 on ACT Science

Series: How to Get to 24 on Each ACT Section:

24 on ACT English

24 on ACT Math

24 on ACT Reading

24 on ACT Science

What ACT target score should you be aiming for?

ACT Vocabulary You Must Know

ACT Writing: 15 Tips to Raise Your Essay Score

How to Get Into Harvard and the Ivy League

How to Get a Perfect 4.0 GPA

How to Write an Amazing College Essay

What Exactly Are Colleges Looking For?

Is the ACT easier than the SAT? A Comprehensive Guide

Should you retake your SAT or ACT?

When should you take the SAT or ACT?

Stay Informed

best profile essays

Get the latest articles and test prep tips!

Looking for Graduate School Test Prep?

Check out our top-rated graduate blogs here:

GRE Online Prep Blog

GMAT Online Prep Blog

TOEFL Online Prep Blog

Holly R. "I am absolutely overjoyed and cannot thank you enough for helping me!”

Longreads

Longreads : The best longform stories on the web

Longreads Best of 2017: Profile Writing

Share this:.

  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window)
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Mastodon (Opens in new window)

best profile essays

We asked writers and editors to choose some of their favorite stories of the year in various categories. Here is the best in profile writing.

Seyward Darby Executive editor, The Atavist

A Most American Terrorist: The Making of Dylann Roof (Rachel Kaadzi Ghansah, GQ )

There was no piece of journalism in 2017 more honest or more raw than Rachel Kaadzi Ghansah’s profile of Dylann Roof for GQ . Its brilliance began with an enviable lede—”Sitting beside the church, drinking from a bottle of Smirnoff Ice, he thought he had to go in and shoot them” — and persisted for the duration of what proved to be an unlikely profile. Unlikely, because Kaadzi Ghansah didn’t set out to write it. She went to Charleston to cover Roof’s murder trial, planning to report on the families of his victims, but found herself drawn to the young man who sat, angry and silent and unfazed, day after day in the courtroom. She decided to profile a black hole, an absence, because she couldn’t not.

The story is unlikely, too, because of its style. Ghansah winds through Roof’s life like a criminal profiler. She collects evidence, data, interviews, and observations, then pieces them together for readers, showing where the connective tissue resides. She is an essential presence in the story, which is no easy feat to pull off, and the result is wholly organic. This is a story about race, class, anger, bewilderment, and division. It is also, as the headline “A Most American Terrorist” attests, a story about the current political moment. You come away from it knowing who Dylann Roof is, who Rachel Kaadzi Ghansah is, and what America is—or, really, what it has always been.

Helen Rosner Writer and editor whose work has appeared in Guernica, Eater, The New Yorker , Racked, Saveur , New York , Afar , Polygon, and more.

Gerhard Steidl is Making Books an Art Form (Rebecca Mead, The New Yorker )

I goddamn love a profile, and I’ve spent the past twelve months happily drowning in some magnificent specimens. There were elevations of under-appreciated celebrities (Reggie Ugwu on transgender soul icon Jackie Shane for The New York Times ), pull-back-the-curtains on unknowns with staggering influence (Peter Maass on Steve Bannon deputy Julia Hahn  for The Intercept), and clever structural riffs on the tired old cover-star puff piece (Anna Peele’s inspired oral history of Jeff Goldblum for GQ ).

But I am, always and forever, a sucker for detailed procedural breakdowns of off-the-radar institutions that wield extraordinary soft power — what my friend Matt Buchanan calls “secret economies” — and so, for me, this was the year of Rebecca Mead’s portrait of meticulous, tyrannical art book printer Gerhard Steidl. Every paragraph is an eye-boggling joy, revealing facet after unbelievable facet of Steidl’s existence and operation. The printer is a paper-and-binding obsessive who lives next door to his shop — a monastic-luxe compound in Göttingen, Germany that’s largely financed by Karl Lagerfeld — where, pope-like, he summons the world’s most influential artists and photographers to his workshop for days of emotional terrorism in service of books that are, in the words of photographer Edward Burtynsky, “the haute couture of printing.” Depending on how you read it, it’s an artistic fairy tale, a psychological horror movie, or some kind of thrilling fusion of the two.

Kevin Nguyen Senior editor, GQ.com

Her Eyes Were Watching the Stars  (Rachel Kaadzi Ghansah, Elle )

Celebrity profiles can get shortchanged in these year-end lists, so I have to shout out Elle ‘s Missy Elliott profile, written by the superbly confident Rachel Kaadzi Ghansah. She offers vibrant personal context to provide stakes, some sharp descriptions of Missy’s oeuvre, and great scene work of the photo shoot. Access journalism is best when it’s self-aware rather than self-depreca ting. You don’t have to read too much between the lines to know time with Missy was limited, but the moments we get with Missy aren’t fleeting — they feel like a gift.

Whitney Joiner Features director, Hearst Digital Media

Old Woods and Deep (Noah Gallagher Shannon, Oxford American )

The notoriously press-avoidant Cormac McCarthy is usually mapped onto the American West, but his Appalachian childhood deeply informs his earlier works. Shannon explores the Appalachian McCarthy and his connection to Knoxville, Tenessee in a profile that’s as much about a McCarthy-obsessed psychology professor and the cult of McCarthy as it is about the grizzled, mythic, overblown novelist himself.

Taffy Brodesser-Akner Feature writer for The New York Times and The New York Times Magazine

The Princess Myth (Hilary Mantel, The Guardian )

It’s hard to pick just one great profile, made only slightly easier by the fact that I wasn’t allowed to pick one from my places of employment, which is good because that excluded GQ (where it would be impossible to pick between any of Caity Weaver ‘s alone) and T he New York Times Magazine (where I am glad I don’t have to choose between Jazmine Hughes’ Elaine Welteroth profile  or Matthew Shaer on Sean Hannity ). But I still had to pick between incredible profiles from Emily Nussbaum and Rachel Kaadzi Ghansah (yes, Dylann Roof , but oh my god Missy Elliot ) and Jessica Pressler and Jia Tolentino and Alexander Chee and Jada Yuan (x10) and Tom Junod (his story of Muhammad Ali’s funeral felt like a profile to me) and Olivia Nuzzi and Elizabeth Weil and Wright Thompson and the general career barn-storming of Allison P. Davis (whose Cardi B feature got a lot of attention, yes, but I’m thinking more of her encounter with DJ Khaled’s baby, because how did I never think to profile a baby?)

But here’s the one I never shook: Hilary Mantel on Princess Diana for The Guardian, which reads like a Hilary Mantel novel. On a sentence by sentence valuation, it is spun from gold:

When Diana died, a crack appeared in a vial of grief, and released a salt ocean. A nation took to the boats.
A deathbed, once, was a location dense with meaning, a room packed with the invisible presences of angels, devils, ancestors. But now, as many of us don’t believe in an afterlife, we envisage no final justice, no ultimate meaning, and have no support for our sense of loss when “positivity” falters.
The princess we invented to fill a vacancy had little to do with any actual person.

While so many profiles I read are great, most eventually commit the sin of self-consciousness — pulling back from taking their subject seriously, not really committing to loving their subjects even when they so clearly do. Perhaps it’s death that allows Mantel such a serious and adoring rendering of Diana. I hope not, because I think the living deserve this level of treatment. Whatever it is, I read it with one hand over my mouth for the duration, blindsided in equal parts by jealousy and inspiration.

Catherine Cusick Audience development editor, Longreads

Dwayne Johnson for President! (Caity Weaver, GQ)

Caity Weaver’s May cover story on The Rock is the main reason I will miss net neutrality. It’s the one profile I can drunk-read aloud to my mom with abandon, the only one that can make her laugh so hard she forgets to ask me how audiences develop again. (By getting The Rock to quote tweet us , Mom). Weaver’s the only author who appears twice in all of Our No. 1 Story Picks this year, and once all the political math is done, I’m confident that profiling The Rock will have counted as a public service. I f Johnson runs in 2020, I think Weaver’s name should be on the ticket.

Sari Botton Essays editor, Longreads

Gloria Allred’s Crusade (Jia Tolentino, The New Yorker)

In her first print feature for The New Yorker , Tolentino perfectly captures iconic anti-discrimination lawyer Gloria Allred, who is currently litigating major cases against Bill Cosby and President Donald Trump, and who has played a key role in changing attitudes and legislation regarding rape and sexual assault. Tolentino lends insight into Allred’s passion, showing how she came by her conviction for her work very personally, after being raped in the early 1970s, surviving an illegal abortion, and learning that other women she met at the hospital had died there.

Danielle Jackson Contributing editor, Longreads

Kelela Is Ready For You Now (Lakin Starling, The Fader )

The drama and tension in celebrity profiles often feels manufactured. That’s because journalists have the difficult job of revealing something extraordinary in the performance of the mundane, often within a rigid framework approved by gatekeepers. We get details about dinner plates and Target carts that ultimately reveal very little.   Like the best stories in any genre, the most meaningful profiles occur when real life peeks through and everyone involved shows some vulnerability, including the reporter.

I love this profile of electronic R&B artist Kelela  for the moments of spontaneous connectivity between interviewer and interviewee. Perhaps because they’re both artists who are black women and close in age, but writer Lakin Starling gives Kelela the space to be “not at her best” while talking about work, and not working, on the brink of an album release.

When Kelela explains why she has chosen a particular spa for a body scrub ( “They don’t touch me in a white way. They aren’t so careful with me.”) a lot about the comfort of their relationship is revealed. Starling includes lots of details about touch and the body in this profile — there’s talk about Kelela’s back pain, and Lakin takes time to marvel at how the light touches Kelela’s brown skin. The profile feels like a warm breeze, treating its subject like a full human being, with a body, inner thoughts, and an important and challenging body of work.  

Sometimes the state of publishing demands that black storytellers turn their pens toward subjects that are palatable to white audiences, or to make blatant, overt political statements that keep them on the race beat. Often, the black avant-garde doesn’t get sufficient due until their output is co-opted by someone white or is somehow mainstreamed. This profile quietly dismantles all of that.

Michelle Legro Senior editor, Longreads

Pet Project , Megan Greenwell (Esquire)

What has the internet done to keep you sane in 2017? The sweet whisper of ASMR ? Calming slime and glitter videos? For me, it’s been the heckin’ pupperinos of We Rate Dogs, served up on Instagram and Twitter daily, speaking the language only we know: of fluffers and boopers, of the affirmation that 15/10 we would pet these dogs  forever .

Greenwell writes my favorite kind of profile: the bewildered internet famous. There was never any “we” to We Rate Dogs, just Matt Nelson, a freshman at Campbell University in  Buies Creek, North Carolina, who in 2015 “started an absurdist-humor Twitter account dedicated to dogs. ‘Here we have a Japanese Irish Setter. Lost eye in Vietnam (?). Big fan of relaxing on stair. 8/10 would pet.'” It was a particular kind of internet language that could be replicated, with users sending in their photos and Nelson rating them on a sliding scale (with a curve, of course.)

It’s hard to know exactly how or why something catches fire on the internet, but when it does, it can threaten to take over your life. But Nelson keeps a remarkably calm head, part of a generation where internet fame is always a possibility if you’re doing things right. Because on the internet, no one knows you’re a college sophomore rating dogs.

Support Longreads

best profile essays

By clicking submit, you agree to share your email address with the site owner and Mailchimp to receive marketing, updates, and other emails from the site owner. Use the unsubscribe link in those emails to opt out at any time.

27 of the Best Professional Bio Examples I've Ever Seen [+ Templates]

Lindsay Kolowich Cox

Published: December 20, 2023

As a writer, I have to let readers and potential clients know my expertise, my skills, and why they should work with me or be interested in what I say. So, a professional bio is a must in my industry.

Hands type at a laptop

Though I'm definitely familiar with professional bios, I can admit they can be challenging. What do I include? What do readers need to know?

As daunting as writing a professional bio can be, professional bios are crucial when applying for jobs, seeking new clients, or networking. A professional bio also gives the world a brief snapshot of you and your professional ideals.

If you‘re at a loss for how to write a professional bio that packs a punch, I’ve got you covered. In this journey, tools like HubSpot’s user-friendly drag-and-drop website builder can be instrumental in showcasing your professional bio online with ease and style.

I will walk you through how to write a professional bio that you can proudly publish, provide professional bio templates, and show you the best professional bio examples you can get inspiration from.

→ Download Now: 80 Professional Bio Examples [Free Templates]

What is a professional bio?

Professional bio templates, how to write a professional bio, best professional bio examples, how to write a short bio.

best profile essays

80+ Professional Bio Templates & Examples

Create a compelling professional narrative for a proper, attention-grabbing introduction.

  • LinkedIn Summaries
  • Speaker Intros
  • Website Bios
  • Professional Profile

You're all set!

Click this link to access this resource at any time.

Tell us a little about yourself below to gain access today:

A professional bio or biography is a short overview of your experience. Professional bios usually include details about education, employment, achievements, and relevant skills.

Purpose of Professional Bios

A bio tells an audience about who you are, what you've done, and what you can do. It can help potential employers, fans, or customers understand your personality and what you stand for.

Writing a bio without a clear starting point is challenging — believe me, I've tried. To ease the process, here are some templates I put together to get you started.

I‘ve found it’s best to keep your professional bio honest and to the point. Too long of a bio, and you risk losing your audience's attention. After all, audiences will only read a web page for less than a minute before clicking elsewhere.

And honesty is key because most consumers and clients won‘t invest in someone or something if it doesn’t seem trustworthy. In fact, 67% of consumers say they must trust a brand before investing in its products or services.

best profile essays

"Plus," she adds, "I'm always happy to talk about my cats at any given moment. You never know when a fellow cat mom could be reading."

Values and Work Approach

Your values can sometimes show your work ethic more effectively than your career path. It can also help you endear yourself to employers and colleagues who want to work with people with similar values.

So don‘t be shy: Share how you incorporate your values into your work. Whether it’s a commitment to innovation, customer satisfaction, or ethical decision-making, explain what drives you and be enthusiastic about it.

Your Personality

Remember: Your bio should always include a taste of your personality! Your sense of humor, creativity, or collaborative nature could all give readers a sense of who you are. This helps readers connect with you on a more personal level.

Remember to tailor your bio for different platforms and audiences. Also, keep it concise and impactful while highlighting the most relevant information in each context.

First-Person Bio vs. Third-Person Bio

While first-person bios are common, third-person bios can be more effective in formal situations.

Your decision to write your professional bio in the first or third person depends on your desire to leave a more personable or assertive impression.

Both approaches work, provided you tailor them to your goals and audience. What’s important is to be clear and tell your story in a way that connects with your reader.

How to Write a First-Person Bio

Writing in the first person can be a great way to connect with your audience when building a personal brand. When you write a first-person bio, use "I" or "me" to make yourself relatable and approachable.

Here's one way I’d write a first-person bio:

"I'm a freelance writer specializing in small business content. I've worked with companies in a variety of industries like home care to fine leather goods."

Speaking in the first person here connects you with a client or brand based on your experience and opinions. Put another way, writing a first-person bio is like telling your story to your audience.

Here are a few tips to make your first-person bio great:

Don’t start every sentence with "I."

Showing instead of telling is a great approach.

Let’s say you’re a writer who wants to create a short professional bio. Instead of saying, "I love to write," you can say, "Writer. Bad but enthusiastic dancer."

This portrays your writing skill, shows your personality outside of writing as a dancer, and includes a little sense of humor, which is essential for a writer.

Remember, you know yourself better than anyone.

Adding a back story to your bio helps create context for the roles and successes you write about. Think of it like a case study about who you were, what you are now, and the process that got you to your current position.

Focus on valuable details.

Quick facts about you can showcase your identity and values. For example, if you're writing a bio for LinkedIn, think about how to tie your hobby into what you do.

Let's say Animal Crossing is your hobby. Does it align with your career aspirations? It can be a great addition to your bio if you want to pursue a video game career.

However, if your interests lie elsewhere, including a more relevant hobby is better.

How to Write a Third-Person Bio

Third-person bios sound more authoritative and objective. So, if you’re job searching in a formal industry, applying for grants, or trying to get published, you may want to stick to the third person.

For instance, when you write a third-person bio, you may start with:

"Jasmine Montgomery is a Senior Hiring Manager at L’Oreal based in New York. She recruits across several business units to connect with the brightest talent from around the globe."

By only using your name and pronouns to speak about yourself here, you are letting your title and skill set speak for themselves.

These bios create distance between the subject of the bio (you) and the reader through a third person. This person could be anyone, but they usually speak in a tone emphasizing their expertise.

This makes third-person bios feel aloof or overly formal sometimes.

Ideally, your third-person bio should sound friendly but polished, like a message from a close colleague at work. Here are a few tips on how to write a great third-person bio.

Write from the perspective of someone you know and trust.

It can be challenging to write about yourself, so try to see yourself from the perspective of your favorite person at work or a mentor you trust. This can help you write from a position of authority without feeling self-conscious.

Show the reader why they should trust your opinion.

A professional bio often reflects a specific industry or niche. With this in mind, your text should include relevant details that professionals in your industry know. Avoid jargon whenever you can.

Remember, you're telling a story.

If you want a third-person bio, but you're used to writing in first-person, it may help to write it the most comfortable way for you.

Your professional bio is an essential piece of writing, so edit it carefully. Edit your writing from both points of view and see which works best for your target audience.

Here's how to write a professional bio, step by step.

  • Create an 'About' page for your website or profile.
  • Begin writing your bio with your first and last name.
  • Mention any associated brand name you might use.
  • State your current position and what you do.
  • Include at least one professional accomplishment.
  • Describe your values and how they inform your career.
  • Briefly tell your readers who you are outside of work.
  • Use humor or a personal story to add flavor to your professional bio.

If you’re anything like me, you probably don't think about your professional bio until you’re asked to "send one over via email."

You have one afternoon to come up with it, so you scramble together a bio that ends up reading like this:

"Rodney Erickson is a content marketing professional at HubSpot, a CRM platform that helps companies attract visitors, convert leads, and close customers.

Previously, Rodney worked as a marketing manager for a tech software startup. He graduated with honors from Columbia University with a dual degree in Business Administration and Creative Writing."

To be fair, in certain contexts, your professional bio needs to be more formal, like Mr. Erickson's up there. But there are also cases where writing a personable and conversational bio is good.

Whether you choose the formal or casual route, use the following steps to create a perfect bio.

1. Create an 'About' page for your website or profile.

You need an online space to keep your professional bio. Here are a few to consider (some of these you might already have in place):

  • Facebook Business page .
  • Industry blog byline .
  • Instagram account .
  • Personal website .
  • LinkedIn profile .
  • Industry website .
  • Personal blog .

As you'll see in the professional bio examples below, the length and tone of your bio will differ depending on the platforms you use.

Instagram, for example, allows only 150 characters of bio space, whereas you can write as much as you want on your website or Facebook Business page.

2. Begin writing your bio with your first and last name.

If your readers remember nothing else about your bio, they should remember your name. Therefore, it's a good idea for your first and last name to be the first two words of your professional bio.

Even if your name is printed above this bio (hint: it should), this is a rare moment where it's okay to be redundant.

For example, if I were writing my bio, I might start it like this:

Lindsay Kolowich

Lindsay Kolowich is a Senior Marketing Manager at HubSpot.

3. Mention any associated brand name you might use.

Will your professional bio represent you or a business you work for? Ensure you mention the brand you associate with in your bio. If you're a freelancer, you may have a personal business name or pseudonym you advertise to your clients.

Here are a few examples:

  • Lindsay Kolowich Marketing.
  • SEO Lindsay.
  • Kolowich Consulting.
  • Content by Kolowich (what do you think ... too cheesy?).

Maybe you founded your own company and want its name to be separate from your real name. Keep it simple like this: "Lindsay Kolowich is the founder and CEO of Kolowich Consulting."

4. State your current position and what you do.

Whether you're the author of a novel or a mid-level specialist, use the following few lines of your bio to describe what you do in that position. Refrain from assuming your audience knows what your job title entails.

Make your primary responsibilities known so readers can know you and understand what you offer to your industry.

5. Include at least one professional accomplishment.

Just as a business touts its client successes through case studies, your professional bio should let your audience know what you've achieved.

What have you done for yourself — as well as for others — that makes you a valuable player in your industry?

6. Describe your values and how they inform your career.

Why do you do what you do? What might make your contribution to the market different from your colleagues? What are the values that make your business a worthwhile investment to others?

Create a professional bio that answers these questions.

7. Briefly tell your readers who you are outside of work.

Transition from describing your values in work to defining who you are outside of work. This may include:

  • Your family.
  • Your hometown.
  • Sports you play.
  • Hobbies and interests.
  • Favorite music and travel destinations.
  • Side hustles you're working on.

People like connecting with other people. The more transparent you are about who you are personally, the more likable you'll be to people reading about you.

8. Use humor or a personal story to add flavor to your professional bio.

End your professional bio on a good or, more specifically, a funny note. By leaving your audience with something quirky or unique, you can ensure they'll leave your website with a pleasant impression of you.

Following the steps above when writing your bio is important, but take your time with one section. People consume lots of information daily. So ensure your bio hooks 'em in the first line, and you won’t lose them.

(P.S. Want to boost your professional brand? Take one of HubSpot Academy's free certification courses . In just one weekend, you can add a line to your resume and bio that over 60,000 marketers covet.)

Why Good Bios Are Important for a Professional

You may think, "How many people read professional bios, anyway?"

The answer: A lot. Though there's no way to tell who is reading it, you want it catchy. Your professional bio will delight the right people coming across it on multiple platforms.

Professional bios can live on your LinkedIn profile , company website, guest posts, speaker profiles, Twitter bio , Instagram bio , and many other places.

And most importantly, it‘s the tool you can leverage most when you’re networking.

Bottom line? People will read your professional bio. Whether they remember it or it makes them care about you is a matter of how well you present yourself to your intended audience.

So, what does a top-notch professional bio look like? Let‘s review a few sample bios for professionals like you and me. Then, we’ll cover bio examples from some of the best people in the industry.

Short Sample Bios

Your bio doesn't have to be complicated. Here are five samples to glean inspiration from.

Example 1: Friendly Sample Bio

"Hey! My name is Ryan, and I'm a marketing specialist passionate about digital advertising. I have five years of experience managing various online campaigns and improving brand visibility for clients across multiple verticals. I love analyzing consumer behavior and leveraging data-driven strategies to maximize ROI. Outside work, I enjoy traveling, taking funny photos, and exploring new hiking trails."

Example 2: Mid-Career Sample Bio

"Jennifer Patel is a versatile graphic designer known for her creative approach and attention to detail. With a background in visual arts and eight years of experience, Jennifer has worked on diverse projects ranging from logo designs to website layouts. Her ability to understand and translate client needs into visually striking designs sets her apart. Jennifer finds inspiration in nature, music, and pop culture."

Example 3: Sales Sample Bio

"I'm a seasoned sales executive with a track record of exceeding targets and building strong client relationships. With a background in B2B sales, I've built a natural ability to understand customer needs and consistently exceed quota every month. I pride myself in my communication skills and strategic approaches, which have helped me thrive in highly competitive markets such as SaaS sales. Outside work, I enjoy playing basketball and volunteering at local charities."

Example 4: HR Sample Bio

"I am a dedicated human resources professional with a passion for fostering a positive workplace culture and facilitating employee development. With eight years of experience in talent acquisition and HR operations, I've played a key role in building high-performing teams. I'm known for my strong interpersonal skills and ability to create inclusive and supportive work environments. In my free time, I enjoy practicing yoga and exploring new culinary experiences."

Example 5: Software Engineer Sample Bio

"David Chang is a senior software engineer specializing in backend development. With a strong background in computer science and six years of experience, David has successfully built scalable and efficient solutions for complex technical challenges. He is well-versed in various programming languages and frameworks like C++, Java, and Ruby on Rails. In his spare time, David enjoys reading science fiction novels and playing the guitar."

Below, we've curated some of the best professional bio examples we've ever seen on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and the various places you might describe yourself.

Check 'em out and use them as inspiration when crafting your own.

  • Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie: Author
  • Chima Mmeje: SEO Content Writer
  • DJ Nexus: DJ
  • Lena Axelsson: Marriage & Family Therapist
  • Mark Levy: Branding Firm Founder
  • Audra Simpson: Political Anthropologist
  • Marie Mikhail: Professional Recruiter
  • Wonbo Woo: Executive Producer
  • Chris Burkard: Freelance Photographer
  • Lisa Quine: Creative Consultant
  • Nancy Twine: Hair Care Founder
  • Trinity Mouzon: Wellness Brand Founder
  • Alberto Perez: Co-Founder of Zumba Fitness
  • Ann Handley: Writer and Marketer

1. Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie : Author

Bio platform: personal website.

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie begins her professional bio with an invitation to her roots.

In a few paragraphs, she describes when and where she was born, her family, her education, her honorary degrees, and the depth of her work, which has been translated into 30 languages and several publications.

best profile essays

She can keep readers engaged by leading with a powerful hook that aligns with her target audience’s marketing needs.

best profile essays
  • There’s clarity about who Chima serves.
  • The hook is bold, catchy, and compels anyone to read further.
  • Including client results makes clients visualize what they can expect.

3. DJ Nexus : DJ

Bio platform: facebook.

This New England-based DJ has single-handedly captured the Likes of over 2,000 people in and beyond Boston, MA. And even if you don‘t listen to the type of music he produces, it’s hard not to read his compelling Facebook bio.

For instance, consider his tagline, under "About" — " Quiet during the day. QUITE LOUD at night! " DJ Nexus tells you when he works awesomely. I got goosebumps just imagining a dance club where he might play music.

best profile essays

best profile essays

best profile essays

The second is the "long version," which is even more interesting than the first. Why? It reads like a story — a compelling one, at that. In fact, it gets hilarious in some parts.

The second sentence of the bio reads: "He was frightened of public school, loved playing baseball and football, ran home to watch ape films on the 4:30 Movie, listened to The Jam and The Buzzcocks, and read magic trick books."

Here's another excerpt from the middle:

best profile essays

best profile essays

best profile essays

It's a well-put value proposition that sets her apart from the rest of the HR industry.

Marie concludes her bio with a smooth mix of professional skills, like her Spanish fluency, and personal interests, such as podcasting and Star Wars (she mentions the latter with just the right amount of humor).

  • Straight off the bat, Marie uses a story to share her experiences of how she began as a recruiter.
  • It provides a subtle pitch for readers to check out her podcast.
  • The bio exudes Maries approachable, fun, and playful personality.

8. Wonbo Woo : Executive Producer

Wonbo Woo is the executive producer of WIRED's video content and has several impressive credits to his name. What does this mean for his professional bio? He has to prioritize.

With this in mind, Wonbo opens his bio with the most eye-catching details first (if the image below is hard to read, click it to see the full copy ).

best profile essays

best profile essays

I wouldn‘t necessarily be inclined to follow Chris if his bio had simply read, "I post beautiful images." But images that inspire me to travel? Now that’s something I can get behind.

Last, he ends on a humble, sweet note: "He is happiest with his wife Breanne raising their two sons." So inject personal information into your bio — it makes you seem approachable.

  • It highlights Chris’s achievement without bragging.
  • The last sentence portrays Chris as a responsible man who loves his family.
  • The well-written bio speaks to nature lovers who like the outdoors, surfing, and more. This gives them reasons to follow Chris.

10. Lisa Quine : Creative Consultant

Bio platform: portfolio website.

Creative professionals who specialize in visual art may find it challenging to balance the writing of their bio and displaying of their portfolio. Not Lisa Quine. Lisa has an exceptional balance of her professional bio and creative work.

Throughout her bio, you'll notice the number of murals she's completed and a brief timeline of her career. This helps her paint the picture of who she is as a professional.

best profile essays

The rest of her bio similarly focuses on Twine's strengths as someone who’s able to take hair care "back to basics."

best profile essays

Mouzon effectively grips the reader's attention with this introduction and then dives into some of her impressive accomplishments — including a brand now sold at Urban Outfitters and Target.

The language used throughout Mouzon's bio is authentic, real, and honest.

For instance, in the second paragraph, she admits:

"While building a brand may have looked effortless from the outside, starting a business at age 23 with no resources or funding quickly forced me to realize that early-stage entrepreneurship was anything but transparent."

best profile essays

As an avid Zumba fan, I was excited to include this one. Perez styles his LinkedIn bio as a short story, starting with his background as a hard-working teen who held three jobs by age 14.

His bio tells the fun and fascinating origin story of Zumba, in which Perez, an aerobics teacher in Florida at the time, forgot his music for class and used a Latin music cassette tape instead ... "And it was an instant hit!"

His bio continues:

"Shortly after he was connected to Alberto Periman and Alberto Aghion, and Zumba was officially created ... What started as a dream now has 15 million people in more than 200,000 locations in 186 countries who take Zumba classes every week."

best profile essays

best profile essays

There's something in there for everyone.

  • The last section of the bio shows Ann’s warm personality — "Ann lives in Boston, where she is Mom to creatures two- and four-legged."
  • Written in the third person, this bio has lots of proof (like followers), which shows Ann is a terrific marketing leader.

If you're posting a bio on a social media account or sending a quick blurb to a client, you want to keep it short and sweet while showcasing your accomplishments.

To get started, use these best practices for writing your short professional bio:

  • Introduce yourself.
  • State what you do.
  • Add key skills or areas of expertise.
  • Include a personal mission statement
  • Celebrate your wins.
  • Provide your contact information.
  • Show them your personality.

1. Introduce yourself.

Your introduction is your first impression, so always begin by telling people who you are. You may start with a greeting like, "Hello, my name is" or "Hi! Let me first introduce myself …" when sending your bio as a message.

If you’re writing a bio for an online platform, stating your name at the beginning works as well.

Leading with your name — even as a question — is important for recognition and building relationships.

2. State what you do.

Give people an idea of what you do daily and where you work. Your job title is how the people put you into context and consider whether your profession relates to their industry.

So detail your most relevant work in your short bios, like CEO, professor, and author.

Take a cue from Angela Duckworth , who specifies what she does in her LinkedIn bio:

best profile essays

3. Add key skills or areas of expertise.

If you send a bio to a client or potential employer, highlight your most valuable skills. For instance, if your expertise is in social media marketing and content creation, like Ivanka Dekoning , list these skills.

best profile essays
  • A joke. "Some mistakes are too much fun to only make once. At least that’s what I learned when I created…"
  • Mention a hobby. "I’ll be honest: for me, tennis is life — Go Nadal!"
  • A fun fact. "Every year, I watch 100 new films! I’m a cinephile and love every movie genre."
  • A few emojis related to your interests. "🎶🤖🎾🎬🎭"

Whichever way you choose to get personal, give people a glimpse into who you are as an individual.

When writing a short bio, it can be tempting to pack in as much relevant information about yourself as possible — but this isn’t the most effective approach.

Instead, focus on including the details that you and your audience care about most and leave out the fluff.

Let's dive into a few examples of short professional bios.

Short Professional Bio Examples

  • Tristen Taylor: Marketing Manager
  • Lianna Patch: Copywriter
  • Precious Oboidhe: Content Strategist and Writer
  • Rebecca Bollwitt: Writer
  • Megan Gilmore: Cookbook Author
  • Bea Dixon: Feminine Care Founder
  • Tammy Hembrow: Instagram Influencer
  • Dr. Cody: Chiropractor
  • Larry Kim: Founder
  • Dharmesh Shah: Founder and CTO
  • Lily Ugbaja: Content Strategist
  • Ian Anderson Gray: Marketer
  • Van Jones: Political Commentator, Author, and Lawyer

1. Tristen Taylor: Marketing Manager

Bio platform: blog byline.

Tristen Taylor is a Marketing Manager here at HubSpot. She's written content for HubSpot's Marketing, Sales, and Customer Service blogs; her blog author bio is one of my favorites.

What I love most about Tristen's bio is that it’s a great example of how to deliver information about yourself that is relevant to your work while also sharing fun details that audiences will find relatable.

Her bio reads:

"Building from her experience with GoCo.io and Southwest Airlines, Tristen's work has been recognized by Marketing Brew and BLACK@INBOUND. She lives in Washington, DC, attending anime conventions and painting in her free time."

best profile essays

best profile essays

Gilmore further includes a CTA link within her Instagram bio that leads followers to free, ready-to-use recipes. You might think, " Why would she do that since it discourages people from buying her book?"

But that couldn't be further from the truth.

By giving her followers the chance to try out her recipes, she's slowly turning leads into customers. After I tried a few of her Instagram recipes and loved them, I bought her book, knowing I'd like more of what she offered.

  • The bio is short and direct.
  • The CTA link includes an invitation for people to join her newsletter. Meaning, she can build her email list.

6. Bea Dixon : Feminine Care Founder

Bea Dixon, Founder and CEO of The Honey Pot Company, efficiently uses the space on her Instagram profile to highlight who she is as a well-rounded human — not just a businesswoman.

For instance, while she highlights her girl boss attitude with a tiara emoji, she equally calls attention to her fashion interests (Free People), her pets, Boss and Sadie, and her love for ramen noodles.

best profile essays

What more do you need to know?

Ian doesn't take his bio too seriously but uses every character to highlight everything about him.

He includes his skills as a marketer and podcast host, who he is outside work as a dad, and what he can help you do. His smiles also give the bio a sense of humor and realness.

best profile essays

Don't forget to share this post!

Related articles.

Portfolios vs. Resumes — The Complete Guide

Portfolios vs. Resumes — The Complete Guide

40 Interests That Deserve a Place on Your Resume

40 Interests That Deserve a Place on Your Resume

Making the Most of Electronic Resumes (Pro Tips and Tricks)

Making the Most of Electronic Resumes (Pro Tips and Tricks)

How to Write a Simple, Effective Resume (+20 Examples)

How to Write a Simple, Effective Resume (+20 Examples)

How to Write the Perfect Project Manager Resume

How to Write the Perfect Project Manager Resume

27 of the Best Professional Bio Examples We've Ever Seen [+ Templates]

27 of the Best Professional Bio Examples We've Ever Seen [+ Templates]

31 Free Resume Templates for Microsoft Word (& How to Make Your Own)

31 Free Resume Templates for Microsoft Word (& How to Make Your Own)

How to Write the Perfect Resume for Internships

How to Write the Perfect Resume for Internships

Maximize Your Impact: 205 Action Verbs to Use on Your Resume

Maximize Your Impact: 205 Action Verbs to Use on Your Resume

How Far Back Should a Resume Go? Everything You Need to Know

How Far Back Should a Resume Go? Everything You Need to Know

Create a compelling professional narrative for your summary, bio, or introduction.

Marketing software that helps you drive revenue, save time and resources, and measure and optimize your investments — all on one easy-to-use platform

IMAGES

  1. College Essay Format: Simple Steps to Be Followed

    best profile essays

  2. 23+ Profile Essay Examples On A Person Tips

    best profile essays

  3. Tips Create A profile written essays by students free Article, Book For

    best profile essays

  4. 🌈 Excellent essay introduction. How to Write an Excellent Essay

    best profile essays

  5. Remarkable Profile Essay Example ~ Thatsnotus

    best profile essays

  6. 003 Writing Profile Essay Examples Example Topics Sample On Person

    best profile essays

VIDEO

  1. Essay on The Tourist Place I Like Most and Why/150 words/My Favourite Place/The Tourist Place I like

  2. New Series Announcement & 2024 Plans!

  3. Top 10 Reasons to Use My Services

  4. MBA in USA: Program Selection, Cost of MBA, GMAT & GRE Test Scores, Resume, Application Essays

  5. Profile Writing

  6. Important Essays

COMMENTS

  1. Free Profile Essay Examples. Best Topics, Titles GradesFixer

    Here are some considerations and ideas for selecting the best profile essay topics. Our List of Best Profile Essay Topics. Crafting the best profile essays involves delving into the heart and soul of a subject, capturing their essence in a way that resonates deeply with readers. These essays stand out not just for the depth of their exploration ...

  2. Profile Essay ⇒ Writing Guide with Outline and Examples

    An outline should include an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Here's an example of a simple but detailed outline of a profile essay about a person: Subject: A profile of my high-school History teacher, Mr. Smith. I. Introduction. A. Hook: Describing how Mr. Smith has impacted my life in a positive way.

  3. 100 Profile Essay Topics

    Global warming. Child labor. Gun violence. Animal cruelty. The death penalty. Any of these 100 profile essay topics are sure to get you started on the right foot! Just remember to choose a subject that you're passionate about, and you'll be well on your way to writing an engaging and informative profile essay.

  4. 150 Inspiring Profile Essay Topics

    We came up with 150 essay topics that college students could find mentally stimulating. If you see an option you like, be sure to use it! President Trump's Profile: His Ambitions, Personal Qualities, and Intentions. Greece as a Country with the Most Interesting History. Typical Behavior for a Three-Year-Old Child.

  5. How to Write an Profile Essay

    Writing Tips for a Profile Essay. How to write a profile essay in three steps; pick a subject, do your research, and start writing. Remember that a profile essay is a literary and a journalistic piece of writing. It's non-fiction, so your facts and figures must be accurate, and any discrepancies or controversies surrounding your data can form ...

  6. A Comprehensive Guide to Writing a Profile Essay Sample

    Definition of a Profile Essay. A profile essay is a genre of writing that provides an in-depth portrait of a person, highlighting their unique characteristics, accomplishments, and impact on society. It goes beyond a mere biography or a collection of facts, offering readers a deeper understanding of the subject's personality, motivations, and ...

  7. How To Write A Profile Essay: A Comprehensive Guide

    Structure your essay: Begin with an engaging introduction, describe the place vividly, and provide personal insights. Incorporate sensory details: Utilize descriptive language to appeal to the readers' senses. Conclude with a reflection: Share your overall impression and highlight the significance of the place.

  8. How to Write a Successful Profile Essay

    A profile essay is a type of informative essay describing a person, place, or event. ... Remember, these are the best of the best. Emulating them will make your paper even better. Choose a Subject. When it comes to choosing a subject, think about a person, place, or event of interest. Typically, a famous person or place will draw more reader ...

  9. How to Write a Profile Essay (with Example)

    Profile Paper Example. "Good evening, Valparaiso. I'm storm shield meteorologist Jacob Van Horn here with a look at your forecast.". Ever since Jake was in grade school, he knew that he wanted to be a meteorologist. However, it wasn't until high school that he realized his dream could truly become reality.

  10. Profile Essay Example: Topics, Outline, Writing Tips

    Craft a profile essay outline before writing. It's a plan for an intro, a body, and a conclusion [1]. Important: Outline the thesis and topic sentences for each paragraph. That way, you'll get a template for your essay to fill in with relevant information. How to start a profile essay. The best way to start your essay is a so-called ...

  11. A Step-by-Step Guide to Writing a Profile Essay

    This concludes the writing of the profile essay, and we wish you the best of luck. Take advantage of all the tips to achieve the goal of your profile essay. User ratings: User ratings is 4.8 stars. Rate this article 1 Rate this article 2 Rate this article 3 Rate this article 4 Rate this article 5.

  12. Profile Essay

    Step 1: Get the Right Information. Doing research is the most important thing to do before you begin writing your research profile. This will help you get a detailed information about your subject. Always make sure that you are using trusted sources like library materials, online articles, etc.

  13. Best Advice On How To Write A Profile Essay

    3. Get an outline to follow. No matter how much detail you have at hand, it's easy to get confused without a profile essay outline. The outline would serve as the map for your major task - arranging your gathered data appropriately. If you're looking for a profile essay example, EduBirdie helps you.

  14. Profiles

    For decades, Scott Frank earned up to three hundred thousand dollars a week rewriting other people's screenplays—from "Saving Private Ryan" to "The Ring.". Finally, he decided to stop ...

  15. How to Write a Profile Essay (2022 Guide)

    A profile essay is an assignment where you get to do what journalists do: By the time you finish reading this article, you will have more nuanced insight into the best way to approach and execute a profile essay, allowing you to earn a passing grade or higher. Support Available 24/7/365 Toll Free: 1-866-707-2737; Local / International: 1-732 ...

  16. How to Write a Profile Article

    Make sure to record and transcribe the entire interview. As you review their answers on paper or on your computer, highlight the best quotes. 5. Observe your subject in their environment. When you're writing a profile of somebody, you need to spend time with them on their turf.

  17. How to Write a Profile Essay about a Person Format & Example

    Step-by-step writing guide. 1. Determining your profile. You must define what kind of profile you plan to approach by collecting as much information as possible. Take notes of the facts, check statistical information, and interview a person of choice before you start writing. 2. Choosing your profile essay subject.

  18. Profile Essay Examples

    This article discusses about What is a profle essay and provides 5 best Profile Essay Examples. It's common for students in college to have no idea how to write a good profile essay, but this can be avoided by learning to research and making the most of your available resources.

  19. 177 College Essay Examples for 11 Schools + Expert Analysis

    6 "best gift" essays from the class of 2018 . You really can find everything at the library. 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.

  20. Longreads Best of 2017: Profile Writing

    Here is the best in profile writing. Seyward Darby Executive editor, The Atavist. A Most American Terrorist: The Making of Dylann Roof (Rachel Kaadzi Ghansah, GQ) There was no piece of journalism in 2017 more honest or more raw than Rachel Kaadzi Ghansah's profile of Dylann Roof for GQ. Its brilliance began with an enviable lede—"Sitting ...

  21. 10 Resume Profile Examples (And How to Write Yours)

    Keep it concise. Your resume profile should be no more than four sentences or bullet points, and should not have more than 500 characters. Remember recruiters read dozens of resumes daily, so you don't want yours to be unnecessarily long and tiring. 2. Find the format the suits you best.

  22. How to Write a Professional Profile (With Examples)

    1. Keep your profile short and concise. Your professional profile should be no more than four brief sentences. You may write your profile as a list in bullet form or as a short paragraph. Include your job title and years of work or training experience. Highlight your professional strengths for the role. 2.

  23. 27 of the Best Professional Bio Examples I've Ever Seen [+ Templates]

    Lisa gets creative by mentioning the brands she's worked with and highlighting some of her favorite projects. Written in the third person, this bio invites the reader behind a metaphorical door to meet Lisa as a professional, traveler, learner, wife, and mother. 11. Nancy Twine: Hair Care Founder.