5 College Application Essay Topics That Always Work

5 College Application Essay Topics That Always Work A student is usually away from home when going to college, and loves the taste of freedom. Being tied down for hours each day for days on end doing research and writing an essay is not their idea of freedom. While I won’t say you should never write about these topics, if you do decide to write about one of these topics, the degree of difficulty goes way up. Essentially you have to be one of the best “soccer” essays or “mission trip” essays among the hundreds the admission officer has likely read. When senior year arrived, college meetings began, and my counselor asked me what I wanted to do for a career, I didn't say Emperor of the World. Instead, I told him I wanted to become a board-certified behavior analyst. A BCBA helps develop learning plans for students with autism and other disabilities. Basically, I would get to do what I love for the rest of my life. He laughed and told me that it was a nice change that a seventeen-year-old knew so specifically what she wanted to do. In this case, your reader is an admissions officer who has read thousands of essays before yours and will read thousands after. Use interesting descriptions, stay away from clichés, include your own offbeat observationsâ€"anything that makes this essay sounds like you and not like anyone else. Rocio’s essay uses the tortilla-making story to introduce us to her sense of multiculturalism, an identity that is clearly important to her. By utilizing the example of struggling to cook well in the kitchen, the writer is able to effectively relate to readers of all ages and backgrounds. We believe that Rocio’s sense of perseverance will translate to her college experience as well. Guidelines for essay writing are much stricter in college than high school. The writing must adhere to a specific format, APA format for example. 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 (plus some essay excerpts!). Want to write the perfect college application essay? Low-income students already face an uphill battle when it comes to higher education. Costs associated with standardized testing, applications fees create a barrier to entry in the first place, and that is before those students are hit with a steep bill for tuition each semester. Now schools are putting those same students at a disadvantage before they even have the chance to submit their transcripts. ShutterstockOn its face, this perhaps doesn't seem surprising, but it is troubling for a number of reasons. We want to get you admitted to your dream schools. College Essays That Made a Differenceâ€"This detailed guide from Princeton Review includes not only successful essays, but also interviews with admissions officers and full student profiles. So it makes it much more difficult to stand out. If you’re writing a “Why I want to be an engineer” essay, for example, what 3-5 common “engineering” values might other students have mentioned in connection with engineering? But it occurred to me that, while my desired occupation was decided, my true goal in life was still to become a Fixer-Upper. So, maybe I'll be like Sue Storm and her alter-ego, the Invisible Woman. I'll do one thing during the day, then spend my off-hours helping people where I can. Instead of flying like Sue, though, I'll opt for a nice performance automobile. We know what kinds of students colleges want to admit. If a student is still very much struggling through the challenges they describe, the admissions reader may wonder if the student is ready for college. The part of your application you’re likely to spend the most time on. But of course I’d say that; I’m the College Essay Guy. The personal statement is likely to be words long and many of the colleges you’re applying to will require it.