Sometimes people struggle with how to write a college essay because they think that something monumental has to have happened in their lives. The truth is that a college essay can be written about anything, and the process should begin with thinking wisely about college essay topics. Also, always check the university’s admissions information to see if they have any special requirements or offer tips on applying and writing a college essay.
How to Start a College Essay
The first piece of advice is brainstorm, brainstorm, brainstorm.
Good college essay topics include:
- A time you learned something about yourself
- A time you learned something about the world
- A series of events that taught you something
- A circumstance that changed your view or opinion on something
- A time when you changed and why
- Something that is important to you and why
- A passion of yours
- A relationship that is important to you/shaped who you became
- A time you accomplished something
- How you coped with something difficult
- A problem you solved
How to Write a College Essay
The beauty of a college essay is that the topic can be simple, but it is what you write and how you express yourself that can reflect the type of person you are. Start by trying to fill in the blanks of these thought starters and see where it takes you. Make a list of a few different ideas and run it by family and friends. They might have ideas to help you further develop your thoughts.
After you write a college essay, you should be sure to edit, edit and edit. Ask everyone you know to help you get your words and ideas right. It can be difficult to cut down your words to meet the word count. One way to do this is by making your sentences more concise. Another way to do this is to consider what the most important parts of the paper are. Ask yourself, “Does this sentence add value and reflect who I am as a person?” It is important that throughout the editing process you stay true to who you are and the values you want to reflect. Ultimately, this is the supplement to your grades and test scores, and it can help the person who is determining your application gain a better understanding of you.