Students, feeling unsure and asking yourself, “will my college essay topic work?” You’re not alone.
Sometimes, the stories that tend to be most meaningful come from smaller moments that reveal who we are as a person. College admission officers want to understand your character, your personal growth, and your values.
Use these tips below to help you get started and take the first important steps in writing your essay.
Step 1: Brainstorm Without Judgement
It is commonly mistaken that in order to write a strong college essay you need a dramatic life-changing story.
Many students start off feeling panicked, stating they have no idea what they could possibly write about. The answer to that is: anything.
- You do not need to have started a business at the age of 15
- You do not need to have been the president of five clubs
- You do not need to have found a cure to a disease
The true secret to success is simplicity. The best college essays begin with topics like: a food you love, a daily habit, your favorite bench at a park, or even the calm quiet of a morning that makes you reflect.
I wrote my college essay about the park across the street from my house. This place was significant to me as it held lots of memories, moments of reflection, and all of the subtle ways I became who I am today. The park was the space that watched me evolve. My topic wasn’t something extraordinary, but it revealed the depth that can exist in the most familiar places. My story about an elementary school park ended up helping me get into my dream schools, proving that simple stories can be powerful too.
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Step 2: Test Your Topic to know Will my college essay topic work?
Before you start writing, check in with yourself to make sure this topic could help reflect the importance of your character. Ask yourself key questions like:
- Does this topic reveal something deeper about who I am?
- Does it show how I have grown as a person?
- Does this topic connect my past experiences to my future ambitions?
A common topic students tend to write about is sports. For example, a student might choose to write about an injury that happened during a game.
Simply sharing the injury and describing what happened isn’t enough. What matters is how you responded, and how the experience taught you patience and inner strength. This is what gives your essay depth and meaning.
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Step 3: Just Start Writing
The next step is simple. Your first draft doesn’t have to be good. It just has to exist. It is all about showing up and getting started.
It’s important to remember:
- Let it be messy- proper grammar and structure can wait
- Don’t wait for the perfect opening line- just begin
- Focus on specifics (ex. what did you feel, hear, or see during that moment?)
Your essay comes to life when your voice shows up on the page. It’s not about sounding fancy or perfect, it’s about sounding like you. The way you describe your moment, your emotions, your sense of humor, all make your essay stand out through its authenticity.
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Step 4: Know When It’s Working
Before moving forward, make sure to pause and reflect on what you have written so far. Remember, a strong college essay goes beyond the surface- capturing your perspective, personality, and the deeper message behind your story.
Take these helpful hints below into consideration when determining will my college essay topic work?:
- Make sure not to just describe what happened- but how it shaped you as a person and why it matters to you
- Make sure your essay reveals something unique to you- your mindset, your values, or even the way you adapt to new situations
- Make sure this story is rooted in your own life, your thoughts, and the ways you’ve evolved
If you’ve made it this far, you’re already ahead of the game. Taking the time to reflect on your story sets you up to write a unique essay that stands out. Stay confident in your story- you’re headed in the right direction.
