essay writing examples class 11

Essays on Various Topics - List of Essay Writing Ideas

Essay writing is not everyone’s cup of tea. Most students find it difficult to begin writing. Essays can be made easier if students start thinking about the topic either through brainstorming or by putting them down on a sheet of paper. After getting the ideas, they need to know how to organise them to form an essay. For this, they need to practise essays on different topics. Here, we have compiled a list of Essays on various topics.

These are the general essay topics which are most likely to be asked in the exam. Some of these essay topics are also picked from past year papers. Students of Classes 6 to 10 can go through these essays and know the right way of expressing their thoughts to form a perfect essay. Apart from the CBSE , students of ICSE and other state boards can also use these topics to prepare for their English exams.

Essay Topics: List and Writing Ideas

Usually, one essay is asked in the English paper. The essay writing question mainly comes under the writing section and comprises 5 to 10 marks. By having a look at the essays on the below-mentioned topics, students can easily score these marks in the exam.

We will be soon updating more Essays.

Characteristics of a Good Essay

A composition on a particular topic consisting of more than one paragraph is an essay. The characteristics of a good essay are:

1) Unity: The essay should deal with the main subject and all parts of it should be clearly linked with that subject.

2) Coherence: There should be a logical sequence of thought. This requires a logical relationship between ideas, sentences and paragraphs.

3) Relevance: Unimportant information should not be included.

4) Proportion: Give more space to important ideas.

Students can also get the essays for class 2 and class 3 to improve their writing skills.

Types of Essays

Essays are mainly ways of expressing one’s ideas and thoughts. Essays vary in how one narrates a personal experience, describes an issue, or convinces the reader to accept a certain viewpoint. So, essays are mainly classified into four major types, as mentioned below:

1) Narrative Essays: Telling a Story

While writing a narrative essay, students must consider the topic as if telling a story. Through these essays, they can express themselves in a creative way. These essays are usually written in the first person, so as to engage the readers.

2) Descriptive Essays: Painting a Picture with Words

In a descriptive essay, students have to paint a picture with words. They have to describe something. It can be an object, person, place, experience, emotion, situation or anything else. These essays allow students a great deal of artistic freedom.

3) Expository Essays: Presentation of the Facts

An expository essay is an informative piece of writing that presents a balanced analysis of a topic. To write a good expository essay, students need to investigate the topic, evaluate evidence, express the idea, and set forth an argument clearly and concisely. It can be done by comparison and contrast, definition, example, the analysis of cause and effect, etc.

4) Persuasive Essays: Convince Me

A persuasive essay is one in which a writer tries to convince the reader to accept his/her viewpoint. It presents all sides of the argument but clearly communicates the writer’s personal opinion.

CBSE Unseen Passages

Students can increase their scores in the reading section of the English paper by practising the comprehension passages. To help them, below, we have listed the links to unseen passages.

Students must have found these Essay Topics helpful for their studies. For more study material and latest updates on the CBSE / ICSE / State Board / Competitive exams, keep visiting BYJU’S. Also, download the BYJU’S App for interactive study related videos.

Frequently Asked Questions on Essay writing Essay

How should students practise essay writing.

The following points should be remembered while practising essay writing: 1. Constant written practice is required for honing essay writing skills. Writing alone tests the competency of the students to ideate and execute a proper essay within a specified time. 2. In-depth knowledge on various topics is a prerequisite for students preparing to write essays in school exams and competitive examinations. Such knowledge can be acquired by regularly developing a habit of reading extensively — especially newspapers and magazines — and following other news sources on various media available to them. 3. Developing a good vocabulary is another important factor students should focus on. Essay writing demands a more formal and extensive vocabulary as the range of topics asked are so wide-ranging. Every topic will demand familiarity with words and phrases pertaining to it. Use of good idiomatic English rich with apt vocabulary will help students pen memorable essays.

How to write an essay on an unknown or unfamiliar topic?

If an essay topic is unfamiliar then students can try to write in general about topics which are related to the main topic. Reading magazines and books can help in acquisition of knowledge in various subject matters.

How to score high marks in essay writing?

Given below are some of the points to be considered to ensure that students can score high marks in essay writing. 1. Maintain flow of text in essay: Ensure that the essay follows a natural progression from introduction to conclusion. Make sure that each paragraph is thematically or logically connected to successive paragraphs. Only then will the essay be evocative and easy to read and comprehend. 2. Phrase the essay is a relatable way: Keep the target audience in mind while drafting the essay and use images and language that resonate with them. Otherwise it would fail to connect with the reader, even if you have come up with a decent essay. 3. Be creative: Show the audacity to think out of the box and to deviate from traditional ways of writing essays while coming up with ideas to present your viewpoints in the essay. Readers will be immediately drawn to a piece of writing that gives them a fresh perspective, even if you are writing on a very common topic. But too much creativity and idiosyncratic writing will only mar an otherwise well-researched essay. 4. Present the essay in a better manner: Always think of new ways and strategies to present your ideas which you may have drawn from multiple sources. Doing background research is definitely essential. But that does not mean that you have to present the content you found in the same way. A fresh approach can turn a boring essay into a very engaging one. 5. Do not be over confident: Essays usually require students to state personal opinions as well as facts. Be prudent in voicing your opinions as well as in stating facts – make sure you don’t hurt the sentiments of readers when writing on sensitive and controversial topics. Practice diligence, not overconfidence, while writing essays as a best practice.

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If you are a Class 11 student , you know how important writing is for your English learning. Writing is not only a skill, but also an art, a craft, and a tool. Writing helps you to express your thoughts, ideas, opinions, and emotions in a creative and effective way. 🌟

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• Essay Writing

Introduction

In the simplest terms, an essay is a short piece of writing which is set around a specific topic or subject. The piece of writing will give information surrounding the topic but will also display the opinions and thoughts of the author. Oftentimes, an essay is used in an academic sense by way of examination to determine whether a student has understood their studies and as a way of testing their knowledge on a specific subject. An essay is also used in education as a way of encouraging a student to develop their writing skills.

Moreover; an essay is a focused piece of writing designed to inform or persuade. There are many different types of essays, but they are often defined in four categories: argumentative, expository, narrative, and descriptive essays. Argumentative and expository essays are focused on conveying information and making clear points, while narrative and descriptive essays are about exercising creativity and writing in an interesting way. At the university level, argumentative essays are the most common type. 

Types of Essay Writing

When it comes to writing an essay, there is not simply one type, there are, quite a few types of essay, and each of them has its purpose and function which are as follows:

Narrative Essays

A narrative essay details a story, oftentimes from a particular point of view. When writing a narrative essay, you should include a set of characters, a location, a good plot, and a climax to the story. It is vital that when writing this type of essay you use fine details which will allow the reader to feel the emotion and use their senses but also give the story the chance to make a point. 

Descriptive Essay

A descriptive essay will describe something in great detail. The subject can be anything from people and places to objects and events but the main point is to go into depth. You might describe the item’s color, where it came from, what it looks like, smells like, tastes like, or how it feels. It is very important to allow the reader to sense what you are writing about and allow them to feel some sort of emotion whilst reading. That being said, the information should be concise and easy to understand, the use of imagery is widely used in this style of essay. 

Expository Essay

An expository essay is used as a way to look into a problem and therefore compare it and explore it. For the expository essay, there is a little bit of storytelling involved but this type of essay goes beyond that. The main idea is that it should explain an idea giving information and explanation. Your expository essay should be simple and easy to understand as well as give a variety of viewpoints on the subject that is being discussed. Often this type of essay is used as a way to detail a subject which is usually more difficult for people to understand, clearly and concisely.

Argumentative Essay

When writing an argumentative essay, you will be attempting to convince your reader about an opinion or point of view. The idea is to show the reader whether the topic is true or false along with giving your own opinion. You must use facts and data to back up any claims made within the essay. 

Format of Essay Writing

Now there is no rigid format of an essay. It is a creative process so it should not be confined within boundaries. However, there is a basic structure that is generally followed while writing essays.

This is the first paragraph of your essay. This is where the writer introduces his topic for the very first time. You can give a very brief synopsis of your essay in the introductory paragraph. Generally, it is not very long, about 4-6 lines. 

This is the main crux of your essays. The body is the meat of your essay sandwiched between the introduction and the conclusion. So the most vital content of the essay will be here. This need not be confined to one paragraph. It can extend to two or more paragraphs according to the content.

This is the last paragraph of the essay. Sometimes a conclusion will just mirror the introductory paragraph but make sure the words and syntax are different. A conclusion is also a great place, to sum up, a story or an argument. You can round up your essay by providing some morals or wrapping up a story. Make sure you complete your essays with the conclusion, leave no hanging threads.

Writing Tips

Give your essays an interesting and appropriate title. It will help draw the attention of the reader and pique their curiosity

 Keep it between 300-500 words. This is the ideal length, you can take creative license to increase or decrease it

 Keep your language simple and crisp. Unnecessary complicated and difficult words break the flow of the sentence.

 Do not make grammar mistakes, use correct punctuation and spelling five-paragraph. If this is not done it will distract the reader from the content

  Before beginning the essay, organize your thoughts and plot a rough draft. This way you can ensure the story will flow and not be an unorganized mess.

Understand the Topic Thoroughly-Sometimes we jump to a conclusion just by reading the topic once and later we realize that the topic was different than what we wrote about.  Read the topic as many times as it takes for you to align your opinion and understanding about the topic.

Make Pointers-It is a daunting task to write an essay inflow as sometimes we tend to lose our way of explaining and get off-topic, missing important details. Thinking about all points you want to discuss and then writing them down somewhere helps in covering everything you hoped to convey in your essay.

Develop a Plan and Do The Math-Essays have word limits and you have to plan your content in such a way that it is accurate, well-described, and meets the word limit given. Keep a track of your words while writing so that you always have an idea of how much to write more or less. 

Essays are the most important means of learning the structure of writing and presenting them to the reader.

FAQs on Essay Writing

1. Writing an Essay in a format is important?

Yes, it is important because it makes your content more streamlined and understandable by the reader. A set format gives a reader a clear picture of what you are trying to explain. It also organises your own thoughts while composing an essay as we tend to think and write in a haphazard manner. The format gives a structure to the writeup.

2. How does Essay writing improve our English?

Essay writing is a very important part of your English earning curriculum, as you understand how to describe anything in your words or how to put your point of view without losing its meaning

3.  How do you write a good essay?

Start by writing a thorough plan. Ensure your essay has a clear structure and overall argument. Try to back up each point you make with a quotation. Answer the question in your introduction and conclusion but remember to be creative too.

4.  What is the format of writing an essay?

A basic essay consists of three main parts: introduction, body, and conclusion. This basic essay format will help you to write and organize an essay. However, flexibility is important. While keeping this basic essay format in mind, let the topic and specific assignment guide the writing and organization.

5.  How many paragraphs does an essay have?

The basic format for an essay is known as the five paragraph essay – but an essay may have as many paragraphs as needed. A five-paragraph essay contains five paragraphs. However, the essay itself consists of three sections: an introduction, a body, and a conclusion. Below we'll explore the basics of writing an essay.

6.  Can you use the word you in an essay?

In academic or college writing, most formal essays and research reports use third-person pronouns and do not use “I” or “you.” An essay is the writer's analysis of a topic.  “You” has no place in an essay since the essay is the writer's thoughts and not the reader's thoughts.

7.  What does bridge mean in an essay?

A bridge sentence is a special kind of topic sentence. In addition to signaling what the new paragraph is about, it shows how that follows from what the old paragraph said. The key to constructing good bridges is briefly pointing back to what you just finished saying.

Question and Answer forum for K12 Students

Article Writing Topics for Class 11 CBSE Format, Examples

Articles are written to give information in a wide range of contexts for magazines or newspapers. They are a relatively long and sustained piece of writing. They give information on a variety of themes such as describing an event, person, someone’s life and actions, places, and experiences. They can also be an expression of the writer’s opinions on topics of social interest or arguments for or against a topic and they often offer suggestions.

Basic  English Grammar  rules can be tricky. In this article, we’ll get you started with the basics of sentence structure, punctuation, parts of speech, and more.

We also providing Extra Questions for Class 11 English Chapter wise.

Article Writing Topics for Class 11 CBSE Format, Examples Pdf

(a) Heading should express the main idea in an interesting way. (b) Three or four paragraphs are needed to convey the content in an organised way. (c) Byline, i.e., name of the author (It can appear immediately after the heading.)

Content should be properly structured. The first two/three sentences of the opening paragraph should be introductory in nature. The second paragraph should contain the main discussion. The last paragraph should be in the nature of the conclusion.

Language and style are usually serious but informal. The readers are kept in mind when choosing a serious or humorous style. Try to use good and expressive words.

♦ Article for a School Magazine:

It is usually about school life, student matters. This composition may be about general subjects too.

(a) Heading (b) Three or four paragraphs (c) Name, class, and section of the writer

Content: Organise the article into introduction, main subject, and conclusion as always in an essay like compositions.

Language and style should match the subject. The style may be serious or light or even humorous if the subject permits.

Magazine And Newspaper Articles

Purpose of writing an article To present information on a variety of themes in a long and sustained piece of writing, namely:

• describing an event, person, his/her life and actions
• describing a place
• narrating an event
• expressing views on some issue of social interest
• expressing arguments in favour of or against a stated hypothesis or event.

Types of articles

• magazine – general and school – limited audience
• newspaper – wider audience

What an article should contain:

• Don’t attempt to write about every single piece of information – select relevant information.
• The article must be written in the appropriate format and style.
• Remember to keep within the word limit.

Article Writing Topics Sample Example With Answer for Class 11 CBSE

A recent survey showed that there are still many communities in India which do not welcome the birth of a girl child. Can a country which does not give equal rights to its citizens ever dream of becoming great? Complete the following article by using the hints given. You are Simran/Yusuf, a citizen of Hyderabad.

Answer: (a) faces discrimination from the earliest stages of life, through childhood and into adulthood (b) a preference for sons, early marriage, domestic abuse, sexual exploitation, discrimination, less food, and less access to education (c) but also of the basic right to be born (d) However, these problems are not insurmountable (e) the practice of killing girl child continues (f) but against the social system, traditions, social norms, and values, customs and rituals (g) Constitution confers equal rights on all citizens (h) but to assert themselves and take their due

• a preference for sons, early marriage, domestic abuse, sexual exploitation, discrimination, less food, and less access to education
• but against the social system, traditions, social norms, and values, customs and rituals
• faces discrimination from the earliest stages of life, through childhood and into adulthood
• but to assert themselves and take their due
• the practice of killing girl child continues
• but also of the basic right to be born
• Constitution confers equal rights on all citizens
• However, these problems are not insurmountable

Articles For School Magazine

Article writing topics practice example for class 11 cbse.

1. You have often come across headlines such as:

The growing tendency towards violence among young people is especially a cause for concern. Write an article in about 150 words on “Teen Aggression and the Media”. You are Abhijit/Anita Sarkar.

2. Animals in the wild are caught, tamed, caged, trained, and conditioned to perform in set patterns and ultimately left to die. Sirish/Sumita of the “Environment Club” of Nav Chetna School took down these notes.

As Sirish/Sumita, write an article on “Their Life is not a Circus”.

3. The floods in Chennai not only highlighted the inefficiency and indifference of the local administration but also brought out the indomitable spirit of the common man. It was a grand story of how people came to the rescue of people. Write an article in 150 – 200 words on how common man can realise his own powers and help rebuild a “New and Clean India’ of which we can all be proud. Sign yourself as Victor/Helen.

4. You are Maneka/Manik. You strongly feel that the Indian Government is not taking steps to promote tourism in India which could turn out to be one of the major revenue earning industries. Write an article in 150 – 200 words for a magazine giving your ideas on the steps the Indian Government could take to promote tourism aggressively.

6. Jeena/Jatin came across the following news item:

As Jeena/Jatin, write an article for the local magazine in about 150 words on the hazards of smoking.

7. You are Diwakar/Dina. You have heard your teacher talk to your class about the importance of inculcating the reading habit. You have taken down some notes. With the help of the given information and your own ideas, write an article on the topic: “Books are Our Friends Forever” in 150 words.

• Reading: excellent diversion, pleasant hobby; helps connect with noblest minds of the ages
• Books: shape character; best companions in loneliness

8. You are Manoj/Meena. Write an article in 150 – 200 words on the following: Value education should be made a part of the curriculum in schools. Highlight the steps taken by your school in this direction.

9. You are Dinesh Sinha of 87, Curzon Road, Delhi. You have observed that the subways in Delhi are seldom used by pedestrians. You have decided to write an article for a national magazine, highlighting the dire need of creating awareness about this problem. Based on the points given below, write the article in not more than 150 words.

10. Given below is an advertisement for students aspiring to study in the USA.

Write an article in 150 words on the increasing trend among the working population today to go abroad for higher studies. Sign yourself as Namita/Subodh Pandey. (150 words)

Articles For The Newspaper

11. The clearing of tropical forests across the Earth has been occurring on a large–scale basis for many centuries. This process, known as deforestation, involves the cutting down, burning, and damaging of forests. The loss of tropical rainforest is more profound than merely the destruction of beautiful areas. If the current rate of deforestation continues, the world’s rainforests will vanish within 100 years – causing unknown effects on global climate and eliminating the majority of plant and animal species on the planet. You are Maneka/Manik. You strongly feel that the Indian Government is not taking adequate steps to check deforestation in India. Write an article for a national daily in 150 – 200 words giving your ideas on the steps the Indian government could take to aggressively control deforestation.

12. Kunal/Karishma read the following news in a newspaper. He/she decided to write an article about it for the newspaper. Using ideas from the news clip, together with your ideas, write the article on her behalf in 150 words.

13. At least one – third of India’s billion inhabitants regularly watch Indian soap operas, which have displaced popular cinema as the prime entertainment genre. These popular shows depict the ideal woman only as a long-suffering, exploited person, an epitome of virtue and self – righteousness. The other face of women is that of unalloyed evil. They wreck homes, plot murders without an ounce of guilt, torture sisters – in – law, so the audience is given no choice but to hate them. The viewer is hoodwinked. As a concerned viewer, write an article for a national daily on the portrayal of women in popular TV soap operas.

14. Economists feel that India has only one problem – a burgeoning population. At more than one billion and growing, India will soon outgrow China. Most of the other troubles in our country have emerged mainly because of this problem. Write an article for the newspaper on: “Need for population control.”

15. The following editorial appeared in a national daily:

You are Sucheta/Shikhar Thareja of Class XI of Dehra Public School. Express your views on the topic in an article for a newspaper.

16. The Indian politicians routinely hire ‘muscle power to improve their electoral prospects, and criminals themselves successfully run for public office. Indeed, many observers bemoan the fact that corruption and the background of the candidates have become non – issues to voters. You are Neeta/Nishit Roy. Write an article for The Times of India on the increasing corruption and criminalisation of politics in India.

17. Each day the newspaper carries various advertisements on losing weight in order to become healthy and look good. Various unrecognized health clubs have mushroomed all over the city to cater to this fad. Exorbitant sums are charged with a promise to help weight loss. Write an article for a newspaper expressing your views on the topic. You are Tarini/Tanmay Sharma.

18. Madhuri/Mayank had an argument with her/his friend on the topic of women taking up careers. After hearing the negative views of her/his friend, Madhuri/Mayank decide to write an article on the topic ‘Women and Career’. As Madhuri/Mayank, write the article for The Daily Times.

19. Begging is the outcome of abject poverty and not choice. An Action Aid International study on this issue in India shows that 99 percent of men and 97 percent of women get into begging due to poverty.

Attempts by police officials to drive away from the destitute and impose fines are clearly not a solution as it does not address the overall problem. Beggars must be viewed as full citizens with all the entitlements and rights of a citizen.

Write an article for a national daily expressing your views on anti-begging laws and efforts to check the problem.

The complete guide to preparing for the 11 Plus

• What is the Eleven Plus?
• A parent’s guide to coping with the 11 plus
• On the day of the test
• Results Day
• 11 Plus General Tips
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• Standardised Scores
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• 11 Plus Practice Materials
• Free 11 Plus Practice Papers
• What’s new in 11 Plus?
• Verbal Reasoning
• Non-Verbal Reasoning
• Mathematics
• Practice Online
• When to Start Tutoring
• Finding a Tutor
• Choosing the Right Type of Tutoring
• Selecting the Right Tutor
• Problems with a Tutor
• Eleven Plus Exams Tuition Centre
• General Points
• Non Qualification
• Oversubscribed School
• Ombudsman and ESFA
• Miscellaneous
• Abbreviations

The lowdown on the requirements of different schools and areas

• Choosing a School
• Admission Policies and Rules
• Glossary of Admission Terms
• Open Day & School Visit Questions
• CAF - The School Application Form
• Equal Preference System
• School League Tables
• Independent Schools
• Partially Selective Schools
• Grammar Schools
• Grammar to Academy Status
• Birmingham & Walsall
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• Lincolnshire
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Everything you need to succeed at the 11 Plus More about our Services

11+ Essay Writing

Independent School Essay Writing  Next Page.

With thanks to various 11+ Forum members, particularly Freya, for their helpful posts on this topic.

Children often feel that the essay element of the 11+ is a monumental task, and parents preparing them for it often feel the same way! We hope that the advice on this page will help your and your child to break the task down into manageable pieces, and also provide you with some useful shortcuts.

On this section you will also find advice on essay writing from an 11+ veteran who took several Independent School exams. The advice given is particularly helpful for longer essays and for more challenging topics and tests.

The essay test may be as little as 20 minutes or as long as 50 minutes, and may be factual or fiction. There is usually a choice of titles, but it is important to check the type of topics that have come up in the tests for each school in the past. There are some examples below of essay titles that have come up in past 11+ tests around the country to get you started.

Examiners in different areas may have different priorities. In some areas they will mainly be interested in the content of the work, rather than demanding good spelling or punctuation. In other areas accurate grammar, punctuation and spelling may be required as well. All examiners will be looking for one key thing: the “beginning, middle and end” that most children find so difficult to achieve in essays.

If your child does not excel at fiction writing and you know for certain that they will have a choice of factual or fiction topics, you could focus on developing their ability to write a persuasive factual essay rather than battling uphill with creative writing.

Learning good planning technique is essential to success in an 11+ essay. The elements that need to be planned are:

• Who are the characters? Can you describe them?
• Where is the story set?
• What is the plot – what will happen in the story?
• How will the story begin?
• What will happen in the middle?
• How will it end?

With very limited time for planning an essay in the 11+ a child must learn to make rough notes on all of these points within a very tight timescale. In some areas the children are given 5 minutes specifically to plan their essay, but in other areas that time is included in the time allotted for the whole task, and speed is critical.

Building up a “bank” of characters and settings that your child can fall back is well worth doing. Typical characters might be: a criminal; an old lady; a spooky person; a scary man, a nice friend, etc. Settings might include: A rocky seashore; a dark wood; an old, empty house, etc.

To develop the “beginning, middle and end” balance, you can work out how much your child is likely to write in the allotted time and then start to rule 3 sections on their page, one short one, a longer one and a third short one. They then have to complete the “beginning” within the space allowed in the first section, fit the middle into the longer section and the ending must take up the whole of the last section

Even after extensive practice a child may still find that they are running out of time. It is well worth preparing some “emergency endings”, and never,  ever  falling back on the stock phrase: “And then I woke up and realised it was all a dream”. It is an ending that makes the hearts of teachers and examiners sink to their boots!

Plenty of adjectives and adverbs will make for interesting writing, and you can help your child to make “stock lists” of appropriate words for different settings. For example, if the story is a “spooky” story, help them to think of dark, scary adjectives and adverbs.

As time goes on it is also worth helping a child come up with “stock phrases” that can fit into almost any essay, such as:

• Linking mood to weather: Tears like the rain/waterfalls; Eyes bruised like dark clouds; Heart beating as raindrops thundered; Eyes twinkling like dew on fresh grass.
• Descriptions of surroundings: Sweet, cloying scent; Patchwork of autumn leaves – vibrant reds, ochres, etc; Shafts of sunshine dappling; Trees whispering to each other; Angry water seething and boiling.
• Descriptions of being frightened: Being chased, hiding and anticipating being found.

Essay Topics

For creative writing, the topics set for 11+ essays tend to have the same common themes, and it is worth having a “stock” story that can be used in each of these settings:

• Being lost, scared or alone
• Doing something exciting or achieving something (’the best day of my life was . . . ’)
• Taking a holiday
• Having an adventure
• Being in a city or in the countryside

These are topics that have come up on past 11+ papers around the country, with a few additional titles contributed by our 11+ Forum members:

• A surprising spy
• Break time at school
• Write a story about a lost key
• Is life too hectic to enjoy fully?
• My favourite memories
• A farewell party
• An attempted robbery
• It was a while before I realised my cat could talk
• Moving Houses
• I don’t know what that noise was …..
• The new pupils
• The Burglary
• My Brilliant Idea
• Visiting Relatives
• The Balloon
• The school rules
• A place that inspires you
• Your favourite day out
• Are Jamie Oliver’s new school dinners a good idea.
• What makes a good friend?
• Describe the scene and the activities at a bus station.
• What are your reactions to discipline? How far is it necessary both at home and at school?
• How does the life of your generation differ from that of your grandparents?
• Discuss the good and bad effects of competition in modern life

• The Importance of Reading
• 11 plus Vocabulary

Related Pages

• Comprehension Exercises
• Essay Writing
• Importance of Reading
• Reading List
• Useful Resources for English
• Free Eleven Plus Papers

11+ Essentials – English Spelling, Punctuation and Grammar Book 1 (First Past the Post®)

Knowledge of spelling, punctuation and grammar is at the heart of 11 plus and Common Entrance exams, such as those set by Granada Learning (GL). The questions in this book have been designed to replicate the last three sections of the current GL 11 plus English test.

11+ Essentials – Creative Writing Examples Book 2 (First Past the Post®)

Creative Writing: Examples presents 11+ students with a variety of high-quality, creative writing pieces, written by their peers in preparation for their exam. This book is designed to address the key elements of the 11+ creative writing exam, using real creative pieces as examples.

Choose Your Test

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

College Admissions , College Essays

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

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

What Excellent College Essays Have in Common

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

Visible Signs of Planning

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

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

Stellar Execution

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

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

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

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

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

Links to Full College Essay Examples

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

Common App Essay Samples

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

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

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

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

Connecticut college.

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

Hamilton College

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

Johns Hopkins

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

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

Essay Examples Published by Other Websites

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

Other Sample College Essays

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

Babson College

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

Emory University

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

University of Georgia

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

Smith College

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

Books of College Essays

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

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

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

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

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

Analyzing Great Common App Essays That Worked

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

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

I had never broken into a car before.

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

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

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

"Why me?" I thought.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

What Makes This Essay Tick?

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

An Opening Line That Draws You In

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

Great, Detailed Opening Story

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

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

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

Turning a Specific Incident Into a Deeper Insight

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

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

Using Concrete Examples When Making Abstract Claims

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

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

Using Small Bits of Humor and Casual Word Choice

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

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

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

An Ending That Stretches the Insight Into the Future

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

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

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

What Could This Essay Do Even Better?

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

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

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

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

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

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

Suddenly the destination of my pickle was clear.

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

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

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

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

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

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

One Clear Governing Metaphor

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

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

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

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

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

An Engaging, Individual Voice

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Suddenly the destination of my pickle car was clear.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

4 Essential Tips for Writing Your Own Essay

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

#1: Get Help From the Experts

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

#4: Start Early, Revise Often

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

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

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

What's Next?

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

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

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

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

Anna scored in the 99th percentile on her SATs in high school, and went on to major in English at Princeton and to get her doctorate in English Literature at Columbia. She is passionate about improving student access to higher education.

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Essay Topics for Class 11 and 12

Essay Topics for Class 11th and 12th Students

Essay on Wonders of Science

Essay on Conservation of Environment

Essay on Relationship

Essay on My Best Friend

Essay on My Family

Essay on My Favorite Teacher

Essay on My Mother

Essay on Myself

Essay on Har Ghar Tiranga

Essay on 15 August

Essay on Flag Code of India

Essay on Draupadi Murmu

Essay on Agneepath Scheme

Essay on Rainy Season

Essay on Rainy Day

Essay on Holi Festival

Essay on Why Holika Dahan is Celebrated a Day before Holi

Essay on Is Holi a Harvest or Religious Festival

Essay on Online Shopping

Essay on Advantages and Disadvantages of Online Shopping

Essay on Junk Food

Essay on Google

Essay on Robotics and Machine Learning

Essay on Lohri Festival

Essay on Online Education

Essay on Supercomputer

Essay on Parakram Diwas in India

Essay on Central Vigilance Commission

Essay on Internet of Things (IoT)

Essay on hyperloop

Essay on Growing Trends of Privatization

Essay on One Nation One Election

Essay on online Schooling -can it be the future of education?

Essay on impact of oil increasing on Indian Economy

Essay on E-Diplomacy

Essay on Growing Pollution in Rivers

Essay on why I want to become a Physical therapist

Essay on why I want to become an Engineer

Essay on child is father of the man

Essay on causes, effects and prevention of coronavirus

Essay on Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan

Essay on Ek Bharat Shrestha Bharat

Essay on a friend in need is a friend indeed

Essay on Ayushman Bharat Yojana

Essay on adult education in India

Essay on causes of pollution

Essay on city life vs. village life

Essay on causes and effects of global warming

Essay on caste system

Essay on black money

Essay on biodiversity

Essay on causes of global warming

Essay on Jallianwala Bagh Massacre

Essay on international nurses day

Essay on cleanliness is next to godliness

Essay on world environment day

Essay on international day of yoga

Essay on national doctors’ day

Essay on world population day

Essay on National Flag Adoption Day

Essay on Lal Bahadur Shastri

Essay on National Unity Day

Essay on National Integration Day

Essay on National Pollution Control Day

Essay on Human Rights Day

Essay on National Science Day

Essay on willpower and determination

Essay on leadership qualities of Narendra Modi

Essay on childhood vs. Adulthood

Essay on what I want to become in life

Essay on I want to become a doctor

Essay on why I want to become a teacher

Essay on why the sky is blue

Essay on importance of independence day in India

Essay on why learning English is important

Essay on why I want to become a police officer

Essay on why I want to become an IAS officer

Essay on why I want to become an army officer

Essay on why I want to become an entrepreneur

Essay on why I should become a good fellow

Essay on why I want to become a social worker

Essay on why I want to become a chef

Essay on why I want to become a nurse

Essay on why I want to become a lawyer

Essay on why I want to become a pharmacist

Essay on how Swachh Bharat Abhiyan has helped India

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