Here’s a list of what to include in your college essay introduction:
When writing that special college-entrance essay, you spend hours, if not days, trying to come up with the best topic. You feel like the essay determines your future.
that originally introduced Stinson's essay to the world framed her success in their title: "This Essay Got a High School Senior Into 5 Ivy League Schools and Stanford." As a college essay expert and advisor, I would love to be able to tell you that a college essay can get you into the school of your dreams. But the truth is, a wide array of factors are considered in admissions decisions and the essay is just one of them. And media attention that focuses exclusively on students who gain admission to multiple Ivy League Institutions sends the wrong message to students (and parents) about what is important and why they should pay attention to Stinson's writing. Every year around acceptance time college essays of successful applicants are published (and then shared and reshared) for both the admiration and dissection of students, parents, journalists and admissions experts. Publications like , and even latched onto this year's acceptance story, most of them acknowledging Stinson's writing prowess, and many focusing even more on the . "As I read through the opening paragraph describing a 2-year-old flying through Costco looking for free samples, I am compelled to read further in order to figure out, 'Where is this essay going?'" Have you ever walked through the aisles of a warehouse store like Costco or Sam's Club and wondered who would buy a jar of mustard a foot and a half tall? We've bought it, but it didn't stop us from wondering about other things, like absurd eating contests, impulse buys, excess, unimagined uses for mustard, storage, preservatives, notions of bigness…and dozens of other ideas both silly and serious. Write an essay somehow inspired by super-huge mustard.
—Based on a suggestion by Katherine Gold of Cherry Hill High School East, Cherry Hill, NJ (2004–2005) By now you have probably heard about or read the college essay by high schooler Brittany Stinson detailing how her routine trips to Costco shaped her life and world. In the piece, now , Stinson paints a vivid picture of how wandering up and down the aisles at her favorite big box store inspired her to ponder the addictive nature of Nutella, imagine physics experiments involving 3-pound tubs of sour cream and converse with her father about historical figures who share their aliases with . The essay is clever, warm and highly observant and introspective. If Costco is a kingdom, as Brittany claims, she is currently its reigning Queen. Your essay doesn’t need to amaze or wow the reader; often times, many applicants try to write about a traumatic event or something incredible that has happened to them. Writing about these things can actually make it more difficult to write a good college essay; instead of giving insight into your personality and character, your essay often ends up focusing on an external event.
Papa Johns, Costco, and the Myths Behind Viral College Essays
When choosing your own topic consider which of your character strengths or core values may not be communicated in other parts of your application. Start there. Remember, while you want your essay to make an impact, the best essays are often built on seemingly ordinary experiences like shopping at Costco or
Why The Costco College Essay Is Crucial Reading
We spend five class periods progressing toward writing two college essays. Some class time is dedicated to guided free writing on various topics that may be of use to you as you prepare to think about your essays. The remainder of the class time is dedicated to looking at model personal essays, with the hope that we might be able to understand what kind of thought goes into a personal essay, and that we might be able to emulate such work.
[PDF] Five Ways to Go Wrong in College Essays
This article about personal essay examples was written by advisor, . Looking for more admissions support? Click to schedule a free meeting with one of our Admissions Specialists. During your meeting, our team will discuss your profile and help you find targeted ways to increase your admissions odds at top schools. We’ll also answer any questions and discuss how can support you in the college application process.
Student Gets Into 5 Ivies With College Essay About Love for Costco
We hope that after reading this guide on personal essay examples you feel more prepared to write great college essays. Our personal statement examples for college span many different topics and represent great storytelling across the board.
The Costco essay - the art of college application essays
There are never too many college essay tips to make applying to college less overwhelming. So, to write an essay that impresses college admissions, in addition to reading college essays that worked and strong examples of college essays, here are some things that you can do: