If you’re a high school student navigating the application process, you’ve probably heard that a well-written essay can make a huge difference. And it’s true—a great essay doesn’t just complement the rest of your application; it can immediately grab the reader’s attention and show who you are beyond grades and test scores.
But here’s the thing: many students find the college essay to be the most challenging part of the application. You’re told to be original, deep, personal, and concise—all within a few hundred words. No pressure, right? So how to write a college essay that’s fun, authentic, and short?
According to the National Association for College Admission Counseling, the college essay is considered a “moderately important” part of your application by most colleges—but that weight increases for competitive schools where grades and test scores may look similar across applicants. In fact, some panel members expect the essay to help them make final decisions between otherwise equal candidates.
The good news? You don’t have to write an essay that sounds like Shakespeare. You just need one that’s genuinely important to you, tells a compelling anecdote, and helps your college’s admissions team think: “We really want to read the rest of this application.”
When to Start Writing a College Essay
Whether you’re applying through the Common App, a state school portal, or for a competitive scholarship, the sooner you start — even as early as the summer before your senior year — the more time you’ll have to outline, draft an essay, and revise. The writing process might feel intimidating, but breaking it down into steps helps ease the pressure.
Summer doesn’t pack so many extracurricular activities and homework, so you will have the necessary time to start thinking about what you are going to write in your college application essay.
The summer before senior year should at least be dedicated to the brainstorming process. This is when you should write your first thoughts on paper and think about your essay topic. If you start now, you’ll have plenty of time to review multiple drafts and perfect your story.
Additional Reading: You should also check out How To Write A Great Supplemental Essay.
College application deadlines are just around the corner and can be as early as October 15th through November 1st, for students who are determined to receive an early decision. Furthermore, some colleges ask applicants to submit supplemental essays or short answers so, if you start writing your essays earlier, you will have plenty of time to prepare both your college essay and additional supplemental essays.
How to Write a College Essay: The Beginning
When you’re brainstorming your college essay topics, make sure you keep in mind what the admissions officers want to know about you. First, they will want to know who you are, what are your values, goals, and even feelings and needs.
In addition, they will want to know if you will contribute to the campus and add value to their student body. College admissions officers are looking for students who resonate with the university’s mission and vision and are eager to contribute to its success. And lastly, they will evaluate your personal statement to see if you know how to write a good essay at a college level.
If you write your essay with these questions in mind, your chances of creating the perfect college essay will increase significantly. Remember, you’re writing to impress your audience, so it’s alright to be self-centered now.
How to Choose Your College Essay Topic
Your college essay will give you a chance to tell colleges everything you want them to know about you. Think about any significant challenges you’ve had to face in your life and the impact they had on you. Are you willing to write about these life experiences? This can help the college admissions officers to gauge your determination, goals, and ambitions. They will also discover a soul, heart, mind, and story behind your perfect test scores and grades. Perfect scores are not always enough to get you into your dream school. You’ll likely be competing against other students with scores as perfect as yours or better. Your personal essay can be the reason why admissions officers will pick you over all the other perfect candidates!
If you don’t want to write about challenges you had to face, don’t! This is not mandatory and will not increase your chances of getting accepted into college. Don’t write about something just because you think it will look good on paper. Focus on experiences you want to share with the college admissions committee and let your authenticity and character shine.
Additional Reading: You might also want to take a look at Before You Apply: The Must-Know Difference Between College and University.
You can very well focus on your vision for your future or passions and hobbies. It is encouraged to let your passion transpire through your personal statement. Are you passionate about history, a cause, or social issues? Write about it! Choose a topic that makes your heart beat faster. Something you love to talk about. This is when your true self will come through! And be specific. Don’t summarize. Get into details. Don’t be afraid to add a touch of humor. But only if humor comes naturally to you. Be true to who you are otherwise the admission folks will sense you want to trick them.
How to Write an Application Essay: Structure and Format
While most colleges don’t have strict word count limits, limit your college essay to about 650 words. That should be enough for the admissions officer to get a sense of who you are without the risk of boring them or saying too much. If you’re writing a supplemental essay, stick to 250 words in general.
Review the essay requirements before writing the first draft to make sure you don’t miss anything that may disqualify your essay for a technicality. Some colleges let you choose your topic while others may ask you to respond to an essay prompt. Check the required file format and also the minimum and maximum word count necessary for your essay.
Additional Reading: Check out Leadership Programs for High School Students: What to Expect and How to Get Started.
After brainstorming essay ideas and choosing your topic, start writing. Write one, two, three, or as many drafts as you need to feel satisfied with your work. Your essay should have a beginning, middle, and end. And remember! The opening sentence is very important. It needs to hook the reader and promise them an interesting journey.
Dos and Don’ts in College Admission Essay Writing
College application essays are reflections of one’s personality and this is the reason why they are not limited by strict rules nor encumbered by pre-defined structures. However, there are some guidelines you should be aware of and common mistakes to avoid if you want to be one step ahead of the competition and write a flawless college application essay:
Do:
- Read the instructions carefully and follow the essay guidelines
- Begin with a strong and captivating introduction
- Write about something important to you
- Address the essay prompt
- Find a cohesive narrative and stick to it
- Be authentic
- Use correct grammar, punctuation, and spelling
- Have someone proofread and edit your essay
- Answer the essay question
- Make it succinct
Don’t:
- Use clichés
- Focus exclusively on the past
- Talk exclusively about your strengths and qualities
- Send the same essay to every college
- List your academic achievements – they already have the official transcript
- Repeat yourself
- Contradict yourself
- Summarize
Always Edit and Proofread Your College Essay!
Never send your college essay to a school without having a person or two edit and proofread your final draft. You can read your essay a thousand times, and misspelled words or grammatical errors can always find a way to go unnoticed.
You need a pair of fresh eyes to go over it. Don’t show your essay to too many people though. One or two opinions should be enough for you to make the right changes and refinements. Incorporate any relevant input you get into your statement but choose carefully. Choose to listen to a person who knows you well and a person who knows what college admissions officers are looking for in a college essay.
Take This College Essay Guide Further with Morzep College Coaching
Although college coaches can’t write an essay for you, they can certainly help you find your inner voice and critical thinking skills. Morzep college coaches know what admissions officers are looking for in a college admissions essay and they will share their knowledge, experience, and tips with you. We will help you deliver a well-written and interesting essay that expresses your personal goals and how they align with the college’s mission and vision.
Moreover, we will edit and proofread your essay to make sure you deliver an impeccable personal statement that reflects who you are and what you want to achieve. Working together with a college coach can help you identify the areas that need revision, correct your grammatical errors, and spelling, and most importantly, organize your ideas. Creativity matters when writing a college essay but it can benefit greatly from a clear plan that focuses on three parts: introduction, body, and conclusion.
Enlist a college counselor to simplify the college admissions process and provide the critical guidance you need for a successful college application. It is a lot easier to focus on your tests, grades, extracurricular activities, and college admissions essays when you have someone by your side who knows what colleges want from their applicants. Our college coaches can help you abide by every term and deadline set by the college admissions officers and provide the necessary materials to successfully apply to your dream colleges. You will do the work but we will guide you to execute it flawlessly! Get in touch with us!
Post Update: The article was updated on April 03rd, 2025, and originally published on September 20th, 2021. It has been completely revamped and updated for accuracy and comprehensiveness.
