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How to Write a Killer College Essay: A Step-by-Step Guide

Craft your way from ideas to impact!

Bea Castañeda

When it comes to writing your college essay (or personal statement), it doesn’t matter whether you aced your SAT or failed your Algebra II class. Admissions committees are looking beyond your test scores and grades to truly understand who you are and what you can bring to their institution. 🌟

Since high school grades and test scores don’t tell the whole story, a great personal statement could be your ticket to the school of your dreams .

Now, the question is: how do I write an unforgettable essay that will impress admissions? 🤔

What Colleges Want to See in Your Essay

1. read all of the instructions, 2. brainstorm your college essay topic , 3. create your outline, 4. hook your readers with a compelling introduction, 5. support your ideas with examples, 6. use your voice and allow your personality to shine, 8. end your essay with a bang, 9. revise, revise, and revise some more, 10. ask someone to proofread your college essay, pro writing tips for nailing your college essay, frequently asked questions about how to write a college essay.

Your college essay should stand out to ensure that admissions officers remember you, even after reading through thousands of applications. Show the colleges who you really are — your personality, motivation, and why you’re the perfect fit. 🌟

Share moments that reveal your love for learning and your go-getter attitude. Let them know your thoughts on your desired major , and highlight how you’ve made a difference in clubs, groups, internship programs , or other activities. 🎓

But here’s the exciting part: you should use your essay to let your unique voice and creativity shine. Turn your opinions and beliefs into a strong, well-written message. Grab the reader’s attention with your originality and depth. 📝

female college students writing their college essay on their laptop

Step-by-Step: How to Write Your College Essay

Writing a good college essay comes with a lot of pressure. You have to choose a suitable topic, navigate the limited word count, and make sure there are no grammatical errors . On top of that, you’ll probably need to write more than one piece. ✍️

But there’s no need to panic — we’ve broken down the whole writing process into 10 simple steps.   

Before you begin writing, make sure you carefully read the essay instructions . It’s essential to follow them closely because not doing so could make a poor impression on the admissions committee, and they might not even read your essay. 

College essay instructions typically mention the word or page count and provide a writing prompt. Once you’re sure you understand what is being asked of you, start thinking of a topic that fits well. 💡

male college student inside the library writing his college essay on his laptop

Take a look at the writing prompts released by Common App to give you an idea of what to expect:

  • Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that’s so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, please share your story.
  • 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?
  • 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?
  • Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. What prompted your thinking? What was the outcome?
  • 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.

Your topic is the most fundamental element of your college essay, but figuring out what to write about can be tricky. To narrow down your choices, align the essay topic with your unique experiences, values, or a transformative moment in your life . ✨

This targeted approach ensures that your essay not only stands out but also authentically represents who you are in the eyes of college admissions. Look back on your experiences and find a moment that really shows off your character. It could be an exciting adventure, a personal win, or a tough challenge you conquered.

Do you have any standout talents, like being a great painter, a skilled soccer player, or a talented pianist? Sharing your talents also shows how dedicated and passionate you are. 🎨

If the prompt wants you to talk about challenging beliefs, share a time you went against the norm . Perhaps you spoke out against an injustice, took a stance on a controversial issue, or challenged societal expectations. For instance, you might share a story about standing up to a bully for a friend. Or alternatively, you could explore an experience that pushed you to defy conventional beliefs . 💭

TIP: Ask your parents, friends, or teachers what they find most admirable or interesting about you. It can even be a memory or a lesson they learned from spending time with you.

Once you know what you want to write about, create an outline. A good structure will give your story a solid beginning, middle, and end.  📝

For starters, think about the main point or thesis of your piece. If you follow our prompts above, an example of a main idea could be the importance of mental health in the pursuit of academic excellence. Then visualize the relationships between your arguments and determine the order of ideas that tells the story in the clearest, most effective manner .

Here’s a basic breakdown of what your outline will need. 

  • Introduction: 
  • Open with an attention-grabbing line.
  • Give a brief overview of the essay.
  • End with your thesis statement.
  • Present the main points — usually two or three ideas, each with its own paragraph.
  • Give relevant examples and details for each point. 
  • Echo your thesis statement.
  • Summarize your main points.
  • End with a strong, memorable line.

Sound familiar? That’s because the structure for your college essay is no different from the essays you’ve been writing in your high school English classes. With a great outline in place, all that’s left is to fill in the gaps and polish your message to perfection. 🧑‍💻

To write an outstanding college essay, you’ve got to nail your opening statement . Capture your reader’s attention from the start, as it sets the tone for the entire essay. 👀

A distinctive opening sentence, whether it’s an anecdote, quote, or thought-provoking question related to your topic, can ignite your reader’s curiosity and maintain their interest. 

how to write a killer essay

Play around with making your opening hook witty, intriguing, memorable, or unconventional , but don’t get too stuck on writing your introduction.

TIP:  If the introduction doesn’t come to you right away, move on, and return to it later with a fresh perspective. 😉

Make your essay more credible by supporting your claims or ideas with specific details and examples. Instead of just stating facts, share experiences that illustrate your points . 

For example, if you’re talking about thriving under pressure, describe how you managed multiple deadlines for papers and presentations alongside a busy extracurricular schedule. 🗓️

female college student supporting her college essay with examples

Also, try to include numerical data to make your essay stronger . If you were involved in a fundraising campaign, mention how much money you raised and the percentage it increased from the previous year. This gives specific details and solid proof of what you achieved.

This not only makes your essay more honest and reliable but also gives the admissions committee a memorable view of your strengths in real-life situations. 💯

Your essay must remain authentic and true to your personality. This will help admissions officers develop an accurate impression of you. While college essay examples can provide inspiration, be cautious not to mimic their tone, writing style, or format too closely. 🗒️

Shape your essay with your unique voice and personal beliefs , as it’s a portrayal of who you are. 

Say you’re writing about a volunteering experience. Instead of providing a generic overview of your tasks, delve into a specific moment that profoundly impacted you. Share your thoughts, emotions, and reflections during that moment — instead of merely stating the facts. 🥰

Maintain your individual style and draw from your experiences. As long as you remain polite and grammatically correct, you can write similarly to how you speak.

Consider that humor may not always translate well onto paper , and admissions officers may not share your comedic sensibilities. Be mindful of this as you craft your essay. 🛑

Rule of thumb: if you have to ask whether something is appropriate, it probably is not.

7. Stay Focused on Your Message

When writing a college essay, remember that every word counts . You only have several hundred words to make an impact on the admissions committee, so use them wisely.

Stay on topic, and don’t add anything that distracts from the overall message . By including unnecessary details, you risk confusing the reader or losing their interest altogether. So stick to your outline, and make sure every word is supporting your main arguments. ✅

how to write a killer essay

As you approach the final paragraphs of your essay, aim to leave a lasting impression on your reader . Your conclusion is the last opportunity to reinforce the key points and emotions you want to convey. 👌

Instead of merely summarizing your main points, consider leaving your audience with a thought-provoking insight, a reflective question, or a powerful statement that echoes the essay’s theme. 

This will ensure that your essay lingers in the minds of the admissions committee, leaving them with a powerful and memorable takeaway. 🤯

Crafting a college essay masterpiece takes time, so don’t rush it in one go . Put your draft on hold and give it a day or two before diving back in.

This break can help you catch grammatical slip-ups and evaluate if your essay conveys the message you intend. Ask yourself: Is it gripping? Is the structure solid? Does it truly reflect me? 🤔

Colleges use your essay to understand you and your writing prowess, so offer them your finest work — avoid submitting your initial draft .

how to write a killer essay

Getting a second pair of eyes on your essay is a must for top-notch results. Ask a family member, friend, or favorite teacher for feedback. Fresh perspectives can catch mistakes and make your essay even better in ways you might not have thought of! 🚀

female and male college students asking their professor to proofread their college essay

✔️ Write About What’s Important To You 

Build your narrative around impactful moments in your life. When you focus on authentic experiences, your essay becomes more genuine and easier to compose.

✔️ Don’t Waste the Reader’s Time 

Make sure your work gets to the point swiftly and stays on-topic.  

✔️ Balance Your Tone With Your Audience in Mind 

It’s essential to come across as authentic but don’t drown your essay with too much sarcasm, humor, or cynicism. Consider your audience — is this the tone you would want to use if you spoke to them in person?

✔️ Omit Unnecessary Words To Improve Readability

When a sentence works without that added adjective or phrase, you might not need it. Brevity provides clarity. It also makes your words more impactful.

✔️ Show, Don’t Tell 

Your essay will be more memorable if you use descriptive language to help immerse your reader rather than simply describing what happened. Instead of saying, “I was excited,” talk about how you felt the uncontrollable urge to smile as you received good news. 

✔️ Avoid Repeating Achievements Already Found on Your Resume 

Your college essay should show your personal qualities, such as leadership, willingness to take risks, individual growth, teamwork, and anything else that’s not already in your application.

✔️ You Don’t Always Have To Use the Thesaurus 

Use language that sounds natural and conveys your message clearly and directly. Don’t assume that big words will make for a better essay. The more complex your wording is, the greater risk that your message could get buried.  

✔️ Highlight the Positives but Leave Your Ego Behind 

Draw attention to your strengths and all the good you’ve done but be careful not to brag or put anyone down.

✔️ Give Yourself Time To Write 

Start early so that you have time to work on multiple drafts before the deadline. Try online study tools to help you set manageable targets and increase productivity. Good writing takes time, so plan for it .

Your grades and test scores are important for college, but your college essay is your chance to shine beyond the numbers and show who you really are. 🌟

Don’t stress if you aren’t a high school superstar. What colleges really want is someone who can make an impact on their campus and community; the straight As can come later. 

So, focus on your strengths in your essay , and you might just charm even the most selective schools! 💯

How long should my college essay be?

Aim for an essay between 250 to 650 words , depending on the prompt and college’s guidelines. Exceeding the limit can make your essay seem disorganized and affect your chances of admission. Edit for brevity and clarity, focusing on conveying your message effectively.

What topics should I avoid in my college essay?

Avoid cliché essay topics like listing volunteer experiences or sports injuries. Admissions officers have seen these countless times. Instead, focus on a specific, meaningful experience that shaped you or led you to a new passion. 

For example, think about a transformative and memorable trip or a tough school project that really changed you or had a big impact on who you are. Your essay should be authentic and reflect your unique character.

What makes a college essay stand out?

A standout college essay is genuine, with a unique topic and an engaging start that captivates the reader. Make sure your essay is well-organized and includes specific details. 

Talk about how you’ve changed and learned from your experiences. Let your personality shine through , keep it short and sweet, and check for any mistakes. Also, explain why you’re a good match for the college you’re applying to.

What is the proper way to write a college essay?

To write an impactful college essay, choose a meaningful topic, develop a clear thesis, craft a captivating introduction, use vivid details, demonstrate personal growth, connect to the college’s values, and proofread rigorously. Seek feedback and revise to strengthen your essay’s impact.

What is a good format for a college essay?

A good college essay typically follows a five-paragraph structure with a captivating introduction, well-developed body paragraphs, and a memorable conclusion. Use standard formatting, proofread carefully, and tailor your essay to each college , highlighting how you fit with each college’s values and offerings.

How do you start off a college essay?

You can begin with an engaging anecdote, a thought-provoking question, an impactful quote, a surprising fact, or a personal reflection that relates to your essay’s theme. Alternatively, setting a vivid scene, presenting a clear thesis statement, or incorporating a touch of humor, if suitable, can also create an engaging start.

How should college essays be structured? 

A well-structured college essay should follow a standard five-paragraph format : a captivating introduction, informative body paragraphs, and a memorable conclusion. 

How does the affirmative action ruling change college essays? 

The affirmative action ruling has shifted the focus of college essays to individuality, character, authenticity, and cultural contributions. Applicants should highlight unique experiences, personal growth, and contributions to diversity.

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how to write a killer essay

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how to write a killer essay

6 Step Guide to Writing a Killer Essay

how to write a killer essay

Written by studytimenz

At high school, particularly here in new zealand, ideas are always assessed in the form of essays..

With so many rules surrounding ‘proper’ essay form, it’s easy for ideas to get lost to the format, or for you to lose sight of what they’re arguing for in the first place.

Sadly, this means that students often can’t get their thoughts across effectively, and are marked down for things that have no bearing on their ideas or intelligence.

However frustrating they might be, research has shown that learning how to compile an argument in written form is a skill that does great things for your grades, employability and general life-confidence.

As a soon-to-be graduate of high school – whatever you choose to do – the importance of strong communication skills cannot be understated.

If you choose to head straight into the workforce, you’ll be expected to demonstrate this skill in your cover letters and CV’s during job applications, and at University, essays are pretty much the stock standard assignment in most courses (otherwise there are always reports, reviews and reflections).

Writing skills will even get you further in your travels: Visas can involve lengthy letters and application processes, and administrators are always impressed by a well-written application.

Considering all the evidence, it’s a smart move to get a good feel for essay writing now – the seeds you plant now will help you out big-time in the long run.

How can I write a good essay then?

Contrary to popular opinion, anyone can write a good essay. It’s a skill, not a trait, and like any other skill, it only improves with practice. The tricky thing is getting your head around all the niggly bits, like structure, and themes, and ideas, and topic sentences, and punctuation, and clarity, blah blah blah, etc. That’s what we’re here for.

This guide will help you to break through the sludge of essay writing and help you to get to the heart of their purpose:  communicating an idea.  We’ll decipher the intimidating jargon and wordy standards for you, and give you solid, smooth steps to follow so you can smash an essay for every topic, any time. The guide will cover:

Deciding on an “idea”

Planning your argument

Essay structure

Introduction

Body paragraphs

Proofreading

THE BIG “IDEA” AND WHY IT MATTERS

The term ‘idea’ in the context of essay-writing causes a lot of confusion – and rightly so – it’s unfairly vague!

Simply put, an idea is the argument you’re making in your essay. While definitions may vary across standards and subjects (“hypothesis”; “argument”; “thesis statement”; “theme” etc.)  your idea is your overarching  claim  that the rest of your essay will  prove  or  justify .

An idea could be anything from “ Romeo and Juliet’s relationship demonstrates the difficulty of defying familial expectations ” to “ The use of guerilla warfare helped the Viet Cong to defeat America in the in the Vietnam war .”

Ideas can be universal, personal, fundamental, controversial or challenging. They don’t necessarily have to be ‘good’ or ‘moral.’ Writing an essay isn’t about agreeing with the message of the text, or the topic you’ve been asked to engage with. Teachers are more concerned with your ability to look at a topic or text critically, interpret it, and relate that interpretation to the outside world in one way or another.

The idea is the spine of your essay. The rest of it will work towards demonstrating  how  and  why  you’re arguing for this claim. So before you start writing an essay, it’s smart to get a firm grip on your idea first.

Brainstorming is a good start. On a piece of paper, jot down all the observations you’ve made about your essay topic. You’ll usually have a question or a demand in the guidelines to narrow things down.  If you can’t think of any ideas, do some extra revision!

Once you’ve done this, try to think of one connection to bind your ideas about the text/topic/event together. Then make it into a statement – e.g: “ In  Bend it Like Beckham , Jesminder’s character explores the tension between cultural expectations and social belonging .” Make sure you’ve got a good amount of supporting points to bolster whatever your claim says.

Pro tips: Don’t overcomplicate it! Fancy wording doesn’t matter. It’s more about the insight of your claim, and showing that you can develop a perceptive opinion on something.

Don’t fall into the trap of the one-word-idea. “Love” is not an idea. Instead, your idea should take the form of a firm statement about love.

If your essay is given to you in the form of a question, think of the idea as an answer to that question.

Example question: “ Should the Hunger Games be considered a feminist text ?”

Idea/claim/argument/thesis: “ Despite The Hunger Games having a female protagonist, the character of Katniss reinforces masculine notions of strength, therefore it should not be considered a feminist text.

Your idea should show some critical thinking. For example: “ The Hunger Games should not be considered a feminist text ” is not a strong enough observation – you need some substance behind it.

If you’re too vague or short with your idea, your supporting evidence will lose structure, and could go on forever. Think about your idea as if you were explaining the main point of your essay to another person.

If you read your idea aloud – ask yourself: Does it make sense? Does it answer the question or fulfill the demand? Does it summarise most of your essay’s argument?

If the answer is no to any of these three questions, refine and try again.

2. GET PLANNING

Essays almost always follow the same linear structure:

  • Introduction.
  • Body Paragraphs
  • Conclusion.

We’ll break down the anatomy behind each element later on – but for now – it’s useful to know how they work together to make an essay. The introduction is the clincher: its job is to contextualise your argument, interest the reader, briefly explain your argument and of course,  introduce the idea . The body paragraphs are the  supporting points to hold up your main idea, with evidence from the text . The conclusion  brings together everything you’ve argued in a neat summary , reinforcing the idea one more time.

Whether you’re writing under time pressure or doing a take-home assignment, it’s important to know (at least in part) where your argument is going to go. Planning is a sure way to do this – and it doesn’t have to be boring. While ‘fluking it’ might work for some people, having no plan makes it easy to get lost in your own train of thought and go off on long tangents. There are loads of different ways to plan, and you should give yourself enough flexibility so that you have the freedom to incorporate new points or ideas as you’re writing.

A great, easy and flexible way to plan is the Box Plan. This plan can be adapted for a range of subjects; it’s a neat and easy visualisation of your essay’s skeleton and key points; and also serves as a great resource for revision – because who wants to spend hours rewriting the same essay over and over?

See the table below for an easy template of the Box Plan. Feel free to print it out, and if you’re feeling extra-motivated for revision, spend some time making it colour co-ordinated or adding some visual doodles to help memorise the content and make things fun.

DIY BOX PLAN

Introduction :

Clearly state your main  IDEA .

What are the  THREE MAIN POINTS  that you will use to support this idea?

Body Paragraph One :

Clearly state the main  POINT  you will discuss in this paragraph.

Record all of the  EVIDENCE  you will use to prove this point.

Connect this evidence back to the  MAIN IDEA  or the  OUTSIDE  world.

Body Paragraph Two :

Body Paragraph Three :

Conclusion :

Clearly state the main  ARGUMENT  you have made or  IDEA  you have explored.

Review how all of your points have supported this  IDEA .

3. ANATOMY OF AN INTRO

There’s lots of advice out there that tells you an introduction is the least important part of an essay, something you can rush over to get to the ‘good stuff’. They’re wrong.

Writing a killer introduction is the magic ticket to an excellent essay. A great intro lays out your ideas concisely and persuasively, and can provide focus and momentum for the rest of the essay. Plus having something concrete to come back to can be really helpful when you’re feeling stuck or lost – and remind you of your overarching argument or idea. Our best advice for nailing the intro is to start broad and then narrow down.

Here’s a quick formula to follow for writing an introduction that’ll blow your teacher out of the water.

Pro tip: Get a hook, start broad and narrow down. Finish on by going SUPER broad (society/the world/the universe) to be extra fancy.

  • Hook  (rhetoric question/quotation/exclamation to engage the reader)
  • Context  (the boring but important contextual bits like the author/director/poet/setting/title/characters/etc.)
  • Idea  (see our first chapter for a definition)
  • Brief explanation of how you’ll prove this idea  (whatever points/evidence you’re putting in your body paragraphs)
  • For extra points, round up your intro by making a  connection to the outside world  (some profound and relevant moral lesson about society usually works)

Here’s an example of a great introduction for a basic English text analysis essay. Each colour in the paragraph corresponds with the formula above (Hook = purple; Context = red; and so on).

Why do bad things happen to good people? The majority of society believes that there are no logical answers to this question. Terrible things can happen to the best of us, for no particular reason. However, in William Shakespeare’s “King Lear”, the main character, King Lear, who claims to be “a man more sinned against than sinning”, is fully responsible for his own downfall. In fact, the sins committed against King Lear are a result of his personal faults of rashness, blindness, and foolishness. Though a good king, Lear’s actions cause his family and kingdom to fall apart. Furthermore, he is personally punished for disrupting the natural order, with his poor decision-making. King Lear’s downfall demonstrates how good people can still make terrible decisions  – inviting the reader to consider the complex nature of humans, and emphasising the importance of taking responsibility for your own actions.

4. BREAKING DOWN THE BODY PARAGRAPH

The body paragraph makes up the “flesh” of the essay “skeleton” you have at the moment. Three body paragraphs is enough for a strong essay, however you can add as many more as you need to strengthen or fully unpack your overall argument (provided you’re not ranting). It’s important that each body paragraph is sharp and clean, and backed up by some relevant evidence. The point of a paragraph is to indicate a break – so make sure that each paragraph has only ONE predominant focus. If you find yourself going off topic from your original focus, consider making a new self-contained paragraph to explore that idea in full depth.

WHAT’S THE POINT?

Your main point should be introduced at the beginning of your body paragraph, and take form in what the experts call a “topic sentence”. This is similar to your big idea, but it’s a bit more specific. Similarly, it should make some sort of definitive claim about the text or topic, and help to support your main idea. If your main idea is the spine of your essay, your topic sentence is the spine of your body paragraph.

Let’s have a look at F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel  The Great Gatsby  for some ideas:

Main Essay Idea:

“ Through the use of motifs and symbolism,  The Great Gatsby  explores the disintegration of the American dream in 1920’s America. ”

Point of Body Paragraph 1:

“Geography is used as a motif to illustrate the different classes of the decaying nation, and their clashing social values.”

Point of Body Paragraph 2:

“The distant Green Light is used to symbolise the ideal of the American Dream – relentlessly pursued but never realised up close.”

Focus of Body Paragraph 3:

“The Valley of the Ashes symbolises the moral and social decay of the nation, figured literally by its desolation and pollution, but also by the poor citizens who live there.”

SHOW ME THE EVIDENCE

It’s all very well and good to be able to make big claims – but you have to be able to back them up, otherwise for all we know, you’re just peddling conspiracies.

The evidence is all the stuff you need to show your reader that your argument has some validity to it. The evidence can be a quote, technique, event, plot point, character, excerpt, symbol, motif, etc. – so long as it’s relevant to the point you’re making and taken directly from whatever your essay is about.

Remember that it has to be factually correct too, don’t ever think you can get away with making up a quote! Your marker knows more than you think, and chances are they’ll sense something fishy and look it up.

ROUND IT UP

To finish your body paragraph in style, throw in one or two sentences that link back to the main idea of your essay. Better yet, reflect on something bigger to show your ability engage critically with the world around you. This final element is your chance to give an opinion on something, it can be as abstract or far-fetched as you like, provided your body paragraph is strong enough to support the claim.

Connecting your essay to wider forces in the world shows that you’re thinking about what you’re writing, rather than simply regurgitating content you’ve learned in class.

Markers love this part – especially in NCEA – and it often makes the difference between a Merit and an Excellence essay.

Here’s a quick table showing the anatomy of a body paragraph:

Focus of Body Paragraph One:

“Geography is used as a motif to illustrate the different classes of the decaying nation, and their clashing social values”

“ I lived at West Egg, the – well, the least fashionable of the two, though this is a most superficial tag to express the bizarre and not a little sinister contrast between them[…]Across the courtesy bay the white palaces of fashionable East Egg glittered along the water, and the history of the summer really begins on the evening I drove over there to have dinner with the Tom Buchanans .” (1.14)

Explanation :

This quote from Nick demonstrates how he envisions class distinctions geographically – drawing a literal and figurative contrast between the two sides of the lake and economic status.

Reflection :

The geographic illustration  of class in  The Great Gatsby  mirrors the growing disparity between rich and poor that was taking place in America in the 1920’s.

5. CONCLUSIONS – MAKING A LASTING IMPRESSION

By the time you’ve made it here, you’re probably sick to death of your topic.

At this point, it’s tempting to just spurt out whatever your mind can muster, and hope that the rest of your essay holds you afloat when it comes to marking.

Avoid thinking like this! Your conclusion is the your final chance to leave an impression on your reader.

If anything, it’s a golden opportunity to boost the quality of your essay by tying it all together with a sparkly bow.

This doesn’t mean the conclusion has to be a difficult or particularly long process. All the work is pretty much done for you, now it’s a matter of selecting the most important points to drive home.

At bare minimum, your conclusion must accomplish three things:

  • Restate the main idea of your essay.
  • Summarize the three points in your body paragraphs.
  • Leave the reader with an interesting final thought or impression.

Excellent conclusions will convey a sense of closure while also providing scope for other trains of thought – like an appetizer of a main dish at a different restaurant.

This is a tricky balance to strike, but it makes a world of difference.

6. PROOFREADING – YOUR FINAL SAFETY NET

At this point, after so much energy has been spent dutifully perfecting your work, it’s probably likely that the sentences in your essay are looking less and less like words and more like meaningless drivel on a page.

You might be itching to hand it in so that you can treat yourself to a well-deserved Big Mac Combo and  never ever look at  The Great Gatsby  again in your life.

This is why proofreading is so crucial. When you’ve spent a while writing something, it’s really difficult to pick up on the mistakes you may have made during the process.

You may feel attached to certain parts that took you ages to spit out, when really, they’re unnecessary waffling.

Your mind may have convinced itself that some sentences are elegant masterpieces, but when you get your marks back, you realise they made no sense at all.

We all know too well the shameful feeling of getting an essay back and realising all the obvious errors you failed to pick up on in your frenzied state.

BUT, a great essay riddled with linguistic and grammatical errors will instantly make your ideas seem less valid than they are.

That’s why it’s really important to allow yourself time for proofreading, and even better, for reading it over with fresh eyes.

If you’re writing from home – take a break! Go for a walk, get some food, try a guided meditation, watch an episode of GoT, whatever – but come back to the essay later.

It’s amazing what a short break can do for your detection of mistakes. Even if you’re really strapped for time and you’re pulling an all nighter, go to sleep now and wake-up a bit earlier to proofread.

If you’re writing under pressure in an exam environment, make sure to plan for 5-10 minutes of proofreading. When you’ve finished the writing, go to another question or take a very short breather to clear your mind.

One great way to ensure your essay is pristine for hand-in is to run through this mental checklist for each individual sentence of your essay:

  • Read the sentence aloud (or at least in your head). Does it make full sense when you hear it?
  • Can it stand in isolation and still hold up as a sentence?
  • Does it support the point that you’re making, or is it waffling to fill up space?
  • Could it be articulated in a clearer way?
  • Do the commas, full-stops and speech-marks “flow” properly when read aloud?
  • Does it repeat a point that you’ve already made?
  • Does it go on for too long? Could it be split into two separate sentences?
  • Does it begin with a capital letter? Does it end with correct punctuation?

Next time you’re assigned an essay for an internal or exam, don’t put it off until the night before and put yourself through a half-hearted, exhausting, unproductive all nighter.

Bookmark this page, breathe, and walk through the guide step-by-step. You might even enjoy the process.

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How to write a killer essay in 3 easy steps

We’ve all been there: staring at a blank document, practically able to feel the creeping imminence of our paper’s deadline. For so many of us, it’s really hard to sit down and actually channel our thoughts into a coherent form, let alone one that’s structured and based on an argument worthy of praise.

Here’s a secret I’ve learned after years and years of battling a working ratio of five minutes of writing for every fifty-five minute YouTube immersion session: it’s easier to think of writing a paper as a series of tasks, of filling out a structured outline, than it is to try to sit down and just write a paper, start to finish. Here’s how I figured out how to break down a paper and flipped that ratio to fifty-five minutes of writing for every five-minute break (or, let’s be real, more like ten).

Start With The Thesis. The Thesis Is Everything.

If you find yourself seriously struggling in the midst of paper-writing, there’s a good chance the issue can be traced back to your thesis. A strong thesis should logically set up the argument you’re making in your paper and the points you’ll use to make it. So let’s review the thesis basics.

What is a thesis statement?

  • A thesis expresses an arguable opinion that can be supported by facts.
  • A thesis should be presented in your intro paragraph and serve as a map for the rest of the essay .
  • A thesis should be SCOD: Specific, Clear, Original, and Debatable

How do I structure a thesis?

  • Start with the topic of your thesis. The topic is an aspect of the book or subject about which you’re writing that you found most interesting
  • Then make a claim : what is your stance on the topic? What do you think is the deeper meaning that the topic is trying to get at?
  • Finally, list the points you will make to support that claim. What aspects of the book or subject led you to believe that claim?

Some examples:

"In Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness , the mysterious landscape of the unexplored jungle represents the darkness of human nature best elaborated through the symbolic uses of fog, the river, and lack of sunlight."

"Gender-based sexual harassment in the service industry leads to female employees experiencing serious psychological, emotional, and physical problems."

The Saving Grace Of Topic Sentences

Once you have your thesis roadmap, you can then write the topic sentence of each of your body paragraphs before you fill out the rest of the essay. The points you make in your thesis translate nicely into those topic sentences.  

So, for example, the thesis “gender-based sexual harassment in the service industry leads to female employees experiencing serious psychological, emotional, and physical problems” quickly leads to topic sentences that focus on those three final points: psychological, emotional, and physical problems. Of course, you’re going to want to flesh those topics out into actual, relatively literary sentences that make their own mini claims that then connect back to the claim you’re making about your topic.

For example:

Psychological problems → The imbalance of power between supervisors , who are disproportionately male, and employees in the service industry, who are disproportionately female often leads to psychological problems for those employees.

Emotional problems → The stress of this power imbalance can often result in unfavorable emotional experiences for female workers on the job.

Physical problems → Another power imbalance female employees face is in the more blatant invasion of their physical space by both their employers and customers, which can lead to unwanted or coercive physical actions .

Now that you have a solid skeleton for your essay, it’s time to give it some muscle. While we may live in a political era in which actual facts are considered overrated by some, you, dear essay writer, are better than that. Unfortunately, there are no shortcuts for this step: You have to actually put in the time to read the book you’re writing about or conduct the research that will allow you to support your claims.

Here are some tips, though, for how to efficiently maximizing your time doing so:

  • If your source material or research materials happen to be online, try searching key terms related to your thesis and specific claims. Rather than trying to re-read everything, this can obviously help you narrow in on relevant passages.
  • It might feel counter-intuitive, but if you’re struggling to remember a specific reference or example from your source, try taking a step back and clearing your mind. Sometimes going on a walk or closing your eyes can take the pressure off and increase your ability to think a little more organically and creatively.
  • This might be more useful for your next paper, but there’s a reason your teachers may have encouraged “active reading” -- like highlighting or taking notes in the margins. This may seem like an unnecessary burden while you’re working through a text, but it can often serve as an incredible shortcut to finding evidence down the line.

And there you have it. The blank doc doesn’t own you — you are its master now. Good luck and happy writing!

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how to write a killer essay

  • September 28, 2022
  • Academic Advice

How to Write a Killer College Essay – Guide

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UOTP Marketing

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The college admission essay is the key component of your application. It gives the admissions committee a deeper personal understanding of you which can help you get accepted. 

The person in charge will most likely read hundreds of essays during the admissions cycle, all of which address similar topics, so naturally, you’ll want your essay to stand out. Keep reading to learn how to write a college essay that will help you get into your dream college. 

Start Early

Starting early is one of the first tips for writing a good college essay . At school, it is common for students to turn in assignments late, even though not preferable. College admission essay deadlines, however, should not be missed at any cost. 

Starting earlier allows you to go through it many more times. One draft is never enough. You should give yourself more time to experiment, edit, ask for feedback, and finalize it. 

Having your college essay completed in advance also enhances your confidence that you’re sending a quality piece of writing and lets you focus on other areas of submitting your application.

Read the Application Essay Guidelines Carefully

Before you start with anything, always make sure to really go through the guidelines; don’t just skim through them. Every step will tell what you should or shouldn’t include. So, take your time to read the guidelines in detail because there is a good chance they won’t even read your application if they notice you have not followed the guidelines. 

Once you are confident that you know what rules have been set, you are ready to start exploring a topic that will mesmerize everyone!

Create a Plan For Your Essay

how-to-write-a-good-college-essay

Creating a plan is a must for a successful essay; this will help you immensely when you actually start writing your essay. A proper essay plan will make you feel more organized and less stressed throughout the process. 

Brainstorm your topic ideas

Your topic is most definitely one of the most critical parts of the essay, so choosing the right one is always challenging. A simple trick is to list as many topics as possible for a set period. Don’t cringe at your ideas, and don’t underestimate them at this point. They can easily be transformed in the future and can become of great potential. 

If you have no idea how to write a college essay about yourself, ask your parents or people who know you best about what they find alluring about you. Think of a time when you stood up to something you never thought you would, a good trait of yours, a skill or talent. And use the power of language to compel everyone with your writing skills!

Pick a topic

After listing everything you got, go through the ideas and eliminate those you think can’t be widened into a good writing piece. Pick something that the guidelines given in the instruction part can support. If the guidelines state a small word count, don’t choose a topic you can address in ten to fifteen pages. Instead, choose something you can elaborate on according to the word count and other instructions. 

Brainstorm details to support your topic

Don’t make the mistake of writing a superficial essay! Brainstorming details to support your topic will help deepen your focus, resulting in a much better-written piece.

More specifically, you can consider the following: 

  • Explain why the situation being described is important;
  • How the event or skill is connected to a larger picture;
  • Its impact on the past, present, or future;
  • Has anyone else benefited from the talent or situation described?

You can go more in-depth as long as the details are related to your topic. 

Organize everything into an outline format

If you have your mind set on the topic, the next step is starting the real deal. Creating an outline will help you put your ideas in place. Your outline can go as follows:

  • Introduction

It would be best to start with something that grabs the reader’s attention. After your reader is engaged, put relevant background information the reader should know. Finally, work on the thesis statement that presents your main point.

In this part, you should elaborate on your topic in depth. The paragraphs are limited to the word count. Try to be as precise as you can. Elaborate on the details by giving relevant examples for each one of them. 

In the end, remind the reader what all this was about by echoing your thesis statement. Summarize your main points and end the essay with a beautiful and memorable line.

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Write an Attention-Grabbing Introduction

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The power of a strong, memorable, and attention-grabbing line or opening is unmatched. The introduction determines whether the reader will be devoted to the rest of the essay or simply skim through it. So, be wise and playful with words to make it outstanding. 

If you feel stuck in this phase, focus on the other parts of the essay; you can always return to the introduction later and make the necessary modifications.

Use Your Voice And Let Your Personality Shine

The point of this essay is for the admission to get to know you more. That’s why you should remain true to yourself and what you’re describing. You can get inspired by others but be careful not to lose your voice and originality.

Be yourself, showcase your skills, and don’t go overboard with jokes because not everyone has the same sense of humor.

Stay Focused on Your Message

Remember that you are given a limited number of words to express yourself in the best way possible. Every word counts. Stick to the details you have listed when brainstorming, and don’t confuse the reader with unnecessary information because they can easily get lost. 

Steer Clear of Clichés

Research other essays to see what you like or dislike. If you come across phrases that have been overly used, avoid them at all costs. The person in charge has gone through most of them, and you don’t want them to get bored. So make sure to show them that you’re creative and original.

Edit, Edit, Edit

We can’t emphasize enough the importance of editing and revising. Always start with a draft and return after giving it some rest. Let your brain rest and go back to it with a fresh perspective. Do this until you’re certain your essay is perfect and there is no need to make any other changes. 

Ask Someone to Proofread Your College Essay   

When writing a college essay, you should consider the audience. After having it ready, have someone read it carefully and ask for their feedback. They can notice things you did not, which will help you improve and finalize your essay. Always welcome feedback, even if it’s not sugarcoated.

The college essay helps you to impress admissions by demonstrating who you are and what you can bring to the table. It is your opportunity to demonstrate originality, depth, and unique creativity. In this article, we tried to emphasize its importance along with the best tips you can get to write a killer essay. Remember to start broad, brainstorm, and explore until you have found something that has meaning for you. Once you begin the writing process, the key is to stay focused and organized. Simply take each of the steps mentioned above into consideration, and you will get the best results. 

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  • Apr 20, 2019

How to Write a Killer Essay: The Conclusion

Updated: May 5, 2019

Improving kids writing skills

Easy Steps to Writing a Conclusion.

The conclusion is the most critical portion of the essay. It is your last impression – the impression that stays with the reader. The goal of the conclusion is to make your essay memorable, but more importantly, to trigger a thought, action or behaviour in your reader.

Read our 4 easy steps to writing a conclusion.

Step 1: Start with a summarizing clause

It is crucial for the reader to know the essay is ending as readers need closure.

Sample summarizing clauses: All in all ..., In the end …, After considering all the evidence…

Step 2: Re-state your thesis

The conclusion must refer to the thesis from your introduction as it brings your essay full circle. However, to show growth, the writer should re-state the thesis with a novel slant. So, do not just pull out a thesaurus and change a few words; the new thesis should have a different structure.

Thesis: Children with a 95% average in school should be given daily free periods to develop a community project.

Poorly re-stated thesis: Kids on the honour roll should have extra time to create community assignments.

Re-stated thesis: High-achieving students are the future, by giving them opportunities to change the world, everyone benefits.

Step 3: Summarize the essay’s main points

Summarize your strongest points. This is the third and final time your readers hear your arguments (preview points in the introduction, expanded point in the body and summary point in the conclusion). This repetition is necessary to drive home your message.

Step 4: Scope expander

The scope expander makes your essay memorable. It tells the reader why your thesis matters. It answers the question: what is the next step?

The scope expander is often the most challenging part of the conclusion to craft. Quills and Quotes will give you easy scope expander starters, samples and tips.

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How to Write a Killer Research Paper (Even If You Hate Writing)

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how to write a killer essay

Research papers.

Unless you’re a weirdo like me, you probably dread them. When I was in college, depending on the class, I even dreaded these.

It’s the sort of project that can leave even the most organized student quaking in their boots, staring at the assignment like they’re Luke Skywalker and it’s the Death Star.

You have to pick a broad topic, do some in-depth research, hone in on a research question, and then present your answer to that question in an interesting way. Oh, and you have to use citations, too.

How on earth are you supposed to tackle this thing?

Fear not, for even the Death Star had weaknesses. With a well-devised plan, some courage, and maybe a little help from a few midichlorians, you can conquer your research paper, too.

Let’s get started.

1. Pick a Topic

And pick one that interests you. This is not up for debate.

You and this topic are going to be spending a lot of time together, so you might as well pick something you like, or, at the very least, have a vague interest in. Even if you hate the class, there’s probably at least one topic that you’re curious about.

Maybe you want to write about “mental health in high schools” for your paper in your education class. That’s a good start, but take a couple steps to hone your idea a little further so you have an idea of what to research. Here’s a couple of factors to look at when you want to get more specific:

  • Timeframe : What are the most important mental health issues for high schoolers that have come up in the last five years?
  • Location : How does the mental health of students in your area compare to students in the next state (or country) over?
  • Culture or Group : How does the mental health of inner-city students compare to those in the suburbs or places like Silicon Valley?
  • Solution : If schools were to make one change to high schools to improve the well-being of their students, what would be most effective, and why?

It’s good to be clear about what you’re researching, but make sure you don’t box yourself into a corner. Try to avoid being too local (if the area is a small town, for example), or too recent, as there may not be enough research conducted to support an entire paper on the subject.

Also, avoid super analytical or technical topics that you think you’ll have a hard time writing about (unless that’s the assignment…then jump right into all the technicalities you want).

You’ll probably need to do some background research and possibly brainstorm with your professor before you can identify a topic that’s specialized enough for your paper.

At the very least, skim the Encyclopedia Britannica section on your general area of interest. Your professor is another resource: use them! They’re probably more than happy to point you in the direction of a possible research topic.

Of course, this is going to be highly dependent on your class and the criteria set forth by your professor, so make sure you read your assignment and understand what it’s asking for. If you feel the assignment is unclear, don’t go any further without talking to your professor about it.

2. Create a Clear Thesis Statement

Say it with me: a research paper without a thesis question or statement is just a fancy book report.

All research papers fall under three general categories: analytical, expository, or argumentative.

  • Analytical papers present an analysis of information (effects of stress on the human brain)
  • Expository papers seek to explain something (Julius Caesar’s rise to power)
  • Argumentative papers are trying to prove a point (Dumbledore shouldn’t be running a school for children).

So figure out what sort of paper you’d like to write, and then come up with a viable thesis statement or question.

Maybe it starts out looking like this:

  • Julius Caesar’s rise to power was affected by three major factors.

Ok, not bad. You could probably write a paper based on this. But it’s not great , either. It’s not specific, neither is it arguable . You’re not really entering any sort of discussion.

Maybe you rework it a little to be more specific and you get:

  • Julius Caesar’s quick rise to power was a direct result of a power vacuum and social instability created by years of war and internal political corruption.

Better. Now you can actually think about researching it.

Every good thesis statement has three important qualities: it’s focused , it picks a side , and it can be backed up with research .

If you’re missing any of these qualities, you’re gonna have a bad time. Avoid vague modifier words like “positive” and “negative.” Instead use precise, strong language to formulate your argument.

Take this thesis statement for example:

  • “ High schools should stop assigning so much homework, because it has a negative impact on students’ lives.”

Sure, it’s arguable…but only sort of . It’s pretty vague. We don’t really know what is meant by “negative”, other than “generically bad”. Before you get into the research, you have to define your argument a little more.

Revised Version:

  • “ High schools in the United States should assign less homework, as lower workloads improve students’ sleep, stress levels, and, surprisingly, their grades.”

When in doubt, always look at your thesis and ask, “Is this arguable?”  Is there something you need to prove ? If not, then your thesis probably isn’t strong enough. If yes, then as long as you can actually prove it with your research, you’re golden.

Good thesis statements give you a clear goal. You know exactly what you’re looking for, and you know exactly where you’re going with the paper. Try to be as specific and clear as possible. That makes the next step a lot easier:

3. Hit the Books

So you have your thesis, you know what you’re looking for. It’s time to actually go out and do some real research. By real research, I mean more than a quick internet search or a quick skim through some weak secondary or tertiary sources.

If you’ve chosen a thesis you’re a little unsteady on, a preliminary skim through Google is fine, but make sure you go the extra mile. Some professors will even have a list of required resources (e.g. “Three academic articles, two books, one interview…etc).

It’s a good idea to start by heading to the library and asking your local librarian for help (they’re usually so excited to help you find things!).

Check your school library for research papers and books on the topic. Look for primary sources, such as journals, personal records, or contemporary newspaper articles when you can find them.

As you’re starting your research, create some kind of system for filing helpful quotes, links, and other sources. I preferred it to all be on one text document on my computer, but you could try a physical file, too.

In this text document, I start compiling a list of all the sources I’m using. It tends to look like this:

Research file example

Remember that at this point, your thesis isn’t solid. It’s still in a semi-squishy state. If your research starts to strongly contradict your thesis, then come up with a new thesis, revise, and keep on compiling quotes.

The more support you can find, the better. Depending on how long your paper is, you should have 3-10 different sources, with all sorts of quotes between them.

Here are some good places to look for reputable sources:

  • Google Scholar
  • Sites ending in .edu, .org, or .gov. While it’s not a rule, these sites tend to represent organizations, and they are more likely to be reputable than your run-of-the-mill .com sites
  • Your school library. It should have a section for articles and newspapers as well as books
  • Your school’s free academic database
  • Online encyclopedias like Britannica
  • Online almanacs and other databases

As you read, analyze your sources closely, and take good notes . Jot down general observations, questions, and answers to those questions when you find them. Once you have a sizable stack of research notes, it’s time to start organizing your paper.

4. Write an Outline

Even if you normally feel confident writing a paper without one, use an outline when you’re working on a research paper.

Outlines basically do all the heavy lifting for you when it comes to writing. They keep you organized and on track. Even if you feel tempted to just jump in and brain-dump, resist. You’ll thank me later.

Here’s how to structure an outline:

outline example

You’ll notice it’s fairly concise, and it has three major parts: the introduction , the body , and the conclusion . Also notice that I haven’t bothered to organize my research too much.

I’ve just dumped all the relevant citations under the headings I think they’ll end up under, so I can put in my quotes from my research document later as they fit into the overall text.

Let’s get a little more in-depth with this:

The Introduction

The introduction is made up of two main parts: the thesis and the introduction to the supporting points. This is where you essentially tell your reader exactly what sort of wild ride they’re in for if they read on.

It’s all about preparing your reader’s mind to start thinking about your argument or question before you even really get started.

Present your thesis and your supporting points clearly and concisely. It should be no longer than a paragraph or two. Keep it simple and easy to read.

Body Paragraphs

Okay, now that you’ve made your point, it’s time to prove it. This is where your body paragraphs come in. The length of this is entirely dependent on the criteria set by your professor, so keep that in mind.

However, as a rule, you should have at least three supporting points to help defend, prove, or explain your thesis. Put your weakest point first, and your strongest point last.

This doesn’t need a lot of outlining. Basically, take your introduction outline and copy it over. Your conclusion should be about a paragraph long, and it should summarize your main points and restate your thesis.

There’s also another key component to this outline example that I haven’t touched on yet:

Research and Annotations

Some people like to write first, and annotate later. Personally, I like to get my quotes and annotations in right at the start of the writing process.

I find the rest of the paper goes more smoothly, and it’s easier to ensure that I’ve compiled enough support for my claim. That way, I don’t go through all the work of writing the paper, only to discover that my thesis doesn’t actually hold any water!

As a general rule, it’s good to have at least 3-5 sources for every supporting point. Whenever you make a claim in your paper, you should support it with evidence.

Some professors are laxer on this, and some are more stringent. Make sure you understand your assignment requirements really, really, really well. You don’t want to get marked down for missing the correct number of sources!

At this stage, you should also be sure of what sort of format your professor is looking for (APA, MLA, etc.) , as this will save you a lot of headache later.

When I was in college, some professors wanted in-text parenthetical citations whenever I made a claim or used my research at all. Others only wanted citations at the end of a paragraph. And others didn’t mind in-text citations at all, so long as you had a bibliography at the end of your entire paper.

So, go through your outline and start inserting your quotes and citations now. Count them up. If you need more, then add them. If you think you have enough (read: your claims are so supported that even Voldemort himself couldn’t scare them), then move on to the next step:

5. Write the First Draft

Time to type this thing up. If you created a strong enough outline, this should be a breeze. Most of it should already be written for you. All you have to do at this point is fill it in. You’ve successfully avoided the initial blank-screen panic .

Don’t worry too much about grammar or prose quality at this point. It’s the rough draft, and it’s not supposed to see the light of day.

I find it helpful to highlight direct quotes, summaries, paraphrases, and claims as I put them in. This helps me ensure that I never forget to cite any of them.

So, do what you’ve gotta do . Go to a studious place or create one , put on an awesome playlist, close your social media apps, and get the work done.

Once you’ve gotten the gist of your paper down, the real work begins:

6. Revise Your Draft

Okay, now that you’ve word-vomited everywhere in a semi-organized fashion, it’s time to start building this thing into a cohesive paper. If you took the time to outline properly, then this part shouldn’t be too difficult.

Every paper has two editing stages:the developmental edit , and the line edit.

The developmental edit (the first one, at least) is for your eyes only. This is the part where you take a long, hard look at your paper and ask yourself, “Does this make sense, and does it accomplish what I want it to accomplish?” If it does, then great. If it doesn’t, then how can you rearrange or change it so that it does?

Here are a few good questions to ask yourself at this stage:

  • Is the paper well-organized, and does it have a logical flow of thought from paragraph to paragraph?
  • Does your thesis hold up to the three criteria listed earlier? Is it well supported by your research and arguments?
  • Have you checked that all your sources are properly cited?
  • How repetitive is the paper? Can you get rid of superlative points or language to tighten up your argument?

Once you’ve run the paper through this process at least once, it’s time for the line edit . This is the part where you check for punctuation, spelling, and grammar errors.

It helps to let your paper sit overnight, and then read it out loud to yourself, or the cat, or have a friend read it. Often, our brains know what we “meant” to say, and it’s difficult for us to catch small grammatical or spelling errors.

Here are a couple more final questions to ask yourself before you call it a day:

  • Have you avoided filler words , adverbs , and passive voice as much as possible?
  • Have you checked for proper grammar, spelling, and punctuation? Spell-checker software is pretty adept these days, but it still isn’t perfect.

If you need help editing your paper, and your regular software just isn’t cutting it, Grammarly is a good app for Windows, Mac, iOS, and Chrome that goes above and beyond your run-of-the-mill spell-checker. It looks for things like sentence structure and length, as well as accidental plagiarism and passive tense.

7. Organize Your Sources

The paper’s written, but it’s not over. You’ve still got to create the very last page: the “works cited” or bibliography page.

Now, this page works a little differently depending on what style your professor has asked you to use, and it can get pretty confusing, as different types of sources are formatted completely differently.

The most important thing to ensure here is that every single source, whether big or small, is on this page before you turn your paper in. If you forget to cite something, or don’t cite it properly, you run the risk of plagiarism.

I got through college by using a couple of different tools to format it for me. Here are some absolute life-savers:

  • EasyBib – I literally used this tool all throughout college to format my citations for me, it does all the heavy lifting for you, and it’s free .
  • Microsoft Word – I honestly never touched Microsoft Word throughout my college years, but it actually has a tool that will create citations and bibliographies for you, so it’s worth using if you have it on your computer.

Onwards: One Step at a Time

I leave you with this parting advice:

Once you understand the method, research papers really aren’t as difficult as they seem. Sure, there’s a lot to do, but don’t be daunted. Just take it step by step, piece by piece, and give yourself plenty of time. Take frequent breaks, stay organized, and never, ever, ever forget to cite your sources. You can do this!

Looking for tools to make the writing process easier? Check out our list of the best writing apps .

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How to Write a Killer Introduction: Basic Tips and Structure

We’ve all been there. It’s the night before your paper is due (or a few nights if you’re better with time management), and you have no idea where to start. Cue panic attack.

Not every paper is the same and, more importantly, not every professor is the same. This reality can make it pretty difficult to start the process of writing a paper at all. So here is the first piece of advice about writing a killer introduction: write the introduction after you finish the rest of the paper. Yup, you heard that correctly. It’s quite a challenge to introduce a paper that does not exist yet, so the best possible advice in overcoming that hurdle is to not write the introduction until you at least have a rough draft of everything else. This system will prevent you from talking about irrelevant content in your intro because you will already know the general points you’ll explore in the paper! Look at you, planning ahead. 

What Should an Introduction Look Like?

So when you finally do get to planning the paper and it is time for the introduction, what should it look like? There are a few different ways to approach this, but first we will preface with a brief list of what to always incorporate in your introduction, regardless of professor, class, or skill level.

Never use outside quotations in your introduction

‍ This part of your paper should be entirely your own thoughts and words; citing someone else’s work is confusing and unnecessary. Any outside concepts or events you might reference must be put in your own words. Think of it like giving a speech - if you were being paid to present information to a crowd, would you start with someone else’s ideas? No! You’re up there for a reason; people want to hear what you have to say. Don’t cloud it with thoughts from other people.

Do not use contractions

This is a good rule of thumb for all formal writing. Contractions are words with apostrophes (isn’t, doesn’t, won’t, etc). We may talk like this in our day to day lives, but that kind of informal language has no place in formal writing. Don’t start off your killer paper with weak language. Instead, write it out - does not, will not, etc. You have good things to say. Make sure your language choices back that up.

Your thesis needs to make a claim

A thesis typically exists as the last sentence of an introduction. This is the big moment where you make a claim and spend the rest of the paper proving or disproving that claim. Do not waste your thesis by putting a random sentence with no intention in there; the thesis is your mic drop moment where you get people’s attention and encourage them to keep reading. What point will you make to get people interested in your topic?

How to Structure an Introduction?

Writing an introduction is one of the more difficult elements of a paper because you have a limited amount of space to introduce points, provide some semblance of evidence, and still stay sane. Yikes. The easiest way to structure an introduction of any kind is by following this general structure:

  • Spend the first sentence or two easing into your topic. Nice and slow. You don’t want to scare people off by immediately listing data and outside sources or diving directly into analysis. When you first meet someone, you don’t start listing off your childhood traumas. Introductions function similarly - you want to ease into the topic with topic sentences that dip people’s toes in without drowning them completely. There is plenty of time for that later.
  • Your next two to three sentences should explore your topic at a more direct level. What kind of content will you discuss? Why is it important to know? This is where you start to bring up exactly what you want to talk about.
  • This next sentence functions as your thesis before the thesis . You will not make claims quite yet, but give yourself a good transition to really stake that claim.
  • Now you have your thesis. Here is where you directly state what the paper will explore and through which lens you will focus moving forward. Do not state “this paper will discuss” or any similar phrases. This is not a narration. We know what the paper will discuss because your thesis will simply tell us.

Wow, look at you! 6-8 sentences later and you have developed a full introduction paragraph. Avoid going much longer than that because you do not want people to get overwhelmed with front loaded information; there is plenty of space in the body paragraphs to really hit that analysis home. 

You got this. Deep breathing. An introduction is only as scary as the anticipation of starting it. Just do your best and, as always, reach out to the KP team to ensure you get that top tier second opinion :) 

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How to Write an Essay Introduction | 4 Steps & Examples

Published on February 4, 2019 by Shona McCombes . Revised on July 23, 2023.

A good introduction paragraph is an essential part of any academic essay . It sets up your argument and tells the reader what to expect.

The main goals of an introduction are to:

  • Catch your reader’s attention.
  • Give background on your topic.
  • Present your thesis statement —the central point of your essay.

This introduction example is taken from our interactive essay example on the history of Braille.

The invention of Braille was a major turning point in the history of disability. The writing system of raised dots used by visually impaired people was developed by Louis Braille in nineteenth-century France. In a society that did not value disabled people in general, blindness was particularly stigmatized, and lack of access to reading and writing was a significant barrier to social participation. The idea of tactile reading was not entirely new, but existing methods based on sighted systems were difficult to learn and use. As the first writing system designed for blind people’s needs, Braille was a groundbreaking new accessibility tool. It not only provided practical benefits, but also helped change the cultural status of blindness. This essay begins by discussing the situation of blind people in nineteenth-century Europe. It then describes the invention of Braille and the gradual process of its acceptance within blind education. Subsequently, it explores the wide-ranging effects of this invention on blind people’s social and cultural lives.

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Table of contents

Step 1: hook your reader, step 2: give background information, step 3: present your thesis statement, step 4: map your essay’s structure, step 5: check and revise, more examples of essay introductions, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about the essay introduction.

Your first sentence sets the tone for the whole essay, so spend some time on writing an effective hook.

Avoid long, dense sentences—start with something clear, concise and catchy that will spark your reader’s curiosity.

The hook should lead the reader into your essay, giving a sense of the topic you’re writing about and why it’s interesting. Avoid overly broad claims or plain statements of fact.

Examples: Writing a good hook

Take a look at these examples of weak hooks and learn how to improve them.

  • Braille was an extremely important invention.
  • The invention of Braille was a major turning point in the history of disability.

The first sentence is a dry fact; the second sentence is more interesting, making a bold claim about exactly  why the topic is important.

  • The internet is defined as “a global computer network providing a variety of information and communication facilities.”
  • The spread of the internet has had a world-changing effect, not least on the world of education.

Avoid using a dictionary definition as your hook, especially if it’s an obvious term that everyone knows. The improved example here is still broad, but it gives us a much clearer sense of what the essay will be about.

  • Mary Shelley’s  Frankenstein is a famous book from the nineteenth century.
  • Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein is often read as a crude cautionary tale about the dangers of scientific advancement.

Instead of just stating a fact that the reader already knows, the improved hook here tells us about the mainstream interpretation of the book, implying that this essay will offer a different interpretation.

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Next, give your reader the context they need to understand your topic and argument. Depending on the subject of your essay, this might include:

  • Historical, geographical, or social context
  • An outline of the debate you’re addressing
  • A summary of relevant theories or research about the topic
  • Definitions of key terms

The information here should be broad but clearly focused and relevant to your argument. Don’t give too much detail—you can mention points that you will return to later, but save your evidence and interpretation for the main body of the essay.

How much space you need for background depends on your topic and the scope of your essay. In our Braille example, we take a few sentences to introduce the topic and sketch the social context that the essay will address:

Now it’s time to narrow your focus and show exactly what you want to say about the topic. This is your thesis statement —a sentence or two that sums up your overall argument.

This is the most important part of your introduction. A  good thesis isn’t just a statement of fact, but a claim that requires evidence and explanation.

The goal is to clearly convey your own position in a debate or your central point about a topic.

Particularly in longer essays, it’s helpful to end the introduction by signposting what will be covered in each part. Keep it concise and give your reader a clear sense of the direction your argument will take.

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As you research and write, your argument might change focus or direction as you learn more.

For this reason, it’s often a good idea to wait until later in the writing process before you write the introduction paragraph—it can even be the very last thing you write.

When you’ve finished writing the essay body and conclusion , you should return to the introduction and check that it matches the content of the essay.

It’s especially important to make sure your thesis statement accurately represents what you do in the essay. If your argument has gone in a different direction than planned, tweak your thesis statement to match what you actually say.

To polish your writing, you can use something like a paraphrasing tool .

You can use the checklist below to make sure your introduction does everything it’s supposed to.

Checklist: Essay introduction

My first sentence is engaging and relevant.

I have introduced the topic with necessary background information.

I have defined any important terms.

My thesis statement clearly presents my main point or argument.

Everything in the introduction is relevant to the main body of the essay.

You have a strong introduction - now make sure the rest of your essay is just as good.

  • Argumentative
  • Literary analysis

This introduction to an argumentative essay sets up the debate about the internet and education, and then clearly states the position the essay will argue for.

The spread of the internet has had a world-changing effect, not least on the world of education. The use of the internet in academic contexts is on the rise, and its role in learning is hotly debated. For many teachers who did not grow up with this technology, its effects seem alarming and potentially harmful. This concern, while understandable, is misguided. The negatives of internet use are outweighed by its critical benefits for students and educators—as a uniquely comprehensive and accessible information source; a means of exposure to and engagement with different perspectives; and a highly flexible learning environment.

This introduction to a short expository essay leads into the topic (the invention of the printing press) and states the main point the essay will explain (the effect of this invention on European society).

In many ways, the invention of the printing press marked the end of the Middle Ages. The medieval period in Europe is often remembered as a time of intellectual and political stagnation. Prior to the Renaissance, the average person had very limited access to books and was unlikely to be literate. The invention of the printing press in the 15th century allowed for much less restricted circulation of information in Europe, paving the way for the Reformation.

This introduction to a literary analysis essay , about Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein , starts by describing a simplistic popular view of the story, and then states how the author will give a more complex analysis of the text’s literary devices.

Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein is often read as a crude cautionary tale. Arguably the first science fiction novel, its plot can be read as a warning about the dangers of scientific advancement unrestrained by ethical considerations. In this reading, and in popular culture representations of the character as a “mad scientist”, Victor Frankenstein represents the callous, arrogant ambition of modern science. However, far from providing a stable image of the character, Shelley uses shifting narrative perspectives to gradually transform our impression of Frankenstein, portraying him in an increasingly negative light as the novel goes on. While he initially appears to be a naive but sympathetic idealist, after the creature’s narrative Frankenstein begins to resemble—even in his own telling—the thoughtlessly cruel figure the creature represents him as.

If you want to know more about AI tools , college essays , or fallacies make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples or go directly to our tools!

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  • Appeal to authority fallacy
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Your essay introduction should include three main things, in this order:

  • An opening hook to catch the reader’s attention.
  • Relevant background information that the reader needs to know.
  • A thesis statement that presents your main point or argument.

The length of each part depends on the length and complexity of your essay .

The “hook” is the first sentence of your essay introduction . It should lead the reader into your essay, giving a sense of why it’s interesting.

To write a good hook, avoid overly broad statements or long, dense sentences. Try to start with something clear, concise and catchy that will spark your reader’s curiosity.

A thesis statement is a sentence that sums up the central point of your paper or essay . Everything else you write should relate to this key idea.

The thesis statement is essential in any academic essay or research paper for two main reasons:

  • It gives your writing direction and focus.
  • It gives the reader a concise summary of your main point.

Without a clear thesis statement, an essay can end up rambling and unfocused, leaving your reader unsure of exactly what you want to say.

The structure of an essay is divided into an introduction that presents your topic and thesis statement , a body containing your in-depth analysis and arguments, and a conclusion wrapping up your ideas.

The structure of the body is flexible, but you should always spend some time thinking about how you can organize your essay to best serve your ideas.

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Episode 5: Writing a Killer College Application Essay

December 14, 2020

At schools like Bucknell that receive thousands of applications every year, there's a good chance some applicants will have similar grades, academic rigor and extracurricular involvement.

But there's a place where applicants can stand out — something guaranteed to be found in their application and no other. We're talking about the college essay — an applicant's best opportunity to show colleges who they are.

Writing a great college application essay doesn't have to be an intimidating process.

In this episode of College Admissions Insider , brought to you by Bucknell University, Brooke Thames and Bryan Wendell share proven tips to help students craft a killer college application essay.

Our guest is Josh Wilkinson, Bucknell's associate director of admissions for communications and an application reader, meaning he gets to see hundreds of student essays every year.

If you have a question, comment or idea for a future episode, email [email protected] .

Episode 5 Transcript

Episode 5 transcript plus icon (large).

[00:00:07] BW: Welcome to College Admissions Insider, the podcast where we talk to real college admissions counselors to bring you expert advice for your college search. I'm Bryan Wendell from Bucknell University.

[00:00:16] BT: And I'm Brooke Thames, also from Bucknell University. Our goal is to cut through all the fluff to give you everything you need to start continue or complete your college search.

[00:00:25] BW: Now, Brooke, as you know…Bucknell, we get about 10,000 applications each year. And with that many there's a decent chance that a few of these applicants are going to have similar grades, academic rigor, and extracurricular involvement.

[00:00:39] BT: Right, right. That's very true, Bryan. But in all of that overlap there is one place where all applicants can stand out. There's one thing that's guaranteed to be singular on every single application.

[00:00:51] BW: Yeah, yeah, that's right. And we're talking about the college essay, which is really an applicant's best opportunity to show colleges who they are. It's kind of a chance to color outside the lines a little and add your own personal touch to what otherwise might be a black and white application.

[00:01:06] BT: Absolutely no pressure there. But, I mean, it doesn't have to be an intimidating process with a little bit of help and some useful advice, which is why we are here with our best tips on how you can put your individual and unique stamp on your application through that essay.

[00:01:21] BW: Right, and we brought in an expert to help us out. We have Josh Wilkinson, who is the associate director of admissions for communications at Bucknell University. And importantly, he's also an application reader, meaning he gets to see hundreds of student essays every year. Hey, Josh, welcome to the podcast.

[00:01:38] JW: Hi. Thanks so much Bryan and Brooke for having me. It's a pleasure.

[00:01:41] BT: Yeah. We're so excited to have you here to chat with us about this because the essay is one of the biggest things students are going to have to tackle as they're doing their applications. And, I mean, high school students are pretty used to writing essays but may not be as experienced in terms of writing about themselves. And so yeah, what is the difference between writing, say, a five page analysis of the Great Gatsby or something like that for an English class and writing a 500 word essay about yourself for college?

[00:02:08] JW: Yeah, absolutely. So I think the biggest difference and honestly a hangout for some people is that you get to pick the topic. So it is rather open-ended in that sense. There are several examples of questions for you to pick from, and some are relatively open-ended. And so, at the end of the day, the source material isn't something like the Great Gatsby. The American masterpiece that we're looking at is going to be you, right? The college applicant. You're the one who we want to know about, and that may seem kind of counterintuitive to a student who might have been trained to talk more academically and not so much about their own personal experience. But it's going to be your chance to tell us about yourself on the application. As Bryan put, kind of coloring outside the lines of the application a little bit.

But another key difference is going to be I think the audience for your essay. You're not going to be writing for just one teacher, but a number of application reviewers. Sometimes your essay will be read by more than one person at one university. And, of course, every university that you're going to be applying to will be seeing it. And the audience that you're going to be writing for has very limited time, unfortunately, to read the essays. And sometimes I know for me, that might mean that I read 50 essays in a day. So you'll definitely be writing for an audience whose time is definitely precious. And so I think it's just something to consider, for sure, at that high level.

[00:03:24] BW: Yeah. So that's a little bit about the who — who you're writing for…which you write completely different from a normal high school essay. But let's also talk about when. And I'm interested in the timing. So if a student is, let's say, applying for a school where the application is due by January 15, when should that student be starting on the essay process?

[00:03:45] JW: Yeah, absolutely. I mean that's a tough question to answer because I think it could be different for a lot of people. But for me, ideally you'll have a few months to work on this. And that may seem like overkill for something that's only a page long, but you want to give yourself the time to iterate on the essay and to give your proofreader some time to give you feedback. And so a good proofreader would be your high school counselor. They tend to be very busy people sometimes, and they might not be able to turn around feedback within a week. And so you want to give them time to give you the feedback, but then also give yourself time to work on that feedback. And that might mean that you iterate on the same essay sometimes. If you end up getting frustrated or you get some good feedback that kind of gives you inspiration, you might even decide to write about something else that would be a good essay or a better essay than the one you had before.

In fact, I'm kind of speaking from experience there. I actually had that happen to me where I wrote an essay and I worked on it for months and then something happened in my life within that span that was a much better topic for the essay. As I'm sure we all know now in 2020, a lot can happen to you in a few months. And so it kind of gives you some time and some leeway, and it's not something that you want to wait until the last minute and have to phone in, because for some colleges like Bucknell, we spend a lot of time reading those essays and paying special attention to it.

[00:05:05] BT: Yeah, making sure you have enough time to get feedback. Yeah, that's especially good point — especially since, I mean, students could likely end up having multiple drafts or hopefully multiple drafts. You always want to kind of give it room to breathe and go back. But even, yeah, multiple iterations of the same essay. But before students can even get there to writing the essay, they have to pick a prompt, right? The Common App has seven different essay prompts and then the Coalition App has five. And so how do you suggest students go about selecting which prompt they'll write to? And do they have a better chance of being admitted by choosing one kind of prompt over another?

[00:05:39] JW: Yeah, that's a great question. I guess what I would suggest is that you look at each question. You pick one or maybe a few that's personal to you that points you to a story of yourself that's inspiring or excites you to write about. Because I know me, and if I'm bored writing about it, then chances are the person reading it is going to be bored. And so you don't want to pick something that you think the colleges want to hear about. You want to pick something that you may be passionate about. Because you'll be surprised that when you write about a topic — or maybe you won't be surprised to hear this — but if you're passionate about it, that tends to come out in the writing. You tend to have an easier time writing those stories that you care about and that mean a lot to you. And ultimately us as reviewers, that's what we want to see come out of your essay, is what does matter to you. What makes you tick? And so that's very important, is finding something, some personal connection to the questions and not just picking something that you think is the right question. Pick something that's right for you.

As far as your second part of the question, we don't tier the questions or prefer specific ones. The ones that we prefer students choose are the ones that you can answer effectively. And so don't pick one, as I mentioned before, that you think is just like, “Oh, this is the best thing.” I think the question about overcoming a hardship is a common example. You might think, “Oh, this is the one that everyone wants to hear about.” But you may not have a good answer to that question. You may not have a hardship that you've experienced or a hurdle that you've had to overcome. And so don't pick that one. That's totally fine to pick something that gives you a chance to tell us what's unique about you and not something that you kind of wish you could talk about.

[00:07:19] BW: That's great advice. So once the questions have been narrowed down —maybe you haven't selected the exact prompt you w ant to use, but you've picked maybe two or three finalists, we could call them — then it's on to brainstorming. And really anybody who's ever written anything knows that's not something that you can always plan to fit in a tiny box where you just say, “Okay, today I'm going to figure out my college essay. Find the perfect antidote. Do all the brainstorming. Tomorrow I'm going to start writing.” So how do you suggest students start that process of collecting ideas for the essay?

[00:07:51] JW: Yeah, that's a good question. So I think…And I mentioned it a little bit earlier that you might want to pick a few questions that might seem to be good options for you. So maybe you pick two or three questions that you could see yourself writing about or maybe that stand out to you and then compile a list for each one and say like, “Okay, what are different ways that I can answer this one question?” And list those out. I know that helps me instead of it just sitting in my brain and maybe picking the first thing comes to mind, think about different ways that you could be answering each question because the answer might surprise you. It might be something that's off the beaten trail a little bit, which is great, but it might not be a common story. And I think that's the other thing I would advise students is to avoid maybe the common stories or the ones that could be seen as being a cliché. Because again, think about your audience. We're reviewing many essays a day. And so if five or ten of them are very similar story…and this does happen. We'll get five different essays in one day that talk about, say, a sports injury or something like that — a very common thing that happens to people. It obviously could be an important thing that happens to you. But if five other people are writing about it out of 50, then that might be one that you want to avoid and you might want to pick something else on your list. And so if you have other things on that list that you come up with that aren't as common and maybe more unique to you, I think that might help you brainstorm kind of in the right direction.

[00:09:13] BT: Yeah. So when it comes to you know choosing a good anecdote or story to infuse into the essay especially when, like you said, some of those stories across applications can be kind of the same. How can students, you know, really make their story stand out? And I mean you mentioned how difficult it can be sometimes to answer questions like “What's a hardship that you have gone through?” And if you haven't yet…how can students kind of pick stories and anecdotes to answer some of those difficult questions?

[00:09:38] JW: I think the best advice I can think of — and it kind of makes me smile a little bit — is to unlimit yourself. Don't place arbitrary limits on yourself because the key is that it has a personal connection to you, and it may be something really mundane that you may not even think is important. So a few examples of this, I've read a great essay about the students relationship with their grandparents and having dinner with them every Friday. That may seem pretty mundane. That maybe is part of your daily, weekly life. But that student was able to flesh out that idea and build connections and like, “Okay, this is why this is important to me. This is why this is important to me. It's impacted me on all these different ways.” Just having Friday night dinner with your grandpa. And so that's an example. It may not seem like an exciting thing, but it obviously had a personal connection to the person who was writing it, and it obviously affected them in a deep level. And it was exciting for us to read because the student cared deeply enough about it and wrote effectively.

So, as I mentioned, something dramatic isn't necessary. Hardships aren't necessary. We want to hear about you. And it sounds kind of like a cheesy cliché, but it's true. We want to know about you, what you care about, what makes you tick. And some of my favorite examples are sort of a little off the wall. I had an applicant who wrote an essay about her love of the keytar. And my first reaction was disbelief. This person is writing about what, in my mind, might be the lamest instrument there is. And then I was amazed because not only did she write about a keytar and her love of the keytar but she owned it. And she related the guitar to basically all aspects of her life. And her personality really shone in it, and I just could not wait to see her come to campus when I was done reading it. And it just seems like the most unobvious example. And I think if, again, I come back to the idea of replacing limitations because I think I would have put a limit on myself and like, “I can't write about this. This is silly.” But the student cared about it and she wrote about it and it was amazing. And so I think that's how you would, I guess, make that connection and what you want to write about.

[00:11:47] BT: Yeah. It sounds like that note of what you said earlier, that as the passion comes through in writing, the personal also comes through in the writing. And being as personal and specific as possible, yeah, it's really effective.

[00:11:57] BW: Yeah. So you can really choose any topic as long as it's got that connection and it speaks to you, whether it's a keytar or Friday night dinner. I also want to read another example that ties in perfectly to your point. So this is from a recent Bucknell applicant. I'll just read the first three sentences of an essay that, Josh, you and the admissions team were kind enough to share the anonymous essay. Anonymous to me I should say, not anonymous to you guys. All right, here it is: “One of the things I most enjoyed about my first three years of high school actually occurred each day before school. At 6:57 a.m., my mom and I embarked on our daily drive to the bus stop. We fine-tuned the logistics to a near science.” So that's just three sentences. That's the introduction though and, to me, just reading it, that really catches my eye from the start. So my question is how important is the beginning? And as an application reader, Josh, what makes a great essay beginning?

[00:12:50] JW: Yeah. I mean, like other types of writing, the first sentence really should draw in the reader. And then the example that you read is a perfect example of that. It stokes my curiosity right away. The student is talking about a favorite thing of school, but what stokes my curiosity about it is that it didn't actually happen at school. It happened sort of before anything at school happened. And so it makes me curious to find out more about it. And so it's just good storytelling. And really at the end of the day, that's what you're doing, is telling a good story on the essay. And ultimately as well, the sentences are clear and concise, and I could easily follow them — because sometimes it's difficult to go from point A to point B on an essay. The last thing you want to have happen is the reader get about halfway down and think okay, “Who, are we talking about? When did this happen?” And sometimes events get out of order. This was easy to follow and drew me in.

[00:13:44] BW: Or they go for death by thesaurus, right? Where you can tell that they thought a word wasn't fancy sounding enough, and so they just like right click on it and pick the first long word that's in the list there.

[00:13:56] JW: Yeah. It's never a good day when I have to stop and define something in Google when I'm reading an essay, which it can happen if the topic is something scientific and absolutely makes sense. I wouldn't know what it was. But you're absolutely right. If you're just trying to pick the most complex words possible. Really, we want clarity over complexity.

[00:14:15] BT: Yeah, yeah. It happens to the best of us though. I'm not going to say that I haven't been there before. But yeah, good advice not to overdo the thesaurus search. And so as students get down to writing, when it comes to doing that first draft, should they put it directly into the Common App or the Coalition App, or should they write something on Google Docs or Microsoft Word first, or pen and paper?

[00:14:38] JW: That's a great question, and I would say it's personal preference. The one thing I will say is you don't want to write your first draft in the Common App or Coalition App. It's just a kind of a blank box. You want to use something with spellcheck at least at some point. Certainly, if writing something down on a piece of paper is best for your rough draft, I think that's absolutely fine. But once you get into a word processor of some kind, I think as long as you get to that point, then you'll be fine. Because the spellcheck and, for me especially, the grammar check sometimes helps. It helps you pick up things that you may not notice, but definitely don't rely too heavily on the spell check and grammar check because then that's where the proofreaders come in, because obviously it doesn't check out everything. It doesn't pick out every error. And then for me too, something that autosaves, which is most things now — but just making sure that you can just close it out and not lose progress is really helpful. Somehow, it still happens every once in a while where I may use something cloud-based where something happens. I didn't do exactly what I was supposed to do, and I lose what I wrote. And that's always the most, I think, demoralizing thing that could possibly happen to a writer. It makes you not want to try again. And so definitely make it something safe that you can use that autosaves with that spellcheck.

And you also want to be careful pasting into the Common App. One thing that we see a lot is it'll just be a big block of text. And I think what happens sometimes is they had it beautifully formatted maybe in Word; they hit Control+C and then Control+V, or whatever it is you do; and pasted it right into the block, and it just ended up being a big hideous block of text, and it's hard to read. And so, if you do end up pasting in there, make sure you break up out the paragraphs because it really makes it a lot easier on us to be able to read it.

[00:16:22] BT: Yeah. And curious, do you recommend that students, as they do multiple drafts, do they save each iteration of what they're doing? I know for me sometimes when I'm writing something it's helpful to have all these different drafts in case I decide I want to go back and change it back to what it was or kind of track some changes.

[00:16:38] JW: That's a good question. So a lot of programs like Google Docs will track that automatically for you, so you can always backtrack. I would recommend doing that if you might take a left turn somewhere. And so say you're writing about something and then you get some feedback like, “Actually I want you to sound a little bit, I don't know, more playful about this.” You're like, “Okay. Well, this is kind of a tone change. Maybe I'll make a new version, see how it reads, and compare the two.” And so if you're making some kind of a big change like that, maybe it's useful to have different versions and then, like I said, vet it with other people. See how they read. And maybe end up picking one over the other, or maybe wanting to go back to how you originally did it. Yeah, that's a great question.

[00:17:16] BW: I'm glad you mentioned pasting into the Common App and Coalition App because I know when I paste into any type of form, not only will it strip out the paragraphs but it might strip out italics. So if you've italicized a title or something, or if you've used bold. I don't know why you necessarily would, but it might strip out all that formatting. So you definitely want to go back and proofread that. Speaking of proofreading, you shouldn't be the only one who sees the essay before sending it off, right? So how do you recommend students find the perfect proofreader or proofreaders? And can you actually send it to too many people and make it death by committee?

[00:17:55] JW: Oh, there could always be too many cooks in the kitchen, Bryan. Yeah, so I don't know what the magic number would be. But for me, a few trusted allies would be ideal. And so if that's two, or I think at least two or three, to me, would be ideal. At least your high school counselor — that person, obviously, that's their job. They're there to guide you — it’s why they're called guidance counselors — to a strong essay. And so they see many of them, and they can kind of tell you the perspective of what different colleges are looking for as well. I think somebody like an English teacher would be great, or if you have a strong relationship with a different teacher in a different subject that you know is a strong writer maybe in social studies, history, something like that. Somebody who you trust to be able to give you a good feedback. I would avoid people that can't be objective such as parents because they…I mean, theoretically, they like you, right? And so they're going to always give you different feedback, and also they might not be the best choice because they're not the experts in college writing lists or, say, an admissions counselor, or they work at a university. So they could be a good choice for you in some instances.

But the other thing that I see sometimes is that the parent might be more influential. The last thing we want to do is read an essay that sounds like a 45-year-old lawyer and not the 16- [or] 17-year-old student. We can definitely tell when some input is almost like rewriting portions of the essay. So whoever you choose, you want to make sure that you're maintaining your voice and that you are writing as a 17-year-old college applicant and not an adult. Of course, everyone's voice is a little bit different, so some people write differently. But you definitely want to avoid whoever it is that's proofreading your piece to rewriting whole sections kind of wholesale, and you kind of just almost having your piece rewritten by that person.

[00:19:44] BT: Yeah, maintaining voice, super important. I know that sometimes when I write things and I'll go to certain people for advice. Yeah, they'll kind of give me some advice. I definitely have to say I would never say it like that. And so talking about some of these essay prompts a little bit more, some prompts might inspire students to take a strong stance on a controversial topic or something that they feel very like passionate and fiery about. Is that an okay thing to do? Should students be concerned about sharing certain viewpoints that might be different from the person who was reading their essay?

[00:20:18] JW: Yes, it’s a very tricky question to answer. But at the end of the day, these controversial topics are controversial partially because they're very personal to people, and that people care very deeply about them, as they should. But you definitely want to tread carefully. And so I would say you can write about controversial topics as long as you do it the right way. You don't want to make any assumptions about your audience about the reader, right? You want to be careful. You want to be respectful. Assume the audience that you're writing for doesn't necessarily agree with you. And make it personal to you and not just sort of saying, “Okay, I'm going to write about this certain ideology or perspective of the story.” Make it clear why it's important to you because, at the end of the day, even about these controversial topics, we want to see what it means to you and how it's a driving force in your life and not just read about something that's happening in the news.

And to me, those are some of the most inspiring essays I've read, are the ones that are obviously the topic is sort of hot-button now, whatever it is. And so I can relate to it just because it's going on. But then I'm seeing this a student that might be inspired to act. And so if they're taking it to the next level and they're not just sort of, I don't know, complaining about something, but they're saying, “Because of this happened, or because I care so deeply about this issue, I've taken this to the next level. And I've decided to start this nonprofit, or I've decided to start this initiative to help the poor or whatever it might be.” Those are the most exciting essays to read sometimes because we're seeing young people making a big difference in a big way.

And I know for schools like ours, like that's something that we really cherish in a student. And so, yeah, at the end of the day, don't shy away from those topics if they are important and personal to you. But be careful and respectful, and just assume that the person may or may not agree with you.

[00:22:06] BW: So the hot button issues themselves aren't cause to just completely trash an idea, but are there things that applicants should avoid when writing an essay?

[00:22:15] JW: Oh, yes. So there are a few things that…I mean, I think I noted something earlier when we were talking about using a thesaurus. And so anything that would trip up the reader. And so the last thing you want them to do is to stop and kind of have to think about it or reread it three times. And so complex sentence structures can do that. Bigger words than are necessary can do that. If you're writing it like it's an academic essay and it's not particularly engaging, that's something that you'll want to avoid. Because it's not an academic essay, it's a personal essay. And so you should write it as such.

Another example of that are excessive use of quotations. I think a good quote every once in a while is okay. But one of the things that really trips me up right away is if the essay starts with a quote, and it starts with a quote that I've already heard from Martin Luther King Jr., or from Dwight Eisenhower, or Abraham Lincoln, or the big players. Gandhi is another very popular one. I hear a lot from Gandhi during the application season. These quotes are great, but it's not the most exciting way to start an application. It's not very personal to start out with a quote like that. So you just have to be careful around it. I have seen them used in good ways, but you just have to be careful when using them.

And I kind of touched upon before, clichés. Things that are just not very unique and that are heard many, many times in college essays. And so, I mean, every college counselor you talk to will have a different list. For me, I already mentioned one, which is the sports injury. It's like, “Oh, I injured myself in a football game and this is what I learned.” Or, Bryan, you might relate to this one, but the boy scout trip to…Where is it they go? New Mexico. I already forgot.

[00:24:00] BW: Yeah. Yeah there's a ranch in New Mexico, Philmont Scout Ranch.

[00:24:03] JW: Yeah, so I've read about that many times. It's a very important trip for those people. And then any service trip as well where you do a service trip and, “Oh wow! I went down to this community and I thought I was going to make this big impact, and it end up impacting me as more than I expected.” That's a very common story. So just be careful that it's not something that is black and white. But you want to pick something that isn't that common, if that makes sense.

[00:24:32] BT: Yeah, sounds like similar to going back to what you're saying about kind of those smaller personal moments and finding the stories that can be told there are some of the things you should lean towards as opposed to maybe some Gandhi quotes, or some other kind of common things that you'll come across. And speaking of those kind of personal experiences…COVID, everyone is kind of experiencing all of this at the same time. And so should students write about their experiences with COVID on their applications? Or is that something that you're expecting kind of everyone to be doing that, and then it’ll become kind of a cliché thing?

[00:25:04] JW: Yeah, I wish they could see my face when you read that. I'm not sure. We'll see I guess is kind of where at. As soon as all the school closings were happening in the spring, what we started saying to each other was, “Wow! We're going to read a lot about this, aren't we?” And so I don't think it's something that you necessarily have to avoid. But again — and I apologize if I'm repeating myself a little bit — [but] if it's personal and impactful to you, then absolutely, you can write about it. But again, just go in with the understanding that we may be seeing a lot of these. And so it may not be a good option for you because we will be seeing a lot, I'm sure. How many? That's going to be left to be seen. But the example I think for my generation was 9/11, right? Everyone was writing about 9/11. It had a huge impact no matter who you were. And I think this is kind of the new version of that, where no matter who you are, no matter what walk of life you're in, this has impacted you in some way. And that's fine. But at the same time, you have to realize that everyone's in the same boat. And so it's sort of the low-hanging fruit. And so, I would just encourage you to find, if you do write about it, maybe some way that that's made it kind of a unique experience for you.

So I know some students, they've just kind of taken their own passions to the next level. I was just hearing from somebody who really cares about food security, and this whole COVID pandemic has really taken that to the next level for her personally. And so she's done some research, extra research, on food security and food pantries, and a lot of community service because of COVID. So don't just kind of begin and end with the pandemic, but maybe begin with pandemic and end with how you've turned that into something positive, and how you've made that into something that a college would want to see in a student coming into their university.

[00:26:43] BW: Yeah, that's a great point because every applicant had their high school experience interrupted in the same way, but it's what they did with it after that happened. That's great. So Josh, I have to think that in your role, it's kind of an honor to read these essays because these students are inviting you into their lives. And a lot of times, they're admitting their feelings about experiences in ways that are really vulnerable and that they might not even be comfortable talking to a friend about. So I have to think that's quite an honor. But I'd love to hear your take on what makes this so special — what your favorite thing about reading college essays really is.

[00:27:20] JW: Well, Bryan, you use the right word, and that's honor. It really is an honor to read these essays because you're right, I mean, you're really getting something oftentimes that the student hasn't told family members. It'll be something sometimes that they're struggling deeply with or has impacted them in such a huge way that they don't want to talk about, but they're choosing to divulge that information on the college essay. And so it really is an honor and a privilege first and foremost to be a part of that process. And when I tell students about the college essay and what it means to us reviewing them, I always tell them that I'm trying to find the heartbeat of the applicant in the essay because everything else is sort of standardized. It's just a bunch of information kind of thrown together. It's important information, but the essay is really your chance to show who you are a little bit. And it breaks up the monotony of reading applications for us as well. So it's usually the highlight for us when we're reading applications because it's something different every time, hopefully. And not always, but hopefully it's something different every time, and we get to kind of peek behind the curtain a little bit to see what these students are about. And you really get a sense of people through these essays and through the stories that they tell.

And there's many times that we've had to reach…In fact, the only time I keep tissues anywhere near me is when I'm reading essays, just to be honest, because you'll never know when. And you'll know right away sometimes when you're like, “Oh, it's going to be…Uh-oh, this might be a hard one.” Not necessarily for a bad reason, but just heartfelt. And so sometimes you get these heartfelt, heartrending stories, but you just appreciate them all the more because the student has chosen to share them with you.

And so it becomes personal for us as well. We use that word a lot today: personal. But it really is the personal side of the application for us, for us to get invested in you. And for a school like Bucknell, we actually don't have an interview process. So this is kind of your chance to tell us a little bit about yourself that you won't have otherwise, and so definitely take advantage of that.

[00:29:21] BT: Yeah, and I imagine getting to know some of the students who may possibly become part of the Bucknell community is especially special and exciting. Well, thank you so much for joining us. I think you've given students plenty of really awesome advice for tackling these college essays.

[00:29:35] JW: Absolutely. Thank you.

[00:29:37] BW: Yeah, this has been great. And if you enjoyed this episode, we invite you to subscribe, share it with your friends, family, counselors, and keep listening. We're going to be releasing new episodes of College Admissions Insider every other Monday. And each one is going to be just as much like this one as we can, where it's a really deep dive into an important element of the college admissions process.

[00:29:57] BT: And if you have topics or ideas for future episodes, we would love to hear from you at our email address, [email protected] . Or if you're a college admissions officer interested in being a guest on a future episode, it us there too.

[00:30:11] BW: And finally, if you want to learn more about applying to Bucknell, you can do that at bucknell.edu/apply. We've put that link in the show notes. That's where you'll also find a link to a transcript of this episode and a whole lot more resources, including a post on our admissions blog where — if 30 minutes of advice wasn't enough — we have even more advice for writing your college essay.

[00:30:32] BT: But that's it for this episode. Thanks for listening to College Admissions Insider. And we'll see you next time.

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How to Write a Killer MBA Essay

Introduction.

Writing a great MBA essay is a crucial component of applying to business school . According to Lisa Koengeter , the Director of Admissions at Booth School of Business , your essay provides them with “a better understanding of you, your self-assessment and your aspirations.” 

This article will outline what MBA admissions committees look for in your essays, show you how to write a killer MBA essay, and tell you what mistakes to avoid.

Types of MBA Essays

There are a few different types of MBA essay questions you will answer as part of your MBA application. The type of essay can be determined through the keywords used in the essay question. Each type of essay will have its own length requirements, depending on the business school.

This type of essay asks you to detail your personal and professional goals and how attending business school will help you achieve them. An essay question that asks about your aspirations or what you hope to gain from an MBA program is classified as a goal essay.

For example, Wharton is one of many schools that ask for a goal essay from applicants using the question: “What do you hope to gain professionally from the Wharton MBA?” Columbia , NYU Stern , Darden , Dartmouth Tuck , and McCombs are some of the many other schools that ask about your goals.

Self-Reflection

A self-reflection essay is an opportunity for you to showcase the values and characteristics that make up your personal identity. It also requires you to discuss how you handled a failure at some point in your life or how you would approach an ethical dilemma.

Yale School of Management is one business school that uses self-reflection questions in its MBA essays . They want to know what the biggest commitment you have ever made is, including why you chose it and how you went about making it. 

Answering this question will require you to do some deep reflection in order to answer it thoroughly. 

Contribution

The objective of this type of essay is to show an admissions committee how you will add value and contribute to their MBA program. 

Booth School of Business poses this question: “An MBA is as much about personal growth as it is about professional development. In addition to sharing your experience and goals in terms of career, we’d like to learn more about you outside of the office. Use this opportunity to tell us something about who you are.” 

Booth clearly wants you to elaborate on who you are, what you value, and how you live those values in your everyday life.

Some business schools want to know about the impact you will have on their program and pose a question that asks you to describe a time when you demonstrated leadership. This will involve discussing why you took on the leadership role in your chosen situation and your leadership impact.

Darden School of Business poses essay questions designed to gauge your leadership capabilities and the impact you’ll have on the program. As Dean of Admissions Dawna Clarke states, they are interested in “cultivating high impact leaders.” 

It’s no surprise that one of their essay questions from a recent application cycle was, “Darden strives to identify and cultivate responsible leaders who follow their purpose. Please provide an example of a situation in which you have made a meaningful impact.”

Instead of writing a traditional essay, some business schools ask you to submit a video essay. The types of questions asked for a video essay can range from a short introduction to longer, multi-component questions.

Kellogg is one business school that uses video essays . They will ask you three questions. First up is an introduction, and the second is about your career goals and how Kellogg will help get you there. 

The third question varies annually and is generally more randomized, so you and all the other applicants won’t necessarily respond to the same question. 

How to Write a Great Business School Essay

Successfully writing business school essays is tricky. Many factors go into constructing a successful one. However, the top tips we’ve provided below outline how to write an MBA application essay that stands out from the crowd. 

Pay Attention to Your Essay Structure

Blair Mannix , the Admissions Director at Wharton, noticed successful essays all had the same structure: the setup, the pivot point, and the future. 

The setup is the opening of your essay, where you tell the admissions committee about who you are, what you do, and what you have learned so far. 

The pivot point is where you shift from discussing what you already know and do to talking about what you would like to learn and how that will help you succeed. Mannix also describes this as a lightbulb moment, where something clicks, and you realize that if you had more education in one or two areas, you would be better at your job. 

The final section of your essay is your opportunity to describe how gaining knowledge and skills in the area(s) you identified in the pivot point will help your career and why that specific MBA program will make this possible.

For essays that ask you to describe how you will contribute to the institution’s MBA community, Mannix states successful essays are personal, set up as a story, and show how your experiences resonate with the community.

Consider the Tone You Use While Writing Your Essay

It’s important to be genuine in your essay. Admissions committees want to know about you as a person and know if you’re being insincere or simply writing what you think they want to hear. 

As Laurel Grodman from Yale School of Management states, your essay is an “opportunity to speak in your own voice about something meaningful and distinctive in your life.” Don’t waste this opportunity by writing about something you think will make you look better. 

Write something that actually matters to you.

Authenticity is another key element to incorporate in your essay. Clarke recommends integrating aspects of your personality into your essay. For example, she suggests showcasing your creativity, humor, or any other attributes you possess. This allows admission committees to get to know you even better.

The Best MBA Essays Are School-Specific 

At first, this seems like an obvious one; of course, writing a business school essay means writing about the business school itself. However, this is a great opportunity to show off your research and explain why you specifically want to attend this institution. 

Have you looked into the school’s curriculum? Have you found which extracurricular opportunities you want to pursue if you are admitted? Are there any research centers that you want to become involved in? 

Show how this school is the ideal stepping stone to help you achieve your future ambitions. The University of Cambridge Judge Business School provides two MBA application essay examples that highlight the importance of this: 

Example 1 - “The programme will equip me with an entrepreneurial toolkit, allowing me to efficiently evaluate and capitalise on future business opportunities, further bolstering my credibility with future stakeholders.”

Example 2 - “Upon completion of the MBA programme at Cambridge Judge Business School I want to be a decisive and successful business professional.”

The first example is far more compelling; it explains what the student will gain from the program and how they will use it to achieve future success. 

Pick an Event or Situation That Matters to You

When you select your topic to write about in your MBA essay, you need to make sure it is something that had a significant impact on your life and resonates with you personally. This will help ensure your authenticity shows through.

Kellogg Director of Admissions Jennifer Hayes , says that “the best essays [she has] read have heart, are not over-edited, and let the applicant’s personality emerge.” This is best done when you do not force yourself to write something you think admissions directors want to read, but rather tell an organic story that carries significant personal meaning.

The Importance of Storytelling in MBA Essays

Business school admissions officers want to see how you approach traits like leadership and commitment in your MBA application essay. Yet, if you describe an experience and don’t reflect upon it, you will not highlight your mindset, dedication, and motivation. 

The best writers outline the traits that business schools want to see by telling personal stories and anecdotes. But how can you do that? It’s simple — show how your experiences impacted you. Don’t just tell us about it. 

Indeed, to use the idea of commitment as an example, Yale’s admissions committee “cares less about the commitment you choose and more about the behaviors surrounding the commitment.” They want to “come away learning something new about you as a person that helps us understand your values and motivations.”

Illustrating how your experiences affect your values and motivations is difficult; this process requires a lot of introspection and self-reflection. The trick is to use plenty of real-life examples and explain how they embody your values. 

One way to successfully do this is to use the STAR technique . The STAR technique is split into four distinct steps: 

  • Situation - Describe the situation and when it took place.
  • Task - Explain the task and what was the goal.
  • Action - Provide details about the action you took to attain this.
  • Result - Conclude with the result of your action.

Using the four steps outlined above, you can create concise, compelling answers to your essay prompts. Let’s use one of the Berkeley Haas essay prompts as an example for an MBA essay outline:

What makes you feel alive when you are doing it, and why? (300 words maximum) . 

We can split this prompt into two sections: 

  • Describe an activity, hobby, or anything that makes you “feel alive” when you do it. 
  • Explain why you find so much enjoyment in this one thing. 

Storytelling is key here, and the STAR technique can help you break down exactly what you want to say. Remember, it is important to reflect upon your experiences and, in this case, show why you enjoy something. 

If you manage to do this in your essays and show how you achieved results along the way, you will submit a strong MBA application essay. 

Plagiarizing Your MBA Essay 

Plagiarism is a big deal. 

Even if a student doesn’t intend to plagiarize someone’s work, colleges can and will detect it. If colleges detect plagiarism, they will likely reject the application outright; UCLA’s Anderson School of Management rejected 52 MBA hopefuls for application plagiarism. 

Applicants can easily and accidentally plagiarize someone else’s work by following MBA essay examples too closely. Essay examples are useful, as they can inspire you and give you an idea of how you can reflect upon your experiences. However, someone has written that example about their own experience in their own words, and you can’t copy it. 

If you are worried about plagiarism, the simple fix is to be original. After all, admissions committees want to hear about your experiences, motivations, and opinions. 

Authenticity is also an extremely important part of writing well; you will come across as more genuine writing about your genuine thoughts and experiences. If you want to check your work, you can use reliable and low-cost plagiarism checker tools like PrePostSEO and Copyscape .  

MBA Essay Examples

US News wrote an article on what makes for a successful MBA essay. They provided the following MBA entrance essay sample essays written by applicants recently admitted into highly reputable business schools.

This sample was written for Fox School of Business at Temple University .

sample essay

This essay was well-received by the admissions committee because it was written clearly and concisely, free of grammatical errors, and told a story. The candidate showed their personality and explained why a Fox MBA would help them achieve their career goals. 

This particular candidate was honest in their essay about their weaknesses and professional growth, which is generally well-received by admissions committees. The candidate detailed the initiative they had taken in learning about the MBA program at Fox and why they decided to apply.

This next successful essay sample was written for the Yale School of Management.

sample essay

Similar to the previous example, this essay told a compelling story through a clear narrative. This particular essay began with an anecdote that demonstrated the candidate’s work ethic, initiative, leadership, and resourcefulness.

This show-don’t-tell essay displayed what was important to the applicant and offered the admission committee insight into their personality and values. It also provided as much detail as was possible, given the 500-word limit.

Don’t Rely Too Much on MBA Essay Examples 

While MBA essay examples are valuable tools to see what got applicants into business school, they all have one problem: They are not yours. Other peoples’ essay examples don’t focus on your achievements, values, motivations, or experiences. 

In their essays, originality and authenticity are two critical themes that business schools look for because your life is unique. Remember, MBA essay writing is all about getting to know you , and your essays should truly reflect who you are as a person. 

MBA essay examples are useful. They can provide you inspiration, an idea of what can work, and outline how to discuss your own experiences. However, you need to draw a line in the sand and write your own essay at some point. 

People are admitted to particular schools for a wide variety of reasons. While their essays are one of those reasons, what works for one person might not work for you. Try not to overthink it — write about your experiences, background, and, most importantly, opinion. 

Mistakes to Avoid While Writing Your MBA Essay

In addition to following the steps for writing a great MBA essay outlined above, there are also some common mistakes you’ll want to avoid while writing your essay. These mistakes are listed below, along with solutions to fix them.

Submitting an Overly Complex Essay

Admissions committees don’t want to know how many buzzwords and how much industry-related jargon you know. They’re looking to find out about you as a person, not solely as a business person. 

Committees may become frustrated if they have to decipher what you’ve written in your overly complicated essay, especially since your application isn’t the only one that needs reviewing.

The fix : Use your own words and write as if you were talking professionally to a coworker. That way, your essay will sound more straightforward and personal and allow you to make a better connection with your reader.

Not Reading the Essay Question Closely or Misunderstanding the Question

You need to know how to answer MBA essay questions. Misreading or misunderstanding the question will lead you to write an essay that completely misses what the admissions committee wants to learn about you. 

This can lead to your application being discarded.

The fix : Find the keyword(s) in the question first. This will provide you with what the admission committee hopes to learn about you in the essay. 

In the Types of MBA Essays section above, identifying terms such as “contribute,” “gain,” and “lead” shows what the admissions committee is looking for you to answer. It is also a good idea to seek clarification if you find the question confusing. 

Restating Your Resume or Letters of Recommendation

Admission committees don’t want your essay to be a restatement of what’s already outlined in your business school resume and letters of recommendation . Your MBA essay should be unique and should tell a story that can’t be found elsewhere in your application.

The fix : Take some time to think about what you want to write about that answers the essay question and isn’t detailed anywhere else in your application. But suppose the moment or experience you want to write about is already included. 

In that case, you could instead focus on a particular project and describe some of the challenges you encountered, how you overcame them, the project’s outcome, and what you learned from the experience. 

Starting Your MBA Essay Close to the Deadline 

Starting too close to the deadline means you won’t have enough time to put together a clear, concise, and expertly written narrative. If you’re rushed, you’re more likely to make simple mistakes.

The fix : Start planning your essay(s) as soon as the essay questions are made available. Take time to create an outline for each essay so you have a solid plan for when you start to write your draft. 

By starting well ahead of the application deadline, you’ll give yourself plenty of time to write and revise without being crunched for time and stressed.

Giving Half-Baked Reasons for Attending Business School  

Business school admissions committees use your essays to gauge your interest in their program and institution. So, if you are vague about your career plans and why you should get an MBA at a specific school, take the time to outline them. 

Admissions officers want to see applicants who demonstrate clear and well-defined goals. So, do your college research and explain why you want to attend their program. 

1. How Long Should My MBA Application Essay Be?

The length of your MBA essay will depend on the specific school; some schools allow up to 500 words, while others want a very short and to-the-point response of 150 words. 

The length set out by the MBA program you’re applying to is an important consideration, and it is not a good idea to go over the word limit. Admissions committees want to see that you can follow instructions and are capable of writing succinctly. It will not reflect well on you to go over the allowed word count.

2. Is the MBA Essay Less Important Than My GPA and GMAT Score?

No, your MBA essay is at least equally as important as your GPA and GMAT score . While your GPA and GMAT scores are good indicators of your academic abilities, the MBA essay is the admission committee’s first opportunity to get to know you personally. 

This is also the first impression you will make on the committee, so it’s imperative that you write a strong and compelling essay. Most business schools use a holistic approach to assessing applications, and your response to the essay question can determine whether you are a good fit for their program.

3. Is There an MBA Essay Guide for Reapplicants?

Many schools will require or suggest that reapplicants submit an additional essay. 

This will vary by school, and it is important to check with each school’s website for the exact details of what’s expected of reapplicants. If it’s optional, it is a good idea to submit one because it allows you to explain how you’ve grown personally and professionally since your previous application. 

4. Can I Use the Same Business School Essay if I’m Reapplying?

It’s unlikely you’ll be successful using the same essay since your response could have been the reason you were rejected the first time around. 

It’s best to consult with an MBA admissions expert or mentor to find out where you went wrong and what you can do to make your reapplication essay strong and stand out in the best way possible.

5. How Do I Edit My MBA Essay Draft to Make It Better?

First of all, make sure there are no errors with your spelling, grammar, and syntax. Business schools want students with superb communication skills, and having basic errors in your MBA essay does not demonstrate that you have strong communication skills. 

Then, you should go through the common mistakes outlined above and make sure those are not present in your essay; if they are, fix them. Seeking a second opinion from a friend, mentor, colleague, or MBA essay editing expert will also help locate errors or improvement areas.

6. How Can I Ensure My Business School Essay Stands Out?

Whether you are faced with the Wharton MBA essays , Harvard Business School essay , or Booth MBA essays , to name a few, there are a few things you can do to make your essay stand out. 

The event or experience you choose to write about should be something you are able to write about in a compelling narrative. It should also be something you can write about with passion, which will allow the admission committee to see your genuine and authentic voice. 

Your strengths should be woven in with the story you’re telling. These things will make your essay stand out to the admission committee and help them remember you.

Unlock Your Future with the Perfect Business School Essay

Knowing how to write a great MBA essay can be a challenging component of the business school application process. 

But, if you know where to start, make an outline for each essay, and get expert assistance, the process becomes significantly more manageable. Following these steps will help you write a killer MBA essay.

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How to Write a Killer 300 Word Essay, Examples and Outline

Published by gudwriter on January 4, 2021 January 4, 2021

How to write a 300-word essay? Start with understanding the topic, and after researching widely, write an outline. Use the outline to make the first draft and then edit it by trimming down the unnecessary words into a brief, clear, and straightforward 300-word article.

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Most students may find it easy to write answers in two to three pages, but; a 300-word essay requires much more than just information! Regardless of the topic selected for your essay, our top speech writing service is ready to give you the best results.

Tutors often assign their students with short essays to gauge their knowledge, literary skills, and opinions. The student is supposed to give their views or explain a phenomenon using concise language. It takes one or two pages to write up a 300 words essay.

However, just because it is short doesn’t mean it should be vague. Instead, it requires you to plan, research deeply about the topic and then write with precision. These are the skills that will earn you a top grade in your assignments.

Tips for Writing a Killer 300 Word Essay

  • Research on the topic

Before anything, you need to make yourself conversant with what the essay is about. Have a full understanding of the essay question. This will help you know the right answer that the examiner needs. Research about what you are writing and have your facts straight. 

Remember, if you are going to convince the audience, then you will need to provide them with the necessary information in your essay.

  • Take time to plan your essay

If you are going to write my essay right, then you need to be well organized. This means that you must pay attention to the format. In most cases, the examiner will only give you instructions such as ‘explain this and that in 300 words’. It is up to you to know what to include in your introduction, body, or conclusion. It’s critical to draft up an outline before you write the main essay. Pick the significant points and illustrations that you will use when writing your essay. This makes your work neat and evades the trap of being fluffy or redundant.

  • Edit your essay

After you have written your work, it is crucial to read the essay at least two times before submitting it. The first read is a chance to do away with typos and other grammatical errors. The second read gives you new ideas on things you should have possibly omitted or included in the essay.

300 Word Essay Outline

The outline gives you the format to write a killer short essay. It acts as the skeleton onto which your content attaches. When you have the layout, you can write the essay in less than thirty minutes. Most essays have four main segments; title, introduction, body, and conclusion.

The title signals the main message you expect in the article. The first paragraph is usually the introduction, and it  captures the reader’s attention  to read. The body is divided into different sections that handle each of the points that are supporting your argument. Then, the conclusion paragraph sums up and signs off the essay.

Some teachers may give you the topic. However, if they don’t, be sure to pick the best. You can do this by finding a topic that favors you the most. Talk about a field that you are familiar with to have enough material to write about. You may also need to research widely about the topic with which you have been presented. Make your title short and let it summarize the text at hand.

  • Introduction 

The introduction paragraph needs to be brief and aim at acquainting the reader with the topic and grab their attention. An introduction paragraph will be simple to write if you are already conversant with the matter. After hooking the reader to the essay, state your thesis and, in a captivating way, lead your audience to the body paragraphs. Keep your introduction paragraph about 50 words.

Start your introduction paragraph with a conclusive hook. This statement is broad enough to capture the readers’ minds and a meta-theme of your essay. Remember, it is not the thesis but a general perception. e.g.:

“When a man tries to fight against powers beyond him, no matter how hard he strives, he will submit to their will.”

The thesis statement is a sentence that carries the argument of the essay. It is not the title, but it takes the meaning of the topic and the body. If you’ve been provided with a topic to write about, you should look to pick the direction. The direction of your subject is the thesis. e.g.:

“This is clearly shown in Sophocles classical Theban play ‘Oedipus Rex’- where the prince fights against a prophecy to kill his dad and wed his mum, but his efforts only lead him to fulfill it.”

Your other sentence(s) on the introduction section should lay the ground for the oncoming points.

The body of a three hundred word essay should have 2-3 paragraphs. None of these should exceed 100 words. It’s advisable to keep it 75 words (4-6 sentences). If you use two paragraphs in this section, the word count should be 100 for each. 70-75 words should be used when you have three points to discuss. Each of the paragraphs should have its point of discussion hooked to the thesis.

Body Paragraph 1

  • Strongest supportive point
  • Illustrations
  • Explanation
  • A conclusion statement tied to the thesis
  • A transition to the next paragraph

Body Paragraph 2

  • Strongpoint
  • Illustration
  • Conclusion sentence tied to the thesis
  • Transition to the next paragraph

Body Paragraph 3

  • Weakest point
  • Conclusion paragraph

This section requires you to give a factual summary of your essay in about 50 words. The ideal conclusion sentence should have 3-4 sentences. The first should restate the thesis, and the other two summarize the article. Then, it would help if you signaled that you are signing off using an ending statement.

  • Restate the thesis
  • Summarize the essay
  • Ending statement

Explore: Demonstration speech topics .

300 Word Essay Samples

Sample 1: oedipus rex, proof that fate rules.

When a man tries to fight against powers beyond him, he will submit to their will no matter how hard he strives. This is clearly shown in Sophocles’ classical Theban play “Oedipus Rex,” where the prince fights against a prophecy to kill his dad and wed his mum, but his efforts to oppose only lead him to fulfill it. 

Humans live in a pre-structured world, and the only thing they can do is to toe the already set lines. While it is easy for everyone to change the set principles that run the world, they end up losing the fight. Oedipus runs away from home to escape the curse of marrying his mother and killing his father. Unfortunately, it turns out that his family in Olympus is related to him by adoption. So, while he tries to change and lead a healthy life, he ends up killing his birth father at the crossroads and then marries his birth mother. His human efforts only speed up the fulfillment of the prophecy. 

Secondly, society acts as a vehicle through which fate gets fulfilled. The messenger from the King of Thebes sends him to kill Oedipus, but instead, he leaves him to die in the field. A shepherd sees the boy and takes him to the barren royal family in his home country. Then, when he’s grown up, the people around Oedipus tell him about the prophecy, which makes him feel urged to run away. In the process, he fulfills what fate has in store for him.

This clearly explains how difficult it is for humans to set a separate life path from what fate has already established. Humans are bound by fate, and it controls the things they do no matter how hard they try. Oedipus Rex is a victim of the predetermined life, and there’s little he can do about it. His efforts to evade the abomination only lead him into tripping into it. In short, the play is a classical indication of the extent to which deities can take control of human life.

Sample 2: Technical Skills are More Important than Theoretical Subjects

Students’ culture in high school and colleges flocking to take theoretical subjects at the expense of acquiring technical skills needs to be controlled. Society needs more technical skills than conceptual skills to develop. Thus, the sooner we encourage people to take skill courses, the better for our future. 

Technical subjects such as the sciences teach people to perform real work and achieve concrete results. Technical skills are needed for development and facing the challenges brought by modernization and civilization. The world today needs people who can come up with practical solutions to pressing matters. On the other hand, the results of theoretical subject-related solutions are usually abstract. This ends up having too many ideas but little efforts to use them in transforming society. Thus, if most students would take technical skills, it would make the world a better place. 

Then, the massive influx of people with non-applicable theoretical skills flooding the job market is unnecessarily increasing unemployment and poverty rates. Every government worldwide is trying to fight unemployment and poverty while they can efficiently address these problems by giving their citizens the proper education. Technical skills equip students with hands-on abilities to make things, and it is not easy for them to be jobless. People with such skills don’t need to be formally employed as they can use their aptitude to sort their lives. This makes such skills more critical than those that are theoretical. 

Modern society is moving fast, and the need for technical skills keeps outdoing that of theoretical capabilities. Technical skills help reduce the rate of unemployment and poverty. At the same time, they increase the workforce needed to transform and develop society by offering hands-on solutions to daily challenges. Therefore, it is doubtless that it is high time the enrollment to technical courses is increased as compared to theoretical subjects.

Sample 3: Democracy is an Expensive Necessity

Democracy is one of the best-known methods of governance. However, it does not come without its flaws. Several jurisdictions worldwide have adopted the essence of having the people determine the way they want to be ruled. However, since the principle of self-determination is highly revered, it is the most expensive way to order people. 

Democracy requires frequent elections to determine new leaders and give people the chance to decide on the direction they want their societies to take. However, this only ends up ruining the economy. In most countries, the electioneering year records closures of businesses due to political uncertainties. Currencies and shares lose their value in the process until the leaders are sworn in. This makes democracy an expensive deal. 

In the same breadth, the idea of having elections only brings about unnecessary competition among the political class, which has nothing to do with the development of society. In particular, politicians fix problems for fame and secure another term in office instead of doing it to transform people’s lives. This fuels populism as politicians strive to outdo each other in the eyes of the public. In the end, the services that people are offered are not geared towards making the world a better place. This makes this mode of governance costly as it hurts essential parts of the economy. 

In short, democracy is indeed an expensive necessity. Elections cause unnecessary political instability, which hurts the economy. The ruling class typically work for showoff instead of having the interest of the people at heart. However, despite the economic glitches attached to self-rule, it protects freedoms. People can vote for individuals they find worthy of ruling them. Public participation policy also ensures that the people take part in the decision making process. This part tries to cut the balance in shaping this form of governance as an expensive necessity. 

Useful resource ;

Essay sample on causes and effects of stress on students .

Things you Must do Before Submitting your Essay

Students come up with the ideal essay titles, outline, and content. Then they are surprised when they get scores that are below their expectations. Well, no matter how impressive your essay may be, there is still more that you need to do to get a good grade. The finishing of the essay is just as important as the beginning. That is why you need to do the following before submitting it to your professor.

  • Check for plagiarism

Signs of plagiarism in your work screams inauthentic, and your professor will not be pleased if you submit plagiarized material. To be on the safe side, run your work through a plagiarism checker to ensure the content is original before submitting it.

  • Check for referencing

As you are aware, you are supposed to quote the source of any idea that is not your own. You may forget to put down references while writing, and this is your chance to ensure that nothing significant has been left out.

This kind of essay is short, but that does not mean that you don’t have to play by the book. An essay structure should be maintained, alongside adherence to other rules that apply to essay writing. The guide above will go a long way in ensuring that you write a winning essay.

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How to Write a Killer Essay

The main objective to writing an essay is to make it the best it can be. In order to write a killer essay, take into consideration what steps you can go through to ensure your essay will reach its full potential! Here are some basic steps to make a home run.

Your topic should be of interest to you. This is the most important quality of a topic choice. If you are writing about something you have an interest in, the readers will respond to that sense of interest and will catch on to it as well. This is probably the most obvious approach to make your essay a winner. Of course you will not always be writing things that you are passionate about, but that also does not mean you should have a boring essay. Look to writing styles to pull off an exciting and informative read, and you will succeed.

Make your essay unique! This is important as well, especially for those who are writing about topics that have been covered many times over. By making sure your essay is unique, look to present new or little known information about a topic. This will engage the reader, even if they have a strong familiarity with the subject. You also can make your essay unique by including interesting facts- but do not get carried away with trivia. While some nuggets of relevant but not necessary information is desireable, if you do this trick overkill you risk going on a tangent and diluting your essay.

Well Researched

A killer essay, at essence, is something that is well researched from many different areas. Being well informed yourself will only make your essay that much better. When you provide a wall of well researched information, it not only helps you as an author become a trusted authority on a topic, but also helps your readers learn and understand new topics they never considered otherwise. This is the main goal of writing an amazing essay.

In order to make sure you have a decent amount of research, it is better to go above and beyond on background information as well as information that is relevant to that topic. This is a great way to pad your essay with research as well as exhibiting your newfound knowledge of the topic. The more you understand the material at hand, the better you will be able to explain it to others, and in turn write a killer essay.

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  1. How to Write a Killer College Essay: A Step-by-Step Guide

    Here's everything you need to know about nailing your college essay. What Colleges Want to See in Your Essay. Step-by-Step: How to Write Your College Essay. 1. Read All of the Instructions. 2. Brainstorm Your College Essay Topic. 3. Create Your Outline.

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    3. ANATOMY OF AN INTRO. There's lots of advice out there that tells you an introduction is the least important part of an essay, something you can rush over to get to the 'good stuff'. They're wrong. Writing a killer introduction is the magic ticket to an excellent essay.

  3. 5 Tips for Writing a Killer Plot Twist: Types, Examples, and Techniques

    5 Tips for Writing a Killer Plot Twist: Types, Examples, and Techniques. Here's something you'll never hear a reader say: "That mystery went exactly as I predicted, and that made me happy.". On the contrary, readers want big surprises as a reward for reading further. These surprises are commonly referred to as plot twists. Here's ...

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    How to write a killer essay in 3 easy steps. academics expository writing High School. By Julie. We've all been there: staring at a blank document, practically able to feel the creeping imminence of our paper's deadline. For so many of us, it's really hard to sit down and actually channel our thoughts into a coherent form, let alone one ...

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    understand why it's worth writing that essay. A strong thesis will be arguable rather than descriptive, and it will be the right scope for the essay you are writing. If your thesis is descriptive, then you will not need to convince your readers of anything—you will be naming or summarizing something your readers can already see for themselves.

  6. How To Craft A Killer College Essay

    Open up a blank Google document, a word document, or grab a pen and paper if you're old school. Write down everything that might be a good idea. Take a long hard look at your activities section and cross-reference it with your "maybe" list from step #2. If there's any overlap, cross those items off immediately.

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    VIDEO-SPECIFIC RESOURCES-Our preferred essay-writing methodology: collegeessayguy.com-Caroline Koppelman's "How to Make a College Essay Stand Out: Break Form...

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    Ask a rhetorical question. This can give the reader something to think about, and it can put your topic in the context of some greater problem. These two options are merely suggestions, and you can end your conclusion however you feel is best. The point is to make sure that the reader stays hooked until the very end.

  9. How to Write a Killer College Essay

    In this part, you should elaborate on your topic in depth. The paragraphs are limited to the word count. Try to be as precise as you can. Elaborate on the details by giving relevant examples for each one of them. Conclusion. In the end, remind the reader what all this was about by echoing your thesis statement.

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    Step 2: Re-state your thesis. The conclusion must refer to the thesis from your introduction as it brings your essay full circle. However, to show growth, the writer should re-state the thesis with a novel slant. So, do not just pull out a thesaurus and change a few words; the new thesis should have a different structure. Thesis: Children with ...

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    Once you've gotten the gist of your paper down, the real work begins: 6. Revise Your Draft. Okay, now that you've word-vomited everywhere in a semi-organized fashion, it's time to start building this thing into a cohesive paper. If you took the time to outline properly, then this part shouldn't be too difficult.

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    The easiest way to structure an introduction of any kind is by following this general structure: Spend the first sentence or two easing into your topic. Nice and slow. You don't want to scare people off by immediately listing data and outside sources or diving directly into analysis.

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    Step 2: Review your main points. Next, remind the reader of the main points that you used to support your argument. Avoid simply summarizing each paragraph or repeating each point in order; try to bring your points together in a way that makes the connections between them clear. The conclusion is your final chance to show how all the paragraphs ...

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    Table of contents. Step 1: Hook your reader. Step 2: Give background information. Step 3: Present your thesis statement. Step 4: Map your essay's structure. Step 5: Check and revise. More examples of essay introductions. Other interesting articles. Frequently asked questions about the essay introduction.

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  18. How to Write a Killer MBA Essay

    The fix: Find the keyword (s) in the question first. This will provide you with what the admission committee hopes to learn about you in the essay. In the Types of MBA Essays section above, identifying terms such as "contribute," "gain," and "lead" shows what the admissions committee is looking for you to answer.

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    So, the stronger your introductory point, the better the impression you make on your markers. Paraphrasing is another thing that you should follow to make your essay relevant from the beginning to the end. Also, keep track of the essay's style and the overall effect you want to create on the reader.

  20. How to Write a Killer Essay: Othello: A study Guide Kindle Edition

    How to Write a Killer Essay: Othello: A study Guide - Kindle edition by Czlapinski, Becky. Download it once and read it on your Kindle device, PC, phones or tablets. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading How to Write a Killer Essay: Othello: A study Guide.

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    How to Write a Killer Essay: The Great Gatsby - Kindle edition by Czlapinski, Becky. Download it once and read it on your Kindle device, PC, phones or tablets. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading How to Write a Killer Essay: The Great Gatsby.

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  23. How to Write a Killer 300 Word Essay, Examples and Outline

    Tips for Writing a Killer 300 Word Essay. Research on the topic; Before anything, you need to make yourself conversant with what the essay is about. Have a full understanding of the essay question. This will help you know the right answer that the examiner needs. Research about what you are writing and have your facts straight.

  24. Writing A Killer Essay: A List Of Interesting Ideas

    How to Write a Killer Essay. The main objective to writing an essay is to make it the best it can be. In order to write a killer essay, take into consideration what steps you can go through to ensure your essay will reach its full potential! Here are some basic steps to make a home run. Interest. Your topic should be of interest to you.