college essay about a fear

97 Fear Essay Topics & Examples

🏆 best topics about fear & essay examples, 📌 good fear essay topics, ❓research questions about fear.

If you study psychology, you will probably have to write a fear essay at some point. The emotion is strong and can significantly affect any person, with effects potentially impairing his or her judgment and performance.

It can also result from a variety of sources, such as phobias or trauma, and manifest in many different conditions, taking the person by surprise. As such, it is essential to study the topic of how a person may deal with fear, with the most well-known one being courage.

However, there are many ideas on how the trait can be developed that can be used as fear essay hooks, but not all of them are viable. This article will help you write a powerful essay on the various topics associated with fear.

Fear is an emotion triggered by a perceived threat as a response that prepares the person to address it in an appropriate manner. As such, it is a reaction that helps people cope in the short term, but its effects when the person is constantly in a state of fear can be dangerous.

Examples include physical health deterioration due to the hormone production associated with the reaction and permanent mental health effects, such as PTSD.

As such, people who are affected by chronic fear should try to escape the state to avoid threats to their well-being. The first step towards doing so would be to discover and investigate the causes of the emotion.

Fear triggers in response to danger, whether real or perceived, and the nature of the reaction can provide you with ideas for fear essay titles. While it may be challenging to alleviate real conditions of real danger, not many people have to live in such situations.

Most chronic fear comes from various phobias, or persistent fear reactions to situations that may not warrant such a response. There are numerous variations, such as acrophobia, the fear of heights, and they are interesting topics for an investigation.

Between the many tall buildings designed by people and travel methods such as airplanes, a person with the condition may find it challenging to avoid stressful situations. However, they can generally avoid worrisome conditions with careful planning and the help of others.

Courage is a well-known quality that helps people overcome their fear, one that is described in many stories and images. However, it should be noted that courage is not the absence of fear, but rather a willingness to acknowledge it and confront the source.

The act involves a conscious effort of the will, and many people believe they do not have the capacity to do so. You should discuss the ways in which people can learn to be courageous and the methods that can be used to inspire them to try.

Here are some additional tips for enhancing your essay:

• Focus on the positive implications of fear and courage, as they are responsible for many of humanity’s great successes, and provide fear essay examples. Our society is safe from many different dangers because people were afraid of them.
• Make sure to cite scholarly sources wherever appropriate instead of trying to rely on common knowledge. Psychology is a science that has developed considerably since its inception and can offer a wealth of knowledge.
• Follow standard essay formatting guidelines, such as the use of academic language, the separation of different essay parts with appropriate titles, and the use of an introduction and conclusion.

Get more fear essay theses and other useful paper samples at IvyPanda!

• “The Big Wave” by Pearl S. Buck: Jiya and Kino’s Rise Above Fear A deeper contemplation of the first few pages of the story reveals that Jiya is always afraid of the ocean since he understands the wrath of the storm and the changes it has brought in […]
• Hitler’s Use of Propaganda and Fear-Mongering The establishment of the National Socialist German Worker’s Party led to the adoption of a properly coordinated propaganda campaign that would prepare the country for war.
• Ghost’s Fear Believe you me that as one listens to all mysterious actions of the ghosts in the stories, he or she is forming the same picture in the mind.
• Xenophobia – The Fear of Foreigners This reaction of the woman is xenophobic because it highlights fear and hatred of people of another race emanating. The second component of xenophobia entails the fear of cultures and the main target of this […]
• Sociological Book “The Culture of Fear” by Barry Glassner The book “The Culture of Fear” presents many examples of the sources of fear in the United States. The peddlers of panic in the country inflate statistics to pursue their causes and goals.
• My Monster: The Fear of Being Alone Thus, my monster is the fear of being alone, and it is similar to several literary characters at once: Grendel’s mother, the Demon Lover, and the fear of a couple from Once Upon a Time.
• Atychiphobia, or the Fear of Failure in Psychology Putting it simply, the fear of failure is the incapability to suppress the anxious and irrational feeling of fear that, as a result, affects one’s life.
• Why Are We Afraid of Death? However, it can be interesting to understand why the rest of the people are so afraid of death. People are afraid of the unknown.
• Substance Abuse in Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas The protagonists constantly increase the dose of the hallucinogen, which leads to “a quantitative increase in the effects of the experience”.
• The News Media Role in the Culture of Fear The reception of such news has the potential of eliciting fear among the public depending on one’s understanding or relation to the news spread by the media houses.
• The Movie “Color of Fear” The issue of racism is introduced by the film’s director right from the beginning. Therefore, by the end of the video the issue of race is already embedded in the mind of the viewer.
• Fear and intolerance of aging – “Love in the time of cholera” by Gabriel Marquez This passage was chosen because it carries with it one of the most dominant themes of the narrative which is the fear and intolerance of aging.
• Robert Frost’s Fear Poetry In Sheehy’s article, Lawrence Thompson notes that the ultimate problem of Frost biographer is to see if the biographer can be enough of a psychologist to get far enough back into the formative years of […]
• “Mediating Effect of the Fear of Missing Out” by Fontes-Perryman and Spina In particular, they were interested in the FOMO and CSMU’s potential mediating effect between OCD and SMF. Overall, the main strength of the argument is that the authors conducted two separate studies involving people from […]
• Fear of Missing Out and Scarcity in Social Media The study’s independent variables were “none”, “some”, and “all”, while the dependent variable was “the number of friends who agreed to attend the event”.
• The Views on the Freedom from Fear in the Historical Perspective In this text, fear is considered in the classical sense, corresponding to the interpretation of psychology, that is, as a manifestation of acute anxiety for the inviolability of one’s life.
• Fear of Immigrants and People of Color in the US The enhancement of strict immigration laws was due to the transfer of immigrants out of Europe to foreigners from Africa, Asia, and Latin America.
• Increasing Level of Fear of Crime and Its Cause Curiel and Bishop report that the rate of victimization, meaning the rate of actual crime taking place, is opposite to the rate of fear of crime.
• How to Overcome Fear and Succeed: Informative Speech General purpose: To describe Specific purpose: To teach my listeners the method I use to speak confidently in public and learn new skills.
• The Salem Witch Trials: A Time of Fear The outbreak began with the sudden and rather unusual illness of the daughter and niece of the local Reverend Samuel Parris.
• Gagging Prevalence and Its Association With Dental Fear in 4-12 Year Old Children The Gagging Assessment Scale (GAS) is a questionnaire in which children answered questions about their feelings during a regular dental procedure, for example, tooth brushing.
• Researching of Why Human Beings Fear Death From the religious perspective, some people know about their sins committed on earth in their life and are afraid of the punishment for those sins as opposed to people who believe in God and His […]
• Fighting Fear: The Only Secret Behind Becoming Rich The aim of the proposed research is to determine how fear of risks may affect the decisions taken in accounting and finance and in turn the development of an entrepreneurial culture in people.
• Effects of Community Policing Upon Fear of Crime The purpose of the article aimed at identifying the intervening factors in relation to how people perceive community policing and decrease of criminal threat and anxieties among citizens; therefore, the two researchers aimed to address […]
• The Effects of Campus Shootings on Fear of Crime on Campus This study focuses on investigating the impacts of shootings on fear of crime on campus. First, there is a relationship between campus shootings and fear on crime.
• “Childbirth Fear and Sleep Deprivation in Pregnant Women” by Hall To further show that the information used is current, the authors have used the APA style of referencing which demand the naming of the author as well as the year of publication of the article/book […]
• Culture, Gaze and the Neural Processing of Fear Expressions The paper has a cross-cultural setting and this justifies the appeal to an earlier authoritative study that compared the cultural experience to the expression of basic emotions.
• Theory of Fear as a Part of Public Policy As Machiavelli points out, fear is an integral part of the policy of a prince, in case it bites not his royal majesty, but the people of the state. And since that certainly means a […]
• ”Courage to Teach” by Palmer: How to Deal With Fear The relationship between the teacher and the student is a very important element of the teaching process according to the author, meaning that the human condition must be considered in the process of teaching.
• Fear and Environmental Change in Philadelphia The coincidence of the keywords of both articles is the evident proof of the similarity of the issues analyzed with the only difference concerning the territorial location of the problem.
• Abnormal Psychology: Nature of Fear There is a group of disorders which share obvious symptoms and features of fear and anxiety and these are known as anxiety disorders.
• Fear in News and Violence in Media In the proposed paper I intend to present the prevailing fear in American society and which has been produced by news media and the rise of a “problem frame” which is used to delineate this […]
• Edgar Allan Poe’s Fear of Premature Burial For instance, in The Tell-Tale Heart and The Black Cat the police arrive and stimulate a desire on the part of the narrator to confess his crime and undergo punishment from the state.
• Gender Inequality, Violence Against Women, and Fear in The Sopranos Thus, the major research question will be “Does The Sopranos endorse or criticize VaW through the frequent depiction of the scenes of cruelty?” The hypothesis of the research paper will be “The portrayal of VaW […]
• Technophobes and Their Fear of Technology Technophobes assume that they will whether be laid off by the company or will have to commit to continuous learning, which to many people, is a big challenge on its own.
• Patient’s Dental Fear: Managing Anxiety In order to find out the most effective ways to cope with the patient’s dental fear, one might consider those methods which will be applicable in accordance with the state of a client.
• Educational Administration: Promise and Fear The particular case that Erica has to deal with is the case of Royal Collins, a fourth-grader who has problems in his family and often demonstrates misbehavior at school.
• Fear from Media Reporting of Crimes The biggest question is whether it is the fact that there are criminals all around us, or it is in the head. The role of the media is quite profound in this.
• Ku Klux Klan and Fear-Fueled Hatred The KKK was a violent response to the conflict’s aim of eliminating slavery of black people. The tone of the violent acts that the KKK members performed was vigilant supporters of white supremacy believed that […]
• Psychological Science: Fear of Heights in Infants The article ‘Fear of Heights in Infants?’ by Adolph et al.shows that the conventional belief is a myth and provides an alternative explanation as to why infants avoid falling off the edge.
• Fear of Missing Out (FoMO) and Social Media Usage The first hypothesis, for instance, is that the greater the number of social media platforms used regularly, the higher the level of FoMO a person will experience.
• Definition of Dental Anxiety and Fear That way, studying the facts that contribute to the prevalence of anxiety in dental patients, the researchers should study the psychopathological profiles of anxious individuals.
• Overcoming Fear of Failure Consequently, this essay evaluates the roles of research practitioners on how fear of failure generates and the significance of their research in the websites.
• Fear in Behaviorist and Cognitive Perspectives Therefore, my fear is a result of the retrieval of what happened to me on the day I found that snake in my room.
• Psychology of Fear: Amanda Ripley Views Another important element associated with disbelief is lack of information among the victims and those responding to the disaster. The immediate decision to vacate a disaster prone-area is dangerous and lacks in terms of deliberate […]
• Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas Film Analysis The drugs presented in “Fear and loathing in Las Vegas” are of various types, cigarettes and alcohol are legal, grass is legal only in some countries, and the rest of the drugs are illegal everywhere […]
• Dissecting the American Society: Baltimore, Fear and the Fight for Life Despite the fact that the citizens of Baltimore are also partially responsible for the moral decomposition of the city, the society and the prejudices that it produces also seem to have had a hand in […]
• “Freedom from Fear” by David M. Kennedy Whereas the latter omission may be judged bitterly by critiques of this book, it is interesting to note that the era of the Great Depression has been dramatically discussed by the author to the best […]
• Critical Analyses of the Climate of Fear Report From Southern Poverty Law Center Following the murder of Marcelo Lucero in the Suffolk County, the federal government initiated an investigation to establish the foundations of the practice and pattern of hate crimes against the undocumented immigrants.
• Fear and Trembling by Soren Kierkegaard: Passage Analysis To a great extent, this feeling belittles a human being, and in the long term, this emotion can only lead to the bitterness of the individual who is a subject of pity.
• Fear Appeals in Advertising Fear appeals work when advertisers present a moderate amount of fear and a solution to the problem is present in the advertisement. A thorough elaboration of fear may interfere with the communication of the intended […]
• The world after college and fear All the jokes and laughter aside, O’ Brien still manages to remain relevant to the occasion and to his main audience.
• Fear vs. Courage On the other hand, the goodies that ensue from being obedient form the basis of his courage to adhere to set rules and do the will of his authorities.
• Summary of the Article “Should We Fear Derivatives?” It is necessary to become more attentive to the use of derivatives, to follow the development of derivatives, and to study the peculiarities of each derivative’s type in order to use them properly.
• Hopes and Fears in Regard to the “Network Society” On the other hand, the importance of mass media and communication means has led to prevailing role of computers and other instant messaging devices over personal communication, and the resulting depersonalization of human relations.
• The Culture of Fear The culture of fear is not new: it continues to breed with the sustaining efforts of the opportunistic politicians seeking votes from the public by playing on people’s emotions through mass media.
• Embracing the Entire Globe: Globalization Is not to Be Feared! Despite the fact that globalization is designed to reunite people, restoring their economical, political and personal links with one another, there are certain suspicions that the effect of globalization can possibly harm the ethnicity and […]
• The Pianist: When the Mercy Comes Where Angels Fear to Trod Among them, there is the film called The Pianist, a winner of the Palme d’Or on the Cannes Festival and the movie that has raised a great stir among the audience, them regarding the film […]
• Fear and Trembling in Las Vegas In the book “Fear and Trembling in Las Vegas”, the author takes his readers through their experience in the chase of the American Dream.
• Machiavelli’s Claim to Be Either Feared or Loved In describing a leader’s demonstration of his personal skills and knowledge for the attainment of the state’s good, Machiavelli focuses the importance of statesmanship.
• Aerophobia or Fear of Flying The main aim of the careful explanation of the positive reasons of recovering from the condition is to enable the victim to have a feeling of absolute calmness as the session winds up and to […]
• Phil Barker: What Is Fear? According to the author, there is some form of fear that is understandable and advantageous to an individual while there is also some fear that accounts for conflicts that result in war.
• The Movie Tarnished as a Threat: Did They Fear Egoism, Altruism or What Hid in Between? Thus, it is reasonable to suggest that the movie gives a good example of what such people’s traits as egoism and altruism can lead to, once they have been too exaggerated.
• The Fears Within: What Do You See in the Mirror? Without thinking much of what she should take with her, or where the trip would take her, Cassie had bought the tickets and soon was flying away to the islands where the world would be […]
• Fear associated with sexuality issues in society This essay has shown how sexuality particularly in Africa is an issue that has for a long time served to propagate the fear of different people.
• Fear’s Psychological Aspects The controls and the fearful research participants were quicker in finding a target that was fear relevant, which the research group did not fear.
• SARS: It’s as Bad as We Feared but Dared Not Say The cornerstone of the study is the article written by Jennifer Eagleton wherein she described not only the SARS outbreak in Hong Kong in 2003 but also the way the media dealt with the crisis […]
• How Far Did the CCP Control China Through Fear?
• Does Fear Make Our Lives Decisions for Us?
• How Does Iago Inspire Fear and a Looming Sense of Tragedy Through His Soliloquies?
• Can Fear Beat Hope?
• How Does the Reporting of Criminal Offenses Create Fear?
• Does Global Fear Predict Fear in BRICS Stock Markets?
• How Far Was Fear of Communism the Main Reason for the Rise to Power of the Nazi Party?
• Did Hitler Use Fear to Control?
• How Does Spielberg Create Fear and Humour Within Jaws?
• Does Imagination Overcome Fear in the Fall of the House of Usher by Edgar Allan Poe?
• How Does Fear Affect Personal Behavioral Development?
• Can Fear Cause Economic Collapse?
• Does Fear Increase Search Effort in More Numerate People?
• How Does Bram Stoker Use Gothic Conventions to Create an Atmosphere of Suspense and Fear for the Reader?
• Does Monetary Policy Credibility Mitigate the Fear of Floating?
• How Can Fear Arousal Be Used as a Method of Health Promotion?
• Does More Unemployment Cause More Fear of Unemployment?
• How Can One Overcome Fear of Public Speaking?
• Does One Gender Incite Fear Over Another?
• How Are Characters Affected by Fear in One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest?
• Does Religiousness Buffer Against the Fear of Death and Dying in Late Adulthood?
• How Does Culture Mold the Effects of Self-Efficacy and Fear of Failure on Entrepreneurship?
• Does the Fear Gauge Predict Downside Risk More Accurately Than Econometric Models?
• How Does Charles Dickens Build a Sense of Fear Throughout the Signalman?
• Does the Media Affect People’s Fear of Crime?
• How Does Fear Affect Our Society?
• Why Do Males and Females Register Fear Differently?
• How Can Fear Destroy an Individual?
• Was the Cuban Missile Crisis the Result of Castro’s Fear of the U.S. Invasion?
• How Does ‘Moral Panic’ Increase Our Fear of Crime?
• Chicago (A-D)
• Chicago (N-B)

IvyPanda. (2024, February 24). 97 Fear Essay Topics & Examples. https://ivypanda.com/essays/topic/fear-essay-examples/

"97 Fear Essay Topics & Examples." IvyPanda , 24 Feb. 2024, ivypanda.com/essays/topic/fear-essay-examples/.

IvyPanda . (2024) '97 Fear Essay Topics & Examples'. 24 February.

IvyPanda . 2024. "97 Fear Essay Topics & Examples." February 24, 2024. https://ivypanda.com/essays/topic/fear-essay-examples/.

1. IvyPanda . "97 Fear Essay Topics & Examples." February 24, 2024. https://ivypanda.com/essays/topic/fear-essay-examples/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "97 Fear Essay Topics & Examples." February 24, 2024. https://ivypanda.com/essays/topic/fear-essay-examples/.

• Human Behavior Research Topics
• Anxiety Essay Topics
• Belief Questions
• Abuse Research Topics
• Courage Topics
• Honesty Essay Ideas
• Humor Essay Topics
• Respect Essay Topics
• Moral Development Essay Topics
• Safety Essay Ideas
• Conflict Research Topics
• Hope Research Topics
• Leadership Concept Essay Titles
• Personal Values Ideas
• Stoicism Topics

Duke TIP Navigator

The official magazine for TIPsters in 4th–6th grade

Turning Fear into Confidence—A Personal Essay

October 14, 2020

Facing obstacles throughout your life is inevitable, and the obstacles you overcome can define who you are as a person. Not only will this build character and self-confidence, it will show others how strong you remained and inspire them to overcome their own challenges.

But overcoming obstacles is no simple task. Most obstacles are incredibly hard and testing. Yet, by overcoming them, you will come to understand why they are important. The significance of overcoming obstacles in life is to make you more grounded, courageous, and wise. For me, one of these life-altering obstacles emerged during my undergraduate years.

I had a serious fear of public speaking. There were times where I would struggle with presentations and in-class discussions. When these sessions would take place, my fear built up in a pressure cooker of discouragement and convulsive anguish. I felt humiliated before my teachers, partners, and most of all, my close friends. I soon realized, however, that the same people who seemed to be the source of my fear became my lifeline, their inspirational words filling my mind and heart with positive thoughts.

Seeing my struggles, my peers tried to build me up, to increase my confidence in myself and convince me that anything, including overcoming my fear of public speaking, could be accomplished with enough enthusiasm and belief in oneself.

The obstacles we face in life can distort how we see ourselves and cripple our ability to face our fears. By facing these conflicts head on, though, we can completely flip their effect on us, transforming them into experiences that strengthen our resilience and push the boundaries of what we think is possible to achieve.

Taking everything into account everything I’ve learned from this experience and many others like it that I’ve encountered in my life, it’s clear that obstacles are impossible to avoid, and when you do encounter them, you must view them as learning opportunities. You might just surprise yourself at how easily you overcome them.

This post was written by Duke TIP’s outgoing Marketing & Communications intern, Christina Gordon. Christina graduated from North Carolina Central University in the spring of 2020.

About Duke TIP

The Duke University Talent Identification Program (Duke TIP) is a nonprofit organization that has served over three million academically talented students in grades 4–12 since it was founded in 1980. Collaborating with educators and parents, TIP helps gifted students assess the extent of their academic abilities with above-grade-level testing, recognizes them for their achievements, and provides them with a variety of enrichment benefits as well as accelerated face-to-face and online educational programs.

Essay on Fear

Students are often asked to write an essay on Fear in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Fear

Understanding fear.

Fear is a basic human emotion that alerts us to the presence of danger. It is fundamental to our survival, making us respond quickly when we sense a threat.

Fear’s Role

Fear helps us make decisions that protect us from harm. It triggers our ‘fight or flight’ response, preparing our bodies to either confront or escape danger.

Overcoming Fear

Fear can be overcome by understanding and facing it. When we challenge our fears, we learn to control them, reducing their impact on our lives.

The Positive Side of Fear

Fear can also be positive, motivating us to push beyond our comfort zones, leading to personal growth and achievement.

Also check:

• Paragraph on Fear
• Speech on Fear

250 Words Essay on Fear

Fear is an innate emotional response to perceived threats. It is evolutionarily wired into our brains, acting as a survival mechanism that alerts us to danger and prepares our bodies to react. While fear can be a beneficial response, it can also be debilitating when it becomes chronic or irrational.

The Physiology of Fear

Fear triggers a cascade of physiological responses, including the release of adrenaline and cortisol. These hormones prepare the body for the ‘fight or flight’ response by increasing heart rate, blood pressure, and glucose levels. This process, while crucial for survival in threatening situations, can lead to health problems if sustained over a long period.

Fear and the Mind

Psychologically, fear can be both a conscious and subconscious experience. It can be based on real threats or imagined ones, leading to anxiety disorders and phobias. Fear can also influence decision-making, often leading to risk-averse behavior. Understanding the psychological aspects of fear is essential for effective mental health treatment.

Overcoming fear involves recognizing and confronting it. Techniques such as cognitive behavioral therapy, exposure therapy, and mindfulness-based stress reduction can be effective. These strategies aim to change the thought patterns that lead to fear and teach coping mechanisms to manage fear responses.

Fear in Society

Fear also plays a significant role in society, influencing politics, economics, and social interactions. It can be used as a tool of manipulation, or it can drive societal change. Recognizing the societal implications of fear is crucial for fostering a more understanding and empathetic society.

In conclusion, fear is a complex emotion with profound impacts on individuals and society. Understanding its mechanisms and implications can help us navigate our fears and use them as catalysts for growth.

500 Words Essay on Fear

Introduction.

Fear is a universal human experience, an essential part of our biological makeup that has evolved over millions of years. It is a complex emotion that can be both protective and paralyzing, serving as a warning signal for danger while also potentially hindering personal growth and exploration. This essay explores the multifaceted nature of fear, its psychological implications, and its role in shaping human behavior and society.

The Biological Basis of Fear

Fear is fundamentally rooted in our biology. It is a response triggered by the amygdala, a small, almond-shaped structure in the brain that processes emotional stimuli. When we perceive a threat, the amygdala activates the body’s fight-or-flight response, leading to physiological changes such as increased heart rate, rapid breathing, and heightened alertness. This response is adaptive and has been crucial for human survival, allowing us to react quickly to potential threats.

The Psychological Aspect of Fear

Psychologically, fear is a multifaceted emotion with wide-ranging implications. It can be both acute, as in the immediate response to a threat, and chronic, as in the long-term fear associated with anxiety disorders. Fear can also be learned through conditioning or observation, which explains why different individuals may have different fear responses to the same stimulus.

Fear can lead to avoidance behavior, where individuals steer clear of situations that they perceive as threatening. While this can be protective, it can also be limiting, preventing individuals from pursuing opportunities and experiences that could lead to personal growth.

Fear and Society

On a societal level, fear can be both a unifying and a divisive force. It can bring people together in the face of a common threat, but it can also be exploited to manipulate public opinion and justify oppressive policies. Fear can lead to stereotyping and discrimination, as individuals or groups are scapegoated as threats to societal safety and order.

Overcoming fear involves recognizing and understanding it. Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is one effective method, as it helps individuals reframe their fearful thoughts and gradually expose themselves to feared situations. Mindfulness and meditation can also be beneficial, allowing individuals to stay present and focused rather than getting caught up in fearful thoughts.

In conclusion, fear is an integral part of the human experience, with deep biological roots and far-reaching psychological and societal implications. While it can be protective, it can also be limiting and divisive. Understanding and managing fear is therefore crucial, not just for individual well-being, but also for societal harmony and progress. As we navigate through an increasingly complex and uncertain world, the ability to confront and overcome our fears will be more important than ever.

That’s it! I hope the essay helped you.

If you’re looking for more, here are essays on other interesting topics:

• Essay on Family
• Essay on Ethics
• Essay on Equality

Apart from these, you can look at all the essays by clicking here .

Happy studying!

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Home — Essay Samples — Life — Emotions & Feelings — Fear

Essays on Fear

Hook examples for fear essays, "the anatomy of fear"" hook.

"Fear is a powerful and primal emotion that has shaped human survival for millennia. Explore the intricate anatomy of fear, from its psychological triggers to its physical manifestations."

The Fear Factor in Literature and Film Hook

"Fear is a common theme in literature and cinema, captivating audiences with suspense and terror. Journey through the pages and screens of iconic horror stories and analyze the art of fear portrayal."

Facing Fear: Personal Stories Hook

"Fear can be a paralyzing force, but it can also be a catalyst for personal growth. Listen to the inspiring stories of individuals who confronted their deepest fears and emerged stronger."

Fear in the Modern World Hook

""In an era of rapid change and uncertainty, fear takes on new forms. Examine the fears that dominate the modern world, from technological anxieties to global crises, and their impact on society.""

The Psychology of Fear Hook

"Fear is deeply rooted in the human psyche. Delve into the psychology of fear, exploring its evolutionary origins, cognitive processes, and the ways in which it influences decision-making."

Fear and Resilience Hook

"Fear can be a formidable adversary, but it can also reveal our capacity for resilience. Investigate how individuals and communities have harnessed fear to drive positive change and build resilience."

Overcoming Fear: Strategies for Empowerment Hook

"Fear is a universal experience, but it doesn't have to control our lives. Explore strategies for overcoming fear, building confidence, and living a life guided by courage and empowerment."

Theme of Fear of Okonkwo

Narrative: overcoming the fear of public speaking, made-to-order essay as fast as you need it.

Each essay is customized to cater to your unique preferences

+ experts online

Character Analysis of Lusus Naturae

What i think about fear in life, how to overcome our fears, overcoming the fear of failure, let us write you an essay from scratch.

• 450+ experts on 30 subjects ready to help
• Custom essay delivered in as few as 3 hours

Analysis of Main Types of Fear: Invitational, Instinctual and Fear of Trauma

How to get over your fears, a research fear, its causes, factors, and ways to overcome, why my biggest fear is failure, get a personalized essay in under 3 hours.

Expert-written essays crafted with your exact needs in mind

Report on Fear: Responses, Causes, Types and Main Triggers

The way to overcome fear of failure, being motivated by your fears, the fear development in the human psyche, my greatest fear is losing my family, how to overcome the fear of flying, research on the fear of crime, how to permanently overcome fear, the causes and effects of fear, do not live your life in fear, your fear shouldn’t drag you down, the impact of fear on human's behavior, reasons of fear of public speaking, the power of following your fear and anxiety, fear and anxiety in our lives and how to deal with it, the presence of fear in people's lifes, a fear of failure in educational setting, a report on phobia disorders, its types, symptoms, and treatments, how i have challenged my fear, the fear of failure and the fear of success as factors of procrastination, relevant topics.

• Forgiveness
• Responsibility
• Winter Break

By clicking “Check Writers’ Offers”, you agree to our terms of service and privacy policy . We’ll occasionally send you promo and account related email

No need to pay just yet!

We use cookies to personalyze your web-site experience. By continuing we’ll assume you board with our cookie policy .

• Instructions Followed To The Letter
• Deadlines Met At Every Stage
• Unique And Plagiarism Free

What are your chances of acceptance?

Calculate for all schools, your chance of acceptance.

Your chancing factors

Extracurriculars.

How to Write the “Overcoming Challenges” Essay + Examples

What’s covered:.

• What is the Overcoming Challenges Essay?
• Real Overcoming Challenges Essay Prompts
• How to Choose a Topic
• Writing Tips

Overcoming Challenges Essay Examples

• Where to Get Your Essay Edited

While any college essay can be intimidating, the Overcoming Challenges prompt often worries students the most. Those students who’ve been lucky enough not to experience trauma tend to assume they have nothing worth saying. On the other hand, students who’ve overcome larger obstacles may be hesitant to talk about them.

Regardless of your particular circumstances, there are steps you can take to make the essay writing process simpler. Here are our top tips for writing the overcoming challenges essay successfully.

What is the “Overcoming Challenges” Essay?

The overcoming challenges prompt shows up frequently in both main application essays (like the Common App) and supplemental essays. Because supplemental essays allow students to provide schools with additional information, applicants should be sure that the subject matter they choose to write about differs from what’s in their main essay.

Students often assume the overcoming challenges essay requires them to detail past traumas. While you can certainly write about an experience that’s had a profound effect on your life, it’s important to remember that colleges aren’t evaluating students based on the seriousness of the obstacle they overcame.

On the contrary, the goal of this essay is to show admissions officers that you have the intelligence and fortitude to handle any challenges that come your way. After all, college serves as an introduction to adult life, and schools want to know that the students they admit are up to the task. 

Real “Overcoming Challenges” Essay Prompts

To help you understand what the “Overcoming Challenges” essay looks like, here are a couple sample prompts.

Currently, the Common Application asks students to answer the following prompt in 650 words or less:

“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?”

For the past several years, MIT has prompted students to write 200 to 250 words on the following:

“Tell us about the most significant challenge you’ve faced or something important that didn’t go according to plan. How did you manage the situation?”

In both cases, the prompts explicitly ask for your response to the challenge. The event itself isn’t as important as how it pushed you to grow.

How to Choose a Topic for an Essay on Overcoming Challenges

When it comes to finding the best topic for your overcoming challenges essays, there’s no right answer. The word “challenge” is ambiguous and could be used to reference a wide range of situations from prevailing over a bully to getting over your lifelong stage fright to appear in a school musical. Here are some suggestions to keep in mind when selecting an essay subject.

1. Avoid trivial or common topics

While there aren’t many hard-and-fast rules for choosing an essay topic, students should avoid overdone topics.

These include:

• Working hard in a challenging class
• Overcoming a sports injury
• Moving schools or immigrating to the US
• Tragedy (divorce, death, abuse)

Admissions officers have read numerous essays on the subject, so it’s harder for you to stand out (see our full list of cliché college essay topics to avoid ). If events like these were truly formative to you, you can still choose to write about them, but you’ll need to be as personal as possible. 

It’s also ideal if you have a less traditional storyline for a cliché topic; for example, if your sports injury led you to discover a new passion, that would be a more unique story than detailing how you overcame your injury and got back in the game.

Similarly, students may not want to write about an obstacle that admissions committees could perceive as low stakes, such as getting a B on a test, or getting into a small fight with a friend. The goal of this essay is to illustrate how you respond to adversity, so the topic you pick should’ve been at least impactful on your personal growth.

2. Pick challenges that demonstrate qualities you want to highlight

Students often mistakenly assume they need to have experienced exceptional circumstances like poverty, an abusive parent, or cancer to write a good essay. The truth is that the best topics will allow you to highlight specific personal qualities and share more about who you are. The essay should be less about the challenge itself, and more about how you responded to it.

Ask yourself what personality traits you want to emphasize, and see what’s missing in your application. Maybe you want to highlight your adaptability, for example, but that isn’t clearly expressed in your application. In this case, you might write about a challenge that put your adaptability to the test, or shaped you to become more adaptable.

Here are some examples of good topics we’ve seen over the years:

• Not having a coach for a sports team and becoming one yourself
• Helping a parent through a serious health issue
• Trying to get the school track dedicated to a coach
• Having to switch your Model UN position last-minute

Tips for Writing an Essay About Overcoming Challenges

Once you’ve selected a topic for your essays, it’s time to sit down and write. For best results, make sure your essay focuses on your efforts to tackle an obstacle rather than the problem itself. Additionally, you could avoid essay writing pitfalls by doing the following:

1. Choose an original essay structure

If you want your overcoming challenges essay to attract attention, aim to break away from more traditional structures. Most of these essays start by describing an unsuccessful attempt at a goal and then explain the steps the writer took to master the challenge. 

You can stand out by choosing a challenge you’re still working on overcoming, or focus on a mental or emotional challenge that spans multiple activities or events. For example, you might discuss your fear of public speaking and how that impacted your ability to coach your brother’s Little League team and run for Student Council. 

You can also choose a challenge that can be narrated in the moment, such as being put on the spot to teach a yoga class. These challenges can make particularly engaging essays, as you get to experience the writer’s thoughts and emotions as they unfold.

Keep in mind that you don’t necessarily need to have succeeded in your goal for this essay. Maybe you ran for an election and lost, or maybe you proposed a measure to the school board that wasn’t passed. It’s still possible to write a strong essay about topics like these as long as you focus on your personal growth. In fact, these may make for even stronger essays since they are more unconventional topics.

2. Focus on the internal

When writing about past experiences, you may be tempted to spend too much time describing specific people and events. With an Overcoming Challenges essay though, the goal is to focus on your thoughts and feelings.

For example, rather than detail all the steps you took to become a better public speaker, use the majority of your essay to describe your mental state as you embarked on the journey to achieving your goals. Were you excited, scared, anxious, or hopeful? Don’t be afraid to let the reader in on your innermost emotions and thoughts during this process.

3. Share what you learned 

An Overcoming Challenges essay should leave the reader with a clear understanding of what you learned on your journey, be it physical, mental, or emotional. There’s no need to explicitly say “this experience taught me X,” but your essay should at least implicitly share any lessons you learned. This can be done through your actions and in-the-moment reflections. Remember that the goal is to show admissions committees why your experiences make you a great candidate for admission. 

Was I no longer the beloved daughter of nature, whisperer of trees? Knee-high rubber boots, camouflage, bug spray—I wore the g arb and perfume of a proud wild woman, yet there I was, hunched over the pathetic pile of stubborn sticks, utterly stumped, on the verge of tears. As a child, I had considered myself a kind of rustic princess, a cradler of spiders and centipedes, who was serenaded by mourning doves and chickadees, who could glide through tick-infested meadows and emerge Lyme-free. I knew the cracks of the earth like the scars on my own rough palms. Yet here I was, ten years later, incapable of performing the most fundamental outdoor task: I could not, for the life of me, start a fire. 

Furiously I rubbed the twigs together—rubbed and rubbed until shreds of skin flaked from my fingers. No smoke. The twigs were too young, too sticky-green; I tossed them away with a shower of curses, and began tearing through the underbrush in search of a more flammable collection. My efforts were fruitless. Livid, I bit a rejected twig, determined to prove that the forest had spurned me, offering only young, wet bones that would never burn. But the wood cracked like carrots between my teeth—old, brittle, and bitter. Roaring and nursing my aching palms, I retreated to the tent, where I sulked and awaited the jeers of my family. 

Rattling their empty worm cans and reeking of fat fish, my brother and cousins swaggered into the campsite. Immediately, they noticed the minor stick massacre by the fire pit and called to me, their deep voices already sharp with contempt. 

“Where’s the fire, Princess Clara?” they taunted. “Having some trouble?” They prodded me with the ends of the chewed branches and, with a few effortless scrapes of wood on rock, sparked a red and roaring flame. My face burned long after I left the fire pit. The camp stank of salmon and shame. 

In the tent, I pondered my failure. Was I so dainty? Was I that incapable? I thought of my hands, how calloused and capable they had been, how tender and smooth they had become. It had been years since I’d kneaded mud between my fingers; instead of scaling a white pine, I’d practiced scales on my piano, my hands softening into those of a musician—fleshy and sensitive. And I’d gotten glasses, having grown horrifically nearsighted; long nights of dim lighting and thick books had done this. I couldn’t remember the last time I had lain down on a hill, barefaced, and seen the stars without having to squint. Crawling along the edge of the tent, a spider confirmed my transformation—he disgusted me, and I felt an overwhelming urge to squash him. 

Yet, I realized I hadn’t really changed—I had only shifted perspective. I still eagerly explored new worlds, but through poems and prose rather than pastures and puddles. I’d grown to prefer the boom of a bass over that of a bullfrog, learned to coax a different kind of fire from wood, having developed a burn for writing rhymes and scrawling hypotheses. 

That night, I stayed up late with my journal and wrote about the spider I had decided not to kill. I had tolerated him just barely, only shrieking when he jumped—it helped to watch him decorate the corners of the tent with his delicate webs, knowing that he couldn’t start fires, either. When the night grew cold and the embers died, my words still smoked—my hands burned from all that scrawling—and even when I fell asleep, the ideas kept sparking—I was on fire, always on fire.

This essay is an excellent example because the writer turns an everyday challenge—starting a fire—into an exploration of her identity. The writer was once “a kind of rustic princess, a cradler of spiders and centipedes,” but has since traded her love of the outdoors for a love of music, writing, and reading. 

The story begins in media res , or in the middle of the action, allowing readers to feel as if we’re there with the writer. One of the essay’s biggest strengths is its use of imagery. We can easily visualize the writer’s childhood and the present day. For instance, she states that she “rubbed and rubbed [the twigs] until shreds of skin flaked from my fingers.”

The writing has an extremely literary quality, particularly with its wordplay. The writer reappropriates words and meanings, and even appeals to the senses: “My face burned long after I left the fire pit. The camp stank of salmon and shame.” She later uses a parallelism to cleverly juxtapose her changed interests: “instead of scaling a white pine, I’d practiced scales on my piano.”

One of the essay’s main areas of improvement is its overemphasis on the “story” and lack of emphasis on the reflection. The second to last paragraph about changing perspective is crucial to the essay, as it ties the anecdote to larger lessons in the writer’s life. She states that she hasn’t changed, but has only shifted perspective. Yet, we don’t get a good sense of where this realization comes from and how it impacts her life going forward. 

The end of the essay offers a satisfying return to the fire imagery, and highlights the writer’s passion—the one thing that has remained constant in her life.

“Getting beat is one thing – it’s part of competing – but I want no part in losing.” Coach Rob Stark’s motto never fails to remind me of his encouragement on early-morning bus rides to track meets around the state. I’ve always appreciated the phrase, but an experience last June helped me understand its more profound, universal meaning.

Stark, as we affectionately call him, has coached track at my high school for 25 years. His care, dedication, and emphasis on developing good character has left an enduring impact on me and hundreds of other students. Not only did he help me discover my talent and love for running, but he also taught me the importance of commitment and discipline and to approach every endeavor with the passion and intensity that I bring to running. When I learned a neighboring high school had dedicated their track to a longtime coach, I felt that Stark deserved similar honors.

Our school district’s board of education indicated they would only dedicate our track to Stark if I could demonstrate that he was extraordinary. I took charge and mobilized my teammates to distribute petitions, reach out to alumni, and compile statistics on the many team and individual champions Stark had coached over the years. We received astounding support, collecting almost 3,000 signatures and pages of endorsements from across the community. With help from my teammates, I presented this evidence to the board.

They didn’t bite. 

Most members argued that dedicating the track was a low priority. Knowing that we had to act quickly to convince them of its importance, I called a team meeting where we drafted a rebuttal for the next board meeting. To my surprise, they chose me to deliver it. I was far from the best public speaker in the group, and I felt nervous about going before the unsympathetic board again. However, at that second meeting, I discovered that I enjoy articulating and arguing for something that I’m passionate about.

Public speaking resembles a cross country race. Walking to the starting line, you have to trust your training and quell your last minute doubts. When the gun fires, you can’t think too hard about anything; your performance has to be instinctual, natural, even relaxed. At the next board meeting, the podium was my starting line. As I walked up to it, familiar butterflies fluttered in my stomach. Instead of the track stretching out in front of me, I faced the vast audience of teachers, board members, and my teammates. I felt my adrenaline build, and reassured myself: I’ve put in the work, my argument is powerful and sound. As the board president told me to introduce myself, I heard, “runners set” in the back of my mind. She finished speaking, and Bang! The brief silence was the gunshot for me to begin. 

The next few minutes blurred together, but when the dust settled, I knew from the board members’ expressions and the audience’s thunderous approval that I had run quite a race. Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough; the board voted down our proposal. I was disappointed, but proud of myself, my team, and our collaboration off the track. We stood up for a cause we believed in, and I overcame my worries about being a leader. Although I discovered that changing the status quo through an elected body can be a painstakingly difficult process and requires perseverance, I learned that I enjoy the challenges this effort offers. Last month, one of the school board members joked that I had become a “regular” – I now often show up to meetings to advocate for a variety of causes, including better environmental practices in cafeterias and safer equipment for athletes.

Just as Stark taught me, I worked passionately to achieve my goal. I may have been beaten when I appealed to the board, but I certainly didn’t lose, and that would have made Stark proud.

While the writer didn’t succeed in getting the track dedicated to Coach Stark, their essay is certainly successful in showing their willingness to push themselves and take initiative.

The essay opens with a quote from Coach Stark that later comes full circle at the end of the essay. We learn about Stark’s impact and the motivation for trying to get the track dedicated to him.

One of the biggest areas of improvement in the intro, however, is how the essay tells us Stark’s impact rather than showing us: His care, dedication, and emphasis on developing good character has left an enduring impact on me and hundreds of other students. Not only did he help me discover my talent and love for running, but he also taught me the importance of commitment and discipline and to approach every endeavor with the passion and intensity that I bring to running.

The writer could’ve helped us feel a stronger emotional connection to Stark if they had included examples of Stark’s qualities, rather than explicitly stating them. For example, they could’ve written something like: Stark was the kind of person who would give you gas money if you told him your parents couldn’t afford to pick you up from practice. And he actually did that—several times. At track meets, alumni regularly would come talk to him and tell him how he’d changed their lives. Before Stark, I was ambivalent about running and was on the JV team, but his encouragement motivated me to run longer and harder and eventually make varsity. Because of him, I approach every endeavor with the passion and intensity that I bring to running.

The essay goes on to explain how the writer overcame their apprehension of public speaking, and likens the process of submitting an appeal to the school board to running a race. This metaphor makes the writing more engaging and allows us to feel the student’s emotions.

While the student didn’t ultimately succeed in getting the track dedicated, we learn about their resilience and initiative: I now often show up to meetings to advocate for a variety of causes, including better environmental practices in cafeterias and safer equipment for athletes.

Overall, this essay is well-done. It demonstrates growth despite failing to meet a goal, which is a unique essay structure. The running metaphor and full-circle intro/ending also elevate the writing in this essay.

Where to Get Your Overcoming Challenges Essay Edited

The Overcoming Challenges essay is one of the trickier supplemental prompts, so it’s important to get feedback on your drafts. That’s why we created our free Peer Essay Review tool , where you can get a free review of your essay from another student. You can also improve your own writing skills by reviewing other students’ essays. 

If you want a college admissions expert to review your essay, advisors on CollegeVine have helped students refine their writing and submit successful applications to top schools. Find the right advisor for you to improve your chances of getting into your dream school!

Related CollegeVine Blog Posts

College Essay: Conquering Fear with Poetry

Prior to junior year, I never had interest in joining any clubs. And it was because I was afraid of being alone. I was so used to doing things with other people, it was frightening and difficult to think of moving on from that habit. I always believed I was stronger with others. But, during quarantine, a teacher reached out to me to invite me to join the school’s poetry club. And although I still felt afraid at the thought of joining, deep down I knew this was a good first step to push myself. 

On March 26, 2021, I participated in an event where I recited my original poem. It was inspired by Father Joseph Brown. Here is a portion of it:

I woke up to your dead body next to mine 

And looked at you for three long minutes

Without having a look of disgust reciprocated. 

And silently wept

Because you never said sorry

Only through 

Small kisses when you were drunk,

And a dependence that grew with your fragility

Did I feel loved?

Despite having a husband who could not love

I managed to 

       Hold on

To your drawing breaths 

And gawking moments when you stared at nothing 

Then I looked back at ME and smiled.

The hollowed room

Spoke of centuries of women

Who cared and endured the

Backhand of husbands

With their wife-beater tanks and chains of gold.

I was simply another one of them:

A woman who had to endure.  

After reading my poem, Father Brown said, “Own that one; you gave it to the world. And the truth that you put in this poem is worth this entire evening. Thank you.” 

Being in a poetry club pushes me to share, which is something that I tend to shy away from. After hours of classes, I am able to go into a meeting where I feel my shoulders and back lose their tension. I can bask in a personal boat where my weekly fishing has brought forth a jumble of carefully caught words. I pushed myself into this event, knowing my voice would crack and tears would spill. I feel invigorated when my poetry is read aloud. I now know that my words are worthy of an audience, big or small. 

My teacher’s words boomed: “I know your witness to the world is going to be a force.”

I’m privileged to be able to celebrate others, as well. Seeing everyone together, writing poetry and reading aloud always makes me proud. At every stanza and every line, I increasingly want to immerse myself in the school community. I always give money for fundraisers, go to Zoom meetings, and celebrate college acceptances. I hope to continue this practice, whether it be at college, work or at clubs. 

Through the conquering of my fear, I was able to find the dormant talent in the crevices of my mind and heart. Whenever I am afraid, I remember the famous Lorenzo Anello, who said, “Remember, the saddest thing in the world is wasted talent. You could have all the talent in the world, but if you don’t do the right thing, then nothing happens.”

© 2024 ThreeSixty Journalism • Login

ThreeSixty Journalism,

a nonprofit program of the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of St. Thomas, uses the principles of strong writing and reporting to help diverse Minnesota youth tell the stories of their lives and communities.

Writing Anxiety

What this handout is about.

This handout discusses the situational nature of writer’s block and other writing anxiety and suggests things you can try to feel more confident and optimistic about yourself as a writer.

What are writing anxiety and writer’s block?

“Writing anxiety” and “writer’s block” are informal terms for a wide variety of apprehensive and pessimistic feelings about writing. These feelings may not be pervasive in a person’s writing life. For example, you might feel perfectly fine writing a biology lab report but apprehensive about writing a paper on a novel. You may confidently tackle a paper about the sociology of gender but delete and start over twenty times when composing an email to a cute classmate to suggest a coffee date. In other words, writing anxiety and writers’ block are situational (Hjortshoj 7). These terms do NOT describe psychological attributes. People aren’t born anxious writers; rather, they become anxious or blocked through negative or difficult experiences with writing.

When do these negative feelings arise?

Although there is a great deal of variation among individuals, there are also some common experiences that writers in general find stressful.

For example, you may struggle when you are:

• adjusting to a new form of writing—for example, first year college writing, papers in a new field of study, or longer forms than you are used to (a long research paper, a senior thesis, a master’s thesis, a dissertation) (Hjortshoj 56-76).
• writing for a reader or readers who have been overly critical or demanding in the past.
• remembering negative criticism received in the past—even if the reader who criticized your work won’t be reading your writing this time.
• working with limited time or with a lot of unstructured time.
• responding to an assignment that seems unrelated to academic or life goals.
• dealing with troubling events outside of school.

What are some strategies for handling these feelings?

Get support.

Choose a writing buddy, someone you trust to encourage you in your writing life. Your writing buddy might be a friend or family member, a classmate, a teacher, a colleague, or a Writing Center tutor. Talk to your writing buddy about your ideas, your writing process, your worries, and your successes. Share pieces of your writing. Make checking in with your writing buddy a regular part of your schedule. When you share pieces of writing with your buddy, use our handout on asking for feedback .

In his book Understanding Writing Blocks, Keith Hjortshoj describes how isolation can harm writers, particularly students who are working on long projects not connected with coursework (134-135). He suggests that in addition to connecting with supportive individuals, such students can benefit from forming or joining a writing group, which functions in much the same way as a writing buddy. A group can provide readers, deadlines, support, praise, and constructive criticism. For help starting one, see our handout about writing groups .

Identify your strengths

Often, writers who are experiencing block or anxiety have a worse opinion of their own writing than anyone else! Make a list of the things you do well. You might ask a friend or colleague to help you generate such a list. Here are some possibilities to get you started:

• I explain things well to people.
• I get people’s interest.
• I have strong opinions.
• I listen well.
• I am critical of what I read.
• I see connections.

Choose at least one strength as your starting point. Instead of saying “I can’t write,” say “I am a writer who can …”

Recognize that writing is a complex process

Writing is an attempt to fix meaning on the page, but you know, and your readers know, that there is always more to be said on a topic. The best writers can do is to contribute what they know and feel about a topic at a particular point in time.

Writers often seek “flow,” which usually entails some sort of breakthrough followed by a beautifully coherent outpouring of knowledge. Flow is both a possibility—most people experience it at some point in their writing lives—and a myth. Inevitably, if you write over a long period of time and for many different situations, you will encounter obstacles. As Hjortshoj explains, obstacles are particularly common during times of transition—transitions to new writing roles or to new kinds of writing.

Think of yourself as an apprentice.

If block or apprehension is new for you, take time to understand the situations you are writing in. In particular, try to figure out what has changed in your writing life. Here are some possibilities:

• You are writing in a new format.
• You are writing longer papers than before.
• You are writing for new audiences.
• You are writing about new subject matter.
• You are turning in writing from different stages of the writing process—for example, planning stages or early drafts.

It makes sense to have trouble when dealing with a situation for the first time. It’s also likely that when you confront these new situations, you will learn and grow. Writing in new situations can be rewarding. Not every format or audience will be right for you, but you won’t know which ones might be right until you try them. Think of new writing situations as apprenticeships. When you’re doing a new kind of writing, learn as much as you can about it, gain as many skills in that area as you can, and when you finish the apprenticeship, decide which of the skills you learned will serve you well later on. You might be surprised.

Below are some suggestions for how to learn about new kinds of writing:

• Ask a lot of questions of people who are more experienced with this kind of writing. Here are some of the questions you might ask: What’s the purpose of this kind of writing? Who’s the audience? What are the most important elements to include? What’s not as important? How do you get started? How do you know when what you’ve written is good enough? How did you learn to write this way?
• Ask a lot of questions of the person who assigned you a piece of writing. If you have a paper, the best place to start is with the written assignment itself. For help with this, see our handout on understanding assignments .
• Look for examples of this kind of writing. (You can ask your instructor for a recommended example). Look, especially, for variation. There are often many different ways to write within a particular form. Look for ways that feel familiar to you, approaches that you like. You might want to look for published models or, if this seems too intimidating, look at your classmates’ writing. In either case, ask yourself questions about what these writers are doing, and take notes. How does the writer begin and end? In what order does the writer tell things? How and when does the writer convey her or his main point? How does the writer bring in other people’s ideas? What is the writer’s purpose? How is that purpose achieved?
• Read our handouts about how to write in specific fields or how to handle specific writing assignments.
• Listen critically to your readers. Before you dismiss or wholeheartedly accept what they say, try to understand them. If a reader has given you written comments, ask yourself questions to figure out the reader’s experience of your paper: What is this reader looking for? What am I doing that satisfies this reader? In what ways is this reader still unsatisfied? If you can’t answer these questions from the reader’s comments, then talk to the reader, or ask someone else to help you interpret the comments.
• Most importantly, don’t try to do everything at once. Start with reasonable expectations. You can’t write like an expert your first time out. Nobody does! Use the criticism you get.

Once you understand what readers want, you are in a better position to decide what to do with their criticisms. There are two extreme possibilities—dismissing the criticisms and accepting them all—but there is also a lot of middle ground. Figure out which criticisms are consistent with your own purposes, and do the hard work of engaging with them. Again, don’t expect an overnight turn-around; recognize that changing writing habits is a process and that papers are steps in the process.

Chances are that at some point in your writing life you will encounter readers who seem to dislike, disagree with, or miss the point of your work. Figuring out what to do with criticism from such readers is an important part of a writer’s growth.

Try new tactics when you get stuck

Often, writing blocks occur at particular stages of the writing process. The writing process is cyclical and variable. For different writers, the process may include reading, brainstorming, drafting, getting feedback, revising, and editing. These stages do not always happen in this order, and once a writer has been through a particular stage, chances are she or he hasn’t seen the last of that stage. For example, brainstorming may occur all along the way.

Figure out what your writing process looks like and whether there’s a particular stage where you tend to get stuck. Perhaps you love researching and taking notes on what you read, and you have a hard time moving from that work to getting started on your own first draft. Or once you have a draft, it seems set in stone and even though readers are asking you questions and making suggestions, you don’t know how to go back in and change it. Or just the opposite may be true; you revise and revise and don’t want to let the paper go.

Wherever you have trouble, take a longer look at what you do and what you might try. Sometimes what you do is working for you; it’s just a slow and difficult process. Other times, what you do may not be working; these are the times when you can look around for other approaches to try:

• Talk to your writing buddy and to other colleagues about what they do at the particular stage that gets you stuck.
• Read about possible new approaches in our handouts on brainstorming and revising .
• Try thinking of yourself as an apprentice to a stage of the writing process and give different strategies a shot.
• Cut your paper into pieces and tape them to the wall, use eight different colors of highlighters, draw a picture of your paper, read your paper out loud in the voice of your favorite movie star….

Okay, we’re kind of kidding with some of those last few suggestions, but there is no limit to what you can try (for some fun writing strategies, check out our online animated demos ). When it comes to conquering a block, give yourself permission to fall flat on your face. Trying and failing will you help you arrive at the thing that works for you.

Celebrate your successes

Start storing up positive experiences with writing. Whatever obstacles you’ve faced, celebrate the occasions when you overcome them. This could be something as simple as getting started, sharing your work with someone besides a teacher, revising a paper for the first time, trying out a new brainstorming strategy, or turning in a paper that has been particularly challenging for you. You define what a success is for you. Keep a log or journal of your writing successes and breakthroughs, how you did it, how you felt. This log can serve as a boost later in your writing life when you face new challenges.

Wait a minute, didn’t we already say that? Yes. It’s worth repeating. Most people find relief for various kinds of anxieties by getting support from others. Sometimes the best person to help you through a spell of worry is someone who’s done that for you before—a family member, a friend, a mentor. Maybe you don’t even need to talk with this person about writing; maybe you just need to be reminded to believe in yourself, that you can do it.

If you don’t know anyone on campus yet whom you have this kind of relationship with, reach out to someone who seems like they could be a good listener and supportive. There are a number of professional resources for you on campus, people you can talk through your ideas or your worries with. A great place to start is the UNC Writing Center. If you know you have a problem with writing anxiety, make an appointment well before the paper is due. You can come to the Writing Center with a draft or even before you’ve started writing. You can also approach your instructor with questions about your writing assignment. If you’re an undergraduate, your academic advisor and your residence hall advisor are other possible resources. Counselors at Counseling and Wellness Services are also available to talk with you about anxieties and concerns that extend beyond writing.

Apprehension about writing is a common condition on college campuses. Because writing is the most common means of sharing our knowledge, we put a lot of pressure on ourselves when we write. This handout has given some suggestions for how to relieve that pressure. Talk with others; realize we’re all learning; take an occasional risk; turn to the people who believe in you. Counter negative experiences by actively creating positive ones.

Even after you have tried all of these strategies and read every Writing Center handout, invariably you will still have negative experiences in your writing life. When you get a paper back with a bad grade on it or when you get a rejection letter from a journal, fend off the negative aspects of that experience. Try not to let them sink in; try not to let your disappointment fester. Instead, jump right back in to some area of the writing process: choose one suggestion the evaluator has made and work on it, or read and discuss the paper with a friend or colleague, or do some writing or revising—on this or any paper—as quickly as possible.

Failures of various kinds are an inevitable part of the writing process. Without them, it would be difficult if not impossible to grow as a writer. Learning often occurs in the wake of a startling event, something that stirs you up, something that makes you wonder. Use your failures to keep moving.

Works consulted

We consulted these works while writing this handout. This is not a comprehensive list of resources on the handout’s topic, and we encourage you to do your own research to find additional publications. Please do not use this list as a model for the format of your own reference list, as it may not match the citation style you are using. For guidance on formatting citations, please see the UNC Libraries citation tutorial . We revise these tips periodically and welcome feedback.

Hjortshoj, Keith. 2001. Understanding Writing Blocks . New York: Oxford University Press.

This is a particularly excellent resource for advanced undergraduates and graduate students. Hjortshoj writes about his experiences working with university students experiencing block. He explains the transitional nature of most writing blocks and the importance of finding support from others when working on long projects.

Rose, Mike. 1985. When a Writer Can’t Write: Studies in Writer’s Block and Other Composing-Process Problems . New York: Guilford.

This collection of empirical studies is written primarily for writing teachers, researchers, and tutors. Studies focus on writers of various ages, including young children, high school students, and college students.

You may reproduce it for non-commercial use if you use the entire handout and attribute the source: The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Make a Gift

How to Overcome the Fear of Writing a College Essay

College essays are an essential part of the application process for higher education. It is the one opportunity for students to showcase their personality, skills, and achievements to the admissions committee.

However, writing a college essay can be daunting and nerve-wracking, causing anxiety and fear in many students.

In this article, we will explore the importance of college essays and the prevalence of fear and anxiety surrounding college essay writing. We will also provide tips on how to overcome these fears and write an outstanding college essay.

Explanation of the Importance of College Essays

College essays serve as a reflection of a student’s personal and academic background. Admissions committees rely on college essays to evaluate a student’s writing skills, critical thinking ability, and overall compatibility with the institution. A well-crafted college essay can set a student apart from others and increase their chances of getting accepted into their dream college.

Moreover, college essays are crucial not only for admission into higher education but also for scholarships, internships, and employment opportunities.

Writing skills are highly valued in many professions, and college essays provide a platform for students to develop and showcase these skills.

The Prevalence of Fear and Anxiety Surrounding College Essay Writing

Despite the importance of college essays, many students experience fear and anxiety when faced with writing one. The fear of not being able to express oneself effectively, the pressure to impress the admissions committee, and the fear of rejection can be overwhelming.

If you find yourself in a situation like that, opt for pro help from writemyessays.com/write-my-psychology-essay.html .

Furthermore, students often lack the confidence and skills required to write a compelling essay, leading to feelings of inadequacy and self-doubt. The fear of failure can also cause procrastination and avoidance, leading to a last-minute rush to complete the essay, resulting in a subpar product.

That being said, college essays are essential for higher education and professional opportunities, but the fear and anxiety surrounding writing them can be daunting.

However, with proper guidance and practice, students can overcome their fears and write outstanding essays that reflect their unique personalities and skills.

Understanding the Fear of Writing a College Essay

A college essay can be a daunting task for many students, and it’s not uncommon for them to feel afraid or anxious about the writing process. In this section, we will explore the common reasons for fear of writing college essays and explore the root causes of these fears.

Common Reasons for Fear of Writing College Essays

There are many reasons why students might feel afraid of writing a college essay. Here are some of the most common reasons:

• Fear of failure. Students often worry that their essays won’t be good enough and that they won’t be accepted into their desired college as a result. Luckily, the sites like Writemyessays.com are there to assist.
• Lack of confidence. Many students lack confidence in their writing ability, and they worry that their essays won’t be up to par.
• Perfectionism. Some students are perfectionists, and they worry that their essay won’t be perfect or that they won’t be able to meet their own high standards.
• Pressure to impress. Students may feel pressure to impress the admissions committee with their essays, and this pressure can be overwhelming.
• Uncertainty about how to start . Some students struggle with getting started, and they worry that they won’t be able to come up with a compelling opening or thesis statement.

Exploring the Root Causes of These Fears

While the reasons listed above are common, it’s important to explore the root causes of these fears to address them effectively. Here are some possible root causes:

• Lack of writing experience. Many students haven’t had much experience with writing, and they feel unsure of their abilities as a result.
• Fear of judgment. Students may worry about what others will think of their essays, whether it’s their peers, parents, or the admissions committee.
• Negative self-talk. Students may engage in negative self-talk, telling themselves that they’re not good enough or that they can’t do it, which can exacerbate their fears.
• High stakes. The high stakes of the college essay can make students feel like they’re under a lot of pressure to perform, which can be intimidating.
• Perceived lack of control. Students may feel like they have little control over the admissions process, and this can make them feel like their essays won’t make a difference.

As you can see, the fear of writing a college essay is common among students, but it’s important to understand the reasons behind these fears to address them effectively. By exploring the root causes of these fears, students can gain a better understanding of why they feel afraid and work to overcome their anxieties.

Overcoming Fear

Writing a college essay can be a daunting task, but there are ways to overcome the fear and anxiety that often come with it. In this section, we will explore some strategies for overcoming the fear of essay writing.

Breaking Down the Writing Process into Manageable Steps

Breaking down the writing process into manageable steps can help make the task feel less overwhelming. Here are some steps to consider:

• Brainstorming: Start by brainstorming ideas and jotting down notes. This can help you get your ideas out of your head and onto paper.
• Outlining: Create an outline to guide you as you write. This can help you stay focused and organized.
• Drafting: Write a rough draft of your essay, keeping in mind that it doesn’t need to be perfect at this stage.
• Revising: Revise your draft, paying attention to areas that need improvement.
• Editing: Edit your final draft for grammar, punctuation, and spelling errors.

Tips for Managing Anxiety and Boosting Confidence

Managing anxiety and boosting confidence can help you approach the writing process with a more positive mindset. Here are some tips to consider:

• Set realistic goals: Set realistic goals for yourself, such as writing a certain number of words per day. This can help you stay motivated and on track.
• Take breaks: Take breaks when you need them. This can help you recharge and come back to your writing with a fresh perspective.
• Get feedback: Get feedback from someone you trust, such as a teacher or tutor. This can help you identify areas for improvement and boost your confidence.
• isualize success: Visualize yourself succeeding in writing your essay. This can help you stay positive and motivated.

Strategies for Combating Writer’s Block

Writer’s block can be a major obstacle when it comes to writing an essay. Here are some strategies for combating writer’s block:

• Freewriting: Set a timer for 10-15 minutes and write whatever comes to mind without worrying about grammar or structure. This can help you get your creative juices flowing.
• Change your environment: If you’re feeling stuck, try changing your environment. Go for a walk, work in a different location, or listen to music that inspires you.
• Take a different approach: If you’re struggling with ideas, try taking a different approach to the assignment. Consider a different angle or point of view.
• Break it down: If you’re feeling overwhelmed, break the task down into smaller, more manageable steps.

Overcoming the fear of essay writing is possible with the right strategies and mindset. By breaking down the writing process into manageable steps, managing anxiety and boosting confidence, and using strategies for combating writer’s block, students can approach essay writing with more ease and confidence.

Writing the Essay

After overcoming the fear of writing a college essay, it’s time to actually write the essay itself. In this section, we will explore some strategies for writing an effective essay.

Creating an Outline and Rough Draft

Creating an outline and rough draft can help you organize your thoughts and ensure that your essay flows logically. Here are some steps to consider:

• Start with an outline: Use your brainstorming notes to create an outline for your essay. This can help you organize your ideas and ensure that your essay has a clear structure.
• Write a rough draft: Use your outline as a guide to writing a rough draft of your essay. This draft doesn’t need to be perfect – it’s simply a starting point for the revision process.

Developing a Strong Thesis Statement

A strong thesis statement is the backbone of your essay. It should be clear, and concise, and provide a roadmap for the rest of your essay. Here are some tips for developing a strong thesis statement:

• Make it clear: Your thesis statement should clearly state your argument or main point.
• Keep it concise: Your thesis statement should be one or two sentences at most.
• Provide a roadmap: Your thesis statement should provide a roadmap for the rest of your essay.

Crafting Effective Body Paragraphs

The body paragraphs of your essay should provide evidence and support for your thesis statement. Here are some tips for crafting effective body paragraphs:

• Start with a topic sentence: Each body paragraph should start with a topic sentence that clearly states the main point of the paragraph.
• Provide evidence: Use examples, quotes, and statistics to support your argument.
• Analyze your evidence: Don’t just provide evidence – analyze it and explain how it supports your thesis statement.

Writing an Engaging Introduction and Conclusion

Your introduction and conclusion are the first and last things your reader will see, so they are crucial to the success of your essay. Here are some tips for writing an engaging introduction and conclusion:

• Start with a hook: Use a quote, anecdote, or interesting fact to grab your reader’s attention.
• Provide background information: Your introduction should provide some background information on the topic of your essay.
• Restate your thesis: Your conclusion should restate your thesis statement and summarize the main points of your essay.
• End with a bang: Your conclusion should end with a strong statement or call to action that leaves a lasting impression on your reader.

In conclusion, writing an effective college essay requires careful planning and attention to detail. By creating an outline and rough draft, developing a strong thesis statement, crafting effective body paragraphs, and writing an engaging introduction and conclusion, students can write essays that are clear, concise, and persuasive.

Editing and Revising

Editing and revising your essay is an important step in the writing process. In this section, we will explore some techniques for effective editing and proofreading, revising for clarity, coherence, and conciseness, and seeking feedback from peers, professors, or tutors.

Techniques for Effective Editing and Proofreading

Editing and proofreading are essential steps in the writing process that help to identify errors and ensure that your essay is polished and error-free. Here are some techniques for effective editing and proofreading:

• Take a break: Give yourself some distance from your essay before editing and proofreading. This can help you approach your work with fresh eyes.
• Read your essay out loud: Reading your essay out loud can help you identify awkward phrasing and grammatical errors.
• Use a checklist: Create a checklist of common errors to look for, such as spelling, punctuation, and formatting errors.
• Use technology: Use tools such as spell-check and grammar-check to identify errors.

Revising for Clarity, Coherence, and Conciseness

Revising your essay for clarity, coherence, and conciseness can help you improve the overall quality of your writing. Here are some tips for revising your essay:

• Check for clarity: Ensure that your writing is clear and easy to understand. Avoid using complex language or jargon that may confuse your reader.
• Ensure coherence: Check that your essay flows logically from one paragraph to the next. Use transitional phrases to connect ideas and create a cohesive essay.
• Make your writing concise: Remove unnecessary words or phrases that don’t contribute to the overall message of your essay. Use active voice instead of passive voice to make your writing more concise.

Seeking Feedback from Peers, Professors, or Tutors

Seeking feedback from peers, professors, or tutors can help you identify areas for improvement and refine your writing. Here are some tips for seeking feedback:

• Choose the right person: Select someone who is knowledgeable about writing and can provide constructive feedback.
• Be open to feedback: Listen to feedback with an open mind and be willing to make changes to improve your writing.
• Consider multiple perspectives: Seek feedback from multiple sources to gain different perspectives on your writing.

Editing and revising your essay is an important step in the writing process that can help you improve the overall quality of your writing. By using effective editing and proofreading techniques, revising for clarity, coherence, and conciseness, and seeking feedback from peers, professors, or tutors, students can create essays that are polished, error-free, and persuasive.

In conclusion, college essays are an essential component of the college application process. They provide an opportunity for students to showcase their unique qualities and abilities to college admissions officers.

Overcoming the fear of writing a college essay can have many benefits, including increased confidence in writing, improved critical thinking skills, and the ability to communicate effectively.

By breaking down the writing process into manageable steps, managing anxiety and boosting confidence, combating writer’s block, creating an outline and rough draft, developing a strong thesis statement, crafting effective body paragraphs, and writing an engaging introduction and conclusion, students can create essays that are compelling, persuasive, and memorable.

Effective editing and revising techniques, such as revising for clarity, coherence, and conciseness, seeking feedback from peers, professors, or tutors, and using checklists and technology, can help students refine their writing and ensure that their essays are polished and error-free.

It’s important for students to remember that writing a college essay can be a challenging but rewarding experience. By taking action and starting to write, students can overcome their fears and create essays that reflect their unique personalities and achievements.

With perseverance and dedication, students can succeed in writing college essays that are sure to impress college admissions officers and pave the way to a bright future.

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

The Hechinger Report

Covering Innovation & Inequality in Education

STUDENT VOICE: The pervasive and crippling fear of college

Share this:

• Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)
• Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)

The Hechinger Report is a national nonprofit newsroom that reports on one topic: education. Sign up for our  weekly newsletters  to get stories like this delivered directly to your inbox. Consider supporting our stories and becoming  a member  today.

Get important education news and analysis delivered straight to your inbox

• Weekly Update
• Future of Learning
• Higher Education
• Early Childhood
• Proof Points

When I graduated with my associate degree from LaGuardia Community College earlier this summer, I found myself thinking back to my first days here — when the campus felt like a maze and the pace seemed incredibly fast. I worried that it was going to be too much for me, and wondered whether college would always seem so confusing.

I realize now that what I felt was fear. As one of the first in my family to go to college, I didn’t know who to ask for guidance about how to adjust to the requirements of college.

Fear of college is both real and common. A Google search for “fear of college” returns over five million results! Based on my own experience and conversations with friends, just thinking about going to college can fill people with anxiety and self-doubt.

Some respond by coming up with reasons not to go. Or they start but then quickly drop out, blaming life complications or busy work schedules. Maybe impostor syndrome — the feeling that you’re not good enough or smart enough to be in the position you are, or want to be, in — is to blame.

When I came to LaGuardia in 2016, I didn’t plan on going to college. I’d dropped out of high school when my daughter was born but had gotten connected to LaGuardia’s Fatherhood Academy , which supports young fathers by helping them to finish high school and more. I planned to earn my high school equivalency and then get out.

I was content working as a barista. But my Fatherhood mentors were so motivating; they shared their personal stories, many of which were just like mine. With their help, I began to see that a college degree was attainable, and that I could continue working while also going to school. So I decided to pursue my associate degree at LaGuardia. Fatherhood even paid my enrollment fee.

But then more hurdles came up, and again I found myself worrying whether college was right for me. Thankfully, I’ve been able to connect to amazing resources and programs that have helped me along the way.

When I didn’t do so well on the  CUNY assessment test — particularly in math, which has always been my kryptonite — I was referred to CUNY Start . My CUNY Start teachers were incredibly supportive, even providing math tutoring before and after class. They helped me get ready for college — not only improving my math skills, but also teaching me how to seek out resources for help.

After completing CUNY Start, I was ready for college-level classes. I was accepted into LaGuardia’s  College Discovery  program, which paid for my textbooks and MetroCard, and gave me access to other helpful resources, including an advisor who guided me throughout my time at LaGuardia.

When I found myself running back and forth between work, school and my daughter’s daycare, with little time to study or breathe, I searched for on-campus jobs and was thankful to find many opportunities. I landed two on-campus jobs — one as a mentor to new Fatherhood recruits, and one as a Civic Fellow working with the college’s government relations manager. Through these jobs, I’ve grown professionally and connected with people who support and inspire me.

Despite these jobs, new childcare expenses kept coming up, so I applied for and was granted a scholarship from the  LaGuardia Community College Foundation .

Today I’m confident about my future. I am now working toward my bachelor’s degree in creative writing at Hunter College , where I’m matriculating into SEEK , the College Discovery program at CUNY four-year institutions. With the tools I gained at LaGuardia, I know how to seek out and find help.

When I see students paying for their tuition out-of-pocket or prioritizing work over school, I tell them about the resources I found at LaGuardia to help me stay on track. I used to think that if I became a full-time student and made education a priority, I wouldn’t have enough money to pay my rent, take care of my daughter and meet all of my other daily responsibilities. With my on-campus jobs, my LaGuardia Foundation scholarship, CUNY Start and College Discovery, I was able to focus on my education and dedicate time to my daughter.

I want to tell anyone feeling nervous about starting college that they’re not alone — that if they look around, they can find programs and people to help them get to graduation. If I hadn’t found these resources at LaGuardia, I doubt I’d be where I am today.

Going to college has made my life so much better. My mom was right about the value of education. One of the last things she told me before cancer took her in 2012 was not to leave school. When I dropped out of high school, I felt ashamed — that I was letting down her memory. I know she’d be so proud of me today. I am honoring her memory by sharing her words of advice with my daughter, who’s now 6 years old and the light of my life. Children are great imitators, so I’m giving her a blueprint that includes education, seeking out resources for help and not being afraid to try something new.

This story about overcoming fears and doubts about attending college was produced by  The Hechinger Report , a nonprofit, independent news organization focused on inequality and innovation in education. Sign up for  our newsletter .

Christian Ortiz graduated from LaGuardia Community College in 2019 with his associate degree in writing and literature. Today he begins classes at Hunter College toward a bachelor’s degree in creative writing.

Related articles

The Hechinger Report provides in-depth, fact-based, unbiased reporting on education that is free to all readers. But that doesn't mean it's free to produce. Our work keeps educators and the public informed about pressing issues at schools and on campuses throughout the country. We tell the whole story, even when the details are inconvenient. Help us keep doing that.

Join us today.

Christian Ortiz

Christian... More by Christian Ortiz

Letters to the Editor

At The Hechinger Report, we publish thoughtful letters from readers that contribute to the ongoing discussion about the education topics we cover. Please read our guidelines for more information. We will not consider letters that do not contain a full name and valid email address. You may submit news tips or ideas here without a full name, but not letters.

By submitting your name, you grant us permission to publish it with your letter. We will never publish your email address. You must fill out all fields to submit a letter.

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Sign me up for the newsletter!

• Entertainment
• Environment
• Information Science and Technology
• Social Issues

Home Essay Samples Life

Essay Samples on Fear of Failure

The fear of failure can stem from various sources, such as high expectations from oneself or others, a fear of judgment or rejection, or a desire for perfection. It often manifests as a paralyzing emotion that hinders progress and stifles personal growth. Individuals who experience this fear may find themselves trapped in a cycle of self-doubt, unable to take risks or pursue their passions due to the fear of falling short.

Writing a College Essay about Fear of Failure

• Perosnal Experiences

A fear of failure college essay provides an opportunity to explore this universal experience and shed light on its impact. By examining personal anecdotes, you can convey the emotional depth and authenticity of your own journey with this fear. Share how it has shaped your decision-making, influenced your goals, or affected your self-esteem. By revealing vulnerability and honesty, you can create a relatable narrative that resonates with readers.

• Sources and Evidence

In addition to personal experiences, it is crucial to back your college essay about fear of failure with credible sources and evidence. These external sources lend credibility to your fear of failure essay and demonstrate a depth of research and understanding.

• Topics to Discuss

Furthermore, consider discussing the societal pressures and cultural factors that contribute to the fear of failure. By addressing these broader implications in fear of failure essay examples, you can paint a comprehensive picture of the fear of failure’s impact on individuals and society as a whole.

To make your essay impactful, emphasize the importance of resilience and learning from failure. Share inspiring stories of individuals who have overcome their fears and achieved remarkable success despite setbacks. By providing practical strategies and actionable steps, such as setting realistic goals, seeking support from mentors, or reframing failure as a stepping stone to success, you can empower readers to confront and overcome their own fear of failure.

Fear of Failure: The Development of Entrepreneurship in Brazil

The reason why Brazil was chosen for this research is because Brazil is one of the countries which is suspected to develop their economy on a large scale in the next few years. Therefore, their behaviour towards Entrepreneurship is deemed to change. In this report...

• Cost Accounting
• Fear of Failure
• Organizational Behavior

Overcoming the Fear Of Failure and Reaching Goals

Fear of failure is when we let that fear to stop us from achieving our goals and objectives, but is very important to learn how to overcome it. This kind of fear is most of the time irrational and continuous. People should find a way...

Academic Challenges and the Ways to Overcome Them

Introduction Students face a lot of stress through their academics, most of which is caused by too much pressure or lack of preparedness. Not all students who get accepted into universities graduate with the qualifications they sought to achieve. A study by Burns, (2006) found...

• Academic Challenges
• College Students

Dealing with the Fear of Failure

If failure does not lead to a new product, process, or discovery, it should lead to some type of learning. Leaders with developed character regarding failure have the poise to accept it without condemning themselves. Like a good football coach looking at the game films...

An Account of Fear of Failure: Fear of Driving 

As a young teen, one of our greatest moments growing up is learning how to drive. Driving is a rite of passage that signifies freedom through the ability of being able to maneuver a vehicle and get from one point to another. Learning to drive...

Stressed out with your paper?

Consider using writing assistance:

• 100% unique papers
• 3 hrs deadline option

The Value of Failure and Challenging the Fear of It

Failure is like a puzzle, you cannot see the bigger and beautiful picture until every piece is put in place. Puzzles are time-consuming and often leave one in a state of tedium as to where they believe their task of completing the puzzle cannot be...

The Need For Investigation Of The Fear Relation To Anxiety Disorders

Fear has been characterized as separate from Anxiety. Fear is “a basic emotion that is an adaptive response to threat marked by quick, automatic onset, brief duration, and sympathetic arousal” whereas Anxiety is a “future-focused cognitive association that connects basic emotions (such as fear) to...

• Anxiety Disorder

A Prerequisite to Growth: Why People Fear Change

Different situations have different effect on us. Changes are the reason for thrill in our lives, but many people fear CHANGE. No matter how small a change is, sometimes it is hard for people to accept. Change in a relation due to distance can be...

Best topics on Fear of Failure

1. Fear of Failure: The Development of Entrepreneurship in Brazil

2. Overcoming the Fear Of Failure and Reaching Goals

3. Academic Challenges and the Ways to Overcome Them

4. Dealing with the Fear of Failure

5. An Account of Fear of Failure: Fear of Driving 

6. The Value of Failure and Challenging the Fear of It

7. The Need For Investigation Of The Fear Relation To Anxiety Disorders

8. A Prerequisite to Growth: Why People Fear Change

• Career Goals
• Personality
• Personal Experience
• Chinese New Year
• Actions Speak Louder Than Words

Need writing help?

You can always rely on us no matter what type of paper you need

*No hidden charges

100% Unique Essays

Absolutely Confidential

Money Back Guarantee

By clicking “Send Essay”, you agree to our Terms of service and Privacy statement. We will occasionally send you account related emails

You can also get a UNIQUE essay on this or any other topic

Thank you! We’ll contact you as soon as possible.

Just one more step to start saving colleges!

Sign up for an account or login to start your college list.

Students Reveal Their Biggest Fears about College

Adrian Swancar/Unsplash

Many -- if not most -- high school students start thinking about college earlier every year. At least it seems that way. Regardless of when a high schooler starts to ponder college, the thought of something so different can spark uncertainties, which can lead to anxiety and, ultimately, to fears.

Fear of the unknown is common on many levels of life, even for crusty old adults. For teens, though, who have not yet been exposed to the broad spectrum of life's ups and downs, the thought of college can be fraught with uncertainty and even intimidation. Even current college students can fear college, even though they're already there.

This past week, I was reflecting on my own thoughts about college when I was in high school and in college, as well as those I noted about my children as they transitioned into collegians. Inspired by those memories, I did some research about "college fears" and found an interesting article that may help students and parents better understand what young people are experiencing these days regarding higher education.

The article Top 10 Fears Students Have About College: Student Debt Is Not #1! by Vidya Narayanan shares survey results of over 3,000 students who revealed what they feared most about college. Below, I'll list those top 10, along with some of Narayanan's and my own comments. See if any of these match any of yours. Narayanan writes a brief introduction:

Whether or not you've attended college, you probably agree that college is hard! But, do you know what worries students the most about college?

In order to understand this, we surveyed 3,000+ students (high school and undergraduate) across the country. Here are the top 10 fears students wrote about college.

10. Starting a New Life with No One I Know

Almost a third of the students surveyed checked this as one of their fears. Being away from family and all known friends is an intimidating beginning to life — this is a fear that may not get talked about a lot, but is felt by many!

I think this has a lot to do with the sense of being without a "safety net." At home, if you run out of money, for example, you can always get an advance from mom or dad, or even from one of your buddies. There's always someone who can offer help. Not so much so at college, where it may take a while to feel comfortable enough to seek help from a roommate or classmate.

9. Not Being Able to Positively Impact the World

It used to be that we wanted to graduate to get good jobs and make a living. The youth of today want to do a LOT more. They care about making a positive impact in the world and worry that they may fail in their pursuit of that goal.

Apparently, a lot of humanitarian idealists responded to this survey. Frankly, when I was in college, my main "fear" was getting enough credits to graduate and then get a decent job. That sounds self-centered, I know, but I'm encouraged that young people today are concerned about making a positive difference in the world. We parents should be encouraged by this.

8. Losing My S.O. over a Long-Distance Relationship Struggle

The dating culture today makes it impossible to find love. For people who are in loving, caring relationships, the thought of losing their significant other keeps them up at night!

I'm a bit surprised by this fear, in light of all the technology that's available to keep couples in touch 24/7. Texts, FaceTime, unlimited cell phone talk, etc. can go a long way to keep couples together. However, there are a lot of temptations lurking when an actual physical presence is not possible. "When the cat's away …" and all that.

7. Meeting the Wrong People Who Get Me in Trouble

As much as awareness runs high these days, dangers run deep as well. And students are afraid of falling into bad company!

This is a legitimate concern. Within my own family network, I saw a situation develop where a young man went to college and became addicted to hard drugs because of the crowd he befriended. What followed was a long, painful rehab, which was extremely challenging for his parents and siblings. I would rate this fear higher than number seven.

6. Not Being Able to Maintain Good Grades

Especially for people with good grades in high school, it is unnerving to be surrounded by brighter and more hardworking students that college might bring .

As I mentioned, I was concerned about grades and graduating on time. College is a lot harder than high school, because many professors think that their course is the only one you're taking and the workloads can pile up and make former straight-A students struggle to get by. I received my first "D" ever on an assignment my freshman year. Talk about culture shock!

5. Making New Friends

As astounding 65% of the survey participants wrote about their fears of being alone and not being able to make new friends! This is a real fear for most people seeking new friendships in their post-phone years.

That's a high percentage of concern. The good news is: Misery loves company. Thus, when these fearful students arrive on campus, they'll find that most everyone else (greater than 65 percent, in my opinion) feels the same way and this "anxiety camaraderie" will quickly melt away those fears. Friends made the first weeks of college many times remain friends for years after college.

4. Picking the Right College

It's literally like picking from dozens of seemingly great or mediocre or bad choices, depending on how you look at it. There are too many choices and too much information to be understanding which of these choices work for anyone!

Another reasonable concern. I see many threads on the College Confidential discussion forum about transfers. The cry, "I hate my college!" pops up more than it should, unfortunately. Making the wrong college choice is easy if you don't follow a best-practices approach. How to do that? Easy: Check out the many articles on CC about "college choice."

3. Being Accepted for Who I Am

Young adults increasingly develop their personalities early nowadays. They often understand who they are and want to be accepted for it. But with increasing displays of intolerance in various parts of the country, students are worried about being accepted in college. Nearly 85 percent of the students surveyed expressed this concern!

In my professional opinion, the biggest college factor these days working to quell this fear is "diversity." Colleges are striving to diversify their classes as much as possible in order to recognize individual differences. The result is that even if you feel you are "oddly unique" in some ways, you should find a welcoming atmosphere as your campus celebrates diversity.

2. College Fees and Debt

While student loans didn't top the list, it was a close second. No surprises there!

I would have rated this as number one, obviously . Maybe the article's title should have been: "Top 10 Fears Students Have About College: Student Debt Is Not #1 [it's #2]!" There's not much comment needed about this. The reality of graduating with $75,000 or more in student loan debt speaks for itself.

1. Choosing the Right Major

To our surprise, what topped the list with over 90 percent of the surveyed participants picking this as their top concern was choosing the right major! With the rapidly changing landscape of tech and business, it is not automatically clear what majors bring the best of career options and self satisfaction all at the same time. Students worry about picking the wrong major and having to drop out. Or graduating with the wrong major and not finding a job. Or worse still, not being happy in what they end up doing.

To all those 90 percent out there who fear making the wrong choice of major, here's a tool that can be of high value to you before you make a commitment: College Rankings Based on Debt and Earnings by Major -- see which majors result in what earnings after accumulating a certain level of debt at specific colleges. It's a tremendously valuable resource.

So, what's the conclusion?

As we processed these survey results, we realized that the one thing that can help addressing most of these fears is more communication. Between prospective students and current students. Between students and the teaching community. Between students and their peers. The more they can communicate, the more they can seek solace on their individual fears.

I'll append Narayanyan's conclusion with this: Spending time on College Confidential can go a long way in taking the edge of your greatest concerns about college. Have no fear; CC is here !

Share Your Thoughts

We'd love to hear your thoughts on this topic. Check out our forum to contribute to the conversation!

Dave is co-founder of College Confidential and College Karma Consulting, co-author of America's Elite Colleges: The Smart Buyer's Guide to the Ivy League and Other Top Schools, and has over 30 years of experience helping high schoolers gain admission to Ivy League and other ultra-selective schools. He is an expert in the areas application strategies, stats evaluation, college matching, student profile marketing, essays, personality and temperament assessments and web-based admissions counseling. Dave is a graduate of The Pennsylvania State University and has won national awards for his writing on higher education issues, marketing campaigns and communications programs. He brings this expertise to the discipline of college admissions and his role as a student advocate. His College Quest newspaper page won the Newspaper Association of America's Program Excellence Award, the Pennsylvania Newspaper Publisher's Association Newspapers in Education Award, the Thomson Newspapers President's Award for Marketing Excellence and the Inland Press Association-University of Kentucky School of Journalism and Mass Communications Inland Innovation Award for the Best New Page. His pioneering journalism program for teenagers, PRO-TEENS, also received national media attention. In addition, Dave won the Newspaper Association of America's Program Excellence Award for Celebrate Diversity!, a program teaching junior high school students about issues of tolerance. His College Knowledge question-and-answer columns have been published in newspapers throughout the United States. Dave loves Corvettes, classical music, computers, and miniature dachshunds. He and his wife Sharon have a daughter, son and four grandchildren.

More on Applying to College

Authentic Voice in College Essays

That’s why you want to use your authentic voice when writing any college essay .

So what’s the problem? A student has shared an ess…

College Interview Prep Tips: Brainstorm, Research, Analyze, Generalize

I recently visited Washington University in Saint Louis and was lucky enough to set up an interview. By speaking with peers of mi…

Academic Index Scores: Why They Matter and How They're Calculated

Note: Click here for 10 Summer Programs You Can Still Apply For or keep reading to learn more about academic index scores.

7 Podcasts for Students Going Through the Admissions Process

Podcasts can offer a wealth of information to busy students, particularly when it comes to the college admissions process. We…

Avoid College Application Regrets: Tips For Getting It Right the First Time

Decision Day occurs each year on May 1st and is the deadline for students to inform the college of their choice of their intent t…

Get a student loan that goes beyond tuition.

Ascent offers cosigned and non-cosigned student loans with exclusive benefits that set students up for success.

Find Your Scholarship

Want to find money for school that doesn’t need to be paid back? Access insights and advice on how to search and apply for scholarships!

We use cookies to enhance our website for you. Proceed if you agree to this policy or learn more about it.

• Essay Database >
• Essays Samples >
• Essay Types >
• College Essay Example

Fear College Essays Samples For Students

1656 samples of this type

WowEssays.com paper writer service proudly presents to you a free collection of Fear College Essays aimed to help struggling students deal with their writing challenges. In a practical sense, each Fear College Essay sample presented here may be a guide that walks you through the important stages of the writing procedure and showcases how to compose an academic work that hits the mark. Besides, if you need more visionary assistance, these examples could give you a nudge toward an original Fear College Essay topic or inspire a novice approach to a threadbare issue.

In case this is not enough to slake the thirst for efficient writing help, you can request personalized assistance in the form of a model College Essay on Fear crafted by a pro writer from scratch and tailored to your specific directives. Be it a simple 2-page paper or an in-depth, lengthy piece, our writers specialized in Fear and related topics will submit it within the stated period. Buy cheap essays or research papers now!

Good The Fear Tactic Essay Example

Free essay about purpose of students, example of the quote by c. joybell c. essay.

"Don't be afraid of your fears. They're not there to scare you. They're there to let you know that something is worth it " - C. Joybell C.

Don't waste your time searching for a sample.

Get your essay done by professional writers!

Just from $10/page

Good Genocides Essay Example

Example of essay on a call to white americans by jennifer passmore, free essay on the matter of probable cause could be discussed about these cases, article assignment, freudian defense mechanisms- rationalization essays examples, first car drive essays examples, free studnet reflection paper essay example.

Introduction A new student who has to study in a foreign land is expected to hurdle several challenges before finishing the course. Due to the difference in language and culture, there are cases where foreign students have difficulty in adapting to a new environment. In many cases, there are students who decide to drop a subject or the entire course due to personal reasons. However, being determined and maintaining one’s focus are the factors which will motivate a student to strive harder.

Free Essay About Panic Disorder With Agoraphobia

Panic disorder refers to a disorder whereby an individual experiences sudden and spontaneous attacks of anxiety and fear. The panic attacks lead to agoraphobia, which is the feeling of anxiety that one gets for the fear of being in situations where one cannot get help in case of a panic attack. These situations include, but not limited to, being in crowds, being left alone or being near bridges.

Clark’s theory of catastrophic interpretations

Guilt essay sample, example of essay on aristotle, free essay on finding george orwell in burma, what is courage essays example, good example of essay on the relationship between socioeconomic status and crime, the relationship between socioeconomic status and crime, good essay on lyric analysis, analysis of lyrics, sample essay on jk rowling speech to harvard graduates, good example of analyze the title "white noise", the novel by don delillo essay, analysis of white noise by don delillo, free afterlife essay sample, o independent and control variables essay, step 1: create variables.

Run frequency tables for the new variables to check that they are accurate Run a frequency table of your dummy variable to check that it is accurate Run a reliability analysis using the following 10 variables: COMPUTE FEAR=q25afearmurder + q25bfearrape + q25cfearweapon + q25dfearhome + q25efearcar + q25ffearmugged + q25gvandal + q25hconned + q25ibeggar + q25jbeaten. EXECUTE. measures of central tendency and dispersion for this new variable o Dependent variable:

Punitive attitudes additive scale

Frequencies essay, step 1 - creating variables.

Frequencies Frequencies Frequencies Frequencies

FEAR OF CRIME RELIABILITY ANALYSIS

Reliability Scale: ALL VARIABLES MEASURES OF CENTRAL TENDENCY & DISPERSION – FEAR EXPLORE QUESTION 1: What is the alpha level for the FEAR additive scale? .95

QUESTION 2: Does your analysis indicate that the FEAR additive scale is a reliable measure? How did you determine this?

Yes. .95 is larger than .6

PUNITIVE ATTITUDES RELIABILITY ANALYSIS

Reliability Scale: ALL VARIABLES

QUESTION 3: What is the alpha level for the PUNITVE additive scale?

Checking normality statistics.

Frequencies

QUESTION 4: List the variables that have skewness values that indicate non-normality, including those with both moderate and severe problems.

Find variables with skewness which exceeds ± .50.

Agree that "The Bible is the actual word of God and is to be taken literally."

Principles of ethics essays examples, essay on the value of spiritual awareness and mortality consciousness, example of fears essay, relaxing your fears away essay example, free essay on components of fear, good example of essay on the individual and leadership, reflective journal iv, babadook: a review essay samples, sample essay on avoiding and removing stress: seeing things from a more positive perspective, example of ecological sustainability and death essay, is death bad, free essay on learning and conditioning, good essay about fear and fascism:an analysis of v for vendetta, children of alcoholics essay sample, good example of what builds healthy self-esteem essay, example of essay on critical paper 2, the professor's name, free the pit and the pendulum by edgar allan poe essay sample, free essay about obsessive - compulsive disorder, my most precious childhood memory essays example, good example of essay on a fear of loneliness, example of causes of student procrastination essay, sample essay on tutorial number, good essay about the atomic cafe, good essay about grendel and beowulf, good essay about fallacy summaries with examples, essay on the blank slate: the modern denial of human nature, this essay has been written by name of student of class of student of name of college, critique" once more to the lake" by e.b. white essay example, motivating adult learners essay samples, example of organizational dynamics to manage and lead change essay, co-occurring disorders essay example, good example of helena maria viramontes stories essay, presentation of personal barriers in, good essay on monsters by anna quindlen, brief summary, globalization and international business essay example, terrorism essays example, defense technology essay samples, good essay on mental disorder, example of public health issues in cancer survivorship essay, example of essay on horror stories, indonesia – australia relations in the era of democracy essays examples, indonesia – australia relations in the era of democracy: the view from the indonesian side, examples of classical conditioning in taste aversion and phobia essays example, good essay on passage on fear and courage, judges 6:11-12.

Password recovery email has been sent to [email protected]

Use your new password to log in

You are not register!

By clicking Register, you agree to our Terms of Service and that you have read our Privacy Policy .

Now you can download documents directly to your device!

Check your email! An email with your password has already been sent to you! Now you can download documents directly to your device.

or Use the QR code to Save this Paper to Your Phone

The sample is NOT original!

Short on a deadline?

Don't waste time. Get help with 11% off using code - GETWOWED

No, thanks! I'm fine with missing my deadline

Testimonials

Application Nation

Free Guides

Admissions Revolution

Work With Sara

[email protected]

How to Take the Fear Out of Writing Your College Essay

One of the most feared and intimidating parts of the application process is the college essay. I can understand why students have trepidation leading up to writing their personal statement. For selective and highly selective colleges, the essay matters. It often defines how the student is perceived by the admissions officer reading their application, and can impact the admissions decision. No pressure, right?

Before beginning the writing process, students wonder how on earth they are going to get across their very best self in 650 words or less. If you're worried and don't know how to get started, here are five tips to calm your nerves:

• You have ALL SUMMER to write your college essay. While there is a small percentage of students ready to write their college essay during junior year of high school, most students need more time. The best essays that I read are almost uniformly written by students during the summer between junior and senior year. Being away from the demands of the school year creates a safe space to take stock and consider the person you are. Most students gain a lot of perspective and maturity once the school year is complete, and this is reflected in a more self-aware essay.
• Pick your topic first and then look at the essay prompts in the Common Application (or another application). Almost anything a student writes about themselves for the main college essay will fit one of the prompts.
• Consider things that not everyone knows about you , or if they do, you don't usually discuss them. What moment, experience, quotation, family saying, daily routine, characteristic, challenge, or lifestyle represents you (and only you) so purely and authentically? The answer will come to you when you consider the person you are because of the life you have lived.
• You don't have to be perfect or come from a perfect family to write an extraordinary essay. In fact, imperfections or complex situations lead to powerful essays about resiliency, understanding, and acceptance.
• The work involved in writing the college essay can truly pay off. It can be the difference between getting admitted and getting denied. You get out of it what you put into it.

"Don't let the #college essay scare you! Here are five tips to calm your nerves" TWEET THIS 

Writing the main college essay can be very empowering, especially when the student sees themselves through a different and positive light. The hardest part is getting started, so keep these five tips in mind to begin!

For all the latest news and more:

About Sara Harberson

Sara Harberson is the founder of Application Nation™, which provides personalized advice to college applicants and their families. In her book, SOUNDBITE: The Admissions Secret that Gets You Into College and Beyond, Sara reveals the secrets of her signature college admissions tool, the "Soundbite," and shares tried-and-tested exercises that have helped thousands of students gain admission to their school of choice. She is the former associate dean of admissions at the University of Pennsylvania and the former dean of admissions and financial aid at Franklin & Marshall College. Sara’s philosophy is that every kid applying to college deserves the best advice.

College Admissions , College Essays

Related Articles

One-On-One Counseling

Speaking Engagements

© 2017 Sara Harberson, all rights reserved. Privacy Policy . Site developed by THINK creative group. 

Yost Undergraduate Essay Endowed Award

About the scholarship.

The Yost Undergraduate Essay Endowed Award competition is open to students in the College of Arts and Sciences at Florida State University. Undergraduate students who have completed an upper-level class in the Department of English during the previous semester are encouraged to enter. The author of the best non-literary essay receives the award.

• Essay Required : Yes
• Need-Based : No
• Merit-Based : No
• Resident of the U.S.
• Attending Florida State University College of Arts and Sciences
• College junior or senior
• Seeking a bachelor's degree
• Studying English
• Country : US

Watch CBS News

Tensions on college campuses increase as Pro-Palestinian protests against war in Gaza spread

Here’s how much a Utah college is paying Rainn Wilson from ‘The Office’ to speak at graduation

It’s the highest cost for a commencement speaker at any of the eight public colleges and universities in the state this year..

(AAE Speakers) Pictured is comedian and television actor Rainn Wilson, who played the assistant to the regional manager in "The Office." He will speak at Weber State University's commencement on April 26, 2024. This is not a photo of Dwight Schrute because "identity theft is no joke, Jim."

It turns out being the assistant to the regional manager is a well-paying gig.

Rainn Wilson , who held that job title in his famed TV role as the irascible Dwight Schrute in “The Office,” was selected by Weber State University to give this year’s commencement address. And the northern Utah school is shelling out a hefty fee for his speech.

The actor’s contract is for $125,000 for a 20-minute talk at the graduation ceremony, according to the paperwork obtained by The Salt Lake Tribune through a public records request.

To paraphrase Jim Halpert: bears, beets, “Battlestar Galactica” and big bucks.

It’s the highest cost for a commencement speaker at any of the eight public colleges and universities in the state this year — and the highest for any school here in at least the last decade.

The contract doesn’t specify how much will go to Wilson, who is also a writer, producer and director, and how much to his booking agency, All American Entertainment , that signed the contract.

The company’s founder, Greg Friedlander, responded to an email from The Tribune saying that “confidentiality clauses within our agreements” prevent him from providing details.

He said: “I can confirm that the payment to our agency was an all-inclusive fee, encompassing various expenses such as travel and other customary costs associated with this type of engagement.”

Rainn Wilson commencement contract by Courtney on Scribd

For Weber State’s part, school spokesperson Bryan Magaña said 70% of the fee for Wilson to speak — $87,500 — was covered by a private donation from an anonymous donor.

The remaining $37,500 of the bill will be paid by the publicly funded school.

That balance is more than double the next highest fee for a commencement speaker in the state: Salt Lake Community College has a $15,000 contract with Winter Olympic gold medalist for speedskating — and SLCC student — Erin Jackson.

Meanwhile, two schools — Utah Tech University and Southern Utah University — will have only student speakers, without any spendy contracted speakers to address the graduates. Both said it was part of a cost-saving measure.

In recent years, there’s been scrutiny on the spending for speakers at graduation ceremonies nationwide.

In 2015, actor Matthew McConaughey was paid $135,000, with an additional $30,000 in fees to a booking agent, for his commencement address to the University of Houston, according to The Houston Chronicle, which fought to get his contract. McConaughey donated the money to charity, but it launched a reckoning over the fees for graduation ceremonies.

The University of Massachusetts-Amherst, for instance, paid astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson $25,000 for his graduation speech, plus nearly $3,000 on top of that for expenses.

Actor William Shatner got $75,000 for his talk at one California university’s commencement, according to a Bloomberg News report. And actor Kevin Bacon — who’s returning to Utah this year to celebrate the anniversary of “Footloose” — was given $70,000 for his speech at the University of South Florida.

It was enough to prompt New Jersey to create a statute requiring that commencement speaker fees be capped at $10,000 for schools in the state. (That came after former “Jersey Shore” reality star Nicole “Snooki” Polizzi was paid $32,000 to speak at a graduation in 2011.)

Utah doesn’t have any similar law limiting the cost of speakers. And it doesn’t appear any schools here have individual policies — though Utah State University says it typically doesn’t pay for graduation speeches.

It’s largely up to each university how to spend its budget for the ceremonies. And Weber State is betting that with its choice, Wilson could earn a mug for being the world’s best commencement speaker.

Why did Weber State pick Wilson?

Magaña said that Weber State “had the means to be more creative and strategic with commencement” this year.

Along with the private donation, the school shifted funds in its existing graduation budget that typically go toward meals or other activities to cover the extra expense.

“Weber State is always conscious of cost,” Magaña said. “We’re known for being a bit frugal when it comes to our budget, so it’s always going to surprise folks on those occasions when we spend a little more than usual.”

The school did raise tuition this year, but by the lowest percentage — 2.75% — of any public university in the state.

Magaña said when the school polled students about potential speakers, most indicated they wanted someone with name recognition that would make the day memorable. And the announcement was met with plenty of excitement — and memes, GIFs and loads of exclamation points — on social media.

One person wrote: “Ogden is basically Utah’s Scranton, so this makes sense.”

Another suggested that everyone in the audience dress up like the character Dwight, as his co-worker Jim does to tease him in the show. If that happens, Weber State will have to find a way to make sure the real Wilson is on stage because “identity theft is no joke, Jim.”

“Rainn Wilson is a familiar face, a household name, and his work obviously resonates with so many people,” Magaña added. “What a lot of people may not know, though, is that he holds a master’s degree, so he can speak to the value of higher education and the opportunities it provides.”

(Chris Pizzello | Invision/AP) Rainn Wilson at an awards show in 2015, in Los Angeles.

Wilson received a master of fine arts degree from New York University’s Graduation Acting Program. He will also receive an honorary degree from Weber State at the event, along with three other individuals who have made an impact in the local community.

Weber State President Brad Mortensen said in the announcement of the school’s commencement speaker last month, that he hopes bringing in a big-name celebrity will make the ceremony a community event as well as a celebration of graduates. It is free and open to the public.

The ceremony starts at 7 p.m. on April 26 at the Dee Events Center in Ogden. There are no tickets; instead, seats will be given on a first-come basis. But priority seating will be given to graduates and their families, according to the university. The venue can host 11,000 people.

The school is graduating 3,700 students this year.

“Bringing in someone like Rainn gets more eyes on our graduates, and more eyes on Weber State as the place where you can achieve your college dream,” Magaña said. “To quote ‘The Office,’ ‘That’s a win-win-win scenario.’”

Does Wilson have any Utah connections?

It does not appear Wilson has any direct connections to Utah or Utah college graduates.

He was once in a commercial with former Utah Jazz player Deron Williams and joked about the state.

“Hey, you’re from Utah,” Wilson says. “Great state. I got the crap beat out of me in Provo one time.”

Many in the state also point to an Instagram post from Wilson in 2017 where he shared a picture of two female missionaries from the Utah-based Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, who he said visited with him.

“I was visited by some very nice Mormon missionary sisters this morning,” Wilson wrote.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by RAINN WILSON (@rainnwilson)

Utah also has a penchant for Jell-O, which can be used in a prank to hide office supplies.

Who is speaking at Utah’s other colleges? And how much are those contracts for?

• The University of Utah

The U. will have Eboo Patel , founder and president of Interfaith America, speak at its commencement event on May 2.

Patel is a public impact scholar at the U., a program where the university brings in national educators and authors to contribute to campus discussions. With that, the U. has an existing two-year contract with Patel, and he is paid $60,000 a year. As part of that, he is required to speak at graduation.

“Sometimes we select a prominent alum,” said U. spokesperson Chris Nelson on the school’s process for picking a speaker. “Sometimes the speaker is selected for their unique perspective or because their organization works on issues related to the events of the day.”

Last year, Tim Shriver, the co-founder and chair of UNITE — an initiative that pushes for unity — spoke at the U.’s commencement. He was also under contract as a public impact scholar. The four speakers before that, which included former Jazz player Donovan Mitchell in 2021, received no payment for their addresses.

The U. paid Ben Nemtin, a mental health advocate, $28,000 to speak in 2018.

• Utah State University

USU in Logan will have Gail Miller , local business leader and philanthropist, speak at its ceremony on May 2.

(Chris Samuels | The Salt Lake Tribune) Gail Miller speaks during a ceremony marking the donation and naming of the Gail Miller School of Business at Salt Lake Community College in Taylorsville, Thursday, Oct. 20, 2022.

The school is paying any reimbursements for her travel to campus, but will not be paying a speaker fee.

“She exemplifies USU’s mission to serve our community,” said USU spokesperson Amanda DeRito, “and we’re excited to hear what she has to say to our graduating seniors.”

• Utah Valley University

The Orem school that boasts the largest student enrollment in the state will welcome Jamie Kern Lima to the stage for its event on May 2.

Lima is the founder of IT Cosmetics and an advocate for female entrepreneurs. A spokesperson for UVU said Lime is flying in on her own private jet and not charging the school for her speech. The university will pay for her hotel room.

“Most people know her as a successful cosmetics executive, but she has also been a Denny’s waitress, struggling entrepreneur, and a sufferer of rejections,” said UVU President Astrid Tuminez in the announcement.

• Salt Lake Community College

SLCC is paying $15,000 in a contract to have Erin Jackson speak at its ceremony on May 3.

Jackson won a gold medal for speedskating at the 2022 Winter Olympics — becoming the first Black woman to do so in an individual sport. She is considered the best female 500-meter speedskater in the world.

Jackson is unique in that she’s also currently a student at SLCC, where she’s continuing to take classes after already earning an associate degree in computer science there and a bachelor’s degree in Florida.

(Bethany Baker | The Salt Lake Tribune) Erin Jackson of the United States after competing in the women’s 1000 meter speed skating finals during the ISU Speed Skating World Cup in Kearns on Sunday, Jan. 28, 2024.

• Snow College

The small school with two campuses will have Brent Brown speak in Ephraim on May 3 and Dennis Jorgensen speak in Richfield on May 2.

Jorgensen is a business owner in central Utah. Brown is a businessman and higher education advocate. The only costs, according to a spokesperson for the school, are providing a hotel room and dinner for Brown.

• Southern Utah University

SUU will have student speakers only this year at its April 25 commencement, so there is no additional cost.

The school came under fire last year for its choice of commencement speaker when it chose Latter-day Saint apostle Jeffrey Holland. A petition opposing his speech gained thousands of signatures, and students protested the choice.

Their concern was over past rhetoric from Holland where he’s opposed LGBTQ+ relationships. During a speech a Brigham Young University, Holland told students to take up their intellectual “muskets” to defend The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and its “doctrine of the family and … marriage as the union of a man and a woman.” He also criticized the commencement speech by BYU’s 2019 valedictorian, who declared himself a “gay son of God.”

Holland ultimately was sick at the time and didn’t speak at the graduation ceremony.

SUU said it’s working to create a new process for the future to select commencement speakers.

•Utah Tech University

Utah Tech will also have student speakers only for its ceremony on May 3. It also has no cost for that.

“The decision to not bring in a commencement speaker was twofold: to use our monetary resources wisely and to prevent the commencement ceremony from becoming too long,” said Utah Tech spokesperson Jyl Hall.

Editor’s note • This story is available to Salt Lake Tribune subscribers only. Thank you for supporting local journalism.

Donate to the newsroom now. The Salt Lake Tribune, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) public charity and contributions are tax deductible

RELATED STORIES

All of utah’s colleges will increase tuition and fees. here’s a rundown., after dei bill, this is what utah’s college presidents fear will be the next target of lawmakers, first university in utah renames dei office after lawmakers ban words. this is what it’s now called., gov. cox signs utah anti-dei bill prohibiting diversity efforts he once championed, gov. cox said he didn’t see evidence dei programs work. here’s the data utah colleges say they’ve given him., boost your utah home’s value with these 4 strategic upgrades, bagley cartoon: bears ears, west jordan man says his dog caused him to shoot his neighbor, why this faithful latter-day saint drives six hours to buy liquor he will never drink, opinion: we can’t get back what is lost. preserving utah’s historic places is investing in our future., how salt lake city plans to heal its ‘single-largest transportation issue’, featured local savings.

• Share full article

Advertisement

Guest Essay

Why Biden Has a Narrower Path to the Presidency Than Trump, in 11 Maps

Illustration by Akshita Chandra/The New York Times; Images by PhotoObjects.net, Yuji Sakai, and THEPALMER/Getty Images

By Doug Sosnik Graphics by Quoctrung Bui

Mr. Sosnik was a senior adviser to President Bill Clinton from 1994 to 2000 and has advised over 50 governors and U.S. senators.

While polls show the race for president is tightening, Joe Biden still has a narrower and more challenging path to winning the election than Donald Trump. The reason is the Electoral College: My analysis of voter history and polling shows a map that currently favors Mr. Trump, even though recent developments in Arizona improve Mr. Biden’s chances. The Biden campaign will need to decide this summer which states to contest hardest. Our Electoral College maps below lay out the best scenarios for him and Mr. Trump.

Seven states with close results determined who won both the 2020 and the 2016 presidential elections, and those same seven states will most likely play the same battleground role this fall: three industrial states – Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin – and four Sun Belt states – Arizona, Georgia, Nevada and North Carolina.

The seven states that will most likely decide the 2024 presidential election

Mr. Biden’s declining popularity in the Sun Belt states is the main reason Mr. Trump has an edge right now. He is especially struggling with young and nonwhite voters there. Let’s take a closer look:

According to 2020 exit polls , Mr. Biden won 65 percent of Latino voters, who comprised roughly a fifth of voters in Arizona and Nevada. And Mr. Biden won 87 percent of Black voters, who made up 29 percent of the Georgia vote and 23 percent of the North Carolina vote. He also won 60 percent of voters aged 18 to 29. Now look at this year: A New York Times/Siena College poll released last weekend showed support for Mr. Biden had dropped 18 points with Black voters, 15 points with Latinos and 14 points with younger voters nationally.

Abortion could be a decisive issue in Mr. Biden stemming this erosion of support in Arizona and Nevada. The Arizona Supreme Court’s ruling last week that largely bans abortions raises the stakes of a likely ballot initiative on the issue there in November. It also appears likely that there will be a similar ballot measure in Nevada.

Nevertheless, the key to Mr. Biden’s victory is to perform well in the three industrial states. If Mr. Trump is able to win one or more of Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, Mr. Biden’s path to 270 electoral votes becomes even narrower.

If Mr. Biden and Mr. Trump remain ahead in the states where they are currently running strongest, the outcome of the election could come down to who wins Michigan and the two Sun Belt states where abortion will very likely be on the ballot, Arizona and Nevada.

Based on past voting, Mr. Trump will start out the general election with 219 electoral votes, compared to 226 votes for Mr. Biden, with 93 votes up for grabs.

Voter history and recent polling suggest that Mr. Trump is in a strong position to win North Carolina . Republicans have carried the state in every presidential election since 1976 except in 2008. In a Wall Street Journal battleground poll taken in March, Mr. Biden had only 37 percent job approval in the state. By winning North Carolina , Mr. Trump would have 235 electoral votes and two strong paths to 270.

The first path involves carrying Georgia , a state he lost by fewer than 12,000 votes in 2020. Before then, Republicans won Georgia in every election since 1992. If Mr. Trump carries North Carolina and Georgia , he would have a base of 251 electoral votes with four scenarios that get him to 270.

Scenario 1 Then all Mr. Trump needs is Pennsylvania …

Scenario 2 … or Michigan and Nevada …

Scenario 3 … or Michigan and Arizona …

Scenario 4 … or Arizona and Wisconsin.

The second and harder path for Mr. Trump would be if he carried only one Southern swing state – most likely North Carolina . He would have only 235 electoral votes and would need to win three of the six remaining battleground states.

Scenario 5 Then he would need to win Arizona , Michigan and Wisconsin …

Scenario 6 … or Arizona , Nevada and Pennsylvania .

How Biden Can Win

It is difficult to see how Mr. Biden gets re-elected without doing well in the industrial battleground states – the so-called “ Blue Wall ” for Democrats. This is particularly true of Pennsylvania, given the state’s 19 electoral votes and Mr. Biden’s ties there and appeal to middle-class and blue-collar voters. That’s why he’s spending three days in Pennsylvania this week.

Mr. Biden will most likely need to win at least one other industrial battleground – with Wisconsin the most probable, since his polling numbers there are stronger than in the other battleground states.

A combination of factors have made winning Michigan much more challenging for Mr. Biden. Hamas’s attack on Israel and the war in Gaza have ripped apart the coalitions that enabled Democrats to do so well in the state since 2018. There are over 300,000 Arab Americans there, as well as a large Jewish population. Both groups were crucial to Mr. Biden’s success there in 2020.

In addition, Michigan voters’ perception of the economy is more negative compared with the other battleground states. In the Journal battleground poll , two-thirds of Michigan voters described the national economy negatively; more than half had a negative opinion of the state’s economy.

Now let’s look at Mr. Biden’s map.

Mr. Biden’s best strategy is based on winning Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, which would give him 255 electoral votes (assuming that he carries the 2nd Congressional District in Nebraska). By carrying these states, Mr. Biden has several paths to 270, but the first three scenarios are his most viable.

Scenario 1 He just needs to win Michigan …

Scenario 2 … or Arizona and Nevada …

Scenario 3 ... or Georgia .

There are two other scenarios where Mr. Biden loses Wisconsin and keeps Pennsylvania . But that would mean winning states where Mr. Biden is polling much worse.

Scenario 4 They involve Mr. Biden winning Georgia and Arizona …

Scenario 5 … or Michigan and Georgia .

A Look Ahead

With over six months to go until Election Day, given the volatility in the world and the weaknesses of Mr. Biden and Mr. Trump, it would be foolish to make firm predictions about specific results. And other electoral map scenarios are possible: Recent polling shows Mr. Biden with a narrow lead in Minnesota, a state that usually votes for Democrats for president. While it is mathematically possible for Mr. Biden to win without carrying Minnesota, it is unlikely he will be elected if he cannot carry this traditionally Democratic state.

For the third election cycle in a row, a small number of voters in a handful of states could determine the next president of the United States.

If the election remains close but Mr. Biden is unable to regain support from the core group of voters who propelled him to victory in 2020 — young and nonwhite voters — then we could be headed to a repeat of the 2016 election. The outcome of that election was decided by fewer than 80,000 votes in Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.

Last week’s abortion ruling in Arizona, and the likely abortion ballot initiatives in that state and Nevada, give Mr. Biden the possibility of being re-elected even if he loses Michigan. That’s why, if we have another close presidential election, I think Arizona, Michigan and Nevada will likely determine the outcome for Mr. Biden or Mr. Trump.

Based on my experience as Bill Clinton’s White House political director in his 1996 re-election campaign, I would take immediate advantage of Mr. Biden’s significant fund-raising advantage over Mr. Trump to focus on shoring up the president’s chances in Michigan and the must-win states of Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, while at the same time trying to keep Georgia and North Carolina in play. Mr. Biden does not need to win either of those Sun Belt states to get re-elected, but draining Mr. Trump’s resources there could help him in other battleground states.

More on the 2024 presidential election

Democrats Need to Stop Playing Nice

Too often, Democrats litigate; Republicans fight.

By Joe Klein

One Purple State Is ‘Testing the Outer Limits of MAGAism’

North Carolina Republicans are “in the running for the most MAGA party in the nation.”

By Thomas B. Edsall

2024, Meet 1892, Your Doppelgänger

Great political change can unfold when the political system seems woefully stalled.

By Jon Grinspan

Doug Sosnik was a senior adviser to President Bill Clinton from 1994 to 2000 and has advised over 50 governors and U.S. senators.

The Times is committed to publishing a diversity of letters to the editor. We’d like to hear what you think about this or any of our articles. Here are some tips . And here’s our email: [email protected] .

Follow the New York Times Opinion section on Facebook , Instagram , TikTok , WhatsApp , X and Threads .