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Sat / act prep online guides and tips, how to write a great community service essay.

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Are you applying to a college or a scholarship that requires a community service essay? Do you know how to write an essay that will impress readers and clearly show the impact your work had on yourself and others?

Read on to learn step-by-step instructions for writing a great community service essay that will help you stand out and be memorable.

What Is a Community Service Essay? Why Do You Need One?

A community service essay is an essay that describes the volunteer work you did and the impact it had on you and your community. Community service essays can vary widely depending on specific requirements listed in the application, but, in general, they describe the work you did, why you found the work important, and how it benefited people around you.

Community service essays are typically needed for two reasons:

#1: To Apply to College

• Some colleges require students to write community service essays as part of their application or to be eligible for certain scholarships.
• You may also choose to highlight your community service work in your personal statement.

#2: To Apply for Scholarships

• Some scholarships are specifically awarded to students with exceptional community service experiences, and many use community service essays to help choose scholarship recipients.
• Green Mountain College offers one of the most famous of these scholarships. Their "Make a Difference Scholarship" offers full tuition, room, and board to students who have demonstrated a significant, positive impact through their community service

Getting Started With Your Essay

In the following sections, I'll go over each step of how to plan and write your essay. I'll also include sample excerpts for you to look through so you can get a better idea of what readers are looking for when they review your essay.

Step 1: Know the Essay Requirements

Before your start writing a single word, you should be familiar with the essay prompt. Each college or scholarship will have different requirements for their essay, so make sure you read these carefully and understand them.

Specific things to pay attention to include:

• Length requirement
• Application deadline
• The main purpose or focus of the essay
• If the essay should follow a specific structure

Below are three real community service essay prompts. Read through them and notice how much they vary in terms of length, detail, and what information the writer should include.

From the Equitable Excellence Scholarship:

"Describe your outstanding achievement in depth and provide the specific planning, training, goals, and steps taken to make the accomplishment successful. Include details about your role and highlight leadership you provided. Your essay must be a minimum of 350 words but not more than 600 words."

From the Laura W. Bush Traveling Scholarship:

"Essay (up to 500 words, double spaced) explaining your interest in being considered for the award and how your proposed project reflects or is related to both UNESCO's mandate and U.S. interests in promoting peace by sharing advances in education, science, culture, and communications."

From the LULAC National Scholarship Fund:

"Please type or print an essay of 300 words (maximum) on how your academic studies will contribute to your personal & professional goals. In addition, please discuss any community service or extracurricular activities you have been involved in that relate to your goals."

Step 2: Brainstorm Ideas

Even after you understand what the essay should be about, it can still be difficult to begin writing. Answer the following questions to help brainstorm essay ideas. You may be able to incorporate your answers into your essay.

• What community service activity that you've participated in has meant the most to you?
• What is your favorite memory from performing community service?
• Why did you decide to begin community service?
• What made you decide to volunteer where you did?
• How has your community service changed you?
• How has your community service helped others?
• How has your community service affected your plans for the future?

You don't need to answer all the questions, but if you find you have a lot of ideas for one of two of them, those may be things you want to include in your essay.

Writing Your Essay

How you structure your essay will depend on the requirements of the scholarship or school you are applying to. You may give an overview of all the work you did as a volunteer, or highlight a particularly memorable experience. You may focus on your personal growth or how your community benefited.

Regardless of the specific structure requested, follow the guidelines below to make sure your community service essay is memorable and clearly shows the impact of your work.

Samples of mediocre and excellent essays are included below to give you a better idea of how you should draft your own essay.

Step 1: Hook Your Reader In

You want the person reading your essay to be interested, so your first sentence should hook them in and entice them to read more. A good way to do this is to start in the middle of the action. Your first sentence could describe you helping build a house, releasing a rescued animal back to the wild, watching a student you tutored read a book on their own, or something else that quickly gets the reader interested. This will help set your essay apart and make it more memorable.

Compare these two opening sentences:

"I have volunteered at the Wishbone Pet Shelter for three years."

"The moment I saw the starving, mud-splattered puppy brought into the shelter with its tail between its legs, I knew I'd do whatever I could to save it."

The first sentence is a very general, bland statement. The majority of community service essays probably begin a lot like it, but it gives the reader little information and does nothing to draw them in. On the other hand, the second sentence begins immediately with action and helps persuade the reader to keep reading so they can learn what happened to the dog.

Step 2: Discuss the Work You Did

Once you've hooked your reader in with your first sentence, tell them about your community service experiences. State where you work, when you began working, how much time you've spent there, and what your main duties include. This will help the reader quickly put the rest of the essay in context and understand the basics of your community service work.

Not including basic details about your community service could leave your reader confused.

Step 3: Include Specific Details

It's the details of your community service that make your experience unique and memorable, so go into the specifics of what you did.

For example, don't just say you volunteered at a nursing home; talk about reading Mrs. Johnson her favorite book, watching Mr. Scott win at bingo, and seeing the residents play games with their grandchildren at the family day you organized. Try to include specific activities, moments, and people in your essay. Having details like these let the readers really understand what work you did and how it differs from other volunteer experiences.

Compare these two passages:

"For my volunteer work, I tutored children at a local elementary school. I helped them improve their math skills and become more confident students."

"As a volunteer at York Elementary School, I worked one-on-one with second and third graders who struggled with their math skills, particularly addition, subtraction, and fractions. As part of my work, I would create practice problems and quizzes and try to connect math to the students' interests. One of my favorite memories was when Sara, a student I had been working with for several weeks, told me that she enjoyed the math problems I had created about a girl buying and selling horses so much that she asked to help me create math problems for other students."

The first passage only gives basic information about the work done by the volunteer; there is very little detail included, and no evidence is given to support her claims. How did she help students improve their math skills? How did she know they were becoming more confident?

The second passage is much more detailed. It recounts a specific story and explains more fully what kind of work the volunteer did, as well as a specific instance of a student becoming more confident with her math skills. Providing more detail in your essay helps support your claims as well as make your essay more memorable and unique.

Step 4: Show Your Personality

It would be very hard to get a scholarship or place at a school if none of your readers felt like they knew much about you after finishing your essay, so make sure that your essay shows your personality. The way to do this is to state your personal strengths, then provide examples to support your claims. Take some time to think about which parts of your personality you would like your essay to highlight, then write about specific examples to show this.

• If you want to show that you're a motivated leader, describe a time when you organized an event or supervised other volunteers.
• If you want to show your teamwork skills, write about a time you helped a group of people work together better.
• If you want to show that you're a compassionate animal lover, write about taking care of neglected shelter animals and helping each of them find homes.

Step 5: State What You Accomplished

After you have described your community service and given specific examples of your work, you want to begin to wrap your essay up by stating your accomplishments. What was the impact of your community service? Did you build a house for a family to move into? Help students improve their reading skills? Clean up a local park? Make sure the impact of your work is clear; don't be worried about bragging here.

If you can include specific numbers, that will also strengthen your essay. Saying "I delivered meals to 24 home-bound senior citizens" is a stronger example than just saying "I delivered meals to lots of senior citizens."

Also be sure to explain why your work matters. Why is what you did important? Did it provide more parks for kids to play in? Help students get better grades? Give people medical care who would otherwise not have gotten it? This is an important part of your essay, so make sure to go into enough detail that your readers will know exactly what you accomplished and how it helped your community.

"My biggest accomplishment during my community service was helping to organize a family event at the retirement home. The children and grandchildren of many residents attended, and they all enjoyed playing games and watching movies together."

"The community service accomplishment that I'm most proud of is the work I did to help organize the First Annual Family Fun Day at the retirement home. My job was to design and organize fun activities that senior citizens and their younger relatives could enjoy. The event lasted eight hours and included ten different games, two performances, and a movie screening with popcorn. Almost 200 residents and family members attended throughout the day. This event was important because it provided an opportunity for senior citizens to connect with their family members in a way they aren't often able to. It also made the retirement home seem more fun and enjoyable to children, and we have seen an increase in the number of kids coming to visit their grandparents since the event."

The second passage is stronger for a variety of reasons. First, it goes into much more detail about the work the volunteer did. The first passage only states that she helped "organize a family event." That really doesn't tell readers much about her work or what her responsibilities were. The second passage is much clearer; her job was to "design and organize fun activities."

The second passage also explains the event in more depth. A family day can be many things; remember that your readers are likely not familiar with what you're talking about, so details help them get a clearer picture.

Lastly, the second passage makes the importance of the event clear: it helped residents connect with younger family members, and it helped retirement homes seem less intimidating to children, so now some residents see their grand kids more often.

Step 6: Discuss What You Learned

One of the final things to include in your essay should be the impact that your community service had on you. You can discuss skills you learned, such as carpentry, public speaking, animal care, or another skill.

You can also talk about how you changed personally. Are you more patient now? More understanding of others? Do you have a better idea of the type of career you want? Go into depth about this, but be honest. Don't say your community service changed your life if it didn't because trite statements won't impress readers.

In order to support your statements, provide more examples. If you say you're more patient now, how do you know this? Do you get less frustrated while playing with your younger siblings? Are you more willing to help group partners who are struggling with their part of the work? You've probably noticed by now that including specific examples and details is one of the best ways to create a strong and believable essay .

"As a result of my community service, I learned a lot about building houses and became a more mature person."

"As a result of my community service, I gained hands-on experience in construction. I learned how to read blueprints, use a hammer and nails, and begin constructing the foundation of a two-bedroom house. Working on the house could be challenging at times, but it taught me to appreciate the value of hard work and be more willing to pitch in when I see someone needs help. My dad has just started building a shed in our backyard, and I offered to help him with it because I know from my community service how much work it is. I also appreciate my own house more, and I know how lucky I am to have a roof over my head."

The second passage is more impressive and memorable because it describes the skills the writer learned in more detail and recounts a specific story that supports her claim that her community service changed her and made her more helpful.

Step 7: Finish Strong

Just as you started your essay in a way that would grab readers' attention, you want to finish your essay on a strong note as well. A good way to end your essay is to state again the impact your work had on you, your community, or both. Reiterate how you changed as a result of your community service, why you found the work important, or how it helped others.

Compare these two concluding statements:

"In conclusion, I learned a lot from my community service at my local museum, and I hope to keep volunteering and learning more about history."

"To conclude, volunteering at my city's American History Museum has been a great experience. By leading tours and participating in special events, I became better at public speaking and am now more comfortable starting conversations with people. In return, I was able to get more community members interested in history and our local museum. My interest in history has deepened, and I look forward to studying the subject in college and hopefully continuing my volunteer work at my university's own museum."

The second passage takes each point made in the first passage and expands upon it. In a few sentences, the second passage is able to clearly convey what work the volunteer did, how she changed, and how her volunteer work benefited her community.

The author of the second passage also ends her essay discussing her future and how she'd like to continue her community service, which is a good way to wrap things up because it shows your readers that you are committed to community service for the long-term.

What's Next?

Are you applying to a community service scholarship or thinking about it? We have a complete list of all the community service scholarships available to help get your search started!

Do you need a community service letter as well? We have a step-by-step guide that will tell you how to get a great reference letter from your community service supervisor.

Thinking about doing community service abroad? Before you sign up, read our guide on some of the hazards of international volunteer trips and how to know if it's the right choice for you.

Christine graduated from Michigan State University with degrees in Environmental Biology and Geography and received her Master's from Duke University. In high school she scored in the 99th percentile on the SAT and was named a National Merit Finalist. She has taught English and biology in several countries.

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Essay About Service: Top 5 Examples and 9 Writing Prompts

Everyone has different meanings for what service is. If you want to write an essay about service by exploring its various definitions, here are helpful examples and ideas to consider.

Service is divided into three categories: personal, social, and business. First, personal services, such as recreational and restaurant services, are offered to customers depending on their needs. Second, non-government organizations or individuals give social services to help others in need. Lastly, companies offer business services to conduct their work activities.

Knowing and understanding these categories will assist you in creating high-quality essays on service. For example, your essay can include volunteerism and the effect of helping others. You can also write about the impact of good or bad customer service on businesses and others.

Do you want to be more convincing when writing your essay? Check out this guide on persuasive writing .

1. My Experience with Community Service by Tasha Flowers

2. the importance of customer service by anonymous on 123helpme.com, 3. helping others by geraldine bates, 4. community service isn’t just words by david lazar, 5. product and service by samantha patton, 9 essay prompts on service to write about, 1. service: defined, 2. the different categories of services, 3. benefits of excellent customer service, 4. why adapting to customer’s preference is important when providing services, 5. steps on how to deliver a great customer service, 6. interpret a community or social service, 7. your experiences in providing social or community services, 8. services in our daily lives, 9. lessons learned after providing services.

“I truly believe every cliche there is about volunteering: the giver receives even more than she gives, giving time can be more important than giving things, I believe it all.”

Flowers’ essay discusses her experience providing community service in the Kalaunan waste dump, where settlers, including children, need to scavenge garbage to sell. Her group’s community service is to teach children basic writing, reading, and introducing the gospel. The author notes that she will never forget the children’s smiles and thank yous.

“Customer service is taking care of your customers. Every customer needs to be treated the same with excellent customer service no matter the business or the customer’s age.”

In this essay, the author discusses why employees need to adapt to various customers to deliver the best experience. For example, poor customer service can make the company lose sales. In contrast, excellent customer service attracts more customers through positive word of mouth and recommendations.

“Altruism involves true selflessness. The sacrifice of one’s own welfare for the welfare of another is what this theory is about.”

Bates talks about two theories in her essay: Egoism and Altruism. Egoism is a theory that a person should only help another when he can receive something in return. Meanwhile, altruism is a belief that a person should take away the pain of others. When helping or providing services to others, one can’t be entirely egoistic or wholly altruistic. It’s a mix of the two theories.

“Community service isn’t just words, but an opportunity in life to contribute one’s time to helping others and making a difference in society, and thus a better place to live for all.”

Lazar notes how sharing what he learned in his life positively impacts other people’s lives. So, as he strives to become more educated and become a doctor, he hopes to give back by serving the community. People need support, and that’s what life is all about.

“A service is an intangible economic activity, not stored, and does not result in ownership. Services nowadays are becoming more important and growing faster, and consumers are more apprehensive with performance and satisfaction when they use a service or buy a product.”

Patton considers the difference between a product and a service. For a company to become successful, it must develop a strategy to enhance its profit through its product or services.

After reading the examples above, it’s now your turn to express and explore your view regarding the various types of services. Use the following essay prompts to help you find a specific track when writing about services:

Service is a very broad term. In your essay, you can discuss what service means to you and include other people’s definitions of service. You can ask people with varying experiences, such as your parents, teachers, or friends. Then, collate their meanings and yours to develop an integrated service definition.

You can be more precise with this prompt and choose a specific service category. For example, you can write about service from the point of view of a volunteer (social service) versus the perspective of a businessman (business service), then compare them – is one type of service better than the other? Why?

In today’s world, customers are more attracted to buy products or services when they are provided with excellent customer service. If you want to write an essay about business success, it’s vital to include the importance of customer service. Customer satisfaction has a significant impact on the success of the business. A customer’s feedback can either increase or decrease business sales.

Although some businesses have great products, if they have unreliable and unhelpful customer service, they’ll lose customers. Since different people may have various issues or will have different reactions to problems, you can write an essay about how and why customer service providers will need a more personalized approach when interacting with their customers.

Customer service has a significant impact on the buying decision of customers and attracts more potential sales. With that in mind, you can create an essay on how to deliver excellent customer service. This essay will be helpful for business owners and employees to enhance their services further.

What is considered community service? Is it still considered “volunteering” when imposed as a punishment? Feel free to incorporate instances when community service is not done right or not done at all.  If you don’t have personal experiences with this service, you can read or watch videos about other people’s experiences or stories to give substance to your essay.

Writing about your personal experiences makes your readers relate to you more. For instance, you can talk about your community or situation, its struggles, and how you helped alleviate those problems through teamwork.

You can also write from the viewpoint of someone who was given aid. Your essay can help those in the same circumstances know that asking for help and services from different organizations is not something they should be ashamed of.

Are you unsure of how to deliver your personal experiences? See What Is A Personal Essay to know more about it.

You can see service in your daily life. Talk about services in the small things your readers might not realize are happening around them. Namely, the utilities you’re enjoying daily, such as water, transport, electricity, and communication – are public needs made available through public service.

You can also take the subject from a different angle, such as doing someone else a favor, helping an old individual cross the street, or generally being kind to others.

Providing services, be it for business or the community, will affect not only the person who received it but also the person who provided it. For example, suppose you are a business owner or customer service representative, and you had a bad experience in the past when providing services. In that case, you can write about it and include the lessons you learned. This also goes if providing social or community services positively impacted your life as an individual.

Writing about the effect of social services on an individual or community can inspire others to volunteer or help others in their ways.

If you are interested in learning more, check out our essay writing tips !

Maria Caballero is a freelance writer who has been writing since high school. She believes that to be a writer doesn't only refer to excellent syntax and semantics but also knowing how to weave words together to communicate to any reader effectively.

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Essay on Service: A Comprehensive Guide

In the realm of academic writing, an essay on service centered on the theme of service holds a distinct power to inspire, connect, and engage readers. These essays go beyond the conventional academic structure, as they delve into personal experiences, reflections, and narratives that highlight the essence of service. Whether you’re exploring the psychology of service narratives, choosing a topic for your service essay, or navigating the intricacies of different genres, this comprehensive guide will equip you with the tools to master the art of crafting impactful service essays. Let’s embark on a journey to unleash your creativity and connect with your readers through the compelling language of service.

1. Unveiling Service Narratives: Essay Writing Insights:

   1.1. crafting service-focused academic essays:.

Crafting essays that center on service involves more than just words; it’s about weaving a tapestry of experiences that resonate with readers on a personal level. These essays act as vehicles of communication, conveying not only information but also emotions and ideals.

   1.2. Exploring Essays Centered on Service:

Delving into the world of service-themed essays offers a unique opportunity to explore the ways in which individuals contribute to their communities and make a meaningful impact. These essays shed light on the personal growth and interconnectedness that arise from acts of service

   1.3. Service Oriented Essay Writing Strategies:

Service-oriented essay writing is an art that requires a delicate balance of empathy, persuasion, and authenticity. By adopting strategies that allow you to convey service ideals effectively, you can create narratives that resonate with readers and inspire positive action.

   1.4. Incorporating Service Themes in Essays:

At the heart of service-themed essays lies the integration of service themes into every aspect of your writing. This involves not only discussing service but also incorporating its principles and values into the structure, tone, and message of your essay.

2. Elevate Your Essays: The Power of Service Themes:

   2.1. effective service driven essay composition:.

Crafting essays that drive home the significance of service requires a deep understanding of your audience and the emotions that resonate with them. Effective service-driven essay composition involves evoking empathy and compelling readers to take action.

   2.2. Writing Service Based Essays with Impact:

Service-based essays are a platform for conveying personal experiences that carry universal significance. By focusing on impactful anecdotes and thought-provoking reflections, you can create essays that leave a lasting impression.

   2.3. Essay Writing that Highlights Service:

Essay writing that highlights service goes beyond mere description; it’s about creating narratives that illuminate the transformative power of service experiences. These essays inspire readers to think beyond themselves and consider their roles within their communities.

   2.4. Conveying Service Ideals through Essays:

At the core of service-themed essays is the aspiration to convey service ideals in a way that resonates deeply with readers. By employing persuasive language and relatable examples, you can inspire others to embrace the value of service in their lives.

3. Crafting Impactful Service Essays: A Comprehensive Guide:

   3.1. mastering service related essay crafting:.

Mastering the art of crafting service-related essays involves honing your ability to infuse personal experiences with broader service concepts. This mastery enables you to create narratives that are both relatable and impactful.

   3.2. The Art of Essay Writing About Service:

Essay writing about service is not just about presenting facts; it’s an opportunity to engage readers emotionally and intellectually. By tapping into your own experiences and weaving them into a broader narrative, you can create essays that resonate deeply.

   3.3. How Do You Talk About Service in an Essay?

Talking about service in an essay involves striking a balance between personal anecdotes and a broader exploration of service themes. It’s about creating a narrative that is both relatable and enlightening, encouraging readers to consider their own roles in serving their communities.

   3.4. What Are the Different Types of Service Essays?

Service essays come in various forms, each with its own unique approach and purpose. Exploring reflective, persuasive, and informative service essays allows you to tailor your writing to different contexts and objectives.

4. Beyond Basics: Mastering Service Centric Essay Composition:

   4.1. how do i choose a topic for a service essay.

Choosing a topic for a service essay involves identifying experiences that have deeply impacted you and that align with the values of service. It’s about selecting stories that evoke empathy and inspire action.

   4.2. What Are the Steps Involved in Writing an Essay on Service?

Writing an essay on service requires a systematic approach that involves brainstorming, researching, outlining, drafting, revising, and polishing. Each step contributes to the creation of a cohesive and impactful narrative.

   4.3. What Is the Purpose of Writing an Essay on Service?

The purpose of writing an essay on service extends beyond academic requirements; it’s about sharing stories that have the potential to change perspectives, inspire empathy, and drive positive change in readers.

   4.4. What Are Some Common Mistakes to Avoid in Service Essays?

While writing service essays, it’s important to avoid pitfalls such as overgeneralization, lack of authenticity, and neglecting the emotional aspects of the narrative. These common mistakes can hinder the impact of your essay.

4.5. What does service mean to your essay?

The context of writing essays on service prompts an exploration into one’s personal understanding and perspective on the concept of service. Crafting a short essay on service allows individuals to reflect on their own experiences, values, and beliefs related to helping others and contributing to the well-being of communities. It encourages introspection and thoughtful analysis, encouraging writers to delve into instances where they have offered assistance, demonstrated kindness, or made a positive impact on others’ lives. In composing such an essay, the key lies in producing an original essay that not only defines service but also showcases the author’s unique viewpoint and insights, creating a genuine and compelling narrative that resonates with readers.

5. Navigating Service Essay Genres: A Deep Dive:

   5.1. exploring the reflective service essay genre:.

Reflective service essays provide a platform for introspection and personal growth. By reflecting on your own service experiences, you can offer valuable insights that resonate with readers on a deeper level.

   5.2. Analyzing Persuasive Customer Service Essays:

Persuasive customer service essays aim to convince readers of the importance of service. By presenting compelling arguments and real-life examples, you can inspire readers to adopt service-oriented mindsets.

   5.3. Delving into Personal Narratives of Service:

Personal narratives of service allow you to share your journey of engaging with your community. These narratives offer authenticity and relatability, inspiring readers to reflect on their own potential for positive impact.

6. From Idea to Excellence: Writing Memorable Service Essays:

   6.1. cultivating compelling ideas for service essays:.

Cultivating ideas for service essays involves drawing inspiration from personal experiences, observations, and interactions. These ideas form the foundation for narratives that captivate and engage readers.

   6.2. Structuring Your Service Essay for Impact:

A well-structured service essay enhances reader comprehension and engagement. By organizing your essay with clear introductions, body paragraphs, and conclusions, you guide readers through a coherent narrative.

   6.3. Crafting Captivating Introductions and Conclusions:

Captivating introductions and conclusions set the tone for your service essay. A compelling introduction grabs readers’ attention, while a resonant conclusion leaves them with a lasting message of service and connection.

   6.4. Weaving Personal Experiences into the Narrative:

Weaving personal experiences into the narrative adds authenticity and relatability to your service essay. By sharing genuine moments of service and reflection, you create a powerful emotional connection with readers.

7. Service Reflections in Essays: Strategies for Success:

   7.1. evoking empathy through service stories:.

Evoking empathy through service stories involves sharing experiences that stir reader’s emotions and encourage them to step into the shoes of those being served. This emotional connection fosters a deeper understanding of service ideals.

   7.2. Balancing Personal Growth and Community Impact:

Balancing personal growth and community impact in service reflections showcases the reciprocal nature of service. Sharing how service experiences have transformed you can inspire readers to embark on their own journeys of growth and contribution.

   7.3. Using Reflection to Drive Home the Importance of Service:

Reflection serves as a powerful tool to drive home the importance of service. By analyzing your experiences and considering their implications, you demonstrate the lasting impact that service can have on individuals and communities.

8. Unleash Creativity: Innovative Approaches to Service Essays:

   8.1. incorporating multimedia elements in service essays:.

Incorporating multimedia elements such as images, videos, or infographics can enhance the visual appeal of your service essays. These elements provide additional layers of engagement and understanding.

   8.2. Experimental Formats: Service Essays Beyond the Traditional:

Exploring experimental formats, such as interactive narratives or multimedia presentations, pushes the boundaries of traditional essay writing. These formats offer new ways to convey service stories and engage readers.

   8.3. The Role of Metaphors and Symbolism in Service Writing:

Metaphors and symbolism add depth and nuance to service writing. By using figurative language, you can create connections between abstract service concepts and tangible experiences, making your essays more resonant.

9. The Psychology of Service Essays: Persuasion and Connection:

   9.1. understanding the psychological impact of service narratives:.

Service narratives have a profound psychological impact on readers. They evoke emotions, prompt introspection, and inspire readers to consider their own roles in making a positive impact.

   9.2. Using Storytelling Techniques for Emotional Resonance:

Storytelling techniques, such as anecdotes and narratives, elicit emotional resonance in service essays. These techniques create connections between readers and the experiences shared, fostering empathy and understanding.

   9.3. Creating Relatable Characters in Service-Based Essays:

Creating relatable characters in service-based essays allows readers to connect with the individuals being served. By humanizing the experiences, you provide readers with a tangible representation of the service’s transformative effects.

10. Acing Service-Related Academic Writing: Proven Techniques:

   10.1. leveraging academic research in service essays:.

Incorporating academic research in service essays lends credibility to your arguments and adds depth to your narratives. Well-researched essays demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of service concepts.

   10.2. Properly Citing Sources While Maintaining a Service Focus:

Properly citing sources ensures the integrity of your service essays. By following citation guidelines and integrating sources seamlessly, you uphold academic standards while prioritizing the service narrative.

  10.3. Addressing Counterarguments with Respect to Service Ideas:

Addressing counterarguments in service essays demonstrates critical thinking and a willingness to engage with diverse perspectives. By respectfully addressing opposing viewpoints, you strengthen your own arguments.

11. Connecting with Readers: Emotionally Resonant Service Essays:

   11.1. eliciting empathy and compassion through service narratives:.

Eliciting empathy and compassion through service narratives involves sharing stories that touch readers’ hearts. By highlighting the impact of service on individuals, you create an emotional connection that encourages action.

   11.2. Inspiring Action Through Emotional Engagement:

Inspiring action through emotional engagement requires appealing to readers’ desires to make a positive impact. By emphasizing the potential for change and growth, you motivate readers to take steps toward service-oriented actions.

   11.3. Balancing Emotional Appeal with Logical Persuasion:

Balancing emotional appeal with logical persuasion in service essays creates a well-rounded argument. By providing both emotional anecdotes and logical reasoning, you appeal to readers’ hearts and minds.

12. Decoding Grading Rubrics: Excelling in Service Essay Evaluation:

   12.1. understanding how service themes are evaluated:.

Understanding how service themes are evaluated enables you to tailor your essays to meet specific criteria. By aligning your writing with grading rubrics, you increase the likelihood of achieving high marks.

   12.2. Aligning Content with Grading Criteria:

Aligning content with grading criteria involves ensuring that your service essays address the key components outlined in rubrics. This alignment demonstrates a clear understanding of the assignment’s objectives.

   12.3. Showcasing Depth and Critical Thinking in Service Essays:

Showcasing depth and critical thinking in service essays involves analyzing service concepts from multiple angles. By demonstrating a nuanced understanding of the subject matter, you convey a higher level of expertise.

13. Amplify Your Voice: Unique Angles in Service Essay Topics:

   13.1. exploring niche service related essay topics:.

Exploring niche service-related essay topics allows you to address specific aspects of service that resonate with you. These topics provide opportunities to delve deeper into less-explored dimensions of service narratives.

   13.2. Unconventional Perspectives on Service and Community:

Unconventional perspectives on service and community challenge traditional viewpoints and spark new conversations. By presenting fresh angles, you encourage readers to consider innovative approaches to service.

   13.3. Finding Your Distinctive Voice Within Service Discourse:

Finding your distinctive voice within service discourse sets your essays apart. By infusing your unique experiences, opinions, and reflections, you contribute to the richness of the service narrative landscape.

14. Step by Step: Crafting an A-Grade Service Essay:

   14.1. prewriting: brainstorming and topic selection:.

Prewriting involves brainstorming ideas, selecting a compelling topic, and defining the scope of your service essay. This foundational step lays the groundwork for a well-structured and engaging narrative.

   14.2. Drafting: Structuring and Organizing Your Essay:

Drafting your service essay involves creating an outline, organizing content logically, and ensuring a coherent flow of ideas. This step-by-step process guides you in presenting your narrative effectively.

   14.3. Editing and Revising: Polishing Your Service Narrative:

Editing and revising elevate your service narrative by refining language, improving clarity, and eliminating errors. These critical steps ensure that your essay communicates your message with precision.

   14.4. Final Touches: Proofreading and Finalizing Your Essay:

The final touches involve proofreading your service essay for grammar, punctuation, and formatting. By meticulously reviewing your work, you ensure that your essay is polished and ready for presentation.

15. Captivating Beginnings: Hooking Readers in Service Essays:

   15.1. the importance of a compelling essay introduction:.

The essay introduction sets the tone for your service narrative. A compelling introduction captivates readers and invites them to embark on a journey of exploration and reflection.

   15.2. Using Anecdotes, Quotes, and Questions to Engage Readers:

Anecdotes, quotes, and questions are powerful tools for engaging readers from the outset. These elements spark curiosity, stimulate thought, and establish a connection between your narrative and readers’ experiences.

   15.3. Establishing the Relevance of Service from the Start:

Establishing the relevance of service from the start demonstrates the significance of your essay’s theme. By providing context and highlighting the universal importance of service, you capture readers’ attention.

16. Distinctive Discourse: Standing Out in Service Essay Discourse:

   16.1 developing a unique writing style for service essays:.

Developing a unique writing style distinguishes your service essays from others. Infuse your essays with your personal voice while maintaining clarity and professionalism.

   16.2 Balancing Formal Language with Personal Expression:

Balancing formal language with personal expression is key to creating essays that are both informative and engaging. Strike a balance between academic rigor and emotional resonance.

   16.3 Leveraging Literary Devices to Enhance Your Narrative:

Leveraging literary devices such as metaphors, similes, and symbolism enriches your service narrative. These devices add depth, imagery, and layers of meaning to your writing.

17. Authenticity Matters: Personal Voice in Service Essays:

   17.1 Infusing Your Personal Experiences and Perspectives:

Infusing your personal experiences and perspectives into service essays adds authenticity and relatability. By sharing your journey, you foster a genuine connection with readers.

   17.2 Striking a Balance Between Authenticity and Professionalism:

Striking a balance between authenticity and professionalism ensures that your service essays are both heartfelt and well-structured. Maintain a tone that reflects your personal voice while adhering to academic standards.

   17.3 The Power of Vulnerability in Service-Centered Writing:

Embracing vulnerability in service-centered writing invites readers into your experiences and reflections. This honesty fosters a deeper connection and encourages readers to reflect on their own journeys.

18. Pitfalls to Triumphs: Navigating Challenges in Service Essays:

   18.1 addressing potential ethical concerns in service writing:.

Addressing potential ethical concerns in service writing demonstrates your commitment to responsible storytelling. Approach sensitive topics with respect and consideration for all parties involved.

18.2 Overcoming Writer’s Block When Tackling Service Themes:

Overcoming writer’s block requires strategies that rejuvenate your creativity. Engage in activities that inspire new ideas, such as immersing yourself in service experiences or seeking inspiration from diverse sources.

   18.3 Transforming Setbacks into Valuable Lessons in Service Narratives:

Transforming setbacks into valuable lessons in service narratives showcases resilience and growth. By sharing how challenges have shaped your understanding of service, you inspire readers to view obstacles as opportunities.

Conclusion:

As we conclude this journey through the world of writing essays on service, it’s evident that these narratives possess a unique ability to resonate with readers on both intellectual and emotional levels. The art of crafting service essays goes beyond technique; it’s about fostering connections, inspiring action, and embodying the ideals of service in every word you write. By embracing the strategies, insights, and approaches outlined in this guide, you are equipped to create essays that not only showcase your expertise but also evoke empathy, change perspectives, and ignite positive change. Let the language of service be your instrument for transformation and empowerment, as you continue to make your mark in the world of academic writing and beyond.

Q1. What is a service essay?

A service essay is a form of academic writing that delves into personal experiences, reflections, and narratives related to the theme of service. Unlike conventional essays, these compositions go beyond presenting information; they evoke emotions, ideals, and connections with readers. Service essays discuss instances of helping others, contributing to communities, and making a positive impact. They explore the transformative power of service, showcasing how engagement with others can lead to personal growth, interconnectedness, and positive change.

Q2. How do you talk about service in an essay?

When discussing service in an essay, it’s essential to strike a balance between personal anecdotes and broader service themes. Incorporate real-life examples to illustrate your points and evoke empathy. Consider discussing the significance of service in fostering connections and personal development. Utilize persuasive language to inspire readers to consider their own roles in serving their communities. By weaving your experiences into a larger narrative, you can create an essay that is both relatable and enlightening.

Q3. What are the different types of service essays?

There are several types of service essays, each with its unique approach and purpose. Reflective service essays focus on personal growth and transformation resulting from service experiences. Persuasive service essays aim to convince readers of the importance of service through compelling arguments. Informative service essays provide factual information about specific service-related topics. Personal narratives of service allow writers to share their journeys of engaging with communities, offering authenticity and relatability.

Q4. How do I choose a topic for a service essay?

Choosing a topic for a service essay involves identifying experiences that have deeply impacted you and aligned with the values of service. Select stories that evoke empathy and reflect on moments where you’ve offered assistance or made a positive impact. Consider topics that resonate with your personal experiences and perspectives, and choose those that have the potential to inspire positive change or foster understanding.

Q5. What are the steps involved in writing an essay on service?

Writing an essay on service involves several key steps: brainstorming ideas, selecting a compelling topic, conducting research if needed, outlining the essay’s structure, drafting content, revising and editing for clarity and coherence, and finally, proofreading for grammar and formatting. Each step contributes to creating a well-organized, impactful, and engaging narrative about service.

Q6. What are the grading criteria for service essays?

Grading criteria for service essays often focus on alignment with the essay’s objectives, depth of analysis, clarity of expression, coherence and organization, integration of personal experiences with broader service themes, and adherence to academic standards such as proper citation. Demonstrating a clear understanding of service concepts, engaging readers emotionally and intellectually, and providing well-reasoned arguments are also key aspects that evaluators might consider.

Q7. What is the purpose of writing an essay on service?

The purpose of writing an essay on service extends beyond fulfilling academic requirements. It’s about sharing stories that have the potential to change perspectives, inspire empathy, and drive positive change in readers. These essays encourage readers to reflect on their roles within their communities, consider the impact of their actions, and cultivate a service-oriented mindset that contributes to the betterment of society.

Q8. What are some common mistakes to avoid in in-service essays?

In service essays, it’s important to avoid common pitfalls such as overgeneralization, lack of authenticity, neglecting emotional aspects, and failing to consider counterarguments. Overgeneralization can oversimplify complex topics, while authenticity lends credibility to your narrative. Ignoring emotional aspects can make your essay dry, and not addressing counterarguments may weaken your stance. Strive for a balanced, well-reasoned, and emotionally resonant narrative that engages readers effectively.

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Home — Essay Samples — Life — Personal Experience — The Benefits of Community Service Experience for Me

The Benefits of Community Service Experience for Me

• Categories: Community Service Personal Experience

About this sample

Words: 1112 |

Updated: 4 November, 2023

Words: 1112 | Pages: 2 | 6 min read

The essay explores the author's personal experiences with community service and the profound impact it has had on their life. The author begins by highlighting the altruistic nature of community service and the satisfaction they derive from dedicating their time to a cause they are passionate about. They mention volunteering for organizations like the SPCA and the Ithaca chapter of United Way due to their love for animals and the sense of community within United Way. The essay goes on to discuss the transformative effects of community service on the author. They describe how assisting abandoned animals made them a more empathetic person and provided a source of happiness and stress relief. Moreover, the experience taught them responsibility, flexibility, and patience. The author reflects on their initial reluctance to engage in community service due to academic stress but reveals how reconnecting with their passion for animals revitalized their commitment. They share stories of making a difference in the lives of children through United Way and bonding with childhood friends who inspired them with their charitable endeavors.

Table of contents

Personal growth and development, the true impact of volunteering, works cited, video version.

• DoSomething.org. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.dosomething.org/
• National Service-Learning Clearinghouse. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.servicelearning.org/
• Points of Light. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.pointsoflight.org/
• SPCA International. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.spcai.org/
• United Way. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.unitedway.org/
• Chan, A. Y. K., & Lee, S. Y. (2018). Effects of community service on social-emotional outcomes: A meta-analysis. Child and Youth Services Review, 86, 1-10.
• Conway, J. M., Amel, E. L., & Gerwien, D. P. (2009). Teaching and learning in the social context: A meta-analysis of service learning's effects on academic, personal, social, and citizenship outcomes. Teaching of Psychology, 36(4), 233-245.
• Eyler, J., & Giles, D. E. (1999). Where's the learning in service-learning? San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
• Moely, B. E., McFarland, M., Miron, D., Mercer, S. H., & Ilustre, V. (2002). Changes in college students' attitudes and intentions for civic involvement as a function of service-learning experiences. Michigan Journal of Community Service Learning , 9(1), 18-26.
• Zaff, J. F., & Catterall, J. S. (2003). Studying out-of-school arts participation via the quantitative case study method. Studies in Art Education, 44(3), 227-245.

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What does public service mean to you?

In this section.

• What is Your Why, HKS Students?
• Global Student Community
• Student Summer Internships
• Past Student Stories

Honoring our community’s military veterans and their service.

Ahead of Veterans Day this year, we asked some HKS students who serve—and have served—in the military: What does public service mean to you? How has your military experience shaped your understanding of and connection to public service?

Here is what they shared.

David Choe MC/MPA 2024

La cañada, california u.s. army ranger.

My numerous combat deployments remind me of our dedication to one another, whether amongst my brothers and sister in arms, or the friends and family in the reaches of my heart. As I reflect on these experiences, I am moved deeply by the spirit of service shown by the families of those who made the ultimate sacrifice. Those moments of reflection remind me to live and lead a life that makes the world a better place.

“I am moved deeply by the spirit of service shown by the families of those who made the ultimate sacrifice. Those moments of reflection remind me to live and lead a life that makes the world a better place.”

David choe mc/mpa 2024, u.s. army ranger, grace jones mpp 2024, john f. kennedy fellowship,  belfer young leaders fellowship redding, california u.s. navy reserves, lieutenant commander.

Serving in the military helped me realize service must stem from a place of compassion. I’ve witnessed firsthand the sacrifices, camaraderie, and dedication of my shipmates. The most effective leaders exemplified compassionate service: a genuine care for one another was not merely an emotion, but a motivating factor guiding every mission.

“I’ve witnessed firsthand the sacrifices, camaraderie, and dedication of my shipmates. The most effective leaders exemplified compassionate service: a genuine care for one another was not merely an emotion, but a motivating factor guiding every mission.”

Grace jones mpp 2024, u.s. navy reserves, lieutenant commander, rebecca marshall mc/mpa 2024, medford lakes, new jersey u.s. army foreign area officer.

I serve my country by leading soldiers in the U.S. Army to help develop engaged, responsible citizens who can contribute to society during and after their military service. While it is important to honor those who have served in the military on Veterans Day, I also recognize my HKS classmates who offer their time and energy to better our communities through their service as educators, health care providers, nonprofit professionals, or policymakers and activists.

What distinguishes members of the military from many other public servants is our unique sense of duty, selfless service, and personal courage.

When called upon, we must at a moment’s notice put aside personal cares or beliefs and fulfill our obligation to deploy to harsh, dangerous environments. We are willing to make the ultimate sacrifice to protect our fellow servicemembers and civilians and to preserve the ideals and values we hold dear.

Over the last 10 years, I have lost many friends and mentors in the line of duty, and their lives and legacies are testaments to the personal and moral courage of those who wear the uniform with solemn pride. I had the privilege of serving with people of different backgrounds, religions, socioeconomic classes, and political opinions, and we always found common ground in our commitment to advance the cause of freedom. Our differences can be our greatest asset in public service.

“I had the privilege of serving with people of different backgrounds, religions, socioeconomic classes, and political opinions, and we always found common ground in our commitment to advance the cause of freedom.”

Rebecca marshall mc/mpa 2024, u.s. army foreign area officer, brandon moore mpp/mba 2025, 2023 black family fellowship ,  2023 pat tillman scholar torrington, connecticut u.s. army, captain (aviation).

Four months into our deployment to a small outpost in southeast Afghanistan, the United States began peace negotiations with the Taliban. This resulted in the “grounding” of our Apache helicopters for the foreseeable future.

We spoke almost no Pashto and they spoke little English, but the smiles and gestures of frustration when the ball landed outside the court were sufficient communication. We became friends.

Exactly one year after we departed our outpost, Afghan provinces began to fall to the Taliban. Scrolling through online images, I discovered a photo of Taliban soldiers occupying my former headquarters. Scrolling further, I saw them surrounding the barracks that housed the Afghan soldiers. I need not describe the peril they faced. I tell this story to emphasize one point: service is real. It is impactful, it matters, and the stakes are as high as they can possibly get. I also cannot put into words the privilege it was to serve alongside American, coalition, and Afghan servicemembers while fighting for a stable democracy in Afghanistan. Our mission was unambiguous, and our purpose was clear. Yet Kabul fell, and the rights of Afghan women and girls were all but eliminated. This means that our duty now is to never forget. We can never forget those who sacrificed through two bloody decades of conflict, and we cannot forget the millions of Afghans who continue to suffer to this day.

“Service is real. It matters and the stakes are as high as they can possibly get. I cannot put into words the privilege it was to serve alongside American, coalition, and Afghan servicemembers while fighting for a stable democracy in Afghanistan.”

Brandon moore mpp/mba 2025, u.s. army, captain (aviation), jon moss mc/mpa 2024, 2023 pat tillman scholar los angeles, california u.s. navy special operations (eod) officer.

My understanding of public service has been shaped by my diverse experiences, from my time in the classroom as an elementary school teacher in Compton, California, to my military service and humanitarian work.

Growing up in a dysfunctional family environment, I became acutely aware of other people’s vulnerabilities. The chaos of my early life instilled in me resilience and an ability to remain calm in the face of adversity. These experiences made me sensitive to the struggles of vulnerable communities and drove me to make a tangible difference. This led me to teach in the Compton Unified School District, where I witnessed firsthand the disparities in education and the potential of young minds when given the right opportunities.

My military experience further deepened my connection to public service. Serving as a Special Operations Bomb Technician in the Navy, I was entrusted with ensuring safety and security. This role honed my technical skills and reinforced the importance of selfless service, teamwork, and leadership. My time in the military made me realize I could leverage my skills to serve even more vulnerable populations such as the oppressed Karenni people in Burma. Witnessing their resilience and desperation, I felt a moral obligation to stand by them, to provide them with the resources and support they desperately needed. The stark contrast between the resources available in the West and the dire circumstances of the Karenni people highlighted the urgency of their plight. It was evident that their suffering demanded immediate action.

My military training and the leadership skills I acquired equipped me to make a meaningful impact in these conflict zones. But beyond the technical assistance, I realized that the most profound impact I could make was being present and making those around me feel valued and loved.

My experiences in Burma further solidified my commitment to public service. Witnessing the devastating effects of civil war and the challenges faced by Internally Displaced People (IDPs), I recognized the need for agile, grassroots solutions. The people of Burma, largely forgotten by the Western world, required sustainable solutions to empower them in the long run.

Now, as I look to the future, my vision is clear. I aim to establish a nongovernmental organization dedicated to removing weapons of war and ensuring the safety of civilians in conflict zones. I aim to collaborate with governments, international organizations, and other NGOs to create lasting solutions. My time at HKS will equip me with the policy knowledge required to realize this vision.

To me, public service is more than just a duty; it’s a calling. It’s about recognizing the interconnectedness of our shared humanity and stepping up to make a difference. My military experience has shaped my understanding of public service and instilled in me a relentless drive to serve those in need, no matter the challenges.

As we commemorate Veterans Day, I am reminded of the sacrifices made by countless individuals in the name of service. I am honored and inspired by the legacy and selfless dedication of those before me.

“To me, public service is more than just a duty; it’s a calling. It’s about recognizing the interconnectedness of our shared humanity and stepping up to make a difference.”

Jon moss mc/mpa 2024, u.s. navy special operations (eod) officer, omer s. rafiq mc/mpa 2024, 2023 pat tillman scholar southbridge, massachusetts u.s. marine corps, infantry officer.

As a first-generation immigrant, I have benefited from American values in more ways that I can begin to quantify. Through continued public service, I aspire to support a sustainable and inclusive democracy that uplifts everyone—and is a beacon of hope for nations across the globe to emulate.

As a military officer, integrity, empathy, resilience, and moral courage were the bedrock of my success in uniform. Being a trustee for the wellbeing of those under my charge was not only part of my job description, but also a moral imperative. The concept of "service before self" was molded in my ethos and tested repeatedly across the globe. These experiences have ignited a desire for continued public service while always prioritizing the needs of country and community before self. 

“The concept of 'service before self' was molded in my ethos and tested repeatedly across the globe. These experiences have ignited a desire for continued public service while always prioritizing the needs of country and community before self.”

Omer s. rafiq mc/mpa 2024, u.s. marine corps, infantry officer, garry schwartzman mc/mpa 2024, 2023 cpl equity fellowship ,  2023 pat tillman scholar rockville, maryland u.s. army, major.

Soon after arriving in the United States, my uncle, a former Soviet refusenik, gave me a word of advice: “There are three types of people in this country—those who make things happen, those who watch things happen, and those who wonder what happened. Strive to become an agent of change.”

Inspired by his wisdom, I decided to serve my new country during a time of war. Nearly two decades after joining the military, I continue safeguarding the American dream to repay my debt of gratitude to my adoptive nation. Since my early days in combat supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom, through my formative years as a Combat Support Officer and now a newly minted Foreign Area Officer, I seek to advance and defend U.S. national security interests by building and strengthening America’s diplomatic and military relations with our regional partners.

“Nearly two decades after joining the military, I continue safeguarding the American dream to repay my debt of gratitude to my adoptive nation.”

Garry schwartzman mc/mpa 2024, u.s. army, major, joshua stinson phd in public policy candidate, fort walton beach, florida u.s. air force, lieutenant colonel.

When I joined the military, the opportunity to fly airplanes in combat, get an education, and pursue adventure around the world was compelling. But after wearing the uniform for over two decades, the value of public service has changed. There were plenty of adventures, combat missions, and opportunities to lead. But I never anticipated the lost time, lost friends, and lost wars.

Today, I’m clear eyed about the complex hurdles. Continued public service is deeply tied to my values of sustaining the United States government and ensuring that the U.S. military is ready to meet future challenges. Public service is now about fixing systemic issues incrementally and creating opportunities so the next generation of public servants can live up to our highest ideals.  

I remain in public service not because of ambitions of adventure and glory. Instead, I found the perseverance to lead through challenging circumstances was rewarding and profound for the public good. The opportunity to make a difference for others, even in the smallest of ways, sustains my energy to better the military, the United States, and people around the world.

The opportunity to be a part of something bigger than myself and make a small difference is why I remain committed in public service.

“I remain in public service not because of ambitions of adventure and glory. The opportunity to make a difference sustains my energy to better the military, the United States, and people around the world.”

Joshua stinson phd in public policy candidate, u.s. air force, lieutenant colonel, roni yadlin phd in public policy candidate, irvine, california u.s. air force, lieutenant colonel, b-1 pilot.

My military experience has exposed me to a community of people dedicated to service. Everyone came to military service for unique and individual reasons, but they are all ready and willing to put those individual desires aside to serve the greater good.

Center for Teaching

• What is Service Learning or Community Engagement?

• Benefits of Community Engagement

Models of Community Engagement Teaching

Ways to integrate community engagement into an existing course.

Community engagement pedagogies, often called “service learning,” are ones that combine learning goals and community service in ways that can enhance both student growth and the common good.  In the words of the National Service Learning Clearinghouse , it is “a teaching and learning strategy that integrates meaningful community service with instruction and reflection to enrich the learning experience, teach civic responsibility, and strengthen communities.”  Or, to quote Vanderbilt University’s Janet S. Eyler (winner of the 2003 Thomas Ehrlich Faculty Award for Service Learning) and Dwight E. Giles, Jr., it is

“a form of experiential education where learning occurs through a cycle of action and reflection as students. . . seek to achieve real objectives for the community and deeper understanding and skills for themselves. In the process, students link personal and social development with academic and cognitive development. . . experience enhances understanding; understanding leads to more effective action.”

Typically, community engagement is incorporated into a course or series of courses by way of a project that has both learning and community action goals.  This project is designed via collaboration between faculty and community partners, such as non-governmental organizations or government agencies.  The project asks students to apply course content to community-based activities.  This gives students experiential opportunities to learn in real world contexts and develop skills of community engagement, while affording community partners opportunities to address significant needs. Vanderbilt University’s Sharon Shields has argued that service learning is “one of the most significant teaching methodologies gaining momentum on many campuses.” Indeed, when done well, teaching through community engagement benefits students, faculty, communities, and institutions of higher education. Below are some of the benefits that education researchers and practitioners have associated with community engaged teaching.

Student Benefits of Community Engagement

Learning outcomes.

• Positive impact on students’ academic learning
• Improves students’ ability to apply what they have learned in “the real world”
• Positive impact on academic outcomes such as demonstrated complexity of understanding, problem analysis, problem-solving, critical thinking, and cognitive development
• Improved ability to understand complexity and ambiguity

Personal Outcomes

• Greater sense of personal efficacy, personal identity, spiritual growth, and moral development
• Greater interpersonal development, particularly the ability to work well with others, and build leadership and communication skills

Social Outcomes

• Reduced stereotypes and greater inter-cultural understanding
• Improved social responsibility and citizenship skills
• Greater involvement in community service after graduation

Career Development

• Connections with professionals and community members for learning and career opportunities
• Greater academic learning, leadership skills, and personal efficacy can lead to greater opportunity

Relationship with the Institution

• Stronger relationships with faculty
• Greater satisfaction with college
• Improved graduation rates

Faculty Benefits of Community Engagement

• Satisfaction with the quality of student learning
• New avenues for research and publication via new relationships between faculty and community
• Providing networking opportunities with engaged faculty in other disciplines or institutions
• A stronger commitment to one’s research

College and University Benefits of Community Engagement

• Improved institutional commitment to the curriculum
• Improved student retention
• Enhanced community relations

Community Benefits of Community Engagement

• Satisfaction with student participation
• Valuable human resources needed to achieve community goals
• New energy, enthusiasm and perspectives applied to community work
• Enhanced community-university relations

Discipline-Based

Discipline-based model.

In this model, students are expected to have a presence in the community throughout the semester and reflect on their experiences regularly.  In these reflections, they use course content as a basis for their analysis and understanding of the key theoretical, methodological and applied issues at hand.

Problem-Based

Problem-based model.

Students relate to the community much as “consultants” working for a “client.” Students work with community members to understand a particular community problem or need.  This model presumes that the students have or will develop capacities with which to help communities solve a problem.  For example: architecture students might design a park; business students might develop a web site; botany students might identify non-native plants and suggest eradication methods.

Capstone Course

Capstone course model.

These courses are generally designed for majors and minors in a given discipline and are offered almost exclusively to students in their final year. Capstone courses ask students to draw upon the knowledge they have obtained throughout their course work and combine it with relevant service work in the community. The goal of capstone courses is usually either exploring a new topic or synthesizing students’ understanding of their discipline.

Service Internship

Service internship model.

This approach asks students to work as many as 10 to 20 hours a week in a community setting. As in traditional internships, students are charged with producing a body of work that is of value to the community or site. However, unlike traditional internships, service internships have on-going faculty-guided reflection to challenge the students to analyze their new experiences using discipline-based theories.  Service internships focus on reciprocity: the idea that the community and the student benefit equally from the experience.

Undergrad Community-Based Action Research

Action research model.

Community-based action research is similar to an independent study option for the student who is highly experienced in community work.  This approach can be effective with small classes or groups of students.  In this model, students work closely with faculty members to learn research methodology while serving as advocates for communities.  This model assumes that students are or can be trained to be competent in time management and can negotiate diverse communities.

Directed Study Extra Credit

Directed study additional/extra credit model.

Students can register for up to three additional/extra credits in a course by making special arrangements with the instructor to complete an added community-based project.  The course instructor serves as the advisor for the directed study option.  Such arrangements require departmental approval and formal student registration.

There are many ways to integrate community engagement into an existing course, depending on the learning goals, the size of the class, the academic preparation of the students, and the community partnership or project type. Below are some general tips to consider as you begin:

• One-time group service projects: Some course objectives can be met when the entire class is involved in a one-time service project. Arrangements for service projects can be made prior to the semester and included in the syllabus. This model affords the opportunity for faculty and peer interaction because a common service experience is shared. One-time projects have different learning outcomes than ongoing service activities.
• Option within a course: Many faculty begin community engagement with a pilot project. In this design, students have the option to become involved in the community-based project.  A portion of the normal coursework is substituted by the community-based component.  For example, a traditional research paper or group project can be replaced with an experiential research paper or personal journal that documents learning from the service experience.
• Required within a course: In this case, all students are involved in service as an integrated aspect of the course. This expectation must be clearly stated at the first class meeting, on the syllabus, with a clear rationale provided to students as to why the service component is required. Exceptions can be arranged on an individual basis or students can transfer to another class. If all students are involved in service, it is easier to design coursework (i.e., class discussions, writing assignments, exam questions) that integrates the service experience with course objectives. Class sessions can involve agency personnel and site visits. Faculty report that it is easier to build community partnerships if a consistent number of students are involved each semester.
• Action research projects: This type of class involves students in research within the community. The results of the research are communicated to the agency so that it can be used to address community needs. Action research and participatory action research take a significant amount of time to build relationships of trust in the community and identify common research agendas; however, community research projects can support the ongoing research of faculty. Extending this type of research beyond the confines of a semester may be best for all involved.
• Disciplinary capstone projects: Community engagement is an excellent way to build upon students’ cumulative knowledge in a specific discipline and to demonstrate the integration of that knowledge with real life issues. Upper class students can explore ways their disciplinary expertise and competencies translate into addressing community needs. Other community-based classes within the department can prepare the student for this more extensive community-based class.
• Multiple course projects :  Community engagement projects with one or more partners may span different courses in the same semester or multiple courses over a year or longer.  These projects must be broad enough to meet the learning goals of multiple courses over time, and because of this they may have a cumulative impact on both student learning and community development that is robust.  Such projects may be particularly suited to course clusters or learning communities within or across disciplines, or course sequences, say, within a major, that build student capacity towards advanced learning and community action goals.

Other CFT Guides About Community Engagement Pedagogies

• A Word on Nomenclature
• Best Practices in Community Engaged Teaching
• Community Engaged Teaching Step by Step
• Challenges and Opportunities of Community Engaged Teaching
• Additional Resources

Teaching Guides

• Online Course Development Resources
• Principles & Frameworks
• Pedagogies & Strategies
• Reflecting & Assessing
• Challenges & Opportunities
• Populations & Contexts

Quick Links

• Services for Departments and Schools
• Examples of Online Instructional Modules

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Admissions and test prep resources to help you get into your dream schools

How to Write an Amazing Common App Essay (2024–2025) — Examples Included

Learn how to come up with a unique topic and choose the right common app essay prompt to write a strong personal statement and get into your dream college. plus, a full-length common app essay example.

Writing a strong common app essay will help you stand out to colleges, beyond your GPA and TEst scores

(Note: This guide can also be found in our free, 110-page comprehensive guide to top college admissions,  How to Get Into America’s Elite Colleges: The Ultimate Guide . )

Part 1: Introduction

What is the common application.

Why does the Common App Essay—and other college essays—matter?

What are these mystical college essays, anyway?

Common App Essay Prompts 2024–2025

Part 2: Pre-writing your Common App Essay

Brainstorming Common App Essay topics

Freewriting

Essay writing timelines: how to write your Common App personal statement if you have six months, three months, one month, or even less

Part 3: Choosing your Common App Essay topic

Part 4: writing your common app essay.

What 'type' of essay do you have to write?

Writing and revising: common errors

Part 5: Common App Essay example

Part 6: frequently asked questions.

Applying to college: the phrase alone can instill terror in the hearts of high school seniors, and even in those of us who have lived through the experience.

Every year, the college application process seems to get more complex, and more intense. If you’re a student, you might be reviewing rumors and horror stories about that classmate of yours with perfect grades and a 1500 SAT score who somehow got rejected from every Ivy League school . If you’re a parent, you might be afraid of how much the college admissions system has changed and grown more competitive since you were your kids’ age, or perhaps you never had to navigate this system at all.

One of the biggest fears of many students and parents is the sheer anonymity of the process. You, the college applicant, have worked hard through high school, earning great grades, expanding your worldview through extracurricular activities , and contributing to your community… and now, it can seem pretty unjust to throw yourself at the mercy of an application system that seems arbitrary, blind to your personality, or even uncaring.

There’s good news, though.

The college application process has a logic to it—and it’s one that you, the applicant, can both navigate and trust. All those essays, all those forms, all those questions? They’re about getting you in touch with the most authentic and vibrant version of yourself. In fact, if tackled with intelligence, reflection, and organization, the college process can actually offer you a chance to make the admissions process about you as a person, rather than about a distant name on a screen.

You might be familiar with the Common Application , Common App for short, which serves as a single application shared by over 900 colleges, including every Ivy League school and similarly elite universities like Stanford, Caltech, and the University of Chicago. The Common App allows you to enter information like your name, demographics, extracurricular activities, and more just once for every school that uses it. It’s also where you’ll encounter “The Common App Essay,” otherwise known as your personal statement (PS), which is what this guide will focus on.

Though not every school uses the Common App—many state or public schools often have their own systems—the work you do in writing your Common App Essay will serve you in every other component of the process, including applying to non-Common App schools and writing the secondary and supplemental essays that often accompany both types of applications.

(Suggested reading: Which Schools Use the Common App? The Rank-Ordered List )

Why does the Common App Essay—and any other college essay—matter?

You may have heard the phrase “holistic admissions” thrown around—many universities follow this model, which means they don’t necessarily have an ACT or SAT cutoff score, nor do they require a certain number of AP/IB/Honors courses. Instead, they’re trying to get to know candidates as humans. Admissions officers are people—people who would be horribly bored if their job came down to just numbers, statistics, cutoffs, and counting up your AP, SAT, and ACT scores.

In order to get into your dream school, you’ll need not only great grades and test scores, but also a strong personal statement.

Why? Your personal statement is the single loudest ‘qualitative’ element of your application. It brings to life the student—you!—behind your statistics and demographics. It’s the way you communicate with the admissions committee as a person and potential member of the campus community. With more people applying to colleges every year, admissions officers know they can have their pick of bright and motivated students. In addition to seeing your talents and achievements on paper, they need a chance to imagine what you might be like as a walking, talking human being.

Many students and parents wonder how big of a role essays play when it comes to college admissions decisions. While the importance of college essays—which are written over a period of a few weeks or, ideally, a few months—varies from school to school, most experts estimate that they make up for anywhere from 10 to 30 percent of admissions decisions!

In other words, your four years of schoolwork, AP, IB, ACT, and SAT exams, community service, volunteering, and so on account for only 70 to 90 percent. These estimates are provided not to scare you, but rather to emphasize how critical it is for you to spend at least as much time on your college essays as would on any other high school pursuit.

Fortunately, we’re going to talk about every aspect of your personal statement in this guide and reflect on some of the lessons we’ve taken from nearly 20 years of coaching students through the college application process and getting into their dream schools.

Gain instant access to essay examples for every supplemental essay prompt from the top universities and BS/MD programs in the United States.

Let’s define our terms:

Personal statement (PS): When people refer to the personal statement, they’re talking about the 650-word Common Application Essay, which all schools using the Common App will see. Your personal statement is your major chance to articulate the qualitative aspects of yourself to the admissions committee and the admissions committee’s major chance to get to know you as a person. Throughout this guide, "Common App Essay," "Common App personal statement," and "personal statement" are used interchangeably.

Secondary or supplemental essays: These are the essays that schools can choose to have you write on top of the core Common App Essay. They might invite you to talk more about an extracurricular activity on your resumé, to reflect on a quote from a famous alumna/alumnus of the college, or to share your thoughts on any number of wide-ranging topics.

Common App Essay prompts 2024–2025

Here are the 2024–2025 Common App Essay prompts —all seven prompts are exactly the same as last year. We’ll address how to think about them shortly, so just lodge them in your brain for now.

Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.

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?

Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. What prompted your thinking? What was the outcome?

Reflect on something that someone has done for you that has made you happy or thankful in a surprising way. How has this gratitude affected or motivated you?

Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others.

Describe a topic, idea, or concept you find so engaging that it makes you lose all track of time. Why does it captivate you? What or who do you turn to when you want to learn more?

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

Broad, right? You’ve got 650 free words to articulate what moves you, what excites you, what animates or explains you.

This means your essays are not a place to restate what can already be found on your resumé, CV, or Common App Activities section . They’re also not a place to prove that you’ve had some major epiphany, changed the world, or seen the truth of reality at age eighteen. They can be but do not have to be—by any means—about a major traumatic experience. They can but need not discuss family, identity, race, gender, or class.

Instead, they are a place to give the admissions committee a chance to see the you that your friends, classmates, teachers, teammates, and family know. We’ve seen students write about the New England Patriots, the poetry of John Keats, their grandparents’ village, their obsession with keeping too many Google Chrome tabs open, how grilling meats represented a rite of passage, and many more topics that range from the super-serious to the lighthearted but still meaningful.

The Common App Essay prompts are diverse enough that they allow you to write about pretty much anything. Therefore, we encourage you to brainstorm your best stories first and then think about which question to answer. Admissions committees have no preference for which prompt you choose. Additionally, we encourage you to review additional successful college essay examples .

Furthermore, keep in mind that the Common App Additional Information Section contains an optional, 250-word space to describe how COVID-19 has impacted you . Therefore, you do not need to use your Common App Essay to provide this context. That said, it’s also perfectly fine to write about or touch on COVID-19— if the pandemic is a backdrop that allows you to shine a light on what’s unique and interesting about you in the manner we described above.

Let’s meet our students

Throughout this guide, we’re going to refer to a few Common App Essay examples. These examples are closely based on essays we have worked on with students over the past two decades—students who successfully met their admissions goals, including getting into multiple Ivy League and other top-tier schools.

Let’s meet our students now.

Student #1: Ramya: Ramya intends to be premed in college, but isn’t sure if she wants to major in biology or something else entirely. She’s spent her high school years participating in a variety of activities. She played soccer, but wasn’t the star player. She was involved in student government, performed in cultural shows as a dancer, and did speech events.

What’s not on Ramya's resumé? She is a rabid fan of the New England Patriots, despite living in California for most of her life. And, she’s very close to her father and has a tight-knit group of friends.

Student #2: Anita: Anita has an aptitude for English and history. She likes writing, but she’s not on the school newspaper, nor has she ever published a piece of fiction or poetry, which makes her nervous about calling herself a writer. She spends much of her time on mock trial—in fact she’s nationally competitive at it—and lots of people tell her she’d make a great lawyer. But she doesn’t think she wants to major in political science or philosophy; she may not even want to do anything associated with mock trial in college.

What’s not on her resumé? She loves the outdoors, though she has nothing concretely extracurricular to prove it—she’s never been a camp counselor or a Girl Scout.

Student #3: Josh: Josh isn’t sure what he wants to study. He’s a solid student, though no particular subject gets his pulse racing. In his free time he draws comic strips, and he’s had a few on display at various community events in his town. He plays basketball and piano.

What’s not on his resumé? Josh has a complicated relationship with piano—his parents pushed him into it, and he’d like to quit as soon as possible. And, he’s very close to his big brother, who recently left for college. He also has a little sister, who he’s never been tight with.

Student #4: Michael: Michael lives in a small coastal town and attends a big public high school. After school he has a job scooping ice cream, and though he’s not expected to contribute to his family’s income, he doesn’t have much time for clubs or sports, which aren’t very important at his school. He generally likes chemistry, but he isn’t sure what he wants to do with that. He doesn’t want to be premed, and he can’t imagine being a chemist, so he’s undecided about what to major in.

What’s not on his resumé? Michael is no great surfer by competitive standards, but he learned how to stand up on a board at a young age because his grandfather, who’s from Hawaii, taught him. His grandfather recently passed away.

Of course, the terrifying part of starting any new piece of writing—whether you’re a professional, seasoned author, or a high schooler planning for college—is the spooky glare of the blank page, that blinking cursor that doesn’t quite seem to yield to you.

One of the major challenges many students face when applying to college is knowing that they are full of passion and potential energy which hasn’t yet been converted into kinetic energy. That can make trying to communicate who you are, as well as who you hope to become, a daunting task. You might worry about sounding generic or not sounding like yourself or not sounding “smart” or “wise” enough.

The best antidote to all of these concerns, from writer’s block to finding your voice, is to prepare yourself emotionally and creatively well before you sit down to type out your personal statement.

Here’s how you can attack your Common App personal statement and secondary essays if you have a few months before they’re due. We are big proponents of starting early—ideally in June.

Why so early? You may not be thrilled at the prospect of spending the summer before your senior year on college applications. But getting going in June after your junior year and committing to a few exercises over the summer will be like spring training for summer athletes. By the time you get to August, when you’re drafting your Common App Essay and your secondary essays in full, you will be warmed up, and much of the hardest work—that is, the reflection and figuring out what you want to say—will be done for you.

Starting early will also give you time to hand a strong draft of your essay to the teachers from whom you plan to request letters of recommendation for college . If your recommenders know what you’re saying about yourself, they can help tell the same story about you but from a different perspective. This is crucial because your application is a chance to offer not only the facts about you but also a narrative of you—a sense of who you are, how you move through the world, and what you hope to become. That means that each component of your application—your Common App personal statement, your supplemental college essays , your teacher recommendations, and the classes you’ve taken—is like an episode in your story.

Nevertheless, we’ve also offered some adjusted timelines lower down in case you don’t have the whole summer to work with.

Brainstorming Common App Essay topics and working with prompts (2–3 weeks)

Review the Common App prompts and identify which ones get your juices flowing. You can also use our expanded prompts, given in the bullet points below, to help you brainstorm and freewrite over the summer. We’re starting with Common App Essay Prompt 7, since it is the broad, general question. Then we’ll circle back and go through Prompts 1–6.

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

Make a list of themes and broad topics that matter to you. What do you, your friends, and family spend a lot of time thinking about or talking about? (Note: This is not the same as asking for your list of extracurricular activities.) Tell the story of an important day or event in relation to one of these topics.

Who’s a family member who lives with you and is important to you? Think of a specific time they helped you with something. Tell the story. What’s an important conversation you had with them? Tell the story.

Think of any person—family, friend, teacher, etc.—who has been important to you. When did you first meet them? Tell the story. When did you have a crucial, meaningful, or important conversation with them? Tell the story.

Make a list of experiences that have been important to you. These do not have to be dramatic, tragic, traumatic, or prove that you changed the world, though they can be any of those. Perhaps a particular summer that mattered a lot? Or an experience with a friend or family member who shaped you—it could be a specific day spent with them, or a weekend, summer, or year.

Remember: Specific anecdotes are your friend when drafting your Common App personal statement. Try to think of a story you often tell people that shows something about you. One of the best pieces of advice we can give you—and something you’ll see reflected in all of the following prompts—is to anchor things in anecdote or story as much as possible.

Prompt 1: Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.

Where did you grow up? Describe your neighborhood, town, or community. Big or small? What makes it unlike other parts of the world? How has it affected you? What images are important for someone who has never been to your hometown/neighborhood/community to see? For instance, is there farmland all around you, grain silos, cows? A Chick-Fil-A on every block?

Where is home for your parents? Does their home impact your day-to-day life? Describe the first time you saw their home, in story form.

Did you grow up considering another place that is not where you currently live home? Tell the story of the first time you went there or the first time you remember going there. Was there a particular time—a summer, or a year—when that place became important? Tell that story.

What’s the most memorable thing about you? What do people in your community or school know you for? Tell the story of the first time you did this thing. Tell the story of the most meaningful time you did this thing—it might be, say, when you won a game, but it also might be when you lost a game, or when you quit the team.

How have you spent your summers in high school? In childhood? Tell a story of a memorable day during a memorable summer. Where were you? Why did it matter? Does what happened that day influence you today? How?

Prompt 2: The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?

What major changes have you been through? A move? Changing schools? Losing a loved one or a friend? (Avoid writing about romantic relationships and breakups in your essays, but feel free to mine them in your freewriting.) Tell the story of the day that change occurred—the day you moved, the first day at the new school or the last day at the old school, the day you got bad news about a family member or a friend, etc.

Did you ever quit an extracurricular activity or a job? Why? Tell the story of the day that happened, and of the day you decided to quit.

What class was hardest for you in high school? Why? Tell the story of a specific class assignment that was difficult. Now tell the story of a specific class assignment that caused you to have a breakthrough, or changed your mind about something.

Have you ever been forced to try something you weren’t good at? How’d it go? Tell the story of the day you tried it. Who encouraged you to? Where were you?

Have you faced a disability, a mental or physical health issue, or other significant challenge while in high school? Think of a day when you are proud of how you handled or carried yourself in the face of this challenge. (Recommended reading: How to Effectively Write About a Disability in a College Essay )

Prompt 3: Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. What prompted your thinking? What was the outcome?

What values did you grow up holding dear? Are they the same ones today? Tell the story of the first time you learned about these values—say, a morning at Sunday School or a conversation with a grandparent. If they’ve changed, tell the story of the moment (as best you can place it) when they changed—say, in a classroom, in a conversation with a friend, etc.

Is there a prevalent belief in your family or community with which you disagree? How did you come to disagree? Tell the story of an argument—cordial or not—that you’ve had with someone about this issue. Tell the story of a time you are proud of how you handled conflict in relation to this disagreement.

When were you wrong about something? Tell the story of how you figured out you were wrong. Who helped you get there?

Prompt 4: Reflect on something that someone has done for you that has made you happy or thankful in a surprising way. How has this gratitude affected or motivated you?

Have you ever had an interaction with a stranger or someone whom you didn’t know well that left a profound impact on you?

How has your relationship to gratitude changed over time, either recently or in an earlier period of your life? What events spurred this change?

Have you ever been the recipient of an unexpected gift or favor that inspired you to “pay it forward” and help someone else who wasn’t anticipating it?

What are you thankful for in your life right now? Make a list of things, people, or circumstances for which you are grateful, no matter how big or small. You might even complete this exercise daily over a period of several days or weeks, similar to a gratitude journal.

Prompt 5: Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others.

They say a piece of short fiction is about a moment after which nothing will be the same again. Have you lived through one of those moments? What was it? Tell it the way you’d write a short story.

Eureka! Have you ever had a moment when everything just *clicked*? Tell the story of that realization—set the scene, down to every image, who was or wasn’t in the room.

Forget medals, victories, grades—what intangible, off-your-resumé quality or moment of your life are you proudest of? Tell the story of the day that happened.

Prompt 6: Describe a topic, idea, or concept you find so engaging that it makes you lose all track of time. Why does it captivate you? What or who do you turn to when you want to learn more?

Let’s say you’re left alone an entire weekend in your house. What do you get up to? Tell the story of a time that’s happened—or imagine, on the page, what that would be like. Set the scene: what rooms are you in in your house, or are you in your house at all? Where do you go? What do you bring with you?

What activities have you self-started—that is, what have you done without ever being told to? Tell the story of the first day you started doing that thing.

What do your friends come to you seeking help with? Tell the story of a time when you think you did a great job of helping another person. Now, to make sure you stay humble, tell the story of when that person helped you.

At the end of this brainstorming exercise, our students, Ramya, Anita, Josh, and Michael, will have discovered even more things not on their resumé that can expand what all they might write about.

Freewriting (3–4 weeks)

Your job, if you’ve started this early, is not to start writing your draft immediately, or even to choose which Common App prompt you plan to select. First, you’re going to freewrite using the above prompts as a guide—choose the ones you like, or print them out, cut them up, and put them in a hat; each day, shake up the hat and grab one at random!

Freewriting is one of the fun parts, so the more you can do it, the better. There are a number of ways to approach freewriting, and all of them are meant to keep you limber, loose, and free. You want to sound authentic in your essay—which means not stiffening up under pressure, trying to sound formal, or more stereotypically “adult” or “learned,” as many students do. The more you can sound like you while freewriting, the stronger position you’ll be in when it comes to drafting the personal statement.

Buy a few composition notebooks: Those $1 things, available at Walmart or the like. Work in these for the summer. No need to get precious—no fancy Moleskines here, and no laptops or tablets unless you are physically unable to write by hand.

Why? Take the cartoonist Lynda Barry’s wise words here: “There is a kind of story that comes from hand. Writing which is different from a tapping-on-a-keyboard-kind-of-story. For one thing, there is no delete button, making the experience more lifelike right away. You can’t delete the things you feel unsure about and because of this, the things you feel unsure about have a much better chance of being able to exist long enough to reveal themselves.”

Set aside six minutes each morning, or a few times a week, for the period of time you’re freewriting. Six minutes, that’s it! Put your timer on, put your pen to paper, and don’t stop writing until the timer goes off. If you run out of things to write, write, “I don’t know I’m bored I don’t know help help I hate writing!” until new words come. What are you going to write about during those six minutes? You can try thinking about those Common App essay prompts—they’re so broad that they should let you in in some way. Think: what’s my obstacle, my identity, the thing I love?

Note that Anita isn’t sitting down to write her disquisition on “how my life as a mock trial champion makes me prepared to go to law school.” Instead, what might come out as she writes by hand is, “I remember the rush the first time I stood up at a mock trial tournament. I was wearing a blazer and my mom’s heels and they were so uncomfortable. It was so overheated in the room and I’d drunk way too much Mountain Dew. But why did I love playing this role of attorney? Was it the theater? The chance to finally argue without getting in trouble at the dinner table?”

If six minutes doesn’t work for you, or if you think you’re not getting in the zone in that amount of time, try doing three pages in your composition notebook instead. Write in big letters and double-space. Let your hand roam free.

Don’t show anyone anything you have written yet. And don’t reread it immediately. Let all that you’ve written sit, latent, so you’re not tempted to edit it right off the bat. Why? Allowing your writing to breathe away from you can prevent you from committing one of the cardinal sins of personal statement-writing—but also all writing!—trying to force the story into what you think it should be instead of what it is.

To get more concrete: let’s say Michael wrote about his grandfather teaching him to surf in answer to several of those prompts (about a crucial summer and a person important to him). But now he’s so excited about that that he immediately wants to turn it into his draft. As he’s writing, he gets self-conscious, thinking, Why am I writing about surfing when I’m not a competitive surfer, and when it’s only something I do occasionally? Or say Michael shows it to an English teacher, who gets distracted by the quality of Michaels prose—which was meant to be free and unedited—and tells him to choose another topic, since this one isn’t “singing” yet. Respect your process and let these things sit.

In order to have this kind of time freedom, you’ll have to start early. And if you spend your summer warming up and training for the main event, you can start rereading your body of freewriting by the end of July.

Essay writing timelines: How to write your Common App Essay if you have six months, three months, one month, or even less

(Recommended reading: The Ideal College Application Timeline )

In an ideal world, you can start writing and planning for your college essays the summer before your senior year. But many students have prior commitments that make following a six-month (June–December) timeline difficult. So here are a few adjusted timelines that can allow you to take advantage of the brainstorming and freewriting process even if you don’t have the full six-month window.

Six months—June to December (ideal if you are applying early action or early decision anywhere):

June: Brainstorm and work with prompts, 2–3 weeks

July: Freewrite, 3–4 weeks

End of July/beginning of August: Complete first draft of Common App personal statement

Week two of August: Complete second draft (here is where the major revision work comes in)

Weeks 3–4 of August: Complete third and fourth drafts

Beginning of September: Seek feedback, if you have not already, from a trusted admissions counselor, English teacher, or other advisor

End of September: Complete final draft

Now you have October to complete your secondary essays. November is usually when early action/early decision deadlines hit. So by the end of October, you will have completed your application for anywhere you’re applying early; now you can use the last few weeks of November to complete any remaining secondary essays for schools with December or January due dates (most regular decision deadlines).

Three months—August to October (barely making the early application/early decision deadline):

First two weeks of August: Brainstorm and work with prompts

Second two weeks of August: Freewrite

First week of September: Complete first draft of Common App personal statement

Week two of September: Complete second draft (here is where the major revision work comes in)

Weeks 3–4 of September: Complete third and fourth drafts

Beginning of October: Seek feedback, if you have not already, from a trusted admissions counselor, English teacher, or other advisor

Week two of October: Complete final draft

Now you have the second two weeks of October to complete your secondary essays for anywhere you are applying early with a November due date, and the rest of November to complete any remaining secondary essays for schools with December and January due dates (most regular decision deadlines).

One month—October to November (for regular decision schools):

First week of October: Brainstorm and work with prompts

Second week of October: Freewrite

Third week of October: Complete first draft of Common App personal statement

Last week of October: Complete second draft (here is where the major revision work comes in)

First two weeks of November: Complete third and fourth drafts

Mid-November, before Thanksgiving break: Seek feedback, if you have not already, from a trusted admissions counselor, English teacher, or other advisor

Last week of November: Complete final draft

Now you have December to complete any remaining secondary essays for schools with December and January due dates (most regular decision deadlines).

Mega crunch time—starting in November (in case you get started on your application really late and are down to less than one month, use the following timeline):

2–4 days: Brainstorm and work with prompts

2–3 days: Freewrite

48 hours after freewriting ends: Complete first draft of Common App personal statement

72 hours after first draft: Complete second draft (here is where the major revision work comes in). In addition, seek feedback between your second and third drafts, if you have not already done so, from a trusted admissions counselor, English teacher, or other advisor

48 hours after receiving feedback: Complete third draft

48 hours after third draft, if time permits: Complete fourth and final draft

Note: Some elite public universities, such as UC Berkeley and UCLA, have November application deadlines, so make sure that you write down your college list , with deadlines and requirements, by the end of September to ensure that you don’t miss anything.

(Related reading: How to Write Great UC Essays )

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With all this free-written raw material in hand, it’s time to choose the right topic. What notes should your essay hit? Here are some characteristics that a good Common App Essay topic contains:

1. Anecdote and specificity.

As you saw in the prompts above, we’re big advocates of beginning with a particular story or anecdote. This is not the only way to start an essay, but it’s a classic one. Journalists call this a “lede”—it’s a hook that brings the reader into a wider topic. Your essay will always go beyond the anecdote, but an anecdote offers a reader an easy, smooth way into your personal statement.

A good Common App Essay topic can relate, as much as possible, to a particular anecdote, story, or even scene. Let’s say Josh found himself writing about his siblings—his older brother who just left for college, and his little sister who he’s spent more time with since his brother left. His essay shouldn’t start, “I love my little sister,” but instead, “I remember the first time my younger sister and I connected. It was July, and our older brother had just gone to college, leaving the two of us alone at home together for the first time.”

A good essay begins at a specific point in time and revolves around a specific event. An essay without an anecdote or specific story is an essay topic , not an essay. So, pull from your freewriting: where did you find yourself writing about a particular event, story, anecdote, or point in time?

Another way of thinking about this is: does your potential topic contain a person (other than you), a setting, and a beginning/middle/end? That gives you a character, a place, and a plot—all crucial elements of an essay.

One important note is that you don’t have to start with the anecdote—it doesn’t have to be your “lede.” That might make you formulaic. But you’ll want one to work with, to anchor the piece at some point.

2. Tension, conflict, and opportunity to show growth.

Josh might write a lovely reflection on how close he and his brother were, or how much he likes his little sister—but that doesn’t give the admissions committee much to work with. Why? Because your topic needs to display your ability to grow and show change over a period of time. If Josh has always had a perfect relationship with his sister, well—first, no one will believe that, and second, Josh is not really telling a story.

So as you’re identifying the right anecdote for your essay, make sure you have a point of tension—a point where we, the reader, wonder if everything will turn out okay. For Josh, this might mean beginning with a time before he and his sister were close—say, when all the siblings were in the house and there wasn’t much time for the two to connect. Then Josh would tell us about what changed as soon as the brother left, and in there he might find an opening anecdote.

3. A wider relevance or a ‘lesson.’

Your essay doesn’t have to demonstrate that you underwent some great metamorphosis or epiphany as a child or teenager, but does your possible topic have a takeaway to work with? You’re looking for something that you can put in your pocket and carry into the future, and in an impressive and ideal world, something that makes the reader of the essay say, “Wow, I like that way of thinking, and I might even return to that one day.”

Another way of thinking about this is: your essay is about how your past influences your future, or the way you think now. Michael has settled on his grandfather teaching him to surf. That’s a fruitful topic, not just because it contains two characters (Michael and his grandfather), but also because it contains a place (the ocean, or, say, a surf shop), a plot (Michael couldn’t surf in the beginning, then learned in the middle, now at the end Michael can surf and tell us about it), but also because the end includes a lesson and a chance to spin that forward, perhaps by talking about how the sport has taught Michael how to be calm and collected under pressure.

4. Some connection between your past, your present, and your future.

It’s common to see a student choose an important experience in their past, narrate the whole thing beautifully, but then forget to tie it to the present. Before you even start writing, think about whether your potential topic is influencing the way you think about the present, and, crucially, the future. Take Michael, again. He writes beautifully about his grandfather teaching him about the waves, but he’s not a pro surfer, and might even be going to college in the middle of the country. Does that matter? Not as long as he tells us how surfing influences him—as he did in extracting a wider lesson.

You might be afraid of picking that mythical ‘wrong topic,’ say, the one thing every admissions officer is secretly sick of reading about but which no one will tell you. Students often ask us: Should I not write about a dying grandparent? About coming out? About the meaning of my name? About politics?

Here’s a secret: the success of your topic almost always lies in the delivery—so absent writing about something flagrantly offensive, violent, or irresponsible, you’re unlikely to hit on that rumored thing the admissions officers can’t stand.

It is good to be afraid of cliché—but one of the truisms about clichés is that they become trite because they reiterate feelings we’ve all had. That also means that buried beneath many clichés is some authentic, particular, and personal relationship you have to your topic. If you’re working with a teacher, counselor, or advisor on your statement, they can help you discern whether you’re in cliché territory or whether you’ve bypassed it to a more fruitful realm.

But wait. There is one big rule. Be humble. Don’t try so hard to sound adult or beyond your years, that you end up coming across as a know-it-all. It’s better to show the admissions committee that you are capable of finding and making meaning through the experiences you’ve had as a young person, no matter how small or limited they may seem to you. If you’ll let us wax philosophical for a moment: that ability to make meaning from something that isn’t pompous or dramatic—and to do so without being aggrandizing—is the stuff of great art. So, you’re in a good tradition if you stick to humility and take a deliberate and honest approach to your essays.

5. Make a list of everything that seems like a fruitful topic.

From the questions and prompts, you should find that you have 3–5 strong topic areas and stories—stuff that got you thinking and feeling, and which produced what Hemingway called the “honest sentences” that comprise good writing. Start with the one that moves you most—that’s your personal statement—but save all the others as fodder for your secondaries, or as backup material in case someone you trust tells you to consider switching topics for some reason.

(Tip: the stuff that isn’t always linked to an anecdote or story but is important to you can often be useful for those secondaries.)

Let’s find out what our sample students chose to write about.

Essay #1: Ramya on the Patriots

Ramya could try to write something about medicine. Or she could write about soccer, dance, or speech. But none of those things seem to tell the admissions committee what they wouldn’t already know from simply reading her list of extracurriculars.

So we decide that Ramya is going to write about the Patriots. The question is how she’s going to demonstrate—through her football fandom—that she is a mature and thoughtful person who will be a good member of any college’s community. An ode to Brady won’t do the trick here—but what will is Ramya’s thoughtful reflection on how spending time watching the Patriots at a sports bar every Sunday with her dad has given her a relationship with her father that most of her friends have never enjoyed with their families.

Essay #2: Anita on the outdoors and poetry

The obvious thing—and the thing most teachers and advisors told Anita to do—is write about mock trial. It would be a good opportunity to give the admissions committee some insight into her psychology behind the success. She took a couple of stabs at it during free-writing, though, and it didn’t flow.

So instead Anita decides to write about a wilderness solo she took in North Carolina on a school trip, and about how it influenced her relationship with poetry.

Essay #3: Josh on piano and mistakes

We talked a lot about whether Josh would do best avoiding writing about piano—it’s the main thing on his resumé and sometimes it can be good to show things off-resumé, as Ramya and Anita plan to. Josh did some writing about his relationship with his sister and his brother, and that might find a home in the secondary essays. But it became clear that Josh has an obsessive, if not always positive, relationship with piano, and so there’s something there.

But how to write “about piano?”

We look at the themes that came up during Josh’s reflection. He found himself writing a lot about mistakes, public performance anxiety, and the pressure to get a piece just right. Focusing in, Josh thought about a specific piece which helped him get over some performance anxiety, so he’ll write about learning that piece and facing the fear.

Essay #4: Michael on surfing

We’ve already referenced Michael’s essay a few times, but he’ll be writing about his grandfather teaching him to surf and the lessons surfing has given him off the board and out of the waves.

You’ll see us return to these students’ ideas as we work through outlines.

If you’ve spent your summer freewriting and then carefully selecting the right essay topic, you’re now in a strong place to start writing—ideally at the end of July or early August. (Remember that if you are applying early action or early decision to schools, your deadline will come at the start of November, whereas regular decision applications will generally have December and January deadlines.)

We can’t emphasize enough the importance of this organized pre-work—it’s incredibly frustrating for a student to write an entire draft and then find that it’s just “falling flat” or “doesn’t sound like them” or “is clichéd.” Using the criteria we’ve already set out, though, you can avoid that scary feeling of having done a lot of work that you’ve got to shelve.

What ‘type’ of essay do you have to write? (a list of narrative strategies)

It’s important to remember that there are as many narrative strategies as there are television shows, books, movies, plays, and poems. We can’t exhaustively discuss all of them, or even most, but we can give you a few “modules” to play with.

At 650 words, each of these will be best understood as a five-paragraph essay, so a basic structure stays the same, but the way things begin and end will not.

1. The Specific Experience Essay: This module is one of the most flexible and powerful types of essays. It begins with a scene, memory, or anecdote, and then tells us what that scene, memory, or anecdote continues to mean to the writer. It’s a classic, and should not be underestimated. Michael’s essay about learning to surf with his grandfather will use this structure, but so too will Anita’s about taking a wilderness solo. Anita will use a slightly more subtle version of this, but both essays begin with a scene: “I was eight when my grandfather first took me to the water,” “The happiest two hours I have spent were on a boulder jutting into a stream in North Carolina.”

Resolving the Specific Experience Essay requires a student to point to some kind of realization garnered as a result of the experience. It doesn’t have to be an enormous Eureka! or epiphany, and in fact, it can come later. Michael’s reflection on the experience of learning to surf with his grandfather occurs over a decade after he first hit the waves. Anita’s comes during an English class two years later when she first reads the poetry of John Keats and William Wordsworth and realizes these writers were engaging with exactly what she experienced during her solo in the wilderness.

The trick Michael and Anita each pull off is spinning the experience forward so that it means something for the rest of their lives. Michael writes about how he understands meditative headspace as a result of standing on the board all those hours with his grandfather, and how his grandfather’s legacy will always be with him. Anita goes small with her reflection: she talks about how she learned to see art, and artful experiences, in her everyday life, and in small, quiet moments (this is especially good for Anita because it expands her away from just the hyper-intense mock trial competitor she might come across as).

2. The Patterned/Iterative Essay: This module is a little more advanced. Let’s take Josh's essay about piano playing. He might want to open with a scene of him playing piano on stage, but that’s a little obvious. The essay he’s going to write is actually about practice, and learning to stop making mistakes. So, what if he started each paragraph with a different mini-moment of him playing piano and making a mistake?

Paragraph 1: My first time erring on stage—I am six, and I’m playing Chopsticks. Then he’ll introduce the theme of the essay.

Paragraph 2: My second time messing up—I am thirteen, and… etc.

Then, the natural place for Josh to end it is the time he almost messes up but doesn’t, which shows us how he’s grown overtime.

3. The Circular Essay: In this essay, the writer begins with a scene or image or concept and then will circle back to that scene or image or concept before the end of the essay in order to make sense of the initial opening. This essay deploys suspense. Take Anita’s essay, which might open, “I spent my happiest moments lost and alone in the wilderness. How did I get here? To understand that, you’ll have to understand X, Y, Z about me…” and which might close: “...that’s how I found myself, at sixteen, lost—but entirely at home in the wild.”

4. The Mini-Odyssey Essay: The last classic and powerful module is the good old problem-driven essay. In this type of essay, our hero (you, the writer) meets a challenge in the first paragraph, and then the essay is devoted to showing us how it is solved. Let’s say Michael wanted to write not about learning to surf from his grandfather, but about learning that his grandfather was diagnosed with terminal cancer.

There’s a lot of narration that will be required for Michael to tell us about losing his grandfather—it’s too much to cram into the first paragraph. So Michael might distribute the narration chronologically, showing us first the bad news (the problem), then zooming out to reflect, then showing us how he faced it (addressing the challenge), probably failing to adequately face it perfectly the first time, and then eventually facing it successfully (the solution).

Those are just a few more narrative possibilities for structuring your essay. Right now, we’ll focus on Ramya’s.

Now, taking your chosen topic, it’s time to outline it. Outlining works great for some people as a pre-writing tactic, and we always recommend it. For others, it can be harder than simply getting down to writing. If you’re really struggling to outline and would rather just follow the pen to a first draft, that’s fine, but do yourself a favor and make outlining your second draft step. At some point, everyone needs an outline, but it’s your call when to do it. Let’s follow this through with Ramya’s essay on the Patriots. The model we’ll use for this essay is a five-paragraph, anecdote-driven essay.

By the way, here’s the prompt that helped Ramya settle on the Patriots: Describe a place or environment where you are perfectly content. What do you do or experience there, and why is it meaningful to you? While this one isn’t among the current Common App essay prompts, it—or any other prompt—can be used to generate an essay that fits under the umbrella of the open prompt, Prompt 7.

So, with that in mind, Ramya’s going to write about the sports bar where she watches her team play every Sunday during football season.

1. Introduction: Ramya has a fun advantage to her essay: it’s unexpected. The heart of it takes place in a sports bar, and she may seem, on paper, to the admissions committee, to be an unlikely diehard football fan. So we begin at the bar and Ramya sets the scene with an anecdote:

It had been a rough week at school—drama with my friend group, hard tests, orchestra practice, exhausting soccer drills—but I knew where I belonged on a Sunday. At Dee's Sports Bar in San Jose, with my dad, watching our team…

She also tells us about Dee's itself, taking the chance to show the admissions committee that she has narrative skills in just noticing things:

By the end of the football season, the staff knew where we wanted to sit… we were loyal to Dee's, just as we had to be loyal to the Patriots, even when they seemed to be letting us down.

In telling this as a story, Ramya has given the admissions committee a human being to relate to from the jump.

2. Billboard/nutgraph/thesis paragraph: In the magazine world, they call the second paragraph in a piece the “billboard paragraph” because it broadcasts—as loud as a billboard—what the piece is about. Newspapers call the same thing a nutgraph, and academic papers might refer to it as your thesis statement. All these terms point to one thing: this is where you shout, HEY! THIS IS WHAT MY ESSAY IS ABOUT! This is where you meld the scene and characters of paragraph 1 with the thematic concerns you’ll address for the rest of the essay.

For Ramya, it goes something like this:

Dee's is where I learned to be loyal—to my team, the Patriots, from across the country—but also to my father, to my friends, and to myself.

Ramya’s essay is going to focus on loyalty: a big theme, one that would sound terribly weak if she introduced it in the first line or even paragraph, but one that is surprising and interesting here because she’s juxtaposed it against a unique setting and seemingly light fare—sports at a bar. (Ramya has, at some point, assured the admissions committee that she’s not drinking in this bar!)

3. Body paragraph #1: In this paragraph, Ramya will tell us something more about loyalty, and why it matters. She’ll add context. So she will zoom away from Dee's and tell us that, throughout high school, she started noticing a lot of her friends getting caught up in social drama, becoming competitive with one another, fighting about romantic situations; set against all this, as well as bullying, depression, and other difficult parts of high school, Ramya’s loyalty to the Patriots and Dee's served as a sanctuary—one of the things that kept her sane.

Now, it’s crucial to note that this isn’t enough for Ramya to write an essay about. “Here’s something that is important/valuable/meaningful to me” is sometimes where students stop. Ramya needs to advance that—to tell us something that shows maturity, shows an ability to reflect and introspect that will come in handy in college and adulthood…

4. Body paragraph #2: ...so she uses her next paragraph to make a bigger point: what other types of loyalty being at Dee's on a Sunday causes her to reflect on.

5. Conclusion: Now, Ramya will spin the whole thing forward and point our eyes toward that ‘lesson’—the thing that she can put in her pocket, which will serve as a kind of talisman throughout life.

Writing and revising: Common errors

Most people don’t outline. And even after outlining, many people fail to follow their outline. It’s natural that you’ll want to stray here or there, towards or away from the initial plan, but below are a few common errors that people make when they either don’t outline or ditch the guiding hand of their outline. As we go through some of these errors, we’ll also make a list of a few general tips and tricks for managing some of the toughest parts of your essay, including time, scene, epiphany, change, character, and more.

Here’s an excerpted version of how Ramya’s essay began at first:

As a 5’1.75” Asian girl, not many people would expect me to spend every Sunday in a bar watching football.... I was tired of streaming the games on my computer, and having it lag before every major play.

I want to thank Dee's Sports Bar for teaching me life lessons that I will carry with me for the rest of my life. Thank you for showing me the importance of loyalty, relationships, and laughter.

I have always been loyal to the Patriots….

It’s not a bad start, but it brings us to Common Error #1: beginning the essay by introducing oneself, instead of introducing the story, AKA, starting too broad. Ramya begins by trying to tell us who she is in a big, introductory, throat-clearing way, instead of choosing a specific route into who she is. It’s sweet that she’s small, but there’s a lot in here that we don’t need: we don’t need her height, nor do we need to know that she used to get the games in one particular way or another. We just need to know that she’s at the bar.

She’s only got 650 words. Which leads us to Tip #1: Take refuge in the anecdote, in the specific, in the particular. Everything gets easier if you choose something specific. Many writers—of college essays and other media—get stressed out, believing that they must convey their entire selves in an essay. This just isn’t possible to do in the capsule of space that is your Common App personal statement. And, it will ironically accomplish the opposite, causing your essay to look shapeless and meandering, therefore communicating very little about you.

If you instead use an individual story as a stand-in for something larger, or for something else, your essay becomes a kind of parable or lesson that educates your reader both about you and, hopefully, about a part of the world they’ve never previously considered.

Now, think about the first declarative sentence Ramya makes in that initial draft: “I have always been loyal to the Patriots.” Tip #2: Struggling to define your thesis statement? Look for your first declarative statement! Ramya’s essay can’t be about her perpetual loyalty to the Patriots—that won’t be enough. But the fact that her prose naturally settled on that as its first short, sharp sentence tells us that she’s making a statement she probably believes in. Loyalty now becomes really important as a theme.

Common Error #2: Hiding your thesis statement or burying it too low. Since we know that loyalty will have something to do with Ramya’s thesis statement, we now know we want it to arrive at the end of the first paragraph or at the start of the first.

Here’s how Ramya’s essay began at the end of 3-4 rounds of edits and revisions:

Just before 5 pm on Sunday, October 13, 2013, I was sitting in a bar, holding on to a feeling of optimism that was fading fast. But wait: it’s not what you think. I didn’t turn to drink; I turned to the TV screen. The score was 27-23, and the Patriots had missed too many opportunities. With just over a minute left to play, my dad—the man responsible for bringing me, a 15-year-old, to a bar—dejectedly asked me if we should leave. I reminded him a true sports fan never gives up on her team, no matter the situation. And after a miracle of a drive finished with an unforgettable pass into the corner of the endzone by my idol, Tom Brady, a swell of elated cheering and high-fiving from the fans in the bar ensued regardless of whether we had previously known one another. Loyalty brought us all together.

Another Common Error (#3!) that Ramya made was: Mixing up the conclusion’s sentiment with the billboard paragraph. Her second paragraph, in the original essay, read: “I want to thank Dee's Sports Bar for teaching me life lessons that I will carry with me for the rest of my life. Thank you for showing me the importance of loyalty, relationships, and laughter.” That’s a sentiment, but it’s not a thesis. And that sentiment is fine—it may have a place at the end of the essay—but it doesn’t belong in the second paragraph, because it doesn’t guide our reading of the rest of the essay. It isn’t strong and declarative yet.

This was the billboard paragraph Ramya reached after a few rounds of edits:

There are a few different kinds of loyalty. Loyalty to a team, to an establishment, to other people—even to oneself. Sitting in that bar over the last year, I feel like I’ve glimpsed them all.

A lot is working here! It’s short, clear, and leads us to Tip #3: define your terms. Ramya wants to talk about an abstract concept—loyalty. Many young writers wish to reflect on things like charity, service, leadership, loyalty, friendship, kindness, morality, etc—these are big topics. But Ramya isn’t just talking about loyalty, a word which could mean many different things to many different people. She’s defined loyalty for the purposes of this essay, which means now we are playing in her house.

As Ramya’s original first draft moved on, it stumbled into a very Common Error #4: the curious case of the missing lesson. Initially, Ramya’s penultimate paragraph offered a kind of ode to Dee's instead of showing the admissions committee that she has a bigger life takeaway from her time spent supporting her team—a problem we could see would happen as soon as we noticed the sentiment of “Thanks Dee's’” occupying the place that should have been reserved for a billboard paragraph. Returning to the outline, or making the outline partway through, would remedy that.

But don’t get stressed if your first outline feels like it’s getting away from you. Tip #4: Try a reverse outline. Once you’ve written one draft of your essay, print it out. (By the way: Tip #5: print stuff out! Don’t get stuck in an endless spiral of copy-and-paste—by printing out your draft, you can keep a draft next to you and then open a new document so that you feel free to rewrite entire paragraphs, or delete sections entirely.)

Then take your printout and write out what the function of each paragraph is in the margin. Might get a little tough, right? If you can’t answer the question, “What is the goal of this paragraph?” or, “What do I want the readers to garner from this paragraph?” then you’re probably missing a topic sentence.

Everything we’re talking about here—writing, noticing mistakes, correcting them—will take you at least three and as many as five or six drafts to get right. So, Tip #6: Don’t treat your early drafts like anything close to final. That means you’re going to have to get comfortable with simply putting idea to paper, and with cutting entire paragraphs or “points” within the essay. You’ve probably never written anything like the personal statement before, and you have to promise yourself to be iterative. Otherwise, you’ll lock yourself into a weaker version of the essay.

As you’re iterating, try Tip #7: Read your drafts aloud so that you can tell when things feel stiff or weak; this should sound like you. Reading aloud can help you catch things like Common Error #5: tonal errors—sounding too formal or too glib/casual. Ramya never suffered from either of these problems; she sounded like herself even in early drafts.

But many students feel that they either have to sound either formal to the point of stuffiness (“On a Sunday afternoon, my father would pick me up from my room and take me down to the kitchen, whereupon we would adjourn to Dee’s Sports bar…”) or “authentically young” to the point of disrespecting the reader (“On Sundays my dad’s like, let’s go to Dee’s Sports Bar, and I go okay so I come on down and we get going...”). When you’re staring at the blinking cursor until your eyes cross, it can be easy to fall into one of these traps, and to write in a voice that isn’t yours. When you read aloud, you can catch it.

Tip #8: The right essay-voice is the most polished version of your speaking-voice. You shouldn’t sound like you swallowed a thesaurus, but you should sound a little more formal than your text messages to your friends would.

Here’s what Ramya’s essay looked like, in the end:

Just before 5 pm on Sunday, October 13, 2013, I was sitting in a bar, holding on to a feeling of optimism that was fading fast. But wait—it’s not what you think. I didn’t turn to drink—I turned to the TV screen. The score was 27-23, and the Patriots had missed too many opportunities. With just over a minute left to play, my dad—the man responsible for bringing me, a 15-year-old, to a bar—dejectedly asked me if we should leave. I reminded him a true sports fan never gives up on her team, no matter the situation. And after a miracle of a drive finished with an unforgettable pass into the corner of the endzone by my idol, Tom Brady, a swell of elated cheering and high-fiving from the fans in the bar ensued regardless of whether we had previously known one another. Loyalty brought us all together.

There are a few different kinds of loyalty. Loyalty to a team, to an establishment, to other people—even to oneself. Sitting in that bar over the last year, I feel like I’ve glimpsed them all. As a Boston-born girl, my loyalty to the Patriots seems natural—even if it’s not so common for a teenage Indian-American-Californian girl to be as much of a sports junkie as I am. But I’ve seen that loyalty tested plenty of times. I’m completely invested in the Pats; I’ve been known to be giddy when they win, and tearful when they lose. However, finding a true home to watch Patriots games in California isn’t easy. So I owe Dee's Sports Bar a surprising amount. By the end of the season, the staff knew what we wanted to eat, and where we wanted to sit, so the sports bar felt like a second home.

My dad and I have a typical father-daughter relationship; I get mad when he doesn’t let me go out, he gets mad when I neglect responsibility. But in the year since we began staking out the bar, we’ve gotten so much closer. On the rides to and from, we talked about everything from school to politics to pop culture. And we talk about sports as equals. My best friend once told me that neither she nor her dad were willing to make the extra effort to find common ground. And I realized how lucky I was: sports offers my dad and me an inexhaustible topic that we can always turn to.

The bar also helped me figure out still another kind of loyalty—to myself. Junior year was an emotional year, full of difficult academics and the inevitable social drama that comes with high school. The bar showed me that I needed to look forward to something comfortable—a place with no drama, no obligations, and a common goal... or at least, a common desperate desire for victory. At the bar, nobody cared what I got on my last math test or which boy was asking my friend to prom. All that matters is the game. This realization isn’t limited to just sports; I figured out that I need a place to be completely myself—with my team and my dad. This included deciding that I only wanted to stay friends with people who make a positive impact on my life. These were such simple revelations, yet they made all the difference.

I have always been loyal to the New England Patriots. From my toddler days, as I sat mesmerized in front of the screen to today, as I analyze every statistic that I can get my hands on, I love every aspect of the team. But all of those trips to the sports bar taught me important lessons that apply beyond football. And for that, I am grateful.

Common App Essay analysis

In the end, what lessons can we take away from Ramya’s essay? Here are a few aspects of the essay that are most successful:

Ramya applies Tip #1 from earlier—taking refuge in anecdotes and specifics—to great effect. We can practically feel the tension of the game, not to mention Ramya and her dad’s investment in it. The result is a memorable, unique opening that compels us to continue reading.

Ramya’s thesis statement (“Loyalty brought us all together”) both telegraphs what the essay will be about and allows her to pivot naturally from sports fandom to the types of loyalty that she actually wants to show admissions committees: her relationships with her dad and with herself.

In discussing loyalty to herself, Ramya demonstrates maturity, independence, and the abilities to grow and absorb lessons. Reflections like “This included deciding that I only wanted to stay friends with people who make a positive impact on my life” help us see her as a person of integrity who can think for herself. As such, it’s easy to imagine her as a student who will make valuable contributions to a college campus.

While we noted earlier that Ramya never struggled with striking the right tone in this essay, it’s worth noticing the balance of polish and casualness that she achieves. The result is an essay that is effortlessly readable yet mature and, most importantly, authentic to her own voice.

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Part 6: Frequently asked questions

There’s more that goes into applying to college than what we’ve been able to cover here, including your grades, standardized test scores, and recommendation letters, but your essays are some of the most important materials. They form the cornerstone of the qualitative side of your application. Get these right and your entire application starts from strength. Good luck!

What books can you recommend for writing essays like this and others?

William Zinsser’s On Writing Well is the primer for nonfiction writing basics. Strunk & White’s Elements of Style is a very slim volume that will help you ensure you’ve dotted all your i’s and crossed all your t’s when it comes to grammar and syntax rules.

Who should read my essays? Is there such a thing as too many readers? Too few? The wrong readers?

Think quality, not quantity. It’s best not to hand your essay to every person who comes your way, no matter how many smart teachers, friends, and peers you have at your disposal. Too much feedback can confuse your sense of mission.

So how do you know who to give your essay to? The right essay editor or guide is someone who knows something about you but isn’t your best friend or parent, and someone who you know can push you on storytelling and language.

There is such thing as having too many readers, so we recommend asking no more than one to three people to weigh in: an editor, counselor, teacher, or consultant should help you with the bulk of your essay; a friend or parent can listen to you read it aloud at some point or can read it without the ren pen lifted (meaning, they’re there to make sure you sound like you, rather than intervening and writing it for you). Parents who get too handsy with their kids’ essays can do their children a real disservice; it’s clear when someone who isn’t 18 was serving as the guiding force in the essay-writing process.

Often students want to know how to handle feedback they may disagree with. If it comes from someone you respect, think it over seriously, but remember that this is your voice. It’s okay to write the person or tell them that you value their input but you think the essay sounds more like you if you keep it as it was.

Does my essay have to be about something that happened in high school? How far back can I go?

Your essay can draw on whatever moves you, regardless of when the anecdote, event, or inciting incident you’re writing about occurred. However, what matters most, in terms of timeline, is that you show your readers how the event not only influences you now but will continue to inflect your thinking about yourself and the world as the years roll on.

The “show, don’t tell,” rule is especially key here. For example, if you write about how a camping trip you took when you were nine instilled a deep love for nature within you and inspired you to study stream ecology, don’t just tell your readers that the camping trip turned you into a nature lover and inspired you to study stream ecology. Instead, show how specific events during the camping trip triggered specific interests, and describe exactly what actions you took to further those interests over the years. Describe how those actions caused your interests and perspectives to evolve and grew over the years, right up to the present day.

What is the Common App Essay word limit?

The Common App Essay word limit is 650 words. We strongly recommend using all 650 words, though you are not required to do so. If you’re well below that limit, it’s worth asking yourself why your personal statement is so short. Check it against the outlines we’ve worked through in this post. Have you used your five-paragraph essay fully? Has your essay demonstrated change over time, or personal growth? Perhaps you’ve told a story but forgotten to reflect on it.

The important thing is to ensure that you’ve fully inhabited each ‘element’ of the successful Common App Essay, as noted in this guide. Doing so will bring you close to the sensible word limit.

I feel like I don't have enough space to write everything I want. What should I do?

This is totally normal! But ending up with a final draft that’s several hundred words over the limit is often a result of insufficient paring-down. In these cases, you’ve likely committed one of the two following mistakes:

You haven’t chosen the right prompt for the story you want to tell . With the right question, you can use your Common App Essay as a window into who you are, rather than feeling burdened by the belief that you must communicate your ‘whole self’ in your application. You can’t box yourself up and hand your soul to the admission committee—but you can use those 650 words to give them some insight into some of the most important parts of you.

You’ve given up on revisions too early! It’s very common to start out with a draft that exceeds the word limit. For some writers, it’s better to get all your thoughts down into your first draft, no matter how long it ends up being. If you’re constantly listening to the voice that says, “There’s no room to mention this!”, you might end up censoring the very heart of your essay. Instead, write as much as you want, then carefully comb through your draft to identify the key points and details that are most essential to your story. From there, you can start trimming or summarizing all the extraneous detail until you’re within 650 words.

Should I explain bad grades in my essays?

Many students have the instinct to explain themselves, including any failings or perceived failings, while writing their applications. There are a number of ways you can offer the admissions committee context for something you think went ‘wrong’ in high school, whether that’s low grades, imperfect attendance, or something else.

Your recommenders might have a chance to write something about it in their letters, if they were in a position to see you during or after the rough period. You can also write about something going wrong in your personal statement if it has narrative energy; that is to say, if it would make a good essay regardless of whether or not it explained away a failing, go ahead and write about it.

An example might be an essay that discussed a student’s home life, say their parents’ difficult divorce during their freshman year. If the student had something introspective to say about the divorce, she might add a line or two that explains that her grades suffered during the incident, but she’d want to conclude the essay by not only showing how she righted things in the years after, but also how what she learned from the difficult period will influence her in the future.

It’s crucial to avoid sounding defensive about your weak spots in your application. If you have something that you think makes you seem a less-than-ideal applicant, turn it into your strength by explaining what you learned from it.

The Common App Additional Information section offers the opportunity to provide context about hardships you might have faced during high school. This is another place you could consider explaining bad grades or the like. Even here, it’s important to not simply state, “I had bad grades but improved them.” A better explanation provides context and explains what specifically helped you turn things around. For example:

During my freshman year, as my parents went through a difficult divorce, I became distracted and stressed, and my grades suffered as a result. I was able to work with my teachers over the summer after my freshman year, however, and attended summer school to make up for weak performance. My family also repaired itself after a few years and time in family therapy. Though I regret my poor grades from ninth grade, I am proud that I was able to improve quickly as a sophomore, and that I developed both stronger study habits and tactics for dealing with emotional stress as a result.

The second answer is specific and also demonstrates maturity gained thanks to a difficult period.

I feel like everyone has more interesting experiences than me. Is there a benefit to using a personal moment as my topic?

There are many students that choose to write about highly personal topics such as experiences involving family issues, and issues around class or identity.

However, it’s important to remember that even if you haven’t had these experiences that doesn’t mean your essay will be banal or boring. It’s all about how you approach the telling of your own unique story. Adcoms understand that not everyone has overcome incredible adversity or a severe physical handicap.

Think of it this way: creative expression is enhanced by limitations. What you are capable of writing given your circumstances and experiences is a chance to showcase your cleverness with language. Adcoms are more interested in how you tell your story than the fact of the story itself.

If you do choose to use a more personal moment to write about, be careful that you don’t choose something too personal. Keep in mind that the person reading your essay is a stranger and that there is such a thing as too much information, even if you think it will enhance your admissions odds.

I know adcoms read tons of essays so they couldn’t possibly pay close attention to each one. Isn’t there something in particular they’re looking for in an essay that signals to them that this is a quality applicant?

This is an incredibly common thought amongst our students. Essentially, the idea is that there’s just one small thing they’re missing in their essay that, if included, would make them stand out and practically guarantee them entry.

There are two major problems with this line of thinking. For one, while reducing your application to a numbers game or just a few points to hit makes the whole process more comprehensible, it doesn’t help to express the real you–and doesn’t increase your chances with adcoms.

The other problem is writing your essay while attempting to guess what adcoms want to hear. Many students fall into this trap by second-guessing their experiences and worrying their chosen topic is just not “good enough.” Most of the time, there’s nothing wrong with your topic, and trying to change course by selecting one you think will enhance your standing with adcoms will only make your job as a writer more difficult.

About the Author

Dr. Shirag Shemmassian is the Founder of Shemmassian Academic Consulting and one of the world's foremost experts on medical school admissions. For nearly 20 years, he and his team have helped thousands of students get into medical school using his exclusive approach.

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How to Write a Personal Essay for Your College Application

What does it take to land in the “accept” (instead of “reject”) pile?

How can you write an essay that helps advance you in the eyes of the admissions officers and makes a real impression? Here are some tips to get you started.

• Start early.  Do not leave it until the last minute. Give yourself time when you don’t have other homework or extracurriculars hanging over your head to work on the essay.
• Keep the focus narrow.  Your essay does not have to cover a massive, earth-shattering event. Some people in their teens haven’t experienced a major life event. Some people have. Either way, it’s okay.
• Be yourself.  Whether writing about a painful experience or a more simple experience, use the narrative to be vulnerable and honest about who you are. Use words you would normally use. Trust your voice and the fact that your story is interesting enough in that no one else has lived it.
• Be creative.  “Show, don’t tell,” and that applies here — to an extent. The best essays typically do both. You can help your reader see and feel what you are describing by using some figurative language throughout your piece.
• Make a point. As you finish your final body paragraphs ask yourself “So what?” This will help you hone in on how to end your essay in a way that elevates it into a story about an insight or discovery you made about yourself, rather than just being about an experience you had.

Where your work meets your life. See more from Ascend here .

We’ve all heard about the dreaded “college essay,” the bane of every high school senior’s existence. This daunting element of the college application is something that can create angst for even the most accomplished students.

• AA Amy Allen is a writer, educator, and lifelong learner. Her freelance writing business,  All of the Write Words , focuses on providing high school students with one-on-one feedback to guide them through the college application process and with crafting a thoughtful personal essay. A dedicated poet, Amy’s work has also been published in several journals including  Pine Row Press ,  Months to Years,  and  Atlanta Review .

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Understanding the service concept

Good service creates customer satisfaction. Excellent service creates customer loyalty. Hence, by building service excellence into your organization, customer loyalty is increased which in turn results to profitable and sustainable business growth.

Implementing an effective service strategy with a focus on retaining customers has proven to be more effective at increasing sales and profit, than mere marketing campaigns, promotions or advertising. Thus there is a strong correlation between service delivery and profit with research showing that a 5% increase in customer service can result in a 25% increase in profit.

This implies that organizations that successfully marry the culture of profit with a strong service excellence ethic benefit from customers that stay longer, utilize more services and add to the all-important bottom line.

Service excellence is a first rate service that consistently delivers truly memorable experience, each time, every time.

For the power of service excellence to be harnessed to drive customer loyalty and service profitability, it’s imperative to understand the service concept.

The service concept is a critical element in knowing and defining what the organization is selling or providing and what the customer is buying or using. The service concept (and its development) is a core task in managing service delivery. It can be used as a central tool in the design, delivery and improvement of services, yet its potential is often underutilized.

The service concept is something very important to service organizations, but is often not articulated, shared or understood. It is something that is more emotional than a business model, deeper than a brand, and more solid than a vision. It is also something that can unite employees and customers and create a business advantage.

It’s important to recognize that what customers buy are concepts. In other words, when buying (or using) services, customers tend not to be simply buying the elements of a service but something much greater and usually more intangible.

For instance, looked at simply, in terms of its elements, a hotel provides a bed, bathroom and food. But looked at as a concept it can provide anything from a low-cost, comfortable night’s sleep, through a relaxing and pampered stay, to a truly unique and unforgettable experience.

Also, at an elemental level, a post graduate business school provides lectures, food, accommodation and books, but what its customers are looking to buy is something much greater – ‘employability’. Likewise, we go to a restaurant for ‘a great evening out’ or to a firm of consultants for ‘peace of mind’.

The service concept is a shared understanding of the nature of the service provided and received, which should include information about:

The organizing idea – the essence of the service bought, or used, by the customer. The service experience – The customer’s direct experience of the service process, which concerns the way the organization deals with the customer. The service outcome – The result for the customer of the service (in particular, the benefits provided, the resulting emotions and assessment of value for money).

When the service concept is not clearly defined, customers’ expectations are not met, employees feel frustrated and there is tension between business units (especially operations and marketing) – a mere reflection of the fact that the service concept is the very soul of service excellence.

What is your organization’s service concept? Is there a shared understanding of what it is amongst all employees? If not, there is need to start work on it.

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How to Write a Definition Essay: Meaning, Outline, Steps & Examples

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A definition essay is a type of academic writing that requires the writer to define a particular term or concept. The term or concept can be abstract , such as love or success, or concrete, such as a computer or a tree. The writer's goal in a definition essay is to provide a detailed and comprehensive explanation of terminology, using examples, analysis, and personal experiences.

Read our guide and learn how to write a definition essay. More specifically, we will cover what a definition essay is, how to structure and outline it properly. You will find detailed steps to writing a definition essay accompanied by free examples. 

If you have a tough deadline, contact our writing essay service . Our professionals will review any definition and create an essay that you are sure to like.

What Is a Definition Essay: Meaning

Definition essay is a type of writing where students explain the meaning of any particular term. The key goal is to go beyond a dictionary definition and offer a more in-depth explanation that showcases your understanding. Before writing a definition essay, it is necessary to thoroughly research the origin of the term and get familiar with some background behind its meaning.

You can provide a definition of a simple word, such as "desk", "bed", "equipment". But most often definition essays focus on complex or abstract subjects. These can be natural phenomena, technical terms, feelings, relationships and many more. 

Defining such terms will be an easy breeze if you choose an efficient approach. Let’s see what types of concepts exist and how to cope with them.

Approaches to Defining a Term in a Definition Essay

Before you describe the meaning of any concept, it's important to use the right strategy. There are several approaches you can take to explain a term in your definition essay.

• Basic definition Use multiple credible sources to suggest information about some word or concept. These could be dictionaries or encyclopedias that provide a clear definition and offer different interpretations.
• Extended definition Explore the meaning from different angles. You should go beyond a dictionary definition and consider different perspectives of a word.
• Example-based definition You can use facts that prove a correct interpretation of some word. Complex definitions are better understood if you use illustrative examples.
• Etymology Explore the origin and historical development of the term. Investigate the root of the word, its linguistic evolution, and any cultural or historical influences that have shaped its meaning over time.
• Analysis A term may have several parts. You will need to analyze each part and explore how each component contributes to the general meaning.
• Classification Classify the term into broader categories or subcategories, highlighting its core features and characteristics within the group. This approach is widely used in a classification essay and helps to establish the term's place within a larger conceptual framework .
• Comparison Compare the term to something more familiar or relatable to help the reader grasp its meaning. Comparison and contrast can make complex terms more understandable by drawing parallels to everyday experiences.
• Negation Define the term by explaining what it is not. Highlight the boundaries or limitations of the term by contrasting it with related or similar concepts.
• Results and effects  In this case, you need to examine the impact and implications of the term. Demonstrate how it influences individuals, societies, or various aspects of life.

Once you choose an approach to defining your term, you will describe its main characteristics more quickly and accurately.

Definition Essay Structure

A definition essay structure comprises 3 essential parts: the introduction, body, and conclusion. Each section plays a critical role in conveying the full understanding of the chosen word:

• Introduction An opening paragraph is where you introduce the term and provide a basic interpretation. This section should pique the reader's curiosity and present a thesis statement.
• Body The body of a definition essay contains a detailed explanation of the term. It includes different types of definitions and approaches. Each body paragraph should focus on a different angle to let readers see a full picture. The number of paragraphs depends on how many details you want to cover.
• Conclusion A definition essay conclusion should succinctly summarize your key points.

How to Write a Definition Essay Step-By-Step?

Before you start writing a definition essay, check out our step-by-step guide. From picking the word to concluding your ideas, we will cover all stages on how to write a definition essay. Make sure you go through each step to define your term.

1. Choose a Term 

Every definition essay should start with selecting an appropriate term. Don’t choose simple words that everyone knows. Objects or geographical places won’t be the best choice. Such words are easy to describe, and provide no space for imagination. The first dictionary word you come across will not be suitable for an essay either.

Try to find a term that can be understood in different ways. If the concept can evoke certain emotions in people, you are on the right track. This is where abstract, intangible terms come into play. They can be explored in multiple ways and provide more room for creativity. For example, such ideas like “courage,” “truth,” “freedom,” or “racism” provide more opportunities for definition based on your knowledge. 

You may also reflect on terms that relate to your experiences, values, or areas of expertise. Writing about a term that you are passionate about can make your essay more engaging. Don’t hesitate to browse our definition essay topics to decide on a fitting idea for your writing.

2. Conduct Research and Explore the Meaning 

Now it’s time to conduct research and explore the meaning of your chosen term. Look up background information in reputable sources, such as encyclopedias or specialized dictionaries. You can also find definitions that are posted on scholarly websites.

Don't forget to take notes while researching, so you don’t lose any important information. Make sure to pay attention to the usage of your term in different contexts, such as literature or scientific research. Investigate the origin of your word and how the meaning has changed over time.

In addition to traditional sources, you may also use online dictionaries and articles that provide unusual explanations.

3. Build a Thesis Statement 

Once you have gathered enough material for your definition paper, it’s time to craft a thesis statement. It will be the main idea of your writing and serve as an anchor for all other elements included in it. 

You can combine a classic concept with your interpretation. A good definition essay thesis statement should define the term in 1-2 sentences. Based on the meaning that you have found in sources, write a definition in your own words.

4. Create a Definition Essay Outline 

A well-structured plan of your writing is half the job done. In order to explain the meaning, prepare a simple outline of your work. Essay layout will help you stay on point and organize ideas. A definition essay outline should be written considering the following structure.

Definition Essay Outline Example

• Hook a reader and craft a compelling first sentence to capture the reader's attention
• Provide a dictionary definition of the term
• Introduce your own definition, which will guide the rest of the essay
• Discuss the term's origin and historical development
• Integrate examples if relevant
• Describe the official definition and how it's commonly used today
• Discuss any misconceptions or typical misunderstandings
• Share your own description of the term
• Discuss why you define the term this way and how your perspective adds to its understanding
• Provide real-life examples
• Recap  key points
• Include final thoughts and explain the importance.

Remember this is just a general outline of a definition essay. Your scheme may look different depending on the methods you choose to formulate your ideas.

5. Write a Definition Essay 

Now, it's time to put all of your research and knowledge into words. Begin by writing an introductory section and explore each aspect gradually. Don’t make your essay too long. A standard definition essay should consist of 500-800 words. A specific essay length is individually chosen based on instructor’s requirements. 

Stick to the structure you created and use transition words to make your essay flow smoothly. Make sure every sentence is related to the topic and logically progresses your thesis.

Definition Essay Introduction

A definition essay introduction should start with a classic presentation of the chosen term. For this purpose, look through multiple definitions of this word published online. Complex terms are difficult to put in a single sentence. It is worth choosing a description that is more tailored to your understanding.

Remember to hold the reader's interest throughout your essay. Use statistics, quotations and other information that may hook readers. Provide some context. Consider background details that can help grasp the concept. Don't confuse readers with unrelated meanings, though. Follow your main idea and you will be fascinated by the outcome.  

>> Read more: How to Write an Essay Introduction

Definition Essay Body Paragraphs

Generally, the definition essay body should consist of 3 paragraphs. However, the number of paragraphs can vary. The more complex your word is, the more extensive your explanation will be.

At the beginning of the text, it is worth mentioning some history and origin of the term. If a concept has "migrated" from another language, mention when people adopted a new term. 

The second body paragraph should focus on dictionary-based explanations. Mention when the use of the chosen term is most appropriate. These could be some important examples from life, textbooks or usage in colloquial speech.

The final essay body paragraph should present your own opinion. You can include cases in which you use the chosen term most often.  

Definition Essay Conclusion

A definition essay conclusion is a brief summary of what has been said above. Your main points that seem most interesting can be paraphrased and added to your conclusion.

Don’t forget to mention how this term affects your life. The easiest way is to use examples from personal experience when talking about intangible concepts. "Anger," "falling in love," "disappointment": each of these words has been present in the lives of many readers. Therefore, it will be easy for them to understand what it is about, if you wrap up your ideas.  

>> Learn more: How to Conclude an Essay

6. Use Various Strategies

In order to make your definition essay stand out, spice things up with diverse strategies. Each method of defining a term offers a different lens through which the reader can grasp the concept. 

If you combine different methods, it will be way easier for your audience to understand the idea or phenomenon. For example, you may try to explain how something works and compare it with analogous things within the same class. Or, you may elaborate on the origin and demonstrate how a specific word is used now using examples.

7. Proofread and Revise 

When your definition essay is ready, read it several times to check for any inaccuracies. Make sure everything follows the logical structure and that each sentence is related to your thesis statement. Here are some examples of errors students usually make when writing definition essays: 

• Grammar, spelling and punctuation mistakes 
• Confusing flow
• Difficult-to-read text
• Poor vocabulary
• Inappropriate writing style.

Use a spell checker or another program for grammar checking. You also can ask a friend to read your draft and provide feedback — they may give you a fresh perspective and spot something you’ve missed. 

>> Learn more: How to Revise an Essay

Definition Essay Examples

Below you can find several definition essay samples. Pay extra attention to how each definition essay example is structured. Feel free to use the same topics or apply a similar essay structure as these definition essay templates have.

The Dos and Don’ts When Writing a Definition Essay

To write a good definition essay, you need to consider facts that must be necessarily present in your text. Follow our tips to improve your composition:

• If the term is quite multifaceted, try to choose one definition and focus on it throughout your entire paper.
• Use additional words that help describe your concept more accurately.
• Try to make smooth transitions between parts of your essay.
• Use an out-of-the-box explanation that will help draw readers’ attention to your topic.
• Proofread your work so it does not contain mistakes.

Try to avoid these common mistakes while writing your definition essay:

• Don’t stuff an essay with too sophisticated words and jargon.
• Don't consider terms that everyone already knows.
• Don’t write vague or obscure explanations.
• Don’t ignore historical and cultural contexts.
• Don’t rely solely on the dictionary.

The more informative your text is, the more likely it is to get your professor’s approval.

Definition Essay Writing Checklist 

Below we have included a concise and practical checklist to ensure your definition paper satisfies all essential criteria. Stick to our suggestions to take your writing to a whole new level.

Final Thoughts on How to Write Definition Essay

There is no doubt about it: terms you choose for a definition essay are the most fundamental part of the entire writing process. In fact, these terms are so critical that they can make or break your essay. For this reason, you should focus on those concepts you are truly passionate about, or at least know well. Besides, this will ensure that you share an in-depth interpretation of this concept.

Get in touch with our writing service to order essay online . Our specialists are available 24/7 and always ready to deliver a top-quality paper tailored to your individual needs.

Daniel Howard is an Essay Writing guru. He helps students create essays that will strike a chord with the readers.

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• checkbox I have chosen a word that has several meanings.
• checkbox I carried out a preliminary investigation to understand a phenomenon.
• checkbox I visited online dictionaries such as Cambridge Dictionary or Merriam-Webster .
• checkbox My introduction established sufficient context.
• checkbox I discussed different aspects of the concept in separate body paragraphs.
• checkbox Illustrative examples and metaphors are included in my text.
• checkbox I revised my paper and corrected all errors.

Freedom is a fundamental human right that allows individuals to express themselves without restraint or interference.

Freedom — a term pervasive in discourse yet elusive in its absolute definition. Various online sources render it as 'the power or right to act, speak, or think as one wants without hindrance or restraint.' However, the complexity of the term extends beyond a mere sentence. To me, freedom is the unrestrained ability to be oneself. Alarmingly, Freedom House reports that only 45% of the global population lives in 'free' countries as of 2023. This staggering statistic underscores the importance of delving deeper into the concept of 'freedom.' In this essay, we will explain the essence of freedom, its various connotations across different cultures, and its relevance in our contemporary world. 

Freedom is often overlooked as a key factor in promoting personal independence and self-determination. In this context, it means being able to make choices that shape our lives without undue pressure from others. It's about having the freedom to decide our own beliefs, associations, and goals. This understanding of freedom emphasizes the importance of individuality and personal growth. It reminds us that freedom is not just a right, but also a personal responsibility. Ultimately, we are in control of our own lives, and freedom gives us the power to shape our own paths.

Freedom is a complex and multifaceted concept that encompasses the right to act, speak, or think without constraints, and extends to personal autonomy and self-determination. It is both a cherished right and a personal responsibility. As we navigate through life, it is important to appreciate and value liberty instead of taking it for granted. True freedom is not just about enjoying it ourselves, but also ensuring that others have the same liberty to live their lives. After all, in the pursuit of liberty, we find the essence of our humanity.

FAQ about Definition Essays

1. what is the purpose of a definition essay.

The main goal of a definition essay is to provide your readers with your personal interpretation of some concept. Along with a dictionary meaning, you should define some term in your own words and explain its impact on your life.

2. How long should a definition essay be?

A standard definition essay should consist of 500-800 words — a short introduction, 2-3 body paragraphs and conclusion. Approximately 2 pages will suffice for a detailed description. However, the length can vary depending on the complexity of the term being defined and other factors, such as academic level and professor’s instructions.

3. What definition essay format should I use?

The format of a definition essay depends on the discipline you are writing in. For example, papers exploring any literary or linguistic concept should be formatted in the MLA style . If you are working on a definition paper in psychology or other social sciences, apply the rules of APA style . Remember that the entire text should be arranged using a single format.

4. How to write a definition in an essay?

When writing a definition in an essay, begin by introducing the term and providing context. You may present an official dictionary definition or elaborate on the origin. Then, you should integrate your own interpretation based on previous research and personal perspectives. To strengthen your explanation, support it with evidence, examples, or anecdotes that illustrate its meaning.

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• How to Write Your Personal Statement | Strategies & Examples

How to Write Your Personal Statement | Strategies & Examples

Published on February 12, 2019 by Shona McCombes . Revised on July 3, 2023.

A personal statement is a short essay of around 500–1,000 words, in which you tell a compelling story about who you are, what drives you, and why you’re applying.

To write a successful personal statement for a graduate school application , don’t just summarize your experience; instead, craft a focused narrative in your own voice. Aim to demonstrate three things:

• Your personality: what are your interests, values, and motivations?
• Your talents: what can you bring to the program?
• Your goals: what do you hope the program will do for you?

This article guides you through some winning strategies to build a strong, well-structured personal statement for a master’s or PhD application. You can download the full examples below.

Urban Planning Psychology History

Table of contents

Getting started with your personal statement, the introduction: start with an attention-grabbing opening, the main body: craft your narrative, the conclusion: look ahead, revising, editing, and proofreading your personal statement, frequently asked questions, other interesting articles.

Before you start writing, the first step is to understand exactly what’s expected of you. If the application gives you a question or prompt for your personal statement, the most important thing is to respond to it directly.

For example, you might be asked to focus on the development of your personal identity; challenges you have faced in your life; or your career motivations. This will shape your focus and emphasis—but you still need to find your own unique approach to answering it.

There’s no universal template for a personal statement; it’s your chance to be creative and let your own voice shine through. But there are strategies you can use to build a compelling, well-structured story.

The first paragraph of your personal statement should set the tone and lead smoothly into the story you want to tell.

Strategy 1: Open with a concrete scene

An effective way to catch the reader’s attention is to set up a scene that illustrates something about your character and interests. If you’re stuck, try thinking about:

• A personal experience that changed your perspective
• A story from your family’s history
• A memorable teacher or learning experience
• An unusual or unexpected encounter

To write an effective scene, try to go beyond straightforward description; start with an intriguing sentence that pulls the reader in, and give concrete details to create a convincing atmosphere.

Strategy 2: Open with your motivations

To emphasize your enthusiasm and commitment, you can start by explaining your interest in the subject you want to study or the career path you want to follow.

Just stating that it interests you isn’t enough: first, you need to figure out why you’re interested in this field:

• Is it a longstanding passion or a recent discovery?
• Does it come naturally or have you had to work hard at it?
• How does it fit into the rest of your life?
• What do you think it contributes to society?

Tips for the introduction

• Don’t start on a cliche: avoid phrases like “Ever since I was a child…” or “For as long as I can remember…”
• Do save the introduction for last. If you’re struggling to come up with a strong opening, leave it aside, and note down any interesting ideas that occur to you as you write the rest of the personal statement.

Once you’ve set up the main themes of your personal statement, you’ll delve into more detail about your experiences and motivations.

To structure the body of your personal statement, there are various strategies you can use.

Strategy 1: Describe your development over time

One of the simplest strategies is to give a chronological overview of key experiences that have led you to apply for graduate school.

• What first sparked your interest in the field?
• Which classes, assignments, classmates, internships, or other activities helped you develop your knowledge and skills?
• Where do you want to go next? How does this program fit into your future plans?

Don’t try to include absolutely everything you’ve done—pick out highlights that are relevant to your application. Aim to craft a compelling narrative that shows how you’ve changed and actively developed yourself.

My interest in psychology was first sparked early in my high school career. Though somewhat scientifically inclined, I found that what interested me most was not the equations we learned about in physics and chemistry, but the motivations and perceptions of my fellow students, and the subtle social dynamics that I observed inside and outside the classroom. I wanted to learn how our identities, beliefs, and behaviours are shaped through our interactions with others, so I decided to major in Social Psychology. My undergraduate studies deepened my understanding of, and fascination with, the interplay between an individual mind and its social context.During my studies, I acquired a solid foundation of knowledge about concepts like social influence and group dynamics, but I also took classes on various topics not strictly related to my major. I was particularly interested in how other fields intersect with psychology—the classes I took on media studies, biology, and literature all enhanced my understanding of psychological concepts by providing different lenses through which to look at the issues involved.

Strategy 2: Own your challenges and obstacles

If your path to graduate school hasn’t been easy or straightforward, you can turn this into a strength, and structure your personal statement as a story of overcoming obstacles.

• Is your social, cultural or economic background underrepresented in the field? Show how your experiences will contribute a unique perspective.
• Do you have gaps in your resume or lower-than-ideal grades? Explain the challenges you faced and how you dealt with them.

Don’t focus too heavily on negatives, but use them to highlight your positive qualities. Resilience, resourcefulness and perseverance make you a promising graduate school candidate.

Growing up working class, urban decay becomes depressingly familiar. The sight of a row of abandoned houses does not surprise me, but it continues to bother me. Since high school, I have been determined to pursue a career in urban planning. While people of my background experience the consequences of urban planning decisions first-hand, we are underrepresented in the field itself. Ironically, given my motivation, my economic background has made my studies challenging. I was fortunate enough to be awarded a scholarship for my undergraduate studies, but after graduation I took jobs in unrelated fields to help support my parents. In the three years since, I have not lost my ambition. Now I am keen to resume my studies, and I believe I can bring an invaluable perspective to the table: that of the people most impacted by the decisions of urban planners.

Strategy 3: Demonstrate your knowledge of the field

Especially if you’re applying for a PhD or another research-focused program, it’s a good idea to show your familiarity with the subject and the department. Your personal statement can focus on the area you want to specialize in and reflect on why it matters to you.

• Reflect on the topics or themes that you’ve focused on in your studies. What draws you to them?
• Discuss any academic achievements, influential teachers, or other highlights of your education.
• Talk about the questions you’d like to explore in your research and why you think they’re important.

The personal statement isn’t a research proposal , so don’t go overboard on detail—but it’s a great opportunity to show your enthusiasm for the field and your capacity for original thinking.

In applying for this research program, my intention is to build on the multidisciplinary approach I have taken in my studies so far, combining knowledge from disparate fields of study to better understand psychological concepts and issues. The Media Psychology program stands out to me as the perfect environment for this kind of research, given its researchers’ openness to collaboration across diverse fields. I am impressed by the department’s innovative interdisciplinary projects that focus on the shifting landscape of media and technology, and I hope that my own work can follow a similarly trailblazing approach. More specifically, I want to develop my understanding of the intersection of psychology and media studies, and explore how media psychology theories and methods might be applied to neurodivergent minds. I am interested not only in media psychology but also in psychological disorders, and how the two interact. This is something I touched on during my undergraduate studies and that I’m excited to delve into further.

Strategy 4: Discuss your professional ambitions

Especially if you’re applying for a more professionally-oriented program (such as an MBA), it’s a good idea to focus on concrete goals and how the program will help you achieve them.

• If your career is just getting started, show how your character is suited to the field, and explain how graduate school will help you develop your talents.
• If you have already worked in the profession, show what you’ve achieved so far, and explain how the program will allow you to take the next step.
• If you are planning a career change, explain what has driven this decision and how your existing experience will help you succeed.

Don’t just state the position you want to achieve. You should demonstrate that you’ve put plenty of thought into your career plans and show why you’re well-suited to this profession.

One thing that fascinated me about the field during my undergraduate studies was the sheer number of different elements whose interactions constitute a person’s experience of an urban environment. Any number of factors could transform the scene I described at the beginning: What if there were no bus route? Better community outreach in the neighborhood? Worse law enforcement? More or fewer jobs available in the area? Some of these factors are out of the hands of an urban planner, but without taking them all into consideration, the planner has an incomplete picture of their task. Through further study I hope to develop my understanding of how these disparate elements combine and interact to create the urban environment. I am interested in the social, psychological and political effects our surroundings have on our lives. My studies will allow me to work on projects directly affecting the kinds of working-class urban communities I know well. I believe I can bring my own experiences, as well as my education, to bear upon the problem of improving infrastructure and quality of life in these communities.

Tips for the main body

• Don’t rehash your resume by trying to summarize everything you’ve done so far; the personal statement isn’t about listing your academic or professional experience, but about reflecting, evaluating, and relating it to broader themes.
• Do make your statements into stories: Instead of saying you’re hard-working and self-motivated, write about your internship where you took the initiative to start a new project. Instead of saying you’ve always loved reading, reflect on a novel or poem that changed your perspective.

Your conclusion should bring the focus back to the program and what you hope to get out of it, whether that’s developing practical skills, exploring intellectual questions, or both.

Emphasize the fit with your specific interests, showing why this program would be the best way to achieve your aims.

Strategy 1: What do you want to know?

If you’re applying for a more academic or research-focused program, end on a note of curiosity: what do you hope to learn, and why do you think this is the best place to learn it?

If there are specific classes or faculty members that you’re excited to learn from, this is the place to express your enthusiasm.

Strategy 2: What do you want to do?

If you’re applying for a program that focuses more on professional training, your conclusion can look to your career aspirations: what role do you want to play in society, and why is this program the best choice to help you get there?

Tips for the conclusion

• Don’t summarize what you’ve already said. You have limited space in a personal statement, so use it wisely!
• Do think bigger than yourself: try to express how your individual aspirations relate to your local community, your academic field, or society more broadly. It’s not just about what you’ll get out of graduate school, but about what you’ll be able to give back.

You’ll be expected to do a lot of writing in graduate school, so make a good first impression: leave yourself plenty of time to revise and polish the text.

Your style doesn’t have to be as formal as other kinds of academic writing, but it should be clear, direct and coherent. Make sure that each paragraph flows smoothly from the last, using topic sentences and transitions to create clear connections between each part.

Don’t be afraid to rewrite and restructure as much as necessary. Since you have a lot of freedom in the structure of a personal statement, you can experiment and move information around to see what works best.

Finally, it’s essential to carefully proofread your personal statement and fix any language errors. Before you submit your application, consider investing in professional personal statement editing . For $150, you have the peace of mind that your personal statement is grammatically correct, strong in term of your arguments, and free of awkward mistakes.

A statement of purpose is usually more formal, focusing on your academic or professional goals. It shouldn’t include anything that isn’t directly relevant to the application.

A personal statement can often be more creative. It might tell a story that isn’t directly related to the application, but that shows something about your personality, values, and motivations.

However, both types of document have the same overall goal: to demonstrate your potential as a graduate student and s how why you’re a great match for the program.

The typical length of a personal statement for graduate school applications is between 500 and 1,000 words.

Different programs have different requirements, so always check if there’s a minimum or maximum length and stick to the guidelines. If there is no recommended word count, aim for no more than 1-2 pages.

If you’re applying to multiple graduate school programs, you should tailor your personal statement to each application.

Some applications provide a prompt or question. In this case, you might have to write a new personal statement from scratch: the most important task is to respond to what you have been asked.

If there’s no prompt or guidelines, you can re-use the same idea for your personal statement – but change the details wherever relevant, making sure to emphasize why you’re applying to this specific program.

If the application also includes other essays, such as a statement of purpose , you might have to revise your personal statement to avoid repeating the same information.

If you want to know more about college essays , academic writing , and AI tools , make sure to check out some of our other language articles with explanations, examples, and quizzes.

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• College essay style
• College essay length
• Diversity essays
• Scholarship essays

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• Avoiding repetition
• Literature review
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• Thesis acknowledgements
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• Gray or grey
• Theater vs theatre

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Happiness: Personal View and Suggestions Essay

Introduction, personal view about happiness, suggestions on how to be happy, works cited.

Happiness means different things for different people. This notwithstanding, every person is concerned about being happy. Drawing from a study by Radwan (1), defining what happiness is a very difficult task. For certain people, happiness is as a result of being content. It is a unique reaction by a person who feels that everything is going the way he or she desires. To some, it is a feeling that one experiences after attaining set goals.

According to Carlin and Capps (185), most people tend to describe happiness in ways that are quite vivid than definitions of happiness. Despite the fact that people have no problem identifying an expression of happiness when they come across one, no agreement on definitions of happiness exists. This view is also supported by Selin and Davey (294), who argued that defining happiness has been complicated by the fact that no common measurement parameters exist.

A major challenge when it comes to defining happiness has to do with the fact that it has many different faces (Lawrence and Lawrence 6). Despite the huge interest expressed by people in happiness and how to define it, it is very rare that most people will spend time thinking about the concept. Personally, I believe that happiness should be defined as that experience that causes an individual to feel alive. Despite the fact that defining happiness is complicated, there are certain things that can be said about happiness.

First, happiness depends on an individual’s way of looking at things. By and large, what makes one person happy may not trigger happiness in another person. For instance, while money will bring happiness to some people, it may not create happiness for others. Secondly, happiness may be realized by a person who gets what meets a need in his or her life. An individual who is financially insecure may experience happiness when he or she finally gets a job with a stable income. I am also of the opinion that happiness just occurs as people go about their businesses.

I strongly believe that true happiness always comes from within a person. It is a feeling of self assurance. While some people are of the opinion that individuals are the best judges of their own happiness, others are convinced that outsiders are better placed when it comes to judging happiness. Unlike the happiness that is from within, happiness due to external factors is bound to disappear after sometime. For example, any happiness that is as a result of one having all the money he or she desires to have fades away when the money gets depleted. While some people will be happy because they have money and everything else they may require, others are not bothered with material wealth and will be happy with or without money.

In order to maximize happiness, nations and communities should put a number of things into consideration when formulating public policies. Among other things, policy makers should come up with plans to ensure that individuals can get rid of all negative emotions that often lead to unhappiness. It is also imperative for policy makers to see to it that public policies include a training component about happiness. Without a doubt, it is necessary to train everyone about happiness and how to go about getting happiness. As has already been explained, one approach of creating happiness in an individual is to ensure that all bad feelings are done away with. Through training, individuals may also be advised on the best way possible to determine what creates happiness for them.

Another requirement for an individual’s happiness is the ability for one to think positively. It is therefore important for policy makers to figure out how to encourage people to be positive thinkers even in the face of serious challenges. As pointed out by Radwan (1), being positive opens an avenue for an individual to be hopeful and this in turn leads to a feeling of happiness. For an individual to increase his or her level of happiness, it is necessary to be aware of the things that make him or her happy. Nations and communities can take advantage of this fact to help people to be happy. Policy makers should be tasked with the responsibility of coming up with policies that lead to the creation of an environment that leads to the availability of those things that make people happy.

A number of factors have been identified as having an impact on the happiness of individuals (Selin and Davey 297). They include income, security, democracy, freedom, culture, and values. Although the actual connection between income and happiness is not very clear, research undertaken by some research professionals indicate that the level of an individual’s income has a huge effect on his or her happiness. According to McEachern (180), happiness is a basic human right that cannot be taken away from an individual and improving the economy is one strategy that a nation or a community can adopt to create happiness. Arguably, the same can also be said about democracy and happiness. In addition, culture plays a very important role in determining a person’s level of happiness. For this reason, it is imperative for policy makers to think about integrating these factors in the formulation of policies that are meant to promote happiness in people’s lives. Security is equally important when considering happiness and state governments must see to it that people live in a secure environment. According to Biswas-Diener (76), every development should be geared towards promoting happiness in the society.

Without a doubt, happiness is a very important need for every human being. For this reason, efforts must be made to come up with policies that will create a healthy environment for happiness to be realized. State governments are therefore expected to do everything possible to create an environment where individuals can be free to pursue happiness. Security also plays a critical role in promoting happiness.

Biswas-Diener, Robert. Positive Psychology as Social Change. Amherst, MA: Springer Science & Business Media, 2011. Print.

Carlin, Nathan and Donald Capps. 100 Years of Happiness: Insights and Findings from the Experts. Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-CLIO, 2012. Print.

Lawrence, Denis And Anne Lawrence. Happiness Makes You Healthy: Research and Practice. USA, Lulu, 2013. Print.

McEachern, William. Macroeconomics: A Contemporary Approach. Mason, OH: Cengage Learning, 2012. Print.

Radwan, Farouk. Definition of Happiness and How to be Happy in Life . 2014. Web.

Selin, Helaine and Gareth Davey. Happiness across Cultures: Views of Happiness and Quality of Life in Non-Western Cultures, Amherst, MA: Springer Science & Business Media, 2012. Print.

• Chicago (A-D)
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IvyPanda. (2020, June 23). Happiness: Personal View and Suggestions. https://ivypanda.com/essays/happiness-personal-view-and-suggestions/

"Happiness: Personal View and Suggestions." IvyPanda , 23 June 2020, ivypanda.com/essays/happiness-personal-view-and-suggestions/.

IvyPanda . (2020) 'Happiness: Personal View and Suggestions'. 23 June.

IvyPanda . 2020. "Happiness: Personal View and Suggestions." June 23, 2020. https://ivypanda.com/essays/happiness-personal-view-and-suggestions/.

1. IvyPanda . "Happiness: Personal View and Suggestions." June 23, 2020. https://ivypanda.com/essays/happiness-personal-view-and-suggestions/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "Happiness: Personal View and Suggestions." June 23, 2020. https://ivypanda.com/essays/happiness-personal-view-and-suggestions/.

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How to Write a Personal Statement

A personal statement can be a key part of your college application, and you can really make yours shine by following a few tips.

When you're applying to college—either to an undergraduate or graduate program—you may be asked to submit a personal statement. It's an essay that gives you the chance to share more about who you are and why you'd like to attend the university you're applying to.  

The information you provide in your personal statement can help build on your other application materials, like your transcripts and letters of recommendation, and build a more cohesive picture to help the admissions committee understand your goals.

In this article, we'll go over more about personal statements, including why they're important, what to include in one, and tips for strengthening yours.

What is a personal statement?

A personal statement—sometimes known as a college essay —is a brief written essay you submit with other materials when applying to college or university. Personal statements tend to be most common for undergraduate applications, and they're a great opportunity for an admissions committee to hear your voice directly.

Many colleges and universities in the US, especially those using Common App , provide prompts for you to use. For example, "Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea" or "Describe a topic, idea, or concept you find so engaging that it makes you lose all track of time" [ 1 ]. If the school you're interested in attending doesn't require prompts, you will likely want to craft a response that touches on your story, your values, and your goals if possible.

In grad school, personal statements are sometimes known as letters of intent , and go into more detail about your academic and professional background, while expressing interest in attending the particular program you're applying to.

Why is a personal statement important?

Personal statements are important for a number of reasons. Whereas other materials you submit in an application can address your academic abilities (like your transcripts) or how you perform as a student (like your letters of recommendation), a personal statement is a chance to do exactly that: get more personal.

Personal statements typically:

Permit you to share things that don't fit on your resume, such as personal stories, motivations, and values

Offer schools a chance to see why you're interested in a particular field of study and what you hope to accomplish after you graduate 

Provide an opportunity for you to talk about past employment, volunteer experiences, or skills you have that complement your studies 

Allow colleges to evaluate your writing skills 

Bring life to a college application package otherwise filled with facts and figures 

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How to write a personal statement.

As we mentioned earlier, you may have to respond to a prompt when drafting your personal statement—or a college or university may invite you to respond however you'd like. In either case, use the steps below to begin building your response.

Create a solid hook .

To capture the attention of an admissions committee member, start your personal statement with a hook that relates to the topic of your essay. A hook tends to be a colorful sentence or two at the very beginning that compels the reader to continue reading.

To create a captivating hook, try one of these methods:

Pose a rhetorical question. 

Provide an interesting statistic. 

Insert a quote from a well-known person.

Challenge the reader with a common misconception. 

Use an anecdote, which is a short story that can be true or imaginary. 

Credibility is crucial when writing a personal statement as part of your college application process. If you choose a statistic, quote, or misconception for your hook, make sure it comes from a reliable source.

Follow a narrative.

The best personal statements typically read like a story: they have a common theme, as well as a beginning, middle, and end. This type of format also helps keep your thoughts organized and improves the flow of your essay.

Common themes to consider for your personal statement include:

Special role models from your past

Life-altering events you've experienced

Unusual challenges you've faced

Accomplishments you're especially proud of

Service to others and why you enjoy it

What you've learned from traveling to a particular place

Unique ways you stand out from other candidates

Be specific.

Admissions committees read thousands of personal statements every year, which is why being specific on yours is important. Back up your statements with examples or anecdotes.

For instance, avoid vague assertions like, "I'm interested in your school counseling program because I care about children." Instead, point out experiences you've had with children that emphasize how much you care. For instance, you might mention your summer job as a day camp counselor or your volunteer experience mentoring younger children.

Don't forget to include detail and vibrancy to keep your statement interesting. The use of detail shows how your unique voice and experiences can add value to the college or university you're applying to.

Stay on topic.

It's natural to want to impress the members of the admissions committee who will read your personal statement. The best way to do this is to lead your readers through a cohesive, informative, and descriptive essay.

If you feel you might be going astray, ensure each paragraph in your essay's body supports your introduction. Here are a few more strategies that can help keep you on track:

Know what you want to say and do research if needed. 

Create an outline listing the key points you want to share.

Read your outline aloud to confirm it makes logical sense before proceeding. 

Read your essay aloud while you're writing to confirm you're staying on topic.

Ask a trusted friend or family member to read your essay and make suggestions.

Be true to your own voice.

Because of the importance of your personal statement, you could be tempted to be very formal with structure and language. However, using a more relaxed tone is better than you would for a classroom writing assignment. 

Remember: admissions committees really want to hear from you . Writing in your own voice will help accomplish this. To ensure your tone isn't too relaxed, write your statement as if you were speaking to an older relative or trusted teacher. This way, you'll come across as respectful, confident, and honest.

Tips for drafting an effective personal statement.

Now that you've learned a little about personal statements and how to craft them, here are a few more tips you can follow to strengthen your essay:

1. Customize your statement.

You don't have to completely rewrite your personal statement every time you apply to a new college, but you want to make sure you tailor it as much as possible. For instance, if you talk about wanting to take a certain class or study a certain subject, make sure you adjust any specifics for each application.

2. Avoid cliches.

Admissions committees are ultimately looking for students who will fit the school, and who the school can help guide toward their larger goals. In that case, cliches can get in the way of a reviewer understanding what it is you want from a college education. Watch out for cliches like "making a difference," "broadening my horizons," or "the best thing that ever happened to me."

3. Stay focused.

Try to avoid getting off-track or including tangents in your personal statement. Stay focused by writing a first draft and then re-reading what you've written. Does every paragraph flow from one point to the next? Are the ideas you're presenting cohesive?

4. Stick to topics that aren't controversial.

It's best not to discuss political beliefs or inappropriate topics in your essay. These can be controversial; ideally, you want to share something goals- or values-driven with an admissions committee.

Polish your writing skills on Coursera.

A stellar personal statement starts with stellar writing skills. Enhance your writing ability with a writing course from a top university, like Good with Words: Writing and Editing from the University of Michigan or Writing a Personal Essay from Wesleyan University. Get started for free to level up your writing.

Article sources

1. Common App. " 2022-2023 Common App Essay Prompts , https://www.commonapp.org/blog/2022-2023-common-app-essay-prompts." Accessed January 9, 2024.

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What is an Essay?

10 May, 2020

11 minutes read

Author:  Tomas White

Well, beyond a jumble of words usually around 2,000 words or so - what is an essay, exactly? Whether you’re taking English, sociology, history, biology, art, or a speech class, it’s likely you’ll have to write an essay or two. So how is an essay different than a research paper or a review? Let’s find out!

Defining the Term – What is an Essay?

The essay is a written piece that is designed to present an idea, propose an argument, express the emotion or initiate debate. It is a tool that is used to present writer’s ideas in a non-fictional way. Multiple applications of this type of writing go way beyond, providing political manifestos and art criticism as well as personal observations and reflections of the author.

An essay can be as short as 500 words, it can also be 5000 words or more.  However, most essays fall somewhere around 1000 to 3000 words ; this word range provides the writer enough space to thoroughly develop an argument and work to convince the reader of the author’s perspective regarding a particular issue.  The topics of essays are boundless: they can range from the best form of government to the benefits of eating peppermint leaves daily. As a professional provider of custom writing, our service has helped thousands of customers to turn in essays in various forms and disciplines.

Origins of the Essay

Over the course of more than six centuries essays were used to question assumptions, argue trivial opinions and to initiate global discussions. Let’s have a closer look into historical progress and various applications of this literary phenomenon to find out exactly what it is.

Today’s modern word “essay” can trace its roots back to the French “essayer” which translates closely to mean “to attempt” .  This is an apt name for this writing form because the essay’s ultimate purpose is to attempt to convince the audience of something.  An essay’s topic can range broadly and include everything from the best of Shakespeare’s plays to the joys of April.

The essay comes in many shapes and sizes; it can focus on a personal experience or a purely academic exploration of a topic.  Essays are classified as a subjective writing form because while they include expository elements, they can rely on personal narratives to support the writer’s viewpoint.  The essay genre includes a diverse array of academic writings ranging from literary criticism to meditations on the natural world.  Most typically, the essay exists as a shorter writing form; essays are rarely the length of a novel.  However, several historic examples, such as John Locke’s seminal work “An Essay Concerning Human Understanding” just shows that a well-organized essay can be as long as a novel.

The Essay in Literature

The essay enjoys a long and renowned history in literature.  They first began gaining in popularity in the early 16 th century, and their popularity has continued today both with original writers and ghost writers.  Many readers prefer this short form in which the writer seems to speak directly to the reader, presenting a particular claim and working to defend it through a variety of means.  Not sure if you’ve ever read a great essay? You wouldn’t believe how many pieces of literature are actually nothing less than essays, or evolved into more complex structures from the essay. Check out this list of literary favorites:

• The Book of My Lives by Aleksandar Hemon
• Notes of a Native Son by James Baldwin
• Against Interpretation by Susan Sontag
• High-Tide in Tucson: Essays from Now and Never by Barbara Kingsolver
• Slouching Toward Bethlehem by Joan Didion
• Naked by David Sedaris
• Walden; or, Life in the Woods by Henry David Thoreau

Pretty much as long as writers have had something to say, they’ve created essays to communicate their viewpoint on pretty much any topic you can think of!

The Essay in Academics

Not only are students required to read a variety of essays during their academic education, but they will likely be required to write several different kinds of essays throughout their scholastic career.  Don’t love to write?  Then consider working with a ghost essay writer !  While all essays require an introduction, body paragraphs in support of the argumentative thesis statement, and a conclusion, academic essays can take several different formats in the way they approach a topic.  Common essays required in high school, college, and post-graduate classes include:

Five paragraph essay

This is the most common type of a formal essay. The type of paper that students are usually exposed to when they first hear about the concept of the essay itself. It follows easy outline structure – an opening introduction paragraph; three body paragraphs to expand the thesis; and conclusion to sum it up.

Argumentative essay

These essays are commonly assigned to explore a controversial issue.  The goal is to identify the major positions on either side and work to support the side the writer agrees with while refuting the opposing side’s potential arguments.

Compare and Contrast essay

This essay compares two items, such as two poems, and works to identify similarities and differences, discussing the strength and weaknesses of each.  This essay can focus on more than just two items, however.  The point of this essay is to reveal new connections the reader may not have considered previously.

Definition essay

This essay has a sole purpose – defining a term or a concept in as much detail as possible. Sounds pretty simple, right? Well, not quite. The most important part of the process is picking up the word. Before zooming it up under the microscope, make sure to choose something roomy so you can define it under multiple angles. The definition essay outline will reflect those angles and scopes.

Descriptive essay

Perhaps the most fun to write, this essay focuses on describing its subject using all five of the senses.  The writer aims to fully describe the topic; for example, a descriptive essay could aim to describe the ocean to someone who’s never seen it or the job of a teacher.  Descriptive essays rely heavily on detail and the paragraphs can be organized by sense.

Illustration essay

The purpose of this essay is to describe an idea, occasion or a concept with the help of clear and vocal examples. “Illustration” itself is handled in the body paragraphs section. Each of the statements, presented in the essay needs to be supported with several examples. Illustration essay helps the author to connect with his audience by breaking the barriers with real-life examples – clear and indisputable.

Informative Essay

Being one the basic essay types, the informative essay is as easy as it sounds from a technical standpoint. High school is where students usually encounter with informative essay first time. The purpose of this paper is to describe an idea, concept or any other abstract subject with the help of proper research and a generous amount of storytelling.

Narrative essay

This type of essay focuses on describing a certain event or experience, most often chronologically.  It could be a historic event or an ordinary day or month in a regular person’s life. Narrative essay proclaims a free approach to writing it, therefore it does not always require conventional attributes, like the outline. The narrative itself typically unfolds through a personal lens, and is thus considered to be a subjective form of writing.

Persuasive essay

The purpose of the persuasive essay is to provide the audience with a 360-view on the concept idea or certain topic – to persuade the reader to adopt a certain viewpoint. The viewpoints can range widely from why visiting the dentist is important to why dogs make the best pets to why blue is the best color.  Strong, persuasive language is a defining characteristic of this essay type.

The Essay in Art

Several other artistic mediums have adopted the essay as a means of communicating with their audience.  In the visual arts, such as painting or sculpting, the rough sketches of the final product are sometimes deemed essays.  Likewise, directors may opt to create a film essay which is similar to a documentary in that it offers a personal reflection on a relevant issue.  Finally, photographers often create photographic essays in which they use a series of photographs to tell a story, similar to a narrative or a descriptive essay.

Drawing the line – question answered

“What is an Essay?” is quite a polarizing question. On one hand, it can easily be answered in a couple of words. On the other, it is surely the most profound and self-established type of content there ever was. Going back through the history of the last five-six centuries helps us understand where did it come from and how it is being applied ever since.

If you must write an essay, follow these five important steps to works towards earning the “A” you want:

• Understand and review the kind of essay you must write
• Brainstorm your argument
• Find research from reliable sources to support your perspective
• Cite all sources parenthetically within the paper and on the Works Cited page
• Follow all grammatical rules

Generally speaking, when you must write any type of essay, start sooner rather than later!  Don’t procrastinate – give yourself time to develop your perspective and work on crafting a unique and original approach to the topic.  Remember: it’s always a good idea to have another set of eyes (or three) look over your essay before handing in the final draft to your teacher or professor.  Don’t trust your fellow classmates?  Consider hiring an editor or a ghostwriter to help out!

If you are still unsure on whether you can cope with your task – you are in the right place to get help. HandMadeWriting is the perfect answer to the question “Who can write my essay?”

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How to Write a Definition Essay

Wondering how to write a definition essay? Well, this task won't be an issue for the students who know this paper differs from other types of assignments, such as an expository essay definition or a narrative essay definition. Even though most academic papers require thorough research and difficult terms, the definition essay is slightly different. It doesn't require substantial scientific knowledge and technical skills — its primary goal is to define a specific term. According to our essay writers , the problem is that you can't just copy the definition from the dictionary. Instead, you need to use your writing skills and creativity.

When writing a definition essay, it's highly recommended that you show your personal opinion, just like in a definition analytical essay, about the term being described and provide some real-life examples. In the following article, you will get all the ins and outs of how to write a definition essay. Our essay paper writing service experts will provide you with some useful tips on how to make your definition paper interesting and informative. Here is what you will learn from the article:

• How to write a definition essay
• How to select the right topic 
• How to define the complex terms in your definition paper 

If you stick to the tips provided in this article, writing a definition essay will become an easy and fun task for you. We guarantee you'll complete it without trouble in the shortest time. Alternatively, you can pay for college essay and relax. So, let's delve deeper into the nuances of writing an excellent definition essay.

What Is a Definition Essay

Simply put, a definition essay clearly describes the term supported by facts, examples, and arguments. The definition essay aims to define a specific term, concept, or idea. Such an essay should not be limited to a dictionary meaning — it should contain an extended definition. The main idea here is that you expand the readers' knowledge and give them new information about the word being described. You need to focus on providing your readers with the information they can't find in a regular dictionary. On the other hand, a definition argument essay, just like an argumentative essay definition, aims to convince the reader of something while simultaneously defining a subject. It necessitates the development of an argument for definition essay themes that center on an ill-defined or controversial subject.

Definition Essay Structure

Sticking to a specific structure is especially important when writing a definition paper. Proper essay structure is very helpful when presenting your ideas in an order that makes the most sense to the reader. Usually, the structure of a definition essay is very similar to the structure of other creative assignments, such as a synthesis essay , explanatory essay, and other types of essays. 

Definition Essay Outline

When talking about a definition essay structure, the first thing that comes to mind is a definition essay outline. An outline is a plan of your definition paper. Its primary goal is to organize the main points into paragraphs so it'll be easier for you to write the essay. Creating an outline is not as difficult as it may seem at first glance. It consists of the same parts as any other academic paper, which are:

• Introduction

Thesis Statement

• Body Paragraphs

How to Start a Definition Essay

The definition paper starts with an introduction. Keep in mind that your essay introduction should include several crucial elements. First and foremost, you should start your paper with a clear explanation of the term you chose to describe. The best way to do that is to find a dictionary definition of the concept (make sure to use only credible sources). This way, you establish context and a foundational understanding of the word.

You may wonder what to do if the chosen term has several meanings. In this case, professionals from different writing services recommend picking the meaning you like most and adding your personal view on the term you will explain. Then, try to give your interpretation of it.

Another idea worth implementing is mentioning something intriguing at the beginning of the essay. Let your imagination run wild — it can be a curious fact, a famous quotation, shocking statistics, a short anecdote, or even a real case regarding the topic.

Overall, the introduction should be brief and informative. Finally, it should conclude with a precise thesis statement, explaining what the essay will discuss with your readers. 

A definition essay does not have a regular thesis statement since the one who is writing it doesn't need to prove anything. If your goal is to write a good definition paper, then you just need to add a primary assertion of your work to the last sentence of the introduction section. If you study in one of the best colleges for astrophysics or any other - our thesis statement should just define the term in your own words. 

The body of the definition essay helps you think of the essay argument in different ways and look at the term from a different angle. What's great about such an essay is that you can think of the chosen theme from various perspectives. In the end, you will probably pick the easily understandable one.  

You can create two, three, or more body paragraphs in your definition essay — it all depends on the complexity of the chosen term and your writing skills. Provide as many facts about the chosen word as possible. In addition, you can provide a few meanings of the word if necessary for a better understanding of the subject.

A broad investigation and deep understanding of the topic are also highly recommended when working on a definition essay. Focus on making your readers aware of all the contextual interpretations of the term. Try to uncover all the essential facts about the word. Even though definition papers must be based on facts, sharing your personal vision on the subject is highly welcomed. What we can suggest here is looking through numerous different sources, including books, dictionaries, scholarly articles, educational websites, etc. The main idea here is to develop a deep understanding of the topic before you begin writing your paper. 

Writers from our custom essay writing service prepared some useful tips you may follow when writing the body of your essay:

• A new idea is always a new paragraph
• If the term that is being defined has several meanings, you better explain them all
• Use examples from your life
• Provide various points of view to support the core information

Conclusion 

A definition essay must have a proper conclusion. As mentioned before, the main goal of your work is to provide your readers with a complete definition of the chosen term. Your conclusion must summarize the information that was outlined in the essay. 

You may describe how the word you chose influenced your life. Readers love intriguing facts from other people’s lives and appreciate the sincere attitude. You can also rephrase the thesis statement and make a larger statement about the term in your conclusion. 

Definition Essay Sample

Here is a definition essay sample:

Definition Essay Topics & Ideas

One of the challenges you may face when writing a definition essay is choosing the right topic. Whether you choose to write a freedom definition essay, or discuss personal definition of your life experiences, you should be interested in the subject and familiar with it. A great essay topic will capture your reader's attention and make them read your piece until the end. Try to discuss terms with broad definitions in the extended definition essay topics. Avoid words that have only one meaning. It would be great if someone from your circle of friends had a similar experience in the matter you are going to define. 

The great news is that today there are plenty of terms to describe. Although some words are crystal clear and don't require an explanation, many abstract and scientific terms can still become a topic of discussion. For example, such concepts as love, happiness, trust, and empathy may be difficult for some people to explain. Check out some useful tips on how to choose the proper topic for your definition essay:

• Try not to use general words that don't have hidden meanings
• Make sure your essay is based on facts
• Add a list of references 
• Choose topics that are familiar to you

Typically, there are two types of terms students usually choose when writing a definition essay: concrete and abstract definitions. Let's take a look at each of the following:

• Concrete concepts - describe concrete terms, such as people, places, things, events, etc. For some students, it is much easier to describe concrete words than abstract ones. There are tons of concrete things to write about - almost everything that surrounds us in real life. What's more, when choosing to describe concrete terms, research is happening to be much easier, as there are a lot of known facts in history, science, and so on. Some examples of concrete concepts are cat, table, pen, phone, painting, tree, cake, cup, etc.
• Abstract concepts - refer to an idea or concept that doesn't exist in the real world (physically) and cannot be touched. Students who describe an abstract concept should be ready to use their imagination and brainpower. In most cases, describing abstract nouns is a bit more complicated than describing concrete nouns. On the other hand, describing something abstract brings so much excitement! Imagine how fun it may be to describe something you can't see, hear, taste, touch, or smell. Some examples of abstract nouns include liberty, love, anger, freedom, generosity, charity, democracy, etc. 

Tips on How to Write a Definition Essay

Once you have chosen a term you would like to describe and have researched it, the next step is to select the way to describe your subject matter. Even though there are dozens of ways you can define the chosen term, your goal is to think about how to describe it in a decisive and precise manner. Use your vocabulary and creativity. Imagine if the reader had no other sources aside from your definition paper. Your essay is all he or she has to acquire information about the term. After readers have read your essay, they should be able to have a clear understanding and assurance that now they understand what you are talking about and can explain the term in their own words.

Top 3 Ways to Describe the Term

• Defining a term according to historical facts. One of the ways in which you can describe the chosen word is by using historical facts and events in order to support your point of view. Try to describe the subject from its roots and origin. 
• Defining a term according to its use. Another great way to describe the subject matter is to explain why it’s important in our daily lives. As it often happens, sometimes describing how the thing works and impacts our lives is enough to understand its meaning. 
• Defining a term based on a comparison. You can also describe something by comparing it with the same class of words. For instance, you can emphasize what sets the subject apart, how it stands out, and what makes it special. Compare it with other words of the same class and point out differences. This distinction often clarifies the definition.

More ideas to consider when writing a definition essay:

• When explaining a term, try not to blatantly copy its standard dictionary definition. Instead, focus on providing readers with your own definition of what is being discussed. 
• Select terms or concepts you understand or the ones that have had an impact on you personally. Do not try to define a difficult term for you to understand. By doing so, you will only confuse your readers and fool yourself. Think of a definition that would be uniquely yours. Don't be afraid to give non-standard explanations — that approach will give you good results.
• An effective way to describe a term is by explaining its functions and structure. You can even try to define a term by specifying what it does not mean. 
• If the chosen term has a broad meaning, try to narrow it down. For example, you may need to write many pages to define the term 'love' adequately, but if you limit your topic to 'self-love,' it will be much easier to craft your definition paper.
• Another thing worth considering when writing an essay is proofreading. The best thing about the proofreading stage is that it allows you to eliminate numerous mistakes and take a fresh look at your writing. If you can, show your essay to your parents or a friend. Maybe they will notice any grammar or lexical mistakes you didn't see. We are all human beings, and nobody is perfect. Creating a list of references and running your essay through plagiarism detection software are also recommended. When drafting a list of references, you can adhere to the Chicago Citation Style, MLA, or APA Citation Styles.

Examples of Definition Essays

Take a look at some possible topics for your next definition paper. Note that the examples below are about abstract concepts. When writing a definition paper, you can explain a concrete concept as well. It’s all up to you!

Example 1. What is Fame

People interpret the concept of fame differently. Some associate it with wealth, others — with celebrities, richness, something important and well-known. You can use great anecdotes or even movies that devote to the matter to an extent. Do you know any famous people? How do people explain fame? When can you say about the person that he or she is famous? Do you want to be famous? These are the kinds of qualitative questions that are interesting to delve into because of the theme.

Example 2. Explain the Concept of Kindness 

There is a famous proverb by Mark Twain that goes: “Kindness is the language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see” – do you agree with it? Explore this concept of kindness. What counts as kindness, towards ourselves and other people, and which behaviors might seem like kindness but do more harm than good? Is being kind the same as being nice? Try to find a definition of kindness that you can get behind and support with your reputable facts. 

We hope we managed to explain how to write a definition essay. Now you know how this type of academic paper differs from other essays and what writing style and format to choose when preparing such an assignment. You can start with simple terms and then try to explain more complex words. Practice makes perfect, and you will definitely improve your writing skills with time. 

Tips and ideas outlined in this article are tailored to enhance your writing and help you get better grades. However, if you experience some difficulties with this task, our team of professional writers is always ready to help you create a first-class definition essay from scratch. To buy essay , all you need to do is visit our website and select the type of essay you require. Welcome to our cost-effective service! All you need to do is visit our essay writing service website and select the type of essay you require. Welcome to our cost-effective service!

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