Four Helpful Tips for Finding the Right Inspiration for Your College Application Essay

Looking for inspiration to write can be quite tough, and oftentimes, graduating high school students are seeking help because they don’t know how to write an impressive and professional college essay. Various admissions officers are sifting through hundreds of applications and essays, making it very difficult to stand out: an issue every college applicant is concerned about.

On the bright side, however, crafting a great college essay is not impossible. All you need to do is prepare yourself. This may include reading and watching several college essay tips online or seeking help from those who are experienced writers. Inspiration may come from many different sources!

Lucky for you, we have listed a few tips of our own that will help you throughout your essay-writing process:

1. Look inside yourself

The most crucial element in a college application essay is that it reflects the person who wrote it. The reason a college essay is called a personal statement is that it should include deep introspection, which will allow the admissions committee to “look through your eyes” and know you more personally. Always remember that your reader’s main goal is to understand what you value the most, how you approach and solve problems, what makes you think twice about certain aspects in life, and so on.

Keep in mind that you must think deeply and be able to present yourself to others with just 650 words. Look inside yourself further and put that you-ness onto the page. It may seem cheesy at first, but it’s the best thing you can do. Remind yourself to set aside what other people have written or what you think the admissions committee is going to be looking for, and just concentrate on presenting a genuine picture of you in your essay.

2. Read and examine essays from credible sources

First and foremost, we are not suggesting plagiarism, but before writing your own, you need to see for yourself what a good essay looks like.

Given how important essays are to colleges and universities these days, it’s surprising that there aren’t classes dedicated to them in high schools across the country. So, to get a sense of what colleges are looking for, pick up a book or search the Internet to discover what has worked in the past for other students. Take note of the variety and personal nature of the most successful essays. You may find yourself thinking, “I would like to meet this person!” That kind of reaction should be what every admissions officer thinks once they read yours.

Remember, the goal is not to copy or steal someone else’s writing style or topic, but to take note that there are no boundaries in writing. You could write about anything you’d like, as long as it’s helpful for the reader to know you further.

3. Read through your past journals, blogs, or photo albums

Now that you know what you need to write about yourself, starting to write your essay can give you a few doubts as well. Sometimes, students tend to complain that nothing is interesting about them, but that is simply not true! When it comes to your college essay, what you have done is not the most important part of it. Instead, it is how you see through things, and how you can present and share an interesting and fresh perspective to anyone who will be reading your essay.

The best thing to do is take a trip down memory lane by going over an old journal or some old blog entries so that you can brainstorm on former thoughts and experiences. Maybe even look through some old photo albums. Then develop a list of any topics or previous experiences that you’re interested in writing about. Perhaps a trip you took last summer, a sporting event you won, or a recent performance that meant a lot to you.

Once you’ve listed your memories, narrow them down and recall the experiences you have which are related to your personal growth. By doing this, you’ll have various essay topics to choose from.

4. Find out what makes a great story

How can you start turning your experience into engaging language now that you have a fascinating topic (or two) to write about? You must first master the art of storytelling. Fortunately, this is a fun art to learn about.

You may begin by reading and reading extensively. Anything you can get your hands on, including novels and short tales. Maybe watch some of your favorite movies and think about what makes you care so much about the characters. An excellent story has a defined beginning, middle, and end that draws the reader in. Typically, the primary character (in this case, you) develops and matures throughout the story. It’s crucial to realize that there is no one-size-fits-all solution here; there is no “perfect” method to write your story. However, anything you write should be well-organized, personal, and insightful.

After taking note of these tips that we have given, you may sit down and start drafting your very own hero’s journey! If you still need some help, Haddee Counseling offers one-on-one help with college essays. Book a free consultation with our founder (opens in a new tab) and we’ll gladly assist you!

Originally published May 27, 2022.