What to Include in a College Entrance Essay

Admissions committees go through piles of college applications with high grades, impressive test scores, and exceptional leadership experience. But it is with the college entrance essay where you can show how you stand out among the many other candidates. Here are some subjects that will help you to write the best college entrance essay.

A good essay subject to choose would be to write about a life-changing incident. You should show how your decision to apply to a certain college or university is linked to a life-altering event. This is a good approach to let the admissions committee know more about your personal background and it tells them more about you as a person. To write well about a topic like this, discuss what you learned from the event or events rather than just writing a narrative about an event. For example, you could write an essay about how working at a summer camp opened you up to consider a career in early childhood education.

Application justification is another approach to writing a college entrance essay. If your application shows a sharp contrast between grades and test scores, you could inform the admissions committee as to why you have these poor grades or test scores. For example, losing a family member or experiencing some hardship that contributed to your low grades or test scores would be a good thing to write about. This way, they understand that you’re not necessarily a bad student. You should also show how this event changed you as a person and led you to apply to their college or university.

You can also write about an influential person who has affected your life and motivated you to be the person applying to their educational institution today. It’s also important to explain how what this person has done will positively enhance life at the college or university you are applying to if you are admitted.