Essays for admission

One key piece of your application that should be given plenty of time and attention is the college admission essay. Before you write your first draft read our sample essays to get a few tips on writing your perfect admission essay. This section contains five examples of good college essays.

Note: Some personally identifying details have been changed. This is a college essay that worked for Harvard University. This past summer, I had the privilege of participating in the University of Notre Dame’s Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) program .

This essay could work for prompts 1 and 7 for the Common App. They covered the precious mahogany coffin with a brown amalgam of rocks, decomposed organisms, and weeds. It was my turn to take the shovel, but I felt too ashamed to dutifully send her off when I had not properly said goodbye.

Prompt: Please submit a one-page, single-spaced essay that explains why you have chosen State University and your particular major (s), department (s) or program (s). State University and I possess a common vision. I, like State University, constantly work to explore the limits of nature by exceeding expectations.