“We’re looking for real, thoughtful, genuine, teenager reflection…. Show us your personality, tell us who you are. … Treat it like a conversation.”
- Grace Cheng, Director of Admissions - Wellesley College
Taken from: One way to write a great college admissions essay? Tell your story out loud.
Example Essays
- Owl at Purdue Personal StatementOwl at Purdue is a terrific research for all things in writing, not just the personal essay.
- Connecticut College: Essays that WorkedA college website that offers multiple application essays of current and former students
- Learning from FailureEssay prompt that deals with failure and lessons learned from that experience.
- Great First LinesStanford University - First lines from application essays.
Do's / Don'ts
Print Resources (Books)
Please check the library cart for helpful print titles that can be checked out.
Essays That Will Get You into College by Call Number: CC 808.06 KAUISBN: 0764120344Publication Date: 2003-10-01
Goof-Proof College Admissions Essays by Call Number: CC 808.06 STAISBN: 1576854701Publication Date: 2007-03-20
Writing a Successful College Application Essay by Call Number: CC 378.16 EHRISBN: 0764136372Publication Date: 2008-03-14
Helpful Videos
Specific College Applications
- Common ApplicationOver 500 universities use the common application. It saves time and money. Some of the universities include: Columbia College, Depaul, Harvard, Illinois Institute of Technology, Northwestern, Ohio State, Princeton, School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Spelman, The University of Chicago, UIC, Yale.