How to write
10 College Essay Examples That Cover Everything You Need to Know
Author: Michael Perkins
Sep 30, 2025
min
Table of contents
A college essay is a short personal statement that you submit with your application. It shows the admissions officers who you are beyond your grades and scores. An essay is your chance to explain what drives you and what values you're trying to build your life according to.
No good writing will make an essay stand out unless it's honest and reflective. That's why we've put together 10 examples of college essays to show you how to write one of your own. And if you'd rather have a helping hand with your tasks while you take care of your applications, cheap essay writers from our platform can make all the difference.
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How to Use College Essay Samples?
Reading real examples helps you clearly see what a complete paper looks like. Read enough, and you'll start noticing the choices that make them work. Each sample gives you notes about details that are hard to spot in your own draft: structure, rhythm, etc.
To make the most of the examples of college essays, keep these in mind:
- Read slowly and let each sentence show you how the writer builds a point.
- Watch how the opening grabs your attention.
- Notice when a story moves to real reflection.
- Track how transitions lead you through the writer's thoughts.
- Ask what details make the person behind the essay feel real.
- Borrow techniques, not sentences. The goal is to learn, not copy content.
Every good college essay grows out of something genuine. The examples just show you different ways to frame that story. If you're crafting an application for higher education levels, you can always ask a writer from our graduate essay writing service to step in.
What College Admissions Officers Notice in College Essays?
Each essay waiting in the stack of an admissions officer's desk is a glimpse into someone's real life. The committee reads these papers, hoping to meet a self-aware, thoughtful mind. So, aiming for perfection in your college essay isn't exactly the right path. You need to write something that connects you with the reader.
Here's what college admissions officers usually notice:
- The first line. Does it set a mood worth following?
- Tone. Does your writing sound like a real person?
- Focus. Is there one thread tying every paragraph together?
- Insight. Does the writer show how they grew?
- Flow. Do ideas move naturally, one into the next, without losing energy?
- Clarity. Are the sentences clean and confident?
- Relevance. Does the story hint at how the student might fit into the college campus?
- Voice. Can they describe the writer in a few words after reading the essay?
10 Real Examples of Good College Essays
We've put together 10 best college essays that worked. Take a look at each sample and understand what exactly the admissions committee is looking for when they read your personal statement.
College Essay Example #1: The Sound of the Old Piano
Notice how this essay connects a personal memory to academic goals. It shows reflection through vivid imagery, then the writer ties these insights to the chosen field of study. Each paragraph flows from lived experience to future purpose without sounding forced.
College Essay Example #2: Saturdays at the Garden Lot
Look for how this essay grounds community involvement in real moments, not general claims. It shows growth through participation, then links those lessons to academic and campus interests.
College Essay Example #3: The Cardboard City
Instead of big declarations, this essay focuses on subtlety. The paper follows the writer's growth through creative problem-solving, not dramatic transformation. It's worth paying attention to how the student notices patterns and turns uncertainty into purpose.
College Essay Example #4: The Last Night at the Rink
This essay reveals change bit by bit. Emotion and observation move side by side, creating a story that feels lived. Pay attention to how reflection comes through what happens, not explanations. Every paragraph shows how growth takes shape through quiet decisions.
College Essay Example #5: Lessons at the Kitchen Table
Notice how this piece builds around memory instead of listing traits. The influence comes through dialogue, setting, and repetition. Each scene reveals a lesson without naming it directly. The voice stays humble, showing gratitude through detail rather than statement.
College Essay Example #6: The Day the River Changed Color
Pay attention to how the story slows down once something unexpected happens. The writer doesn't jump to explain it right away. They show what they notice step by step, using clear details that make the moment feel real.
College Essay Example #7: The Robot That Wouldn't Move
Notice how the problem unfolds through action, not summary. The writer shows how they approached a challenge step by step: they tested different ideas and learned through trial and error. The reflection comes from concrete choices, which give the reader a clear view of how reasoning improves under pressure.
College Essay Example #8: The Empty Stage
Look at how leadership shows up here. Instead of simply describing traits, the writer shows reactions and interactions. It's the small steps that turn responsibility into trust, and the reader can follow that development step by step.
College Essay Example #9: Market Day
The story talks about culture through real interactions. The writer shows how they learn by watching and listening. Each part of the essay connects what happens at the market to the writer's values.
College Essay Example #10: The Question That Wouldn't Sit Still
Watch how the essay turns one classroom question into a path of discovery. The writer shows how studying old maps and local records led to a clear academic goal.
The Last Word
A college essay gives you room to show your true colors. You help the admissions committee of the university trace where you've been so far and how what you've experienced moves you forward in life. Each example in our guide shows a different way to approach this task.
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FAQs
What Makes a Good College Essay Example?
A good college essay example shows who the writer really is. It doesn't read like a summary of achievements but like a window into how a person thinks. The story links moments to real meaning. You leave it understanding not just what happened, but why it mattered and how the writer ended up where they are at the moment.
How to Start a College Essay Example?
Begin with something real. It can be a sound that you remembered or a question you couldn't answer. Let the reader feel the moment before you start explaining it. Once you're sure you have their attention, paint a thread toward the main idea and hint at what the essay will cover.
How to Write a College Essay Example?
Pick one moment that still lingers in your mind. Describe it clearly, then show how it changed your way of thinking. Build each paragraph around action first, reflection second. End your essay as if the story keeps unfolding beyond the page.
Sources
- How to Write a Personal Essay that Moves Admissions. (2024, November 26). https://www.stjohns.edu/news-media/johnnies-blog/personal-essay-tips-for-college-admissions
- Gen & Kelly Tanabe. (n.d.). 50 successful Ivy League application essays: Part 1 (PDF). Brooklyn Technical High School. https://www.bths.edu/ourpages/auto/2017/11/13/58858886/50%20Successful%20Ivy%20League%20App%20Essays%20PART%201.pdf
- Writing | Penn Admissions. (2025). https://admissions.upenn.edu/how-to-apply/preparing-your-application/writing
