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Perseverance Essay Examples

Perseverance is the ability to persist in the face of challenges and setbacks. It is a trait that is often associated with successful people, as they are the ones who never give up on their dreams, even when the going gets tough. Writing an essay on perseverance can be a great way to explore this important quality and its role in our lives. In this article, we’ll take a look at some examples of perseverance essay examples and provide tips on how to write a great essay on this topic.

One of the perseverance essay ideas is to focus on a real-life example of someone who embodies this trait. For example, you could write about a historical figure who overcame great odds to achieve their goals, such as Abraham Lincoln or Mahatma Gandhi. Alternatively, you could write about someone you know personally, such as a family member or friend, who has demonstrated perseverance in their own life.

Another approach to writing a perseverance essay is to focus on the importance of this trait in our lives. You could write about how perseverance can help us achieve our goals, both personal and professional. You could also explore how perseverance is related to other important traits, such as resilience and determination.

When writing your perseverance essay, it’s important to keep in mind some key tips. First, be sure to clearly define what perseverance means to you and how it relates to your life. Second, provide specific examples and anecdotes to illustrate your points. Whether you choose to focus on a specific example or explore the topic more broadly, be sure to provide clear and compelling arguments that demonstrate the value of perseverance. By doing so, you’ll be able to inspire others to persevere in their own lives and achieve their goals, no matter what challenges they may face.

Courage And Perseverance In Our Lives

I believe courage takes perseverance because courage is something that comes straight. From the heart even if you might feel like breaking down because of your battle with weaknesses, but perseverance is a lot like pride is not giving. Its persistence and tenacity, the effort...

• Perseverance

Personal Experience Essay About Perseverance In Everyday Life

The act of persevering; persistence in anything undertaken; continued pursuit or prosecution is what is defined as perseverance in a dictionary. Most people would summarize it as not giving up. Although people have a good idea of the word perseverance I still feel like they...

The Power of Perseverance in Literature and Movies

Perseverance is a quality that is not only celebrated in literature and cinema, but also in real life. It is a trait that is often admired in successful individuals who have achieved great feats despite facing seemingly insurmountable challenges. The ability to persevere is what...

• The Fault in Our Stars

Perseverance As a Better Option

I believe in perseverance and not giving up when times get hard. In everyone’s lives, there are always many times when giving up seems like the best option. But having the right mindset, trying your best, and having determination create an even better option called...

• Personal Beliefs

The True Meaning Of Courage And Perseverance

I believe courage takes perseverance because courage is something that comes straight. From the heart even if you might feel like breaking down because of your battle with weaknesses, but perseverance is a lot like pride it's not giving. Its persistence and tenacity, the effort...

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Perseverance Is The Key To Life

“I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work”(Thomas Edison). We all know Albert Einstein, well at least most of us do. After a 1000 unsuccessful attempts, he made one of the most used items in the world, a lightbulb. And when...

Role of Hope and Perseverance in the Survival in the Novel 'Hatchet'

Survival. Humans have a weird way of them to persevere and overcome seemingly impossible opposition. Some may associate this with Charles Darwin’s theory “survival of the fittest.” Some may also associate this with the psychological term “the fight or flight response.” However, survival solely depends...

Best topics on Perseverance

1. Courage And Perseverance In Our Lives

2. Personal Experience Essay About Perseverance In Everyday Life

3. The Power of Perseverance in Literature and Movies

4. Perseverance As a Better Option

5. The True Meaning Of Courage And Perseverance

6. Perseverance Is The Key To Life

7. Role of Hope and Perseverance in the Survival in the Novel ‘Hatchet’

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Essay on Perseverance

Students are often asked to write an essay on Perseverance in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Perseverance

Understanding perseverance.

Perseverance means to continue doing something despite difficulties. It’s like a small boat in a stormy sea, not giving up but fighting against the waves.

The Importance of Perseverance

Perseverance is crucial in life. It helps us overcome challenges and reach our goals. Without it, we may give up too soon and miss opportunities.

Perseverance in Action

Imagine you’re learning to ride a bike. You’ll fall many times, but if you persevere, you’ll eventually succeed. This is the power of perseverance.

In conclusion, perseverance is the key to success. It helps us to stay focused and achieve our dreams.

Also check:

• Speech on Perseverance

250 Words Essay on Perseverance

Introduction.

Perseverance is an invaluable human trait, often seen as the ability to steadfastly endure hardships to achieve goals. It serves as the backbone of success, enabling individuals to navigate through life’s challenges and uncertainties.

The Essence of Perseverance

Perseverance metamorphoses dreams into reality. It is not about the absence of failures or difficulties, but rather the resilience to continue despite them. It’s the audacity to keep trying, the tenacity to keep pushing, and the endurance to withstand the storm. It’s the grit that transforms ordinary individuals into extraordinary achievers.

Perseverance and Success

Perseverance is often the distinguishing factor between success and failure. It is the driving force that propels individuals to overcome obstacles and reach their goals. Success is seldom achieved overnight; it’s the culmination of consistent effort, unwavering dedication, and relentless pursuit.

Perseverance in the Face of Failure

Failure is an inevitable part of life. However, perseverance teaches us to view failure not as a dead-end but as a stepping stone to success. It encourages us to learn from our mistakes, adapt, and persist in the face of adversity.

In conclusion, perseverance is the lifeblood of achievement. It is the force that fuels the pursuit of dreams, the courage that confronts failure, and the resilience that transforms adversity into opportunity. It is, indeed, the key to unlocking the door to success.

500 Words Essay on Perseverance

Perseverance, often referred to as grit, is the consistent effort to achieve a long-term goal despite adversities, failures, and obstacles. It is the ability to remain steadfast in the face of difficulties, a quality that is integral to human development and success.

The Significance of Perseverance

Perseverance is a critical determinant of success. Whether in academics, sports, business, or personal life, perseverance plays a pivotal role. It is the driving force that keeps us going even when the odds are stacked against us. It is perseverance that turns the impossible into possible, the unattainable into attainable.

Perseverance is also a testament to one’s character. It shows a person’s resilience, determination, and tenacity. It is a reflection of one’s belief in their goals and their willingness to work hard for them.

Perseverance and Failure

One of the most important aspects of perseverance is its relationship with failure. Many people fear failure, often viewing it as a definitive end. However, perseverance teaches us to view failure not as a dead-end but as a stepping stone towards success. It encourages us to learn from our mistakes and use them as opportunities for growth and improvement.

Thomas Edison, the inventor of the electric light bulb, failed a thousand times before he succeeded. When asked about his failures, Edison famously said, “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.” This statement epitomizes the essence of perseverance.

Perseverance in the Modern World

In the fast-paced, result-oriented modern world, perseverance is more important than ever. In a culture that often values quick results and instant gratification, the ability to stay committed to long-term goals is crucial.

With the rise of technology and social media, we are constantly bombarded with images of success. This can create unrealistic expectations and a desire for instant success. However, true success is rarely instantaneous. It requires patience, hard work, and above all, perseverance.

Perseverance is a virtue that can be cultivated and nurtured. It requires a shift in mindset, viewing challenges as opportunities rather than obstacles. It requires the ability to stay focused on our goals, even when progress seems slow or non-existent.

In the end, perseverance is not just about achieving our goals. It is about who we become in the process. It builds character, fosters resilience, and teaches us the value of hard work and dedication. As the saying goes, “The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” It is perseverance that ensures we keep taking those steps, no matter how difficult the journey may be.

That’s it! I hope the essay helped you.

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Perseverance College Essays Samples For Students

37 samples of this type

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Leadership attributes refer to innate qualities of a leader that he brings into an organization as a leader. Leadership skills, on the other hand, are the competencies that are required in order to achieve quality performance. Attributes include social responsibility, perseverance, judgment, sensitivity, stress tolerance, self-motivation, ability to motivate others, integrity, self-confidence, maturity, and decisive.

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Resilience is learned behavior: essay you might want to emulate.

Maslow calls resilience “ordinary magic.” But in reality, there is nothing magic at all about resilience. Resilience is not even a natural human intact or behavior, it is one that is learned over time and influenced by one’s environment. People are not born naturally resilient. The behavior is an adaptation necessary from their surroundings as they grow and change. Simply, Resilience is a learned behavior.

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Agreeableness

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This paper is written on January 2016, at a younger career development phase as a marketer. The paper is a self-evaluation plan that discusses my personal potential, my dimensions of life and even my successful life. This article is written for my personal development through self-evaluation; however, this paper is partly for my professor, as it is an assignment. Hopefully, this exercise will enable me deeply uncover the deeper parts of my personalities and capabilities that have been unknown to me. The exercise also hopefully allows me to learn different techniques required for my marketing profession.

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The psychological traits of Victor Frankenstein are displayed throughout the pages of Mary Shelley ‘s novel, Frankenstein, published in 1818. These traits will be discussed, labeled and analyzed throughout this essay. Though Victor Frankenstein is a fictional character, Mary Shelley brings him to life, with many psychological characteristics. These characteristics are classified under psychological terms discovered by many psychiatrists, including the father of psychoanalysis, Sigmund Freud.

The psychological characteristics discussed are fixation, intellectualization and reversal, all of which derive from the id, ego and super-ego.

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How to Write the “Overcoming Challenges” Essay + Examples

What’s covered:.

• What is the Overcoming Challenges Essay?
• Real Overcoming Challenges Essay Prompts
• How to Choose a Topic
• Writing Tips

Overcoming Challenges Essay Examples

• Where to Get Your Essay Edited

While any college essay can be intimidating, the Overcoming Challenges prompt often worries students the most. Those students who’ve been lucky enough not to experience trauma tend to assume they have nothing worth saying. On the other hand, students who’ve overcome larger obstacles may be hesitant to talk about them.

Regardless of your particular circumstances, there are steps you can take to make the essay writing process simpler. Here are our top tips for writing the overcoming challenges essay successfully.

What is the “Overcoming Challenges” Essay?

The overcoming challenges prompt shows up frequently in both main application essays (like the Common App) and supplemental essays. Because supplemental essays allow students to provide schools with additional information, applicants should be sure that the subject matter they choose to write about differs from what’s in their main essay.

Students often assume the overcoming challenges essay requires them to detail past traumas. While you can certainly write about an experience that’s had a profound effect on your life, it’s important to remember that colleges aren’t evaluating students based on the seriousness of the obstacle they overcame.

On the contrary, the goal of this essay is to show admissions officers that you have the intelligence and fortitude to handle any challenges that come your way. After all, college serves as an introduction to adult life, and schools want to know that the students they admit are up to the task. 

Real “Overcoming Challenges” Essay Prompts

To help you understand what the “Overcoming Challenges” essay looks like, here are a couple sample prompts.

Currently, the Common Application asks students to answer the following prompt in 650 words or less:

“The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?”

For the past several years, MIT has prompted students to write 200 to 250 words on the following:

“Tell us about the most significant challenge you’ve faced or something important that didn’t go according to plan. How did you manage the situation?”

In both cases, the prompts explicitly ask for your response to the challenge. The event itself isn’t as important as how it pushed you to grow.

How to Choose a Topic for an Essay on Overcoming Challenges

When it comes to finding the best topic for your overcoming challenges essays, there’s no right answer. The word “challenge” is ambiguous and could be used to reference a wide range of situations from prevailing over a bully to getting over your lifelong stage fright to appear in a school musical. Here are some suggestions to keep in mind when selecting an essay subject.

1. Avoid trivial or common topics

While there aren’t many hard-and-fast rules for choosing an essay topic, students should avoid overdone topics.

These include:

• Working hard in a challenging class
• Overcoming a sports injury
• Moving schools or immigrating to the US
• Tragedy (divorce, death, abuse)

Admissions officers have read numerous essays on the subject, so it’s harder for you to stand out (see our full list of cliché college essay topics to avoid ). If events like these were truly formative to you, you can still choose to write about them, but you’ll need to be as personal as possible. 

It’s also ideal if you have a less traditional storyline for a cliché topic; for example, if your sports injury led you to discover a new passion, that would be a more unique story than detailing how you overcame your injury and got back in the game.

Similarly, students may not want to write about an obstacle that admissions committees could perceive as low stakes, such as getting a B on a test, or getting into a small fight with a friend. The goal of this essay is to illustrate how you respond to adversity, so the topic you pick should’ve been at least impactful on your personal growth.

2. Pick challenges that demonstrate qualities you want to highlight

Students often mistakenly assume they need to have experienced exceptional circumstances like poverty, an abusive parent, or cancer to write a good essay. The truth is that the best topics will allow you to highlight specific personal qualities and share more about who you are. The essay should be less about the challenge itself, and more about how you responded to it.

Ask yourself what personality traits you want to emphasize, and see what’s missing in your application. Maybe you want to highlight your adaptability, for example, but that isn’t clearly expressed in your application. In this case, you might write about a challenge that put your adaptability to the test, or shaped you to become more adaptable.

Here are some examples of good topics we’ve seen over the years:

• Not having a coach for a sports team and becoming one yourself
• Helping a parent through a serious health issue
• Trying to get the school track dedicated to a coach
• Having to switch your Model UN position last-minute

Tips for Writing an Essay About Overcoming Challenges

Once you’ve selected a topic for your essays, it’s time to sit down and write. For best results, make sure your essay focuses on your efforts to tackle an obstacle rather than the problem itself. Additionally, you could avoid essay writing pitfalls by doing the following:

1. Choose an original essay structure

If you want your overcoming challenges essay to attract attention, aim to break away from more traditional structures. Most of these essays start by describing an unsuccessful attempt at a goal and then explain the steps the writer took to master the challenge. 

You can stand out by choosing a challenge you’re still working on overcoming, or focus on a mental or emotional challenge that spans multiple activities or events. For example, you might discuss your fear of public speaking and how that impacted your ability to coach your brother’s Little League team and run for Student Council. 

You can also choose a challenge that can be narrated in the moment, such as being put on the spot to teach a yoga class. These challenges can make particularly engaging essays, as you get to experience the writer’s thoughts and emotions as they unfold.

Keep in mind that you don’t necessarily need to have succeeded in your goal for this essay. Maybe you ran for an election and lost, or maybe you proposed a measure to the school board that wasn’t passed. It’s still possible to write a strong essay about topics like these as long as you focus on your personal growth. In fact, these may make for even stronger essays since they are more unconventional topics.

2. Focus on the internal

When writing about past experiences, you may be tempted to spend too much time describing specific people and events. With an Overcoming Challenges essay though, the goal is to focus on your thoughts and feelings.

For example, rather than detail all the steps you took to become a better public speaker, use the majority of your essay to describe your mental state as you embarked on the journey to achieving your goals. Were you excited, scared, anxious, or hopeful? Don’t be afraid to let the reader in on your innermost emotions and thoughts during this process.

3. Share what you learned 

An Overcoming Challenges essay should leave the reader with a clear understanding of what you learned on your journey, be it physical, mental, or emotional. There’s no need to explicitly say “this experience taught me X,” but your essay should at least implicitly share any lessons you learned. This can be done through your actions and in-the-moment reflections. Remember that the goal is to show admissions committees why your experiences make you a great candidate for admission. 

Was I no longer the beloved daughter of nature, whisperer of trees? Knee-high rubber boots, camouflage, bug spray—I wore the g arb and perfume of a proud wild woman, yet there I was, hunched over the pathetic pile of stubborn sticks, utterly stumped, on the verge of tears. As a child, I had considered myself a kind of rustic princess, a cradler of spiders and centipedes, who was serenaded by mourning doves and chickadees, who could glide through tick-infested meadows and emerge Lyme-free. I knew the cracks of the earth like the scars on my own rough palms. Yet here I was, ten years later, incapable of performing the most fundamental outdoor task: I could not, for the life of me, start a fire. 

Furiously I rubbed the twigs together—rubbed and rubbed until shreds of skin flaked from my fingers. No smoke. The twigs were too young, too sticky-green; I tossed them away with a shower of curses, and began tearing through the underbrush in search of a more flammable collection. My efforts were fruitless. Livid, I bit a rejected twig, determined to prove that the forest had spurned me, offering only young, wet bones that would never burn. But the wood cracked like carrots between my teeth—old, brittle, and bitter. Roaring and nursing my aching palms, I retreated to the tent, where I sulked and awaited the jeers of my family. 

Rattling their empty worm cans and reeking of fat fish, my brother and cousins swaggered into the campsite. Immediately, they noticed the minor stick massacre by the fire pit and called to me, their deep voices already sharp with contempt. 

“Where’s the fire, Princess Clara?” they taunted. “Having some trouble?” They prodded me with the ends of the chewed branches and, with a few effortless scrapes of wood on rock, sparked a red and roaring flame. My face burned long after I left the fire pit. The camp stank of salmon and shame. 

In the tent, I pondered my failure. Was I so dainty? Was I that incapable? I thought of my hands, how calloused and capable they had been, how tender and smooth they had become. It had been years since I’d kneaded mud between my fingers; instead of scaling a white pine, I’d practiced scales on my piano, my hands softening into those of a musician—fleshy and sensitive. And I’d gotten glasses, having grown horrifically nearsighted; long nights of dim lighting and thick books had done this. I couldn’t remember the last time I had lain down on a hill, barefaced, and seen the stars without having to squint. Crawling along the edge of the tent, a spider confirmed my transformation—he disgusted me, and I felt an overwhelming urge to squash him. 

Yet, I realized I hadn’t really changed—I had only shifted perspective. I still eagerly explored new worlds, but through poems and prose rather than pastures and puddles. I’d grown to prefer the boom of a bass over that of a bullfrog, learned to coax a different kind of fire from wood, having developed a burn for writing rhymes and scrawling hypotheses. 

That night, I stayed up late with my journal and wrote about the spider I had decided not to kill. I had tolerated him just barely, only shrieking when he jumped—it helped to watch him decorate the corners of the tent with his delicate webs, knowing that he couldn’t start fires, either. When the night grew cold and the embers died, my words still smoked—my hands burned from all that scrawling—and even when I fell asleep, the ideas kept sparking—I was on fire, always on fire.

This essay is an excellent example because the writer turns an everyday challenge—starting a fire—into an exploration of her identity. The writer was once “a kind of rustic princess, a cradler of spiders and centipedes,” but has since traded her love of the outdoors for a love of music, writing, and reading. 

The story begins in media res , or in the middle of the action, allowing readers to feel as if we’re there with the writer. One of the essay’s biggest strengths is its use of imagery. We can easily visualize the writer’s childhood and the present day. For instance, she states that she “rubbed and rubbed [the twigs] until shreds of skin flaked from my fingers.”

The writing has an extremely literary quality, particularly with its wordplay. The writer reappropriates words and meanings, and even appeals to the senses: “My face burned long after I left the fire pit. The camp stank of salmon and shame.” She later uses a parallelism to cleverly juxtapose her changed interests: “instead of scaling a white pine, I’d practiced scales on my piano.”

One of the essay’s main areas of improvement is its overemphasis on the “story” and lack of emphasis on the reflection. The second to last paragraph about changing perspective is crucial to the essay, as it ties the anecdote to larger lessons in the writer’s life. She states that she hasn’t changed, but has only shifted perspective. Yet, we don’t get a good sense of where this realization comes from and how it impacts her life going forward. 

The end of the essay offers a satisfying return to the fire imagery, and highlights the writer’s passion—the one thing that has remained constant in her life.

“Getting beat is one thing – it’s part of competing – but I want no part in losing.” Coach Rob Stark’s motto never fails to remind me of his encouragement on early-morning bus rides to track meets around the state. I’ve always appreciated the phrase, but an experience last June helped me understand its more profound, universal meaning.

Stark, as we affectionately call him, has coached track at my high school for 25 years. His care, dedication, and emphasis on developing good character has left an enduring impact on me and hundreds of other students. Not only did he help me discover my talent and love for running, but he also taught me the importance of commitment and discipline and to approach every endeavor with the passion and intensity that I bring to running. When I learned a neighboring high school had dedicated their track to a longtime coach, I felt that Stark deserved similar honors.

Our school district’s board of education indicated they would only dedicate our track to Stark if I could demonstrate that he was extraordinary. I took charge and mobilized my teammates to distribute petitions, reach out to alumni, and compile statistics on the many team and individual champions Stark had coached over the years. We received astounding support, collecting almost 3,000 signatures and pages of endorsements from across the community. With help from my teammates, I presented this evidence to the board.

They didn’t bite. 

Most members argued that dedicating the track was a low priority. Knowing that we had to act quickly to convince them of its importance, I called a team meeting where we drafted a rebuttal for the next board meeting. To my surprise, they chose me to deliver it. I was far from the best public speaker in the group, and I felt nervous about going before the unsympathetic board again. However, at that second meeting, I discovered that I enjoy articulating and arguing for something that I’m passionate about.

Public speaking resembles a cross country race. Walking to the starting line, you have to trust your training and quell your last minute doubts. When the gun fires, you can’t think too hard about anything; your performance has to be instinctual, natural, even relaxed. At the next board meeting, the podium was my starting line. As I walked up to it, familiar butterflies fluttered in my stomach. Instead of the track stretching out in front of me, I faced the vast audience of teachers, board members, and my teammates. I felt my adrenaline build, and reassured myself: I’ve put in the work, my argument is powerful and sound. As the board president told me to introduce myself, I heard, “runners set” in the back of my mind. She finished speaking, and Bang! The brief silence was the gunshot for me to begin. 

The next few minutes blurred together, but when the dust settled, I knew from the board members’ expressions and the audience’s thunderous approval that I had run quite a race. Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough; the board voted down our proposal. I was disappointed, but proud of myself, my team, and our collaboration off the track. We stood up for a cause we believed in, and I overcame my worries about being a leader. Although I discovered that changing the status quo through an elected body can be a painstakingly difficult process and requires perseverance, I learned that I enjoy the challenges this effort offers. Last month, one of the school board members joked that I had become a “regular” – I now often show up to meetings to advocate for a variety of causes, including better environmental practices in cafeterias and safer equipment for athletes.

Just as Stark taught me, I worked passionately to achieve my goal. I may have been beaten when I appealed to the board, but I certainly didn’t lose, and that would have made Stark proud.

While the writer didn’t succeed in getting the track dedicated to Coach Stark, their essay is certainly successful in showing their willingness to push themselves and take initiative.

The essay opens with a quote from Coach Stark that later comes full circle at the end of the essay. We learn about Stark’s impact and the motivation for trying to get the track dedicated to him.

One of the biggest areas of improvement in the intro, however, is how the essay tells us Stark’s impact rather than showing us: His care, dedication, and emphasis on developing good character has left an enduring impact on me and hundreds of other students. Not only did he help me discover my talent and love for running, but he also taught me the importance of commitment and discipline and to approach every endeavor with the passion and intensity that I bring to running.

The writer could’ve helped us feel a stronger emotional connection to Stark if they had included examples of Stark’s qualities, rather than explicitly stating them. For example, they could’ve written something like: Stark was the kind of person who would give you gas money if you told him your parents couldn’t afford to pick you up from practice. And he actually did that—several times. At track meets, alumni regularly would come talk to him and tell him how he’d changed their lives. Before Stark, I was ambivalent about running and was on the JV team, but his encouragement motivated me to run longer and harder and eventually make varsity. Because of him, I approach every endeavor with the passion and intensity that I bring to running.

The essay goes on to explain how the writer overcame their apprehension of public speaking, and likens the process of submitting an appeal to the school board to running a race. This metaphor makes the writing more engaging and allows us to feel the student’s emotions.

While the student didn’t ultimately succeed in getting the track dedicated, we learn about their resilience and initiative: I now often show up to meetings to advocate for a variety of causes, including better environmental practices in cafeterias and safer equipment for athletes.

Overall, this essay is well-done. It demonstrates growth despite failing to meet a goal, which is a unique essay structure. The running metaphor and full-circle intro/ending also elevate the writing in this essay.

Where to Get Your Overcoming Challenges Essay Edited

The Overcoming Challenges essay is one of the trickier supplemental prompts, so it’s important to get feedback on your drafts. That’s why we created our free Peer Essay Review tool , where you can get a free review of your essay from another student. You can also improve your own writing skills by reviewing other students’ essays. 

If you want a college admissions expert to review your essay, advisors on CollegeVine have helped students refine their writing and submit successful applications to top schools. Find the right advisor for you to improve your chances of getting into your dream school!

Related CollegeVine Blog Posts

Essays On Perseverance

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The poem ‘Stanzas from the Grande Chartreuse’ into a high extend very personal and seeks to give a description of Arnold’s own predicaments in his bid to settle down for a faith that would guarantee his life importance. Throughout the poem, the themes of alienation and self-discovery are very evident since Arnold has to encounter […]

The general public is befuddled with regards to knowing the contrast between a hero and a celebrity. In today’s public perception, including my view, heroes and celebrities are very frequently viewed as one and the same. However, heroes and celebrities are diverse sorts of individuals with various definitions. Beyond any doubt few celebrities perform courageous […]

Bipolar disorder is associated with increased sensitivity to positive emotions and rewards. Both whole brain and attention region analyses revealed a strong response to receiving rewards in the striatum, a region involved in experiencing pleasure in individuals with bipolar disorder (BD). Further analysis showed that individuals with BD exhibit a greater response in the striatum […]

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Chapter nine of Gladwell’s book addresses a commonly overlooked issue in the American education system. He uses the case of KIPP, a public school in New York, to illustrate his arguments. Gladwell points out that a majority of KIPP students come from poor and racial minority families. Despite these challenges, KIPP School has defied public […]

All about eve is the struggle for identity and power, no doubt about that. Eve has been presented as an active and ambitious actress who is also manipulative. She uses her charisma to influence people like Margo Channing of Broadway and her friendship circle. Basically, eve has great influence to Margo’s lover Sampson. She also […]

This paper will discuss the effectiveness of the modern mean in disseminating the morals in today’s society. The following are the means on which moral values are being disseminated. Miller, John (February 23, 2009). “The Best Conservative Movies”. National Review Online. Archived from the original on October 21, 2010 Summary. The story involves a San […]

Leadership acts as a vital feature of each and every industry. Lots of people would time and again think that leadership is only necessary in industries that are associated with business or making a profit. It is only reasonable to believe that leadership is vital in all aspects of administrating an organization given that a […]

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College Admissions , College Essays

The personal statement might just be the hardest part of your college application. Mostly this is because it has the least guidance and is the most open-ended. One way to understand what colleges are looking for when they ask you to write an essay is to check out the essays of students who already got in—college essays that actually worked. After all, they must be among the most successful of this weird literary genre.

In this article, I'll go through general guidelines for what makes great college essays great. I've also compiled an enormous list of 100+ actual sample college essays from 11 different schools. Finally, I'll break down two of these published college essay examples and explain why and how they work. With links to 177 full essays and essay excerpts , this article is a great resource for learning how to craft your own personal college admissions essay!

What Excellent College Essays Have in Common

Even though in many ways these sample college essays are very different from one other, they do share some traits you should try to emulate as you write your own essay.

Visible Signs of Planning

Building out from a narrow, concrete focus. You'll see a similar structure in many of the essays. The author starts with a very detailed story of an event or description of a person or place. After this sense-heavy imagery, the essay expands out to make a broader point about the author, and connects this very memorable experience to the author's present situation, state of mind, newfound understanding, or maturity level.

Knowing how to tell a story. Some of the experiences in these essays are one-of-a-kind. But most deal with the stuff of everyday life. What sets them apart is the way the author approaches the topic: analyzing it for drama and humor, for its moving qualities, for what it says about the author's world, and for how it connects to the author's emotional life.

Stellar Execution

A killer first sentence. You've heard it before, and you'll hear it again: you have to suck the reader in, and the best place to do that is the first sentence. Great first sentences are punchy. They are like cliffhangers, setting up an exciting scene or an unusual situation with an unclear conclusion, in order to make the reader want to know more. Don't take my word for it—check out these 22 first sentences from Stanford applicants and tell me you don't want to read the rest of those essays to find out what happens!

A lively, individual voice. Writing is for readers. In this case, your reader is an admissions officer who has read thousands of essays before yours and will read thousands after. Your goal? Don't bore your reader. Use interesting descriptions, stay away from clichés, include your own offbeat observations—anything that makes this essay sounds like you and not like anyone else.

Technical correctness. No spelling mistakes, no grammar weirdness, no syntax issues, no punctuation snafus—each of these sample college essays has been formatted and proofread perfectly. If this kind of exactness is not your strong suit, you're in luck! All colleges advise applicants to have their essays looked over several times by parents, teachers, mentors, and anyone else who can spot a comma splice. Your essay must be your own work, but there is absolutely nothing wrong with getting help polishing it.

And if you need more guidance, connect with PrepScholar's expert admissions consultants . These expert writers know exactly what college admissions committees look for in an admissions essay and chan help you craft an essay that boosts your chances of getting into your dream school.

Check out PrepScholar's Essay Editing and Coaching progra m for more details!

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Links to Full College Essay Examples

Some colleges publish a selection of their favorite accepted college essays that worked, and I've put together a selection of over 100 of these.

Common App Essay Samples

Please note that some of these college essay examples may be responding to prompts that are no longer in use. The current Common App prompts are as follows:

1. Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story. 2. The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience? 3. Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. What prompted your thinking? What was the outcome? 4. Reflect on something that someone has done for you that has made you happy or thankful in a surprising way. How has this gratitude affected or motivated you? 5. Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others. 6. Describe a topic, idea, or concept you find so engaging that it makes you lose all track of time. Why does it captivate you? What or who do you turn to when you want to learn more?

7. Share an essay on any topic of your choice. It can be one you've already written, one that responds to a different prompt, or one of your own design.

Now, let's get to the good stuff: the list of 177 college essay examples responding to current and past Common App essay prompts. 

Connecticut college.

• 12 Common Application essays from the classes of 2022-2025

Hamilton College

• 7 Common Application essays from the class of 2026
• 7 Common Application essays from the class of 2022
• 7 Common Application essays from the class of 2018
• 8 Common Application essays from the class of 2012
• 8 Common Application essays from the class of 2007

Johns Hopkins

These essays are answers to past prompts from either the Common Application or the Coalition Application (which Johns Hopkins used to accept).

• 1 Common Application or Coalition Application essay from the class of 2026
• 6 Common Application or Coalition Application essays from the class of 2025
• 6 Common Application or Universal Application essays from the class of 2024
• 6 Common Application or Universal Application essays from the class of 2023
• 7 Common Application of Universal Application essays from the class of 2022
• 5 Common Application or Universal Application essays from the class of 2021
• 7 Common Application or Universal Application essays from the class of 2020

Essay Examples Published by Other Websites

• 2 Common Application essays ( 1st essay , 2nd essay ) from applicants admitted to Columbia

Other Sample College Essays

Here is a collection of essays that are college-specific.

Babson College

• 4 essays (and 1 video response) on "Why Babson" from the class of 2020

Emory University

• 5 essay examples ( 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ) from the class of 2020 along with analysis from Emory admissions staff on why the essays were exceptional
• 5 more recent essay examples ( 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ) along with analysis from Emory admissions staff on what made these essays stand out

University of Georgia

• 1 “strong essay” sample from 2019
• 1 “strong essay” sample from 2018
• 10 Harvard essays from 2023
• 10 Harvard essays from 2022
• 10 Harvard essays from 2021
• 10 Harvard essays from 2020
• 10 Harvard essays from 2019
• 10 Harvard essays from 2018
• 6 essays from admitted MIT students

Smith College

• 6 "best gift" essays from the class of 2018

Books of College Essays

If you're looking for even more sample college essays, consider purchasing a college essay book. The best of these include dozens of essays that worked and feedback from real admissions officers.

College Essays That Made a Difference —This detailed guide from Princeton Review includes not only successful essays, but also interviews with admissions officers and full student profiles.

50 Successful Harvard Application Essays by the Staff of the Harvard Crimson—A must for anyone aspiring to Harvard .

50 Successful Ivy League Application Essays and 50 Successful Stanford Application Essays by Gen and Kelly Tanabe—For essays from other top schools, check out this venerated series, which is regularly updated with new essays.

Heavenly Essays by Janine W. Robinson—This collection from the popular blogger behind Essay Hell includes a wider range of schools, as well as helpful tips on honing your own essay.

Analyzing Great Common App Essays That Worked

I've picked two essays from the examples collected above to examine in more depth so that you can see exactly what makes a successful college essay work. Full credit for these essays goes to the original authors and the schools that published them.

Example 1: "Breaking Into Cars," by Stephen, Johns Hopkins Class of '19 (Common App Essay, 636 words long)

I had never broken into a car before.

We were in Laredo, having just finished our first day at a Habitat for Humanity work site. The Hotchkiss volunteers had already left, off to enjoy some Texas BBQ, leaving me behind with the college kids to clean up. Not until we were stranded did we realize we were locked out of the van.

Someone picked a coat hanger out of the dumpster, handed it to me, and took a few steps back.

"Can you do that thing with a coat hanger to unlock it?"

"Why me?" I thought.

More out of amusement than optimism, I gave it a try. I slid the hanger into the window's seal like I'd seen on crime shows, and spent a few minutes jiggling the apparatus around the inside of the frame. Suddenly, two things simultaneously clicked. One was the lock on the door. (I actually succeeded in springing it.) The other was the realization that I'd been in this type of situation before. In fact, I'd been born into this type of situation.

My upbringing has numbed me to unpredictability and chaos. With a family of seven, my home was loud, messy, and spottily supervised. My siblings arguing, the dog barking, the phone ringing—all meant my house was functioning normally. My Dad, a retired Navy pilot, was away half the time. When he was home, he had a parenting style something like a drill sergeant. At the age of nine, I learned how to clear burning oil from the surface of water. My Dad considered this a critical life skill—you know, in case my aircraft carrier should ever get torpedoed. "The water's on fire! Clear a hole!" he shouted, tossing me in the lake without warning. While I'm still unconvinced about that particular lesson's practicality, my Dad's overarching message is unequivocally true: much of life is unexpected, and you have to deal with the twists and turns.

Living in my family, days rarely unfolded as planned. A bit overlooked, a little pushed around, I learned to roll with reality, negotiate a quick deal, and give the improbable a try. I don't sweat the small stuff, and I definitely don't expect perfect fairness. So what if our dining room table only has six chairs for seven people? Someone learns the importance of punctuality every night.

But more than punctuality and a special affinity for musical chairs, my family life has taught me to thrive in situations over which I have no power. Growing up, I never controlled my older siblings, but I learned how to thwart their attempts to control me. I forged alliances, and realigned them as necessary. Sometimes, I was the poor, defenseless little brother; sometimes I was the omniscient elder. Different things to different people, as the situation demanded. I learned to adapt.

Back then, these techniques were merely reactions undertaken to ensure my survival. But one day this fall, Dr. Hicks, our Head of School, asked me a question that he hoped all seniors would reflect on throughout the year: "How can I participate in a thing I do not govern, in the company of people I did not choose?"

The question caught me off guard, much like the question posed to me in Laredo. Then, I realized I knew the answer. I knew why the coat hanger had been handed to me.

Growing up as the middle child in my family, I was a vital participant in a thing I did not govern, in the company of people I did not choose. It's family. It's society. And often, it's chaos. You participate by letting go of the small stuff, not expecting order and perfection, and facing the unexpected with confidence, optimism, and preparedness. My family experience taught me to face a serendipitous world with confidence.

What Makes This Essay Tick?

It's very helpful to take writing apart in order to see just how it accomplishes its objectives. Stephen's essay is very effective. Let's find out why!

An Opening Line That Draws You In

In just eight words, we get: scene-setting (he is standing next to a car about to break in), the idea of crossing a boundary (he is maybe about to do an illegal thing for the first time), and a cliffhanger (we are thinking: is he going to get caught? Is he headed for a life of crime? Is he about to be scared straight?).

Great, Detailed Opening Story

More out of amusement than optimism, I gave it a try. I slid the hanger into the window's seal like I'd seen on crime shows, and spent a few minutes jiggling the apparatus around the inside of the frame.

It's the details that really make this small experience come alive. Notice how whenever he can, Stephen uses a more specific, descriptive word in place of a more generic one. The volunteers aren't going to get food or dinner; they're going for "Texas BBQ." The coat hanger comes from "a dumpster." Stephen doesn't just move the coat hanger—he "jiggles" it.

Details also help us visualize the emotions of the people in the scene. The person who hands Stephen the coat hanger isn't just uncomfortable or nervous; he "takes a few steps back"—a description of movement that conveys feelings. Finally, the detail of actual speech makes the scene pop. Instead of writing that the other guy asked him to unlock the van, Stephen has the guy actually say his own words in a way that sounds like a teenager talking.

Turning a Specific Incident Into a Deeper Insight

Suddenly, two things simultaneously clicked. One was the lock on the door. (I actually succeeded in springing it.) The other was the realization that I'd been in this type of situation before. In fact, I'd been born into this type of situation.

Stephen makes the locked car experience a meaningful illustration of how he has learned to be resourceful and ready for anything, and he also makes this turn from the specific to the broad through an elegant play on the two meanings of the word "click."

Using Concrete Examples When Making Abstract Claims

My upbringing has numbed me to unpredictability and chaos. With a family of seven, my home was loud, messy, and spottily supervised. My siblings arguing, the dog barking, the phone ringing—all meant my house was functioning normally.

"Unpredictability and chaos" are very abstract, not easily visualized concepts. They could also mean any number of things—violence, abandonment, poverty, mental instability. By instantly following up with highly finite and unambiguous illustrations like "family of seven" and "siblings arguing, the dog barking, the phone ringing," Stephen grounds the abstraction in something that is easy to picture: a large, noisy family.

Using Small Bits of Humor and Casual Word Choice

My Dad, a retired Navy pilot, was away half the time. When he was home, he had a parenting style something like a drill sergeant. At the age of nine, I learned how to clear burning oil from the surface of water. My Dad considered this a critical life skill—you know, in case my aircraft carrier should ever get torpedoed.

Obviously, knowing how to clean burning oil is not high on the list of things every 9-year-old needs to know. To emphasize this, Stephen uses sarcasm by bringing up a situation that is clearly over-the-top: "in case my aircraft carrier should ever get torpedoed."

The humor also feels relaxed. Part of this is because he introduces it with the colloquial phrase "you know," so it sounds like he is talking to us in person. This approach also diffuses the potential discomfort of the reader with his father's strictness—since he is making jokes about it, clearly he is OK. Notice, though, that this doesn't occur very much in the essay. This helps keep the tone meaningful and serious rather than flippant.

An Ending That Stretches the Insight Into the Future

But one day this fall, Dr. Hicks, our Head of School, asked me a question that he hoped all seniors would reflect on throughout the year: "How can I participate in a thing I do not govern, in the company of people I did not choose?"

The ending of the essay reveals that Stephen's life has been one long preparation for the future. He has emerged from chaos and his dad's approach to parenting as a person who can thrive in a world that he can't control.

This connection of past experience to current maturity and self-knowledge is a key element in all successful personal essays. Colleges are very much looking for mature, self-aware applicants. These are the qualities of successful college students, who will be able to navigate the independence college classes require and the responsibility and quasi-adulthood of college life.

What Could This Essay Do Even Better?

Even the best essays aren't perfect, and even the world's greatest writers will tell you that writing is never "finished"—just "due." So what would we tweak in this essay if we could?

Replace some of the clichéd language. Stephen uses handy phrases like "twists and turns" and "don't sweat the small stuff" as a kind of shorthand for explaining his relationship to chaos and unpredictability. But using too many of these ready-made expressions runs the risk of clouding out your own voice and replacing it with something expected and boring.

Use another example from recent life. Stephen's first example (breaking into the van in Laredo) is a great illustration of being resourceful in an unexpected situation. But his essay also emphasizes that he "learned to adapt" by being "different things to different people." It would be great to see how this plays out outside his family, either in the situation in Laredo or another context.

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Example 2: By Renner Kwittken, Tufts Class of '23 (Common App Essay, 645 words long)

My first dream job was to be a pickle truck driver. I saw it in my favorite book, Richard Scarry's "Cars and Trucks and Things That Go," and for some reason, I was absolutely obsessed with the idea of driving a giant pickle. Much to the discontent of my younger sister, I insisted that my parents read us that book as many nights as possible so we could find goldbug, a small little golden bug, on every page. I would imagine the wonderful life I would have: being a pig driving a giant pickle truck across the country, chasing and finding goldbug. I then moved on to wanting to be a Lego Master. Then an architect. Then a surgeon.

Then I discovered a real goldbug: gold nanoparticles that can reprogram macrophages to assist in killing tumors, produce clear images of them without sacrificing the subject, and heat them to obliteration.

Suddenly the destination of my pickle was clear.

I quickly became enveloped by the world of nanomedicine; I scoured articles about liposomes, polymeric micelles, dendrimers, targeting ligands, and self-assembling nanoparticles, all conquering cancer in some exotic way. Completely absorbed, I set out to find a mentor to dive even deeper into these topics. After several rejections, I was immensely grateful to receive an invitation to work alongside Dr. Sangeeta Ray at Johns Hopkins.

In the lab, Dr. Ray encouraged a great amount of autonomy to design and implement my own procedures. I chose to attack a problem that affects the entire field of nanomedicine: nanoparticles consistently fail to translate from animal studies into clinical trials. Jumping off recent literature, I set out to see if a pre-dose of a common chemotherapeutic could enhance nanoparticle delivery in aggressive prostate cancer, creating three novel constructs based on three different linear polymers, each using fluorescent dye (although no gold, sorry goldbug!). Though using radioactive isotopes like Gallium and Yttrium would have been incredible, as a 17-year-old, I unfortunately wasn't allowed in the same room as these radioactive materials (even though I took a Geiger counter to a pair of shoes and found them to be slightly dangerous).

I hadn't expected my hypothesis to work, as the research project would have ideally been led across two full years. Yet while there are still many optimizations and revisions to be done, I was thrilled to find -- with completely new nanoparticles that may one day mean future trials will use particles with the initials "RK-1" -- thatcyclophosphamide did indeed increase nanoparticle delivery to the tumor in a statistically significant way.

A secondary, unexpected research project was living alone in Baltimore, a new city to me, surrounded by people much older than I. Even with moving frequently between hotels, AirBnB's, and students' apartments, I strangely reveled in the freedom I had to enjoy my surroundings and form new friendships with graduate school students from the lab. We explored The Inner Harbor at night, attended a concert together one weekend, and even got to watch the Orioles lose (to nobody's surprise). Ironically, it's through these new friendships I discovered something unexpected: what I truly love is sharing research. Whether in a presentation or in a casual conversation, making others interested in science is perhaps more exciting to me than the research itself. This solidified a new pursuit to angle my love for writing towards illuminating science in ways people can understand, adding value to a society that can certainly benefit from more scientific literacy.

It seems fitting that my goals are still transforming: in Scarry's book, there is not just one goldbug, there is one on every page. With each new experience, I'm learning that it isn't the goldbug itself, but rather the act of searching for the goldbugs that will encourage, shape, and refine my ever-evolving passions. Regardless of the goldbug I seek -- I know my pickle truck has just begun its journey.

Renner takes a somewhat different approach than Stephen, but their essay is just as detailed and engaging. Let's go through some of the strengths of this essay.

One Clear Governing Metaphor

This essay is ultimately about two things: Renner’s dreams and future career goals, and Renner’s philosophy on goal-setting and achieving one’s dreams.

But instead of listing off all the amazing things they’ve done to pursue their dream of working in nanomedicine, Renner tells a powerful, unique story instead. To set up the narrative, Renner opens the essay by connecting their experiences with goal-setting and dream-chasing all the way back to a memorable childhood experience:

This lighthearted–but relevant!--story about the moment when Renner first developed a passion for a specific career (“finding the goldbug”) provides an anchor point for the rest of the essay. As Renner pivots to describing their current dreams and goals–working in nanomedicine–the metaphor of “finding the goldbug” is reflected in Renner’s experiments, rejections, and new discoveries.

Though Renner tells multiple stories about their quest to “find the goldbug,” or, in other words, pursue their passion, each story is connected by a unifying theme; namely, that as we search and grow over time, our goals will transform…and that’s okay! By the end of the essay, Renner uses the metaphor of “finding the goldbug” to reiterate the relevance of the opening story:

While the earlier parts of the essay convey Renner’s core message by showing, the final, concluding paragraph sums up Renner’s insights by telling. By briefly and clearly stating the relevance of the goldbug metaphor to their own philosophy on goals and dreams, Renner demonstrates their creativity, insight, and eagerness to grow and evolve as the journey continues into college.

An Engaging, Individual Voice

This essay uses many techniques that make Renner sound genuine and make the reader feel like we already know them.

Technique #1: humor. Notice Renner's gentle and relaxed humor that lightly mocks their younger self's grand ambitions (this is different from the more sarcastic kind of humor used by Stephen in the first essay—you could never mistake one writer for the other).

My first dream job was to be a pickle truck driver.

I would imagine the wonderful life I would have: being a pig driving a giant pickle truck across the country, chasing and finding goldbug. I then moved on to wanting to be a Lego Master. Then an architect. Then a surgeon.

Renner gives a great example of how to use humor to your advantage in college essays. You don’t want to come off as too self-deprecating or sarcastic, but telling a lightheartedly humorous story about your younger self that also showcases how you’ve grown and changed over time can set the right tone for your entire essay.

Technique #2: intentional, eye-catching structure. The second technique is the way Renner uses a unique structure to bolster the tone and themes of their essay . The structure of your essay can have a major impact on how your ideas come across…so it’s important to give it just as much thought as the content of your essay!

For instance, Renner does a great job of using one-line paragraphs to create dramatic emphasis and to make clear transitions from one phase of the story to the next:

Suddenly the destination of my pickle car was clear.

Not only does the one-liner above signal that Renner is moving into a new phase of the narrative (their nanoparticle research experiences), it also tells the reader that this is a big moment in Renner’s story. It’s clear that Renner made a major discovery that changed the course of their goal pursuit and dream-chasing. Through structure, Renner conveys excitement and entices the reader to keep pushing forward to the next part of the story.

Technique #3: playing with syntax. The third technique is to use sentences of varying length, syntax, and structure. Most of the essay's written in standard English and uses grammatically correct sentences. However, at key moments, Renner emphasizes that the reader needs to sit up and pay attention by switching to short, colloquial, differently punctuated, and sometimes fragmented sentences.

Even with moving frequently between hotels, AirBnB's, and students' apartments, I strangely reveled in the freedom I had to enjoy my surroundings and form new friendships with graduate school students from the lab. We explored The Inner Harbor at night, attended a concert together one weekend, and even got to watch the Orioles lose (to nobody's surprise). Ironically, it's through these new friendships I discovered something unexpected: what I truly love is sharing research.

In the examples above, Renner switches adeptly between long, flowing sentences and quippy, telegraphic ones. At the same time, Renner uses these different sentence lengths intentionally. As they describe their experiences in new places, they use longer sentences to immerse the reader in the sights, smells, and sounds of those experiences. And when it’s time to get a big, key idea across, Renner switches to a short, punchy sentence to stop the reader in their tracks.

The varying syntax and sentence lengths pull the reader into the narrative and set up crucial “aha” moments when it’s most important…which is a surefire way to make any college essay stand out.

Renner's essay is very strong, but there are still a few little things that could be improved.

Connecting the research experiences to the theme of “finding the goldbug.”  The essay begins and ends with Renner’s connection to the idea of “finding the goldbug.” And while this metaphor is deftly tied into the essay’s intro and conclusion, it isn’t entirely clear what Renner’s big findings were during the research experiences that are described in the middle of the essay. It would be great to add a sentence or two stating what Renner’s big takeaways (or “goldbugs”) were from these experiences, which add more cohesion to the essay as a whole.

Give more details about discovering the world of nanomedicine. It makes sense that Renner wants to get into the details of their big research experiences as quickly as possible. After all, these are the details that show Renner’s dedication to nanomedicine! But a smoother transition from the opening pickle car/goldbug story to Renner’s “real goldbug” of nanoparticles would help the reader understand why nanoparticles became Renner’s goldbug. Finding out why Renner is so motivated to study nanomedicine–and perhaps what put them on to this field of study–would help readers fully understand why Renner chose this path in the first place.

4 Essential Tips for Writing Your Own Essay

How can you use this discussion to better your own college essay? Here are some suggestions for ways to use this resource effectively.

#1: Get Help From the Experts

Getting your college applications together takes a lot of work and can be pretty intimidatin g. Essays are even more important than ever now that admissions processes are changing and schools are going test-optional and removing diversity standards thanks to new Supreme Court rulings .  If you want certified expert help that really makes a difference, get started with  PrepScholar’s Essay Editing and Coaching program. Our program can help you put together an incredible essay from idea to completion so that your application stands out from the crowd. We've helped students get into the best colleges in the United States, including Harvard, Stanford, and Yale.  If you're ready to take the next step and boost your odds of getting into your dream school, connect with our experts today .

#2: Read Other Essays to Get Ideas for Your Own

As you go through the essays we've compiled for you above, ask yourself the following questions:

• Can you explain to yourself (or someone else!) why the opening sentence works well?
• Look for the essay's detailed personal anecdote. What senses is the author describing? Can you easily picture the scene in your mind's eye?
• Find the place where this anecdote bridges into a larger insight about the author. How does the essay connect the two? How does the anecdote work as an example of the author's characteristic, trait, or skill?
• Check out the essay's tone. If it's funny, can you find the places where the humor comes from? If it's sad and moving, can you find the imagery and description of feelings that make you moved? If it's serious, can you see how word choice adds to this tone?

Make a note whenever you find an essay or part of an essay that you think was particularly well-written, and think about what you like about it . Is it funny? Does it help you really get to know the writer? Does it show what makes the writer unique? Once you have your list, keep it next to you while writing your essay to remind yourself to try and use those same techniques in your own essay.

#3: Find Your "A-Ha!" Moment

All of these essays rely on connecting with the reader through a heartfelt, highly descriptive scene from the author's life. It can either be very dramatic (did you survive a plane crash?) or it can be completely mundane (did you finally beat your dad at Scrabble?). Either way, it should be personal and revealing about you, your personality, and the way you are now that you are entering the adult world.

Check out essays by authors like John Jeremiah Sullivan , Leslie Jamison , Hanif Abdurraqib , and Esmé Weijun Wang to get more examples of how to craft a compelling personal narrative.

#4: Start Early, Revise Often

Let me level with you: the best writing isn't writing at all. It's rewriting. And in order to have time to rewrite, you have to start way before the application deadline. My advice is to write your first draft at least two months before your applications are due.

Let it sit for a few days untouched. Then come back to it with fresh eyes and think critically about what you've written. What's extra? What's missing? What is in the wrong place? What doesn't make sense? Don't be afraid to take it apart and rearrange sections. Do this several times over, and your essay will be much better for it!

For more editing tips, check out a style guide like Dreyer's English or Eats, Shoots & Leaves .

What's Next?

Still not sure which colleges you want to apply to? Our experts will show you how to make a college list that will help you choose a college that's right for you.

Interested in learning more about college essays? Check out our detailed breakdown of exactly how personal statements work in an application , some suggestions on what to avoid when writing your essay , and our guide to writing about your extracurricular activities .

Working on the rest of your application? Read what admissions officers wish applicants knew before applying .

Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points? We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

The recommendations in this post are based solely on our knowledge and experience. If you purchase an item through one of our links PrepScholar may receive a commission.

Anna scored in the 99th percentile on her SATs in high school, and went on to major in English at Princeton and to get her doctorate in English Literature at Columbia. She is passionate about improving student access to higher education.

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Perseverance by Chase

Chaseof Salt Lake City's entry into Varsity Tutor's January 2016 scholarship contest

Perseverance by Chase - January 2016 Scholarship Essay

Perseverance

There are many New Year’s resolutions that came to my mind that I believe would help me become a better person as I pondered this essay topic. To become a better son, get in better shape, or maybe to even learn another language were all goals I have thought about over the past year. However, in this new year I have made many sudden changes in my life which have precipitated the resolution I believe would help me the most – to become more committed to persevere through difficult challenges in my path.

In life we often face many obstacles that can set us back. In school, we are given assignments we really don't feel like doing, teachers we don't see eye to eye with, and maybe even a grade we don't agree with. But one thing is for certain that we must roll with the punches and keep pushing forward. I have been telling my mother every year for as long as I can remember that I am going to quit school. Obviously I have always said it as a joke, but in some deep part of my soul I have wished that I could. I am a good student, but I don’t particularly enjoy sitting still in a classroom and learning. However, I have always known without a doubt that I need to push through and continue my education for a brighter future. Perseverance has always been my motto – it has just been harder to find my inner perseverance recently as I have faced many changes in my life.

Not only have I changed schools, majors and my residence in the past two months; I also walked away from playing college football, a life long dream. I have had to reach deep within to find the perseverance that has always been a part of me. At times I wanted to pull the covers over my head and let someone else make my decisions. However, I know that unless I dedicate myself to continuing to persevere during the hard times, it will affect my future paths in ways I do not want.

Perseverance in my mind is defined as the ability to push past an obstacle and continue on your desired course. I have grown up playing sports my entire life. In sports, you get pushed to a point where you think you can't keep going. But you learn to push yourself past your breaking point until you achieve success. I believe we can learn a great lesson from sports to apply in schoolwork as well. And that lesson is, when you think you are about to give up, keep going. Success is just around the corner! There are many aspects that play into achieving success such as: a natural ability to succeed, inner strength, wisdom and knowledge, and an ability to work with others. I believe perseverance encapsulates all of these attributes and is probably the key component to excel in school. Some times you might get a grade that you aren't pleased with, or read a chapter you just don’t understand – yet to truly succeed in school you have to keep pushing past the obstacles to get a better grade or learn more completely. Perseverance teaches you how to work with your teachers, employ different techniques to better understand the material, find inner strength to study for another hour, or even to learn patience to work with tutors to help you learn. Perseverance is in everything we do to achieve success in our studies. At this pivotal moment in my life, perseverance is more important than ever for me to employ as I continue my education. I believe the lessons we learn in school apply to us more than just shaping our future careers; we can also learn a lot about ourselves along the way. We can learn to keep going, we can learn to never give up, and we can learn to find joy in the journey. We can learn to persevere through any obstacle placed in our path.

Essays on Perseverance

We have 11 free papers on perseverance for you, essay examples, pride and perseverance essay (697 words).

Perseverance

Pride and Perseverance Essay African-American Literature consists of numerous themes or characteristics. Each story, poem, or slave narrative can be linked to an oppressive time, when the major character of each piece tried to overcome such hardships. Taking this into consideration, the two characteristics I chose to explore in our assignment are struggle and pride….

Perseverance Essay (366 words)

People wonder what Perseverance Essay is? According to The America Heritage Dictionary perseverance means: To persist in or remain constant to a purpose, idea, or task in spite of obstacles. In the book, The Old Man and the Sea, by Ernest Hemingway, the main character Santiago shows many ways of perseverance. Perseverance was seen in…

Perseverance in Mother to Son and The Negro Speaks of Rivers by Langston Hughes Essay

Langston Hughes

The founding fathers constructed the Constitution with the notion that “all men were created equal. ” However, many minorities still struggle for the same rights and opportunities as others. “Mother to Son” and “The Negro Speaks of Rivers” are poems written by Langston Hughes that use symbolism to exemplify the struggles of African Americans as…

A Worn Path By Eudora Welty And Alice Walker Show Perseverance Essay

A Worn Path

A Life of Perseverance Perseverance can be defined as a “continued effort to do or achieve something despite difficulties, failures, or oppositions” (“Perseverance”). In their short stories “A Worn Path” and “Everyday Use,” Eudora Welty and Alice Walker show perseverance in their characters Phoenix and Mama. Both of these women narrate the passages and are…

Essay on Personal Perseverance in the Works of Maya Angelou Essay

Personal Perseverance in the Works of Maya Angelou       Internationally respected brilliant poet, historian, and author Maya Angelou says “in all my work I try to tell the human truth-what it is like to be human. what makes us stumble and fumbleand fall and somehow miraculously rise and go on from the darkness and…

The Struggles And Eventual Perseverance Of The Greek Mythology Essay

Humans go through life fearing what struggles they may face, instead of taking control over their problems. In Mythology by Edith Hamilton, the Greek warriors took control over every struggle that came before them. Oedipus did his best to avoid his fate. Achilles knew the prophecy that was put in place for him. Odysseus’s biggest…

The Importance Of Having An Education, A Career, And Perseverance Essay

Walt Disney once said, “We keep moving forward, opening new doors, and doing new things, because we ‘re curious and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths.” I like this quote because it describes my present life. As a result of moving to America from my country Nepal, I have learned the importance of having…

Essay on Perseverance and The Olympic Story Lost in Time Essay

Perseverance and The Olympic Story Lost in Time Most people have never had to persevere-holding onto that last sliver of hope-as much as nine American boys who were thrown from their small Washington towns onto the international stage, back in 1936. Don Hume, Joe Rantz, Shorty hunt, Stub McMillin, Johnny White, Gordy Adam, Chuck Day,…

My Role Model Of Perseverance Essay

Steve Jobs: My role model of perseveranceAs human beings, we are facing obstacles, either career wise or in our personal lives; it’s part of the cycle of nature, but within the challenges it improves our self being. Throughout my previous education, I’ve always had an unbalanced interest between academics and extracurricular activities. Due to the…

Perseverance examples Essay (199 words)

What is perseverance? Perseverance is the ability to go on when things seem hopeless. In Madeleine Albright’s 1997 commencement speech at Mount Holyoke College, she sparked her audience to aim high and persevere in the pursuit of helping others and shaping history. From word choice to personal experiences, the United States Secretary of State uses…

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Home Essay Examples Psychology Perseverance

I Believe In Perseverance

• Category Psychology
• Subcategory Behavior
• Topic Perseverance

I believe perseverance is the most important value, because determination at working hard regardless of the obstacles you must face, is key to a successful life. Life is not just a straight and narrow path, there will be hurdles to overcome, but how you decide to face your hurdle will be the stepping stones onto a new path with many more hurdles to maintain your goal. I have been put in countless situations where I had to choose to either persevere and benefit from it or choose the easy way out that might be rewarding in the short run, but can have negative effects in the future. In our society, it is taught at a young age that we should make goals and to stick to them until they are accomplished, for example, kids are often put in sports where they must face physical and mental obstacles to win. I set many goals while I played a variety of different sports but one, in particular, manifested into my key value of perseverance.

Even though my track career lived a short life, the beginning of that adventure had many obstacles that I had never had to figure out before. I started track in fourth grade and I did have a natural athleticism that made me a bit too arrogant. When I started track back up again in 5th grade I thought it would be a piece of cake when I learned I would go against middle schoolers. Showing up to the meet all I could see were these athletic girls that stood a head taller than me. My ego dropped significantly and then I felt the presence of intimidation. I was always a long-distance runner, but a 3000m is never easy breezy when you finish. My major run of the day was the 3000m and I tried to keep up with the other girls but slowly as I passed each lap I realized I took up all my energy in the first half of the run and now everyone would be passing me. One runner would pass me then another and then another. The disappointment I felt during the race made me want to quit but I knew that was not what an athlete does and I had to persevere through the physical and mental pain I was enduring to finish the race. My mind flipped through many thoughts that gave me plenty of reasons for why I should just quit right then and there. I can not exactly describe the feeling I received for an instant that knocked down all the negative possibilities. I realized that this pain I was enduring was not something I would have to deal with much longer and if I persevere I would be a lot happier with the outcome. My mindset shifted from wanting to get to the finish line then what it previously was focusing on which was stopping the race and giving up. The last few hundred feet were painful. I could feel a pain in my side kicking in, but was committed to the race. I focused on my breathing and keeping positive thoughts and doing that I persevered and crossed the finish line.

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Perseverance is not an easy quality to preserve. It takes a lot of discipline to achieve. To achieve perseverance you need failure. Failure has a negative connotation to it, but it is a precursor to success. Experiencing failure is a hard task most people have to face, and it can often lead to frustration that shatters our self-confidence. It all depends on our mindsets. If we see failure as something we want to avoid we will shield ourselves away from the feeling of disappointment. This becomes devastating because we need to learn about it so it can help us do better the next time. We need to appreciate when we come across a negative roadblock on our journey to success because it teaches us how to solve situations and make us more independent.

A lot of well-known people value perseverance because without it they would have never gotten to where they are today. These people include but are not limited to Henry Ford when he filed bankruptcy five times from failed ventures, Vincent Van Gogh when almost none of his works made himself a living while he was alive, and when J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter pitch was rejected twelve times. None of these remarkable individuals would have made the impact they have on others without their determination that helped them persevere through the difficult times.

Values are important because they are the support system that stabilizes us while we grow and develop into the people we want to become while reflecting on our core beliefs. Even though we all have a collection of values, there is always one that functions as our compass to the people we aspire to be. Perseverance is the compass that takes us on a rollercoaster ride showing us all the twists and turns we must persevere through to get to the end of the ride where we achieve that goal. We do not persevere once in our lifetime, it is a skill we need that will pop up everywhere. We should be thankful for the chances we get that allows us to practice our core values which are to persevere through any obstacle.

Perseverance might be categorized as a character trait but it is much more than that. Perseverance is a standard of how you choose to live and follow by. It becomes a habit engraved into your mindset that increases the chance of accomplishing your goals. However, perseverance does not always mean that it has to correlate with a goal, but it does help you fight against the restraints that hold you back from change. I believe perseverance is key to maintaining our true selves while still thriving to benefit our future. Like what Calvin Coolidge said “Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful people with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan “press on” has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race.” Persistence and determination are the components for perseverance. Our individuality come out through perseverance and that is why it is such an important value for so many. 

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Best College Essay Examples

Perseverance admissions essay.

363 words | 2 page(s)

We often hear hard work is the key to success but I have learnt in life that perseverance is even more important. We do not live in a perfect world, thus, hard work doesn’t always lead to desirable outcome. But the key is not to be disappointed but to never stop trying because true failure is not falling short of expectations but to give up.

I have had a very comfortable and shielded upbringing, thus, took many things for granted in life. Over time, my worldview expanded and I realized we are part of the society and should develop ourselves in order to make positive difference in the society. This inspired me to target Duke of Edinburgh Bronze Award. I do play sports but I had never targeted extreme physical activity before. The thought that I had to complete a hike of 19km over the weekend including overnight camping and was responsible for fending for myself did overwhelm me at first. But when I put my mind onto something, I am willing to give it all to accomplish the task.

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My team included five people and like everyone, I was carrying a heavy backpack which included food, cooking utensils, clothes, emergency kits, and other supplies. The terrain was rough and hot temperatures during the day while colder temperatures at night didn’t help much. The weight of the supplies produced blisters on my shoulders and back and in addition to physical challenges, the arguments among team members also produced stress. I took on the team leader role and used my effective communication skills to keep everyone on the same page and work together. We successfully completed the challenge and I could not have been prouder of myself.

The challenge tested both my mental and physical strength and I had passed. It was the first time for me and I could have easily given up but my focus on the ultimate goal prevented me from giving up. This experience taught me that life is mostly a marathon with many different challenges along the way. The key to success is not merely working hard but not giving up even when the going gets tough.

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Home — Application Essay — Nursing Schools — Dance: Lessons in Confidence and Perseverance

Dance: Lessons in Confidence and Perseverance

• University: University of Rhode Island

About this sample

Words: 561 |

Published: Jul 18, 2018

Words: 561 | Pages: 1 | 3 min read

I dreamt of the crowd in the darkness, a single spotlight shining down on me as I graced the stage with my movement, a sparkling array of costumes, and the feeling of soothing, crisp air. From the moment I stepped into my first dance class, I knew that dance was what I wanted to do. Through hard work, patience, and perseverance I advanced through the different levels each year, eventually performing with a ballet company. Going to school in the morning, then training each afternoon: I quickly learned that ballet was not strictly a physical activity but a mental undertaking as well.

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The most common illusion dancers harbor is their confidence in themselves, whether it be maintaining strong posture or the stunning smile they hold as they fly through the air. Little does the audience realize that dancers have thousands of thoughts running through their minds: what the next step is and what it will take to execute it, both physically and intellectually. While performing the Kitri variation, I was constantly thinking of the twenty pirouettes I had ahead of me and of how I would be able to make them travel across the stage. I quickly learned the 'fake it till you make it' method; that if you project confidence in what you're doing, others will believe in you, and eventually you will, too.

One of the most difficult things I had to face while training for dance was the struggle to be 'perfect.' I wanted each and every move to be the best it could and also to gain the praise of my teacher. To gain that praise, I would have to work for countless hours, even months to get it right. I remember my first pointe class, barely being able to stand on my toes, let alone dance across the room. I finally came to the realization that nothing will ever be 'perfect.' I had to have faith in what I was doing, and in myself. If you continually compare yourself to others you will only be putting yourself down, but if you compare yourself to where you were when you started, the growth is unbelievable.

Despite all the challenges I faced in the studio, performing the same steps over and over, trying to get it perfect, and building my confidence slowly, it was still the one place I felt the most like myself. As I stood at the barre doing tendu, all the worries and problems of the day vanished into the background. I could express myself in my movement or take on a new character, a princess or a slave. For just a few hours, I could be someone completely new.

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Though I eventually fell out of love with my dream of pursuing dance as a full career, the lessons I learned along the journey are ones I will keep with me throughout my life. Continuing to live through the stage with musical theater, I take on the persona of new characters with the same confidence I learned so well through dance. While developing a growing passion for leadership, I take the lessons of hard work, developing confidence, and aiming to do my best with me in every situation I face. No matter what 'stage' I face next, I know that I can use these skills to approach whatever challenge life may bring me.

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