career challenges essay

Once you write a first draft, put it in a drawer for a week. Taking some time away from it will allow you to come back to it with fresh eyes. Then, try to read your essay from the perspective of someone who knows nothing about you. Would they be able to understand the story? Do you explain clearly what you learned? Does your intro grab the reader's attention?

It can also be helpful to ask someone you trust, such as a parent, teacher, or peer, to read your essay and give you feedback. Really listen to what they say and think about how you can improve your writing.

Finally, try reading your essay aloud. This will help you catch any weird or awkward phrasings.

What's Next?

If you're struggling with how to approach your personal statement, consider looking at some college essay examples .

The essay is just one part of the college application process. Check out our guide to applying to college for a step-by-step breakdown of what you'll need to do.

Finally, if you're planning to take the SAT or ACT , consider taking a look at our expert test-prep guides for some helpful advice on whatever you might be struggling with.

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Alex is an experienced tutor and writer. Over the past five years, she has worked with almost a hundred students and written about pop culture for a wide range of publications. She graduated with honors from University of Chicago, receiving a BA in English and Anthropology, and then went on to earn an MA at NYU in Cultural Reporting and Criticism. In high school, she was a National Merit Scholar, took 12 AP tests and scored 99 percentile scores on the SAT and ACT.

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Answers to “What Challenges Have You Overcome?”

Published: February 13, 2023

Interview Questions and Answers

Actionable advice from real experts:

Biron Clark

Former Recruiter

Contributor

Dr. Kyle Elliott

Career Coach

Sanja Bojanic

Editor-in-Chief

Biron Clark , Former Recruiter

Kyle Elliott , Career Coach

Sanja Bojanic , Editor

In a job interview, you’re likely to be asked, “What challenges or obstacles have you overcome?” Or, “What is the biggest challenge you’ve overcome?” But what type of challenge should you describe? And do you need to pick a work-related or personal challenge example?

Coming up, I’ll share why employers ask interview questions about challenges and how to give a successful answer, with full answer examples.

• Questions about challenges you’ve overcome are used to assess soft skills like learning agility, and the ability to solve problems.
• Aim for a clear and impactful answer that includes relevant details without overwhelming the interviewer.
• To keep your answers focused on the key elements and avoid unnecessary details, use the STAR method .

Why Employers Ask You to Describe a Challenge You Have Overcome

Employers ask about examples of challenges you have overcome at work to assess your resilience. They want to see how you handle adversity. They’re wary of hiring those who haven’t faced difficulties, fearing they might buckle under pressure.  Sharing a story of overcoming a challenge demonstrates your ability to navigate tough situations, making you a less risky hire in their eyes.

How to Answer “What Challenges Have You Overcome?” in Three Simple Steps

Irrespective of the specifics of the interview, like position or industry, you can answer the question, “What challenges have you overcome” in three simple steps.

Choose the Right Challenge

You will often have several examples of challenges you have overcome at work. You should choose one that highlights transferable skills.

Your answer must reflect a challenge relevant to the job you’re applying for. This connection shows you’ve encountered similar hurdles, making you prepared to tackle them, if they ever arise, in this new role.

Use the STAR Method

As someone who has conducted countless interviews, I find that providing a coherent answer to this question can be tricky for most applicants. Applicants can easily get lost in the details of the challenge. You can use the STAR method to structure your response. This stands for Situation, Task, Action, and Result. The STAR method ensures you focus on the key elements: the situation you faced, the specific task or goal, the actions you took to overcome it, and the positive results you achieved.

Keep Your Answer Concise

While it’s tempting to share every detail, it’s important to keep your answer concise. Although applicants are generally advised to keep their interview answers limited to 30 seconds, you can take a bit more time ( two to four minutes ) for behavioral questions like this.

Focus on the key points of how you handled the situation, providing just enough information to illustrate your capabilities without overwhelming the interviewer. This approach keeps your response impactful and clear within the limited interview time.

EXPERT ADVICE

Dr. Kyle Elliott , MPA, CHES Tech & Interview Career Coach caffeinatedkyle.com

Frame your past challenges in a way that highlights your resilience .

Resilience is a common attribute that employers look for in candidates, yet it can feel challenging to convey how robust you are during an interview without sounding trite. One strategy worth trying is using other people’s words to describe your resilience. Before your interview, you can ask former colleagues and managers for feedback. Then, you can reference their words and descriptions during your interviews. This might sound like, “One of my former colleagues, Lizzo, would say that I…”

Sample Interview Answers to “What Challenges Have You Overcome?”

Having been on the other side of the table, I can offer sample answers that have effectively captured my attention during interviews. These sample answers cover a variety of challenges, providing a springboard for you to craft your own compelling response to the question.

Overcoming Work Challenges

1. having to fix a colleague’s mistakes.

Fixing the mistakes of another person at work could make for a great challenge you overcome. Maybe you were new in a role and asked to use your experience to redo the work of someone else. Or perhaps you had to step in to fix an emergency, such as an angry customer/client caused by the work of another person on your team. Or if you’re a recent graduate or still a student, maybe you had to fix a classmate’s work at the last minute on a group project. These all make good stories to tell, as you explain how you stayed calm and chose the right strategy to find a way out of the situation. More importantly, it demonstrates your willingness to go above and beyond to ensure that team goals are met and that the quality of work remains high. 

Sample Answer

“ In my previous role as a Marketing Coordinator, we were close to launching a major product when I discovered a significant pricing error in our promotional materials, overlooked by a new team member. The priority was to swiftly correct the mistake to prevent misleading information from reaching our customers and to keep the launch on schedule.

I approached the situation with a focus on teamwork and learning. I privately discussed the error with my colleague, focusing on understanding and rectification rather than blame. Together, we corrected the pricing details and I introduced a peer-review step in our workflow to enhance accuracy in future projects.

We launched successfully and met our sales targets. The incident corrected the error, strengthened our team dynamics, and improved our workflow. Ultimately, it made our group more efficient and collaborative going forward. “

• Situation : Found a pricing error in promotional materials before a product launch.
• Task : Correct the error quickly and maintain team harmony.
• Action : Collaborated with the colleague responsible for the error; introduced a peer-review process.
• Result : Successful product launch; improved team processes and collaboration.

2. Filling in for a coworker who was fired

It can be tough on the entire team when a coworker quits, is fired or is laid off. Showing how you dealt with an unexpectedly high workload by staying organized and handling the stress can make a good story. It provides a clear example of stepping up during a challenging time to ensure continuity and stability in the workplace.

“ A colleague in my department was unexpectedly let go, leaving their critical role unfilled during a high-volume period. I volunteered to take over their responsibilities in addition to my own because I recognized the importance of maintaining our team’s performance and morale.

I quickly familiarized myself with their projects and priorities, organizing a smooth transition that minimized disruption. I also communicated effectively with our team and management to ensure transparency and adjust workloads appropriately.

As a result, our department met all deadlines and even improved our project delivery efficiency during that period. This experience strengthened my skills in managing multiple priorities and reinforced the importance of teamwork and adaptability in achieving collective goals. “

• Situation : A colleague was unexpectedly fired, leaving a critical role unfilled during a busy period.
• Task : Take over their responsibilities and ensure team performance and morale remain high.
• Action : Quickly learned their duties, organized a smooth transition, and communicated effectively with the team and management.
• Result : Met all deadlines and improved project delivery efficiency.

3. Learning a new skill or adjusting your skillset to stay effective in your role

If your skills became outdated or needed an update, and you took on the challenge, either through continuing education, online courses, or asking for more training/learning opportunities at work, then consider sharing this in your interview answer . This could be a good way to show that you’re proactive in handling obstacles and that you are career-focused and driven, too.

“ When our company implemented a new customer relationship management (CRM) system, it was essential for my role as a Sales Manager to master this tool. I proactively engaged in self-directed online tutorials and participated in a specialized training workshop to deepen my understanding.

Through dedicated practice, I rapidly enhanced my technical skills, which improved my team’s ability to manage client communications and data efficiently. This effort led to a 15% increase in our customer engagement metrics in the first quarter after implementation, demonstrating the importance of continuously updating skills to adapt to new technologies. “

• Situation : The company implemented a new CRM system essential for my role as Sales Manager.
• Task : Quickly master the new system to maintain efficiency.
• Action : Engaged in online tutorials and attended a specialized training workshop to learn the system.
• Result : Enhanced technical skills, improved team’s client management, and achieved a 15% increase in customer engagement metrics.

4. Any difficult ethical decisions you’ve had to make

If you were put in a tough spot in terms of making an ethical decision at a past company, or as a student, feel free to share that. Just make sure it’s something that won’t give the interviewer doubts about your character. Only share this type of story with an employer if you’re sure it demonstrates that you’re ethical and honest, and did the right thing.

For example, you can share an experience where you were faced with disappointing project results but chose to present truthful data to management, leading to collaborative improvement efforts and earning their respect for your integrity.  Conversely, a situation where you opted to bypass formal reporting channels to handle a coworker’s misuse of company resources by personally confronting and threatening them, is not a good experience to share.

“ During my tenure as a project manager , I faced a significant ethical decision when one of my team members accidentally found a loophole in our reporting software that could artificially enhance our project’s performance metrics. The pressure to meet high expectations was intense, as these metrics were directly tied to our team bonuses and my department’s reputation within the company.

Rather than exploiting the loophole to secure immediate gains, I decided it was crucial to uphold our integrity. I reported the issue to our IT department and senior management, fully disclosing the potential for misuse and emphasizing the need for a software update to correct the flaw.

As a result, the loophole was promptly addressed, and we avoided any unethical reporting. Senior management appreciated my transparency, which reinforced a culture of honesty within the team. This decision reinforced my commitment to ethical practices, even when faced with tempting shortcuts. “

• Situation : Discovered a loophole in reporting software that could enhance project metrics.
• Task : Address the ethical implications without exploiting the flaw.
• Action : Reported the loophole to IT and senior management, advocating for a software update.
• Result : The loophole was fixed, ensuring ethical reporting and strengthening departmental credibility.

5. Dealing with a team member who was difficult to work with

If you were stuck with a difficult person on your team and had to find ways to work with them, this can be something worth sharing to demonstrate how you’re able to communicate and problem-solve in your career.

When relaying this story it is important to stay positive and avoid bad-mouthing the team member. Instead, focus on the strategies you used to establish clear communication, manage expectations, and ultimately achieve a positive outcome for the project.

“In my previous role as a team leader, I worked with a colleague who had a notably different work style, which initially led to misunderstandings and friction within our team. Recognizing the importance of cohesion and effective collaboration, I took the initiative to address the situation constructively.

I arranged a series of one-on-one meetings with the colleague to better understand their perspectives and work preferences. During these discussions, I focused on open communication and actively listened to their concerns, which helped me appreciate their approach and identify areas where we could align our efforts more effectively.

Together, we agreed on a set of mutual expectations and communication strategies that respected both of our working styles. As a result, our collaboration improved significantly, leading to a more harmonious team atmosphere and enhanced productivity on our projects. “

• Situation : Faced challenges working with a colleague due to different work styles.
• Task : Improve team cohesion and collaboration.
• Action : Held one-on-one meetings to understand their perspectives, established mutual expectations, and devised compatible communication strategies.
• Result : Improved team harmony and productivity.

6. Dealing with an angry customer or client

Resolving an issue with an angry or abusive customer can be a challenge. This is exactly what makes problems like these great examples of challenges you have overcome at work. If you faced this obstacle and were able to keep going, stay calm and polite, and resolve the issue, then this story would demonstrate many traits that employers want to see.

“ Fresh out of college, I landed a job as a customer service representative and soon faced a significant challenge when a long-time customer called in, extremely upset due to a repeated error in their order. This was the third occurrence, and the customer was on the brink of taking their business elsewhere.

Recognizing the urgency, I immediately prioritized their call. I listened attentively to fully understand the issue, acknowledged their frustration, and sincerely apologized for the inconvenience. I assured them that resolving their issue was my top priority and quickly worked to correct the order, also setting up a direct communication line for any future concerns.

Additionally, I collaborated with our quality control and logistics teams to pinpoint and fix the underlying process issues. The customer’s problem was resolved to their satisfaction, leading them to continue doing business with us and appreciating the responsive service. “

• Situation : Encountered an angry customer upset over repeated order errors.
• Task : Resolve the issue promptly to retain the customer.
• Action : Prioritized their call, listened empathetically, apologized, corrected the order, and established direct communication. Also collaborated with internal teams to fix process flaws.
• Result : Successfully resolved the customer’s issue, retained their business, and enhanced service responsiveness.

Overcoming Personal Challenges

7. volunteering experience.

Your volunteering experience could also make noteworthy examples of challenges you have overcome in the past. The altruism of volunteering mixed with the challenge you overcame while at it could make a great impression on most interviewers.

“ During my time volunteering at a local homeless shelter, we faced a significant challenge when the shelter was suddenly understaffed due to a flu outbreak among the regular staff members. As a volunteer coordinator, my task was to ensure the shelter continued to operate smoothly, providing meals and safe lodging for its residents despite the sudden drop in available staff. 

I took it upon myself to organize a schedule that rotated volunteers more efficiently. Also, I spearhead the recruitment of additional volunteers from the community through social media outreach, and streamlined meal preparation tasks to accommodate the reduced workforce. Not only that, I stepped in to cover shifts, ensuring that all operational needs were met. Thanks to these efforts, the shelter maintained its operations without any disruption in services. “

• Situation : A flu outbreak understaffs a homeless shelter.
• Task : The task is to keep the shelter operating smoothly.
• Action : Organize volunteers, recruit help, and cover shifts.
• Result : The shelter maintained operations despite the setback.

8. Handling personal adversity

Instances of handling personal adversities also make good examples of challenges you have overcome, but be mindful. Focus on experiences that demonstrate transferable skills and growth. Avoid sharing overly personal details that may not relate directly to the skills needed in the professional setting. Instead, choose stories that highlight your perseverance, strategic thinking, and adaptability. For instance, illustrating how you balanced educational pursuits during a family crisis can showcase your ability to prioritize and manage issues effectively on multiple fronts.

“ A few years ago, I faced a personal challenge when my mother was diagnosed with a chronic illness, which required me to balance my full-time job with caregiving responsibilities. Recognizing the need to manage both effectively, I refined my time management and organizational skills to ensure that I could meet my professional responsibilities while providing the necessary support at home. 

I created a detailed schedule that allocated specific times for work tasks and caregiving duties and communicated openly with my employer about my situation. This experience improved my ability to adapt and prioritize under pressure, making me a more empathetic and effective team member. Through this, I learned the importance of resilience and flexibility, which have been invaluable in my professional growth. “

• Situation : Managing full-time work while caring for a chronically ill parent.
• Task : Balance professional responsibilities with caregiving duties.
• Action : Developed a time management system and communicated effectively with the employer.
• Result : Maintained high performance at work, demonstrating resilience and adaptability.

9. Educational challenges

Educational challenges often require intense focus and dedication, making them excellent examples of overcoming adversity. They can demonstrate your ability to master complex subjects or manage time effectively when juggling multiple responsibilities. Sharing how you overcame obstacles such as a difficult course or balancing school with work shows your resilience and commitment to personal growth.

“ In my final year in college, I encountered a significant challenge as I undertook a rigorous thesis project in a complex area of study while simultaneously working a part-time job to finance my education. 

To manage this, I meticulously structured my days, allocating specific hours for research, writing, and work, ensuring each task received the attention it required without compromising quality. The intense pressure to excel academically while remaining financially stable taught me invaluable lessons in resilience, discipline, and managing competing priorities effectively. “

• Situation : Navigating a demanding thesis project and a part-time job during the final year of college.
• Task : Successfully complete the thesis with high marks while managing job responsibilities.
• Action : Created a rigorous schedule to balance research, writing, and work hours.
• Result : Graduated with honors and developed critical skills like resilience and time management.

10. Cultural or relocation adaptation

Adapting to a new culture or location showcases your ability to quickly learn and integrate into different environments. It demonstrates flexibility and open-mindedness as it involves overcoming language barriers, understanding new social norms, and sometimes navigating logistical challenges, which highlight your problem-solving skills. Such experiences also enhance your interpersonal skills as you build new relationships and collaborate with diverse groups.

“ When I moved to Japan for work, I was immediately faced with the challenges of adapting to a completely different culture and learning a new language. I enrolled in Japanese language classes and participated in cultural workshops to better understand and respect the local customs and business practices. 

I also leaned on colleagues for guidance, learning the ins and outs of our workplace dynamics. This whole experience not only boosted my communication and interpersonal skills but also taught me how to quickly adapt and thrive in a new environment, which has been incredibly valuable in my career. “

• Situation : Relocated to Japan for a new job, facing cultural and language barriers.
• Task : Integrate into the local work culture and overcome the language challenge.
• Action : Enrolled in language classes, participated in cultural workshops, and sought mentorship from colleagues.
• Result : Enhanced communication and interpersonal skills.

You will notice that the examples are divided between work-related challenges, and the other is about personal experience/problems. Find and choose the best example based on your background and the position you’re interviewing for. In the right scenario, both types of answers can be powerful and effective.

Mistakes to Avoid When Answering “What Challenges Have You Overcome?”

• Being Overly Negative : Focus on the challenge you faced, but emphasize the positive outcome and the skills you developed.  As a recruiter with years of experience, I can tell you that dwelling on negativity or complaining can paint you in a bad light.
• Not Being Specific :  A general statement like “I’ve faced challenges” is vague.  Provide specific details about the situation, the task at hand, and the actions you took.
• Choosing Irrelevant Challenges :  Pick a challenge relevant to the job you’re applying for.  Overcoming a fear of heights might be impressive, but it won’t demonstrate the skills needed for an accounting position.
• Failure to Demonstrate Growth :  As a former recruiter, I’ve noticed applicants get lost in answering this question and forget to demonstrate growth. Don’t just describe the challenge.  Explain how you overcame it and what skills you developed in the process.  Highlight your learning and growth mindset.
• Making it Too Personal : While some personal adversities are okay (focusing on transferable skills developed), avoid overly sensitive topics or anything that wouldn’t be appropriate in a professional setting.
• Blaming Others : Blaming others paints a picture of someone who struggles with accountability and may not be willing to take responsibility for their actions. Focus on your own actions and how you overcame the challenge.

More Interview Resources

Looking to learn more? Check out some of these articles I put together based on my experience recruiting top talents in different industries. They’ll help you hone your interview skills and land your dream job.

• Ace your next interview with the Top 40 Essential Interview Questions Answered .
• Master interview etiquette: 20 Crucial Do’s and Dont’s .
• Find interview questions by profession here .
• Exclusive job networking secrets to jump the job queue.
• Top 13 mistakes to avoid at your next job interview.
• Watch : How to answer the “ Tell me about yourself” interview question ,” answered by an expert hiring manager.

About the Author

Biron Clark is a former executive recruiter who has worked individually with hundreds of job seekers, reviewed thousands of resumes and LinkedIn profiles, and recruited for top venture-backed startups and Fortune 500 companies. He has been advising job seekers since 2012 to think differently in their job search and land high-paying, competitive positions. Follow on Twitter and LinkedIn .

Read more articles by Biron Clark

About the Contributor

Kyle Elliott , career coach and mental health advocate, transforms his side hustle into a notable practice, aiding Silicon Valley professionals in maximizing potential. Follow Kyle on LinkedIn .

About the Editor

Sanja Bojanic , Career Sidekick's Editor-in-Chief for over a year, expertly curates content to empower job seekers and professionals.

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60+ College Essay Prompts From Actual 2023-2024 Applications

Ideas to inspire every college applicant.

Writing a college application essay can be a stressful task for a lot of students. The more practice they get in advance, the better! This roundup of college essay prompts gives applicants a chance to explore their thinking, polish their writing, and prepare to make the best possible impression on selection committees. Every one of these questions is taken from real college applications for the 2023-2024 season, so they’re meaningful and applicable to today’s high school seniors.

Common App 2023-2024 College Essay Prompts

2023-2024 coalition for college essay prompts, life experiences college essay prompts, personal college essay prompts, academics college essay prompts, creative college essay prompts.

Hundreds of colleges and universities use the Common App process . For many schools, this includes responding to one of several college essay topics, which can change each year. Here are the essay prompts for the current application cycle (check with your chosen school/s to see if an essay is required).

• 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.
• 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?

• Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. What prompted your thinking? What was the outcome?
• 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?
• Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others.

• 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?
• 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.

More than 150 colleges and universities use the Coalition for College process . Here are their essay prompts for 2023-2024.

• Tell a story from your life, describing an experience that either demonstrates your character or helped to shape it.

• What interests or excites you? How does it shape who you are now or who you might become in the future?
• Describe a time when you had a positive impact on others. What were the challenges? What were the rewards?
• Has there been a time when an idea or belief of yours was questioned? How did you respond? What did you learn?
• What success have you achieved or obstacle have you faced? What advice would you give a sibling or friend going through a similar experience?

• Submit an essay on a topic of your choice.

Answer these questions by sharing specific examples from your own experience.

• Who is your favorite conversation partner? What do you discuss with that person?
• Discuss a time when reflection or introspection led to clarity or understanding of an issue that is important to you.
• Share an example of how you have used your own critical-thinking skills on a specific subject, project, idea, or interest.

• Describe a time when you were challenged by a perspective that differed from your own. How did you respond?
• What are the best words of advice you have received? Who shared them, and how have you applied them in your own life?
• Elaborate on an activity or experience you have had that made an impact on a community that is important to you.
• Using your personal, academic, or volunteer/work experiences, describe the topics or issues that you care about and why they are important to you.
• Who do you agree with on the big, important things, or who do you have your most interesting disagreements with? What are you agreeing or disagreeing about?
• Reflect on a personal experience where you intentionally expanded your cultural awareness.
• When was the last time you questioned something you had thought to be true?
• Discuss the significance to you of the school or summer activity in which you have been most involved.
• Reflect on a time when you or someone you observed had to make a choice about whether to act with integrity and honesty.
• Describe an example of your leadership experience in which you have positively influenced others, helped resolve disputes, or contributed to group efforts over time.

• Describe a time you did not meet expectations and what impact the experience had on you.

These essay topics give schools a better sense of who you are, what you value, and the kind of student citizen you might be.

• What drives you to create, and what do you hope to make or have you made?
• Which book, character, song, monologue, or piece of work (fiction or nonfiction) seems made for you? Why?
• What would you want your future college roommate to know about you?
• How has your own background influenced the types of problems you want to solve, the people you want to work with, and the impact you hope your work can have?

• Describe any meaningful travel experiences you’ve had.
• What would you want to be different in your own country or community to further principles of equality, equity, or social justice?
• What strength or quality do you have that most people might not see or recognize?
• If you could live your life fighting for one cause, what would it be and why?
• What gives meaning to your life?
• If you wrote a letter to yourself to be opened in 20 years, what would it say?
• If you had the power to change the course of history in your community or the world, what would you do and why?

• Choose one of the communities to which you belong, and describe that community and your place within it.
• What is the greatest compliment you have ever been given? Why was it meaningful to you?
• Explain how a text you’ve read—fiction, nonfiction, poetry, or literature of any kind—has helped you to understand the world’s complexity.

Topics like these show your academic interests and demonstrate your commitment to learning and discovery.

• What does it mean to you to be educated?
• What is your motivation for pursuing higher education?
• Describe your reasons for wanting to attend the specific school you’re applying to. Who or what factored into your decision?
• Academic inquiry starts with bold questions. What are some of the bold questions you have pondered that get you excited, and why do they interest you?

• What has been your best academic experience in the last two years, and what made it so good?
• If you decide to take a “gap year” between high school and college, what would you do during that time?
• Many schools place a high value on diverse student populations. How can you contribute to and support a diverse and inclusive student population at your chosen school?
• Imagine you were just awarded a research grant for a project of your choice. What are you researching and why?
• What do you love about the subject(s) you selected as potential major(s)? If undecided, share more about one of your academic passions.

• Describe a time when you’ve felt empowered or represented by an educator.
• Describe how you have taken advantage of a significant educational opportunity or worked to overcome an educational barrier you have faced.

Use these college essay topics to show off your creativity and innovative thinking.

• You are tasked with creating a new category for the Nobel Prize. Explain what it would be, why you chose your specific category, and the criteria necessary to achieve this accomplishment.

• Pick one person—a historical figure, fictitious character, or modern individual—to converse with for an hour, and explain your choice.
• If you could witness a historic event (past, present, or future) firsthand, what would it be and why?
• If you could have a theme song, what would it be and why?
• Discuss a book that you would call a “great book.” What makes the book great in your view?
• If you could give any historical figure any piece of technology, who and what would it be, and why do you think they’d work so well together?
• If I could travel anywhere, I would go to …
• My favorite thing about last Tuesday was …
• Write a short thank-you note to someone you have not yet thanked and would like to acknowledge.
• If you had 10 minutes and the attention of a million people, what would your TED Talk be about?
• What are your three favorite words in the English language? Explain what they mean to you.
• Imagine that you could have one superpower. What would it be and how would you use it? What would be your kryptonite?

• Which Ben & Jerry’s ice cream flavor (real or imagined) best describes you?
• If you could create a college course that all students would take, what would it be about and why?
• What website is the internet missing?

How do you help your students prepare their college application essays? Come share your ideas and ask for advice in the We Are Teachers HELPLINE group on Facebook .

Plus, check out  the ultimate guide to college scholarships.

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I Quit Teaching Because of ChatGPT

T his fall is the first in nearly 20 years that I am not returning to the classroom. For most of my career, I taught writing, literature, and language, primarily to university students. I quit, in large part, because of  large language models  (LLMs) like ChatGPT.

Virtually all experienced scholars know that writing, as historian Lynn Hunt has argued, is “not the transcription of thoughts already consciously present in [the writer’s] mind.” Rather, writing is a process closely tied to thinking. In graduate school, I spent months trying to fit pieces of my dissertation together in my mind and eventually found I could solve the puzzle only through writing. Writing is hard work. It is sometimes frightening. With the easy temptation of AI, many—possibly most—of my students were no longer willing to push through discomfort.

In my most recent job, I taught academic writing to doctoral students at a technical college. My graduate students, many of whom were computer scientists, understood the mechanisms of generative AI better than I do. They recognized LLMs as unreliable research tools that hallucinate and invent citations. They acknowledged the environmental impact and ethical problems of the technology. They knew that models are trained on existing data and therefore cannot produce novel research. However, that knowledge did not stop my students from relying heavily on generative AI. Several students admitted to drafting their research in note form and asking ChatGPT to write their articles.

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As an experienced teacher, I am familiar with pedagogical best practices. I scaffolded assignments. I researched ways to incorporate generative AI in my lesson plans, and I designed activities to draw attention to its limitations. I reminded students that ChatGPT may alter the meaning of a text when prompted to revise, that it can yield biased and inaccurate information, that it does not generate stylistically strong writing and, for those grade-oriented students, that it does not result in A-level work. It did not matter. The students still used it.

In one activity, my students drafted a paragraph in class, fed their work to ChatGPT with a revision prompt, and then compared the output with their original writing. However, these types of comparative analyses failed because most of my students were not developed enough as writers to analyze the subtleties of meaning or evaluate style. “It makes my writing look fancy,” one PhD student protested when I pointed to weaknesses in AI-revised text.

My students also relied heavily on AI-powered paraphrasing tools such as Quillbot . Paraphrasing well, like drafting original research, is a process of deepening understanding. Recent high-profile examples of “ duplicative language ” are a reminder that paraphrasing is hard work. It is not surprising, then, that many students are tempted by AI-powered paraphrasing tools. These technologies, however, often result in inconsistent writing style, do not always help students avoid plagiarism, and allow the writer to gloss over understanding. Online paraphrasing tools are useful only when students have already developed a deep knowledge of the craft of writing.

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Students who outsource their writing to AI lose an opportunity to think more deeply about their research. In a recent  article  on art and generative AI, author Ted Chiang put it this way: “Using ChatGPT to complete assignments is like bringing a forklift into the weight room; you will never improve your cognitive fitness that way.” Chiang also notes that the hundreds of small choices we make as writers are just as important as the initial conception. Chiang is a writer of fiction, but the logic applies equally to scholarly writing. Decisions regarding syntax, vocabulary, and other elements of style imbue a text with meaning nearly as much as the underlying research.

Generative AI is, in some ways, a  democratizing  tool. Many of my students were non-native speakers of English. Their writing frequently contained grammatical errors. Generative AI is effective at correcting grammar. However, the technology often changes vocabulary and alters meaning even when the only prompt is “fix the grammar.” My students lacked the skills to identify and correct subtle shifts in meaning. I could not convince them of the need for stylistic consistency or the need to develop voices as research writers.

The problem was not recognizing AI-generated or AI-revised text. At the start of every semester, I had students write in class. With that baseline sample as a point of comparison, it was easy for me to distinguish between my students’ writing and text generated by ChatGPT. I am also familiar with AI detectors, which purport to indicate whether something has been generated by AI. These detectors, however, are faulty . AI-assisted writing is easy to identify but hard to prove.

As a result, I found myself spending many hours grading writing that I knew was generated by AI. I noted where arguments were unsound. I pointed to weaknesses such as stylistic quirks that I knew to be common to ChatGPT (I noticed a sudden surge of phrases such as “delves into”).  That is, I found myself spending more time giving feedback to AI than to my students.

The best educators will adapt to AI. In some ways, the changes will be positive. Teachers must move away from mechanical activities or assigning simple summaries. They will find ways to encourage students to think critically and learn that writing is a way of generating ideas, revealing contradictions, and clarifying methodologies.

However, those lessons require that students be willing to sit with the temporary discomfort of not knowing. Students must learn to move forward with faith in their own cognitive abilities as they write and revise their way into clarity. With few exceptions, my students were not willing to enter those uncomfortable spaces or remain there long enough to discover the revelatory power of writing.

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