Also I don’t have common app essay yet I’m trying to find a good idea can you lmk if any of my ideas are good
Interpreter-Across tutoring, hospital volunteering, and chemistry research, I realized my true role isn’t just learning information it’s translating complex ideas into something others can understand, revealing that my passion lies in making knowledge accessible.
Crumbl’s Weekly Lineup-
Crumbl’s ever-changing weekly menu became a metaphor for my own life, teaching me that every new week offers a fresh opportunity to learn, grow, and bounce back from the setbacks that defined my sophomore year.
Reinventing Recipes-
Determined to improve my health without giving up baking, I transformed my favorite recipes into healthier versions through trial and error, discovering that every ingredient swap was a chemistry experiment that sparked my passion for science.

hi! i'm trying to start my common app essay draft now but im conflicted with which ideas to do since i feel like i could write about so many things but idk which topic is the perfect one for the personal statement specifically since i feel like these things could transfer for supplemental questions as well, but please let me know your thoughts and advice on these ideas!

- how every month of the year i pick up a new hobby/interest and i become really passionate in it ex: i love kpop and for the past 2 years around december and january i almost always become super into it like how i used to and i basically feel so nostalgic; another exam is ive always found space fascinating and with the recent artemis ii mission it brought up my curiousity for space again and i would start researching about and watching clips on social media, another example is michael jackson in light of the movie coming out, collecting world cup stickers, recognizing flags (i have a bunch of random interests for this topic so i can go further into detail about this one specifically)

- i was thinking about using chinese proverbs and applying them to my everyday life (i am chinese so idk if this would be cliche or not) or just phrases in general like carpe diem

- notes app

- my genuine love and joy for christmas ( im applying for premed so i was thinking i could tie that someway but idrk)

- hoarding (its honestly a poor habit of mine but i see sentimental value in so many things)

- edit: i also don't believe in embarassment

i lowk have more but these are just my top ideas for now and this is a super long post so if you're reading this thank u sm for ur time!

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Hi! I’m a rising high school senior looking to connect with current students at highly selective universities who would be willing to share advice about the college application process.

I would especially love to ask about:

• How you chose the main story or theme of your application
• How you decided which extracurriculars to emphasize
• What made your personal statement and supplemental essays successful
• What you wish you had known before applying
• How you balanced being impressive with sounding genuine

I’m hoping to have a more detailed conversation over Discord or another platform rather than discussing everything publicly. Please comment or DM me if you would be open to connecting. Thank you!

It’s for WFU “top 10 list” essay. If anyone can, I’ll DM them a photo of it!! Thank yall so much

3 paragraphs, 480 words

P1: how my negative environment growing up led me to develop a shell and isolate myself in fear of the same negative relationships i witnessed

P2: comparing my isolation to the earth, "alone not lonely", the earth is kind and giving despite human intervention and allows living beings to thrive, i learned from the earth and changed my perspective of life

P3: bc the earth is so kind i've developed a passion for environmental engineering and that's my calling

notes: ap student, 3.8 weighted gpa, good test scores, stem club president, technical theatre (if that matters haha)

Hello, I just finished my common app essay draft,would anyone be willing to take a look?

I wrote my personal essay about being a no sabo kid and how it affected my relationship with my grandmother and my mom. I talk about how I was ashamed by the language barrier, but now I see the unconditional love my grandmother has shown me, regardless of the language barrier.

I wrote it without a prompt in mind, so should I make up my own with prompt #7, or should I use prompt #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.) or prompt #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?)

what the title says🥹

what the title says :)

would anybody be willing to read over and help me with my piq’s - I would very much appreciate it 🤤

although my admissions don't certify any expertise, I think I've garnered about as much knowledge as I possibly could have about the college app process in this time period (and interpreted it in a way I don't think many others have) such that I think my perspective would be useful to rising seniors seeking support.

Shoot me a dm!!

I’ve been reading a lot of scholarship essays lately, and I’m curious what advice actually made a difference for people.

Was it starting with a story?
Being more personal?

Cutting clichés?

Something a teacher told you?

I’d love to hear what worked (or didn’t work).

I’m a rising senior and i’m extremely stressed out about college essays. I was wondering if there was anyone that I could DM and rate my ideas. Pls let me know 💔

Whatever you see please let me know, I know the grammar is not good rn I will get to that.

hellloo! basically i want my essay to be about the habits i picked up from my mom and how that's shaped me as a person, such as my empathy and my drive, resilience, ect. im scared because i know a lot of people advise against writing about a parent but i am not trauma dumping or only talking about her. i want to write it in a way where i can talk about how she has gave me certain values that have helped shape me and push me to do many things.

this is the prompt i chose:

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.

and my hook is: While sitting in the cold, sterile classroom, I automatically pick at my callus and dry skin around my thumb. My finger starts stinging from the pain, and quickly I pull back and notice what I have been doing for the past hour. For years, I watched as my mom absentmindedly picked at her thumb, and somehow I caught on to that mannerism too. But before I even noticed how my hands were starting to look like hers, I realized I had inherited more than just a small habit. 

PLEASE give me feedback or tell me if i should honestly scrap the idea!

hey everyone! i'm in the process of writing supplemental essays, so i would really love to see the ones that got people into their respective school. this would be really helpful especially for the more unique ones (like the thank-you letter for upenn and roommate one for stanford), but i'm also really interested in reading any "why major?" essays!

thank you so much in advance!

hellloo! basically i want my essay to be about the habits i picked up from my mom and how that's shaped me as a person, such as my empathy and my drive, resilience, ect. im scared because i know a lot of people advise against writing about a parent but i am not trauma dumping or only talking about her. i want to write it in a way where i can talk about how she has gave me certain values that have helped shape me and push me to do many things.

this is the prompt i chose:

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.

and my hook is: While sitting in the cold, sterile classroom, I automatically pick at my callus and dry skin around my thumb. My finger starts stinging from the pain, and quickly I pull back and notice what I have been doing for the past hour. For years, I watched as my mom absentmindedly picked at her thumb, and somehow I caught on to that mannerism too. But before I even noticed how my hands were starting to look like hers, I realized I had inherited more than just a small habit. 

PLEASE give me feedback or tell me if i should honestly scrap the idea!

Hi, I'm a rising senior who just finished the first draft of my personal statement. I need some feedback from someone. The essay is basically how I was almost late to my internship because I couldn't catch any tempos from the tempo stand. But when i actually arrived, there was no one there, not even the instructor. i'm mainly worried about my conclusion a little bit. Can a verified college counselor or student help me?

I am preparing my essays for the upcoming admissions cycle, so I really would love some blunt and honest feedback on my personal statement and ways to improve it, especially on the narrative, the overall theme, and language. However, I cannot afford expensive services. Please help

Through a moment of watching a "perfect" person's vulnerability and a song's lyric (california by lana del rey), I realized that hiding behind a facade of perfection was isolating me, leading me to embrace your true emotions and cultivate genuine connections.

i feel like its rly basiv but i genuinely cant think of anything

Hey everyone, I'm working on my personal statement and could use some outside eyes before I get too deep into revisions. My topic is basically about how I've done almost everything differently my whole life, like how I hold my pencil in a grip no one's ever seen and how I taught myself a completely different way to tie my shoes. I got made fun of for it growing up, but the essay is really about how being "different" isn't the same as being "wrong," and how that mindset turned into me taking things apart to understand how they actually work instead of just memorizing them. My hook is "I locked my bedroom door at midnight because I refused to come out until I could tie my shoes."

I'd love feedback on whether the topic is compelling or comes off as too common or risky, whether the hook actually pulls you in or falls flat, and whether the whole thing sounds like it reveals something real about me. If anyone's willing to read my full outline or draft and give more detailed notes, please DM me. I'd really appreciate it. Thanks!

I'm struggling with organizing my personal essay. I'm not sure where to begin or how to structure it. Would you be willing to share some advice or feedback? I'm not asking anyone to write my essay. I just need guidance on how to organize my ideas and tell my story effectively☀

I've noticed that many students don't struggle with writing itself they struggle with the research stage. Finding reliable sources, narrowing a broad topic and deciding which evidence actually supports an argument can often take longer than writing the essay.

One approach that's helped me is starting with a few high-quality academic sources instead of collecting dozens of articles immediately. Once the main ideas become clear, it's much easier to identify gaps, refine the thesis and build a logical structure.

Another common issue is trying to include every source you find. In many cases, a smaller number of relevant, well-understood references creates a stronger essay than a long bibliography with limited analysis.

I genuinely enjoy discussing research strategies and academic writing. If you're feeling stuck on choosing sources, organizing your research or refining an essay topic, I'm happy to share general suggestions or discuss different approaches. The goal is to help you strengthen your own work rather than write it for you.

What part of the research process do you find most challenging finding sources, narrowing the topic, organizing information or something else?

Hi! I'm looking for current students or recent admits (within the last few years) to T40 colleges who would be willing to read my Common App essay and give honest feedback. I've revised it several times already and would really value another set of experienced eyes. If you're interested, please leave a comment or send me a DM. Thanks so much!