What makes a college essay truly stand out as excellent?

Excellence in a college essay usually comes from a combination of two factors: authenticity and execution. The topic is important, but how you approach it and what your essay reveals about you matter even more to admissions officers.

An excellent essay doesn’t need to feature a jaw-dropping experience or world-changing event. Instead, it should feel personal, honest, and reflective. Admissions readers are looking for your unique perspective.

Strong essays often:
- Dive deeply into a specific memory or moment, showing rather than telling (think specific images, dialogue, or feelings you experienced)
- Connect the personal to the broader world—a lesson learned, a value deepened, or a new understanding gained
- Reveal something essential or surprising about the writer, showing authenticity rather than just listing achievements
- Avoid clichés and common phrases, even when discussing familiar experiences (like overcoming adversity)

Writing style does play a role—essays that are clear, engaging, and organized stand out. But you don’t have to write like a novelist. Admissions officers appreciate genuine voices above formal or ‘showy’ prose. If you’re stuck, brainstorm moments that made you question, change, or grow. Sometimes writing about a small, specific event produces better results than covering a big topic too broadly.

You don’t need the “right” story, just a small window into who you are and how you think. Focus on bringing your authentic self to the page, and trust that your perspective has value. If you can make the reader understand or feel something unique to you—even for a totally ordinary moment—your essay can be excellent.