Where can I find good examples of college personal statement essays?

Reading successful personal statement essays is a smart way to get inspiration and see what resonates with admissions officers, especially if you're worried about falling into generic territory. There are several places you can find essays that worked, along with commentary on what made them effective.

First, many university admissions websites share sample essays from accepted students. For example, the University of Michigan has published a few 'Essays That Worked' on its admissions page (just search “University of Michigan essays that worked” and you’ll find their official admissions blog with examples and analysis). While NYU doesn’t always post examples directly, you can sometimes find them in features from college counseling offices and blogs.

Books can be another excellent resource. Titles like "50 Successful Harvard Application Essays" or "College Essay Essentials" by Ethan Sawyer (known as The College Essay Guy) contain a wide variety of sample essays, often with breakdowns of why they succeeded. Even if these aren't specific to Michigan or NYU, the qualities that make them strong—authentic voice, specific anecdotes, and unique insight—are universal.

Online platforms such as the John Hopkins University admissions page (“Essays That Worked”) and College Essay Advisors regularly publish compelling essays, and sometimes even include commentary from admissions officers themselves. Additionally, there are college admissions subreddits and forums where students share their essays after getting accepted, often tagged with the schools they applied to. These can be especially useful for up-to-date and diverse examples.

When you look through example essays, notice how the strongest ones tend to showcase a student’s personality through specific, meaningful stories. For example, a student writing about remote learning might avoid generalities and instead zoom in on a single, specific moment—a mishap during a virtual debate or how baking bread with a grandparent via Zoom helped ease isolation.

Essays don’t need to recount epic challenges; sometimes a simple story told in a vivid, thoughtful way stands out the most. The best examples are memorable because they offer a window into the applicant’s mind and life. As you read, consider not only what happened in the essay but *how* the writer made mundane experiences reveal something essential about themselves.

Ultimately, reading a mix of examples should help you zero in on which of your experiences might be most compelling. When you do start writing, focus less on trying to impress and more on sharing an honest slice of who you are—those are the essays admissions officers remember.