Where can I find good examples of college admission essays?

You can find strong examples of college admission essays in a few places. Universities like Johns Hopkins, Tufts, and Hamilton publish real essays from students who were admitted—these can be found directly on their admissions pages. They often include commentary on why each essay worked, which can help you understand not just the content, but the approach.

Another resource is essay review sites (like this one), where you'll find collections of anonymized, successful essays—sometimes even organized by the school or intended major. Books like '50 Successful Harvard Application Essays' or 'The College Essay Trap' also have a wide range of samples and analysis, if you prefer something offline.

When you read sample essays, it’s a good idea to check out both those that reflect your background and ones that don’t. Seeing stories that are similar to your own can help you notice how people with shared experiences tell their stories effectively and avoid clichés. But reading essays outside your background can help spark creativity or introduce new structures and ideas for tackling your topic. For example, if you’re from a smaller town and most essays you find are from big-city applicants, you might still pick up on creative approaches to structure—maybe someone organized their essay around favorite places, or used a running metaphor that ties everything together. That kind of inspiration can translate, even if your subject is different.

The key is to use these essays for inspiration and not as a template. Rather than focusing on the exact content, pay attention to how the students start their stories, how they zoom in on personal moments, and how they reflect at the end. Try writing about one small, specific moment that shaped who you are; it’s often more effective than tackling your entire life story. After reading, give yourself time to brainstorm without looking at the samples—this helps ensure your style and voice stay authentically yours.

Remember: the best essays sound like the person writing them. Use these examples to guide and motivate you, not to box you in. And if you ever feel stuck imitating someone else’s style, take a break and write about what excites or angers you most—that honesty often leads to your most authentic draft.