How can I make my personal essay stand out in college applications?

Great questions—it's totally normal to feel stuck at the beginning of your personal essay process. What colleges genuinely want to see in your essay is your authentic voice and a sense of your character. That doesn't mean you need some dramatic, headline-worthy story. It means sharing experiences that shaped you, and more importantly, showing insight into how those experiences shaped your outlook, values, or interests.

Between your ideas of moving from a small town to a big city or learning guitar during quarantine, it's true they're common starting points. But what's far more important than the topic itself is how you approach it. For instance, instead of writing broadly about how moving changed you, zoom in on a specific moment: maybe the first time you got lost in the subway, or what it felt like the first time you heard the city at night. What questions did that raise for you? How did you handle feeling out of place?

For something like learning guitar, focus on a singular moment or challenge tied to your growth. Maybe it was the first time you wrote your own song—a process that surprised you, frustrated you, and then showed you something new about yourself. Did you connect with someone distant through music? Did practicing become a method for coping?

The key is reflection—spending time on what you learned, how you changed, and why this matters. Admissions officers read thousands of essays on similar topics, but what stands out is your unique perspective and voice.

For example, I’ve seen an essay about doing laundry that stood out because the student focused on what having to do their family’s laundry taught them about responsibility, sacrifice, and independence. It was memorable because of the specific details, humor, and honest reflection—not because laundry is a dramatic event.

So, pick the topic that feels most personal to you, then dig deep: highlight small, meaningful moments, be honest about your feelings, and show growth. Get feedback from a teacher or friend to ensure your voice shines through. Remember: you're not trying to impress, you're trying to reveal who you are and how you think. That’s what makes a personal essay truly stand out.