Where can I find examples of successful college essays?

You can definitely find strong examples of college essays online and in certain books, and these can be really helpful for figuring out what resonates with admissions officers. Universities like Johns Hopkins and Tufts regularly publish successful student essays on their admissions websites; these are often annotated with comments from the admissions committee about what made the essays stand out. If you search for “Essays that Worked Johns Hopkins” or “Tufts Essays that Worked,” you’ll find several real, successful essays alongside official feedback.

For Stanford, Brown, and UChicago specifically, you might not get official university-published samples, but websites like The Crimson, The New York Times’ "The Choice" blog, or even major college counseling organizations often share examples from admitted students, sometimes with their commentary. Another great offline resource is the book series "50 Successful Harvard Application Essays"—while focused on Harvard, many of these essays are relevant for other top schools and demonstrate a wide range of voices and topics.

When reviewing successful essays, try to notice a few things: many of them are very personal, focusing on a specific experience or aspect of the writer’s identity rather than a generic summary of accomplishments.

If you’re asking friends for examples, make sure not to copy any structure or language directly. Instead, use them for inspiration about voice and specificity. Ultimately, the best essays highlight what makes you unique through small, sometimes ordinary moments, rather than big, dramatic events.

Good luck, and remember: these essays are your chance to share a slice of your world. The best ones read like a thoughtful snapshot into one moment that only you could write about.