The College Essay

Following are some suggestions from Peterson’s Guide to help you put your thoughts into words:
Make a List
Travel
List all your activities from the past four years (school, community, lessons, work, awards). This
will help you find topics for essays and will also be helpful to people writing recommendations
for you.
List travel experiences and note significant impressions and feelings. Write down reasons why
you liked Yellowstone National Park other than the beauty that everyone else would write
about.
Favorite Sayings
Think of one or two sayings that you’ve heard again and again around your house. How have
they shaped your life?
Accomplishments
Shortcomings
Personal Traits
Describe an accomplishment you had to struggle to achieve. Include what it was, how you
tackled it, and how it changed you.
List any shortcomings in your record and explain how they occurred. If you could relive the last
four years, what would you change and how?
What personality traits do you value most in yourself? How have these helped you?
Now, Paint a Picture of Yourself
From these lists, you may find an essay topic that allows you to paint a good picture of yourself.
For more information on the Essay as it pertains to the college application and sample essays, see
Completing the Application (p. 43).