A selection of good college essay prompts

The majority of colleges require applicants to submit an essay with their application. This essay is also referred to as a personal statement. To assist you in this process you will be given a selection of college essay prompts to get you thinking about something you want to write about. If you want to know how to write a college essay you can use the following prompts to practice and read more.

1. Describe a lesson that you have learnt from a bad experience.
2. Think about a time in your life where you have had to make the choice between taking a safe route or taking a risk. What decision did you make and what was the thinking pattern that led to you making the decision? If the opportunity came around again, would you make the same choice?
3. Describe an experience that has transformed your overall outlook on life.
4. What are your reasons behind wanting to spend the four years of your life studying.
5. What do you hope to achieve with a degree?
6. What are your long term goals in life? Where do you see yourself ten years from now.
7. If you could go back in the past and change anything in your life what would you change and why? If you wouldn’t change anything what is your reason for this?
8. Making the assumption that there is only one space left on the program, why do you think this college should accept you? Why do you think you would be an asset to this college?
9. What skill or skills do you have that set you apart from everyone else?
10. Discuss some activities you have taken part in that are not related to your academic studies. What is the driving force behind your passion?
11. If you were given the opportunity to have a conversation for 30 minutes with anyone in the world past or present who would it be and why?
12. If you could transform into an animal what would you choose to be and why?
13. What advice do you think you have been given that you would say was the best advice you have received? Did you follow the advice, and what was the outcome?
14. In your opinion, what has been the most important social or political movement of the 20th century and why?
15. What advice would you give to a student who has just started their high school career?

These fifteen college essay tips will give you a good reference point to writing your own personal statement. There is no right or wrong answer, the most important thing is that you write from the heart and are open enough so that the college you are applying for has the chance to see who you are when evaluating what you have written and making a decision concerning your application.

For practice, you should write more than one personal statement so that you can get used to writing engaging content that will hold the interest of your reader. Get your teacher, parent, friend or sibling to read your personal statement and find out what they think about it. Ask for constructive criticism because your main aim should be to ensure that what you have written is captivating and that it appeals to your target audience which is the admissions team.