Want to write a college essay that sets you apart? Three tips to give you a head start

Writing the personal essay for your college application can be tough, but we're here to help. The Common Application essay (250-650 words) and CU Boulder's short-answer academic interest question (250 words) are your opportunity to speak directly to an admissions reader as a person, not just a transcript. The sooner you start, the more time you'll have to write something that actually sounds like you. Here are three tips to get you going.

1. Keep it real. It's normal to want to make a good impression, but admissions readers review thousands of essays, and they can tell when someone is performing a version of themselves rather than actually showing up on the page. The essays that stand out aren't always the ones with the most dramatic stories. They're the ones where a student's specific voice, perspective and way of seeing the world comes through clearly.

Compelling stories don't need to be perfectly linear or have a tidy ending, and that's OK. A moment of genuine uncertainty, a small observation that changed how you think, a challenge you haven't fully resolved yet: these can all make for a more memorable essay than a neatly packaged success story. Be authentic instead of telling schools what you think they want to hear.

2. Be reflective. Think about how you've changed during high school. How have you grown and improved? What makes you feel ready for college, and how do you hope to contribute to the campus community and society at large? The strongest essays don't just describe what happened; they show how the writer thinks about what happened. That layer of reflection is what helps an admissions reader understand who you are beyond your grades and activities.

3. Look to the future. Consider your reasons for attending college. What do you hope to gain from your education? What excites you most about it, and what would you like to do after you graduate? You don't need a fully formed plan. In fact, showing intellectual curiosity and openness can be just as compelling as certainty. What colleges want to see is that you've thought seriously about why this next step matters to you personally.

Before you submit: draft, share, revise.
Give yourself enough time to write a first draft, step away from it and come back with fresh eyes. Then share it with at least one person you trust (a teacher, counselor, family member or friend) and ask them: Does this sound like me? Is anything unclear? Their perspective can catch things you've read past a dozen times. When you revise, pay attention to whether your voice is still present throughout. The goal isn't a perfect essay; it's a true one.

A note on using AI tools.
AI tools have become a common part of how students brainstorm, organize and draft written work. Before using any AI tool in your essay process, check the application and academic integrity policies of each university you are applying to, as guidelines vary by institution.

If you do use AI in a way that is permitted, keep in mind that it works best for early-stage tasks like getting ideas flowing or catching small grammar issues in a draft you have already written. What AI cannot do is show your personality through your writing the way you can. It does not know what it felt like to be you in the moment you are writing about, and it can produce writing that sounds polished on the surface but feels flat or generic to an admissions reader looking specifically for you.

Regardless of how you approach the drafting process, always have a real person review your final essay, someone who knows you and can tell you honestly whether it sounds like you. Your story is the one thing no tool can tell for you.

Have questions? Find your counselor.

Written by CU Boulder Office of Admissions