most interesting college essay prompts

Once you write a first draft, put it in a drawer for a week. Taking some time away from it will allow you to come back to it with fresh eyes. Then, try to read your essay from the perspective of someone who knows nothing about you. Would they be able to understand the story? Do you explain clearly what you learned? Does your intro grab the reader's attention?

It can also be helpful to ask someone you trust, such as a parent, teacher, or peer, to read your essay and give you feedback. Really listen to what they say and think about how you can improve your writing.

Finally, try reading your essay aloud. This will help you catch any weird or awkward phrasings.

What's Next?

If you're struggling with how to approach your personal statement, consider looking at some college essay examples .

The essay is just one part of the college application process. Check out our guide to applying to college for a step-by-step breakdown of what you'll need to do.

Finally, if you're planning to take the SAT or ACT , consider taking a look at our expert test-prep guides for some helpful advice on whatever you might be struggling with.

Alex is an experienced tutor and writer. Over the past five years, she has worked with almost a hundred students and written about pop culture for a wide range of publications. She graduated with honors from University of Chicago, receiving a BA in English and Anthropology, and then went on to earn an MA at NYU in Cultural Reporting and Criticism. In high school, she was a National Merit Scholar, took 12 AP tests and scored 99 percentile scores on the SAT and ACT.

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September 13, 2023

The Most Popular College Essay Prompts for 2023-2024

With the 2023-2024 college admissions cycle in full swing and now that all of America’s highly selective universities have released their supplemental essay prompts , let’s analyze the most popular types of essay questions asked of applicants to the Class of 2028. So here goes!

Most Common Supplemental Essay Prompts for 2023-2024

While there are many supplemental essay prompts across the highly selective universities for the 2023-2024 admissions cycle, we at Ivy Coach have distinguished four prompts as the ones that pop up the most. These four types of supplemental essays are as follows:

The Why College Essay Prompt

Most of America’s elite universities ask applicants why they wish to attend their institutions. Why do they ask this question? Because America’s elite universities are a tad insecure, and they’re trying to control their yields (or the percentage of accepted students who choose to enroll). Asking students why they wish to attend is a proven way of measuring a student’s Demonstrated Interest — or the likelihood they’ll matriculate.

When students respond to Why College essay prompts and fill their answers with names of professors or classes or generic sentences that can apply to virtually any school in America, they’ve fallen through the trap door of effectively proving to the school that they’d attend if admitted. Admissions officers don’t want to waste offers of admission on students who — no matter how well qualified — have no intention of enrolling. It’s why a student can get into Harvard University but be denied to Cornell University. Harvard, we at Ivy Coach have long argued, is the only school that truly doesn’t care about Demonstrated Interest because Harvard knows students wish to attend. When a school’s yield is over 84% , as it was for the Class of 2027, they have that luxury!

Top Colleges with Why College Essay Prompts

The following elite universities have versions of Why College essay prompts. Some of these prompts are worded differently than others, but they’re all essentially asking the same question:

The Why Major Essay Prompt

Many of America’s top colleges ask why students wish to major in the disciplines they’ve selected on the application. They want to understand the origin story of a student’s chief academic interest. Too often, applicants set this origin story during their childhoods when it would behoove them to set it during their high school years.

Top Colleges with Why Major Essay Prompts

The following elite universities have versions of Why Major essay prompts. Some of these prompts are worded differently than others, but they’re all essentially asking the same question:

The Why College/Why Major Hybrid Essay Prompt

Many of America’s top colleges ask an essay with essentially two parts: Why Major and Why College. Thus, their essay should include the origin story of their interest in their chosen field and specifics about the program at the school that only apply to this particular institution.

Top Colleges with Why College/Why Major Hybrid Essay Prompts

The following elite universities have versions of Why College/Why Major hybrid essay prompts. Some of these prompts are worded differently than others, but they’re all essentially asking the same question:

The Community/Background Essay Prompt

In the wake of the United States Supreme Court’s decision to outlaw Affirmative Action , many of America’s elite universities added this prompt to their supplements this year. The prompt capitalizes on Chief Justice John Roberts ’ own words in the majority opinion banning the consideration of race in admissions decision-making.

In the majority opinion, Chief Justice Roberts wrote, “Nothing in this opinion should be construed as prohibiting universities from considering an applicant’s discussion of how race affected his or her life, be it through discrimination, inspiration, or otherwise.”

The schools that ask this prompt offer all applicants a chance to tell their stories. But by focusing on candidates’ backgrounds, it’s also an opportunity for underrepresented minority applicants to write about their race so these schools can continue to admit diverse classes.

Top Colleges with Community/Background Essay Prompts

The following elite universities have versions of Community/Background essay prompts. Some of these prompts are worded differently than others, but they’re all essentially asking the same question:

Two Schools Deserving of Praise for Their Supplemental Essay Prompts

While many elite universities included a community/background question on their supplements this admissions cycle, few included the word “race” in the language of their questions.

After all, with these questions, America’s elite schools are capitalizing on the loophole penned by Chief Justice Roberts in the majority opinion outlawing Affirmative Action. They want to walk a fine line between continuing to admit a diverse class without facing litigation for not obeying the Supreme Court’s decision.

But there are two  highly selective universities that bucked the trend and dared include the word “race” in their community/background questions: Johns Hopkins University and Rice University. In the world of college admissions, for bucking the trend and staring the Supreme Court right in the eyes, these schools are deserving of Profiles in Courage .

A School Deserving of Criticism for a Supplemental Essay Prompt

And while we applaud Johns Hopkins and Rice for daring to include the word “race” in their supplemental essay questions, we wish to shame the University of Virginia for asking what we at Ivy Coach have deemed the most outrageously inappropriate supplemental essay prompt on any of America’s elite college applications this year. That optional prompt is as follows:

If you have a personal or historic connection with UVA, and if you’d like to share how your experience of this connection has prepared you to contribute to the university, please share your thoughts here. Such relationships might include, but are not limited to, being a child of someone who graduated from or works for UVA, a descendant of ancestors who labored at UVA, or a participant in UVA programs.

While UVA’s admissions committee may defend asking this question with the misguided argument that it’s  optional , that’s  nonsense . UVA’s admissions committee is giving more space to mostly privileged students — the children of alumni and students who attended fancy shmancy UVA summer programs . As such, most students will choose not to answer the essay.

But that’s a mistake because any essay that’s optional in elite college admissions should not be considered  optional . Instead, it’s an opportunity for an applicant to make their case for admission, to tell their story. How dare UVA’s admissions committee give extra space for legacy applicants and students who attended fancy shmancy UVA summer programs!

Get with the times, UVA! Legacy admission is on the way out, especially after the SCOTUS ruling outlawing Affirmative Action. Yet, your institution — a public flagship, no less — is seemingly doubling down on legacy status. Your founder, Thomas Jefferson, didn’t write our Declaration of Independence from an aristocracy so you could perpetuate a ruling class in our American meritocracy. Shame on UVA!

All that said, we encourage  every  applicant to respond to this 100-word question. You don’t need to be a legacy. You don’t need to have attended a UVA summer camp. Just fill the essay with Why UVA specifics. Treat it as a typical Why College essay. Regretfully, we just suspect most students will think the essay doesn’t apply to them — through no fault of their own — and leave it blank.

Ivy Coach’s Assistance with College Essays

If you’re looking to optimize your case for admission to America’s highly selective universities by submitting essays that inspire admissions officers to root for you, fill out Ivy Coach ’s free consultation form , and we’ll be in touch to outline our college admissions counseling services for applicants to the Class of 2028.

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Get help writing your college application essays. Find this year's Common App writing prompts and popular essay questions used by individual colleges.

The college essay is your opportunity to show admissions officers who you are apart from your grades and test scores (and to distinguish yourself from the rest of a very talented applicant pool).

2023–24 Common App Essays

Nearly 700 colleges accept the The Common Application , which makes it easy to apply to multiple schools with just one form. If you are using the Common App to apply for college admissions, you will have 250–650 words to respond to ONE of the following prompts:

• Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.
• The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?
• Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. What prompted your thinking? What was the outcome?
• Reflect on something that someone has done for you that has made you happy or thankful in a surprising way. How has this gratitude affected or motivated you?
• Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others.
• Describe a topic, idea, or concept you find so engaging that it makes you lose all track of time. Why does it captivate you? What or who do you turn to when you want to learn more?
• Share an essay on any topic of your choice. It can be one you've already written, one that responds to a different prompt, or one of your own design.

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Tackling the Common App Essay Prompts

Prompt #1: share your story..

Answer this prompt by reflecting on a hobby, facet of your personality, or experience that is genuinely meaningful and unique to you. Admissions officers want to feel connected to you and an honest, personal statement about who you are draws them in. Your love of superheroes, baking chops, or family history are all fair game if you can tie it back to who you are or what you believe in. Avoid a rehash of the accomplishments on your high school résumé and choose something that the admissions committee will not discover when reading the rest of your application.

Prompt #2: Learning from obstacles.

You're trying to show colleges your best self, so it might seem counterintuitive to willingly acknowledge a time you struggled. But overcoming challenges demonstrates courage, grit, and perseverance! That’s why the last piece of this prompt is essential. The obstacle you write about can be large or small, but you must show the admissions committee how your perspective changed as a result.

Prompt #3: Challenging a belief.

Your answer to this question could focus on a time you stood up to others or an experience when your own preconceived view was challenged. Choose this prompt if you have a relevant—and specific!—experience to recount (and reflect on). A vague essay about a hot button issue doesn’t tell the admissions committee anything useful about YOU.

Prompt #4: Reflecting on gratitude.

Colleges are looking for students with unique experiences that can enhance their future campus community, and this is your chance to share that by recognizing what someone else has done for you. Even though this prompt requires you to reflect on the action of another person, make sure that the focus remains on how the act of kindness impacted you and the way you live your life. This essay should make you and the reader smile.

Prompt #5: Personal growth.

Just like Prompt #2, the accomplishment or event you write about can be anything from a major milestone to a smaller "aha" moment. Describe the event or accomplishment that shaped you but take care to also show what you learned or how you changed. Colleges are looking for a sense of maturity and introspection—pinpoint the transformation and demonstrate your personal growth. 

Prompt #6: What captivates you?

This prompt is an invitation to write about something you care about. (So avoid the pitfall of writing about what you think will impress the admission office versus what truly matters to you). Colleges are looking for curious students, who are thoughtful about the world around them. The "what or who do you turn to when you want to learn more” bit isn't an afterthought—it's a key piece of the prompt. Make sure you explain how you pursue your interest, as well.

Read More: QUIZ: Test Your College Knowledge!

Prompt #7: Topic of your choice.

This question might be for you if you have a dynamo personal essay from English class to share or were really inspired by a question from another college’s application. You can even write your own question! Whatever topic you land on, the essentials of a standout college essay still stand: 1.) Show the admissions committee who you are beyond grades and test scores and 2.) Dig into your topic by asking yourself how and why. There isn’t a prompt to guide you, so you must ask yourself the questions that will get at the heart of the story you want to tell.

More College Essay Topics

Individual schools sometimes require supplemental essays. Here are a few popular application essay topics and some tips for how to approach them:

Describe a person you admire.

Avoid the urge to pen an ode to a beloved figure like Gandhi or Abraham Lincoln. The admissions committee doesn't need to be convinced they are influential people. Focus on yourself: Choose someone who has actually caused you to change your behavior or your worldview, and write about how this person influenced you .

Why do you want to attend this school?

Be honest and specific when you respond to this question. Avoid generalities like "to get a good liberal arts education” or “to develop career skills," and use details that show your interests: "I'm an aspiring doctor and your science department has a terrific reputation." Colleges are more likely to admit students who can articulate specific reasons why the school is a good fit for them beyond its reputation or ranking on any list. Use the college's website and literature to do your research about programs, professors, and other opportunities that appeal to you.

Read More: 5 Ways College Application Essays and High School Essays Are Different

What is a book you love?

Your answer should not be a book report. Don't just summarize the plot; detail why you enjoyed this particular text and what it meant to you. What does your favorite book reveal about you? How do you identify with it, and how has it become personal to you?

Again, be honest in answering this question—don't choose a classic from your literature class or a piece of philosophy just because you think it will make you seem smarter. Writing fluently and passionately about a book close to you is always better than writing shakily or generally about a book that doesn't inspire you.

What is an extracurricular activity that has been meaningful to you?

Avoid slipping into clichés or generalities. Take this opportunity to really examine an experience that taught you something you didn't previously know about yourself, got you out of your comfort zone, or forced you to grow. Sometimes it's better to write about something that was hard for you because you learned something than it is to write about something that was easy for you because you think it sounds admirable. As with all essay questions, the most important thing is to tell a great story: how you discovered this activity, what drew you to it, and what it's shown you about yourself.

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8 College Essay Topics

Exploring College Essay Topics

Good college essay topics are as varied and widespread as the universities that require them. So, students will encounter many college application essay formats throughout the admissions process. These include the standard college admission essay, supplemental essay, personal statement, and personal challenge essay, to name a few. 

Whether it’s the “why Northwestern” essay or the Columbia essay prompts, good college essay topics help schools learn more about you and your life experiences. So, you should work to find compelling college essay ideas that reflect your identity. This will help you craft strong responses to any college essay topics you encounter.

Generating college essay ideas

Many students want to know how to write better essays. Students also might wonder how to start a college essay—after all, finding the right “hook” for your college essays can make a major difference. In this guide, we’ll walk you through every aspect of the essay process. 

Different college essay topics require different types of responses. For instance, a “why major” essay should not read the same way as an extracurricular activities essay. Reading college essay examples can also help when considering how to approach different college essay topics. 

This article will look at some of the common categories for college essay topics. We’ll also provide some college essay tips and discuss what makes a great college essay stand out from the rest. Most importantly, we’ll discuss how to write better essays so you feel prepared to start the process.

College Admission Essays

Before we discuss different college essay topics, let’s delve into a bit more context. Specifically, let’s discuss what a college admission essay is and why most top schools require them. 

A college admission essay is a written response, usually between 150 and 650 words, to a specific question or prompt on a college application. Some essays, like the Common Application essay, are standardized. Students have up to 650 words to respond to one of seven college essay topics that every Common Application school receives. 

Other college application essays are considered supplemental essays. These supplemental essays are unique to each individual college or university, though these college essay topics do tend to fall into some common categories. Some school essay requirements, like the NYU supplemental essays, also vary based on the program you apply to.

Understanding the college essay format

Whether it’s a personal statement or supplemental essay, the college application essay format is meant to help admissions officers get to know students better. The college essay format also allows applicants to share information about themselves that may not be clear from the rest of their application. In addition, these college essay examples allow admissions officers to evaluate each student’s character, writing ability, and overall fit for their school.

Good college essay topics help admissions officers to get to know students. So, the best college admission essays provide personal details not found elsewhere in a student’s application. What makes a great college essay is that it could only have been written by the person who submits it. That means you should highlight specific details about your life and experiences. Remember that your college essays are your only chance to provide admissions officers with some insight as to who you are, so don’t hold back!

What are the most common college essay topics?

Most college essay examples fall into one of the following general categories. Although language in individual prompts may vary, the college application essay format will often look like one of the following:

8 Most Common College Essay Topics

1. personal statement.

The personal statement category includes college essay topics about your life and experiences. A personal statement will often pertain to a challenging moment in your life or a time in which you grew or learned a lesson. For most students, the personal statement is akin to the Common App essay. 

2. “Why School” Essay

The why school essay is one of the most common examples of supplemental essays. These college essay topics ask students to describe why they believe a particular college is a good fit for them.

3. “Why Major” Essay

The why major essay asks students to describe why they are interested in the major that they listed on their application. This college application essay format is more common at large universities, where students may be applying to a specific school or program within the school.

4. Personal Challenge Essay

These college essay topics ask students to reflect on a specific obstacle they have overcome in their lives. The requirements are similar to those of the personal statement, where the subject is the writer’s personal life.

5. Cultural Diversity Essay

The cultural diversity essay asks students to reflect on their heritage and how their unique background has influenced their life. Colleges often seek to recruit a diverse student body, and these college essays allow students to share how they would fit into that environment.

6. Extracurricular Activities Essay

These essays ask students to describe an activity they have done during their high school years and how it has prepared them to succeed in college. These are often short essays, meaning that their word counts tend to be 150 or fewer.

7. Unique College Essay

Some good college essay topics do not fit into one of the categories above. Instead, these essays ask students to think outside the box by responding to an unorthodox prompt. These college essay ideas are often some of the most difficult to write about.

Personal Statement

Our first category within our college essay topics is the personal statement. You’ll likely submit a personal statement to every school where you apply. 

As the name suggests, you should be the subject of your personal statement. Likewise, the essay should showcase the parts of yourself that you want to feature. The prompts for essays in this category vary widely. However, the most common example of a personal statement that you will encounter is the Common Application essay.

Although the Common Application essay prompts do change from year to year, they all pertain to your life and experiences. Plus, nearly all of the top schools in the country that use the Common Application require you to answer one of its essay prompts. Listed below are the essay prompts for the 2023-2024 Common Application :

Common App Essay Prompts

1. some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. if this sounds like you, then please share your story., 2. the lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure. how did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience, 3. reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. what prompted your thinking what was the outcome, 4. reflect on something that someone has done for you that has made you happy or thankful in a surprising way. how has this gratitude affected or motivated you, 5. discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others., 6. describe a topic, idea, or concept you find so engaging that it makes you lose all track of time. why does it captivate you what or who do you turn to when you want to learn more, 7. share an essay on any topic of your choice. it can be one you’ve already written, one that responds to a different prompt, or one of your own design., how to write a college essay about yourself.

The most important step in how to write better essays is to focus on yourself. At times, it can feel uncomfortable to focus the entire essay on your accomplishments. However, remember that this essay should help your reader get to know you better. So, before you start writing, think about what aspects of your character you want to showcase. In fact, when generating college essay ideas, it can help to write down a short list of qualities that you want to highlight.

The next step in how to start a college essay about yourself is to select the right prompt. Your prompt should connect to you and your experiences. If you don’t resonate with any of the Common App’s good college essay topics, remember that you can create your own. Just make sure that the topic relates to you personally.

When you actually start writing, think about using the prompt to tell a story . Try to share parts of yourself that have not been featured in other areas of your application. So, your essay should focus on a narrative rather than a list of facts or examples. For example, if you choose prompt #4, you should not simply write several paragraphs about what gratitude means to you. Instead, focus on a compelling story about a time when you learned about the importance of gratitude. Finally, make sure that you are the central figure in whatever story you tell.

The Why School Essay

Next on our list of good college essay topics is the why school essay. Each of these prompts is specific to a particular school. So, a “why Yale essay” will look very different from a “why Duke essay” even though the prompt is structured similarly for both schools.

Simply put, a why school essay asks you to explain the reasons why you want to attend that particular school and what you hope to achieve there.

Many schools feature a why school essay. So, let’s highlight two examples of what these college essay topics look like. 

Why school essay examples

The “why Yale essay” prompt allows students a maximum word count of 125. It asks, “What is it about Yale that has led you to apply?”. In a similar college application essay format, the “why Duke Essay” prompt asks, “What is your sense of Duke as a university and a community, and why do you consider it a good match for you? If there’s something in particular about our offerings that attracts you, feel free to share that as well.” This essay has a 250-word count limit.

Using a why school essay prompt serves a few purposes for an admissions office. It allows your application readers to see how much research you have done about their campus and facilities. Additionally, it helps them understand what you might bring to their campus as a prospective student. In the end, it’s all about seeing whether you would be a good fit for the school and whether the school would be a good fit for you. 

Structuring a Why School Essay

When writing a why school essay, it is still important to keep yourself as the central focus. Using specific examples, write about what makes the school a good fit for you. So, don’t just start with the most well-known or popular features of a school. A school may have just built a brand new science building, but it is likely not worth writing about unless you plan to major in a scientific discipline. So, before writing, think about the criteria on your personal college list. Then, identify two or three areas in which the school you’re writing about meets them. Remember that these are often short essays, so don’t try to fit in too many college essay ideas at once.

Then, get specific and do some research! If you have visited the school, consider identifying some of the features you enjoyed seeing on your visit. Additionally, if there is a specific professor, lab, program, club, team, or opportunity that interests you, mention those details here. The more specific research you show, the better your case for attending a school will be. However, it is not enough to simply list names and facts in your essay. Instead, describe how these opportunities will help you achieve your goals. Then, highlight why you want to be a part of this particular school’s community.

Nearly every top school in the country, including the Columbia supplemental essays and the why Northwestern essay, uses these college essay topics. Because each prompt is specific to each school, you should avoid using the same generic college essay ideas in each response. Good college essay topics show individuality as well as evidence of reflection and research. 

For more information about how to write a good why school essay, check out our CollegeAdvisor.com resources here . 

The Why Major Essay

The why major essay relates to the why school essay because they both ask about your reasons for being interested in a college. The difference is that a why school essay focuses on the school as a whole, whereas a why major essay asks specifically about your field of study within the school. Many universities include these supplemental essay prompts if students are applying to a particularly popular program at the school. Other schools use these short essay topics to learn more about students’ academic interests and goals.

The UPenn supplemental essay, the Rice supplemental essay, and the Cornell supplemental essays all feature questions that ask about students’ majors. The UPenn supplemental essay prompt has a 150-200 word limit. Here is UPenn’s why major prompt:  “Considering the specific undergraduate school you have selected, describe how you intend to explore your academic and intellectual interests at the University of Pennsylvania.”

The Rice supplemental essay prompt is similar. It gives students a maximum of 150 words to respond to the following statement: “Please explain why you wish to study in the academic areas you selected.”

The Cornell supplemental essays across their eight undergraduate colleges ask similar questions. This prompt comes from Arts and Sciences, their most popular program: “Students in Arts and Sciences embrace the opportunity to delve into multifaceted academic interests, embodying in 21st century terms Ezra Cornell’s ‘any person…any study’ founding vision. Tell us about the areas of study you are excited to explore, and specifically why you wish to pursue them in our College.” 

Choosing a major for your college essay

You might have many college essay ideas when it comes to writing a why major essay. Still, the best college admission essays in this category are focused and detailed. Therefore, before you start writing, it is important to reflect on your academic interests. Think about how you first became interested in your intended major. What past experiences have you had in this field? What do you hope to accomplish with the degree you wish to pursue? These guiding questions will help give your essay direction and clarity, even before a single word hits the page.

Your interest in your chosen major should stem from a passion for the subject. Some students make the mistake of focusing on their future earnings or talking about how parents or relatives expect them to pick a certain major. Remember that you are the one who will be attending the school and taking hundreds of hours of coursework in this subject. So, make sure you have a good reason for choosing it.

Undecided majors

If you are not sure what major you want to pursue, that’s okay. You can still give a thoughtful answer to this prompt. This is a great time to describe your intellectual curiosity or your passion for multiple disparate subjects. You can also discuss your favorite school subjects or the aspects of learning that you most enjoy, such as a particular science experiment or a time period in history that fascinates you. There are many different college essay ideas that you can pursue even with an undecided major.

Remember that with the exception of a few specialized programs, you will not be forced to stay with the major that you list on your college application. Many schools do not even require students to officially declare their major until their sophomore year. For guidance on selecting a major that is right for you, check out this link . And for more general college essay tips and college essay ideas, see this guide from Harvard University .

Personal Challenge Essay

Our next subject in this series of college essay topics is the personal challenge essay. The personal challenge essay asks students to recount a story in which they overcame some hardship or obstacle and learned a lesson about themselves in the process. These good college essay topics are excellent times to display character traits such as perseverance, dedication, grit, and leadership.

Fordham University’s supplemental essay prompt states: “At Fordham, we expect students to care for and engage with their communities. Please share a specific instance in which you challenged yourself or stepped out of your comfort zone in order to be an advocate for your community.” 

In a slightly different approach, the Emory University supplemental essays provide several options for students to discuss their personal growth. They include prompts like, “Reflect on a personal experience where you intentionally expanded your cultural awareness.” and, “When was the last time you questioned something you had thought to be true?”

Crafting a memorable college essay

A good personal challenge essay can take a variety of forms. Overall, there are many good college essay ideas students can draw from within this theme. This article from U.S. News illustrates some of the more common themes that students employ when approaching these college essay topics. The most important part of any personal challenge essay is authenticity. Nobody’s story is inherently better or worse than anyone else’s. You do not need to write about heavy tragedy in order to develop a good personal challenge essay.

Start by coming up with a list of college essay ideas. These should be stories from your life that present you in a different light, one not seen in other areas of your application. Then, pick a specific story from your list of college essay ideas that presents you in a positive manner and shows off the traits you want your readers to see. The best college admission essays tell one specific and compelling story rather than list several college essay ideas in one response. 

Another important facet of these college essay topics is the demonstration of growth. The important part of your essay is not the severity of the challenge itself, but how you reacted to it and grew from the experience. Make sure you avoid vague sentiments or platitudes like, “I became a better person,” or “This experience caused me to see the world in a new way.” Instead, focus on what you specifically gained from going through this challenging time. In addition, think about what skills or characteristics you showed in overcoming the challenge. Then, use the essay to highlight them.

Cultural Diversity Essay

The cultural diversity essay is a popular topic for a college admission essay. So, understanding how to write college essays of this type is vital. But, before we dive into just how to respond, let’s learn just what a cultural diversity essay is. 

Simply put, these types of college essay topics ask students to elaborate on their relationship with cultural diversity. Namely, they look for how it has shaped the student’s own identity. Like all good college essay topics, the cultural diversity essay invites students to share an important part of themselves with admissions.

What makes a great college essay on cultural diversity? Well, essays will vary greatly depending on each individual. Students could talk about their background, culture, beliefs, skills, experience, or perspectives. Culture can mean many things, meaning that college essay ideas for this prompt are nearly endless.

Exact college essay topics aren’t as important as showing how the matter at hand has shaped you. Additionally, tactfully executed college essay ideas will show how your unique story and experiences will improve that school’s college campus. Specifically, touching on how you’ll bring your perspective, experiences, and culture to campus is always a good strategy. 

To better understand this topic, let’s look at some examples of cultural diversity essay prompts.

Cultural Diversity Essay Prompts

Like many other schools, Amherst College requires applicants to respond to additional Amherst supplemental essays. The Amherst supplemental essays are certainly looking for a cultural diversity essay: 

Amherst Cultural Diversity Essay Prompts

Respond to  one  of the following quotations in an essay of not more than 300 words. it is not necessary to research, read, or refer to the texts from which these quotations are taken; we are looking for original, personal responses to these short excerpts. remember that your essay should be personal in nature and not simply an argumentative essay., “rigorous reasoning is crucial in mathematics, and insight plays an important secondary role these days. in the natural sciences, i would say that the order of these two virtues is reversed. rigor is, of course, very important. but the most important value is insight—insight into the workings of the world. it may be because there is another guarantor of correctness in the sciences, namely, the empirical evidence from observation and experiments.”  kannan jagannathan, professor of physics, amherst college, “translation is the art of bridging cultures. it’s about interpreting the essence of a text, transporting its rhythms and becoming intimate with its meaning… translation, however, doesn’t only occur across languages: mentally putting any idea into words is an act of translation; so is composing a symphony, doing business in the global market, understanding the roots of terrorism. no citizen, especially today, can exist in isolation—that is, untranslated.”  ilán stavans, professor of latin american and latino culture, amherst college, robert croll ’16 and cedric duquene ’15, adapted from the print version of “interpreting terras irradient,” amherst magazine, spring 2015.  , “creating an environment that allows students to build lasting friendships, including those that cut across seemingly entrenched societal and political boundaries…requires candor about the inevitable tensions, as well as about the wonderful opportunities, that diversity and inclusiveness create.” carolyn “biddy” martin, 19th president of amherst college, from letter to amherst college alumni and families, december 28, 2015. , “difficulty need not foreshadow despair or defeat. rather, achievement can be all the more satisfying because of obstacles surmounted.”  attributed to william hastie, amherst college class of 1925, the first african-american to serve as a judge for the united states court of appeals, understanding the amherst essay prompts.

Amherst’s option doesn’t explicitly ask for your experiences. Rather, they want to see how you respond and relate to different perspectives.

Let’s look at another example. In addition to the Common App personal statement, students applying to Harvard are allowed to submit an additional “optional” essay. When responding to any school’s essays, especially an Ivy League , do some digging to see if admissions offers any tips. Check out Harvard’s blog on how to write a great essay. Here is Harvard’s prompt that is very obviously a cultural diversity essay topic:

Harvard Cultural Diversity Essay Prompt

Harvard has long recognized the importance of student body diversity of all kinds. we welcome you to write about distinctive aspects of your background, personal development or the intellectual interests you might bring to your harvard classmates..

Finally, let’s look at the University of Michigan’s prompt: 

University of Michigan Cultural Diversity Essay Prompt

Everyone belongs to many different communities and/or groups defined by (among other things) shared geography, religion, ethnicity, income, cuisine, interest, race, ideology, or intellectual heritage. choose one of the communities to which you belong, and describe that community and your place within it. (required for all applicants; minimum 100 words/maximum 300 words).

Specifically, this UMich essay prompt talks about community, which makes up a part of your background and culture. Since “community” encompasses many different aspects, students have lots of room to play with their responses. 

How do you write a college essay on diversity?

Before understanding how to write the college diversity essay, students should consider why they’re popular college essay topics for admissions . Simply put, universities want to have a diverse student body. This enhances campus life by creating constant cross-cultural understanding. Additionally, each student’s unique background, experiences, and perspective shape the school’s community greatly. That’s why these prompts are found everywhere, from Amherst to NYU supplemental essays.

So, how to tackle the cultural diversity essay? First, students need to speak from their own experiences. You should be at the forefront of your essay—not someone else. This essay is all about showing what diversity means to you and how it impacts your own identity. What background or experience do you have that is unique and meaningful to you?

College essay ideas will vary greatly among students. And that’s the point! There’s no cookie-cutter college application essay format to follow. What you talk about within your background and experiences can be any number of things. Ultimately, writing passionately and cohesively, clearly conveying how diversity has shaped you, and how you’ll bring that perspective to campus are key. You should authentically and comprehensively answer the prompt in order to write an essay that stands out . 

Check out our cultural diversity essay guide for more in-depth college essay tips!

Extracurricular Activities Essay

Another favorite among college essay topics is the extracurricular activities essay. Needless to say, this supplemental essay allows students to expand on one of their extracurricular activities . Since the Common App activities section is limited, this is a great chance to provide more context for your experiences.

In general, when writing an extracurricular activities essay, you shouldn’t simply list achievements from your college resume . Feel free to get creative by sharing an anecdote or expanding on what the activity means to you. Has it shaped your identity or your future goals? How have you grown from partaking in this activity? Expand on the deeper meaning to you in order to write the best extracurricular activities essay. 

Now, let’s check out some extracurricular activities essay prompts. 

Sample Extracurricular Activities Essay Prompts

Interestingly, Vanderbilt offers students two college essay topics for students to choose to respond to in 250 words. The first is a diversity essay. The following is their extracurricular activities prompt: 

Vanderbilt Extracurricular Activities Essay Prompt

Vanderbilt offers a community where students find balance between their academic and social experiences. please briefly elaborate on how one of your extracurricular activities or work experiences has influenced you..

Check out our guide with ample Vanderbilt essay examples before writing this school’s essays.

The Princeton supplemental essays also include a similar extracurricular activity prompt. However, for these types of Princeton supplemental essays, students only have 150 words with which to respond:

Princeton Extracurricular Activity Prompt

Briefly elaborate on an activity, organization work experience, or hobby that has been particularly meaningful to you. .

Finally, let’s see the Stanford extracurricular activities essay prompt. You’ll notice it follows the same general trend as the others.

Stanford Extracurricular Activity Essay Prompt

The stanford community is deeply curious and driven to learn in and out of the classroom. reflect on an idea or experience that makes you genuinely excited about learning..

Before working on your own college essay ideas, check out some Stanford essay examples to see what’s worked in the past. 

Unique College Essay Topics

During the college application process, you’re likely to come across many similar college essay topics and prompts. However, some universities keep things interesting with good college essay topics that are sure to keep applicants on their toes. These college essay topics ask students unexpected questions and even err on the side of quirky. They’re quite different from the personal statement . 

Basically, these non-traditional college essay topics are a wonderful opportunity to let your creative side shine with one-of-a-kind responses. But, keep in mind that although these aren’t traditional college essay topics, every college admission essay has the same goal. You should share more about yourself with admissions, and show them just why you’d be a great addition to their university. 

Let’s read some prompts that fall into this category.

Unique College Essay Prompts

UChicago is one school known for their unique college essay topics. Certainly, they have one supplemental essay prompt that’s required and similar to more traditional college essay topics. At the same time, their options for the second of the short essays don’t disappoint. 

Here are the UChicago prompts for the second of their college essay topics: 

UChicago Unique College Essay Prompts

Essay option 1, exponents and square roots, pencils and erasers, beta decay and electron capture. name two things that undo each other and explain why both are necessary. – inspired by emmett cho, class of 2027, essay option 2, “where have all the flowers gone” – pete seeger. pick a question from a song title or lyric and give it your best answer. – inspired by ryan murphy, ab’21, essay option 3, “vlog,” “labradoodle,” and “fauxmage.” language is filled with portmanteaus. create a new portmanteau and explain why those two things are a “patch” (perfect match). – inspired by garrett chalfin, class of 2027, essay option 4, a jellyfish is not a fish. cat burglars don’t burgle cats. rhode island is not an island. write an essay about some other misnomer, and either come up with and defend a new name for it or explain why its inaccurate name should be kept. – inspired by sonia chang, class of 2025, and mirabella blair, class of 2027, essay option 5, despite their origins in the gupta empire of india or ancient egypt, games like chess or bowling remain widely enjoyed today. what modern game do you believe will withstand the test of time, and why – inspired by adam heiba, class of 2027, essay option 6, there are unwritten rules that everyone follows or has heard at least once in their life. but of course, some rules should be broken or updated. what is an unwritten rule that you wish didn’t exist (our custom is to have five new prompts each year, but this year we decided to break with tradition. enjoy) – inspired by maryam abdella, class of 2026, essay option 7, and, as always… the classic choose your own adventure option in the spirit of adventurous inquiry, choose one of our past prompts (or create a question of your own). be original, creative, thought provoking. draw on your best qualities as a writer, thinker, visionary, social critic, sage, citizen of the world, or future citizen of the university of chicago; take a little risk, and have fun, dartmouth college essay prompts.

Another elite university with some good college essay topics is Dartmouth . While the two required essays are standard college essay topics, the third essay has a variety of unique prompts to choose from. Let’s take a look at their prompts, which have a 200-250 word limit.

Dartmouth Unique College Essay Prompts

A. labor leader and civil rights activist dolores huerta recommended a life of purpose. “we must use our lives to make the world a better place to live, not just to acquire things,” she said. “that is what we are put on the earth for.” in what ways do you hope to make—or are you making—an impact, b. what excites you, c. in the boy who harnessed the wind, william kamkwamba ’14 reflects on constructing a windmill from recycled materials to power electrical appliances in his family’s malawian house: “if you want to make it, all you have to do is try.” what drives you to create and what do you hope to make or have you made, d. dr. seuss, aka theodor geisel of dartmouth’s class of 1925, wrote, “think and wonder. wonder and think.” what do you wonder and think about, e. “not everything that is faced can be changed; but nothing can be changed until it is faced,” wrote james baldwin. how does this quote apply to your life experiences, how do you write a unique college essay.

At this point, you may have many college essay ideas for these topics. However, keep in mind that these types of supplemental essays should still be answered personally and authentically—just like your personal statement. Especially with creative and unique prompts, it may be tempting to go in a totally different direction when writing. Nevertheless, don’t forget that good college essay topics aim to learn more about the applicant, even if they are unconventional. 

Additionally, the goal of these unique college essay topics is to see that you don’t back down from a challenge. Universities want curious learners who are willing to step out of their comfort zone. So, even if these aren’t your favorite types of college essay topics, persevere in writing something new. They’re an opportunity to indirectly show admissions how you think. Ideally, you’ll want to show your intellectual curiosity and values. However, this can be done indirectly.

More tips on unique college essay topics

Check out these UChicago essay examples in order to see how students successfully responded to these unique college essay topics. If you’re wondering how to start a college essay, reading successful college essay ideas is a good way to begin. Use them as inspiration to spur your own college essay ideas. 

From NYU supplemental essays to personal challenge essays or even a “why major” essay, remember the goal. Tell admissions more about you and what you’ll bring to campus. Additionally, your successful essays will make it clear that you’re a good fit for the school—even if not explicitly stated.

Short Essay Topics

While supplemental essays usually don’t have high word counts, there are certain college essay topics that are considered short essays. Short essays, when it comes to college essay topics, are those that are less than 100 words. They are much shorter than personal statement examples . Those of you who aren’t fans of writing might rejoice at the news. However, it can often be more difficult to write a meaningful short essay. 

Let’s take a look at some short essay topics from different universities. To start, here are the Columbia supplemental essays. These Columbia supplemental essays are considered short essay prompts. 

Columbia Short Essay Prompts

1. list the titles of the books, essays, poetry, short stories or plays you read outside of academic courses that you enjoyed most during secondary/high school. (75 words or fewer), 2. in columbia’s admissions process, we value who you are as a unique individual, distinct from your goals and achievements. in the last words of this writing supplement, we would like you to reflect on a source of happiness. help us get to know you further by describing the first thing that comes to mind when you consider what simply brings you joy. (35 words or fewer).

The sheer number (10!) of short essays that USC requires may intimidate many. However, these USC supplemental essays are super short with a 25–100 word limit. Check out our guide with examples of USC supplemental essays. Here are the USC short answer essay prompts:

USC Short Essay Topics

Describe yourself in three words., what is your favorite snack, best movie of all time: , if your life had a theme song, what would it be, dream trip: , what tv show will you binge watch next, which well-known person or fictional character would be your ideal roommate, favorite book:, if you could teach a class on any topic, what would it be.

Stanford has a 100–250 word limit on their short essays. Let’s take a look at the prompts: 

Stanford Short Essay Topics

Virtually all of stanford’s undergraduates live on campus. write a note to your future roommate that reveals something about you or that will help your roommate—and us—get to know you better., tell us about something that is meaningful to you and why..

You may have noticed that many of these short college essay topics were “lists” while others were simply short essays. Now, let’s think about how to respond to them. 

Approaching short essays

While it may seem like these college essay topics are very different from others, the approach is the same. Your responses should highlight what makes you the person you are. The only trick is to do it in a much shorter word count than other college essay topics. 

So, make the most of every word! This part may seem tedious, but you must choose your words carefully to craft the most impactful short essay response. With lots of polish, these types of short essay topics can add dimension to the rest of your application. What you decide to write about should tell the admissions team more about you, your interests, and your values. 

Choosing the best college essay topics

Of course, each college will have different essay prompts. For example, the NYU supplemental essays are very different from the  UChicago essays or the Columbia supplemental essays. Even so, good college essay topics are the ones that you can write the most passionately about. However, your college essay ideas must ultimately share more about you and why you belong on that university’s campus. 

When it comes to choosing good college essay topics, carefully read all the prompts. Is there one that jumps out to you? If so, that’s the best choice for you! If you’re considering various prompts, do a short brainstorming exercise for each prompt. Whichever prompt evokes the most meaningful experience that is an authentic representation of you should be your topic. 

Here is more advice from a student at Harvard on writing your best college essays as well:

What makes a great college essay? Most importantly, across college essay topics, your essays need to be personal, specific, and honest. Excepting short essay topics that ask for a list, normally your essays shouldn’t simply list accomplishments or experiences. Follow the classic writing adage when planning and writing out your best college essay ideas: show don’t tell. Consider anecdotes that highlight who you are. Use those stories as a foundation to craft your essays.

What should you not write in a college essay?

When it comes to good college essay topics, the sky is certainly the limit. And, since essays are so personal, good college essay topics will usually be quite varied. However, there are certain college essay ideas that you should stay away from.

Here are 5 college essay topics to stay away from: 

1. generic topics.

For example, admissions experts note that writing about sports injuries usually doesn’t go over well. Additionally, some sort of “big game” essay usually doesn’t land in quite the way students might imagine either. There is usually too much time spent on the game rather than on a student’s personal growth. But most often, sports-related obstacles tend to center around clichés (never giving up, the happiness of winning, the sadness of losing, team camaraderie, etc.). Predictable essays won’t make the biggest impact on admissions.  

2. Dramatic life events

For some students, this will work. However, don’t try to create some grandiose event in order to write a jaw-dropping essay. In fact, some of the best college essay ideas come from everyday experiences that shape the writer. That is to say, essays should highlight not simply what happened to you, but your responses to those experiences. With that said, if you can convey personal growth and positive change through a difficult life event, go for it.

3. Highly personal topics

This relates to the previous point. Indeed, most good college essay topics are pretty personal. However, there’s a line that shouldn’t be crossed. For example, overly personal stories about mental health should generally be avoided, especially unprocessed trauma. While admissions can’t discriminate against you based on these topics, it’s usually a hard topic from which to craft a successful essay. Of course, we’re sure it’s been done. But, your best bet is to choose one of the many other good college essay topics that you’re sure to have.

4. Anything related to alcohol, drugs, or illegal behavior

This may seem blatantly obvious but certainly don’t talk about wild parties with illegal activities (and certainly don’t partake!). You should refrain from talking about your personal experiences with these themes in your college essays. However, if you are close with someone affected by these, that could be a plausible essay topic—but write carefully. Again, it’s probably safest just to take these topics out of the running.

5. High school gossip

This topic is going to make it hard for you to shine. Avoid any type of topics that relate to high school gossip. College admissions officers won’t be impressed, and it will be hard to come off as anything other than immature and superficial. Remember that your college essay will show what you are going to bring to campus. Certainly, admissions officers don’t want to bring this type of culture to their campuses. 

How to write your best college admission essays

Writing college essays is a huge part of the college application process. Of course, most admissions teams use a holistic review process, considering everything from GPA to extracurriculars to essays. Even so, essays are truly of utmost importance, as they are your personal account of your personality and life story. However, rather than stress about college essay ideas, look at it as an opportunity to share more about yourself. 

Here are 5 college essay tips for writing your best college admission essays: 

1. carefully choose your prompt.

You’ll be hard-pressed to write passionately about a topic that doesn’t genuinely excite you. So, carefully consider the prompts you’re given before drafting your essay. Choose the one that most calls to you. 

2. Tell your story

Good college essay topics will tell a story that would tell a total stranger more about you, your values, passions, and experiences. Get creative when it comes to telling a story in your essays. Hook the reader from the start and impress with your writing abilities. 

3. Answer the prompt

Anecdotes are great for writing personal, unique, and meaningful college essays. However, they absolutely need to be pertinent to the prompt at hand. Make sure that you comprehensively respond to the prompt. 

4. Start early

A lot of the stress that comes with college essays has to do with rapidly approaching deadlines. Be sure to give yourself ample time to complete your essays. You’ll need time to brainstorm, draft, revise, and edit. That’s in addition to completing the rest of the application! Ideally, start the summer before your senior year. 

5. Pay attention to grammar and mechanics

Being creative and telling a meaningful story is important when it comes to college essays. However, don’t forget that your grammar should be impeccable. Be sure to thoroughly revise and edit your essays. And, have someone else take a look at them too! An extra pair of eyes can help greatly when it comes to fine-tuning and perfecting your essay in its last stages. 

College Essay Topics Takeaways

In this guide, we’ve looked at many different college essay topics such as the personal statement, unique essays, short essays, and more. We also discussed how to structure the best college application essay format for different prompts. 

In order to craft the best college essay ideas and the best college admission essays, you should read many college essay examples. Studying college essay examples can help you when considering how to start a college essay. Remember you shouldn’t try to copy the stories from these college essay examples. Rather, use them as inspiration to tell your own story.

Are you sharing the impact of your gap year , explaining how you chose your major , or writing a why this college essay ? Whatever you’re talking about, reading successful essays will help you learn how to write better essays. And if you can write better than other applicants, then you’re sure to impress admissions.

At the end of the day, remember that there is no definitive college application essay format. Of course, there are certain things that most successful essays do. However, don’t get stuck on nailing one specific college application essay format. Rather, focus on self-reflection and personal growth when choosing your topics and which anecdotes to include. And, if you need some help along the way, CollegeAdvisor Admissions Experts are here to guide you in writing your best college essays!

This article was written by Sarah Kaminski and advisor, Alex Baggott-Rowe . Looking for more admissions support? Click here to schedule a free meeting with one of our Admissions Specialists. During your meeting, our team will discuss your profile and help you find targeted ways to increase your admissions odds at top schools. We’ll also answer any questions and discuss how CollegeAdvisor.com can support you in the college application process.

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Essay Prompts for College

Most common essay prompts for college.

Bonus Material: Download 50+ Real Supplemental Essays

If you’re gearing up for the college application process, you already know what you likely have ahead of you: not just a personal statement, but supplemental essays for most of the schools you’re applying to. 

These application essays are crucial and can tip the scales in your favor when admissions committees make the decision about whether to send you an acceptance letter. 

But did you know that many schools share extremely similar supplemental essays? By reading our guide below, you can know what to expect–and you can even save yourself time and effort by efficiently reusing your supplemental essays. 

Saving time and effort isn’t just a nice bonus: it lets you dedicate your resources to crafting better, more compelling, more successful essays. And, at the end of the day, it means better chances of admission to your dream school. 

Download 50+ Real Supplemental Essays

Jump to section: “Main essays:” the Common App essay prompts  “Main essays:” The University of California PIQs Why should you categorize the supplemental prompts? The “Why us” essay The Academic interest essay The Extracurricular essay The Community essay The Diversity/Identity essay The “Creative” essay Next steps

“Main essays:” the Common App essay prompts 

For most of you, the Common App essay will be your “main essay,” meaning it’ll go to just about all of the schools on your list. The vast majority of schools accept the Common App for college admissions applications, so you’ll be writing one long personal statement in response to one of the Common App’s 7 prompts. 

In addition, you’ll have to write supplemental essays for each school, which is what most of this blog post will focus on. To skip straight there, you can click here: Why should you categorize the supplemental prompts?

Below are the 7 Common App prompts, which tend not to change from year to year: 

• Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.
• The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?
• Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. What prompted your thinking? What was the outcome?
• Reflect on something that someone has done for you that has made you happy or thankful in a surprising way. How has this gratitude affected or motivated you?
• Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others.
• Describe a topic, idea, or concept you find so engaging that it makes you lose all track of time. Why does it captivate you? What or who do you turn to when you want to learn more?
• Share an essay on any topic of your choice. It can be one you’ve already written, one that responds to a different prompt, or one of your own design.

“Main essays:” The University of California PIQs

While there are a few scattered schools that don’t take the Common App, the biggest of these are the University of California schools, all of which share one application that’s totally different from the Common App. 

Instead of writing one “main essay” and then additional supplements, you’ll have to respond to four “Personal Insight Questions,” all with the same word counts (a max of 350 each) and importance. Your responses will go to all of the UC schools you apply to. 

We’ve also written a dedicated guide on how to answer all of the UC PIQs, with examples of real successful responses that you can check out here . 

The UC PIQ prompts from 2023-2024 are listed below.

• Describe an example of your leadership experience in which you have positively influenced others, helped resolve disputes or contributed to group efforts over time. 
• Every person has a creative side, and it can be expressed in many ways: problem solving, original and innovative thinking, and artistically, to name a few. Describe how you express your creative side.  
• What would you say is your greatest talent or skill? How have you developed and demonstrated that talent over time?  
• Describe how you have taken advantage of a significant educational opportunity or worked to overcome an educational barrier you have faced.
•  Describe the most significant challenge you have faced and the steps you have taken to overcome this challenge. How has this challenge affected your academic achievement?
• Think about an academic subject that inspires you. Describe how you have furthered this interest inside and/or outside of the classroom. 
• What have you done to make your school or your community a better place?  
• Beyond what has already been shared in your application, what do you believe makes you a strong candidate for admissions to the University of California?

As you read on, you’ll notice that lots of these prompts actually overlap with common supplemental essay topics–meaning you can reuse your UC PIQ answers for other schools!

Why should you categorize the supplemental prompts?

Although two different schools’ essay prompts might be worded differently, you can often see that they’re basically asking the same kind of question. In reality, there are a few incredibly common kinds of supplemental prompts that recur frequently across different universities. 

This matters for two main reasons. 

The first is simple: if you can identify what kind of prompt each one is, you’ll be able to understand what the admissions officers are looking for. For example, let’s say you clearly identify that one of Dartmouth’s supplemental prompts falls into the “Community” category. Then, you’ll be in a better position to give them the kind of response they’re looking for. 

The second reason is simply that treating lots of these supplemental prompts as the same types of prompts will save you tons of time. How? If you’re smart, you can recycle the majority of your school-specific supplemental essays and use them for multiple schools without rewriting most of the essays. 

To be clear: you’ll still almost always have to tweak the essay, adding in some school-specific details or adjusting the word count. But by using our breakdown of common college essay prompt types, you can prepare a template for each one, using the same template across multiple applications. 

Read on below for a detailed list of what types of essay prompts commonly recur across universities. You can also click the button below to download a collection of the prompts provided last year by 50 of the top universities. 

Here are the most common types of supplemental essay prompts:

The “Why us” essay

The academic interest essay, the extracurricular essay, the community essay, the diversity/identity essay, the “creative” essay.

This is one of the most common types of supplemental college essay prompts. If you’ve started doing your research, you’ve probably seen that lots of colleges ask a question that basically boils down to: “Why do you want to come to our university specifically?” 

Below, take a look at a few prompts that all fall into this category so you can see what we mean about how commonly this one comes up: 

Please briefly describe why you are interested in attending Tulane University. This statement should be 500 words at most; however, it is neither necessary nor expected that you reach this maximum length. We strongly encourage you to focus on content and efficiency rather than word count. While submitting this prompt is optional, we recommend that all applicants do so. (500 words) What is it about Yale that has led you to apply? (125 words) Why are you interested in applying to and attending Swarthmore? (250 words)

Despite radically different word counts, these are clearly the same question: why us? The bad news is that although this question type is really, really common, many students approach it incorrectly.

The good news? We’ve actually written a detailed post that breaks down everything you need to do to answer the “Why us?” prompt perfectly here. 

If you want a detailed guide on how to approach that essay, check out that link. 

Here, we’ll cover briefly what admissions officers want to see from you when they ask “why us?”

• Specific elements of their school’s curriculum, programs, or culture that appeal to you. 
• How your values and experiences make you a good fit for those specific aspects of the school. 

In a nutshell, this essay is 50-50: it’s half about why you like the school, and half about why they ought to like you. 

You should create a standard template for this essay, then add specific details for each individual school on your list to ensure that the essay is tailored to every university. 

This essay can come in one of two main forms, but the question is the same: what are you interested in, why, and how will you pursue that interest at college?

Take a look at a few different-looking examples below:

Most students choose their intended major or area of study based on a passion or inspiration that’s developed over time – what passion or inspiration led you to choose this area of study? (300 words, Carnegie Mellon University) Describe how you plan to pursue your academic interests and why you want to explore them at USC specifically. Please feel free to address your first- and second-choice major selections. (Approximately 250 words) Brooks School of Public Policy: Why are you drawn to studying public policy? Drawing on your experiences, tell us about why you are interested in your chosen major and how attending the Brooks School will help you achieve your life goals. (650 words, Cornell School of Public Policy)

The questions all look a little bit different, but don’t be fooled: they’re all the same. And here’s why it matters to keep it in mind: even though CMU, unlike USC and Cornell, doesn’t ask how you’ll pursue your major, they still want to know. 

Any time you’re asked about your major and/or your academic interest, the university is looking for you to provide three things: 

• A description of what specifically interests you. 
• An explanation (or better yet, a story!) for why it interests you. 
• A brief discussion of how you’ll pursue that interest/major at their university. 

The level of detail will vary depending on word count, but the objective is the same: answer what, why, and how. 

Not sure how to frame your intellectual interests in a way that’s appealing to admissions officers? Our college essay coaches are experts who can help you do just that: reach out to us now to get connected with a personalized mentor!

This one is straightforward, and, like the above, super common. In a nutshell, colleges will want to hear you describe in greater detail one of your extracurricular activities/experiences. Most students use this to go into more detail about one of the things listed on their Common App or UC activities sections, often choosing the activity that’s most unusual or most impressive. 

Here are a few sample prompts to help you identify what this looks like: 

Briefly elaborate on an activity, organization, work experience, or hobby that has been particularly meaningful to you. (150 words, Princeton) Briefly elaborate on one of your extracurricular activities, a job you hold, or responsibilities you have for your family. (50 words, Stanford) Briefly (approximately one-half page, single-spaced) discuss the significance to you of the school or summer activity in which you have been most involved. (½ page, Georgetown)

As you can see, these tend to be shorter prompts, sometimes even being just short-answer questions, as in Stanford’s case. In any case, the goal is the same: describe something you’re involved with in an interesting and engaging way.

A word of advice: you really should pick something unusual and/or something in which you’ve attained notable success. Bonus points if this activity, whatever it is, is fundamentally altruistic. 

All these essays should contain the following components:

• A story or anecdote about the activity. 
• A discussion of why it matters. 

Don’t get too hung up on “what” here: college admissions officers don’t really want to hear the boring details about your exact role or club elections. They’d much rather hear an interesting story combined with a thoughtful reflection on why this activity is important to you. 

While academics are a huge part of college, so is the idea that you and your fellow students will form a cohesive, inclusive, and productive learning community. As a result, many colleges will present you with a supplemental essay prompt that asks you to reflect on community: what do you look for in one, what do you bring to one, what do you think one needs?

These essays should be taken seriously–often, the colleges that ask this question do so because they place a particular emphasis on building strong communities of students. Even students with jaw-dropping academics might find themselves rejected by elite universities if admissions officers don’t see those students as a good community fit. 

Take a look below for some examples of “Community” prompts from last year: 

Reflect on a time when you have worked to enhance a community to which you feel connected. Why have these efforts been meaningful to you? You may define community however you like. (400 words, Yale) What is your sense of Duke as a university and a community, and why do you consider it a good match for you?  If there’s something in particular about our offerings that attracts you, feel free to share that as well. (250 words, Duke) How will you explore community at Penn? Consider how Penn will help shape your perspective and identity, and how your identity and perspective will help shape Penn. (150-200 words, UPenn)

One thing you might notice from the above examples is that the “Community” prompt tends to be a staple of especially selective or elite universities. Which makes sense: these schools receive thousands of applications with amazing test scores and GPAs, so they’re really looking for something else to differentiate their applicants. 

A few quick pointers on this kind of prompt: 

• Offer at least a brief definition of what “community” means to you. 
• Use an anecdote/moment from your life to provide a specific example of how you’ve been an engaged community member in the past. 
• You might want to check out our post on the “Why us?” prompt here , which also offers further guidance on how to research community offerings at universities. 

Last year, 25 of the top universities in the US asked some version of the Community prompt. For more examples of what those prompts looked like and what schools asked them, check out our free collection of last year’s essay prompts below. 

And, if you need someone to guide you through the process of writing this kind of essay, there’s nobody better than one of our college essay experts , who have all successfully navigated the college application process themselves. 

A similar essay prompt to the Community essay is one that asks about your identity and background, often through the lens of diversity. 

Quite often, this question is linked to ideas of community. What makes it different is its focus on you: where do you come from, and how has that shaped how you view the world?

Take a look below for a few samples of what this kind of prompt can look like: 

As Georgetown is a diverse community, the Admissions Committee would like to know more about you in your own words. Please submit a brief essay, either personal or creative, which you feel best describes you. (1 page, Georgetown) The process of discovery is best advanced when people from diverse backgrounds come together to solve the greatest challenges in their fields. How do your past experiences and present-day perspectives inform who you have become and how you navigate the world? (200-250 words, California Institute of Technology) We seek a diverse student body that embodies the wide range of human experience. In that context, we are interested in what you’d like to share about your lived experiences and how they’ve influenced how you think of yourself. (250 words max, optional, Duke)

As you can see, these essay prompts can have different angles. Some simply ask the terrifyingly broad question of “who are you?” Others focus on “lived experiences,” which is a way of asking about how your life has been shaped by your identity and what you’ve gone through. 

If you’re a student who strongly relates to a particular aspect of your identity–this might mean identifying as part of a marginalized or minority group, being a member of the LGBTQ+ community, or simply having any other identity that has profoundly shaped you–this is the perfect essay prompt for you to expound on why that identity is important to you and what it means for your worldview.

While this prompt can sometimes be an optional one, it often isn’t. Some students, especially those who don’t strongly identify with a particular identity or group, find this prompt especially intimidating. But you really shouldn’t: you are who you are, and you should interpret these prompts broadly so that you can write about an identity/worldview that is true to who you are. 

• Interpret this prompt broadly, making it fit your understanding of “identity” or “diversity”
• Absolutely use real moments from your life in your response to this prompt
• Feel free to connect your identity to your views on community, social issues, or education more broadly. 

While the majority of supplemental essay prompts you’ll see during the college application process will fall into one of the above categories, some schools will present you with odd, unusual, or creative prompts. 

Whether you view this as a fun opportunity to flex your creative writing skills or as a burden will really depend on how comfortable you are taking risks in your writing. The positive spin is that these essay prompts allow you to get outside the box a bit. The negative side is that these essays aren’t generally recyclable for other schools–you’ll have to write these from scratch. 

To see what we mean by the “Creative” supplemental essay, take a look at a few of the prompts below. Note that these tend to change each year, so the examples below are from the 2022-2023 application cycle. 

Was it a cat I saw? Yo-no-na-ka, ho-ka-ho-ka na-no-yo (Japanese for “the world is a warm place”). Moze jutro ta dama da tortu jezom (Polish for “maybe tomorrow that lady will give a cake to the hedgehogs”). Share a palindrome in any language, and give it a backstory . (UChicago, 1-2 pages) What advice would a wisdom tooth have? (UChicago, 1-2 pages) Write a short thank-you note to someone you have not yet thanked and would like to acknowledge. (We encourage you to share this note with that person, if possible, and reflect on the experience!) (UPenn, 150-200 words)

As you can see, these prompts don’t really fit into a category–the whole idea is that they’re unusual. UChicago in particular is famous for having these creative prompts, all of which change yearly. 

Because these essay prompts are by nature so different, it’s hard to give generalized advice on them. 

A few rules of thumb to keep in mind: 

• Don’t try to reuse other supplemental essays if they don’t fit the prompt. It’ll be clear to admissions commissions that you’re not really answering the question.
• Feel free to get creative and take risks. It’s what they’re asking for, after all. 

But, really, because these essays are so unusual and tough, the best way to be sure you’re handling them well is to work with an expert college essay editor. Reach out to us now to get paired with an essay coach who has not only helped students like you, but has successfully navigated the college application process themselves. 

Now, it’s time to check out the schools on your own list and start planning on how to tackle their supplemental prompts. 

Identify what schools you’re interested in, then put together a list of all the supplemental prompts. Then, categorize those prompts according to our guide above so that you can more efficiently address each one, reusing parts of your essay where it makes sense to do so. 

A great resource to start with is our spreadsheet of the Top 50 Supplemental Prompts asked by colleges. Although that list is from 2022-2023, the majority of these supplemental prompts don’t change much from year to year, so you can use these to predict what you’ll likely be asked this year. 

If you get started and realize you might need some extra support, reach out to our expert essay coaches–at PrepMaven, we’ve helped countless students get into schools like Princeton, Harvard, and UChicago. 

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25 Creative College Essay Prompts

In case that colleges don't provide creative college essay prompts we've listed 25 creative college essay prompt to help you write your best possible personal statement:

1. Describe an experience where you were unsuccessful in achieving your goal. What lessons did you learn from this experience?

2. Think back to a situation in your life where you had to decide between taking a risk and playing it safe. Which choice did you make? What was the outcome of your choice? Would you have made the same decision looking back on the experience or would you have made a different decision?

3. What movie, poem, musical composition, or novel has most influenced your life and the way that you view the world? Why?

4. Describe an experience that forever changed your life and your outlook on life.

5. Why have you chosen to spend the next four years of your life in college?

6. What do you plan on doing after you graduate from college?

7. As of right now, what do you see as your long-term goals in life?

8. If you were given the ability to change one moment in your life, would you do so? Why or why not? If so, what moment would you change and why?

9. Presuming there was only one open admission spot remaining, why should this college choose to accept your application and not that of another student?

10. What would you describe to be your most unique or special skill that differentiates you from everyone else?

11. Describe some tasks that you have accomplished over the past two years that have no connection to academic studies.

12. If you had the chance to have a 30-minute conversation with any person in human history (either living or deceased), who would be the person you choose? Why? What topics would you discuss with this person?

13. If you could be any animal in recorded history, what animal would you choose? Why?

14. If you were given the capability to travel back in time to any period in history, where would you head to and why?

15. What do you consider to be the best advice you ever received? Who gave you that advice and did you follow that advice or not?

16. What do you consider to be the most important political or social movement of the 20th century? Why?

17. What advice would you offer to a student just beginning his/her high school career?

18. Devise a question that is not on this college admission form and provide a complete, thoughtful answer to it.

19. Choose one quotation that defines who you are and explain why that quotation describes you so well.

20. How has the neighborhood you've grown up in molded you into the person you are today?

21. Imagine that you have written a 400-page autobiography of your life to this point. What would page 150 of that autobiography say?

22. Choose the invention that you think has had the most negative impact on our world and explain why you chose that invention.

23. If you had the ability to read other people's minds (a.k.a. telepathy), would you use this ability or not? Why?

24. Tell a story that directly or indirectly illustrates the type of person you are.

25. Describe the most embarrassing moment of your life and explain what you learned from that experience and how it has made you a better or stronger person today.

The 25 creative college essay prompts listed above should give you a starting point to write your own personal statement. The personal statement is used by most colleges to help them evaluate the type of person you are, which can help differentiate yourself from other applicants who have similar academic backgrounds to yours. By considering the 25 creative college essay prompts above, you can be more prepared to write an engaging personal statement that will let your personality shine through and will help you to be accepted into the college of your choice.

335 Unique Essay Topics for College Students [2024 Update]

The success of any college essay depends on the topic choice. If you want to impress your instructors, your essay needs to be interesting and unique. Don’t know what to write about? We are here to help you!

Our specialists will write a custom essay specially for you!

In this article by our Custom-Writing.org team, you will find 335 interesting essay topics for college students. We’ve also included some helpful tips on choosing a topic that will make your essay stand out.

• 🔝 Top 10 College Essay Topics
• 📋 How to Choose a Topic
• 🧑 Personal Essay Topics
• 🖌️ Descriptive Topics
• 🏺 Narrative Topics: History
• 🔮 Creative Writing Topics
• 🎓 Topics for Various Fields
• ✍️ Topics for Different Essay Types
• 🚫 Topics to Avoid

🔗 References

🔝 top 10 essay topics for college students, 📋 how to pick a college essay topic.

There is no universal advice on picking a great essay topic. However, the tips below will surely help you avoid choosing a mediocre one. Just follow these steps:

STEP #1: Start with brainstorming.

Relax and write down everything that comes to mind. It can be related to your personal life or areas of interest.

STEP#2: Use outside sources.

If you need additional inspiration, find a list of essay topic suggestions. Pick several options that appeal to you.

STEP#3: Select a topic.

Once you have your list of possible topics, do the following:

• Review the essay instructions or prompt, if you have one.
• Exclude ideas that are not suitable or compelling enough.
• Decide which of the remaining topics you want to write about. It might be the one you are interested in or understand best.

College Essay Topics: Fields & Disciplines

Now that you know how to choose a theme for your assignment, let’s examine this list of college essay ideas. These exceptional topics are arranged by subject, so you can go right to the section that interests you the most.

🧑 Personal Essay Topics for College

• Your perfect date.
• Settling an argument.
• What’s usually in your bag.
• Your most memorable purchase.
• What your upbringing was like.
• One quote that inspired you the most.
• What you do to make the world better.
• Where you want to spend your life.
• When the effort was worth the result.
• An unusual feeling you’ve experienced.
• A life-changing adventure. There are many ways to write about adventure in an essay . You can describe an interesting situation from your own life or one experienced by another individual, perhaps a famous figure.
• Positive and negative leadership examples. Typically, essays on leadership describe a specific person or a situation. A more interesting perspective on this subject is highlighting episodes of disastrous leadership. Some examples include the expansion of fascism after World War I or exploitation under European colonialism .
• Decision making. Both mundane and monumental, earth-shattering decisions make great essay topics. You can choose a situation and describe what the decision-maker did correctly or incorrectly.
• Deciding what to wear today. This might be the most mundane decision that everyone makes daily. However, just because it’s so ordinary, it might yield a fascinating college essay if explored thoughtfully.
• President Truman’s decision to drop atomic bombs on Japan. This decision may have been the most significant of human history. It marked the introduction of a technology that could annihilate the human race. This decision may have been the most significant of human history. It marked the introduction of a technology that could annihilate the human race.
• Purchasing decisions in the supermarket. Similarly, everyone decides what to eat several times every day. In an essay on this subject, focus on the most interesting factors influencing grocery shopping decisions.
• Picking a book to read. According to The Atlantic, an average modern American reads fewer books than at any earlier time in history. With this in mind, consider writing an essay on selecting a book to read. This is particularly interesting when you recognize that more books are being published nowadays than ever before.
• Childhood experiences as behavioral drives. An analysis of childhood experiences can help interpret individual character traits. Any challenge and achievement play a part in the formation of behavioral drives. You can discuss them in the context of one’s mental development .
• Parenting styles and motives. Everyone knows that the role of parents in children’s lives is crucial. For your essay, you can choose to evaluate specific approaches to interacting with a child. Obtain reliable data about a child’s habits and find correlations with social adaptation principles.
• Problem-solving skills in everyday life. Problem-solving skills allow a person to overcome challenges. You may assess these skills from your perspective. This essay can also highlight the traits that enable you to cope with difficulties.
• Negotiation skills and conflict resolution attainments. The ability to compromise is a valuable personal quality. It can be helpful in different areas of interpersonal communication. In your paper, analyze ways to enhance this skill for successful conflict resolution.
• Bill Gates’ initiative to create Microsoft and change the world. Thanks to Bill Gates , computer technologies became available to everyone. Assessing his career path can help identify specific components of success. What valuable lessons can we learn from him?

🖌️ Descriptive Essay Topics for College Students

• What your hometown is like.
• What you dislike about the Internet.
• If emotions were personified.
• How you experience art.
• Holiday season and nostalgia.
• Your personal teaching experience.
• How regular workout makes you feel.
• The impact of music on your body.
• National holidays in different countries.
• Traditions you observed around the world.
• Marriage: then and now. In bygone eras, most children were born within wedlock. In the contemporary world, fewer marriages take place than before. What are the reasons behind it?
• Pressure on women to marry. In the past, women were coerced into marriage more forcefully than men. Unfortunately, this tendency remains in many societies even today. You can choose this topic to investigate sexism in everyday life.
• Sports in your life. Everywhere in the world, fans fervently adore sports . It’s a spectacular subject for an essay, no matter if your tone is serious or lighthearted.
• Football : pros and cons. An essay about this popular American sport will surely spark your readers’ interest. For instance, you may explore the long-term health risks associated with concussions.
• Basketball as a global sport. After soccer, basketball is the most rapidly growing sport globally. Your basketball essay could delve into the geopolitical implications of this newly globalized sport.
• What is love ? It is the quintessential human emotion , and that’s why it’s a timeless topic for any writing assignment.
• Happiness and how to achieve it. Love and happiness go together, so it is no surprise that happiness is a fruitful writing topic . You can choose to concentrate on pursuing happiness, simply being happy, or anything else.
• The 19 th century origins of Christmas carols . You could write about the origins of Christmas carols, most of which date back to the 19 th century. Before that, Christmas songs were restricted to church hymns .
• Christmas carols around the world. Every country with a significant population of Christians celebrates Christmas uniquely, making the global diversity of Christmas carols one of the more interesting essay topics.
• Personal feelings evoked by Christmas carols. Once again, you can focus on your personal experience. Simply describe how Christmas carols make you feel. feel.

🏺 Narrative Essay Topics for College Students: History

• The life of Socrates.
• Nero and the Roman Empire.
• Everyday life of Puritans.
• Events of Mexican-American War.
• Life during the Great Depression.
• Women in Trojan War.
• The start of the Nuclear Age.
• Heroes of the Space Race.
• Pearl Harbor through the eyes of a witness.
• The fall of the Sumer civilization.
• Local heroes. You can write a fantastic college essay on a historical personality who is highly appraised in your state. What is this person’s contribution, and what makes them outstanding?
• Real-life villains. The Ivy League essays often include an analysis of notorious people’s deeds or personalities. You can write about Adolf Hitler, Joseph Stalin , Mao Zedong, Pol Pot, Josef Mengele, H. H. Holmes, Caligula, and many others.
• Influential people in any area. Your college essay can focus on some notable figures in politics, finance, science, literature, architecture, visual arts, music, sports, or pop culture.
• The most influential women. You can write about women who achieved a lot in the “men’s world.” Choose between Elizabeth I , Margaret Thatcher , Indira Gandhi, and many other renowned figures.
• Scientists who changed the world. You may write a great college essay about the contributions of Nikola Tesla, Charles Darwin , Thomas Edison , and other scientists. What areas of our lives have changed thanks to these people?
• Great conquerors and their power. Alexander the Great, Genghis Khan , Attila, and other commanders were outstanding people of their time. They expanded their territories thanks to successful military campaigns. Your essay may focus on one of these great conquerors.
• Hitler’s decision to unleash World War II . Adolph Hitler’s personality is often explored in academic works. Your paper can explore what prompted the German leader to popularize Nazism in Europe . Understanding it may help prevent the repetition of such events.
• Religious figures. Explore individuals who developed essential doctrines and spiritual teachings. Your essay may include the key ideas of people such as Thomas Aquinas and Joseph Smith Jr.
• Fighters for justice and equality. Democratic societies were significantly influenced by those who struggled for human rights. Freedom of people around the world was their primary goal. Your essay can assess the roles of Mahatma Gandhi, Nelson Mandela, or Martin Luther King Jr .
• Voyagers and discoverers. Thanks to the great explorers of the past, the world as we know it today was shaped. You can write about Christopher Columbus , Ferdinand Magellan, and others in your paper.
• Roman emperors . Ancient Rome was the greatest civilization of its time. Throughout its history, individual emperors have contributed to its prosperity. Julius Caesar , Nero, and other rulers can be the focus of your essay.

🔮 Creative Writing Topics for College Students

• A conversation with yourself from the past.
• What would life be like on a rogue planet?
• If you were an ancient conqueror.
• A children’s fairy tale.
• What if there is no money in the world?
• A new perspective on a famous story.
• If you lived in another era.
• What are animals thinking?
• A perfect world as you see it.
• A horror story in the style of Kafka.
• Detective stories . Suspense is often the key to interesting essays. You can write a unique story about a murder in a castle, a theft in your college dorm, or fraud in a famous (or fictional) company.
• The world of your fantasy. Write an outstanding college essay that describes a brave new (or beautiful) world. Your dreams, books, films, or even news you’ve heard can be the source of your inspiration.
• Stream of consciousness . It can be the most straightforward task you have ever completed. Just write about your thought, dreams, and ideas. Whatever comes to your mind! Make sure to edit it afterward.

• Description of a dystopian world. Come up with a dystopian scenario to assess contemporary vices and problems. Use descriptive words to make your essay stand out.
• A new look at traditional values. For a creative essay, try rethinking traditional values. For instance, you may provide new perspectives on compassion, charity, respect, and other essential components of a civilized society.
• A short movie script. One of the ideas is to write a short film script on any topic. This task will allow you to showcase your storytelling skills .
• The future as you imagine it. You can pay particular attention to social issues and their development. Will the situation improve in the future?
• Reporter experience. Conduct an investigation and report your findings in a creative essay. This work may include interviews, illustrations, and the analysis of issues. This approach allows moving away from traditional forms of essay writing .
• On behalf of another person. Take an opportunity to explore an issue from someone else’s perspective. For instance, you can assess the difficulties faced by people of the opposite sex. It can help analyze the problems of interpersonal communication .

🎓 College Essay Topics for Various Fields

College life essay topics.

• Making a choice. You can write your college essay about making a decision. For example, how did you choose your college? Are you happy with your choice?
• Good and bad habits . Write about the patterns that affect your academic life. How can you get rid of the unproductive ones?
• Major challenges . In your college experience essay, you can describe the major issues you have faced during your school years. How did you handle them?
• Time-management practices. College studies are often stressful. That’s why multitasking is an important skill. In your essay, explore the topic of time management. Analyze the algorithms for competent task distribution.
• Memorable events. Did you ever have a life-changing experience? You can write a perfect college essay about it.
• University life: expectations vs. reality. You can also try to imagine your future and write an essay on your expectations related to university life .
• Interaction with classmates. An interesting topic for a college life essay is building relationships with classmates. It can be helpful to study the basics of teamwork. Conflict resolution practices are also important factors of interpersonal peer communication.
• Freshman experience. You can describe it in anecdotes or conduct some research. For instance, assess the challenges and barriers that first-year students face. Then, determine optimal mechanisms to overcome them.
• Teamwork and group activities. Describe appropriate ways to communicate with people in groups. Or, you can focus on the crucial features of effective teamwork .
• Research work experience. College education involves conducting many kinds of research. They refer to theoretical training and the practical study of subjects. In this regard, you can describe your personal research experience.
• The importance of self-education. Students often face the need to study some subjects on their own. Self-education and its aspects can be an exciting topic to explore. Focus on honing individual skills and overcoming academic challenges.
• A comparison of high school and college. For many high school students, the idea of college study is different from reality. You can describe the distinctions between the two levels of education. Give personal views on the learning process and common pitfalls.

Health Topics for College Students

• Healthy eating . In the wealthiest and poorest countries on Earth, healthy eating has very different meanings. Focusing on cultural variations of healthy eating has plenty of potential.
• Fast food and its popularity. People have never eaten so much fast food as they do now. Consider writing about this interesting trend and its health implications.
• Childhood obesity as a global health issue . Because of all the high-calorie foods available today, many children in industrialized countries have weight problems. This issue has some extraordinary potential for persuasive writing.
• The problem of alcoholism . Substance abuse problems such as alcoholism have been an exemplary subject of writing for a long time. You can contemplate the implications of this problem in your college essay.
• Teen pregnancy: risk factors . In many regions of the world, teen pregnancy rates are higher than ever . The phenomenon is often associated with poverty and lower levels of education.
• Smoking in public . Should it be outlawed? Is it a public health hazard or just fundamental liberty that the government is unjustified to control or even regulate?

• Why do people smoke ? All smokers have their initial justifications for starting to smoke, so perhaps use your essay to explore one or several reasons.
• Quitting smoking . Some people use tobacco substitutes like candies or even nicotine gum. Whatever the methods are, everyone struggles when trying to overcome an addiction.
• Smoking should be banned . This is an extremely strong stance, but these are often the most entertaining essays to write.
• Smoking and mood. Studying the linkage between smoking and mood is undeniably intriguing, especially if you smoke or know a smoker.
• Dangers of secondhand smoke . When a person smokes, nearby people also breathe in many of the toxins. You could write about the moral implications or the societal and health impacts of this phenomenon.
• Smoking and cancer. Everyone understands that tobacco use is linked to cancer, so attempt to take a novel perspective if you choose this topic.
• Smoking and cardiovascular disease. Long-term smoking has been linked to heart disease and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD.) Try to convince your reader of these very clear dangers in your essay.
• Peer pressure and tobacco use. The vast majority of smokers develop this habit at a young age because their friends or acquaintances are already smoking.
• Smoking in pop culture. In the past, movies and TV shows often depicted smoking. Your essay could explore how this pattern has evolved.
• Acquiring bad habits from family members. As pointed out by a famous public service announcement from the 1980s, addictions such as smoking can run in families. You could explain the implications of it.

Ideas for College Essay on Ethics and Society

• Abortion as a controversy . You could use this topic for an abortion debate essay. Rather than taking one position, try to do your best to present different perspectives.
• The case against abortion . In writing a pro-life essay , you need to offer various reasons to oppose abortion.
• The case for access to abortion. You may also consider a pro-choice essay . In this type of abortion persuasive essay, you need to emphasize the costs to individuals and society when women are denied access to abortions.
• Shoplifting and its consequences. Your essay could explore the motivation for this practice, methods of discouraging it, or even its implications to retail businesses. Maybe you can even detail a personal story about a friend who has shoplifted .
• Domestic violence in developed countries. Violence against women and children is frequent in all societies, so you can use your essay as an opportunity to explore domestic violence .
• Types of animal cruelty . Another woefully widespread form of abuse is animal cruelty. It can range from dog fights to factory farming and everything in-between.
• Capital punishment: pros and cons. The vast majority of governments have banned this barbaric practice. When judicial systems have the authority to take lives as punishment for crimes , there are profound social implications.
• Current events analysis. If you have difficulty picking a topic, open up a newspaper or go to your favorite news website . Your next essay can be on the first article you read that captures your attention.
• History of child labor . Under this subject, you could survey the decline of child labor over time. You might also want to consider atypical counterexamples of this trend.
• Child labor laws . Child labor doesn’t occur on a larger scale because it is banned by law. Take some time to research the effectiveness of these laws.
• Child labor across the world. In this essay, try to evaluate how child labor practices vary from one geographic region to another.
• Unemployment and child labor. Sometimes, there aren’t enough jobs even for the adults in a nation, not to mention children. Consider exploring why this happens.

Environmental Issues Essay Topics for College

• Local environmental issues . Success in college essay writing largely depends on one factor: you should pick a problem you are interested in or know a lot about. For example, describe what environmental issues you and your community face.
• The most urgent ecological problems. Burning issues such as pollution, deforestation , biodiversity loss , and scarcity of natural resources can jeopardize the existence of the human race if solutions are not found. You can come up with a perfect essay on any of these challenges.
• Solutions to environmental problems. Winning college essays often include describing and analyzing efficient or inefficient solutions. You can write about emissions restrictions , the use of renewable energy sources, and so on. Why are some solutions ineffective?
• Renewable energy. Solar energy, windmills, electric vehicles, and many other solutions are implemented every year, but environmental issues persist. Your essay can answer the following questions: Why is renewable energy underused? Why is the production of electric vehicles in its infancy, although it started at the beginning of the 20th century?
• Global and political perspectives on sustainability. Some countries, especially in Western Europe, are making significant progress in developing sustainable practices. However, some states focus on gaining economic well-being or supremacy, especially in the developing world. Will the US be one of the global polluters in the future?
• Global warming and how to stop it. This is an urgent contemporary issue that deserves particular attention. An essay on a climate catastrophe may prompt readers to discuss the problem. Describe the ways to avoid adverse consequences for nature and humanity.
• Water and air pollution. Write about the impact of pollution on individual spheres of life. For example, focus on the correlation between contamination and economy.
• The depletion of natural resources. Ecological issues are often connected with natural resources. They’re essential in industrialized societies. You can discuss the depletion of these resources in your college essay.
• The issues of waste disposal. Environmental activists are concerned about severe soil pollution . They also address the negative impact of landfills on ecology. All of this shows that waste disposal is an urgent issue. Study how much of a threat it poses for humanity.
• The dangers of animal extinction. Over the past few decades, many species have become endangered . You can review this problem as a consequence of industrial development.
• Deforestation’s consequences. This topic is closely related to the issue of mass extinction. Forests are a habitat for countless species of animals and plants. What adverse effects does deforestation entail?
• The economic impact of environmental problems. Focus on financial aspects and budget spending on pollution control . You can also highlight the importance of addressing challenges associated with climate change.

Topics for Funny College Essays

• Humorous stories and personal experiences. University essay writing can be enjoyable and even entertaining. Describe some of your adventures or make up a funny story for your assignment. Be creative !
• Interesting historical facts. You can find tons of funny stories if you dig deeper into history. Many entertaining events are well-documented. Choose one and write an essay about it.
• Funny and awkward situations. All students know what it’s like to be in an uncomfortable situation. Try to describe such an event in a comical way. It will allow you to look at it from a different perspective.
• Dealing with unexpected tests. Sometimes professors don’t warn their students about upcoming tests . Did it ever happen to you? You probably didn’t enjoy these experiences. Still, why not describe them in a humorous essay?
• Your personal teaching experience . This topic is suitable for student teachers. Have you tried teaching a whole classroom of noisy children? Successful or not, these experiences make great anecdotes.
• Excessive efforts. Some students put too much effort into education. Sometimes it pays off, and other times it’s all in vain. Does it sound familiar to you? Write an essay about it!
• Poor time management. Delays, late deadlines, and other time management catastrophes can form the basis of this essay.
• Jokes on classmates. Innocent pranks help maintain a friendly environment and even serve as team building . Describe the memories of such humorous situations in your essay.
• Your professors’ jokes. Not only students but also teachers are often inclined towards humor. Occasional jokes on their part can be a good essay topic for college. Such gags can contribute to maintaining interest in a learning environment .
• Least favorite lessons. Describe the most boring or unpleasant class you can remember in a humorous manner.
• Making friends with other students. Awkward and funny situations often accompany these experiences. They can serve as a topic for a great essay.
• Unexpected praise. It’s always a pleasure to receive unexpected recognition from teachers. It’s especially gratifying when you do something well by accident or without even trying. Did anything like that ever happen to you? Then write a short story about it!

Best College Essay Topics on Gender Issues

• Machismo: what is it? How was the term coined? What are areas of life negatively affected by this phenomenon? Think about sports, politics, or popular culture.
• Gender roles in modern societies. Many Harvard essays provide answers to the following questions. How are gender roles distributed in your country, community, family? What factors led to this distribution?
• Famous feminists. Explore the contributions of Lucrezia Marinella, Anne Bradstreet, Emmeline Pankhurst, Eleanor Roosevelt , Marlene Dietrich, Alice Walker, Hillary Clinton, Oprah Winfrey, and many other renowned women.
• Men’s views on gender. Writing a good college essay involves an analysis of different perspectives. It can be fascinating to examine men’s attitudes towards gender issues .
• Matriarchy as a social system. You can write about modern societies such as Bribri or Garo. Or, you can find examples of matriarchy in the past. What about Neolithic Ages or Bronze Age ?
• Biological differences between sexes. It can be an eye-opening experience to explore physical differences between men and women. Are they that different?
• Patriarchal society in today’s world. Assessing patriarchy as a trend can help identify key stereotypes and stigmas. How can we facilitate women empowerment ?
• Workplace gender discrimination . Even today, many women struggle to get promoted due to gender stereotypes. Biased attitudes are unacceptable in modern organizations. Where do they originate from, and what should be done about it?
• Conflicts between boys and girls at school. The foundations of interpersonal interaction are laid in a collective environment. Analyze students’ behavior patterns related to interactions between boys and girls. What are the most common causes of conflicts?
• Family violence from a gender perspective. Family violence is a grave social problem. In your paper, identify the underlying determinants of domestic abuse .
• The role of women in science . Assess the contribution of women scientists from different eras. You can focus on their specific achievements and auxiliary work. Both the humanities and the sciences are suitable for analysis.
• Individual duties in parenting. The roles of fathers and mothers in families are often separated. In your essay, analyze stereotypes and behavioral patterns related to parenthood. You can use specific variables such as the time spent with children.
• Women in male-dominated occupations. Assess the performance of women in positions usually occupied by men. You can study female CEOs, firefighters, or filmmakers. What are the career prospects for women in these fields?

Titles for College Essays on Diversity

• Cultural diversity’s importance . Many Stanford essays explore issues associated with cultural diversity and how it can affect individuals, workplaces, and societies.Many Stanford essays explore issues associated with cultural diversity and how it can affect individuals, workplaces, and societies.
• Ethnic diversity in different countries. The US is one of the most conventional examples of a melting pot. How do people of different cultural backgrounds co-exist there? What challenges do they face? How do they solve conflicts?
• Variety of religious beliefs. Religion is one of the most interesting subjects to write an essay on. You can concentrate on Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Buddhism, and dozens of other religions. Scientology or Happy Science can also be excellent essay subjects.
• Diversity related to sexual identity . You can write an outstanding argumentative essay on same-sex marriages or the inclusion of issues such as transgender identity in the K-12 curriculum.
• Personal contribution to diversity development. Address the promotion of diversity as an important social phenomenon. Your essay will raise awareness of this practice.
• Children’s and adults’ views on diversity and ethnicity. This essay can highlight crucial aspects of interpersonal communication. You can pose questions from a child’s perspective. Do other people’s ethnic backgrounds play an essential role for children compared to adults?
• Cross-cultural management in modern organizations. Leaders of various companies promote this valuable practice. It’s highly relevant in today’s business environment. The trend of globalization is one of its crucial factors.
• Gender diversity in the management field. Issues related to the distribution of leadership roles are often discussed in the context of gender. In your paper, evaluate the perception of male and female managers. This analysis may reveal the existing trends and views on the issue of diversity .
• Gender diversity from a criminological perspective . You can evaluate the current situation in the legal field. Assess offenses committed by people of different genders. The proportion of female prisoners, the severity of crimes, and other essential aspects can be used as criteria for comparison. This work may help assess potential bias.
• Gender diversity in the army. Attitudes towards women in military service are interesting to discuss. In an essay, you can present distinctive opinions. Mention the importance of involving people of all genders.

Short Essay Topics for College

• Teenagers’ concerns . You can write a simple essay on the appropriate age to vote or the proper age to buy alcohol. You may also want to examine major reasons for misunderstanding between teenage children and their parents.
• Best something ever. An excellent way to start a college essay is to write about something you admire, such as your favorite movie. What can you learn from it?
• Someone inspirational. For example, why not write an essay about your favorite teacher? How did this person change your life?
• Political issues in the US. Many short college essays are concerned with political life. You can write a winning essay about Electoral College or the flaws in the US voting system.
• An abstract concept. You can define an idea in your short essay. For instance, write about consumerism and the existing definitions of this term. Which one is the most appropriate? Why?
• Modern social values . The topic refers to the shift in moral values. For example, you can discuss the roles of wealth and personal beliefs. Compare them with the values of past eras to highlight the changes.
• Contemporary addictions and methods to deal with them. Explore excessive smartphone use, gaming , and other new addictions. Include the ways of dealing with these problems.
• A management theory overview. This paper can summarize individual findings related to management. Alternatively, you can present one of the theories of business development.
• Proposal of a legal act. This topic is perfect for a law essay. For example, discuss the document’s purpose, stakeholders , and industry-specific implications. The intersection with other regulations is optional.
• A geographic location. A short essay format is convenient for a description of a specific place. You can start by providing the basic facts about it. Include its population, area, resources, and several other parameters.
• Definition of an economic term. In this short essay, analyze a term of your choice. For instance, discuss inflation , capital, clearing, or any other definition. Explain the term you’ve chosen in simple words.
• A science to study. Choosing a science to learn is a potentially daunting task. In your essay, assess any field of study you like. Describe their benefits and pitfalls. You can also mention career prospects.

Great College Essay Ideas in Visual Arts

• Historical periods in art. Your paper can dwell upon a specific era. Why did the Renaissance occur? What are the central peculiarities of Postmodernism ?
• Artists and their personalities. Countless Cornell essays on art provide insight into artists’ legacy. Your essay writing can become a fascinating process if you focus on Leonardo, Paul Gauguin, Claude Monet, Andy Warhol , Artemisia Gentileschi , or Barbara Kruger.
• Prospects of artistic forms. You can use your imagination and think of the world in the 2100s. Try to predict the movements that will become popular in 100 years.
• Masterpieces. Essay writing practice is associated with the ability to narrow topics down. You can choose a specific work for your analysis from the following list: The Birth of Venice , The Scream , Starry Night , and Girl with a Pearl Earring .
• Different genres and styles in visual art . Many distinctive genres characterize visual arts. They differ in style, period, and other aspects. In your essay, you can describe impressionism, surrealism , cubism, abstract art, and other genres.
• Mediums in visual arts. Every art form is distinguished by the use of materials. Explore the peculiarities of oil paintings, prints, or watercolors.
• Art galleries to visit around the world. You may want to choose one art gallery and describe its history. Your essay will be even more interesting if you add the descriptions of the most famous artworks found in the museum.
• How auction houses work. Numerous art pieces and collectibles are sold at auctions. One of the world’s most famous auction houses is Sotheby’s. In your paper, present the workings of an auction of your choice. Add individual examples of profitable deals from its history.
• The most expensive art objects . The cost of many classical paintings is enormous. The prices are usually estimated by qualified experts. Explore this topic in your essay and include information on the most expensive art objects.
• The comparison of classical and contemporary art forms. Art is a dynamic environment that is constantly evolving. New genres and forms of expression appear regularly. In your paper, compare classical canvases with modern means of creative expression such as graffiti . What influences the emergence of new art forms?
• Rescued artworks and their history. History knows examples of great artworks that were found centuries after their disappearance. Your essay can study several art objects saved during wars.

Conspiracy-Related College Essay Topics That Stand Out

• Space exploration . If your essay requirements concerning the topic are not too strict, you can try to answer some of the following questions. Did “a giant leap for mankind” really occur? Why was the Moon project shut down? Is there life on Mars ?
• Wealth distribution. An excellent essay for college students can focus on the allocation of resources. Is there a league of people who own or control all the resources ? How did the world’s wealthiest people earn their money?
• Secret societies of the past and present. Does the Illuminati exist? Can such a secret society persist in the modern world?
• Catastrophes and reasons behind them. Why did Titanic drown? Was the curse of the Pharaoh real? Was the Chernobyl nuclear disaster an accident , or was it an unsuccessful experiment of KGB?
• JFK’s assassination . Who killed the most loved president? Why was the investigation so inadequate? Were any other countries’ agents involved?
• Aliens among us. Does Area 51 exist? What do governments hide? With questions like these, essay writing for college students can be exciting!
• Did Adolf Hitler escape after World War II? One of the most mysterious conspiracy theories is the possible escape of Adolf Hitler. Some people believe that the Nazi leader moved to Argentina after World War II . Your essay may discuss whether his suicide was staged.
• Is HIV an experimental biological weapon against humanity? The end of the 20th century was a difficult time. During this period, a suspicion arose that HIV was a biological weapon. Pharmaceutical companies and governments were blamed for this. What caused this conspiracy?
• Did Elvis Presley fake his death? Elvis Presley , the idol of millions, passed away long ago. However, many fans don’t believe in this outcome. A conspiracy theory was born that the musician faked his death. You can explore its implications and determine what it says about American pop culture.
• 5G cell towers exposure and accusations against Bill Gates . Explore the public fears related to the potential exposure to 5G cell towers. Include the experts’ opinions and assess the role of Bill Gates as one of the promoters of fast Internet.
• Flat Earth theory and its followers. In recent years, many flat Earth proponents have emerged worldwide. In your essay, compare their arguments with officially existing data. Why is this conspiracy so widespread?
• COVID-19 conspiracy theory. Certain groups of people doubt the threat of the pandemic. They believe that the coronavirus is a fictional problem. Your essay might focus on the evidence for the virus’s existence.

Other College Essay Topics

• Personal reasons to become a nurse
• US women’s rights movements in 1850-1900
• The importance of the “knowledge utilization” concept
• Ethical responsibilities to children
• Work-life balance in employed women
• The environmental impacts of the food and hospitality industry
• Personal time management challenges
• Conspiracy theories and distrust of experts
• Brazilian business from personal experience
• Panathenaic festival: personal experience
• Social stratification in the United States
• Leadership and personal philosophy of management
• Trends in atmospheric carbon concentration over 150 years
• How business organizations value diversity
• Personal experience: how being bullied shaped me
• Automation of insurance industry: personal reflection
• Environmental trends showing improvement
• Food processor description and how to use it
• Catharanthus roseus: description and its benefits
• Racial identity based on personal experiences
• Tap dance: history and personal attitude
• How educational institutions value diversity
• National Association of Social Workers code of ethics
• Continental mountain ranges and ocean lifecycle
• Personal experiences and social imagination
• Personal ethical framework – decision-making
• Creating personal business plan
• Sustainability and waste management
• Gun violence as the social justice issue
• Ethical theory and personal morals
• Reducing emissions of carbon dioxide and other gases
• Arts and crafts movement in Melbourne
• Energy management and nuclear power plants development
• A personal code of ethics
• What’s significant about Mesopotamia geography?
• Personal budget planning: saving, investing, and donating
• Intersectionality of personal identities
• “Not so new” New World Order. Conspiracy theories
• Picture exchange communication system research
• Urbanisation impact on streams and rivers
• Savoring and flow in personal experience
• Personal leadership portrait: leadership reflections
• Researching of personal health recorder
• The notion of race through the prism of personal experience
• Students’ life in college: classes, exams, courses
• Spatial and social mobility: barriers and restrictions
• Air quality and pollution: solution measures
• Why understanding personal biases is important
• Human condition to adapt: factors
• Project management process description
• Criminal justice and workforce diversity
• The art style of Mueller analysis
• Quality measures description
• Haiti and Japan’s earthquake comparative analysis
• Ethical relativism and freedom of speech
• Common patterns of social behaviors
• Racial discrimination regarding attraction and romance
• Theory of caritative caring by K. Eriksson: description and main concepts
• Unfair treatment experience based on cultural diversity
• Madeline Leininger’s theory of culture care diversity and universality
• DNA fingerprinting technology: description and use
• Gloucester City community description
• Violence against queer community and construction of gender
• American nation’s changes after the Civil Rights Movement
• Positive things to learn from Medieval culture
• Racial tensions and immigration in California
• Solar energy: advantages and disadvantages
• The Salem Witch Trials history
• Nuclear accidents danger analysis
• Risk, expatiating on its types, classifications and methods of control
• The impact of individualism, ethnic nationalism, and class rule on society
• Television, movies, and games’ relationships with culture
• Catastrophic organizational failure in examples
• Thermal power generating plant – impact
• Racial inequality, immigration, and healthcare in the US
• Scenario investigation of waste management in Australia
• Environmental science: main principles
• The important steps that are involved in the processing of images
• COVID-19 conspiracy: critical thinking
• Climate disruption: understanding the problem and its significance

✍️ Topics for Different College Essay Types

Below you’ll find writing prompts for problem solution, cause and effect, and definition essays. There’s also a section with personal statement essay topics. Check them out!

• In a problem-solution essay , you need to introduce an issue and suggest several ways to fight it. Usually, each body paragraph describes a different solution. This essay aims to convince the audience that these scenarios are the best ways to eliminate the problem.
• In a cause and effect essay , you need to discuss a problem, its reasons, and possible consequences. It’s better to pay attention to topics that involve multiple studies of the issue (you can read our cause and effect essay guide to learn more.)
• In a definition essay , you need to explain a term, concept, or idea. Sometimes a definition is only a part of a more extensive research paper. It’s crucial to study the topic from different perspectives to provide an extended definition. Before you start working on your essay, make sure that the meaning of the word you’ve chosen is not too simple.
• In a personal statement , you write about yourself. Writing a personal statement or a transfer essay is crucial when applying to college. How do you make it a winning paper? Read our personal statement guide .

Problem Solution Essay Topics for College Students

• How can students contribute to educational system changes in the United States? Discuss student communities and their impact on college life. Do students need to have more power and control over changes in the educational system?
• Ensuring access to clean water in developing African countries. Describe the achievements of charities that aim to help countries such as Ethiopia . You may also write about the costs of technologies that filter water. What are the possible solutions with a limited budget?
• How can you help make energy cleaner? Try to think about what you can do on campus that will enable clean energy access. Decide whether it should be a part of your curriculum.
• Ways of reducing plastic waste in oceans. Research the current efforts of environmental organizations and big businesses. Then, evaluate them and find the best solution.
• Healthy eating habits among children. Think about the right age to start educating children on healthy eating . Find several possible ways to develop the proper habits without forcing children.
• How can students address sustainability and climate change? Describe your participation in ecological projects, communities, etc. You can also discuss the possible things you and other students can do without spending too much time and money.
• Ways of stopping healthcare rising costs in the United States. Highlight the current problems of the healthcare model . What measures does the government take to solve them? Try to find the best way to optimize the resources.
• Psychological support for children who suffered from violence. Research the techniques specialists use when working with children. What do you find more preferable: therapy or medication ? Suggest how we can protect children from further offenses.
• How can we provide equal chances to children who want to receive an education? For this essay, find as much information as possible about financial aid , including grants, loans, and other projects. What’s the best way to make education accessible to everyone?
• Reducing homelessness in the United States. Study the factors that make people homeless and what the government does to fight it. Then try to come up with an action plan.

Cause and Effect Essay Topics for College Students

• The effects of regular alcohol consumption on women’s health. Everyone knows that excessive alcohol consumption has highly adverse effects. In your essay, you can discuss the causes of alcoholism in women. Try to find specific information about diseases, psychological problems, and lifestyle changes related to them.
• What causes bullying among preschool children? Children might get violent due to many factors. Describe what beliefs and behavioral patterns influence their actions at preschool age.
• What are the economic effects of the 2020 lockdown ? Write about the changes in the labor market, remote jobs, and new opportunities. How did small businesses manage to survive in extreme circumstances?
• Lack of education in African countries: causes and effects. Discuss why children in some African countries don’t have access to education. Then, explain how it affects labor markets and economies. Make sure to choose only one country as a research subject.
• What will be the effects of implementing higher taxes on tobacco ? Will it inspire people to quit smoking or buy fewer tobacco products? Study the previous cases of such measures and predict the outcomes.
• How does social media affect communication in families? For this essay, research the impact of social media on family relationships. Do social media users communicate more or less with their closest relatives? on family relationships. Do social media users communicate more or less with their closest relatives?
• The causes and effects of glacier melting . Global warming, ozone depletion, and many other factors contribute to this process. Discuss how this issue influences people and animals.
• What would happen if everyone started using electric cars? Study the benefits and drawbacks of electric vehicles . You might discuss the CO2 emissions and safety.
• What are the effects of animal hunting in the United States. We can call hunting a hobby, a sport, and even an illegal activity. In your essay, describe the current laws and why people want to hunt. How do these activities influence animals’ populations?
• The causes and effects of chemical pollution in China. China is the biggest manufacturer of goods in the world. However, the waste that the factories produce becomes dangerous for its ecology. In your essay, research how chemical pollution affects the everyday life and health of the Chinese people.

Definition Essay Topics for College

• Behaviorism in psychology and philosophy. Consider writing your essay on behaviorism as a psychological movement at the beginning of the 20 th century. Additionally, you can provide a broader definition by researching behaviorism in philosophy. century. Additionally, you can provide a broader definition by researching behaviorism in philosophy.
• How can we define egoism ? People interpret human behavior and character traits in different ways. Someone who seems to be an egoist to you can seem like someone with a sense of self-worth to another person. You can provide your own viewpoint on this issue.
• What is the definition of evil ? Some people believe in eternal evil , while others see evil even in the littlest bad things that happen to them. In your opinion, what makes someone or something evil?
• Does the term “commodification” only apply to goods? In the modern world, everything has value. Discuss the moral aspects of commodification and the limits of its application.
• What is your definition of the word “endurance” ? You can compare the physical abilities of athletes and non-athletes. Don’t forget to mention mental stamina that involves dealing with psychological pressure and overcoming difficulties.
• Does the word “ambition” have a positive or negative meaning? Naturally, you can’t give a single answer to this question. Instead, you can discuss both sides of this concept in your paper.
• How can you define the word “dualism”? Describe all the meanings of the word “ dualism ” in philosophy and daily life. Don’t forget to provide your understanding of the concept. You may also explain why this term is controversial.
• What does the word “identity” make you think of? Cover all the meanings of this word. Begin with a set of qualities that defines a person. Also, you may include a psychological interpretation of the term.
• What is your interpretation of the word “justice”? Discuss the legal definition of this concept. Also, you can write about the moral aspects and the subjective meaning of the term. Describe how justice is related to rewards and punishments and its place in the modern world.
• What are your thoughts about realism ? This term is used in many disciplines. For example, it’s prominent in literature and art. In your essay, you may describe realism as a philosophical concept and its different forms and perceptions.

Themes for Your Personal Statement Essay

• Your academic credentials. When writing about your academic achievements , it is appropriate to mention the major things like your degree or courses you’ve had. It’s better to focus on the moral lessons you’ve learned rather than your grades and certificates.
• Your personality traits. A successful acceptance essay will reveal your character. Admission officers want to know who the applicants are. Every university has its specific culture, so they should make sure you can fit in.
• An event that changed your life. Of course, your college entry essay can’t be just an enumeration of character traits. Describe some circumstances where your personal qualities manifested themselves. Again, it’s best to focus on the lessons you’ve learned!
• Commitment as your character trait. Your college admittance essay should also show your dedication. Why do you want to study there? Why do you want to take the course you’ve chosen? What are you ready to do for your alma mater?
• Humor in your life. Even Harvard personal statement essays are often characterized by humor. Write about your failures in a funny way, and admission officers will see your ability to stand up and fight.
• Academic goals and ways to achieve them. Choosing a field to study is a responsible step. You can describe this process in a personal statement . Justify your choice and mention the academic skills necessary for this particular field.
• Creative writing . When applying to a course in English, it can be effective to write a poem rather than a typical description of your educational background.
• Views on society and contemporary values. You can impress the committee by discussing your opinions. One convenient approach is to focus on modern society and its values. Analyze the foundations of a particular cultural environment and assess interaction gaps.
• Professional objectives you want to achieve. Without mentioning professional goals, a personal statement will be incomplete. One effective strategy is to evaluate the desired prospects you want to achieve. They can be related to education as well as work. Pay attention to relevant resources needed to acquire optimal skills.
• Cultural background from an ethnic perspective. A personal statement can be focused not only on your academic experience but also on your cultural background . Include the basic facts about your ethnicity, parents, beliefs, family values, and other information. This way, you’ll present yourself comprehensively and impartially.
• Self-evaluation over time: personal strengths and skills. Both short- and long-term perspectives are worth mentioning. Assessing individual development and career growth can provide you with a helpful timeline.

🚫 College Essay Topics to Avoid

When it comes to college essays, some topics might produce a wrong impression or offend your audience. That is why you need to know what kind of content is not suitable for your academic writing.

Just in 1 hour! We will write you a plagiarism-free paper in hardly more than 1 hour

Here are the most common examples of the topics that you should avoid:

• Your personal life. Better leave the stories about your breakups aside. For a successful application essay, you can focus on the other areas of your life. Try to choose a topic that will show how well you are suited for the college.
• Inappropriate humor. Provocative, mean, or cruel jokes are not suitable for college essays. Your audience probably won’t consider such humor clever or funny. If you are unsure if a joke fits your task, don’t hesitate to ask your professor.
• Tragic stories. This trope is critical to avoid when writing essays about yourself. It’s okay to mention tragic events, but it’s best to avoid making a pessimistic narrative out of your paper. Instead, you can describe such occurrences as challenges to overcome and focus on the positives.
• Sensitive or controversial topics. Avoid them if you know that they may offend your readers. Politics, religion, abortions, and cruelty are not the best topics for college essays. If your assignment requires writing an essay on one of those topics, make sure you don’t make bold statements or provoke your audience.
• Cliché topics. It’s better to avoid writing about your academic achievements, volunteering, or winning a sports competition. Admissions officers and professors have read similar essays thousands of times.
• Overly narrow topics . It’s good to choose a topic that stands out because it’s not cliché. However, it becomes harder to find enough relevant information if it’s too obscure or limited. Choose a topic like this only if you are sure you will have enough data to research.
• Insulting someone. Offensiveness is a wrong approach to your assignment that creates a negative impression. It’s crucial to stay objective and professional when it comes to academic writing.
• Fancy words. Avoid overcomplicating your essay’s title and its contents. It’s also not a great idea to begin your essay with a trite quote. Instead, it’s best to prioritize logic and clear structure during writing.
• Vague topics . It will likely make your essay lack a focus, which will come off as unprofessional. Make sure to always narrow your topic down to a particular issue.
• Untrue and unrealistic topics. It might be interesting to fantasize about impossible scenarios and get creative. Still, remember that you need to support your statements with solid evidence. It’s much harder to do when you deal with unrealistic topics.

We hope these college essay topics helped you make a great choice. If you need more proposal argument essay topics, feel free to use our topic generator . Let us know in the comments what topic you’ve chosen!

This might be interesting for you:

• College Essay Writing 101—the Comprehensive Guide
• How to Write a Creative Essay: Tips, Topics and Techniques
• Descriptive Writing Exercises to Boost Your Imagination
• Terrific Essay Tools for Fast and Simple Writing
• How to Use the Right Gender-Neutral Pronouns
• How to Write an Outline That Will Earn an A+ Grade

✏️ College Essay Topic FAQ

Think about something that makes you genuinely interested. You will need to research the subject. So if you are bored from the outset, you won’t be able to do a good job and impress your readers.

A good topic doesn’t have to be very serious. It means that the subject under study should fascinate you. Then you would be able to make it enjoyable for others, too. Study something connected with your hobby, favorite author, or even a country.

To choose a good topic, you need to think about your assignment. Different issues are appropriate for argumentative, persuasive, and other types of essays. The main thing is that the subject should interest you. Your essay would be more exciting for the readers if you have fun writing it.

If you are lucky enough to choose a topic for yourself, you can have fun writing the essay. Don’t waste this opportunity! To figure out the best subject, think about your favorite things. If you want to share something with others, write an essay about it.

• Writing Tips: Thesis Statements: Writers Workshop, The Center for Writing Studies, Illinois
• Essay Introductions: UMGC, the University System of Maryland
• How to Read an Assignment: William C. Rice, for the Writing Center at Harvard University
• Thesis Statements: The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
• Essay Writing: University of Wollongong
• How to Write High-Quality Papers and Essays More Quickly: Ransom Patterson, College Info Geek
• Essay Tips from Andrew K. Strickler, Dean of Admission and Financial Aid: Connecticut College
• Essays that Worked: Hamilton College
• Popular Application Essay Topics: The Princeton Review
• Women’s Health Topics: US Food & Drug Administration
• Essay Topics: Yale College Undergraduate Admissions
• Essay Topics and Tips: College of Arts and Sciences, Lewis & Clark
• Essay Prompts: Seattle Pacific University
• Essay Questions, Undergraduate Admissions: University of Michigan
• Writing the College Essay: Babson College
• The Essay: NYS Higher Education Services Corporation
• Over 1,000 Writing Prompts for Students: The New York Times
• How to Write a College Essay: Sofia Tokar, Southern New Hampshire University
• Personal Essay Topics and Prompts: ThoughtCo
• Who’s the Most Significant Historical Figure?: The Guardian
• The Dos and Don’ts of Campus Life: CollegeXpress
• Climate Change: National Geographic
• 4 Types of Parenting Styles and Their Effect on Kids: Very Well Family
• Campus Life: What to Expect: My Future
• Gender Equality and Women Empowerment: United Nations
• 100 Creative Writing Prompts for Writers: Writer’s Digest
• 13 Benefits and Challenges of Cultural Diversity at Workplace: Hult International Business School
• 7 Benefits of Gender Diversity at Workplace: Workplace.com
• Artists: The Art History
• Art Movements: Artyfactory
• 36 of the Most Popular Conspiracy Theories in the US: Insider
• Personal Statements: University of Connecticut
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Social studies is an integrated research field. It includes a range of topics on social science and humanities, such as history, culture, geography, sociology, education, etc. A social studies essay might be assigned to any middle school, high school, or college student. It might seem like a daunting task, but...

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160 Good Argumentative Essay Topics for Students in 2024

April 3, 2024

The skill of writing an excellent argumentative essay is a crucial one for every high school or college student to master. In sum, argumentative essays teach students how to organize their thoughts logically and present them in a convincing way. This skill is helpful not only for those pursuing degrees in law , international relations , or public policy , but for any student who wishes to develop their critical thinking faculties. In this article, we’ll cover what makes a good argument essay and offer several argumentative essay topics for high school and college students. Let’s begin!

What is an Argumentative Essay?

An argumentative essay is an essay that uses research to present a reasoned argument on a particular subject . As with the persuasive essay , the purpose of an argumentative essay is to sway the reader to the writer’s position. However, a strong persuasive essay makes its point through diligent research and emotion while a strong argumentative essay should be based solely on facts, not feelings.

Moreover, each fact should be supported by clear evidence from credible sources . Furthermore, a good argumentative essay will have an easy-to-follow structure. When organizing your argumentative essay, use this format as a guide:

• Introduction
• Supporting body paragraphs
• Paragraph(s) addressing common counterarguments

Argumentative Essay Format

In the introduction , the writer presents their position and thesis statement —a sentence that summarizes the paper’s main points. The body paragraphs then draw upon supporting evidence to back up this initial statement, with each paragraph focusing on its own point. The length of your paper will determine the amount of examples you need. In general, you’ll likely need at least two to three. Additionally, your examples should be as detailed as possible, citing specific research, case studies, statistics, or anecdotes.

In the counterargument paragraph , the writer acknowledges and refutes opposing viewpoints. Finally, in the conclusion , the writer restates the main argument made in the thesis statement and summarizes the points of the essay. Additionally, the conclusion may offer a final proposal to persuade the reader of the essay’s position.

How to Write an Effective Argumentative Essay, Step by Step

• Choose your topic. Use the list below to help you pick a topic. Ideally, a good argumentative essay topic will be meaningful to you—writing is always stronger when you are interested in the subject matter. In addition, the topic should be complex with plenty of “pro” and “con” arguments. Avoid choosing a topic that is either widely accepted as fact or too narrow. For example, “Is the earth round?” would not be a solid choice.
• Research. Use the library, the web, and any other resources to gather information about your argumentative essay topic. Research widely but smartly. As you go, take organized notes, marking the source of every quote and where it may fit in the scheme of your larger essay. Moreover, remember to look for (and research) possible counterarguments.
• Outline . Using the argument essay format above, create an outline for your essay. Then, brainstorm a thesis statement covering your argument’s main points, and begin to put your examples in order, focusing on logical flow. It’s often best to place your strongest example last.
• Write . Draw on your research and outline to create a first draft. Remember, your first draft doesn’t need to be perfect. (As Voltaire says, “Perfect is the enemy of good.”) Accordingly, just focus on getting the words down on paper.
• Does my thesis statement need to be adjusted?
• Which examples feel strongest? Weakest?
• Do the transitions flow smoothly?
• Do I have a strong opening paragraph?
• Does the conclusion reinforce my argument?

Tips for Revising an Argument Essay

Evaluating your own work can be difficult, so you might consider the following strategies:

• Read your work aloud to yourself.
• Record yourself reading your paper, and listen to the recording.
• Reverse outline your paper. Firstly, next to each paragraph, write a short summary of that paragraph’s main points/idea. Then, read through your reverse outline. Does it have a logical flow? If not, where should you adjust?
• Print out your paper and cut it into paragraphs. What happens when you rearrange the paragraphs?

Good Argumentative Essay Topics for Middle School, High School, and College Students

Family argumentative essay topics.

• Should the government provide financial incentives for families to have children to address the declining birth rate?
• Should we require parents to provide their children with a certain level of nutrition and physical activity to prevent childhood obesity?
• Should parents implement limits on how much time their children spend playing video games?
• Should cell phones be banned from family/holiday gatherings?
• Should we hold parents legally responsible for their children’s actions?
• Should children have the right to sue their parents for neglect?
• Should parents have the right to choose their child’s religion?
• Are spanking and other forms of physical punishment an effective method of discipline?
• Should courts allow children to choose where they live in cases of divorce?
• Should parents have the right to monitor teens’ activity on social media?
• Should parents control their child’s medical treatment, even if it goes against the child’s wishes?
• Should parents be allowed to post pictures of their children on social media without their consent?
• Should fathers have a legal say in whether their partners do or do not receive an abortion?
• Can television have positive developmental benefits on children?
• Should the driving age be raised to prevent teen car accidents?
• Should adult children be legally required to care for their aging parents?

Education Argument Essay Topics

• Should schools ban the use of technology like ChatGPT?
• Are zoos unethical, or necessary for conservation and education?
• To what degree should we hold parents responsible in the event of a school shooting?
• Should schools offer students a set number of mental health days?
• Should school science curriculums offer a course on combating climate change?
• Should public libraries be allowed to ban certain books? If so, what types?
• What role, if any, should prayer play in public schools?
• Should schools push to abolish homework?
• Are gifted and talented programs in schools more harmful than beneficial due to their exclusionary nature?
• Should universities do away with Greek life?
• Should schools remove artwork, such as murals, that some perceive as offensive?
• Should the government grant parents the right to choose alternative education options for their children and use taxpayer funds to support these options?
• Is homeschooling better than traditional schooling for children’s academic and social development?
• Should we require schools to teach sex education to reduce teen pregnancy rates?
• Should we require schools to provide sex education that includes information about both homosexual and heterosexual relationships?
• Should colleges use affirmative action and other race-conscious policies to address diversity on campus?
• Should public schools remove the line “under God” from the Pledge of Allegiance?
• Should college admissions officers be allowed to look at students’ social media accounts?
• Should schools abolish their dress codes, many of which unfairly target girls, LGBTQ students, and students of color?
• Should schools be required to stock free period products in bathrooms?
• Should legacy students receive preferential treatment during the college admissions process?
• Are school “voluntourism” trips ethical?

Government Argumentative Essay Topics

• Should the U.S. decriminalize prostitution?
• Should the U.S. issue migration visas to all eligible applicants?
• Should the federal government cancel all student loan debt?
• Should we lower the minimum voting age? If so, to what?
• Should the federal government abolish all laws penalizing drug production and use?
• Should the U.S. use its military power to deter a Chinese invasion of Taiwan?
• Should the U.S. supply Ukraine with further military intelligence and supplies?
• Should the North and South of the U.S. split up into two regions?
• Should Americans hold up nationalism as a critical value?
• Should we permit Supreme Court justices to hold their positions indefinitely?
• Should Supreme Court justices be democratically elected?
• Is the Electoral College still a productive approach to electing the U.S. president?
• Should the U.S. implement a national firearm registry?
• Is it ethical for countries like China and Israel to mandate compulsory military service for all citizens?
• Should the U.S. government implement a ranked-choice voting system?
• Should institutions that benefited from slavery be required to provide reparations?
• Based on the 1619 project, should history classes change how they teach about the founding of the U.S.?
• Should term limits be imposed on Senators and Representatives? If so, how long?
• Should women be allowed into special forces units?
• Should the federal government implement stronger, universal firearm licensing laws?
• Do public sex offender registries help prevent future sex crimes?
• Should the government be allowed to regulate family size?
• Should all adults legally be considered mandated reporters?
• Should the government fund public universities to make higher education more accessible to low-income students?
• Should the government fund universal preschool to improve children’s readiness for kindergarten?

Health/Bioethics Argumentative Essay Topics

• Should the U.S. government offer its own healthcare plan?
• In the case of highly infectious pandemics, should we focus on individual freedoms or public safety when implementing policies to control the spread?
• Should we legally require parents to vaccinate their children to protect public health?
• Is it ethical for parents to use genetic engineering to create “designer babies” with specific physical and intellectual traits?
• Should the government fund research on embryonic stem cells for medical treatments?
• Should the government legalize assisted suicide for terminally ill patients?
• Should organ donation be mandatory?
• Is cloning animals ethical?
• Should cancer screenings start earlier? If so, what age?
• Is surrogacy ethical?
• Should birth control require a prescription?
• Should minors have access to emergency contraception?
• Should hospitals be for-profit or nonprofit institutions?

Good Argumentative Essay Topics — Continued

Social media argumentative essay topics.

• Should the federal government increase its efforts to minimize the negative impact of social media?
• Do social media and smartphones strengthen one’s relationships?
• Should antitrust regulators take action to limit the size of big tech companies?
• Should social media platforms ban political advertisements?
• Should the federal government hold social media companies accountable for instances of hate speech discovered on their platforms?
• Do apps such as TikTok and Instagram ultimately worsen the mental well-being of teenagers?
• Should governments oversee how social media platforms manage their users’ data?
• Should social media platforms like Facebook enforce a minimum age requirement for users?
• Should social media companies be held responsible for cases of cyberbullying?
• Should the United States ban TikTok?
• Is social media harmful to children?
• Should employers screen applicants’ social media accounts during the hiring process?

Religion Argument Essay Topics

• Should religious institutions be tax-exempt?
• Should religious symbols such as the hijab or crucifix be allowed in public spaces?
• Should religious freedoms be protected, even when they conflict with secular laws?
• Should the government regulate religious practices?
• Should we allow churches to engage in political activities?
• Religion: a force for good or evil in the world?
• Should the government provide funding for religious schools?
• Is it ethical for healthcare providers to deny abortions based on religious beliefs?
• Should religious organizations be allowed to discriminate in their hiring practices?
• Should we allow people to opt out of medical treatments based on their religious beliefs?
• Should the U.S. government hold religious organizations accountable for cases of sexual abuse within their community?
• Should religious beliefs be exempt from anti-discrimination laws?
• Should religious individuals be allowed to refuse services to others based on their beliefs or lifestyles? (As in this famous case .)
• Should the US ban religion-based federal holidays?
• Should public schools be allowed to teach children about religious holidays?

Science Argument Essay Topics

• Would the world be safer if we eliminated nuclear weapons?
• Should scientists bring back extinct animals? If so, which ones?
• Should we hold companies fiscally responsible for their carbon footprint?
• Should we ban pesticides in favor of organic farming methods?
• Should the federal government ban all fossil fuels, despite the potential economic impact on specific industries and communities?
• What renewable energy source should the U.S. invest more money in?
• Should the FDA outlaw GMOs?
• Should we worry about artificial intelligence surpassing human intelligence?
• Should the alternative medicine industry be more stringently regulated?
• Is colonizing Mars a viable option?
• Is the animal testing worth the potential to save human lives?

Sports Argument Essay Topics

• Should colleges compensate student-athletes?
• How should sports teams and leagues address the gender pay gap?
• Should youth sports teams do away with scorekeeping?
• Should we ban aggressive contact sports like boxing and MMA?
• Should professional sports associations mandate that athletes stand during the national anthem?
• Should high schools require their student-athletes to maintain a certain GPA?
• Should transgender athletes compete in sports according to their gender identity?
• Should schools ban football due to the inherent danger it poses to players?
• Should performance-enhancing drugs be allowed in sports?
• Do participation trophies foster entitlement and unrealistic expectations?
• Should sports teams be divided by gender?
• Should professional athletes be allowed to compete in the Olympics?
• Should women be allowed on NFL teams?

Technology Argumentative Essay Topics

• Should sites like DALL-E compensate the artists whose work it was trained on?
• Should the federal government make human exploration of space a more significant priority?
• Is it ethical for the government to use surveillance technology to monitor citizens?
• Should websites require proof of age from their users? If so, what age?
• Should we consider A.I.-generated images and text pieces of art?
• Does the use of facial recognition technology violate individuals’ privacy?
• Is online learning as effective as in-person learning?
• Does computing harm the environment?
• Should buying, sharing, and selling collected personal data be illegal?
• Are electric cars really better for the environment?
• Should car companies be held responsible for self-driving car accidents?
• Should private jets be banned?
• Do violent video games contribute to real-life violence?

Business Argument Essay Topics

• Should the U.S. government phase out the use of paper money in favor of a fully digital currency system?
• Should the federal government abolish its patent and copyright laws?
• Should we replace the Federal Reserve with free-market institutions?
• Is free-market ideology responsible for the U.S. economy’s poor performance over the past decade?
• Will cryptocurrencies overtake natural resources like gold and silver?
• Is capitalism the best economic system? What system would be better?
• Should the U.S. government enact a universal basic income?
• Should we require companies to provide paid parental leave to their employees?
• Should the government raise the minimum wage? If so, to what?
• Should antitrust regulators break up large companies to promote competition?
• Is it ethical for companies to prioritize profits over social responsibility?
• Should gig-economy workers like Uber and Lyft drivers be considered employees or independent contractors?
• Should the federal government regulate the gig economy to ensure fair treatment of workers?
• Should the government require companies to disclose the environmental impact of their products?
• Should companies be allowed to fire employees based on political views or activities?
• Should tipping practices be phased out?
• Should employees who choose not to have children be given the same amount of paid leave as parents?
• Should MLMs (multi-level marketing companies) be illegal?
• Should employers be allowed to factor tattoos and personal appearance into hiring decisions?

In Conclusion – Argument Essay Topics

Using the tips above, you can effectively structure and pen a compelling argumentative essay that will wow your instructor and classmates. Remember to craft a thesis statement that offers readers a roadmap through your essay, draw on your sources wisely to back up any claims, and read through your paper several times before it’s due to catch any last-minute proofreading errors. With time, diligence, and patience, your essay will be the most outstanding assignment you’ve ever turned in…until the next one rolls around.

Looking for more fresh and engaging topics for use in the classroom? You might consider checking out the following:

• 125 Good Debate Topics for High School Students
• 150 Good Persuasive Speech Topics
• 7 Best Places to Study
• Guide to the IB Extended Essay
• How to Write the AP Lang Rhetorical Analysis Essay
• AP Lit Reading List
• How to Write the AP Lang Synthesis Essay
• 49 Most Interesting Biology Research Topics
• High School Success

Lauren Green

With a Bachelor of Arts in Creative Writing from Columbia University and an MFA in Fiction from the Michener Center for Writers at the University of Texas at Austin, Lauren has been a professional writer for over a decade. She is the author of the chapbook  A Great Dark House  (Poetry Society of America, 2023) and a forthcoming novel (Viking/Penguin).

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How to Write the University of Maryland Essays 2023-2024

The University of Maryland does not have traditional supplemental essays, but it does have six required “complete this sentence” prompt. Your answers to these questions will need to be within 650 characters, but you’ll have plenty of space to reveal unique and distinctive parts of your personality to the admissions committee.

Make sure you give yourself enough time to craft thoughtful responses to these prompts, as you want to take full advantage of every opportunity you have to share something about yourself with the admissions officers. This unique kind of prompt presents a great opportunity to showcase something that might not be found elsewhere in your application.

Considering how competitive college admissions have become in just a few years, the more your responses stand out to admissions officers, the better your chances of admission will be.

Want to know your chances at UMD? Calculate your chances for free right now.

University of Maryland Supplemental Essay Prompts

Prompt 1: If I could travel anywhere, I would go to… (650 characters)

Prompt 2: The most interesting fact I ever learned from research was… (650 characters)

Prompt 3: In addition to my major, my academic interests include… (650 characters)

Prompt 4: My favorite thing about last Thursday was… (650 characters)

Prompt 5: Something you might not know about me is… (650 characters)

Prompt 6: Because we know that diversity benefits the educational experience of all students, the University of Maryland values diversity in all of its many forms. This includes (but is not limited to) racial, socio-economic, gender, geographical, and sexual orientation. We are interested in hearing about your own individual life experiences. In a few sentences, will you please describe how you have learned, grown, been inspired or developed skills through one or more components of diversity. (650 characters)

If I could travel anywhere, I would go to… (650 characters)

This is a very straightforward prompt. A strong response will identify a place, and share a little bit about why you’ve picked this particular place.

Keep in mind that your response should be unique to you and should teach your reader something about your personality or interests. If your answer sounds like something any random person might say, you need to work on specificity. Here are some examples to show you what we’re talking about.

Generic response: “Rome, because I’ve always wanted to see the Colosseum.”

Personal response: “Rome, because I’ve studied Latin since middle school. My father, a classics professor, spent so many happy hours teaching me how to read the works of Ovid, Virgil, Cicero, and the other greats, in their original language. Whenever we happen to pass by old churches or college buildings, we stop to read their insignias and mottos, which are most often in Latin. All these fond memories make me feel deeply connected to the Greco-Roman world, and I think that seeing historic sites like the Colosseum in person would augment the reading I’ve done and enrich my understanding of classical antiquity.” (598 characters)

The first response is very generic because just about anybody you ask would probably love to see the Colosseum. The second response answers the crucial question— why? —which should be at the core of your response. Your particular reason for choosing the place you choose is where your personality and individuality will shine through.

Obviously, the source of specificity will depend on you and your personal experiences. If you haven’t studied Latin (or if you studied it but didn’t like it), this response clearly wouldn’t work for you. Think about what truly interests you, then narrow your thinking down to places that are integral to that interest. For example, if you’re really invested in country music and its history, you might be particularly interested in visiting Nashville, the epicenter of that genre.

Finally, remember that this place doesn’t have to be a city. You could also say something like “The Pro Football Hall of Fame” or “Abbey Road Studios.” In fact, you even have the freedom to be a little more creative with your place in history. You might want to travel to a different time period entirely. The prompt posits that you can travel anywhere , but doesn’t specify that it has to be somewhere modern. Perhaps you love early R&B and disco music. You might want to travel to Detroit in the 1960s, when Motown Records was beginning to dominate those genres.

A word of caution: If you are going to get extra creative and pick a different time period, be sure to avoid generic clichés. For example, writing that you want to travel to the future—to give your future self advice, or to drive a flying car, or to see where climate change has gone, etc.—is a cliché and won’t contribute much to your application.

In terms of location, you probably shouldn’t go much bigger than a city. Saying something like “The United Kingdom” or “China” may make you sound clueless, as countries are too large and diverse to understand in their entirety with just one trip. Aiming for something too broad detracts from the specificity that a strong response to this kind of essay requires.

Rather than settling for a generic response, think about the main reason you personally want to go to this place, and narrow your response from there. Instead of “The United Kingdom,” you could write “The Scottish Highlands,” and instead of “China,” you could write “The Great Wall of China.”

The most interesting fact I ever learned from research was… (650 characters)

If you haven’t done research before, don’t worry. Most high school students haven’t done a serious research project, and nowhere does the prompt say that the research has to be yours.

Your response should show your reader that you are informed about the research that goes on at places like the University of Maryland. Of course, research is not the only thing universities do, but being surrounded by cutting-edge researchers in a wide range of fields is an opportunity that is difficult to find outside of a university campus.

We don’t mean to say you have to cite some dense, obscure study on molecular neuroscience. If that’s what you’re interested in, great! As long as your response is genuine, your chosen topic is fair game. Don’t make the mistake of writing about some deep scientific research if that isn’t what piques your interest, but be careful not to write about something too trivial either.

That being said, research is done in a vast array of subjects, so there’s no pressure to write about any one topic over another. Below are some examples of facts from a variety of fields that would work just as well as something from a hardcore STEM study.

• Consistent physical exercise throughout life correlates with better mental health in old age.
• Sea turtles use magnetoreception to find the same breeding grounds each year.
• The Egyptian pyramids have passages leading up from the burial chamber, which ancient Egyptians believed the dead pharaoh could climb through to join the gods in heaven.

Given the 650 characters you’re allotted, you should also share a short explanation of why you find this particular fact so interesting. For example, for the aforementioned sea turtle fact, you could write:

“[The most interesting fact I ever learned from research was…] sea turtles find the same breeding grounds each year with magnetoreception. Magnetoreception is a sense that allows turtles (and other animals) to perceive Earth’s magnetic field. Learning this fact made me truly appreciate nature’s diversity—turtles have an entire sense that we lack! This newfound appreciation created by one fact I just stumbled upon inspired me to embark on an exploratory journey that culminated in an internship at a local environmental center.” (467 characters, excluding the prompt’s characters)

Try to avoid picking a fact that is so long that you don’t have space to elaborate. 650 characters isn’t the largest amount of space, but simply stating your fact probably shouldn’t take up most of it. That being said, you don’t necessarily have to elaborate at a level as deep as the above example to have an excellent response. You may have a strong and thorough response with just 300 characters or so.

In addition to my major, my academic interests include… (650 characters)

The key phrase here is “in addition to my major.” Remember that you should use these supplemental prompts to share information about yourself that your reader cannot find elsewhere in your application.

So if your intended major is neuroscience, your answer here shouldn’t be “biology.” That is technically a different academic interest, but it doesn’t really tell your reader anything new. If they know you want to major in neuroscience, they can already safely assume you have at least some interest in biology.

Remember that your reader also has your high school transcript and activities list. Maybe math isn’t your intended major, but if you’ve taken AP math classes and done math camps during your high school summers, writing about math won’t be sharing something new with your reader. Your personal experiences already strongly indicate that you’re interested in math.

Your response also shouldn’t just be a list of other interests you have. A laundry list of interests won’t give the admissions committee any sense of why you’re interested in these things. The “why” is where your personality shines through. Without it, your reader won’t really have anything to take away from your response.

Now that we’ve covered what you shouldn’t do, let’s talk about how you should approach this prompt. As noted above, you want to pick an interest that is genuinely different from the things already seen in the rest of your application. As long as you’re honest, there’s no right or wrong way to do this. UMD wants to see that you’re academically inclined and intellectually curious, not that you’re only interested in one particular thing.

The second part of your response is the why . Say you’re a prospective history major and the other area you’re interested in is sports psychology. Your response might read something like this:

“[In addition to my major, my academic interests include…] sports psychology, because I was raised a diehard Miami Heat fan, and I’ve always wondered what helps some players thrive under pressure while others fold. I think that the field is interesting as it explores not only how players play, but also how they act in their personal lives in the spotlight. Even to those not interested in sports, the field is very useful in that its findings can be extrapolated and applied to society at large. After all, everyone wants to be able to perform at an optimal level.” (507 characters, excluding the prompt’s characters)

Alternatively, say you’re a prospective engineering major and you also have an interest in music theory. A strong response would be:

“[In addition to my major, my academic interests include…] music theory, because I’ve always wanted to know how movie and television composers use sound to enhance the emotional content of a scene. I’ve always been fascinated by the ways music is used to complement cinema. There are videos online in which a song is changed or removed from a scene, and something that simple can have a profound impact on the scene. I have been teaching myself guitar for four years, and even though I’m competent on a technical level, my theoretical understanding is lacking.” (501 characters, excluding the prompt’s characters)

These responses share interests that are not only not distinct from their respective majors, but that are also probably not discussed anywhere else in the application. It’s an unfortunate reality that college applications often capture only a thin slice of who you are while leaving out things like sports fandom, which may be a huge part of your personality and identity. If you can share one of those things here, your response will be all the better for it.

My favorite thing about last Thursday was… (650 characters)

Only you know what you did last Thursday, so the best advice we can give here is to not overthink your answer. Most people don’t do anything revolutionary on an average Thursday. UMD doesn’t expect you to have cured cancer on a normal day of the week. What they do expect is that you can engage with—and bring energy to—seemingly mundane situations. This is a useful skill that will help you thrive in college and beyond.

In order to address this prompt successfully, all you really have to do is describe the situation and give your reader some sense of what made it your favorite part of the day. Bear in mind that you don’t have to write about last Thursday literally. Think of something eventful that you took part in recently, but don’t feel restricted to the day mentioned in the prompt. UMD’s use of “last Thursday” is figurative. You can write about any average day that didn’t happen too long ago. No one is going to check that your event happened on a Thursday.

Here are some examples of weak and strong responses to this prompt.

Weak: “getting dinner with my friend.”

Strong: “having a picnic at dinnertime with my friend and watching the sunset. There’s nothing like munching on a DIY vegan charcuterie board and drinking sparkling cider at the golden hour. My friend and I grew up together and are as close as sisters. For years we did everything together, from shopping to cooking and from learning to swim to learning to drive. She and I used to hang out a lot before she moved, so I feel lucky whenever I get to spend quality time with her on an otherwise average day.” (495 characters)

For this particular prompt, even a few extra details—like those that are included in the strong example—can go a long way. Most people enjoy getting dinner with friends, but the strong response shows the reader why , for you personally, this particular dinner was so meaningful.

As we mentioned at the beginning of this post, 650 characters is more than you might assume. Take advantage of the space you have to make your response as personal as possible, but also don’t write more than you need to just to reach the limit. Based on the rest of your application, the admissions committee has some understanding of what you’re like in the classroom or on the basketball court. Now show them what you’re like on a regular old Thursday.

Something you might not know about me is… (650 characters)

A prompt this open-ended can be overwhelming at first. But as we advised with the previous prompt, don’t overthink your answer! This fun fact doesn’t have to be anything crazy or an attempt to impress the admissions committee—that’s what the rest of your application is for. Just share something unique to you that isn’t already discussed elsewhere in your application.

This last part about being unique is key—if your answer to Prompt 3 (the one about academic interests) was something about liking astronomy, your answer here shouldn’t be something about stargazing every night. Remember that you only have so many opportunities to share information about yourself with the admissions committee, so take advantage of each one.

That being said, you have free rein to write about pretty much anything! Below are some examples of potential topics you could respond to this prompt with. Your response also may look nothing like these, which is completely fine. We just want to get your mental gears turning by giving you a sense of what a good response might begin with.

Something you might not know about me is…

• I can do a double backflip off a diving board.
• I have every word to Taylor Swift’s album Reputation memorized.
• For my eighteenth birthday, I went skydiving and passed out in the air.
• I’ve won my fantasy football league three years in a row.
• Every New Year’s Day, my dad cracks the ice on the pond near our house and my family does a polar plunge together.

Since you have a longer character count, you should elaborate on your fun fact, whatever it may be. For example, a hypothetical student might extend the above skydiving example and write something like this:

“[Something you might not know about me is…] for my eighteenth birthday, I went skydiving and passed out in the air. As a child, I saw a show about skydiving and became so infatuated with the idea that it became the one thing I had to try. My parents were not thrilled but agreed that I could try when I was 18. The time finally came, and the plane ascended with me finally on it. I was signed up for a tandem jump where I was tethered to an instructor. We jumped, and some combination of excitement, dread, and altitude made me pass out, so I missed most of the experience! By the time I came to, we were near the ground already, so I definitely need to try this experience again someday.” (644 characters, excluding the prompt’s characters)

You might not use all 650 characters to respond to this prompt, and that’s okay. Don’t try to reach the character limit and end up rambling or writing something confusing. For example, imagine if the backflip example above read like this:

“[Something you might not know about me is…] I can do a double backflip off a diving board. One time I was at the pool and kept making the lifeguard nervous every time I did it. It ended up being fine though, because it’s a skill I had gotten really good at by then.” (221 characters, excluding the prompt’s characters)

By the end of this response, a reader might not even remember what the original fun fact was, even though it’s only 221 characters.

Finally, the examples above hopefully show that your fun fact can be just that—fun. You don’t have to be super serious with every single supplemental essay prompt you come across. A more lighthearted response can actually be a good thing—college applications are generally quite dry, so it can be a good idea to remind your reader that you’re more than a GPA and a Common App essay you’ve revised 43 times.

Because we know that diversity benefits the educational experience of all students, the University of Maryland values diversity in all of its many forms. This includes (but is not limited to) racial, socio-economic, gender, geographical, and sexual orientation. We are interested in hearing about your own individual life experiences. In a few sentences, will you please describe how you have learned, grown, been inspired or developed skills through one or more components of diversity. (650 characters)

This is one instance of the very common diversity prompt . When colleges have a diversity prompt, they want to know about your own personal background and how it has influenced your worldview and perspectives.

In June 2023, the United States Supreme Court struck down the use of affirmative action in college admissions. The ruling, however, still allows colleges to consider race on an individual basis, which is one reason many schools are now including diversity prompts as one of their supplemental essay prompts. If you feel that your racial background has impacted you significantly, this is the place to discuss that.

In general, such a common prompt can be approached with a traditional answer. You might consider answering this prompt with what you think is the most important part of your identity, then a small discussion about how that aspect of diversity is relevant to you and your general life experiences.

Such a response might be written about one of the following scenarios:

• Using your fluency in another language to help members of a specific community.
• Interpreting a text in class differently from your classmates because of your ethnic culture.
• Having a friend of a different background who has changed your perspective on something important (this speaks to the “been inspired” part of the prompt).
• Having an illness or disability that helps you view accessibility through a different lens than your peers.
• Being part of a niche interest group/fandom and trying to represent the group faithfully when talking to people who aren’t members of it.

Simply listing things that generate diversity should be avoided. Sure, diversity includes different ethnicities/races, gender identities, sexual orientations, countries of origin, and languages, but writing that laundry list out doesn’t contribute much to your application.

Also, bear in mind that the traditional markers of diversity aren’t the only ones you can discuss. There are other aspects of identity that contribute to a diverse campus, including socioeconomic classes, hometowns, illnesses/disabilities, and even interests or hobbies.

Diversity encompasses all the aforementioned attributes, but you should strive for individuality and specificity in your response. This prompt, like all the others, is an opportunity to showcase your unique life perspective. You don’t want to waste this opportunity by writing down some bland dictionary definitions. Think of what diversity means to you and what you consider to be a particularly significant aspect of diversity. From there, think of personal anecdotes or stories about how that aspect of diversity has contributed to your growth or development as a person.

Where to Get Your University of Maryland, College Park Essays Edited

Do you want feedback on your UMD essays? After rereading your essays over and over again, it can be difficult to gauge where your writing needs improvement, especially since these prompts are so short. We created our free Peer Essay Review tool to help students like you  get a free review of your essay from another student. You can also improve your own writing skills by reviewing other students’ essays. 

If you want a college admissions expert to review your essay, advisors on CollegeVine have helped students refine their writing and submit successful applications to top schools. Find the right advisor for you to improve your chances of getting into your dream school!

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Can You Answer These Bizarre (But Real) College Essay Prompts?

With the release of universities 2022-23 supplemental essay prompts, we take you through some of the most unusual and bizarre US college supplemental essay prompts of all time, featuring universities such as UChicago, Tufts University and UPenn.

To get into a top US college , you’re going to need more than stellar grades, test scores, common application and extracurricular achievements. You’ll have to demonstrate, in your supplemental essays, that you are the kind of mature, driven, interesting person that would thrive at the particular university. This is much easier said than done — standing out from the crowd with a unique college essay can be very difficult.

Luckily, over the years some colleges have given their applicants a helping hand on this point by providing some really bizarre essay prompts. These warrant truly inventive responses, and let applicants really show off their writing prowess, creativity, and individuality.

Here’s out our list of some of the most creative, unusual and bizarre supplemental essay prompts from all time. How would you have responded to these questions? Check it out below!

Bizzare Supplemental Essay Prompts in 2022

We thought that it would be a good idea to include some of the more creative supplemental essay prompts from this year’s admission cycle (2022-23). We hope that this gets the creative juices flowing and helps you get a good early start to the essays!

University of Chicago

What advice would a wisdom tooth have?

Chapman University

Name one dish you would cook for the school’s admission team.

Pomono College

Marvel or DC? Pepsi or Coke? Instagram or TikTok? What’s your favorite ‘this or that’ and which side do you choose?

University of Vermont

Which Ben & Jerry’s ice cream flavor (real or imagined) best describes you?

In approaching these essays, it's essential to keep in mind why they are important and how they add context to your application. Admissions officers at top universities look for candidates that display creativity, problem-solving and critical-thinking skills, and a unique perspective.

Interested in learning more? Attend one of our free events

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Unusual Supplemental Essay Prompts From Previous Years

When it comes to asking creative and wacky essay prompts, the University of Chicago is the leader. To come up with the best and most creative prompts, the college takes suggestions and inspiration from their own students, who are allowed to email their ideas annually. If you look on the UChicago website you can even see who submitted each essay prompt.

UChicago also allows you to answer a past prompt making these options for you to choose.

Due to a series of clerical errors, there is exactly one typo (an extra letter, a removed letter, or an altered letter) in the name of every department at the University of Chicago. Oops! Describe your new intended major. Why are you interested in it and what courses or areas of focus within it might you want to explore? Potential options include Commuter Science, Bromance Languages and Literatures, Pundamentals: Issues and Texts, Ant History…

This prompt was an excellent opportunity for students to show their creativity and humour, as well as their academic interests. The best ideas that we could find online were probably Visual Arms (Visual Arts) and Pig Problems (Big Problems).

Have you ever walked through the aisles of a warehouse store like Costco or Sam’s Club and wondered who would buy a jar of mustard a foot and a half tall? We’ve bought it, but it didn’t stop us from wondering about other things, like absurd eating contests, impulse buys, excess, unimagined uses for mustard, storage, preservatives, notions of bigness…and dozens of other ideas both silly and serious. Write an essay somehow inspired by super-huge mustard.

Have you ever written an essay about a giant jar of mustard? In 2004 UChicago applicants had their chance, and while there are absurd elements to the prompt, there are many creative and serious directions essays took.

The elusive goal of mathematics, but with no context. What is “x”, and how did prospective UChicago students find it? We’re sure the students brought in a novel discussion of a diverse array of mathematical theory, as well as philosophical and personal matters.

Elvis is alive! OK, maybe not, but here in the Office of College Admissions we are persuaded that current Elvis sightings in highway rest areas, grocery stores and Laundromats are part of a wider conspiracy involving five of the following: the metric system, the Mall of America, the crash of the Hindenburg, Heisenberg’s uncertainty principle, lint, J.D. Salinger and wax fruit. Help us get to the bottom of this evil plot by constructing your own theory of how and why five of these items and events are related. Your narrative may take any form you like, but try to keep your theory to under two pages.

If there were any conspiracy theorists applying to UChicago in 1999-2000, they would certainly have been in luck with this prompt. Who would have been the mastermind behind your evil plot?

Tufts University

If UChicago is the champ of creative college essay prompts, Tufts might be considered a close second. Check out their unique prompts below.

Kermit the Frog famously lamented, 'It's not easy being green.' Do you agree?

This prompt is inspired by a Muppets song, whereby Kermit laments how green seems to blend in with so many other ordinary things and how he thus fails to stand out from the crowd. Of course, many students in their essays took this quote in a totally different direction, demonstrating their critical thinking and creativity.

The ancient Romans started it when they coined the phrase “Carpe diem.” Jonathan Larson proclaimed “No day but today!” and most recently, Drake explained You Only Live Once (YOLO). Have you ever seized the day? Lived like there was no tomorrow? Or perhaps you plan to shout YOLO while jumping into something in the future. What does #YOLO mean to you?

Back when this prompt was released, Tufts’ #YOLO question caused quite a stir. Lee Coffin, the dean of Undergraduate Admissions at Tufts admitted that the question was inspired by his affinity for pop music and his desire for applicants to have some fun when they introduce themselves to Tufts.

It’s been said that something as small as the flutter of a butterfly’s wing can cause a typhoon halfway around the world. History is filled with such linchpins – small events or decisions that have huge effects on the future. Make your own change somewhere in history and show us the effects on the world.

This is one for fans of alternative history, perhaps invoking visions of a distorted universe where life as we know it has taken a turn for the better or worse. Again, a challenge for applicants would have been how to say something about themselves and their interests in a creative way.

University of Southern California

(Short Answer) Hashtag to describe yourself

It is common for college essay prompts to have a few short answer questions to get to know the student. For a few years starting in 2017 USC adopted a unique question, making students describe themselves with a #hashtag as they would on twitter or instagram. But what a difficult task that is - how would you describe yourself with a single hashtag?

Wake Forest University

Give us your top ten list.

Many Buzzfeed enthusiasts applying to Wake Forest in 2017-18 would have enjoyed the opportunity to make a top-ten list about anything of their choosing. What topic would you have written about, and what does this say about you?

UC Berkeley

If any of these three inanimate objects could talk, how would your room, computer or car describe you?

Imagine all of the time you’ve spent in your room, at your computer or behind the wheel; these objects might be the only things in the world that know your real identity. This question would have certainly prompted some deep reflection from UC Berkeley Haas School of Business applicants.

University of Notre Dame

You have 150 words. Take a risk.

Students could have taken this anywhere - so long as what they wrote was risky. There are even reports that some students took the ultimate risk and wrote nothing at all.

University of Pennsylvania

You have just finished your 300-page autobiography. Please submit page 217.

This is an iconic prompt that UPenn asked for about 20 years. It encourages students to consider their story, and to use this to introduce themselves to UPenn. For added realism, many students liked to start their responses in the middle of a sentence.

So, How Do I Write the Essay?

Since more than three quarters of US universities no longer require students to take standardized tests, college essays are becoming increasingly important in your application.

The key piece of advice we give to our students is to start on these essays early. If you are applying to several universities, you will have many different supplemental essays to complete, as well as the common application essay . Many of our students attest that writing all of their essays is by far the most stressful part of the application, and a part of the application that is easy to neglect.

Our other key piece of advice is to make the content of each supplemental essay very specific to the university you are applying to. You need to do your research about what each university looks for in a candidate and show a clear desire to attend that particular university.

As the world’s leading university admissions support company, we at Crimson know how to approach each supplemental essay and maximise your chances of gaining admission to a top university.

If you want to feel confident when submitting your college application essay, get your essay reviewed by us at Crimson. Our experts have assisted students who have gained admission to Harvard , Yale , Princeton , Stanford , Oxford , Cambridge and many other top universities!

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