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150 Profile Essay Topics Easy and Fun to Write

Profile essay topics are considered some of the most engaging assignments students usually get.  Writing profiles is an exciting process because you receive a chance to explore something on a deep level, but the problem is, there are lots of things that should be taken into account before you can even think about success. Profile essay is an informative type of writing where you provide your readers with a clear description of someone or something, be that a person, a character, an event, or even a place.

Such papers have two major features: they should have lots of vivid details and they must flow smoothly. Whatever profile ideas you choose, you should write in a specific style. It must be descriptive, objective, and engaging, instantly attracting readers’ attention and holding it until the very end. But first, you have to understand what exactly you’re going to be profiling, and here’s where you might need some help. Not all themes will be interesting, just as not all of them will inspire you to start writing. We have prepared a list of essay topic samples that students may use for any subject.

Getting Good Profile Essay Ideas

How to choose a topic for profiling? There are many options, but sometimes it feels like none of them work. If nothing immediately comes into your mind, don’t worry — start with general tips before narrowing them down to something more specific.

• Look through samples of profile essays.  Before deciding on a topic, take a look at similar papers published online. Check example after example, noting down what other people decided to explore and letting it stimulate your own ideas. This way, you’ll get inspiration as well as gain an inkling as to what kind of profile essays you’d prefer to work on.
• Consider subjects.  Think about what you like. Are there topics you find genuinely inspiring? Maybe there is a family member or a friend who you love and want to describe. Perhaps there is a movie character that haunts your thoughts, and a profile essay is a chance to understand them even better. If it’s an intriguing historical event or a place you dream of visiting, it’ll result in an exciting paper, too, so consider your surroundings and decide on the best profile ideas.
• Prepare for an essay thoroughly.  If you think you’ve chosen suitable topic, start collecting information about this subject. In case this is a place, visit it or study pictures depicting it. The more detailed they are, the better. If this is a person, talk to them, ask them some interesting questions, and make extra notes about their personality. If you find them fascinating, you stand higher chances of conveying this to your readers and making them feel the same. All these steps will be of great help as you start writing an essay.

List of Good Profile Essays Topics

We came up with 150 essay topics that college students could find mentally stimulating. If you see an option you like, be sure to use it!

• President Trump’s Profile: His Ambitions, Personal Qualities, and Intentions
• Greece as a Country with the Most Interesting History
• Typical Behavior for a Three-Year-Old Child
• Christmas as the Most Favorite Holiday for Americans
• Fox Mulder as the FBI Profiler: Understanding His Personality
• Writing a Self-Profile: How I See My Personal Characteristics
• Profile on the Person Who Has Most Hits in Google
• Objective View on Africa: Its History, Real Problems, & Victories
• Profiling Zodiac Killer: What Kind of Person They Could Have Been
• Why Ted Bundy Was Not Caught For So Long: Charming Personality & Violent Interior
• Understanding Why Cats Behave Like They Do & How to Build a Bond With Them
• Profile One of Ancient Kings Based on Available Historical Information
• My Role Model: A Person Who Helped Me Determine My Life Path
• Adolf Hitler, His Ideology and Personality: What Drew So Many Germans to Him
• Develop a Perfect Image of a Father Figure: What Kind of Features Should They Have?
• Dogs as Human’s Best Friends
• Why France is Considered the Most Romantic Country?
• Mystery Surrounding Egypt: How It Appeared and What It Means
• Analyze Your Favorite Bakery and Explain Why It’s Good
• Hannibal Lecter: When Violence and Attachment Clash
• Everything a New User Should Know About Facebook
• Twitter as the Best Social Media Platform for Those Who Prefer Short Posts
• How Birds Communicate with Each Other
• Create Full Background For Your Favorite Movie
• Bryan Fuller as the Strangest and Friendliest Director
• The Most Genuine Charity in the US
• Sportsman Who Has Had a Big Impact on the Country
• How Sleep-Deprived Students Act & How to Recognize Them
• Ideal President: Describe Him or Her
• What Makes a Specific Holiday Resort Stand Out
• Profile on Jack the Ripper
• The Coziest Coffee Shop in the City
• Profiling Jack Reeves and His Attitude to His Wives
• What the Concept of Home Means for You
• TV Brand Most Consumers Choose: Why is It Special?
• Popularity of iPhones: Why Does It Happen?
• Your Favorite Subject at College
• Describe & Analyze the Latest Movie You Have Watched
• My Mother as the Embodiment of Grace
• My Father as Representation of Patience
• My Grandfather as Picture of Endurance and Dry Wit
• My Grandmother as Representative of Strength and Affection
• Serial Cheaters: Why They Do What They Do
• YouTube and Story Behind Its Development
• Profile of President Putin and His Leadership
• What Makes Lives of Movie Stars Difficult
• Story Behind My Favorite Childhood Toy
• How Dating Agencies Operate
• What Kind of People Use Online Dating?
• What My Best Friend’s Mind Is Represented By

Have you found some most interesting profile paper topics? If you haven’t yet, we have more options for your future essay.

• Musical Performance That Changed My Life
• Profile on a Person Who Experiences Frequent Panic Attacks
• Profiling a Fictional Demon: Sebastian Michaelis
• Create Picture of Your College
• What Your Room Says About You
• Why One Specific Chocolate Brand Stands Out in Your Mind
• The Most Influential Person You Know
• Best Camp For Children
• Features That Turn Halloween Into Beloved Holiday
• Most Comfortable Zoo I Visited
• The Most Exciting Episode of House MD
• Which Love Story Is Considered Most Beautiful
• What Type of Dancing You Prefer
• Most Expensive Painting in the World
• Racial Profiling and How It Is Done
• What Matchmakers Are Motivated By
• Amazon, Its Assets, Challenges & Owners
• People Who Become Police Officers
• Why Someone Choose to Become Firefighters
• Who Becomes a Nurse

Still nothing? There are more profile essay topics below.

• What We Can Say About Humans Who Commit Hate Crimes
• Profile Topic on Serial Rapists
• Dana Scully as Embodiment of Rationality and Empathy
• Famous Footballer: A Story of Determination
• Why Opposites Attract: Reasons and Implications
• Understanding How Starbucks Operates
• Profile Topic on People With Volatile Temperament
• Moscow as the New World Capital
• Students Who Choose Philosophy as a Major
• What We Can Assume About Queen Victoria
• Hilton Chain of Hotels and Their Key Advantages
• Types of Personalities That Decide on Being Surgeons
• My Brother’s Girlfriend: Features and Observations
• What Makes Females Commit Crimes
• Profile Topic on Average Tumblr User
• How Stalin Managed to Build a Strong Country
• What People Usually Suffer from Panic Attacks?
• Describe a Memorable Conflict: Why It Occurred & How It Was Resolved
• What Motivates Countries to Start Wars
• Taxi Drivers and the Stories They Could Tell
• Deceased Celebrities and Why They Are Remembered Years Later
• Person Who Corresponds to Conventional Beauty Standards
• Largest Cemetery in the World
• Worst Known Roommates
• Most Impressive Ballet Opera in 2020
• Most Famous Unsolved Murder
• How & Why Social Networks Appeared
• Why Some Winters Are Hot
• Favorite Disney Princesses American Children Have
• Why New York Is So Popular
• What Turns Wine Expensive
• Forgotten Historical Landmarks Few of Us Know About
• The Fiercest Battle That Happened During WW2
• War Museums in Germany & Their Meaning
• Somali: Background, War, & Future Possibilities
• How Weapons Appeared & Evolved Over the Years
• Oldest Cold Case That Still Has Not Been Solved
• The First Reality TV In History
• Who Is the Richest Man in 2020 & Their Background
• Richest Woman in the World & How She Handles Her Fortune

Here are ten other good profile essay ideas. Pick any topic you like and develop it for college essay.

• Doctor at Your Local Hospital: Personal Interview and Insights
• People Obsessed with Cars: How They Choose Their Passion?
• Profile on Merlin From TV Show: His Obsession & Goodness
• President Kennedy and What Made His Life Popular
• Barack Obama and His Contribution to America
• Humans Who Develop Drug Addiction Most Often
• Old-Fashioned Wedding Rituals
• COVID-19: Full Profile on the Known Symptoms & Treatment
• Women Who Choose Breast Implants: Who Are They?
• Known Ghosts in the United States & Their Story

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Some profile essay topics for college students could be more creative.

• Drawing Facts about Albert Camus From Available Works
• What Jane Austen’s Novels Say About Her Personality
• Everything We Know About the Genius That Was Leonardo Da Vinci
• Generations Fighting For Slavery Abolition: What Motivated Them?
• Influences That Shape Best Writers
• Hugo Boss’ Success Story
• Mindset That Most Successful Creative Designers Have
• Trying To Understand Goldfish and Their Thought Process
• People Who Do Not Care About Social Norms
• Why Sailors Are Drawn In By the Sea

Here are more interesting profile paper topics for essays that high school students might prefer an.

• Why Children Love to Have Sleepovers Together
• How Unfair Treatment Affects Student’s Academic Success
• What Makes Religion Dangerous
• Who Uses Instagram
• Dangerous Sports and People Who Love Them
• Forces That Drive Politics
• The Best US Store For Teenagers
• Real Personality of Christopher Columbus
• What Could Be Derived From David Wallace’s Works About His Personality
• Stephen King as the Master of Horrors: What Earned Him This Status

And these are ten last profile essay topic ideas.

• What People Knowingly Marry Imprisoned Serial Killers
• The Best Racing Car From the Current Collection
• Understanding Character of Bella Swan
• Profile on Your Local Town Deputy
• What Is Happening in the Minds of People Who Abuse Their Power
• A Complete Profile on My Overweight Cat
• People Who Survive Tragedies: What Makes Them Strong
• An Objective Evaluation of a Person I Dislike
• Understanding Irresponsible Dog Owners
• Profile of a Person Who Faces Discrimination Since Childhood

Choose a Great Topic and Impress Your Audience

There is a huge amount of good profile essay topics. As a profiler, you get an opportunity to learn something on a deeper level as well as share your insights with others. To a big extent, your success depends on the choice of a topic, so pay a lot of attention to it. Don’t make random choices — instead, analyze something you feel interested in.

If you are still feeling stuck and unable to make a final decision, you could always buy college papers . We have experts of different kinds working for us, and they could create profile essay topic ideas just for you or even write your paper entirely. Your wish is our command, so if you’re having any problems, let us know! Drop us a message, call us, or leave a request online, and before you know it, your work will be completed.

Can’t come up with a topic for you paper? We’ve prepared a collection of essay topics for you

Want to write a winning essay but lack experience? Browse our free essay samples

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How to Write a Profile Essay from start to end like a pro

Many people do not realize that a biography is a profile essay, but it is. It is a profile essay because it is essentially the profile or the detailed description of a person.

You can be assigned to write an informative essay where you describe a person, place, event, or whatever subject. If that is the case, you should write a profile essay. A profile essay is basically a descriptive essay.

It is a common assignment in college for journalism and media studies courses. However, students pursuing other courses can also be assigned to write a profile essay. Although writing one can be challenging, we will show you in a bit how it can be enjoyable and what steps you need to take.

In this post, you will learn everything you need to know to write the perfect profile essay. Oh! You can buy a profile essay from us and have it customized to your instructions or rubric. Otherwise, let’s begin.

What is a Profile Essay?

The hallmark of writing a staller profile essay is knowing what it means.

In the academic context, a profile essay is basically a descriptive essay or informative essay about a person, place, location, activity, item, institution, organization, or event. Within the journalism context, profile essays refer to compositions about a person.

It is an essay that provides a detailed description of someone or something. The essay is usually between 600 and 850 words long and can be longer than 1000 words. The best way to write it is in such a way that it gives the reader a complete picture of the subject.

For example, if you are asked to write a profile essay on your best friend, you should write it so that when someone reads it, they will quickly gain a comprehensive understanding of your best friend.

There are two basic types of profile essays – descriptive profile essays and analytical profile essays .

Descriptive profile essays offer a comprehensive description of someone or something, while analytical ones provide in-depth analysis/evaluation of someone or something while describing it. The most common type of profile essay is the descriptive one. You can be asked to write a descriptive profile essay on a movie character, a story character, a politician, a celebrity, or someone you know personally. You can also be asked to write one on a location, an event, or even an idea.

What Is the Purpose of a Profile Essay?

The purpose of a profile essay is to provide a comprehensive view of a subject. The subject could be virtually anything.

When you are asked to write a profile essay, you should try to write it so that it leaves no important information.

For example, if you choose to write an essay on Barrack Obama, it should describe everything about the man from his origin to his Harvard experience, his senatorial experience, and finally, his presidency. This will help the reader to know everything crucial they need to know about Obama, including his life before the presidency.

When writing a profile essay, you should try as hard as possible to make it as interesting and informative as possible. Because profile essays that are not interesting tend to have too boring and too dull to read. So if you want the reader to read your essay from the first word in the introduction to the last word in the conclusion paragraph, ensure it is an exciting read.

The 6 main steps for writing a Perfect Profile Essay

Writing a successful, stellar, and grade-worthy profile essay needs some quality work. Here are some insights from our top profile essay writers who have completed many profile essays for clients. These essay writers are widely experienced in writing such essays and use these steps to produce the best profile essays. 

When assigned to write a profile essay for your class assignment, follow these six steps: (1) get inspired by professionally done examples, (2) choose a topic and a subject of focus, (3) research, (4) plan your essay, (5) write the essay, and (6) edit and proofread the essay before submitting.

Now let’s expound on each point to make it further easier for you to write a profile essay that attracts the best grades/score.

1. Get inspired by Examples

You need to research, plan, and write it better to ensure that it has no flaws. To write better, you can get inspiration through reading professional profile essay examples . These professionally written profile compositions are common in magazines such as The New York Times, Esquire, Washington Post, and The Guardian, among others.

While reading these examples, note how the details are presented, the ordering technique used, the use of transitions, hooks, and other aspects of formal writing, formatting, paragraphing approach, and the general choice of words.

You could read as many examples of profile essays as you can. However, be keen on selecting the best to benchmark as you write your profile essay based on the prompt from your professor.

2. Choose a topic and the subject

When asked to write a profile essay, you will most probably be asked to choose a topic by your professor. If this is the case, you should choose a topic that is interesting to you. Sometimes you are given a topic and told to write about it.

Because by choosing an interesting story, you get a chance to tell this story in your essay.

Of course, telling an interesting story is something you should be greatly interested in doing because interesting profile essays are almost always excellent profile essays.

After selecting the topic, ensure that you also choose a subject (the person, place, activity, or event of interest). The subject you choose to write about in your essay can either make or break your profile writing.

3. Gather information about the subject

Once you have chosen a topic for your profile essay, the next thing you need to do is to gather information about the subject.

For example, if the subject is a person, you should research information about them online at this stage. Gather as many important details about the person as you can. These details will be useful in the next step. In some cases, if you have access to the person you want to write an essay on, you can organize an interview with the person to find out more about them directly from them.

If you are writing a profile essay based on an interview, be sure to capture some of the responses the subject gave. It would be best to have open-ended questions on the interview plan to find as much valid information as possible. You need to corroborate the information using information available from credible sources.

4. Create an outline

Although sometimes an outline is not mandatory for an essay, you need to have a quick outline to arrange the ideas and thoughts and define the structure of your paper. Stick to a specific outline format for your essay.

If you feel you have gathered as many details about the subject as possible, you should create a profile essay outline. The outline should highlight what you want to write in each essay section. It should be as comprehensive as possible to make the next step easier. There is a profile essay outline example later in this post. You should use its structure to create your own outline.

5. Write the first draft of your essay

With the nice profile essay outline, the next thing you need to do is to start writing your profile essay. You can do this easily by following your outline like a map.

You see, if you did your outline correctly, it should contain sentences or instructions on how to start each paragraph in your essay and what to include in the paragraph.

When writing the first draft, follow your outline to start writing your essay and write all the paragraphs. As you are writing, remember this is a profile essay. You should try to keep the tone conversational and be as descriptive, informative, or vivid as you can. Write first and edit later.

As long as the ideas are flowing, keep on writing.

6. Edit and Proofread your Essay

After you are done writing your essay, the next thing you need to do is to proofread and edit it. We always advise taking a break to cool off from writing, develop an objective mind, and be ready to self-critique as you edit.

When proofreading, read it twice or thrice to identify and edit errors, mistakes, and weak statements or arguments. Once you have edited your essay to the level where you feel it is perfect, send it to a friend to read it one more time and catch the mistakes you might have missed.

Ask them to highlight any mistakes or errors they see. When you get your essay back, edit it one more time to eliminate the mistakes and errors identified. You can also hire a professional proofreader  if you need it done first and professionally.

After you are done editing as detailed above, your profile essay should be ready for submission.

The Structure and Format of a Profile Essay

You now know exactly what to do to write a profile essay. You know all the steps you need to take to write a good profile essay. In case you did not know the structure, it is presented below with its three key parts – the introduction, the body, and the conclusion.

1. Introduction Paragraph

Like every other essay, the profile essay has an introduction. In the introduction part of the essay, you must present what you will talk about in the body part. And you must do it in a summarized manner. Two statements are very important when writing the introduction paragraph – the hook statement and the thesis statement .

The hook statement is the opening statement. It should be interesting to grab the reader's attention and make them want to read your essay. And the thesis statement should be the last statement in your introduction paragraph. It should contain your main argument or the position you support in your essay.

2. Body Paragraphs

The body part of the profile essay is usually made of three or more body paragraphs.

When writing body paragraphs in your profile essay, you should ensure each body paragraph describes or analyzes a different part or aspect of the subject of your essay.

Furthermore, you should ensure a good flow between your body paragraphs and the sentences that make them up.  

The most important thing to remember when writing this part of your profile essay is to present your ideas chronologically. This will make this part of your essay easy to understand. Use sensory details to relate to your readers' senses and create a vivid picture.

3. Conclusion Paragraph

At the end of the profile essay, there is a conclusion paragraph . The purpose of this part of the essay is to wrap it up.

So, after providing a detailed description of your subject in the body paragraph, you should summarize everything and then provide a powerful closing statement. This is the most effective way to conclude a profile essay or any other type of essay for that matter.

Remember, the conclusion part is only supposed to contain your conclusion or and not any new argument, evidence, or claim.

Profile Essay Outline Example

Follow the example profile essay outline below to discover how exactly to create a profile essay outline.

Title: My best friend

I. Introduction

• Hook sentence: My best friend has always stood up for me from the very first day.
• Background info: What makes your friend special and unique? And my friend’s biographical information.
• Thesis statement: My best friend is someone I can count on even if the whole world is against me.

II. First body paragraph (Appearance and personality)

• Major point: My best friend is a tall, well-built, and laidback person.
• Description and evidence: Provide a comprehensive description of the major point above and use evidence such as quotes and examples.
• Concluding sentence

III. Second body paragraph (Major event in your friend’s life)

• Major point: My best friend lost his younger brother at age 10, hugely impacting his life.

IV. Third body paragraph (What distinguishes your best friend from others)

• Major point: My best friend is loyal to the core and very dependable.

V. Conclusion paragraph

• Thesis restatement
• Restatement of major points
• Closing sentence

Topic ideas for a Profile Essay

When tasked with choosing a profile essay topic to write about, consider choosing an interesting topic, has a favorite subject, and something that has information in case you need to corroborate facts.

Below is a list of profile essay topic ideas. Use the list as inspiration to develop your profile essay topic.

• President Obama’s Profile: His early life, his senatorial career, and his presidency
• Turkey and its place in Middle Eastern politics
• Africa: A continent with resources but also with global poverty
• Europe: A cycle of war and devastation
• King Solomon and his mighty empire
• Mandela: The man who changed the world
• Adolf Hitler: His ideology and his beliefs
• My dog is my best friend
• UNHCR: A history of taking care of refugees
• United Nations: Successes and challenges over the years
• Why Zanzibar is a must-visit country
• My favorite movie
• The diet of the residents of Loma Linda
• The best celebrity role model
• The best summer camp for kids in the USA
• The most stunning animal park in the USA
• Stalin: How the Russian leader helped defeat the Nazis
• Moscow: The capital of the Russian Federation
• The United States: the greatest economy in the world
• MV. Aurora: The conqueror of the seven seas
• Adidas: A history of challenges and successes
• Jane Austen: A high-achieving woman
• Nike Success’s Story
• The best Air Jordan Stores
• The real personality of Princess Diana
• The US Senate and its responsibilities
• Queen Elizabeth: The longest serving female head of government
• The sport I love the most
• Stephen King: The most elegant writer of our time
• The best classic car ever

Example of a Process Essay

My favorite elementary school teacher A few years ago, I ran into Mrs. Penny while escaping some school bullies who gave me a hard time. When I ran into her, I just burst into tears, and she did not know what to do. She just hugged me. She later escorted me to a small bench and asked me to tell her everything. I did exactly that, and she made sure the boys were suspended. I did not know it then, but she was about to play a key role in molding me into who I am today. Mrs. Penny was a tall, big and strong woman. She always walked with authority about her. Some students said she was into powerlifting, but I don’t think she was. While she had a big physique and she was very kind and motherly. Everyone loved her for this. She always treated every single student with respect and tried to listen and reason with you rather than impose her beliefs. For example, she once talked to our class and convinced everyone to stay in class for about five minutes long to finish explaining something. This is something that had never happened before, yet she achieved it. One day while in class, Mrs. Penny caught another student in the middle of a nasty fight. Since the last time she had saved me from bullies, she had always thought I was a well-disciplined boy. So she was very disappointed when she caught me fighting as it was strictly against school rules. We were sent to detention and then came back to class later. As everybody was leaving class in the late afternoon, she asked me to stay behind and told me to sit down. She talked to me, motivated me, and told me that I could only succeed in life by being disciplined. I promised her always to be disciplined, which has helped me in life. It has helped me to become a much better person. If other teachers found me fighting or doing something else, they probably couldn’t have cared. This is because they could have simply assumed I was a bad kid. However, Mrs. Penny was not like other teachers. She was kind, empathetic, and motherly. She saw me as someone I was not and took her time to help show me the right direction in life. I believe I am now in college because of what she told me, especially about discipline being the key to success. As you can see, Mrs. Penny played a very important role in molding me into who I am today. She helped me to become a better person and to take discipline as one of my guiding principles. It is my hope that Mrs. Penny is still alive and is still helping guide elementary students to become better versions of themselves.

Tips to Use when Writing a Profile Essay

By now, you can already see that writing profile essays can be fun; it is fun! When you select a subject of interest, you can only write the best things about them as long as you meet the scope of the rubric. Like any other comprehensive academic essay , a profile essay has three sections: the introduction, body, and conclusion. And for you to write one that appeals to your readers and markers, here are some tips and tricks that actually work:

• Edit your work. After you are done writing your essay, you should thoroughly edit it to ensure it has no grammatical errors, punctuation errors, and so on. This will ensure it gets a good grade.
• Show respect. When writing a profile essay about someone, you must show respect even if you hate them. You must strive to be objective and to use objective language. This will make your essay to sound more professional than an anger-ridden essay.
• Try to balance your paragraphs. This may seem trivial, but it is not. You must try to balance your paragraphs to make your essay appear structured and organized. This will increase your probability of getting a good grade.
• Create an outline before you start. Creating an outline before writing an essay will help you stay focused and organized.
• Keep your tone professional. You should strive to keep your tone professional throughout the essay. This is especially true when you are writing about someone close to you. Keeping your tone professional will help you get a good grade on your essay.
• Watch your tone and style . As you compose the paragraphs of your profile essay, you should use both formal and informal approaches. It should not be written in the second person. Rather, use first-person and think of creative ways to make your written piece fun to read. Although you are writing an academic piece that should be done professionally, you have the flexibility of flouting the academic writing rules. Describe the subject and maintain a tone that creates a vivid image of the subject.

Final Words

We are sure that by now, our professional writers at EssayManiacs, through their insights, have made composing a profile essay as simple as it should be. The knowledge we have shared in this post is enough to enable you to write the perfect profile essay or composition.

Remember to bring in your creativity, presentation, and organization skills when writing. Write preferably in the first person and have the flexibility of expanding your creativity. That said and done, you should now be able to get an excellent grade whenever you are asked to write a profile essay.

If you need help writing and polishing a profile essay, you should know that we are here for you. We have a team of English essay writing experts who can write a profile essay on virtually any topic. Order your essay from us to get a high grade on your essay assignment.

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How to Write a Stellar Profile Essay?

09 February, 2021

13 minutes read

Author:  Tomas White

A profile essay, or article, is a piece of journalistic-cum-literary writing. The aim is to present factual information on a given topic (person, place, animal, or event) while writing with an individual tone and style. In this article, we will expand on the concept of a profile essay. We will also tackle what a profile is and what purpose profiles serve. Finally, we will present strategies for preparing your research and strengthening your writing technique, as well as offer tips on structure and potential topics.

What Is a Profile Essay?

A profile essay can be considered a literary piece of writing, in which the writer mainly delivers a descriptive account of a person, place, or event. The goal of the profile essay is to be informative. It usually conforms to standards found in journalism – that is to say, using facts and offering impartial reportage – while conveying this information in a literary style.

Literary style means offering more to the reader than a revised press release or stenographed interview. Offer insight and immersion to the reader, show them the layers of character and environment, and run these underlying factual happenings through your individual interpretation of it all. 

The Purpose of Profile Essays

The purpose of a profile essay is to be read and well-received by an audience. It is not an obscure technical writing piece, although it may cover obscure figures or events. In general, profile essays appear in magazines and newspapers – in either their print or digital formats. They also appear in scholarly or trade journals, usually covering rising or established people within these niches.

For the writer, a profile essay is a piece of writing aimed at joining the journalistic and literary style. As mentioned in the previous section, journalistic writing must be factual and rigorously checked for errors. Literary writing has some joy involved in its reading; in what way that joy comes out in ‘writing style’ is up to you.

Ultimately, with those two concepts in mind, the purpose of a profile essay is to get you, the writer, some more work. Profiles are highly prevalent and serve as a fantastic way of adding more pieces to your portfolio, whether you’re a new essay writer or a seasoned pro.

Prepare for your essay

Preparing for a profile depends on how close you are to starting writing. Writers coming to this article with a stretch of time ahead of them have the luxury of doing some background reading that is not directly related to the matter at hand. Finding a good profile essay example has the hidden benefit of looking like a lazy weekend afternoon; get a stack of magazines and read.

Some of the most common places to find quality profiles are The New Yorker, The New York Review of Books, the London Review of Books, Esquire, or National Geographic. Another perspective is to look for writers, head to your bookshelf or local book store, and do some digging. Again, read and make some notes on the qualities you enjoy and dislike in a range of profiles.

Lastly, in terms of reading, examine the differences between an essay or article profiling a person and one that profiles an event.

That form of preparation is more akin to education. It is needed to bolster your understanding of the broad picture and what is essentially the marketplace for your piece of work. 

Preparing for your actual essay, not the skill of writing an ambiguous profile essay, is another matter. The research and reading that are highly relevant to your subject matter will make or break your profile essay. 

To begin with, you must find all profiles of your subject that are in existence and don’t require a transatlantic flight to a dusty library archive – in this instance, simply email the library and ask if they’ve considered digitizing their collection, starting with your desired piece. 

One of the most surefire organization tactics for research is timelining. Start at the beginning; be sure to go into ‘negative digits’ and look at the parent’s history or the town’s history, or anything else that emerges in your research.

After ‘time’ as a category of thinking comes ‘significance.’ What were the defining features of this person’s life, and to what sort of ‘movement’ might they belong? Add this into your timeline research and press on.

Have you selected a person or place that is feasible to contact and ask for a quote or interview? You may also want to reach out to other players in the story you’re telling and see what they have to say on things.

Preparing all this research can get messy and cluttered. The best way to solve this problem is to  follow a system from the start, as mentioned above; time is a great organizer. Also, keep a running bibliography in a separate file on your computer. Keep tabs on everything you’ve read, and be as forensic as possible with maintaining records. Who knows what might happen in the future regarding the focus of your essay? They might run for president, or they might fade into obscurity. 

Profile Essay Outline

As a profile essay combines qualities of journalism and literary writing, the ideal outline doesn’t exist. Literary writing can take the reader on a journey; in fact, the only requirement of the structure is to guide this journey as magnificently as possible.

Were we to suggest a general profile essay outline, it would contain these sections and ingredients. The order is flexible to an extent. It depends on the content of your profile. Have you got an interview to draw upon, or are you using your storytelling powers to deduct and infer from other sources?

In your introduction, if you’ve conducted an interview, use a quote for your lede. A good quote is an excellent way to set the tone and give an impression of your subject to the reader. Those without an interview might consider a bold statement; be sure that you use something here to act as a powerful lede and bring the reader on board. 

Alluring mysteries are one thing; though the crunch point for this gambit is to make the pay-off worthwhile. Else, the cliff-edge and the tension you create will be for nothing in the end. 

There will be time to provide things like background and biography in the main body of a profile essay. These tend to follow the lede as they’re a nice cool-down; they give the reader a chance to build knowledge on an obscure topic. Whereas for the writer, both the background and biography offer an opportunity to peg in some facts, figures, and breadcrumbs to draw upon later.

The body of a profile essay is tricky. You, first of all, need to engagingly tell your readers the story in it. Remember to build tension and really ‘let go’ when it comes to releasing that tension. Tell it to a friend, read it aloud. Move around the paragraphs. Remember that the profile is following an arc and in your conclusions, hook back in the initial qualities of the opening part. This technique is like cadence in music, and it will please your audience as long as it isn’t too trite. 

Profile Essay Topics

A suitable subject or topic depends on your qualities as a writer and the desired outcome of writing such a profile essay. Now, it does not have to include an interview, but many profile essays do include them. Some profile essay topics may be inanimate objects or complex emergences of human life (events). If this is the case, you can still interview 

For interviews, considering you’re likely a lowly reporter on a college paper, getting an interview with a high-flying sportsperson, politician, or musician is unlikely. In any event, the lower-flying specimens of these species could make a good target. 

The most important thing to consider when choosing the topic or subject is to work with your gut and instinct. If you’re interested in the story, you’re going to have much more to put into it, and your excitement and verve will show through in writing. It may also make it easier to stomach the long hours of tedious research that can emerge when trying to prove or disprove an obscurity of some kind. 

If you haven’t decided on the topic, there’s still room for maneuver. You can look at the subject matter and present your perspective on the case; that’s the subjective element of a profile, your view.

This perspective of yours can focus on just one specific aspect of a person or event. By removing the duller or more well-trodden elements of a character, you open up the chance to explore a new side of a topic. It’s also a fantastic skill for writers to be able to recap well-known things or facts quickly. Writing in this style for a very general audience should be a skill in any writer’s arsenal. 

Profile Essay Examples 

Properly digesting the advice and points made in this article can be aided by reading some profile essay examples. Look for examples given out in your class, or search around using the main keyword – profile essay examples. 

Here are a few examples for you to get a catch on how to write profile essays excellently:

https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/profiles

https://longreads.com/2019/12/17/longreads-best-of-2019-profiles/

https://longreads.com/2017/12/18/longreads-best-of-2017-profile-writing/

Writing Tips for a Profile Essay

How to write a profile essay in three steps; pick a subject, do your research, and start writing. Remember that a profile essay is a literary and a journalistic piece of writing. It’s non-fiction, so your facts and figures must be accurate, and any discrepancies or controversies surrounding your data can form a part of your analysis.

Always write with your reader at the forefront of your mind. Visualize your reader, even if it’s a college essay, and think of how you could pitch your piece to a publication. The natural home of a profile is in the media, not in the college textbook. So write the essay with publication in mind. 

 Here are some essential tips for a profile essay composition:

• Conduct thorough research on your topic, look for potential interviews or aspects not covered in previous profiles if they exist. Also, make sure you’ve read all of the profiles on or related to your subject matter; a profile is an evolving topic, and new facts can emerge.
• Profile examples are available online, as well as those posted by educational institutes, and of course, those featured in the media. Reading these serves as excellent preparation and inspiration.
• The structure and overall outline of a profile essay is something with a degree of flexibility. While the introduction and rounding off of the essay will look familiar, tracking a person’s profile or event can involve highly unique pieces of information. Unlike many other papers, profiles don’t have to strictly conform to the thesis, antithesis, and synthesis structure. However, this familiar form of writing still works in part when writing a profile. 

Write a Profile Essay with HandmadeWriting

HandmadeWriting can help with the development, construction, and polishing of a profile essay. As an organization, we draw on academics and writers’ expertise from across the spectrum of the written word. 

Getting started can be difficult, but consulting with HandmadeWriting offers a way to get the ball rolling. The writers at HandmadeWriting are used to working on a countless number of topics and essay styles. The staff is also familiar with working under a tight deadline, not to mention those tasks where the endpoint is less defined. 

HandmadeWriting makes composing an essay or profile piece simple. Talk with a skilled writer and editor today on your topic, and you can make a start immediately.

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How To Write A Profile Essay Like A Professional Writer

Welcome to our blog, where we embark on a journey to master the art of writing profiles essays. Whether you’re a high school or college student, understanding the critical components of a profile essay is essential for academic success. In this comprehensive guide, we will delve into the definition of a profile essay and provide practical tips, example of a profile essay, and expert advice to help you excel in this form of writing.

A profile essay is a captivating narrative that enables students to explore the lives and experiences of individuals. Through vivid descriptions and engaging storytelling, these essays offer readers a glimpse into the unique qualities and perspectives of the profiled subjects. By mastering the fundamentals of this writing style, you can effectively communicate your observations and insights, creating compelling and informative profiles.

In our blog, we will discuss the essential elements of a profile essay and emphasize the importance of high-quality writing and the benefits of expert guidance. Whether you’re a student aiming to improve your writing skills or a teacher seeking to enhance your students’ abilities, this guide is designed to provide you with the necessary tools and techniques to create exceptional profiles.

Join us on this enriching journey, where we share valuable knowledge, practical profile essay examples, and insider tips, empowering you to produce outstanding profile essays. Let’s unlock the secrets of this unique form of writing and achieve fast, awesome results together.

Table of Contents

What is a profile essay, how to start a profile essay, profile essay structure guides, key considerations for writing engaging profile essays, crafting an outstanding profile essay: essential tips, profile essays in academic settings.

A profile essay is not just a collection of facts and figures; it is a powerful literary piece that delves deep into the essence of a person, place, or event. This form of writing goes beyond surface-level descriptions to create a vivid and engaging portrayal that captivates readers emotionally.

When crafting a profile essay outline, the writer aims to explore a specific individual’s life, personality, experiences, achievements, or unique qualities of a place or event. It seeks to paint a comprehensive picture, offering readers a window into the subject’s world and allowing them to connect with it on a deeper level.

A well-written profile essay immerses the reader in the subject’s experiences, thoughts, and emotions by employing descriptive language, storytelling techniques, and insightful observations. It evokes empathy and understanding, enabling readers to forge a connection and gain a deeper appreciation for the person, place, or event being portrayed.

In summary, a profile essay is a literary work that aims to go beyond superficial details and statistics. It is a means of conveying the essence of a subject through engaging storytelling, providing readers with a rich and immersive experience that leaves a lasting impact.

The beginning of a profile essay is vital in capturing the reader’s attention and setting the tone for the rest of the piece. It requires careful consideration and strategic planning to ensure a strong start. Here are a few practical ways how to write a good profile essay:

• Look for unique qualities: Seek out subjects with unique backgrounds, experiences, or achievements. These aspects can add depth and intrigue to your profile essay.
• Consider relevance: Choose a subject relevant to your intended audience or the purpose of the assignment. This will help create a stronger connection and interest among your readers.
• Interview your subject: Reach out to the individual you are profiling and request an interview. Prepare a thoughtful question list about their life, experiences, and perspectives. These interviews will provide invaluable insights and personal anecdotes that can enhance the depth of your essay.
• Read articles and books: Explore articles, books, and other publications related to your subject. This will provide a broader context and enable you to include relevant background information in your profile essay.
• Explore online sources: Utilize reputable online sources such as websites, blogs, and academic databases to gather additional information and perspectives on your subject. Be critical of your authorities and ensure they are credible and reliable.
• Be concise and specific: State your main argument or the central theme of your profile essay clearly and concisely.
• Make it captivating: Use language that captures the reader’s attention and creates intrigue. A compelling thesis statement will generate interest and encourage readers to continue reading.
• Provide a roadmap: Your thesis statement should act as a roadmap for your essay, indicating the main points or areas of focus you will cover. This helps readers understand the structure and flow of your essay.

Starting a profile essay requires careful consideration of the subject, thorough research, and a well-crafted thesis statement. Choosing an intriguing topic, conducting a comprehensive analysis, and formulating a solid thesis statement can captivate your readers and set the stage for a compelling and informative profile essay. Remember, the start of your essay sets the tone for the entire piece, so invest time and effort into crafting a high quality and strong opening that engages and intrigues your readers.

Writing a profile essay requires a structured approach combining storytelling and factual information. Follow these steps to create a well-crafted profile essay:

• Introduction: Begin your essay with a compelling opening sentence that hooks the reader. Provide some background information about the subject and introduce the main thesis statement.
• Body Paragraphs: Divide your essay into multiple paragraphs, each focusing on a specific aspect or theme related to the topic. Use a mix of narrative storytelling and factual information to engage the reader. Include anecdotes, quotes, and descriptions to bring your subject to life.
• Organization and Flow: Ensure a logical progression from one paragraph to another. Use transitional phrases to maintain the coherence of your essay. Consider arranging your sections thematically or chronologically, depending on what suits your subject best.
• Descriptive Language: Incorporate vivid and descriptive language to create a sensory experience for the reader. Use specific details and imagery to make your subject come alive.
• Conclusion: Summarize the main points discussed in your essay and leave the reader with a lasting impression. Reflect on the significance of your topic and its impact on the reader.

A profile essay offers a comprehensive portrayal of a person or place, providing readers with a detailed understanding of the subject. Whether it’s about a place or a person, crafting an engaging profile essay requires careful planning and effective storytelling. Here are some key steps to consider:

How to Write a Profile Essay on a Place:

Choose an intriguing place: Select a location that is unique and holds significance for the readers. Observe and research: Immerse yourself in the place, exploring its history, culture, and physical aspects. Structure your essay: Begin with an engaging introduction, describe the place vividly, and provide personal insights. Incorporate sensory details: Utilize descriptive language to appeal to the readers’ senses. Conclude with a reflection: Share your overall impression and highlight the significance of the place.

How to Write a Profile Essay on a Person:

Select a captivating individual: Find someone with an interesting background, achievements, or experiences. Conduct interviews: Engage in in-depth conversations to gather firsthand information about the person. Organize your essay: Begin with an attention-grabbing introduction, present the person’s background and accomplishments, and delve into their personality traits and influences. Use anecdotes and examples: Illustrate the person’s characteristics through real-life stories and specific instances. Wrap up with a reflection: Offer your personal insights, reflect on the person’s impact, and conclude with a memorable ending.

Remember, in both types of profile essays, it is crucial to maintain a balanced blend of factual information and compelling storytelling to engage readers and leave a lasting impression.

When writing a profile essay, it’s essential to remember key elements that will enhance the quality of your work. Here are some essential tips to help you craft an outstanding profile essay:

• Choose an Engaging Format: While there is no strict format for a profile essay, you can structure it to suit your subject and the narrative you want to create. You can opt for a chronological structure, a thematic approach, or a combination of both.
• Conduct Thorough Interviews: Interviews are crucial in gathering firsthand information about your subject. Prepare a list of relevant questions and conduct interviews with the subject and individuals associated with them. These interviews will enrich your profile essay with unique insights and personal anecdotes.
• Focus on Descriptive Details: Pay attention to descriptive details to bring your subject to life. Use sensory language to create a vivid picture in the reader’s mind. Describe the subject’s appearance, gestures, and mannerisms. Include details about the environment, sounds, and smells to transport the reader to the scene.
• Utilize Direct Quotes: Direct quotes from your subject and others you interview add authenticity and credibility to your profile essay. Use quotes to highlight important points or capture the subject’s voice and perspective.
• Show, Don’t Tell: Rather than simply stating facts, show the reader the subject’s personality, values, and experiences through storytelling. Engage the reader’s emotions by narrating impactful moments or sharing significant events that shaped the subject’s life.
• Revise and Edit: Once you have completed your profile essay’s first draft, revise and edit it. Check for clarity, coherence, and grammar errors. Trim unnecessary information and ensure a smooth flow of ideas. Consider seeking feedback from peers or instructors to gain valuable insights.

Profile essays are commonly assigned in various academic settings, including high school, college, and university. These assignments allow students to develop their research, writing, and storytelling skills while exploring diverse subjects and honing their analytical thinking.

Following Guidelines:

When working on a profile essay for school or college, it’s crucial to follow the guidelines provided by your instructor. This ensures that you stay on track and meet the assignment requirements. Consider the following points:

• Pay attention to specific requirements: Your instructor may provide instructions regarding length, formatting, citation style, and other essential details. Make sure to adhere to these guidelines to avoid any penalties.
• Understand the objectives: Familiarize yourself with the purposes of the assignment. This will help you shape your essay and focus on the key aspects your instructor wants you to explore.
• Align with learning outcomes: Consider how the profile essay fits into the broader learning outcomes of the course. This will enable you to approach the assignment with a clear understanding of its purpose and relevance.

Seeking Assistance:

If you struggle with the assignment or need extra support, online essay assignment help and custom writing services are available. These services offer expert guidance and assistance, ensuring you receive high-quality, well-crafted profile essays that meet your academic requirements. Here are some key points to consider:

• Online homework helpers: These platforms connect you with knowledgeable tutors who can guide and answer your questions about profile essay writing. They can offer valuable insights and help you overcome challenges you may encounter.
• Custom writing services: If you feel overwhelmed or lack time to complete the assignment, custom writing services can be a viable option. These services employ professional writers who can create custom profile essays tailored to your needs and requirements. However, it’s essential to choose a reputable and trustworthy service to ensure the quality and originality of the work.

Profile essays in academic settings offer students a valuable opportunity to develop their research, writing, and storytelling skills. By following the guidelines provided by your instructor and seeking assistance when needed, you can ensure that your profile essays meet the objectives of the assignment and align with the course’s learning outcomes. Remember, practice and persistence are crucial to mastering the art of writing compelling and informative profile essays.

Get Profile Essay Writing Help Today!

Mastering the art of writing a profile essay requires a combination of skill, guidance, and support. By following the guidelines and tips provided by experts, you can create captivating profiles that engage and resonate with your readers. Along the way, it’s essential to seek assistance when needed, and fortunately, there are affordable options available that provide class-leading customer support.

When embarking on the journey of writing a profile essay, remember to choose an intriguing subject and conduct thorough research to ensure the accuracy and depth of your piece. Craft a strong thesis statement that serves as a roadmap for your essay, guiding your readers through the main aspects you’ll be exploring.

In the process, it’s reassuring to know that expert guidance and support are accessible. Whether you require assistance structuring your essay, some college assignment help , or understanding the nuances of profile essay writing, affordable online platforms provide the expertise you need. These platforms offer friendly customer support to address your queries and provide valuable insights, ensuring you receive the guidance necessary to excel in your writing endeavors.

By availing yourself of these resources, you can enhance your profile essay writing skills, boost your confidence, and achieve outstanding results. So, embrace the art of writing profiles backed by expert guidance, affordable options, class-leading support, and friendly assistance. Let your words paint vivid portraits and create lasting connections with your readers through the power of the profile essay.

What is a profile essay, and what is its purpose?

A profile essay is a type of academic or journalistic writing that aims to provide a detailed description and analysis of a particular person, place, event, or organization. Its purpose is to present a comprehensive and engaging portrayal of the subject, highlighting its unique qualities, experiences, and significance.

How do I choose a suitable subject for my profile essay?

When selecting a subject for your profile essay, consider individuals, places, or events that possess distinct characteristics, have a compelling story, or hold relevance in a specific context. It could be a notable figure in your community, a memorable travel destination, or an event with cultural significance. The key is to choose a subject that allows for rich exploration and offers an opportunity to captivate your readers.

What are the essential elements to include in a profile essay?

A profile essay typically includes several key elements to portray the subject comprehensively. These elements may include a vivid and engaging introduction, background information, descriptive details, anecdotes, quotes, and personal observations. It is important to capture the subject’s personality, experiences, and significance through a well-structured narrative that keeps the reader engaged.

How can I ensure the accuracy and credibility of the information in my profile essay?

To maintain accuracy and credibility in your profile essay, conducting thorough research and gathering information from reliable sources is crucial. This can involve interviewing the subject, conducting background research, and seeking multiple perspectives. Always verify the information you gather and cross-reference it with trustworthy sources to ensure the accuracy of your content. Remember to attribute any quotes or specific details to their respective sources.

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How to Write a Profile Essay: Comprehensive Guide

Table of contents

• 1 What is a Profile Essay?
• 2 The Purpose of a Profile Essay
• 3 Difference Between Profile Papers and Other Essays
• 4.1 Introduction
• 4.2 Body Paragraphs
• 4.3 Conclusion
• 5 Tips to Write an Outstanding Profile Essay
• 6.1.1 Early Childhood
• 6.1.2 Olympic Fame
• 6.1.3 Fighting for a Social Cause

Over their high school and college years, students have to write various essays on different subject matters. While some are narrative and literary, others are more technical and detail-oriented. However, be they persuasive, expository, or argumentative, papers follow specific rules of academic writing.

Among other types, profile essays are some of the most common that professors assign. These assignments come in almost all disciplines, so it’s vital to understand the basics of the writing process.

What is a profile essay, and what features does it cover? Why is it critical to observe and discuss various individuals, events, or places? How do these literary works differ from other essay types ?

This guide will help you grasp the fundamentals of profile essay writing and deconstruct its content with a clear overview of what each part contains. It will also highlight essential hacks you should consider when writing, plus a qualitative example.

What is a Profile Essay?

In short, writing profile essays focuses on a narrow-scoped description of a famous individual, location, event, or activity. Your work should profile the topic you selected and provide qualitative information about the importance of the subject. Therefore, the writer must present vivid descriptions and thorough explanations through various methods.

You may choose to interview your subject to collect the necessary data. Alternatively, you can survey or research the topic to gather relevant insight if the person you’re discussing died. Observing a fair or visiting a town and then writing about it is also viable. Another unusual aspect of a profile assignment is that you can include objective facts and subjective or interpreted ideas.

In most cases, the essay will be factual. It will introduce valid and relevant questions and answers. For example, you may write about a distinguished USA president, civil rights activist, or athlete. Similarly, you can depict an ancient city, historical landmark, or high-rated festival. Last, consider dedicating your work to a local business, musical performance, or community service project.

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The Purpose of a Profile Essay

This essay type aims to offer the audience a comprehensive perspective of a particular topic and help them understand the concept. Hence, all data must be well-structured and presentable not to confuse the reader and raise doubts.

Moreover, anyone reading your work must be able to make informed judgments on the theme. In many cases, writing a short essay is a wise idea to portray the case or individual you’re discussing. Besides your writing skills, you will also showcase your organization and presentation abilities.

Difference Between Profile Papers and Other Essays

Most importantly, writing a profile essay will rely on valid and accurate facts. In short, focus on using first-hand information by conducting an interview, survey, or personal observation and involvement. Presenting amusing and authentic ideas will urge your target audience to enjoy your piece.

Unlike other essay types, these avoid using a secondary source. For instance, while writing a good opinion essay will involve your standpoints on a topic, the profile paper will concentrate on genuine insight supported by evidence. However, biographies and studies written by others are helpful when verifying the facts you collected yourself.

Overall, finding secondary sources is less demanding and time-consuming than establishing your pool of bibliographical information. Still, primary materials are ideal for writing a profile essay. Also, you must draft it in the third person to maintain an unbiased perspective of your subject.

Comprehensive Profile Essay Structure

You probably wonder how to start a profile essay and keep your thoughts and ideas streamlined and concise. And while you can find online essay help , we prepared a detailed overview of the layout you should follow. Here are the roles of each part.

Introduction

Undoubtedly, the first section of your work will be the opening which typically consists of a single segment. Its primary role is to lay the foundations of the subject and hook the readers to explore until the end. Hence, share intriguing background details such as a quote or anecdote.

Moreover, the excellent thesis statement must reflect the subject you will write about later in your manuscript. It should be well-thought and concise. The introductory part shouldn’t exceed 15% of the entire essay length. Also, ensure you avoid in-text citations except to begin the introduction with a direct quotation.

Body Paragraphs

This part presents the main idea and answers the most important interview questions. It is also the most substantial segment in terms of word count. According to the PapersOwl writing service , the body section should consist of at least two paragraphs. The number of paragraphs will depend on the distinct points the essay writers plan to cover.

Also, there is no specific length for body paragraphs , but you should avoid walls of text. Another guideline for a successful piece is to write at least four sentences in each body segment.

The closing paragraph offers a concise overview of the body paragraphs. It will focus on restating your thesis statement in a final attempt to emphasize the role and value of the selected subject.

The ending should also revisit the topic sentences and demonstrate the impact on our society. Therefore, don’t write about something not mentioned before. This section takes about 10% of the total word count and can contain an in-text citation as a call to action.

Tips to Write an Outstanding Profile Essay

Below, we share a thorough list of advice to teach you how to write a profile essay worth your professor’s attention.

• Read a few essays. You can look for quality articles in popular magazines that regularly publish interviews. A narrative essay might also prove helpful if you need to adjust your tone and language.
• Ensure the subject of interest is easy to reach. If you get stuck with an unreachable goal, PapersOwl can write your essay for money in the shortest timeframe possible.
• Study the topic by analyzing the background of your subject and focus on what makes their lives so unique. If it’s a place or activity, learn about its past and future.
• The most impactful way is to write in simple language. Steer away from jargon or idiomatic phrases to avoid misunderstandings, particularly in the thesis.
• Use vivid adjectives and transitions to convey your central point.
• Each body paragraph shouldn’t exceed 150 words.
• Keep your facts in check and avoid sharing your personal opinion unless based on authentic data.
• Engage all senses by visualizing events, telling jokes, or describing sounds.
• Follow a pre-defined structure where each body paragraph tackles a different point.
• Proofread your work for grammar errors and typos.
• Run your essay through an online plagiarism checker to avoid copied content.
• Ensure your ideas are concise and clear and split run-on sentences.

Crafting a profile essay requires an in-depth understanding of the chosen topic, whether it’s a person, place, or thing. The writer must be able to convey clear and engaging information that fully describes and explains the subject. It’s essential to have a writing style that can capture the reader’s interest and keep them engaged throughout the essay. To make the process easier, working with a quick essay writer can be helpful, as they can provide the necessary expertise and experience to create a high-quality profile essay that stands out.

Your Qualitative Profile Essay Example

The best approach is to go with the standard 5-paragraph structure. Here’s an excellent profile sample.

The Incredible Story of Wilma Rudolf

“My doctors told me I would never walk again. My mother told me I would. I believed my mother.” This famous quote by Wilma Rudolph, an African American athlete, tells tales about her life journey. She made history in the Olympic Games in Rome, becoming the first American woman to win three gold medals and break three world records. Her life, full of obstacles and hardship, took her to the throne of athletics and the heart of burning social issues.

Early Childhood

Born on June 23, 1940, in Tennessee, Wilma had 21 siblings. While she had the support and care from her extended family, it was challenging for the family to make ends meet. Things worsened when Rudolph contracted polio, double pneumonia, and scarlet fever. Though she survived the severe bouts, her illness left her paralyzed, and Wilma had to wear a leg brace. The doctor’s prognosis was grim, but with her family’s help, Rudolph started to hop on one leg in two years. Soon, she began to move, and by 12, Vilma regained her walking ability and took up basketball. She soon proved a natural athlete, challenging every boy in the neighborhood at running.

Olympic Fame

The Olympic Games were a pipe dream to young Rudolph. Yet, she caught steam and never lost a race in all high school track meets. At 16, Vilma brought a bronze medal from the Summer Olympics in Melbourne. In 1960 she participated in the Olympic Games in Rome, Italy, and won three gold medals. A striking fact about this triple victory is that in the 100 and 200-meter dashes, Wilma finished three yards before the closest contestant. In addition, her relay team won the 400-meter race thanks to her exceptional performance. Vilma attracted the world’s attention; the crowds cheered her and called her “La Gazelle.” However, she decided not to participate in the next Olympic Games, fearing that she won’t duplicate her success.

Fighting for a Social Cause

Rudolph dedicated the rest of her life to teaching the lessons she learned the hard way. She was particularly keen on coaching underprivileged children. Wilma even wrote her autobiography and worked in several community sports centers. She also gave numerous motivational speeches and founded the Wilma Rudolph Foundation to promote amateur athletics. Wilma died in 1994 of a brain tumor. Survived by two daughters and two sons, Rudolph has left a remarkable inspirational legacy.

Wilma played a critical role in the way we see sports today. Her poor health as a child instilled the “never give up” attitude in her mindset. Learning to overcome fear and weakness gave Rudolph the courage to aim high. Vilma’s personality proves that a strong will and perseverance can take you to stardom.

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How to Write a Profile Essay

• Posted 21 November 2020
• By StudySaurus
• Under Essay Writing
• Discover a remarkable subject to write a profile essay about. The person can be well-known or somewhat ordinary. The subject is not limited to an individual but can be a location, leisure interest, or occupation. Expand your search beyond the computer and your neighborhood. Do primary source research on the subject to acquire background information. Go to the library and view back issues of local or regional newspapers and other rags or scan online sources.
• Develop a loose outline based on the subject of your essay. Jot down the header, “Introduction.” Start listing possible details that will be disclosed later from interviews. Title another header as “Body” and note high points that will become the possible climax of the essay. Tie it all up in the “Conclusion” header and brainstorm solid ending possibilities.
• Compose a list of specific interview questions. They should be open-ended but specific and relevant to your essay. Questions should draw out information not commonly known about the person. Make a list of possible interviewees to broaden the narrative for a multifaceted profile. This includes others in his or her circle or individuals linked to a location or activity.
• Conduct the interview in a distraction-free zone. Establish a rapport early on to make the interviewee feel comfortable, which will churn out a more productive interview. Lay down a basic groundwork of what topics will be covered, the length of time needed, and the importance of the interview. Next, advance to the main interview. Be sure to take meticulous notes or get permission to tape the interview to transcribe later.
• Jot down any observations immediately following the interview. Consider the individual’s habits, attitude, and other qualities that were observed. Transcribe and rearrange the interview questions to recount an interesting personal perspective or interpretation. This will become your rough draft.
• Revise the draft, incorporating important details and factual incidents that were initially missed. Start with an attention-grabbing lead sentence. Ensure that the beginning grabs the reader and pulls him in. Intrigue your audience with an informative main section. Stay focused on your intended approach until the essay’s conclusion, which should give readers a closing impression of the subject and summarize your overall objective.
• Read the essay aloud. Did you give a visual portrayal? Check that you interweaved dialogue, added physical descriptions in moderation, but used narrative freely.

Tips to Write a Profile Essay

A profile essay vividly presents a subject to the readers. The writing is a combination of objective and expressive: While presenting his observations and analysis to inform the reader, the writer also brings his own personal perspective and interpretations to the essay. A profile essay differs from biographical and autobiographical writing in that it takes newly acquired observation, through research or firsthand accounts; an autobiography or biography is about remembered experiences. The challenge of a profile essay is to gather the information and give it shape in an essay that conveys a main idea; there are several guidelines to aid a writer in doing this.

Choose the Subject Wisely

While profiles of exciting, controversial people are always interesting, even the mundane can be intriguing if the writer examines it closely and offers a distinctive perspective. A writer shouldn’t overlook the quietly remarkable person who seems ordinary on the outside.

Form an Engaging and Informative Plan

A profile essay will most likely be based on at least one interview with the subject, and may also include interviews with those that know the subject. Writers should resist the temptation to organize the essay in the order they ask the questions, as this can make for boring reading. Instead, the answers of the questions should be examined closely for an emerging image of the subject. The responses can then be incorporated into a more complex picture of the subject.

Provide a Vivid Description

A quality profile essay should incorporate a vivid word picture of the subject. Include specific details, such as how the subject looks, talks, dresses, smells and is motivated. Keep straight description, or just cataloging the obvious, to a minimum; instead, use description to give the sense that the subject’s outward appearance reveals inward character traits. Information from others in the essay should serve to describe the subject and not take on its own life.

Convey a Dominant Impression

A profile essay should convey a dominant impression of the subject: the writer’s personal interpretation and insight on the subject and what the writer has gained from observing and researching. Carefully select and arrange details so that they communicate your attitude. This interpretive element is what categorizes the profile essay as a genre and separates it from other forms of narrative and descriptive writing, such as the biography.

Profile Paper Example

“Good evening, Valparaiso. I’m storm shield meteorologist Jacob Van Horn here with a look at your forecast.” Ever since Jake was in grade school, he knew that he wanted to be a meteorologist. However, it wasn’t until high school that he realized his dream could truly become reality. Jake’s interest in weather began when he first watched the movie “Twister,” a collection of National Geographic documentaries provided by his school. With an abundance of hard work and dedication, Jake is working towards earning his bachelor’s degree in meteorology and achieving his dream of becoming a meteorologist.

Since Jake has always been an admirer of the weather, severe storms always brought him a thrill. His interest in weather peaked after an F-4 tornado struck a city near his home in November of 2002. His family drove through Van Wert, Ohio, to see the damage. “Those images will always be in my head,” he recalls.

Although Jake always knew that he wanted to become a meteorologist, it was not until high school when he recognized his full potential. He realized how good he was at science and math and how much he enjoyed each of these subjects. Math and science are a crucial part of meteorology; therefore, Jake decided to “give it a go.”

When it came to deciding upon a college to pursue his meteorology degree, Jake was torn between Purdue University and Valparaiso University. Both schools possessed a great meteorology program, but Jake was drawn to Valparaiso’s small school atmosphere and location. Although Valparaiso was a private university with higher tuition than Purdue, Jake received a presidential scholarship, which aided in paying for his tuition. Getting accepted into a college with an outstanding meteorology program brought Jake one step closer to achieving his dream.

Once college started, there were a broad range of meteorology classes that he had to take. They started as simple, introductory classes and progressed into much more specific classes, such as an aviation weather class to predict things such as turbulence and a tropical class, which not only focuses on hurricanes and tropical storms, but the impact of the ocean on the weather in general. These classes will be beneficial to his future career choice. A meteorologist’s job can be described as making a type of educated prediction. Jake will use what he has learned in his classes, apply that broad knowledge to whatever is happening in the forecast, look at where the weather is coming from, and predict what he believes will happen.

The summer between his freshman and sophomore years of college, Jake was an intern at a local news station, WANE 15. While at his internship, he often assisted the head meteorologist in creating graphics that were used on television. He liked using the graphics system to see what he could create and he also liked communicating to the people about what was going to be happening. Jake said that he was able to learn an abundance of new things that will be useful in his future endeavors. One night, during a large tornado outbreak, he stayed at the station until around 2AM, keeping the viewing areas informed about the potentially dangerous weather conditions. He said that it “was definitely a crazy night.”

When he returned back to campus his sophomore year, Jake was a lab aide for an introductory class, which helps to refresh students on the basics of meteorology. He was also an assistant weather director at the campus television station, which is helping him learn about the broadcasting side of meteorology. He has learned everything from production to graphic-making and even presentation skills on the green screen. Although he did not think he would like being on television, before he began classes, Jake has learned many skills that have opened his mind to the world of broadcasting.

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• A Research Guide
• Writing Guide
• Essay Writing

How to Write a Profile Essay

• Purpose of profile essay
• How to start
• Structure and outline

Step-by-step writing guide

• Profile essay format

Helpful profile essay examples

What is the purpose of a profile essay, how to start a profile essay correctly, checking successful profile essays matters, choosing your profile essay subject, determine the style and tone of your writing, profile essay structure and outline, profile essay mandatory sections.

• An Introduction. Under ideal conditions, it should contain several sentences and provide background information about the subject.
• Body Sections. This part should discuss all the points mentioned in the introduction paragraph yet in greater detail.
• Conclusion. It is where you provide a summary of all the key points.

1. Determining your profile

2. Choosing your profile essay subject

3. writing an introduction, 4. working on body paragraphs, 5. conclusion part, 6. final editing and proofreading, profile essay formatting tips.

• Keep information accessible and clear to your readers.
• Your sentences should not be overly long. Write to the point.
• The structure of paragraphs must implement topic sentences as you write.
• Choose your words and phrases wisely to convey the main meaning.
• Offer details and examples along with key facts or an interview.
• Offer a summary sentence in each paragraph to make smooth transitions.
• Write in a focused and enjoyable manner by avoiding overexplaining things.
• Use creative narration methods to keep things more inspiring.
• When you are confused, approaching a cheap essay writing service with experienced writers may help you narrow things down.
• Keep your writing balanced and offer explanations and glossary points for all the elements that may require an additional explanation.
• 10+ Profile essay examples . These contain free expository and interview examples available free of charge.
• Profile essay composition examples by Washtenaw Community College.
• Purdue OWL Writing Lab formatting and writing style guides help.

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How to write a profile essay

• December 26, 2023

A profile essay is when you  focus your writing on a single person, location, or object.

When you need to write one of these types of essays , it’s important to keep the essay’s main objective in mind. This objective is to be enlightening. 

Choosing a profile essay topic

You first need to choose a topic for your profile essay. Then, you need to gather information about the topic.

Choosing the topic

Consider a person, a place, or an object when choosing a topic .

• A popular person or place will usually pique the attention of readers because they are curious about them.
• If you’re passionate about your subject, you are likely to show your passion in your writing.​
• Ideally, you will need to interview your subject. If your subject is a person, try to choose someone that you can interview. If you are going to write about a place, try to choose one that you can visit.​

For these steps, we are going to be writing a profile essay on the former United States President Barack Obama .

Researching and gathering information

First-hand information is often preferable because it contains data that can’t be accessed somewhere else. If you are interviewing someone for information:

• Ask detailed questions rather than yes-or-no questions that don't need in-depth detail.

If you are going to write about a famous person or a place you can’t visit, receiving first-hand information isn’t possible . In this case:

• Use online interviews, books, and websites to find specific details about the person, place, or object.

Profile essay introduction

One of the most common characteristics of profile essays is their focus on presenting comprehensive details about the subject (Avoiding general descriptions). Therefore, in the introduction of a profile essay:

If you are writing about a person:

• You can start with that person’s appearance.
• You could mention the details such as name, age, race, weight, height, skin tone, and so on are crucial.​

If you are writing about a city:

• The etymology of the city name, a description of the area, nearby locations, geographical coordinates, population, history, and so on should all be included.

Profile essay introduction example

Add your thesis statement to the last sentence of your introduction to explain the main argument of your essay. 

Additionally, the introduction of a profile essay should be short. If you are unable to write a introduction concisely, you can make use of a text summarizer . Using a summarizer will benefit in saving your time/effort, engaging readers, as well and covering all the key terms.

Writing body paragraphs

It’s time to compose the body paragraphs now that you’ve finished your introduction. It’s important to:

• Include sensory information such as sight, sound, and touch. When writing about an event, include information about the atmosphere and the moods of the attendees.
• Include interview questions and facts that readers may be interested in learning more about.​
• Connect the details in the paragraph to the thesis statement.​
• Make your profile essay as detailed as possible, making your reader feel as if they are there with you.​

Profile essay body paragraph example

Profile essay conclusion paragraph.

Now it’s time to write our conclusion . Use the conclusion to:

• Restate your thesis statement
• Summarize all of the details provided in the profile essay in a concise way.​
• Include a hook or closing sentence at the end to keep your readers intrigued about the subject.

Profile essay conclusion example

Final tips on profile essays.

• When writing your essay, it’s important to remember that your whole essay should be framed by your viewpoint on the events. Try to be fair, but recognize that you have to be subjective.
• While a profile essay adopts a professional tone that is anticipated in the academic community, profile essays are more flexible than various types of essays.
• You must make a point and offer evidence to support it, just as you do in other essays.
• You should avoid writing an interview transcript and submitting it as an essay.

5-Paragraph Profile Essay Example

Mustafa Kemal Ataturk: A Profile of a Nation-Building Leader

Body Paragraphs

Key takeaways

• A profile essay is a type of essay that describes a person, place, or event in detail, focusing on the subject's unique qualities or characteristics.
• To write a profile essay, you must conduct research and gather information through interviews, observation, and other sources.
• Start your essay with an engaging introduction that provides context and previews the main points of your essay.
• Use specific details and anecdotes to bring your subject to life, and organize your essay around a clear thesis statement.
• End your essay with a conclusion that summarizes your main points and provides a final reflection on the significance of the subject.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the purpose of a profile essay.

A profile essay aims to provide a thorough description or analysis of a person, location, or event. The essay should include an in-depth examination of the subject’s history, personality, and deeds. It should also give insight into the subject’s relevance or influence.

Who should be the subject of the profile essay?

A person, location, or event might be the subject of a profile essay. An actual person, such as a prominent personality or a fictitious character, can be used. It can also refer to a location, such as a city or a monument, or an event, such as a concert or sporting event.  

How do I choose a specific topic or angle for the profile essay?

Consider the following factors when selecting a topic or viewpoint for a profile essay:

• What distinguishing attributes or characteristics does the topic have?
• What is the subject’s importance to a bigger audience?
• What story or message do you wish to communicate about the topic? 

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How to Write a Profile Essay (+ Examples to Check)

In the article, you’ll find the profile essay definition and structure. Several examples are also here to help you see how to create a brilliant one.

What is a Profile Essay?

Such papers have two primary goals:

•  Stay informative
•  Provide as many exciting details about the subject as possible

Another essential detail is that you shouldn’t stray from the topic. Mention only the relevant things, and don’t be afraid to keep the focus as narrow as possible.

That’s the point of any profile essay.

Profile Essay Example

Profile essays look personal, but their style is matter-of-fact and academic. It seems challenging, but you can do that with appropriate examples at hand.

There are two common types of such papers: on a person and a place . Since each has its specifics, let’s jump right into the samples!

Profile essay example on a person 

Lucky you are when a professor assigns an essay about yourself. After all, it’s a person you know best, right? When writing about someone else, the key is to treat them how you’d treat yourself if you wrote your story.

Here’s an example of a profile essay on a person :

Profile essay example on a place  

Another profile paper is the one describing a specific location. It can include its history, spots, and the famous people who visited it. 

Choose the places you find exciting, but consider how much information you can dig up. Remember that a stellar profile essay must be informative. Put your emotions about what you’re describing aside.  Example:

How to Write a Profile Essay: Outline and Tips

One of the profile essay challenges is making it long enough  to meet the word count.

You can do it through research and adding extra info during the writing process. Imagine you’re a detective compiling a case file!

More details:

Craft a profile essay outline before writing. It’s a plan for an intro, a body, and a conclusion [1]. Important: Outline the thesis and topic sentences for each paragraph. That way, you’ll get a template for your essay to fill in with relevant information.

How to start a profile essay

The best way to start your essay is a so-called attention grabber. Tell the most intriguing fact about your topic and elaborate on it in the following sentence.

As a finishing touch, focus on a thesis statement. That last sentence reveals all the details you’ll discuss in the upcoming paragraphs.

Body paragraphs

You need several main points, whether writing about a personality or describing a location. Derive topic sentences (your paragraphs’ first sentences) from research and make them informative.

The last sentence of each section should be a transition to the next one. It will make your essay easy to read.

Writing a profile essay conclusion

Unlike an interview or expository essay , your conclusion restates the thesis and summarizes the core info from your paper.

While it sounds simple, this part of your paper is the most significant. Ensure you end it with a relevant sum-up.

Practical tips on writing profile papers  

Profile papers are all about research and editing your essay to perfection. Below are three fruitful tips [2] on how to do that.

• Use a reference finder . This tool works like a filter, removing all irrelevant sources from your search. It will help you invest less time in finding the materials you need.
• Spend several hours resting before editing your paper . If you look for mistakes in your essay right after you’ve finished the draft, you’re likely to miss them. Give your brain time to refocus, and you’ll find more typos and inconsistencies.
• Ask parents or friends how informative it is . If unsure about how your paper turned out, ask someone who doesn’t know much about the topic. If they find your draft engaging, it’s a success.

Bonus: Profile Essay Topics Ideas  

If a tutor doesn’t provide a specific topic for your profile essay and you struggle to find one, try any of these:

•   My Hometown’s History: The Hero of People
•   The Writer Who Shaped My View of Life
•   The Best Five-Star Hotel In Our Country
•   An Unusual Millionaire With a Kind Heart
•   A Touching Story of a Famous Animal
•   My Favorite Painter: A Biography
•   My Favorite Touristic Location
•   The Spookiest Location I’ve Ever Visited
•   The Teacher Who Was My Role Model
•   The Landmark I’ll Never Forget
•   My Pet Animal: Facts and Stories
•   My Hero: The Person I Want to Become
•   The Most Impressive Water Body I’ve Seen
•   The Place I Dream to Visit
•   The Fictional Character I Learned Most From

Profile essays can be challenging. Yet, they’re great for training your writing and research skills. You pay attention to details so that a text flows and presents information logically.

It’s okay if you don’t create a masterpiece on your first try. Just remember to have fun in the process.

References:

• https://www.adelaide.edu.au/english-for-uni/essay-writing
• https://www.wccnet.edu/webfiles/writing-center/web/essay-structures/ProfileEssay.pdf
• Essay samples
• Essay writing
• Writing tips

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Home — Essay Types — Profile Essay

Profile Essay Examples

Choosing the right topic for a profile essay is crucial to its success. Profile essays offer a deep dive into the subject's life, environment, or a particular aspect that makes them stand out. The beauty of profile essays lies in their flexibility and the wide range of potential subjects they can cover, from individuals to places, and from events to significant personal experiences. When selecting profile essay topics, the aim is to find a narrative that is both engaging and insightful, offering readers a window into something unique and captivating. Here are some considerations and ideas for selecting the best profile essay topics.

Our List of Best Profile Essay Topics

Crafting the best profile essays involves delving into the heart and soul of a subject, capturing their essence in a way that resonates deeply with readers. These essays stand out not just for the depth of their exploration but also for their ability to tell a compelling story. From intimate portraits of individuals to vivid descriptions of places and events, the best profile essays illuminate the richness of their subjects, offering insights and perspectives that are both enlightening and engaging. Here are ten ideas for profile essays that have the potential to rank among the best, showcasing a range of subjects that can inspire and captivate.

• Cultivating Green Spaces in the City
• Wildlife Rangers Protecting Endangered Species
• Innovations in Education: The Teachers Redefining Learning
• The Resilient Refugee: Building a New Life Far from Home
• Frontiers of the Mind: Exploring the Work of Neuroscientists
• Chefs Preserving Traditional Cuisines
• Street Artists Voicing Social Change
• Redefining Work in the 21st Century
• Marine Biologists Saving Our Oceans
• Women Leading Community Development

Some Popular Profile Essay Ideas

Exploring unique and compelling profile essay ideas allows writers to delve into the intricacies of their subjects, offering readers a vivid glimpse into diverse worlds and experiences. These essays illuminate the essence of individuals, places, events, or phenomena, providing a detailed snapshot that engages and informs. The key to a captivating profile essay lies in choosing a topic that resonates on a personal and universal level. Here are five sample topics spanning different categories, showcasing the versatility of profile essay ideas:

• The Innovator in Renewable Energy

Explore the journey of an individual pioneering sustainable solutions in renewable energy, highlighting their contributions and the impact on global environmental challenges.

• The Heart of Community Theater

Delve into the life of a director or actor in a small community theater, capturing the passion and dedication behind local performing arts and its effect on the community.

• Guardians of the Lost Arts

Profile an artisan dedicated to preserving a dying art form, from traditional weaving techniques to ancient blacksmithing, exploring the significance of keeping these traditions alive.

• The Urban Forager

Uncover the world of someone who practices urban foraging, discussing how they find, gather, and use wild food resources in a city landscape to promote sustainability and a connection to nature.

• A Day with a Mountain Guide

Follow the experiences of a mountain guide, showcasing the challenges and rewards of guiding adventurers in some of the world’s most treacherous terrains and the lessons learned amidst nature’s grandeur.

What is a Profile Essay?

A profile essay is a detailed and informative piece of writing that focuses on describing a person, place, or event. It allows the writer to provide readers with a deeper understanding of the subject by painting a vivid picture with descriptive language and specific details. Profile essays are often written in a narrative style, making them engaging and captivating for the reader. By going beyond basic information and delving into the unique aspects of the subject, profile essays can create a vibrant portrait that allows the reader to truly connect with the subject.

What Does Profile Essay Mean?

Profile essays aim to tell the story of a person, place, or event in a way that is engaging and informative. These essays focus on specific aspects of the subject’s personality, background, or experiences to create a more compelling and interesting profile. By delving into the details that make the subject unique, profile essays can capture the essence of the subject and provide readers with a deeper understanding of who or what is being profiled. Through detailed descriptions, anecdotes, and insights, profile essays create a vivid and engaging portrait that allows the reader to connect with the subject on a deeper level.

What Are The Main Goals Of Profile Essays?

The main goals of a profile essay are to engage and inform the reader by capturing the essence of the subject. This is achieved through detailed descriptions, anecdotes, and insights that provide a vibrant portrait of the subject. Profile essays aim to entertain, inspire, or challenge the reader’s perceptions by going beyond basic information and delving into the unique aspects of the subject. By creating a compelling and engaging profile, writers can truly engage and inform their readers, leaving a lasting impact on their audience.

How to Write a Good Profile Essay

To write a good profile essay, it is important to follow a few key steps. First, choose a subject that is interesting and unique to capture the reader’s attention. Then, gather reliable information about the subject through research and interviews to provide depth and insight into the profile. Creating a detailed outline can help organize your thoughts and structure your essay coherently and engagingly. Finally, using descriptive language and specific details to bring the subject to life for the reader can create a vivid and engaging portrait that truly captures the essence of the subject.

How Do I Prepare to Write Profile Essays?

Preparing to write a profile essay involves several steps to ensure a successful and engaging essay. By exploring examples of profile essays , choosing a unique and interesting topic, deciding on the writing style, gathering reliable information, and creating a detailed plan, writers can set themselves up for success. Taking the time to prepare and plan before writing can help ensure the profile essay is engaging, informative, and captivating for the reader. By following these steps, writers can create compelling and memorable profile essays that truly engage and inform their readers.

To prepare to write a profile essay, there are several steps you can take:

• Explore P rofile Writing Examples : Before you begin writing your profile essay, it can be helpful to read examples of profile essays to get a sense of the style and structure.
• Choose a Topic: Select a subject for your profile essay that is interesting, unique, and has depth.
• Find Your Writing Style: Decide on the tone and style of your profile essay, whether it is formal, informal, personal, or objective.
• Look For Reliable Information: Gather information about your subject from a variety of sources, including interviews, research, and observations.
• Create a Plan: Develop an outline for your profile essay that includes a clear introduction, body, and conclusion.

Below we will go through two main points from this list.

Explore P rofile Writing  Examples

Before embarking on their assignments, students are advised to meticulously explore profile essay examples to grasp the composition and structure of the text. For this purpose, entering “profile essay example” into a search engine will yield numerous resources. However, it is crucial to select resources that are either highly reviewed or free from errors. Additionally, educational publications frequently release compilations of various essay types, including profile writing examples, which can serve as valuable resources.

Check those profile essay examples [PDF]:

During the review of these examples, it is essential to observe the text’s organization, formatting, thematic development across paragraphs, and the employment of literary devices. Attention should also be given to the writer’s style, choice of language, and more. Importantly, examine the introduction and conclusion closely to understand how the writer engages the reader from the outset and the phrases utilized to craft a compelling closing. Note these techniques for potential incorporation into your writing.

Engage with as many examples as possible to appreciate the unique writing styles of different authors, as this can reveal nuances and techniques not evident in other works. Profile essay examples serve as a rich source of fundamental insights that may not be covered in classroom teachings.

Creating compelling profile writing examples can significantly aid students in mastering the art of profile essays. These examples not only showcase how to capture the essence of a person but also demonstrate how to weave narrative and factual information into a cohesive and engaging story. Here are two profile writing examples tailored for students, focusing on different subjects to illustrate a range of approaches.

Profile Example 1: The Innovator in the Classroom

At first glance, Mr. Jameson’s physics classroom looks like any other, filled with rows of desks and the periodic hum of fluorescent lights. However, a closer look reveals that this is no ordinary educational space. At the front of the room stands Mr. Elliot Jameson, a teacher known among students as the “Innovator.” With a passion for making physics accessible and exciting, Mr. Jameson has transformed his classroom into a dynamic learning environment where traditional lectures are rare, and hands-on experiments are the norm. Mr. Jameson’s journey into teaching was unconventional. With a background in engineering and a stint at a tech startup, he brings a unique perspective to education. He believes in teaching through failure and experimentation, a philosophy that has earned him both accolades and a few raised eyebrows from traditionalists. His methods, however, speak for themselves. Under his guidance, students who once dreaded physics now eagerly anticipate his classes, and his Physics Club has grown to be the largest in the school’s history. What sets Mr. Jameson apart is his ability to connect with students on a personal level. He spends countless hours after school tutoring students, not just in physics, but in life. His classroom is adorned with student projects, posters of scientific heroes, and a corner dedicated to failed experiments, labeled “The Learning Pit.” In Mr. Jameson’s words, “Failure isn’t the opposite of success; it’s a stepping stone towards it. My goal is to make my students resilient problem-solvers, ready for the challenges of the future.

Profile Example 2: The Quiet Leader

Maria Gomez stands quietly at the edge of the community garden, her hands deep in the soil. To an outsider, she might appear to be just another volunteer, but to those in the neighborhood, she is the heart and soul of this green oasis in the middle of the city. A senior at the local high school, Maria has been the driving force behind the garden’s transformation from a neglected plot of land to a vibrant community hub. Maria’s leadership style is not one of loud declarations or grand gestures. Instead, she leads by example, dedicating her weekends to the garden, tirelessly weeding, planting, and organizing community planting days. Her commitment has inspired others to join in, turning the garden into a project that has brought together people from all walks of life. Despite her quiet demeanor, Maria’s impact is undeniable. The garden has not only beautified the neighborhood but has also become a source of fresh produce for local families. Through her initiative, Maria has organized cooking classes and nutrition workshops, empowering her community with knowledge about healthy living. Reflecting on her work, Maria shares, “This garden isn’t just about growing food; it’s about growing connections. It’s a place where everyone is welcome, and every plant tells a story of collaboration and care.

This profile writing examples for students demonstrate the power of storytelling in capturing the essence of their subjects. Each profile offers a glimpse into the individuals’ lives, highlighting their achievements, philosophies, and the impact they have on those around them.

Find Your Writing Style

Cultivating a distinctive writing style is like sculpting your signature sound in a vast choir. It involves delving into what makes your perspective unique. For those embarking on crafting profile essays or enriching their narrative skills, here are ten tailored tips to guide you toward discovering and refining your writing style, with a nod to students seeking inspiration through profile essay on a person example, an example of a profile essay, and examples of profile essays:

• Diversify Your Writing : The more you write, the more refined your style becomes. Challenge yourself with a variety of genres, topics, and lengths. A personal diary or blog can serve as a sandbox for your creativity.
• Select Writing Mentors : Identify writers whose styles resonate with you. Analyze what aspects of their writing appeal to you and integrate these insights into your work, ensuring to maintain your originality.
• Broaden Your Reading Palette : Immerse yourself in a wide range of literature, from timeless classics to contemporary journalistic works. This exposure can significantly influence your style.
• Embrace Writerly Wisdom : Seek out and apply advice from accomplished writers. Even unconventional tips, like avoiding common verbs (e.g., “to be”, “to have”, and “to think”) to encourage more descriptive language, can stretch your creative muscles.
• Study Language and Craft : Delve into resources about language arts, writing techniques, and journalism. These materials are gold mines of exercises that can sharpen your writing skills.
• Eliminate Fluff Words : Scour your writing for words that offer little to no value and cut them out. This practice leads to more potent and direct expression.
• Be Wary of Repetition : Keep an eye out for needless repetition, overuse of pronouns, and reliance on the verb “to be”. Strive for variety and depth in your sentence structures.
• Zero in on a Genre : While exploring different styles is beneficial, specializing in a specific genre can help you deepen your expertise. Study its conventions and reader expectations to enhance your proficiency.
• Experiment with Narrative Voices : Play with different points of view and narrative voices to discover what best suits your story and style. Each perspective offers unique advantages and challenges.
• Practice Critical Self-Review : Regularly review your writing with a critical eye. Identify patterns, strengths, and areas for improvement. Peer feedback can also provide valuable insights into your style’s effectiveness.

By integrating these strategies into your practice, you can develop a writing style that is unmistakably yours, whether you’re crafting a profile essay on a person, searching for the perfect example of a profile essay, or exploring the broader realm of profile essays and writing examples for students.

How to Write a Profile Essay?

Starting to write a profile essay involves several key steps to ensure a successful and engaging essay. By getting the right information about the subject, validating the information through research and interviews, outlining the essay to create a cohesive structure, and revising or proofreading for clarity and accuracy, writers can set themselves up for success. Taking the necessary steps to prepare and plan before writing can help ensure the profile essay is engaging, informative, and captivating for the reader. With practice and dedication, writers can hone their profile writing skills and create compelling and memorable essays that truly engage and inspire their readers.

• Step 1: Get the Right Information: Before you start writing your profile essay, make sure you have gathered all the necessary information about your subject.
• Step 2: Validate Your Information: Verify the accuracy of the information you have collected through research and interviews.
• Step 3: Outline Your Essay: Create a detailed outline for your profile essay that includes a clear introduction, body, and conclusion.
• Step 4: Revise or Proofread Your Profile Essay: Once you have completed your profile essay, take the time to revise and proofread it to ensure clarity, accuracy, and coherence.

In conclusion, writing a profile essay can be a rewarding and fulfilling experience. By following the steps outlined in this guide, you can create a compelling and informative profile that captures the essence of your subject. Remember to choose a unique and interesting topic, gather reliable information, and use descriptive language to bring your subject to life. With practice and dedication, you can master the art of profile writing and create memorable essays that engage and inspire your readers.

Remember to maintain objectivity, seek feedback, and thoroughly revise your essay for clarity and coherence.

Steps to Writing a Profile Essay Structure

Regarding your profile essay structure , it must include the following sections: 

• Introduction with the basic background information about the person, event, or activity that you describe. Introduction with the basic background information about the person, event, or activity that you describe. Start your profile essay with an engaging introduction that introduces the subject and sets the tone for the rest of the essay.
• The list of facts with the timeline if you are talking about a certain period. 
• A paragraph about the general social perception of your topic and the reasons why your subject is important. 
• Three to five body paragraphs that focus on important facts about your topic. The general idea is to use one fact per paragraph to keep things accurate and well-structured. 
• An analytical paragraph where you talk about your thoughts and the reasons why you have chosen certain facts and how they affected your studies, society, or what importance is posed for your course. 
• A conclusion paragraph. This is where you sum your ideas up and focus on the key facts that have been mentioned. 
• References page. Since we are dealing with the facts that need evidence, the use of citations is paramount for a successful profile essay structure. 

See our free profile essay example and don’t forget to check our profile essay checklist to ensure that nothing has been missed by accident: 

✔️ Provide interesting details and facts. ✔️ Keep your style and tone neutral. ✔️ Use a unique introduction with a hook sentence. ✔️ Check your facts and add quotes as evidence. ✔️ Use only academic sources. ✔️ Use a neutral tone. ✔️ Opinions from more than one school of thought.

Working on your profile, always refer to your course specifics and discipline as it may introduce additional rules regarding your structure and information that must be included. 

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What is a profile essay?

A typical profile essay example is a creative description of a personality, an event, or an object that relates to a particular person. In some cases, you can choose topics or ideas that describe a celebrity or a scientist. It must deal with the facts and provide descriptions. The other profile essay topics may talk about a career, a defining moment with a teacher, or a profile on social media.

How to write profile essays?

As you will see with most examples of profile essays, they represent a collection of facts with a brief analysis. It is a narration that focuses on a person. However, it must not get boring and become a listing of already known facts. Provide analytical information, interesting data, and argumentation that tells why a certain profile matters to you or had an impact on society.

How do I choose a subject for my profile essay?

Selecting a subject for your profile essay involves identifying a topic that you find intriguing and believe will captivate your audience. It could be someone with an interesting story or occupation, a place with historical significance, or an event that has impacted a community. Consider accessibility to the subject for interviews and research, and ensure there is enough substance to explore deeply.

What are some key elements to include in a profile essay?

Key elements of a profile essay include a captivating introduction that hooks the reader, detailed background information about the subject, a vivid description that employs sensory details, direct quotations from interviews, and a reflective conclusion that ties the insights and observations together. Incorporating personal observations and thoughts can also add depth to your essay.

How do I conduct research for a profile essay?

Research for a profile essay involves both primary and secondary sources. Start with secondary research to gather background information about your subject. Then, conduct primary research through interviews and firsthand observations to capture the nuances of your subject's personality, environment, or activities. Ensure your questions are open-ended to elicit detailed responses.

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Profile essay examples – structure| tips| examples, dr. wilson mn.

• July 25, 2022
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This article discusses about What is a profle essay and provides 5 best Profile Essay Examples.

It’s common for students in college to have no idea how to write a good profile essay, but this can be avoided by learning to research and making the most of your available resources.

Choosing an interesting topic for a personal profile essay is essential if you want to achieve success. You’ll have plenty to write about if you do this.

People and places you are writing about need to be vividly portrayed in your mind.

What You'll Learn

What is a Profile Essay

A profile essay is an essay written to provide a description of a person, place, concept, or thing. It is a descriptive form of writing that aims at providing as much detail as possible on a particular topic.

In spite of the fact that a profile essay is often mistaken as a biography or autobiography, these other forms of writing are distinct in that they are much shorter in length. There are two types of essays: those that focus on a person’s life story, and those that focus on a specific topic. While a biography can be turned into a book, a profile essay is better suited for bios, profile descriptions, and the like.

Even though a profile essay isn’t as in-depth as a biography, it’s written to convey a lot of information in a short period of time. Journalism students and interviewers can benefit from this because it provides a sufficient amount of time to investigate one specific topic.

Keep in mind the possible questions that may arise when writing a profile essay, and address them. You must have taken note that some blogs usually append a frequently asked questions (FAQ) section to their content, usually at the end of a profile essay.

This gives the reader the required information that they need to understand the topic in question.

Profile Essay Structure

Introduction.

This is the thing that will attract or excuse your crowd. A decent presentation spellbinds the peruser and keeps him snared as far as possible.

Start with basic issues which will be clarified later in the paper. To make your article engaging, utilize significant and important data. Give perusers the data they want.

Beginning with a discussion is a decent method to make your paper spellbinding. These can be talks between numerous individuals.

You can uncover data that will be astounding to the perusers like when composing a profile exposition model about yourself you can uncover something that your perusers don’t know about.

This segment gives weight and importance to your article. The data given in the presentation is extended by utilizing a coordinated organization.

The body will decide whether the peruser keeps on taking part in your paper.

Contend your focus utilizing steady proof and attempt to persuade the crowd that you are a specialist with regard to your subject.

The thoughts referenced in the presentation structure the start of each passage as per the pattern in which they show up in.

Here and there, you may like to end a section utilizing an outline sentence albeit this is discretionary.

In an illustration of a profile article, you can summarize a section by giving the outcome of the subtleties clarified.

This is the last piece of your article. It is normally a couple of sentences contrasted with the body. While summarizing your composition presenting new ideas will confound the perusers.

In this part, you should simply rehash the significant focus helping the peruser to remember their significance, and points, and in the event that they have been satisfied.

In an illustration of character profile exposition about a craftsman, you can’t discuss his family foundation in the event that you had not referenced it in the presentation and in this way clarified in the article.

How to Write a Profile Essay

• Discover a remarkable subject to write a profile essay about. The person can be well-known or somewhat ordinary.

The subject is not limited to an individual but can be a location, leisure interest, or occupation. Expand your search beyond the computer and your neighborhood.

Do primary source research on the subject to acquire background information.

Go to the library and view back issues of local or regional newspapers and other rags or scan online sources.

• Develop a loose outline based on the subject of your essay. Jot down the header, “Introduction.” Start listing possible details that will be disclosed later in the interviews.

Title another header as “Body” and note high points that will become the possible climax of the essay.

Tie it all up in the “Conclusion” header and brainstorm solid ending possibilities.

As you continue, thestudycorp.com has the top and most qualified writers to help with any of your assignments. All you need to do is  place an order  with us. (Profile Essay Examples)

• Compose a list of specific interview questions. They should be open-ended but specific and relevant to your essay.

Questions should draw out information not commonly known about the person. Make a list of possible interviewees to broaden the narrative for a multifaceted profile.

This includes others in his or her circle or individuals linked to a location or activity.

• Conduct the interview in a distraction-free zone. Establish a rapport early on to make the interviewee feel comfortable, which will churn out a more productive interview.

Lay down a basic groundwork of what topics will be covered, the length of time needed, and the importance of the interview. Next, advance to the main interview.

Be sure to take meticulous notes or get permission to tape the interview to transcribe later.

• Jot down any observations immediately following the interview. Consider the individual’s habits, attitude, and other qualities that were observed.

Transcribe and rearrange the interview questions to recount an interesting personal perspective or interpretation. This will become your rough draft.

• Revise the draft, incorporating important details and factual incidents that were initially missed.

Start with an attention-grabbing lead sentence. Ensure that the beginning grabs the reader and pulls him in. Intrigue your audience with an informative main section.

Stay focused on your intended approach until the essay’s conclusion , which should give readers a closing impression of the subject and summarize your overall objective.

• Read the essay aloud. Did you give a visual portrayal?

 Check that you interweaved dialogue, added physical descriptions in moderation, but used narrative freely.

What to Consider When Choosing a Subject for Profile Essay

The subject is at the core of your essay the one you choose will determine the outcome of the readers’ experience.

For an easier time writing your essay, consider the following points:

• In case of an interview choose a subject who is easily available and make sure to consider the ones that actually give interviews. Crossing boundaries can land you in trouble.
• What are the recent activities happening to the subject?
• Do not include details that may harm the subject’s reputation or cost them their occupation
• Respect the subject whether famous or infamous
• In the instance of a place use factual information based on concrete evidence.
• Remember to make enough research about your subject
• Choose a reasonable subject. Doing this will ensure that you have all the resources you need.

A profile essay example of another planet is unreasonable because there are limited or no resources available to get information from.

You can also check out MLA Citation for Website: In text | Reference | Social Media|Examples

Tips to Write a Profile Essay

A profile essay vividly presents a subject to the readers. The writing is a combination of objective and expressive: While presenting his observations and analysis to inform the reader, the writer also brings his own personal perspective and interpretations to the essay.

A profile essay differs from biographical and autobiographical writing in that it takes newly acquired observation, through research or firsthand accounts; an autobiography or biography is about remembered experiences.

The challenge of a profile essay is to gather the information and give it shape in an essay that conveys the main idea; there are several guidelines to aid a writer in doing this.

Choose the Subject Wisely

While profiles of exciting, controversial people are always interesting, even the mundane can be intriguing if the writer examines it closely and offers a distinctive perspective.

A writer shouldn’t overlook the quietly remarkable person who seems ordinary on the outside.

Form an Engaging and Informative Plan

A profile essay will most likely be based on at least one interview with the subject, and may also include interviews with those that know the subject.

Writers should resist the temptation to organize the essay in the order they ask the questions, as this can make for boring reading.

Instead, the answers of the questions should be examined closely for an emerging image of the subject. The responses can then be incorporated into a more complex picture of the subject.

Provide a Vivid Description

A quality profile essay should incorporate a vivid word picture of the subject. Include specific details, such as how the subject looks, talks, dresses, smells and is motivated.

Keep straight description, or just cataloging the obvious, to a minimum; instead, use description to give the sense that the subject’s outward appearance reveals inward character traits.

Information from others in the essay should serve to describe the subject and not take on its own life.

Convey a Dominant Impression

A profile essay should convey a dominant impression of the subject: the writer’s personal interpretation and insight on the subject and what the writer has gained from observing and researching.

Carefully select and arrange details so that they communicate your attitude.

This interpretive element is what categorizes the profile essay as a genre and separates it from other forms of narrative and descriptive writing, such as the biography.

Profile Essay Examples

Profile essay example 1 – my happy dad.

My dad always said, “It takes fewer muscles to smile than it does to frown.” I have to believe this is true because I spent the earlier years of my life frowning. Going through life with a cortisol-fueled scowl on your face can make for an exhausting existence. But, when I began smiling—really smiling—I felt more confident, happier, and lighter in spirit. I started asking myself why I hadn’t tried smiling sooner.

My dad’s advice reminded me of an early astronomy class I took in college where the professor lectured us one day about this weird thing called dark energy. It turns out that if you look around you on Earth, everything has gravity—you know, the way things are attracted to each other? Well, apparently, there’s also dark energy that’s pushing all these things apart at an increasingly accelerated rate. Neat stuff to ponder when you’re just trying to pass the class, but something about it stuck with me years later because I think about it in terms of smiling. Like dark energy, when we smile, we can feel ourselves pushing things apart—we expand our own worlds and simultaneously help everyone around us do the same.

Smiling is such a simple act, but it takes muscles to get it done. You have to flex your cheek, bite down on your larynx, and unclench your tongue while simultaneously juggling a ball of hot air that you have to squeeze out your mouth. Then, if people don’t smile back at you, it’s all for naught because you’ve got nothing left to hold yourself together with. It’s a lot of work, but smiling changes everything once you’ve done it.

My dad is the reason I smile. He’s the reason I have the confidence to smile first, too. Looking back at my scowling days, I realize that he was smiling all along—but it took muscles for me to notice.

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You can also check out Tips on Writing a Good APA Research Paper

Profile Essay Example 2 – Boston Marathon Bombings

On April 15th, 2013, the Boston Marathon Bombings shook the city of Boston and America as a whole. This was an extraordinary tragedy that will never be forgotten by those who witnessed it first hand, including myself. The families affected by this horrible tragedy are left to deal with their grief for years to come. What makes the Marathon Bombing event so significant is the fact that everyone felt affected by it. The fact that anyone could be a victim makes everyone feel vulnerable and scared. This event made America feel like we were all Bostonians and that we were united as one nation.

Caroline Richards was cheering on her mother at the 117th Boston Marathon when the first bomb exploded. She was only three feet from the explosion and was severely injured as a result. Caroline spent 35 days in Boston Medical Center recovering from serious injuries she sustained from the bombing. When interviewed about her experience, she made a statement that I will never forget: “There’s no room for fear. We all have to be compassionate and help those who were also injured and affected,” Caroline said. “I am so grateful for my family and friends who have been by my side supporting me.”

This event proves that although tragedies occur, there is always a silver lining. There was light and hope in the midst of the darkness because of all those affected by it. The things people did to help others in need made us feel proud to be human beings capable of love and kindness.

I believe this event will have an everlasting effect on the world because it made us realize how precious life is and that we should appreciate our loved ones. It also taught us to be aware of the things happening around us and to pay more attention, as one small action can trigger a series of large events.

Profile Essay Example 3 – Alice Walker

Alice Walker has made an enormous contribution to literature, not only through her novels and poetry but also by campaigning for civil rights during the 1960s. Born in Georgia in 1944, she grew up in a tiny rural community with her sharecropper parents. Although she grew up in poverty, Walker’s parents managed to raise eight children. Her father was one of the main reasons why Alice became interested in learning about African-American history and literature.

Walker’s love for reading and writing started after sustaining an injury to her right eye that left her permanently blind in that eye. As soon as she could, she went back to school and studied at several colleges. She received her bachelor’s degree in 1965.

Alice Walker made history when her novel The Color Purple won the Pulitzer Prize in 1982. This was the first time that an African-American woman had won this prestigious award. The book is about a young black woman, Celie, whose life is filled with pain and suffering. It was made into a movie in 1985 by Steven Spielberg.

Alice Walker has used her writing to express her opinions about the conditions that black people were forced into during segregation in America. Her work is not only important because it enlightened people about these incidents but also added dignity to the African-American culture.

Profile Essay Example 4 – My mother’s determination

The day my mother was born, doctors didn’t think she would live. Her tiny body just wasn’t strong enough to survive in this world. But, against all odds and after hours of intensive care from a rotating team of nurses, my mother defied the odds and continued to grow and thrive.

Her early battle with life made her strong, determined, and resilient—a warrior that would fight for what she wanted. Later in life, even though she had a successful career as a social worker and could easily provide for herself financially, my mother took on another challenge: raising five children.

This was not easy, but my mother never complained; she simply figured out how to make things work in her own way. She made our lives fun and happy by taking us on long walks in the park or baking cookies with us in the afternoon when we got home from school. My mother’s determination influenced me to keep trying even if I didn’t always succeed the first time.

Today, my mother is retired and lives in Florida with my father. So many times, she has told me how much she loves her life because every day is sunny, and nothing bad ever happens to her anymore. I am so grateful for all of the sacrifices she made on our behalf, but mostly I am thankful for her strength and resilience because those attributes have made me strong too.

Profile Essay Example 5

“Good evening, Valparaiso. I’m storm shield meteorologist Jacob Van Horn here with a look at your forecast.” Ever since Jake was in grade school, he knew that he wanted to be a meteorologist. However, it wasn’t until high school that he realized his dream could truly become reality. Jake’s interest in weather began when he first watched the movie “Twister,” a collection of National Geographic documentaries provided by his school. With an abundance of hard work and dedication, Jake is working towards earning his bachelor’s degree in meteorology and achieving his dream of becoming a meteorologist.

Since Jake has always been an admirer of the weather, severe storms always brought him a thrill. His interest in weather peaked after an F-4 tornado struck a city near his home in November of 2002. His family drove through Van Wert, Ohio, to see the damage. “Those images will always be in my head,” he recalls.

Although Jake always knew that he wanted to become a meteorologist, it was not until high school when he recognized his full potential. He realized how good he was at science and math and how much he enjoyed each of these subjects. Math and science are a crucial part of meteorology; therefore, Jake decided to “give it a go.”

When it came to deciding upon a college to pursue his meteorology degree, Jake was torn between Purdue University and Valparaiso University. Both schools possessed a great meteorology program, but Jake was drawn to Valparaiso’s small school atmosphere and location. Although Valparaiso was a private university with higher tuition than Purdue, Jake received a presidential scholarship, which aided in paying for his tuition. Getting accepted into a college with an outstanding meteorology program brought Jake one step closer to achieving his dream.

Once college started, there were a broad range of meteorology classes that he had to take. They started as simple, introductory classes and progressed into much more specific classes, such as an aviation weather class to predict things such as turbulence and a tropical class, which not only focuses on hurricanes and tropical storms, but the impact of the ocean on the weather in general. These classes will be beneficial to his future career choice. A meteorologist’s job can be described as making a type of educated prediction. Jake will use what he has learned in his classes, apply that broad knowledge to whatever is happening in the forecast, look at where the weather is coming from, and predict what he believes will happen.

The summer between his freshman and sophomore years of college, Jake was an intern at a local news station, WANE 15. While at his internship, he often assisted the head meteorologist in creating graphics that were used on television. He liked using the graphics system to see what he could create and he also liked communicating to the people about what was going to be happening. Jake said that he was able to learn an abundance of new things that will be useful in his future endeavors. One night, during a large tornado outbreak, he stayed at the station until around 2AM, keeping the viewing areas informed about the potentially dangerous weather conditions. He said that it “was definitely a crazy night.”

When he returned back to campus his sophomore year, Jake was a lab aide for an introductory class, which helps to refresh students on the basics of meteorology. He was also an assistant weather director at the campus television station, which is helping him learn about the broadcasting side of meteorology. He has learned everything from production to graphic-making and even presentation skills on the green screen. Although he did not think he would like being on television, before he began classes, Jake has learned many skills that have opened his mind to the world of broadcasting.

You can also check out Opinion Ideas for Writing/Opinion Essay Topics

A good profile essay should be easy to read and relatively short, with a strong beginning that grabs the reader’s attention.

The best profile essays are written with clear, concise language that showcases the personality of your subject.

Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions about writing an essay on a particular topic . We would be happy to help with this process.

Related FAQs

1. how to write a profile essay.

Before you start writing your profile essay, you should know its structure. This refers to the introduction, body of a paragraph and conclusion. This part draws the attention of your readers. This is your chance to hook them until the end of your piece.

2. What is a typical profile essay example?

A typical profile essay example is a creative description of a personality, an event, or an object that relates to a particular person. In some cases, you can choose topics or ideas that describe a celebrity or a scientist. It must deal with the facts and provide descriptions.

As you continue, thestudycorp.com has the top and most qualified writers to help with any of your assignments. All you need to do is  place an order  with us. (Profile Essay Examples)(Profile Essay Examples)(Profile Essay Examples)

3. How to write a comprehensive and balanced profile essay?

A comprehensive and balanced essay can be written by in-depth research and knowledge about the student’s subject. The first and foremost goal of a profile essay is to be informative. It is a literary work that focuses on the description of a person, place, or event.

4. What is the conclusion of a profile essay?

The conclusion is the final part where you are required to give a summary of your essay. Unlike the body, it should only contain a few sentences that restates all your major points pointing out your topic’s relevance. How to Start Writing a Profile Essay?

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Profile Essay

Writing a profile essay is challenging to students because it is rarely taught in the other levels of education. In order to write a good profile essay, you need to be equipped with the right tools. You need adequate preparation and the right resources. A profile essay is used by students for journalism purposes. Before starting with your essay, it is important to follow all the guidelines and instructions given.

First, you need to know the purpose of this essay. This is to give the reader a complete description of your subject. It should keep the reader engaged and captivated. For your essay to be interesting choose a unique subject. Profile essays, like other essays, follow a certain structure.

The Structure of a Profile Essay

Introduction.

This is the first part of your essay; it serves as the face of your work. How you introduce your essay will determine the reader’s reception. The introduction should be kept at a minimum. Explain the meaning of the topic and give the main points of your essay. Keep the introduction interesting by using quotes, conversations and dialogues, and short stories. When writing a profile essay example for college tailor it in a way that the reader who is your instructor will find interesting. Use facts that can be verified and give examples as your evidence.

This is the part that carries most of the weight of your essay. It contains all the main points in different paragraphs. Each paragraph contains an idea that is explained in details. Write the body in an orderly manner guided by the introduction. All the main points must be explained in the body. In order for your work to be captivating, make sure that the ideas run smooth and follow a chronological order.

The conclusion puts all your essay points in simple words. Introducing a new point at this level is useless, and it spoils the flow of your essay. Use a few sentences to wrap up your work but make sure they connect the contents of the introduction and body.

Tips to Consider When Choosing a Subject

Choose a subject who can be reached in case you are to conduct an interview.

Select an interesting subject who will give many points

Make adequate research concerning your subject. In an example of a personality profile essay, make enough research and be detailed with facts and correct information.

Remember to follow all the instructions given for the choice of a subject

The subject of the essay is the basis of your work; therefore, make sure you choose them wisely. All subjects should be treated with dignity and respect although you might dislike them. You should approach the subject with an open mind so as to capture all the details of the information they give you. Before meeting a subject for an interview, you will need to gather as much information as you can about them.

Visit the library and online sources that are rich in such resources. An example of a profile essay about a world leader can easily be obtained from reliable online sources and public libraries. Books, magazines, and journals provide insights about the details of a profile essay. Reading from diverse sources gives you a broad understanding of all the details, styles, language, structure, and even the smallest details that are easy to forget. Remember to use an updated source to avoid including obsolete details in your essay.

Check when the latest information was shared as well as its validity. This applies mostly to people, places, and events. No matter how much information you gather, make sure that your points flow easily for a clear understanding.

When writing about a subject, start with the appearance. Things like name, height, skin color and height are important when describing a subject. They are used to create the identity of a person. For example, when writing about a person give the details that make them different. When writing about a place include the name, locality and neighboring places.

Use the right tone when writing your essay. The formal tone makes an essay sound formal and neat. A profile essay is more flexible as compared to other essays. You can use the first person pronoun. Interviews require the use of first person tone. However, avoid using this as it tends to confuse and distract the readers.

Remember to organize your work either in a chronological manner or using the thematic style. The chronological manner involves giving details as the occurred. This is a timeline of events. The thematic format is putting the ideas in a thematic mode. After writing your essay, proofreading it is a great way to ensure that you have followed all the instructions given. It also helps you to correct any errors made.

An Example of Personality Profile Essay

Here is an example of personality profile essay showing how to apply the guide given:

Causes and Solutions to Poverty in the Third world Nations

Poverty is a state of being in lack of resources and the capability of feeding and sustaining one’s family. It is the inability to meet the basic needs that all human beings need. There many causes of poverty that affect different cultures. Poverty is linked to poor medical access, little or no education, and laziness. Poverty can be global, cyclical, or collective.

The obvious cause of poverty is little or no access to clean water and healthy food. Hunger and starvation is connected to poverty because people who lack energy cannot work. They lack the strength and energy needed to make a livelihood. Lack of clean water and nutritious food increases the likelihood of contracting diseases because of decreased immunity. Diseases like diarrhea cause dehydration will is fatal to people who cannot access clean water. Also, this can be dangerous where the health centers are a long distance from their residences. Using the already meager funds for treatment of a family member plunges them deeper into poverty.

Having no access to job opportunities causes poverty because one cannot sustain himself without a source of income. Many people in developing nations move to cities with the hope of securing a source of income but end up disappointed. The resources are limited and the accumulation of people makes it hard to secure a job.

Many developing nations experience clashes and political instability. These halt economic development and chase foreign investors. Many people are displaced while businesses and infrastructure are destroyed. The economy of a country takes years to build and stabilize but can be destroyed within minutes of instability. It is usually hard to recover from economic downfall. Many productive people are killed while foreigner who had a contribution to the said economy return to their countries. Destroyed business premises means that more people lose their livelihood.

There are many forms of inequalities for example discrimination based on gender, social class, religion, and minority group. In the distribution of resources, some groups receive less than they require while the rest go greedy politicians or leaders. For example, in some countries, some cities seem to be developing at a high rate while others are lagging behind

The effects of poverty affect many people in the world, but there are many solutions to reduce this. By providing means of clean water to people without access. Governments can take initiatives to create programs to teach people about the importance and methods of recycling water. This is done by putting into place sewage recycling plants that will sustain the people with enough clean water. Harvesting rainwater is also a good way of ensuring that you have a supply of clean water.

The problem of inequality can be solved by being inclusive of all parties especially when making decisions that affect many people. This means that all people will get the resources they need to develop themselves and localities.

Poverty is a global challenge and is not concentrated in a certain area of the world. The causes may vary but some remain consistent. Depending on the level of poverty and resources available different solutions can be applied. Developed countries can also lend a hand to poor countries. Poverty can be eradicated with joined efforts.

Writing a profile essay can be a hectic activity, but with the right information and preparation, you can actually find it interesting. There are many similarities of profile essay to other essays, for example, the structure which contains the introduction, the body, and the conclusion. The introduction is a simple glimpse of your essay so keep it short and precise. The body contains all the ideas explained broadly. Make sure not to mix up the information and remember to use facts that can be verified. The conclusion is a summary of all the things written in the essay.

Writing a profile essay for the first time presents a challenge to many students. But, with proper guidance, you’ll quickly find the whole exercise quite manageable. We have professionals who can help you in this regard; get in touch for more personal profile essay examples and custom essay help!

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How to Start a Profile Essay: 6 Simple Steps

November 20, 2023

1. Understanding Profile Essays

Profile essays are a unique form of writing that require a deep understanding of the subject and the ability to present a comprehensive and engaging portrayal. Before diving into the writing process, it is essential to grasp the essence of profile essays. These essays focus on capturing the essence of a person, place, or event through vivid descriptions and storytelling techniques. It goes beyond mere facts and delves into the details that bring the subject to life. Understanding the purpose and nuances of profile essays allows writers to approach their subject with a clear vision and create a compelling narrative that captivates readers. By exploring different aspects such as the subject’s background, experiences, and personality, writers can painstakin

2. Choosing a Subject

When starting a profile essay, selecting the right subject is crucial. The subject should be interesting, significant, and have enough depth to explore. It could be a fascinating individual, a captivating place, or a significant event. Consider subjects that have unique qualities, compelling stories, or an impact on a broader context. It is important to choose a subject that resonates with you as a writer and allows for a meaningful connection. Conduct thorough research to ensure there is enough information available to create a well-rounded profile. Additionally, consider the accessibility of the subject – whether it’s someone you can interview or an event you can attend. By carefully selecting the subject, writers can lay a strong foundation for a compelling profile essay that captures the imagination of readers.

3. Conducting Research

Before delving into the writing process, conducting thorough research is essential for a successful profile essay. This step allows the writer to gather relevant information and develop a deep understanding of the subject. Here are some key steps to consider when conducting research:

• Online Research: Utilize search engines, online databases, and reputable websites to gather background information on the subject. Look for articles, interviews, biographies, and related materials that provide insights into their life, achievements, and experiences.
• Interviews: Conduct interviews with the subject or people close to them. Prepare a list of well-thought-out questions that explore different aspects of their life or expertise. These interviews provide firsthand information and unique perspectives that can add depth to the profile.
• Observations: If possible, observe the subject in their natural environment. Pay attention to their behavior, mannerisms, and interactions. These observations can provide valuable insights for describing their character and adding authenticity to the profile.
• Document Analysis: Examine any available documents related to the subject, such as books, articles, speeches, or personal writings. These documents offer a deeper understanding of their thoughts, motivations, and influences.
• Field Research: Visit relevant places associated with the subject, such as their hometown, workplace, or significant locations. Experience the environment firsthand to gain a sense of their context, culture, and surroundings.

By conducting thorough research, writers can gather the necessary information to create a comprehensive and engaging profile essay that truly captures the essence of the subject.

4. Finding an Angle

Once you have chosen a subject for your profile essay, the next step is to find a unique angle or perspective from which to approach it. This is what will set your essay apart and make it engaging for readers. Here are some tips to help you find an interesting angle to start a profile essay:

• Personal Connection: Reflect on your own experiences, interests, or passions that align with the subject. This personal connection can bring a fresh perspective and add depth to the profile.
• Unexplored Aspect: Identify an aspect of the subject that has not been extensively covered. It could be a lesser-known achievement, a unique talent, or a significant event in their life. This will make your profile essay stand out from others.
• Controversial or Inspiring Story: Look for a story within the subject’s life that is controversial or inspiring. Explore the challenges they have overcome, their journey to success, or their impact on society. This adds a compelling narrative arc to your profile.
• Timeliness: Consider if your subject is currently relevant in some way. Are they involved in current events or trending topics? Linking your profile to a timely issue can make it more intriguing for readers.

Remember to choose an angle that aligns with your own interests and writing style. By finding a unique perspective, you can start your profile essay with a captivating approach that captures the attention of your audience.

5. Planning the Structure of the Essay

Before diving into the writing process, it is essential to plan the structure of your profile essay. Having a well-organized framework will provide a clear roadmap for your writing and ensure a coherent and engaging essay. Here are some steps to consider when planning the structure:

• Introduction: Begin with a compelling hook that grabs the reader’s attention and introduces the subject. Provide some background information about the subject and their significance.
• Background and Context: Offer a deeper understanding of the subject’s background, including relevant personal information, experiences, or achievements. Set the stage for the profile by providing necessary context.
• Central Themes or Traits: Identify the central themes or traits that you want to explore in the profile essay. These can be aspects of the subject’s personality, accomplishments, or influence.
• Supporting Evidence: Gather the information, quotes, anecdotes, and examples that support the central themes or traits. Use these as evidence to bring depth and credibility to your portrayal.
• Narrative Flow: Decide on the flow of your essay. Will it follow a chronological order or have a more thematic approach? Ensure that the transitions between different sections are smooth, allowing the reader to follow along easily.
• Conclusion: Wrap up the profile essay by summarizing the key points and leaving the reader with a final thought or impression of the subject. Consider ending with a thought-provoking quote or a question that encourages further reflection.

By planning the structure of your profile essay, you can create a well-organized and engaging piece of writing that effectively captures the essence of your subject.

6. Crafting a Compelling Introduction

The introduction of your profile essay is crucial in capturing the reader’s attention and setting the tone for the rest of the piece. It should provide a compelling opening that draws readers in and makes them eager to read more. Here are some tips to help you craft a compelling introduction:

• Start with a Hook: Begin your introduction with a captivating hook that grabs the reader’s attention immediately. This could be an intriguing fact, a thought-provoking quote, or a compelling anecdote related to the subject.
• Introduce the Subject: Provide a brief introduction of the subject, including their name, occupation, or any notable achievements. Give the reader a sense of their significance or relevance.
• Create an Emotional Connection: Appeal to the reader’s emotions by highlighting the subject’s impact or significance. This can be done by sharing a personal story, describing their influence on others, or emphasizing the importance of their work.
• Present a Question or Problem: Pose a question or present a problem that your profile essay will explore. This helps create curiosity and makes the reader want to find out more.
• Provide a Roadmap: Briefly outline the main points or themes you will cover in the profile essay. This gives the reader an overview of what to expect and keeps them engaged.
• Keep it Concise: While it’s important to hook the reader, keep your introduction concise. Avoid providing too much information or overwhelming the reader with unnecessary details.

By crafting a compelling introduction, you can captivate your readers from the start and make them eager to delve into the rest of your profile essay.

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Profile Essay

Let’s take a look at a profile essay. In order to understand what it means, you may allow yourself to engage in an interview where you are able to read a person’s autobiography . As you go long into this article, you will be able to know more about what a profile essay is and how to write a good profile essay.

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What is a Profile Essay?

A profile essay is a form of literary writing that tells about a person, place or event. This is intended to provide a detailed profile of something that offers every reader to make a certain perspective or judgment over a subject. This is different from a descriptive essay. It does not only entails description of a subject, rather it is designed to answer questions to identify something.

How to Start Writing a Profile Essay?

Step 1: get the right information.

Doing research is the most important thing to do before you begin writing your research profile. This will help you get a detailed information about your subject. Always make sure that you are using trusted sources like library materials, online articles, etc.

Step 2: Validate Your Information

Check the release date of an article as well as have comprehensive the contents are. Avoid getting information from outdated sources.

Step 3: Outline Your Essay

Always prepare with you a profile essay outline. Essay outlines help in making it easier for you to pinpoint the first idea and what should follow next. This will help you organize your gathered data appropriately.

Step 4: Revise or Proofread Your Profile Essay

Once you have followed the three steps meticulously, you are also well aware that you will need to revise anything that needs to be revised. This includes proofreading any mistakes you may have made throughout. In order to present a good profile essay, you must also make sure it is presentable. No erasures and no mistakes as much as possible.

Do we still have to apply writing style in making a profile essay?

It is advisable to practice yourself to pay attention with the tone and style of your essay. This will make your piece engaging and interesting to read.

What is the purpose of making a profile essay?

The purpose of an essay is to give the readers a full description of your chosen topic. Aside from that, it is also for you to be able to express something about the subject, may it be an argument in response to a certain issue or question and on what you have learned about it. You may also use an essay to persuade your readers that your stand is reasonable.

What to do when picking for the right title of your essay?

Think about what you want to make in your essay. You should reflect on the main idea of your essay. Make it as the basis of creating a unique title for your piece.

What are some things to consider when choosing a subject for profile essay?

You should always choose a reasonable subject and don’t forget to research something about it.

What are the elements of a profile essay?

The elements of a profile essay starts with the introduction paragraph , followed by the body of the paragraph, and ends with the conclusion paragraph .

Before we are able to learn how to do  essay writing , we always seek for mastery  skills  in it. We all know that an essay is composed of the three basic parts namely the introduction, body paragraph, and the conclusion. You may see examples from different essays like  argumentative essay ,  informative essay ,  career essay  and more.

Profile Essay Generator

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Write a Profile Essay on a community leader who has made a difference in your area.

Discuss the achievements and challenges of a local entrepreneur in your Profile Essay.

110 Personal Essay Topics

Though written from a lived experience, personal essay topics can be tricky to come up with because they have to be universal enough for other people to relate to.

Since the skill of writing a good essay is being able to paint an image with words, students must choose a topic that will get others interested in the story and what it has to say about life, society, or themselves.

In essence, personal essays are written from a personal point of view and express a writer’s own insights, opinions, and feelings on a particular topic. Additionally, these types of essays lead to an overall point, lesson, realization, or revelation.

Most commonly, personal essays are written by high school students as part of their college applications. However, there are many other reasons that a personal essay may be assigned or written, including:

• Scholarship applications
• Job interview
• Writing contest
• Grad school admission

Students and others struggling with a valuable personal essay topic can choose from any of the 110 personal essay topics on this list to help them get started.

How to Write a Personal Essay

Writing a personal essay will require you to follow a traditional essay’s guidelines, structure, and format. However, you will also need to ensure that your essay is personal or tells a story about yourself rather than being entirely academic.

For example, you might want to explain an experience that changed how you saw the world or share an opinion on something important to you – even if the rest of the world doesn’t agree with it.

It often helps to make a list of experiences that you may want to share before starting with the writing aspect of the personal essay.

Introduction

The introduction to your personal essay will set the scene for the reader. Therefore, your personal essay needs to start with a compelling hook that will draw the reader in and make them want to read more.

This hook statement could be a humorous or poignant anecdote related to your topic or a line of questioning that the reader will be interested in following. For example, some possible opening lines for a personal essay could start with:

• “I remember exactly where I was when I first realized …”
• “What would you do if you knew the world was going to end tomorrow?
• “So, I once had this problem …”

These beginning lines will often create questions in the reader’s mind, which is an excellent way to capture their interest and keep them reading. Following this initial opening sentence, you can introduce other details as you build up the main point of the story.

Your introduction should end with a thesis statement that verbalizes the general direction the story will go.

Body Paragraphs

Generally, a personal essay will have no less than three body paragraphs that detail your experience in chronological order. Each section should discuss one part of the story, including the events leading up to it, what happened during the experience, and what you learned from it.

Body paragraphs may also include examples of feelings, emotions, or arguments that support your experience. The goal of a personal essay is to share a compelling story and teach the reader something about life or themselves by using specific details and language.

Consider this formatting when creating the body paragraphs of your personal essay:

1st Paragraph

• Beginning of the story that answers questions related to “Who?” and “Where?”
• Initial attitudes, moods, feelings, and assumptions about the event or experience about to take place

2nd Paragraph

• Middle of the story
• Details that show how the situation evolved over time, including any changes in mood or assumption on your part

3rd Paragraph

• Ending of the story/resolution
• The final analysis on overall feelings, emotions, and mood

By sticking to this formatting for the body paragraphs, students can ensure that they are telling the story correctly and including every key detail as it happens.

Conclusion Paragraph

The conclusion of a personal essay is optional and depends on what you want to accomplish with the telling of your story. If you want to leave the reader feeling inspired or emotionally moved, then focus on summarizing the main points in a short paragraph that ends on a positive note.

However, if this was a darker story, you may want to use the concluding paragraph to sum up your feelings after the experience has ended or explore any unanswered questions that remain.

In any event, your conclusion does need to include an overall moral or lesson of how the writer:

• overcame hardship
• rose to the occasion
• identified new traits or abilities that they never realized existed
• turned defeat into success
• followed their instincts and made the right choice
• came to appreciate something about life after the experience took place

Any of these statements can stand alone as a powerful lesson learned. However, when combined in one concluding paragraph, you will leave your reader with a profound impression.

Using any of these 110 personal essay topics will ensure that you have a strong and interesting story to tell.

Personal Essay Topics About Relationships

• What was a time when you made a friend?
• What would your worst enemy say about you?
• Talk about the death of a friend.
• How did it feel to be bullied in school?
• The time when you had to get along with a sibling despite being different ages
• What you learned from your first relationship
• Why marriage isn’t important to you
• How you discovered polyamory, and how it changed your view of relationships
• How your best friend made you a better person
• The lesson you learned from being catfished
• The first time you experienced heartbreak
• A funny story about how technology ruined a relationship.
• How did you learn to recognize love?
• Who would you consider your soulmate? What makes them that person specifically for you?
• What was your most embarrassing moment as a boyfriend or girlfriend, and what did you learn from it?

Personal Essay Topics About Hardships

• The worst thing that ever happened to me
• The roughest time in my family’s life
• The hardest challenge I’ve ever had to overcome
• How did you deal with the stress of moving?
• What was your most embarrassing moment as a kid?
• What are some reasons that I am grateful for my disability/illness/condition?
• When have you had an “Aha!” moment in life?
• What’s something terrible that happened to you that turned into something good?
• What’s the biggest lesson I’ve learned from my failures?
• The time when it almost felt like the world was against me
• How did I handle/recover from a severe illness/injury/accident?
• When was the first time I realized that life isn’t fair?
• What was the biggest struggle I went through in my teens?
• The most challenging situation I faced in high school
• When was a time when I made a negative impact on someone else?
• The first time I got caught stealing
• The most embarrassing mistake I ever made with money
• What was the most challenging thing about getting sober/clean/overcoming addiction?
• When did I realize that life is short and that nobody is promised tomorrow?
• How did you learn to persevere through tough times?

Personal Essay Topics About Success & Achievements

• Best moment in my sports career
• My greatest success story
• The time I overcame my fear and found strength I didn’t know I had.
• What’s the happiest day of my life?
• How did I learn to overcome failure?
• The time I knew that dreams really do come true
• My greatest triumph over adversity – and what it taught me about myself.
• What made you realize that you have to work hard in order to achieve something meaningful in life?
• When did I know that I had made it in life?
• When was the first time you were acknowledged for your achievements?
• The night when my hard work truly paid off
• My most powerful moment after overcoming a setback
• How did I become successful?
• What are some defining moments in my career?
• How did I make it through a difficult time in college/university?
• What motivated me to become the person I am today?

Personal Essay Topics About Personal Growth & Self-Reflection

• Whose lifelong encouragement helped make me who I am today
• The first time I took responsibility for my own actions
• What gave me the courage to be myself?
• The most valuable life lesson I’ve ever received. Who taught it to me, and what was the context?
• How did I get through a difficult childhood/adolescence/teenage years?
• What did I learn from becoming a yoga master?
• How has meditation helped me overcome anger issues?
• How did I recover from using drugs and alcohol?
• What’s the biggest lesson I’ve learned from quitting my job?
• When did I realize that life is too short to hate someone?
• The moment when I knew it was time for a change
• I made a mistake – and this is how I bounced back
• How did I overcome depression/anxiety/mental illness?

Personal Essay Topics About Passions & Hobbies

• How did learning a skill change my life?
• Why exercise makes me a better person
• My passion for writing
• What’s the best advice I’ve ever received? Who gave it to me, and in what situation?
• The moment when I realized my true calling in life
• The importance of keeping a journal and how it has helped me become a better person
• My biggest bucket list dream and why it’s so important to me
• What is my vision for the future?
• How did I find peace, contentment, and happiness?
• The time when I truly lived outside of my comfort zone
• When was the moment when I felt like I “got” meditation?
• My journey towards becoming vegan. What inspired me to make this change, and what were the challenges I faced?
• What lessons have been easy for me to learn, and which ones have been harder?
• The time when travel changed my life

Personal Essay Topics About Challenges & Failures

• The low point of my life and how I got through it
• How did an illness/injury/death in the family affect me?
• Why did I decide to stop going on blind dates?
• What were the consequences of losing my temper, and how did I make amends?
• The time when I was broken. What happened, who got hurt, and how did it affect me? How did I overcome this experience?
• When was the moment when I realized that my words carry weight?

Personal Essay Topics About Family & Childhood Memories

• The time when my family showed me what unconditional love means
• My most vivid childhood memory and how it has affected me as an adult
• How did I learn to be patient and kind?
• What was the moment that sparked a change in my life? What caused this change, and what happened after the changes took place?
• The moment when I realized the true meaning of friendship
• What lessons did growing up teach me about life?
• My childhood dream and what it taught me about myself
• How do I feel about my hometown after living in three different places?
• Why is it important to visit your birthplace/hometown during holidays/vacations?
• My family’s most influential life lesson and how it has affected me
• What was the moment when I realized that my parents had their own struggles?
• The time when I learned about my family history. What happened, why did this happen, and how did it affect me? How did things change after this event?
• What do I know about family traditions now that I didn’t understand as a child?
• Why are your family memories vital to you?

Personal Essay Topics About Cultural Heritage & Identity

• What does being bilingual/multilingual mean to me? Why is it unique?
• My first interaction with someone from another culture
• What’s wrong with cultural appropriation, and how did I learn to stop?
• The moment when I became aware of my race/ethnicity
• My culture’s most influential life lesson and how it has affected me
• How I learned to not be afraid of my cultural differences
• Why is diversity important in my community? In what ways do I contribute?
• The moment I realized that I am proud of my culture
• How has the immigrant/refugee experience shaped who you are today?
• How traditions have changed the way I view my family

Personal Essay Topics About Childhood Dreams & Aspirations

• What were my childhood dreams, and how have they changed over the years?
• How did I make peace with the fear of growing up?

Any of these 110 personal essay topics are perfect for students struggling to find a topic that will impress a college admission officer or any other person with whom you’re trying to connect with on a personal level through storytelling.

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19 College Essay Topics and Prompts

Not sure what to write for your college essay? We've got you covered with a number of topics and prompts to help shape your unique story.

As part of your college application materials, you'll likely be asked to submit a college essay. These tend to be between 250 and 650 words , and are a unique opportunity to showcase your personality. Admissions panels are typically looking for students who will positively represent the school as a whole. In the end, your goal is to show them that you and the college are a good match. 

When drafting your college essay, you may be expected to answer a prompt or come up with a topic on your own. In this article, we've rounded up several ideas to get you thinking—and writing.

19 college essay topics

Each school sets different requirements around the college essay, so it's important to review the expectations around every application you intend to submit. Some give you creative freedom, while others expect you to respond to a pre-developed prompt. Either way, a strong college essay conveys to the admissions team who you are, why you want to attend that particular school, and what matters to you. It's a way to personalize an application that often focuses on quantitative data, such as GPA and SAT scores.

If you're given the creative freedom to write about whatever you want, consider a college essay topic that allows you to be honest and original. We've compiled the following ideas to help you brainstorm:

What's an important issue you care about? How have you gotten involved?

Have you changed your mind about something in recent years? What was it and why?

What's a situation that caused you to grow?

Explain a time when you failed. What did you learn from that moment?

Share a surprising pastime or hobby and what interested you about it.

What extracurricular activity are you involved in that speaks to your personality?

Detail a meaningful volunteer experience.

Dive into a meaningful travel experience.

Who do you most admire and why?

If you have a unique background, share a bit about it. How did you get where you are?

What's the best advice you've ever received?

Was there ever a time when you had to stand up for something—or someone?

What's something you might change about the world to make it better?

What do you hope to accomplish by attending college?

Is there something you want to do after graduating college?

Have you ever made or created something? Talk about it.

Do you have a big idea that could potentially impact your community?

What is most valuable to you? Dive into your values and share an example.

What are you most passionate about? Why?

Pre-developed college essay prompts

Some colleges and universities will give you a series of prompts to choose from. These will vary from school to school, and can either be questions or statements. Here are a few examples of both.

Sample question prompts:

What excites your intellectual curiosity?

How has your upbringing shaped the person you are today?

Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. What prompted your thinking? What was the outcome?

Sample statement prompts:

Talk about an unusual circumstance in your life

Share how you hope to use your college education

Discuss a list of books you have read in the last year

Common App essay prompts

Common App is an online platform designed to simplify the college application process. Over 900 colleges use Common App, making it possible for you to fill out one application that's then submitted to multiple schools.

If you choose to complete the Common App, you'll have a choice of several distinctive prompts that change every academic year. Here's a sample of the 2022-2023 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.

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 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?

Stick to the prompt.

No matter what type of prompt you receive, it's your job to stick to it. The admissions team has a lot of essays to read, so you'll have a better chance of standing out if you develop a cohesive response that stays on topic.

Start by identifying the prompt's main topic, then spend some time brainstorming to find the idea that resonates most with you. For many people, it's the topic that makes them feel some sort of emotion or reminds them of an entertaining story. Understanding what you're being asked to write about should make staying on topic throughout the entire composition easier.

5 additional college essay tips

Once you decide what you'd like to write, follow the tips below to craft a standout essay. You can also find more advice about college essays in our article College Essay Format: Writing and Editing Tips .

1. Be considerate with humor.

Showing off your sense of humor lets your personality show through your words and can make reading the essay more entertaining. Try including a few sentences that you think will bring a smile to the reader's face, or use adjectives to insert some colorful comedy.

2. Offer insight.

Beyond recounting an event, experience, or memory, a great essay shows insight aka an ability to highlight meaningful takeaways. For example, if you choose to write about your unique hobby, try to discuss what you've learned from that pastime—or how you've grown as a result of it.

3. Add details

Great essays also invite the reader to connect with the story on an emotional level. With that in mind, it can help to recount a specific memory rather than answer a prompt without those colorful details. More than discussing something on a surface level—or vaguely—you want to provide enough particulars to keep your readers engaged. For example, if you choose to write about the best advice you ever received, set the scene and take the reader back to that moment.

4. Have an editor.

Your essay should ideally be error-free. Ask a trusted friend or family member to review your essay and suggest edits. An editor can help you catch grammatical errors or points out ways to better develop your response.

Avoid passing your paper along to too many people, though, so you don't lose your own voice amid all of the edits and suggestions. The admissions team wants to get to know you through your writing and not your sister or best friend who edited your paper.

5. Revise your essay.

Your first draft is just that: a draft. Give yourself plenty of time to read and revise your first pass and make sure you fully developed your response, stayed on topic, and shared your personality.

When revising your essay, you may find it helpful to read it aloud so you hear the words as you're saying them. Some people prefer to print a copy on paper and write notes by hand. Both options give your brain a new way to process the information to catch details you may miss if you keep everything in your head and on the computer.

Watch to find out why the essay many admission counselor's favorite part of the application:

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Sat / act prep online guides and tips, 53 stellar college essay topics to inspire you.

College Essays

Most colleges and universities in the United States require applicants to submit at least one essay as part of their application. But trying to figure out what college essay topics you should choose is a tricky process. There are so many potential things you could write about!

In this guide, we go over the essential qualities that make for a great college essay topic and give you 50+ college essay topics you can use for your own statement . In addition, we provide you with helpful tips for turning your college essay topic into a stellar college essay.

What Qualities Make for a Good College Essay Topic?

Regardless of what you write about in your personal statement for college , there are key features that will always make for a stand-out college essay topic.

#1: It’s Specific

First off, good college essay topics are extremely specific : you should know all the pertinent facts that have to do with the topic and be able to see how the entire essay comes together.

Specificity is essential because it’ll not only make your essay stand out from other statements, but it'll also recreate the experience for admissions officers through its realism, detail, and raw power. You want to tell a story after all, and specificity is the way to do so. Nobody wants to read a vague, bland, or boring story — not even admissions officers!

For example, an OK topic would be your experience volunteering at a cat shelter over the summer. But a better, more specific college essay topic would be how you deeply connected with an elderly cat there named Marty, and how your bond with him made you realize that you want to work with animals in the future.

Remember that specificity in your topic is what will make your essay unique and memorable . It truly is the key to making a strong statement (pun intended)!

#2: It Shows Who You Are

In addition to being specific, good college essay topics reveal to admissions officers who you are: your passions and interests, what is important to you, your best (or possibly even worst) qualities, what drives you, and so on.

The personal statement is critical because it gives schools more insight into who you are as a person and not just who you are as a student in terms of grades and classes.

By coming up with a real, honest topic, you’ll leave an unforgettable mark on admissions officers.

#3: It’s Meaningful to You

The very best college essay topics are those that hold deep meaning to their writers and have truly influenced them in some significant way.

For instance, maybe you plan to write about the first time you played Skyrim to explain how this video game revealed to you the potentially limitless worlds you could create, thereby furthering your interest in game design.

Even if the topic seems trivial, it’s OK to use it — just as long as you can effectively go into detail about why this experience or idea had such an impact on you .

Don’t give in to the temptation to choose a topic that sounds impressive but doesn’t actually hold any deep meaning for you. Admissions officers will see right through this!

Similarly, don’t try to exaggerate some event or experience from your life if it’s not all that important to you or didn’t have a substantial influence on your sense of self.

#4: It’s Unique

College essay topics that are unique are also typically the most memorable, and if there’s anything you want to be during the college application process, it’s that! Admissions officers have to sift through thousands of applications, and the essay is one of the only parts that allows them to really get a sense of who you are and what you value in life.

If your essay is trite or boring, it won’t leave much of an impression , and your application will likely get immediately tossed to the side with little chance of seeing admission.

But if your essay topic is very original and different, you’re more likely to earn that coveted second glance at your application.

What does being unique mean exactly, though? Many students assume that they must choose an extremely rare or crazy experience to talk about in their essays —but that's not necessarily what I mean by "unique." Good college essay topics can be unusual and different, yes, but they can also be unique takes on more mundane or common activities and experiences .

For instance, say you want to write an essay about the first time you went snowboarding. Instead of just describing the details of the experience and how you felt during it, you could juxtapose your emotions with a creative and humorous perspective from the snowboard itself. Or you could compare your first attempt at snowboarding with your most recent experience in a snowboarding competition. The possibilities are endless!

#5: It Clearly Answers the Question

Finally, good college essay topics will clearly and fully answer the question(s) in the prompt.

You might fail to directly answer a prompt by misinterpreting what it’s asking you to do, or by answering only part of it (e.g., answering just one out of three questions).

Therefore, make sure you take the time to come up with an essay topic that is in direct response to every question in the prompt .

Take this Coalition Application prompt as an example:

What is the hardest part of being a teenager now? What's the best part? What advice would you give a younger sibling or friend (assuming they would listen to you)?

For this prompt, you’d need to answer all three questions (though it’s totally fine to focus more on one or two of them) to write a compelling and appropriate essay.

This is why we recommend reading and rereading the essay prompt ; you should know exactly what it’s asking you to do, well before you start brainstorming possible college application essay topics.

53 College Essay Topics to Get Your Brain Moving

In this section, we give you a list of 53 examples of college essay topics. Use these as jumping-off points to help you get started on your college essay and to ensure that you’re on track to coming up with a relevant and effective topic.

All college application essay topics below are categorized by essay prompt type. We’ve identified six general types of college essay prompts:

Why This College?

Change and personal growth, passions, interests, and goals, overcoming a challenge, diversity and community, solving a problem.

Note that these prompt types could overlap with one another, so you’re not necessarily limited to just one college essay topic in a single personal statement.

• How a particular major or program will help you achieve your academic or professional goals
• A memorable and positive interaction you had with a professor or student at the school
• Something good that happened to you while visiting the campus or while on a campus tour
• A certain class you want to take or a certain professor you’re excited to work with
• Some piece of on-campus equipment or facility that you’re looking forward to using
• Your plans to start a club at the school, possibly to raise awareness of a major issue
• A study abroad or other unique program that you can’t wait to participate in
• How and where you plan to volunteer in the community around the school
• An incredible teacher you studied under and the positive impact they had on you
• How you went from really liking something, such as a particular movie star or TV show, to not liking it at all (or vice versa)
• How yours or someone else’s (change in) socioeconomic status made you more aware of poverty
• A time someone said something to you that made you realize you were wrong
• How your opinion on a controversial topic, such as gay marriage or DACA, has shifted over time
• A documentary that made you aware of a particular social, economic, or political issue going on in the country or world
• Advice you would give to your younger self about friendship, motivation, school, etc.
• The steps you took in order to kick a bad or self-sabotaging habit
• A juxtaposition of the first and most recent time you did something, such as dance onstage
• A book you read that you credit with sparking your love of literature and/or writing
• A school assignment or project that introduced you to your chosen major
• A glimpse of your everyday routine and how your biggest hobby or interest fits into it
• The career and (positive) impact you envision yourself having as a college graduate
• A teacher or mentor who encouraged you to pursue a specific interest you had
• How moving around a lot helped you develop a love of international exchange or learning languages
• A special skill or talent you’ve had since you were young and that relates to your chosen major in some way, such as designing buildings with LEGO bricks
• Where you see yourself in 10 or 20 years
• Your biggest accomplishment so far relating to your passion (e.g., winning a gold medal for your invention at a national science competition)
• A time you lost a game or competition that was really important to you
• How you dealt with the loss or death of someone close to you
• A time you did poorly in a class that you expected to do well in
• How moving to a new school impacted your self-esteem and social life
• A chronic illness you battled or are still battling
• Your healing process after having your heart broken for the first time
• A time you caved under peer pressure and the steps you took so that it won't happen again
• How you almost gave up on learning a foreign language but stuck with it
• Why you decided to become a vegetarian or vegan, and how you navigate living with a meat-eating family
• What you did to overcome a particular anxiety or phobia you had (e.g., stage fright)
• A history of a failed experiment you did over and over, and how you finally found a way to make it work successfully
• Someone within your community whom you aspire to emulate
• A family tradition you used to be embarrassed about but are now proud of
• Your experience with learning English upon moving to the United States
• A close friend in the LGBTQ+ community who supported you when you came out
• A time you were discriminated against, how you reacted, and what you would do differently if faced with the same situation again
• How you navigate your identity as a multiracial, multiethnic, and/or multilingual person
• A project or volunteer effort you led to help or improve your community
• A particular celebrity or role model who inspired you to come out as LGBTQ+
• Your biggest challenge (and how you plan to tackle it) as a female in a male-dominated field
• How you used to discriminate against your own community, and what made you change your mind and eventually take pride in who you are and/or where you come from
• A program you implemented at your school in response to a known problem, such as a lack of recycling cans in the cafeteria
• A time you stepped in to mediate an argument or fight between two people
• An app or other tool you developed to make people’s lives easier in some way
• A time you proposed a solution that worked to an ongoing problem at school, an internship, or a part-time job
• The steps you took to identify and fix an error in coding for a website or program
• An important social or political issue that you would fix if you had the means

How to Build a College Essay in 6 Easy Steps

Once you’ve decided on a college essay topic you want to use, it’s time to buckle down and start fleshing out your essay. These six steps will help you transform a simple college essay topic into a full-fledged personal statement.

Step 1: Write Down All the Details

Once you’ve chosen a general topic to write about, get out a piece of paper and get to work on creating a list of all the key details you could include in your essay . These could be things such as the following:

• Emotions you felt at the time
• Names, places, and/or numbers
• Dialogue, or what you or someone else said
• A specific anecdote, example, or experience
• Descriptions of how things looked, felt, or seemed

If you can only come up with a few details, then it’s probably best to revisit the list of college essay topics above and choose a different one that you can write more extensively on.

Good college essay topics are typically those that:

• You remember well (so nothing that happened when you were really young)
• You're excited to write about
• You're not embarrassed or uncomfortable to share with others
• You believe will make you positively stand out from other applicants

Step 2: Figure Out Your Focus and Approach

Once you have all your major details laid out, start to figure out how you could arrange them in a way that makes sense and will be most effective.

It’s important here to really narrow your focus: you don’t need to (and shouldn’t!) discuss every single aspect of your trip to visit family in Indonesia when you were 16. Rather, zero in on a particular anecdote or experience and explain why and how it impacted you.

Alternatively, you could write about multiple experiences while weaving them together with a clear, meaningful theme or concept , such as how your math teacher helped you overcome your struggle with geometry over the course of an entire school year. In this case, you could mention a few specific times she tutored you and most strongly supported you in your studies.

There’s no one right way to approach your college essay, so play around to see what approaches might work well for the topic you’ve chosen.

If you’re really unsure about how to approach your essay, think about what part of your topic was or is most meaningful and memorable to you, and go from there.

Step 3: Structure Your Narrative

• Beginning: Don’t just spout off a ton of background information here—you want to hook your reader, so try to start in the middle of the action , such as with a meaningful conversation you had or a strong emotion you felt. It could also be a single anecdote if you plan to center your essay around a specific theme or idea.
• Middle: Here’s where you start to flesh out what you’ve established in the opening. Provide more details about the experience (if a single anecdote) or delve into the various times your theme or idea became most important to you. Use imagery and sensory details to put the reader in your shoes.
• End: It’s time to bring it all together. Finish describing the anecdote or theme your essay centers around and explain how it relates to you now , what you’ve learned or gained from it, and how it has influenced your goals.

Step 4: Write a Rough Draft

By now you should have all your major details and an outline for your essay written down; these two things will make it easy for you to convert your notes into a rough draft.

At this stage of the writing process, don’t worry too much about vocabulary or grammar and just focus on getting out all your ideas so that they form the general shape of an essay . It’s OK if you’re a little over the essay's word limit — as you edit, you’ll most likely make some cuts to irrelevant and ineffective parts anyway.

If at any point you get stuck and have no idea what to write, revisit steps 1-3 to see whether there are any important details or ideas you might be omitting or not elaborating on enough to get your overall point across to admissions officers.

Step 5: Edit, Revise, and Proofread

• Sections that are too wordy and don’t say anything important
• Irrelevant details that don’t enhance your essay or the point you're trying to make
• Parts that seem to drag or that feel incredibly boring or redundant
• Areas that are vague and unclear and would benefit from more detail
• Phrases or sections that are awkwardly placed and should be moved around
• Areas that feel unconvincing, inauthentic, or exaggerated

Start paying closer attention to your word choice/vocabulary and grammar at this time, too. It’s perfectly normal to edit and revise your college essay several times before asking for feedback, so keep working with it until you feel it’s pretty close to its final iteration.

This step will likely take the longest amount of time — at least several weeks, if not months — so really put effort into fixing up your essay. Once you’re satisfied, do a final proofread to ensure that it’s technically correct.

Step 6: Get Feedback and Tweak as Needed

After you’ve overhauled your rough draft and made it into a near-final draft, give your essay to somebody you trust , such as a teacher or parent, and have them look it over for technical errors and offer you feedback on its content and overall structure.

Use this feedback to make any last-minute changes or edits. If necessary, repeat steps 5 and 6. You want to be extra sure that your essay is perfect before you submit it to colleges!

Recap: From College Essay Topics to Great College Essays

Many different kinds of college application essay topics can get you into a great college. But this doesn’t make it any easier to choose the best topic for you .

In general, the best college essay topics have the following qualities :

• They’re specific
• They show who you are
• They’re meaningful to you
• They’re unique
• They clearly answer the question

If you ever need help coming up with an idea of what to write for your essay, just refer to the list of 53 examples of college essay topics above to get your brain juices flowing.

Once you’ve got an essay topic picked out, follow these six steps for turning your topic into an unforgettable personal statement :

• Write down all the details
• Figure out your focus and approach
• Structure your narrative
• Write a rough draft
• Edit, revise, and proofread
• Get feedback and tweak as needed

And with that, I wish you the best of luck on your college essays!

What’s Next?

Writing a college essay is no simple task. Get expert college essay tips with our guides on how to come up with great college essay ideas and how to write a college essay, step by step .

You can also check out this huge list of college essay prompts  to get a feel for what types of questions you'll be expected to answer on your applications.

Want to see examples of college essays that absolutely rocked? You're in luck because we've got a collection of 100+ real college essay examples right here on our blog!

Hannah received her MA in Japanese Studies from the University of Michigan and holds a bachelor's degree from the University of Southern California. From 2013 to 2015, she taught English in Japan via the JET Program. She is passionate about education, writing, and travel.

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What I’ve Learned From My Students’ College Essays

The genre is often maligned for being formulaic and melodramatic, but it’s more important than you think.

By Nell Freudenberger

Most high school seniors approach the college essay with dread. Either their upbringing hasn’t supplied them with several hundred words of adversity, or worse, they’re afraid that packaging the genuine trauma they’ve experienced is the only way to secure their future. The college counselor at the Brooklyn high school where I’m a writing tutor advises against trauma porn. “Keep it brief , ” she says, “and show how you rose above it.”

I started volunteering in New York City schools in my 20s, before I had kids of my own. At the time, I liked hanging out with teenagers, whom I sometimes had more interesting conversations with than I did my peers. Often I worked with students who spoke English as a second language or who used slang in their writing, and at first I was hung up on grammar. Should I correct any deviation from “standard English” to appeal to some Wizard of Oz behind the curtains of a college admissions office? Or should I encourage students to write the way they speak, in pursuit of an authentic voice, that most elusive of literary qualities?

In fact, I was missing the point. One of many lessons the students have taught me is to let the story dictate the voice of the essay. A few years ago, I worked with a boy who claimed to have nothing to write about. His life had been ordinary, he said; nothing had happened to him. I asked if he wanted to try writing about a family member, his favorite school subject, a summer job? He glanced at his phone, his posture and expression suggesting that he’d rather be anywhere but in front of a computer with me. “Hobbies?” I suggested, without much hope. He gave me a shy glance. “I like to box,” he said.

I’ve had this experience with reluctant writers again and again — when a topic clicks with a student, an essay can unfurl spontaneously. Of course the primary goal of a college essay is to help its author get an education that leads to a career. Changes in testing policies and financial aid have made applying to college more confusing than ever, but essays have remained basically the same. I would argue that they’re much more than an onerous task or rote exercise, and that unlike standardized tests they are infinitely variable and sometimes beautiful. College essays also provide an opportunity to learn precision, clarity and the process of working toward the truth through multiple revisions.

When a topic clicks with a student, an essay can unfurl spontaneously.

Even if writing doesn’t end up being fundamental to their future professions, students learn to choose language carefully and to be suspicious of the first words that come to mind. Especially now, as college students shoulder so much of the country’s ethical responsibility for war with their protest movement, essay writing teaches prospective students an increasingly urgent lesson: that choosing their own words over ready-made phrases is the only reliable way to ensure they’re thinking for themselves.

Teenagers are ideal writers for several reasons. They’re usually free of preconceptions about writing, and they tend not to use self-consciously ‘‘literary’’ language. They’re allergic to hypocrisy and are generally unfiltered: They overshare, ask personal questions and call you out for microaggressions as well as less egregious (but still mortifying) verbal errors, such as referring to weed as ‘‘pot.’’ Most important, they have yet to put down their best stories in a finished form.

I can imagine an essay taking a risk and distinguishing itself formally — a poem or a one-act play — but most kids use a more straightforward model: a hook followed by a narrative built around “small moments” that lead to a concluding lesson or aspiration for the future. I never get tired of working with students on these essays because each one is different, and the short, rigid form sometimes makes an emotional story even more powerful. Before I read Javier Zamora’s wrenching “Solito,” I worked with a student who had been transported by a coyote into the U.S. and was reunited with his mother in the parking lot of a big-box store. I don’t remember whether this essay focused on specific skills or coping mechanisms that he gained from his ordeal. I remember only the bliss of the parent-and-child reunion in that uninspiring setting. If I were making a case to an admissions officer, I would suggest that simply being able to convey that experience demonstrates the kind of resilience that any college should admire.

The essays that have stayed with me over the years don’t follow a pattern. There are some narratives on very predictable topics — living up to the expectations of immigrant parents, or suffering from depression in 2020 — that are moving because of the attention with which the student describes the experience. One girl determined to become an engineer while watching her father build furniture from scraps after work; a boy, grieving for his mother during lockdown, began taking pictures of the sky.

If, as Lorrie Moore said, “a short story is a love affair; a novel is a marriage,” what is a college essay? Every once in a while I sit down next to a student and start reading, and I have to suppress my excitement, because there on the Google Doc in front of me is a real writer’s voice. One of the first students I ever worked with wrote about falling in love with another girl in dance class, the absolute magic of watching her move and the terror in the conflict between her feelings and the instruction of her religious middle school. She made me think that college essays are less like love than limerence: one-sided, obsessive, idiosyncratic but profound, the first draft of the most personal story their writers will ever tell.

Nell Freudenberger’s novel “The Limits” was published by Knopf last month. She volunteers through the PEN America Writers in the Schools program.

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Graduate Profile: Hannah Eliason, MTS '24

Message of Thanks  

While I would like to thank all of my professors at HDS, there are a couple of professors without whom getting here would not have been possible. I want to thank Mike Delaney for the countless office hours, support, and guidance throughout my entire journey of academic, personal, and vocational growth with the Religion and Public Life Program. I can wholeheartedly say that I am lucky I got to begin and end my time at this institution with such an influential figure in the humanitarian sector. I also want to thank Dr. Healan Gaston for providing me with academic spaces to research more unconventional topics like the Salem Witch Trials, the Lavender Scare, and Trump’s 2017 Muslim Ban. I would also like to thank Shaul Magid for supporting my research and vocational path in Holocaust and genocide public education and research. 

Finally, I want to thank my undergraduate advisor and mentor, Dr. Damon Berry at St. Lawrence University. My journey in religious studies began during college on the first day of Damon’s “Cults and New Religious Movements” course in the spring of 2018. Little did I know then, but this was the beginning of my trajectory towards HDS, a path I never would have considered previously. Thank you for all the short notice mentoring sessions, your unwavering support, and for being one of my biggest academic/vocational cheerleaders! 

What I Hope to Be Remembered By 

Vocationally, I hope to be remembered as an advocate for a world of just peace through my commitment to fighting social injustice against state violence and the rise of authoritarianism. On a personal level, I hope people remember me for being unapologetically myself, remembering my infectious laugh, smile, and hospitality – the watercolor memories scattered with joy, hope, solidarity, and forgiveness. 

Future Plans 

Following graduation, I plan on staying in New England for a couple of months, spending the summer reconnecting with nature and recentering my mind, body, and soul. I will continue my role as a facilitator with Amideast’s Qisasna Program (an intercultural, virtual exchange program), connecting American undergraduate students with Yemeni undergraduate students to find common ground, build podcasting skills, and foster friendships. It is my belief that programs such as these will lead peace-building efforts for future generations. 

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'Don’t make it about yourself': Michael Cohen faces grilling from defense. What you missed on Day 17 of Trump's hush money trial.

Defense attorney Todd Blanche grew annoyed and raised his voice as he tried to press Michael Cohen into calling himself a liar and Donald Trump ’s former fixer tried to skirt the question — it wasn't quite the fireworks many had expected for the Tuesday cross-examination, but it did illustrate the tense questioning.

Cohen already testified that he had lied repeatedly for Trump.

“I regret doing things for him that I should not have — lying, bullying people in order to effectuate a goal,” Cohen said. “I violated my moral compass.”

But on cross-examination, Cohen became more recalcitrant.

“Was it a lie?” Blanche asked.

“It wasn’t a lie. It wasn’t truthful. If you want to call it a lie, we can call it a lie. I believe the information I gave them is inaccurate," Cohen dodged.

“But you are not testifying it’s a lie?” Blanche responded.

“Sure, I’ll say it’s a lie," he finally conceded, still keeping his cool and defying his well-earned reputation as a hothead.

Here’s what else you missed during Day 17 of Trump’s state hush money trial in New York City:

Cross-examination gets off to a bumpy start

Blanche drew an immediate objection as he launched his cross-examination and was quickly admonished by the judge.

“Mr. Cohen, my name is Todd Blanche,” Blanche told Cohen and then added, “You went on TikTok and called me a ‘crying little s---.’”

Judge Juan Merchan called the lawyers to the bench to for a discussion out of earshot of the jury and others in the courtroom.

“Why are you making this about yourself?” Merchan began. Blanche tried to argue he was seeking to show Cohen is biased.

“It doesn’t matter if he has bias towards you; it doesn’t matter,” Merchan said. “The issue is whether he has bias towards the defendant.”

He added, “Just don’t make it about yourself.”

Blanche resumed his questioning — which for about two hours bounced among topics and didn't once address any of Cohen's testimony during the direct examination by prosecutors.

Cohen can't recall

Following hours of detailed, dispassionate testimony, Cohen became more combative on cross-examination.

Cohen couldn’t recall being asked by his attorneys to stop talking about the case or his conversations with the Manhattan district attorney’s office would end up in the media. Asked about a 2021 television appearance in which he Cohen discussed the investigation, he responded, “I go on TV often.”

“What was I talking about? I don’t know,” he added.

After initially having sidestepped a question about whether he talks to the media, upon further questioning, Cohen responded, “It sounds correct,” then “it is correct.”

“Let me get this straight, you had very specific recollections yesterday,” including about telephone calls with Trump dating to 2016, Blanche said. Yet Cohen can’t remember conversations with his own attorney last year, Blanche said, incredulously.

Defense probes Cohen's motive

In a sprawling cross-examination, Blanche tore through many of the probes and public investigations that came to define Trump’s time in office: the Trump Moscow project, the Mueller report and the Steele dossier. Even Anthony Scaramucci, who was Trump's White House communications director for a week and a half in 2017, made an appearance, as Blanche asked Cohen about a visit in which Scaramucci said Cohen told him that he was seeking to get out of jail early.

Earlier Blanche insinuated that Cohen began to change his story as he sought a path out of federal prison and began meeting with federal prosecutors.

Blanche worked to establish Cohen’s interest in cooperating with the prosecution as he sought an early release from his sentence and wanted the district attorney’s office to publicly announce that he was cooperating.

“I was looking for a reduction in the home confinement portion, not just in this but in the work I was doing,” Cohen said. “I did want to be released, yes.”

Pressured to stay in the fold 

Before cross-examination, Cohen spent the morning under direct examination by prosecutors.

Cohen recalled the FBI raid of his home and office in 2018, when it packed up his tax books and other documents and seized his phones, including one that included the audio recording of Trump.

Asked by prosecutor Susan Hoffinger how he felt, Cohen said he was frightened and despondent. “How to understand your life being turned upside down?” he said, turning to face the jury. “I was scared. … I wanted some reassurance that Mr. Trump had my back, especially with issues that related to him.”

He felt reassured by Trump’s response, he said: “Don’t worry; I’m the president of the United States. There’s nothing here. Stay tough. You’re going to be OK.”

“I had the president of the United States protecting me. ... I remained in the camp,” Cohen said.

He was still part of a joint defense agreement as Trump tweeted   about Cohen’s being “a fine lawyer with a wonderful family.”

But Trump was also musing publicly that “ most people will flip if the government lets them out of trouble.” The message was “Stay loyal. Don’t flip,” Cohen told the court. He said he understood the tweet as meaning Trump didn’t want him to cooperate with the government.

But that sentiment seemed to evaporate quickly.

Cohen said he was inundated with calls from a lawyer with ties to Rudy Giuliani, who was then representing Trump. Cohen told him he was considering hiring a different lawyer, who wouldn’t be part of the joint defense agreement.

"He was angry that I would sit down with the other attorney and not sit down with him, and I’d had enough and I told him," Cohen testified.

Cohen soon decided to cooperate with prosecutors, saying he made a decision with his family not to lie for Trump anymore.

My family "said to me: 'Why are you holding on to this loyalty? What are you doing? We’re supposed to be your first loyalty.'” Cohen testified. He added that he decided “it was about time to listen to them.”

Katherine Doyle is a White House reporter for NBC News.

Boeing broke an agreement over the 737 Max crashes that killed 346 people, and could now be prosecuted, the Justice Department says

• In 2021, Boeing reached a deal with prosecutors after 346 people died in two 737 Max crashes.
• The Justice Department said Tuesday that Boeing violated that deal and is now subject to prosecution.
• It worsens the crisis at the planemaker which began with January's Alaska Airlines blowout.

Boeing could face criminal charges after the Justice Department determined the planemaker violated a deferred prosecution agreement (DPA).

The DPA, reached in 2021, meant Boeing didn't face charges related to the deaths of 346 people in two 737 Max 8 crashes in 2018 and 2019. As part of the settlement, Boeing paid $2.5 billion and promised to strengthen its compliance program.

The DPA expired just two days after January's Alaska Airlines blowout, which has renewed scrutiny of Boeing's quality-control processes . Safety investigators said the 737 Max involved had left Boeing's factory missing key bolts.

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In a Tuesday court filing seen by Business Insider, the Justice Department said Boeing violated the DPA, "by failing to design, implement, and enforce a compliance and ethics program to prevent and detect violations of the US fraud laws throughout its operations."

It added: "For failing to fulfill completely the terms of and obligations under the DPA, Boeing is subject to prosecution by the United States."

The news amplifies the crisis at Boeing, which has seen its CEO resign and its reputation worsen with airline customers . Its share price is down 28% since the start of the year.

Boeing has until June 13 to respond to the DoJ. In a statement shared with BI, the planemaker said: "We believe that we have honored the terms of that agreement, and look forward to the opportunity to respond to the Department on this issue."

"As we do so, we will engage with the Department with the utmost transparency, as we have throughout the entire term of the agreement, including in response to their questions following the Alaska Airlines 1282 accident," it added.

The Justice Department is continuing to meet with the families of victims of the 2018 and 2019 crashes, as it determines whether to bring charges against Boeing.

Robert Clifford, an attorney for the families of victims of the 2019 Ethiopian Airlines crash , said in an email: "This is a way for Boeing to be held criminally responsible in court. It's what the families have wanted. They want answers as to what really happened in the crashes and for the safety of the public to be protected."

The Justice Department told the court it will decide whether to prosecute Boeing by July 7.

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