Many college applications require a personal essay, which can be daunting for students to write. But a few simple tips, some introspection and insight into what admissions officers are looking for can ...

Lilli Timpe, Mercedes Drummond and Noah Whitlow were top winners in the annual contest for the best-written essays turned in to Composition I or II classes during the 2024 spring and fall semesters.

Grades and test scores may measure a student's academic potential, but those factors fail to capture his or her personality. That's where the college essay comes in. The college essay offers students ...

Though it isn't a golden ticket, a strong transfer essay may boost an applicant's odds of admission. In a 2018 National Association for College Admission Counseling survey, 41.5% of colleges polled ...

The following are actual responses to some of our recent submissions to the Online Writing Lab, although the names have been changed to maintain the anonymity of student writers. You can expect ...