The College Essay Guy Blog

college essay topics

Developing a College List on a Budget

Developing a College List on a Budget

Because college can be incredibly expensive, this guide discusses how to develop a strong college list while keeping costs and budget in mind.

How to Answer the Diversity (and Other Related) Supplemental Essay Prompts 2024-2025

How to Answer the Diversity (and Other Related) Supplemental Essay Prompts 2024-2025

After the 2023 Supreme Court decision on race in college admissions, many colleges changed their essay prompts to more directly ask about diversity. This guide walks students through how to approach these prompts, with key brainstorming exercises and example essays.

Colleges and Universities that Changed Their Supplemental Essay Prompts After the SCOTUS Decision Was Released

Colleges and Universities that Changed Their Supplemental Essay Prompts After the SCOTUS Decision Was Released

After the 2023 Supreme Court decision on race in college admissions, many colleges changed their essay prompts in response, leading in many cases to new essays and approaches needed. This guide walks through what the patterns in changes were, and offers a list of schools that changed.

Why You Don’t Have to Write about Trauma in Your College Essay to Stand Out—and What You Can Do Instead

Why You Don’t Have to Write about Trauma in Your College Essay to Stand Out—and What You Can Do Instead

Many students and parents are under the misconception that they have to write about something traumatic to stand out in college application essays. That isn’t true. This guide explains why, and illustrates what you can do instead with example essays and analysis.

College Application Essay Topics: Your “topic” isn’t your topic

College Application Essay Topics: Your “topic” isn’t your topic

Because students (and parents and maybe teachers and counselors) are often confused about college application essay “topics”, this guide clarifies how to think about your topic and what makes a “good” essay topic, offers means of brainstorming possible topics, and offers sample essays and analysis.

What Should I Write My College Essay About?

What Should I Write My College Essay About?

Because what to write a college essay about can be unclear, this guide discusses how to brainstorm college essay topics, what personal statement topics can work for almost anyone, what the purpose of a college essay is, and offers two example college essays with analysis.

What Should I Write My College Essay About? How to Brainstorm + Examples

What Should I Write My College Essay About? How to Brainstorm + Examples

A guide + examples and analysis to the often-confusing process of how to brainstorm and write a college essay (AKA personal statement).

Should I Come Out in My Personal Statement? (And If So, How)?

Should you consider coming out in your college essay? Here are tips and advice for coming out when writing your college application essays, plus example essays of students who chose to come out in their personal statement.

21 College Essay Topics & Ideas That Worked (Guide + Examples)

21 College Essay Topics & Ideas That Worked (Guide + Examples)

Looking for some amazing college essay topics and ideas? We’ve got all the brainstorming exercises and sample topics to help you generate you write an amazing college application essay.