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Twelve College Essay Examples That Worked 2019

Q: Should I write about a major challenge or a positive experience?

Both can work, but the key is what you *do* with the story. A challenge essay needs to show resilience and growth, not just hardship. A positive experience essay needs to reveal character and insight, not just a happy event. Focus on your reflection and what it reveals about you.

Exploring successful college essays from 2019 offers invaluable insights for applicants. This selection highlights diverse approaches, showcasing how genuine voice, specific anecdotes, and thoughtful reflection can resonate with admissions committees. By examining these examples, students can better understand how to translate their unique experiences and perspectives into compelling personal narratives that truly capture who they are beyond grades and test scores.

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What Makes a College Essay Stand Out?

The college application essay, often the personal statement, is a crucial component of the admissions process. It’s your chance to speak directly to the committee, to show them who you are outside of your transcripts and standardized test scores. While there's no single formula for a 'perfect' essay, successful ones tend to share certain qualities. They reveal personality, demonstrate self-awareness, and offer a glimpse into the applicant's unique perspective and potential contributions to a college community. In 2019, as in any year, admissions officers were looking for authenticity, clarity, and a compelling narrative that stuck with them.

Key Elements of Effective College Essays

Authentic Voice: The essay should sound like you. Avoid overly formal language or trying to sound like someone you're not.
Specific Anecdotes: Instead of broad statements, use concrete stories and vivid details to illustrate your points.
Reflection and Insight: Don't just recount an event; explain what you learned from it and how it shaped you.
Clear Focus: The essay should have a central theme or idea that is consistently explored.
Strong Opening and Closing: Hook the reader from the start and leave them with a lasting impression.

Analyzing Twelve Successful College Essays from 2019

To illustrate these points, let's look at twelve college essay examples that resonated with admissions committees in 2019. These essays, drawn from various prompts and backgrounds, demonstrate different ways to approach the personal statement effectively. We'll break down what made each of them work, focusing on their core strengths.

Essay Example 1: The Unexpected Mentor

This essay focused on a seemingly minor interaction with a school custodian who, through his quiet dedication and work ethic, taught the student a profound lesson about responsibility and dignity. The strength here was the ability to find significance in the ordinary, using specific observations of the custodian's routine to build a narrative about character. The student didn't just say 'I learned about hard work'; they showed it through the custodian's actions and their own evolving perception.

Essay Example 2: Embracing a 'Failure'

Many students shy away from discussing setbacks. This applicant, however, wrote about a time they didn't make the cut for a prestigious program. Instead of dwelling on disappointment, the essay detailed the process of re-evaluation, identifying areas for growth, and ultimately finding a different, perhaps more fitting, path. The key was the mature reflection and the demonstration of resilience, turning a perceived negative into a story of self-discovery and adaptability.

Essay Example 3: The Cultural Bridge

For students with bicultural backgrounds, this essay explored the challenges and richness of navigating two distinct cultures. It used specific examples of family traditions, language nuances, and personal experiences of feeling 'in-between' to illustrate a unique perspective. The essay succeeded by not just stating the bicultural identity, but by showing how it shaped the applicant's worldview, fostering empathy and a broader understanding of human experience.

Essay Example 4: A Passion for the Mundane

This student wrote about their fascination with something seemingly unglamorous, like urban planning, or the intricate workings of a clock. The essay's power came from the depth of curiosity and the detailed exploration of the subject. It demonstrated intellectual engagement and the ability to find compelling questions in everyday objects or systems. The applicant showed they could think critically and pursue knowledge with genuine enthusiasm.

Essay Example 5: The Community Project's Real Impact

Rather than simply listing volunteer hours, this essay focused on a single, impactful project. It detailed the initial problem, the student's specific role and contributions, the challenges encountered, and the tangible outcomes. The narrative highlighted leadership, problem-solving, and a genuine commitment to service, moving beyond superficial descriptions to showcase meaningful engagement.

Essay Example 6: Overcoming a Personal Challenge

This essay tackled a personal struggle, perhaps a learning disability, a family hardship, or a significant illness. The success lay in the honest portrayal of the experience, the emotional honesty, and, crucially, the focus on growth and coping mechanisms. It wasn't about the hardship itself, but about the student's strength, resilience, and the lessons learned that prepared them for future challenges.

Essay Example 7: The 'Why This Major?' Essay Done Right

For supplemental essays asking about a specific major, this example went beyond generic praise. It connected personal experiences, academic interests, and future aspirations to the chosen field with specific examples of coursework, research, or extracurriculars that solidified this interest. It showed a well-researched and deeply considered choice, not just a whim.

Essay Example 8: A Moment of Realization

This essay described a single, pivotal moment where the applicant's perspective on something important shifted. It could be a realization about their own biases, a new understanding of a social issue, or a change in their personal values. The strength was in the narrative arc – the 'before,' the moment of realization, and the 'after' – demonstrating intellectual and emotional maturity.

Essay Example 9: The Quirky Hobby

Sometimes, a unique hobby can be the perfect vehicle for a personal essay. This student wrote about their passion for competitive dog grooming, for instance. The essay used the details of the hobby – the precision, the creativity, the patience required – to reveal core personality traits like meticulousness, artistic flair, and dedication. It showed personality and the ability to connect seemingly unrelated interests to broader life skills.

Essay Example 10: The Family Story with a Personal Twist

Many applicants consider writing about family. This essay succeeded by focusing on a specific family tradition or a particular family member, but always bringing it back to the applicant's own growth and perspective. It avoided simply recounting family history and instead showed how that history or those relationships influenced the applicant's values, decisions, or outlook.

Essay Example 11: A Deep Dive into a Single Object

This essay used a single, meaningful object – a worn-out baseball glove, a childhood book, a family heirloom – as a starting point. Through describing the object and its history, the applicant revealed personal values, memories, and character traits. It was a creative way to explore identity by anchoring it to a tangible item, making the abstract personal.

Essay Example 12: The 'What If?' Scenario

While less common, some essays explore hypothetical situations to reveal personality and problem-solving skills. This applicant might have posed a 'what if' question related to a scientific discovery or a historical event, then used their response to showcase their analytical abilities, creativity, and intellectual curiosity. The success depended on the thoughtful construction of the hypothetical and the insightful analysis that followed.

Checklist for Your Own College Essay

Does my essay reveal my personality and voice?
Have I used specific anecdotes and details to illustrate my points?
Have I reflected on the experience and shown what I learned?
Is there a clear focus or central theme?
Does my opening hook the reader and my closing leave a lasting impression?
Have I avoided clichés and generic statements?
Does the essay answer the prompt (if applicable) in a meaningful way?
Have I proofread carefully for grammar and spelling errors?

A Specific Detail in Action

Consider the difference between saying 'I learned to be patient' and describing the moment you spent an hour trying to perfectly fold a complex origami crane, your fingers fumbling, your brow furrowed, until finally, the delicate paper bird took shape. The latter is far more engaging and reveals patience through action, not just assertion.

Final Thoughts on Crafting Your Narrative

The college essays from 2019 that stood out did so because they were genuine, well-crafted narratives that offered a window into the applicant's mind and character. They weren't perfect, but they were honest. They showed growth, curiosity, resilience, and a unique perspective. As you prepare your own application, focus on telling your story with sincerity and thoughtfulness. Your experiences, no matter how ordinary they may seem, can be the foundation for a compelling essay that truly represents you.

FAQs

Should I write about a major challenge or a positive experience?

Both can work, but the key is what you do with the story. A challenge essay needs to show resilience and growth, not just hardship. A positive experience essay needs to reveal character and insight, not just a happy event. Focus on your reflection and what it reveals about you.

How do I make my essay sound authentic and not generic?

Use your own voice and specific details. Instead of saying 'I love to read,' describe the feeling of getting lost in a particular book or the specific moment a passage changed your perspective. Avoid common phrases and clichés. Read your essay aloud to see if it sounds like you speaking.

What if I don't have a dramatic life event to write about?

Most successful essays don't rely on dramatic events. They find significance in everyday experiences, small moments of realization, or unique passions. The goal is to show your personality, your thought process, and your ability to reflect, regardless of the 'event' itself.

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