50+ Best College Essays That Got Students Into Top 20 U.S. Universities

Last updated 21 August 2025

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This page contains more than 50 winning college essays that helped students earn admission to some of the top 20 universities in the United States. Reading this essays will give you the best picture of how to write A+ grade essay whether its for inclass assignment or college application as some of the essays in this article managed to get students in ivy league schools.

What Makes a College Essay Stand Out

Great college essays reveal multiple aspects of the applicant’s life, values, strengths, interests, volunteer work, and experiences.
Also, they tell a dynamic story that reflects personal qualities in an engaging way as you will see in the college essays below.
Most of the best college essays show vulnerability, allowing admissions officers to connect with the student on a personal level.
A winning essay is one that demonstrates how the student’s values, skills, and qualities will thrive in a college environment.
In order to write the best essay, strong writing skills are essential because admissions officers often evaluate both content and style.

The principles stated above on how to write the best college essay apply to different kinds of essays, be it personal statements, supplemental essays, Common App essays, and diversity essays.

Best College Essay Examples in 2025

Burying Grandma – Common App Personal Statement

Prompt: “Tell us your story” (Common App prompts 1 & 7)

"Burying Grandma” is one of the most popular college essays. In this deeply personal reflection, the writer recalls the loss of their grandmother to liver cancer and their early feelings of guilt and ignorance. The experience profoundly reshaped their values, broadened their perspective, and inspired their career ambitions. From a young age, through their decision to volunteer at a cancer treatment center, the writer’s journey reveals a powerful transformation driven by empathy, purpose, and a commitment to helping others.

Read the full essay →Burying Grandma College Essay

The “Laptop Stickers” college essay stands out because it uses a creative and personal metaphor to tell a story. In the essay, each sticker becomes a symbol of the writer’s passions, values, and experiences. Instead of listing achievements, the essay weaves them naturally into anecdotes about design, activism, family, and personal growth, showing rather than telling who the writer is. The conversational tone, humor, and vulnerability make it authentic, while the strong organization around a unifying theme keeps it memorable. This combination of creativity, personality, and reflection is what makes it an excellent example of a Common App essay.

Read the full essay →The “Laptop Stickers” College Essay

The Punk Rock Philosopher – Common App Personal Statement

Prompt: “Tell us your story” (Common App prompts 1 & 7)

In this witty, unconventional essay, the writer uses bits of humor, philosophy, and self-reflection. They jump from favorite underwear to debate victories to sweaty underground punk shows. Even though the subject matter in the essay is odd, it was meant that way and the writer totally nailed it. What starts as a string of quirky moments slowly turns into something deeper: a reflection on individuality, the pull of community, and a restless urge to push against the norm.

Read the full essay →The Punk Rock Philosopher College Essay

Grandma’s Kimchi – Common App Personal Statement

Prompt: “Tell us your story” (Common App prompts 1 & 7)

One thing I have to give the writer credit for is how they managed to make the essay so emotional. In the essay, the writer recalls the sensory-rich tradition of making kimchi with their grandmother and how Alzheimer’s disease slowly eroded her memory. A quick trip back to the kitchen brings back all the memories with grandma; the warmth, the smells, the taste of something made with love. It reminds the writer that some legacies aren’t written down. They live on in flavors, in scents, in the moments we share. The story in this essay blends cultural heritage, personal loss, and the lasting power of memory.

Read the full essay →Grandma’s Kimchi College Essay

The “Travel and Language” College Essay

Prompt: Tell us your story

In this essay, the writer chronicles a lifelong journey shaped by global travel, cultural immersion, and a growing love for languages. From learning pronunciation nuances in French to discovering character-based meaning in Chinese, each new language expands their worldview and deepens their personal connections. The essay weaves together travel stories, linguistic curiosity, and academic passion, ending with a vision for a future built on international understanding.

Read the full essay →The “Travel and Language” College Essay

The “Dead Bird” College Essay

This particular essay was written in response to an older Common App prompt; Evaluate a significant experience, risk, achievement, ethical dilemma you have faced and its impact on you. Through this deeply emotional essay, the author has been able to connect the attempted rescue of an injured bird with their grief over the death of a close friend. Through vivid sensory details and raw introspection, the narrative explores mortality, loss, and the resilience to keep living. It’s a powerful meditation on the thin line between life and death and the clarity that people can get from tragedy.

Read the full essay →The “Dead Bird” College Essay

The “I Shot My Brother” College Essay

In this reflective and heartfelt piece, the writer recalls a childhood BB gun incident rooted in jealousy toward an older brother. What begins as a story of rivalry and resentment transforms into one of guilt, reconciliation, and deepening sibling bonds. The essay skillfully blends vivid storytelling with emotional growth, showing how a single moment can spark lasting change in a relationship. For the writer of the I Shot My Brother essay, the change led to compassion, support, and enduring friendship.

Read the full essay →The “I Shot My Brother” College Essay

The “Porcelain God” College Essay

In this vivid, personal narrative essay, the writer recounts their near-death experience from a severe peanut allergy, and they go ahead to reflect on the lasting fear it created. The writer of this essay did an amazing job. The story begins as a terrifying childhood memory, then it evolves into a story of resilience, curiosity, and purpose. This college essay traces the shift from resentment toward their own body to a passion for immunology and a desire to help others with allergies. From this essay, we get to see how the scenario ultimately transformed a life-threatening condition into a driving force for a future career in medicine.

Read the full essay →The “Porcelain God” College Essay

The “Five Families” College Essay

Prompt: “Tell us your story” (Common App prompts 1, 2, 5 & 7)
In this warm and engaging essay, the writer reflects on the lessons learned from living with five very different host families during their time in the United States. From a nine-year-old friend who helped teach them English to a disciplined household with strict rules, to a music-filled home where game nights reigned, each family offered unique challenges and gifts. The narrative blends humor, observation, and self-awareness to reveal a growing adaptability, deepened empathy, and an enduring openness to change.
Read the full essay → The “Five Families” College Essay

The “Food” College Essay

Montage Essay, “I Love/I Know” Type

In this transformation story, the writer chronicles their journey from an “anti-vegetable carboholic” to a passionate advocate for plant-based living. Sparked by their mother’s cancer diagnosis and a shared dive into nutritional science, the essay explores how food reshaped not only their health but also their environmental values. From co-leading a local plant-based advocacy group to dreaming of an oil-free oatmeal café, the narrative blends personal growth, sustainability, and hands-on culinary learning into a vision for healthier people and a healthier planet.

Read the full essay → The “Food” College Essay

The “Happiness Spreadsheet” College Essay

Montage Essay, “Essence Object” Type

In this reflective piece, the writer uses a self-created “Happiness Spreadsheet” to track daily emotional highs and lows over 700 days. More than a simple log, it becomes a lens for understanding the joy found in service, creativity, and family support. From building a soccer field fence in Colombia to organizing cooking club meetings, the spreadsheet captures both accomplishments and struggles, revealing resilience, gratitude, and the ability to find meaning in life’s fluctuations.

Read the full essay → The “Happiness Spreadsheet” College Essay

The “Translating” College Essay

Montage Essay, “Skill/Superpower” Type

This essay traces the writer’s lifelong “translation” skill — from reversing her own left-handed writing as a child to decoding complex calculus, tutoring peers, and interpreting unspoken emotions. She extends this gift into cultural and linguistic translation, volunteering to connect donors with children abroad through letters, and exploring new languages for self-discovery. Ultimately, she connects her skill to her goal of becoming a clinical pharmacist, using translation not just for words, but to understand and meet patients’ needs with empathy and clarity.

Read the full essay → The “Translating” College Essay

The “Why Behavioral Economics” College Essay

Montage Essay, “Career” Type

In this college essay, the writer uses the arc of a personal accident, a concussion during a broomball game at the Mountain School, as a catalyst for shifting from result-driven academics to open-ended questions. By contrasting the competitive culture of Landon School with the reflective pace of Mountain School, the essay shows how solitude, debate, and vivid observation deepened their curiosity. Drawing on experiences in psychology, neuroscience, and internships at the NIH and in London, the writer of this essay has been able to present behavioral economics as the ideal fusion of analytical rigor and human-centered creativity.

Read the full essay → The “Why Behavioral Economics” College Essay

The “5 Family Identities” College Essay

Montage, “Identity” Type

Growing up in a “melting pot of Europe,” the writer navigates holiday meals that blend Danish roast duck, Italian fish, British turkey, and American ham — a microcosm of cultural and political diversity. Family debates over policy and world affairs sparked an interest in politics and history, leading to success as a state-champion debater and service as the first teen member of their local Community Board. These experiences taught the value of respectful dialogue and bridging divides, shaping an ambition for political leadership or diplomacy to resolve global conflicts and celebrate diversity as a strength.

Read the full essay → The “5 Family Identities” College Essay

The “Coffeeshops + Coffee” College Essay

Montage Essay, “Home” Type

The writer’s mornings once began with tea and quiet listening to their father’s news updates in China, sparking a desire to learn more about the world. Moving to the U.S., they found a new “home” in Blue House Cafe, where coffee replaced tea and the space became a hub for studying, leading club meetings, and observing community life. Through organizing events for international students, volunteering with City Impact to aid the homeless, and sharing stories with strangers, they embraced leadership and service. Returning to China, they introduced their father to coffee — now sharing their own experiences and ideas as equals.

Read the full essay → The “Coffeeshops + Coffee” College Essay

The “Kombucha Club” College Essay

Montage Essay, “Uncommon Extracurricular Activity” Type

A failed batch of homemade kombucha — perfect in measurement but disastrous in smell — taught the writer that creativity and precision must coexist. Through brewing experiments, they discovered the balance between scientific exactness and artistic intuition, a lesson mirrored in their photography journey from meticulous perfectionism to embracing imperfection. Just as fermentation thrives on both control and unpredictability, they value blending the methodical mindset of a scientist with the free expression of an artist, resisting conformity in favor of growth, change, and originality.

Read the full essay → The “Kombucha Club” College Essay

The “Moments Where the Seconds Stand Still” College Essay

Montage Essay, “Other/Advanced” type

This montage essay reflects on the author’s deep appreciation for time and how certain moments transcend the rush of daily life. From joyful family interactions and bonding with show choir teammates to meditative scuba dives and caring for injured peers, these experiences reveal the author’s values of connection, leadership, and presence. Time becomes more than a ticking clock—it’s a measure of what truly matters and shapes their identity and aspirations.

Read the full essay → The “Moments Where the Seconds Stand Still” College Essay

The “Identifying as Trans” College Essay

Narrative Essay, “Challenges” Type

This deeply personal narrative traces the author’s journey of gender identity discovery, beginning with childhood confusion and culminating in embracing their true self as a transgender man. Central to their story is the unwavering support of their mother, who guided them through transition milestones. After the profound loss of their mother, the author faced grief and mental struggle but found healing through therapy, poetry, and community. Inspired by their experience, they now advocate for transgender students in schools, aiming to create support where they once felt isolated. The essay ends on a hopeful note of self-acceptance and purpose, honoring their mother’s legacy.

Read the full essay → The “Identifying as Trans” College Essay

The “iTaylor” College Essay

Narrative Essay, Undefined Type

In this creative narrative, the author personifies themselves as the “iTaylor,” a smartphone with unique features reflecting their personality and experiences. They highlight their optimism, bilingual skills, and overcoming epilepsy, which sparked a love for exploration and cultural connection. The essay shares their work teaching Spanish theater in Ecuador, volunteering with immigrant children, and engaging with diverse peers at school. It also covers their leadership in theater, including directing a show at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, where they learned to build community and audience through connection. Ultimately, the author aims to use storytelling and performance to foster empathy and cultural understanding in the world.

Read the full essay → The “iTaylor” College Essay

The “Figuring Out What Really Mattered Challenge” College Essay

Narrative Essay

This narrative essay recounts the author’s shift from valuing academic success alone to embracing communication and relationships after failing to get elected to Student Government. They learn to be vulnerable, listen, and appreciate others’ perspectives. Over time, this new mindset helps them succeed and prepares them for life’s uncertainties. Ultimately, they realize that support from others is as crucial as their own efforts.

Read the full essay → The “Figuring Out What Really Mattered Challenge” College Essay

The “Parents’ Relationship” College Essay

This essay explores how the stress of a family restaurant strained the author’s parents’ marriage and led to difficult emotional challenges at home. The author found solace and purpose in building model planes and creating an engineering club, developing leadership and resilience. Despite the family’s changed dynamics, these experiences taught valuable lessons about support, independence, and growth. Ultimately, the author embraces the imperfect present while honoring past hopes.

Read the full essay → The “Parents’ Relationship” College Essay

The “Threatened By ISIS” College Essay

This essay recounts the author’s traumatic childhood marked by their father’s legal troubles, family divorce, and the loss of their home amid regional violence. Struggling with anxiety and weight gain, the author found support and healing through friendships at boarding school in Switzerland. These relationships helped the author rebuild confidence, improve health, and become a source of support for others. Ultimately, the essay highlights resilience, growth, and finding belonging after upheaval.

Read the full essay → The “Threatened By ISIS” College Essay

The “Rock, Paper, Scissors” UChicago Supplemental Essay

Essay written for the University of Chicago prompt. which asks you to create your own prompt.

This essay playfully dissects the logic and symbolism behind the game rock-paper-scissors, questioning the conventional narratives we accept without scrutiny. The author explores how seemingly simple choices reveal deeper societal biases, such as gendered assumptions in strategy. They argue that many of our “truths” are incomplete narratives shaped by unconscious beliefs, affecting both trivial games and serious decisions. Ultimately, the essay invites reflection on the stories we tell ourselves and the importance of challenging these hidden assumptions.

Read the full essay → The “Rock, Paper, Scissors” UChicago Supplemental Essay

The “Why Did The Chicken Cross The Road” Essay

This essay was written for the U of Chicago “Create your own prompt” essay.

This creative Why Did The Chicken Cross The Road college essay reimagines the classic question through the lens of Plato’s “Allegory of the Cave.” Basically, the essay portrays a chicken awakening to the harsh truth behind its seemingly idyllic farm life. In the essay, the chicken discovers the dark reality of egg-taking and confronts the willful ignorance of others who choose comfort over truth. Through the essay, we can see how, despite fear and obstacles, the chicken bravely crossed the road to escape confinement and gain true awareness. Ultimately, it resolves to return and share its newfound knowledge, hoping to awaken others from their false realities.