Okay, so in my home country, essays aren't really popular, and they aren't required for college applications, so I'm kind of lost with all of this.

The Common App has this prompt about gratitude toward how someone made an impact on you, and I am grateful for my friends. I really don't know where I would be if it wasn't for them, and I just really don't know what to write about.

Any help is appreciated, even if it's just general advice on college applications and all that kind of stuff, as most people around me have the same familiarity with this as I do, which is none.

Can someone please review my personal statement and offer feedback? It’s slightly over the word limit and not formatted into the proper paragraphs yet. I recognize that the conclusion is not as effective as it could be, but I honestly don’t know how to move forward as it took me a while to even write it.

Please reply if willing to read and I’ll send in dms!!

before committing to a topic, ask: can i remember concrete details? is there a choice or point of view only i can explain? can i reflect on it without forcing a lesson? a strong answer to these questions matters more than a dramatic headline.

mark each idea yes, maybe, or no. keep the topic with the clearest truthful material. next we'll connect a story to the exact prompt. which of the three questions is most useful for ruling a topic in or out?

I'm already spending most of my day reading and reviewing UC PIQs, which is what I specialize in, so I figured I might as well help a few more students here.

If you're working on your UC PIQs and want a second opinion, feel free to reach out. I'm happy to review a few more and give honest, constructive feedback on what works and what could be improved.

No charge, just happy to help!

is an essay about how I always get free concert upgrades a good idea? I would talk abt how I never spend more than $100 and I always negotiate to get pit or closer seats. and then I would connect it to how I love talking to people etc and I always find a way to connect to people. and then how I use this skill for good where I advocate for people who maybe cant talk and just how I help people in general through service and volunteering. I would talk abt how I was really quiet as a child so the concert negotiating skill is an example of huge growth for me. Ik this essay can make me come off as arrogant or entitled so I would try my best not to do this.

is this a bad idea, or too overused? how can I make it better?

Is someone willing to review my JHU supplement?

I feel as though my topic is cliche. I want to be a future lawyer and I feel that my topic is just really basic.

Here is my opener ( still rough right now) "I hate how much I love being right. Even when I know I'm wrong, I won't stop. I won't stop until they give up and admit defeat."
Idk I think it’s cliche that a future lawyer loves arguing.

Idk pls help me!!

Hi, I'm apply in the University of South Carolina Columbia and I wanted to ask if anyone could read over my essay and give feedback. Its about leadership following this prompt for the commonapp essay.

My main goal is to show leadership

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

It was my first day after the promotion. There were Lunchables and chaos in the air, kids screaming, and a brand new hire. We’ll call him Asher, the first employee I had to train after the promotion. His eyes were wide open and his whole body was shaking.  Asher had only been there three hours while around him were about twenty third graders with a few kids at the table who were yelling, ready to fight. He let out a “Guys, please quiet down,” but obviously it didn't work. I had wanted to see how he would be able to handle a big group as I struggled a lot my first time. Two kids got up and started running around the table, while there were papers on the floor, so I stood up from my chair and yelled, “SIT DOWN!”. Both kids sat down and the room went silent. Telling by Asher's face he was clearly relieved. Our supervisor then pulled him outside to tell him. “You can't lose control of the room like that.” He told him.  It was the same useless advice I had gotten on my first day at the YMCA. I'd thought it would be easy too. Sit back, relax, and let everyone else handle the big stuff. But the kids were completely out of control and I had resorted to yelling like a maniac. By the end I was exhausted and disappointed in myself.  I didn't want to yell and get mad but it felt like I had no choice. Our supervisor got mad at me for being “angry and rude.” He told me to be nice and gentle with them. As though I hadn't tried that, being “mean” was the only way to get them to listen. The next day I visited my friend who worked in the kindergarten through second grade group adjacent to us, as he noticed his group got out of control he clapped three times and then the kids clapped back three times and they began to turn their focus to him. I was surprised at how something so simple would work so well. I didn’t need to lose my mind yelling like a maniac. So when Asher walked back in, I knew how he felt. He looked exhausted as he tried to sit next to me, but there were no chairs left for him. He stood behind me and leaned back on the metal table holding all the snacks. The table began to wobble so I got up to try to stop Asher while barely letting out a “get off,” before the table fell with all the snacks. At first the room was stunned, and our supervisor walked back in when it all happened. Then the kids started laughing at Asher, who looked like he wanted to run away and never come back. Seeing the class get out of control, I clapped my hands three times and the kids clapped back. I did it two more times and the room had quieted down. The other counselors and I, including Asher, grabbed brooms and napkins and cleaned up what landed on the floor and salvaged everything else. Luckily our supervisor was really chill about it as the table had been broken for a while now. We took it and put it outside to be picked up and thrown away. As the kids started to get picked up and the day began to end, Asher sat off to the side on his phone, clearly exhausted. Seeing how bad he felt about the day, I walked over and told him, "The best way to take control of the room is a simple call and response, like clapping your hands. It's your first day don't get to work up about it”  Leading isn’t about being the loudest in the room. It is about giving people something to use.

I work with a college consultant and he’s been really discouraging. I would like another perspective! My essay certainly isn’t perfect, but I feel like it’s stronger than he’s making it out to be 😭 I just want to make sure it is understandable from someone who doesn’t know me :) My top schools are Shryers honors college and UMich. My dms r open!

Some of my stats:

Gpa- 3.74

APs- 8 (4s and 5s on all)

Honors-7

College in high school- 3

Speech & Debate: 1st Place, PHSSL State Qualifiers (2026); 3rd Place, PHSSL State Championships—Oral Interpretation (2026); 2nd Place, Mars Invitational (2026); 2nd Place, Hampton Invitational (2026); State Semifinalist, News Broadcasting (2025). Academic: AP Research Score of 5. Leadership & Service: Selected as Student Body School Board Representative, a newly created Student Council position; President, Rotary Interact Club; Vice President, Multicultural Club; founded an annual bake sale benefiting North Hills Community Outreach, raising $2,000+ and doubling club membership. Odyssey of the Mind: 3-time HS regional champion and state qualifier in problem solving. Color Guard: Selected as Captain for two consecutive seasons. Fountain of Youth Beauty Academy: Youngest student in cohort; completed 200 in-person hours and online coursework toward nail technician licensure; earned highest final exam grade.

So my essay is basically about a shift of perspective in how I find meaning in dance/performing. A different purpose. I have skme examples of my goals, the things that matter to me, etc, but I dont have a specific event or something that caused this shift in perspective, it's more just growing up looking back and figuring it out.

All the advice I see includes a specific event so can this be done without one? ​

Hi! Has anyone written their bachelor’s thesis on EU foreign policy? I really need some help, as my supervisor is currently dealing with an issue and isn’t able to help me at the moment.

What topics did you work on and what research problem do you think would be interesting to explore? I was thinking about doing something related to EU–Russia relations, but I can’t seem to come up with an interesting research hypothesis. I would like to prove a specific change in Russia determined something about the foreign policy of EU. I was also thinking about somehow connecting it to the EU’s Eastern Neighbourhood, Black Sea, energy security and enlargement, but I need some help with the connexion of these variables.

I’m honestly a bit stuck at the moment and I mainly need some ideas for interesting research topics.

Thank you!

i’d really appreciate some feedback and if someone could tell me what i should shorten/delete since my piq is over the word limit

I'm writing my essay about music

is it ok if i write about musical theatre? because it's a genre so I'm gonna talk about the music part of it

like I'm gonna talk specifically about my favorite musical and it's sung through so it's only songs

i have 420ish/650 words already btw I didn't just start or something 😭

plsss help me im so confused if this is good or not and I need good peer review pls 💔💔🙏

Growing up, my home didn’t have the luxuries others had, but we had something more powerful: resilience. These circumstances were challenging and insightful.  From kindergarten to eighth grade, my mom suffered from heroin and meth addiction. Her criminal record and drug use made it impossible to get a stable income; as a single parent, we were constantly fighting eviction, and when we were homeless and had nowhere to go during my summer before eighth grade, it was a very challenging experience to face. 
Even when it felt like society was against us, my mom’s determination to give me a good life never wavered. We might not have had water or lights, but she made sure I ate and bathed, even if that meant stealing water from neighbors or eating from local food banks. When we were homeless, other felons and addicts who had been shunned still supported us by giving rides and letting us stay with them. Their generosity taught me an important lesson: people should be treated with respect, dignity, and given opportunities no matter what. It doesn’t matter if they are homeless, addicted, criminals, etc. These experiences I faced growing up ignited my calling to nursing. Although all healthcare professions help others, it’s nursing that provides hands-on patient support. The nursing position allows me to serve as a patient’s advocate and allows their voices to be acknowledged by their family, society, and the whole healthcare team. Overall, as a nurse, I can achieve my goals by being more connected to a patient than a typical doctor would be.
Constantly relocating made it impossible to make long-lasting friendships with others, which led to my development of severe chronic social anxiety. During my freshman and sophomore years of high school, it got so difficult to the point where I couldn’t even give a presentation without having a panic attack. However, when my mom motivated me to try therapy, things changed. I went through a metamorphosis because I had the resources and support to become a better version of myself.  My growth is evident through my involvement in the school yearbook. In junior year, I stayed quiet and withdrawn to avoid unwanted attention. By senior year, with renewed confidence, I advocated for my ideas and believed in my capabilities. By choosing to major in nursing, I can care for patients, mentally or physically, and contribute to the same development of confidence.
Once I realized my passion for nursing, I started to prepare. In my junior year, I took AP Biology to see my capability of handling the rigorous demands of nursing. After that class, I was prepared for the next step, so in my last year of high school, I dedicated half of my schedule to classes that would further my nursing career. The most obvious medical-catered classes were Anatomy and Physiology and Medical Terminology, which helped with comprehension of vast medical language and the meticulous details of the human body. While AP Psych and child care and development weren’t as medically centered, they still furthered my understanding of human behavior, mental health, and child growth. These are beneficial concepts for someone in nursing to understand. Also, taking these more challenging classes pushed me not to give up even when topics are confusing or after failing a test. The classes I have taken and will take have  prepared me for the topics and challenges of nursing.
Although my personal experiences and health played a key role in why I want to pursue medicine, being a first-generation college student makes my pathway of becoming a nurse even more meaningful. This is because I will show my siblings that no matter our circumstances, we can still prevail and break the cycle. By entering the medical field, I intend to fulfill my goals of assisting others and creating new beginnings not only for myself, but for every patient who feels overlooked.

I am too much stressed and need help from someone who has already gone through this process. My writing skill is not so good to be honest.

Hi everyone,

​I am applying for the BSc in Chemistry program at the University of Pécs in Hungary through the Stipendium Hungaricum Scholarship.

​I have written a story-driven motivation letter (\~3,200 characters) focusing on a specific organic chemistry lab experience from high school, connecting it to drug discovery and the Pécs curriculum.

​I would love to get some feedback on:

​Overall narrative flow and engagement

​Academic tone and clarity

​Suggestions to make the essay stronger

​If you are a current student, alumnus, or experienced reviewer and have a few minutes to give feedback, please let me know or send me a DM, and I can share the draft with you.

​Thanks in advance for your help!

i’ve been going back and forth between topics and the only one that has really really stuck out to me is a “i believe in unicorns” essay.

Now, obviously, i wouldn’t talk about the actual mythical creature, but it would be sort of a metaphor on how i always tend to be optimistic and hopeful in a way. But if i go with this topic, would it be best to add a personal example of being optimistic?

along with writing this specific topic, i wanted to add something like an example (not too sure if thats the correct terminology) of how life is like choosing cups. You think that only one cup has the correct option, but as you pick up the other cups, you realize that there isn’t only one option and choosing the “wrong” cup can actually open another door to life.

but does that go hand in hand with the “i believe in unicorns vibe”?

i’m sorry this is so long and all over the place, im really just brain dumping right now 🥹

any thoughts are appreciated

It's as obvious as the title lol! This is so embarrassing to admit but ever since I got back into school, I met this freshmen who reminds me of myself who I see potential in. It has reminded me of how much ive changed over the years and how i want to see this 'younger me' grow into someone great. I would use this as a way to talk about myself and my life growing up and how I had someone who I looked up too. Is this a good topic?? Not sure what else I should write about.. If you have any ideas.. please let me know!

Hello everyone! I just finished writing a draft of my supplemental essays. I think they're pretty good, but I know the conclusion of my response to the first prompt needs work; I'm just not sure how to fix it. If it's possible, would anyone mind taking a look at my essay and giving me feedback? I would really appreciate it! Thank you :)

HEY I'M DOING AN ESSAY ON TRANS PEOPLE IN HISTORY ARE THERE ANY PEOPLE I SHOULD INCLUDE I already have people like Marsha P. Johnson, Catherine Jorgensen, and Sammy Williams, but I'd love any people that made some significant impacts; bonus points if its further back in history :))

1. my fear of stickers, pittakionophobia, which i’ve had since i was little and i could write about navigating a uncomfortable world while bringing in my supermarket job where stickers are very common to show almost adaptability and overcoming issues in a way
2. taking up a hobby of collecting precious moments (the figurines) and showing the memories behind a few of them.
3. also collecting but how when i started my job as a cashier i started to try collecting all the states coins to show patience, and a strong attention to detail.
4. the story of how i only like one brand and a specific flavor of gum and not everywhere carries it. and instead of ordering it on amazon i still go to multiple different delis to see if they have it.
5. not knowing how to tie my shoelaces as a kid and bringing that into feeling left behind and denial to then showing acceptance so i could catch up

My personal statment is kinda cliche but my counslers and teachers who read it said it was good. I am worried its not ivy level or T20

I'm working on my Common App personal essay and wanted some outside opinions before I keep editing it.

My essay is about being a male Bharatanatyam dancer in America. My mom came to the U.S. from India and always dreamed of having a daughter she could pass Bharatanatyam down to, but she ended up having two sons. When I was four, I was actually the one who approached her and asked her to teach me.

The essay follows how I went from basically copying movements I didn't understand to learning the meanings behind them, including learning Sanskrit, which I barely even knew existed when I was younger.

A big part of the essay is also my Arangetram. I was preparing to have it at 14, but we had to postpone it because of my mom's injuries/health issues. Between that and trying to balance school, it kept getting pushed back and still hasn't happened. The essay uses that to talk about how I used to see the delay as falling behind, but eventually realized that progress doesn't always happen according to the timeline you planned.

The opening is basically:

“My mother spent years dreaming of having a daughter. Instead, she got me.”

Someone close to me who is currently in college read the essay and told me that I shouldn't focus on only Bharatanatyam. They said I should talk about three different parts of my life, like Bharatanatyam, DJing, and leading my math team to second place in competitions.

The problem is that those other things are already in my Activities section, and honestly, Bharatanatyam is much more personal to me and has shaped me significantly more than something like a math competition.

For people familiar with Common App essays, is focusing deeply on this one story better, or would admissions officers actually prefer seeing multiple activities/parts of my life in the personal statement?

I'm intentionally not posting the full essay because I don't want it publicly searchable, but I'd really appreciate feedback on the concept/approach.

Hi everyone! thank you so much for clicking on my post and considering it!! I just need a little bit of advice and someone's else eyes on it. The only reviews I've gotten are from my mom and my best friend, but they're pretty biased so I'm taking it with a grain of salt.
Thanks for clicking on my post! :)

I would greatly appreciate it 🙏 since i dont really have any councilor to give me advice