50 Successful Ivy League Application Essays

Inspiration from Robert Frost
“My essay was based on my love for the woods that surrounded my home 
and my experiences within them as a child. For the conclusion of my essay I 
used the last line of robert Frost’s well known poem ‘Stopping by Woods on 
a Snowy Evening.’ I grew up on the new Hampshire border MA, so you can 
imagine that the area was similar to what robert Frost was actually writing 
about!”
—Mollie Mattuchio, Brown University

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Communicate Your  Personal Voice
“Speak. Do not simply record your thoughts on paper, but use your words 
as a conduit for expressing yourself. The essay is the only opportunity you 
have to communicate your personal voice. While the resume and the ques-
tionnaire may be unique in the sense that no one has the exact skill set or 
range of experiences that you have, the language is dry and static. The essay, 
on the other hand, is a dynamic narrative that has the potential to explicate a 
personality. Your essay should capture some facet of your character, perhaps 
through an experience or a philosophy on some issue or event. The presenta-
tion of your voice is delivered in a language unique to you.
“Do not assume that your essay should follow some model or structure. 
Yes, it is important to have structure and a coherent flow (and be grammati-
cally flawless), but never feel that you have to copy another’s style to be suc-
cessful. The essay is a vehicle for your voice—and it should be in your own 
language. Think of the admissions essay as a live interview with someone 
hard of hearing. Instead of speaking, you must resort to writing. The degree to 
which you activate your language, guide the reader along the contours of your 

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50 Successful Ivy League Application Essays
narrative, and deliver the raw electricity of your experiences will determine 
your essay’s success.”
—Jonathan Cross, Duke University
Be Genuine
“Be confident and authentic about yourself; don’t try to be someone you’re 
not or try to fashion yourself into someone you think the admissions com-
mittee will like. Ultimately the committee is looking to build a class, and you 
never know if they’re looking for someone who is exactly like the genuine 
you.”
—Anonymous, Yale University