50 Successful Ivy League Application Essays

Get Feedback from Current College Students
“First, reach out to as many high school alumni and friends who are at-
tending the colleges that you are applying to and ask them if they would be 
willing to spend some time to critique and offer feedback for your essays. Ask 
for feedback early in the college admissions process to give them plenty of 
time to get back to you in case they are pressed for time as your college ap-
plication deadlines approach.
“Second, read as many college essay samples as you can before your essays 
are due to help you get a feel for the key points that admissions essays touch 
upon, help you generate ideas and to get your creative juices flowing.
“Third, try to stand out when writing your essays in as many ways as you 
can: choose original essay topics, let your unique writing style shine, and de-
pict unique reasons why you want to be admitted to a specific college.
“Lastly, write about activities that you are most passionate about. Only 
then, will the essay display your true energy and interest in the activity. This 
passion will speak for itself in your essays.”
—Shreyans C. Parekh, University of Pennsylvania

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Chapter 22: Advice on Writing from Ivy League Students