50 Successful Ivy League Application Essays

An Everyday Experience Can Work
“My major advice in selecting a topic is that the essay doesn’t have to be 
about some sort of epiphany or life-changing moment—sometimes it’s easier 
to write about the everyday things that separate you from everyone else. You 
want to show who you are as a person - if there is one defining event that 
shows this, great, but if not, don’t try to force one. Instead do some introspec-
tion, and try to highlight something about your personality or experience 

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50 Successful Ivy League Application Essays
that stands out. Also, keep a fairly narrow focus—don’t try to write about 
everything that you’ve done in high school. Instead pick one thing that really 
highlights what you can bring to that college.”
—Anonymous, Harvard University