50 Successful Ivy League Application Essays

The Importance of Freewriting
“I think the best piece of advice is to start early. The earlier you start, the 
more relaxed and satisfied you can be. I’d say start off by free-writing, that’s 
always how I get my best ideas. Start off with a blank sheet of paper (or a 
blank word document)—then write for five or ten minutes straight, without 
erasing anything and without ever stopping the flow of words. Once you find 
a topic, write a draft—then put it aside for a couple days. Only with the per-
spective of time (which is a luxury you’ll want to have, so start early) can you 
truly edit well.”
—Michael Ayoub, Harvard University