50 Successful Ivy League Application Essays

Explain Your Go als
“For the personal statement I have to tell you what I was told, ‘Write about 
what makes you different.’ You have to do the best to describe who you are 
to the person who is reading your essay and make them feel like they know 
exactly what your goals and ambitions are and how you plan to reach them.
“Find examples of college essays and see what kind of details make a col-
lege essay memorable. I must also beg you to have your essays proofread by as 
many teachers who are willing to read them and go over them with you and 
make suggestions.
“If the application happens to be like the University of Chicago’s Uncommon 
Application, pick the topic that you find most interesting. Chances are if the 
topic interests you, you will find that you have a lot to write about, and the 
essay will probably be interesting too.”
—Angelica, University of Chicago