How to Write Great Essays

TOPICS THAT WORK
◆
Academic interests (if you are passionate about them), such as why you love
calculus, the works of Stephen Crane, studying about the Civil War, etc.
◆
Anything personal that steers away from a “common mistake” (see box on
page 77). Write about an emotional reaction to an event, a work of art, or
another person.
◆
Success out of failure: what problem did you face that helped you learn a great
lesson, and grow as a person? How did you turn an obstacle into an attribute
or achievement? (But keep it positive; you don’t want your essay to sound like
a sob story or an excuse.)
◆
Small is fine. Most students in their late teens have not experienced a traumatic,
life-changing event. Write about something you know, of great significance to
you, while seemingly mundane or routine to everyone else.
◆
Something that gets you excited, something you are passionate about.

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HOW TO WRITE GREAT ESSAYS
CHAPTER 6
Untimed Essay Writing Strategies
76
M
A K I N G T H E
C
H O I C E
For most students, it is becoming clear at this point which topic best suits their life, strengths,
and experiences, lending itself to the most unique and insightful essay. However, if more
than one topic seems like a good fit, go back to your inventory. Using a different colored
highlighter for each topic, mark the information that could be used to write on that topic.
To which topic can you bring the most actual experiences and concrete details?
Still not sure? Consider outlining and writing rough drafts of two essays. High school
senior Liz Abernathey says she wrote four essays on different topics before coming up with
one she liked. “After I wrote the first one, I reread it, and realized that I had told a memory
of something I really liked, but nothing more. Rather than trying to fix it, I simply began
again. I wrote another essay a few days later, and a similar thing occurred. After reading it,
I just didn’t feel a ‘click.’ This process happened until my fourth essay. Although I only had 
a rough draft, I knew I had hit upon something good. I felt the click. It just worked better
than the other topics.”
In the examples below, a student took the same information and applied it to two top-
ics. Note that the second example, while still just notes, seems to lend itself to more actual
experiences and concrete details.
Indicate a person who has had a significant influence on you, and describe that
influence.
When my science teacher assigned a research paper on a scientist of our choice, I
wasn’t thrilled. I had no one in mind for the month-long project. I sat at the
keyboard in the school library, looking for inspiration. Finally, I started a search
for “women scientists.” I found a hit with a quote from Al Gore, calling the mys-
tery person “an outstanding role model for women scientists across America.”
Who was she? The late Dr. Nancy Foster, former Assistant Administrator
for Oceanic Services and Coastal Zone Management at the National Oceanic
and Atmospheric Administration, and Director of the National Ocean Service.
The more I read about this brilliant, dynamic woman, the more I became
inspired. Not only did I feel impressed with and proud of her many accom-
plishments, but her story made me think that I could take my love of the
ocean and its creatures and make it into a career as a marine biologist.
Evaluate a significant experience, achievement, risk you have taken, or ethical
dilemma you have faced, and its impact on you.
When my science teacher suggested a class trip to Belize to study the marine
ecosystem, I was excited. The thought of escaping the cold New England winter
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Untimed Essay Writing Strategies
CHAPTER 6