50 Successful Ivy League Application Essays

Be Unconventional
“Use plenty of anecdotes, and be sure to start ‘in the moment’ to keep 
readers engaged. Admissions officers are skimming hundreds of essays each 
day, so you shouldn’t be afraid to be unconventional (within reason) to grab 
their attention.”
—Steve Schwartz, Columbia University
Shamelessly  Promote Yourself
“I would say that you really need the essay to be in your voice and have it 
reflect how you feel not how you think they want you to feel. Don’t set out to 
sound really intelligent and scholarly, this is your only real chance to let them 
know the real you, not the you on paper. Also, this is one of the few chances 
where it is acceptable for you to shamelessly promote yourself so play up your 
good qualities. Think of something original to write on. You want to be differ-
ent and stand out. So many people have written ‘my grandfather inspires me 
because’ or ‘I was standing on the field watching the seconds count down with 
a tied game.’ You should write something that only you can write.”
—Anastasia Fullerton, Stanford, Brown