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The Best Essay Writing Service Reviews: Explore Academic Market

Reading the best essay writing service reviews is the smartest decision for students who want to hire professional writers. Homework might get overwhelming quickly, and you need to know where to find a company capable of doing your assignment. We don’t want to leave you hanging! Try the list we developed and meet the best providers. Each of them has experience with academic writing, and they offer top quality for good prices!

Updated: 21.02.2023

Best Essay Writing Services

Prices $12.99

Prices $11.99

Prices $14.99

All ratings, opinions, and reviews you see on this site do not necessarily reflect the official position of any other company, educational establishment, or employer. These reviews are always subject to revision and change. Please do not hold us to them — visit actual websites to make any decision.

To decide what score each company deserves, we compare our team’s grades, academics’ ratings, and individual reviews. Opinions of LetsGradeIt.com team is worth 30% of the total grade. Academics’ ratings comprise 35%, and individual grades account for 35%. In cases when there are no individual reviews posted about a firm, academics have a say by 60%, while our team gets 40%.

The Latest Update: Check Top 10 Essay Writing Services

• a good collection of free essay samples
• customer support
• helpful blog for college students
• reliable payment methods and privacy rules
• you cannot choose your writer
• Discounts 13% and various 10% and 5%, depending on your customer history
• Minimum Deadline 6 hours
• Payment Methods VISA, MasterCard, American Express, Discover
• Guarantees Money-Back Guarantee, 24/7 Support, No Plagiarism, Confidentiality
• Types of Papers Essays, Research papers, Term paper, Thesis, Dissertation, Coursework, Book report, Book review, Research summary, Case Study, Lab report, PowerPoint presentation, Article, Article critique, Reaction paper, Admission essay, Personal statement, Proofreading, Editing, Rewriting
• Lowest Price Starting at $11.99 per page
• Number of Samples 100k+
• Number of Categories 4k+
• Access Free
• Originality Almost Original
• Samples Accuracy & Categorization Accurate
• Quality of Samples High
• Website Navigation Simple
• Excellent blog with helpful articles, writing guides, topic lists, and other valuable information for college students and educators

It is one of the best choices for essay and research writing work, according to our reviews. This company provides good grammar quality and follows all formatting and grading rubric rules. Timely delivery and free revisions work as advertised. Their selection of free samples seems to be curated by the company’s specialists since they are mostly good. What makes them even better is their customer support service, which is available immediately and provides custom help with order placement, payment procedure, and revisions. If you want to choose something that is affordable and customized to your needs, this service is the safest bet.

A company that boasts of having a decade-long experience, TopEssayWriting has a right to be called the best custom paper writing service. It has a great reputation, evident in all positive online reviews it received. Its design is neutral and could use more originality, but useful content compensates for it. You could find answers to all your questions there or drop a line to customer support. These guys spend days and nights online, and they reply to all messages momentarily. Services are diverse, and they cost starting with $12.99 per page. This is a great offer. If you add discounts to it, you’ll like it even more.

Like the best college essay writing service it is, TopEssayWriting provides an impressive collection of free samples. They are diverse and easily accessible. Our paper was fantastic: it met all academic standards and insightfully explored our topic. Its complete fluency meant that we didn’t find anything worth asking for a revision. You’ll find them here if you need talented writers who ask for affordable sums.

• Excellent writing quality
• Access to free essay samples
• Cheap prices for papers
• Loyal support team
• Satisfying level of service diversity
• Samples aren’t edited properly

• best customer support
• fast delivery
• cool design
• new website
• Minimum Deadline: 3 hours
• Lowest Price: $11.99
• Discounts: 10%
• Payment Methods: VISA, MasterCard, American Express, Discover
• Guarantees: 24/7 Support, Confidentiality, Customer Satisfaction, Money Back, Native Writers, No Hidden Charges, No Plagiarism, On-time Delivery, Proofreading, Quality, Revision
• Types of papers:  Essay, Research, Term paper, Thesis, Dissertation, Coursework, Capstone project, Book report, Outline, Book review, Movie review, Research summary, Report, Case Study, Lab report, PowerPoint presentation, Article, Article critique, Annotated bibliography, Reaction paper, Project
• Number of Categories 5k+
• Originality of Samples Almost all Original

Paraphrasing tool, conclusion generator

This WritingUniverse review was born after we got numerous requests to investigate it. Our team quickly did preliminary research, and we realized why students showed interest in it. WritingUniverse is mysterious in several ways at once: we have no idea when it was established and reviews on its website don’t have any dates mentioned. It’s very in tune with its logo of an alien with a UFO. The company offers writing-related services; it asks for adequate prices and works with the shortest deadlines. Even a 3-hour timeframe is accepted. Few reviews from customers we saw are mostly positive, but they aren’t informative enough to draw conclusions. So, we launched our own investigation.

WritingUniverse invests much effort into becoming the best essay service for students, and it succeeds repeatedly. It provides different academic services that range from standard writing to help with dissertations, lab projects, and proofreading. Clients leave positive feedback, and unsurprisingly, they all appreciate prices. WritingUniverse charges about $11.99 per page, less than you’ll find in most other agencies. It chose a unique design for its site that we loved. The UFO theme reflects the often-mysterious world of academic tasks that students have to navigate through.

The company has multiple paper samples that it offers for free. A lot of them need editing, so they aren’t the best examples of work these writers could do. On the other hand, writing guides and academic tools could definitely please you because they are efficient, and you could access them without paying or creating an account. Operators are nice and loyal, and writers do their best to produce top papers. Our Philosophy project impressed us with its depth and insights. It had perfect APA formatting and addressed five big questions we assigned. Are there any problems? Apart from badly edited samples, we disliked that WritingUniverse offers no background story. It’s important to know when and how a company appeared. Apart from this, it’s spectacular.

• Cheap essay prices
• Plenty of free samples
• Brilliant quality level
• Helpful operators
• Samples need more editing
• No background information

• no plagiarism
• excellent free essay samples
• timely delivery
• variety of different help and subjects on offer
• excellent blog
• things may get pricey if you have an urgent order or request services like resume writing
• Lowest Price $14.99
• Minimum Deadline 3 hours
• Discounts 15%
• Payment Methods VISA, MasterCard, American Express, Discover.
• Guarantees 24/7 Support, Confidentiality, Customer Satisfaction, Money Back, No Plagiarism, On-time Delivery, Proofreading, Quality, Revision
• Types of Papers Rewriting, Proofreading, Editing, Admission essay, Dissertation, Resume/CV, Essays, Research papers, Term paper, Coursework, Capstone project, Book report, Outline, Book review, Movie review, Research summary,  Report, Case Study, Lab report, PowerPoint presentation, Article, Article critique,  Annotated bibliography, Reaction paper, Project.
• Number of Samples 1k+
• Number of Categories 30+
• Originality of Samples Only Original
• Types : Free conclusion generator, paraphrasing tool, essay maker, and a good blog with dissertation topics and various writing style guides.

This company offers a plethora of popular writing services and those types of academic writing help that are not so common like resume writing and business report assistance. They have a good pricing scheme that instantly shows you the price. Additionally, you may request drafts, plagiarism reports, proofreading by an editor, and urgent writer’s selection. They offer excellent quality, a good collection of free essay samples, a good blog that will help many students learn about writing styles and find inspiration, and the majority of payment methods. They are a reliable service that is safe to consider for most tasks. Just remember that things may get a bit pricey, yet it is always paid off as our review experts have found out.

Some things never change, and we’re happy to say that GrabMyEssay remains one of the best academic writing services even now. Its experience speaks for itself: a decade in the academic market taught this agency how to treat its clients and how to produce the most amazing papers. Its website has a cool, though somewhat outdated design; content is fluent and relevant, and a dedicated support team is around 24/7. Students don’t need to overpay for their homework since one page costs just $14.99. If you doubt quality, you could always try free samples first. They cover different topics and demonstrate skills of the writers who work for GrabMyEssay. Other helpful features like a paraphrasing tool and academic guides also come in handy, and they’re free.

As a client, you could choose between an endless pick of writing services. Ask for any deadline, even if it is 6 hours — this company is going to help. Its deliveries are timely, and quality is consistently high. This time, we ordered Engineering research, and the paper we got amazed us. It followed every requirement and was formatted ideally. We had zero reasons for complaining, so we recommend GrabMyEssay to the world.

• Top academic quality
• Free educational tools
• Big collection with essay samples
• Affordable writing costs
• Strong support network
• Website design could be more creative

•   high quality
• friendly support team
• many services present
• free samples
• small online presence
• generic website
• Discounts 5-15 %
• Minimum Deadline  6 hours
• Payment Methods VISA, MasterCard, Wire Transfer, American Express, Discover
• Types of Papers Research essays, Dissertations, Expository papers, Term papers, Dashboard discussions, Movie review, Book review, Play analysis, Annotated bibliography, Argumentative essays, Summary, Descriptive paper, Admission essay, PowerPoint presentation, Lab work
• Lowest Price  $12.99
• Guarantees Free revisions & refunds, Operators available 24/7, Perfect confidentiality
• Discounts Not Applicable
• Number of Categories 10+
• Quality of Samples A verage-to-High
• Access Free and don’t require you to create an account
• Samples Originality Almost all original

ProEssayService is a company that specializes in the provision of academic services. It has been operating for a couple of years. It has low prices, good discounts, friendly operators, and a solid range of writing options. Placing an order is easy, and though there are some issues with its online presence and reviews, quality is great.

This best agency has multiple essay writer reviews that praise its services. We were curious to see how true this was. ProEssayService can help students with professional writing, thorough proofreading, narrations, applications, dissertations, plus many other projects. Its prices equal $12.99 for one page of content, which is pleasantly low, a 15% discount makes this offer even friendlier. The website is outdated, but this is a small problem. The important element is that visitors can find valuable information without any hassle.

Clients could request revision or refund in case they aren’t satisfied, but practice shows that this agency knows what it’s doing. Our paper was thoughtful, and our writer followed instructions 100%. The only issue was that we didn’t see whether hiring this same expert for other tasks was possible. ProEssayService doesn’t seem to cater to this wish. Samples plus blog articles are available for every visitor — this could be great news, but unfortunately, they cover topics that few students will find important. Still, these issues are tiny in comparison to amazing quality of essay writing, meaning that we wholeheartedly recommend this company to you.

• Great prices for your paper
• Samples are present
• Solid discounts available
• Essay quality is amazing
• Samples should be more relevant
• Difficult to hire a writer you worked with before

• discounts for students
• affordable prices
• privacy policy
• free revisions
• very outdated blog
• Lowest Price $12.99
• Payment Methods Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express, Wire Transfer
• Discounts 5-16%
• Guarantees Refunds, Free revisions, Support 24/7, Direct contact with the writer, Confidentiality
• Types of Papers  research & term papers, discussions, annotated bibliographies, critique, dissertations, argumentative essays, descriptive essays, comparison & contrast, reviews, summaries, reaction paper, lab work.
• Number of Samples 200
• Number of Categories 20+
• Access Free essays samples
• Quality of Samples  Medium

Smart Custom Writing has been working for 6+ years. It’s a big company specializing in the provision of academic and other kinds of writing. SmartCustomWriting.com prices are affordable; it also has good discounts and friendly policies. Some of its operators don’t respect the clients’ boundaries, but everyone works hard to help each customer get the best possible experience. If you need help with your essay, they are one of top reliable choices.

SmartCustomWriting has the best essay help providers who have been assisting their clients since 2008. Their help costs $12.99 per page, though, in most companies, it might increase depending on your deadline or essay size. In any case, it’s affordable, and if students doubt the expertise of these writers, they could read samples to see what they should expect. Operators are immensely helpful, but there is a drawback: it takes ages for them to respond. They might greet you instantly, but once you ask a question, you’ll be waiting for ten minutes until they find an answer. It looks like they don’t know the rules of their company well. From better news, writers work quickly, and you can order a paper even with a 3-hour deadline.

If you need tools like an efficient plagiarism checker, you won’t find them here. This website is limited, along with its design. But writing services include numerous options and cover all subjects. They have a high level of quality. We ordered a Math project, and it arrived just on time. Our experts did everything correctly, and when we clarified some aspects, they explained them comprehensively. They are worth your attention, no doubts here!

• Prices are low for all services
• Free samples available
• Experience and service diversity
• No educational tools
• Customer support appears clueless

• free easy samples
• excellent blog posts on several topics
• on-time delivery before deadline
• high cost for personal writings and urgent requests
• Minimum Deadline 24 hours
• Discounts 20%
• Payment Methods VISA, MasterCard, American Express, Discover, Wire Transfer
• Guarantees Customer Satisfaction, Money Back, Native Writers, No Plagiarism, Proofreading, Quality, Revision
• Types of Papers  Essays, Research papers, Term paper, Rewriting, Proofreading, Editing, Admission essay, Dissertation, Resume/CV, Coursework, Book report, Book review, Movie review, Research summary, Case Study, Lab report, PowerPoint presentation, Article, Article critique, Annotated bibliography, Reaction paper
• Number of Samples 327
• Number of Categories 13

A lot of our audience come to our site to determine if a professional essay writing website is safe enough to trust, which is why we prepared this Essay Republic review. In this article, we are going to review EssayRepublic and give a verdict on its service. This service claims to offer high-quality essay writing services to clients using native English speakers as writers. Additionally, it claims to offer this service at an affordable price. To test this claim, we sent out an assignment to them. They provided a good essay within the agreed time. Plus, all online EssayRepublic Reviews point to their service as reliable. However, it gets expensive when you are in a hurry or looking for services like resume writing.

This service offers its customers access to free samples. It has 327 samples across 13 categories including, math, physics, economics, and much more. These samples closely reflect the quality of work we got from our assignment. Although it can be expensive, you are sure of getting quality services as this Review of EssayRepublic will show. Plus, you can request a writer using through the writer’s page.

Every professional essay writers review we create is based on personal experience, and EssayRepublic wasn’t an exception. We studied its every feature, from prices to policies, and placed an order for a Sociology paper. One page costs $12.99, which is an affordable amount. The shortest acceptable deadline is 3 hours, another great aspect we appreciate as clients. Students could order whatever service they wanted, from a college essay to a CV or lab report. Operators are nice and helpful. They give answers quickly, and they always know how to show support.

The major issue we noticed in our paper writing services review was the absence of any academic tools. Another problem was writer assigning process. Our order was simple and had a long deadline, but three days passed before a writer finally accepted it. We are skeptical as to how this platform can manage urgent deadlines when it cannot find an expert for orders with lengthy submission dates. But quality impressed us. Our paper was excellent, and it met our needs. You might experience some difficulties during the hiring process, but ultimately, you’ll be satisfied with these services.

• Cheap costs for academic help
• Helpful customer support
• Essays have the best quality
• Writers don’t accept orders quickly
• No academic tools are on offer

• reliable writing services
• good delivery time frame
• excellent blog with helpful posts
• expensive prices
• Minimum Deadline  The shortest deadline the company can handle is 3 hours
• Discounts  EssayThinker.com discounts include a 15% off for first-timers.
• Payment Methods  VISA, MasterCard, American Express, Discover
• Guarantees  24/7 Support, Confidentiality, Customer Satisfaction, Money Back, No Plagiarism, On-time Delivery, Proofreading, Quality, Revision
• Types of papers  Essays, Research papers, Term paper, Thesis, Dissertation, Coursework, Capstone project, Book report, Outline, Book review, Movie review, Research summary, Report, Case Study, Lab report, PowerPoint presentation, Article, Article critique, Annotated bibliography, Reaction paper, Project, Admission essay, Scholarship essay, Personal statement, Proofreading, Editing, Rewriting, Resume/CV
• Number of Samples  200+
• Number of Categories  13
• Access  Free
• Originality of Samples  Mostly All Original
• Quality of Samples  Medium

EssayThinker is becoming more and more popular among students, and our EssayThinker review will take a look at how effective it is as a writing service provider as well as its customer service capability. With so many essay writing services flourishing in recent years, we hope that this Essay Thinker review will help you to make the right call.

EssayThinker is another one of the best essay writing companies with positive online reputation and a myriad of services it offers to clients. Its rates are low since they begin at $12.99 per page; deadlines of 3 hours are supported, and the website is mostly fluent. Students have access to numerous samples on various academic topics: they don’t need to pay anything for them, which is a definite advantage. The blog, on the other hand, is problematic. It centers on irrelevant topics and doesn’t have an appropriate academic style. It felt like these guys bought random articles for their website without bothering to read them.

Operators show willingness to help even in stressful situations. There are good essay writers present here since they fulfilled our order perfectly. We had a complex Nursing topic, and they meticulously addressed every point from instructions. Unfortunately, they made a distressing number of language mistakes. They were smallish and didn’t damage readability, but their presence was still annoying. EssayThinker needs better proofreading if it wants to remain on top.

• Best prices for writing help
• Essay samples present for free
• Great research involved in each order
• Serious problems with proofreading
• Blog is mostly irrelevant

• decent blog posts on multiple topics
• on-time delivery
• expensive for urgent requests
• Minimum Deadline  3 hours
• Lowest Price  $1.99
• Discounts  5-15%
• Payment methods  Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Maestro, Wire Transfer.
• Guarantees  24/7 Support, Confidentiality, Customer Satisfaction, No Plagiarism, On-time Delivery, Proofreading, Quality, Revision
• Types of Papers  Academic paper writing, Rewriting, Several fields, Proofreading, Editing, Copywriting, Admission Services, Dissertation services, Resume/CV service, Multiple Choice Questions.
• Payment Options  Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Maestro, Wire Transfer.
• Number of Categories  5
• Accuracy of Samples  Accurate
• Quality of Samples  High
• Q&A : Yes
• Tutoring : No
• Online Courses : No
• Access : Paid Homework Help.
• Payment Methods : Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Maestro, Wire Transfer.
• Discounts : EssayState.com discounts vary between 5-15%.
• Quality of Help : High
• Subjects : All Subjects
• Types of Services Offered : Essay, Case Study, Research Summary, articles.
• Mobile App : No

Thousands of readers come to our site looking for honest advice about professional writing agencies. Therefore, we always try to give our customers our opinion about all writing platforms. With this article, we are going to provide you with an honest EssayState review. We conducted an independent assessment of services offered by EssayState. We also looked at Reviews of Essay State online. In general, this platform provides quality assistance. Just like most writing services, you will pay a lot for resume writing.

EssayState is among the best essay writing websites that has experience and motivation to keep improving. It doesn’t charge much. Its clients pay starting at $12.99 per page, a pleasant price that will please the majority of students. Like in other top agencies we described, it deals with urgent deadlines of no longer than three hours if needed. Its services range from paper writing to in-depth research or editing, and its website outlines policies in a comprehensive manner. Revisions and refunds are guarantees that are set in stone. Operators do a good job, too — we appreciated their assistance.

Everything seems more or less perfect, but what differentiates EssayState from other top writing services is its failure actually to respect deadlines. We are a good example of this practice. Our order had to be submitted in 14 days, but the writer failed to deliver it. They cited emergency and family problems — these are weak excuses to which no reliable company should resort. While their essay looked good, even a short delay is a red flag. Another nuance we disliked was how there were no helpful materials like tools or high-quality samples. The few articles we saw had low quality. EssayState listens to its clients, though, and since it provides the best writing quality, we expect it to improve in other aspects, too.

• The best papers for all subjects
• Low costs for help
• Friendly operators
• Possible essay delays
• No academic materials present

• service can be expensive
• Discounts 16%
• Guarantees Confidentiality, Customer Satisfaction, No Plagiarism, On-time Delivery, Proofreading, Quality, Revision, Money back guaranteed, Support
• Types of Papers Academic paper writing, Rewriting, Several fields, Proofreading, Editing, Copywriting, Admission Services, Dissertation services, Resume/CV service, Multiple Choice Questions
• Number of Samples 10
• Number of Categories 7
• Access Free Subscription
• Quality of Samples Medium

As a platform, we pride ourselves on providing a review of professional writing agencies. We always try to create high-quality reviews that provide customers with necessary information to make an informed decision. In line with our mission, we are looking to write a PoweredEssays review. To create an objective review, we went ahead to order writing service. In addition, we went online looking for Powered Essays reviews, to add value and enhance this article. After evaluating all aspects of this platform, we were able to conclude that PoweredEssay provides good assistance to clients. However, just like with other writing services, you will have to pay a lot of money to have a personalized CV or an urgent order.

You might have noticed a trend with the best online writing services we recommend: they all charge affordable prices. PoweredEssays does the exact same thing. Clients pay around $12.99 for a page as well as apply great discounts. They can choose between numerous services, and in case they have questions, they can contact the customer support team. We loved it, and we valued their help highly: whatever question we had, they provided an answer. Samples are available for everyone. They are educational and could give students relevant ideas.

Placing orders is easy as the website is compact, but our paper writing service review showed that some writers aren’t professional. We asked them to write a college-level paper on English, but while the essay arrived on time, it looked bad. Grammar mistakes, content issues, non-academic style – it’s easier to describe what wasn’t wrong with it. We had to ask for revision which slowly transformed into reassignment since the first writer refused to work on our order again. Five more days passed after our deadline before another expert finally delivered the project. This time, it looked perfect. Flawless grammar, insightful ideas, proper academic style — this is what we expected from the start. This company can definitely show the best results.

• Best essay prices
• Top experts present
• Free paper samples
• Not all writers are qualified
• Slow revisions

• free essay samples
• deliver before the deadline
• choose preferred writer
• some requests can be expensive
• there is no blog
• Discounts 5-15%
• Payment methods Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover, Wire Transfer.
• Guarantees Support, Confidentiality, Customer Satisfaction, No Plagiarism, On-time Delivery, Quality, Revision, Money back guarantee.
• Types of Papers Academic paper writing, Rewriting, Writing with calculations, other subjects, Proofreading, Editing, Copywriting, Admission Services, Dissertation services, Resume/CV service, Multiple Choice Questions.
• Number of Samples 17
• Number of Categories 10

Classy Essays has a section that is specific for free samples available to general public. In this section, there are 17 of them, all cut across 10 categories, including Science, Management, Politics, History, Nursing, and much more. Additionally, all example essays on ClassyEssays are really good. However, our order was better than any such examples they showcase for free. Therefore, this ClassyEssay.com review will give you a taste of what to expect when you opt for their aid.

While all the best writing services online ensure a high quality of writing, they might have problems. ClassyEssay seems experienced since many of its clients left their opinions about it on various online platforms. Most of them are positive. A page is worth $12.99 here, but unlike most agencies, this one deals with deadlines of 6 hours only. We liked this approach since it feels realistic and honest.

The first problem we encountered was with operators. They replied slowly, showed reluctance, and some of them were rude, such as when we wanted a revision. We felt unwelcome. Our impression improved after we studied samples: they were diverse and had good quality, but it wavered again when we realized that our paper had serious mistakes. They concerned grammar, content, and execution. Our writer wasn’t a native speaker, this was immediately obvious, and they didn’t understand their subject. We demanded a revision, but a week passed before we saw any results — we are certain that a new expert took on our order. It looked perfect, like the best writer in the world created it. ClassyEssay has the right to be viewed as a professional company, but it also needs serious improvements.

• Affordable writing rates
• Samples are instantly available
• Some of the best experts present
• Unprofessional and unwelcoming operators
• Amateur writers might accept your order
• Revisions take ages

How Reviews from Clients Can Help Find Top Essay Writing Services

Some students don’t believe finding the best writing essay services quickly and without placing an order is possible. But reading reviews can bring you closer to making the right choice. The Internet is a large space where people freely exchange their opinions about the services they ordered. You could find comments from fellow students, seeing what they liked or disliked and how satisfied they were in general. Another option is looking at professional reviews like ours. We not only place an order with different agencies but also examine every aspect of their service, from interface to policies. When reading other clients’ opinions, you can:

• Find the best companies for narrowing down your search
• Hire the most professional writers
• Stop worrying about academic pressure
• Gain a guarantee that the company you contact is legit
• Receive papers of top quality
• Enjoy assignments with no trace of plagiarism
• Save your time by getting experts to do your homework
• Get access to a base of free samples and tools
• Stop concerning yourself with deadlines you can’t keep

Stages of Our Standard Review Process

We review the list with criteria we’re going to use for assessing a company. Each member of the team needs to understand what they should pay attention to.

We read requests we got from our visitors in search of the company we’ll be testing this time.

After each member performs standard analysis, we place the same order with writers.

Once an essay arrives, we study it individually and then discuss it collectively, comparing our lists with impressions. After lengthy discussions, we decide on the best rating.

Features We Analyze as We Work on the Best Essay Writing Services Reviews

Now that you know what we do during the review process, we’d like you to see the specifics. Every review entails hard work and hours of research. See what features we explore, how we approach them, and what we focus on. This will demonstrate how thorough our work is, making it clear why you can trust our reviews.

• Close background analysis. Like other potential clients, we explore everything about a company in the online space to form initial impressions. We start with reading the best paper writing services reviews on Reddit, SiteJabber as well as TrustPilot, three most common review platforms. This tells us what we should expect.
• Price analysis. It is essential to see how much companies charge for their services. Students worry about this most since finances are their weak spot, and they have no desire to overpay for academic help even if they need it urgently. But this process is tricky. This is concerning when agencies charge too much since they rip their clients off. When they charge too little, this is also a troubling sign. Professional help cannot be cheap, experts won’t agree to work for anything. A balance is needed, and that’s what we are looking for.
• 24/7 chat. The best essay writer websites must offer 24/7 communication to their clients. A chat with customer support is the usual solution, but many aspects are involved. Operators need to be welcoming, sociable, and knowledgeable. They should respond in less than a minute and provide real answers to visitors’ requests. We test them by contacting them at different points with various questions, analyzing how they respond. Operators are a lifeline for clients, and they should show the best performance.
• Extra features. Another aspect we describe in our best college paper writing service reviews is special features. Top agencies with experience should offer free samples in addition to various academic tools, such as conclusion generators, plagiarism checkers, essay makers, and others. The more options are present, the higher we value a company.
• Quality analysis. There is no point in recommending a company unless it provides stellar writing services. It might have the best customer support, prices, and policies, but bad quality nullifies it. That’s why we approach this aspect with 100% attentiveness. Upon receiving an essay, we study whether it arrived on time, how good its grammar is, if it met our instructions, and how the writer followed academic norms. Agencies that show the best results receive a higher number of points.
• Studying policies. To be qualified as the best online essay writing services, companies must ensure the safety of their clients. They should provide them with refunds and revisions in case of bad quality claims; privacy must be ensured, too. A student should know that the company won’t share its data with any random party. Our team inspects every policy carefully, looking for hidden meanings and possible flaws.

Should I Trust All Reviews?

As we stated, reading custom essay writing service reviews is a smart choice, but you need to stay careful. Not all of them deserve your trust. Companies understand how relevant client feedback is, and some try to boost their reputation artificially. They hire people to write fake positive reviews. You need to learn how to differentiate between the two and how to see which comments are real. Luckily, we have great strategies that will help!

Tips for Locating Real Clients’ Reviews of Companies

We prepared six strategies for recognizing real comments. If you follow them, your chances of falling for fakes will fall down to zero. Experience is everything, too, so if you noticed artificial reviews once, you’d do it even sooner next time.

• Choose independent platforms. Once you type “[Your conpany’s name] reviews,” check the best essay writing website first. This tends to be SiteJabber. Trustpilot and Reddit follow closely behind. They host a large collection of client feedback, cover most companies, and platforms themselves try to flag suspicious comments. Still, do your own checking because even such websites can make mistakes.
• See the size of reviews. Most real positive reviews on academic writing agencies are average in size. Negative comments can get very long — this is normal since dissatisfied clients have a lot to say. If you see stuff like “The best firm!” “Great essay!” and as such, disregard them. They are probably fake since they require no effort.
• Look at reviewer’s mood. Does a comment sound authentic, or is it full of empty praise? This is an important aspect. Don’t trust comments that make it look like the company is the best thing to ever exist in the world — while positive experience brings relief and gratitude, people still won’t be exploding with eagerness and incoherent excitement. Ask yourself, would you write something like this? If not, ignore the review.
• Watch out for links. If a comment has a link to the top essay writing service it recommends, there is a 99.9% chance that it’s fake. Don’t trust it. No real client is going to bother looking for links and putting them into their comment, no matter how much they love a company.
• Examine commenters’ profiles. Most sites allow seeing what comments a person made in the past. Check if they have a photo, what their name and posting history is. This could say a lot about their authenticity.
• Check feedback. Do companies respond to reviews from clients? Check their replies. If they address only negative comments, then positive ones are suspicious. The best writing service will pay attention to each review, good or bad.

Are Reviews That Companies Post on Their Websites Real?

The authentic best essay writing sites post all reviews from their clients. This includes criticism and negativity. Unfortunately, this is an exception — most agencies choose not to post anything because they don’t want to appear bad in any way. But there is the third kind of company that publishes 100% positive comments and nothing else. This is a big warning sign: they don’t mind misleading their customers. We guarantee that even the absolute best service won’t have only positive reviews, so it’s better to focus on other platforms for learning opinions.

Why Our Reviews Are Trustworthy

Our team leaders.

Most people who read the best paper writing service reviews have only a vague idea of how much work goes into them. Two of our biggest brain centers and sources of inspiration are Melony Hart and Christian Duke, experts who oversee every process to achieve top results.

Melony Hart is a chief editor who analyzes changes in academic market, studies requests from students, and gives recommendations to teams of experts. She personally examines each professional essay writing review before it goes live. Her thorough approach ensures that our company produces relevant content that students enjoy and find helpful.

Christian Duke is the head reviewer who creates a friendly and mutually inspiring atmosphere within our teams. He encourages those who feel down, instructs those who struggle with something, and relentlessly motivates everyone to be top-performing reviewers.

Christian and Melony keep our team strong. They promote constant education and the refining of everyone’s skills. Together, we seek to explore the existing market of academic services to the maximum, finding the best options for our readers.

Analyzing Each Top Essay Writing Service: A Study in Numbers

While we listed the factors that affect our reviews, we haven’t covered the numbers. Every opinion has its weight. This is how we come up with ratings for companies we review:

• Reviewers’ opinions. Opinions of our reviewers account for 30% of the rating. Their value is essential, but they contribute to assessment results only partly because even though they have a profound experience, their views remain subjective.
• Educators’ input. These people are specifically hired to provide opinions on essay writing because they are employed in the educational sector and know academic standards like no other. Since the quality of a paper is the most influential factor, we give their words 35% of the weight. Educators help us decide whether we find top paper writing services or if we need to keep looking further.
• Comments from customers. Your opinion matters greatly to us, which is why we assign 35% of our importance to it. We read reviews from clients on TrustPilot, SiteJabber, Reddit, plus other platforms, select those that sound real, and make conclusions on this basis.

What All Best Writing Companies Must Offer

All writing companies must follow two main principles regardless of what other benefits or drawbacks they have. The first one is top writers. All experts must have Master’s or Ph.D. degrees, and HR teams must verify this before hiring them. The second rule concerns plagiarism. Even 1% is too much, so companies should scan each paper automatically before sending them to clients.

Summing Up Our List: What Is the Best Essay Writing Service in the US?

Most students open reviews because they want answers to this specific question. After all the research and debates, which writing agency showed the best results? We can suggest three top options. GrabMyEssay comes first: it has the ideal combination of good prices, excellent writing, useful samples and tools, and support team. TopEssayWriting and WritingUniverse come a close second. Each of these agencies is remarkable in its own way. Note that these results are only applicable in 2023, though. We’ll be doing new testing eventually to see whether these leaders remain the best.

Ways of Taking Maximum Advantage of the Company You Hire

Knowing that you hire the best essay writers online is not enough. If you want to make your experience 100% effective, show initiative. Work on the text of your instructions to make it informative yet readable. Clients often submit pages of text without breaks: most writers ignore such orders. Avoid this by presenting clear guidelines. Stay in touch with your expert and answer their questions rapidly. Learn about discounts and apply them to make your price lower!

How Much Should I Pay for Professional Writing Services?

As you probably noticed, the companies we recommended had the best charge from $10.99 to $14.99. We didn’t pick them randomly — this is the optimal price for writing services. If a company asks for more, it’s too much. If the price is lower than $10, beware. This is likely a scammer. Professional writers won’t agree to work for such a meager sum.

Why You Should Read Reviews: A Final Reminder

Remind yourself of one simple rule when you feel reluctant to spend your time on reviews. If you decide, “I want the best website to write my essay for me,” the next step is reading online comments. This is not negotiable — if you don’t want to risk your money, you need to know which companies are reliable. This is only possible by checking what other customers think.

Frequently Asked Questions About Writing Services

We pick companies based solely on recommendations from students. We don’t have personal ties with any of them, so our opinions are unbiased and rooted in genuine insights.

Sure. Your identity and subject don’t matter: the best companies provide both academic and general writing services. They’ll help you with anything since they have writers in every sphere.

If you pick the best company, then you have nothing to worry about. Credible companies protect clients’ data and keep it confidential.

The best website that writes essays for you is going to offer samples. This is a legal form of tutoring. Technically, you shouldn’t submit such essays as your own, but this is up to you.

If you’re interested in the cheapest best college essay writing service the lowest sum is around $11. Less qualified services might charge $3 per page, but the end quality will be abysmal.

Every client risks getting their paper late and/or receiving bad quality. Sadly, this is possible even with the best custom essay writing service. That’s why revisions and refunds exist.

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How to Write an Essay

Use the links below to jump directly to any section of this guide:

Essay Writing Fundamentals

How to prepare to write an essay, how to edit an essay, how to share and publish your essays, how to get essay writing help, how to find essay writing inspiration, resources for teaching essay writing.

Essays, short prose compositions on a particular theme or topic, are the bread and butter of academic life. You write them in class, for homework, and on standardized tests to show what you know. Unlike other kinds of academic writing (like the research paper) and creative writing (like short stories and poems), essays allow you to develop your original thoughts on a prompt or question. Essays come in many varieties: they can be expository (fleshing out an idea or claim), descriptive, (explaining a person, place, or thing), narrative (relating a personal experience), or persuasive (attempting to win over a reader). This guide is a collection of dozens of links about academic essay writing that we have researched, categorized, and annotated in order to help you improve your essay writing. 

Essays are different from other forms of writing; in turn, there are different kinds of essays. This section contains general resources for getting to know the essay and its variants. These resources introduce and define the essay as a genre, and will teach you what to expect from essay-based assessments.

Purdue OWL Online Writing Lab

One of the most trusted academic writing sites, Purdue OWL provides a concise introduction to the four most common types of academic essays.

"The Essay: History and Definition" (ThoughtCo)

This snappy article from ThoughtCo talks about the origins of the essay and different kinds of essays you might be asked to write. 

"What Is An Essay?" Video Lecture (Coursera)

The University of California at Irvine's free video lecture, available on Coursera, tells  you everything you need to know about the essay.

Wikipedia Article on the "Essay"

Wikipedia's article on the essay is comprehensive, providing both English-language and global perspectives on the essay form. Learn about the essay's history, forms, and styles.

"Understanding College and Academic Writing" (Aims Online Writing Lab)

This list of common academic writing assignments (including types of essay prompts) will help you know what to expect from essay-based assessments.

Before you start writing your essay, you need to figure out who you're writing for (audience), what you're writing about (topic/theme), and what you're going to say (argument and thesis). This section contains links to handouts, chapters, videos and more to help you prepare to write an essay.

How to Identify Your Audience

"Audience" (Univ. of North Carolina Writing Center)

This handout provides questions you can ask yourself to determine the audience for an academic writing assignment. It also suggests strategies for fitting your paper to your intended audience.

"Purpose, Audience, Tone, and Content" (Univ. of Minnesota Libraries)

This extensive book chapter from Writing for Success , available online through Minnesota Libraries Publishing, is followed by exercises to try out your new pre-writing skills.

"Determining Audience" (Aims Online Writing Lab)

This guide from a community college's writing center shows you how to know your audience, and how to incorporate that knowledge in your thesis statement.

"Know Your Audience" ( Paper Rater Blog)

This short blog post uses examples to show how implied audiences for essays differ. It reminds you to think of your instructor as an observer, who will know only the information you pass along.

How to Choose a Theme or Topic

"Research Tutorial: Developing Your Topic" (YouTube)

Take a look at this short video tutorial from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill to understand the basics of developing a writing topic.

"How to Choose a Paper Topic" (WikiHow)

This simple, step-by-step guide (with pictures!) walks you through choosing a paper topic. It starts with a detailed description of brainstorming and ends with strategies to refine your broad topic.

"How to Read an Assignment: Moving From Assignment to Topic" (Harvard College Writing Center)

Did your teacher give you a prompt or other instructions? This guide helps you understand the relationship between an essay assignment and your essay's topic.

"Guidelines for Choosing a Topic" (CliffsNotes)

This study guide from CliffsNotes both discusses how to choose a topic and makes a useful distinction between "topic" and "thesis."

How to Come Up with an Argument

"Argument" (Univ. of North Carolina Writing Center)

Not sure what "argument" means in the context of academic writing? This page from the University of North Carolina is a good place to start.

"The Essay Guide: Finding an Argument" (Study Hub)

This handout explains why it's important to have an argument when beginning your essay, and provides tools to help you choose a viable argument.

"Writing a Thesis and Making an Argument" (University of Iowa)

This page from the University of Iowa's Writing Center contains exercises through which you can develop and refine your argument and thesis statement.

"Developing a Thesis" (Harvard College Writing Center)

This page from Harvard's Writing Center collates some helpful dos and don'ts of argumentative writing, from steps in constructing a thesis to avoiding vague and confrontational thesis statements.

"Suggestions for Developing Argumentative Essays" (Berkeley Student Learning Center)

This page offers concrete suggestions for each stage of the essay writing process, from topic selection to drafting and editing. 

How to Outline your Essay

"Outlines" (Univ. of North Carolina at Chapel Hill via YouTube)

This short video tutorial from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill shows how to group your ideas into paragraphs or sections to begin the outlining process.

"Essay Outline" (Univ. of Washington Tacoma)

This two-page handout by a university professor simply defines the parts of an essay and then organizes them into an example outline.

"Types of Outlines and Samples" (Purdue OWL Online Writing Lab)

Purdue OWL gives examples of diverse outline strategies on this page, including the alphanumeric, full sentence, and decimal styles. 

"Outlining" (Harvard College Writing Center)

Once you have an argument, according to this handout, there are only three steps in the outline process: generalizing, ordering, and putting it all together. Then you're ready to write!

"Writing Essays" (Plymouth Univ.)

This packet, part of Plymouth University's Learning Development series, contains descriptions and diagrams relating to the outlining process.

"How to Write A Good Argumentative Essay: Logical Structure" (Criticalthinkingtutorials.com via YouTube)

This longer video tutorial gives an overview of how to structure your essay in order to support your argument or thesis. It is part of a longer course on academic writing hosted on Udemy.

Now that you've chosen and refined your topic and created an outline, use these resources to complete the writing process. Most essays contain introductions (which articulate your thesis statement), body paragraphs, and conclusions. Transitions facilitate the flow from one paragraph to the next so that support for your thesis builds throughout the essay. Sources and citations show where you got the evidence to support your thesis, which ensures that you avoid plagiarism. 

How to Write an Introduction

"Introductions" (Univ. of North Carolina Writing Center)

This page identifies the role of the introduction in any successful paper, suggests strategies for writing introductions, and warns against less effective introductions.

"How to Write A Good Introduction" (Michigan State Writing Center)

Beginning with the most common missteps in writing introductions, this guide condenses the essentials of introduction composition into seven points.

"The Introductory Paragraph" (ThoughtCo)

This blog post from academic advisor and college enrollment counselor Grace Fleming focuses on ways to grab your reader's attention at the beginning of your essay.

"Introductions and Conclusions" (Univ. of Toronto)

This guide from the University of Toronto gives advice that applies to writing both introductions and conclusions, including dos and don'ts.

"How to Write Better Essays: No One Does Introductions Properly" ( The Guardian )

This news article interviews UK professors on student essay writing; they point to introductions as the area that needs the most improvement.

How to Write a Thesis Statement

"Writing an Effective Thesis Statement" (YouTube)

This short, simple video tutorial from a college composition instructor at Tulsa Community College explains what a thesis statement is and what it does. 

"Thesis Statement: Four Steps to a Great Essay" (YouTube)

This fantastic tutorial walks you through drafting a thesis, using an essay prompt on Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter as an example.

"How to Write a Thesis Statement" (WikiHow)

This step-by-step guide (with pictures!) walks you through coming up with, writing, and editing a thesis statement. It invites you think of your statement as a "working thesis" that can change.

"How to Write a Thesis Statement" (Univ. of Indiana Bloomington)

Ask yourself the questions on this page, part of Indiana Bloomington's Writing Tutorial Services, when you're writing and refining your thesis statement.

"Writing Tips: Thesis Statements" (Univ. of Illinois Center for Writing Studies)

This page gives plentiful examples of good to great thesis statements, and offers questions to ask yourself when formulating a thesis statement.

How to Write Body Paragraphs

"Body Paragraph" (Brightstorm)

This module of a free online course introduces you to the components of a body paragraph. These include the topic sentence, information, evidence, and analysis.

"Strong Body Paragraphs" (Washington Univ.)

This handout from Washington's Writing and Research Center offers in-depth descriptions of the parts of a successful body paragraph.

"Guide to Paragraph Structure" (Deakin Univ.)

This handout is notable for color-coding example body paragraphs to help you identify the functions various sentences perform.

"Writing Body Paragraphs" (Univ. of Minnesota Libraries)

The exercises in this section of Writing for Success  will help you practice writing good body paragraphs. It includes guidance on selecting primary support for your thesis.

"The Writing Process—Body Paragraphs" (Aims Online Writing Lab)

The information and exercises on this page will familiarize you with outlining and writing body paragraphs, and includes links to more information on topic sentences and transitions.

"The Five-Paragraph Essay" (ThoughtCo)

This blog post discusses body paragraphs in the context of one of the most common academic essay types in secondary schools.

How to Use Transitions

"Transitions" (Univ. of North Carolina Writing Center)

This page from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill explains what a transition is, and how to know if you need to improve your transitions.

"Using Transitions Effectively" (Washington Univ.)

This handout defines transitions, offers tips for using them, and contains a useful list of common transitional words and phrases grouped by function.

"Transitions" (Aims Online Writing Lab)

This page compares paragraphs without transitions to paragraphs with transitions, and in doing so shows how important these connective words and phrases are.

"Transitions in Academic Essays" (Scribbr)

This page lists four techniques that will help you make sure your reader follows your train of thought, including grouping similar information and using transition words.

"Transitions" (El Paso Community College)

This handout shows example transitions within paragraphs for context, and explains how transitions improve your essay's flow and voice.

"Make Your Paragraphs Flow to Improve Writing" (ThoughtCo)

This blog post, another from academic advisor and college enrollment counselor Grace Fleming, talks about transitions and other strategies to improve your essay's overall flow.

"Transition Words" (smartwords.org)

This handy word bank will help you find transition words when you're feeling stuck. It's grouped by the transition's function, whether that is to show agreement, opposition, condition, or consequence.

How to Write a Conclusion

"Parts of An Essay: Conclusions" (Brightstorm)

This module of a free online course explains how to conclude an academic essay. It suggests thinking about the "3Rs": return to hook, restate your thesis, and relate to the reader.

"Essay Conclusions" (Univ. of Maryland University College)

This overview of the academic essay conclusion contains helpful examples and links to further resources for writing good conclusions.

"How to End An Essay" (WikiHow)

This step-by-step guide (with pictures!) by an English Ph.D. walks you through writing a conclusion, from brainstorming to ending with a flourish.

"Ending the Essay: Conclusions" (Harvard College Writing Center)

This page collates useful strategies for writing an effective conclusion, and reminds you to "close the discussion without closing it off" to further conversation.

How to Include Sources and Citations

"Research and Citation Resources" (Purdue OWL Online Writing Lab)

Purdue OWL streamlines information about the three most common referencing styles (MLA, Chicago, and APA) and provides examples of how to cite different resources in each system.

EasyBib: Free Bibliography Generator

This online tool allows you to input information about your source and automatically generate citations in any style. Be sure to select your resource type before clicking the "cite it" button.

CitationMachine

Like EasyBib, this online tool allows you to input information about your source and automatically generate citations in any style. 

Modern Language Association Handbook (MLA)

Here, you'll find the definitive and up-to-date record of MLA referencing rules. Order through the link above, or check to see if your library has a copy.

Chicago Manual of Style

Here, you'll find the definitive and up-to-date record of Chicago referencing rules. You can take a look at the table of contents, then choose to subscribe or start a free trial.

How to Avoid Plagiarism

"What is Plagiarism?" (plagiarism.org)

This nonprofit website contains numerous resources for identifying and avoiding plagiarism, and reminds you that even common activities like copying images from another website to your own site may constitute plagiarism.

"Plagiarism" (University of Oxford)

This interactive page from the University of Oxford helps you check for plagiarism in your work, making it clear how to avoid citing another person's work without full acknowledgement.

"Avoiding Plagiarism" (MIT Comparative Media Studies)

This quick guide explains what plagiarism is, what its consequences are, and how to avoid it. It starts by defining three words—quotation, paraphrase, and summary—that all constitute citation.

"Harvard Guide to Using Sources" (Harvard Extension School)

This comprehensive website from Harvard brings together articles, videos, and handouts about referencing, citation, and plagiarism. 

Grammarly contains tons of helpful grammar and writing resources, including a free tool to automatically scan your essay to check for close affinities to published work. 

Noplag is another popular online tool that automatically scans your essay to check for signs of plagiarism. Simply copy and paste your essay into the box and click "start checking."

Once you've written your essay, you'll want to edit (improve content), proofread (check for spelling and grammar mistakes), and finalize your work until you're ready to hand it in. This section brings together tips and resources for navigating the editing process. 

"Writing a First Draft" (Academic Help)

This is an introduction to the drafting process from the site Academic Help, with tips for getting your ideas on paper before editing begins.

"Editing and Proofreading" (Univ. of North Carolina Writing Center)

This page provides general strategies for revising your writing. They've intentionally left seven errors in the handout, to give you practice in spotting them.

"How to Proofread Effectively" (ThoughtCo)

This article from ThoughtCo, along with those linked at the bottom, help describe common mistakes to check for when proofreading.

"7 Simple Edits That Make Your Writing 100% More Powerful" (SmartBlogger)

This blog post emphasizes the importance of powerful, concise language, and reminds you that even your personal writing heroes create clunky first drafts.

"Editing Tips for Effective Writing" (Univ. of Pennsylvania)

On this page from Penn's International Relations department, you'll find tips for effective prose, errors to watch out for, and reminders about formatting.

"Editing the Essay" (Harvard College Writing Center)

This article, the first of two parts, gives you applicable strategies for the editing process. It suggests reading your essay aloud, removing any jargon, and being unafraid to remove even "dazzling" sentences that don't belong.

"Guide to Editing and Proofreading" (Oxford Learning Institute)

This handout from Oxford covers the basics of editing and proofreading, and reminds you that neither task should be rushed. 

In addition to plagiarism-checkers, Grammarly has a plug-in for your web browser that checks your writing for common mistakes.

After you've prepared, written, and edited your essay, you might want to share it outside the classroom. This section alerts you to print and web opportunities to share your essays with the wider world, from online writing communities and blogs to published journals geared toward young writers.

Sharing Your Essays Online

Go Teen Writers

Go Teen Writers is an online community for writers aged 13 - 19. It was founded by Stephanie Morrill, an author of contemporary young adult novels. 

Tumblr is a blogging website where you can share your writing and interact with other writers online. It's easy to add photos, links, audio, and video components.

Writersky provides an online platform for publishing and reading other youth writers' work. Its current content is mostly devoted to fiction.

Publishing Your Essays Online

This teen literary journal publishes in print, on the web, and (more frequently), on a blog. It is committed to ensuring that "teens see their authentic experience reflected on its pages."

The Matador Review

This youth writing platform celebrates "alternative," unconventional writing. The link above will take you directly to the site's "submissions" page.

Teen Ink has a website, monthly newsprint magazine, and quarterly poetry magazine promoting the work of young writers.

The largest online reading platform, Wattpad enables you to publish your work and read others' work. Its inline commenting feature allows you to share thoughts as you read along.

Publishing Your Essays in Print

Canvas Teen Literary Journal

This quarterly literary magazine is published for young writers by young writers. They accept many kinds of writing, including essays.

The Claremont Review

This biannual international magazine, first published in 1992, publishes poetry, essays, and short stories from writers aged 13 - 19.

Skipping Stones

This young writers magazine, founded in 1988, celebrates themes relating to ecological and cultural diversity. It publishes poems, photos, articles, and stories.

The Telling Room

This nonprofit writing center based in Maine publishes children's work on their website and in book form. The link above directs you to the site's submissions page.

Essay Contests

Scholastic Arts and Writing Awards

This prestigious international writing contest for students in grades 7 - 12 has been committed to "supporting the future of creativity since 1923."

Society of Professional Journalists High School Essay Contest

An annual essay contest on the theme of journalism and media, the Society of Professional Journalists High School Essay Contest awards scholarships up to $1,000.

National YoungArts Foundation

Here, you'll find information on a government-sponsored writing competition for writers aged 15 - 18. The foundation welcomes submissions of creative nonfiction, novels, scripts, poetry, short story and spoken word.

Signet Classics Student Scholarship Essay Contest

With prompts on a different literary work each year, this competition from Signet Classics awards college scholarships up to $1,000.

"The Ultimate Guide to High School Essay Contests" (CollegeVine)

See this handy guide from CollegeVine for a list of more competitions you can enter with your academic essay, from the National Council of Teachers of English Achievement Awards to the National High School Essay Contest by the U.S. Institute of Peace.

Whether you're struggling to write academic essays or you think you're a pro, there are workshops and online tools that can help you become an even better writer. Even the most seasoned writers encounter writer's block, so be proactive and look through our curated list of resources to combat this common frustration.

Online Essay-writing Classes and Workshops

"Getting Started with Essay Writing" (Coursera)

Coursera offers lots of free, high-quality online classes taught by college professors. Here's one example, taught by instructors from the University of California Irvine.

"Writing and English" (Brightstorm)

Brightstorm's free video lectures are easy to navigate by topic. This unit on the parts of an essay features content on the essay hook, thesis, supporting evidence, and more.

"How to Write an Essay" (EdX)

EdX is another open online university course website with several two- to five-week courses on the essay. This one is geared toward English language learners.

Writer's Digest University

This renowned writers' website offers online workshops and interactive tutorials. The courses offered cover everything from how to get started through how to get published.

Writing.com

Signing up for this online writer's community gives you access to helpful resources as well as an international community of writers.

How to Overcome Writer's Block

"Symptoms and Cures for Writer's Block" (Purdue OWL)

Purdue OWL offers a list of signs you might have writer's block, along with ways to overcome it. Consider trying out some "invention strategies" or ways to curb writing anxiety.

"Overcoming Writer's Block: Three Tips" ( The Guardian )

These tips, geared toward academic writing specifically, are practical and effective. The authors advocate setting realistic goals, creating dedicated writing time, and participating in social writing.

"Writing Tips: Strategies for Overcoming Writer's Block" (Univ. of Illinois)

This page from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign's Center for Writing Studies acquaints you with strategies that do and do not work to overcome writer's block.

"Writer's Block" (Univ. of Toronto)

Ask yourself the questions on this page; if the answer is "yes," try out some of the article's strategies. Each question is accompanied by at least two possible solutions.

If you have essays to write but are short on ideas, this section's links to prompts, example student essays, and celebrated essays by professional writers might help. You'll find writing prompts from a variety of sources, student essays to inspire you, and a number of essay writing collections.

Essay Writing Prompts

"50 Argumentative Essay Topics" (ThoughtCo)

Take a look at this list and the others ThoughtCo has curated for different kinds of essays. As the author notes, "a number of these topics are controversial and that's the point."

"401 Prompts for Argumentative Writing" ( New York Times )

This list (and the linked lists to persuasive and narrative writing prompts), besides being impressive in length, is put together by actual high school English teachers.

"SAT Sample Essay Prompts" (College Board)

If you're a student in the U.S., your classroom essay prompts are likely modeled on the prompts in U.S. college entrance exams. Take a look at these official examples from the SAT.

"Popular College Application Essay Topics" (Princeton Review)

This page from the Princeton Review dissects recent Common Application essay topics and discusses strategies for answering them.

Example Student Essays

"501 Writing Prompts" (DePaul Univ.)

This nearly 200-page packet, compiled by the LearningExpress Skill Builder in Focus Writing Team, is stuffed with writing prompts, example essays, and commentary.

"Topics in English" (Kibin)

Kibin is a for-pay essay help website, but its example essays (organized by topic) are available for free. You'll find essays on everything from  A Christmas Carol  to perseverance.

"Student Writing Models" (Thoughtful Learning)

Thoughtful Learning, a website that offers a variety of teaching materials, provides sample student essays on various topics and organizes them by grade level.

"Five-Paragraph Essay" (ThoughtCo)

In this blog post by a former professor of English and rhetoric, ThoughtCo brings together examples of five-paragraph essays and commentary on the form.

The Best Essay Writing Collections

The Best American Essays of the Century by Joyce Carol Oates (Amazon)

This collection of American essays spanning the twentieth century was compiled by award winning author and Princeton professor Joyce Carol Oates.

The Best American Essays 2017 by Leslie Jamison (Amazon)

Leslie Jamison, the celebrated author of essay collection  The Empathy Exams , collects recent, high-profile essays into a single volume.

The Art of the Personal Essay by Phillip Lopate (Amazon)

Documentary writer Phillip Lopate curates this historical overview of the personal essay's development, from the classical era to the present.

The White Album by Joan Didion (Amazon)

This seminal essay collection was authored by one of the most acclaimed personal essayists of all time, American journalist Joan Didion.

Consider the Lobster by David Foster Wallace (Amazon)

Read this famous essay collection by David Foster Wallace, who is known for his experimentation with the essay form. He pushed the boundaries of personal essay, reportage, and political polemic.

"50 Successful Harvard Application Essays" (Staff of the The Harvard Crimson )

If you're looking for examples of exceptional college application essays, this volume from Harvard's daily student newspaper is one of the best collections on the market.

Are you an instructor looking for the best resources for teaching essay writing? This section contains resources for developing in-class activities and student homework assignments. You'll find content from both well-known university writing centers and online writing labs.

Essay Writing Classroom Activities for Students

"In-class Writing Exercises" (Univ. of North Carolina Writing Center)

This page lists exercises related to brainstorming, organizing, drafting, and revising. It also contains suggestions for how to implement the suggested exercises.

"Teaching with Writing" (Univ. of Minnesota Center for Writing)

Instructions and encouragement for using "freewriting," one-minute papers, logbooks, and other write-to-learn activities in the classroom can be found here.

"Writing Worksheets" (Berkeley Student Learning Center)

Berkeley offers this bank of writing worksheets to use in class. They are nested under headings for "Prewriting," "Revision," "Research Papers" and more.

"Using Sources and Avoiding Plagiarism" (DePaul University)

Use these activities and worksheets from DePaul's Teaching Commons when instructing students on proper academic citation practices.

Essay Writing Homework Activities for Students

"Grammar and Punctuation Exercises" (Aims Online Writing Lab)

These five interactive online activities allow students to practice editing and proofreading. They'll hone their skills in correcting comma splices and run-ons, identifying fragments, using correct pronoun agreement, and comma usage.

"Student Interactives" (Read Write Think)

Read Write Think hosts interactive tools, games, and videos for developing writing skills. They can practice organizing and summarizing, writing poetry, and developing lines of inquiry and analysis.

This free website offers writing and grammar activities for all grade levels. The lessons are designed to be used both for large classes and smaller groups.

"Writing Activities and Lessons for Every Grade" (Education World)

Education World's page on writing activities and lessons links you to more free, online resources for learning how to "W.R.I.T.E.": write, revise, inform, think, and edit.

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How to Write the Perfect Essay

06 Feb, 2024 | Blog Articles , English Language Articles , Get the Edge , Humanities Articles , Writing Articles

You can keep adding to this plan, crossing bits out and linking the different bubbles when you spot connections between them. Even though you won’t have time to make a detailed plan under exam conditions, it can be helpful to draft a brief one, including a few key words, so that you don’t panic and go off topic when writing your essay.

If you don’t like the mind map format, there are plenty of others to choose from: you could make a table, a flowchart, or simply a list of bullet points.

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Thanks for signing up, step 2: have a clear structure.

Think about this while you’re planning: your essay is like an argument or a speech. It needs to have a logical structure, with all your points coming together to answer the question.

Start with the basics! It’s best to choose a few major points which will become your main paragraphs. Three main paragraphs is a good number for an exam essay, since you’ll be under time pressure. 

If you agree with the question overall, it can be helpful to organise your points in the following pattern:

• YES (agreement with the question)
• AND (another YES point)
• BUT (disagreement or complication)

If you disagree with the question overall, try:

• AND (another BUT point)

For example, you could structure the Of Mice and Men sample question, “To what extent is Curley’s wife portrayed as a victim in Of Mice and Men ?”, as follows:

• YES (descriptions of her appearance)
• AND (other people’s attitudes towards her)
• BUT (her position as the only woman on the ranch gives her power as she uses her femininity to her advantage)

If you wanted to write a longer essay, you could include additional paragraphs under the YES/AND categories, perhaps discussing the ways in which Curley’s wife reveals her vulnerability and insecurities, and shares her dreams with the other characters. Alternatively, you could also lengthen your essay by including another BUT paragraph about her cruel and manipulative streak.

Of course, this is not necessarily the only right way to answer this essay question – as long as you back up your points with evidence from the text, you can take any standpoint that makes sense.

Step 3: Back up your points with well-analysed quotations

You wouldn’t write a scientific report without including evidence to support your findings, so why should it be any different with an essay? Even though you aren’t strictly required to substantiate every single point you make with a quotation, there’s no harm in trying.

A close reading of your quotations can enrich your appreciation of the question and will be sure to impress examiners. When selecting the best quotations to use in your essay, keep an eye out for specific literary techniques. For example, you could highlight Curley’s wife’s use of a rhetorical question when she says, a”n’ what am I doin’? Standin’ here talking to a bunch of bindle stiffs.” This might look like:

The rhetorical question “an’ what am I doin’?” signifies that Curley’s wife is very insecure; she seems to be questioning her own life choices. Moreover, she does not expect anyone to respond to her question, highlighting her loneliness and isolation on the ranch.

Other literary techniques to look out for include:

• Tricolon – a group of three words or phrases placed close together for emphasis
• Tautology – using different words that mean the same thing: e.g. “frightening” and “terrifying”
• Parallelism – ABAB structure, often signifying movement from one concept to another
• Chiasmus – ABBA structure, drawing attention to a phrase
• Polysyndeton – many conjunctions in a sentence
• Asyndeton – lack of conjunctions, which can speed up the pace of a sentence
• Polyptoton – using the same word in different forms for emphasis: e.g. “done” and “doing”
• Alliteration – repetition of the same sound, including assonance (similar vowel sounds), plosive alliteration (“b”, “d” and “p” sounds) and sibilance (“s” sounds)
• Anaphora – repetition of words, often used to emphasise a particular point

Don’t worry if you can’t locate all of these literary devices in the work you’re analysing. You can also discuss more obvious techniques, like metaphor, simile and onomatopoeia. It’s not a problem if you can’t remember all the long names; it’s far more important to be able to confidently explain the effects of each technique and highlight its relevance to the question.

Step 4: Be creative and original throughout

Anyone can write an essay using the tips above, but the thing that really makes it “perfect” is your own unique take on the topic. If you’ve noticed something intriguing or unusual in your reading, point it out – if you find it interesting, chances are the examiner will too!

Creative writing and essay writing are more closely linked than you might imagine. Keep the idea that you’re writing a speech or argument in mind, and you’re guaranteed to grab your reader’s attention.

It’s important to set out your line of argument in your introduction, introducing your main points and the general direction your essay will take, but don’t forget to keep something back for the conclusion, too. Yes, you need to summarise your main points, but if you’re just repeating the things you said in your introduction, the body of the essay is rendered pointless.

Think of your conclusion as the climax of your speech, the bit everything else has been leading up to, rather than the boring plenary at the end of the interesting stuff.

To return to Of Mice and Men once more, here’s an example of the ideal difference between an introduction and a conclusion:

Introduction

In John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men , Curley’s wife is portrayed as an ambiguous character. She could be viewed either as a cruel, seductive temptress or a lonely woman who is a victim of her society’s attitudes. Though she does seem to wield a form of sexual power, it is clear that Curley’s wife is largely a victim. This interpretation is supported by Steinbeck’s description of her appearance, other people’s attitudes, her dreams, and her evident loneliness and insecurity.

Overall, it is clear that Curley’s wife is a victim and is portrayed as such throughout the novel in the descriptions of her appearance, her dreams, other people’s judgemental attitudes, and her loneliness and insecurities. However, a character who was a victim and nothing else would be one-dimensional and Curley’s wife is not. Although she suffers in many ways, she is shown to assert herself through the manipulation of her femininity – a small rebellion against the victimisation she experiences.

Both refer back consistently to the question and summarise the essay’s main points. However, the conclusion adds something new which has been established in the main body of the essay and complicates the simple summary which is found in the introduction.

Hannah is an undergraduate English student at Somerville College, University of Oxford, and has a particular interest in postcolonial literature and the Gothic. She thinks literature is a crucial way of developing empathy and learning about the wider world. When she isn’t writing about 17th-century court masques, she enjoys acting, travelling and creative writing. 

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How to Write an Essay Introduction (with Examples)   

The introduction of an essay plays a critical role in engaging the reader and providing contextual information about the topic. It sets the stage for the rest of the essay, establishes the tone and style, and motivates the reader to continue reading. 

Table of Contents

What is an essay introduction , what to include in an essay introduction, how to create an essay structure , step-by-step process for writing an essay introduction , how to write an introduction paragraph , how to write a hook for your essay , how to include background information , how to write a thesis statement .

• Argumentative Essay Introduction Example: 
• Expository Essay Introduction Example 

Literary Analysis Essay Introduction Example

Check and revise – checklist for essay introduction , key takeaways , frequently asked questions .

An introduction is the opening section of an essay, paper, or other written work. It introduces the topic and provides background information, context, and an overview of what the reader can expect from the rest of the work. 1 The key is to be concise and to the point, providing enough information to engage the reader without delving into excessive detail. 

The essay introduction is crucial as it sets the tone for the entire piece and provides the reader with a roadmap of what to expect. Here are key elements to include in your essay introduction: 

• Hook : Start with an attention-grabbing statement or question to engage the reader. This could be a surprising fact, a relevant quote, or a compelling anecdote. 
• Background information : Provide context and background information to help the reader understand the topic. This can include historical information, definitions of key terms, or an overview of the current state of affairs related to your topic. 
• Thesis statement : Clearly state your main argument or position on the topic. Your thesis should be concise and specific, providing a clear direction for your essay. 

Before we get into how to write an essay introduction, we need to know how it is structured. The structure of an essay is crucial for organizing your thoughts and presenting them clearly and logically. It is divided as follows: 2  

• Introduction:  The introduction should grab the reader’s attention with a hook, provide context, and include a thesis statement that presents the main argument or purpose of the essay.  
• Body:  The body should consist of focused paragraphs that support your thesis statement using evidence and analysis. Each paragraph should concentrate on a single central idea or argument and provide evidence, examples, or analysis to back it up.  
• Conclusion:  The conclusion should summarize the main points and restate the thesis differently. End with a final statement that leaves a lasting impression on the reader. Avoid new information or arguments. 

Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to write an essay introduction: 

• Start with a Hook : Begin your introduction paragraph with an attention-grabbing statement, question, quote, or anecdote related to your topic. The hook should pique the reader’s interest and encourage them to continue reading. 
• Provide Background Information : This helps the reader understand the relevance and importance of the topic. 
• State Your Thesis Statement : The last sentence is the main argument or point of your essay. It should be clear, concise, and directly address the topic of your essay. 
• Preview the Main Points : This gives the reader an idea of what to expect and how you will support your thesis. 
• Keep it Concise and Clear : Avoid going into too much detail or including information not directly relevant to your topic. 
• Revise : Revise your introduction after you’ve written the rest of your essay to ensure it aligns with your final argument. 

Here’s an example of an essay introduction paragraph about the importance of education: 

Education is often viewed as a fundamental human right and a key social and economic development driver. As Nelson Mandela once famously said, “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” It is the key to unlocking a wide range of opportunities and benefits for individuals, societies, and nations. In today’s constantly evolving world, education has become even more critical. It has expanded beyond traditional classroom learning to include digital and remote learning, making education more accessible and convenient. This essay will delve into the importance of education in empowering individuals to achieve their dreams, improving societies by promoting social justice and equality, and driving economic growth by developing a skilled workforce and promoting innovation. 

This introduction paragraph example includes a hook (the quote by Nelson Mandela), provides some background information on education, and states the thesis statement (the importance of education). 

This is one of the key steps in how to write an essay introduction. Crafting a compelling hook is vital because it sets the tone for your entire essay and determines whether your readers will stay interested. A good hook draws the reader in and sets the stage for the rest of your essay.  

• Avoid Dry Fact : Instead of simply stating a bland fact, try to make it engaging and relevant to your topic. For example, if you’re writing about the benefits of exercise, you could start with a startling statistic like, “Did you know that regular exercise can increase your lifespan by up to seven years?” 
• Avoid Using a Dictionary Definition : While definitions can be informative, they’re not always the most captivating way to start an essay. Instead, try to use a quote, anecdote, or provocative question to pique the reader’s interest. For instance, if you’re writing about freedom, you could begin with a quote from a famous freedom fighter or philosopher. 
• Do Not Just State a Fact That the Reader Already Knows : This ties back to the first point—your hook should surprise or intrigue the reader. For Here’s an introduction paragraph example, if you’re writing about climate change, you could start with a thought-provoking statement like, “Despite overwhelming evidence, many people still refuse to believe in the reality of climate change.” 

Including background information in the introduction section of your essay is important to provide context and establish the relevance of your topic. When writing the background information, you can follow these steps: 

• Start with a General Statement:  Begin with a general statement about the topic and gradually narrow it down to your specific focus. For example, when discussing the impact of social media, you can begin by making a broad statement about social media and its widespread use in today’s society, as follows: “Social media has become an integral part of modern life, with billions of users worldwide.” 
• Define Key Terms : Define any key terms or concepts that may be unfamiliar to your readers but are essential for understanding your argument. 
• Provide Relevant Statistics:  Use statistics or facts to highlight the significance of the issue you’re discussing. For instance, “According to a report by Statista, the number of social media users is expected to reach 4.41 billion by 2025.” 
• Discuss the Evolution:  Mention previous research or studies that have been conducted on the topic, especially those that are relevant to your argument. Mention key milestones or developments that have shaped its current impact. You can also outline some of the major effects of social media. For example, you can briefly describe how social media has evolved, including positives such as increased connectivity and issues like cyberbullying and privacy concerns. 
• Transition to Your Thesis:  Use the background information to lead into your thesis statement, which should clearly state the main argument or purpose of your essay. For example, “Given its pervasive influence, it is crucial to examine the impact of social media on mental health.” 

A thesis statement is a concise summary of the main point or claim of an essay, research paper, or other type of academic writing. It appears near the end of the introduction. Here’s how to write a thesis statement: 

• Identify the topic:  Start by identifying the topic of your essay. For example, if your essay is about the importance of exercise for overall health, your topic is “exercise.” 
• State your position:  Next, state your position or claim about the topic. This is the main argument or point you want to make. For example, if you believe that regular exercise is crucial for maintaining good health, your position could be: “Regular exercise is essential for maintaining good health.” 
• Support your position:  Provide a brief overview of the reasons or evidence that support your position. These will be the main points of your essay. For example, if you’re writing an essay about the importance of exercise, you could mention the physical health benefits, mental health benefits, and the role of exercise in disease prevention. 
• Make it specific:  Ensure your thesis statement clearly states what you will discuss in your essay. For example, instead of saying, “Exercise is good for you,” you could say, “Regular exercise, including cardiovascular and strength training, can improve overall health and reduce the risk of chronic diseases.” 

Examples of essay introduction 

Here are examples of essay introductions for different types of essays: 

Argumentative Essay Introduction Example:  

Topic: Should the voting age be lowered to 16? 

“The question of whether the voting age should be lowered to 16 has sparked nationwide debate. While some argue that 16-year-olds lack the requisite maturity and knowledge to make informed decisions, others argue that doing so would imbue young people with agency and give them a voice in shaping their future.” 

Expository Essay Introduction Example  

Topic: The benefits of regular exercise 

“In today’s fast-paced world, the importance of regular exercise cannot be overstated. From improving physical health to boosting mental well-being, the benefits of exercise are numerous and far-reaching. This essay will examine the various advantages of regular exercise and provide tips on incorporating it into your daily routine.” 

Text: “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee 

“Harper Lee’s novel, ‘To Kill a Mockingbird,’ is a timeless classic that explores themes of racism, injustice, and morality in the American South. Through the eyes of young Scout Finch, the reader is taken on a journey that challenges societal norms and forces characters to confront their prejudices. This essay will analyze the novel’s use of symbolism, character development, and narrative structure to uncover its deeper meaning and relevance to contemporary society.” 

• Engaging and Relevant First Sentence : The opening sentence captures the reader’s attention and relates directly to the topic. 
• Background Information : Enough background information is introduced to provide context for the thesis statement. 
• Definition of Important Terms : Key terms or concepts that might be unfamiliar to the audience or are central to the argument are defined. 
• Clear Thesis Statement : The thesis statement presents the main point or argument of the essay. 
• Relevance to Main Body : Everything in the introduction directly relates to and sets up the discussion in the main body of the essay. 

Writing a strong introduction is crucial for setting the tone and context of your essay. Here are the key takeaways for how to write essay introduction: 3  

• Hook the Reader : Start with an engaging hook to grab the reader’s attention. This could be a compelling question, a surprising fact, a relevant quote, or an anecdote. 
• Provide Background : Give a brief overview of the topic, setting the context and stage for the discussion. 
• Thesis Statement : State your thesis, which is the main argument or point of your essay. It should be concise, clear, and specific. 
• Preview the Structure : Outline the main points or arguments to help the reader understand the organization of your essay. 
• Keep it Concise : Avoid including unnecessary details or information not directly related to your thesis. 
• Revise and Edit : Revise your introduction to ensure clarity, coherence, and relevance. Check for grammar and spelling errors. 
• Seek Feedback : Get feedback from peers or instructors to improve your introduction further. 

The purpose of an essay introduction is to give an overview of the topic, context, and main ideas of the essay. It is meant to engage the reader, establish the tone for the rest of the essay, and introduce the thesis statement or central argument.  

An essay introduction typically ranges from 5-10% of the total word count. For example, in a 1,000-word essay, the introduction would be roughly 50-100 words. However, the length can vary depending on the complexity of the topic and the overall length of the essay.

An essay introduction is critical in engaging the reader and providing contextual information about the topic. To ensure its effectiveness, consider incorporating these key elements: a compelling hook, background information, a clear thesis statement, an outline of the essay’s scope, a smooth transition to the body, and optional signposting sentences.  

The process of writing an essay introduction is not necessarily straightforward, but there are several strategies that can be employed to achieve this end. When experiencing difficulty initiating the process, consider the following techniques: begin with an anecdote, a quotation, an image, a question, or a startling fact to pique the reader’s interest. It may also be helpful to consider the five W’s of journalism: who, what, when, where, why, and how.   For instance, an anecdotal opening could be structured as follows: “As I ascended the stage, momentarily blinded by the intense lights, I could sense the weight of a hundred eyes upon me, anticipating my next move. The topic of discussion was climate change, a subject I was passionate about, and it was my first public speaking event. Little did I know , that pivotal moment would not only alter my perspective but also chart my life’s course.” 

Crafting a compelling thesis statement for your introduction paragraph is crucial to grab your reader’s attention. To achieve this, avoid using overused phrases such as “In this paper, I will write about” or “I will focus on” as they lack originality. Instead, strive to engage your reader by substantiating your stance or proposition with a “so what” clause. While writing your thesis statement, aim to be precise, succinct, and clear in conveying your main argument.  

To create an effective essay introduction, ensure it is clear, engaging, relevant, and contains a concise thesis statement. It should transition smoothly into the essay and be long enough to cover necessary points but not become overwhelming. Seek feedback from peers or instructors to assess its effectiveness. 

References  

• Cui, L. (2022). Unit 6 Essay Introduction.  Building Academic Writing Skills . 
• West, H., Malcolm, G., Keywood, S., & Hill, J. (2019). Writing a successful essay.  Journal of Geography in Higher Education ,  43 (4), 609-617. 
• Beavers, M. E., Thoune, D. L., & McBeth, M. (2023). Bibliographic Essay: Reading, Researching, Teaching, and Writing with Hooks: A Queer Literacy Sponsorship. College English, 85(3), 230-242. 

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Related Reads:

• What is an Argumentative Essay? How to Write It (With Examples)
• How to Paraphrase Research Papers Effectively
• How to Cite Social Media Sources in Academic Writing? 
• How Long Should a Chapter Be?

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Best Essay Writing Service Reviews

Find the best essay writing service according to your writing needs by reading our deep-dive, unbiased reviews. We’ve tested dozens of essay writing companies and collected 500+ students’ reviews to keep you away from scams.

The ever-growing number of untrustworthy writing services makes it harder to find a legitimate writing company. If you want to be on the safe side while purchasing essays online, you have to be able to make informed decisions. BetterWritingServices.com is your reliable source of best essay writing service reviews, rankings and insights.

We’ve put together a number of informative guides, essay writing tips and advice to keep you informed and up-to-date on any changes in the industry. Read our reviews, write your own, help other students make better choices!

The Top 8 Popular Essay Writing Companies

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With over 3,500 seasoned experts and 10-year experience in the writing business, GradeMiners.com is among the top writing services if you need any writing help with your essays or research papers. From math and chemistry to English literature and almost any academic discipline, you can be sure that there is an expert that can take care of your needs.

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JustDoMyEssay is a great option if you have a very important paper due. The company is known for their writers’ exemplary diligence and excellence in completing all types of academic papers.

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WiseEssays is generous when it comes to discounts. The company provides wide range of writing services and deals with most writing tasks a student can have. This is a good option if you’re on a tight budget and not looking for an urgent service.

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There are many reliable writing services out there, and it’s really difficult to select the single best company. All custom writing services have their pros and cons, so naming the best writing service will inevitably reflect somebody’s subjective opinion.

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Some services are great in terms of quality but quite expensive, so it’s difficult to recommend them to everybody. There are also services that offer affordable prices but hire low-skilled writers and provide subpar essays. You can find reviews of different academic writing services on our website.

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Are Essay Writing Services Safe?

Yes, using an essay writing website is completely safe, as long as you are using a legit company to do your work. However, you should be aware of some risks associated with hiring a writing service. There are many scammers and services that provide low-quality papers, so you shouldn’t use any writing services without doing some research first. Students always share their reviews online, and we recommend that you read them before making a choice.

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You should only use reliable websites that work with writers who are actually familiar with their subject. In this case, you won’t risk anything when ordering your papers online. There are a lot of companies that write high-quality essays and do their best to exceed their customers’ expectations.

What Criteria Do the Best Writing Services Meet?

The writing services of exceptional quality can be recognized by particular features of excellence and credibility. Below you can find some key characteristics of a reliable service.

✅ Strong Online Presence

The credibility of a company is largely defined by reviews. Needless to say, top essay writing services have lots of reviews and constructive feedback for their services from independent reviewers. A well-deserved reputation on the web adds value to the trustworthiness of a service. If you can’t find any reviews about the website online, it’s better to avoid it.

✅ Transparent Terms & Conditions

Legitimate essay writing services have transparent terms and conditions. This is one of the first things we look at when writing an essay writing service review. Reliable companies provide easy access to the policies on their website. Terms and conditions must be detailed, clear, and easy to read. If you can’t find policies on the web, it’s not recommended to use the service.

Note that the company cannot be responsible for something that was not officially guaranteed. Hence, it’s important to find some time and go through the policy if it’s available on the website. You should invest a little time to check the regulations in order to learn about your rights as a user. 

✅ Ease of Use

The website of a decent writing service must be user-friendly. Proper platforms run fast and look reliable. The ordering process can’t be interrupted by a website’s crash, so all its features work smoothly. One of the main indicators of a good writing service is a secure connection.

✅ Reliable Customer Support

Responsive customer support is a key characteristic of an outstanding writing service. In case something goes wrong, there must be someone who can help out a client. In the best-case scenario, customer support is available 24/7 via instant live chat and phone. What’s more, the assistance is delivered by a real customer support agent, not a bot. A trustworthy company can provide continuous help to users.

✅ Fair Price

Credible agencies offer services for affordable but not too cheap prices. Reasonable prices for a high-quality paper written by professionals start from around $10 (ESL writers) and $20 for ENL writers. Regular customers can get discounts for multiple orders, so it motivates them to come back. 

✅ Sample Papers

While this is not mandatory, it is nice to have an option to check some writing samples before placing an order. Top writing services typically offer paper samples. Essay examples allow website visitors to see the level of writing completed by a company. Once a potential customer knows what work quality to expect from a writer, they can decide whether it suits them or not. 

✅ Error-Free Website Copy

While this may seem obvious, some students usually overlook this thing or put a blind eye on it. Any type of writing mistakes is unacceptable for essay services. If there is something like grammar errors or typos inside of the text published on the website, it means that the agency lacks a good editing team. Reliable companies always offer excellent web content on their website.

These are the most important features that must be considered before choosing an essay writing company. It’s essential to check the points described above before making an order at a writing agency.

How Do We Choose the Best Essay Writing Services for our Users?

As we’ve mentioned above, not all writing services are reliable. Therefore, we do the necessary research before writing an essay writing service review and recommending a writing company to our readers.

Not only do we make sure that the services presented on our website are legit, but we also evaluate all the companies based on several important factors. When we select writing services, we make sure that they meet the following criteria:

• Good writing services ensure effective communication between writers and customers;
• Reliable writing services write papers based on in-depth research;
• When dealing with reliable websites, you can edit and proofread your drafts;
• Credible paper writing companies provide papers formatted according to the necessary citation styles;
• These companies also provide structurally and grammatically correct papers;
• The papers are 100% original, with no plagiarism or unattributed content;
• Reliable services also provide 24/7 customer support and do their best to resolve any issues.

What Factors do We Take Into Account When Reviewing Essay Writing Companies?

We pay attention to existing essay writing service reviews, fact-check their policies, evaluate the ease of ordering process, check for discounts, examine paper quality and customer service. Let’s consider each of these factors in detail.

🔍 Online Reputation

This is one of the most important factors that we consider when evaluating essay writing companies. The first thing we do is check a company’s online reputation to determine whether or not students consider it reliable. If a company has been around for a while, the chances are that there’s a lot of customer feedback available online. At the same time, it’s important to keep in mind that some writing services publish fake positive reviews in an attempt to save their reputation.

Best essay writing service reviews are unbiased, that’s why we only consider reviews from well-known and reliable review platforms like TrustPilot, SiteJabber and BBB (Better Business Bureau). Why? Because we want to be a reliable review source for you.

We analyze different independent review platforms because we know that the reviews companies publish on their websites cannot be trusted. Most often, such reviews are fake. For instance, many websites have reviews with photos and names of customers, while students always want to remain anonymous when buying their papers, for obvious reasons.

It’s also easy to spot fake writing service reviews because they all are positive. Companies that don’t receive positive feedback on third-party review platforms often decide to display positive feedback on their websites. However, even the best companies have some unsatisfied customers. Therefore, if all the feedback that you see is positive, it’s probably fake.

🔍 Revision and Money Back Policy

Another important factor that we consider when evaluating writing services is the guarantees they offer. Most companies offer free revisions and a money-back guarantee. However, both revision and money-back policies can be quite sketchy and complicated. When you make an order on some website for the first time, you should know the details of their revision policy and money-back guarantee because getting your money back might be not as easy as it seems.

For instance, you may not be able to get a 100% refund so you will only receive partial compensation. Some companies don’t even have a clear set of rules that would determine in what cases customers are eligible for a refund.

For example, each particular case can be considered by the quality assurance team so they will decide whether or not you can get your money back. Sometimes, customers may also be unable to get a refund if they’ve already requested a revision. Therefore, we analyze all the rules and make sure to inform our readers about the possible pitfalls.

🔍 Ordering Process

When evaluating writing services, it’s also important to take into account the ordering process: how simple it is, how quickly customers can place an order, and what the whole process looks like. Best paper writing services have all the necessary information and provide quick customer support so that the ordering process is intuitive and fast. Customers may also be able to get notifications while their papers are being written. We also make sure to check the payment options available on the website.

🔍 Pricing and Discounts

We provide information about writing services’ pricing policies with screenshots from websites. However, we recommend that you also check the websites because the prices might change. We also find information about available discounts and coupons. Quite often, writing services offer discounts for new customers. Some companies may also bombard you with discounts and promo codes if you try to close the website.

🔍 Paper Quality

Paper quality is something that most essay writing service reviews never mention. But obviously, this is one of the most important factors when it comes to choosing writing services. Therefore, we test the quality of writing by placing a simple order and analyzing the result. First of all, we check the overall structure of the paper and make sure that the writer created a proper introduction, body, and conclusion. We also assess the research basis of the paper and check whether all the arguments are supported by evidence or not.

Some services hire native English speakers, while others work with ESL writers. Sometimes, you can also request an ENL writer for an additional fee. At the same time, if papers are written by an ENL writer, it’s also important to make sure that they actually know their subjects.

🔍 Customer Support

Sometimes, good customer support service can make a big difference even when dealing with unreliable services. If you’re unsatisfied with the quality of papers, timely help from support representatives might enable you to get a revision, choose another writer, or even get your money back. Good writing services usually have a live chat on the website so that customers can contact the support service 24/7 and get the necessary assistance.

How to Find Genuine Essay Writing Service Reviews?

There are quite a few red flags that may indicate that the reviews you read are either fake or paid. These tips will help you filter out some genuine reviews from the fake ones.

❗ Check the Date

A surge in the total number of reviews during a very short time frame may be a sign of fraud. If a lot of reviews appear in a few weeks or days and then there’s nothing else for months, the chances are that they are all fake. However, there might be some exceptions. For example, during finals, or on Black Friday when people make more purchases.

❗ Don’t Rely on One-Sided Opinions

If a review offers only positive or negative judgments, be careful with it. Take a closer look at what it says because it might not be true. Make your own research on ‘balanced’ reviews. Consumers must always find both pros and cons in any product, so one-sided reviews filled with nothing but extreme admiration or total hatred look quite suspicious.

It might be better to sort out the reviews with an average rate as they are typically more objective than others. Usually, such reviews are more honest and insightful because they show both positive and negative aspects of the services provided. It is easier to notice real trends by comparing positive and negative feedback.

❗ Stay Away From Brandjacking

Probably you’ve seen the comments like ‘I’ve tried this thing, absolutely hated it, and decided to buy the [linking to the competitor’s product] and I just loved it! Purchase it here now with a 30% discount!”. Hopefully, nobody falls for this kind of reviews. Such reviews are a part of a link-building strategy because people usually leave them with a URL to their own website. Unfortunately, reviewers don’t realize that this horrible tactic leads to instant credibility loss and doesn’t drive sales. 

❗ Take Glowing Reviews With a Grain of Salt

If a review looks too good to be true, you should turn to a healthy skepticism. This is the best weapon against fake comments that might help you avoid poor-quality services. Note, that if a particular company has an extraordinarily high number of reviews compared to others in that category, it might mean that those essay writing service reviews are fake. Especially, if they are overwhelmingly positive. 

❗ Seek For Real Experience

The most helpful writing service reviews are those that are based on real experience. Try to find those comments that are likely to be written by people who regularly resort to essay writing help. Although it might be difficult because students are not always eager to share their opinions, it would be better to do this work and be sure that the service you are going to use is highly reliable. 

If you want to know the real truth about an essay writing company, you shouldn’t count only on comments. Instead, search for professional reviews written by people who order papers from different agencies and compare their quality. However, you shouldn’t blindly trust such review websites either. Please be aware that some essay writing companies create fake review platforms to trash their competitors and improve reputation of their own brands.

How To Spot a Fake Review Platform?

Writing services are aware of the fact that students check out essay writing service reviews when they want to buy papers online. Therefore, there’s no surprise that unreliable services try to mislead students by publishing fake positive reviews.

Sometimes, such companies create fake review platforms where affiliated writing services have the best ratings. Such review platforms may also spread misinformation about trusted writing services in an attempt to damage their reputation. Therefore, you should keep in mind that not all review platforms can be trusted.

Fake review platforms usually share some common features that might help you spot scammers. First of all, they usually don’t provide enough information about themselves. Their reviews are generic, with no specific details about particular orders. Besides, all the services except the affiliated ones have a very low rating. Quite often, all the reviews are posted from fake accounts that only have one review each.

How to Avoid Scammers?

It’s difficult to withstand the temptation to use a cheap writing service that promises to deliver the best papers on time. However, not everyone who makes sweet promises actually keeps them. If you want to find a nice writing service that will be safe to use, we recommend that you carefully consider the following details. This way, you’ll be able to avoid scammers. Here are the things you should look for when choosing a custom writing service.

• Look for affordable prices within a reasonable range. If prices are too low, the chances are that you won’t be able to purchase nice papers on such a website.
• Choose companies that have at least two years of experience in helping students with academic papers.
• Use companies that offer 24/7 support so that you can get all the necessary assistance.
• Choose services with a 3.5-star or higher rating. You should only consider reliable review platforms.
• Choose companies with clear revision and money-back policies.

Fortunately, if you’re reading this, it means that you’ve already found a reliable review source. We are always ready to help you choose a good service and avoid scammers.

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177 College Essay Examples for 11 Schools + Expert Analysis

College Admissions , College Essays

The personal statement might just be the hardest part of your college application. Mostly this is because it has the least guidance and is the most open-ended. One way to understand what colleges are looking for when they ask you to write an essay is to check out the essays of students who already got in—college essays that actually worked. After all, they must be among the most successful of this weird literary genre.

In this article, I'll go through general guidelines for what makes great college essays great. I've also compiled an enormous list of 100+ actual sample college essays from 11 different schools. Finally, I'll break down two of these published college essay examples and explain why and how they work. With links to 177 full essays and essay excerpts , this article is a great resource for learning how to craft your own personal college admissions essay!

What Excellent College Essays Have in Common

Even though in many ways these sample college essays are very different from one other, they do share some traits you should try to emulate as you write your own essay.

Visible Signs of Planning

Building out from a narrow, concrete focus. You'll see a similar structure in many of the essays. The author starts with a very detailed story of an event or description of a person or place. After this sense-heavy imagery, the essay expands out to make a broader point about the author, and connects this very memorable experience to the author's present situation, state of mind, newfound understanding, or maturity level.

Knowing how to tell a story. Some of the experiences in these essays are one-of-a-kind. But most deal with the stuff of everyday life. What sets them apart is the way the author approaches the topic: analyzing it for drama and humor, for its moving qualities, for what it says about the author's world, and for how it connects to the author's emotional life.

Stellar Execution

A killer first sentence. You've heard it before, and you'll hear it again: you have to suck the reader in, and the best place to do that is the first sentence. Great first sentences are punchy. They are like cliffhangers, setting up an exciting scene or an unusual situation with an unclear conclusion, in order to make the reader want to know more. Don't take my word for it—check out these 22 first sentences from Stanford applicants and tell me you don't want to read the rest of those essays to find out what happens!

A lively, individual voice. Writing is for readers. In this case, your reader is an admissions officer who has read thousands of essays before yours and will read thousands after. Your goal? Don't bore your reader. Use interesting descriptions, stay away from clichés, include your own offbeat observations—anything that makes this essay sounds like you and not like anyone else.

Technical correctness. No spelling mistakes, no grammar weirdness, no syntax issues, no punctuation snafus—each of these sample college essays has been formatted and proofread perfectly. If this kind of exactness is not your strong suit, you're in luck! All colleges advise applicants to have their essays looked over several times by parents, teachers, mentors, and anyone else who can spot a comma splice. Your essay must be your own work, but there is absolutely nothing wrong with getting help polishing it.

And if you need more guidance, connect with PrepScholar's expert admissions consultants . These expert writers know exactly what college admissions committees look for in an admissions essay and chan help you craft an essay that boosts your chances of getting into your dream school.

Check out PrepScholar's Essay Editing and Coaching progra m for more details!

Links to Full College Essay Examples

Some colleges publish a selection of their favorite accepted college essays that worked, and I've put together a selection of over 100 of these.

Common App Essay Samples

Please note that some of these college essay examples may be responding to prompts that are no longer in use. The current Common App prompts are as follows:

1. Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story. 2. The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience? 3. Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. What prompted your thinking? What was the outcome? 4. Reflect on something that someone has done for you that has made you happy or thankful in a surprising way. How has this gratitude affected or motivated you? 5. Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others. 6. Describe a topic, idea, or concept you find so engaging that it makes you lose all track of time. Why does it captivate you? What or who do you turn to when you want to learn more?

7. Share an essay on any topic of your choice. It can be one you've already written, one that responds to a different prompt, or one of your own design.

Now, let's get to the good stuff: the list of 177 college essay examples responding to current and past Common App essay prompts. 

Connecticut college.

• 12 Common Application essays from the classes of 2022-2025

Hamilton College

• 7 Common Application essays from the class of 2026
• 7 Common Application essays from the class of 2022
• 7 Common Application essays from the class of 2018
• 8 Common Application essays from the class of 2012
• 8 Common Application essays from the class of 2007

Johns Hopkins

These essays are answers to past prompts from either the Common Application or the Coalition Application (which Johns Hopkins used to accept).

• 1 Common Application or Coalition Application essay from the class of 2026
• 6 Common Application or Coalition Application essays from the class of 2025
• 6 Common Application or Universal Application essays from the class of 2024
• 6 Common Application or Universal Application essays from the class of 2023
• 7 Common Application of Universal Application essays from the class of 2022
• 5 Common Application or Universal Application essays from the class of 2021
• 7 Common Application or Universal Application essays from the class of 2020

Essay Examples Published by Other Websites

• 2 Common Application essays ( 1st essay , 2nd essay ) from applicants admitted to Columbia

Other Sample College Essays

Here is a collection of essays that are college-specific.

Babson College

• 4 essays (and 1 video response) on "Why Babson" from the class of 2020

Emory University

• 5 essay examples ( 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ) from the class of 2020 along with analysis from Emory admissions staff on why the essays were exceptional
• 5 more recent essay examples ( 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ) along with analysis from Emory admissions staff on what made these essays stand out

University of Georgia

• 1 “strong essay” sample from 2019
• 1 “strong essay” sample from 2018
• 10 Harvard essays from 2023
• 10 Harvard essays from 2022
• 10 Harvard essays from 2021
• 10 Harvard essays from 2020
• 10 Harvard essays from 2019
• 10 Harvard essays from 2018
• 6 essays from admitted MIT students

Smith College

• 6 "best gift" essays from the class of 2018

Books of College Essays

If you're looking for even more sample college essays, consider purchasing a college essay book. The best of these include dozens of essays that worked and feedback from real admissions officers.

College Essays That Made a Difference —This detailed guide from Princeton Review includes not only successful essays, but also interviews with admissions officers and full student profiles.

50 Successful Harvard Application Essays by the Staff of the Harvard Crimson—A must for anyone aspiring to Harvard .

50 Successful Ivy League Application Essays and 50 Successful Stanford Application Essays by Gen and Kelly Tanabe—For essays from other top schools, check out this venerated series, which is regularly updated with new essays.

Heavenly Essays by Janine W. Robinson—This collection from the popular blogger behind Essay Hell includes a wider range of schools, as well as helpful tips on honing your own essay.

Analyzing Great Common App Essays That Worked

I've picked two essays from the examples collected above to examine in more depth so that you can see exactly what makes a successful college essay work. Full credit for these essays goes to the original authors and the schools that published them.

Example 1: "Breaking Into Cars," by Stephen, Johns Hopkins Class of '19 (Common App Essay, 636 words long)

I had never broken into a car before.

We were in Laredo, having just finished our first day at a Habitat for Humanity work site. The Hotchkiss volunteers had already left, off to enjoy some Texas BBQ, leaving me behind with the college kids to clean up. Not until we were stranded did we realize we were locked out of the van.

Someone picked a coat hanger out of the dumpster, handed it to me, and took a few steps back.

"Can you do that thing with a coat hanger to unlock it?"

"Why me?" I thought.

More out of amusement than optimism, I gave it a try. I slid the hanger into the window's seal like I'd seen on crime shows, and spent a few minutes jiggling the apparatus around the inside of the frame. Suddenly, two things simultaneously clicked. One was the lock on the door. (I actually succeeded in springing it.) The other was the realization that I'd been in this type of situation before. In fact, I'd been born into this type of situation.

My upbringing has numbed me to unpredictability and chaos. With a family of seven, my home was loud, messy, and spottily supervised. My siblings arguing, the dog barking, the phone ringing—all meant my house was functioning normally. My Dad, a retired Navy pilot, was away half the time. When he was home, he had a parenting style something like a drill sergeant. At the age of nine, I learned how to clear burning oil from the surface of water. My Dad considered this a critical life skill—you know, in case my aircraft carrier should ever get torpedoed. "The water's on fire! Clear a hole!" he shouted, tossing me in the lake without warning. While I'm still unconvinced about that particular lesson's practicality, my Dad's overarching message is unequivocally true: much of life is unexpected, and you have to deal with the twists and turns.

Living in my family, days rarely unfolded as planned. A bit overlooked, a little pushed around, I learned to roll with reality, negotiate a quick deal, and give the improbable a try. I don't sweat the small stuff, and I definitely don't expect perfect fairness. So what if our dining room table only has six chairs for seven people? Someone learns the importance of punctuality every night.

But more than punctuality and a special affinity for musical chairs, my family life has taught me to thrive in situations over which I have no power. Growing up, I never controlled my older siblings, but I learned how to thwart their attempts to control me. I forged alliances, and realigned them as necessary. Sometimes, I was the poor, defenseless little brother; sometimes I was the omniscient elder. Different things to different people, as the situation demanded. I learned to adapt.

Back then, these techniques were merely reactions undertaken to ensure my survival. But one day this fall, Dr. Hicks, our Head of School, asked me a question that he hoped all seniors would reflect on throughout the year: "How can I participate in a thing I do not govern, in the company of people I did not choose?"

The question caught me off guard, much like the question posed to me in Laredo. Then, I realized I knew the answer. I knew why the coat hanger had been handed to me.

Growing up as the middle child in my family, I was a vital participant in a thing I did not govern, in the company of people I did not choose. It's family. It's society. And often, it's chaos. You participate by letting go of the small stuff, not expecting order and perfection, and facing the unexpected with confidence, optimism, and preparedness. My family experience taught me to face a serendipitous world with confidence.

What Makes This Essay Tick?

It's very helpful to take writing apart in order to see just how it accomplishes its objectives. Stephen's essay is very effective. Let's find out why!

An Opening Line That Draws You In

In just eight words, we get: scene-setting (he is standing next to a car about to break in), the idea of crossing a boundary (he is maybe about to do an illegal thing for the first time), and a cliffhanger (we are thinking: is he going to get caught? Is he headed for a life of crime? Is he about to be scared straight?).

Great, Detailed Opening Story

More out of amusement than optimism, I gave it a try. I slid the hanger into the window's seal like I'd seen on crime shows, and spent a few minutes jiggling the apparatus around the inside of the frame.

It's the details that really make this small experience come alive. Notice how whenever he can, Stephen uses a more specific, descriptive word in place of a more generic one. The volunteers aren't going to get food or dinner; they're going for "Texas BBQ." The coat hanger comes from "a dumpster." Stephen doesn't just move the coat hanger—he "jiggles" it.

Details also help us visualize the emotions of the people in the scene. The person who hands Stephen the coat hanger isn't just uncomfortable or nervous; he "takes a few steps back"—a description of movement that conveys feelings. Finally, the detail of actual speech makes the scene pop. Instead of writing that the other guy asked him to unlock the van, Stephen has the guy actually say his own words in a way that sounds like a teenager talking.

Turning a Specific Incident Into a Deeper Insight

Suddenly, two things simultaneously clicked. One was the lock on the door. (I actually succeeded in springing it.) The other was the realization that I'd been in this type of situation before. In fact, I'd been born into this type of situation.

Stephen makes the locked car experience a meaningful illustration of how he has learned to be resourceful and ready for anything, and he also makes this turn from the specific to the broad through an elegant play on the two meanings of the word "click."

Using Concrete Examples When Making Abstract Claims

My upbringing has numbed me to unpredictability and chaos. With a family of seven, my home was loud, messy, and spottily supervised. My siblings arguing, the dog barking, the phone ringing—all meant my house was functioning normally.

"Unpredictability and chaos" are very abstract, not easily visualized concepts. They could also mean any number of things—violence, abandonment, poverty, mental instability. By instantly following up with highly finite and unambiguous illustrations like "family of seven" and "siblings arguing, the dog barking, the phone ringing," Stephen grounds the abstraction in something that is easy to picture: a large, noisy family.

Using Small Bits of Humor and Casual Word Choice

My Dad, a retired Navy pilot, was away half the time. When he was home, he had a parenting style something like a drill sergeant. At the age of nine, I learned how to clear burning oil from the surface of water. My Dad considered this a critical life skill—you know, in case my aircraft carrier should ever get torpedoed.

Obviously, knowing how to clean burning oil is not high on the list of things every 9-year-old needs to know. To emphasize this, Stephen uses sarcasm by bringing up a situation that is clearly over-the-top: "in case my aircraft carrier should ever get torpedoed."

The humor also feels relaxed. Part of this is because he introduces it with the colloquial phrase "you know," so it sounds like he is talking to us in person. This approach also diffuses the potential discomfort of the reader with his father's strictness—since he is making jokes about it, clearly he is OK. Notice, though, that this doesn't occur very much in the essay. This helps keep the tone meaningful and serious rather than flippant.

An Ending That Stretches the Insight Into the Future

But one day this fall, Dr. Hicks, our Head of School, asked me a question that he hoped all seniors would reflect on throughout the year: "How can I participate in a thing I do not govern, in the company of people I did not choose?"

The ending of the essay reveals that Stephen's life has been one long preparation for the future. He has emerged from chaos and his dad's approach to parenting as a person who can thrive in a world that he can't control.

This connection of past experience to current maturity and self-knowledge is a key element in all successful personal essays. Colleges are very much looking for mature, self-aware applicants. These are the qualities of successful college students, who will be able to navigate the independence college classes require and the responsibility and quasi-adulthood of college life.

What Could This Essay Do Even Better?

Even the best essays aren't perfect, and even the world's greatest writers will tell you that writing is never "finished"—just "due." So what would we tweak in this essay if we could?

Replace some of the clichéd language. Stephen uses handy phrases like "twists and turns" and "don't sweat the small stuff" as a kind of shorthand for explaining his relationship to chaos and unpredictability. But using too many of these ready-made expressions runs the risk of clouding out your own voice and replacing it with something expected and boring.

Use another example from recent life. Stephen's first example (breaking into the van in Laredo) is a great illustration of being resourceful in an unexpected situation. But his essay also emphasizes that he "learned to adapt" by being "different things to different people." It would be great to see how this plays out outside his family, either in the situation in Laredo or another context.

Example 2: By Renner Kwittken, Tufts Class of '23 (Common App Essay, 645 words long)

My first dream job was to be a pickle truck driver. I saw it in my favorite book, Richard Scarry's "Cars and Trucks and Things That Go," and for some reason, I was absolutely obsessed with the idea of driving a giant pickle. Much to the discontent of my younger sister, I insisted that my parents read us that book as many nights as possible so we could find goldbug, a small little golden bug, on every page. I would imagine the wonderful life I would have: being a pig driving a giant pickle truck across the country, chasing and finding goldbug. I then moved on to wanting to be a Lego Master. Then an architect. Then a surgeon.

Then I discovered a real goldbug: gold nanoparticles that can reprogram macrophages to assist in killing tumors, produce clear images of them without sacrificing the subject, and heat them to obliteration.

Suddenly the destination of my pickle was clear.

I quickly became enveloped by the world of nanomedicine; I scoured articles about liposomes, polymeric micelles, dendrimers, targeting ligands, and self-assembling nanoparticles, all conquering cancer in some exotic way. Completely absorbed, I set out to find a mentor to dive even deeper into these topics. After several rejections, I was immensely grateful to receive an invitation to work alongside Dr. Sangeeta Ray at Johns Hopkins.

In the lab, Dr. Ray encouraged a great amount of autonomy to design and implement my own procedures. I chose to attack a problem that affects the entire field of nanomedicine: nanoparticles consistently fail to translate from animal studies into clinical trials. Jumping off recent literature, I set out to see if a pre-dose of a common chemotherapeutic could enhance nanoparticle delivery in aggressive prostate cancer, creating three novel constructs based on three different linear polymers, each using fluorescent dye (although no gold, sorry goldbug!). Though using radioactive isotopes like Gallium and Yttrium would have been incredible, as a 17-year-old, I unfortunately wasn't allowed in the same room as these radioactive materials (even though I took a Geiger counter to a pair of shoes and found them to be slightly dangerous).

I hadn't expected my hypothesis to work, as the research project would have ideally been led across two full years. Yet while there are still many optimizations and revisions to be done, I was thrilled to find -- with completely new nanoparticles that may one day mean future trials will use particles with the initials "RK-1" -- thatcyclophosphamide did indeed increase nanoparticle delivery to the tumor in a statistically significant way.

A secondary, unexpected research project was living alone in Baltimore, a new city to me, surrounded by people much older than I. Even with moving frequently between hotels, AirBnB's, and students' apartments, I strangely reveled in the freedom I had to enjoy my surroundings and form new friendships with graduate school students from the lab. We explored The Inner Harbor at night, attended a concert together one weekend, and even got to watch the Orioles lose (to nobody's surprise). Ironically, it's through these new friendships I discovered something unexpected: what I truly love is sharing research. Whether in a presentation or in a casual conversation, making others interested in science is perhaps more exciting to me than the research itself. This solidified a new pursuit to angle my love for writing towards illuminating science in ways people can understand, adding value to a society that can certainly benefit from more scientific literacy.

It seems fitting that my goals are still transforming: in Scarry's book, there is not just one goldbug, there is one on every page. With each new experience, I'm learning that it isn't the goldbug itself, but rather the act of searching for the goldbugs that will encourage, shape, and refine my ever-evolving passions. Regardless of the goldbug I seek -- I know my pickle truck has just begun its journey.

Renner takes a somewhat different approach than Stephen, but their essay is just as detailed and engaging. Let's go through some of the strengths of this essay.

One Clear Governing Metaphor

This essay is ultimately about two things: Renner’s dreams and future career goals, and Renner’s philosophy on goal-setting and achieving one’s dreams.

But instead of listing off all the amazing things they’ve done to pursue their dream of working in nanomedicine, Renner tells a powerful, unique story instead. To set up the narrative, Renner opens the essay by connecting their experiences with goal-setting and dream-chasing all the way back to a memorable childhood experience:

This lighthearted–but relevant!--story about the moment when Renner first developed a passion for a specific career (“finding the goldbug”) provides an anchor point for the rest of the essay. As Renner pivots to describing their current dreams and goals–working in nanomedicine–the metaphor of “finding the goldbug” is reflected in Renner’s experiments, rejections, and new discoveries.

Though Renner tells multiple stories about their quest to “find the goldbug,” or, in other words, pursue their passion, each story is connected by a unifying theme; namely, that as we search and grow over time, our goals will transform…and that’s okay! By the end of the essay, Renner uses the metaphor of “finding the goldbug” to reiterate the relevance of the opening story:

While the earlier parts of the essay convey Renner’s core message by showing, the final, concluding paragraph sums up Renner’s insights by telling. By briefly and clearly stating the relevance of the goldbug metaphor to their own philosophy on goals and dreams, Renner demonstrates their creativity, insight, and eagerness to grow and evolve as the journey continues into college.

An Engaging, Individual Voice

This essay uses many techniques that make Renner sound genuine and make the reader feel like we already know them.

Technique #1: humor. Notice Renner's gentle and relaxed humor that lightly mocks their younger self's grand ambitions (this is different from the more sarcastic kind of humor used by Stephen in the first essay—you could never mistake one writer for the other).

My first dream job was to be a pickle truck driver.

I would imagine the wonderful life I would have: being a pig driving a giant pickle truck across the country, chasing and finding goldbug. I then moved on to wanting to be a Lego Master. Then an architect. Then a surgeon.

Renner gives a great example of how to use humor to your advantage in college essays. You don’t want to come off as too self-deprecating or sarcastic, but telling a lightheartedly humorous story about your younger self that also showcases how you’ve grown and changed over time can set the right tone for your entire essay.

Technique #2: intentional, eye-catching structure. The second technique is the way Renner uses a unique structure to bolster the tone and themes of their essay . The structure of your essay can have a major impact on how your ideas come across…so it’s important to give it just as much thought as the content of your essay!

For instance, Renner does a great job of using one-line paragraphs to create dramatic emphasis and to make clear transitions from one phase of the story to the next:

Suddenly the destination of my pickle car was clear.

Not only does the one-liner above signal that Renner is moving into a new phase of the narrative (their nanoparticle research experiences), it also tells the reader that this is a big moment in Renner’s story. It’s clear that Renner made a major discovery that changed the course of their goal pursuit and dream-chasing. Through structure, Renner conveys excitement and entices the reader to keep pushing forward to the next part of the story.

Technique #3: playing with syntax. The third technique is to use sentences of varying length, syntax, and structure. Most of the essay's written in standard English and uses grammatically correct sentences. However, at key moments, Renner emphasizes that the reader needs to sit up and pay attention by switching to short, colloquial, differently punctuated, and sometimes fragmented sentences.

Even with moving frequently between hotels, AirBnB's, and students' apartments, I strangely reveled in the freedom I had to enjoy my surroundings and form new friendships with graduate school students from the lab. We explored The Inner Harbor at night, attended a concert together one weekend, and even got to watch the Orioles lose (to nobody's surprise). Ironically, it's through these new friendships I discovered something unexpected: what I truly love is sharing research.

In the examples above, Renner switches adeptly between long, flowing sentences and quippy, telegraphic ones. At the same time, Renner uses these different sentence lengths intentionally. As they describe their experiences in new places, they use longer sentences to immerse the reader in the sights, smells, and sounds of those experiences. And when it’s time to get a big, key idea across, Renner switches to a short, punchy sentence to stop the reader in their tracks.

The varying syntax and sentence lengths pull the reader into the narrative and set up crucial “aha” moments when it’s most important…which is a surefire way to make any college essay stand out.

Renner's essay is very strong, but there are still a few little things that could be improved.

Connecting the research experiences to the theme of “finding the goldbug.”  The essay begins and ends with Renner’s connection to the idea of “finding the goldbug.” And while this metaphor is deftly tied into the essay’s intro and conclusion, it isn’t entirely clear what Renner’s big findings were during the research experiences that are described in the middle of the essay. It would be great to add a sentence or two stating what Renner’s big takeaways (or “goldbugs”) were from these experiences, which add more cohesion to the essay as a whole.

Give more details about discovering the world of nanomedicine. It makes sense that Renner wants to get into the details of their big research experiences as quickly as possible. After all, these are the details that show Renner’s dedication to nanomedicine! But a smoother transition from the opening pickle car/goldbug story to Renner’s “real goldbug” of nanoparticles would help the reader understand why nanoparticles became Renner’s goldbug. Finding out why Renner is so motivated to study nanomedicine–and perhaps what put them on to this field of study–would help readers fully understand why Renner chose this path in the first place.

4 Essential Tips for Writing Your Own Essay

How can you use this discussion to better your own college essay? Here are some suggestions for ways to use this resource effectively.

#1: Get Help From the Experts

Getting your college applications together takes a lot of work and can be pretty intimidatin g. Essays are even more important than ever now that admissions processes are changing and schools are going test-optional and removing diversity standards thanks to new Supreme Court rulings .  If you want certified expert help that really makes a difference, get started with  PrepScholar’s Essay Editing and Coaching program. Our program can help you put together an incredible essay from idea to completion so that your application stands out from the crowd. We've helped students get into the best colleges in the United States, including Harvard, Stanford, and Yale.  If you're ready to take the next step and boost your odds of getting into your dream school, connect with our experts today .

#2: Read Other Essays to Get Ideas for Your Own

As you go through the essays we've compiled for you above, ask yourself the following questions:

• Can you explain to yourself (or someone else!) why the opening sentence works well?
• Look for the essay's detailed personal anecdote. What senses is the author describing? Can you easily picture the scene in your mind's eye?
• Find the place where this anecdote bridges into a larger insight about the author. How does the essay connect the two? How does the anecdote work as an example of the author's characteristic, trait, or skill?
• Check out the essay's tone. If it's funny, can you find the places where the humor comes from? If it's sad and moving, can you find the imagery and description of feelings that make you moved? If it's serious, can you see how word choice adds to this tone?

Make a note whenever you find an essay or part of an essay that you think was particularly well-written, and think about what you like about it . Is it funny? Does it help you really get to know the writer? Does it show what makes the writer unique? Once you have your list, keep it next to you while writing your essay to remind yourself to try and use those same techniques in your own essay.

#3: Find Your "A-Ha!" Moment

All of these essays rely on connecting with the reader through a heartfelt, highly descriptive scene from the author's life. It can either be very dramatic (did you survive a plane crash?) or it can be completely mundane (did you finally beat your dad at Scrabble?). Either way, it should be personal and revealing about you, your personality, and the way you are now that you are entering the adult world.

Check out essays by authors like John Jeremiah Sullivan , Leslie Jamison , Hanif Abdurraqib , and Esmé Weijun Wang to get more examples of how to craft a compelling personal narrative.

#4: Start Early, Revise Often

Let me level with you: the best writing isn't writing at all. It's rewriting. And in order to have time to rewrite, you have to start way before the application deadline. My advice is to write your first draft at least two months before your applications are due.

Let it sit for a few days untouched. Then come back to it with fresh eyes and think critically about what you've written. What's extra? What's missing? What is in the wrong place? What doesn't make sense? Don't be afraid to take it apart and rearrange sections. Do this several times over, and your essay will be much better for it!

For more editing tips, check out a style guide like Dreyer's English or Eats, Shoots & Leaves .

What's Next?

Still not sure which colleges you want to apply to? Our experts will show you how to make a college list that will help you choose a college that's right for you.

Interested in learning more about college essays? Check out our detailed breakdown of exactly how personal statements work in an application , some suggestions on what to avoid when writing your essay , and our guide to writing about your extracurricular activities .

Working on the rest of your application? Read what admissions officers wish applicants knew before applying .

The recommendations in this post are based solely on our knowledge and experience. If you purchase an item through one of our links PrepScholar may receive a commission.

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• Tags: Academic Writing , Essay , Essay Writing

Knowing how to write an essay can help you out significantly in both, your academic and professional life. An essay is a highly versatile nonfiction piece of writing that not only tests your knowledge of a topic but also your literary and argumentative skills.     

Each essay requires the same basic process of planning, writing, and editing. Naturally, we’ve used these stages to group our steps on how to write an essay. So w ithout further ado, let’s get into it! Here are the eight steps to write an essay:

Stage 1: Planning

1. Pick an appropriate research topic

In certain cases, your teacher or professor may assign you a topic. However, in many cases, students have the freedom to select a topic of their choice. Make sure you choose a topic that you’re well versed in and have significant knowledge of. 

Having prior knowledge of the topic will help you determine the subsequent steps to write an essay. It will also make your research process considerably easier.

2. Form an appropriate thesis statement

A thesis statement is the central idea or premise your essay is based on. It is usually a sentence or two long and is included in the introduction of the essay. The scope of your thesis statement depends on the type of your essay and its length.

For instance, the scope of the thesis statement for a 500–1000 word school essay will be narrower than a 1000–5000 word college essay. A rule of thumb is that your essay topic should be broad enough to gather enough information, but narrow enough to address specific points and not be vague. Here’s an example: 

The invention of the airplane by the Wright Brothers in 1903 revolutionized transportation and paved the way for modern aviation. It represents a monumental achievement in human history that forever changed the course of human civilization.

3. Create an essay outline

Creating a well-organized essay outline not only gives structure and flow to your essay but also makes it more impactful and easy to understand. The idea is to collect the main points of information that support or elaborate on your thesis statement. You can also include references or examples under these main points. 

For example, if your thesis statement revolves around the invention of the airplane, your main points will include travel before the invention of the airplane, how it was invented, and its effects on modern-day travel. Take a look:

The Wright Brothers’ invention had a massive impact on modern-day travel. The subsequent growth of the aviation industry led to increased accessibility of air travel to the general public.

Stage 2: Writing

4. Write a comprehensive introduction

After creating the basic outline, it is important to know how to write an essay. Begin your essay by introducing your voice and point of view to the reader. An introduction is usually a paragraph or two long and consists of three main parts:

• Background information
• Thesis statement

Let’s better understand this with the help of an example:

The Wright Brothers’ invention of the airplane in 1903 revolutionized the way humans travel and explore the world. Prior to this invention, transportation relied on trains, boats, and cars, which limited the distance and speed of travel. However, the airplane made air travel a reality, allowing people to reach far-off destinations in mere hours. This breakthrough paved the way for modern-day air travel, transforming the world into a smaller, more connected place. In this essay, we will explore the impact of the Wright Brothers’ invention on modern-day travel, including the growth of the aviation industry, increased accessibility of air travel to the general public, and the economic and cultural benefits of air travel.

Let’s understand how to construct each of these sections in more detail.

A. Construct an attractive hook

The opening sentence of an essay, also known as the hook, should include a powerful or startling statement that captures the reader’s attention. Depending on the type of your essay, it can be an interesting fact, a surprising statistic, or an engaging anecdote. 

B. Provide relevant background information

While writing the introduction, it’s important to provide context or background information before including the thesis statement. The background information may include the time before a groundbreaking invention, the pros and cons of a significant discovery, or the short- and long-term effects of an event.

C. Edit the thesis statement

If you’ve constructed your thesis statement during the outlining stage, it’s time to edit it based on the background information you’ve provided. Observe the slight changes we’ve made to the scope of the thesis statement in the example above. This accommodates the bits of information we’ve provided in the background history.

5. Form relevant body paragraphs

Body paragraphs play a crucial role in supporting and expanding the central argument presented in the thesis statement. The number of body paragraphs depends on the type of essay as well as the scope of the thesis statement.

Most school-level essays contain three body paragraphs while college-level essays can vary in length depending on the assignment.

A well-crafted body paragraph consists of the following parts:

• A topic sentence
• Supporting information
• An analysis of the information
• A smooth transition to the next paragraph

Let’s understand this with the help of an example. 

The Wright Brothers’ invention of the airplane revolutionized air travel. They achieved the first-ever successful powered flight with the Wright Flyer in 1903, after years of conducting experiments and studying flight principles. Despite their first flight lasting only 12 seconds, it was a significant milestone that paved the way for modern aviation. The Wright Brothers’ success can be attributed to their systematic approach to problem-solving, which included numerous experiments with gliders, the development of a wind tunnel to test their designs, and meticulous analysis and recording of their results. Their dedication and ingenuity forever changed the way we travel, making modern aviation possible.

Here’s a detailed overview of how to construct each of these sections.

A. Construct appropriate topic sentences

A topic sentence is the title of the body paragraph that elaborates on the thesis statement. It is the main idea on which the body paragraph is developed. Ensure that each topic sentence is relevant to the thesis statement and makes the essay flow seamlessly. 

The order of topic sentences is key in creating an impactful essay. This order varies depending on the type of essay you choose to write. These sentences may be arranged chronologically, in the order of importance, or in a cause-and-effect format.

B. Provide supporting information

It is necessary to provide relevant supporting information and evidence to validate your topic statement. This may include examples, relevant statistics, history, or even personal anecdotes.

You should also remember to cite your sources wherever you use them to substantiate your arguments. Always give researchers and authors credit for their work!

C. Analyze the supporting information

After presenting the appropriate evidence, the next step is to conduct an in-depth analysis. Establish connections and provide additional details to strengthen the link between your topic sentence and the supporting information. 

Depending on the type of essay, this step may also involve sharing your subjective opinions and key takeaways.

D. Create a smooth transition

In case you plan to create multiple body paragraphs, it is crucial to create a seamless transition between them. Transitional statements not only make the essay less jarring to read but also guide the reader in the right direction.

However, these statements need not be too lengthy and complicated. Use words such as “however”, “in addition to”, and “therefore” to convey transitions.

6. Construct an impactful conclusion

An impactful conclusion creates a lasting impression on the mind of the reader. Although it varies in length depending on the specific essay, the conclusion is typically a paragraph long.

It consists of

• A restated thesis statement
• Summary of the main points
• The broader implications of the thesis statement

Here’s an example of a well-structured conclusion:

The Wright Brothers’ invention of the airplane forever changed history by paving the way for modern aviation and countless aerospace advancements. Their persistence, innovation, and dedication to problem-solving led to the first successful powered flight in 1903, sparking a revolution in transportation that transformed the world. Today, air travel remains an integral part of our globalized society, highlighting the undeniable impact of the Wright Brothers’ contribution to human civilization.  

Let’s take a closer look at how to construct each of these sections.

A. Restate the thesis statement

Your conclusion should call back to your original argument or thesis statement.

However, this does not mean repeating the thesis statement as is. The essence of your argument should remain the same, but it should also be modified and evolved as per the information presented in your essay.

B. Summarize important points

A powerful conclusion not only lingers in the reader’s mind but also provokes thought. You can create a strong impression on the reader by highlighting the most impactful points of your essay.

C. State the greater implications

End your essay with the most powerful and impactful part: the larger perspective. This can‌ include a question you’d like to leave the reader with, the broader implications and impact of your thesis statement, or the long-term, lingering effects of your experience. 

Make sure to include no new evidence or arguments, or to undermine your findings in any way. 

Stage 3: Editing

7. Review your essay

Knowing how to write an essay is just one part of essay writing. Properly reviewing and editing your essay is just as important. Make sure to spend enough time going over your essay and adding any bits of information that you’ve missed. 

This is also a good time to make minor structural changes in your essay.

8. Thoroughly proofread your essay

After making the necessary structural changes, recheck your essay word by word. It is important to not only correct major grammatical and spelling errors but also minor errors regarding the phrasing or tone of voice.

You can either choose to do this by yourself, ask a friend for assistance, or hire an essay proofreading service to go over your writing. To construct a fool-proof, error-free essay, it is helpful to have a trained pair of eyes go over it. Professional proofreaders can spot errors that are not visible to most people and set the right tone for your essay. 

Now that you know the basics of how to write an essay, it’s time to learn about the specifics. Feel free to dig into the articles below and keep reading!

• How to Write an Essay Header in 4 Steps
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• How to Start an Essay

Frequently Asked Questions

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How to Write a Sociology Essay: Structure and a Sample

Writing a good sociology essay may seem overwhelming, but it can be manageable with a clear approach. By following a few straightforward steps, you can craft an insightful and well-structured essay. Here's how to get started:

• Choose a topic.
• Conduct thorough research.
• Develop a strong thesis statement.
• Create a detailed outline.
• Write the essay.
• Edit and proofread thoroughly.

In this guide, we'll break down each step on how to write a sociology paper. From selecting a topic to polishing your conclusion, you'll find practical advice to make your work stand out.

If you need more help after reading this guide, remember that DoMyEssay offers professional assistance for any type of essay. Our team can support you with everything from brainstorming to final proofreading!

What is Sociology Essay?

A sociology essay is a piece of academic writing that explores a specific social issue or phenomenon from a sociological perspective. These essays require a deep understanding of complex social issues and the ability to critically evaluate different viewpoints. They must be supported by empirical data, such as statistics, case studies, or scholarly articles.

When writing a sociology essay, you'll often draw on theoretical concepts and frameworks to explain social phenomena. Therefore, your paper should be well-organized and easy to follow, with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion.

In essence, a sociology essay is more than just a collection of facts. It involves meaningful analysis and contributes to our understanding of the social world.

Sociology Essay Structure

To achieve a well-structured sociology essay, consider the following structural elements:

Sociology Essay Introduction: Begin your essay with a powerful hook that immediately grabs the reader's attention. This could be a thought-provoking question, a surprising statistic, a vivid anecdote, or a striking quote.

The Background: Provide the necessary context and background information to orient your reader. Explain the significance of your topic and its relevance within the broader field of sociology.

The Thesis Statement: Your thesis statement is the backbone of your essay. When crafting a sociology essay, ensure your thesis is debatable and offers a unique perspective on the topic.

The Body: Each body paragraph should focus on a single main idea or argument. Use the PEEL structure (Point, Evidence, Explanation, Link) to organize your thoughts and effectively support your claims.

• Point: Clearly state the main point of the paragraph.
• Evidence: Support your point with relevant evidence, such as research findings, statistics, case studies, or expert opinions.
• Explanation: Analyze and interpret the evidence to demonstrate how it supports your point.
• Link: Connect the paragraph's main point to your overall thesis statement.

The Conclusion: Your conclusion should effectively summarize your main points and restate your thesis in a new and compelling way. Offer your final thoughts or insights on the topic and leave the reader with something to ponder.

Sociology Essay Format

Proper formatting is essential for a professional-looking and well-organized sociology essay. While specific guidelines may vary depending on your institution or instructor, here are some general essay format conventions to follow:

Font and Font Size

Use a standard, readable font like Times New Roman, Arial, or Calibri. Maintain a consistent font size throughout your essay, typically 12 points.

Sociology Essay Outline

A well-structured outline is the foundation of a successful sociology essay. It guides you through the writing process and ensures that your ideas are organized logically and coherently. Here's a dynamic approach on how to write a sociology paper outline:

Introduction

• Start with a paradox: Present a seemingly contradictory statement that sparks curiosity.
• Use a thought experiment: Propose a hypothetical scenario that illustrates your point.
• Ask a rhetorical question: Pose a question that doesn't require an answer but stimulates thought.

Body Paragraphs

• Compare and contrast: Draw unexpected parallels between seemingly unrelated concepts.
• Use historical examples: Connect your topic to historical events or figures.
• Examine counterarguments: Address potential objections to your argument.
• Propose a solution: Suggest a practical solution to the issue you've discussed.
• Raise a new question: Leave the reader pondering a thought-provoking question.
• Offer a personal reflection: Share a personal anecdote or experience that relates to your topic.

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How to Start a Sociology Essay?

The introduction of your sociology essay is your first opportunity to engage your reader. To make a lasting impression, consider these 4 approaches:

• Paint a Vivid Picture: Use vivid language to create a mental image for your reader. For example, instead of saying, "The city was crowded," you could say, "The city was a bustling metropolis, teeming with people from all walks of life." Engage your reader's senses by describing sights, sounds, smells, tastes, and touch.
• Pose a Thought-Provoking Question: Ensure your question is directly related to your essay's topic. Choose a question that prompts your reader to think critically and consider different perspectives.
• Begin with a Paradox or Contradiction: Present a seemingly contradictory statement that sparks curiosity. Explain how you will address the contradiction in your essay.
• Create a Hypothetical Scenario: Ensure your scenario is directly related to your essay's topic. Use vivid language to help your reader visualize the scenario.

How to Write a Sociology Essay?

Knowing how to write sociology essays requires more than just regurgitating facts and theories. To do so, let's consider these tips:

• Compare and contrast: Draw surprising parallels between seemingly unrelated concepts. For example, you could compare the rise of social media to the decline of traditional media outlets or analyze the similarities between the spread of infectious diseases and the diffusion of cultural trends.
• Use historical examples: Connect your sociology essay topic to historical events or figures to provide a broader context. For instance, you could examine the relationship between the Industrial Revolution and the rise of urbanization or explore how the civil rights movement influenced contemporary social justice movements.
• Question conventional wisdom: Challenge commonly held beliefs or assumptions about your topic. For example, instead of assuming that all people in a particular social group have the same experiences or opinions, explore the diversity within that group.
• Consider alternative perspectives: Explore viewpoints that may contradict your own. For instance, if you are writing about the benefits of globalization, consider the negative impacts it has had on certain communities or countries.
• Incorporate storytelling: Use narratives or anecdotes to illustrate your points and engage your reader. For example, you could tell a personal story about your experiences with discrimination to highlight the challenges faced by marginalized groups.
• Experiment with different styles: Try different writing styles, such as descriptive, persuasive, or analytical. For instance, you could use a persuasive style to argue for a particular policy change or a descriptive style to paint a vivid picture of a social phenomenon.
• Find a niche: Identify a specific aspect of your topic that has not been extensively explored. For example, instead of writing a general essay on poverty, you could focus on the experiences of homeless youth in a particular city.
• Offer a new interpretation: Provide a fresh perspective on a well-studied topic. For instance, you could argue that the rise of social media has actually led to increased social polarization rather than greater social connectedness.

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Sociology Essay Example

This essay looks at how society's views on men and women shape these choices and how shopping can reinforce those ideas. Reviewing it will also help you understand the proper structure of a sociology essay.

Here's how to nail your sociology essay:

• Pick a topic that genuinely interests you and ties into sociology.
• Research thoroughly to gather solid information and back up your arguments.
• Craft a clear thesis statement that sums up your main point.
• Create an outline to keep your thoughts organized.
• Write your essay with a logical flow, using evidence to support your arguments.
• Edit and proofread to make sure your essay is clear, concise, and free of errors.

If you're finding it tough to get started, DoMyEssay can lend a hand. Our professional sociology essay writing service is ready to help with everything from brainstorming ideas to polishing your final draft.

How Do You Start a Sociology Essay?

How to write a good sociology essay, what is the format of a sociology paper.

How to Write a Business Essay: an Ultimate Guide

Table of Contents

Writing an essay can be boring. A lot of essays are basically the same thing over and over again. You write an introduction, then you write your supporting paragraphs, and then you create a conclusion. Overall, the process is not a lot of fun, and you can often feel as though you are simply going through the motions for the sake of churning out extra work. But since you have to write an essay, it’s worth considering the many ways that you can make the process faster and easier. In this ultimate guide, we’ll discuss the best way to write a business essay so you can get through the process faster and with relatively little trouble.

It might seem obvious, but the first thing you need to do when you write an essay is to read the essay question. You need to be sure you understand each part of the essay question and how the parts of the question work together. You would be surprised how many students only glance at the question and then write a paper that only partially addresses the assignment. You don’t want to lose points because part of your paper isn’t on topic. If you find any parts of the paper that you don’t understand or that require explanation, be sure to contact your instructor for clarification before you start writing.

Read the essay rubric

These days, most essays have a grading rubric included with the question. A grading rubric is like a cheat sheet for writing your essay. When you review the essay rubric, you’ll see exactly how your instructor will grade your paper and what your instructor will be looking for. When you write your paper, you will therefore know exactly what to include and how to write about it in order to maximize your points—and you’ll also see what you can spend less time on because it won’t contribute to your overall grade.

Make friends with your library

Many students automatically turn to search engines like Google in order to research their papers, but this is not the most effective way to find high-quality business sources for your paper. Instead, take advantage of your library’s databases. Your college or university library will likely have dedicated business databases that collect high-quality academic articles on business topics. Using these resources in your paper will make your essay stronger and more effective, and it will put your paper on a solid academic footing.

Compile your sources before you write

Many students use the start-and-stop method to write their papers, composing a sentence or two and then stopping to look up more information in order to keep going. This, however, is an inefficient way to work. A better way is to read through your research sources before you start and copy into a separate file a series of quotations and facts that you might use in your paper, creating in-text citations and reference list entries for each before you start. Doing so will make sure that you don’t have to stop for research and have a ready bank of pre-cited material to work with as you write.

Outline before you write

Outlining is an important skill that will both save you time and improve the quality of your essay. Take time before you write to lay out your paper from beginning to end. Start with your thesis statement and carefully lay out the body paragraphs with a topic sentence, supporting details (including research, quotes, and citations ), and a closing paragraph . Plan your transitions to link paragraphs together. Any amount of outlining can be helpful, but the more effort that you put into outlining at this stage, the easier it will be to write your paper, and the less likely it will be that you get stuck in a tangent that goes nowhere or meander into a point that requires you to change your thesis and revise you whole essay.

Remember to revise and proofread

When you finish the draft of your paper, you aren’t done yet. The first draft is rarely the finished product. You should always set aside time to read your work back and to make revisions to make it clearer. You also need to carefully proofread for mechanical grammar, punctuation, and syntax issues to ensure that your paper is as close to perfect as possible. You don’t want to leave points on the table because your paper had easy to fix minor spelling or grammar errors.

Consider professional writing help

Another great way to get your paper done quickly is to seek out custom professional help from an essay writing service with academic experts. An online writing company such as this can create business papers for college students and deliver them fast. When you utilize professional writing assistance, you can receive a custom-written essay that can serve as a great model to help you understand how a professional would approach your business topic and organize and develop an essay to address your assignment. Using a model such as this can save you time and effort as you work on your own paper, allowing you to focus on the learning process more than the mechanics of academic essay writing.

Join the thousands who have sharpened their business writing skills with our award winning courses.

Copyright © 2024 Businesswritingblog.com.

How to Write a Business Essay for Impactful Communication and Analysis

So, you've got a business essay coming up, and you're feeling a mix of excitement and a tad bit overwhelmed, right? Totally get it. Writing a business essay might sound boring, but trust me, it's a skill that's gonna come in handy when you're out there in the real world.

In this article, we're dishing out some awesome tips just for you if you have question on how to start a business essay. Think of it as your secret weapon to tackle those business essays like a pro. We'll keep it real, easy, and super practical – no fancy jargon or complicated theories. Let's dive into the world of business essay writing, where your words can make a big impact. In case you lack time or motivation to finish your assignment, use our business essay writing service to streamline the process.

What Is a Business Essay

Business essays are written pieces that explore and analyze various aspects of business-related topics, often focusing on management, marketing, finance, or entrepreneurship. They provide a platform for students and professionals to articulate their understanding of business concepts, theories, and real-world applications. Typically written in a formal and structured manner, a business essay requires critical thinking, research skills, and the ability to communicate ideas effectively. Whether delving into case studies, discussing industry trends, or evaluating business strategies, the essay aims to provide insights, draw conclusions, and contribute to a deeper understanding of the dynamic world of business.

How to Write an Introduction for a Business Essay

A business essay introduction sets the tone for the entire paper and captures the reader's attention. Here are some steps and tips to help you write an effective introduction for a business essay:

• Understand the Purpose of the Introduction

Clearly understand the purpose of your essay. Are you providing an overview of a business concept, analyzing a case study, or arguing a specific point? Tailor your introduction accordingly.

• Start with a Hook

Grab the reader's attention with a compelling hook. This could be a relevant quote, a surprising fact, a rhetorical question, or a thought-provoking statement. The goal is to make the reader want to continue reading.

• Provide Context

After the hook, provide some background or context related to the topic of your essay. Help the reader understand the significance and relevance of the subject matter in the business world.

• Thesis Statement

Clearly state your thesis or the main argument of your essay. This should be a concise and focused statement that outlines what the reader can expect from the rest of the essay. Make sure it is specific and reflects the purpose of your writing.

• Outline the Scope

Briefly outline the main points or areas that your essay will cover. This gives the reader a roadmap of what to expect and helps them understand the structure of your essay.

• Use Clear and Concise Language

Keep your introduction clear and concise. Avoid unnecessary jargon or complex language that might confuse the reader. Aim for clarity and precision.

• Be Relevant

Ensure that every sentence in your introduction is directly related to the topic of your essay. Avoid going off on tangents or providing excessive information that doesn't contribute to the main points.

• Consider the Tone

Choose a tone that is appropriate for your audience and the nature of your essay. Business essays can vary in tone, from formal and academic to more conversational, depending on the context.

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Business Essay Introduction Example

Here’s an example of an introduction for an essay titled “The Rise of E-commerce: Shaping the Future of Retail”:

The retail landscape is undergoing a seismic shift as e-commerce continues to redefine the way consumers shop. In this essay, we explore the profound implications of this digital transformation on traditional retail models and analyze the key strategies businesses are employing to thrive in this dynamic environment. From changing consumer behaviors to the strategic use of technology, the impact of e-commerce on the retail sector is undeniable, prompting businesses to adapt or face the risk of obsolescence.

How to Write a Business Essay

Working on a business essay might seem daunting, but it doesn't have to be. In this guide, we'll break down the process into simple steps to help you navigate through it smoothly. In this next section. We’ll be breaking down the essentials of drawing up a business essay from start to finish. From defining your main argument to structuring your points effectively, let's explore the key strategies that will set you on the path to success. 

Analyze the Prompt

Start by carefully reading and understanding the essay prompt. This involves breaking down the question to grasp what it's asking for, identifying the main topics, and recognizing any specific tasks or points to cover. This step helps you set the stage for a focused and relevant essay by ensuring you address all aspects mentioned in the prompt. You can hire a business essay writer to expedite the process if you want.

Think of a Thesis Statement

When writing a business essay, think of the thesis statement as the essay's compass. It should be a concise, strong sentence that lays out your main argument or viewpoint on the topic. Your thesis guides the entire essay, so make sure it's specific, debatable, and gives readers a clear idea of what to expect in your writing.

Create an Outline

We’ve already shared tips on how to write an introduction for a business essay, so let’s move on to the next stages. Organize your thoughts by outlining the main points and structure of your essay. This doesn't have to be too detailed; just a roadmap that helps you see how different ideas connect. An outline ensures a logical flow in your writing and prevents you from going off track. By the way, have you already picked business essay topics ? If not, here’s a list of great ideas you can use!

Provide Topic Background

Before diving into your main points, the business essay writing format implies giving your reader some context about the topic. Briefly introduce the key concepts, relevant facts, or historical background that will help readers understand the importance and relevance of your essay.

Write the Main Body

Start developing your essay by expanding on the main points outlined in your thesis. Each paragraph should focus on a specific idea or argument supported by evidence or examples. Be clear and concise, ensuring a smooth transition between paragraphs. It’s the most difficult part of the assignment, meaning you can use our college essay service to simplify it.

Write a Conclusion

Summarize your key points and conclusively restate your thesis. The conclusion should tie up the loose ends and leave a lasting impression on the reader. Avoid introducing new information but rather reinforce your main argument. For more details about how to write a conclusion for an essay , please refer to our guide.

Add a Bibliography

List all the sources you used in your research. Be meticulous about citing your references properly, following the chosen format (APA, MLA, etc.). This adds credibility to your essay and avoids plagiarism issues.

Edit and Proofread

As you’ve learned how to write a business essay, it’s time to master the art of self-revising. Review your essay for clarity, coherence, and grammatical errors. Editing ensures that your ideas flow smoothly, and proofreading catches any overlooked mistakes. It's a crucial step to polish your essay and present a professional piece of writing. Do you have another assignment on business management ? This guide will help you!

Choose the Writing Format

Reiterate the importance of selecting and adhering to the chosen writing format throughout the essay. Consistency in formatting, citations, and other style elements contributes to the overall professionalism of your work.

Business Essay Example

Business essay examples offer practical assistance to students tackling assignments by showcasing the application of essential writing principles in a real-world context. As a tangible reference, it demonstrates an effective essay structure and how to formulate a clear thesis statement and provide coherent arguments. By examining examples, students can glean insights into research techniques, proper citation practices, and overall essay organization, empowering them to approach their business assignments with increased confidence and proficiency.

Example 1: “The Impact of Technological Advancements on Modern Business Operations”

This essay explores the multifaceted impact of technology on operational efficiency, innovation, customer relations, and global connectivity. From integrating automation and artificial intelligence for streamlined processes to facilitating global expansion through digital platforms, technology emerges as a driving force shaping the success and sustainability of contemporary enterprises. While acknowledging the numerous benefits, the essay also highlights the challenges and ethical considerations inherent in adopting these technologies, emphasizing the need for businesses to navigate these complexities responsibly for long-term growth and competitiveness.

Example 2: “Sustainable Business Practices: A Strategic Imperative for Corporate Success”

This essay explores the pivotal role of sustainable business practices as a strategic imperative for corporate success in the contemporary entrepreneurship scene. Addressing environmental concerns, social consciousness, and economic viability, the essay delves into the multifaceted benefits of adopting sustainable approaches. It discusses how businesses can align profitability with responsible practices, emphasizing environmental stewardship, social impact, and community engagement. The essay underscores the importance of regulatory compliance and risk mitigation in business by examining the economic advantages and innovation opportunities arising from sustainable initiatives.

Final Considerations

Students engage in writing business essays to develop essential skills and knowledge crucial for success in the professional world. These essays serve as a platform for honing critical thinking, analytical, and communication skills, allowing students to articulate and analyze complex business concepts. Through the process of researching, organizing thoughts, and constructing coherent arguments, students gain a deeper understanding of business principles and practices. Business essays also cultivate the ability to synthesize information, evaluate various perspectives, and present well-reasoned conclusions. If you find with task troublesome, you can always tell us, ‘ write my research paper ,’ and one of our wordsmiths will fulfill the assignment quickly.

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How Many Paragraphs Does a Business Essay Have?

What is the most important part of a business essay, how do you start off a business essay.

Annie Lambert

specializes in creating authoritative content on marketing, business, and finance, with a versatile ability to handle any essay type and dissertations. With a Master’s degree in Business Administration and a passion for social issues, her writing not only educates but also inspires action. On EssayPro blog, Annie delivers detailed guides and thought-provoking discussions on pressing economic and social topics. When not writing, she’s a guest speaker at various business seminars.

is an expert in nursing and healthcare, with a strong background in history, law, and literature. Holding advanced degrees in nursing and public health, his analytical approach and comprehensive knowledge help students navigate complex topics. On EssayPro blog, Adam provides insightful articles on everything from historical analysis to the intricacies of healthcare policies. In his downtime, he enjoys historical documentaries and volunteering at local clinics.

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• Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/fact-checking-warnings-from-democrats-about-project-2025-and-donald-trump

Fact-checking warnings from Democrats about Project 2025 and Donald Trump

This fact check originally appeared on PolitiFact .

Project 2025 has a starring role in this week’s Democratic National Convention.

And it was front and center on Night 1.

WATCH: Hauling large copy of Project 2025, Michigan state Sen. McMorrow speaks at 2024 DNC

“This is Project 2025,” Michigan state Sen. Mallory McMorrow, D-Royal Oak, said as she laid a hardbound copy of the 900-page document on the lectern. “Over the next four nights, you are going to hear a lot about what is in this 900-page document. Why? Because this is the Republican blueprint for a second Trump term.”

Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic presidential nominee, has warned Americans about “Trump’s Project 2025” agenda — even though former President Donald Trump doesn’t claim the conservative presidential transition document.

“Donald Trump wants to take our country backward,” Harris said July 23 in Milwaukee. “He and his extreme Project 2025 agenda will weaken the middle class. Like, we know we got to take this seriously, and can you believe they put that thing in writing?”

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, Harris’ running mate, has joined in on the talking point.

“Don’t believe (Trump) when he’s playing dumb about this Project 2025. He knows exactly what it’ll do,” Walz said Aug. 9 in Glendale, Arizona.

Trump’s campaign has worked to build distance from the project, which the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank, led with contributions from dozens of conservative groups.

Much of the plan calls for extensive executive-branch overhauls and draws on both long-standing conservative principles, such as tax cuts, and more recent culture war issues. It lays out recommendations for disbanding the Commerce and Education departments, eliminating certain climate protections and consolidating more power to the president.

Project 2025 offers a sweeping vision for a Republican-led executive branch, and some of its policies mirror Trump’s 2024 agenda, But Harris and her presidential campaign have at times gone too far in describing what the project calls for and how closely the plans overlap with Trump’s campaign.

PolitiFact researched Harris’ warnings about how the plan would affect reproductive rights, federal entitlement programs and education, just as we did for President Joe Biden’s Project 2025 rhetoric. Here’s what the project does and doesn’t call for, and how it squares with Trump’s positions.

Are Trump and Project 2025 connected?

To distance himself from Project 2025 amid the Democratic attacks, Trump wrote on Truth Social that he “knows nothing” about it and has “no idea” who is in charge of it. (CNN identified at least 140 former advisers from the Trump administration who have been involved.)

The Heritage Foundation sought contributions from more than 100 conservative organizations for its policy vision for the next Republican presidency, which was published in 2023.

Project 2025 is now winding down some of its policy operations, and director Paul Dans, a former Trump administration official, is stepping down, The Washington Post reported July 30. Trump campaign managers Susie Wiles and Chris LaCivita denounced the document.

WATCH: A look at the Project 2025 plan to reshape government and Trump’s links to its authors

However, Project 2025 contributors include a number of high-ranking officials from Trump’s first administration, including former White House adviser Peter Navarro and former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson.

A recently released recording of Russell Vought, a Project 2025 author and the former director of Trump’s Office of Management and Budget, showed Vought saying Trump’s “very supportive of what we do.” He said Trump was only distancing himself because Democrats were making a bogeyman out of the document.

Project 2025 wouldn’t ban abortion outright, but would curtail access

The Harris campaign shared a graphic on X that claimed “Trump’s Project 2025 plan for workers” would “go after birth control and ban abortion nationwide.”

The plan doesn’t call to ban abortion nationwide, though its recommendations could curtail some contraceptives and limit abortion access.

What’s known about Trump’s abortion agenda neither lines up with Harris’ description nor Project 2025’s wish list.

Project 2025 says the Department of Health and Human Services Department should “return to being known as the Department of Life by explicitly rejecting the notion that abortion is health care.”

It recommends that the Food and Drug Administration reverse its 2000 approval of mifepristone, the first pill taken in a two-drug regimen for a medication abortion. Medication is the most common form of abortion in the U.S. — accounting for around 63 percent in 2023.

If mifepristone were to remain approved, Project 2025 recommends new rules, such as cutting its use from 10 weeks into pregnancy to seven. It would have to be provided to patients in person — part of the group’s efforts to limit access to the drug by mail. In June, the U.S. Supreme Court rejected a legal challenge to mifepristone’s FDA approval over procedural grounds.

WATCH: Trump’s plans for health care and reproductive rights if he returns to White House The manual also calls for the Justice Department to enforce the 1873 Comstock Act on mifepristone, which bans the mailing of “obscene” materials. Abortion access supporters fear that a strict interpretation of the law could go further to ban mailing the materials used in procedural abortions, such as surgical instruments and equipment.

The plan proposes withholding federal money from states that don’t report to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention how many abortions take place within their borders. The plan also would prohibit abortion providers, such as Planned Parenthood, from receiving Medicaid funds. It also calls for the Department of Health and Human Services to ensure that the training of medical professionals, including doctors and nurses, omits abortion training.

The document says some forms of emergency contraception — particularly Ella, a pill that can be taken within five days of unprotected sex to prevent pregnancy — should be excluded from no-cost coverage. The Affordable Care Act requires most private health insurers to cover recommended preventive services, which involves a range of birth control methods, including emergency contraception.

Trump has recently said states should decide abortion regulations and that he wouldn’t block access to contraceptives. Trump said during his June 27 debate with Biden that he wouldn’t ban mifepristone after the Supreme Court “approved” it. But the court rejected the lawsuit based on standing, not the case’s merits. He has not weighed in on the Comstock Act or said whether he supports it being used to block abortion medication, or other kinds of abortions.

Project 2025 doesn’t call for cutting Social Security, but proposes some changes to Medicare

“When you read (Project 2025),” Harris told a crowd July 23 in Wisconsin, “you will see, Donald Trump intends to cut Social Security and Medicare.”

The Project 2025 document does not call for Social Security cuts. None of its 10 references to Social Security addresses plans for cutting the program.

Harris also misleads about Trump’s Social Security views.

In his earlier campaigns and before he was a politician, Trump said about a half-dozen times that he’s open to major overhauls of Social Security, including cuts and privatization. More recently, in a March 2024 CNBC interview, Trump said of entitlement programs such as Social Security, “There’s a lot you can do in terms of entitlements, in terms of cutting.” However, he quickly walked that statement back, and his CNBC comment stands at odds with essentially everything else Trump has said during the 2024 presidential campaign.

Trump’s campaign website says that not “a single penny” should be cut from Social Security. We rated Harris’ claim that Trump intends to cut Social Security Mostly False.

Project 2025 does propose changes to Medicare, including making Medicare Advantage, the private insurance offering in Medicare, the “default” enrollment option. Unlike Original Medicare, Medicare Advantage plans have provider networks and can also require prior authorization, meaning that the plan can approve or deny certain services. Original Medicare plans don’t have prior authorization requirements.

The manual also calls for repealing health policies enacted under Biden, such as the Inflation Reduction Act. The law enabled Medicare to negotiate with drugmakers for the first time in history, and recently resulted in an agreement with drug companies to lower the prices of 10 expensive prescriptions for Medicare enrollees.

Trump, however, has said repeatedly during the 2024 presidential campaign that he will not cut Medicare.

Project 2025 would eliminate the Education Department, which Trump supports

The Harris campaign said Project 2025 would “eliminate the U.S. Department of Education” — and that’s accurate. Project 2025 says federal education policy “should be limited and, ultimately, the federal Department of Education should be eliminated.” The plan scales back the federal government’s role in education policy and devolves the functions that remain to other agencies.

Aside from eliminating the department, the project also proposes scrapping the Biden administration’s Title IX revision, which prohibits discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. It also would let states opt out of federal education programs and calls for passing a federal parents’ bill of rights similar to ones passed in some Republican-led state legislatures.

Republicans, including Trump, have pledged to close the department, which gained its status in 1979 within Democratic President Jimmy Carter’s presidential Cabinet.

In one of his Agenda 47 policy videos, Trump promised to close the department and “to send all education work and needs back to the states.” Eliminating the department would have to go through Congress.

What Project 2025, Trump would do on overtime pay

In the graphic, the Harris campaign says Project 2025 allows “employers to stop paying workers for overtime work.”

The plan doesn’t call for banning overtime wages. It recommends changes to some Occupational Safety and Health Administration, or OSHA, regulations and to overtime rules. Some changes, if enacted, could result in some people losing overtime protections, experts told us.

The document proposes that the Labor Department maintain an overtime threshold “that does not punish businesses in lower-cost regions (e.g., the southeast United States).” This threshold is the amount of money executive, administrative or professional employees need to make for an employer to exempt them from overtime pay under the Fair Labor Standards Act.

In 2019, the Trump’s administration finalized a rule that expanded overtime pay eligibility to most salaried workers earning less than about $35,568, which it said made about 1.3 million more workers eligible for overtime pay. The Trump-era threshold is high enough to cover most line workers in lower-cost regions, Project 2025 said.

The Biden administration raised that threshold to $43,888 beginning July 1, and that will rise to $58,656 on Jan. 1, 2025. That would grant overtime eligibility to about 4 million workers, the Labor Department said.

It’s unclear how many workers Project 2025’s proposal to return to the Trump-era overtime threshold in some parts of the country would affect, but experts said some would presumably lose the right to overtime wages.

Other overtime proposals in Project 2025’s plan include allowing some workers to choose to accumulate paid time off instead of overtime pay, or to work more hours in one week and fewer in the next, rather than receive overtime.

Trump’s past with overtime pay is complicated. In 2016, the Obama administration said it would raise the overtime to salaried workers earning less than $47,476 a year, about double the exemption level set in 2004 of $23,660 a year.

But when a judge blocked the Obama rule, the Trump administration didn’t challenge the court ruling. Instead it set its own overtime threshold, which raised the amount, but by less than Obama.

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Essay Writing Guide

Essay Topics

Last updated on: Jun 28, 2024

Essay Topics: 100+ Best Essay Topics for your Guidance

By: Nova A.

13 min read

Reviewed By: Rylee W.

Published on: Jan 29, 2019

Let’s face it, essay writing can be tedious and boring. Spending hours to write a good essay is difficult, and brainstorming essay topic ideas can be even more confusing.

This is what makes writing essays difficult and time-consuming. Luckily, you can learn  essay writing  with practice and by following some good examples. But before that, you should know how to choose a good and engaging topic for your essay.

To help you get started, we have categorized a list of a number of different types of essay topic lists.

On this Page

Argumentative Essay Topics

An argumentative essay investigates a topic in great detail, forms an argument over it, and defends it using supporting data.

Below are some good argumentative essay topic ideas to help you draft winning essays.

• School students should be allowed to curate their high school curriculum.
• The role of physical education in the school system.
• Should the death sentence be implemented globally?
• It should be illegal to use certain types of animals for experiments and other research purposes.
• Should the government do more to improve accessibility for people with physical disabilities?
• Do people learn the art of becoming a politician, or are they born with it?
• Social media platform owners should monitor and block comments containing hateful language.
• Does technology play a role in making people feel more isolated?
• Will there ever be a time when there will be no further technological advancements?
• It should be illegal to produce and sell tobacco.
• Girls should be motivated to take part in sports.
• Rape victims should abort their unborn children.
• Fathers should get equal paternity leave.
• Do teenagers get into trouble because they are bored?
• Individuals who have failed at parenting should be punished.
• Vaping is less harmful than smoking cigarettes.
• Covid-19 vaccination has more cons than pros.
• Social media is the real cause of teenage depression.
• Is the American education system perfect for society?
• Recycling should be made compulsory.

Choosing a strong topic is key to writing a great essay. Have a look at our blog to select good  argumentative essay topics  to impress the audience.

Persuasive Essay Topics

A persuasive essay is similar to an argumentative paper. However, in it, the writer wants to convince the readers of their point of view. Simple essay topics would make better essays as they help the students stay focused.

Below is a list of some good persuasive essay topics for you:

• Energy drinks should be banned in schools and colleges.
• Gambling should be banned in the United States.
• Should abortions be banned worldwide?
• Hunting is an immoral act.
• Is it okay to use animals in a circus?
• Harmful dogs should be euthanized.
• Cell phones should not be allowed in schools.
• Teachers should pass a professional exam, just like students.
• Schools should reduce the workload on students.
• Sex education should be mandatory in high schools.
• Vlogging isn’t an actual profession.
• Is LinkedIn helpful for finding a job?
• Social media has played a big role in increasing business opportunities.
• Is Java becoming obsolete?
• Should employers go through the candidate’s social media profiles?
• Animal testing should be banned.
• Violent video games should be banned.
• Parents with mental disabilities should not be allowed to adopt children.
• Alcohol consumption should be legalized in Muslim countries.
• Every person should get Covid-19 vaccination.

For your help, we have gathered a wide range of  persuasive essay topics . Give it a read.

Descriptive Essay Topics

A descriptive essay describes a specific thing by using sensory data. It is done to engage the reader’s five senses (taste, touch, smell, hearing, sight).

The following is a list of descriptive essay topic ideas for the students.

• The person who is responsible for making a difference in my life.
• Describe a smartphone and its benefits to someone from the ‘60s.
• The most interesting piece of art I have ever seen.
• Describe the experience of falling in love.
• What does a place that only exists in your imagination look like?
• Describe meeting a famous person.
• Describe yourself and your personality to a stranger.
• What will life be like in 2050?
• An experience that changed my life forever.
• Your idea of the perfect day.
• My first trip abroad.
• The most significant event in American History.
• A popular book series that disappointed you.
• A look into my daily life.
• A day in the life of an ER doctor.
• A trip to the museum.
• The most interesting movie I watched during my summer vacation.
• My favorite childhood memory.
• An incident that changed my life.
• An incident that restored my faith in humanity.

Here are some more  descriptive essay topics  to help you find a good idea for your essay.

Discover Captivating Topics in a Click!

Narrative Essay Topics

In a narrative essay, your goal is to share a personal experience by telling a story. This creative form of writing depends on how strong and exciting the theme is. The article topics for students given here are carefully curated and would help the students do good in their essays.

Some examples and topics of narrative topic ideas are presented below.

• The experience that taught me how looks could be deceiving.
• A week without internet and technology.
• The impact your first love had on your life.
• How much did your teachers contribute to making you the person you are today?
• An experience that made you realize your parents were or weren’t always right.
• A moment when someone you didn’t like surprised you with kindness.
• The influence technology has had on your hobbies and life.
• An achievement outside of academic life?
• Which school lesson had the biggest influence on your life?
• A day when you fought procrastination.
• The time you faced rejection.
• The time when you stood against your parents.
• An experience that left you helpless.
• The time you prayed to be an only child.
• An act of kindness you can never forget.
• Death of a loved one.
• Your biggest pet peeve.
• Your definition of a perfect weekend.
• The things you regret most in life.
• Your first experience of an air trip.

Choosing interesting  narrative essay topics  is essential to make the content compelling for the readers.

Research Essay Topics

While writing a research essay, the most crucial step is choosing a topic for your essay. Select a topic that is broad enough to compose an entire research essay on it.

Below are some of the best topics for your research essay.

• Effects of violent cartoons on children.
• Should universities provide accommodations to disabled students?
• Events and experiences I agree are causing the increase in terrorism.
• How do technology and gadgets affect the studies of children?
• Do children who attend preschool do better in school?
• Universities are becoming business-driven.
• Does college debt affect the future lives of students?
• Why has the divorce rate changed in the past decade?
• Schools should allow the use of smartphones in school.
• Effective ways to decrease depression among our youth.
• Analyze the relationship between the United States of America and North Korea.
• Why did the UK decide to leave the EU?
• Is it true that students learn better in a same-sex school?
• How does giving kids different gadgets affect their studies?
• Compare the immigration policies of two different countries.
• Events that lead to World War I.
• Pros and cons of studying abroad.
• How has Covid-19 influenced the education system of the world?
• Individual acts that lead to Global Warming.
• Effectiveness of the policies made to control Covid-19.

Looking for more? We have an extensive range of  research essay topics  to make the audience fall in love with your work.

Expository Essay Topics

While writing an expository essay, you have to explain and clarify your topic clearly to the readers.

Below is a list of expository essay topics:

• Why do teenagers commit suicide?
• What is the impact of music on our youth?
• What are the consequences of skipping school?
• Why do teenagers use drugs?
• How can pets make you happy and improve your life?
• Consequences of having alcoholic drinks within a school campus.
• How does drug use affect relationships?
• Is global warming a cause of skin cancer?
• Is sodium bad for your health?
• What is the line between being overweight and being obese?
• Why do you want to pursue your desired career?
• Explain how advancements in science improve the quality of life for humans.
• What are some unconventional ways of relieving stress?
• If you could swap your lives with someone, who would it be and why?
• What are some major stress factors in a teenager’s life?
• Why is getting a degree important for job life?
• Pros and cons of getting financial aid.
• How emotional support animals help in treating mental conditions.
• How does prostitution influence society?
• The environmental causes of smoking.

5StarEssays.com has gathered an additional and extensive list of  expository essay topics .

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Compare and Contrast Essay Topics

In a compare and contrast essay, you evaluate and analyze the similarities and differences between the two subjects. Your reader must be able to form an opinion after weighing the pros and cons you have set forth.

Below are some topics for you to choose for your compare and contrast paper:

• Extroverts and introverts.
• Generation Y Vs. Generation Z.
• Traditional Helicopters Vs. Lifesize Drones.
• Unemployed students Vs. students with a part-time job.
• SAT and TOEFL.
• Persuasive and argumentative essays - How are they similar?
• How were the causes of World War I different from the causes of World War II?
• Education vs. professional career: what is more difficult?
• Real-life or spending your time daydreaming.
• Consequences of earthquake and tsunami: what’s worse?
• Being popular in high school or alone?
• Part-time work or studying for a higher degree?
• Getting married at an old age or a young age?
• Fashion today Vs. twenty years ago.
• Donald Trump Vs. Hillary Clinton.
• Democracy Vs. Dictatorship
• Vietnam War Vs. War on Terror.
• Benefits of drinking tea Vs. coffee.
• Greek and Roman methodologies - Similarities and differences.
• Traditional Vs. distant learning.

Get more interesting  compare and contrast essay topics  at 5StarEssays.com to impress your instructors.

Cause and Effect Essay Topics

The cause and effect essay explains why something happens and what happens as a result of those happenings. A cause and effect essay is a type of expository essay.

Here are a few topics for your cause and effect essay:

• What are the causes of eating disorders?
• Effects of climate change and global warming.
• The effects of the Feminism movement.
• What are the causes of increasing depression among teenagers?
• What are the causes of suicidal thoughts?
• Is keeping a pet effective in calming your mind?
• How does divorce affects children?
• Why are men afraid of commitment?
• Effects of social media on youth.
• Has social media affected relationships among families?
• Discuss the effects of homeschooling on children.
• Causes of heart diseases.
• Causes of sibling rivalry.
• Cramming doesn't help improve test scores.
• Cause and effect of depression in the workplace.
• How do abusive parents influence the mental stability of a child?
• Causes and effects of bullying.
• Causes of obesity in teenagers.
• Effects of taking a balanced diet on health?
• Causes and effects of insomnia.

To get more ideas, visit our  cause and effect essay topics  that are remarkable and well-suited for a great essay.

Controversial Argumentative Essay Topics

Argumentative essay topics are quite popular assignments in universities. If you are a student searching for a captivating argumentative essay topic, here is a list of ideas you can consider.

• Third world war should be prevented by the Russian and US governments.
• Political policies and practices affecting students.
• Is gun control effective in reducing crime?
• Same-sex marriage and constitutional law.
• Is society over-regulated?
• Are leaders born or made?
• No one should be above the law.
• Monarchy: pros and cons.
• Rules on Political Activities by Federal Employees.
• The most corrupt countries in the world.
• Mercy killing should be legalized in all countries of the world.
• Death penalties should be abolished.
• Third-world countries should be provided with education plans by the developed countries.
• Muslims should not be labeled as terrorists.
• Illegal immigrants should be given equal rights.
• Abortions should be legalized.
• Live-in relationships should be encouraged.
• Professional athletes should be allowed to consume steroids.
• Should physical punishments be given to children?
• Smoking in public should be an offensive crime.

Funny Argumentative Essay Topics

Are you looking for some funny argumentative essay topics for your essay? If so, choose a topic from the following list.

• Why do people like watching funny videos?
• What your cat is really thinking.
• Why spam emails should be your favorite type of email.
• Why wearing braces is fun.
• School dropouts are the best in our society.
• Why I don't like country music.
• Types of dates.
• A better way to get things done.
• What organic food really is.
• Things guys do that girls hate.
• How to annoy your friend.
• Why do women pretend that they enjoy sports?
• Things preventing you from completing your homework in time.
• Funny things we see in wedding ceremonies.
• Why are spam emails more interesting?
• Why does Starbucks coffee taste better?
• Why are backbenchers smarter than other students?
• Clowns are scarier than funny.
• Should we be maintaining social distancing even after Covid-19?
• Why is watching movies better than reading books?

Informative Essay Topics for Students

Essay writing requires depth. However, you don’t have to choose a complex topic in middle school, high school, or college.

Here is a list of interesting essay topics for middle school, high school, and college students.

Essay Topics for College Students

• Virtual classes cannot replace the traditional class system.
• Advantages and disadvantages of online classes.
• Is there a need to reform the college education system?
• Assault weapons should not be legal.
• People with a history of mental illness should not be allowed to purchase firearms.
• The taxation system needs to be changed around the globe.
• Kids should not be the target audience in advertising.
• The number of calories should be mentioned with every meal.
• Feminists have effectively improved the workforce for women.
• Is the death penalty effective?
• How to identify fake news?
• How to maintain a healthy life?
• How to treat PTSD naturally?
• Should people be judged on their appearance?
• How is technology influencing the work performance of people?
• Private Vs. public schools
• How to choose majors in high school?
• Impact of legalizing drugs on society.
• Significance of learning social values.
• How to prevent bullying on campus?

Essay Topics for High School

• The choice to join the armed forces should be an individual decision.
• Listening to music can increase work efficiency.
• Being honest has more cons than pros.
• People who have been in an accident value life more than others.
• Embarrassing moments help boost your confidence.
• Kindness is the most valuable personal trait.
• Spontaneity can improve your life.
• Can hobbies help improve the richness of one’s life?
• Dressing properly in the office improves work efficiency
• Being organized can help in school as well as the office.
• Impact of homosexuality on society.
• What is feminism?
• How to overcome fears and phobias?
• Significance of having leadership skills in job life?
• Causes and treatments for bipolar disorder.
• Side effects of consuming antidepressants.
• How important is mental health in succeeding professionally?
• How do teaching methods influence learning abilities?
• Should specially-abled people be allowed to work in offices?
• Discrimination and racism in the US.

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Essay Topics for Middle School

• Every child should have chores at home.
• There should not be any summer classes.
• Should students continue studying during summer vacation?
• Parents should pay attention to the amount of time their children spend watching television.
• Favorite family summer vacation.
• Sports should be mandatory in every school.
• Processed foods should not be part of private and public school lunch.
• Do students still use newspapers for research?
• Every individual should spend a year doing community service.
• The weekend should be 3 days long.

Still need help choosing an essay topic? 5StarEssays is a professional  essay writing service  that helps you get a high quality essay. We have a team of essay writers who are professionals and can do your essay . 

We also have an AI-powered paper writer  for you to help you generate an essay in seconds to use as a reference!

As a Digital Content Strategist, Nova Allison has eight years of experience in writing both technical and scientific content. With a focus on developing online content plans that engage audiences, Nova strives to write pieces that are not only informative but captivating as well.

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Explanatory Essay: Definition, Outline, Writing Steps & Samples

An explanatory essay informs readers about a specific topic or idea. It gives clear information without trying to change anyone's mind. This article will help you create a good explanatory essay. We'll cover what it is, how to plan it, and how to write your ideas clearly.

What Is an Explanatory Essay: Definition

An explanatory thesis is the main idea of this type of writing. It's a sentence that tells the reader what the essay is about. Explanatory essays need to present facts, not opinions. They use evidence and logic to explain things.

For example, if you're writing about climate change, your explanatory thesis might say: "Climate change is influenced by both natural events and human activities, and it affects the planet's ecosystems in many ways."

How to Start an Explanatory Essay: Important Steps

Knowing how to start an explanatory essay is important to get readers interested. Here's what to do:

• Pick an interesting topic
• Conduct thorough research
• Develop a clear thesis statement
• Create an outline

When choosing a topic, think about what your readers might like and what information you can find. For instance, if you're writing about clean energy, you could focus on new ways to use sunlight for power.

After you gather information, write your thesis statement. It should be specific and give a clear roadmap for your essay. For example: "Solar technology is changing how we produce and use energy around the world, offering both environmental and economic benefits."

Explanatory Essay Outline

A great outline helps you organize your thoughts and make your essay easy to follow. Here's a basic informational essay format:

1. Introduction

• A catchy hook
• Background information
• Thesis statement (Main idea)

2. Body Paragraphs (usually 3-5 sentences)

• Topic sentence
• Facts that support your idea
• Explanation
• Transition to the next point

3. Conclusion

• Restate main idea
• Sum up the main points
• Final thoughts

This structure helps keep your essay clear. Remember, each paragraph should focus on one main point that supports your main idea.

How to Write an Explanatory Essay

Now that you know the structure, let's talk about how to write explanatory essay well.

• Introduction: Start with something interesting—a surprising fact, a question, or a short story. Give some background on your topic and end with your main idea.
• Body Paragraphs: Each paragraph should talk about one part of your topic. Use reliable sources to support your points, and explain how this information relates to your main idea. For example, when writing about solar energy, you might have paragraphs about how it helps the environment, how much it costs, and new ways to use it.
• Conclusion: How to write a conclusion for an explanatory essay: Sum up your main points and say your main idea again in a different way. Share some final thoughts about why your topic matters.

Throughout your essay, use words that help connect your ideas. This keeps readers interested and shows how your points are related.

Remember, the goal of an explanatory essay is to inform, not to argue. Stick to the facts, present them clearly, and let the information speak for itself.

Explanatory Essay Conclusion

How to write a conclusion for an explanatory essay is important to make your readers remember what you wrote. Your conclusion should:

• Restate your main idea but in a fresh way
• Go over the main points you talked about in your essay
• Give a final thought or suggest what to do next

For example, if you wrote about clean energy, you might end by stating the importance of continued research and investment in these technologies for a sustainable future.

Explanatory Essay Example

Here's a short example about artificial intelligence in healthcare:

Introduction: 

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is bringing significant changes to various fields, with healthcare being a notable beneficiary. From diagnosis to treatment planning, AI is enhancing the capabilities of medical professionals and improving patient care outcomes.

Body Paragraph (example): 

One significant application of AI in healthcare is in medical imaging analysis. AI algorithms can now detect abnormalities in X-rays, MRIs, and CT scans with accuracy comparable to experienced radiologists. A 2020 study demonstrated that an AI system outperformed human experts in breast cancer detection, reducing false positives by 5.7% and false negatives by 9.4%. This technology not only improves diagnostic accuracy but also potentially reduces the workload on healthcare professionals, allowing them to focus on complex cases and patient care.

Conclusion: 

As AI technology advances, its integration into healthcare promises to enhance diagnostic accuracy, streamline treatment plans, and ultimately improve patient outcomes. While challenges remain, the potential benefits of AI in medicine underscore the importance of continued research and responsible implementation in this field.

Concluding Words

Writing a well-structured, informative, and explanatory essay requires careful planning and a clear understanding of the topic you are writing about. If you follow the tips in this guide and practice regularly, you'll get better at writing exceptional explanatory essays about any topic.

For writers looking to simplify their essay-writing process, Aithor can provide valuable assistance in organizing ideas, suggesting relevant information, and ensuring clear, coherent prose. While the core of your essay should always come from your own understanding and research, such tools can enhance your writing efficiency and effectiveness.

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Essay Papers Writing Online

A comprehensive guide to essay writing.

Essay writing is a crucial skill that students need to master in order to succeed academically. Whether you’re a high school student working on a history paper or a college student tackling a critical analysis essay, having a solid understanding of the essay writing process is essential.

In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explore the essential tips and tricks that will help you improve your essay writing skills. From generating ideas and organizing your thoughts to crafting a strong thesis statement and polishing your final draft, we’ve got you covered.

Not only that, but we’ll also provide you with useful templates that you can use as a framework for your essays. These templates will help you structure your writing, stay focused on your main argument, and ensure that your essay flows smoothly from one point to the next.

The Ultimate Essay Writing Guides

Essay writing can be a challenging task for many students, but with the right guidance and tips, you can improve your writing skills and produce high-quality essays. In this ultimate guide, we will provide you with valuable advice, tricks, and templates to help you excel in your essay writing endeavors.

1. Understand the Prompt: Before you start writing your essay, make sure you fully understand the prompt or question. Analyze the requirements and key points that need to be addressed in your essay.

2. Create an Outline: Organize your ideas and thoughts by creating a detailed outline for your essay. This will help you structure your arguments and ensure a logical flow of information.

3. Research Thoroughly: Conduct extensive research on your topic to gather relevant information and evidence to support your arguments. Use credible sources and cite them properly in your essay.

4. Write Clearly and Concisely: Avoid using jargon or complex language in your essay. Write in a clear and concise manner to convey your ideas effectively to the reader.

5. Proofread and Edit: Before submitting your essay, make sure to proofread and edit it carefully. Check for grammatical errors, spelling mistakes, and ensure that your essay flows cohesively.

By following these ultimate essay writing guides, you can enhance your writing skills and produce outstanding essays that will impress your instructors and peers. Practice regularly and seek feedback to continuously improve your writing abilities.

Tips for Crafting an A+ Essay

1. Understand the Assignment: Before you start writing, make sure you fully understand the assignment guidelines and requirements. If you have any doubts, clarify them with your instructor.

2. Conduct Thorough Research: Gather relevant sources and information to support your arguments. Make sure to cite your sources properly and use credible sources.

3. Create a Strong Thesis Statement: Your thesis statement should clearly outline the main point of your essay and guide your readers on what to expect.

4. Organize Your Ideas: Create an outline to organize your thoughts and ensure a logical flow of ideas in your essay.

5. Write Clearly and Concisely: Use clear, concise language and avoid unnecessary jargon or complex sentences. Be direct and to the point.

6. Revise and Edit: Always proofread your essay for grammar and spelling errors. Revise your work to ensure coherence and clarity.

7. Seek Feedback: Ask a peer or instructor to review your essay and provide constructive feedback for improvement.

8. Use Proper Formatting: Follow the formatting guidelines provided by your instructor, such as font size, margins, and citation style.

9. Stay Focused: Keep your essay focused on the main topic and avoid going off on tangents. Stick to your thesis statement.

10. Practice, Practice, Practice: The more you practice writing essays, the better you will get at it. Keep practicing and refining your writing skills.

Tricks to Improve Your Writing Skills

Improving your writing skills can be a challenging but rewarding process. Here are some tricks to help you become a better writer:

1. Read widely: Reading a variety of genres and styles can help you develop your own voice and writing style.

2. Practice regularly: The more you write, the better you will become. Set aside time each day to practice writing.

3. Get feedback: Share your writing with others and ask for constructive criticism. Feedback can help you identify areas for improvement.

4. Study grammar and punctuation: Good writing requires a solid understanding of grammar and punctuation rules. Take the time to study and practice these essential skills.

5. Edit and revise: Writing is a process, and editing is an important part of that process. Take the time to edit and revise your work to improve clarity and coherence.

6. Experiment with different writing techniques: Try experimenting with different writing techniques, such as using metaphors, similes, or descriptive language, to enhance your writing.

7. Stay inspired: Find inspiration in the world around you. Whether it’s nature, art, or literature, draw inspiration from your surroundings to fuel your writing.

By following these tricks and practicing regularly, you can improve your writing skills and become a more confident and effective writer.

Step-by-Step Essay Writing Templates

When it comes to writing an essay, having a clear and structured template can be incredibly helpful. Here are some step-by-step essay writing templates that you can use to guide you through the process:

• Introduction: Start your essay with a hook to grab the reader’s attention. Provide some background information on the topic and end with a thesis statement that outlines the main argument of your essay.
• Body Paragraphs: Each body paragraph should focus on a single point that supports your thesis. Start with a topic sentence that introduces the main idea of the paragraph, provide evidence to support your point, and then analyze the evidence to show how it relates back to your thesis.
• Conclusion: Summarize the main points of your essay and restate your thesis in a new way. Avoid introducing new information in the conclusion and instead focus on tying together all the points you have made throughout the essay.

Expert Advice for Writing Top-Notch Essays

When it comes to writing a top-notch essay, it’s essential to follow expert advice to ensure your work stands out. Here are some key tips to help you elevate your writing:

1. Start with a strong thesis statement that clearly outlines your main argument.

2. Conduct thorough research to support your points with credible sources.

3. Organize your thoughts logically and ensure your essay flows smoothly from one point to the next.

4. Use a variety of sentence structures and vocabulary to keep your writing engaging.

5. Proofread and edit your essay carefully to eliminate errors and refine your arguments.

By following these expert tips, you can take your essay writing skills to the next level and produce work that is both informative and compelling.

Resources to Enhance Your Essay Writing Process

When it comes to improving your essay writing skills, there are a variety of resources available to help you enhance your process. Here are some valuable resources that can aid you in becoming a more effective and efficient writer:

• Writing Guides: There are countless writing guides and books that offer tips, tricks, and strategies for improving your writing skills. Whether you’re looking to enhance your grammar, structure, or argumentation, these guides can provide valuable insights.
• Online Writing Communities: Joining online writing communities can be a great way to connect with other writers, receive feedback on your work, and engage in writing challenges and prompts. Websites like Writing.com and Wattpad are popular platforms for writers to share their work and receive critiques.
• Writing Workshops and Courses: Participating in writing workshops and courses can help you hone your craft and develop your writing skills. Whether you prefer in-person workshops or online courses, there are many options available to suit your needs and schedule.
• Writing Apps and Tools: Utilizing writing apps and tools can streamline your writing process and help you stay organized. Tools like Grammarly can assist with grammar and spelling checks, while apps like Scrivener can help you organize your research and ideas.
• Libraries and Writing Centers: Visiting your local library or university writing center can provide access to valuable resources, such as writing guides, research materials, and writing tutors who can offer personalized feedback and support.

By taking advantage of these resources, you can enhance your essay writing process and become a more skilled and confident writer.

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• 40 Useful Words and Phrases for Top-Notch Essays

To be truly brilliant, an essay needs to utilise the right language. You could make a great point, but if it’s not intelligently articulated, you almost needn’t have bothered.

Developing the language skills to build an argument and to write persuasively is crucial if you’re to write outstanding essays every time. In this article, we’re going to equip you with the words and phrases you need to write a top-notch essay, along with examples of how to utilise them.

It’s by no means an exhaustive list, and there will often be other ways of using the words and phrases we describe that we won’t have room to include, but there should be more than enough below to help you make an instant improvement to your essay-writing skills.

If you’re interested in developing your language and persuasive skills, Oxford Royale offers summer courses at its Oxford Summer School , Cambridge Summer School , London Summer School , San Francisco Summer School and Yale Summer School . You can study courses to learn english , prepare for careers in law , medicine , business , engineering and leadership.

General explaining

Let’s start by looking at language for general explanations of complex points.

1. In order to

Usage: “In order to” can be used to introduce an explanation for the purpose of an argument. Example: “In order to understand X, we need first to understand Y.”

2. In other words

Usage: Use “in other words” when you want to express something in a different way (more simply), to make it easier to understand, or to emphasise or expand on a point. Example: “Frogs are amphibians. In other words, they live on the land and in the water.”

3. To put it another way

Usage: This phrase is another way of saying “in other words”, and can be used in particularly complex points, when you feel that an alternative way of wording a problem may help the reader achieve a better understanding of its significance. Example: “Plants rely on photosynthesis. To put it another way, they will die without the sun.”

4. That is to say

Usage: “That is” and “that is to say” can be used to add further detail to your explanation, or to be more precise. Example: “Whales are mammals. That is to say, they must breathe air.”

5. To that end

Usage: Use “to that end” or “to this end” in a similar way to “in order to” or “so”. Example: “Zoologists have long sought to understand how animals communicate with each other. To that end, a new study has been launched that looks at elephant sounds and their possible meanings.”

Adding additional information to support a point

Students often make the mistake of using synonyms of “and” each time they want to add further information in support of a point they’re making, or to build an argument. Here are some cleverer ways of doing this.

6. Moreover

Usage: Employ “moreover” at the start of a sentence to add extra information in support of a point you’re making. Example: “Moreover, the results of a recent piece of research provide compelling evidence in support of…”

7. Furthermore

Usage:This is also generally used at the start of a sentence, to add extra information. Example: “Furthermore, there is evidence to suggest that…”

8. What’s more

Usage: This is used in the same way as “moreover” and “furthermore”. Example: “What’s more, this isn’t the only evidence that supports this hypothesis.”

9. Likewise

Usage: Use “likewise” when you want to talk about something that agrees with what you’ve just mentioned. Example: “Scholar A believes X. Likewise, Scholar B argues compellingly in favour of this point of view.”

10. Similarly

Usage: Use “similarly” in the same way as “likewise”. Example: “Audiences at the time reacted with shock to Beethoven’s new work, because it was very different to what they were used to. Similarly, we have a tendency to react with surprise to the unfamiliar.”

11. Another key thing to remember

Usage: Use the phrase “another key point to remember” or “another key fact to remember” to introduce additional facts without using the word “also”. Example: “As a Romantic, Blake was a proponent of a closer relationship between humans and nature. Another key point to remember is that Blake was writing during the Industrial Revolution, which had a major impact on the world around him.”

12. As well as

Usage: Use “as well as” instead of “also” or “and”. Example: “Scholar A argued that this was due to X, as well as Y.”

13. Not only… but also

Usage: This wording is used to add an extra piece of information, often something that’s in some way more surprising or unexpected than the first piece of information. Example: “Not only did Edmund Hillary have the honour of being the first to reach the summit of Everest, but he was also appointed Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire.”

14. Coupled with

Usage: Used when considering two or more arguments at a time. Example: “Coupled with the literary evidence, the statistics paint a compelling view of…”

15. Firstly, secondly, thirdly…

Usage: This can be used to structure an argument, presenting facts clearly one after the other. Example: “There are many points in support of this view. Firstly, X. Secondly, Y. And thirdly, Z.

16. Not to mention/to say nothing of

Usage: “Not to mention” and “to say nothing of” can be used to add extra information with a bit of emphasis. Example: “The war caused unprecedented suffering to millions of people, not to mention its impact on the country’s economy.”

Words and phrases for demonstrating contrast

When you’re developing an argument, you will often need to present contrasting or opposing opinions or evidence – “it could show this, but it could also show this”, or “X says this, but Y disagrees”. This section covers words you can use instead of the “but” in these examples, to make your writing sound more intelligent and interesting.

17. However

Usage: Use “however” to introduce a point that disagrees with what you’ve just said. Example: “Scholar A thinks this. However, Scholar B reached a different conclusion.”

18. On the other hand

Usage: Usage of this phrase includes introducing a contrasting interpretation of the same piece of evidence, a different piece of evidence that suggests something else, or an opposing opinion. Example: “The historical evidence appears to suggest a clear-cut situation. On the other hand, the archaeological evidence presents a somewhat less straightforward picture of what happened that day.”

19. Having said that

Usage: Used in a similar manner to “on the other hand” or “but”. Example: “The historians are unanimous in telling us X, an agreement that suggests that this version of events must be an accurate account. Having said that, the archaeology tells a different story.”

20. By contrast/in comparison

Usage: Use “by contrast” or “in comparison” when you’re comparing and contrasting pieces of evidence. Example: “Scholar A’s opinion, then, is based on insufficient evidence. By contrast, Scholar B’s opinion seems more plausible.”

21. Then again

Usage: Use this to cast doubt on an assertion. Example: “Writer A asserts that this was the reason for what happened. Then again, it’s possible that he was being paid to say this.”

22. That said

Usage: This is used in the same way as “then again”. Example: “The evidence ostensibly appears to point to this conclusion. That said, much of the evidence is unreliable at best.”

Usage: Use this when you want to introduce a contrasting idea. Example: “Much of scholarship has focused on this evidence. Yet not everyone agrees that this is the most important aspect of the situation.”

Adding a proviso or acknowledging reservations

Sometimes, you may need to acknowledge a shortfalling in a piece of evidence, or add a proviso. Here are some ways of doing so.

24. Despite this

Usage: Use “despite this” or “in spite of this” when you want to outline a point that stands regardless of a shortfalling in the evidence. Example: “The sample size was small, but the results were important despite this.”

25. With this in mind

Usage: Use this when you want your reader to consider a point in the knowledge of something else. Example: “We’ve seen that the methods used in the 19th century study did not always live up to the rigorous standards expected in scientific research today, which makes it difficult to draw definite conclusions. With this in mind, let’s look at a more recent study to see how the results compare.”

26. Provided that

Usage: This means “on condition that”. You can also say “providing that” or just “providing” to mean the same thing. Example: “We may use this as evidence to support our argument, provided that we bear in mind the limitations of the methods used to obtain it.”

27. In view of/in light of

Usage: These phrases are used when something has shed light on something else. Example: “In light of the evidence from the 2013 study, we have a better understanding of…”

28. Nonetheless

Usage: This is similar to “despite this”. Example: “The study had its limitations, but it was nonetheless groundbreaking for its day.”

29. Nevertheless

Usage: This is the same as “nonetheless”. Example: “The study was flawed, but it was important nevertheless.”

30. Notwithstanding

Usage: This is another way of saying “nonetheless”. Example: “Notwithstanding the limitations of the methodology used, it was an important study in the development of how we view the workings of the human mind.”

Giving examples

Good essays always back up points with examples, but it’s going to get boring if you use the expression “for example” every time. Here are a couple of other ways of saying the same thing.

31. For instance

Example: “Some birds migrate to avoid harsher winter climates. Swallows, for instance, leave the UK in early winter and fly south…”

32. To give an illustration

Example: “To give an illustration of what I mean, let’s look at the case of…”

Signifying importance

When you want to demonstrate that a point is particularly important, there are several ways of highlighting it as such.

33. Significantly

Usage: Used to introduce a point that is loaded with meaning that might not be immediately apparent. Example: “Significantly, Tacitus omits to tell us the kind of gossip prevalent in Suetonius’ accounts of the same period.”

34. Notably

Usage: This can be used to mean “significantly” (as above), and it can also be used interchangeably with “in particular” (the example below demonstrates the first of these ways of using it). Example: “Actual figures are notably absent from Scholar A’s analysis.”

35. Importantly

Usage: Use “importantly” interchangeably with “significantly”. Example: “Importantly, Scholar A was being employed by X when he wrote this work, and was presumably therefore under pressure to portray the situation more favourably than he perhaps might otherwise have done.”

Summarising

You’ve almost made it to the end of the essay, but your work isn’t over yet. You need to end by wrapping up everything you’ve talked about, showing that you’ve considered the arguments on both sides and reached the most likely conclusion. Here are some words and phrases to help you.

36. In conclusion

Usage: Typically used to introduce the concluding paragraph or sentence of an essay, summarising what you’ve discussed in a broad overview. Example: “In conclusion, the evidence points almost exclusively to Argument A.”

37. Above all

Usage: Used to signify what you believe to be the most significant point, and the main takeaway from the essay. Example: “Above all, it seems pertinent to remember that…”

38. Persuasive

Usage: This is a useful word to use when summarising which argument you find most convincing. Example: “Scholar A’s point – that Constanze Mozart was motivated by financial gain – seems to me to be the most persuasive argument for her actions following Mozart’s death.”

39. Compelling

Usage: Use in the same way as “persuasive” above. Example: “The most compelling argument is presented by Scholar A.”

40. All things considered

Usage: This means “taking everything into account”. Example: “All things considered, it seems reasonable to assume that…”

How many of these words and phrases will you get into your next essay? And are any of your favourite essay terms missing from our list? Let us know in the comments below, or get in touch here to find out more about courses that can help you with your essays.

At Oxford Royale Academy, we offer a number of  summer school courses for young people who are keen to improve their essay writing skills. Click here to apply for one of our courses today, including law , business , medicine  and engineering .

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The vice president’s remarks lasted roughly 35 minutes on the final night of the convention in Chicago.

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This is a transcript of Vice President Kamala Harris’s speech on Thursday night in which she formally accepted the Democratic Party’s nomination for the presidency.

OK, let’s get to business. Let’s get to business. All right.

So, let me start by thanking my most incredible husband, Doug. For being an incredible partner to me, an incredible father to Cole and Ella, and happy anniversary, Dougie. I love you so very much.

To our president, Joe Biden. When I think about the path that we have traveled together, Joe, I am filled with gratitude. Your record is extraordinary, as history will show, and your character is inspiring. And Doug and I love you and Jill, and are forever thankful to you both.

And to Coach Tim Walz. You are going to be an incredible vice president. And to the delegates and everyone who has put your faith in our campaign, your support is humbling.

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So, my mother was 19 when she crossed the world alone, traveling from India to California with an unshakable dream to be the scientist who would cure breast cancer.

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How to Write a College Essay | A Complete Guide & Examples

The college essay can make or break your application. It’s your chance to provide personal context, communicate your values and qualities, and set yourself apart from other students.

A standout essay has a few key ingredients:

• A unique, personal topic
• A compelling, well-structured narrative
• A clear, creative writing style
• Evidence of self-reflection and insight

To achieve this, it’s crucial to give yourself enough time for brainstorming, writing, revision, and feedback.

In this comprehensive guide, we walk you through every step in the process of writing a college admissions essay.

Table of contents

Why do you need a standout essay, start organizing early, choose a unique topic, outline your essay, start with a memorable introduction, write like an artist, craft a strong conclusion, revise and receive feedback, frequently asked questions.

While most of your application lists your academic achievements, your college admissions essay is your opportunity to share who you are and why you’d be a good addition to the university.

Your college admissions essay accounts for about 25% of your application’s total weight一and may account for even more with some colleges making the SAT and ACT tests optional. The college admissions essay may be the deciding factor in your application, especially for competitive schools where most applicants have exceptional grades, test scores, and extracurriculars.

What do colleges look for in an essay?

Admissions officers want to understand your background, personality, and values to get a fuller picture of you beyond your test scores and grades. Here’s what colleges look for in an essay :

• Demonstrated values and qualities
• Vulnerability and authenticity
• Self-reflection and insight
• Creative, clear, and concise writing skills

Prevent plagiarism. Run a free check.

It’s a good idea to start organizing your college application timeline in the summer of your junior year to make your application process easier. This will give you ample time for essay brainstorming, writing, revision, and feedback.

While timelines will vary for each student, aim to spend at least 1–3 weeks brainstorming and writing your first draft and at least 2–4 weeks revising across multiple drafts. Remember to leave enough time for breaks in between each writing and editing stage.

Create an essay tracker sheet

If you’re applying to multiple schools, you will have to juggle writing several essays for each one. We recommend using an essay tracker spreadsheet to help you visualize and organize the following:

• Deadlines and number of essays needed
• Prompt overlap, allowing you to write one essay for similar prompts

You can build your own essay tracker using our free Google Sheets template.

College essay tracker template

Ideally, you should start brainstorming college essay topics the summer before your senior year. Keep in mind that it’s easier to write a standout essay with a unique topic.

If you want to write about a common essay topic, such as a sports injury or volunteer work overseas, think carefully about how you can make it unique and personal. You’ll need to demonstrate deep insight and write your story in an original way to differentiate it from similar essays.

What makes a good topic?

• Meaningful and personal to you
• Uncommon or has an unusual angle
• Reveals something different from the rest of your application

Brainstorming questions

You should do a comprehensive brainstorm before choosing your topic. Here are a few questions to get started:

• What are your top five values? What lived experiences demonstrate these values?
• What adjectives would your friends and family use to describe you?
• What challenges or failures have you faced and overcome? What lessons did you learn from them?
• What makes you different from your classmates?
• What are some objects that represent your identity, your community, your relationships, your passions, or your goals?
• Whom do you admire most? Why?
• What three people have significantly impacted your life? How did they influence you?

How to identify your topic

Here are two strategies for identifying a topic that demonstrates your values:

• Start with your qualities : First, identify positive qualities about yourself; then, brainstorm stories that demonstrate these qualities.
• Start with a story : Brainstorm a list of memorable life moments; then, identify a value shown in each story.

After choosing your topic, organize your ideas in an essay outline , which will help keep you focused while writing. Unlike a five-paragraph academic essay, there’s no set structure for a college admissions essay. You can take a more creative approach, using storytelling techniques to shape your essay.

Two common approaches are to structure your essay as a series of vignettes or as a single narrative.

Vignettes structure

The vignette, or montage, structure weaves together several stories united by a common theme. Each story should demonstrate one of your values or qualities and conclude with an insight or future outlook.

This structure gives the admissions officer glimpses into your personality, background, and identity, and shows how your qualities appear in different areas of your life.

Topic: Museum with a “five senses” exhibit of my experiences

• Introduction: Tour guide introduces my museum and my “Making Sense of My Heritage” exhibit
• Story: Racial discrimination with my eyes
• Lesson: Using my writing to document truth
• Story: Broadway musical interests
• Lesson: Finding my voice
• Story: Smells from family dinner table
• Lesson: Appreciating home and family
• Story: Washing dishes
• Lesson: Finding moments of peace in busy schedule
• Story: Biking with Ava
• Lesson: Finding pleasure in job well done
• Conclusion: Tour guide concludes tour, invites guest to come back for “fall College Collection,” featuring my search for identity and learning.

Single story structure

The single story, or narrative, structure uses a chronological narrative to show a student’s character development over time. Some narrative essays detail moments in a relatively brief event, while others narrate a longer journey spanning months or years.

Single story essays are effective if you have overcome a significant challenge or want to demonstrate personal development.

Topic: Sports injury helps me learn to be a better student and person

• Situation: Football injury
• Challenge: Friends distant, teachers don’t know how to help, football is gone for me
• Turning point: Starting to like learning in Ms. Brady’s history class; meeting Christina and her friends
• My reactions: Reading poetry; finding shared interest in poetry with Christina; spending more time studying and with people different from me
• Insight: They taught me compassion and opened my eyes to a different lifestyle; even though I still can’t play football, I’m starting a new game

Brainstorm creative insights or story arcs

Regardless of your essay’s structure, try to craft a surprising story arc or original insights, especially if you’re writing about a common topic.

Never exaggerate or fabricate facts about yourself to seem interesting. However, try finding connections in your life that deviate from cliché storylines and lessons.

Admissions officers read thousands of essays each year, and they typically spend only a few minutes reading each one. To get your message across, your introduction , or hook, needs to grab the reader’s attention and compel them to read more..

Avoid starting your introduction with a famous quote, cliché, or reference to the essay itself (“While I sat down to write this essay…”).

While you can sometimes use dialogue or a meaningful quotation from a close family member or friend, make sure it encapsulates your essay’s overall theme.

Find an original, creative way of starting your essay using the following two methods.

Option 1: Start with an intriguing hook

Begin your essay with an unexpected statement to pique the reader’s curiosity and compel them to carefully read your essay. A mysterious introduction disarms the reader’s expectations and introduces questions that can only be answered by reading more.

Option 2: Start with vivid imagery

Illustrate a clear, detailed image to immediately transport your reader into your memory. You can start in the middle of an important scene or describe an object that conveys your essay’s theme.

A college application essay allows you to be creative in your style and tone. As you draft your essay, try to use interesting language to enliven your story and stand out .

Show, don’t tell

“Tell” in writing means to simply state a fact: “I am a basketball player.” “ Show ” in writing means to use details, examples, and vivid imagery to help the reader easily visualize your memory: “My heart races as I set up to shoot一two seconds, one second一and score a three-pointer!”

First, reflect on every detail of a specific image or scene to recall the most memorable aspects.

• What are the most prominent images?
• Are there any particular sounds, smells, or tastes associated with this memory?
• What emotion or physical feeling did you have at that time?

Be vulnerable to create an emotional response

You don’t have to share a huge secret or traumatic story, but you should dig deep to express your honest feelings, thoughts, and experiences to evoke an emotional response. Showing vulnerability demonstrates humility and maturity. However, don’t exaggerate to gain sympathy.

Use appropriate style and tone

Make sure your essay has the right style and tone by following these guidelines:

• Use a conversational yet respectful tone: less formal than academic writing, but more formal than texting your friends.
• Prioritize using “I” statements to highlight your perspective.
• Write within your vocabulary range to maintain an authentic voice.
• Write concisely, and use the active voice to keep a fast pace.
• Follow grammar rules (unless you have valid stylistic reasons for breaking them).

You should end your college essay with a deep insight or creative ending to leave the reader with a strong final impression. Your college admissions essay should avoid the following:

• Summarizing what you already wrote
• Stating your hope of being accepted to the school
• Mentioning character traits that should have been illustrated in the essay, such as “I’m a hard worker”

Here are two strategies to craft a strong conclusion.

Option 1: Full circle, sandwich structure

The full circle, or sandwich, structure concludes the essay with an image, idea, or story mentioned in the introduction. This strategy gives the reader a strong sense of closure.

In the example below, the essay concludes by returning to the “museum” metaphor that the writer opened with.

Option 2: Revealing your insight

You can use the conclusion to show the insight you gained as a result of the experiences you’ve described. Revealing your main message at the end creates suspense and keeps the takeaway at the forefront of your reader’s mind.

Revise your essay before submitting it to check its content, style, and grammar. Get feedback from no more than two or three people.

It’s normal to go through several rounds of revision, but take breaks between each editing stage.

Also check out our college essay examples to see what does and doesn’t work in an essay and the kinds of changes you can make to improve yours.

Respect the word count

Most schools specify a word count for each essay , and you should stay within 10% of the upper limit.

Remain under the specified word count limit to show you can write concisely and follow directions. However, don’t write too little, which may imply that you are unwilling or unable to write a thoughtful and developed essay.

Check your content, style, and grammar

• First, check big-picture issues of message, flow, and clarity.
• Then, check for style and tone issues.
• Finally, focus on eliminating grammar and punctuation errors.

Get feedback

Get feedback from 2–3 people who know you well, have good writing skills, and are familiar with college essays.

• Teachers and guidance counselors can help you check your content, language, and tone.
• Friends and family can check for authenticity.
• An essay coach or editor has specialized knowledge of college admissions essays and can give objective expert feedback.

The checklist below helps you make sure your essay ticks all the boxes.

College admissions essay checklist

I’ve organized my essay prompts and created an essay writing schedule.

I’ve done a comprehensive brainstorm for essay topics.

I’ve selected a topic that’s meaningful to me and reveals something different from the rest of my application.

I’ve created an outline to guide my structure.

I’ve crafted an introduction containing vivid imagery or an intriguing hook that grabs the reader’s attention.

I’ve written my essay in a way that shows instead of telling.

I’ve shown positive traits and values in my essay.

I’ve demonstrated self-reflection and insight in my essay.

I’ve used appropriate style and tone .

I’ve concluded with an insight or a creative ending.

I’ve revised my essay , checking my overall message, flow, clarity, and grammar.

I’ve respected the word count , remaining within 10% of the upper word limit.

Congratulations!

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Colleges want to be able to differentiate students who seem similar on paper. In the college application essay , they’re looking for a way to understand each applicant’s unique personality and experiences.

Your college essay accounts for about 25% of your application’s weight. It may be the deciding factor in whether you’re accepted, especially for competitive schools where most applicants have exceptional grades, test scores, and extracurricular track records.

A standout college essay has several key ingredients:

• A unique, personally meaningful topic
• A memorable introduction with vivid imagery or an intriguing hook
• Specific stories and language that show instead of telling
• Vulnerability that’s authentic but not aimed at soliciting sympathy
• Clear writing in an appropriate style and tone
• A conclusion that offers deep insight or a creative ending

While timelines will differ depending on the student, plan on spending at least 1–3 weeks brainstorming and writing the first draft of your college admissions essay , and at least 2–4 weeks revising across multiple drafts. Don’t forget to save enough time for breaks between each writing and editing stage.

You should already begin thinking about your essay the summer before your senior year so that you have plenty of time to try out different topics and get feedback on what works.

Most college application portals specify a word count range for your essay, and you should stay within 10% of the upper limit to write a developed and thoughtful essay.

You should aim to stay under the specified word count limit to show you can follow directions and write concisely. However, don’t write too little, as it may seem like you are unwilling or unable to write a detailed and insightful narrative about yourself.

If no word count is specified, we advise keeping your essay between 400 and 600 words.

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A Good Hook For A Persuasive Essay