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These Clemson University college application essays were written by students accepted at Clemson University. All of our sample college essays include the question prompt and the year written. Please use these sample admission essays responsibly.
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A counselor's camper anonymous, clemson university.
As I drove up to Maine, I knew exactly where I was going, but I did not know what to expect. I was to spend my eighth summer at Wyonegonic Camps, but for the first time as an Assistant Counselor (AC). I had first arrived there as a nervous...
“Click. Click. Click. Click.” sounded the metal balls as they ricocheted off one another. I had just begun to play with my “Newton’s Cradle”, a gift that my father had given to me moments prior. A bug-eyed, eight-year-old version of myself...
"On Thursday," announced my religion teacher, "we will be going to the zoo to find our animal totems." For those that don’t know, an animal totem represents the Native American belief that each person has a connection to a specific animal. I was...
June 16, 2000 -- My sense of uncertainty had never been so overwhelming, my emotions never so mixed. Born seven weeks early on what I now view as a blessed day, my youngest brother, initially referred to as “Baby Malone,” hung on for dear life. He...
Turning around the sharp corner and onto the straightway, the car next to me, number 32, inched closer and closer to the inside of the track, forcing me to move to the outside. While trying to speed up my pace around the next curve, my car’s front...
Recently, Baz Luhrmann produced a remake of The Great Gatsby, a film that attempted to put the excitement of the Jazz Age into context by featuring modern hip-hop in different scenes during the course of the movie. However, I think that the...
I stared down at my bowl of coarse, mushy oatmeal as everyone surrounding me at the table began to devour their overflowing plates of eggs, bacon, and French toast.
This is going to be a long ten days, I thought.
The summer between my junior and...
My hometown has been recently dubbed "The most segregated city in America." This past July, Baton Rouge made headlines after white policeman killed a black man. Two weeks later, an ambush on policemen left three officers dead, with the shooter...
My junior year of high school, I took Honors Biology. Although I expected to do well, as I had always had a knack for science, I immediately fell flat on my face. At the midterm, I distinctly remember looking at my grades and seeing a 74. I had a...
2007: “Are y’all comin’?” I yell to the kids on the playground as I run over to the swings. They look at each other and laugh, clearly making fun of the way I speak. I put my head down, embarrassed, and walk to the swings alone. I wish I hadn’t...
My transition from a mermaid to a scientist wasn’t necessarily my choice, but boy am I glad it happened.
“Five more minutes, dad!” was all you heard, and wrinkled hands waving frantically in the air were all you saw. I remember splashing around...
As a little child living in China, I stumbled across an abandoned shoe factory near the outskirts of Guangzhou. I remember uncovering dusty boxes filled with defective sneakers and high heels. I can still smell the unworn rubber sole of the...
What if you were eighty-one years old when you saw a photo of yourself for the first time? Elma was.
We sounded joyless as we warbled, “Take me out to the balllllgame, take me out to the crowwdd, buy me some peanuts and crackerjacks…” our voices...
I have fallen in love with Thursdays. Why? Because I volunteer in the ER at Cleveland Clinic in Weston, Florida, constantly madcap organization, a symphony of coughing and wheezing, as well as electric energy. Whether it is consoling patients or...
The Question and Answer section for Clemson University is a great resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss the novel.
Find your college’s application essay prompts for 2023-24
At CollegeVine, our goal is to make the college application process a little less stressful, so we’ve compiled the latest essay prompts for the top 100 schools in one easy, searchable database.
Also, every year we create free guides on “ How to Write X School’s Essays ” for the top 100 schools. In these guides, we give you tips and tricks on how to approach each prompt. As such, our prompt database also contains a link to each school's Essay Breakdown.
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Essay examples.
When faced with the task of crafting a compelling personal statement for admission to Clemson University, consider enlisting the assistance of StudyMoose's experts. Crafting a standout personal statement that effectively showcases your strengths, aspirations, and fit for the university requires careful planning and adept writing skills. StudyMoose's proficient professionals are well-versed in creating impactful personal statements that resonate with admissions committees. With their guidance, you can navigate the intricacies of presenting your unique qualities and experiences, ultimately enhancing your chances of securing a place at Clemson University.
If you seek admission into this school, you might need to write a Clemson supplemental essay. There are often different prompts for you to choose from. You would be asked why you chose the college or what major you want to study. The goal of these essays is to inform the admissions board that you are a great fit for the school.
You should use the prompts as an opportunity to define yourself, your interests, passions, goals, and character attributes that reveal who you are. It is also a chance to talk about your leadership abilities or academic brilliance as well as other skill sets that make you a great candidate for Clemson University
Writing a statement letter is not the easiest of tasks. It is important to get it right, especially when writing to a competitive school such as Clemson University. You need to send in a great essay.
If you need a top-notch essay, you can hire any of our expert writers to provide you with an essay that puts your foot in the door. In addition, you can use any of the following tips:
The first step to writing a fantastic essay is to understand the topic properly. What is the topic asking you to write about? What is it not asking? Do not make assumptions. You may have to read the question multiple times to be sure you comprehend what is required. If you find it difficult to understand the question, don’t be shy to seek help. You may consult with your teachers, parents or classmates. By all means, be sure to understand the question before you begin writing your essay.
You can hardly write a great essay when you are in a hurry. The benefits of writing the first draft are often underrated. An initial scribbling would increase your chances of writing an outstanding essay. It helps you ensure that all your points are covered briefly and none is left out due to the word count.
It allows you to arrange your thoughts as they should be and for a systematic flow of key points. A first draft makes you sound organized and articulate as you smoothly explain your thoughts and ideas.
Having written your initial draft, the next step would be to go through and put the finishing touches. You might need to read through it multiple times and be certain your thoughts are fully covered. Ensure your answers are synonymous with the question and they represent you.
This is where you fact-check your data or events, making sure everything you wrote is accurate and true. If you have used the names of professors, landmarks, mascots or any other information unique to Clemson, be sure to certify them correctly. Also, check for spelling, grammar and punctuation errors
Each prompt has a maximum number of word counts allowed. You are not meant to write above this word limit, and it is advisable you write below it. Remember that the admissions officials have thousands of other application essays to read, and going above the word limit can lead to unwanted consequences.
Clemson University has two prompts for honours applicants, and both have a maximum limit of 500 words. There could also be specific requirements on writing formats such as font type and size and line spacing, among others. Make sure to confirm if there are such requirements
Tell us ─ as best you can at this point ─ about your academic and professional goals. What experiences, talents, accomplishments, and/or personal qualities make you think you’d be happy and successful in the Honors College and your future career? (500 words or fewer)
This prompt is for interested honours applicants, and your answer should be under 500 words. It asks you to defend why you selected your preferred major, particularly how it is connected to your academic and professional plans. How has your life led you to the point where you believe you would be a great fit for the honours college, and how does this affect your career goals? You could start with a detailed explanation of how you came to develop both your academic and professional goals.
You may talk about how being an honours student could give you a much-needed boost along your career line. Go through the honours website and look at the programs, events, or opportunities that would enhance your skill sets, talents, and personal qualities.
Use your past life experiences to explain how these programs would be a right fit for you. Also, do not forget to clarify how these would make you happy and successful. You could conclude with defining what success means to you and how it would be easy to achieve your desired levels of success through the honours college.
Be sincere and original with your answers. The purpose of the prompt is to know more about you, your academic and career goals and how Clemson University, through the honours program, can set you on the right track
What is something you thought you knew that you turned out to be wrong about? Why was this realization important?
This is also available to honours applicants, and the word count is a maximum of 500 words. This is a tricky question, and it’s best to approach it with caution. While your goal is to tell the admissions officers how you learnt a great lesson, be careful to not portray yourself as someone who only learns by his or her mistakes.
There are probably a few philosophical stories popping across your mind; take time to sift through them and decide which is most relevant to a college application essay.
Remember, your essay is to convince the reader that you belong at Clemson university, so you might want to opt for an incident that shows how you are open to quick learning and adaptations. It does not have to be an overly serious occurrence; it could be a quirky or casual story but with insights that display deep reflections.
You can begin with how you came about the event and why you were certain that you’ve got it right. Go on to narrate how you came to the humble realization that you were wrong and particularly your reactions when it became obvious. If it had caused harm to someone or something, talk about how you came to own your mistakes and admit you were wrong.
Describe the measures you took to apologize and make things right. Do not fall into the trap of making a partial case or an argument for what you got wrong. If you have doubts about whether you were truly wrong in a scenario, perhaps you keep the doubts to yourself or pick another scenario to write about.
Do not present yourself as someone who does not learn or needs repeated instances to learn and course-correct. You may wrap it up with your realization that knowledge is truly infinite and how you are excited at the prospects of learning at Clemson.
Undergraduate students applying for Clemson University would need a minimum GPA of 3.4. Below are the requirements as part of your application:
Applications for graduate study at Clemson University are submitted through the Clemson University Graduate School. Applications submitted online are most efficiently processed and are highly recommended. Below are the following requirements as part of your application:
Clemson University is a public research university that was founded in 1889 in Clemson, South Carolina. The university has the second-largest number of students in South Carolina. Thomas Green Clemson created the school. Clemson Agricultural College of South Carolina was the name of the school until 1964. Clemson University is categorized as R1: Doctoral Universities with a high level of research activity.
Clemson University has seven colleges: the College of Agriculture, Forestry, and Life Science, the College of Architecture, Arts, and Humanities, the College of Behavioral Science and Health Science, the Wilbur O. and Ann Powers College of Business, the College of Education, the College of Engineering, Computing, and Applied Sciences, and the College of Science.
Clemson University Graduate School offers more than 100 graduate degree programs on the college’s main campus and at other satellite campuses such as the Restoration Institute in North Charleston, Clemson at the Falls, the Clemson Architecture Center in the historic Cigar Factory in Charleston, the Clemson University International Center for Automotive Research located in Greenville, and some online distance-learning programs.
Over a century, Clemson alumni have contributed greatly to society, the arts and sciences, business, and national and political affairs. Clemson’s alumni include U.S Congressman, U.S Supreme Court Justice, Secretary of state, academy award winners, Emmy award winners, Nobel laureates, and founders of notable companies in the world.
According to U.S News and World Reports in 2021, Clemson is ranked 74th among the best national universities in the United States and 29th top public school. Clemson has an endowment value of $1,007 Billion. With 1,431 academic staff and 3,451 administrative staff, Clemson can manage and educate 25,822 students, 20,195 undergraduates and 5,627 post-graduates.
There is no doubt that Clemson University is one of the best public research universities. In 2022, out of 28,845 applicants Clemson received, only 3,792 students enrolled.
Considering how low your chance of gaining admission into Clemson can be, also when you consider the fact that the institution is classified among universities with very high research activity, thus classified R1, you might doubt your essay writing skills.
Worry not, we provide you with numerous examples of Clemson Essay samples, and we also have professional writers that can help you write your paper at a cheap price.
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College Essays
If you're applying to more than one or two colleges, there's a good chance you'll have to use the Common Application, and that means you'll probably have to write a Common App essay .
In this guide, I'll cover everything you need to know about the essay. I'll break down every single Common App essay prompt by going over the following:
This will be your complete starting guide for Common App essays. After reading this, you should have a lot of ideas for your own essays and directions to write a really strong personal statement .
Before we dig into the nitty-gritty of the individual prompts, let's quickly go over the logistics of the Common App essay and some general tips to keep in mind.
Keep in mind that the Common App essay is optional for some schools.
Here are a few examples of schools that do not require the Common App essay (note that some may require a school-specific writing supplement instead):
If you're applying to more than one or two schools through the Common App, you'll almost certainly need to write a response to the Common App prompts. As such, we recommend sending your essay to schools even if they don't explicitly require it. You're writing it anyways, and it's the best way for the school to get to know you as a person.
It's also worth noting that because of the way this system is set up, you could theoretically send a different essay to each school. However, doing so isn't a good use of your time : if schools want to know something more specific about you, they'll require a supplement. Focus on writing a single great personal statement.
The exact word limit for the Common App essay has varied somewhat over the years, but the current range is 250-650 words . You must stay within this length; in fact, the online application won't allow you to submit fewer than 250 words or more than 650.
Some schools will state that if this isn't enough space, you can send them a physical copy of your essay. Don't do this. No matter how tempting it might be, stick to the word limit . Otherwise, you risk seeming self-indulgent.
In general, we advise shooting for an essay between 500 and 650 words long . You want to have enough space to really explore one specific idea, but you don't need to include everything. Editing is an important part of the essay-writing process, after all!
As you'll see, the Common App prompts are very general and leave a lot of room for interpretation.
Moreover, colleges interpret the questions generously —they're more concerned with learning something interesting about you than with whether your topic perfectly fits the question.
Per a Common App survey from 2015 , 85% of member schools " feel the prompts should be left open to broad interpretation."
You can write about almost anything and make it work, so if you have an idea, don't let the fact that it doesn't fit neatly into one of these categories stop you. Treat these breakdowns as jumping-off points to help you start brainstorming , not the final word in how you need to approach the essay.
The Common App changes its prompts fairly frequently , so make sure you're familiar with the most up-to-date versions of the Common App essay questions . If you have friends or siblings who applied in past years, don't assume that you can take the exact same approaches they did.
This guide will go over the details of all seven current prompts, but first let's talk about some overall advice.
As you're brainstorming and preparing to write your Common App essay, you'll want to keep these tips in mind.
The point of a personal statement is to, well, make a personal statement , that is to say, tell the reader something about yourself . As such, your topic needs to be something meaningful to you.
What does it mean for a topic to be "meaningful to you"?
First, it means that you genuinely care about the topic and want to write your college essay on it— no one ever wrote a great essay on a topic that they felt they had to write about .
Second, it means that the topic shows off a quality or trait you want to highlight for the admissions committee . For example, say I wanted to write about my summer job with the Parks Department. It's not enough to simply tell a story about my feud with a raccoon that kept destroying all the progress I made repairing a bench; I would need to make it clear what that experience ;shows about my character (perseverance) and explain what it ;taught me (that there are some things in life you simply can't control).
Remember that the most important thing is that your essay is about you . This advice might sound obvious, but when you're used to writing academic essays, it can be tricky to dive deep into your own perspective.
Give yourself plenty of time to brainstorm and write so you don't feel rushed into jotting down the first thing you can come up with and sending it right off. We recommend starting the writing process two months in advance of your first college application deadline .
On a similar note, you should take the essay seriously: it's an important part of your application and worth investing the time in to get right. If you just dash something off thoughtlessly, admissions officers will recognize that and consider it evidence that you aren't really interested in their school.
Your essay should illustrate something about you beyond what's in the rest of your application . Try to write about a topic you haven't talked about elsewhere, or take a different angle on it.
A college essay is not a resume —it's the best opportunity to show off your unique personality to admissions committees. Pick your topic accordingly.
The best topics are usually the narrowest ones: essays focused on a single interaction, a single phrase, or a single object. The more specific you can get, the more unique your topic will be to you.
Lots of people have tried out for a school play, for example, but each had their own particular experience of doing so. One student saw trying out for the role of Hamlet as the culmination of many years of study and hard work and was devastated not to get it, while another was simply proud to have overcome her nerves enough to try out for the chorus line in West Side Story . These would make for very different essays, even though they're on basically the same topic.
Another benefit of a specific topic is that it makes coming up with supporting details much easier. Specific, sensory details make the reader feel as if they're seeing the experience through your eyes, giving them a better sense of who you are.
Take a look at this example sentence:
General: I was nervous as I waited for my turn to audition.
Specific: As I waited for my name to be called, I tapped the rhythm of "America" on the hard plastic chair, going through the beats of my audition song over and over in my head.
The first version could be written by almost anyone; the second version has a specific perspective—it's also intriguing and makes you want to know more.
The more specific your essay topic is, the more clearly your unique voice will come through and the more engaging your essay will be.
Now that we've established the basic ideas you need to keep in mind as you brainstorm, let's go through the 2022-23 Common App essay questions one at a time and break down what admissions committees are looking for in responses.
Keep in mind that for each of these questions, there are really two parts . The first is describing something you did or something that happened to you. The second is explaining what that event, action, or activity means to you . No essay is complete without addressing both sides of the topic.
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.
This prompt is very broad. Is there something you do or love, or something that happened to you, that isn't reflected elsewhere in your application but that you feel is vital to your personal story ? Then this prompt could be a good one for you.
The key is that whatever you write about needs to be genuinely important to you personally, not just something you think will look good to the admissions committee. You need to clarify why this story is so important that you couldn't leave it off your application.
This question is really about showing admissions officers how your background has shaped you . Can you learn and grow from your experiences?
By identifying an experience or trait that is vital to your story, you're also showing what kind of person you see yourself as. Do you value your leadership abilities or your determination to overcome challenges? Your intellectual curiosity or your artistic talent?
Everyone has more than one important trait, but in answering this prompt, you're telling admissions officers what you think is your most significant quality .
You could write about almost anything for this prompt: an unexpected interest, a particularly consuming hobby, a part of your family history, or a life-changing event. Make sure to narrow in on something specific, though. You don't have room to tell your whole life story!
Your topic can be serious or silly, as long as it's important to you. Just remember that it needs to showcase a deeper quality of yours.
For example, if I were writing an essay on this topic, I would probably write about my life-long obsession with books. I'd start with a story about how my parents worried I read too much as a kid, give some specific examples of things I've learned from particular books, and talk about how my enthusiasm for reading was so extreme it sometimes interfered with my actual life (like the time I tripped and fell because I couldn't be bothered to put down my book long enough to walk from my room to the kitchen).
Then I would tie it all together by explaining how my love of reading has taught me to look for ideas in unexpected places.
You don't want your essay to read like a resume: it shouldn't be a list of accomplishments. Your essay needs to add something to the rest of your application, so it also shouldn't focus on something you've already covered unless you have a really different take on it.
In addition, try to avoid generic and broad topics: you don't want your essay to feel as though it could've been written by any student.
As we touched on above, one way to avoid this problem is to be very specific —rather than writing generally about your experience as the child of immigrants, you might tell a story about a specific family ritual or meaningful moment.
The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. Recount an incident or time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?
This prompt is pretty straightforward. It's asking you to describe a challenge or obstacle you faced or a time you failed, and how you dealt with it .
The part many students forget is the second half: what lessons did you learn from your challenge or failure ? If you take on this question, you must show how you grew from the experience and, ideally, how you incorporated what you learned into other endeavors.
This question really raises two issues: how you handle difficult situations and whether you're capable of learning from your mistakes.
You'll face a lot of challenges in college, both academic and social. In addressing this prompt, you have the opportunity to show admissions officers that you can deal with hardships without just giving up .
You also need to show that you can learn from challenges and mistakes. Can you find a positive lesson in a negative experience? Colleges want to see an example of how you've done so.
Good topics will be specific and have a clearly explained impact on your perspective . You need to address both parts of the question: the experience of facing the challenge and what you learned from it.
However, almost any kind of obstacle, challenge, or failure—large or small—can work:
Make sure you pick an actual failure or challenge—don't turn your essay into a humblebrag. How you failed at procrastination because you're just so organized or how you've been challenged by the high expectations of teachers at school because everyone knows you are so smart are not appropriate topics.
Also, don't write about something completely negative . Your response needs to show that you got something out of your challenge or failure and that you've learned skills you can apply to other situations.
Spilling your coffee is not an appropriate failure, no matter how disastrous it may feel.
Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. What prompted your thinking? What was the outcome?
There are two ways to approach this question. The first is to talk about a time you questioned a person or group on an idea of theirs. The second is to talk about a time that something caused you to reconsider a belief of your own.
In either case, you need to explain why you decided the belief should be challenged, what you actually did —if your story is just that someone gave you a new piece of information and you changed your mind, you should probably find a different topic— and how you feel about your actions in hindsight .
The obvious question this prompt raises is what your values are and whether you're willing to stand up for what you believe . Whether you've reconsidered your own beliefs or asked others to reconsider theirs, it shows you've put genuine thought into what you value and why.
However, colleges also want to see that you're open minded and able to be fair and kind toward those who have different beliefs than you do. Can you question someone else's beliefs without belittling them? If not, don't choose this prompt.
This prompt is really one where you either have a relevant story or you don't . If there's a belief or idea that's particularly important to you, whether political or personal, this might be a good question for you to address.
The main pitfall with this question is that it lends itself to very abstract answers . It's not that interesting to read about how you used to believe chocolate is the best ice cream flavor but then changed your mind and decided the best flavor is actually strawberry. (Seriously, though, what is wrong with you!?) Make sure there's clear conflict and action in your essay.
Divisive political issues, such as abortion and gun rights, are tricky to write about (although not impossible) because people feel very strongly about them and often have a hard time accepting the opposite viewpoint. In general, I would avoid these kinds of topics unless you have a highly compelling story.
Also, keep in mind that most people who work at colleges are liberal, so if you have a conservative viewpoint, you'll need to tread more carefully. Regardless of what you're writing about, don't assume that the reader shares your views .
Finally, you want to avoid coming off as petty or inflexible , especially if you're writing about a controversial topic. It's great to have strong beliefs, but you also want to show that you're open to listening to other people's perspectives, even if they don't change your mind.
Reflect on something that someone had done for you that has made you happy or thankful in a surprising way. How has this gratitude affected or motivated you?
The first part is straightforward: describe a time someone did something positive for you that made you happy or thankful in a surprising way. So it can't have been something you expected to happen (i.e. your parents gave you the birthday present you were hoping for).
Next, you need to explain how that surprising gratitude affected or motivated you. So, what was the result of this positive feeling? How did you keep it going?
This prompt helps admissions officers see both what your expectations are for certain situations and how you react when things go differently than expected. Did you take it in stride when you were pleasantly surprised? Were you too shocked to speak? Why? What about the situation wasn't what you were expecting? Additionally, it shows them what you personally are grateful for. Gratitude is an important personal characteristic to have. What in life makes you thankful and happy? Your answer will show admissions officers a lot about what you value and how you think.
Finally—and this is the key part—they want to know the larger impact of this gratitude. Did you decide to pay it forward? Use it as motivation to better yourself/your world? When something good happens to you, how do you react?
Because this is a reflection prompt, it's a great way to show admissions officers the kind of person you are and what you value. You'll have a lot of surprising moments, both good and bad, in college, and they want to know how you deal with them and how you spread the happiness you come across.
You can choose any event, even a minor one, as long as your reaction is unexpected happiness/gratefulness. The "unexpected" part is key. You need to choose a situation where things didn't go the way you expected. So if your uncle, who has always been a great mentor, gives you great advice, that likely won't work because you'd be expecting it.
Next, it had to have had some sort of real impact so you can explain how your gratefulness affected you. This means that, even if the event itself was small, it had to have brought about some sort of lasting change in how you live your life.
To start, brainstorm times when something went better than expected/you were happily surprised by an outcome/you were especially grateful/someone restored your faith in humanity. Remember, this has to be, overall, a positive situation, as you're being asked about an event that made you happy or grateful. This is in contrast to prompts 2 and 3 which focus more on challenges you've faced.
Once you have your list, eliminate any instances that didn't affect or motivate you. The key part of this prompt is explaining the impact of your gratitude, so you need to write about a time when gratitude made you do something you normally wouldn't have done. This could be focusing on self-care/self-improvement, paying it forward by helping someone else, shifting your values, etc. Colleges want to see how you changed because of this event.
For example, say you decide to write about your first time traveling through an airport alone. You're not sure where to go, and all the workers look busy and like they're just waiting for their break. You're wandering around, lost, too shy to ask someone for help, when a gruff-looking employee comes up and asks if you need something. When you admit you don't know how to find your gate, they take the time to walk you to it, show you which screen to watch so you know when to board, and tell you to come get them if you need any more help. It's much more help than you thought anyone would give you.
Because of that person's actions (and this is the key part), you now always keep an eye out for people who look lost or confused and try to help them because you know how intimidating it can be to be out of your depth. You also know that many times people feel embarrassed to ask for help, so you need to make the first move to help them. If you have a specific example of you helping someone in need as a result, including that will make the essay even stronger.
Avoid scenarios where you were the first person to help another. The prompt is asking about a time someone was kind to you, and then you reacted in response to that. You need to have the grateful moment first, then the change in behavior.
Additionally, avoid examples where someone treated you badly but you rose above it. This is a situation where someone was kind to you, and you decided to keep that kindness going.
Look at those dummies, solving a problem!
Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others.
Like Prompt 1, this one is very general. It's asking you to talk about something you did or something that happened that caused you to grow or mature as a person.
The other key point to remember when addressing this question is that you need to explain how this event changed or enriched your understanding of yourself or other people.
In short: when and how have you grown as a person ? Personal growth and maturity are complicated issues. Your essay might touch on themes such as personal responsibility and your role in the world and your community.
You don't have to explain your whole worldview, but you need to give readers a sense of why this particular event caused significant growth for you as a person.
This prompt can also help you show either your own sense of self-concept or how you relate to others.
Much like Prompt 3, this question likely either appeals to you or doesn't . Nonetheless, here are some potential topics:
It's important that your topic describes a transition that led to real positive growth or change in you as a person .
However, personal growth is a gradual process, and you can definitely still approach this topic if you feel you have more maturing to do. (Fun fact: most adults feel they have more maturing to do, too!) Just focus on a specific step in the process of growing up and explain what it meant to you and how you've changed.
Almost any topic could theoretically make a good essay about personal growth, but it's important that the overall message conveys maturity . If the main point of your essay about junior prom is that you learned you look bad in purple and now you know not to wear it, you'll seem like you just haven't had a lot of meaningful growth experiences in your life.
You also want the personal growth and new understanding(s) you describe in your essay to be positive in nature . If the conclusion of your essay is "and that's how I matured and realized that everyone in the world is terrible," that's not going to work very well with admissions committees, as you'll seem pessimistic and unable to cope with challenges.
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?
This prompt is asking you to describe something you're intellectually passionate about .
But in addition to describing a topic of personal fascination and why you're so interested in it, you need to detail how you have pursued furthering your own knowledge of the topic . Did you undertake extra study? Hole yourself up in the library? Ask your math team coach for more practice problems?
Colleges want to admit students who are intellectually engaged with the world. They want you to show that you have a genuine love for the pursuit of knowledge .
Additionally, by describing how you've learned more about your chosen topic, concept, or idea, you can prove that you are self-motivated and resourceful .
Pretty much any topic you're really interested in and passionate about could make a good essay here, just as long as you can put can put an intellectual spin on it and demonstrate that you've gone out of your way to learn about the topic.
So It's fine to say that the topic that engages you most is football, but talk about what interests you in an academic sense about the sport. Have you learned everything there is to know about the history of the sport? Are you an expert on football statistics? Emphasize how the topic you are writing about engages your brain.
Don't pick something you don't actually care about just because you think it would sound good.
If you say you love black holes but actually hate them and tortured yourself with astronomy books in the library for a weekend to glean enough knowledge to write your essay, your lack of enthusiasm will definitely come through.
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.
You can write about anything for this one!
Since this is a choose-your-own-adventure prompt, colleges aren't looking for anything specific to this prompt .
However, you'll want to demonstrate some of the same qualities that colleges are looking for in all college essays: things like academic passion, maturity, resourcefulness, and persistence. What are your values? How do you face setbacks? These are all things you can consider touching on in your essay.
If you already have a topic in mind for this one that doesn't really fit with any of the other prompts, go for it!
Avoid essays that aren't really about you as a person. So no submitting your rhetorical close-reading of the poem "Ode on a Grecian Urn" you wrote for AP English!
However, if you want to write about the way that "Ode on a Grecian Urn" made you reconsider your entire approach to life, go ahead.
We've covered a lot of ground, but don't panic. I've collected the main ideas you should keep in mind as you plan your Common App essay below.
For prompt 1, it's absolutely vital that your topic be something genuinely meaningful to you . Don't write about something just because you think it's impressive. Big achievements and leadership roles, such as serving as captain of a team or winning a journalism award, can certainly be used as topics, but only if you can explain why they mattered to you beyond that it was cool to be in charge or that you liked winning.
It's better if you can pick out something smaller and more individual , like helping your team rally after a particularly rough loss or laboring over a specific article to make sure you got every detail right.
Most students have an experience or interest that will work for either Prompt 2, Prompt 4, or Prompt 6. If you're uncertain what you want to write about, think about challenges you've faced, a time you were grateful, or your major intellectual passions.
These prompts are slightly easier to approach than the others because they lend themselves to very specific and concrete topics that show clear growth. Describing a failure and what you learned from it is much simpler than trying to clarify why an event is a vital part of your identity.
These questions ask about specific types of experiences that not every high school student has had. If they don't speak to you, don't feel compelled to answer them.
If you do want to take on Prompt 3 or 5, however, remember to clearly explain your perspective to the reader , even if it seems obvious to you.
For Prompt 3, you have to establish not just what you believe but why you believe it and why that belief matters to you, too. For prompt 5, you need to clarify how you moved from childhood to adulthood and what that means to both you and others.
These prompts elicit some of the most personal responses , which can make for great essays but also feel too revealing to many students. Trust your instincts and don't pick a topic you're not comfortable writing about.
At the same time, don't hesitate to take on a difficult or controversial topic if you're excited about it and think you can treat it with the necessary nuance.
I've tried to emphasize this idea throughout this guide: it's not enough to simply describe what you did—you also have to explain what it meant to you .
Pushing past the surface level while avoiding clichés and generalizations is a big challenge, but it's ultimately what will make your essay stand out. Make sure you know what personal quality you want to emphasize before you start and keep it in mind as you write.
Try to avoid boring generalizations in favor of more specific and personal insights.
Bad: Solving a Rubik's cube for the first time taught me a lot.
Better: Solving a Rubik's cube for the first time taught me that I love puzzles and made me wonder what other problems I could solve.
Best: When I finally twisted the last piece of the Rubik's cube into place after months of work, I was almost disappointed. I'd solved the puzzle; what would I do now? But then I started to wonder if I could use what I'd learned to do the whole thing faster. Upon solving one problem, I had immediately moved onto the next one, as I do with most things in life.
As you go back through your essay to edit, every step of the way ask yourself, "So what?" Why does the reader need to know this? What does it show about me? How can I go one step deeper?
There is no single right answer to these prompts , and if you try to find one, you'll end up doing yourself a disservice. What's important is to tell your story—and no one can tell you what that means because it's unique to you.
Many students believe that they should write about resume-padding activities that look especially impressive, such as volunteering abroad. These essays are often boring and derivative because the writer doesn't really have anything to say on the topic and assumes it'll speak for itself.
But the point of a personal statement isn't to explain what you've done; it's to show who you are .
Take the time to brainstorm and figure out what you want to show colleges about yourself and what story or interest best exemplifies that quality.
For more background on college essays and tips for crafting a great one, check out our complete explanation of the basics of the personal statement .
Make sure you're prepared for the rest of the college application process as well with our guides to asking for recommendations , writing about extracurriculars , taking the SAT , and researching colleges .
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Alex is an experienced tutor and writer. Over the past five years, she has worked with almost a hundred students and written about pop culture for a wide range of publications. She graduated with honors from University of Chicago, receiving a BA in English and Anthropology, and then went on to earn an MA at NYU in Cultural Reporting and Criticism. In high school, she was a National Merit Scholar, took 12 AP tests and scored 99 percentile scores on the SAT and ACT.
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"Moving forward, we want to learn more about who is choosing certain prompts to see if there are any noteworthy differences among student populations." Meredith Lombardi, Director, Education and Training, Common App
Students facing the college application process typically dread one component: the Common App essay.
Students are presented with six essay prompts, as well as a seventh option, which is “topic of your choice.” Students therefore have limitless possibilities for this essay which will be carefully reviewed by each college to which the student applies.
The goal of college admissions officers is to learn about the student who is applying: personal qualities, struggles, ambitions, priorities. On other parts of the application a student’s “data” is detailed. So, this is not the place to write about one’s SAT scores, GPA, or intended major, or to enumerate one’s activities. It is the place to write about an event, situation, or life circumstance that has influenced the student’s attitudes, goals, and perceptions of life.
The options are limitless. Students can write about life occurrences that impacted them: an illness, a learning disability, a relocation. They can use a sport, club, organization, or volunteer group as the overarching framework within which they learned important life lessons.
More: The biggest key to college acceptance | College Connection
One student’s essay, which went viral after its author was accepted to a multitude of Ivy League schools, focused on lessons she learned from visits to Costco over the years. In short, students can write about anything that has impacted them – hopefully in a positive way.
Then, students face supplemental essays. Many colleges, including almost all the most competitive ones, require an essay that is specific to the school. Typically, the question is along the lines of, “Why do you want to attend this institution?” or “Why did you choose your particular major and how will our school prepare you to meet your future goals?”
More: These are the latest trends in college admissions | College Connection
Colleges are aware that students typically apply to 8 to 12 different schools, and they are trying to discern “demonstrated interest,” or, in other words, the likelihood of a student enrolling if accepted. So, students should utilize each supplemental essay as an opportunity to demonstrate their interest in the particular college, and should specifically state the courses, programs, study abroad options, internships, and any other characteristics that make the institution a perfect match for their college ambitions.
By showing enthusiasm for each school and sharing their attributes through the Common App and supplemental essays, students will greatly enhance their prospects of experiencing a successful college application process.
Susan Alaimo is the founder & director of Collegebound Review, offering PSAT/SAT ® preparation & private college advising by Ivy League educated instructors. Visit CollegeboundReview.com or call 908-369-5362 .
What do the 2024-25 supplemental essay prompts really mean, and how should you approach them? CEA's experts are here to break them all down.
Undergrad population.
* Tuition filtering is based on out-of-state fees
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IMAGES
COMMENTS
Clemson University requires first-year applicants to self-report their high school transcripts. Students who are admitted to Clemson will be required to send official transcripts prior to enrollment.
The second essay is based on your response to one of the Common Application essay prompts. If you have already written a response to one of these prompts in your Common Application, that response is considered your second Honors application essay.
Applying to Clemson University and trying to find all the correct essay prompts for 2023-24? Find them here, along with free guidance on how to write the essays.
In this guide, we will examine the Clemson supplemental essays, including the Clemson optional essay and the Clemson honors essays. Both essays are required for admission to the Clemson honors college. We'll go over each of the Clemson essay prompts in detail. And, we'll show you how to craft the best possible response to each one! In addition, we'll provide some general tips for writing ...
Learn about application requirements and processes, admission statistics and more from the Clemson University Office of Undergraduate Admissions.
A guide explaining in detail the Clemson admission requirements, to help students understand how to apply and be accepted.
Applying to Clemson University's Honors College? Here's how to write standout supplemental essays to improve your chances of acceptance.
Since admissions committees have so many applicants to choose from (more than 50,000 at Clemson in 2022-2023!), they tend to accept students with interesting essays that show the student's interests and passions.
Application Types First-Year: you are a student without college credit or you earned college credit prior to high school graduation (dual credit, AP/IB credit). Transfer: you have attended a regionally accredited college after high school graduation. Non-Degree: you are interested in taking a class at Clemson, but not attaining a degree. Former Student Returning: you are a former degree ...
These Clemson University college application essays were written by students accepted at Clemson University. All of our sample college essays include the question prompt and the year written.
Our experienced Essay Advisors provide the exclusive tips you need to write a winning 2024-25 Clemson University supplemental essay.
Applying to college and trying to find all the correct essay prompts? Search for your school's prompts in our database and easily find the prompts and CollegeVine's 2023-24 essay guides.
How to Write an Application Essay for Clemson University? We have a large online database of best free application essays for students, great samples of letters of motivation, well-written curriculum vitae examples and top admission papers to get your study at the Clemson University
Wondering how to answer Common App essay prompts? Here's our complete strategy guide breaking down what colleges are looking for.
Whatever your dream, there's a path toward it that begins at Clemson. Visit campus, find your major and learn how to apply today.
Explore. Clemson University. One of the most productive public research universities in the nation, Clemson University attracts and powerfully unites students and faculty whose greatest desire is to make a difference in the lives of others. Ranked among the best national public universities in U.S. News & World Report for 16 consecutive years ...
Here are Common App's essay prompts for this year. Get tips and best practices for writing your college essays as you prepare to apply to college.
The Common App can allow students to submit essays, recommendation letters, and numeric measures like test scores and class rank. Below, we'll talk through the prompts, how to brainstorm and write your essay, and offer example essays and analysis. Let's dive in.
Information about how to apply to Clemson Honors, whether you're a first-year college student, already enrolled at Clemson University or are transferring from another institution.
Common App essay prompts for 2023-2024 will remain unchanged as last year's prompts received a satisfaction rating of over 95% from students, counselors, advisors, teachers, and colleges.
Students facing the college application process typically dread one component: the Common App essay. Students are presented with six essay prompts, as well as a seventh option, which is "topic ...
What do the 2024-25 supplemental essay prompts really mean, and how should you approach them? CEA's experts are here to break them all down.
Welcome to the Clemson University Honors College, where students are challenged to excel through specialized courses with Clemson's best professors; a wide range of innovative learning experiences on campus, across America, and around the world; and intellectual engagement via formal and informal interactions with other Clemson students, staff and faculty.
Clemson University treats and regards all written documentation obtained to verify a disability and plan for appropriate services as well as all documented services and contracts with the Office of Student Disability Services as confidential.