a job i would like to have essay

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• Job Application Documents

How to Write a Job Application Essay

Last Updated: April 9, 2024 References

This article was co-authored by Shannon O'Brien, MA, EdM and by wikiHow staff writer, Jennifer Mueller, JD . Shannon O'Brien is the Founder and Principal Advisor of Whole U. (a career and life strategy consultancy based in Boston, MA). Through advising, workshops and e-learning Whole U. empowers people to pursue their life's work and live a balanced, purposeful life. Shannon has been ranked as the #1 Career Coach and #1 Life Coach in Boston, MA by Yelp reviewers. She has been featured on Boston.com, Boldfacers, and the UR Business Network. She received a Master's of Technology, Innovation, & Education from Harvard University. There are 8 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been viewed 201,960 times.

Many employers now require a writing sample, or job application essay , to accompany all applications or résumés — even if writing is not a significant part of the position. The goal of the job application essay is to ensure that applicants have the right communication skills for the position offered. Sometimes, potential employers will provide a specific topic or series of questions for your essay to respond to. However, you may also be asked to provide an essay with no guidance whatsoever. Either way, approach the essay seriously so that it highlights the skills and assets you could bring to the company. [1] X Research source

Outlining Your Essay

• If you don't know much about the company, do a little research on it before you start writing. You might look at their website or do a general internet search with the name of the company to see if any news articles or other reports come up. Go beyond the four corners of the job listing so that you understand who will likely be reading your essay.
• If there's anything in the job listing or essay requirements that you don't understand, contact the employer and ask about them. Employers are often impressed by applicants who clarify the employer's intent rather than making assumptions.

• For example, if you're applying for a position in sales, you might want to write an essay about your ability to tailor your pitch to specific clients and close the deal. If you have the ability to be more creative, you might tailor your essay to "sell" yourself directly to the employer.

• For each of your points, think of a specific example you can relate briefly that illustrates the point. For example, if you've described yourself as a "team player," you might include an example of how you came in on your day off to complete some of the more monotonous tasks that no one else wanted to do so a project could be completed ahead of schedule.
• It's a good idea to have more than one example in your outline for each point, even if you only end up using one. That way, if you start writing something and it ends up not working as well as you thought it would, you'll have a back-up handy.
• Brainstorming can be difficult. If you find yourself churning over the same thoughts, stand up and take a break for a few minutes. Step outside or go for a walk to clear your head, then come back to it.

• For example, if you want to describe how you increased sales in a specific quarter, you would want to state specifically how much you increased sales. Your former employer may have sales figures that you could ask them for. You might also have that information in your records.
• Wherever possible, use specific numbers and dates rather than making general statements. It's okay to estimate, but make sure your estimate is conservative. Saying you led your sales team to the highest sales in a quarter is impressive — but only if it's true.

Completing Your Rough Draft

• Think of this paragraph as telling the hiring manager what you're going to tell them in the essay. Outline the points you're going to elaborate on in the essay that back up your theme or thesis statement.
• Sometimes it's best to go back and write your introduction after you've written the body of your essay. That way, you can make sure the introduction provides an outline that matches the body.

• If the employer listed specifically what should be included in your essay, follow their order, since that's what they'll be looking for when they read the essay.
• Write in the first person and make yourself the star of any anecdote you include as an example. Use action verbs to focus on what you did rather than focusing on what happened and how you reacted to it. [7] X Trustworthy Source University of North Carolina Writing Center UNC's on-campus and online instructional service that provides assistance to students, faculty, and others during the writing process Go to source

• For example, if you're writing about your skills as a team player, you might note that you discuss doing routine work that others found monotonous so they had time to work on other parts of a project. You could use that detail to move on to a section describing how you're detail-oriented.

• For example, you might write "My business school education, skills as a team player, and focus on detail make me the best candidate to lead your sales team."

Finalizing Your Essay

• For example, you might start by looking solely at punctuation, then read through again focusing on spelling.
• If you find that you tend to repeat a particular error, go through your essay looking for that error specifically.
• If your grammar isn't particularly strong or you're writing in a language other than your native language, have someone else read over your essay as well.

• If you find that you stumble over a sentence while reading aloud, that's a sign that your writing could be clearer. Work with your text until you have something that you can read aloud with ease.

• If the prospective employer did not specify a length, try to keep your essay under 2 double-spaced pages. Remember that hiring managers are busy and don't have a lot of time to read a long, rambling essay.
• Eliminate all unnecessary words or sentences that aren't relevant to the subject of your essay. The majority of your sentences should be short, declarative sentences with action verbs.
• Apps such as Hemingway ( http://www.hemingwayapp.com/ ) or Grammarly ( https://app.grammarly.com/ ) can help you identify portions of your essay that are more difficult to read. Both of these apps have a free version that you can use to edit your text.

• Working backward is particularly helpful for noticing spelling mistakes, especially hard-to-catch homophone errors, because you're seeing the word out of context.

• It may also help to print your essay in a different font or font size than what you used to type it. This breaks your brain's familiarity with the text, which can make typos and other errors more noticeable. Just remember to change the font back after you print it.

Job Application Essay

Expert Q&A

• Give yourself plenty of time to work on your essay. Ideally, you should plan to work on it over the course of at least two days, so you have the time to set it aside after writing before you move to the editing and proofreading stage. [15] X Research source Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

• Unless you're applying for a position in a political or religious organization, avoid including anything in your essay that identifies your political or religious preferences or beliefs. [16] X Research source Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
• Avoid using humor, especially sarcasm or ironic humor, as it can be misconstrued in text. Additionally, humor may lead the hiring manager to believe that you aren't serious about the position. [17] X Research source Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

You Might Also Like

• ↑ https://www.monster.com/career-advice/article/writing-sample-job-application
• ↑ https://www.insidehighered.com/advice/2012/04/30/essay-how-write-good-applications-jobs-or-grants
• ↑ Shannon O'Brien, MA, EdM. Life & Career Coach. Expert Interview. 25 May 2021.
• ↑ https://www.govloop.com/community/blog/government-job-application-essays-made-easy/
• ↑ https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/application-essays/
• ↑ https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/editing-and-proofreading/
• ↑ https://www.quickanddirtytips.com/education/grammar/proofreading-tips
• ↑ https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/career-transitions/200906/the-dreaded-writing-sample

About This Article

Job application essays can seem scary, but they’re really just an opportunity for you to highlight your skills and explain why you’re suitable for the role. Read the job listing to find out what traits and skills the company is looking for, like time management, working under pressure, and leadership. If you don’t know much about the company, read through its website and do an online search to find articles about its work. In your introduction, you’ll want to to describe yourself and introduce the main points you’ll be making. Then, write a paragraph for each trait or skill. Use real life examples from previous jobs, your recent studies, or extracurricular activities to support your points. For example, you could highlight your leadership skills by talking about a time you led a group project that exceeded your targets. For more tips, including how to write a compelling conclusion for your job application essay, read on! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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Career Essay

Career essay generator.

How do you see yourself 5 or 10 years from now? That question kicks start your imagination and make you visualize yourself in your future career. Maybe you are thinking about it now, but you are likely confused about expressing it in words. Unlike other essay writing , writing your career essay is exciting because you are writing about yourself, your plans, passion, and aspiration. Learn how to make your career essay impressive by reading this article.

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What Is a Career Essay?

A career essay is a text people write to detail their goals or plans for the future. In this essay, people talk about the career they want in the future and the things they have achieved so far. People often ask you to write a career essay when you send an application letter for a scholarship or submit your resume for a job.

How To Write a Rousing Career Essay

You should write your career essay seriously because it might be a deciding factor for your future. That said, in writing your essay, there are a lot of things to consider and a process you need to follow. Your end goal in writing your essay is to convince people that you are determined to walk the talk and make the things you wrote in your descriptive essay to reality.

1. Devise an Engrossing Title

The first thing to think about when writing an essay is coming up with an attention-grabbing title. When people read your essay, they pay the most attention to your title. Also, another benefit of coming up with your title first is that it will serve as a guide for you for the whole essay. 

2. Introduce With a Hook

After devising a title, deliver the next blow with an introduction that piques their curiosity. To do that, begin your essay with a hook. Your hook can be a quote, a question, or you can even provide a statistic. If your introduction is good enough, it will secure the engagement of your readers.

3. Organize Your Ideas

Writing an essay is like taking your readers for a ride. You need to set the vibe and organize the flow of your thoughts. Don’t start too strong it might make the rest of your essay bland. You need to properly build up the development of excitement and make sure the order of your ideas makes sense. 

4. Polish Your Essay

Finalize your essay by proofreading it. When people talk about their passion, they tend to talk too much and include several unnecessary things. Make sure not to do that. Omit all the details that don’t contribute to the overall impact of your reflective essay. Also, don’t forget to review your text for grammatical errors. 

Why is career planning important?

People hustle every day to reach their dream careers. Having a target career gives you a direction and sets your path. Planning your career is essential because being indecisive about it might negatively impact your life. Not having a fixed goal is like not having an end destination. Preparing for it would also make your career action plan achievable.

What is a career genogram?

A career genogram traces back an individual’s family tree and examines the career timeline they pursued. The scope of this genogram reaches the grandparents, extended family, and even the person’s close friends. This graphic representation is helpful when a person has a hard time deciding about his or her career development plan .

What is career assessment?

Career assessment is the process of identifying what career would work best for you. Most assessments are in the form of a questionnaire . It includes questions about your interests, your skills, your hobbies, and your strengths. These are some examples of questions that would help assess your future career. The result of your career assessment might give you ideas on what path to take.

The moment people read your career essay, they often rate how likely you are to succeed. Show them a piece of your mind that would erase all their doubts about your success. They say manifesting works wonders, so manifest the future that you want best by composing a rousing career essay. 

Text prompt

• Instructive
• Professional

Write a career essay on the benefits and challenges of a career in medicine.

Discuss in a career essay the skills needed for success in the digital marketing field.

How to Write an Awesome Essay About Your Career Goals

• Before you begin, ask yourself a few key questions like:
• What are my short-term and long-term career goals?
• Where do I see myself in ten years?
• What events in my life have led me to have these goals?
• What major will help me reach my goals?
• What skills do I need to reach my goals?
• What impact do I want to have on society?

Career Goals Essay Template

Need more inspiration.

After you brainstorm the responses to these questions, look for common themes, or pick out the most interesting stories. You can build your main essay “thesis” or idea around this.

Once you’ve got the main idea, create an outline to put your ideas into essay format. This will give you a general idea of structure.

You can use the career essays template below to give you some ideas. But remember that some rules are meant to be broken, so don’t be afraid to be innovative and think outside the box!

Also, when you’re done, head over to Going Merry to apply for the Career Goals scholarship essay bundle (one essay, one application, multiple scholarships!). You might as well make that essay count. Sign up for Going Merry to apply for scholarships more efficiently.

Here’s a paragraph-by-paragraph breakdown:

Paragraph 1 : Establish the main theme of what you’re going to talk about. It should also grab the reader’s attention. For example, instead of starting your essay with something generic (e.g. Ever since I was a little girl, I wanted to be a zoologist), get creative with it! Try something like My greatest memory as a young girl was going to the zoo for the first time or While most kids play house or school, I always wanted to play zookeeper.

Paragraph 2 : Elaborate on what inspired your career goals. Perhaps it was a relative, a TV show, or simply an experience that you had. Remember that old writing adage, “Show, don’t tell.” In other words, try to demonstrate your interest with story or description. 

Paragraph 3 : Discuss your short-term career goals and your intended major. How will your intended major help you reach these goals? What skills do you need to learn to reach them? At the end of the paragraph, try discussing how your short-term goals can help you achieve your long-term goals.

Paragraph 4 : Focus on your long-term goals and the impact that you hope to have on society. If you’re not sure what your long-term goals are, don’t sweat it; they’ll probably change anyways. You can instead focus on the difference you’d like to make overall. And don’t worry too much about the size of the impact…remember that just doing what you’re truly passionate about has a massive impact on those around you.

The last paragraph is your conclusion. You can use this paragraph to summarize what you discussed in the previous few paragraphs. If you want to be even more creative, try ending your essay with a question for your readers or a new insight. Good luck!

And now that you’re ready with that essay, put it to good use! You can recycle that same essay, when applying for the Career Goals Scholarship Bundle. We’ve joined together multiple scholarships (all requesting essays on career goals), into just ONE simple application! See more info here , or just sign up to get going.

Check out examples from other students just like you. Here are links to some great career goal essay examples:

• Example 1  
• Example 2  
• Example 3  

Or maybe you’re looking for help with an academic goals essay — we’ve got you covered there too.

Also, check out this helpful list of the 10 most common scholarship essay topics !

Sign up for Going Merry today, and upload your career goal essay right to your profile. It’s that easy!

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How to Write an Essay about Why You Deserve a Job

If you’re preparing for a job application or interview, knowing how to express why you deserve a role is essential. This tutorial will guide you in crafting an effective essay to convey this message.

Writing about why you deserve a job allows you to spotlight your skills, experiences, and alignment with the company’s mission. I will walk you through the process in five straightforward steps, incorporating a sample essay for clearer understanding.

Step 1. Plan the word count for your essay’s paragraphs.

Proper planning simplifies your writing process. Decide the word count for each paragraph – the introduction, three body paragraphs, and the conclusion.

So, if you want to write a 300-word essay, you can distribute 300 words across five paragraphs thus:

That’s all you need for your essay — five short paragraphs.

Step 2. Select your main idea and supporting points.

Start by identifying a central idea to serve as your essay’s framework. To do this, consider why you believe you’re the right fit for the job. Reflect on your unique skill set, experiences, and how your values align with the company’s mission.

In our sample essay, the main idea could be: “My technical skills, leadership experience, and passion for innovation make me the ideal candidate for the software engineering position.”

Let’s use the Power of Three to break one big idea into three smaller points. The Power of Three is a three-part structure that helps you come up with your body paragraphs.

Let’s employ the Power of Three to divide this main idea into three supporting points:

• My technical skills align with the job requirements.
• My leadership experience allows me to manage projects effectively.
• My passion for innovation drives me to constantly learn and grow.

With our main idea and supporting points, we can start crafting our essay!

Step 3. Write the introductory paragraph.

To write an introductory paragraph , follow the diagram below:

Begin with an engaging opening that sets the context for your essay. Include your thesis and the three supporting points.

Introductory Paragraph:

“In the ever-evolving field of software engineering, technical aptitude, leadership, and a constant drive for innovation are critical. I believe my skill set, experience, and passion align perfectly with the role. My technical abilities meet the job’s requirements, my leadership experience equips me to manage projects, and my passion for innovation motivates my professional development.”

Step 4. Write the body paragraphs.

Our essay will have three body paragraphs – each devoted to a supporting point.

Each body paragraph should expand on a supporting point. Begin with a topic sentence summarizing the paragraph, then elaborate with examples.

Paragraph 1:

“My technical skills, honed over years of study and practice, make me a strong fit for the software engineering role. I have a strong grasp of multiple programming languages and am adept at problem-solving, often developing efficient solutions to complex coding issues.”

Paragraph 2:

“Leadership is not just about directing; it’s about supporting a team to achieve common goals. My experience leading a software development team has honed my ability to coordinate projects, handle conflicts, and facilitate collaboration.”

Paragraph 3:

“Passion for innovation is the lifeblood of a successful software engineer. I’ve always been eager to learn new technologies and methodologies to improve efficiency and stay ahead of the curve. This mindset has led to several successful projects and recognition within my previous roles.”

Step 5. Write the concluding paragraph.

To wrap up, paraphrase your points from the introduction. Don’t copy it word for word – use different language to express the same ideas.

Conclusion:

“Software engineering requires technical skills, leadership abilities, and a constant quest for innovation – all of which I possess. My technical expertise aligns with the job’s requirements, my leadership background ensures effective project management, and my passion for innovation fuels continuous learning and professional growth.”

And there you have it! A structured essay that effectively communicates why you deserve the job. I hope you find this tutorial helpful in your writing journey. Good luck!

Tutor Phil is an e-learning professional who helps adult learners finish their degrees by teaching them academic writing skills.

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What Is a Career Goals Essay?

An opportunity to expand, what to avoid in a career goals essay, final thoughts, how to write a career goals essay.

Updated January 15, 2024

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As the name suggests, a career goals essay is a personal document that outlines your professional plans.

It describes your educational and work history, and your ambitions for the future.

A career goals essay is generally used in three situations:

• When applying to a school or college
• When applying for a scholarship to fund education
• When applying for a new job

It allows the reader to better understand your personality and fully appreciate why you are making the application.

Career goals essays help admissions staff and hiring managers to select the ideal candidates for a position.

What Should a Career Goals Essay Contain?

A little backstory.

This essay is an opportunity for you to allow your personality and experiences to shine, so avoid generic statements.

The document should be personal and concisely describe your life experiences.

You should explain why you have chosen this career path.

If there was a pivotal moment in your life that led you to this application, be sure to highlight it.

Outline Your Goals

The main focus of the essay should be your goals for the future.

Readers want to see that you are ambitious and driven, with a genuine passion for the role or course you are applying for.

These career goals should be split into your short-term goals (looking over the next one to three years) and your long-term goals (which might look as far as 10 years into the future).

Show How This Application Will Help You Reach Your Goals

Critically, your career goals essay must show how this degree or job will help you achieve your goals .

If your long-term goal is to become a veterinary surgeon, studying a veterinary medicine program will obviously be essential.

However, your goal may be more nuanced than that. For example, you might want to become an expert in a particular piece of technology or software. Your application must show how your success in this role will enable you to become an industry leader.

This will also emphasize to the reader that you have done your research and understand the skills required for that particular sector.

You will have likely submitted a CV and covering letter at other points throughout the application process.

Remember, your career goals essay should complement these documents rather than repeat them.

This letter allows you to expand on the points mentioned in the earlier documents, aligning your previous experience with your goals for the future.

If you are writing a career goals essay as part of an application for a new job, be sure to refer back to the job description and person specification.

These documents highlight the exact type of individual the employer is searching for, so be sure your career goals essay matches the content in them.

Most career goals essays will be submitted via email, so an appropriate title is essential.

‘The Career Goals of [Name]’ isn’t a title that will make you stand out from the crowd.

Don’t forget, whether you are applying to a school or an employer, the reader will have the job of sifting through hundreds, if not thousands, of applications .

Where candidates have very similar experiences and education, their creativity and personality will be used to make the final decision.

Example titles:

How a Digital Marketing Degree Will Allow Me to Support Sustainable Businesses

How My Next Role in Nursing Will Help Me Help Others

An Introduction

Your introduction should set the theme for the essay, and crucially, outline your why .

Many candidates find the introduction the most challenging part of the essay to write. Therefore, it often makes the most sense to write it last.

Your introduction should be an honest and personable account of why you have chosen this field of study.

Starting with a generic opening paragraph will not inspire or motivate your reader. Stay away from phrases such as “I have wanted to be a lawyer ever since I was a little girl.”

This sentence tells the reader very little about your current aspirations.

It can also damage your integrity, as we all know most small children dream of being a movie star or astronaut before the job of lawyer ever springs to mind.

Example introduction:

Most individuals in the US are lucky enough to never need the law to protect them. However, many fail to see how the intricate details of the constitution support their life every day. I have a particular fascination with criminal law after being introduced to the field by a family friend. The monumental impact a lawyer can have on the life and welfare of an individual truly astounded me, and I have spent the years since investigating the effects of the American legal system. This is why I have tailored my education so far to prepare me for a legal career. I work every day on developing my research and analytical ability, and now feel ready to dedicate myself fully to the legal field.

School-Specific Content

Admissions staff, tutors and hiring managers want to know that their applicants have done their research.

You can show them that you have done yours by adding a small paragraph straight after your introduction showing why you chose this school to study at or this company to work for.

First example of school-specific content:

[Insert company name] has an incredible global reputation, with clients in every continent. I can see that staff retention rates are incredibly high, indicating strong career opportunities and the prospect of continuous development. The company values show that diversity and integrity are of the utmost importance, and I would love the opportunity to work for an organization whose principles align with my own.

Second example of school-specific content:

[Insert school name] is well known for producing the highest caliber of graduates, with an excellent global reputation. The school leaderboards show that the grades from [insert school name] ranked within the top five in the country for the past 10 years. I would be proud to associate myself with an establishment that holds itself in such high regard and am thrilled at the prospect of learning alongside the best.

Your Long-term Vision

Remember, it is crucial you show why and how you are actively working towards these goals. For example, merely stating, 'My long-term goal is to become a lawyer with my own practice’ is worthless.

The reader wants to see how this goal aligns with your personality and why you have chosen this route.

The goals set out in this essay should be precise and meaningful .

Example of long-term vision:

Law is an area of study that affects us all. The law protects us, and I am fascinated by its impact on both an individual and global scale. Of course, I want to graduate with a top-class degree, but I am also passionate about the connections and network I will build along the way. My goal is to open my own practice one day, specializing in family law. At the moment, I volunteer in my local practice, gaining experience and building a network that will help me later in my career. I believe the combination of world-class education and hands-on legal experience will help me to achieve this ambitious long-term goal.

Your Short-term Vision

Next, it is crucial to discuss your short-term goals .

If you're applying to school, your short-term goals will explain what you aim to achieve throughout the degree or program.

For a job application, these goals will outline your targets for your first year in the role.

Example of short-term vision:

In the short term, my goal is to build a network in the legal sector. I have already begun doing this through my weekly volunteering role. However, this degree will undoubtedly allow me to meet a much broader spectrum of people. I am excited to curate this network with a range of legal specialists, from students at the start of their careers to tutors with many years of experience in the industry.

The Conclusion

As with any essay, your conclusion should summarize what you have discussed throughout.

You should not throw in any new ideas, subjects or theories at this point. Otherwise, it indicates to the reader that you have not cohesively written the essay.

Your conclusion should be about the same length as the introduction, mentioning your final goals and the name of the establishment you are applying to.

You must outline again why you want to work for this company or study at this school. Using a statistic or fact will show that you have conducted thorough research.

Example conclusion:

I am immensely excited to begin my experience with [insert school name]. Ultimately, this education will allow me to fulfill my dreams of becoming a lawyer and one day opening my own practice. I will bring hard work, determination and enthusiasm to the law school, never forgetting why I began this journey.

Vague or Weak Statements

Every sentence in your essay should be specific to you.

For example, statements such as ‘I want to study medicine because it will allow me to get a good job’ does not show the reader that you are passionate or enthusiastic about this position.

Discussing Financial Remuneration

Whether the essay is aimed at a prospective employer or a college admissions office, they want to see why you want the position personally.

Someone solely focused on the financial rewards will likely not have longevity in the career.

Controversial Topics

Of course, there will be times where politics and current affairs are relevant to the discussion.

However, showing a one-sided argument that doesn’t align with the readers can alienate your application before you even begin.

A career goals essay is an opportunity for your personality to shine through. It isn’t a test of who has the best grades or the most experience , but a chance to show how this job or degree can change your life.

Although the reader is excited to hear about your goals, they are more interested in how this role links to your ambitions.

Be sure to constantly reflect upon how obtaining a place on this course, or securing the job role, is intrinsically linked to your goals.

A word limit is often applied to career goal essays. Where there is no limit, be sure to write no more than 1,000 words.

This piece should be concise and to the point, showing the reader you can effectively convey your thoughts and ideas.

You might also be interested in these other Wikijob articles:

Or explore the Jobs & Careers / Career Planning sections.

Describe a Job you Would most Like to Have- IELTS Cue Card

Updated On Aug 14, 2024

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Table of Contents

Sample answer 1, sample answer 2, part 3 follow up questions.

Limited-Time Offer : Access a FREE 10-Day IELTS Study Plan!

Describe a job you would most like to have You should say:

• why you would like to have this job
• what skills you will need to do this job
• and explain why you want to have this job

Introduction

It’s highly essential to have a reputable job in today’s competitive world. Having a respectful job in a prominent organization will boost an individual’s self-esteem and confidence while providing stability and peace of mind.

What is it? 

I’d like to discuss a job that I’d really like to have. I’ve always wanted to volunteer and serve the community as it’s one of the most sought-after ways to give back something to society. Volunteering provides a sense of purpose in addition to having a positive impact on society. The incredible feeling of giving back and contributing to the community is unparalleled.

Why would you like to have this job? 

I’d like to volunteer for a variety of reasons, including the fact that it’s an altruistic act that gives people a unique perspective on life. It would provide an opportunity for networking with people in the community who are passionate about the exact cause. It’d help to create bonds and relationships while doing the greater good. I believe that volunteering would improve my quality of life by allowing me to grow as a person and gain a greater understanding of the world around me.

What skills do you need to do this job? 

In order to become a successful volunteer, I’d need to possess the requisite skills such as commitment, communication, compassion, adaptability, leadership, time management, and teamwork to deal with people of all ages in a shelter home or a nursing home.

In order to survive in today’s rapidly changing environment, it’s important to have a standard job. Everyone, irrespective of age, aims to have a respectable job with benefits to lead a happy life.

What it is?

From a very tender age, I had an ambition of becoming a fitness expert. Although everyone in my family found it unusual, they were supportive of my choices. However, life had its ups and downs due to which I had to pursue engineering and become a software engineer. But if life gave me another chance, I’d surely pursue a career as a fitness trainer because I have always been passionate about helping and encouraging people to live a healthy lifestyle.

Why you would like to have this job?

I’d like to work as a fitness trainer, because I’d be able to assess an individual’s fitness level, guide and instruct them to follow healthy eating habits, then design and create workout plans and diet plans that are especially tailored to their fitness goals.

What skills you will need to do this job?

Well, becoming a fitness expert is not everyone’s cup of tea because one needs to be a fitness freak dedicated to being fit to assisting others to achieve the same. As a result, I need to have good interpersonal skills, communication skills, vast knowledge about fitness, health and nutrition, motivational skills, and a positive attitude along with an outgoing personality to deal with different kinds of people and help them transform their fitness journey.

And explain why you want to have this job?

Honestly, I’d love to work as a fitness instructor for various reasons, firstly, I’m very passionate about health and fitness. Secondly, I can help hundreds of fitness seekers to accomplish their fitness goals by following my passion and thirdly, fitness training is a profession that is not only rewarding but also satisfying.

Meaning:  to finish or complete something Eg:  Mike accomplished his father’s goal by becoming a sports champion.

Meaning:  a useful or valuable thing or person. Eg:  The executive assessed my medical records.

Meaning:  having, showing, or caused by strong feelings or beliefs. Eg:  Jim is passionate about sports cars.

Meaning:  make a marked change in the form, nature, or appearance of. Eg:  The writer transformed himself into a celebrity.

Meaning:  something that someone likes or is good at Eg:  Acting is not my cup of tea.

Q1. Do you think you want to take up this job (fitness expert)?

Of course, I’d want to take the job of a fitness trainer because as a fitness enthusiast, I’m highly interested in helping people achieve their health and fitness goals with an upbeat attitude. As a fitness instructor, I can lead, instruct, and motivate individuals or groups of fitness aspirants to stick to consistent exercise and nutrition plans in order to help them get in shape.

Q2. Which occupation should be given better pay?

Well, I believe that each occupation is superior in its own manner and that everyone should be compensated according to the task they perform. Because some of the most valuable and hardworking professionals don’t receive the pay that matches the sacrifices they make. Therefore, I believe that doctors, frontline workers, paramedics, public school teachers, registered nurses, social workers, and people working in fire brigades should be rewarded and paid well.

Q3. Is being rich a good thing?

Of course, being rich is a good thing because if a person is rich, they can help less fortunate people in society through charity. For example, they can help poor people become economically sound and socially responsible.

Q4. Do you think people should save for the future?

Yes, people should save for the future because the future is unpredictable. Saving money can protect people from the uncertainties of life and allow them to live a more fulfilling existence. In the event of a financial emergency, it can assist people. Furthermore, putting money aside for the future can provide a strong sense of financial freedom.

Q5. What makes a person choose a job apart from the pay it offers?

Apart from income, a person considers a variety of aspects while choosing a job, including working hours, perks and bonuses, business culture, satisfaction, opportunities for growth, work-life balance, and work environment.

Meaning:  give up (something valued) for the sake of other considerations.

Eg:  She sacrificed her dreams of pursuing a PhD degree.

• Fire brigades

Meaning:  an organized body of people trained and employed to extinguish fires. Eg:  A team of fire brigades arrived at the forest.

• Fitness enthusiast

Meaning:  anyone who is passionate about fitness Eg:  As a fitness enthusiast, John opened a gymnasium.

• Unpredictable

Meaning:  not able to be predicted; changeable. Eg:  Sometimes life is unpredictable.

• Less fortunate

Meaning:  people who are poor Eg:  The funds were used to educate the children of less fortunates.

Related Cue Cards

• Describe a job your grandparents did
• Describe a part-time job you have ever done
• Describe a well-paid job you would like to have in the future
• Describe a free day off study or work

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Describe a Perfect Job You Would Like to Have in Future: A Perfect IELTS Cue Card Answer

In the cue card section of IELTS speaking , the invigilator will give you a cue card topic and a preparation time of 1 minute. That is it. In this small amount of time, you have to brainstorm your ideas related to the given topic. After getting ideas, break your answer into parts and start speaking.

In this article, you will find a common IELTS cue card topic “Describe a perfect job you would like to have in future”. Check out the sample answers to get an idea of the answer writing format.

Describe a Perfect Job You Would Like to Have in Future: IELTS Cue Card Topic

Quickly think of these questions while breaking down your answer of any IELTS cue card topic

• What is the job about?
• Why do you like the job?
• Explain why you think it is a perfect job for you?

IELTS Cue Card Topic: Describe a Perfect Job You Would Like to Have in Future Sample 1

What is the job about ielts cue card sample answer.

Everyone needs to do a job that gives them fulfilment, and I believe that becoming a teacher is perfect for me because it allows me to represent the community. This work is perfect for me because it is a learning experience. Aside from educating pupils, the teacher knows a lot of things. The teacher will learn new learning from the pupils every day before the retirement age. Aside from that, teachers are still well-respected members of society. Furthermore, a teacher is responsible for the kids’ development.

Also Read: Describe a Risk that You Have Taken which has a Positive Result: Cue Card Sample Answer

Why Do You Like the Job? IELTS Speaking Cue Card

As a result, a teacher’s ability to transform students into any form is unrivalled. An instructor is the foundation of all great physicians, scientists, and engineers. I consider this work to be competitive because it allows me to combine my personal and professional lives. It has an easy opening and closing hours, and as the saying goes, “rest is rust,” because teachers are still learning new things. They are never done studying.

Explain Why You Think it is a Perfect Job for You?

They seem to be more enthusiastic and capable of adapting to changing conditions, in my opinion. They have the ability to influence society; if there is a need for reform, teachers will make a significant contribution through their teaching. As a result, I’ve found my calling in the education sector. But this is why I adore this career and aspire to be a teacher in the future.

IELTS Speaking Questions: Describe a Perfect Job You Would Like to Have in Future Sample 2

What is the job about describe a perfect job you would like to have in future.

As a woman in her twenties, I am convinced that I must take the best direction for my future. A successful job, in my mind, is one that not only pays well enough for me to survive but is also fun. That is why I feel a career in marketing would be a good match for me.

I had invested a considerable amount of time identifying my strengths and shortcomings, as well as receiving input from others. Following that, I came to the realisation that my excellent ability is literature, which I was born with.

Also Read: Describe a Time When You were Surprised to Meet Your Friend: Cue Card Guide for IELTS Exam

Why do You Like the Job? Cue Card Sample Answer

My teachers discovered that I was talented in literature when I was eight years old. They made significant contributions to the development of my ability set. Throughout my years of study as a literature major, I was often rated as one of the top students. Alongside my writing skills, I believe I can use my analytic and creative abilities, which I gained from years of research at my university, to delve into consumer habits and then build a successful campaign to gain more customers for our business.

In addition, I am extremely enthusiastic about marketing. As a result, I started working in this area when I was a freshman. Those work experiences provided me with basic marketing skills and knowledge, as well as strengthened my confidence that this job would be a good match for me.

Despite the fact that I have acquired a great deal of experience and understanding of Marketing and am actually working in the Marketing team of a Fast-moving consumer products firm, I still have a long way to go until I know it inside and out. I still expect to be successful enough to be promoted in the immediate future.

Some More Sample Cue Card Topics for IELTS Speaking 2021

# Describe an aquatic animal # Describe a time when you needed to use your imagination # Describe a special hotel you stayed in # Describe a short journey you often take but did not like # Describe an exhibition you often visited # Describe a person who wears unusual cloth # Describe an interesting conversation you had with someone # Describe a place you like to visit but do not like to stay there # Describe a time when you were in trouble # Describe a time you helped someone # Describe a part of your city you enjoy spending time # Describe a thing you bought and you are happy about it # Talk about a toy you liked in your childhood # Describe a person who is very extrovert # Describe a tradition of your country # Describe a bag you want to own # Describe an unforgettable train journey # Describe your favorite weather # Describe a time when you gave good advice to someone

Also Read: Describe an Ambition That You have for a Long Time: IELTS Exam Cue Card Questions

IELTS Cue Card Topics for 2021 Speaking Exam

# Describe a product made in the region you come from # Describe a person to whom you admire # Describe an application that is made on artificial intelligence # Describe an interesting conversation with someone # Talk about an unforgettable bike trip you had # Describe a time when you were encountered with a wild animal # Talk about a meal you enjoyed # Talk about a pandemic you witnessed # Talk about a situation when you had to stay indoor # Describe a dream you want to fulfil # Describe a polite person you know # Describe an incident that changed your opinion # Describe an old person you know # Describe an interesting ritual of your country # Describe a time when you had to wait long in a queue # Describe a time when you made a promise to someone # Describe a famous person # Describe a movie that inspired you most # Describe a crowded place you have been

Hopefully, you have understood the way of writing a good IELTS cue card answer. It is said to be one of the easy scoring sections in the IELTS speaking segment. But a challenging factor in this section is that the topic can be anything from an animal to a social issue. Therefore, practice a lot of IELTS cue card topics to be ready for the main exam

Find oodles of cue card topics in the speaking section of IELTS Ninja .

Also Read: Online IELTS Speaking Tests: Here’s How You Can Deal with the New Wave of IELTS Speaking

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Madhurjya chowdhury.

Madhurjya Chowdhury, a web content writer in Ufaber EduTech has a very strong passion for writing and alluring the readers. You can find him writing articles for the betterment of exam aspirants and children. With immense interest in research-based content writing and copywriting, he likes to reach out to more and more people with his creative writing style. On the other side, he is an Electronics and Communication Engineer from LPU, Jalandhar. In his leisure time, he likes to play badminton or read about space discoveries. Apart from this, he is a pro gamer on PC, PS and Mobile gaming platforms.

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How to Write the Common Application Essays 2024-2025 (With Examples)

The Common App essay is one of the most important parts of your application, but it can be extremely daunting if you’re not familiar with creative writing or what admissions officers are looking for.

In this blog post, we’ll provide advice on how to break down these prompts, organize your thoughts, and craft a strong, meaningful response that admissions officers will notice. If you’d like more free personalized help, you can get your essays reviewed and explore school-by-school essay help on CollegeVine.

Why the Common App Essay Matters

Admissions is a human process. While admissions committees look at grades, test scores, and extracurriculars, there are five students that have great qualifications in those areas for every spot in a university’s class. As an applicant, you need an admissions counselor to choose you over everyone else — to advocate specifically for you. 

This is where essays come in; they are an opportunity for you to turn an admissions counselor into an advocate for your application! Of your essays, the Common App is the most important since it is seen by most of the colleges to which you apply. It is also your longest essay, which gives you more space to craft a narrative and share your personality, feelings, and perspective.

It’s not hyperbole to say that getting the Common App essay right is the single most important thing you can do to improve your chances of admission as a senior. 

Overview of the Common App

The Common App essay is the best way for admissions committees to get to know you. While SAT scores, your past course load, and your grades provide a quantitative picture of you as a student, the Common App essay offers adcoms a refreshing glimpse into your identity and personality. For this reason, try to treat the essay as an opportunity to tell colleges why you are unique and what matters to you.

Since your Common App essay will be seen by numerous colleges, you will want to paint a portrait of yourself that is accessible to a breadth of institutions and admissions officers (for example, if you are only applying to engineering programs at some schools, don’t focus your Common App on STEM at the expense of your other applications — save that for your supplemental essays).

In short, be open and willing to write about a topic you love, whether it is sports, music, politics, food, or watching movies. The Common App essay is more of a conversation than a job interview.

What Makes a Great Common App Essay?

A great Common App essay is, first and foremost, deeply personal. You are relying on the admissions committee to choose you over someone else, which they are more likely to do if they feel a personal connection to you. In your essay, you should delve into your feelings, how you think about situations/problems, and how you make decisions.

Good essays also usually avoid cliche topics . A couple overdone themes include an immigrant’s journey (particularly if you’re Asian American), and a sports accomplishment or injury. It’s not that these topics are bad, but rather that many students write about these subjects, so they don’t stand out as much. Of course, some students are able to write a genuine and unique essay about one of these topics, but it’s hard to pull off. You’re better off writing about more nuanced aspects of your identity!

You should also, of course, pay close attention to your grammar and spelling, use varied sentence structure and word choice, and be consistent with your tone/writing style. Take full advantage of the available 650 words, as writing less tends to mean missed opportunities.

Finally, it’s a good practice to be aware of your audience – know who you are writing for! For example, admissions officers at BYU will probably be very religious, while those at Oberlin will be deeply committed to social justice.

See some examples of great Common App essays to get a better idea of what makes a strong essay.

How your Common App Essay Fits with Your Other Essays

The Common App is one part of a portfolio of essays that you send to colleges, along with supplemental essays at individual colleges. With all of your essays for a particular college, you want to create a narrative and tell different parts of your story. So, the topics you write about should be cohesive and complementary, but not repetitive or overlapping. 

Before jumping in to write your Common App essay, you should think about the other schools that you’re writing essays for and make sure that you have a strategy for your entire portfolio of essays and cover different topics for each. If you have strong qualifications on paper for the colleges you are targeting, the best narratives tend to humanize you. If you have weaker qualifications on paper for your colleges, the best narratives tend to draw out your passion for the topics or fields of study that are of interest to you and magnify your accomplishments. 

Strategy for Writing the Common App Essays

Because the Common App essay is 650 words long and has few formal directions, organizing a response might seem daunting. Fortunately, at CollegeVine, we’ve developed a straightforward approach to formulating strong, unique responses.

This section outlines how to: 1) Brainstorm , 2) Organize , and 3) Write a Common App essay.

Before reading the prompts, brainstorming is a critical exercise to develop high-level ideas. One way to construct a high-level idea would be to delve into a passion and focus on how you interact with the concept or activity. For example, using “creative writing” as a high-level idea, one could stress their love of world-building, conveying complex emotions, and depicting character interactions, emphasizing how writing stems from real-life experiences.

A different idea that doesn’t involve an activity would be to discuss how your personality has developed in relation to your family; maybe one sibling is hot-headed, the other quiet, and you’re in the middle as the voice of reason (or maybe you’re the hot-head). These are simply two examples of infinitely many ideas you could come up with.

To begin developing your own high-level ideas, you can address these Core Four questions that all good Common App essays should answer:

• “Who Am I?”
• “Why Am I Here?”
• “What is Unique About Me?”
• “What Matters to Me?”

The first question focuses on your personality traits — who you are. The second question targets your progression throughout high school (an arc or journey). The third question is more difficult to grasp, but it involves showing why your personality traits, methods of thinking, areas of interest, and tangible skills form a unique combination. The fourth question is a concluding point that can be answered simply, normally in the conclusion paragraph, i.e., “Running matters to me” or “Ethical fashion matters to me.”

You can brainstorm freeform or start with a specific prompt in mind.

Sometimes, it can be helpful to start by jotting down the 3-5 aspects of your personality or experiences you’ve had on a piece of paper. Play around with narratives that are constructed out of different combinations of these essential attributes before settling on a prompt. 

For example, you might note that you are fascinated by environmental justice, have had success in Model Congress, and are now working with a local politician to create a recycling program in your school district. You may also have tried previous initiatives that failed. These experiences could be constructed and applied to a number of Common App prompts. You could address a specific identity or interest you have associated with public advocacy, discuss what you learned from your failed initiatives, explore how you challenged the lack of recycling at your school, fantasize about solving waste management issues, etc. 

Selecting a prompt that you identify with

For example, consider the following prompt: 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?

Perhaps you had been a dedicated and active member of your school’s debate team until one of your parents lost their jobs, leaving you unable to afford the high membership and travel dues. You decided to help out by getting a job after school, and responded to your familial hardship with grace and understanding (as opposed to anger). A few months later, and after speaking with your former debate coach and your parents, you set up a system to save up for your own trips so that you could still participate in debate!

In general, the most common mistake CollegeVine sees with Common App essays is that they aren’t deeply personal. Your essay should be specific enough that it could be identified as yours even if your name wasn’t attached. 

If you get stuck, don’t worry! This is very common as the Common App is often the first personal essay college applicants have ever written. One way of getting unstuck if you feel like you aren’t getting creative or personal enough is to keep asking yourself “why”

For example: I love basketball…

• Because I like having to think on the fly and be creative while running our offense.

It can often help to work with someone and bounce ideas off them. Teachers are often a bad idea – they tend to think of essays in an academic sense, which is to say they often fail to apply the admissions context. Further, it is unlikely that they know you well enough to provide valuable insight. Friends in your own year can be a good idea because they know you, but you should be careful about competitive pressures applying within the same high school. Older friends, siblings, or neighbors who have successfully navigated the admissions process at your target universities (or good universities) strike that medium between no longer being competitive with you for admissions but still being able to help you brainstorm well because they know you.

Overall, there is no single “correct” topic. Your essay will be strong as long as you are comfortable and passionate about your idea and it answers the Core Four questions.

Common App essays are not traditional five-paragraph essays. You are free to be creative in structure, employ dialogue, and use vivid descriptions—and you should! Make sure that context and logic are inherent in your essay, however. From paragraph to paragraph, sentence to sentence, your ideas should be clear and flow naturally. Great ways to ensure this are using a story arc following a few major points, or focusing on cause and effect.

The traditional approach

This involves constructing a narrative out of your experiences and writing a classic personal essay. You are free to be creative in structure, employ dialogue, and use vivid descriptions—and you should! Make sure that context and logic are inherent in your essay, however. From paragraph to paragraph, sentence to sentence, your ideas should be clear and flow naturally. Great ways to ensure this are using a story arc following a few major points, or focusing on cause and effect.

The creative approach

Some students prefer to experiment with an entirely new approach to the personal essay. For example, a student who is passionate about programming could write their essay in alternating lines of Binary and English. A hopeful Literature major could reimagine a moment in their life as a chapter of War and Peace, adopting Tolstoy’s writing style. Or, you could write about a fight with your friend in the form of a third person sports recap to both highlight your interest in journalism and reveal a personal story. Creative essays are incredibly risky and difficult to pull off. However, a creative essay that is well executed may also have the potential for high reward.

Your Common App essay must display excellent writing in terms of grammar and sentence structure. The essay doesn’t need to be a Shakespearean masterpiece, but it should be well-written and clear.

A few tips to accomplish this are:

• Show, don’t tell
• Be specific
• Choose active voice, not passive voice
• Avoid clichés
• Write in a tone that aligns with your goals for the essay. For example, if you are a heavy STEM applicant hoping to use your Common App essay to humanize your application, you will be undermined by writing in a brusque, harsh tone.

“Show, don’t tell” is vital to writing an engaging essay, and this is the point students struggle with most.  Instead of saying, “I struggled to make friends when I transferred schools,” you can show your emotions by writing, “I scanned the bustling school cafeteria, feeling more and more forlorn with each unfamiliar face. I found an empty table and ate my lunch alone.”

In many cases, writing can include more specific word choice . For example, “As a kid, I always played basketball,” can be improved to be “Every day after school as a kid, I ran home, laced up my sneakers, and shot a basketball in my driveway until the sun went down and I could barely see.”

To use active voice over passive voice , be sure that your sentence’s subject performs the action indicated by the verb, rather than the action performing onto the subject. Instead of writing “this project was built by my own hands,” you would say “I built this project with my own hands.”

Finally, avoid clichés like adages, sayings, and quotes that do not bring value to your essay. Examples include phrases like “Be the change you wish to see in the world” (it’s also important to know that sayings like these are often seriously misquoted—Gandhi did not actually utter these words) and lavish claims like “it was the greatest experience of my life.”

A few tips for the writing (and re-writing!) process

• If you have enough time, write a 950 word version of your personal statement first and then cut it down to the official word limit of 650. In many cases, the extra writing you do for this draft will contain compelling content. Using this, you can carve out the various sections and information that allow you to tell your story best. 
• Revise your draft 3-5 times. Any more, you are probably overthinking and overanalyzing. Any less, you are not putting in the work necessary to optimize your Common App essay.
• It can be easy for you to get lost in your words after reading and rereading, writing and rewriting. It is best to have someone else do your final proofread to help you identify typos or sentences that are unclear.

Deciding on a Prompt

This section provides insights and examples for each of the 7 Common App essay prompts for the 2024-2025 cycle. Each of these prompts lends itself to distinct topics and strategies, so selecting the prompt that best aligns with your idea is essential to writing an effective Common App essay.

Here are this year’s prompts (click the link to jump to the specific prompt):

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.

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, reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. what prompted your thinking what was the outcome, 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, discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others., 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, 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..

This prompt offers an opportunity to engage with your favorite extracurricular or academic subject, and it allows you to weave a narrative that displays personal growth in that area. An essay that displays your personality and a unique interest can be attention-grabbing, particularly if you have an unconventional passion, such as blogging about Chinese basketball or unicycling.

Don’t feel intimidated if you don’t have a passion that is immediately “unique,” however. Even an interest like “arctic scuba diving” will fail as an essay topic if it’s not written with insight and personality. Instead of attempting to impress the Admissions Officer by making up unusual or shocking things, think about how you spend your free time and ask yourself why you spend it that way. Also think about your upbringing, identity, and experiences and ask yourself, “What has impacted me in a meaningful way?”

Here Are A Few Response Examples:

Background – A person’s background includes experiences, training, education, and culture. You can discuss the experience of growing up, interacting with family, and how relationships have molded who you are. A background can include long-term interactions with arts, music, sciences, sports, writing, and many other learned skills. Background also includes your social environments and how they’ve influenced your perception. In addition, you can highlight intersections between multiple backgrounds and show how each is integral to you.

One student wrote about how growing up in a poor Vietnamese immigrant family inspired her to seize big opportunities, even if they were risky or challenging. She describes the emotional demand of opening and running a family grocery store. (Note: Names have been changed to protect the identity of the author and subjects in all the examples.)

The callouses on my mother’s hands formed during the years spent scaling fish at the  market in Go Noi, Vietnam. My mother never finished her formal education because she  labored on the streets to help six others survive. Her calloused hands not only scaled fish, they  also slaved over the stove, mustering a meal from the few items in the pantry. This image  resurfaces as I watch my mother’s calloused hands wipe her sweat-beaded forehead while she  manages the family business, compiling resources to provide for the family. 

Living in an impoverished region of Vietnam pushed my parents to emigrate. My two  year-old memory fails me, but my mother vividly recounts my frightened eyes staring up at her on my first plane ride. With life packed into a single suitcase, my mother’s heart, though,  trembled more than mine. Knowing only a few words of English, my mother embarked on a  journey shrouded in a haze of uncertainty. 

Our initial year in America bore an uncanny resemblance to Vietnam – from making one  meal last the entire day to wearing the same four shirts over and over again. Through thin walls, I  heard my parents debating their decision to come to the United States, a land where they knew  no one. My grandparents’ support came in half-hearted whispers cracking through long-distance  phone calls. My dad’s scanty income barely kept food on the table. We lived on soup and rice for  what seemed an interminable time. 

However, an opportunity knocked on my parents’ door: a grocery store in the town of  Decatur, Mississippi, was up for rent. My parents took the chance, risking all of their savings.  To help my parents, I spent most of my adolescent afternoons stocking shelves, mopping floors,  and even translating. My parents’ voices wavered when speaking English; through every attempt to communicate with their customers, a language barrier forged a palpable presence in each  transaction. My parents’ spirits faltered as customers grew impatient. A life of poverty awaited us in Vietnam if the business was not successful. 

On the first day, the business brought in only twenty dollars. Twenty dollars. My mother and my father wept after they closed the shop. Seeing the business as a failure, my mom commenced her packing that night; returning to Vietnam seemed inevitable. 

The next business day, however, sales increased ten-fold. More and more customers  came each successive day. My mom’s tears turned into—well, more tears, but they were tears of  joy. My mother unpacked a bag each night. 

Fifteen years later, my parents now own Blue Bear Grocery. My parents work, work,  work to keep the shelves stocked and the customers coming. The grocery store holds a special  place in my heart: it is the catalyst for my success. My parents serve as my role-models, teaching  me a new lesson with every can placed on the shelf. One lesson that resurfaces is the importance  of pursuing a formal education, something that my parents never had the chance of. 

When the opportunity to attend the Mississippi School for Mathematics and Science  (MSMS) presented itself, I took it and ran, as did my parents by leaving Vietnam and by buying  the store. Although I am not managing hundreds of products, I am managing hundreds of  assignments at MSMS – from Mu Alpha Theta tutoring to lab reports to student government to British literature. 

Had I not immigrated, my hands would be calloused from the tight grip of the knife  scaling fish rather than from the tight grip on my pencil. My hands would be calloused from scrubbing my clothes covered in fish scales rather than from long hours spent typing a research paper. 

Although the opportunities that my parents and I pursued are different, our journey is  essentially the same: we walk a road paved with uncertainty and doubt with the prospect of success fortified by our hearts and our hands.

Identity – this can mean racial identity, sexual orientation, gender, or simply one’s place within a specific community (even communities as unique as, say, players of World of Warcraft). With the topic of racial identity, it’s important to remember the audience (college admissions counselors often lean progressive politically), so this might not be the best place to make sweeping claims about today’s state of race relations. However, reflecting on how your culture has shaped your experiences can make for a compelling essay. Alternatively, focusing on a dominant personality trait can also make for a compelling theme. For example, if you’re extremely outgoing, you could explain how your adventurousness has allowed you to learn from a diverse group of friends and the random situations you find yourself in. One important thing to note: the topic of identity can easily lack originality if you cover a common experience such as feeling divided between cultures, or coming out. If such experiences are integral to who you are, you should still write about them, but be sure to show us your unique introspection and reflection.

One student detailed how growing up as an American in Germany led to feelings of displacement. Moving to America in high school only exacerbated her feelings of rootlessness. Her transcultural experiences, however, allowed her to relate to other “New Americans,” particularly refugees. Helping a young refugee girl settle into the US eventually helped the writer find home in America as well:

Growing up, I always wanted to eat, play, visit, watch, and be it all: sloppy joes and spaetzle, Beanie Babies and Steiff, Cape Cod and the Baltic Sea, football and fussball, American and German. 

My American parents relocated our young family to Berlin when I was three years old. My exposure to America was limited to holidays spent stateside and awfully dubbed Disney Channel broadcasts. As the few memories I had of living in the US faded, my affinity for Germany grew. I began to identify as “Germerican,” an ideal marriage of the two cultures. As a child, I viewed my biculturalism as a blessing. I possessed a native fluency in “Denglisch” and my family’s Halloween parties were legendary at a time when the holiday was just starting to gain popularity outside of the American Sector. 

Insidiously, the magic I once felt in loving two homes was replaced by a deep­rooted sense of rootlessness. I stopped feeling American when, while discussing World War II with my grandmother, I said “the US won.” She corrected me, insisting I use “we” when referring to the US’s actions. Before then, I hadn’t realized how directly people associated themselves with their countries. I stopped feeling German during the World Cup when my friends labeled me a “bandwagon fan” for rooting for Germany. Until that moment, my cheers had felt sincere. I wasn’t part of the “we” who won World Wars or World Cups. Caught in a twilight of foreign and familiar, I felt emotionally and psychologically disconnected from the two cultures most familiar to me. 

After moving from Berlin to New York state at age fifteen, my feelings of cultural homelessness thrived in my new environment. Looking and sounding American furthered my feelings of dislocation. Border patrol agents, teachers, classmates, neighbors, and relatives all “welcomed me home” to a land they could not understand was foreign to me. Americans confused me as I relied on Urban Dictionary to understand my peers, the Pledge of Allegiance seemed nationalistic, and the only thing familiar about Fahrenheit was the German after whom it was named. Too German for America and too American for Germany, I felt alienated from both. I wanted desperately to be a member of one, if not both, cultures. 

During my first weeks in Buffalo, I spent my free time googling “Berlin Family Seeks Teen” and “New Americans in Buffalo.” The latter search proved most fruitful: I discovered New Hope, a nonprofit that empowers resettled refugees, or “New Americans,” to thrive. I started volunteering with New Hope’s children’s programs, playing with and tutoring young refugees. 

It was there that I met Leila, a twelve-­year-­old Iraqi girl who lived next to Hopeprint. In between games and snacks, Leila would ask me questions about American life, touching on everything from Halloween to President Obama. Gradually, my confidence in my American identity grew as I recognized my ability to answer most of her questions. American culture was no longer completely foreign to me. I found myself especially qualified to work with young refugees; my experience growing up in a country other than that of my parents’ was similar enough to that of the refugee children New Hope served that I could empathize with them and offer advice. Together, we worked through conflicting allegiances, homesickness, and stretched belonging. 

Forging a special, personal bond with young refugees proved a cathartic outlet for my insecurities as it taught me to value my past. My transculturalism allowed me to help young refugees integrate into American life, and, in doing so, I was able to adjust myself. Now, I have an appreciation of myself that I never felt before. “Home” isn’t the digits in a passport or ZIP code but a sense of contentedness. By helping a young refugee find comfort, happiness, and home in America, I was finally able to find those same things for myself.

The above essay was written by Lydia Schooler, a graduate of Yale University and one of our CollegeVine advisors. If you enjoyed this essay and are looking for expert college essay and admissions advice, consider booking a session with Lydia .

Interests – Interest are basically synonymous to activities, but slightly broader (you could say that interests encompass activities); participation in an interest is often less organized than in an activity. For instance, you might consider cross country an activity, but cooking an interest. Writing about an interest is a way to highlight passions that may not come across in the rest of your application. If you’re a wrestler for example, writing about your interest in stand-up comedy would be a refreshing addition to your application. You should also feel free to use this topic to show what an important activity on your application really means to you. Keep in mind, however, that many schools will ask you to describe one of your activities in their supplemental essays (usually about 250 words), so choose strategically—you don’t want to write twice on the same thing.

Read a successful essay answering this prompt.

This prompt lends itself to consideration of what facets of your personality allow you to overcome adversity. While it’s okay to choose a relatively mundane “failure” such as not winning an award at a Model UN conference, another (perhaps more powerful) tactic is to write about a foundational failure and assess its impact on your development thereafter.

There are times in life when your foundation is uprooted. There are times when you experience failure and you want to give up since you don’t see a solution. This essay is about your response when you are destabilized and your actions when you don’t see an immediate answer.

For example, if you lost a friend due to an argument, you can analyze the positions from both sides, evaluate your decisions, and identify why you were wrong. The key is explaining your thought process and growth following the event to highlight how your thinking has changed. Did you ever admit your fault and seek to fix the problem? Have you treated others differently since then? How has the setback changed the way you view arguments and fights now? Framing the prompt in this way allows you to tackle heavier questions about ethics and demonstrate your self-awareness.

If you haven’t experienced a “big” failure, another angle to take would be to discuss smaller, repeated failures that are either linked or similar thematically. For example, if you used to stutter or get nervous in large social groups, you could discuss the steps you took to find a solution. Even if you don’t have a massive foundational challenge to write about, a recurring challenge can translate to a powerful essay topic, especially if the steps you took to overcome this repeated failure help expose your character.

One student described his ignorance of his brother’s challenges — the writer assumed that because his brother Sam was sociable, Sam  was adjusting fine to their family’s move. After an angry outburst from Sam  and a long late-night conversation, the writer realizes his need to develop greater sensitivity and empathy. He now strives to recognize and understand others’ struggles, even if they’re not immediately apparent.

“You ruined my life!” After months of quiet anger, my brother finally confronted me. To my shame, I had been appallingly ignorant of his pain.

Despite being twins, Max and I are profoundly different. Having intellectual interests from a young age that, well, interested very few of my peers, I often felt out of step in comparison with my highly-social brother. Everything appeared to come effortlessly for Max and, while we share an extremely tight bond, his frequent time away with friends left me feeling more and more alone as we grew older.

When my parents learned about The Green Academy, we hoped it would be an opportunity for me to find not only an academically challenging environment, but also – perhaps more importantly – a community. This meant transferring the family from Drumfield to Kingston. And while there was concern about Max, we all believed that given his sociable nature, moving would be far less impactful on him than staying put might be on me.

As it turned out, Green Academy was everything I’d hoped for. I was ecstatic to discover a group of students with whom I shared interests and could truly engage. Preoccupied with new friends and a rigorous course load, I failed to notice that the tables had turned. Max, lost in the fray and grappling with how to make connections in his enormous new high school, had become withdrawn and lonely. It took me until Christmas time – and a massive argument – to recognize how difficult the transition had been for my brother, let alone that he blamed me for it.

Through my own journey of searching for academic peers, in addition to coming out as gay when I was 12, I had developed deep empathy for those who had trouble fitting in. It was a pain I knew well and could easily relate to. Yet after Max’s outburst, my first response was to protest that our parents – not I – had chosen to move us here. In my heart, though, I knew that regardless of who had made the decision, we ended up in Kingston for my benefit. I was ashamed that, while I saw myself as genuinely compassionate, I had been oblivious to the heartache of the person closest to me. I could no longer ignore it – and I didn’t want to.

We stayed up half the night talking, and the conversation took an unexpected turn. Max opened up and shared that it wasn’t just about the move. He told me how challenging school had always been for him, due to his dyslexia, and that the ever-present comparison to me had only deepened his pain.

We had been in parallel battles the whole time and, yet, I only saw that Max was in distress once he experienced problems with which I directly identified. I’d long thought Max had it so easy – all because he had friends. The truth was, he didn’t need to experience my personal brand of sorrow in order for me to relate – he had felt plenty of his own.

My failure to recognize Max’s suffering brought home for me the profound universality and diversity of personal struggle; everyone has insecurities, everyone has woes, and everyone – most certainly – has pain. I am acutely grateful for the conversations he and I shared around all of this, because I believe our relationship has been fundamentally strengthened by a deeper understanding of one another. Further, this experience has reinforced the value of constantly striving for deeper sensitivity to the hidden struggles of those around me. I won’t make the mistake again of assuming that the surface of someone’s life reflects their underlying story.

This prompt is difficult to answer because most high schoolers haven’t participated in the types of iconoclastic protests against societal ills that lend themselves to an awe-inspiring response. A more tenable alternative here could be to discuss a time that you went against social norms, whether it was by becoming friends with someone who seemed like an outcast or by proudly showing off a geeky passion.

And if you ever participated in a situation in tandem with adults and found some success (i.e., by blogging, starting a tutoring organization, or participating in political campaigns), you could discuss your experiences as a young person without a college degree in professional circles. However, avoid sounding morally superior (as if you’re the only person who went against this convention, or that you’re better than your peers for doing so).

Another way to answer this prompt is to discuss a time when you noticed a need for change. For example, if you wondered why medical records are often handwritten, or why a doctor’s visit can be long and awkward, maybe you challenged the norm in healthcare by brainstorming an electronic-recording smartphone app or a telemedicine system. In a similar way, if you led a fundraiser and recognized that advertising on social media would be more effective than the traditional use of printed flyers, you could write about a topic along those lines as well. Focus on what action or experience caused you to recognize the need for change and follow with your actions and resulting outcome.

As a whole, this prompt lends itself to reflective writing, and more specifically, talking the reader through your thought processes. In many cases, the exploration of your thought processes and decision-making is more important than the actual outcome or concept in question. In short, this essay is very much about “thinking,” rumination, and inquisition. A good brainstorming exercise for this prompt would be to write your problem on a sheet of paper and then develop various solutions to the problem, including a brief reason for justification. The more thorough you are in justifying and explaining your solutions in the essay, the more compelling your response will be.

While this prompt may seem to be asking a simple question, your answer has the potential to provide deep insights about who you are to the admissions committee. Explaining what you are grateful for can show them your culture, your community, your philosophical outlook on the world, and what makes you tick. 

The first step to writing this essay is to think about the “something” and “someone” of your story. It is imperative to talk about a unique moment in your life, as the prompt asks for gratitude that came about in a surprising way. You will want to write about a story that you are certain no one else would have. To brainstorm, ask yourself: “if I told a stranger that I was grateful for what happened to me without any context, would they be surprised?” 

Note that the most common answers to this prompt involve a family member, teacher, or sports coach giving the narrator an arduous task ─ which, by the end of the story, the narrator becomes grateful for because of the lessons they learned through their hard work. Try to avoid writing an essay along these lines unless you feel that your take on it will be truly original.

Begin your essay by telling a creative story about the “something” that your “someone” did that made you thankful. Paint a picture with words here ─ establish who you were in the context of your story and make the character development of your “someone” thorough. Show the admissions committee that you have a clear understanding of yourself and the details of your world. 

Keep in mind, however, that the essay is ultimately about you and your growth. While you should set the scene clearly, don’t spend too much time talking about the “something” and “someone.”

Your story should then transition into a part about your unexpected epiphany, e.g. “Six months after Leonard gave me that pogo stick, I started to be grateful for the silly thing…” Explain the why of your gratitude as thoroughly as you can before you begin to talk about how your gratitude affected or motivated you. Have a Socratic seminar with yourself in your head ─ ask yourself, “why am I grateful for the pogo stick?” and continue asking why until you arrive at a philosophical conclusion. Perhaps your reason could be that you eventually got used to the odd looks that people gave you as you were pogoing and gained more self-confidence. 

Finally, think about how learning to be grateful for something you would not expect to bring you joy and thankfulness has had a positive impact on your life. Gaining more self-confidence, for example, could motivate you to do an infinite number of things that you were not able to attempt in the past. Try to make a conclusion by connecting this part to your story from the beginning of the essay. You want to ultimately show that had [reference to a snippet of your introduction, ideally an absurd part] never have happened, you would not be who you are today.

Remember to express these lessons implicitly through the experiences in your essay, and not explicitly. Show us your growth through the changes in your life rather than simply stating that you gained confidence. For instance, maybe the pogo stick gift led you to start a pogo dance team at your school, and the team went on to perform at large venues to raise money for charity. But before your pogo days, you had crippling stage fright and hated even giving speeches in your English class. These are the kinds of details that make your essay more engaging. 

This prompt is expansive in that you can choose any accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked personal growth or new understanding.

One option is to discuss a formal accomplishment or event (whether it is a religious ritual or social rite of passage) that reflects personal growth. If you go this route, make sure to discuss why the ritual was meaningful and how specific aspects of said ritual contributed to your personal growth. An example of this could be the meaning of becoming an Eagle Scout to you, the accomplishment of being elected to Senior Leadership, or completing a Confirmation. In the case of religious topics, however, be sure to not get carried away with details, and focus on the nature of your personal growth and new understanding — know your audience.

Alternatively, a more relaxed way to address this prompt is using an informal event or realization, which would allow you to show more personality and creativity. An example of this could be learning how to bake with your mother, thus sparking a newfound connection with her, allowing you to learn about her past. Having a long discussion about life or philosophy with your father could also suffice, thus sparking more thoughts about your identity. You could write about a realization that caused you to join a new organization or quit an activity you did not think you would enjoy, as doing so would force you to grow out of your comfort zone to try new things.

The key to answering this prompt is clearly defining what it is that sparked your growth, and then describing in detail the nature of this growth and how it related to your perception of yourself and others. This part of the essay is crucial, as you must dedicate sufficient time to not undersell the description of how you grew instead of simply explaining the experience and then saying, “I grew.” This description of how you grew must be specific, in-depth, and it does not have to be simple. Your growth can also be left open-ended if you are still learning from your experiences today.

One student wrote about how her single mother’s health crisis prompted her to quickly assume greater responsibility as a fourteen-year-old. This essay describes the new tasks she undertook, as well as how the writer now more greatly cherishes her time with her mother.

Tears streamed down my face and my mind was paralyzed with fear. Sirens blared, but the silent panic in my own head was deafening. I was muted by shock. A few hours earlier, I had anticipated a vacation in Washington, D.C., but unexpectedly, I was rushing to the hospital behind an ambulance carrying my mother. As a fourteen-year-old from a single mother household, without a driver’s license, and seven hours from home, I was distraught over the prospect of losing the only parent I had. My fear turned into action as I made some of the bravest decisions of my life. 

Three blood transfusions later, my mother’s condition was stable, but we were still states away from home, so I coordinated with my mother’s doctors in North Carolina to schedule the emergency operation that would save her life. Throughout her surgery, I anxiously awaited any word from her surgeon, but each time I asked, I was told that there had been another complication or delay. Relying on my faith and positive attitude, I remained optimistic that my mother would survive and that I could embrace new responsibilities.

My mother had been a source of strength for me, and now I would be strong for her through her long recovery ahead. As I started high school, everyone thought the crisis was over, but it had really just started to impact my life. My mother was often fatigued, so I assumed more responsibility, juggling family duties, school, athletics, and work. I made countless trips to the neighborhood pharmacy, cooked dinner, biked to the grocery store, supported my concerned sister, and provided the loving care my mother needed to recover. I didn’t know I was capable of such maturity and resourcefulness until it was called upon. Each day was a stage in my gradual transformation from dependence to relative independence.

Throughout my mother’s health crisis, I matured by learning to put others’ needs before my own. As I worried about my mother’s health, I took nothing for granted, cherished what I had, and used my daily activities as motivation to move forward. I now take ownership over small decisions such as scheduling daily appointments and managing my time but also over major decisions involving my future, including the college admissions process. Although I have become more independent, my mother and I are inseparably close, and the realization that I almost lost her affects me daily. Each morning, I wake up ten minutes early simply to eat breakfast with my mother and spend time with her before our busy days begin. I am aware of how quickly life can change. My mother remains a guiding force in my life, but the feeling of empowerment I discovered within myself is the ultimate form of my independence. Though I thought the summer before my freshman year would be a transition from middle school to high school, it was a transformation from childhood to adulthood.

This prompt allows you to expand and deepen a seemingly small or simple idea, topic, or concept. One example could be “stars,” in that you could describe stargazing as a child, counting them, recognizing constellations, and then transforming that initial captivation into a deeper appreciation of the cosmos as a whole, spurring a love of astronomy and physics.

Another example could be “language,” discussing how it has evolved and changed over the course of history, how it allows you to look deeper into different cultures, and how learning different languages stretches the mind. A tip for expanding on these topics and achieving specificity is to select particular details of the topic that you find intriguing and explain why.

For example, if you’re passionate about cooking or baking, you could use specific details by explaining, in depth, the intricate attention and artistry necessary to make a dish or dessert. You can delve into why certain spices or garnishes are superior in different situations, how flavors blend well together and can be mixed creatively, or even the chemistry differences between steaming, searing, and grilling.

Regardless of your topic, this prompt provides a great opportunity to display writing prowess through elegant, specific descriptions that leverage sensory details. Describing the beauty of the night sky, the rhythms and sounds of different languages, or the scent of a crème brûlée shows passion and captivation in a very direct, evocative way.

The key to writing this essay is answering the question of why something captivates you instead of simply ending with “I love surfing.” A tip would be to play off your senses (for applicable topics), think about what you see, feel, smell, hear, and taste.

In the case of surfing, the salty water, weightlessness of bobbing over the waves, and fresh air could cater to senses. Alternatively, for less physical topics, you can use a train of thought and descriptions to show how deeply and vividly your mind dwells on the topic.

Well-executed trains of thought or similar tactics are successful ways to convey passion for a certain topic. To answer what or who you turn to when you want to learn more, you can be authentic and honest—if it’s Wikipedia, a teacher, friend, YouTube Channel, etc., you simply have to show how you interact with the medium.

When brainstorming this particular essay, a tip would be to use a web diagram, placing the topic in the middle and thinking about branching characteristics, themes, or concepts related to the topic that are directly engaging and captivating to you. In doing so, you’ll be able to gauge the depth of the topic and whether it will suffice for this prompt.

In the following example, a student shares their journey as they learn to appreciate a piece of their culture’s cuisine.

As a wide-eyed, naive seven-year-old, I watched my grandmother’s rough, wrinkled hands pull and knead mercilessly at white dough until the countertop was dusted in flour. She steamed small buns in bamboo baskets, and a light sweetness lingered in the air. Although the mantou looked delicious, their papery, flat taste was always an unpleasant surprise. My grandmother scolded me for failing to finish even one, and when I complained about the lack of flavor she would simply say that I would find it as I grew older. How did my adult relatives seem to enjoy this Taiwanese culinary delight while I found it so plain?

During my journey to discover the essence of mantou, I began to see myself the same way I saw the steamed bun. I believed that my writing would never evolve beyond a hobby and that my quiet nature crippled my ambitions. Ultimately, I thought I had little to offer the world. In middle school, it was easy for me to hide behind the large personalities of my friends, blending into the background and keeping my thoughts company. Although writing had become my emotional outlet, no matter how well I wrote essays, poetry, or fiction, I could not stand out in a sea of talented students. When I finally gained the confidence to submit my poetry to literary journals but was promptly rejected, I stepped back from my work to begin reading from Whitman to Dickinson, Li-Young Lee to Ocean Vuong. It was then that I realized I had been holding back a crucial ingredient–my distinct voice. 

Over time, my taste buds began to mature, as did I. Mantou can be flavored with pork and eggplant, sweetened in condensed milk, and moistened or dried by the steam’s temperature. After I ate the mantou with each of these factors in mind, I noticed its environment enhanced a delicately woven strand of sweetness beneath the taste of side dishes: the sugar I had often watched my grandmother sift into the flour. The taste was nearly untraceable, but once I grasped it I could truly begin to cherish mantou. In the same way the taste had been lost to me for years, my writer’s voice had struggled to shine through because of my self-doubt and fear of vulnerability.

As I acquired a taste for mantou, I also began to strengthen my voice through my surrounding environment. With the support of my parents, peer poets, and the guidance of Amy Tan and the Brontё sisters, I worked tirelessly to uncover my voice: a subtle strand of sweetness. Once I stopped trying to fit into a publishing material mold and infused my uninhibited passion for my Taiwanese heritage into my writing, my poem was published in a literary journal. I wrote about the blatant racism Asians endured during coronavirus, and the editor of Skipping Stones Magazine was touched by both my poem and my heartfelt letter. I opened up about being ridiculed for bringing Asian food to school at Youth Leadership Forum, providing support to younger Asian-American students who reached out with the relief of finding someone they could relate to. I embraced writing as a way to convey my struggle with cultural identity. I joined the school’s creative writing club and read my pieces in front of an audience, honing my voice into one that flourishes out loud as well.

Now, I write and speak unapologetically, falling in love with a voice that I never knew I had. It inspires passion within my communities and imparts tenacity to Asian-American youth, rooting itself deeply into everything I write. Today, my grandmother would say that I have finally unearthed the taste of mantou as I savor every bite with a newfound appreciation. I can imagine her hands shaping the dough that has become my voice, and I am eager to share it with the world.

Your GPA and SAT don’t tell the full admissions story

We’ll let you know what your chances are at your dream schools!

This prompt allows you to express what you want to express if it doesn’t align directly with the other prompts. While this prompt is very open-ended, it doesn’t mean you can adapt any essay you’ve written and think it will suffice. Always refer back to the Strategy section of this article and make sure the topic and essay of your choice addresses the Core Four questions necessary for a good Common App essay.

This prompt, more than the others, poses a high risk but also a high-potential reward. Writing your own question allows you to demonstrate individuality and confidence. Here, you can craft an innovative essay that tackles a difficult topic (for example, whether to raise or lower taxes) or presents information with a unique format (such as a conversation with an historical figure).

We encourage you to try something unconventional for this prompt, like comparing your personality to a Picasso painting, using an extended philosophical metaphor to describe your four years of high school, or writing in a poetic style to display your love of poetry. If you are extremely passionate about a topic or an expert in a certain area, for example Renaissance technology or journalism during World War II, you can use this prompt to show your authority on a subject by discussing it at a high level.

Be careful to frame the essay in a way that is accessible to the average reader while still incorporating quality evidence and content that would qualify you as an expert. As always, exercise caution in writing about controversial social or political topics, and always make sure to consider your audience and what they’re looking for in a student.

Sometimes an unconventional essay can capture Admissions Officers’ attention and move them in a profound way; other times, the concept can fly completely over their heads. Be sure to execute the essay clearly and justify your decision by seeking high-quality feedback from reliable sources. As always, the essay should demonstrate something meaningful about you, whether it is your personality, thought process, or values.

Here’s what the experts have to say about this prompt…

This prompt, like the others, is really asking you to tell the story of who you are. Your essay should be personal and should talk about something significant that has shaped your identity.

Here are a few broad themes that can work well: academic interest; culture, values, and diversity; extracurricular interests; and your impact on the community. You should highlight one of these themes using creative, vividly descriptive narrative. Make sure to not fall into the common pitfall of talking about something else -- an extracurricular activity, for example -- more than yourself.

A student I advised had a great idea to respond to this prompt -- an essay about how they do their best thinking while sitting on a tree branch near their home. Not only was it unique and personal, but it allowed the student to show what they think about, dream about, and value. That's the main goal for any applicant responding to prompt 7.

Alex Oddo Advisor on CollegeVine

All of the Common App prompts are broad in scope, but this one really takes the cake! I typically advise using the first six prompts as guardrails for your brainstorm, but in doing so, you may come up with a topic that doesn’t cleanly fit with any of the first six prompts. That’s where this prompt can come in handy.

Or, you might have an idea that’s really out there (like writing about your love of sonnets as a series of sonnets). Essentially, this prompt is a good fit for essays that are anywhere from slightly unconventional to extremely atypical.

If this all feels a bit confusing - don’t worry! How you write your story is much more important than what prompt you end up choosing. At the end of the day, these are just guides to help you cultivate a topic and are not meant to stress you out.

Priya Desai Advisor on CollegeVine

Students who want to complete the CommonApp’s seventh prompt need to have already gone through the other prompts and determined that their story cannot fit with those. Thus, generally speaking, I advise my students to not use the final prompt unless it is absolutely necessary.

If an admission officer believes that your essay could have been used with one of the other prompts, this may lead them to have a perception about you as a student that might not be accurate.

Nevertheless, as my colleagues have pointed out, what matters is the essay the most and not necessarily the prompt. That being said, the test of whether or not you as a student can follow directions is part of the prompt selection and how well you answer it. If you choose the final prompt and yet your answer could work with another available prompt, this will not put you in your best light.

In conclusion, only use this prompt when absolutely necessary, and remember that the purpose of the personal statement is to give the admissions officers a glimpse into who you are as a person, so you want to use this space to showcase beautiful you.

Veronica Prout Advisor on CollegeVine

Where to get your common app essay edited.

At selective schools, your essays account for around 25% of your admissions decision. That’s more than grades (20%) and test scores (15%), and almost as much as extracurriculars (30%). Why is this? Most students applying to top schools will have stellar academics and extracurriculars. Your essays are your chance to stand out and humanize your application. That’s why it’s vital that your essays are engaging, and present you as someone who would enrich the campus community.

Before submitting your application, you should have someone else review your essays. That’s why we created our free  Peer Essay Review tool , where you can get a free review of your essay from another student. You can also improve your own writing skills by reviewing other students’ essays. 

If you want a college admissions expert to review your essay, advisors on CollegeVine have helped students refine their writing and submit successful applications to top schools.  Find the right advisor for you  to improve your chances of getting into your dream school!

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Describe a Job [IELTS Cue Card]

Posted by David S. Wills | Sep 6, 2021 | IELTS Tips , Speaking | 2

In part two of the IELTS speaking test, you may be asked to describe a wide range of things: a tradition , an indoor game , your hometown , an historic place , a large company , a mistake you have made , and much more. It is hard to predict those questions, but you can look at ideas (or topics) that frequently occur. One such issue is employment, and thus when it comes to IELTS speaking cue cards, it is reasonable to expect to be asked to describe a job .

In this lesson, I’m going to show you how to describe a job you would like to have . We will explore the cue card and its meaning, some useful language, and then I will show you my sample answer.

The Cue Card: Describe a Job

First of all, it is important to note that for IELTS you cannot just predict the cue card you will be given, so we should look at common ideas and just practise with them. Thus, there could be many different cue cards that ask you to “describe a job.” For example, it could say describe a job…

• you have done in the past
• that makes the world a better place
• that is considered important in your country
• you would not like to do

In other words, you basically could be asked to describe a job possessing any sort of characteristic. However, I think the most common and reasonable cue card is the one asking you to look into your own future and decide on a job you would like to do.

For example:

Describe a job you would like to have. You should say: – what it is – why you would like to have this job – what skills you will need to do this job and explain why you want to have this job.

For this cue card, we would need to think of a job, then describe it, saying why we would want to do it and what skills it would involve. Keep in mind that you don’t really have to talk about all of the bullet points, but it is a good idea to do so. Also, you don’t have to be completely honest! Just picking a job that is easy to do might be a good idea. 😉

Choosing the Right Language

When it comes to giving a good answer in IELTS speaking part 2, you should use language that is accurate rather than trying to show off to the examiner. It does help, however, to know some topic-specific vocabulary, so make sure you are familiar with common IELTS topics.

In this case, the vocabulary that you use could be related to the broad topic of employment or it could be related to the more specific topic of your chosen job. For example, if you want to be a teacher, you would need some education vocabulary. If you want to work in healthcare, you would need words related to that. The same is true of cooking and almost anything else.

Let’s look then at some vocabulary about employment because that can really help us to describe a job.

The above words could all be useful, but you should try to learn more by reading news articles and other stories about employment, then picking up the words from context. You should also read about the jobs you would like to do and make note of specific vocabulary for describing these.

There’s more work vocabulary in this video:

Sample Band 9 Answer

When I was younger, I dreamed of working in conservation. I know that may sound like an odd thing, but I was obsessed with the natural world at that time and I really just wanted to live my life outdoors in a place where I could see and help lots of animals. I still think about it sometimes and it would be wonderful if I could find a position someday in the future where I could do something like this.

Typically, jobs in conservation range from the basic level at which people may be paid to plant trees, clean up rubbish, or record data to the more advanced levels at which there is real scientific work done. However, there are many other possibilities as it is a large field. I would be happy doing almost anything, but I don’t quite have the qualifications for a scientific post, unfortunately, so I would probably settle for something manual that lets me work outside.

This sort of job could entail tagging animals, mapping forests, cleaning up beaches, or marking trails. I would be happy to do any of those things and to learn whatever skills are necessary. I fully expect that it will involve a period of training and that I would effectively be an intern or apprentice for a while, but that is ok. I think it is important to have the humbling experience of being a beginner at something and learning from scratch.

As such, there are no skills really necessary except a drive to make the world a better place and a willingness to learn. These are things I possess because conservation is my passion and the world desperately needs passionate people right now.

Notes on the Answer

Here are some good phrases that I used:

• dreamed of working in ___
• find a position
• jobs in ____
• have the qualifications to ___
• settle for (something)
• This sort of job could entail ___
• it will involve a period of training
• learning from scratch
• a willingness to learn

You will also note that I started naturally (with a story from my past) and finished naturally by bringing it to a conclusion. These were both tips I recommended in this recent IELTS video lesson:

About The Author

David S. Wills

David S. Wills is the author of Scientologist! William S. Burroughs and the 'Weird Cult' and the founder/editor of Beatdom literary journal. He lives and works in rural Cambodia and loves to travel. He has worked as an IELTS tutor since 2010, has completed both TEFL and CELTA courses, and has a certificate from Cambridge for Teaching Writing. David has worked in many different countries, and for several years designed a writing course for the University of Worcester. In 2018, he wrote the popular IELTS handbook, Grammar for IELTS Writing and he has since written two other books about IELTS. His other IELTS website is called IELTS Teaching.

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Great resources! I’m wondering if you know that the Speaking archives are not accessible. When I click to go to the next page it stays on the same first page: https://ted-ielts.com/category/ielts-tips/speaking/#

That’s strange. It’s working perfectly for me. This problem was reported a few times last year and I had it fixed, so I’m not sure how it managed to re-occur… Well, I will try to look into it again. Thanks for letting me know.

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Should We Tell Our Tween Daughter That Her Father Had a Nose Job?

When a couple’s 12-year-old starts to point out that no one else in the family seems to have a nose like hers, they can’t agree whether to tell her why.

By Philip Galanes

My husband and I grew up in the 1980s, when getting a nose job was not uncommon in our social circles. My husband had one. Our daughter is 12, and she has her father’s original nose. Lately, she’s told us that she doesn’t love her nose and that it’s unlike anyone else’s in the family. My husband wants to tell her about his surgery — with the proviso that he would make a different choice today. But I think he should keep it to himself. I don’t see how sharing this information would help our daughter, and it may harm her. Still, I know this is my husband’s story to tell. Thoughts?

You and your husband are the best arbiters of what to tell your daughter — and when she is ready to hear it. From your letter, though, it’s clear that while your daughter may be a child, she is no fool: She has already figured out that something is going on with noses in your family.

In my experience, the truth comes out eventually: She may discover an old photograph of your husband, or his parents may let it slip. And now that she has raised the issue obliquely, she should probably hear the story from her father. Any other approach risks making her feel that you’ve been dishonest with her when she learns the truth. You don’t have to tell her tomorrow, but plan to tell her soon.

And when you do, try to avoid being judgmental about cosmetic surgery. You and your daughter may have rich and productive conversations for years about nose jobs and, more important, the insecurity that she may feel about her looks. Nothing good will come from shutting down those talks by taking hard-line positions. Try to stay open to your daughter’s feelings. (And remember: She is still several years away from being medically eligible for rhinoplasty — if that’s even where she tries to take the discussion.)

Once a Month, Bracing for a Gross Get-Together

My partner has 12 siblings and complicated family dynamics. When we visit once a month, we stay with one particular brother “to keep the peace,” as my partner puts it. Unfortunately, his brother’s house is filthy: rotting food, unwashed dishes, years of dust, hair and dirt in the bathroom. I can hardly bring myself to touch anything. The family lives in a rural area; the nearest hotel is 30 miles away. My partner and I have had several arguments about staying there, but we haven’t gotten anywhere. He has no problem staying, and he gets upset when I object. I want to attend family events. Do I have to buy a camper van to sleep in?

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Describe a perfect job you would like to have in the future

IELTS SPEAKING CUE CARD

IELTS CUE CARD

Describe a perfect job you would like to have in the future.

You should say What it is? How you knew it? What it is like? And explain why you think it is perfect?

Sample Answer

Introduction

• Being an altruistic person, I gain pleasure by helping others
• Therefore I firmly believe in getting a job which could give me a chance to help others.

What it is?

• I have immense interest in working as a teacher.
• The subject I would teach is physical education.

How did you know it?

• I have grown as a person under the aegis of teachers who taught me.
• Therefore, I would like to follow in their footsteps to become an educator.

And explain why you think it is perfect?

• As a teacher, you think you contribute to the welfare of society.
• Because as an educator, your central focus is on the overall development of the students.
• By showing the right path to the students, the teachers shape the career of the students.
• Under the aegis of a good teacher, students climb the ladder of success and move their life towards an impressive growth trajectory .
• Another prominent reason behind choosing it as a perfect job is that through this career I would be able to enhance my knowledge
• A teacher gains mastery of a particular subject by imparting quality education to students.
• So teaching serves a dual purpose, it leads to the holistic development of both students and their teachers.
• Moreover, my immense knowledge of physical education field would help me to write a success story.
• I have gained tremendous information regarding physical education from divergent sources.
• By working as a physical education teacher, I will have a reliable platform to showcase my knowledge.
• Therefore I firmly believe that the job of a teacher is a perfect job for me.

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ALS has killed multiple people in my family. Now the disease is coming for me

I was diagnosed with familial ALS in 2022, and while my body is deteriorating, I’m hopeful the future will be different for my children.

For better or worse, I don’t remember a single thing about my mother or her battle with ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. She was diagnosed at age 29, when I was 2 years old, and my sister, Michelle, was 6 years old.

She died one year after her diagnosis. 

My grandmother, mother and two uncles also died from ALS , which runs in my family. 

I was diagnosed with familial ALS on March 1, 2022. It was devastating, but not surprising. I’d lived my entire life worried about the disease. That day, my worst nightmare became my reality. I had never done genetic testing for ALS because I knew that if I was positive, my anxiety would be crippling, and there was no intervention that could help me anyway — or so I thought. Thank goodness, after my diagnosis, my neurologist at Rutgers took swift action and referred me to Columbia University’s Eleanor and Lou Gehrig ALS Center, where a new treatment called tofersen was available for my very unique genotype, SOD1. 

Only about 5-10% of ALS cases are familial, meaning that two or more people in the family have ALS, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention . SOD1 accounts for about 3% of total ALS cases (20% of familial ALS and 2-7% of sporadic ALS), according to research .  Parents with a genetic mutation causing ALS have a 50% chance of passing that mutation on to their children. 

Considering no one in my family lived beyond one year after being diagnosed, I am so grateful to be alive. Though my treatment is new, it brings me hope, and has slowed my progression significantly.

This disease is devastating in every way. My first symptom was weakness in my right arm, and for a solid year, I was able to keep my diagnosis private and make adjustments to cope. Today, both of my arms are so weak I can’t raise them at all. I do have mobility in my hands, so I’m able to type. My speech and ability to swallow have been severely diminished. I get all my nutrition via a feeding tube, and I mostly use an app on my iPad and phone to communicate. At night I use a bilevel positive airway pressure (BiPAP) machine to help me breathe and rest my respiratory muscles. Luckily, my legs so far have been unaffected, and I often participate in walks to raise money for ALS research.  

People with familial ALS typically live only one to two years after symptoms begin, the CDC reports . Considering no one in my family lived beyond one year after being diagnosed, I am so grateful to be alive 2 ½ years after my diagnosis. Though my treatment is new, it brings me hope. It’s not a cure, but it has slowed my progression significantly. 

My older sister did genetic testing for ALS shortly after I was diagnosed, and thank God she is negative. I have two sons, Henry, 19, and Charlie, 21, both in college. My younger son is positive for the same gene, which means there’s a chance he, too, will eventually have ALS , but right now he is not symptomatic. My oldest is in the process of being tested. It is so important that my kids get tested as there is a possibility that they too could receive tofersen, now FDA-approved as Qalsody , and prevent the disease from expressing symptoms. 

I work hard at staying in the moment and taking each day as it comes. It’s not easy. The unknown is so challenging. This medicine is brand-new so no one really knows what will happen. I’m a planner and like to be prepared for changes to come, but at the same time, I’m trying to stay in the moment and not think too far ahead — it’s a challenge I struggle with daily.  

The love and support my family and friends have shown me has been overwhelming. I wish everyone had the opportunity to experience this when they are healthy.

Before my diagnosis, I worked as a NICU nurse at Morristown Medical Center in New Jersey. I enjoyed running, Pilates, golf and skiing. I loved to travel and enjoy time with friends and family. Now, a typical day for me starts with my husband of 24 years, Andrew, preparing my medications and breakfast and administering it via my feeding tube. After that, he helps me shower and get dressed. He also does my hair and makeup. He prepares my lunch and then heads to work. I usually spend the morning watching TODAY and catching up on social media and email. Around noon a volunteer (often a teammate from my old women’s hockey team) comes to visit and give me lunch. The afternoons can feel long. I try to turn off the television and read or ride the Peloton. My husband gets home around five. He cooks for himself and the kids (they’re home from college right now) and prepares my dinner. We watch some TV and catch up. Then he gives me my evening meds and gets me ready for bed — helping me into my PJs, getting me settled comfortably and putting on my BiPAP mask. We try to stick to a routine so it doesn’t get too overwhelming. 

The love and support my family and friends have shown me has been overwhelming. I wish everyone had the opportunity to experience this when they are healthy. 

One example: I learned to play hockey as an adult with some women I met through my kids’ hockey team. We had a great time learning together. I stopped playing before my diagnosis, but my teammates didn’t forget me. When they heard what had happened, they took it upon themselves to learn how to administer a feeding through my feeding tube, and someone from the team often comes by to give me lunch, so my husband doesn’t have to leave work. Other friends have also joined in to help. 

I’ve received love and support from childhood friends, high school friends, work colleagues, neighbors and even strangers. The wider ALS community has also been amazing. Connecting with others who have the disease through social media, fundraising, advocacy and support groups has helped me feel less alone. ALS United Greater New York , I Am ALS, the ALS Therapy Development Institute, Team Gleason, the Healey Center for ALS at Massachusetts General Hospital and Synapticure have been supportive in so many ways. My friends and family recently got together to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the ice bucket challenge , which first went viral in August 2014. I don’t think it’s a stretch to say I would not be here if it weren’t for the original ice bucket challenge, since the money the challenge raised helped fund the development of the drug I take.

People with ALS tend to hide or fade away because of the devastating physical changes, but our minds are still sharp. I want people to know that this disease — even if it’s not familial ALS — impacts the entire family. We all need support. There might not be a cure for ALS right now, but that doesn’t mean it’s incurable. The past two years alone have brought incredible advancements in ALS research , expanded access to care for people living with ALS, and enabled legislation that impacts the quality of life of people with ALS and their families. I know even more is possible. This disease might be coming for me, but I’m hopeful that the future will be different for my children. It’s time to end this terrible legacy and tell a new family story.

Melanie Craig is a mom and ALS patient in New Jersey. 

Describe a perfect job you would like to have in the future

You should say:

What is it?

Why do you like it, and explain why you think it is perfect.

Well, everybody wants to do a job in which he or she feels satisfaction

similarly, I think the job of a teacher is ideal for me as I get a chance to serve the community . I consider this job is ideal because it’s a learning process. Apart from teaching to students, the teacher also gets to know a lot of things. Until the age of retirement, the teacher is able to learn an everyday new lesson from the students . Apart from it, teachers are always well respected in society. Moreover, the future of the children is in the hands of a teacher.

So a teacher due to his teaching skills can mold the students in any shape. All the great doctors, scientists , and engineers are the product of a teacher. I feel this job contended because while doing this job I can make a balance between my personal as well as professional life. It has convenient opening as well as closing hours as is always said rest is rust so teachers remain in the process of learning something new. They never stop learning.

I think they are more energetic and are able to adapt according to the circumstances. They can shape the society, whenever there is any need to bringing changes then teachers contribute a lot by his or her teaching. So I  find my nitch in the teaching profession. So this is the reason I love this profession and I would like to be a teacher in the future.

Follow-Ups Describe a perfect job you would like to have in the future

• Do you think you want to take up this job?

1.Definitely I want to take up this job as I already mentioned that I feel more contented in this job because in this job I get a chance to explore things more clearly and on top of that I  will be able to serve the community.

• Which occupation should be given better pay?

2. I think the teaching profession should be given more pay as it’s a mother of all other professions . if today’s children become engineers, scientists, doctors then the whole credit goes to the teachers. A teacher burns itself to illuminate students so I think teachers must be paid more than others.

• Is being rich a good thing?

3. As for the people who are poor they consider being rich is beneficial for them as they can lead a prosperous life. They can attain modern facilities but for the people who need satisfaction in life, they don’t bother about wealth. They find pleasure with their family and with the friends. So I think it varies from person to person.

• Do you think people should save for the future?

4. Definitely people must save for their rainy days. If they don’t save then they can face more hurdles in their life. Sometimes they have to live at the mercy of others so they must cut their coat according to their cloth.

• What makes a person choose a job apart from the pay it offers?
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1 thought on “describe a perfect job you would like to have in the future”.

Your q cards r amazing well explained nd enough content to score high bands

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Fully explain your ideas

To get an excellent score in the IELTS Task 2 writing section, one of the easiest and most effective tips is structuring your writing in the most solid format. A great argument essay structure may be divided to four paragraphs, in which comprises of four sentences (excluding the conclusion paragraph, which comprises of three sentences).

For we to consider an essay structure a great one, it should be looking like this:

• Paragraph 1 - Introduction
• Sentence 1 - Background statement
• Sentence 2 - Detailed background statement
• Sentence 3 - Thesis
• Sentence 4 - Outline sentence
• Paragraph 2 - First supporting paragraph
• Sentence 1 - Topic sentence
• Sentence 2 - Example
• Sentence 3 - Discussion
• Sentence 4 - Conclusion
• Paragraph 3 - Second supporting paragraph
• Paragraph 4 - Conclusion
• Sentence 1 - Summary
• Sentence 2 - Restatement of thesis
• Sentence 3 - Prediction or recommendation

Our recommended essay structure above comprises of fifteen (15) sentences, which will make your essay approximately 250 to 275 words.

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Developing the economy will always damage the environment. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

Some people believe that professionals, such as doctors and engineers, should be required to work in the country where they did their training. others believe they should be free to work in another country if they wish. discuss both these views and give your own opinion. give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience., in order to change their appearance people often turn to plastic surgery. what are the advantages and disadvantages of such an approach , some people think that the main purpose of schools is to turn children into good citizens and workers, rather to benefit them as individuals. to what extent do you agree or disagree, there is a general increase in anti-social behaviours and lack of respect for others. what are the causes and solutions uncontrolable content..

The Job i Like to do

How it works

Dream Job At this point in time, I find the world of sustainability overwhelming. There are some many possibilities in so many fields of study and application. Every time I research sustainable practices I gain more knowledge that can be applied in so many facets. So, I not sure currently what my dream-job is the field of sustainability. I know that I want to be an advocate for a sustainable world and I like the idea of promoting green communities. I like the idea of “farm to table” services and sustainable forms of food production.

But I also, like the idea of natural methods of remediating water and soil resources. 

Many of the interests in the sustainable field that I listed, I do not currently have the skill-set to apply. To complete the homework assignment, I did choose an interest that fits the skill-set that I currently possess and applies the theories of sustainability in an educational sense. ~ ~ ~ Nature-based learning is not just about teaching future generations to be good stewards of the earth. It is about the development of the whole child through the interconnections of their earthly origins. The methodologies of nature-based learning are about the total emersion of academic development and human development. It is a venue in which all learning styles are addressed, and the 5-senses are actively engaged. The nature-based curriculum provides a cornucopia of learning pathways where in which a child becomes a full participant in their own educational process and are confidently able to own their own deductions. 

The outdoor classroom engages the mind, body and soul. Children are given the freedom to use the boundless discoveries in an outdoor environment to develop their imagination, ability to self-express, gross and fine motor skills, critical thinking, social interaction and other learning developmental mile-stones. Nature-based learning is not only an application for holistic learning for the learner it is also, a vehicle for preparation for living in a sustainable world. This current generation is on the cusp of a future in which sustainable practices will be a normal application in every aspect of life. Through nature-based learning, children will be able to make direct physical connections with the elements that make up natural and man-made resources that are used daily. Children will also develop a greater understanding of the interconnections and impacts that human populations have on the earth’s ecological processes. The oracle of this holistic approach to learning is the nature-based educator. The Nature-Based Educator is responsible for building curriculum that meets academic requirements for each developmental level; however, they must also go beyond the standard application and presentation. 

Nature based curriculum walks a delicate balance between allowing a child the freedom to discover their own understanding and careful, constructive guidance from the educator. The nature-based educator must be willing spend most of their teaching time outdoors. They must be adaptive in creatively intertwining standard teaching curriculum with the overriding theme of outdoor education and hands-on learning. Curriculum Development and preparation for nature-based is more intense then the standard classroom curriculum. This is based on the fact that the nature-based educator will be working in an environment with unpredictable variables. The classroom is the great-outdoors, with no walls for spatial boundaries. The nature-based educator will need to build a curriculum that utilizes what nature has to offer on any given day. Safety and protocols must also be built into each activity. Again, safety is another facet in which nature-based education walks a fine-line. The overriding philosophy of the outdoor classroom is to give children the freedom to explore. This means, climbing trees, rolling logs, playing in a stream, building forts and so on – all of which are considered potential hazards in a standard classroom setting. 

A nature-based educator must be willing to embrace the elements of the great out-doors and be willing to turn any unpredictable natural phenomena into a learning opportunity. It is with great enthusiasm that I submit my application for the position of Senior Nature-Based Curriculum Developer. I have extensive experience in science, nature and recreational education program/curriculum development, presentation and training. My past job experiences have given me a wide variety of program development and facilitation in the classroom, outdoor nature education, and recreational environments. I have worked with all age levels including infants to seniors. I also, have significant experience in customer relations and recreation/park operations. 

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Describe a job you would like to have, describe an interesting job you would like to have..

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IELTS Speaking Cue Card

Describe a perfect job you would like to have in the future

What it is?

How you knew it?

What it is like?

And explain why you think it is perfect.

I would like to speak about a very important profession which I consider as a perfect one for me and that is the job of a teacher. 

I have been greatly inspired by my teachers who went out of their way to ensure their students got the best in education and values. My teachers have played an important role in my upbringing and I give them due credit for all the qualities that I have imbibed. Though most of them were task masters, I am greatly humbled by what they did to me and my peers in our school days. 

Well, being a teacher is not an easy job as a teacher represents the whole society. The nation building responsibility lies on the shoulders of a teacher. A teacher needs to maintain integrity in his or her personal life too as the students are bound to emulate the teacher. Though its highly challenging, it has got its pros too. A teacher can forget his or her daily worries, in the school as it is with children that the teacher forgets whatever challenges he or she might be facing on the personal front. 

I can say this is the perfect job as it carries enormous respect in society and responsibility too .I have seen students who have reached the pinnacle of their careers, have become reputable people in society and yet never miss an opportunity to meet their beloved teachers and express their gratitude towards them .This is one of the most important reasons why among all the professions, I would any day chose to be a teacher. 

Vocabulary:

• Imbibed- absorb or assimilate
• Integrity- the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles.
• Pinnacle- the most successful point; the culmination
• task master- a person who imposes a harsh or onerous workload on someone. 

Part 3 Follow Up - Questions & Answers

1. do you think you want to take up this job.

Yes, definitely if given an opportunity, I would like to take up the job of a teacher because as I said I admire this profession the most because it is considered as a highly respectable profession and I would like to take it up as it has always been my dream job.

2. Which occupation should be given better pay?

I feel the most primary occupations which need to be really payed well are those of a teacher and nurse as these are two professions on whom our society relies on. They are the nation builders and deserve to be highly paid.

3. Is being rich a good thing?

It all depends on one’s mindset. Being rich can be a wonderful thing if it goes hand in hand with a caring and loving attitude. If not, greed and increased expectations can lead to a rich man’s doom.

4. Do you think people should save for the future?

Yes, it’s very essential for people to save for the future. Saving for a rainy day should be an essential part of each person’s life. There are endless possibilities when a person might have to turn to his savings. It might be buying a home, children’s education or an unexpected illness.

5. What makes a person choose a job apart from the pay it offers?

No doubt money plays a dominant role but there are other important factors too like learning opportunities, job satisfaction, challenging assignments and additional perks which determine a person’s choice of a job.

IELTS Speaking Cue Card - Questions

Describe a person you admire the most...

Describe a plan in your life that is not related to work or study..., describe someone you know who has started a business..., describe a gift you would like to buy for your friend..., describe a course that impressed you a lot....

Preparing for the IELTS exam can be very challenging, but also extremely rewarding. You need to cover many different topics and try out multiple tests to ensure you have the possible results and experience. That's where IELTS Web comes into play. .... Read More

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Learning to Optimally Stop a Diffusion Process

35 Pages Posted:

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

Hong Kong Polytechnic University

Zuo Quan Xu

Xun yu zhou.

Columbia University - Department of Industrial Engineering and Operations Research (IEOR)

Date Written: August 17, 2024

We study optimal stopping for a diffusion process with unknown model primitives within the continuous-time reinforcement learning (RL) framework developed by Wang et al. (2020). By penalizing its variational inequality, we transform the stopping problem into a stochastic optimal control problem with two actions. We then randomize control into Bernoulli distributions and add an entropy regularizer to encourage exploration. We derive a semi-analytical optimal Bernoulli distribution, based on which we devise RL algorithms using the martingale approach established in Jia and Zhou (2022a) and prove a policy improvement theorem. Finally, we demonstrate the effectiveness of the algorithms in examples of pricing finite-horizon American put options and solving Merton's problem with transaction costs, and show that both the offline and online algorithms achieve high accuracy in learning the value functions and characterizing the associated free boundaries.

Keywords: Optimal stopping, reinforcement learning, HJB equation, penalty method, martingale, free boundary, policy improvement

Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University ( email )

Yu sun (contact author), hong kong polytechnic university ( email ).

Hung Hom Kowloon Hong Kong

Columbia University - Department of Industrial Engineering and Operations Research (IEOR) ( email )

331 S.W. Mudd Building 500 West 120th Street New York, NY 10027 United States

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Career coach reveals 8 questions you should ask job interviewers to land your dream gig.

Bag secured.

Emily Rezkalla, a career coach who owns Em Rez Consulting , has revealed “example-based” interview questions candidates should ask a hiring manager to land a job.

In a one-minute clip posted on her TikTok account @emrezkalla , content creator Rezkalla, 29, acted out an interview scenario in which the candidate secured the position due to the clever questions she asked.

Even when applicants nail every query asked during their interview, they sometimes fall short when the interviewer flips the script and asks them if they have any questions about the role for which they’re applying.

One of the worst things to do is say “no” because it shows the company you need more interest in and curiosity about the position.

Rezkalla declares that although your brain may feel like “mush” after answering a battery of questions, you must remember that this is your chance for a “last impression.”

The Canadian says that you must stand out, channel your “star candidate” energy and ask in-depth follow-up questions about the role and company.

@emrezkalla Asking good questions doesn’t need to be complicated #careeradvice #interviewprep #corporate #interviewtips #jobsearch #edutokcareer #careercoach ♬ original sound – Em The Career Pivot Mentor

The self-proclaimed “career pivot mentor,” who shares career growth hacks online with more than 194,000 followers, curated a list of questions people should keep in their back pockets if asked.

Questions you should ask at the end of your job interview

• What’s an example of how you’d like the star candidate to contribute to the company beyond the job responsibilities?
• What’s the biggest challenge the team is facing right now that you want the person in this role to resolve?
• What are some examples of professional development opportunities that you’ve specifically benefited from at the company?
• What kind of support does the company provide for employees looking to take on leadership roles?”
• How would you describe the kinds of relationships the person in this role would have with their team and leadership?
• Based on your experience, how would you describe the people at the company in three words?
• What’s an example of how the company handles high volume/stress work days for their employees?
• What’s a project you recently worked on that has gotten you the most excited so far?

Rezkalla also suggested asking specific questions about your interests, such as work-life balance, career growth and workplace culture.

“Vague questions will get you vague answers,” Rezkalla said. “Don’t forget to add your flair to the questions, so good luck and get that bag.”

Many TikTokkers praised the career coach for sharing tips on job interviews.

“I used your questions and they were blown away! I don’t know if I’ll get the job but at least I made it memorable,” wrote one job seeker.

“This is actually useful information. About time one of these accounts was decent at interview advice,” commented a watcher.

“I used the first one in my big interview today and they loved it,” revealed a TikTokker.

Meanwhile, some hiring managers joined the conversation with mixed reviews on Rezkalla’s follow-up questions.

“I love when candidates ask me about projects I’m excited about,” commented a hiring manager.

“By the end of the interview, my mind is already made up. None of these questions will change anything,” admitted another.

“To be honest most hiring managers are hoping there are no additional questions,” one person wrote.

Despite the naysayers, Rezkalla reminds her followers to ask good questions — but don’t make it complicated.

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