admission essay fun facts

College Reality Check

14 Quirky College Admissions Facts You Won’t Believe

Applying to college is very stressful .

There are application forms to fill out, application deadlines to beat, recommendation letters to request, essays to write, and standardized test scores to report.

And then there’s the waiting for admissions decisions .

Whether you are about to complete the Common App or Coalition App or already applied to the colleges on your list, it’s crucial to relax and let life take its natural course.

In the meantime, check out these fun facts about college admissions and chuckle.

The Most Popular Major Among Incoming College Students Isn’t What You Think

It’s common knowledge that business is the most popular major.

Nearly 20% of all undergraduate students in the United States are majoring in it.

However, business is not the most popular among incoming freshmen students.

It’s UNDECIDED !

Estimates say that up to 50% of students enter college undecided .

So, if you are about to fill out that college application and have no intended major in mind, worry not because you’re not alone — it’s perfectly fine to apply that way.

Meredith College , in fact, says that being undecided is probably one of the best ways to enter college.

The Most Regretted Major Isn’t What You Think, Either

Most colleges and universities in the United States do not give undergraduate students enough time, usually until the end of the sophomore year , to declare a major for nothing.

It’s to make sure that they are committing to the right one.

According to CNBC , around 87% of graduates who majored in journalism regret their majors.

Sociology and liberal arts follow it, regretted by 72% of those who majored in them.

Communications, education, marketing management, and political science made it to the list, too.

For many, these majors sounded appealing in college.

Computer science or business administration would be the choice of most if given the chance to go back.

I’m Not Clowning Around — Clown College Was a Real School

Since its founding in 1968, Clown College has trained approximately 1,400 clowns.

The institution’s official name?

Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Clown College.

Clown College’s original location was in Venice, Florida — it moved to Baraboo, Wisconsin, and then to Sarasota, Florida, until it shut down in 1997 because it was no longer making profit.

Its administration meant serious business.

So much so that its acceptance rate is lower than that of Harvard University — 1% vs. 35!

Further, only one or two of Clown College’s graduates each academic year would receive job offers to participate in what’s known as The Greatest Show on Earth .

This Private Institution With a 5% Acceptance Rate Wants to Know Where Waldo Is

The University of Chicago is #12 in National Universities by US News .

Considered a Hidden Ivy , some of its most popular majors include social sciences, mathematics, statistics, chemistry, computer science, biomedical sciences, physical sciences, and psychology.

In 2012, it had arguably one of the most ridiculous essay prompts in the world of college admissions.

The prompt applicants may choose to answer?

“So, where is Waldo, really?”

But it wasn’t the first time UChicago had an unusual essay prompt.

In the past, applicants had to write about how they felt about Wednesday, the meaning of the super-sized mustard at Costco, or make up the history of an object.

Related Post: How Colleges Game US News Ranking System

More Than 110 Colleges and Universities Accepted This North Carolina High School Senior

The College Board suggests applying to five to eight colleges to ensure acceptance to a suitable school.

Estimates say that high schoolers apply to an average of six institutions.

Well, not this teen at the Academy at Smith in Greensboro, North Carolina.

In 2018, she applied to 115 colleges all over the country — and 113 admitted her!

Among the 26 historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) that sent her acceptance letters, three offered her full-ride scholarships: Ed Waters College, Mississippi Valley State University, and Bennett College.

She received more than $4.5 million in merit-based scholarships .

Eventually, she became an in-state student at Bennett College , a private HBCU.

The SAT and ACT are Not Important to About Eight in Ten Postsecondary Institutions

Around 3.3 million high school students took the SAT and ACT in 2023.

One of the purposes of these standardized tests is to demonstrate a college applicant’s readiness for college .

However, more than 80% of institutions in the United States that grant bachelor’s degrees do not require applicants to include their test scores in their Common App or Coalition App.

SAT and ACT score submission is optional for some.

On the other hand, it’s obsolete for others, particularly test-blind schools .

Most colleges and universities that still require test scores are highly ranked ones.

They include the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Georgia Institute of Technology, Georgetown University, the University of Florida, and Purdue University – West Lafayette.

You’re Sure to Get Admitted to Almost 600 Four-Year Colleges

Applying to certain colleges can keep you from the trauma a rejection brings.

I’m talking about open admissions or open enrollment colleges.

These colleges require only one thing from applicants: a high school diploma or any other comparable credential, such as the General Educational Development (GED) certificate .

Many open admissions schools are indeed community colleges and technical schools.

However, there are many four-year institutions, too.

Want some examples?

Lewis-Clark State College, Granite State College, Missouri Western State University, the University of Texas at El Paso, Utah Valley University, and the University of Maryland Global Campus are just some of them.

I Would Recommend Staying Away From the Worst Recommendation Letter Writer Ever

Most selective colleges will require you to submit up to three letters of recommendation .

In 2016, Seventeen published what could easily be the worst recommendation ever.

It’s from a Reddit user named Jack.

Here’s what the recommendation letter in question said:

“Jack [surname] is an adequate student.”

That’s it — no more, no less!

However, it turned out that Jack’s high school teacher was just pranking him — Jack said his teacher handed him an actual recommendation letter a few minutes later.

Talking About a Membership-Only Discount Store in Your Essay Might Help You Get Accepted to Selective College

In 2016, Brittany Stinson , a senior high school student, got accepted to five Ivy League schools.

They were Yale, Columbia, Dartmouth, Cornell, and UPenn.

Stanford University also accepted her, which isn’t an Ivy League but also very selective.

Her Common App essay topic?

About how Costco sparked her intellectual curiosity.

It’s how she answered the essay prompt she chose, which read:

“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.”

Of course, a quirky Costco essay Common App topic or something similar to it alone won’t do — you should also write it skillfully, meaningfully, and thoughtfully.

Almost All College Admissions Officers Find Admission Appeals Unappealing

Did you know you can appeal a college or university’s decision not to accept you?

It’s something you can do by writing an appeal letter .

Also known as an admissions appeal letter or academic appeal letter , it’s a petition you send to the school’s admissions office and explains why you should have been accepted instead.

Before sending one, check that the institution accepts appeal letters.

Unfortunately, most of the time, appealing an admissions denial doesn’t deliver results.

Estimates say that the probability that college admissions officers will reverse a rejection is only 1% to 2%.

It’s better to apply to Columbia University , whose acceptance rate is 4%, than cry over spilled milk.

Eating This Helps Chase College Admissions Blues Away

No amount of wailing, swearing, and throwing things can make a rejection letter not real.

Instead, take a deep breath, calm down, and wait for the arrival of other notification decisions.

Rejected via early decision or early action ?

Spend the remaining time before regular decision deadlines arrive, improving what you can improve in your college application to increase your chances of getting in.

Eat some ice cream to help lift your mood as you focus on moving forward!

Certain amino acids found in ice cream, including tryptophan , are scientifically known to help increase the production of the happy hormone called serotonin in the brain.

As always, eat ice cream in moderation — a sugar crash could leave you depressed, anxious, and irritable.

Nearly 25,000 Students Apply to This Haunted School Each Year

Ain’t afraid of no ghosts?

Consider sending an application to Ohio University , a public research university in Athens, Ohio.

Ranked #178 in National Universities by US News, OU has a 1,800-acre campus, and every building has paranormal activities.

Wilson Hall is said to be the most haunted building on campus.

So much so that the TV series Scariest Places on Earth featured it.

Allegedly, a female student performing satanic rituals in room 428 in the said building died violently — the school’s administration sealed the room ever since, the story goes.

And did I already mention that five cemeteries surround the campus?

You Can Count This College’s Population Using Your Fingers (And Some Toes)

Are you one of those college-bound teens who want to be a part of a large and diverse campus?

Then, you might want to stay away from Deep Springs College .

A private two-year college in Deep Springs, California, it has an acceptance rate of 8%.

It’s undergraduate enrollment?

Only 26 students!

A little more than 80% of Deep Spring College’s attendees are from outside California (12.5% are from outside the US), and 100% are attending full-time — all of them reside on-campus, too!

There’s one faculty member for every four students.

A Selfie Could be an Application Requirement at Times

The Common App and Coalition App may not ask you for a photograph of you.

However, some institutions require applicants to submit a selfie .

Different colleges have varying reasons for asking applicants to submit a photo of themselves.

For instance, The Harvard Crimson once said it’s for personalizing the admissions process.

It added that it helps college admissions officers to recall mental images and impressions about applicants, which go away when decisions are made based solely on written materials.

George Washington University has a simple reason that makes perfect sense.

According to a GWU thread , the largest higher education institution in Washington, DC just wants to ensure that the applicant doesn’t use a substitute interviewee in case asked for an alumni interview.

Independent Education Consultant, Editor-in-chief. I have a graduate degree in Electrical Engineering and training in College Counseling. Member of American School Counselor Association (ASCA).

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AOs write the “What do you do for fun?” essay by Jeremy Weprich

Ever wondered what admissions officers do when they're not reading applications?

July 9, 2021

in Admissions ,
Best from staff

We know you lead a busy life, full of activities, many of which are required of you. Tell us about something you do for the pleasure of it. (250 words maximum)

If you are familiar with the MIT application, you’ve likely encountered our short answer essay questions , including the one written above. Rather than asking applicants to write a long “personal statement,” we prefer asking a few short essay questions intentionally designed to help us get to know the student as a real person.

But this isn’t a blog about how to write a college essay. If you’re looking for that, we have plenty of great essay advice on our site already. Instead, this post is to help you get to know the Enigmatic Admissions Officers of MIT™ who are responsible for reading your applications. We get to learn so much about all of you, so I thought it was our turn to share a bit about ourselves.

While we share many of the same values, our admissions officers are remarkably different from one another. Our staff includes trained engineers, educators, performing artists, philosophers, writers, researchers, and more. Some of us listen to Bartók while others prefer BTS; some of us cultivate rare orchids while many of us desperately attempt to keep our succulents alive. And as you’ll see, some of us write carefully crafted prose, while others take a much more casual approach to writing.

We know from reading your applications each year that asking people what they like to do for fun is a fantastic window into their world. It’s a rare and wonderful thing to get to read about the joys of others—and best of all, there are no right or wrong answers. ⁠ 01 I regularly think about an applicant from years ago who wrote about his deep obsession with King's Hawaiian Rolls. I hope he's doing okay.

Every summer I receive a visit from a person I’ve never met, a person who technically doesn’t exist. Let me explain. When I took AP Literature (many moons ago) I encountered Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie for the first time. I fell in love with Adichie’s detailed, perceptive prose, her humor, and most of all, Ifemelu—the confident, witty, blog-writing main character. The story follows Ifemelu as she grows up in Lagos, Nigeria and immigrates to the United States for university, eventually becoming a successful writer and moving back to Nigeria to rediscover home. It’s a coming-of-age tale, a love story, and a record of how we all evolve based on social context and age. I reread this book every June, and each time, something new resonates with me—the nerve-wracking freedom of moving to a new city, the overwhelming rush of first love, the difficulty of reconciling one’s childhood self with an emerging adult self. Rereading the book has become a means to measure how I’ve grown as a person—similar to how I marked my height in pencil on my doorframe each year as a kid. By now Ifemelu feels like a friend, and the week I spend with her each summer feels like a highly-anticipated visit during which I remember all the reasons I connected to her in the first place and discover new axes of connection (and new parts of myself). Back to reading now—Ifemelu’s only here for a few more days (246 more pages).

One word. Dance. I will dance anywhere at any time. Whether it’s at a party, a supermarket in line, my room at 3am, or even at work during selection committee (ask Kellen, he’ll vouch this), I absolutely love dancing. It’s one of the purest, most authentic ways for me to express my emotions. There’s just something about finding the rhythm in a song, and absolutely crushing the beat with movement that’s insatiable. Hip hop, afro beats, soca, bachata, dembow, kizomba, swing, I love so many different styles of dance. I come from a family of dancers, so I suppose it’s a bit of a hereditary trait. Regardless, I can guarantee you that if you see me on campus, at some point you will catch me subtly hitting a woah, woo walking across the street, or dougie-ing in line at Dunkin Donuts. Dance and pleasure go hand in hand for me, and it’s what I go to most often for fun.

I glide out on the ice in the 10-degree Vermont winter morning. I can see my breath and my fingers are already starting to go numb, but I have the biggest smile on my face. It’s the best weekend of the year—the Vermont Pond Hockey Championship. I’ve been playing hockey since I was about 4 years old; one of the very few skaters with a pony-tail sticking out of their helmet. Since then, I’ve developed friendships that have lasted well into my adult life, created memories I’ll never forget, and learned a lot about what it means to be a part of a team. This annual weekend in Vermont is the culmination of that—a chance to hang out with my best friends playing a sport that has given me so much. The joy isn’t always calculated by our win/loss record (like the year we went 0-4…ouch) but by the laughs we have and the minutes spent together. Being on the ice is an escape for me: there’s no school work, work, or personal commitments on my mind. It’s just me and the game, and the only thing on my mind is what the optimal position is to defend the net. Every time I’m on the ice I try to skate to my best ability, knowing that my hard work benefits everyone on the team and even if we lose, we’ve done our best. But I’ll be honest…it definitely feels better to win!

As I’ve grown older my interests have evolved and changed with every new fad and craze. I am what you call a “marketer’s dream”, who buys trinkets at the check-out line. From pop music, anime, cargo shorts, bowl cuts, and playing basketball at my local park, to scholarly research, work, and trying to fit a workout into my daily routine, one thing has remained constant since my childhood. While I still jam out to the top songs of the 1990s and 2000s on a weekly basis, I have never been able to say bye, bye, bye to that mouse-like critter with yellow fur, pointy ears, and red circular spots. From collecting cards, watching Ash Ketchum continually lose in big tournaments, and spending thousands of hours on their video games, Pokémon has always managed to keep my interest in one way or another since its 1996 debut. These days, you can find me out on runs and long walks while playing Pokémon Go on my way to catching them all, or on my Nintendo Switch trying to become the next Pokémon master. Now in my 30s, I get to share my love for Pokémon with my nieces who have jumped on the poke-express with open arms. At least they know what to expect to get for their birthdays and Christmas. It’s amazing to see how Pokémon has been able to captivate audiences of all ages for so many years, which is perfect for someone who is a kid at heart.

When I was recruited to do this post my first thought was, what is fun? Everyone characterizes it differently. A great example of this is SpongeBob’s idea of fun vs. Plankton’s idea of fun.*

*I mean, SpongeBob is iconic and if you haven’t applied SOME lesson from SpongeBob to your life—you’re doing it wrong.

Aside from learning life lessons through watching episodes of SpongeBob, having fun means to reach complete serenity. Activities that take my mind away from work, the news, media, etc. are things I have fun doing.

If I had to choose one that I’m loving at the moment…I’d choose walking on trails. In the Boston area, there are plenty of trails and parks to walk through on a nice day. Now, I’m not a hiker—I don’t do this on a consistent basis but it’s the perfect getaway for me.

One of my favorite trails overlooks the Neponset River. You can find people roller skating, biking, skateboarding, running or walking and taking in the scenery. I actually found this trail through one of our colleagues, Bintou (thanks Bintou!). It’s been a go-to spot whenever I need a breath of fresh air.

149 West Market St in Newark, New Jersey holds a secret gem. While Google will tell you this is the home of the local T-Mobile, I knew this as the best place to buy jewelry. In front of T-Mobile was a local vendor who sold the best fashion jewelry I know. Even when I moved out of state and went back to visit family, I always made sure I had time to find his stand. However, when I needed him most he vanished. I tried to find alternate earring vendors but they were more costly and not as stylishly captivating. Naturally, I would lose an earring here and there, so my collection continued to dwindle. At this point, I had no choice but to start learning how to make my own earrings. Part of the fun in learning to make my own earrings is that I get to express myself and my passions. One passion that I have is in sustainability. For one project, I decided to use a couple of old ripped jeans. With these jeans I made a large flower-esque pair of earrings. When I look around, all I see is inspiration for my next earring creation. So far, I have made earrings using Christmas ornaments, the book-bind of an old journal, extra braiding hair, and I even used the faux-fur pom-pom that attaches to purses. Being able to enhance my expressive style through my own earring creations has been one of my favorite pastimes.

All right, so let me set the scene. It’s like 3 am on some random Saturday during my junior year of college and I just bought two cheeseburgers from a local gas station called Sheetz (it was a thing that we did, no further questions). I came back to my dorm room, sat on the couch, and turned the TV to Cartoon Network. An episode of a show called Lupin the 3rd had just started, and everything just seemed to fall into place. I don’t think I’ve ever been that content in my life. Needless to say, I was hooked. Now, this wasn’t the first time I watched anime by any means. I grew up on Dragon Ball Z and watched a decent amount of Toonami in middle and high school. But, that was probably the moment I realized that this was my wave. From there, Adult Swim’s anime block became my nightly ritual. From Fullmetal Alchemist to Samurai Champloo , to Cowboy Bebop and Paranoia Agent , the time I would have normally dedicated to sleeping or homework, transitioned to strictly anime and homework (rip sleep). As time went on and graduation passed by, my friends all grew out of their anime phase, but I didn’t. I even wrote a blog about how binging Naruto at a nursing home got me through what could have been a really depressing part of my life. So, yea. Anime. That’s a thing I like. Now excuse me while I catch up on Tokyo Revengers .

I applied to only one college my senior year of high school. It was an art school and I wanted to go there because someone told me once that if I just focused on what I liked to do for fun, I’d always be able to find a job. I liked making art. I took oil painting lessons and painted a still life that still hangs in my grandparent’s house. I taught myself how to draw with charcoal and colored pencils. That summer, in order to put together a portfolio that would serve as my application, I would lug a big pad of paper and sit on top of the cars in the junk yard and draw them. I drew boulders in the quarry in my town with colored pencil. I opened the door of my closet and drew all the shoes on the floor. I drew the edge of my unmade bed. Once I got accepted, it turned out I didn’t like drawing or painting much anymore. Instead, I made super 8 films and wrote poems. But my friends and I had the most fun hosting dinner parties in our Brighton apartment. We’d make big trays of chicken enchiladas and homemade guacamole, we’d decorate and light candles, and pick out the perfect music soundtracks. Because we were art-school kids, these parties were visual and creative. To this day, I still have the most fun using my artistic skills to entertain friends and family, to garden, and to cook.

Still life painting by Kris Guay

In the heart of the Black Hills National Forest, South Dakota you will find a winding gravel road full of potholes that, if you’re not careful, will take the front end off your car. Cell phone reception drops immediately leaving you completely unplugged from the modern world.

A secret place awaits you there. A place where you step back in time to when people lived quieter, slower-paced lives. There, nestled back against Aspen and Pine trees sits a small, green cabin with a tin roof, an outhouse, a screened-in porch, and a babbling creek directly across the road. Electricity and running water don’t exist here. Oil lanterns and a big pot belly stove are your only sources of light and warmth. Water comes from hauling buckets from the creek and cooking is done on an original wood burning cookstove with cast iron skillets. When it rains, the water’s percussion against the tin roof instantly puts you to sleep. The swing on the porch invites voracious readers. We play board games, hike, go swimming, and sit on the porch listening to coyotes as the sun sets over the canyon.

This is my paradise, my favorite place on earth. This is where I unplug from the stresses of life and briefly forget my adulting responsibilities. The little green cabin in the middle of the forest is where I recharge, reset, and get back to the core of who I am and who I want to be.

I like to lift heavy things. For about 8 years now, I’ve been following a powerlifting program roughly similar to the publicly available StrongLifts 5×5 . What I like about lifting heavy things is that it is a combination of technical and creative, intense and enduring, and that it is both emotionally and physically exhausting. I feel more calmer, focused, and more levelheaded after lifting. I like that there is measurable progression: if you can lift more weight, or the same weight at more sets/reps, and even if I’m stalled in other parts of my personal or professional life, here I can (usually) move forward. As the essayist Alyssa Keiko wrote , “it never gets easier, you just get stronger.” Plus, I can easily pick up my mom and swing her around like a baby now, and she smiles and laughs, and that makes me happy.

I slowly make my way through the metal doors, moving slowly, as to not draw too much attention. Taking a deep breath, I remind myself of my goal—one that will involve patience and determination. With each step, I make my way toward the future and the past:

Stonewashed denim, with frayed hems that catch in the breeze
A sequined gown straight out of Studio 54… that would also make a splash in Dua Lipa’s latest music video
Military inspired jackets with gleaming epaulets
Battered concert tees of my favorite 80s bands

Suddenly, without any warning, my attention is drawn elsewhere—Italian loafers, chunky bangles, vibrant leather bags, with just a hint of irregular stitching. Then, out of nowhere, I spot her: hiding in an overstocked rolling rack, between a faux pas and my future self—the perfect dress. 50% off. In the cart she goes. Bargain shopping is not for the faint of heart, but for those willing to take the risk… the possibilities are endless.

Ever since Riley, now a 75-pound Golden Retriever puppy (see photo), arrived home on May 15, 2020, it has been full-fledged “Life with Riley” for my family and me. I am most focused on playing, training, and walking/jogging with her around Cambridge. On any morning, you can see us around Harvard Yard, Fresh Pond, or even occasionally MIT (~8 mile round trip walk). My immediate goal is to be able to get Riley to ride the Red Line and behave in the new MIT Admissions Office. Another goal is to have her certified as an MIT Puppy Lab dog.

Training Riley has not been easy as she normally has full freedom to roam in the house and yard. I have enough bite/scratch marks to prove it. I have witnessed her chase a wild turkey up Littauer Center’s roof (can provide video upon request). Some of Riley’s acquaintances almost got Riley into trouble. Cooper (a 90-pound Golden) stole a big juicy bagel sandwich from a surprised guy up the pedestal on Widener Library. Luckily Riley was too slow to follow the full operation.

While I have been training Riley (she understands “pre-flight check”, “get off me”, “sit” and “crate”), she has also been training me. I understand when she needs to go, when she is hungry, and when she doesn’t want to return home. An unexpected side effect of training Riley has been that she gained 10 extra pounds from all the rewards that I have to give her.

Note: while participants were required to adhere to the same word limit as the MIT application, I allowed them to submit photos along with their responses. On the actual MIT application, images cannot be included with short essay responses.

I regularly think about an applicant from years ago who wrote about his deep obsession with King's Hawaiian Rolls. I hope he's doing okay. ⁠ back to text ↑

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We know that the college process—and everything it entails, from high school coursework and standardized tests to applications and financial aid—is a major source of stress.

But it doesn't have to be! College Admission 101 , our YouTube Learning Playlist in which our Editor-in-Chief Rob Franek walks you through the whole process—including classes and grades, extracurriculars, essays, letters of recommendation, interviews, and financial aid packages. Here's the takeaway: The process is knowable and navigable, and we are here to help you get into—and thrive at—your dream school. Watch the nine-video series for in-depth guidance that will help you strengthen your competitiveness as a candidate, maximize your scores as a test taker, and earn financial aid dollars as a student. You can read our release on the series here .

To show you just how entirely probable your future college acceptance is, we've gathered these 11 surprising facts.

1. More than three-quarters of college applicants get into their first-choice schools.

Watch video #1 to find out how to maximize your chances of joining that group!

2. UCLA is the #1-most-applied-to college , with nearly 139,500 applications yearly.

Watch video #2 to find out why that’s less intimidating than it seems.

3. It's possible to write a college essay about something as mundane as showering...and get into Yale! (Someone did.)

Watch video #5 to find out about surprising topics that made the cut!

4. While college debt is the single greatest cause for concern among students and parents (according to our College Hopes and Worries survey), a whopping 85 percent of students are awarded financial aid.

Watch video #7 to find out why that percentage is probably lower than it should be.

5. The average financial aid award per student is nearly $15,000 !

Watch video #7 to learn about what you can do to maximize your financial aid.

6. Even at test-optional schools, strong SAT or ACT scores can help students unlock merit-based aid.

Watch video #4 to discover what standardized tests can do for you.

7. About 43 percent of all institutional aid funds are merit-based.

Watch video #4 to find out about how that percentage has been on the rise.

8. There is no penalty for guessing on the SAT, ACT, or AP exams.

Watch video #4 for test-taking tips that will help you maximize your scores.

9. The top admissions factor at every college is a student’s high school GPA.

Watch video #3 to find out whether it’s better to get an A in a regular class or a B in an honors class.

10. Social media activity can sometimes hurt college prospects—but it can also help students get into their dream schools.

Watch video #6 to find out how you can use social media to your advantage in the college process.

11. Students can minimize college debt risk with income-share agreements.

Watch video #8 to discover other outside-the-box strategies to help you save money on college. For more expert insights into the college process, watch the whole College Admission 101 series.

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College admissions

Course: college admissions > unit 4.

Writing a strong college admissions essay
Avoiding common admissions essay mistakes
Brainstorming tips for your college essay
How formal should the tone of your college essay be?

Taking your college essay to the next level

Sample essay 1 with admissions feedback
Sample essay 2 with admissions feedback
Student story: Admissions essay about a formative experience
Student story: Admissions essay about personal identity
Student story: Admissions essay about community impact
Student story: Admissions essay about a past mistake
Student story: Admissions essay about a meaningful poem
Writing tips and techniques for your college essay

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Can You Answer These Bizarre (But Real) College Essay Prompts?

With the release of universities 2022-23 supplemental essay prompts, we take you through some of the most unusual and bizarre US college supplemental essay prompts of all time, featuring universities such as UChicago, Tufts University and UPenn.

To get into a top US college , you’re going to need more than stellar grades, test scores, common application and extracurricular achievements. You’ll have to demonstrate, in your supplemental essays, that you are the kind of mature, driven, interesting person that would thrive at the particular university. This is much easier said than done — standing out from the crowd with a unique college essay can be very difficult.

Luckily, over the years some colleges have given their applicants a helping hand on this point by providing some really bizarre essay prompts. These warrant truly inventive responses, and let applicants really show off their writing prowess, creativity, and individuality.

Here’s out our list of some of the most creative, unusual and bizarre supplemental essay prompts from all time. How would you have responded to these questions? Check it out below!

Bizzare Supplemental Essay Prompts in 2022

We thought that it would be a good idea to include some of the more creative supplemental essay prompts from this year’s admission cycle (2022-23). We hope that this gets the creative juices flowing and helps you get a good early start to the essays!

University of Chicago

What advice would a wisdom tooth have?

Chapman University

Name one dish you would cook for the school’s admission team.

Pomono College

Marvel or DC? Pepsi or Coke? Instagram or TikTok? What’s your favorite ‘this or that’ and which side do you choose?

University of Vermont

Which Ben & Jerry’s ice cream flavor (real or imagined) best describes you?

In approaching these essays, it's essential to keep in mind why they are important and how they add context to your application. Admissions officers at top universities look for candidates that display creativity, problem-solving and critical-thinking skills, and a unique perspective.

Interested in learning more? Attend one of our free events

Build your application strategy with the latest 2023-24 admissions trends & analysis.

Tuesday, April 23, 2024 12:00 AM CUT

Join this exclusive webinar to learn about the latest trends in college admissions and discover the key to getting accepted to top universities in upcoming application cycles!

Unusual Supplemental Essay Prompts From Previous Years

When it comes to asking creative and wacky essay prompts, the University of Chicago is the leader. To come up with the best and most creative prompts, the college takes suggestions and inspiration from their own students, who are allowed to email their ideas annually. If you look on the UChicago website you can even see who submitted each essay prompt.

UChicago also allows you to answer a past prompt making these options for you to choose.

Due to a series of clerical errors, there is exactly one typo (an extra letter, a removed letter, or an altered letter) in the name of every department at the University of Chicago. Oops! Describe your new intended major. Why are you interested in it and what courses or areas of focus within it might you want to explore? Potential options include Commuter Science, Bromance Languages and Literatures, Pundamentals: Issues and Texts, Ant History…

This prompt was an excellent opportunity for students to show their creativity and humour, as well as their academic interests. The best ideas that we could find online were probably Visual Arms (Visual Arts) and Pig Problems (Big Problems).

Have you ever walked through the aisles of a warehouse store like Costco or Sam’s Club and wondered who would buy a jar of mustard a foot and a half tall? We’ve bought it, but it didn’t stop us from wondering about other things, like absurd eating contests, impulse buys, excess, unimagined uses for mustard, storage, preservatives, notions of bigness…and dozens of other ideas both silly and serious. Write an essay somehow inspired by super-huge mustard.

Have you ever written an essay about a giant jar of mustard? In 2004 UChicago applicants had their chance, and while there are absurd elements to the prompt, there are many creative and serious directions essays took.

The elusive goal of mathematics, but with no context. What is “x”, and how did prospective UChicago students find it? We’re sure the students brought in a novel discussion of a diverse array of mathematical theory, as well as philosophical and personal matters.

Elvis is alive! OK, maybe not, but here in the Office of College Admissions we are persuaded that current Elvis sightings in highway rest areas, grocery stores and Laundromats are part of a wider conspiracy involving five of the following: the metric system, the Mall of America, the crash of the Hindenburg, Heisenberg’s uncertainty principle, lint, J.D. Salinger and wax fruit. Help us get to the bottom of this evil plot by constructing your own theory of how and why five of these items and events are related. Your narrative may take any form you like, but try to keep your theory to under two pages.

If there were any conspiracy theorists applying to UChicago in 1999-2000, they would certainly have been in luck with this prompt. Who would have been the mastermind behind your evil plot?

Tufts University

If UChicago is the champ of creative college essay prompts, Tufts might be considered a close second. Check out their unique prompts below.

Kermit the Frog famously lamented, 'It's not easy being green.' Do you agree?

This prompt is inspired by a Muppets song, whereby Kermit laments how green seems to blend in with so many other ordinary things and how he thus fails to stand out from the crowd. Of course, many students in their essays took this quote in a totally different direction, demonstrating their critical thinking and creativity.

The ancient Romans started it when they coined the phrase “Carpe diem.” Jonathan Larson proclaimed “No day but today!” and most recently, Drake explained You Only Live Once (YOLO). Have you ever seized the day? Lived like there was no tomorrow? Or perhaps you plan to shout YOLO while jumping into something in the future. What does #YOLO mean to you?

Back when this prompt was released, Tufts’ #YOLO question caused quite a stir. Lee Coffin, the dean of Undergraduate Admissions at Tufts admitted that the question was inspired by his affinity for pop music and his desire for applicants to have some fun when they introduce themselves to Tufts.

It’s been said that something as small as the flutter of a butterfly’s wing can cause a typhoon halfway around the world. History is filled with such linchpins – small events or decisions that have huge effects on the future. Make your own change somewhere in history and show us the effects on the world.

This is one for fans of alternative history, perhaps invoking visions of a distorted universe where life as we know it has taken a turn for the better or worse. Again, a challenge for applicants would have been how to say something about themselves and their interests in a creative way.

University of Southern California

(Short Answer) Hashtag to describe yourself

It is common for college essay prompts to have a few short answer questions to get to know the student. For a few years starting in 2017 USC adopted a unique question, making students describe themselves with a #hashtag as they would on twitter or instagram. But what a difficult task that is - how would you describe yourself with a single hashtag?

Wake Forest University

Give us your top ten list.

Many Buzzfeed enthusiasts applying to Wake Forest in 2017-18 would have enjoyed the opportunity to make a top-ten list about anything of their choosing. What topic would you have written about, and what does this say about you?

UC Berkeley

If any of these three inanimate objects could talk, how would your room, computer or car describe you?

Imagine all of the time you’ve spent in your room, at your computer or behind the wheel; these objects might be the only things in the world that know your real identity. This question would have certainly prompted some deep reflection from UC Berkeley Haas School of Business applicants.

University of Notre Dame

You have 150 words. Take a risk.

Students could have taken this anywhere - so long as what they wrote was risky. There are even reports that some students took the ultimate risk and wrote nothing at all.

University of Pennsylvania

You have just finished your 300-page autobiography. Please submit page 217.

This is an iconic prompt that UPenn asked for about 20 years. It encourages students to consider their story, and to use this to introduce themselves to UPenn. For added realism, many students liked to start their responses in the middle of a sentence.

So, How Do I Write the Essay?

Since more than three quarters of US universities no longer require students to take standardized tests, college essays are becoming increasingly important in your application.

The key piece of advice we give to our students is to start on these essays early. If you are applying to several universities, you will have many different supplemental essays to complete, as well as the common application essay . Many of our students attest that writing all of their essays is by far the most stressful part of the application, and a part of the application that is easy to neglect.

Our other key piece of advice is to make the content of each supplemental essay very specific to the university you are applying to. You need to do your research about what each university looks for in a candidate and show a clear desire to attend that particular university.

As the world’s leading university admissions support company, we at Crimson know how to approach each supplemental essay and maximise your chances of gaining admission to a top university.

If you want to feel confident when submitting your college application essay, get your essay reviewed by us at Crimson. Our experts have assisted students who have gained admission to Harvard , Yale , Princeton , Stanford , Oxford , Cambridge and many other top universities!

What Makes Crimson Different

What would megan fox's (hypothetical) harvard essay look like.

Unleashing Creativity in Research: How High Schoolers Can Find Unique and Engaging Research Topics

Can Colleges See How Many Times You’ve Taken the SAT?

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How To Write The “Why This College” Essay

A student sitting outside on a ledge taking notes on a notepad.

College admissions officers aren’t just looking for straight As, glowing recommendations , and a slew of extracurricular activities. They are seeking students who want to be on their campus and will start clubs, eat in the quad, and engage with professors.

Before applying to any school, you should be confident that the school has the academic options, co-curricular opportunities, and social climate to make your next four years magical. If you can give a few examples of these things for each of the schools on your list, you are ready to start your “why this college” essay.

“Why this college” essays are designed for students to demonstrate their interest and passion for the school community they are applying to. It allows admission officers to picture the student on campus.

Colleges have many different ways of asking why you believe their institution is a fit for you. This can range from asking how the college can help you succeed, why you are interested in studying your academic interests at the college, or what most excites you about the school.

Provide specific examples of why you belong there

The best way to answer any form of these questions is through specific, unique examples that clarify your interests in the school. You want to stay away from things that could be found on a school’s brochure or fun facts told on a college tour. Give examples that indicate you have done research on the school and have confidence that it is a fit for you.

One way to tackle this is by taking detailed looks at a school’s academic options. If you have a niche academic interest that is only offered at a few schools, make sure you let the school know you can’t find this option in other places.

If you are a science student who enjoys a liberal arts approach to education, point out your interest in earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in a subject such as biology or chemistry. You should strive to find unique parts of the school’s academic offering that are for you.

If you have taken previous coursework at the school or attended open lectures, this is a great time to talk about your love of the things you have already seen from the school. These can be things such as discussion-based science classes or opportunities for students to teach as a substitute for traditional elective credits.

For one of my essays, I talked about the offering of an interdisciplinary minor in medicine, literature, and culture taught by graduate school professors to undergraduate students. I discussed my interest in strengthening my writing skills as a pre-med student through assignments outside of lab reports and the benefits of understanding illness from a cultural perspective. I discussed an online class I had taken previously that was similar to the courses offered under the minor to further demonstrate my interest in pursuing it.

Discuss extracurricular activities you would be involved in

Examining a school’s co-curricular offerings is the next stop for “why this college” essays. Although academics are the main priority for any college student, your co-curricular experiences are what can build your resume and prepare you for a job or graduate school application.

This can be a space to talk about clubs, volunteering opportunities , or on-campus jobs at the school that interest you. This is also a subtle way to show that you are ready to be involved on campus.

My best example of this was discussing the presence of pre-health clubs for minority students run by alumni. Not only was this club a great place for mentoring and networking, but it also could help students find like-minded people on campus with similar backgrounds.

This was important to me since clubs like that were not available at my high school and was something I wanted as a part of my support team throughout college.

Paint the picture

Lastly, discussing the social climate of a school can be an untraditional approach to explaining why the school is great for you. These can be observations you’ve made such as how the collaborative floors of the library are always filled indicating the presence of teamwork on campus or how you’ve noticed professors eating pizza with students outside the dining hall.

An essay that reflects on these parts of the school’s atmosphere can be just as meaningful as talking about any major or club offered at the school. When visiting a friend of mine who had already started college, one of her professors saw us walking in the quad and asked if I would want to sit in on a class since it fit my academic interest.

After the class, I got to talk to the professor about my passions and hear more about his research. I was amazed by his friendliness and excitement for incoming students. Stories like that can stand out from the typical stories about football games and other school traditions.

Hopefully this offers you some guidance on tackling your “why this college” essay. Remember, make it specific and link it back to you. Best of luck!

Author: Lauryn Taylor

Hi everyone! I am Lauryn Taylor, a second year student at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill studying economics and public policy with a media and journalism minor. I am on the pre-law track with interest in health, education, and media. At school, I am involved with a couple different things including being Vice President of a mental health club and the Student Director of Institutional Research and Assessment. I also work for our Campus Health marketing and engagement team and am the student representative for the Policy Review Committee. I look forward to sharing my journey and being a guide through the your college admissions journey!

Tips for Your Duke Fuqua Application Essays

July 13, 2023

Duke Fuqua Application Essay Tips, 2023-2024

Duke Fuqua presents its applicants with one of the most creative, and maybe challenging, essay prompts out there—asking candidates to come up with a list of more than two dozen “random” bits of information about themselves. Then, applicants need to craft a more traditional essay in which they explain their fit with the Fuqua culture and how they envision themselves contributing to it. The only specifically “professional” question the school poses involves a succinct declaration of one’s post-graduation career goal. The Fuqua admissions committee is clearly interested in learning about your values, interests, personality, strengths, and other distinctive characteristics to balance the more quantitative information provided in the other parts of your application.

Free : Download Stratus Admissions’ Guide to Getting into Fuqua School of Business

Required short-answer question.

Answer the following question in 100 words. What are your post-MBA career goals? Share with us your first-choice career plan and your alternate plan.

This is a pretty straightforward and common MBA application question, though Fuqua throws in the little twist of asking for an “alternate plan” should things not work out exactly as you envision them at this point. Many candidates are focused pretty intently on a specific path, so by asking for a backup option, the admissions committee gets a chance to see what kind of thought you have given to the possibility of having to alter your original plan. You only have 100 words here, so you can’t get too detailed or overexplanatory, but you will want to show that your alternate goal makes just as much sense for you as your primary one, based on your skills, experience, and anticipated Fuqua experience. If your top choice is a very targeted position that is beyond the companies that typically recruit at Fuqua, your backup plan may be a more standard option for which Fuqua graduates are frequently recruited. Be sure to include the industry, function, and geography (if outside the United States), as well as two or three companies you would target.

Essay 1: 25 Random Things About Yourself

The ‘team fuqua’ spirit and community is one of the things that sets the mba experience apart, and it is a concept that extends beyond the student body to include faculty, staff, and administration. please share with us “25 random things” about you. the admissions committee wants to get to know you – beyond the professional and academic achievements listed in your resume and transcript. share with us important life experiences, your hobbies, achievements, fun facts, or anything that helps us understand what makes you who you are., your list will be limited to 2 pages (750 words maximum). please present your response in list form, numbered 1 to 25. some points may be brief, while others may be longer..

Through this essay, Fuqua wants to get to know who you are as an individual, not just as an “MBA applicant,” so the admissions committee can determine how well you might fit with the Team Fuqua culture and what kind of leader you could develop into. Your list needs, above all, to be very distinct and personal to you, so don’t go into this thinking that there are certain items the admissions committee is expecting you to include. There really are no “right” or “wrong” answers.

That said, we do have some ideas for ways you could catch the eyes (and hearts) of the admissions committee. For one, don’t be afraid to make them laugh. The school neither wants nor expects you to be serious all the time, and humor is a good way to show your lighter side. And remember that these are real, live human beings reading your application. If you can touch their funny bone, they will be more likely to remember you. Another idea is to include some key lessons you’ve learned. A personal experience you share will have an even bigger impact if you can attribute a meaningful takeaway you had from it.

Consider demonstrating a personal connection of some kind with Fuqua, Duke University, or the Durham area. This could be related to something from your past or to something you’re looking forward to as a Fuqua student. For instance, if you play bass in a garage band (or did so at some point in the past), perhaps you look forward to getting together with musically inclined classmates for Fuqua’s Got Talent or Fuqua Idol. Also, show that you are a team player. Although the focus of this “essay” is obviously you, look for opportunities to demonstrate that you support and work well with others.

As for what not to do, to start, don’t give just one- or two-word answers. The admissions committee needs a little context to fully appreciate your responses, and details are what make your items distinct and memorable. Similarly, avoid giving superficial or cookie-cutter responses that don’t provide the admissions committee with any insight into who you are, such as who your favorite character is on a popular television show (or player on a sports team), how many movies or books you’ve read (unless the number is truly astounding), what your name means, and so on. You also don’t want to include any basic facts that the admissions team can already find in another part of your application, especially your resume. This is your chance to complement that information with more personal insight. And of course, you need to keep your responses appropriate for an MBA application. You want to show some character and stand out, but you never want to be offensive or cross any lines.

Use your random things list to present yourself as someone the admissions committee can see contributing positively to the Fuqua community, both during the MBA program and beyond. Are you excited to contribute to classroom discussions? Are you an individual people would want to engage with at Fuqua Fridays? Can they picture you working on a group project during your first year? What leadership role might they envision you in? If your classmates were to honor you with an award for demonstrating Team Fuqua principles, which would it be? Strive to make these types of questions easy for them to answer.

Essay 2: The Fuqua Community and You

Fuqua prides itself on cultivating a culture of engagement. our students enjoy a wide range of student-led organizations that provide opportunities for leadership development and personal fulfillment, as well as an outlet for contributing to society. our student-led government, clubs, centers, and events are an integral part of the student culture and to the development of leaders. based on your understanding of the fuqua culture, what are 3 ways you expect to make an impact at fuqua, your response will be limited to 1 page (500 words maximum)..

If you hadn’t already picked up on this, culture is a big deal for Fuqua, so the admissions committee understandably wants to know that the applicants it admits are compatible with it. This essay is your chance to ensure that the school considers you a good match with its community and style. Being authentic is key.

Of course, to be able to write a convincing essay for this prompt, you have to truly understand what the Fuqua culture and community are like, so your very first step really needs to be researching the school in depth. This means more than just reading the main pages of the website and any promotional materials the admissions office provides. For example, dig into press releases, blogs, and YouTube videos, but above all, connect with Fuqua students , alumni, and other representatives directly and pick their brains about what it means to be authentically engaged at Fuqua. Additionally, reach out to students currently involved in the clubs, centers, or events that align with your goals and interests. These conversations will inform what you decide to write about and will yield much more insight than you can find online. Students are very accessible, so not having these conversations will reflect poorly on you as an applicant.

Let the admissions committee know what you are genuinely interested in doing at Fuqua, ideally as it relates to your background and post-MBA goals. Explain why you are passionate about contributing to a certain activity, club, event, or other opportunity or resource, and be specific regarding what your contribution might look like. Perhaps you have been involved with the women’s employee resource group at your company, developing a mentoring program for new hires. Relating this experience to proposed engagement with the Association of Women in Business will help demonstrate that your plans are sincere and well founded. It goes without saying that you should discuss your anticipated engagement in a professional club that aligns with your career interests.

Obviously, you need to also be Fuqua specific. Consider using the same terminology and language the school uses when talking about its program. For example, the name of the health care club at Fuqua might be very different from the name of its counterpart club at other schools you’re targeting, and using the wrong name in your essay would be detrimental. Such errors demonstrate a lack of research and genuine interest in Fuqua specifically, which is the last thing you want the admissions committee to think when reading your application!

Optional Information

If you feel there are circumstances of which the admissions committee should be aware, please explain them here (e.g., unexplained gaps in work, choice of recommenders, inconsistent or questionable academic performance). note that you should not upload additional essays nor additional recommendations in this area. the optional information section is intended to provide the admissions committee with insight into your circumstances only..

The optional essay is one that should always be used judiciously. If you feel your application conveys a complete, accurate picture of who you are as a strong Fuqua candidate, then you’re likely best off not submitting this optional essay. There’s little to be gained from adding to the admissions committee’s workload by asking them to read another essay that doesn’t add anything crucial to your profile. But if you have an issue of some sort in your candidacy that could benefit from additional explanation (see the school’s examples), then this is your chance to expound on and clarify it so that it is less likely to be a problem.

Re-applicant Essay

Candidates who applied to the daytime mba program between july 2022 and may 2022 are considered re-applicants. , it is not uncommon for it to take more than one try to achieve a goal. please share with us the self-reflection process that you underwent after last year’s application and how you have grown as a result. how did it shape your commitment to fuqua and inspire your decision to reapply.

Ideally, in the time between your previous application and now, you have made progress in certain areas of your life and career and have seized on opportunities to learn and/or accomplish meaningful things. Fuqua wants to know not only what new skills and experiences you bring to the table this year but also that you are the kind of person who is not easily deterred by setbacks (in this case, not being accepted) and who continues to strive toward their goals even when their originally intended path does not come to fruition. In addition, the admissions committee wants to be able to gauge your capacity for self-assessment and to understand what specifically about the school’s program inspires your ongoing interest. Very simply, outline for the admissions committee what you have done, gained, and learned since you last applied, clearly communicating that your efforts were fueled by your desire to be part of and contribute in a meaningful way to the Fuqua community.

In Stratus Admissions’ Guide to Getting into Fuqua School of Business , you will find information on a variety of the MBA program’s offerings such as the Team Fuqua, The Blue Devils, Fuqua Client Consulting Practicum, and the Duke Start-Up Challenge. This free guide also includes class profile statistics and our expert advice on answering the business school’s application essay questions. Download our brand-new guide to learn more about Duke Fuqua!

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2023-2024 essay Duke Fuqua MBA Application Essays Optional Essay Reapplicant

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Fuqua application insight: some of our 25 random things.

Published July 7, 2015

For the last several years, Fuqua’s MBA application has included the essay question that asks you to provide 25 random things about yourself—essentially 25 interesting facts. That question is back for the 2015-2016 application year , so we wanted to provide some insight on how you might approach it.

The Fuqua Admissions team wants to get to know you beyond the basic test scores and resume, and the essays help achieve this. As an applicant, the topic can be a refreshing break from more traditional application essays, so give it your best effort, but above all—just have fun with it!

Here are five random things from each of our application essays:

In 2009, I completed ‘life goal #1’ when I ran the NYC Marathon. OK, more like I ran/walked it, and then hobbled across the finish line. But I finished it, and to me, that’s what counts.
One of my other, slightly more ambitious life goals is to visit every country in the world. So far I’ve been to 20 different countries, so I’ve still got a lot of traveling to do!
My work at Food Network afforded me two TV appearances. The first was in the premiere episode of season five of Food Network Star —in the back, behind Giada DeLaurentiis’s head. (What, you don’t recognize me?) The other was a slot on New York’s Pix11 Morning News, representing FoodNetworkStore.com on live TV to talk about holiday gift ideas.
Serving in the Peace Corps in Madagascar and receiving my government-issue mountain bike turned me into a biking addict. At first, it was a big deal for me to bike 8km up the road, but then I started biking 40km, then 60km, then finally up to 100km in one day! One of the best things I did while in Madagascar was a 3-day, 230km ride through the unpaved roads of the southeast coastal region with three of my Peace Corps friends.
My philosophy on airplanes is that because we’re all stuck together enduring an unpleasant experience, I might as well be a beacon of kindness and civility and try to impart as much positive energy into the situation as I can. One of the most amazing experiences I had with this was when I asked a woman with a baby if she needed help lifting her suitcase into the overhead. Instead of giving me her suitcase, she gave me her newborn to hold!

Dan Tudesco

I launched the “Sad Irish Fan” campaign after I was (unfortunately) caught on TV, dejected, during the BCS National Championship game between Alabama and my alma mater, Notre Dame. The campaign became a national news story and raised a lot of money for leukemia research.
I am a master crane machine operator…at the arcade. I started a South Park plush dolls eBay business in 1998 based entirely on my success with the crane.
I was recently quoted as an expert on eBay selling in U.S. News and World Report . While the South Park dolls are gone, today I am a ‘Powerseller’ and ‘Top Seller’ on the auction site.
I started my first business, a neighborhood candy stand, at age 8, and the next year I hired my brother and sister to ‘franchise’ a new stand a couple streets away. I drove my mom crazy by having her drive to the local wholesale warehouse to buy bulk candy.
My role model is Tim Russert, a man for whom I had the honor to work before he passed away. His incredible talent was impressive, but it was his caring, principled and gregarious personality that to me, as an intern, was a formative and early example of a ‘Leader of Consequence.’ I consider working for him my greatest privilege, and I miss his presence in the news every day.

Emily Madden

My first job was working as a waitress at a diner that was featured on the Food Network’s Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives . Each employee, from the front to the back of the house, contributed to the customer experience. This summer job offered a great lesson in teamwork and the value that each part of an organization contributes to the final product.
I was a coxswain on my high school rowing team for four years; my boat won second place in a national championship race in my junior year. Though most people think all I did was yell into a microphone, this role greatly shaped me as a leader, a team member, and a strategist.
I discovered my interest in marketing while participating in a case competition my freshman year. I continued to compete in case competitions throughout college. My senior year, my team was sponsored to represent our university at a competition in Thailand.
Many of my best friends live across the country and one way we stay connected is by traveling to compete in running races together.
By the end of my ten-week undergraduate internship I was managing two other interns. I was able to earn the respect of my peers because of my sense of confidence and my enthusiasm for the work. Those qualities were more powerful than a job title.

Connie Chai

I moved to Minneapolis after graduation to work for Target Corporation. My first winter there was quite the experience. I now judge how cold the weather is based on if my nostril hairs freeze.
The longest distance I had ever run in college was a 5K. When I saw pictures of several friends dressed up at the Disney Princess Half Marathon, I knew I had to sign up. I convinced two other friends to train and run the race. All three of us completed the race this February wearing tutus. Seeing that finish line was one of my proudest moments.
The summer between my sophomore and junior year I worked in a fly lab. My basic responsibility was to collect virgin female flies and mate them. By the end of the summer I could distinguish female and male flies without using a microscope.
I speak fluent Mandarin Chinese, and I try my best to speak it with my parents but tend to lapse into a mixture of Chinese and English. At best I can probably read and write at a first or second grade level. My youngest cousin knows more characters than I do!
I love baking. A good friend from Duke introduced me to the world of break and bake cookies, and my hobby just took off from there. I now keep a blog on all my baking adventures. You can check it out at easypeasybaking.tumblr.com .

See more examples from and insight on Fuqua’s 25 Random Things essay

Why Pursuing an MBA Surprised Even Me

The MBA also offered an ability to build practical skills and dive deeper into specific areas of interest.

Staying in Touch With Admissions While on the Waitlist

Applicants on the waitlist can (and should) interact with the admissions office in a variety of ways.

Choose Your Test

Sat / act prep online guides and tips, did you know 61 amazing facts.

General Education

Everybody loves looking like the smartest person in the room with cool and interest facts. While I’m a big fan of random and fun facts, Did You Know Facts are facts that you can use as supporting evidence, whether it’s in a timed essay, a debate, or even a conversation. Did You Know Facts help expand your knowledge base so you’re prepared for any situation, and have the benefit of making you seem like you know what you’re talking about on any subject.

What Is a "Did You Know?" Fact?

Did you know that you can incorporate outside facts into your essays, debates and conversations? Did you know that facts make your argument stronger and more interesting ? There's a whole world of fun and interesting facts out there, on all kinds of subjects. Read on to find out how to use "did you know facts" to your advantage, and dive into our list of fascinating facts.

Using Did You Know Facts in Essays

The SAT and ACT optional writing sections that include times essays, and the GRE has an essay in its mandatory writing section. Statewide standardized tests or tests you take in school may also time essay sections.

Supporting evidence from facts increases your score, since it makes your argument stronger, or can help you clarify a point or topic. Since timed essays are written in the same structure as an academic paper, where you defend a thesis , it’s always made stronger by factual or statistical evidence, particularly if you can show that you can apply outside knowledge to the prompt at hand.

It’s helpful to go into a test with a few Did You Know Facts already in mind, things that you can hopefully apply to whatever your prompt is. Historical, literary, and political facts are great for essays since they’re more broad, and can be applied to more prompts.

Using Did You Know Facts in Debates

In a debate, you should already be prepared and have your facts and ideas ready to go. However, a fun fact can impress your audience and judges and throw off your opponent. Even if the fact isn’t directly related to your topic, having more supporting evidence and showing how your argument influences other things than the ones you’ve outlined in your debate prep can help put the discussion in context, and enrich the debate.

Did You Know? Fun Facts in 7 Categories

This list offers some interesting facts in different categories. These facts are fun and interesting, but also can be used as supporting evidence. If you're looking for facts to keep in your toolbox for things like times essays, remember that statistics are always strongest, and to choose facts that are relevant to your topic .

Did You Know These Facts About Animals and Nature?

The closest living relative to humans are chimpanzees, bonobos, and gorillas. We share between 98 and 99.6% of DNA with these species. Gorillas can even catch colds from humans.

Most mammals have reproductive cycles. However, only humans, humpback whales, and elephants experience menopause.

To escape a crocodiles jaw, push your thumb into its eyeballs.

Cats have only lived with people for about 7,000 years. Compared to dogs, whose domestication may have begun as early as 25,000 years ago.

Most of the Earth’s longest-surviving species are found in the ocean. While cyanobacterias are technically the oldest living organisms on Earth, having appeared 2.8 billion years ago, the ocean sponge has also been on Earth for 580 million years, and jellyfish have been here for 550 million years.

85% of plant life is found in the ocean.

The Amazon rainforest is an amazing place. The Amazon produces over 20% of the world’s oxygen, and contains more than half of the world’s species of plants, animals, and insects.

Additionally, up to 73 million sharks per year die due to shark finning, where fishermen catch the shark, cut off its fins, and throw the still-living shark back into the water. Many countries have imposed full or partial bans on finning, mainly that the sharks need to arrive onshore with fins attached. A few countries, notably Israel, Egypt, Ecuador, Honduras, Brunei and the Maldives, have total shark fishing bans.

Many animals exhibit high levels of emotional intelligence. For example, cows form bonds akin to friendships, and often have a “best friend,” and Gentoo Penguins bring a potential mate a pebble to “propose.”

Dog noses are as unique as a human fingerprint.

Did You Know These Facts About History?

Paul Revere famously yelled “The British Are Coming!’ at the start of the American Revolution. Or...not. Revere was just one member of a secret militia operation to warn other militias about the British troops. A lot of colonial Americans still considered themselves British at that time, and would have likely been confused if he’d actually said or shouted this.

Many people came forward pretending to be Grand Duchess Anastasia after the Czar fell in the Russian Revolution. But Anastasia impersonators came from a long tradition of royal imposters; Louis XVII of France died during the French Revolution, and years later when the country was discussing a revival of the monarchy, over 100 people came forward claiming to be the prince.

There were more than 600 plots to kill Fidel Castro. Plots were crafted by a variety of enemies, and even included an exploding cigar.

The patent for the first car was filed in 1886 by Karl Benz for a gas-powered, 3-wheel motor car.

Hitler, Mussolini, and Stalin were all nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize. While not all nominees since have been controversy-free, whoever nominated these three probably regretted it.

We know now that the bubonic plague was in part spread by rats. But before the plague, Pope Gregory IX declared that cats were associated with devil worship and ordered that they be exterminated. Unfortunately, people listened and as a result the rat population flourished. It is believed that the increased rat population contributed to the plague. (Ahem, actions have consequences, and don’t mess with cats)

Jeanette Rankin was the first woman elected to Congress in 1916, 4 years before women had the right to vote. She was a pacifist from Montana, and was elected a second time in 1941. Both times, she voted no in regards to entering World Wars 1 and 2.

Seven of the 10 deadliest wars in history have taken place in China. The Taping Rebellion had twice as many deaths as World War 1.

Pineapples are all the rage now, but they were also a fad in the UK in the 1700s. People carried them around to show their wealth and status, and people decorated their homes with pineapples. You could even rent a pineapple as an accessory.

Bonus: Jeanette Rankin was one of the few suffragists elected to Congress. Unfortunately, Montana has not elected a woman to Congress since.

Did You Know These Facts About Science?

20% of the Earth’s oxygen is produced by the Amazon rainforest.

The Great Barrier Reef is the largest living structure on Earth at 2,000 kilometers long.

Most of us are familiar with the three states of matter: solid, liquid, and gas. But there are actually two dozen known states of matter. Plasma is one example, but scientists have also found other states of matter that only occur under certain conditions.

When helium is cooled to absolute zero (-460 degrees Fahrenheit) it becomes a liquid and starts flowing upward, against gravity.

The moon once had an atmosphere. Volcanic eruptions on the moon released trillions of tons of gas into the air, which created an atmosphere. The gases eventually became lost to space.

When Einstein posed his Theory of Relativity, he didn’t have the resources to prove this theory. However, the theory has been proven correct several times over the years. Most recently in 2018, scientists saw that as a black hole distorted light waves from a nearby star in a way that agrees with the theory.

Scientists have answered the question “what comes first the chicken or the egg?” The chicken came first because the egg shell contains a protein that can only be made from a hen.

It is mainly men who experience colorblindness.1/20 men experience color blindness as opposed to 1/200 women.

Scientists were called “natural philosophers” until the 17th century because science didn’t exist as a concept.

Did You Know These Facts About Famous People?

Natalie Portman is a Harvard graduate and has had papers published in two scientific journals, one of which was when she was in high school.

Some of Neil Patrick Harris’ characters are magicians, and so if the actor. His children’s book series, The Magic Misfits, is also about a group of magicians.

Colin Kaepernick got a pet tortoise at age 10, that fit in a shoebox. Today, the tortoise is 115 pounds and may live to be 135 years old.

The Doctor Suess book Green Eggs and Ham uses only 50 different words. Doctor Suess wrote the book on a bet from his publisher that he couldn’t write a book with fewer words than The Cat in the Hat, which has 225.

Woody Harrelson’s father was a hitman, who left the family when the actor was young. Woody didn’t find out about his father’s criminal activity until he heard a radio report on his trial.

Dr. Martin Luther King was a Star Trek fan. He convinced Nichelle Nichols, one of the first black women featured on a major TV show, not to quit, arguing that her role was making history. Mae Jamison, the first black woman to travel into space, later cited Nichols as one of her inspirations.

Queen Elizabeth II is the longest-serving British monarch. She has been on the throne for 67 years. The 93 year old queen’s heir is currently her son Charles, who is 70.

Isaac Asimov published so many books, essays, short fiction, and non-fiction, that if you read one per week it would take you 9 years to read all of his work.

Did You Know These Facts About Politics and Government?

In 2018, 50.3% of eligible voters turned out to vote. This was the highest turnout for a midterm election since 2018.

Also in 2018, 16% of voters said it was the first time they’d voted in a midterm election.

About ⅓ of Americans think the president affects their personal lives, and 63% say he affects the country’s mood.

The U.S. spends more on defense than the other 7 countries combined. Last year, the U.S. spent $649 billion, while China, Saudi Arabia, India, France, Russia, the U.K. and Germany spent a combined $609 billion

Any person born in the United States or to U.S. citizen parents is also a U.S. citizen.

The U.S. Constitution was signed on September 17th, 1787. It was meant not to “grant” rights, but to protect the rights people were born with.

Although the U.S. has a two party system, there are some other third parties. Notable ones now are the tea party and the green party, but the U.S. once had fringe parties like the Bull and Moose party.

Americans throw out 4.4 pounds of trash daily.

Did You Know These Facts About Sports?

The NCAA required football players to study during halftime in 1925

The Stanley Cup was originally two stories tall, but it was deemed too difficult to transport

Basketball legend Michael Jordan also played baseball, and allegedly still received his basketball salary while a member of the Chicago White Sox system.

Only three active players are in the top 50 on the all-time MLB home run list, yet 27 of the last 50 have played within the last 50 years.

There has never been a three-peat in the Super Bowl

Until 1992, female athletes competing in the Olympics had to undergo mandatory sex verification testing, due to fears that male athletes would disguise themselves as female to gain an advantage. The Olympic Committee still maintains the right to conduct testing if “suspicions arise.” There were no such requirements for male athletes.

Punters have the longest NFL careers, at an average of 4.87 years.

In 1972, Title IX was adopted, and opened the door for women and girls participation in sports. Before Title IX, women were 2% of college students participating in sports, and girls were 7% of high school students participating in sports. In 2019, high school girls are 42.7% of sports participants, and college women make up 44% of athletes.

Did You Know These Facts About Pop Culture?

Friday the 13th was filmed at a Boy Scout Camp. Fans of the film would go up to the camp to visit, take photos, and sometimes scare the campers, to the point where the camp had to ask on its website for people to stop coming there.

Elvis’s manager sold buttons that said “I hate Elvis” in order to make money off the many people who found his music controversial.

The world’s oldest piano is in the Metropolitan Museum of Art. It dates back to 1720.

Red Dawn was the first movie to be released with a PG-13 rating. It was released on August 10th, 1984.

The first movie to be released with an X rating (no admittance under the age of 16) was Greetings in 1968, Robert de Niro’s debut film. The rating was later reduced to R.

Mr. Rogers always announced when he was feeding his fish. He did so because a blind viewer wrote in, asking if the fish was okay, since she couldn’t see that he’d fed it.

The show M*A*S*H* was on TV for almost 13 years. The show was about the Korean War, in which American involvement only lasted three years.

In Game of Thrones, cloaks the members of the Night’s Watch wear are made from Ikea rugs

The shows Saved by the Bell, That’s so Raven, and iCarly were all filmed on the same “school” set, which is why they look so similar.

As they say, knowledge is power! And you, my friend, are one powerful person. While you can certainly use this list of facts to get high scores on your essays or stump your debate opponent, I also recommend that you take the opportunity to learn more about the things on the list. A lot of these facts are just the beginning of some super interesting topics and stories, and the first step in helping you become more informed about the world in which we live. Now you know, and happy reading!

What's Next?

Looking for compelling essay ideas? Check out these lists of Argumentative Essay Topics and Persuasive Essay Topics .

While you're working on your essay writing skills, make sure to read these guides on and writing an argumentative essay , and this guide on writing on analytical essay .

Are you taking the SAT or ACT writing section? Read How to Get an 800 on the SAT Writing and How to Write an ACT Essay .

And look for our lists of debate topics and research paper topics !

Carrie holds a Bachelors in Writing, Literature, and Publishing from Emerson College, and is currently pursuing an MFA. She worked in book publishing for several years, and believes that books can open up new worlds. She loves reading, the outdoors, and learning about new things.

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Extracurriculars.

12 College Admissions Myths — Debunked

The admissions process is tricky — there’s no doubt about that. And with so much hype surrounding this all-important time, it’s hard to know what’s true and what’s not.

We’ve rounded up 12 myths about the college admissions process. Find out why they’re false and what you should do instead.

12 Common Misconceptions About College Admissions

1. college planning starts junior year..

Too many students and families wait until junior year to start planning for college. But really, you should start thinking about college admissions as early as your freshman year. While you won’t actually be applying until your senior year, your freshman year is the time for you to reflect on the interests you’d like to pursue through your extracurricular activities, coursework, and more.

You don’t have to have everything figured out freshman year, of course. Think of it as a time to start exploring your interests and skills in a broader sense before honing in on potential areas of focus and career paths. That way, you’ll begin to put together a cohesive narrative and set yourself up for success when it comes time to apply.

2. You need to take a certain number of AP/IB classes.

There’s no magic number when it comes to how many AP or IB classes you should take . What matters most to colleges is that you take the most rigorous curriculum available to you at your high school while maintaining a strong performance. If your high school doesn’t offer any AP or IB courses, adcoms won’t hold that against you; instead, they’ll want to see that you pursued the most challenging courses you could, comparing that to other students at your high school.

Moreover, you should take courses that complement your interests and the rest of your profile. For example, if you’re a math whiz who intends to study statistics in college, adcoms will want to see that you took courses like AP Statistics and AP Calculus BC. They won’t penalize you for not taking AP U.S. History — you’re playing to your strengths.

3. Getting a couple of bad grades will ruin your chances.

It’s understandably discouraging to receive a poor grade. However, a C on your transcript doesn’t automatically mean you won’t be able to get into a top college. For instance, if you received a C during your freshman year, while adjusting to a new course load and curriculum, the C will carry far less weight than if you had received it during your junior year. What’s most important is demonstrating improvement in those areas where you might have previously struggled. Establishing that upward academic trend will show that you’re capable of learning, adjusting, and improving.

Another instance in which a poor grade probably won’t affect your chances of admission too much is if you received the grade in a nonacademic course like art or PE. Adcoms are unlikely to even factor this type of grade into your admissions decision, unless the course is relevant to your prospective degree.

This isn’t to say that a bad grade doesn’t matter, but it may not be the end of the world. Aim to finish high school strong and don’t be afraid to address the grade directly in your application, especially if it was due to extenuating circumstances.

4. Volunteering is essential and super impressive on applications.

Of course, colleges want to see you giving back to your community. But many high schools require community service anyways, so it’s not all that impressive to adcoms. Beyond that, volunteering usually doesn’t involve extra responsibilities or leadership skills, and is often purely participation-based.

Instead, think of your activities in terms of the four tiers of extracurricular activities . Briefly, the tiers are as follows:

Tier 1: Activities that demonstrate rare and exceptional achievement or leadership, like a national award.
Tier 2: Activities that demonstrate a high level of achievement but are somewhat more common than Tier 1 activities. An example would be a state-level award or being the student body president.
Tier 3: Activities that demonstrate participation in pursuits outside the classroom, including minor leadership positions and school distinctions.
Tier 4: Common activities with no leadership responsibilities, like working a job, or being a member of a club.

General volunteering is usually a Tier 4 activity, but if you’ve had notable achievements or leadership roles, especially for an organization that operates nationally or globally, then it could be a higher-tier activity. You should aim for a handful of Tier 1 and 2 activities, along with a few more Tier 3 and 4 activities.

This doesn’t mean that you should stop volunteering necessarily —we just want to clarify that volunteering in itself isn’t an impressive extracurricular, even if you rack up tons of hours. Volunteer hours can still be valuable to your application, as they demonstrate where your passions lie. And beyond that, it’s a good thing to give back to your community. If volunteering is super meaningful to you, think about ways you can increase your responsibilities, maybe even taking on a leadership role.

5. Music and sports are impressive extracurriculars.

Again, these are fairly common activities. If you’re in your high school wind ensemble or on the soccer team, even if you hold a leadership position, you’re not going to stand out based on the merits of that position alone. Many other applicants have similar activities on their resumes, too.

If you’re highly talented in one of these areas — meaning that you’re a state-level athlete or musician — that’s a different story; in fact, you may well be recruited or accepted because of it. But if you’re not, you might want to focus on more unique extracurriculars with “higher returns.”

What do we mean? Sports and music require an immense amount of time and effort, but they’re only a Tier 3 or 4 activity for most students. Of course, if you absolutely love sports or music, and don’t want to give it up, by all means continue. We’re not trying to offend anyone here!

That said, don’t pursue any activities that you’re not passionate about just because you think it will look good on your applications. The truth is that you could probably be spending your time much more wisely.

6. Family responsibilities aren’t extracurriculars.

Some students have extensive family responsibilities, such as watching younger siblings while their parents are working, or running the family grocery store. These can certainly qualify as extracurricular activities, and you should include them on your college applications.

In fact, if these activities have prevented you from pursuing more formal extracurriculars or impacted your schoolwork, you should elaborate further in the Additional Information section of your application.

7. Paid summer programs boost your application.

Selective summer programs can be highly impressive. Examples include:

Telluride Association Summer Program (TASP)
Research Science Institute (RSI)
Boys/Girls State
Research in Science & Engineering (RISE)
Clark Scholar Program

However, paid programs that are not highly selective won’t do much to impress colleges. This includes many summer programs at top-tier schools, like Brown or Stanford. Families mistakenly assume that going to a summer program there will boost your chances, when it will in fact not.

Make sure the program has rigorous admission criteria to confirm that it will help your application. In general, free programs are better than paid ones.

Of course, if there’s a summer program that interests you as an enrichment activity, by all means, pursue it. But don’t expect it to substantially increase your chances of admission.

8. You need to take both the SAT and ACT.

Colleges will accept either SAT or ACT scores. You don’t need to take both, and taking both is actually a poor use of your time; you could better spend that time on your extracurriculars or schoolwork.

But how do you decide between the SAT vs. the ACT ? Consider the following:

The ACT has a science section, whereas the SAT does not. If you excel in the sciences, the ACT may be the better choice.
One section of the Math section on the SAT doesn’t allow calculator usage, so if you think you’ll need it, go with the ACT.
Need time to go over the questions and your responses? The ACT and SAT take about the same time to complete, but the ACT has more questions. That means you’ll have less time to respond to each one — which could put you at a disadvantage.
The essay portion of the SAT evaluates reading comprehension, whereas the ACT essay assesses critical thinking and analysis to an extent.

Of course, if you’re not sure which test would better play to your strengths and you’re willing (and able) to take both, there’s no harm in that; you can submit the better scores. But you certainly don’t have to do that.

9. External scholarships are easy to win.

While there are many scholarships offered by outside organizations, generally speaking they’re fairly difficult to win. Most require that you meet certain academic thresholds and submit additional materials, such as letters of recommendation or personal essays. The ones that don’t have strict requirements tend to be extremely competitive since they attract so many applicants.

If your college of choice offers merit-based scholarships, your odds are actually better there — although it’s important to keep in mind that many highly selective colleges only offer need-based awards. To maximize your chances of getting a big merit scholarship , apply to lower-ranked colleges where your profile is especially strong. These less-selective schools may try to entice you with a large merit award, maybe even a full-ride !

10. Private schools are unaffordable.

The stated price tag for many private colleges may seem astronomically high, leaving many students and families to believe that they can’t possibly afford to attend. In reality, though, a vast majority of college students receive financial aid, usually through a combination of grants, loans, and work-study aid.

In fact, many top-tier schools will meet 100% of a student’s demonstrated need . These schools include Amherst, Harvard, MIT, Stanford, West Point, and many others. After financial aid, it’s actually possible that these private colleges could be cheaper than your state school!

Beyond that, some schools are even no-loan , meaning that they won’t include loans in your financial aid package. In these cases, you won’t even have to worry about paying anything back after graduation.

11. You can copy and paste your college essays for different schools.

While your Common App essay can certainly be submitted to every college that accepts it, supplemental essays are almost always school-specific.

This is especially true in the case of a “ Why This College? ” essay. This prompt asks you to explain why you want to attend that particular school. If you’re able to lift the majority of your essay and use it to respond to a similar prompt from another college, then your essay really isn’t specific enough.

That said, you can use the same or modified portions for multiple essays. However, you’ll need to be careful to ensure that you’re fully responding to each unique prompt.

12. Test-optional means test-blind.

Even before the COVID pandemic, some colleges did away with their standardized testing requirements, meaning students could choose whether or not to submit scores from the SAT or ACT. During the pandemic, a majority of institutions followed suit and became test-optional as many test dates were canceled and fewer students had the ability to take the exams.

But test-optional is not the same as test-blind . Schools that are test-optional still consider scores when students submit them, while test-blind schools won’t look at scores at all.

At test-optional schools, those who choose not to submit scores may be at a disadvantage compared to those who do. If two students with similar profiles are under review, and one submits solid scores while the other doesn’t, the student who submits scores is more likely to be admitted.

That said, if you’re an under-represented minority, first-generation student, or lower-income student, you’re better-positioned to benefit from test-optional policies, as there are generally more testing barriers for these groups.

Want to learn more about the admissions process? Curious about your chances of getting into top schools? CollegeVine’s Admissions Calculator will give you the answers you need to navigate the world of college admissions. It’s free to sign up!

How to Make Yourself Memorable and Interesting for Admission

Avoid the hackneyed catchphrases and the cliche terms with these high-yield tips.

When it comes to making yourself memorable and interesting to a medical admissions committee, it is all about how you tell your story. By the time people are reading your essay or interviewing you, you have already made the cattle call of prospective doctors–your GPA and MCAT scores are in the acceptable mass of students wanting to get into med school. So how does anyone–especially someone in the middle or lower end of scores–make themselves stand out?

The typical admissions essay is conservatively written and often boring to those reading similar essays over and over . . . I volunteered at this nursing home, I worked in this research lab, I really want to help people . . . all good things, but nothing memorable. What stands out is an interesting personal story.

The essay that got me interviews did not start with “I did research at the Arctic Studies Center in Canada, I enjoyed the valuable experience of working with research scientists.”. Rather, I painted a picture of standing in the frosty air on the roof of the lab, watching the Aurora Borealis as polar bears wrestled in the distance. I described the excitement preparing to go on the tundra with wildlife biologists and study the bears–then I connected it to metabolic studies that could be applied to humans, and my personal interest in clinical research. When I went to interview, they would say “Hey, you’re the polar bear guy!”. They remembered me from the interesting story I told.

The interview is an excellent opportunity to make yourself memorable. Once you are face to face with an interviewer, the scores on the paper are less important. If you can capture someones interest in that moment, the impression can carry weight beyond mediocre numbers. A common question asked is, What do you like to do outside of school work? What they really want to know is, who are you? Everyone interviewing is an overachiever, everyone has done the extra studying, the volunteer work, the expected extracurriculars. How can you stand out?

When I interviewed, I did not say “I like to exercise, I recently ran a marathon.”. I explained how at one point I was a non-exercising cigarette smoker. I felt miserable physically, and decided to make a change. I started jogging, and it changed my life. I stopped smoking and immediately felt better. I discovered self-discipline by running daily and increasing my mileage. I entered a 5k and then a 10k race. I set my vision on completing a marathon, and worked hard for months to extend my mileage. I wasn’t sure if I would make it, but I completed my goal and had a life-altering experience. Working hard on a daily basis, and pushing my body and my mind to the limit, I learned much about myself. I learned about inner-strength, but I also learned I was not unique. I gained an experience to share with others. One of the physicians who interviewed me chatted about running for an hour, and said he was inspired to train for a marathon himself. Do you think he remembered me at the admissions committee?

The interviews I’ve held that are most memorable are those with intriguing stories. The student with polycystic kidney disease, who instead of succumbing to self-pity, joined a research lab. He talked about his passion to conduct clinical research on the condition that had taken the lives of his family members, and the awareness that his own clock was ticking. Or the older student who revealed being homeless for 2 years before entering college. He talked about riding trains and eating in soup kitchens. He said it allowed him to have a connection with all types of people. He relayed a gripping tale of working as a cook while staying at the Salvation Army, and getting into junior college. He earned straight A’s and transfer to a university. He wanted to help with the suffering he had seen in the world. He used homelessness as a story of perseverance, strength, and compassion for others; and I remember his story to this day.

Again it is not necessarily the specifics of your story but how you tell it. If you volunteered at a nursing home, tell about the time you spent with the 30 year old man in a wheelchair from a head injury. How he had a 3 foot straw for his drink because he was a quadrapelegic. How the drawings on his walls were fading from a family who rarely visited. Describe how you decided to visit him weekly, and it taught you how to be grateful for life, how to understand that not everything can be cured, but compassion and respect can allow a person to live with dignity. This creates a memorable picture of who you are, and allows you to stand out from the other applicants.

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Examples of Our 25 Random Things
Yun Hong Daytime MBA Class of 2021. Sandeep Panda Daytime MBA Class of 2021. Austin Ray Daytime MBA Class of 2021. Courtney Ridenhour Daytime MBA Class of 2021. Published November 18, 2019. If you're a prospective student reading this blog, chances are you're already aware of the "25 Random Things" essay that is part of the application.
14 Quirky College Admissions Facts You Won't Believe
Unfortunately, most of the time, appealing an admissions denial doesn't deliver results. Estimates say that the probability that college admissions officers will reverse a rejection is only 1% to 2%. It's better to apply to Columbia University, whose acceptance rate is 4%, than cry over spilled milk.
AOs write the "What do you do for fun?" essay
in Admissions, Advice, Best from staff. We know you lead a busy life, full of activities, many of which are required of you. Tell us about something you do for the pleasure of it. (250 words maximum) If you are familiar with the MIT application, you've likely encountered our short answer essay questions, including the one written above.
11 Surprising Facts About College Admission
To show you just how entirely probable your future college acceptance is, we've gathered these 11 surprising facts. 1. More than three-quarters of college applicants get into their first-choice schools. Watch video #1 to find out how to maximize your chances of joining that group! 2. UCLA is the #1-most-applied-to college, with nearly 139,500 ...
Should You Be Funny In Your College Essay + Examples
Tips for Adding Humor to Your College Essays. 1. Be Appropriate. First things first: be appropriate. Humor is, of course, subjective, but make sure your subject matter would be considered appropriate by absolutely anyone reading it. Think about the most traditional person you know and make sure they would be okay with it.
Fun Facts About Harvard
Fun Facts About Harvard. As one of the most influential universities in the world, Harvard is known for its distinct traditions. Here are 20 fun facts about Harvard. Harvard's Historic Beginnings The Founding of Harvard. Harvard University was established in 1636, making it the oldest institution of higher education in the United States.
Sample essay 2 with admissions feedback
Sample essay 2. We are looking for an essay that will help us know you better as a person and as a student. Please write an essay on a topic of your choice (no word limit). I'm one of those kids who can never read enough. I sit here, pen in hand, at my friendly, comfortable, oak desk and survey the books piled high on the shelves, the dresser ...
Taking your college essay to the next level
Taking your college essay to the next level. To make your college admissions essay stand out, dive deep into your experiences, don't just state facts. Show how you've changed and grown. Use your story to reveal your passions and insights. Remember, a great essay shows who you are and why you're unique!
Fascinating Fun Facts About Duke University
One fun fact about Duke University's Chapel is its tall tower. At 210 feet, Duke Chapel boasts intricate stone carvings, religious iconography, and a 50-bell carillon. Paired with the renowned Chapel choir, its towering presence contributes significantly to the university's spiritual, cultural, and artistic life.
Duke MBA Essays
Duke MBA Essays & Analysis 2023-2024. The following essay topic analysis examines Duke / Fuqua's MBA admissions essays. The Duke MBA essays are for the 2023-2024 admissions season. You can also review essay topic analyses for other leading MBA programs as well as general Essay Tips to further aid you in developing your admissions essays.
Can You Answer These Bizarre (But Real) College Essay Prompts?
College Essays, College Applications. With the release of universities 2022-23 supplemental essay prompts, we take you through some of the most unusual and bizarre US college supplemental essay prompts of all time, featuring universities such as UChicago, Tufts University and UPenn. To get into a top US college, you're going to need more than ...
How To Write The "Why This College" Essay
Provide specific examples of why you belong there. The best way to answer any form of these questions is through specific, unique examples that clarify your interests in the school. You want to stay away from things that could be found on a school's brochure or fun facts told on a college tour. Give examples that indicate you have done ...
Fascinating Fun Facts About MIT
Fascinating Fun Facts About MIT. Massachusetts Institute of Technology, widely known as MIT, is a name synonymous with innovation, technological advancement, and academic excellence. It is a hallowed institution that has transformed incredible minds into phenomenal lifestyles. As fascinating as its reputation is, there are also some intriguing ...
Tips for Your Duke Fuqua Application Essays
Duke Fuqua Application Essay Tips, 2023-2024. Duke Fuqua presents its applicants with one of the most creative, and maybe challenging, essay prompts out there—asking candidates to come up with a list of more than two dozen "random" bits of information about themselves. ... your hobbies, achievements, fun facts, or anything that helps us ...
Fuqua Application Insight: Some of Our 25 Random Things
For the last several years, Fuqua's MBA application has included the essay question that asks you to provide 25 random things about yourself—essentially 25 interesting facts. That question is back for the 2015-2016 application year, so we wanted to provide some insight on how you might approach it. The Fuqua Admissions team wants to get to ...
Did You Know? 61 Amazing Facts
This list offers some interesting facts in different categories. These facts are fun and interesting, but also can be used as supporting evidence. If you're looking for facts to keep in your toolbox for things like times essays, remember that statistics are always strongest, and to choose facts that are relevant to your topic.
Fun Facts about USC
One of the fun facts about USC is its history. The University of Southern California enjoys a rich history entwined with the growth and evolution of Los Angeles itself. Over the years, it has dramatically transformed into a globally renowned institution. Founded in 1880, the University of Southern California has a fascinating origin story.
12 College Admissions Myths
12 Common Misconceptions About College Admissions. 1. College planning starts junior year. Too many students and families wait until junior year to start planning for college. But really, you should start thinking about college admissions as early as your freshman year. While you won't actually be applying until your senior year, your ...
How to Make Yourself Memorable and Interesting for Admission
Avoid the hackneyed catchphrases and the cliche terms with these high-yield tips. When it comes to making yourself memorable and interesting to a medical admissions committee, it is all about how you tell your story. By the time people are reading your essay or interviewing you, you have already made the cattle call of prospective doctors ...