personal essay topics

Personal Essay Topics

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A personal essay is an essay about your life, thoughts, or experiences. This type of essay gives readers a glimpse into your most intimate life encounters and lessons. There are many reasons you may need to write a personal essay, from a simple class assignment to a college application requirement . You can use the list below for inspiration. Consider each statement a starting point, and write about a memorable moment that the prompt brings to mind.

Your bravest moment
How you met your best friend
What makes your mom or dad special
How you overcame a fear
Why you will succeed
Why you made a difficult choice
A special place
A place you try to avoid
When a friend let you down
An event that changed your life
A special encounter with an animal
A time when you felt out of place
An odd experience that didn't make sense at the time
Words of wisdom that hit home and changed your way of thinking
A person you don't like
A time when you disappointed someone
Your fondest memory
A time when you saw your parent cry
The moment when you knew you were grown up
Your earliest memory of holiday celebrations in your home
Times when you should have made a better choice
A time when you dodged a dangerous situation
A person you will think about at the end of your life
Your favorite time period
A failure you've experienced
A disappointment you've experienced
A surprising turn of events
What you would do with power
What superpower you would choose
If you could switch lives with someone
How money matters in your life
Your biggest loss
A time when you felt you did the wrong thing
A proud moment when you did the right thing
An experience that you've never shared with another person
A special place that you shared with a childhood friend
A first encounter with a stranger
Your first handshake
Where you go to hide
If you had a do-over
A book that changed your life
Words that stung
When you had the desire to run
When you had the urge to crawl into a hole
Words that prompted hope
When a child taught you a lesson
Your proudest moment
If your dog could talk
Your favorite time with family
If you could live in another country
If you could invent something
The world a hundred years from now
If you had lived a hundred years earlier
The animal you'd like to be
One thing you'd change at your school
The greatest movie moment
The type of teacher you would be
If you could be a building
A statue you'd like to see
If you could live anywhere
The greatest discovery
If you could change one thing about yourself
An animal that could be in charge
Something you can do that robots could never do
Your most unfortunate day
Your secret talent
Your secret love
The most beautiful thing you've ever seen
The ugliest thing you've seen
Something you've witnessed
An accident that changed everything
A wrong choice
A right choice
If you were a food
How you'd spend a million dollars
If you could start a charity
The meaning of color
A close call
Your favorite gift
A chore you'd do away with
A secret place
Something you can't resist
A hard lesson
A visitor you'll never forget
An unexplained event
Your longest minute
An awkward social moment
An experience with death
Why you'll never tell a lie
If your mom knew, she'd kill you
A kiss that meant a lot
When you needed a hug
The hardest news you've had to deliver
A special morning
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100+ Personal Essay Topics For College And Writing Tips

Table of Contents

70 Great Personal Essay Topics for College

Looking for interesting personal essay writing ideas? We’ve got a bunch…

A personal essay is a typical assignment for high-school and college students. It’s a type of non-fiction that incorporates a variety of writing styles. Personal essay topics usually include real stories, experiences, and opinions of people.

Writers need to give an account of their own experience and express their thoughts on the subject of a paper. The key to success is to make an attempt to combine narration and opinion together. In this article, you will find a short writing guide and 100+ engaging personal essay topic ideas.

How to write personal essays?

Keep in mind that personal writing is always subjective. It is based on the writer’s observation, feelings, opinion, and experience. You are the speaker, so it’s quite natural to use such pronouns as I, my, me, we, and our.

First of all, most essay writing websites will say that you need to find a compelling topic. College personal essay topics include a lot of things.

Students may be asked to

state their opinion about an issue
document what they observed
share a story
give a description of an object, event, place, person
relate a specific subject to their own life

Whatever theme you choose, it’s crucial to start an introduction of your paper with a strong hook to capture the audience’s attention. Introduce the subject in the first paragraph. Think about the main idea you want to communicate.

In the body of your paper, inform readers about the subject. It’s better to create an outline before to start writing. It will help you organize your thoughts, stay focused, and write clearly and concisely. Start each paragraph with a new idea. Show, don’t tell. Use strong verbs and include a lot of sensory details.

End with a thought-provoking conclusion. You need to explain what lesson you have learned, how your experience contributed to your development as a person and shaped your personality.

Why choose personal persuasive essay topics for writing

When writing on personal persuasive essay topics, writers must state their position or opinion on an issue and try to persuade people to accept their point of view, telling stories and appealing to their feelings and emotions.

That differs from elaborating on personal argumentative essay topics, when students have to support their point of view with strong arguments, reasons, relevant examples, appropriate illustrations, etc.

These types of papers are not easy to write as well as papers on personal cause and effect essay topics.

But there are important reasons why you may want to do that.

You’ll improve communication and critical thinking skills .
Challenging themes can help you stand out from the crowd.
You will be able to demonstrate your creativity and ability to apply persuasive techniques.

… Can’t decide what idea to choose?

Here we have gathered a wide variety of moving ideas for your inspiration. Whether you need personal experience essay topics or personal narrative essay topics, we’ve got you covered.

Personal essay topics: what are they about?

You may write on any subject. Popular themes include hobbies, nature, childhood, illness, travel, making a difficult choice, learning something new, friends, family, and relationships.

You may use some personal challenge essay ideas and tell about overcoming an obstacle. Or you can buy argumentative essay if you don’t have time to work on college tasks tonight.

Actually, the subject is not as important as you think. Readers want to see your point of view that reveals your unique personality.

How you met a special person in your life?
A person you admire most.
The best place in the local area.
A place where you would like to live your whole life.
Works of art you admire.
The job of your dream.
Your biggest disappointment.
Books that made a great impression on you.
What annoys you?
Your family traditions.
Are you addicted to technology?
What modern songs inspire you?
Could you live without money?
Do you like commercials?
What is your best method of studying?

Personal narrative essay topics

Tell about your first trip abroad.
The most unfortunate event ever happened to you.
What happened during your first day at school?
What is your first childhood memory?
What is your most memorable family event?
Did you experience failure?
What games did you play when you were a child?
The biggest challenge you have overcome.
Do you remember your first birthday party?
Tell how you learn something new.
Have you ever encountered a wild animal?
Tell about the first time you were home alone.
How you cooked a meal for the first time?
Tell how you helped someone.
How you overcame fear?

Personal experience essay topics

What things make you feel happy?
How you came to healthy eating habits?
How did you celebrate Christmas?
Did you bring a stray animal home?
How did you learn to drive?
How you met a famous person?
How did you learn something from enemies?
Describe the accidents you witnessed.
How you got hurt?
Describe disastrous trips or vacations.
Fantastic concerts you attended.
Describe terrifying nightmares.
Your reaction when provoked.
Experience of being a leader.
A friendship breakup experience.

Personal argumentative essay topics

What could you live without?
Why are you concerned about environmental issues?
How much money do you need for happiness?
What does your ethnic identity mean to you?
Significance of personal growth.
Male and female roles in your family.
Your attitude to feminism.
Explain what does it mean to be a Human.
Most precious moments of your life.
What is more critical: wealth or happiness?
Your attitude to getting a tattoo.
Is it important to be crazy about fashion?
Your opinion on cosmetics surgery.
Significance of healthy lifestyle choices.
Your favourite holiday destinations.

College personal essay topics

Have you been in love with someone?
What is your life’s goal?
What does success mean to you?
How freedom matters in your life?
How you leave the comfort zone?
Things you appreciate in life.
What things do you hate?
How you met college roommates?
Your plans on spending a gap year.
How you got your first job?
Describe intellectual challenges you would like to solve.
What did you learn from failures?
Outdoor activities you like most.
Explain your commitments.
What motivates you?

Personal persuasive essay topics

Your opinion of distant learning and online education.
Can listening to music help complete your homework faster?
Can hobbies help in a future career?
Is it ethical to buy products tested on animals?
Why is volunteering important?
Should drugs be banned?
Your favourite restaurant everyone should visit.
Things to do to help our world survive.
How can we make the world a better place?
Is it possible to avoid stress?
Should zoos be forbidden?
How online shopping makes me spend more money?
Why I don’t smoke.
Things I want to be doing when I become 85.
Why do I recommend students to study abroad?

Personal cause and effect essay topics

Why I don’t watch TV.
Reasons I go in for sports.
Effects of social media on the daily routine.
How my failures make me stronger?
Books that changed my world view.
Reasons why I study computer science.
Influence of my parents on my life choices.
Importance of learning math for my future career.
Effect of being a single child.
How my pets make me a better person?
Influence of regular exercise on my health and wellbeing.
What makes me rebel against my parents?
How did my parents help me to study?
Why going to college made me an independent person?
What caused my burn out?

Feel free to use our good personal essay topics for creating amazing pieces that will make a powerful impression on your readers and get you high grades.

Can’t grab your thoughts together and come up with a perfect personal essay? No worries! Our writers will do all the writing, while you enjoy your free time. Psst, it takes a few clicks only…

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What is Personal Essay

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Personal essay topics for college students, personal cause and effect essay topics, personal argumentative essay topics, unique personal essay topics.

Crafting personal essay topics is like selecting the perfect brushstroke for a painting. Each topic is a brush dipped in the hues of your experiences, capable of creating a vivid tapestry of emotions and thoughts. Yet, it's a delicate art, for these topics must bridge the gap between your personal narrative and the universal human experience.

In my writing journey, I've discovered that personal essays possess a unique power. They allow us to delve into our innermost thoughts, bringing them to life with words. These essays are a dance between the deeply personal and the universally relatable, offering readers a glimpse into our lives while echoing their own stories.

Personal essays transcend mere storytelling; they carry a message, a lesson, a revelation. They find their way into various aspects of our lives, from college applications to job interviews and writing contests. This article'll explore 110 personal essay topics, each a potential masterpiece waiting for you to paint with your words. Let's embark on this creative journey together and discover the topics that will inspire your storytelling prowess.

A personal essay is my heartfelt story, a window into my world. It's where I share my experiences, thoughts, and emotions, inviting readers to connect with my life's moments. Whether reflecting on personal growth, travel adventures, or social issues, it's my voice, perspective, and chance to convey life's significance through my lens.

Nowadays, with advancements in technology shaping our creative landscape, tools like paper typer AI provide an additional avenue for refining our narratives, assisting in the articulation of thoughts and emotions with greater precision and efficiency.

5 Tips for Writing a Personal Essay

These tips were instrumental in shaping my personal essay: ‍

Authentic Voice: Embrace your unique style and voice; authenticity resonates.
Vivid Details: Paint a vivid picture with sensory details; make readers feel your experience.
‍ Engaging Hook: Start with a captivating anecdote or question to draw readers in.
Reflect & Connect: Reflect on your experiences and connect them to broader themes or insights.
Concise Focus: Stay focused on a central theme or message to avoid diluting your essay's impact.

100 Personal Essay Topic Ideas

My most memorable travel experience.
The day that changed my perspective on life.
An encounter with a childhood hero.
A life-altering decision I made.
The role of family in shaping my identity.
A moment when I overcame a fear.
My first job and the lessons I learned.
An unexpected act of kindness I received.
A significant friendship that impacted my life.
My journey of self-discovery through a hobby.
A challenging life lesson learned through adversity.
A cultural tradition or celebration that holds personal meaning.
The impact of a book or movie on my beliefs.
An embarrassing moment that taught me humility.
The importance of a personal passion or hobby.
A life-changing conversation with a loved one.
The influence of a teacher or mentor on my growth.
The role of pets in my life and personal development.
A personal achievement I am most proud of.
The experience of moving to a new place and adapting to change.
The transition from high school to college life.
Balancing academics and extracurricular activities.
My most challenging course and how I coped.
The impact of college friendships on personal growth.
My aspirations and goals for the future.
The significance of internships and career preparation.
Overcoming the fear of public speaking or presentations.
The role of volunteering in shaping my values.
Coping with stress and time management in college.
My cultural identity in a diverse college environment.
The lessons learned from a gap year experience.
The importance of networking and building connections.
Coping with homesickness and maintaining relationships.
The influence of college extracurriculars on personal development.
Navigating the challenges of long-distance relationships.
The impact of studying abroad on cultural awareness.
The role of technology in college life and education.
Coping with academic failures and setbacks.
The influence of college professors on my perspective.
The significance of graduation and future plans.
The effects of childhood trauma on adult relationships.
How personal fitness habits impact overall health.
The consequences of a particular dietary choice.
The impact of social media on mental well-being.
The effects of procrastination on academic performance.
How volunteering affects personal happiness.
The consequences of a specific addiction or bad habit.
The impact of positive thinking on personal success.
How travel experiences change one's worldview.
The effects of peer pressure on decision-making.
The consequences of a significant life decision.
How financial choices impact personal freedom.
The effects of a strong support system on resilience.
The impact of self-care practices on stress management.
How environmental choices affect personal health.
The consequences of a significant career change.
The effects of educational choices on future opportunities.
The impact of personal belief systems on behavior.
How mentorship can shape one's career path.
The consequences of embracing a minimalist lifestyle.
Is technology making us more or less connected?
Should standardized testing be a primary measure of student success?
Is social media beneficial or detrimental to society?
Should college education be free for all students?
Is climate change primarily caused by human activity?
Should the legal drinking age be lowered or raised?
Is homeschooling a better alternative to traditional schooling?
Should animals be used for scientific research?
Is the death penalty an effective form of punishment?
Should marijuana be legalized for recreational use?
Is privacy more important than national security?
Should there be stricter gun control laws?
Is online learning as effective as traditional classroom learning?
Should the voting age be lowered to 16?
Is censorship ever justified in the media?
Should there be limits on free speech in the digital age?
Is genetic engineering ethical for humans?
Should fast food restaurants be held responsible for obesity?
Is the government's role in healthcare too extensive?
Should there be restrictions on the sale of violent video games?
The art of finding beauty in everyday moments.
The connection between music and my emotional state.
A day in the life of a fictional character I created.
The symbolism of a recurring dream or nightmare.
The impact of a specific smell or taste on memory.
The experience of visiting a haunted place.
The role of superstitions in my life and decision-making.
A conversation with my future self.
The journey of learning a unique skill or craft.
The experience of living off the grid for a week.
A personal philosophy derived from a childhood story.
The significance of a lucky charm or talisman.
The lessons learned from a failed creative project.
The exploration of lucid dreaming and its possibilities.
The perspective of an inanimate object in my room.
The influence of a specific piece of art or sculpture.
The impact of color on my emotions and creativity.
The experience of attending an unconventional event or festival.
The role of serendipity in shaping my life's path.
The insights gained from living through a natural disaster.

In closing, I've journeyed through many personal essay topics, each offering a glimpse into the tapestry of human experiences. These topics are not just subjects for writing; they are gateways to self-discovery and connection. As I've explored them, I've learned that personal essays transcend the boundaries of mere storytelling; they are a medium for sharing the depth of our humanity. So, as you embark on your personal essay writing journey, remember that your unique perspective is a gift. Embrace it, nurture it, and let it flow through your words. Share your stories, connect with others, and enrich the world with your personal essays.

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Student Opinion

525 Prompts for Narrative and Personal Writing

Questions that invite students to write about themselves, their lives and their beliefs.

By The Learning Network

Updated with 80 new prompts from the 2022-23 school year!

We’ve been posting fresh writing prompts every school day for over a decade now, and every so often we create a themed collection like this one to help you find what you need all in one place.

Below, we’ve rounded up 525 evergreen questions to encourage you to write about your life. They cover everything from family, friendships and growing up to gender, spirituality, money, school and more. (They’re also all available here as a clickable PDF .)

We hope they’ll inspire you, whether you’re entering our related 100-Word Personal Narrative Contest this fall, or just want to improve your writing skills. Like all our Student Opinion questions , each links to a related Times article, which is free to read if you access it from our site.

So dive in and pick the questions that motivate you to tell an interesting story, describe a memorable event, observe the details in your world, imagine a possibility, or reflect on who you are and what you believe.

Overcoming Adversity

1. How Mentally Tough Are You? 2. What Is the Bravest Thing You’ve Ever Done? 3. When Have You Made the Best of a Difficult Situation? 4. How Have You Gotten Over Disappointment? 5. How Do You Get Over Rejection? 6. How Do You Deal With Self-Doubt? 7. How Resilient Are You? 8. What Do You Gain From Pursuing Something You Do Really, Really Badly? 9. How Do You Handle Fear? 10. Are You Too Hard on Yourself? 11. How Do You Silence Your Inner Critic? 12. Have You Ever Experienced ‘Impostor Syndrome’? 13. Have You Ever Benefited From Rejection? 14. Do You Give Yourself Enough Credit for Your Own Successes? 15. How Do You Overcome Your Fears? 16. Stress, Worry and Anxiety Are All Different. How Do You Cope With Each? 17. How Do You Cope With Grief? 18. How Do You Make Hard Decisions? 19. Have You Ever Quit Something? 20. Have You Ever Felt as if You Didn’t Belong? 21. When Has Starting Over Worked for You? 22. When Have You Reinvented Yourself? 23. Do You Find It Hard to Let Other People Help You? 24. Have You Ever Felt Like an Outsider? 25. Do You Appreciate When Celebrities Share Their Struggles? 26. Have You Ever Worried About Making a Good First Impression? 27. Have You Ever Felt Pressure to ‘Sell Your Pain’?

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13 Thought-Provoking Personal Narrative Prompts

by Suzanne Davis | Sep 12, 2019 | Writing Essays and Papers | 2 comments

To be a person is to have a story to tell. –Isak Dinesen

What stories are within you? A personal narrative is a story from your life. So, it is simple to write. Maybe. If you come up with an experience you’re dying to share–it is easy to get started. But, it isn’t always easy to think of an idea for a personal narrative. So, I put together a list of 13 personal narrative prompts to help you find a compelling story you long to write about.

The idea of longing to write it is important because personal narratives need to show readers what your experience was like. Desire to write inspires you to put more effort into your narrative’s description, character development, and plot. Sounds a lot like writing a fictional story doesn’t it? Both are narratives, they need to engage your readers and show them something unique.

Personal narrative writing shows settings, people, actions, and feelings. When you write a personal narrative, you describe a story so that your reader sees, feels, and understands what you experienced. When you write a personal narrative, you describe a story so that your reader sees, feels and understands what you experienced. Click To Tweet

You show (don’t tell) readers a personal story . Check out the post “How to Master Writing a Compelling Personal Narrative Essay” https://www.academicwritingsuccess.com/writing-a-personal-narrative/ to see how to use the show don’t tell approach in writing personal narratives.

Finding an engaging personal narrative prompt will help you discover a memorable essay. Let’s find the right topic for you.

13 Personal Narrative Prompts

One of the best ways to show a personal story is to select a small episode or anecdote from your life and dig deep into it. These 13 personal narrative prompts help you find a great essay topic.

#1 Favorite School Memory

Write a story about your favorite school memory. Who was there? Where was it? How did it happen? How does it end? Focus on one single event. For example, if you played the violin in school you could tell a story about playing the violin in a concert. Or if you played on a soccer team, you could tell the story of your tryout.

# 2 Worst School Memory

This is the opposite of #1. Select a memory that is focused on a terrible situation. What triggered that situation and what happened? What was the result? For example, this could be a situation where you were bullied. Describe what happened, and how it ended for you. Did anyone defend you, or help you? Or did the bullying continue?

#3 Frightening Story

Write a story about a scary or frightening moment in your life. What happened? How was it scary? Are you still frightened? Fear is a strong emotion and it motivates people to keep reading and find out what followed. Some examples of frightening moments are being trapped in a cave, lost in the woods or inside an old house with strange noises, or a traumatic event. A frightening experience could also be any personal event where you didn’t feel safe and were afraid something terrible was going to happen.

# 4 “Just Between Friends”

Write a story about something that happened between you and a friend. Is it something important you experienced together? Did your friend do something to help you? Did that person hurt you? Or did you do something to help your friend? Did you hurt a friend? Some ideas for this topic are an activity or event you both participated in, something you both started, a great act of kindness, a sacrifice one of you made to help the other. It could also be something where you betrayed your friend, or your friend betrayed you.

#5 Family Story

This is similar to the topic of friendship except in this case it’s something that happened within your family. What occurred, who was there, and what did you do? Is there an important funny, sad, or happy event in your family? Did you do something important or special with your family? Some examples of this topic are the birth of someone in your family, the death of a loved one, or something fun you did with your parents, siblings or grandparents, etc.

Write a story of the best, strangest, or worst thing that happened to you on a vacation or trip to another place. Focus on one event or experience. One mistake writers make with this essay idea is they describe an entire travel experience, and that isn’t interesting to your readers. Some ideas for this writing prompt are getting lost in a city, being pickpocketed on a trip, or visiting a historical site.

#7 First Love

First loves are powerful and vivid stories. Consider a story about how you met that person or a significant memory between you. This could be something wonderful, funny, or even terrible, If the relationship is over how did it end? Were you heartbroken? These stories, or a story about any important relationship, leave an imprint on us.

#8 Success Story

Write a story about something you accomplished. Describe what you did to achieve success, and how you reached your goal. Were there obstacles you had to overcome? This is a tricky essay topic because sometimes people focus on the feelings of success or the final achievement rather than the story of how they succeeded. Some ideas for this topic are to write about winning an event, earning an honor, confronting a personal challenge, or getting over a phobia.

#9 Personal Failure

Write about how you failed to do or failed to achieve something. Describe what you tried to do, how you failed, and what you gained/learned from it. Everyone fails at something. Your readers understand the feeling of failure. Some people connect with these personal narratives more than stories of success because they empathize with you. People learn a lot through failure, so when you write this type of story, hint or convey what you learned from failing.

#10 Accident

Write a story about an accident you caused or an accident that happened to you. This could be negative as in a car accident or maybe it’s an accident of good fortune. Describe how the accident occurred, who was involved, and how it ended. Was it a bicycle accident? How did it happen? Did someone get hurt?

#11 Unresolved Experience

Personal Narrative Prompt--The Unresolved Experience

Describe something that happened to you, but where there’s no resolution. What was the experience and how did it occur? What don’t you understand or know about the experience? Then, instead of having a resolution to the story, convey how you feel about not knowing what happened.

#12 An International or National Event or Incident

Write a personal story describing how you acted, witnessed, or responded to a significant national or international event or incident. Did you play in the Olympics, or join a protest? Did you survive a natural disaster? What was your role in this circumstance? What did you do? For example, if you were in a hurricane describe what happened, who you were with, and how you survived.

#13 Change the World Experience

One of the best experiences I had in my life was creating and organizing a family literacy program for public schools. There are several stories within that experience I could write. If you were a volunteer for an organization or participated in a service project, think about what happened. Was there a moment that changed everything? What occurred? Did any of those stories change you, your community, or another person? These stories can be very moving because they have impacted you, what you believe, and how you see or view others.

Choose a Personal Narrative Prompt and Write

The most important factor to consider in a personal narrative is yourself. Choose an idea for a personal narrative that intrigues you. If your narrative bores you, it’ll bore readers. You want to write a descriptive personal story with vivid characters, actions, and emotions.

Also, select a story you want to share with others. You’re revealing not just what happened to you, but also a piece of yourself. Is your personal story something you want people to know?

It’s your story . You decide what to write and who reads it. Then write it well.

What is your favorite personal narrative topic? Please share it below!

Great prompts, Suzanne! I especially liked #10 the unresolved experience. Very thought provoking. These prompts would also be great for personal journaling.

Terri, thank you. You’re right. These writing prompts would work well with personal journaling. I’m glad you liked #10. It’s one of my favorites!

[…] So which descriptive essay prompt inspires you? And if you want more creative writing prompts, check out my blog post, “13 Thought-Provoking Personal Narrative Prompts” https://www.academicwritingsuccess.com/13-thought-provoking-personal-narrative-prompts/ . […]

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Narrative Essay Topics: TOP 200 Choices for Students

Imagine yourself facing a blank page, ready to fill it with your memories and imagination. What story will you tell today?

As students, you often have to write narratives that capture people's attention. But with so many stories to choose from, where do you start? How do you find the perfect topic that will grab our readers' interest and make them think?

Join our essay service experts as we explore 200 topics for college where stories are waiting to be told, and experiences are ready to be shared. From everyday events to unforgettable moments, each topic is a chance to connect with your readers and make them feel something.

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Ideas for Narrative Essay Topics

After exploring how students write narrative paragraphs, we've put together a list of narrative essay topics designed specifically for college and school students. This list covers a wide range of subjects, so pick one that speaks to you!

Literacy Narrative Essay Topics for College Students

How about delving into captivating literacy narrative essay topics designed specifically for college-level writing? Exciting, isn't it?

How did a childhood book shape your view of the world?
What challenges did you face when learning to read in a second language?
How has storytelling within your family influenced your literacy journey?
Can you recall a pivotal moment that ignited your love for reading?
How did a specific teacher inspire your passion for literature?
Have you ever encountered a character in a book who profoundly impacted your perspective on life?
What role did writing play in helping you navigate a difficult period in your life?
How has your relationship with technology affected your reading habits?
What cultural or historical event sparked your interest in a particular genre of literature?
How has poetry shaped your understanding of language and emotion?
Have you ever experienced a breakthrough moment in your writing process?
How has reading aloud impacted your comprehension and enjoyment of literature?
Can you recall a time when a book challenged your beliefs or worldview?
How has participating in a book club enriched your reading experience?
What strategies have you developed to overcome reading difficulties or distractions?

Personal Narrative Essay Topics on Relationships

Take a moment to reflect on your past experiences and craft compelling personal narratives with these essay ideas.

How did a specific friendship shape who you are today?
Can you recount a moment that strengthened your bond with a family member?
What challenges have you faced in maintaining a long-distance relationship?
How has a mentor influenced your personal and professional development?
Have you experienced a betrayal in a relationship? How did it impact you?
Can you describe a memorable conflict resolution process within a relationship?
How has your relationship with a pet affected your emotional well-being?
What lessons have you learned from navigating a romantic relationship?
How has your relationship with a sibling evolved over time?
Can you recall a time when you had to set boundaries in a friendship?
How has volunteering or community involvement enriched your relationships?
What cultural differences have influenced your relationships with others?
Can you share a moment when you felt truly understood by someone?
How has technology affected the dynamics of your relationships?
Have you ever experienced a reconciliation that transformed a strained relationship?

Best Narrative Essay Topics on Education and Learning

Consider the beauty of sharing your personal experiences and emotions in a captivating manner through these ideas for personal narrative essays.

What was the most valuable lesson you learned outside of the classroom?
Can you recount a moment when a teacher's unconventional method transformed your understanding of a subject?
How has a field trip or experiential learning opportunity impacted your education?
What challenges have you faced in balancing extracurricular activities with academics?
Have you ever had a "Eureka!" moment while studying? Describe it.
How has learning a new skill outside of school influenced your academic performance?
Can you recall a time when a peer's perspective challenged your own understanding of a topic?
How has technology enhanced or hindered your learning experience?
What role does creativity play in your approach to learning?
Have you ever experienced a setback that ultimately propelled you forward academically?
How has your cultural background influenced your learning style?
Can you describe a time when you had to advocate for yourself within an educational setting?
How has mentorship shaped your educational journey?
What strategies have you employed to overcome academic challenges or obstacles?
Can you reflect on a time when failure taught you a valuable lesson about learning?

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Personal Narrative Essay Ideas on Reflection on Life

Why not ignite your creativity with a range of narrative essay topics, from extraordinary moments to everyday experiences?

How has a moment of failure ultimately led to personal growth and resilience?
Can you recount a pivotal decision that significantly altered the course of your life?
What lessons have you learned from navigating a crossroads or major life transition?
How has your perspective on success evolved over time?
Can you reflect on a time when you had to confront and overcome a deeply held fear?
What role has gratitude played in shaping your outlook on life?
How have your values and beliefs been influenced by significant life experiences?
Can you describe a moment when you found clarity and purpose amidst chaos or uncertainty?
What impact has traveling to a new place had on your understanding of the world and yourself?
How has adversity strengthened your character and determination?
Can you recall a time when a random act of kindness profoundly impacted your life?
What lessons have you learned from embracing vulnerability and authenticity in relationships?
How has practicing mindfulness or self-reflection enhanced your well-being and happiness?
Can you reflect on a period of personal transformation or self-discovery?
How have you found meaning and fulfillment in pursuing your passions and interests?

Ideas for a Narrative Essay on Culture and Society

Engaging your readers with narrative essays on culture and society is a great way to spark interest, offering captivating ideas for exploration.

How has your family's unique culinary heritage influenced your cultural identity?
Can you reflect on a specific cultural artifact or heirloom that holds deep significance for your family?
What challenges have you faced in preserving traditional customs while adapting to modern societal expectations?
How has a local festival or celebration revealed the intricacies of your community's cultural tapestry?
Can you recount a moment when you navigated a cultural clash between your upbringing and the dominant culture?
How has your experience as a first-generation immigrant shaped your understanding of cultural assimilation?
What lessons have you learned from participating in intercultural exchange programs or initiatives?
Can you describe a unique cultural practice or tradition within your community that outsiders might find intriguing or misunderstood?
How has the revitalization of indigenous languages contributed to the preservation of cultural heritage in your region?
Can you reflect on a personal journey of reconnecting with your cultural roots after a period of assimilation or disconnection?
What role does storytelling play in passing down cultural wisdom and values within your family or community?
How has the portrayal of your culture in mainstream media affected your sense of belonging and self-perception?
Can you recount a moment when you challenged cultural stereotypes through creative expression or advocacy?
How has the migration of a specific cultural group enriched the social fabric and economic landscape of your community?
What initiatives or grassroots movements are currently underway to promote cross-cultural understanding and cooperation in your society?

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Narrative Writing Topics on Hobbies and Interests

Wow your readers by turning your passions and hobbies into compelling narrative essay topics that will get them thinking.

How has your passion for urban gardening transformed neglected spaces in your community?
Can you recount a thrilling adventure from your hobby of urban exploration?
What lessons have you learned from restoring vintage motorcycles in your spare time?
How has your fascination with birdwatching deepened your connection to nature and conservation efforts?
Can you describe a memorable moment from your hobby of foraging wild edibles in the wilderness?
What unique skills have you developed through your hobby of beekeeping, and how have they impacted your daily life?
How has your interest in historical reenactment brought the past to life in unexpected ways?
Can you reflect on a transformative experience from your hobby of landscape photography?
What insights have you gained from practicing the art of bonsai cultivation and nurturing miniature ecosystems?
How has your passion for stargazing inspired awe and wonder in the vastness of the universe?
Can you recount a challenging project from your hobby of woodworking and the satisfaction it brought upon completion?
What cultural connections have you discovered through your hobby of traditional folk dancing?
How has your interest in sustainable fashion influenced your consumer habits and environmental awareness?
Can you describe a moment of serenity and mindfulness experienced while practicing the art of tea ceremony?
How has your hobby of letterpress printing preserved the tactile beauty of handmade craftsmanship in a digital age?

Narrative Essay Titles on Life-Changing Moments

Life is full of unexpected twists that can lead to life-changing moments. Take a look at these narrative essay titles for stories that have had a lasting impact on your life.

How did surviving a natural disaster reshape your perspective on life?
Can you recall a single conversation that drastically altered the course of your life?
What was the pivotal moment that inspired you to pursue your dreams against all odds?
How did a chance encounter lead to a life-changing friendship or partnership?
Can you reflect on the decision that transformed your career trajectory?
What profound lesson did you learn from facing a life-threatening illness or injury?
How did traveling to a new country open your eyes to new possibilities and opportunities?
Can you recount the moment when you discovered your true passion or calling in life?
What was the turning point that allowed you to break free from a toxic relationship or environment?
How did experiencing failure or rejection ultimately lead to personal growth and resilience?
Can you describe the moment when you found the strength to overcome a deep-seated fear or insecurity?
What life-changing realization did you have while experiencing a period of solitude or introspection?
How did a profound act of kindness from a stranger restore your faith in humanity?
Can you reflect on the moment when you forgave someone who had deeply hurt you, and how it changed your perspective on forgiveness?
What pivotal decision did you make that allowed you to reclaim control over your own happiness and destiny?

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Good Narrative Topics on Travel and Adventure

Consider creating intriguing titles for your narrative essay ideas by exploring thrilling travel adventures.

Can you recount a memorable encounter with wildlife during your solo hiking adventure?
How did a spontaneous decision to explore an unfamiliar city lead to unexpected discoveries?
What lessons did you learn from navigating a foreign country with only a map and your instincts?
Can you describe the exhilaration of conquering a challenging mountain peak for the first time?
How did immersing yourself in a local culture during your travels broaden your perspective on the world?
What unexpected obstacles did you encounter while embarking on a backpacking journey through rugged terrain?
Can you reflect on the transformative experience of volunteering abroad in a community-driven project?
How did getting lost in a labyrinthine city alleyway lead to serendipitous encounters and newfound friendships?
What was the most memorable meal you had while sampling street food in a bustling market abroad?
Can you recount the adrenaline rush of participating in an extreme sports activity in a foreign land?
How did witnessing a breathtaking natural phenomenon during your travels leave a lasting impression on you?
What cultural traditions or rituals did you participate in during a homestay experience with a local family?
Can you describe the sense of wonder and awe you felt while exploring ancient ruins or historical sites?
How did navigating a language barrier challenge and ultimately enrich your travel experience?
What valuable life lessons did you learn from the mishaps and misadventures encountered during your journey off the beaten path?

Narrative Essay Topic Ideas on Career and Work Experience

College students can uncover captivating narrative essay ideas by exploring potential career paths or reminiscing about past job experiences.

How did a challenging project at work showcase your problem-solving skills and resilience?
Can you reflect on a pivotal mentorship experience that guided your career trajectory?
What valuable lessons did you learn from a career setback or failure, and how did it shape your future success?
How did a workplace conflict lead to personal growth and improved communication skills?
Can you recount a moment when taking a professional risk paid off in unexpected ways?
What insights did you gain from transitioning to a new industry or career path?
How did participating in a cross-functional team project enhance your collaboration and leadership abilities?
Can you describe the satisfaction of achieving a long-term career goal after years of hard work and perseverance?
What impact did a meaningful recognition or award have on your motivation and sense of accomplishment?
How did volunteering or pro bono work contribute to your professional development and sense of purpose?
Can you reflect on the decision to leave a stable job in pursuit of passion or fulfillment?
What strategies did you employ to navigate a toxic work environment and maintain your well-being?
How did a career setback lead to unexpected opportunities for personal and professional growth?
Can you describe a moment when mentorship or sponsorship played a crucial role in advancing your career?
What lessons did you learn from a challenging client or customer interaction, and how did it shape your approach to customer service and relationship-building?

Interesting Narrative Essay Topics about Challenges and Obstacles

If you're not sure what to write about for your narrative essay, think back to the tough times you've had and how you managed to get through them.

How did you conquer a once-paralyzing fear to chase your dreams?
What new strengths did you discover while adapting to a physical challenge?
Can you recall a creative solution you used during a tough financial period?
When did you bravely stand against injustice, despite opposition?
How did overcoming a language barrier broaden your horizons?
What key lessons did you learn from a major setback in your life?
How did you manage overwhelming stress and responsibilities?
What inner reserves of resilience did you draw upon after personal loss?
Describe a time when you defied societal norms to pursue your goals.
Reflect on a moment when failure fueled your determination for success.
When did you find the courage to leave your comfort zone behind?
How did community support bolster you through a challenging time?
Share a time when self-doubt led to newfound confidence.
Can you recount a tragedy that spurred your personal growth?
What insights did overcoming a monumental obstacle reveal about life?

Best Narrative Essay Topics: How to Choose the One That Resonates

A narrative essay is a type of writing that tells a personal story, including characters, plot, setting, and the order of events. Its main goal is to connect with readers emotionally and share a specific message or insight through the retelling of a meaningful experience.

Students write narrative essays as part of their studies for several reasons. Firstly, it allows them to express themselves creatively by sharing their unique experiences, thoughts, and feelings. Secondly, it helps them develop important writing skills like organizing ideas and thoughts effectively.

Choosing good narrative essay ideas involves looking at personal experiences, interests, and the potential for engaging storytelling. Here's a simple guide to help you pick the right topic:

Think about significant moments in your life that had a lasting impact, such as personal growth or overcoming challenges.
Choose topics related to your hobbies, interests, or areas of expertise to make your story more engaging.
Consider what your audience would be interested in and choose topics that resonate with them.
Focus on a specific event or detail to make your narrative more focused and impactful.
Look for universal themes like love or personal transformation that connect with readers on a deeper level.
Brainstorm ideas and write freely to uncover compelling topics.
Decide on storytelling techniques like flashbacks or foreshadowing and choose a topic that fits.
Get feedback from friends, peers, or instructors to see if your topics are interesting and impactful.
Choose topics that evoke strong emotions for a more compelling narrative.
Select a topic that you personally connect with to make your story authentic.

Once you've chosen a topic, brainstorm ideas and create an outline for your essay. Follow your professor's instructions carefully and consider seeking help from our narrative essay writing service if needed.

Bring your stories to life with EssayPro. Select from a vast array of narrative essay topics and let our professionals help you weave your tales into captivating essays. Whether it's adventure, reflection, or imagination, we're here to assist.

Final Remarks

As we wrap up, our list of 200 narrative essay topics is here to fuel your creativity for your next writing project! Whether you're sharing a memorable event, reliving a childhood memory, or expressing a profound insight, crafting a narrative essay can be an uplifting experience that resonates deeply with readers.

And if you're gearing up for college admissions, why not check out our admission essay writing service ? We've already assisted countless students in securing their spots at their dream colleges, and we'd love to help you, too!

Give Us Your Task

We provide assistance as well as editing and proofreading. Every paper we deal with is written and triple-checked by a team of experts—which means that you are guaranteed to get top-quality work from our term paper writing service . Order now!

Daniel Parker

is a seasoned educational writer focusing on scholarship guidance, research papers, and various forms of academic essays including reflective and narrative essays. His expertise also extends to detailed case studies. A scholar with a background in English Literature and Education, Daniel’s work on EssayPro blog aims to support students in achieving academic excellence and securing scholarships. His hobbies include reading classic literature and participating in academic forums.

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

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Choosing Your College Essay Topic | Ideas & Examples

Choosing Your College Essay Topic | Ideas & Examples

Published on October 25, 2021 by Kirsten Courault . Revised on July 3, 2023.

A strong essay topic sets you up to write a unique, memorable college application essay . Your topic should be personal, original, and specific. Take time to brainstorm the right topic for you.

What makes a good topic, brainstorming questions to get started, discover the best topic for you, how to make a common topic compelling, frequently asked questions about college application essays, other interesting articles.

Here are some guidelines for a good essay topic:

It’s focused on you and your experience
It shares something different from the rest of your application
It’s specific and original (not many students could write a similar essay)
It affords the opportunity to share your positive stories and qualities

In most cases, avoid topics that

Reflect poorly on your character and behavior
Deal with a challenge or traumatic experience without a lesson learned or positive outlook

Prevent plagiarism. Run a free check.

Spend time reflecting on and writing out answers to the following questions. After doing this exercise, you should be able to identify a few strong topics for your college essay.

Topic category	Reflection questions
Your background, identity, or talents
Your challenges
Your values and beliefs
Your role models
Your accomplishments and goals
Your academic and personal interests
Your character and qualities	would your friends and family use to describe you?

Writing about yourself can be difficult. If you’re struggling to identify your topic, try these two strategies.

Start with your qualities

After identifying your positive qualities or values, brainstorm stories that demonstrate these qualities.

Qualities	Stories
Loyalty and concern for others	on nights when she was sick from her chemo treatment
Hard work and commitment
Selflessness and sacrifice

Start with a story

If you already have some memorable stories in mind that you’d like to write about, think about which qualities and values you can demonstrate with those stories.

Stories	Qualities
	Resilience and growth
	Patience and empathy
and getting my friends to participate in an episode where salmon was the secret ingredient	Creativity and initiative

Talk it through

To make sure you choose the right topic, ask for advice from trusted friends or family members who know you well. They can help you brainstorm ideas and remember stories, and they can give you feedback on your potential essay topics.

You can also work with a guidance counselor, teacher, or other mentor to discuss which ideas are most promising. If you plan ahead , you can even workshop multiple draft essays to see which topic works best.

If you do choose a common topic, ensure you have the following to craft a unique essay:

Surprising or unexpected story arcs
Interesting insight or connections
An advanced writing style

Here are a few examples of how to craft strong essays from cliché topics.

Common topic	Why it’s difficult	How to make it work
Extracurricular activities	Your application already lists your extracurriculars
Your role model	It’s not about you
A traumatic experience or death in the family	Negative and may seem like you’re trying to win sympathy points
Struggling with new life situations (moving homes, parents’ divorce)	Cliché narrative and insight
Becoming a better person after community service, traveling, or summer camp	Cliché narrative and insight

Here’s a checklist you can use to confirm that your college essay topic is right for you.

College essay topic checklist

My topic is focused on me, not on someone else.

My topic shares something different from the rest of my application.

My topic is specific and original (not many students could write a similar essay).

My topic reflects positively on my character and behavior.

If I chose to write about a traumatic or challenging experience, my essay will focus on how I overcame it or gained insight.

If I chose a common topic, my essay will have a surprising story arc, interesting insight, and/or an advanced writing style.

Good topic!

It looks like your topic is a good choice. It's specific, it avoids clichés, and it reflects positively on you.

There are no foolproof college essay topics —whatever your topic, the key is to write about it effectively. However, a good topic

Is meaningful, specific, and personal to you
Focuses on you and your experiences
Reveals something beyond your test scores, grades, and extracurriculars
Is creative and original

Yes—admissions officers don’t expect everyone to have a totally unique college essay topic . But you must differentiate your essay from others by having a surprising story arc, an interesting insight, and/or an advanced writing style .

To decide on a good college essay topic , spend time thoughtfully answering brainstorming questions. If you still have trouble identifying topics, try the following two strategies:

Identify your qualities → Brainstorm stories that demonstrate these qualities
Identify memorable stories → Connect your qualities to these stories

You can also ask family, friends, or mentors to help you brainstorm topics, give feedback on your potential essay topics, or recall key stories that showcase your qualities.

Most topics are acceptable for college essays if you can use them to demonstrate personal growth or a lesson learned. However, there are a few difficult topics for college essays that should be avoided. Avoid topics that are:

Overly personal (e.g. graphic details of illness or injury, romantic or sexual relationships)
Not personal enough (e.g. broad solutions to world problems, inspiring people or things)
Too negative (e.g. an in-depth look at your flaws, put-downs of others, criticizing the need for a college essay)
Too boring (e.g. a resume of your academic achievements and extracurriculars)
Inappropriate for a college essay (e.g. illegal activities, offensive humor, false accounts of yourself, bragging about privilege)

Here’s a brief list of college essay topics that may be considered cliché:

Extracurriculars, especially sports
Role models
Dealing with a personal tragedy or death in the family
Struggling with new life situations (immigrant stories, moving homes, parents’ divorce)
Becoming a better person after community service, traveling, or summer camp
Overcoming a difficult class
Using a common object as an extended metaphor

It’s easier to write a standout essay with a unique topic. However, it’s possible to make a common topic compelling with interesting story arcs, uncommon connections, and an advanced writing style.

If you want to know more about academic writing , effective communication , or parts of speech , make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples.

Academic writing

Writing process
Transition words
Passive voice
Paraphrasing

Communication

How to end an email
Ms, mrs, miss
How to start an email
I hope this email finds you well
Hope you are doing well

Parts of speech

Personal pronouns
Conjunctions

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Crafting a college essay can be a pivotal moment in your academic journey. It’s an opportunity to showcase your voice, share your experiences, and stand out from the crowd.

Picking from a vast array of college essay topics can be overwhelming. That’s why we’ve compiled an exhaustive list of 100 college essay topics. These topics are categorized to boost your creativity and help you find the perfect theme that resonates with your story.

Get an A+ with our expert essay editing services! Learn more

We’ve also given helpful tips on how to choose and write the perfect essay for college. So let’s start by understanding how to pick the perfect college essay topic:

How to pick the perfect college essay topic

Selecting good college essay topics is more than just finding a subject that sounds impressive. It’s about finding a genuine fit for your personality and experiences. Here’s how to identify the best college essay topics for your unique narrative:

Reflect on your passions: What excites you? What are you eager to explore further?

Consider your experiences: Which life events have shaped who you are?

Identify your growth: How have challenges and obstacles contributed to your personal development?

Think about relevance: Will this topic be engaging for the admissions committee?

Be authentic: Choose a topic that allows your genuine self to shine through.

With these considerations in mind, let’s dive into a curated list of essay topics for college students, designed to spark inspiration and provoke thought.

100 Best college essay topics

We’ve created a list of the unique college essay topics that stand out to help you ace your essay!

Argumentative college essay topics

Here is a list of top argumentative essay topics for college:

1. The role of government in regulating internet content.

2. Should higher education be a right or a privilege?

3. The ethical implications of gene editing in humans.

4. Are standardized tests an accurate measure of student intelligence?

5. The impact of social media on youth and society.

6. Should college athletes be paid for playing sports?

7. The viability of a four-day workweek.

8. Is a gap year beneficial before starting college?

9. The influence of advertising on consumer behavior.

10. Privacy vs. security: How much surveillance is too much?

Persuasive essay topics for college

Here is a list of top persuasive essay topics for college:

1. The importance of arts education in schools.

2. Why volunteering should be part of the college curriculum.

3. The benefits of bilingual education.

4. The necessity of making public transport free.

5. Why we must invest in renewable energy sources.

6. The case for banning single-use plastics.

7. Should voting be mandatory?

8. The importance of preserving historical monuments.

9. Why we need stricter regulations on animal testing.

10. The need for more progressive tax systems.

Compare and contrast essay topics for college students

Here is a list of top compare-and-contrast essay topics for college:

1. Living on campus vs. commuting: Which is better for college students?

2. Online classes vs. traditional classes: A comparison of effectiveness.

3. The pros and cons of private vs. public universities.

4. Western vs. Eastern philosophies of education.

5. Fast food vs. home-cooked meals: Implications on health.

6. Traditional vs. alternative medicine: A comparative study.

7. The leadership styles of two prominent figures in history.

8. Book adaptations: When the book or the movie is better?

9. Comparing two different approaches to environmental conservation.

10. The impact of different parenting styles on child development.

Cause and effect essay topics for college students

Here is a list of top cause-and-effect essay topics for college:

1. The effects of social networking sites on communication.

2. How does consumerism affect the global economy?

3. The impact of college debt on future life choices of students.

4. The effects of global warming on polar ice caps.

5. The causes and effects of insomnia during exam periods.

6. How does stress affect health and well-being?

7. The influence of diet on cognitive functions.

8. The effects of music on mood and productivity.

9. The impact of technology on the job market.

10. Causes and effects of cultural appropriation.

Creative college essay topics

Here is a list of top creative essay topics for college:

1. Imagine a day in the life of your favorite book character.

2. If you could invent something, what would it be and why?

3. The adventures of living in a parallel universe.

4. Writing a eulogy for a historical villain.

5. A world without smartphones: Chaos or calm?

6. If you could converse with an artist from the past, who would it be?

7. The experience of time travel to your most and least favorite historical periods.

8. What if you were the president for a week?

9. If animals could form their own society, how would it look?

10. A letter to a future generation about life in the 21st century.

College essay topics about life goals

Here is a list of top life goals essay topics for college:

1. How your career goals have evolved over time.

2. The influence of a family business on your professional aspirations.

3. The importance of role models in shaping your future ambitions.

4. A major life goal and the steps you’re taking to achieve it.

5. How overcoming a significant challenge has refocused your life goals.

6. The impact of travel on your personal and professional objectives.

7. The importance of lifelong learning in your career path.

8. The role of mentorship in achieving success.

9. How do you plan to give back to your community in your future career?

10. The pursuit of happiness: Defining and achieving your life’s goals.

Informative essay topics for college

Here is a list of top informative essay topics for college:

1. The history and impact of the feminist movement.

2. The process of neural network development in artificial intelligence.

3. Exploring the causes of economic recessions.

4. The role of genetics in determining personality.

5. The significance of the Green Revolution in agriculture.

6. The evolution of space exploration technology.

7. The impact of colonialism on modern-day global relations.

8. The fundamentals of quantum computing.

9. Understanding the human impact on ocean life.

10. The rise of virtual reality and its potential applications.

Research essay topics for college

Here is a list of top research essay topics for college:

1. Analyzing the efficacy of the current educational model in fostering innovation.

2. The role of social media influencers in shaping youth culture.

3. The effects of urbanization on biodiversity.

4. The relationship between mental health and modern work culture.

5. The impact of cryptocurrencies on global finance.

6. The evolution of gender roles over the past century.

7. The influence of climate change policies on international relations.

8. The effects of diet trends on public health.

9. The future of genetic engineering in medicine.

10. The role of artificial intelligence in shaping the future of employment.

Narrative essay topics for college students

Here is a list of top narrative essay topics for college:

1. The moment you overcame a profound fear.

2. An encounter that changed your perspective on life.

3. The experience of losing something or someone important.

4. A moment of failure that turned into a lesson of success.

5. Your first day at college and how it met your expectations.

6. A journey that was more than just travel.

7. A significant memory that defines your childhood.

8. The challenge of adapting to a new culture.

9. An act of kindness that left a lasting impact on you.

10. A situation where you had to stand up for what you believed in.

Personal essay topics for college students

Here is a list of top personal essay topics for college:

1. How has a book or movie influenced your understanding of the world?

2. The role of a particular extracurricular activity in shaping who you are.

3. A personal philosophy or mantra that guides your life.

4. The journey of self-discovery during your teenage years.

5. Overcoming a personal struggle to achieve a goal.

6. A cultural tradition that holds significant meaning for you.

7. The impact of a mentor or teacher on your life.

8. A pivotal moment of realization about your identity.

9. How do you cope with stress and maintain mental well-being?

10. The importance of a work-life balance in your personal vision.

Now that we have a list of 100 college essay topics that cover many types of essays and writing styles, let’s delve into how to write an essay , perfect for college!

How to write the perfect college essay

Writing an essay for college admission is not just about showcasing your knowledge; it’s about telling a story that reflects your identity, aspirations, and the value you can bring to a college community. Whether you’re starting an essay or aiming to conclude an essay , here are steps to ensure your essay stands out:

Understanding the prompt

Before you begin writing, understand the academic writing prompt thoroughly. Make sure you know what the question is asking and how you can address it in a unique way that showcases your strengths and experiences.

Choosing your topic wisely

Select a topic that resonates with you and allows you to share something personal and significant. Know which common college essay topics to avoid, and instead, choose unique college essay topics that allow your personality and voice to shine through.

Crafting a compelling introduction

Your introduction should hook the reader and set the tone for the rest of the essay. Start with an anecdote, a surprising fact, or a thought-provoking question to draw the reader in.

Developing a clear structure

Organize and format your college essay with a clear essay structure , including an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Each paragraph should support the main thesis outline of your essay with evidence and personal reflections.

Showcasing your voice

Your essay should sound like you. Use your own voice and avoid overly formal language. The goal is to make the reader feel as though they are getting to know the real you.

Being honest and reflective

Be honest in your writing and reflect on your experiences. Admissions officers can tell when a student is being genuine versus when they’re saying what they think the college wants to hear.

Proofreading and revising

After you’ve written your essay, take the time to do essay proofreading and edit your essay if necessary. Look for grammatical errors , check for flow, and make sure your essay is clear and concise. It can be helpful to have someone else read your essay to provide feedback. You can also use tools like essay checkers to make your work easier.

Avoiding taboo topics

There are certain college essay topics to avoid, such as those that are overly controversial, inappropriate, or cliché. Choose a topic that is meaningful but also appropriate for a diverse audience.

Some examples of essay topics to avoid include:

1. Grandiose tales of heroism that seem exaggerated or implausible.

2. The story of your achievements without reflection on the journey or challenges.

3. Controversial topics that do not contribute to a positive discourse or understanding.

4. Overly polarizing political or religious topics that may not resonate with the reader.

5. Cliched volunteer experiences that don’t reveal anything unique about you.

Ending with impact

Your conclusion should wrap up your essay without simply summarizing what you’ve already said. End with a reflection on how the topic has shaped you or how you’ve grown from the experience.

Your college essay is more than an assignment; it’s a canvas for your experiences and dreams. Choose a topic that resonates with you, and let your passion shine through your words. And while AI essay writers can provide assistance with the initial stages of drafting, the real magic comes from your personal touch and insights.

To ensure your essay truly stands out, consider the expert editing and proofreading services offered by PaperTrue. Our team can sharpen your narrative, correct any linguistic errors, and enhance your essay’s clarity, allowing your unique voice to captivate the admissions committee. Happy writing!

Keep on reading for more useful tips:

Guide to a Perfect Descriptive Essay [Examples & Outline Included]
What Is an Adverb? Definition, Types, Differences & Examples

Frequently Asked Questions

What are good college essay topics, what college essay topics to avoid, ‘how to’ essay topics for college students..

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53 Stellar College Essay Topics to Inspire You

College Essays

feature_orange_notebook_pencil_college_essay_topics

Most colleges and universities in the United States require applicants to submit at least one essay as part of their application. But trying to figure out what college essay topics you should choose is a tricky process. There are so many potential things you could write about!

In this guide, we go over the essential qualities that make for a great college essay topic and give you 50+ college essay topics you can use for your own statement . In addition, we provide you with helpful tips for turning your college essay topic into a stellar college essay.

What Qualities Make for a Good College Essay Topic?

Regardless of what you write about in your personal statement for college , there are key features that will always make for a stand-out college essay topic.

#1: It’s Specific

First off, good college essay topics are extremely specific : you should know all the pertinent facts that have to do with the topic and be able to see how the entire essay comes together.

Specificity is essential because it’ll not only make your essay stand out from other statements, but it'll also recreate the experience for admissions officers through its realism, detail, and raw power. You want to tell a story after all, and specificity is the way to do so. Nobody wants to read a vague, bland, or boring story — not even admissions officers!

For example, an OK topic would be your experience volunteering at a cat shelter over the summer. But a better, more specific college essay topic would be how you deeply connected with an elderly cat there named Marty, and how your bond with him made you realize that you want to work with animals in the future.

Remember that specificity in your topic is what will make your essay unique and memorable . It truly is the key to making a strong statement (pun intended)!

#2: It Shows Who You Are

In addition to being specific, good college essay topics reveal to admissions officers who you are: your passions and interests, what is important to you, your best (or possibly even worst) qualities, what drives you, and so on.

The personal statement is critical because it gives schools more insight into who you are as a person and not just who you are as a student in terms of grades and classes.

By coming up with a real, honest topic, you’ll leave an unforgettable mark on admissions officers.

#3: It’s Meaningful to You

The very best college essay topics are those that hold deep meaning to their writers and have truly influenced them in some significant way.

For instance, maybe you plan to write about the first time you played Skyrim to explain how this video game revealed to you the potentially limitless worlds you could create, thereby furthering your interest in game design.

Even if the topic seems trivial, it’s OK to use it — just as long as you can effectively go into detail about why this experience or idea had such an impact on you .

Don’t give in to the temptation to choose a topic that sounds impressive but doesn’t actually hold any deep meaning for you. Admissions officers will see right through this!

Similarly, don’t try to exaggerate some event or experience from your life if it’s not all that important to you or didn’t have a substantial influence on your sense of self.

#4: It’s Unique

College essay topics that are unique are also typically the most memorable, and if there’s anything you want to be during the college application process, it’s that! Admissions officers have to sift through thousands of applications, and the essay is one of the only parts that allows them to really get a sense of who you are and what you value in life.

If your essay is trite or boring, it won’t leave much of an impression , and your application will likely get immediately tossed to the side with little chance of seeing admission.

But if your essay topic is very original and different, you’re more likely to earn that coveted second glance at your application.

What does being unique mean exactly, though? Many students assume that they must choose an extremely rare or crazy experience to talk about in their essays —but that's not necessarily what I mean by "unique." Good college essay topics can be unusual and different, yes, but they can also be unique takes on more mundane or common activities and experiences .

For instance, say you want to write an essay about the first time you went snowboarding. Instead of just describing the details of the experience and how you felt during it, you could juxtapose your emotions with a creative and humorous perspective from the snowboard itself. Or you could compare your first attempt at snowboarding with your most recent experience in a snowboarding competition. The possibilities are endless!

#5: It Clearly Answers the Question

Finally, good college essay topics will clearly and fully answer the question(s) in the prompt.

You might fail to directly answer a prompt by misinterpreting what it’s asking you to do, or by answering only part of it (e.g., answering just one out of three questions).

Therefore, make sure you take the time to come up with an essay topic that is in direct response to every question in the prompt .

Take this Coalition Application prompt as an example:

What is the hardest part of being a teenager now? What's the best part? What advice would you give a younger sibling or friend (assuming they would listen to you)?

For this prompt, you’d need to answer all three questions (though it’s totally fine to focus more on one or two of them) to write a compelling and appropriate essay.

This is why we recommend reading and rereading the essay prompt ; you should know exactly what it’s asking you to do, well before you start brainstorming possible college application essay topics.

53 College Essay Topics to Get Your Brain Moving

In this section, we give you a list of 53 examples of college essay topics. Use these as jumping-off points to help you get started on your college essay and to ensure that you’re on track to coming up with a relevant and effective topic.

All college application essay topics below are categorized by essay prompt type. We’ve identified six general types of college essay prompts:

Why This College?

Change and personal growth, passions, interests, and goals, overcoming a challenge, diversity and community, solving a problem.

Note that these prompt types could overlap with one another, so you’re not necessarily limited to just one college essay topic in a single personal statement.

How a particular major or program will help you achieve your academic or professional goals
A memorable and positive interaction you had with a professor or student at the school
Something good that happened to you while visiting the campus or while on a campus tour
A certain class you want to take or a certain professor you’re excited to work with
Some piece of on-campus equipment or facility that you’re looking forward to using
Your plans to start a club at the school, possibly to raise awareness of a major issue
A study abroad or other unique program that you can’t wait to participate in
How and where you plan to volunteer in the community around the school
An incredible teacher you studied under and the positive impact they had on you
How you went from really liking something, such as a particular movie star or TV show, to not liking it at all (or vice versa)
How yours or someone else’s (change in) socioeconomic status made you more aware of poverty
A time someone said something to you that made you realize you were wrong
How your opinion on a controversial topic, such as gay marriage or DACA, has shifted over time
A documentary that made you aware of a particular social, economic, or political issue going on in the country or world
Advice you would give to your younger self about friendship, motivation, school, etc.
The steps you took in order to kick a bad or self-sabotaging habit
A juxtaposition of the first and most recent time you did something, such as dance onstage
A book you read that you credit with sparking your love of literature and/or writing
A school assignment or project that introduced you to your chosen major
A glimpse of your everyday routine and how your biggest hobby or interest fits into it
The career and (positive) impact you envision yourself having as a college graduate
A teacher or mentor who encouraged you to pursue a specific interest you had
How moving around a lot helped you develop a love of international exchange or learning languages
A special skill or talent you’ve had since you were young and that relates to your chosen major in some way, such as designing buildings with LEGO bricks
Where you see yourself in 10 or 20 years
Your biggest accomplishment so far relating to your passion (e.g., winning a gold medal for your invention at a national science competition)
A time you lost a game or competition that was really important to you
How you dealt with the loss or death of someone close to you
A time you did poorly in a class that you expected to do well in
How moving to a new school impacted your self-esteem and social life
A chronic illness you battled or are still battling
Your healing process after having your heart broken for the first time
A time you caved under peer pressure and the steps you took so that it won't happen again
How you almost gave up on learning a foreign language but stuck with it
Why you decided to become a vegetarian or vegan, and how you navigate living with a meat-eating family
What you did to overcome a particular anxiety or phobia you had (e.g., stage fright)
A history of a failed experiment you did over and over, and how you finally found a way to make it work successfully
Someone within your community whom you aspire to emulate
A family tradition you used to be embarrassed about but are now proud of
Your experience with learning English upon moving to the United States
A close friend in the LGBTQ+ community who supported you when you came out
A time you were discriminated against, how you reacted, and what you would do differently if faced with the same situation again
How you navigate your identity as a multiracial, multiethnic, and/or multilingual person
A project or volunteer effort you led to help or improve your community
A particular celebrity or role model who inspired you to come out as LGBTQ+
Your biggest challenge (and how you plan to tackle it) as a female in a male-dominated field
How you used to discriminate against your own community, and what made you change your mind and eventually take pride in who you are and/or where you come from
A program you implemented at your school in response to a known problem, such as a lack of recycling cans in the cafeteria
A time you stepped in to mediate an argument or fight between two people
An app or other tool you developed to make people’s lives easier in some way
A time you proposed a solution that worked to an ongoing problem at school, an internship, or a part-time job
The steps you took to identify and fix an error in coding for a website or program
An important social or political issue that you would fix if you had the means

How to Build a College Essay in 6 Easy Steps

Once you’ve decided on a college essay topic you want to use, it’s time to buckle down and start fleshing out your essay. These six steps will help you transform a simple college essay topic into a full-fledged personal statement.

Step 1: Write Down All the Details

Once you’ve chosen a general topic to write about, get out a piece of paper and get to work on creating a list of all the key details you could include in your essay . These could be things such as the following:

Emotions you felt at the time
Names, places, and/or numbers
Dialogue, or what you or someone else said
A specific anecdote, example, or experience
Descriptions of how things looked, felt, or seemed

If you can only come up with a few details, then it’s probably best to revisit the list of college essay topics above and choose a different one that you can write more extensively on.

Good college essay topics are typically those that:

You remember well (so nothing that happened when you were really young)
You're excited to write about
You're not embarrassed or uncomfortable to share with others
You believe will make you positively stand out from other applicants

Step 2: Figure Out Your Focus and Approach

Once you have all your major details laid out, start to figure out how you could arrange them in a way that makes sense and will be most effective.

It’s important here to really narrow your focus: you don’t need to (and shouldn’t!) discuss every single aspect of your trip to visit family in Indonesia when you were 16. Rather, zero in on a particular anecdote or experience and explain why and how it impacted you.

Alternatively, you could write about multiple experiences while weaving them together with a clear, meaningful theme or concept , such as how your math teacher helped you overcome your struggle with geometry over the course of an entire school year. In this case, you could mention a few specific times she tutored you and most strongly supported you in your studies.

There’s no one right way to approach your college essay, so play around to see what approaches might work well for the topic you’ve chosen.

If you’re really unsure about how to approach your essay, think about what part of your topic was or is most meaningful and memorable to you, and go from there.

Step 3: Structure Your Narrative

Beginning: Don’t just spout off a ton of background information here—you want to hook your reader, so try to start in the middle of the action , such as with a meaningful conversation you had or a strong emotion you felt. It could also be a single anecdote if you plan to center your essay around a specific theme or idea.
Middle: Here’s where you start to flesh out what you’ve established in the opening. Provide more details about the experience (if a single anecdote) or delve into the various times your theme or idea became most important to you. Use imagery and sensory details to put the reader in your shoes.
End: It’s time to bring it all together. Finish describing the anecdote or theme your essay centers around and explain how it relates to you now , what you’ve learned or gained from it, and how it has influenced your goals.

Step 4: Write a Rough Draft

By now you should have all your major details and an outline for your essay written down; these two things will make it easy for you to convert your notes into a rough draft.

At this stage of the writing process, don’t worry too much about vocabulary or grammar and just focus on getting out all your ideas so that they form the general shape of an essay . It’s OK if you’re a little over the essay's word limit — as you edit, you’ll most likely make some cuts to irrelevant and ineffective parts anyway.

If at any point you get stuck and have no idea what to write, revisit steps 1-3 to see whether there are any important details or ideas you might be omitting or not elaborating on enough to get your overall point across to admissions officers.

Step 5: Edit, Revise, and Proofread

Sections that are too wordy and don’t say anything important
Irrelevant details that don’t enhance your essay or the point you're trying to make
Parts that seem to drag or that feel incredibly boring or redundant
Areas that are vague and unclear and would benefit from more detail
Phrases or sections that are awkwardly placed and should be moved around
Areas that feel unconvincing, inauthentic, or exaggerated

Start paying closer attention to your word choice/vocabulary and grammar at this time, too. It’s perfectly normal to edit and revise your college essay several times before asking for feedback, so keep working with it until you feel it’s pretty close to its final iteration.

This step will likely take the longest amount of time — at least several weeks, if not months — so really put effort into fixing up your essay. Once you’re satisfied, do a final proofread to ensure that it’s technically correct.

Step 6: Get Feedback and Tweak as Needed

After you’ve overhauled your rough draft and made it into a near-final draft, give your essay to somebody you trust , such as a teacher or parent, and have them look it over for technical errors and offer you feedback on its content and overall structure.

Use this feedback to make any last-minute changes or edits. If necessary, repeat steps 5 and 6. You want to be extra sure that your essay is perfect before you submit it to colleges!

Recap: From College Essay Topics to Great College Essays

Many different kinds of college application essay topics can get you into a great college. But this doesn’t make it any easier to choose the best topic for you .

In general, the best college essay topics have the following qualities :

They’re specific
They show who you are
They’re meaningful to you
They’re unique
They clearly answer the question

If you ever need help coming up with an idea of what to write for your essay, just refer to the list of 53 examples of college essay topics above to get your brain juices flowing.

Once you’ve got an essay topic picked out, follow these six steps for turning your topic into an unforgettable personal statement :

Write down all the details
Figure out your focus and approach
Structure your narrative
Write a rough draft
Edit, revise, and proofread
Get feedback and tweak as needed

And with that, I wish you the best of luck on your college essays!

What’s Next?

Writing a college essay is no simple task. Get expert college essay tips with our guides on how to come up with great college essay ideas and how to write a college essay, step by step .

You can also check out this huge list of college essay prompts to get a feel for what types of questions you'll be expected to answer on your applications.

Want to see examples of college essays that absolutely rocked? You're in luck because we've got a collection of 100+ real college essay examples right here on our blog!

Want to write the perfect college application essay? We can help. Your dedicated PrepScholar Admissions counselor will help you craft your perfect college essay, from the ground up. We learn your background and interests, brainstorm essay topics, and walk you through the essay drafting process, step-by-step. At the end, you'll have a unique essay to proudly submit to colleges. Don't leave your college application to chance. Find out more about PrepScholar Admissions now:

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Hannah received her MA in Japanese Studies from the University of Michigan and holds a bachelor's degree from the University of Southern California. From 2013 to 2015, she taught English in Japan via the JET Program. She is passionate about education, writing, and travel.

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How to Write a Personal Essay: Topics, Structure, & Examples

Even though a personal essay seems like something you might need to write only for your college application, people who graduated a while ago are asked to write it. Therefore, if you are a student, you might even want to save this article for later!

A personal essay is a first-person narrative that describes a writer’s life experience and its influence . You may think that writing such an essay is easy-peasy. There is so much freedom regarding the topic, isn’t it? However, soon enough, you realize that it’s more of a curse than a blessing. Custom-writing.org experts understand it’s super confusing as you don’t know where to start. But this simple yet comprehensive guide on how to write a personal essay is here to help you out!

❔ What Is a Personal Essay?

🚦 how do you start a personal essay.

🙋 Essay Topics
📑 Personal Essay Types

🔗 References

A personal essay is just what you think it is: a piece of writing that presents some experience from your perspective . It doesn’t need to be extraordinary, but it has to show how you changed thanks to the experience you got. Such an essay also creates a feeling of intimacy.

A typical personal essay consists of a 1-paragraph introduction, a 3-paragraph body, and a 1-paragraph conclusion.

Long story short, it is a first-person narrative that describes a writer’s life experience and its influence. This type of essay allows you to use any writing style you want and usually has an informal tone. It helps the reader to gain a connection with you.

There is a wide variety of topic options: you may want your writing to be inspiring or, on the contrary, warning so that others could avoid your mistakes. However, the most important thing is sticking to the general guidelines.

The most popular personal essay outline would consist of three parts:

Start with an introduction . It should include only one paragraph
Continue with the main body . It should be at least three paragraphs long
Write a conclusion . Don’t make it too long, one paragraph is enough

Let’s also note that typically you would write a personal essay as a part of the college application process. However, it’s not rare that this type of writing can help employers understand if the candidate meets the job requirements.

👀 Personal Essay Examples

To give you some inspiration, we included a list of excellent examples ranked as the most successful personal essays by The New York Times , The New Yorker , and America’s top universities.

🥇	by Jeniffer Kim	A heart-breaking short story about parents’ love: a girl was ashamed of how scruffy her mom always looks, but it suddenly changed. She realized that her mother was sacrificing a lot to provide for her daughter, which made her seem tired and shabby.
🥇	by Jess	It’s another excellent example of a personal essay rated by the admissions committee. Such a simple thing as a cooking experience allowed the readers to see that Jess is not afraid of failure and loves trying something new.
🥇	by James Marcus	It is a personal story revealing the author’s point of view on divorces and marriages. His story is so unique that it got distinguished by The New Yorker.

The first and the most important thing you need to do when you are about to write a personal essay is to determine its purpose . When you know your audience, it becomes easier to find an appropriate topic for your writing. After that, you can draft an outline, which is the foundation of your future essay!

✔️		Do that several times. Your complete writing depends on it! for college admissions are different from the ones you would write for a job application. Moreover, some writers even use this format to share their stories with readers.
✔️		Next, think about how long your essay should be. Again, it would depend on its purpose. Now, you are free to pick the topic! There are a lot of techniques that can help you come up with some brilliant ideas, such as brainstorming and free writing.
✔️		Generally speaking, there are not many limitations on what you can write about. However, keep in mind that if your personal statement is intended for your potential employer, try to avoid topics that might harm your reputation. If your objective is getting a scholarship, don’t be afraid of asking your supervisor for help.

🙋 Personal Essay Topics

By now, you might have understood the idea of the personal statement. Your goal is to show off your personality from the good side. However, there is an endless amount of options on how to do it. The most popular way is to tell the story from the past. It can be either something you achieved or an obstacle you managed to overcome. Either way, it needs to highlight the lesson you learned.

Next, you can make your writing even more inspirational by revealing your future goals, showing that you have potential and determination. But remember to focus on things that the whole community can benefit from because just getting rich is a lame objective!

Last but not least, be yourself and use creativity! Show your potential employers and college administration how much you can contribute to their development. You should convince them that it can be a mutually beneficial experience.

Here, we prepared some of the best personal essay topics for you:

How did the most significant loss of your life make you stronger?
Who would you like to switch live with, and why?
The time when you think you made the wrong choice.
How would you spend a million dollars?
Is there anything you have never shared with anyone?
A special friend that influenced your life.
One morning that has changed your life forever.
The time when you had to deliver devastating news.
A near-death experience and how it felt.
Describe the longest minute of your life.
Something you can’t resist and keep doing.
A meaningful event that is hard to explain.
Would you start a charity foundation if you could?
The most precious gift you ever received.
The wrong choice you never regret making.
A secret place that gives you peace of mind.
Something you’ve seen and wish you could forget.
A hidden talent no one knows you have.
A day when you felt like the unluckiest person in the world.
The most beautiful thing you’ve seen.
A skill you have that robots will never learn to do.
What is the one thing you want to change about yourself?
Where would you like to live?
The most important discovery you made.
What if you were a teacher?
The most fantastic movie scene that changed the world.
What would you like to change in schools?
Describe something you love about yourself and why.
Where do you see yourself in ten years?
Time with your family that you cherish the most.
The achievement you’re proud of.
Describe the time when you learned something from a child.
The words that made you hopeful again.
Write about the time when you were at the bottom.
A stranger that had an influence on you.
What would you do if you could go back in time?
Would you like to redo something in your life, would you?
The superpower you wish you had.
The person you would be grateful to at the end of your life.
The time when you avoided danger.
Family celebrations, and what do they mean to you?
Write about the time when you saw your mother crying.
Did you disappoint anyone?
Is there anyone you are not fond of?
A place that you try to keep away from.
How did you overcome your fear?
The most challenging choice you had to make.
The time you felt like an outsider.
When did you realize you’re not a child anymore?
Why does your hobby interest you?

📑 Personal Essay about Yourself: Main Types

Personal essays on hobbies.

Writing an essay on a hobby is not as easy as it seems. Take a look at any hobbies essay sample, and you will be likely to see a widespread thing: these essays can be boring, which is an easy way to get a low grade.

Below are some common problems with hobby essays (and their solutions).

❌ Problem	✔️ Solution
The writer didn’t explain the hobby well enough for the reader to understand it.	Try to determine if a random reader would understand your hobby. If not, include more detail. If your hobby is a rare one, you will need to have more information.
The reader does not see why you enjoy the hobby.	The purpose of a hobby essay is not to describe the things you love to do with every detail. The task is to show yourself by explaining your interest. Most importantly, you should explain why you love your hobby. Do that emotionally.
Your hobby essay does not stand out from other papers.	Focus on a unique hobby or a unique reason you became interested in a standard hobby. Perhaps your teacher has already read 15 . If you think the story of your love for your top hobby is generic, think of another personal essay topic to write about.

No matter what, make sure the focus is on you. When you are writing about a personal hobby, you should aim to make yourself the star by essentially telling your reader about yourself through an interest of yours.

Life-changing Experience Essays

The purpose of a life-changing experience essay is obvious: simply put, you need to tell the reader about a specific event that changed your life . Note that it also works for a closely related type of essay, the personal narrative essay .

Three essential elements should be clear to readers of any life-changing experience writing:

The reader should understand the event — both what happened and how it made you feel at the time.
The reader should understand what the event changed about you. It is best to tell the reader about your condition before the event and after it. However, this depends on the essay’s length.
The reader should understand how you feel about the event now.

If you need personal experience essay ideas, focus on events that you can write about to meet the three above criteria. If your assignment is very free form, take a look at a list of prompts for personal writing.

Education Essays

As a student, you will be asked to write an education essay eventually. It is important to remember that personal writing is about setting yourself apart. Tell the reader what made your educational experience unique.

How can you make your educational essay stand out? First, go beyond generic stories of overcoming an academic weakness by avoiding essays that take the following form: “I was terrible at subject X, but through hard work, I became quite excellent at subject X!”

Instead, focus on an assignment or subject that captured your attention — the more unusual the situation, the better. Use storytelling to enhance your essay. The best education essays can be essays about life-changing education experiences; for example, many great educational stories focus on the teacher or class that changed the author’s life.

Biographies

Writing a short biography is easy. All you need to do is to use a very basic biography template. But first: remember that you need to keep the attention of your reader. Tell a good story about yourself ! Learning how to write a biography is about learning how to tell a good story .

A Biography Template

A solid biography is a solid story. For this reason, the biography template is essentially the template of a well-crafted story, which is typically divided into three specific parts:

Establish the characters. In this case, these are people that play important roles in your life. For example, if your autobiographical essay includes family members, you need to describe them briefly before anything exciting happens.
Build tension. If you write about your family, you can describe a problem that exists there.
Describe a resolution. Not that it is not the same thing as a problem being solved. For example, when a loved one dies, there is no solution to that problem. Instead, you grieve and learn to live without that person in your life.

If your biography manages to achieve all three of these elements, you will indeed have one of the class’s strongest essays.

Personal Statements

The last type of personal writing is probably the most important. When faced with their first college application, most students go to the web to find a personal statement format.

If you learn from examples, the best thing to do is check out several strong personal statement examples. As mentioned in the second section, many universities post essays from accepted students. Or perhaps you should read a breakdown of portions of a personal statement. The point is, read what others have done for inspiration.

Sometimes colleges offer personal statement templates. However, they often use freeform personal statements to identify focused, articulate students. Thus, the top tip for these is to write a clear thesis statement . A thesis statement for an essay without a prompt should be so clear that it sounds like it addresses a writing prompt. When there is no prompt, this is the time you should specifically use the standard 5-paragraph essay . Your discipline will impress your readers, which is exactly what you want.

However, an open-ended essay prompt is sometimes just too much to handle in time, but that is alright. It happens to everyone, and our writing experts can help, luckily. You can work with one of their expert writers or editors to create the perfect personal essay.

Personal Essays – Georgia Tech Admissions
The Personal Statement // Purdue Writing Lab
Application Essays – UNC Writing Center
How To: Write Your Personal Essay
Essays | Penn Admissions
Writing the Personal Statement | Berkeley Graduate Division
Personal Insight Questions – UCLA Undergraduate Admission
Essay Topics | Yale College Undergraduate Admissions
Complete Your Application: Indiana University Bloomington
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242 Personal Persuasive Essay Topics and Ideas

Jim Peterson has over 20 years experience on speech writing. He wrote over 300 free speech topic ideas and how-to guides for any kind of public speaking and speech writing assignments at My Speech Class.

Personal Persuasive Essay Topics Ideas intro image

Personal essays are some of the most diverse assignments you can receive. Whether you’re a student in middle school or university, the best personal essay will highlight an individual’s personal views and unique experience. They’re not confined by the restrictions of literary essays and give plenty of opportunity for introducing the writer’s personality. The key here is selecting the right topics to talk about in a personal essay. Usually, this is the toughest part. After all, it’s the emotional core of your text. A lot of people also struggle to write about themselves and their experience as subjects of the text. Where does one start? Essay topics in general are frustrating to formulate so if you need help with some inspiration, take a look at some more ideas here ! And if you’re wondering what some good personal essay topics are, you’ll find a lot of sample ideas here as well as a guide on how to write a persuasive text.

In this article:

How to Write Personal Essays

Personal narrative essay topics, personal experience essay topics, personal argumentative essay topics, personal cause-and-effect essay topics, personal persuasive essay topics, personal essay topics for middle school, personal essay topics for high school students and college students.

Start by taking a trip down memory lane. The most gripping stories come from personal experience, especially if you’re thinking of writing a personal narrative essay. Think about a memory from your past that includes some inciting incident. If this is the first time you come across this phrase, inciting incidents are typically the metaphorical “ hooks ” of the story that have the audience interested in your text.

You could talk about your experience working as a volunteer, for example, or if you aren’t the volunteering type, you can write about some exciting memories from your childhood and summer vacations. Have you taken a trip abroad that has really left an impression on you? Are you drawn to different cultures because of that exotic trip? Maybe you went to visit a museum of your favourite artist, and this has inspired you to become an artist yourself. Perhaps you were immersed by the sound of a different language and decided to have a go at it. What have you enjoyed the most in the process? What did you hate about it? Perhaps you tried acquiring a new skill, but it went completely the wrong way for you. The list goes on and on.

There’s something there. Just remember the golden rule: always be honest in your personal essays . Trying to change your viewpoint on a subject so that it fits the masses’ opinion won’t make your personal essay enticing. The topic you’ll talk about in your personal essay is extremely important and so is the first sentence. Writing phrases such as “ever since I was a baby, I wanted to become a doctor” isn’t convincing or truthful. Try not to stick to clichés. You want to make an impression with your text, so ask yourself: What would grab your attention if you were reading your persuasive essay? I always think of Charles Dickens’ first sentence from A Christmas Carol : “Marley was dead: to begin with.” It begs for explanation and resolve, and it’s short and simple. The same should go for the personal essay entry sentence.

Why Choose Personal Persuasive Topics for Your Essay

If you’re wondering why you should choose personal persuasive topics for your essay, the answer lies in the question. We are a narrative-oriented society, and much of our relatability comes from convincingly expressing to others our individual, personal experience. What better way to let your personality shine than through conveying your emotions and adventures in a gripping story?

Personal experience essay topics vary depending on your age, and it’s quite likely that a story that worked for a high school assignment won’t have the same effect in your university days. That’s why in the sections below, we have divided the best personal essay topics into different categories. That way, you can easily navigate across all topics (and there’s quite a lot of them – a total of 242 ), but don’t let that restrict you. If you’re confident, you can always choose a topic from any of the categories.

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Of course, there are other important takeaways from writing a great personal essay. Usually, your teacher or admissions officer will look out that you have successfully done the following:

Communicated and implemented your critical thinking skills
Spoken convincingly and from experience about challenging themes that make you stand out from the crowd
Demonstrated your creativity and unique voice all the while applying persuasive techniques in your writing

With all this in mind, you can now start by selecting the right type of personal essay topic from our categories. We have included everything from personal essay topics for middle school to personal essay topics for high school, as well as narrative essay topics and many more. Go on, what are you waiting for?

Personal narrative essays are a great way to tell your unique take on a personal story. You just have to choose a project you feel passionate about. Typically, choosing a story involving your success and personality growth is your best bet, but of course, always make sure to check that your topic is suitable for the task given by your tutors. If you’re wondering what topics are suitable for a great personal narrative essay, check out the following ideas:

Starting your first job
Volunteering for the first time
A memorable teacher that made an impact on you
A dangerous experience
Your first journey abroad/to the countryside
An experience that changed your behavior
An experience that made you gain/lose religious faith
A comedic situation based on some misunderstanding
Events from your summer vacation that changed your life
The first time you got a pet
The experience of meeting your little sibling for the first time
A time when you decided what your future job will be
The change of a relationship with some you didn’t expect you’d like
The first time you experienced a dangerous event of some kind
The first time you won something
Your experience participating in a sport/political/environmental design
A story about a teacher who inspired you
A story about a family member who is dear to you
Your experience of being in charge of something for the first time
Your experience traveling on your own for the first time
How a book you read changed your life
How the most exciting subject in school changed your life
How technology changed the way you access information
The first time you experienced an earthquake or tornado
A story about someone who has become your patron/idol
Your reaction/opinion on an event that influenced your country
A moment you caught someone in a lie
An episode that changed your relationship with your parents
An event which showed you taking responsibility and leadership
An event in which you face discrimination
An experience of successfully fighting procrastination
A time when you helped people in a crisis
The experience of creating secret places in your childhood
An experience playing your favorite game
A time you got lost
Your first time going on a trip by yourself
The influence of technology on your younger siblings vs you
What you would do if you won the lottery for the first time
Your best childhood memory
Your experience of discovering a disability for the first time
A secret talent you have
Your experience learning a musical instrument
Your experience with an inexplicable event that happened to you
A story about the greatest fear you have
How your favorite work of art inspires you
The best advice you have heard in your life
A place you would go to if you could travel in time
A story about the most beautiful place you have visited
Something you witnessed in your lifetime that you will never forget
Your favorite holiday experience
Your most awkward moment in college
Your biggest fear
The most crucial lesson in your life
Your experience of being betrayed by someone and your response to it
An advice your parents gave you that wasn’t useful
Describe your biggest moment of failure
Your biggest argument with a family member
A difficult decision you have made
The day you realized you had made a best friend
The most interesting dream you have had

Personal experience essays aren’t that much different from personal narrative essays. They still have an element of narrative storytelling within them, but this time, they focus more on a level of experience you have gained because of a certain event. Usually, personal experience essay topics are focused around the theme of personal development. Many things can be described and included in a personal narrative essay, and you not only are given the opportunity to demonstrate your personal views on a subject, but you can also have your level of determination and ambition evaluated by a professional teacher or college admissions officer. Usually, personal narrative essay papers are written when submitting a college application, but it’s also possible to receive such an essay in school. In my personal experience, some of the greatest essays presenting an intellectual challenge are in fact the personal experience essays.

Let’s get straight into some essay prompts:

How do you handle stress when attending an important exam?
Which school subject motivated you to study hard?
Did a teacher have a significant influence on your confidence in selecting a career?
Is homework a waste of time?
How would you go about doing research for an essay?
What motivates you to study and pursue your dreams?
Everyone has a plan “A” when it comes to choosing a career. What is your plan “B”?
How has your biggest failure shaped your personality today?
What is your biggest accomplishment outside of college/school, and how did you come to achieve it?
What is the difference between female and male roles in your family? In what way would you change them?
How did a book/film change your worldview?
What role have teams and clubs had in your life?
What role has television had in your life?
What is your relationship with social media?
How have moments of racial or religious discrimination affected you?

Personal argumentative essay topics are generally given to college students or sometimes to people applying for a degree in Humanitarian Sciences. Such essays are a great way for admission officers to evaluate your knowledge of current events and relevant social discussions. Personal argumentative essay topics are usually considered more difficult than narrative essays, for example. For more argumentative ideas and speech topics , check the guide! Thus, if you’re planning on taking up this challenge, make sure you have enough time to prepare. If you have a whole term to prepare for this personal argumentative essay topic, you’ll surely be able to tackle it. Also, if that sounds too engaging, don’t worry, there are plenty of other, easier essay ideas on our lists!

Check out our example personal argumentative essay prompts for argumentative essay topics:

Should prisons be abolished? If so, what is the negative and positive impact of this global decision?
How does higher education affect the merit in meritocracy?
Should artificial intelligence be applied actively in warfare?
Does revolution go hand in hand with violence?
Has the COVID-19 pandemic made us more prepared for the prevention of future epidemics occurring worldwide?
In what way has the instant gratification of social media changed our relationship to technology?
How has the digital age changed children’s relationship to empathy?
What would the impact of a potential legalization of productivity drugs look like in current society?
Is there a difference in work performance between Ivy League alumni and lower-ranking university students?
Is obesity preventable?
Is gun control a necessary method for the prevention of shootings?
Should everyone have the right to vote?
Should the right to vote be exclusively available to people with some form of education?
Does the #metoo movement yield meaningful social change?
Is knife control a necessary and sufficient method of knife crime prevention?
How can the value of digital collectible art be accurately determined?
Is fan fiction writing real writing?
Do all students need to learn a foreign language?
Should students take a gap year between high school and university?
Why should universities teach financial literacy?
Should students participate in the maintenance of school property?

Personal cause-and-effect essay topics are pretty self-explanatory. You’re aiming to express your opinion on a subject that has a cause, for example, supposedly, school uniforms are meant to cause discipline among students. Exercising and backing up your opinion on this essay idea will make it personal. Here is a detailed guide on how to write a great cause and effect essay . Think of a topic that excites you. It could be something you’re unhappy with or something you think is unjust.

Here are personal cause-and-effect essay topics we came up with:

How can video games boost people’s IQ?
Can a personal relationship in a family improve with phone use?
Can going to college make for happier marriages?
How can the involvement of a parent change a child’s education?
How have smartphones impacted general communication?
What is the effect of cookies, and does it make people shop more?
What is the effect of tablets on young children?
What is the effect of mobile usage during class?
Why can’t another popular engine be established in place of Google?
What is the effect of the financial success Disney has had in the last 30 years?
Should dating in school be banned?
Can living together before marriage make a relationship between partners stronger?
Can a couple sleeping in separate beds have a healthy relationship?
What is the effect of bullying on mental health?
What is the cause of bullying behavior?
Why shouldn’t women have to work after an abortion or miscarriage?
What is the impact of smoking on a pregnant mother ?
How can the presence of acne affect the life of a teenager? What about an adult?
Why do some people avoid vaccines?
What causes a lack of interest in sports?
How can teenagers better protect themselves against cyberbullies?
What causes certain social media apps to lose popularity?
Can continuous sporting activities cause character development?
Is “cancel culture” sparking meaningful change?
What is the root cause of racism?
Why is it essential to manage forest fires?
What are the harmful effects of antill hunting on the ecosystem?
Why is it important for everyone to conserve water?
What is the environmental impact of a single-use plastic ban?
Can a long-distance relationship work?
What are the causes and effects of cheating during exams?
Is it a necessity to have an obligatory Sex Ed class ?
How has the Internet changed the public’s sexual education?
Should there be student bars on campus?
Should work become mandatory for anyone over the age of 18?
What causes some sports to be more popular among students than others?
What are the effects of using computers and tablets in school? What about university?
Have libraries become more popular over the last few years?
What caused the General Data Protection Regulation, and why is it necessary?
What are the effects of online dating apps such as Tinder or Grindr?
What are the effects of drugs and alcohol on people?
Should people be allowed to drive after drinking a single unit of alcohol?
What are the effects of a family structure on an individual?
Does having a sibling make a person more responsible?
Are siblings better at sharing?
How has the golden child syndrome affected millennials?
How can teachers positively and negatively affect student lives?
What are the root causes of commitment phobia in men and women?
What is the effect of social media on romantic relationships?
How does eating fast food affect the energy levels of an individual?

Unlike personal cause-and-effect essay topics, personal persuasive essay topics aim to convince the reader that your opinion is right. This type of academic writing assignment explains a particular problem and uses research combined with personal experience in order to end up with a powerful persuasive conclusion. Through logic and convincing evidence, as well as always keeping in mind the goal of persuasion, you can write a powerful assignment.

Here are some personal persuasive essay ideas to choose from for your next writing assignment:

Is chess considered a sport or a game?
How is modern music not as well-composed as music from the past, such as the 1970s?
Is it important to put PG labels on music tracks or films?
Elaborate on the importance of the right education when playing professional music.
Is animal hunting an immoral hobby?
Is it a good idea to keep pets indoors?
The cruelty behind testing beauty products on animals
Is it ethical to breed animals for sale?
Schools have to reduce the amount of homework assigned to students.
SATs and ACTs are not effective ways of examining the knowledge of students.
There should be an Emotional Intelligence mandatory class for all years.
Vaccines can lead to autism.
Astrology isn’t an effective way of predicting future events.
All transport vehicles should be automatic or electric.
Can distant online learning replace traditional classes?
Working from home is better for finance but worse for mental health.
The current taxation system is unfair.
Listening to music when writing homework is an effective way of sparking productivity
Hustle culture has taxing effects on mental health.
People volunteer for their personal benefit, instead of kindness
People who have survived a near-death experience have a newfound appreciation for life.
Is “fake it until you make it” a healthy way of progressing?
Why do people lie on their resumes?
Why book reading during summer vacations should become mandatory.
Weekends should change from 2 days to 3 days.
Why we should be making selective school sports mandatory in school.
Cooking and body health classes should be mandatory subjects in school.
Can e-books and Kindles replace physical books?
Should the death penalty exist?
Why should children have chores?
Why should it be made mandatory for children to contribute to the overall maintenance, cleanliness, and gardening of schools?

When choosing a personal essay topic, it’s important to take on subjects and ideas related to your age. Some topics require a lot more research, while others can be a little too sensitive for a younger writer. Selecting the right one for you will leave you with less workload and can guarantee you a better grade. Of course, if you feel confident and knowledgeable enough, you can try your skills with a more difficult essay idea. Paper writing can be a difficult intellectual challenge, but we’re sure that with these essay ideas, you’ll be able to tell your personal story and write a great essay:

How did you make a best friend?
A special top-secret place you have.
A story of a time a friend let you down.
A time when you disappointed someone.
What is your happiest memory?
Your first time receiving a pet.
Your bravest moment.
A time you felt embarrassed.
What would you do if you were omnipotent?
What would you do if you could switch lives with someone? Who would it be?
How did a book change your life?
What would you do if your pet could talk?
If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be?
If you could shapeshift into an animal, what would you be? What would you do?
If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be? Would you change anything?
What’s your secret talent?
The first time you fell in love.
An accident that changed your life.
Talk about the ugliest thing you have seen.
Talk about the most influential family member.
Talk about your favorite gift.
Talk about something you can’t resist.
Talk about a guest you had in your house that you’ll never forget.
Talk about the hardest news you’ve had to deliver.
Talk about a special gift you have received.
Talk about something that if your mum knew, you’d be in a lot of trouble. A lot.
If you could volunteer anywhere, where would it be?
If you won a million dollars, how would you spend them?
What is an unexplained event that stuck with you?
The one thing you can’t resist.
If you could be a superhero, what power would you have? Why?
If you could teleport anywhere in the world, where would you go and why?

Personal Essay Topics for High School Students and College Students

This list of personal essay topics for high school students will definitely inspire you to practice your personal essay skills. Covering topics like communication, ethical consumption, personal experience and more, you’ll be able to gain new ideas and express your deepest thoughts within the confines of the page. These personal essay topics for high school students are also a great way of reflecting on your growth and personal opinion, while expressing your thoughts and opinions.

What inspires you?
What inanimate object best embodies you?
What’s one thing your parents don’t understand about you?
What is the one quality a good person must have?
Describe the best decision you ever made
What is one thing you would change that you know will make a great difference in your life?
How do you respond to criticism? Talk about a time you were critiqued.
Do you feel the impact of peer pressure in your life? How is it manifested?
Are you religious, an atheist, or agnostic? Why and why not?
Do you feel comfortable in your body? Do you feel pressure from the media about how you “should” look?
What are your views on ethical consumption? Does it matter to you?
What are your views on veganism?
Do you feel like your friends are honest with each other? Why and why not?
When you look back on your time in high school, what part will you remember with fondness?
If you could tell your 12-year-old self something, what would it be and why?
Do you have a dream profession? What is it?
If you could live anywhere in the world, where would you live?
Do you believe in “soulmates”? Why and why not?
What is your dream goal? Do you feel like you’ll ever achieve it?
Do you believe in the concept of “best friends”? Why and why not?
Do you believe in astrology? Why and why not?
What do you think the world will look like in 100 years?
If you could bring to life any famous historical figure and spend the day with them, who would you pick, and what would you do?
If you could go back in time, would you kill Hitler?
What TV series you saw recently made an impression on you? Why?
What part of high school do you wish you could get rid of?
If you could start your own business, what would you do?
What issues truly motivate you and why?
If you were an admissions officer, what positive qualities would you look for in students?
What period of school do you think is most important?
What is your dream profession? What are it’s positives and negatives?
Do you think the world can function without money? What would that alternative universe look like?
Do you think all students should go to college? Why?

Writing essays is a great way to showcase your writing skills, as well as clearly communicate your views and ideas. Personal essay writing improves your debating, logical, and deductive skills, so it’s important that you select a topic you’re passionate about and inspired by. This will give you enough fuel to power through the most difficult essay topics while at the same time enjoy what you’re writing about. We hope you enjoyed our personal persuasive essay topics! Make sure to bookmark and come back to this personal essay ideas list in the future when you’re given an assignment! Here are some more college essay topics , check them out!

151 Interesting Narrative Essay Topics and Examples

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Personal Essay Topics Ideas for Writing the Best Paper

Updated 26 Jul 2024

Don’t panic if you were assigned to write personal essay, but got stuck at stage of choosing topic. We understand those feelings because we have been students as well. But don’t worry, you are in the right place. Here, we offer hints and ready-to-use personal essay topics. For this article, we have come up with more than 100 personal essay topics for flawless creative writing. Our personal essay ideas can become your first step to an awesome A+ essay!

Why choosing good personal essay topics is important? The choice of topics matters because it drives an essay and engages readers. The first thing readers look at is essay topic. They usually judge essays by first lines. If you have already completed a paper but not sure if it follows all guidelines, just request an editing personal statements service at Edubirdie! Also, check out our personal narrative essay topics to find inspiration. The only thing to remember is that chosen subject should matter to its writer. Otherwise, one will get bored soon, which may result in some very sad consequences. For our readers’ convenience, we divided all personal essay topics into several categories. We tried to develop interesting essay topics to draw our readers’ attention. Let’s take a closer look at them!

200 Brilliant Ideas for Personal Narratives by Categories

Family essay topics.

The Impact of Family Traditions on Individual Identity
Balancing Work and Family Life: Strategies and Challenges
The Role of Grandparents in Modern Family Structures
Single Parenting: Challenges and Triumphs
Adoption and Its Effects on Family Dynamics
The Influence of Cultural Background on Family Values
Family and Technology: Connecting or Disconnecting?
The Changing Definition of Family in the 21st Century
The Psychological Impact of Divorce on Children
Blended Families: Navigating Complex Relationships
The Importance of Family Meals in Building Relationships
How Family Support Influences Career Success
Dealing with Family Conflicts: Strategies for Resolution
The Role of Family in Education and Academic Achievement
Aging Parents and Caregiving Responsibilities
The Impact of Migration on Family Cohesion
LGBTQ+ Families: Challenges and Celebrations
The Effects of Substance Abuse on Family Relationships
Family Secrets: The Psychological Implications
The Role of Pets in Family Life

Friends Topics

The Evolution of Friendships Over the Lifespan
Virtual Friendships in the Age of Social Media
The Importance of Friendship in Mental Health
Cross-Cultural Friendships and Their Impact on Worldview
Friendships at Work: Pros and Cons
The Dynamics of Friend Groups and Social Circles
Navigating Friendships and Romantic Relationships
The Role of Trust in Building Lasting Friendships
How Friendships Change After Parenthood
The Impact of Travel on Friendships
Dealing with Betrayal in Friendships
The Science Behind Making New Friends
Friendships and Political Differences: Bridging the Gap
The Benefits of Inter-Generational Friendships
Maintaining Long-Distance Friendships
The Influence of Friendships on Personal Growth
Friendships and Social Media: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
How to Rekindle Old Friendships
The Role of Friendship in Coping with Loss
The Difference Between Friends and Acquaintances

Personality Essay Topics

The Influence of Birth Order on Personality
Nature vs. Nurture: The Development of Personality
The Impact of Trauma on Personality Formation
Personality Types and Career Choices
The Role of Personality in Relationship Compatibility
The Effect of Social Media on Personality Presentation
Introversion vs. Extroversion: Living in an Extroverted World
The Psychology Behind Risk-Taking Behavior
Personality Changes in Adulthood: Myth or Reality?
The Connection Between Personality and Happiness
The Impact of Education on Personality Development
Personality Disorders: Understanding the Basics
The Role of Genetics in Personality Traits
The Influence of Culture on Personality
Personality and Leadership: What Makes a Good Leader?
The Effect of Parenting Styles on Children's Personalities
The Relationship Between Personality and Creativity
The Psychology of Humor: What Your Jokes Say About You
Personality and Health: How Your Traits Affect Your Well-being
The Challenge of Measuring Personality: Methods and Controversies

Read also: 60+ Personal Narrative Ideas + Bonus Tips

Internet Topics

The Digital Divide: Internet Access and Inequality
Internet Privacy: Rights and Risks
The Impact of the Internet on Traditional Media
Cyberbullying: Causes, Effects, and Prevention
The Role of the Internet in Modern Education
The Evolution of E-Commerce: From Books to Everything
Social Networking: Connecting or Isolating?
The Future of the Internet: Trends and Predictions
Internet Addiction: Symptoms and Solutions
The Role of the Internet in Political Movements
Online Dating: Changing the Face of Romance
The Ethics of Online Content Moderation
The Internet of Things: Smart Devices and Privacy Concerns
Online Gaming Culture: Beyond the Screen
The Impact of Streaming Services on Entertainment
Internet Censorship Around the World
The Role of Artificial Intelligence in Web Development
The Environmental Impact of Data Centers
The Future of Work: Remote Jobs and the Internet
Bridging Cultural Gaps Through the Internet

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Technology Essay Topics

The Ethical Implications of Artificial Intelligence
The Impact of Mobile Technology on Society
Blockchain Technology: Beyond Cryptocurrency
The Future of Space Exploration and Technology
Wearable Technology: Fashion Meets Function
The Role of Technology in Sustainable Development
Cybersecurity in the Digital Age: Challenges and Solutions
The Digital Transformation of Education
Virtual Reality: Applications Beyond Gaming
The Social Impact of Social Media Platforms
The Evolution of Autonomous Vehicles
Technology and Healthcare: Innovations Saving Lives
The Internet of Things: Smart Homes and Cities
3D Printing: Revolutionizing Manufacturing and Medicine
The Influence of Technology on the Job Market
Big Data and Privacy: Finding the Balance
Augmented Reality in Retail and Marketing
The Role of Technology in Disaster Response and Management
Renewable Energy Technologies and Their Future
The Digital Divide: Bridging the Gap in Access to Technology

Movies Topics

The Evolution of Special Effects in Cinema
The Impact of Streaming Services on the Film Industry
Representation of Minorities in Hollywood Films
The Influence of Film on Society and Culture
The Rise of Independent Cinema
Classic Films That Have Shaped the Film Industry
The Role of Music in Movies
The Changing Landscape of Movie Theaters
The Art of Film Editing: Techniques and Examples
Biopics: Balancing Fact and Fiction
The Psychology of Horror Movies: Why We Love to Be Scared
The Renaissance of Animated Films
Women Filmmakers and Their Impact on Cinema
The Global Influence of Bollywood
The Ethics of Documentary Filmmaking
The Future of Virtual Reality in Cinema
The Cultural Significance of Film Festivals
Adaptations: Books vs. Movies
The Role of Criticism in the Film Industry
The Legacy of Silent Films

Personal Essay Music Topics

The Soundtrack of My Life: How Music Defines Personal Moments
The Influence of Music on Mood and Productivity
The Global Language of Music: Connecting Cultures
The Vinyl Revival: Nostalgia and Sound Quality
Live Music Experiences: Beyond the Performance
The Role of Music in Social Movements
The Evolution of Music Genres Over Decades
Music Education: Benefits Beyond the Classroom
The Psychology Behind Musical Tastes
The Impact of Digital Streaming on the Music Industry
The Art of Songwriting: Process and Inspiration
Music and Identity: How Genres Shape Personal Brands
The Healing Power of Music Therapy
The Challenges of Pursuing a Career in Music
The Influence of Technology on Music Production
Music Censorship: Rights and Wrongs
The Legacy of Iconic Musicians and Bands
The Cultural Significance of Music Festivals
The Intersection of Music and Fashion
Cover Songs: Homage or Theft?

Career Choice Essay Topics

The Role of Passion vs. Practicality in Career Choices
The Impact of Technology on Emerging Careers
Navigating Career Transitions: Challenges and Opportunities
The Importance of Mentorship in Career Development
The Gig Economy: Redefining Traditional Careers
Entrepreneurship: Risks and Rewards
The Influence of Family Expectations on Career Decisions
The Future of Work: Skills for the 21st Century
Balancing Career Ambitions with Personal Life
The Role of Internships in Career Exploration
Career Resilience in a Rapidly Changing Job Market
The Impact of Globalization on Career Opportunities
The Ethics of AI and Automation in the Workplace
The Pursuit of Happiness: Job Satisfaction vs. Salary
The Role of Higher Education in Career Success
Navigating the Challenges of a Creative Career
The Importance of Networking in Professional Growth
The Impact of Social Media on Professional Branding
Career Opportunities in Renewable Energy and Sustainability
The Role of Continuous Learning in Career Advancement

Travel Essay Topics

The Transformative Power of Solo Travel
Exploring the World Through Volunteer Tourism
The Impact of Cultural Exchange on Personal Growth
Backpacking Across Europe: Lessons Learned
The Beauty and Challenges of Hiking the Appalachian Trail
Discovering Heritage: A Journey to Ancestral Lands
The Magic of Northern Lights: A Trip to Scandinavia
Navigating the Streets of Tokyo: A Cultural Immersion
Sustainable Travel: Exploring the World Responsibly
The Spiritual Journey of Walking the Camino de Santiago
Road Tripping Across America: The Ultimate Adventure
The Contrast of Ancient and Modern in Cairo, Egypt
Island Hopping in the Philippines: Paradise Found
The Gastronomic Delights of Traveling Through Italy
The Serenity of the Swiss Alps: A Nature Escape
Experiencing the Carnival of Rio de Janeiro
The Historical Richness of Visiting the Ruins of Machu Picchu
A Pilgrimage to the Holy Land: Israel and Palestine
The Thrill of Safari in the Serengeti
Living Like a Local: One Month in Paris

Read also: 60 Exemplification Essay Topics With Examples

Education Personal Essay Topics

The Moment I Realized the Value of Education
Overcoming Learning Challenges: My Journey to Academic Success
The Teacher Who Changed My Life
The Role of Education in Shaping My Cultural Identity
Balancing Academics and Extracurricular Activities: A Personal Story
The Impact of Studying Abroad on My Worldview
Navigating the Transition from High School to College
The Importance of Lifelong Learning in Personal and Professional Development
My Experience with Online Learning During the Pandemic
The Decision to Pursue Higher Education as a Non-Traditional Student
How Community Service Shaped My Educational Goals
The Challenges and Rewards of Being a First-Generation College Student
The Influence of Technology on My Educational Experience
Facing Academic Failure and Learning Resilience
The Power of Creative Writing in Personal Expression and Academic Achievement
Choosing a Major: A Journey of Self-Discovery
The Impact of Mentorship in Navigating College Life
The Role of Diversity and Inclusion in My Education
How Educational Travel Expanded My Learning Beyond the Classroom
Preparing for a Career in a Field That Didn't Exist Ten Years Ago

We Can Help You Right Now

Here we developed several personal essay prompts to make your essay sound perfect for readers. A choice of good personal narrative topics is essential, as it should be interesting for readers. We hope that these ideas for personal narrative papers will help you write awesome essays. More than 100 personal essay topics are available here. Students can use ready personal essay topics or modify them. We hope that high school and college students will find these personal essay topics captivating and write interesting essays. If you still have doubts regarding your writing talents, you may wish to apply for our personal statement service . We work for you 24/7!

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Personal Essay Topics

Academic writing

Essay paper writing

Personal essay is considered to be one of the most interesting academic assignments. Writing such an essay, you are not just creating a regular text about some person but also have a great opportunity to demonstrate your views, feelings, or opinion on a given topic. In a good paper, you can influence the readers and present some new ideas to them.

Students often think that a personal essay is difficult to write. Moreover, they often get scared when they realize that they may need to prepare for this assignment longer than usual. Well, in fact, there is nothing complicated in this task. All you need to do is express the main idea clearly, discuss it, and be honest with your readers.

However, sometimes the situation gets worse when a teacher gives quite specific college personal essay topics, and you have no opportunity to touch upon some important issues that you might want to discuss. Relax and do not think of the topic as a limitation! Instead, try to provide a deeper comprehension of the issues and concepts related to the theme of your paper.

The next challenge of creating such a text is that you will need to combine a lot of writing styles. But do not panic! Look at this struggle from a different perspective, and it will become an advantage which allows you to express your thoughts more vividly. After all, it’s a fact that your writing style reflects your personality.

Of course, the success of your essay mostly depends on the topic, so you are welcome to choose one of the interesting personal essay topics presented by our essay writing service in this article. Then, working on the task, make sure that it is not a monotonous piece that will be difficult to read. Well-structured papers on relevant common personal essay topics provide an excellent opportunity to show your point of view and express your feelings regarding the subject.

How to write personal essays?

This question is pertinent among the new writers who struggle to create a whole text about a person. But there is nothing to worry about! First of all, try to collect as much information as possible. For example, look for some interviews with the individual you want to write about. If you have one of the top personal essay topics, it will be quite easy to find this kind of info.

The next aspect of a good essay is the formatting of the text. This is not the easiest part of writing, but it is definitely not the thing you should be concerned about. Make sure that you have a writing guide to refer to or just ask your professor about formatting rules at your college. By the way, mind that we are talking mostly about personal essay topics for college, so if you have to write such text for school or university, you will need to adapt it to the requirements of that educational institution.

Finally, let’s consider the structure of a good personal essay. In the first paragraph, you have to provide a brief biography of the person you are writing about. It should contain some information about their life, achievements, and some interesting facts. After that, try to find some info about the childhood years of this individual. Using this technique, you can create an interesting intro which will prompt your audience to read the text to the very end. If you have troubles with that, you can just pick one of the personal essay topics for high school students, as they should be easier to find info on. After you are done with the first section, it is time to move on to the most challenging part of writing. Here, you have to describe the outstanding years of a person’s life and analyze the most important experiences or events during that time . Do not get scared if you are assigned to write a text about yourself or someone you do not know. You may have excellent writing skills, but it is always difficult to tell personal stories or share memories. So don’t lose heart if you won’t succeed with your first personal essay.

Why choose to write on the personal persuasive essay topics

While reading the information above, you may get the following question, “Why would a novice writer pick such a complex topic to write on?” First of all, people need to do something new and challenging all the time in order to become well-versed in particular spheres. Secondly, students learn how to work on several types of texts, which not only helps them to become better writers but also reach a totally new level of proficiency. Another great thing is that if you pick one of the personal essay topics for college applications, you will be able to stand out from the crowd of those who are going to choose the easier topics.

So, now it’s time to start writing the actual essay. Do not worry if you still have no ideas what to write about. In this article, we will provide the list of personal essay topic options which will definitely help you to write a perfect paper and get an excellent mark.

College level personal essay topics

College-level personal experience essay topics are more challenging to cope with than school ones because you have to search and analyze a lot. Moreover, writing college-level essays presupposes the development of analytical and critical thinking skills. Just like writing a personal essay for college application, it requires a more in-depth evaluation of the issue under consideration. If you struggle to find a proper topic for your essay, here is a list of interesting themes for college students:

The biggest fear in your life
A difficult decision you have made
When did you have the biggest argument with your sibling?
The most interesting dream you have ever had
Music that inspires you and makes you feel good
Perfect family vacation
The day you met your best college friend
The most awkward moment in college
Your phobias
Things your parents have taught you
The time you spoke out about something important to you
How would you spend your gap year?
What is the bravest moment of your life?
What did you do when a close person betrayed you?
The most important lesson in your life
Describe the biggest failure in your life and what you have learned from it

Personal essay topics for education

These topics are slightly different from the previous ones. Educational themes are usually a bit more school-based, which means that you need to have some basic knowledge to complete them. A lot of things can be described in this essay, but it is important to include only relevant information and clearly state your opinion. By the way, these themes are considered the best personal essay topics among all. The reason is that writing this kind of essay, you have an opportunity to demonstrate your views, goals, and aspirations so that your teacher can determine your ambitions and potential in the study area. Therefore, let us move on to the actual examples:

How can a professor motivate you to become a better person?
What are the best methods to deliver a speech?
Do you like doing homework, or is it a waste of time for you?
The best lesson you have learned studying in college or high school
Is it hard for you to prepare for school exams? How do you handle stress during that period?
What second language did you learn and how?
What motivates you to study hard and pursue your dreams?
The right and wrong choices you made regarding study and education

Easy topics for personal essay

Students choose easy topics quite often because they are not willing to spend a lot of time on writing. Selecting such a theme is not a bad idea at all because these topics are usually quite broad. Make sure you know how to write the best pieces using these great personal essay topics:

How to relax after a hard day?
The greatest fear you have
The best place in your house
The best period of the history of your country
Your favorite movie
What would you buy right now if you had a lot of money?
The work of art that you adore the most
The best period of your life
Who is your favorite singer?
Secret talent you have
The unexplained event that happened to you
Your favorite season
Your best birthday party
Your favorite type of food
The best childhood memory
What would you do if you won the lottery
Your favorite holiday

Some other good personal essay topics

If you are still out of ideas for personal essay topics, you can consider the themes listed below:

The last act of kindness that you have made
The job of your dream
The most beautiful place in the world you have ever seen
The best music band that helps you to fall asleep
The most annoying things in your life
A thing that reminds you of your childhood
The role of money in your life
The best words you have heard in your life
Have you ever witnessed something that you will remember for the rest of your life?
The best morning in your life
Something that makes you feel guilty
Your shopping habits
A place you would go if you could travel back in time

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Discover Personalized Topics for Your US College Admissions Essay ⚡

Struggling to pinpoint a compelling topic for your college admissions essay? You're not alone. Choosing a subject that reflects your unique experiences and aspirations can be challenging. Our tool is designed to assist you in uncovering and shaping a distinctive and personal essay topic, setting you on the path to crafting a memorable and impactful admissions narrative.

What Makes a High-Quality College Essay Topic?

A great essay topic isn't just about what's trending or what seems impressive. It's about authenticity, passion, and personal insight. Here's what sets an outstanding topic apart:

Depth Over Breadth

A stellar topic isn't about cramming in multiple experiences but delving deeply into one, showcasing introspection and personal growth.

Genuineness & Authenticity

Instead of chasing grandiosity, choose a topic that's true to your experiences. Authentic narratives resonate more than exaggerated tales.

Relevance to Personal Journey

The topic should link back to your personal growth, aspirations, or values. It’s not just about the event, but its significance in your life's tapestry.

Insights & Learnings

A great topic paves the way for rich insights. What did you learn? How did it alter your perspective or future aspirations?

Evokes a Strong Emotion or Thought

Whether it inspires, challenges, or resonates, a quality topic should stir emotions or provoke thoughts in the reader.

Unique Angle or Perspective

Even if the core idea is common, a fresh perspective and the unique lens through which you present your topic can set your essay apart.

Clear Focus

A high-quality topic is specific and doesn’t try to cover everything. It has a clear narrative direction, ensuring the reader remains engaged from start to finish.

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5 Awesome College Essay Topics + Sample Essays

←11 Cliché College Essay Topics + How to Fix Them

8 Do’s and Don’ts for Crafting Your College Essay→

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What makes a good college essay topic, awesome college essay topics + sample essays, how to get your essay reviewed for free.

Finding a great college essay topic is one of the most stressful parts of the essay writing process. How is it possible to accurately represent your life and personality in one essay? How can you tell if a topic will do your story justice, or if it’ll end up hurting your application?

While a good essay topic varies from one person to another, there are some general guidelines you should follow when picking a topic. In this post, we’ll go over the commonalities of a good college essay topic, and we’ll share five original topics and sample essays to inspire your writing.

College essays are meant to provide admissions officers with a better idea of who you are beyond your quantitative achievements. It’s your chance to share your voice, personality, and story.

A good essay topic will do the following:

Answers the 4 core questions. These questions are:

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

At its core, your essay should show who you are, how you got there, and where you’re going.

Is deeply personal. The best essay topics allow you to be raw and vulnerable. You don’t need to bare your soul and tell your deepest secrets, but you should share your thoughts and emotions in your essay. A good essay should make the reader feel something—whether that’s your joy, embarrassment, panic, defeat, confidence, or determination.

Is original, or approaches a common topic in an original way. Admissions officers read a lot of essays about the same old topics. Some of those cliches include: a sports injury, person you admire, tragedy, or working hard in a challenging class. While it’s possible to write a good essay on a common topic, it’s much harder to do so, and you may lose the admissions officer’s attention early on.

Try to find a topic that goes beyond traditional archetypes to make yourself truly stand out. You could also take a cliche topic but develop it in a different way. For example, the standard storyline of the sports injury essay is that you got hurt, were upset you couldn’t participate, but then worked hard and overcame that injury. Instead, you could write about how you got injured, and used that time off to develop a new interest, such as coding.

The truth is that a “good” college essay topic varies by individual, as it really depends on your life experiences. That being said, there are some topics that should work well for most people, and they are:

1. A unique extracurricular activity or passion

Writing about an extracurricular activity is not a unique essay topic, and it’s actually a common supplemental essay prompt. If you have an unconventional activity, however, the essay is the perfect opportunity to showcase and elaborate upon that interest. Less common activities are less familiar to admissions officers, so some extra context can be helpful in understanding how that activity worked, and how much it meant to you.

For example, here’s a sample essay about a student who played competitive bridge, and what the activity taught them:

The room was silent except for the thoughts racing through my head. I led a spade from my hand and my opponent paused for a second, then played a heart. The numbers ran through my mind as I tried to consider every combination, calculating my next move. Finally, I played the ace of spades from the dummy and the rest of my clubs, securing the contract and 620 points when my partner ruffed at trick five. Next board.

It was the final of the 2015 United States Bridge Federation Under-26 Women’s Championship. The winning team would be selected to represent the United States in the world championship and my team was still in the running.

Contract bridge is a strategic and stochastic card game. Players from around the world gather at local clubs, regional events, and, in this case, national tournaments.

Going into the tournament, my team was excited; all the hours we had put into the game, from the lengthy midnight Skype sessions spent discussing boards to the coffee shop meetings spent memorizing conventions together, were about to pay off.

Halfway through, our spirits were still high, as we were only down by fourteen international match points which, out of the final total of about four hundred points, was virtually nothing and it was very feasible to catch up. Our excitement was short-lived, however, as sixty boards later, we found that we had lost the match and would not be chosen as the national team.

Initially, we were devastated. We had come so close and it seemed as if all the hours we had devoted to training had been utterly wasted. Yet as our team spent some time together reflecting upon the results, we gradually realized that the true value that we had gained wasn’t only the prospect of winning the national title, but also the time we had spent together exploring our shared passion. I chatted with the winning team and even befriended a few of them who offered us encouragement and advice.

Throughout my bridge career, although I’ve gained a respectable amount of masterpoints and awards, I’ve realized that the real reward comes from the extraordinary people I have met. I don’t need to travel cross-country to learn; every time I sit down at a table whether it be during a simple club game, a regional tournament or a national event, I find I’m always learning.

I nod at the pair that’s always yelling at each other. They teach me the importance of sportsmanship and forgiveness.

I greet the legally blind man who can defeat most of the seeing players. He reminds me not to make excuses.

I chat with the friendly, elderly couple who, at ages ninety and ninety-two, have just gotten married two weeks ago. They teach me that it’s never too late to start anything.

I talk to the boy who’s attending Harvard and the girl who forewent college to start her own company. They show me that there is more than one path to success.

I congratulate the little kid running to his dad, excited to have won his very first masterpoints. He reminds me of the thrill of every first time and to never stop trying new things.

Just as much as I have benefitted from these life lessons, I aspire to give back to my bridge community as much as it has given me. I aspire to teach people how to play this complicated yet equally as exciting game. I aspire to never stop improving myself, both at and away from the bridge table.

Bridge has given me my roots and dared me to dream. What started as merely a hobby has become a community, a passion, a part of my identity. I aspire to live selflessly and help others reach their goals. I seek to take risks, embrace all results, even failure, and live unfettered from my own doubt .

2. An activity or interest that contrasts heavily with your profile

The essays are also a great way to highlight different aspects of who you are, and also explain any aspects of your profile that might not “make sense.” For instance, if your extracurriculars are heavily STEM-focused, but you have one theatre-related activity you care a lot about, you might want to write an essay on theatre to add an extra dimension to your application. Admissions officers actually love when students have a “contrast profile,” or well-developed interests in two disparate fields. This is because they see a lot of well-rounded and specialized students, so students with contrast profiles offer something refreshingly unique.

Here’s a sample essay written by an athlete who is also an accomplished poet. The piece focuses upon the student’s contrasting identities, and how they eventually come to feel proud of both identities.

When I was younger, I was adamant that no two foods on my plate touch. As a result, I often used a second plate to prevent such an atrocity. In many ways, I learned to separate different things this way from my older brothers, Nate and Rob. Growing up, I idolized both of them. Nate was a performer, and I insisted on arriving early to his shows to secure front row seats, refusing to budge during intermission for fear of missing anything. Rob was a three-sport athlete, and I attended his games religiously, waving worn-out foam cougar paws and cheering until my voice was hoarse. My brothers were my role models. However, while each was talented, neither was interested in the other’s passion. To me, they represented two contrasting ideals of what I could become: artist or athlete. I believed I had to choose.

And for a long time, I chose athlete. I played soccer, basketball, and lacrosse and viewed myself exclusively as an athlete, believing the arts were not for me. I conveniently overlooked that since the age of five, I had been composing stories for my family for Christmas, gifts that were as much for me as them, as I loved writing. So when in tenth grade, I had the option of taking a creative writing class, I was faced with a question: could I be an athlete and a writer? After much debate, I enrolled in the class, feeling both apprehensive and excited. When I arrived on the first day of school, my teacher, Ms. Jenkins, asked us to write down our expectations for the class. After a few minutes, eraser shavings stubbornly sunbathing on my now-smudged paper, I finally wrote, “I do not expect to become a published writer from this class. I just want this to be a place where I can write freely.”

Although the purpose of the class never changed for me, on the third “submission day,” – our time to submit writing to upcoming contests and literary magazines – I faced a predicament. For the first two submission days, I had passed the time editing earlier pieces, eventually (pretty quickly) resorting to screen snake when hopelessness made the words look like hieroglyphics. I must not have been as subtle as I thought, as on the third of these days, Ms. Jenkins approached me. After shifting from excuse to excuse as to why I did not submit my writing, I finally recognized the real reason I had withheld my work: I was scared. I did not want to be different, and I did not want to challenge not only others’ perceptions of me, but also my own. I yielded to Ms. Jenkin’s pleas and sent one of my pieces to an upcoming contest.

By the time the letter came, I had already forgotten about the contest. When the flimsy white envelope arrived in the mail, I was shocked and ecstatic to learn that I had received 2nd place in a nationwide writing competition. The next morning, however, I discovered Ms. Jenkins would make an announcement to the whole school exposing me as a poet. I decided to own this identity and embrace my friends’ jokes and playful digs, and over time, they have learned to accept and respect this part of me. I have since seen more boys at my school identifying themselves as writers or artists.

I no longer see myself as an athlete and a poet independently, but rather I see these two aspects forming a single inseparable identity – me. Despite their apparent differences, these two disciplines are quite similar, as each requires creativity and devotion. I am still a poet when I am lacing up my cleats for soccer practice and still an athlete when I am building metaphors in the back of my mind – and I have realized ice cream and gummy bears taste pretty good together.

3. A seemingly insignificant moment that speaks to larger themes within your life

Writing an essay on a seemingly mundane moment is unexpected, so that should grab the attention of the reader in almost a backwards way. You’ll make them wonder where the essay is going, and why you chose to write about that moment. From there, you can use that moment as an avenue to discuss important elements of your identity.

In this sample essay, a student details her experience failing to make a fire from sticks, and how it leads her to reflect on how her former passion (or “fire”) for the outdoors is now reflected in her current interests.

Was I no longer the beloved daughter of nature, whisperer of trees? Knee-high rubber boots, camouflage, bug spray—I wore the garb and perfume of a proud wild woman, yet there I was, hunched over the pathetic pile of stubborn sticks, utterly stumped, on the verge of tears. As a child, I had considered myself a kind of rustic princess, a cradler of spiders and centipedes, who was serenaded by mourning doves and chickadees, who could glide through tick-infested meadows and emerge Lyme-free. I knew the cracks of the earth like the scars on my own rough palms. Yet here I was, ten years later, incapable of performing the most fundamental outdoor task: I could not, for the life of me, start a fire.

Furiously I rubbed the twigs together—rubbed and rubbed until shreds of skin flaked from my fingers. No smoke. The twigs were too young, too sticky-green; I tossed them away with a shower of curses, and began tearing through the underbrush in search of a more flammable collection. My efforts were fruitless. Livid, I bit a rejected twig, determined to prove that the forest had spurned me, offering only young, wet bones that would never burn. But the wood cracked like carrots between my teeth—old, brittle, and bitter. Roaring and nursing my aching palms, I retreated to the tent, where I sulked and awaited the jeers of my family.

Rattling their empty worm cans and reeking of fat fish, my brother and cousins swaggered into the campsite. Immediately, they noticed the minor stick massacre by the fire pit and called to me, their deep voices already sharp with contempt.

“Where’s the fire, Princess Clara?” they taunted. “Having some trouble?” They prodded me with the ends of the chewed branches and, with a few effortless scrapes of wood on rock, sparked a red and roaring flame. My face burned long after I left the fire pit. The camp stank of salmon and shame.

In the tent, I pondered my failure. Was I so dainty? Was I that incapable? I thought of my hands, how calloused and capable they had been, how tender and smooth they had become. It had been years since I’d kneaded mud between my fingers; instead of scaling a white pine, I’d practiced scales on my piano, my hands softening into those of a musician—fleshy and sensitive. And I’d gotten glasses, having grown horrifically nearsighted; long nights of dim lighting and thick books had done this. I couldn’t remember the last time I had lain down on a hill, barefaced, and seen the stars without having to squint. Crawling along the edge of the tent, a spider confirmed my transformation—he disgusted me, and I felt an overwhelming urge to squash him.

Yet, I realized I hadn’t really changed—I had only shifted perspective. I still eagerly explored new worlds, but through poems and prose rather than pastures and puddles. I’d grown to prefer the boom of a bass over that of a bullfrog, learned to coax a different kind of fire from wood, having developed a burn for writing rhymes and scrawling hypotheses.

That night, I stayed up late with my journal and wrote about the spider I had decided not to kill. I had tolerated him just barely, only shrieking when he jumped—it helped to watch him decorate the corners of the tent with his delicate webs, knowing that he couldn’t start fires, either. When the night grew cold and the embers died, my words still smoked—my hands burned from all that scrawling—and even when I fell asleep, the ideas kept sparking—I was on fire, always on fire.

4. Using an everyday experience or object as a metaphor to explore your life and personality

Using an everyday experience as a vehicle to explore your identity is also intriguing in an unexpected way. You’d be surprised at how many everyday routines and objects naturally lend themselves to a unique glance into your life. Some of those things might be: a familiar drive, your running shoes, a recipe from your grandmother, walking to your guitar lesson.

This topic also is a strong choice if you have a descriptive, artful writing style. It allows you to get creative with the transitions from the everyday experience to larger reflections on your life.

Here’s an example of a student who chose to write about showers, all while showcasing their personality and unique aspects of their life.

Scalding hot water cascades over me, crashing to the ground in a familiar, soothing rhythm. Steam rises to the ceiling as dried sweat and soap suds swirl down the drain. The water hisses as it hits my skin, far above the safe temperature for a shower. The pressure is perfect on my tired muscles, easing the aches and bruises from a rough bout of sparring and the tension from a long, stressful day. The noise from my overactive mind dies away, fading into music, lyrics floating through my head. Black streaks stripe the inside of my left arm, remnants of the penned reminders of homework, money owed and forms due.

It lacks the same dynamism and controlled intensity of sparring on the mat at taekwondo or the warm tenderness of a tight hug from my father, but it’s still a cocoon of safety as the water washes away the day’s burdens. As long as the hot water is running, the rest of the world ceases to exist, shrinking to me, myself and I. The shower curtain closes me off from the hectic world spinning around me.

Much like the baths of Blanche DuBois, my hot showers are a means of cleansing and purifying (though I’m mostly just ridding myself of the germs from children at work sneezing on me). In the midst of a hot shower, there is no impending exam to study for, no newspaper deadline to meet, no paycheck to deposit. It is simply complete and utter peace, a safe haven. The steam clears my mind even as it clouds my mirror.

Creativity thrives in the tub, breathing life into tales of dragons and warrior princesses that evolve only in my head, never making their way to paper but appeasing the childlike dreamer and wannabe author in me all the same. That one calculus problem that has seemed unsolvable since second period clicks into place as I realize the obvious solution. The perfect concluding sentence to my literary analysis essay writes itself (causing me to abruptly end my shower in a mad dash to the computer before I forget it entirely).

Ever since I was old enough to start taking showers unaided, I began hogging all the hot water in the house, a source of great frustration to my parents. Many of my early showers were rudely cut short by an unholy banging on the bathroom door and an order to “stop wasting water and come eat dinner before it gets cold.” After a decade of trudging up the stairs every evening to put an end to my water-wasting, my parents finally gave in, leaving me to my (expensive) showers. I imagine someday, when paying the water bill is in my hands, my showers will be shorter, but today is not that day (nor, hopefully, will the next four years be that day).

Showers are better than any ibuprofen, the perfect panacea for life’s daily ailments. Headaches magically disappear as long as the water runs, though they typically return in full force afterward. The runny nose and itchy eyes courtesy of summertime allergies recede. Showers alleviate even the stomachache from a guacamole-induced lack of self-control.

Honestly though, the best part about a hot shower is neither its medicinal abilities nor its blissful temporary isolation or even the heavenly warmth seeped deep into my bones. The best part is that these little moments of pure, uninhibited contentedness are a daily occurrence. No matter how stressful the day, showers ensure I always have something to look forward to. They are small moments, true, but important nonetheless, because it is the little things in life that matter; the big moments are too rare, too fleeting to make anyone truly happy. Wherever I am in the world, whatever fate chooses to throw at me, I know I can always find my peace at the end of the day behind the shower curtain.

5. An in the moment narrative that tells the story of a important moment in your life

In the moment narrative is a powerful essay format, as your reader experiences the events, your thoughts, and your emotions with you . Students assume that your chosen moment needs to be extremely dramatic or life-altering, but the truth is that you can use this method to write about all kinds of events, from the everyday to the unexpected to the monumental. It doesn’t matter, as long as that moment was important to your development.

For example, this student wrote about a Model UN conference where they were asked to switch stances last minute. This might not seem like a huge moment, but this experience was meaningful to them because it showed them the importance of adaptability.

The morning of the Model United Nation conference, I walked into Committee feeling confident about my research. We were simulating the Nuremberg Trials – a series of post-World War II proceedings for war crimes – and my portfolio was of the Soviet Judge Major General Iona Nikitchenko. Until that day, the infamous Nazi regime had only been a chapter in my history textbook; however, the conference’s unveiling of each defendant’s crimes brought those horrors to life. The previous night, I had organized my research, proofread my position paper and gone over Judge Nikitchenko’s pertinent statements. I aimed to find the perfect balance between his stance and my own.

As I walked into committee anticipating a battle of wits, my director abruptly called out to me. “I’m afraid we’ve received a late confirmation from another delegate who will be representing Judge Nikitchenko. You, on the other hand, are now the defense attorney, Otto Stahmer.” Everyone around me buzzed around the room in excitement, coordinating with their allies and developing strategies against their enemies, oblivious to the bomb that had just dropped on me. I felt frozen in my tracks, and it seemed that only rage against the careless delegate who had confirmed her presence so late could pull me out of my trance. After having spent a month painstakingly crafting my verdicts and gathering evidence against the Nazis, I now needed to reverse my stance only three hours before the first session.

Gradually, anger gave way to utter panic. My research was fundamental to my performance, and without it, I knew I could add little to the Trials. But confident in my ability, my director optimistically recommended constructing an impromptu defense. Nervously, I began my research anew. Despite feeling hopeless, as I read through the prosecution’s arguments, I uncovered substantial loopholes. I noticed a lack of conclusive evidence against the defendants and certain inconsistencies in testimonies. My discovery energized me, inspiring me to revisit the historical overview in my conference “Background Guide” and to search the web for other relevant articles. Some Nazi prisoners had been treated as “guilty” before their court dates. While I had brushed this information under the carpet while developing my position as a judge, it now became the focus of my defense. I began scratching out a new argument, centered on the premise that the allied countries had violated the fundamental rule that, a defendant was “not guilty” until proven otherwise.

At the end of the three hours, I felt better prepared. The first session began, and with bravado, I raised my placard to speak. Microphone in hand, I turned to face my audience. “Greetings delegates. I, Otto Stahmer would like to…….” I suddenly blanked. Utter dread permeated my body as I tried to recall my thoughts in vain. “Defence Attorney, Stahmer we’ll come back to you,” my Committee Director broke the silence as I tottered back to my seat, flushed with embarrassment. Despite my shame, I was undeterred. I needed to vindicate my director’s faith in me. I pulled out my notes, refocused, and began outlining my arguments in a more clear and direct manner. Thereafter, I spoke articulately, confidently putting forth my points. I was overjoyed when Secretariat members congratulated me on my fine performance.

Going into the conference, I believed that preparation was the key to success. I wouldn’t say I disagree with that statement now, but I believe adaptability is equally important. My ability to problem-solve in the face of an unforeseen challenge proved advantageous in the art of diplomacy. Not only did this experience transform me into a confident and eloquent delegate at that conference, but it also helped me become a more flexible and creative thinker in a variety of other capacities. Now that I know I can adapt under pressure, I look forward to engaging in activities that will push me to be even quicker on my feet.

At selective schools, your essays account for around 25% of your admissions decision. That’s more than grades (20%) and test scores (15%), and almost as much as extracurriculars (30%). Why is this? Most students applying to top schools will have stellar academics and extracurriculars. Your essays are your chance to stand out and humanize your application.

That’s why it’s vital that your essays are engaging, and present you as someone who would enrich the campus community.

Before submitting your application, you should have someone else review your essays. It’s even better if that person doesn’t know you personally, as they can best tell whether your personality shines through your essay.

That’s why we created our Peer Essay Review tool , where you can get a free review of your essay from another student. You can also improve your own writing skills by reviewing other students’ essays. We highly recommend giving this tool a try!

Final Thoughts

We hope this gives you a better idea of what good essay topic looks like, and that you’re feeling inspired to write your own essay—maybe one of these topics can even apply to your own life!

For more guidance on your essays, see these posts:

How to Write the Common App Essay

What If I Don ’t Have Anything Interesting to Write About in My College Essay?

Wh ere to Begin? 6 Personal Essay Brainstorming Exercises

Want help with your college essays to improve your admissions chances? Sign up for your free CollegeVine account and get access to our essay guides and courses. You can also get your essay peer-reviewed and improve your own writing skills by reviewing other students’ essays.

Tackling the Personal Essay: Tips from a Notre Dame Admissions Counselor

Published: August 30, 2024

Author: Zach Klonsinski

If you ask almost any admissions professional which part of reading applications is their favorite, it’s likely their answer will be a resounding, “The essays!” Essays are where we get to engage with students’ hopes, fears, dreams, life experiences (and more) in their authentic voice. We are humbled every year getting to “meet” all the incredible young people who are applying to Notre Dame through their essays!

Tackling the Personal Essay: Tips from a Notre Dame Admissions Counselor graphic

Yet, writing an essay introducing yourself can be really hard. Maybe you’ve never done so before, or you haven’t for a really long time, and often it will seem really awkward. That’s OK!

It feels hard because it is–or at least it can be.

Don’t worry, though! I love sharing tips with applicants about the personal essay that will hopefully help you see it as an opportunity to learn more about yourself and then share that discernment with the colleges who will be fortunate enough to receive your application!

Getting started

The easiest way to get started is by simply brainstorming! I love using pen and paper (I’m anti-pencil, though I realize that may be a divisive opinion). The physical materials help me feel less constrained by technology, though you may find the technology comforting.

Use bulleted lists or short phrases to capture ideas, life experiences, values, and more. Every day, set aside five minutes to write about yourself or your college discernment process without stopping to think. Where does your mind lead you when you get out of your own way?

Ask your friends and family to help you identify values that are important to you or things that make you.. well… you! Often it’s easier to highlight and say nice things about someone else than it is ourselves, so lean on those who know you well!

Group these collective nuggets to see if any patterns or stories emerge. Do you see any prompts on your application that align with your brainstorming? The Common Application, for example, has seven to choose from, including a make your own prompt! Start writing on one that makes you pause, as that means you might have something to say! Don’t be afraid to go longer than your word count or to use an atypical form of writing.

While that specific level of chaos may not work for you, I always recommend staying away from sentences and avoiding constraining yourself while writing because…

Editing is more than spelling and grammar!

When we want to “edit” something, it can be tempting to start–and just as quickly end–with spell check. (Yes, your essay should have proper spelling and grammar, but please know we are not reading your essay with a red pen “grading” every single comma.)

What is far more important–though also far more intimidating–is your essay’s content.

What really improved my writing actually had nothing to do with me–rather, it was finding trusted editors to give me honest and constructive feedback. While it’s tempting to have your best friend or family member read your essay, I’ve found my best editors possess a strong rhetorical mind, ask thoughtful questions, and are not afraid to tell me when something isn’t working the way I think it is.

This may describe someone close to you, but maybe not. Maybe there’s a classmate or teacher who you have always admired, even if you don’t know them that well. Editing is an incredibly vulnerable process; don’t be afraid to lean into that vulnerability! I promise that a strong editor who works with your voice and style–rather than rewriting your essay how they would have–will help bring forth an authentic essay you didn’t even realize you could write!

Speaking of, authenticity will lead to your best essay

The best application essay is the one that helps us get to know you. Period. Full stop. Any topic can be a good topic, any topic can be a bad topic. At the end of the day, the topic you choose to write about is only a gateway to help us get to know you!

Let’s think of it another way. Say you printed out your essay at your school, without your name or other identifying information on it, and someone who knows you picked it up and read it. If they said, “I bet this is (your name)’s essay,” I can already tell you’re on the right track. There’s something truly you about it!

Where can I find more about writing application essays?

I’m so glad you asked! On our On-Demand Sessions webpage , you can find a number of helpful recorded sessions from our College Application Workshop series. One of them, co-presented by yours truly, is called “Crafting the Perfect College Essay”. My colleague Maria Finan and I present our own tips and tricks for about 20 minutes and then take questions from a virtual audience for the remainder of the 45 minute session. I invite you to check it out, as well as the other sessions we have recorded!

Ready to Write Your App Essays? Advice from an Admissions Counselor on the Notre Dame Supplement

Zach Klonsinski is a senior assistant director with the Office of Undergraduate Admissions.

He is the regional counselor for Minnesota, Missouri (Kansas City), Wisconsin, Rwanda, Kenya, France, Portugal, Spain, Andorra, Monaco, and China - Beijing

Read Zach's profile.

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How to Pick a College Essay Topic, According to an Admission Expert

A student in a USC hoodie writes in a notebook outdoors. (USC Photo/Philip Channing)

The personal essay is one of the most crucial parts of a college application. While your transcripts and test scores highlight your achievement, they’re ultimately just stats and figures.

That’s where the college essay comes in: It helps colleges determine who you are. You can let your personality shine through and also show off your biggest wins — and explain away any potential shortcomings.

Of course, not everyone loves to write. And even if you do, it’s not always easy to figure out what to say. After all, most college essay prompts are quite vague. Where do you even start?

We spoke with Dan Phan, the academic program manager for USC Bovard Scholars , to learn how to pick the perfect college essay topic.

What Should a College Essay Focus On?

First things first: You need to determine what your dream school is asking for. Some will ask for just one essay, which is in response to several possible prompts. Usually, these prompts have to do with your background, your ambitions, challenging or formative times in your life or your personal beliefs. Other schools, however, will require you to write a personal statement, in addition to answering several shorter supplementary essay questions.

So, different universities have different application requirements. However, the essay’s goal remains the same, regardless of the prompt or format.

“The main personal statement should be introspective and shed light on the student’s core values, experiences that shaped them and aspirations for the future. Who is this student? Where have they been

Where do they hope to go?” Phan said.

What are Some Examples of College Essay Themes?

Many people use the college essay to reflect on hurdles in their lives. These difficulties could be related to academics or personal struggles. The idea is to show how you handle adversity. Essays can also focus on a personal turning point, to illustrate your personal growth or how you adapt to change.

Other applicants focus on topics related to identity and diversity, diving into their cultural background or family history to explore how their heritage and upbringing have shaped them into who they are today.

Some students write about their passions, hobbies or community involvement, showing what they have to offer besides good grades. It’s also a way to paint a picture of how they could participate in campus culture. After all, the goal is for the university to want you to be there and bring your personal touch to campus!

Phan’s favorite college essay themes?

“I love reading stories about the movers and shakers of the world, young adults that I can envision in the college setting, wherever that may be, and making a big difference once there,” she said.

And while Phan sees plenty of stories about family, culture, personal obstacles and achievements, she’s also read some “beautifully written essays” that she “remembers vividly to this day.”

The topics of these essays were wide-ranging and, often, highly personal.

“Playing music with symbrachydactyly (a hand anomaly characterized by missing fingers),” Phan recalled. “Visiting the neighborhood wig shop after school to chat with cancer patients. Defying gender stereotypes. Living close to the state prison and getting involved in prison-to-school pipeline programs. Car rides listening to NPR. Peach dumplings. Natural hair. Treasure maps.”

So, don’t be afraid to get creative. While your college essay should express who you are, there are many different ways to do so.

How Do You Choose a College Essay Topic?

When faced with vague prompts and open-ended suggestions, it can be hard to think of one story that summarizes who you are. Unfortunately, you can’t write about everything that makes you unique. Instead, narrow it down to a specific thesis.

Phan recommends that students think about the top four things a stranger would need to know to get acquainted with them.

“I encourage students to be vulnerable, to build connections and to think about some of their most formative or meaningful experiences, whether that involves family, identity, culture, extracurricular activities or interests,” Phan said.

Ask yourself what your strengths are. What are the skills and qualities that separate you from others? Then, consider the stories in your life that illustrate these traits.

Maybe you’re proud of your resilience. What’s a time in your life that it was tested? Or perhaps you have a passion for improving your community. What led you to that? What are some times you’ve demonstrated that dedication?

Once you consider what you want the essay to reveal about you, it’s easier to determine what examples in your life illustrate that.

“The most compelling essays are not only well written but have rich details that humanize the student’s experiences,” Phan said.

What Not to Write in Your College Essay

While you have plenty of options for your college essay, there are also some topics you don’t want to write about. For example, Phan advises applicants to avoid writing about grades or academic performance. Your transcript already covers that.

Another common pitfall? Not writing about yourself.

“Sometimes, students make the mistake of bringing in another person like a family member, friend or leader they admire, and the essay ceases to be about the student but rather about how incredible the other person is — which completely misses the point,” Phan explained.

Similarly, keep in mind that you’re writing about yourself now. That means you should be discussing who you are as a prospective college student, not who you were in kindergarten. While stories from your youth may help explain who you’ve become, the focus should always be on personal growth and development.

Some essay topics are so overused that they’ve become clichéd, such as teenage heartbreak, mission trip experiences or winning a sports game, Phan said: “Considering how admissions committees may be reading tens of thousands of applications each application cycle, admissions readers want to read unique college essays with fresh perspectives and angularity.”

Should Someone Proofread Your College Essay?

Applying for college is a process with many steps, and most students ask for help confirming they’ve done each part correctly. The same goes for your college essay!

Once you’ve selected the topic, it’s normal to ask for feedback to ensure you’re on the right track. Your college counselor or a teacher would be the right people to ask.

Similarly, it’s a good idea to ask them for help refining the essay once it’s done. They can help you deliver your thesis in the most compelling way possible. Remember, even the most talented writers need a copy editor to check that their work is free of misspellings and grammatical errors.

However, don’t have too many people read your essay.

“I’ve seen essays become so disjointed because there were too many voices in the essays,” Phan said. “Additionally, working with multiple people can pull students in different directions, resulting in a bit of Frankenstein of an essay and the student’s original voice being completely lost.”

So, trust your gut! With enough preparation, hard work and proofreading, you can write a solid college essay that makes you stand out to potential schools.

Learn more about USC Summer and Online Pre-College Programs today.

Author: Becca van Sambeck

IMAGES

Learn How to Write a Personal Essay on Trust My Paper
Personal Essay
31 Persuasive Essay Topics • JournalBuddies.com
Personal Essay Examples, Topics & Format
How to Write a Personal Essay: Topics, Structure, & Examples
150+ Persuasive Essay Topics UK for Easy To Use 2023

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150 Daily Life Topics for Practice Speaking in English
Worst College Essay Topics
How to Decide on a Topic (Montage)
How to write a Perfect Essay |Tips and Guidelines
4 Things You Need in Your College Essay

COMMENTS

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13 Thought-Provoking Personal Narrative Prompts
Find a compelling story to write about from a list of 13 personal narrative prompts. Learn how to show, not tell, your experience and engage your readers with description, character development, and plot.
200 Best Topic Ideas for Narrative Essay
Focus on a specific event or detail to make your narrative more focused and impactful. Look for universal themes like love or personal transformation that connect with readers on a deeper level. Brainstorm ideas and write freely to uncover compelling topics. Decide on storytelling techniques like flashbacks or foreshadowing and choose a topic ...
Choosing Your College Essay Topic
Learn how to choose a personal and original topic for your college application essay. Find brainstorming questions, tips, and examples to help you write a memorable and compelling essay.
How to Generate Strong Essay Topics, With 30 Topic Examples
Learn how to choose a strong essay topic for different types of essays, such as argumentative, compare-and-contrast, political, analytical, and personal. Find 30 topic examples and strategies to help you brainstorm and refine your ideas.
100 Best College Essay Topics & How to Pick the Perfect One!
Here is a list of top informative essay topics for college: 1. The history and impact of the feminist movement. 2. The process of neural network development in artificial intelligence. 3. Exploring the causes of economic recessions. 4. The role of genetics in determining personality.
53 Stellar College Essay Topics to Inspire You · PrepScholar
In addition to being specific, good college essay topics reveal to admissions officers who you are: your passions and interests, what is important to you, your best (or possibly even worst) qualities, what drives you, and so on. The personal statement is critical because it gives schools more insight into who you are as a person and not just ...
How to Write a Personal Essay: Topics, Structure, & Examples
🙋 Personal Essay Topics. By now, you might have understood the idea of the personal statement. Your goal is to show off your personality from the good side. However, there is an endless amount of options on how to do it. The most popular way is to tell the story from the past. It can be either something you achieved or an obstacle you ...
242 Personal Persuasive Essay Topics and Ideas
Find inspiration for your personal essay assignment with this list of topics for different categories and levels. Learn how to write a persuasive text that showcases your personality, experience and critical thinking skills.
200 Narrative & Personal Essay Topics Ideas
Find over 200 personal essay topics for different categories, such as family, friends, personality, internet, technology, movies, music, and more. Learn how to choose a topic that matters to you and engages your readers.
Top 75 Personal Essay Topics For Every Student 2022
Some other good personal essay topics. If you are still out of ideas for personal essay topics, you can consider the themes listed below: The last act of kindness that you have made. The job of your dream. The most beautiful place in the world you have ever seen. The best music band that helps you to fall asleep.
Free Topic & Idea Generator for College Essays
1. Chat with our AI. Engage in a simple conversation. Answer a few questions about your interests, experiences, and aspirations. 2. Review your Topics. Receive a list of potential essay topics, crafted to highlight your unique experiences and perspectives. 3. Get Your Essay Plan.
5 Awesome College Essay Topics + Sample Essays
Awesome College Essay Topics + Sample Essays. The truth is that a "good" college essay topic varies by individual, as it really depends on your life experiences. That being said, there are some topics that should work well for most people, and they are: 1. A unique extracurricular activity or passion.
Tackling the Personal Essay: Tips from a Notre Dame Admissions
Speaking of, authenticity will lead to your best essay. The best application essay is the one that helps us get to know you. Period. Full stop. Any topic can be a good topic, any topic can be a bad topic. At the end of the day, the topic you choose to write about is only a gateway to help us get to know you! Let's think of it another way.
Write a Winning College Essay: How to Pick a Topic
Essays can also focus on a personal turning point, to illustrate your personal growth or how you adapt to change. Other applicants focus on topics related to identity and diversity, diving into their cultural background or family history to explore how their heritage and upbringing have shaped them into who they are today.
Argumentative Essay Topics for Students
We have compiled a list of compelling argumentative essay topics that can help students from different backgrounds explore diverse issues, engage with complex concepts, and develop their writing and analytical abilities. 103 Argumentative Essay Topics for Students. The Impact of Violent Video Games on Aggressive Behavior in Adolescents

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13 Thought-Provoking Personal Narrative Prompts

To be a person is to have a story to tell. –Isak Dinesen

13 Personal Narrative Prompts

#1 Favorite School Memory

# 2 Worst School Memory

#3 Frightening Story

# 4 “Just Between Friends”

#5 Family Story

#7 First Love

#8 Success Story

#9 Personal Failure

#10 Accident

#11 Unresolved Experience

#12 An International or National Event or Incident

#13 Change the World Experience

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Choosing Your College Essay Topic | Ideas & Examples

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