Read & Write Successful College Applications
Browse our blog that's full of admitted college essay examples, guides on writing amazing essays, and more. See exactly how real admitted students wrote their application essays and learn their secrets to success.
Outstanding Essay Examples
Popular Essays That Worked
Ivy League Essays That Worked
See how real students got accepted into Ivy League schools. Write outstanding admissions essays for top Ivy League schools like...
6 Brown Essays That Worked + Why Brown Examples
5 Columbia University Supplemental Example Essays (2025)
5 Princeton Supplemental Essays That Worked
7 University of Pennsylvania Essays That Worked
6 Dartmouth College Essays That Worked
4 Cornell University Essays That Worked
“I feel so much more reassured to press the submit button now. I wish I knew about your site sooner!”
Private Colleges Essays That Worked
Read amazing essay examples for top private universities like Stanford, Johns Hopkins, Northwestern, and more.
4 Carnegie Mellon Supplemental Essay Examples (2025)
6 Duke Supplemental Essays That Worked for 2025
6 Outstanding Johns Hopkins Essays That Worked for 2025
5 How to Write Outstanding MIT Supplemental Essays (With Real Examples)
6 Northwestern Essay Examples & Why Northwestern (2025)
12 Best Stanford Supplemental Essays That Worked 2025
4 University of Southern California (USC) EssaysThatWorked
9 Tufts University Essays That Worked
8 Notre Dame Essays That Worked
7 Emory University Essays That Worked
6 Rice University Essays That Worked
4 Tulane University Essays That Worked
3 Georgetown University Essays That Worked
“...Invaluable to me during the college admissions process! It gave me a different perspective to look at my essays.”
Public Colleges Essays That Worked
Read our best essay examples for public universities like the University of California, University of Michigan, and more. Public colleges receive the most applicants out of all types of schools, so your application essays are increasingly important each year.
18 UC Berkeley Essay Examples that Worked (2025)
18 UCLA Essays That Worked (and Why) for 2025
12 UNC Chapel Hill Essay Examples (2025)
26 University of Michigan Supplemental Essay Examples (2025)
18 UC Santa Barbara Essays That Worked
18 UC San Diego Essays That Worked
7 University of Virginia Essays That Worked
3 University of Wisconsin-Madison Essays That Worked
3 University of Pittsburgh Essays That Worked
“Thank you for your help with my essays back in November, including my Yale supplements. Just wanted to let you know I ended up getting into and committing to Yale!”
College Admissions Factors
Your essays are your only chance to write directly to admissions officers.
Which makes your essays one of the most important factors in your control.
You may need the stats to get considered, but after that, your subjective factors are more heavily weighed.
Make every word count, and present your best self.
Real essays.Real acceptances.
Thousands of students and parents have joined Essays That Worked to write better application essays. Will you be next? Start understanding application essays better.
