You’ve got the grades. You’ve joined the clubs. You’ve volunteered. But now you’re staring down one of the most daunting parts of your college application: the essays.
Don’t worry, you’re not alone. Many students wonder how to brainstorm college essay ideas that stand out to admissions committees. At HelloCollege, we’re here to help you unlock the stories that illuminate your best attributes. Whether you’re stuck on your personal statement or wondering how to tailor your supplemental essays, this guide breaks down everything you need to know about college essay brainstorming.
What Are College Essays?
College essays are your chance to show admissions officers who you are beyond your GPA and extracurriculars. They give you space to reflect, tell stories, and share what matters to you.
There are two main types of college essays:
The Personal Statement
This is the big one, the essay that goes to every college you apply to via the Common App, Coalition App, or other portals. It’s your moment to highlight something meaningful about yourself: your identity, challenges you’ve faced, values you hold, or passions you pursue.
Supplemental Essays
These shorter essays are specific to each school. They might ask why you’re interested in a particular university or major, how you’ll contribute to campus life, or what excites you about their academic offerings.
Personal Statement vs. Supplemental Essays
Think of the personal statement as the key to understanding who you are and the supplementals as your school-specific interviews. The personal statement captures your essence; the supplementals show fit—how you align with the values, programs, and culture of each school.
How to Brainstorm College Essay Ideas
If you’re wondering how to brainstorm for college essays, especially the personal statement, this is the time to explore you:
- What values drive you?
- What moments shaped you?
- What personal characteristics do you want a college to know?
Great brainstorming involves thinking deeply, not just about your accomplishments, but about the stories behind them. If someone read your autobiography, what would they take with them? It’s about the why not the what. After filling out so many applications listing accomplishments, activities, community service, and more, it’s hard to pivot to thinking about the drivers and context behind your core statistics. That’s what college essay brainstorming is for!
Best ways to structure a college supplemental essay brainstorm session
When you’re brainstorming for supplemental essays, your focus shifts from self to school. This is your chance to prove that you’re not just a great student, you’re a great fit.
- What programs, classes, or clubs at your prospective institution genuinely excite you?
- How will you engage with the campus community?
- What values do you share with the school?
And most importantly: Read the prompt carefully. So many students miss out by answering the question they want to answer, or the one they assume the admissions committee wants to see, not the one being asked.
Top Ways to Brainstorm for College Application Essays
It’s not always easy to do this alone: sometimes it’s really difficult to talk about yourself. There’s lots of methods to get the juices flowing, including:
- Freewriting. Pick a prompt or question and set a timer for five minutes. Write down as much as you can.
- Mapping. Start with a single term, interest, or activity. Connect it via circles and lines to examples, anecdotes, or related subjects.
- Talk to your family. Ask your family to describe you as a child, or what growth you’ve shown.
- Talk to friends. How would your friends describe you? How do they know you best?
- Talk to your essay coach. We’re here to help! We love finding new ways to approach the multidimensional being that is you.
If one way doesn’t spark inspiration, try another way. Sometimes it’s useful to go outside and think about something else for a bit.
27 College Application Essay Brainstorming Questions to Inspire You
Looking for college essay brainstorming prompts that go deeper than the basics? Below are 27 questions grouped by theme to help you uncover the real stories worth telling. We divided them into different core themes and/or buckets that tend to address both the personal statement and, at least partially, supplemental essays.
Identity + Values
- What’s something you believe that most people around you don’t?
- What do people always misunderstand about you?
- What’s a label you’ve had to outgrow or prove wrong?
- Which parts of your identity are not obvious from your resume?
- What makes your upbringing “weird” or different, even in small ways?
Conflict + Resilience
- What’s the hardest decision you’ve ever had to make and what happened next?
- Describe a time you failed and didn’t try to spin it into a win.
- When have you disappointed someone you respect?
- Tell the story of a time you were not the hero.
- What’s something you used to be ashamed of that you now own with confidence?
Interests + Curiosity
- What’s something you’ve spent 100+ hours thinking about but never talk about?
- What topic could you talk about endlessly?
- What’s something you taught yourself just because you wanted to know?
- What do you nerd out about?
- If someone gave you $10,000 to spend however you want, how would you use it?
Surprising Outcomes
- What’s something you didn’t expect to enjoy, but you ended up sticking with for years?
- What’s a moment when you totally changed your mind about something important?
- When have you gone against advice and been right?
- What’s a passion that doesn’t “fit the mold” of your academic or career path?
- What’s something you love that your friends don’t get?
Narrative/Story Focus
- What is a story only you could tell?
- What’s the strangest day you’ve ever had and what did it teach you?
- What moment in your life felt like a movie scene?
- Describe a quiet moment that changed you.
- What’s a smell, sound, or taste that brings you back to a memory you haven’t told anyone about in years?
Self Reflection
- If your life were a book, what would this chapter be called and why?
- If you couldn’t mention grades, scores, or activities, how would you demonstrate your worth to a college?
What to Avoid in College Essay Brainstorming
While it’s important to be authentic, some essay topics have been so overused—or carry baggage—that they rarely help applicants stand out. Try to avoid:
- Clichés like “dead grandparent taught me to appreciate life”
- Generic sports injury stories
- Essays about switching schools unless they involve a deeper narrative
- Tales of extreme privilege without reflection or humility, like trips to impoverished countries or “what driving a Rolls Royce taught me”
Now…Get to Work!
Now that you know how to brainstorm college essay ideas, it’s time to dig in. Don’t aim for perfection in your first draft; it’s most important to just get your thoughts on the page. You can edit, revise, and polish your essay later.
Need help going from brainstorm to final draft? That’s what we’re here for. At HelloCollege, we offer expert guidance to help you tell your story, your way. Whether you’re struggling to brainstorm college essay topics or just need someone to review your drafts, we’ve got you covered. To learn more about working one-on-one with a professional Essay Coach, schedule a free consultation today.
