9 Common College Essay Mistakes (and How to Avoid Them)

Let’s be honest: writing your college essay can be frustrating.

You want to sound authentic — like you — but also impressive. Unique, but not trying too hard. Memorable, but not dramatic. And all of this… while writing to a stranger who holds a big part of your future in their hands.

And, of course, the fear lingers: What if you mess up?

What if you don’t make a good impression on the college admissions officer?

What happens then?

Let’s not find out.

In this post, I’ll break down 9 of the most common college essay mistakes — ones students make year after year – and how you can avoid them.

 

1) Trying too hard to impress

We’ve all done it at some point – we head over to the thesaurus websites or ChatGPT to see if we can find “fancier” or “smart-sounding” words to make our essays sound intelligent.

But here’s the thing: if you don’t know how to use the word properly, it’s obvious. And as such, it can count against you.

Figure out how to use the simple language in a powerful way.

 But it’s not just limited to word-choice.

 Many students try to be funny or lighthearted when that is not their natural tone.

It’s an attempt to amuse the reader.

But here’s the thing: When you’re not used to writing in that style, it comes across as pushy or trying-too-hard.

Your college essay is not the time to truly experiment with your tone. Not unless you’re a strong writer who is starting early and receiving guidance along the way.

If that’s not you, figure out how to turn your tone into one of impact.

 Bottom line: You don’t need to be perfect. You need to be real.

 

2) Clichés

Using clichéd phrases or expressions can make an essay appear unoriginal. They give the reader a sensation of “Here we go again!”. That’s not what you want to leave the reader feeling.

What are common clichés?

Words and phrases like “life-changing”, “eye-opening”, “I never would’ve imagined,” and “passion/passionate” have lost all meaning. They’re overused.  

Vary up your vocab. Get creative with your phrasing, and remember, you can always ask friends, families, teachers, or online thesauruses for help.

There are also other types of clichés to avoid:

• Cultural cliches: If you’re of Asian descent and play the violin or an Indian student who is a part of the math club… well, you’re not alone. There are too many applicants doing the exact same thing, so the question is why would the admissions officer choose you?

(I say this as an Asian who was in the math club).

Now, I’m NOT saying that you shouldn’t participate in either of those activities, you absolutely should. And you should even include them in other parts of your application… but for your essay, well, what are other sides of you that we don’t know?

Do you bake? What’s the craziest food you’ve made? How’d that go?

Do you read? Theatre? Beatbox? Have an online DPop shop? Enjoy karaoke?

Great, let’s hear about those!

And if you choose to talk about one of the cultural clichés, make sure you have a solid story or learning experience that goes with it.

• Sports cliches: Sports are a common topic students talk about and in all honesty, it makes sense why. Sports teach a lot of great character traits – perseverance, leadership, and discipline.

I’ve had students who were at diving practices on weekday mornings at 5AM and then again after school.

As someone who has never played a sport before, that level of dedication and commitment to that activity is mindboggling.

So, no, I am not suggesting that you completely avoid talking about your sport if it’s a deeply embedded part of your life.

However, share moments that are genuinely meaningful to you. Events that you feel you grew from. Maybe it was a game you lost or ended up injured in. What happened? What did you learn from the experience? What skills did you acquire from your sport? Why do you love that sport in the first place? What makes it so appealing?

Feel free to introduce a completely different side to you as well. One that may not be so obvious from the rest of your application.

• Arts Applicants: If you’re applying as an arts major and already submitted a portfolio, use your essay to share something not already mentioned in your application. So now, tell us something new! 

 3) Too vague or no real point/focus

4) Overloading with achievements

While it’s important to highlight accomplishments and experiences, don’t try to turn your essay into a resume in paragraph form.

Remember, you have an Activities section to your Common App in which you can mention your extracurriculars. A lot of universities also allow you to add in an optional (or required) resume.

So, don’t try and cram everything into your essay. Be intentional.

5) Lack of specificity

Almost every one of my students has made this mistake before.

It’s tempting to say that your sport has taught you the value of teamwork and determination. Or resilience.

Except, that’s too general.

Instead, show us what happened. Paint us a picture of the moment you realized that you’d have to trust your teammates. Or that resilience was your only option/choice.

Generalizations and vague statements really don’t mean much, no matter how profound the impact may have been on you.

 Instead, share specific stories that take the reader into the moment. The emotional journey you went on that ultimately led you to learning that lesson.

ESSAY & RESUME TIP: When referring to skills, avoid saying “I developed leadership skills by participating in the XYZ club”.

Instead provide an example like “I organized a team of ten volunteers to plan and execute a fundraising event, which led to us raising $1,500 for XYZ charity.” It’ll help the reader understand the scope (size and results) of the experience.

6) Excessive personal narrative

While personal experiences and anecdotes can add depth and authenticity to your essay, it’s important to strike a balance. Figure out what the purpose of sharing that particular story is.

Is it a certain character trait you want to share? A value?

Be sure to connect all personal stories to the broader message or the essay prompt.

And remember, choose 1-2 personal stories to share. That’s it. Don’t overdo it. 

7) Sensitive material

It’s tempting to open up to a stranger you may never meet. A way to unload yourself.

It’s almost therapeutic.

But your college essay is not the place for said unloading.

It is not the place to talk about your depression, ADHD/ADD, anxiety, experiences with assault, struggles with suicidal thoughts, or any similar matters.

If it’s important to you, and you feel that it absolutely has to be mentioned- particularly if it impacted your academic performance- then save it for the “Additional Information” section.

It’s okay to be vulnerable but be strategic about it.

Remember, a college admissions officer is not a certified mental health professional. To share sensitive matters may make the reading experience sad and awkward for them.

You want to connect, not shock or depress the reader.

8) Typos and grammatical errors

In the age of Spell check, Grammarly, and autocorrect, there are ZERO reasons that any piece of typed content should contain spelling or grammar errors.

While it can happen on occasion, your college essay is too important, so proofread your work.

This is your first impression – make it count.

9) Not seeking feedback (or seeking too much)

Yes, get feedback. But not from 10 people.

Asking too many people can leave you conflicting advice and an essay that sounds all over the place.

Choose 2-4 trusted sources. The ones who understand what you’re trying to communicate will be honest with you.

Ask your parents, teachers, counselors, and/or friends. The feedback may surprise you.

 

Conclusion

Overall, your college admissions essay is one of the most powerful pieces of your college application package. It’s your chance to introduce yourself to the admissions committee beyond the obvious. So, take your time, be intentional about the message you’re trying to communicate, and be sure to ask for feedback.

Want more help writing your college essay?

Check out the 5 Tips to Crafting Your College Essay.