October 31, 2026 · 6 min read
10 Common College Essay Mistakes (and How to Avoid Them)
Most college essays don't fail because of grammar. They fall flat because of a handful of predictable patterns. Here are ten common mistakes and how to fix each one in your own draft.
1. Writing what you think colleges want
Essays written to impress often sound alike. Fix: write about something you genuinely care about, in the way you would actually explain it.
2. Telling instead of showing
"I am hardworking" tells the reader nothing new. Fix: describe a specific moment that lets the reader reach that conclusion themselves.
3. Too little reflection
A great story with no insight leaves readers wondering why it matters. Fix: explain what you learned, how you changed, or what you now see differently.
4. Making someone else the main character
Essays about a grandparent, coach, or friend can drift away from you. Fix: keep the focus on your thoughts, actions, and growth.
5. Covering too much
Trying to fit your whole life into 650 words leads to a summary. Fix: choose one story, theme, or moment and go deep.
6. Repeating your activities list
Your essay should reveal something the rest of the application doesn't. Fix: use it to show personality, values, or perspective.
7. Overusing a thesaurus
Unusual words chosen to sound smart can make writing harder to read. Fix: use the clearest word, not the longest.
8. A slow opening
Long warm-ups lose the reader. Fix: start at the moment the story begins.
9. Ignoring the prompt
Especially in supplemental essays, readers notice when an answer doesn't address the question. Fix: reread the prompt after drafting and check that every paragraph serves it.
10. Letting someone else write it
Heavily edited essays lose the voice that makes them believable, and submitting writing that isn't yours violates application policies. Fix: accept feedback, then make every change yourself.