Starting Your College Essay Intro With a Bang
• Personal Story • Future Plans • Family Motivation • Self Discovery • Quotes • Travelling • Love • Stress • History • Hobbies • Music & Arts • Academia
Do you wish to write your college essay intro with a bang, but don’t know what to start with? This article has the answers! Below I provide some fantastic opening lines from essays focusing on various topics.
From personal stories to motivations for saving the rainforest, these are all great examples of how to begin your essay.
Whatever topic you are taking up in your college admissions essay, this article is sure to have an example suitable for you.
Personal Story 1
"Ring any bells? I think those are the famous last words, but the truth is, I said them when my friend and I were talking about going to a party. And isn't that how many great stories start? A few of us were gathered around in the living room of my friend's fraternity house chatting it up with a few other friends. We talked about everything from movies to music to girls, and then someone brought up the party that they were going to that night."
Personal Story 2
"I started this essay because I wanted to share a fantastic experience I had last summer with some friends. We went skydiving and it was an amazing experience. My life has been so much better since then."
Pop colour into your essay and toss little hints of your strengths too.
Interview Question Team
Personal Story 3
"So many things have happened in my life that have shaped me into the person I am today, but one of the most important parts is realizing who you want to be."
Personal Story 4
"As I've grown, so has my passion for the underdog. Whether it's in sports, personal struggles or social justice, I've always felt a special sense of loyalty to people who have been overlooked."
Personal Story 5
"So here I am, almost finished with my undergraduate degree in geological sciences. I'm graduating this spring--just a few months away! In honor of this big event, I've decided to write an essay about my college years and how they have affected me as a person. Here's what I've come up with so far..."
Love Life
“A few years ago, I was in a committed relationship with the most amazing woman on earth--we were together for over three years. However, we were unable to sustain our relationship due to the distance growing between us. I found myself yearning for the closeness that we used to share, and this pain led me to explore alternative ways of living my life.”
Stress
"Pressure can be a good thing, and I believe in using it to my advantage. When I was a senior in high school, my girlfriend broke up with me because she didn't think I could handle pressure anymore."
Using History
“After World War II, there was an increased need for scientists to understand the natural world around them. Therefore, this time period was the heyday for the study of geology. For a while, it seemed that advancements in technology were helping to advance my field, too. In 1949, there was an international conference that brought together experts from around the globe.”
Hobbies & Personal Interest 1
“I am an avid collector of coffee mugs and I have 20-something from all over the world. One of my favorite mugs is a reproduction of those seen on some ancient Mayan artifacts and these ones are pretty rare. Each is worth a fortune; I would be wealthy if I sold them.”
Hobbies & Personal Interest 2
"I'm a self-proclaimed foodie and this essay is proof of just that. My upbringing has made me appreciate food more--it's what you do with it that counts."
The Environment
“I most recently worked on a project to study the impact of logging on the local flora of my state. I had done analysis that showed that logging did affect the area, and I was trying to find a way to make our forests more sustainable.”
Music & The Arts 1
“I'm a huge fan of musical theater, so much so that I actually took part in a show while I was in high school--I played an extra in West Side Story , which turned out to be fun and interesting experience (particularly since my role was as an extra in the Jets gang).”
Music & The Arts 2
“Before I started college, I wanted to become a professional musician. While struggling in school, I decided to give up this dream because it seemed like it would be too hard for me to turn into reality."
Academic Interest
“I haven't had any particularly amazing experiences that directly relate to geology, but what has made this field so fascinating for me is how it has acted as a bridge between so many different academic disciplines (e.g., marine biology and ecology and fields like chemistry).”
Self Discovery 1
“My passion for this field became evident when I was standing on top of Mount Everest. I had just reached the summit with my team and was looking out over the horizon. It was a moment of jubilation and one that I will never forget.”
Self Discovery 2
"I didn't have any idea what I wanted to study until I started out on my own at a community college and realized that psychology was really interesting and fascinating."
Using a Quote 1
"Smile wide, and then smile some more--that's how I came up with this quirky quote. I saw a poster for the Disney film Up on my friend's wall and immediately thought of it when I wrote this essay. It's a great phrase about being happy, so it worked perfectly!"
Using a Quote 2
"It was a lark, but it turned into something more. I began to realize that only the strong survived."
Using a Quote 3
"No matter how hard you work, there will always be someone else who has worked harder than you."
Plans for Your Own Future 1
"Although you may not realize it now, college is an important step toward adulthood in many ways."
Plans for Your Own Future 2
"For over a year now, everyone has been asking me what my plans are for the future. The truth is, I don't know where life will take me after graduation."
Plans for Your Own Future 3
"Before starting college, I knew very little about science and was anxious of the intensive coursework that would eventually encompass my life."
Plans for Your Own Future 4
"For me, the most important part of college is learning how to be independent and finding your purpose. I'd like to think that I'm a little bit of a quick study. During the first semester of my first year in college, I breezed through all my classes and had little difficulty in doing so."
Family Motivation 1
"Prove my family wrong, that's what I was trying to do when I first started college. I wanted to prove to them that going out of state wasn't a mistake and that I wasn't wasting their money."
Family Motivation 2
"I wanted to be able to tell my parents that I could attend a prestigious school for free. If I applied, I could do it."
Family Motivation 3
"This is one of the only good memories that I have from my childhood, and my family is mostly responsible for it."
Family Motivation 4
"My parents have always wanted their children to be the best that they can possibly be, and because of this they have pushed me to be my best."
Family Motivation 5
"My family has always helped me learn more about my history; they help me remember where I come from and what this country was founded on."
Family Motivation 6
"My parents were poor when I was young and my dad is still a janitor at a local high school. If it weren't for their support, I would've never been able to go to college."
The Application Process
"The college application process is a bit like being part of a game show--instead of asking questions about your life in the studio, you're asked about yourself on paper."
Friends
"I've been lucky enough to find a lot of amazing people throughout college and this has made all of the different classes more interesting. Without my study partner and good friend, Emma, none of my experiences would have been so memorable."
Places & Travelling 1
"I love the city of Philadelphia--it's one of those places that you can really appreciate when you're older like after being there for a while you start to notice small details that you usually miss while looking around."
Places & Travelling 2
"I've been told that seeing many different cultures and places in your life makes you more open-minded, as well as prepares you for the future."
Places & Travelling 3
“Last summer, I spent a month traveling with my father to New York. We visited various locations in the city from the Statue of Liberty to an art fair. Now, several artistic influences have helped me develop and refine my own craft.”
Volunteering
"My first summer on campus, I became part of a volunteer group and we worked hard to do our best for the community."
Achievements 1
"I've never felt so accomplished than when I realized my goal. It was hard to accomplish, but it was worth it."
Achievements 2
"It takes a lot of hard work and dedication to achieve something like this. I believe that every decision has its own repercussion, and they're usually positive."
When you are done with the essay, you should also work on the perfect outro - the conclusion.
Interview Question Team