How to Write a Great College Application Essay About an Ordinary Life

One of the most common things I hear from students is: “My life is too boring to write a great college essay.” You haven't overcome some enormous tragedy. You haven't won a world championship. You don't have one life-changing moment that sounds like it belongs in a movie. That's okay. A great college essay does NOT require an extraordinary life. What matters is what you noticed, what you thought, what changed, and what the experience reveals about you. In this video, I walk through how to find a strong personal statement topic even when everything in your life initially feels ordinary — and how to turn a seemingly mundane experience into an essay that actually reveals something interesting about the way you think. TIMESTAMPS 00:00 “I have nothing interesting to write about” 01:29 You don't need trauma or an extraordinary achievement 01:59 Reflection is what makes the essay interesting 02:27 Ordinary topics can make excellent essays 03:26 Your perspective is what makes the story yours 03:55 What the essay can reveal about you 04:23 My own Common App essay 04:52 Weak reflection vs. strong reflection 05:22 Build a “moments list” 05:49 Use the Why Chain 06:19 Turning time management into a deeper essay 07:45 A simple personal statement structure 08:11 How to start your essay 08:39 Example opening 09:07 Make the essay sound human 09:35 Self-awareness makes essays stronger 10:01 Why editing matters 10:30 Stop trying to sound impressive 10:58 You are already interesting enough 11:25 Final thoughts A FEW QUICK NOTES: 03:55 — I describe admissions officers as reading essays primarily to understand how you process experiences. Different colleges and readers may evaluate essays somewhat differently. The broader point is that your essay gives you an opportunity to reveal qualities that aren't obvious from grades and activities alone: your perspective, personality, values, reflection, growth, and way of thinking. 09:07 — I mention that someone could potentially have ChatGPT write an essay. I would NOT recommend submitting substantive AI-generated writing as your own. Common App's current fraud policy specifically addresses misrepresenting substantive AI output as original work. AI can be useful for brainstorming questions, organizing ideas, or getting feedback, but your final essay should reflect your own thinking and writing, and you should follow the current policies of the colleges you're applying to. 10:01 — The Stephen King quote I'm trying to remember is: “To write is human; to edit is divine.” If you don't know what to write about, try this: Write down 10–15 moments from your life. They can be tiny. A conversation with your dad. Missing a deadline. Teaching your little brother something. Sitting on the bench during a game. Getting an answer wrong in class. Working a shift at your job. Driving home after practice. Changing your mind about something. Then pick one and repeatedly ask: Why did this matter? Why did THAT matter? And why did that matter? Usually the first answer is generic. Keep going. Eventually you may reach something much more personal. The essay isn't necessarily about time management. Maybe it's about the gap between ambition and action. It isn't necessarily about losing a soccer game. Maybe it's about realizing how differently you respond to failure than you thought you did. It isn't necessarily about helping your sibling with homework. Maybe it's about discovering how much patience changes the way you communicate. The event gives you the story. Your reflection gives the story meaning. You don't need to manufacture a more interesting life. You need to look more carefully at the life you've already lived. Good luck :) You’ve got this. #CommonApp #CollegeEssay #CollegeAdmissions