Want to perfect your college essay? Let's do this.

Should I indent or us paragraph breaks in my college essay?

Directly addressing your college is a popular method, as it recalls the main reason you want to attend the school. If you choose to address your school, it is imperative to do your research. You should know precisely what you find attractive about the school, what it offers, and why it speaks to you.Â

You can craft a memorable conclusion using powerful statements, vivid imagery, and engaging questions. Connect it back to the introduction, include personal anecdotes, impactful quotes, and highlight real-world relevance. Be concise, authentic, and leave a lasting impression.

This conclusion has a few nice elements to it: It functions to bookend the essay (see above); it provides a wider frame/context for the specific details and experiences shared in the body paragraphs; and as mentioned above, it sets the author up for any “Why us?” essay he’ll write.

How long should my college essay be?

What it is: A conclusion that sets up nicely for a (separate) “Why us?” essay. In some cases, the personal statement is even planned around a specific program that will be discussed in a “Why us?” essay. This can work especially well if, while researching colleges, you found The Perfect Program for you—like one that basically checks all your boxes.

Colleges are one place that greatly values personal growth and self-reflection. Use your conclusion to share insights gained from your experiences. Discuss how challenges have shaped your character and demonstrate your ability to adapt and learn.

By highlighting the lessons you’ve learned, you show maturity and resilience, leaving a lasting impression on your reader. You’ve done a great job, you’ve come a long way, show it off in your college admissions essay. The challenges that have shaped your character make you a valuable asset, so show them that.

Before we dive into the specifics, let’s understand the purpose of your conclusion. You want to make the reader reflect on how powerfully they were just moved by your words. Your conclusion should summarize the main points of your essay, provide a sense of completeness, and leave a memorable mark on the reader.

How (and why) to outline your college essay to use a good structure

Admissions committees want to know how attending their school will help you on your journey. To use this method, highlight your future goals at the end of your essay. You can highlight what made you want to go to this school in the first place and what you hope to achieve moving forward. If done correctly, this can be highly impactful.

For more on how to write a college essay, check out these .

This isn’t about how it’s going to be but about what you are going to do. By demonstrating your forward-thinking mindset, you showcase your determination and ambition. Think about how many essays admissions officers are reading and bring out something special.

how to conclude a college essay

So, use this essay to tell the Admissions Office that you're one of those cool cats who ought to be at this party! Imagine your future roommate will read it to see if they want to spend the next year with you!

Now let us see what will make your college essay conclusion better.

2. SHOW the Admissions Office who you are. Remember "show, don't tell?" It means, don't tell us the moral of the story, simply show us how you changed as a person through an experience, by giving us examples. Tell us what you did differently, and we (smart readers) will come to our own realization that you learned a lesson. Or that you're a responsible/kind/dedicated young person thanks to your summer in Africa. When you want to talk about how your experience shaped you, and drive your point home by coming out and telling the reader why your essay is relevant to you, consider putting that towards the end.

Here is an example of an actual college essay prompt from Yale:

Applicants often use the topic for admission essays. It gives a good look at who you are as a personality, and why you should be chosen for that college. However, you should not use phrases like “The important lesson I learned is…”. It seems pretty plain, and the admissions committee can take this into account. Try not to say directly that this is an important lesson for you.

This section contains five examples of good college essays.

We’ve gone over a few ways to help you leave a strong impression with your concluding thoughts. But, as you’ve no doubt learned from your parents by now, it’s what you don’t do as much as what you actually do that matters.