Common App Personal Essay
From Outline to Final Draft
Read Sample Personal Essays
Browse essays from real students.
All names and identifying details have been changed to protect identities.
Before & After
See how an idea evolves into a narrative and becomes a polished story.
Compare the student’s first draft (written without my help) to the final essay that we collaborated on.
See how it transforms and what techniques we used to improve it: Follow along through the OUTLINE, FIRST DRAFT, FINAL DRAFT, and ANALYSIS