Papa Johns, Costco, and the Myths Behind Viral College Essays
Application essays now make up more than 50% of admissions criteria! Ready to write an outstanding college essay coached by one of our world-class tutors? Get the essay done.
Only you can write your essay, but it’s very common for students to get help from expert advisors who know what the admissions committees are looking for. IVY’s have helped countless students write smash-hit college essays, resulting in multiple offer letters from their top schools. They can help you come up with a great topic and make sure your final draft is hitting all the right notes.
Each year we email newly admitted and current College students and ask them for essay topics. We receive several hundred responses, many of which are eloquent, intriguing, or downright wacky.
Why The Costco College Essay Is Crucial Reading
WHY IT WORKED: This student explains his relationship to personal essays and the irony of having to write one for college admissions. He was conceived via artificial insemination and his mother chose his donor parent by the essay that they wrote. By breaking the fourth wall and still showing his values, this tongue-in-cheek statement shows how creative you can get with your personal statement. This essay is also a good reminder that there’s no such thing as “too personal,” which is a question I get all the time. As long as you handle your topic with vulnerability and honesty, and share how this time in your life has shaped you, you can’t go wrong.
Check out this standout quote: “And so I have become a curator of feeling. I am always listening, collecting the art of others. I have stared at paintings until they stared back at me. I cry while I watch almost every film, sometimes just because the characters are nice to each other. I'm as moved by the narrative of my old American Girl Doll books as I am by Dickens. It's all swirls of feelings, of lessons from others that mirror those you need to learn yourself. Art embodies empathy and empathy has become too easy to lose touch with. Art is the same world seen from a different heart. I look at characters or creators and think, ‘How did you become the way you are?’ I can look at others and think the same thing. And I have the chance to ask them.” (Read Kaycee’s essay ).
Brittany Stinson’s Costco essay was a humorous and unique reflection on her love for Costco and its products. It creatively compared “cultured” yogurt to its “uncultured” counterparts, showcasing her distinctive writing style.
Once you’ve landed on a topic, write as much as you can without editing. Aim for 500 + words. This is the initial thought dump that will provide the raw material you can then shape into a finished product. It’s important to remember that it is very normal to write multiple drafts of your college essay, and maybe even change your topic a few times before landing on one that works. Don’t let being a perfectionist prevent you from getting started.
Student Gets Into 5 Ivies With College Essay About Love for Costco
Brittany’s essay was a masterclass in storytelling. She took a seemingly mundane topic like a shopping trip to Costco and turned it into a narrative that resonated with readers and admissions officers alike. Her ability to infuse humor, personality, and depth into her writing showcased her exceptional talent.
College Essay Costco Ivy League Accepted Student
While Brittany’s GPA was impressive, it was her college application essay that truly captivated the admissions committees. Titled “Costco Essay,” this remarkable piece of writing wove humor into a personal narrative about her love for Costco, juxtaposing the world of cultured yogurt with its “uncultured” counterparts. It was this unique perspective and witty storytelling that made her essay stand out.
Picking the Best College Essay Topic
Hi! This is Brittany! The girl who wrote the essay above. Funnily enough, I actually used this website to help guide a lot of my application essays, including this one. So I guess this would be the perfect opportunity to say thank you! I feel like my essays definitely strengthened my entire application.
Teaching the College Essay | Edutopia
Brittany Stinson’s Costco essay gained widespread attention and acclaim after it was shared online and picked up by media outlets. Its creative and humorous approach to a seemingly ordinary topic struck a chord with many.
College Essay about Costco Gets Teen Into Give Ivy Leagues
All Costco is in this essay is a vehicle for her to explain how she thinks and feels. I covered it in the “Show don’t tell” section after the second paragraph. And that is by far the most compelling paragraph in the essay. I found myself less enamored with what came after, simply because I don’t think I got that same sense of discovery or interest about either the store or her.
college application essay set at Costco
Do you know what my actual takeaway is after reading through this whole thing again? This essay didn’t need to be about Costco. There is another, near-identical essay in which this girl is at an amusement park, or playground, or ice cream shop, or anywhere else with lots of exciting things that you can interact with. Finding wonderment in the only somewhat-extraordinary is a thematic device that extends well past a particular big-box store.