It’s August—summer isn’t over yet, but you can feel that back-to-school energy building. This is actually the perfect pocket of time to start your college essays. With fewer day-to-day distractions than once classes ramp up, August gives you space to brainstorm, experiment, and draft without the stress of homework, tests, and club meetings piling on.
Start with Brainstorming: Anything Goes
Too often, students think essays need to be about a life-changing event or dramatic “mic drop” moment. Not true! Some of the most memorable essays come from the smallest details. Think about:
A quirky moment: Did your sibling once convince you of something outrageous? (One writer turned a story about her brother pretending he was a werewolf into a reflection on the importance of curiosity and family connection.)
A childhood obsession: Maybe your “superheroes” weren’t capes and masks but earwax, stomach acid, and mucus—symbols of your budding love for biology after reading a science book in grade school.
An everyday relationship or activity: Perhaps learning to scuba dive with your dad—and realizing you were both beginners—led to a deeper appreciation of curiosity, patience, and shared experience. Essays like these often reveal your values more clearly than a “big” milestone.
First step? Free write. Pick a Common App prompt that sparks a memory, set a timer for 10–15 minutes, and just write without worrying about structure or grammar. Your goal right now is exploration, not perfection.
Follow the Trail of Energy
After some free writes, pause and notice which drafts feel most alive. Which one pulls you back into the moment? Which draft makes you laugh, cringe, or remember vividly? That’s usually the idea worth developing further. Paying attention to where your natural energy flows will guide you toward your strongest essay.
Practical August Tips
Aim for messy, not polished. Get words on the page; editing comes later.
Test your hook. Could your opening line be mistaken for the start of a movie, book, or conversation? That’s a great sign.
Don’t stress about word limits yet. Focus on capturing your story; trimming will come with revision.
Pair brainstorming with reflection. Always ask: What does this story show about me that makes me stand out?
By getting started in August, you’ll thank yourself in October, when essays are polished and stress is lower. Remember: your essay doesn’t need to be about saving the world. It just needs to be about you—and that is more than enough.
College Essay Brainstorming & Free-Write Worksheet
Step 1: Warm-Up Brainstorm
Spend 5–10 minutes jotting quick answers—don’t overthink!
A story my family or friends always tell about me is…
One quirky thing I believed as a kid was…
A book, movie, or object that shaped me in an unexpected way is…
A place I always feel most like myself is… because…
A moment when I learned something about myself (big or small) was…
Three words friends would use to describe me are…
If my life had “chapters,” what would a funny or surprising title be?
Step 2: Connect to Prompts
Skim the Common App prompts and circle one or two that spark a connection with your brainstorm list. (Don’t worry about finding the “perfect” match yet—the story can often be adapted later.)
Step 3: Free-Write Practice (10–15 min each)
Choose one idea and just go—no editing, no rewriting.
Try beginning in the middle of the moment (like dropping into the scene of a memory).
Write like you’re telling your best friend (casual, vivid, real).
Ignore word counts. The job is to pour everything out.
Prompts to begin a free-write:
“The time I felt most curious was when…”
“Nobody else knows this about me, but…”
“My weirdest habit is… and here’s why I secretly love it.”
“If my superpower were a skill I already have, it would be…”
“When I think of a turning point (big or small), I remember…”
Step 4: Reflect
After free-writing, reread your draft and ask yourself:
Does this story reveal something about how I think, what I value, or what excites me?
Do I see glimpses of my personality on the page?
Did I enjoy writing this piece more than the others?
Whichever essay “trail” feels most natural and full of energy—follow that one into a draft.
