50 Successful Ivy League Application Essays

Don’t Try to Sound Impressive
“Be yourself. Don’t write what you think might sound impressive (or what 
was already listed in other parts of the application), just think about what 
experiences matter to you the most and what stories highlight your unique 

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50 Successful Ivy League Application Essays
traits. I think what worked for me was talking about my weaknesses and 
showing how they have made me stronger. What also helped a lot was reading 
sample admissions essays from books like this one to get a feel for the writing 
they expect.”
—Anonymous, Yale University