experience essay titles

Personal Essay Topics

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• Writing Essays
• Writing Research Papers
• English Grammar
• M.Ed., Education Administration, University of Georgia
• B.A., History, Armstrong State University

A personal essay is an essay about your life, thoughts, or experiences. This type of essay will give readers a glimpse into your most intimate life experiences and life lessons. There are many reasons you may need to write a personal essay , from a simple class assignment to a college application requirement . You can use the list below for inspiration. Consider each statement a starting point, and write about a memorable moment that the prompt brings to mind.

• Your bravest moment
• How you met your best friend
• What makes your mom or dad special
• How you overcame a fear
• Why you will succeed
• Why you made a difficult choice
• A special place
• A place you try to avoid
• When a friend let you down
• An event that changed your life
• A special encounter with an animal
• A time when you felt out of place
• An odd experience that didn't make sense at the time
• Words of wisdom that hit home and changed your way of thinking
• A person that you do not like
• A time when you disappointed someone
• Your fondest memory
• A time when you saw your parent cry
• The moment when you knew you were grown up
• Your earliest memory of holiday celebrations in your home
• Times when you should have made a better choice
• A time when you dodged a dangerous situation
• A person you will think about at the end of your life
• Your favorite time period
• A failure you've experienced
• A disappointment you've experienced
• A surprising turn of events
• What you would do with power
• What superpower you would choose
• If you could switch lives with someone
• How money matters in your life
• Your biggest loss
• A time when you felt you did the wrong thing
• A proud moment when you did the right thing
• An experience that you've never shared with another person
• A special place that you shared with a childhood friend
• A first encounter with a stranger
• Your first handshake
• Where you go to hide
• If you had a do-over
• A book that changed your life
• Words that stung
• When you had the desire to run
• When you had the urge to crawl into a hole
• Words that prompted hope
• When a child taught you a lesson
• Your proudest moment
• If your dog could talk
• Your favorite time with family
• If you could live in another country
• If you could invent something
• The world a hundred years from now
• If you had lived a hundred years earlier
• The animal you'd like to be
• One thing you'd change at your school
• The greatest movie moment
• The type of teacher you would be
• If you could be a building
• A statue you'd like to see
• If you could live anywhere
• The greatest discovery
• If you could change one thing about yourself
• An animal that could be in charge
• Something you can do that robots could never do
• Your most unfortunate day
• Your secret talent
• Your secret love
• The most beautiful thing you've ever seen
• The ugliest thing you've seen
• Something you've witnessed
• An accident that changed everything
• A wrong choice
• A right choice
• If you were a food
• How you'd spend a million dollars
• If you could start a charity
• The meaning of color
• A close call
• Your favorite gift
• A chore you'd do away with
• A secret place
• Something you can't resist
• A hard lesson
• A visitor you'll never forget
• An unexplained event
• Your longest minute
• An awkward social moment
• An experience with death
• Why you'll never tell a lie
• If your mom knew, she'd kill you
• A kiss that meant a lot
• When you needed a hug
• The hardest news you've had to deliver
• A special morning
• How to Write a Narrative Essay or Speech
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• How to Ace Your University of Wisconsin Personal Statements
• 7 Law School Personal Statement Topic Ideas
• Expository Essay Genre With Suggested Prompts
• Tips for the Pre-2013 Personal Essay Options on the Common Application
• 50 Topics for Impromptu Student Speeches
• 24 Journal Prompts for Creative Writing in the Elementary Classroom
• Writing Prompts for Elementary School Students
• Do You Know What to Do If You Fail a Test in College?
• Tips for Writing an Essay on an Event That Led to Personal Growth
• The 2021-22 Common Application Essay Prompts
• How to Write a Personal Narrative
• 61 General Expository Essay Topic Ideas to Practice Academic Writing
• Bad Essay Topics for College Admissions
• Compose a Narrative Essay or Personal Statement

Experience Essay

People love talking about their experiences with their family, friends, and loved ones. You can use your love for that to practice and enhance your essay writing skills. Yes, you have read it right. It is like hitting two birds with one stone. Tell your story by composing an experience essay.

10+ Experience Essay Examples

1. research experience essay.

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2. Formal Experience Essay

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3. Experience of Life Essay

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4. Academic Personal Experience Essay

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6. Work Experience Essay

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7. Post Graduation Experience Essay

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8. Previous Research Experience Essay

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9. Sample Experience Essay

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10. Coaching Experience Essay

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11. College Experience Essay

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What Is an Experience Essay?

An experience essay is a composition that requires you to narrate an event that you have personally experienced. It is a type of academic essay that most high school, colleges, and post-graduation studies assign their students to write to improve their writing. Most scholarship applications also require you to write this essay. In addition, some people devise this as a part of their resume when applying for work. 

How to Compose a Riveting Experience Essay

Composing various literature essays will also require you to apply different skills. In that sense, this piece of writing will test your storytelling skills. How do you effectively narrate a story on a paper? You can discover that as you go through the process of learning how to devise this document.

1. Choose an Unforgettable Memory

In selecting an experience to tell, you should choose those experiences that considerably impacted your personal life. It can be either be a positive or a negative experience. For example, you can write about your best day or the worst experience you had. Most people would opt for unique topics, but that is not a requirement. The important thing is how to make your unforgettable experience memorable for your readers. 

2. Arrange the Sequence of Events  

Sometimes when people share something, they often tell another story in between and then go back to their original topic. That’s a no-no in writing your experience essay. It needs to be carefully structured. That said, you need to arrange it by properly sequencing the events. There are available blank outline templates online to help you with this task.

3. Devise an Engrossing Introductory Paragraph

An impressive introduction should contain a compelling hook and a powerful thesis statement . The first paragraph of your essay can be a make or break factor for your entire writing. People often start judging the quality of your composition after reading your introductory paragraph. It sets the vibe and gives them the first impression. It is essential to pay a lot of attention to this segment.

4. Craft a Rousing Statement for Your Conclusion

Your conclusion paragraph should provide the gist and the purpose of your experience essay. In this last part, you should restate your thesis statement and summarize the underlying message of your writing. It should include a personal reflection regarding what that particular event made you learn about yourself. A conclusion for an essay should be powerful enough to rouse the emotions of your readers.

How should you describe an experience in your essay?

Writing a personal experience essay does not only require you to provide the order of events that happened in your experience. Instead, you should include describing what you are thinking and feeling at that moment. In addition, you should also mention the activities that are also happening during your experiences. Don’t forget to include the reactions of the people involved in your story.

What are good topics for an experience essay?

One of the most important factors to consider in choosing your topic is the thematic statement it presents. Do you want to write about love, friendship, or family? You can also choose to compose about the defining moments of your life. Such as the time you faced your greatest fears or the day you met your best friend.

What makes an experience essay different from a narrative essay?

An experience essay and a narrative essay are mostly similar. Both of these writings focus on narrating an experience of the writer. Despite that, there is something that sets them apart from each other. An experience essay focuses more on an individual’s discovery about oneself. On the other hand, the latter aims to inform the readers of how the experience made the writer realize things. Particularly the lessons regarding another person or an issue.

The act of composing this type of essay is a formative experience. In the process of writing it, you can learn lessons about yourself as well as on writing essays. Your life experiences are full of lessons. Ensure to capture the message and convey it to your readers. Secure that employment or that award certificate by crafting your experience essay thoroughly.

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Good Titles for Essays about yourself: 31 Personal Essay Topics

Titles for Essay about Yourself

What is a Personal Essay?

 There are quite a number of essays used by writers to communicate ideas out there. One of these essays is the personal essay which is written to capture a person’s ideas, emotions and feelings towards something.

This essay is a non-fictional piece that provides the reader with an interesting, humorous and thought provoking narrative drawn from either the personal experiences of the writer or information from another party.

It is a non-fiction story in which you as the author share your lessons, incidents and predicaments faced in life with your audience, the readers.

The personal essay is an essay written about one’s life, experiences and thoughts in turn providing readers with an insight about life lessons and experiences about yourself. It captures your memorable moments like you can ever imagine.

Therefore it ought to describe you positively to your audience by highlighting your inspirations and motivation but at the same time leave your audience with a wide understanding of what you are, what you stand for and importantly your tick boxes.

In other quarters it is also known as the narrative essay and somewhat it appears different from the other essays because it shares a story with the readers. The story in a personal essay needs to be non-fictional otherwise it will lose the meaning intended in it.

A personal essay can appear as a class assignment or a college application depending on the circumstances. In case it appears as a college application, it should stimulate the readers in acting in a particular way.

The author is expected to provide an account of their roles and provide an insight in their subjects.

How to Write a Good Title for an Essay about yourself?

Normally news titles tend to have a story title distilled into five to ten words in order to accurately summarize the intended information to an audience. For instance, a title may appear like ‘Plane Crashes Minutes After Takeoff’. Magazines on the other hand will have catchier titles to the readers’ delight such as ‘Ten Ways to Improve your Body Fitness’ or rather ‘Destinations You Do Not Want to Miss on a Cruise Ship’.

Newspapers will scream their titles with catchy phrases or words like ‘Lockdown in Miami’ or simply ‘Betrayed’. In these three settings, the audience is already aware of what to look out for from the story from the advent.

A blog post title will probably begin with a playful or catchy question in order to draw the readers’ attention but at the same time inform the readers’ on what is about to follow.

Contrary to the above, personal essays possess unique and finessed titles that make the readers’ wonder about what is there in the essays.

These titles require readers to insert themselves into your essay in order to reveal your personality, beliefs, thoughts, hopes, experiences, dreams and even your sense of humor.

Personal essay topics usually include your own opinions, experiences and even real stories.

Two types of Personal Essay Topics

Personal essay topics exist in two types: Defining moment and Secret lives.

Titles on secret lives will concentrate on mysterious but important experiences where the writer provides stories on infrequent life and to some extent unusual exploits in life. Defining moment’s titles on the other hand will focus on a person’s life during a critical moment.

When you consider these two types of themes, the essay you write will definitely be outstanding to your readers.

The titles of personal essays if done well will challenge the writer and audience on what the essay is about because they will provide hints rather than summarize, they will add as opposed to mirroring and infer instead of summing up the essays ideas. How is this done? Simply by engaging similar skills harbored in a catchy personal essay.

The essay title undoubtedly sets the tone and the flow of the essay and so it has to be as catchy as possible. You can start by giving a description of yourself using a key word in the title.

Words like determined, optimistic or thoughtful can suit your title well. For example, your title can read like ‘An essay about Sam, the resilient optimist’.

Your audience will therefore be introduced to the main trait that you desire to reinforce in your essay thereby setting a good tone for the essay.

It is important to follow up the essay by using the same term a number of times throughout the essay in order to emphasize it as a vivid motif.

Since the title of your essay is the first thing your readers will see, it has to fully grab their attention. It would be better if the title is short with about four words or less though there are exceptions. The title and your essay ought to connect but not to fulfill the expectations of the readers immediately.

In order to spice up your title, you can use punctuation marks as options. Exclamation marks, the colon and the semicolon can serve you good in coming up with a good and catchy topic. Moreover, you should capitalize all words with the exception of articles, pronouns, conjunctions and prepositions.

This implies that titles should be flexible to the liking of the readers.

31 Personal Essays Topics

The hardest breaking news I had to deliver

How I spent a fortune on travel

The things I can do that robots can never do

The animal I would like to be

The one thing I would change at my school

What I have learnt about conquering poverty

A disappointment I will never forget

My most embarrassing moment

The moment I realized I needed help

Why I had to succeed

My bravest moment

Nowhere I can run to

The distance between us

The memories I desired but I lost

When did I stop?

My best summer ever

Strange beliefs

My peculiar flowers

Dress your family in silk

Let our children accomplish their dreams in their own way

In 40 years’ time…

My adulthood memories

What I would like to change most about my life

My favorite animal

The wall is not listening

That cake was not for you

How I understand death

How did my parent’s choices influence my spending?

My no pleasant experience in high school

Impacts of workout on my stress levels

The moment my life took a turn for the worse

Personal essays ought to portray a writers writing skills and take the reader to the writer’s personal journey. It is so because it demonstrates who you are as a person and as a writer and so you have to be as coherent as possible in providing your personal statement.

It also reveals a number of qualities about the writer such as the writer’s persona, communication skills, critical thinking skills, and maturity, teaching and personal skills.

This essay can act as an inspiration to your audience if well written and in essence allows the writer to provide a description about their personal or significant life events and experiences.

A number of employers, graduates and various schools will ask you to provide a personal essay before they consider you for an interview and therefore it shows that this essay is not just limited to composition courses in schools.

The question now is: Can you actualize your desire to write a good personal essay?

Jessica Kasen is experienced in academic writing and academic assistance. She is well versed in academia and has a master’s degree in education. Kasen consults with us in helping students improve their grades. She also oversights the quality of work done by our writers.

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Choose Your Test

Sat / act prep online guides and tips, 177 college essay examples for 11 schools + expert analysis.

College Admissions , College Essays

The personal statement might just be the hardest part of your college application. Mostly this is because it has the least guidance and is the most open-ended. One way to understand what colleges are looking for when they ask you to write an essay is to check out the essays of students who already got in—college essays that actually worked. After all, they must be among the most successful of this weird literary genre.

In this article, I'll go through general guidelines for what makes great college essays great. I've also compiled an enormous list of 100+ actual sample college essays from 11 different schools. Finally, I'll break down two of these published college essay examples and explain why and how they work. With links to 177 full essays and essay excerpts , this article is a great resource for learning how to craft your own personal college admissions essay!

What Excellent College Essays Have in Common

Even though in many ways these sample college essays are very different from one other, they do share some traits you should try to emulate as you write your own essay.

Visible Signs of Planning

Building out from a narrow, concrete focus. You'll see a similar structure in many of the essays. The author starts with a very detailed story of an event or description of a person or place. After this sense-heavy imagery, the essay expands out to make a broader point about the author, and connects this very memorable experience to the author's present situation, state of mind, newfound understanding, or maturity level.

Knowing how to tell a story. Some of the experiences in these essays are one-of-a-kind. But most deal with the stuff of everyday life. What sets them apart is the way the author approaches the topic: analyzing it for drama and humor, for its moving qualities, for what it says about the author's world, and for how it connects to the author's emotional life.

Stellar Execution

A killer first sentence. You've heard it before, and you'll hear it again: you have to suck the reader in, and the best place to do that is the first sentence. Great first sentences are punchy. They are like cliffhangers, setting up an exciting scene or an unusual situation with an unclear conclusion, in order to make the reader want to know more. Don't take my word for it—check out these 22 first sentences from Stanford applicants and tell me you don't want to read the rest of those essays to find out what happens!

A lively, individual voice. Writing is for readers. In this case, your reader is an admissions officer who has read thousands of essays before yours and will read thousands after. Your goal? Don't bore your reader. Use interesting descriptions, stay away from clichés, include your own offbeat observations—anything that makes this essay sounds like you and not like anyone else.

Technical correctness. No spelling mistakes, no grammar weirdness, no syntax issues, no punctuation snafus—each of these sample college essays has been formatted and proofread perfectly. If this kind of exactness is not your strong suit, you're in luck! All colleges advise applicants to have their essays looked over several times by parents, teachers, mentors, and anyone else who can spot a comma splice. Your essay must be your own work, but there is absolutely nothing wrong with getting help polishing it.

And if you need more guidance, connect with PrepScholar's expert admissions consultants . These expert writers know exactly what college admissions committees look for in an admissions essay and chan help you craft an essay that boosts your chances of getting into your dream school.

Check out PrepScholar's Essay Editing and Coaching progra m for more details!

Want to write the perfect college application essay? Get professional help from PrepScholar.

Your dedicated PrepScholar Admissions counselor will craft your perfect college essay, from the ground up. We'll learn your background and interests, brainstorm essay topics, and walk you through the essay drafting process, step-by-step. At the end, you'll have a unique essay that you'll proudly submit to your top choice colleges.

Don't leave your college application to chance. Find out more about PrepScholar Admissions now :

Links to Full College Essay Examples

Some colleges publish a selection of their favorite accepted college essays that worked, and I've put together a selection of over 100 of these.

Common App Essay Samples

Please note that some of these college essay examples may be responding to prompts that are no longer in use. The current Common App prompts are as follows:

1. Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story. 2. The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience? 3. Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. What prompted your thinking? What was the outcome? 4. Reflect on something that someone has done for you that has made you happy or thankful in a surprising way. How has this gratitude affected or motivated you? 5. Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others. 6. Describe a topic, idea, or concept you find so engaging that it makes you lose all track of time. Why does it captivate you? What or who do you turn to when you want to learn more?

7. Share an essay on any topic of your choice. It can be one you've already written, one that responds to a different prompt, or one of your own design.

Now, let's get to the good stuff: the list of 177 college essay examples responding to current and past Common App essay prompts. 

Connecticut college.

• 12 Common Application essays from the classes of 2022-2025

Hamilton College

• 7 Common Application essays from the class of 2026
• 7 Common Application essays from the class of 2022
• 7 Common Application essays from the class of 2018
• 8 Common Application essays from the class of 2012
• 8 Common Application essays from the class of 2007

Johns Hopkins

These essays are answers to past prompts from either the Common Application or the Coalition Application (which Johns Hopkins used to accept).

• 1 Common Application or Coalition Application essay from the class of 2026
• 6 Common Application or Coalition Application essays from the class of 2025
• 6 Common Application or Universal Application essays from the class of 2024
• 6 Common Application or Universal Application essays from the class of 2023
• 7 Common Application of Universal Application essays from the class of 2022
• 5 Common Application or Universal Application essays from the class of 2021
• 7 Common Application or Universal Application essays from the class of 2020

Essay Examples Published by Other Websites

• 2 Common Application essays ( 1st essay , 2nd essay ) from applicants admitted to Columbia

Other Sample College Essays

Here is a collection of essays that are college-specific.

Babson College

• 4 essays (and 1 video response) on "Why Babson" from the class of 2020

Emory University

• 5 essay examples ( 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ) from the class of 2020 along with analysis from Emory admissions staff on why the essays were exceptional
• 5 more recent essay examples ( 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ) along with analysis from Emory admissions staff on what made these essays stand out

University of Georgia

• 1 “strong essay” sample from 2019
• 1 “strong essay” sample from 2018
• 10 Harvard essays from 2023
• 10 Harvard essays from 2022
• 10 Harvard essays from 2021
• 10 Harvard essays from 2020
• 10 Harvard essays from 2019
• 10 Harvard essays from 2018
• 6 essays from admitted MIT students

Smith College

• 6 "best gift" essays from the class of 2018

Books of College Essays

If you're looking for even more sample college essays, consider purchasing a college essay book. The best of these include dozens of essays that worked and feedback from real admissions officers.

College Essays That Made a Difference —This detailed guide from Princeton Review includes not only successful essays, but also interviews with admissions officers and full student profiles.

50 Successful Harvard Application Essays by the Staff of the Harvard Crimson—A must for anyone aspiring to Harvard .

50 Successful Ivy League Application Essays and 50 Successful Stanford Application Essays by Gen and Kelly Tanabe—For essays from other top schools, check out this venerated series, which is regularly updated with new essays.

Heavenly Essays by Janine W. Robinson—This collection from the popular blogger behind Essay Hell includes a wider range of schools, as well as helpful tips on honing your own essay.

Analyzing Great Common App Essays That Worked

I've picked two essays from the examples collected above to examine in more depth so that you can see exactly what makes a successful college essay work. Full credit for these essays goes to the original authors and the schools that published them.

Example 1: "Breaking Into Cars," by Stephen, Johns Hopkins Class of '19 (Common App Essay, 636 words long)

I had never broken into a car before.

We were in Laredo, having just finished our first day at a Habitat for Humanity work site. The Hotchkiss volunteers had already left, off to enjoy some Texas BBQ, leaving me behind with the college kids to clean up. Not until we were stranded did we realize we were locked out of the van.

Someone picked a coat hanger out of the dumpster, handed it to me, and took a few steps back.

"Can you do that thing with a coat hanger to unlock it?"

"Why me?" I thought.

More out of amusement than optimism, I gave it a try. I slid the hanger into the window's seal like I'd seen on crime shows, and spent a few minutes jiggling the apparatus around the inside of the frame. Suddenly, two things simultaneously clicked. One was the lock on the door. (I actually succeeded in springing it.) The other was the realization that I'd been in this type of situation before. In fact, I'd been born into this type of situation.

My upbringing has numbed me to unpredictability and chaos. With a family of seven, my home was loud, messy, and spottily supervised. My siblings arguing, the dog barking, the phone ringing—all meant my house was functioning normally. My Dad, a retired Navy pilot, was away half the time. When he was home, he had a parenting style something like a drill sergeant. At the age of nine, I learned how to clear burning oil from the surface of water. My Dad considered this a critical life skill—you know, in case my aircraft carrier should ever get torpedoed. "The water's on fire! Clear a hole!" he shouted, tossing me in the lake without warning. While I'm still unconvinced about that particular lesson's practicality, my Dad's overarching message is unequivocally true: much of life is unexpected, and you have to deal with the twists and turns.

Living in my family, days rarely unfolded as planned. A bit overlooked, a little pushed around, I learned to roll with reality, negotiate a quick deal, and give the improbable a try. I don't sweat the small stuff, and I definitely don't expect perfect fairness. So what if our dining room table only has six chairs for seven people? Someone learns the importance of punctuality every night.

But more than punctuality and a special affinity for musical chairs, my family life has taught me to thrive in situations over which I have no power. Growing up, I never controlled my older siblings, but I learned how to thwart their attempts to control me. I forged alliances, and realigned them as necessary. Sometimes, I was the poor, defenseless little brother; sometimes I was the omniscient elder. Different things to different people, as the situation demanded. I learned to adapt.

Back then, these techniques were merely reactions undertaken to ensure my survival. But one day this fall, Dr. Hicks, our Head of School, asked me a question that he hoped all seniors would reflect on throughout the year: "How can I participate in a thing I do not govern, in the company of people I did not choose?"

The question caught me off guard, much like the question posed to me in Laredo. Then, I realized I knew the answer. I knew why the coat hanger had been handed to me.

Growing up as the middle child in my family, I was a vital participant in a thing I did not govern, in the company of people I did not choose. It's family. It's society. And often, it's chaos. You participate by letting go of the small stuff, not expecting order and perfection, and facing the unexpected with confidence, optimism, and preparedness. My family experience taught me to face a serendipitous world with confidence.

What Makes This Essay Tick?

It's very helpful to take writing apart in order to see just how it accomplishes its objectives. Stephen's essay is very effective. Let's find out why!

An Opening Line That Draws You In

In just eight words, we get: scene-setting (he is standing next to a car about to break in), the idea of crossing a boundary (he is maybe about to do an illegal thing for the first time), and a cliffhanger (we are thinking: is he going to get caught? Is he headed for a life of crime? Is he about to be scared straight?).

Great, Detailed Opening Story

More out of amusement than optimism, I gave it a try. I slid the hanger into the window's seal like I'd seen on crime shows, and spent a few minutes jiggling the apparatus around the inside of the frame.

It's the details that really make this small experience come alive. Notice how whenever he can, Stephen uses a more specific, descriptive word in place of a more generic one. The volunteers aren't going to get food or dinner; they're going for "Texas BBQ." The coat hanger comes from "a dumpster." Stephen doesn't just move the coat hanger—he "jiggles" it.

Details also help us visualize the emotions of the people in the scene. The person who hands Stephen the coat hanger isn't just uncomfortable or nervous; he "takes a few steps back"—a description of movement that conveys feelings. Finally, the detail of actual speech makes the scene pop. Instead of writing that the other guy asked him to unlock the van, Stephen has the guy actually say his own words in a way that sounds like a teenager talking.

Turning a Specific Incident Into a Deeper Insight

Suddenly, two things simultaneously clicked. One was the lock on the door. (I actually succeeded in springing it.) The other was the realization that I'd been in this type of situation before. In fact, I'd been born into this type of situation.

Stephen makes the locked car experience a meaningful illustration of how he has learned to be resourceful and ready for anything, and he also makes this turn from the specific to the broad through an elegant play on the two meanings of the word "click."

Using Concrete Examples When Making Abstract Claims

My upbringing has numbed me to unpredictability and chaos. With a family of seven, my home was loud, messy, and spottily supervised. My siblings arguing, the dog barking, the phone ringing—all meant my house was functioning normally.

"Unpredictability and chaos" are very abstract, not easily visualized concepts. They could also mean any number of things—violence, abandonment, poverty, mental instability. By instantly following up with highly finite and unambiguous illustrations like "family of seven" and "siblings arguing, the dog barking, the phone ringing," Stephen grounds the abstraction in something that is easy to picture: a large, noisy family.

Using Small Bits of Humor and Casual Word Choice

My Dad, a retired Navy pilot, was away half the time. When he was home, he had a parenting style something like a drill sergeant. At the age of nine, I learned how to clear burning oil from the surface of water. My Dad considered this a critical life skill—you know, in case my aircraft carrier should ever get torpedoed.

Obviously, knowing how to clean burning oil is not high on the list of things every 9-year-old needs to know. To emphasize this, Stephen uses sarcasm by bringing up a situation that is clearly over-the-top: "in case my aircraft carrier should ever get torpedoed."

The humor also feels relaxed. Part of this is because he introduces it with the colloquial phrase "you know," so it sounds like he is talking to us in person. This approach also diffuses the potential discomfort of the reader with his father's strictness—since he is making jokes about it, clearly he is OK. Notice, though, that this doesn't occur very much in the essay. This helps keep the tone meaningful and serious rather than flippant.

An Ending That Stretches the Insight Into the Future

But one day this fall, Dr. Hicks, our Head of School, asked me a question that he hoped all seniors would reflect on throughout the year: "How can I participate in a thing I do not govern, in the company of people I did not choose?"

The ending of the essay reveals that Stephen's life has been one long preparation for the future. He has emerged from chaos and his dad's approach to parenting as a person who can thrive in a world that he can't control.

This connection of past experience to current maturity and self-knowledge is a key element in all successful personal essays. Colleges are very much looking for mature, self-aware applicants. These are the qualities of successful college students, who will be able to navigate the independence college classes require and the responsibility and quasi-adulthood of college life.

What Could This Essay Do Even Better?

Even the best essays aren't perfect, and even the world's greatest writers will tell you that writing is never "finished"—just "due." So what would we tweak in this essay if we could?

Replace some of the clichéd language. Stephen uses handy phrases like "twists and turns" and "don't sweat the small stuff" as a kind of shorthand for explaining his relationship to chaos and unpredictability. But using too many of these ready-made expressions runs the risk of clouding out your own voice and replacing it with something expected and boring.

Use another example from recent life. Stephen's first example (breaking into the van in Laredo) is a great illustration of being resourceful in an unexpected situation. But his essay also emphasizes that he "learned to adapt" by being "different things to different people." It would be great to see how this plays out outside his family, either in the situation in Laredo or another context.

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Example 2: By Renner Kwittken, Tufts Class of '23 (Common App Essay, 645 words long)

My first dream job was to be a pickle truck driver. I saw it in my favorite book, Richard Scarry's "Cars and Trucks and Things That Go," and for some reason, I was absolutely obsessed with the idea of driving a giant pickle. Much to the discontent of my younger sister, I insisted that my parents read us that book as many nights as possible so we could find goldbug, a small little golden bug, on every page. I would imagine the wonderful life I would have: being a pig driving a giant pickle truck across the country, chasing and finding goldbug. I then moved on to wanting to be a Lego Master. Then an architect. Then a surgeon.

Then I discovered a real goldbug: gold nanoparticles that can reprogram macrophages to assist in killing tumors, produce clear images of them without sacrificing the subject, and heat them to obliteration.

Suddenly the destination of my pickle was clear.

I quickly became enveloped by the world of nanomedicine; I scoured articles about liposomes, polymeric micelles, dendrimers, targeting ligands, and self-assembling nanoparticles, all conquering cancer in some exotic way. Completely absorbed, I set out to find a mentor to dive even deeper into these topics. After several rejections, I was immensely grateful to receive an invitation to work alongside Dr. Sangeeta Ray at Johns Hopkins.

In the lab, Dr. Ray encouraged a great amount of autonomy to design and implement my own procedures. I chose to attack a problem that affects the entire field of nanomedicine: nanoparticles consistently fail to translate from animal studies into clinical trials. Jumping off recent literature, I set out to see if a pre-dose of a common chemotherapeutic could enhance nanoparticle delivery in aggressive prostate cancer, creating three novel constructs based on three different linear polymers, each using fluorescent dye (although no gold, sorry goldbug!). Though using radioactive isotopes like Gallium and Yttrium would have been incredible, as a 17-year-old, I unfortunately wasn't allowed in the same room as these radioactive materials (even though I took a Geiger counter to a pair of shoes and found them to be slightly dangerous).

I hadn't expected my hypothesis to work, as the research project would have ideally been led across two full years. Yet while there are still many optimizations and revisions to be done, I was thrilled to find -- with completely new nanoparticles that may one day mean future trials will use particles with the initials "RK-1" -- thatcyclophosphamide did indeed increase nanoparticle delivery to the tumor in a statistically significant way.

A secondary, unexpected research project was living alone in Baltimore, a new city to me, surrounded by people much older than I. Even with moving frequently between hotels, AirBnB's, and students' apartments, I strangely reveled in the freedom I had to enjoy my surroundings and form new friendships with graduate school students from the lab. We explored The Inner Harbor at night, attended a concert together one weekend, and even got to watch the Orioles lose (to nobody's surprise). Ironically, it's through these new friendships I discovered something unexpected: what I truly love is sharing research. Whether in a presentation or in a casual conversation, making others interested in science is perhaps more exciting to me than the research itself. This solidified a new pursuit to angle my love for writing towards illuminating science in ways people can understand, adding value to a society that can certainly benefit from more scientific literacy.

It seems fitting that my goals are still transforming: in Scarry's book, there is not just one goldbug, there is one on every page. With each new experience, I'm learning that it isn't the goldbug itself, but rather the act of searching for the goldbugs that will encourage, shape, and refine my ever-evolving passions. Regardless of the goldbug I seek -- I know my pickle truck has just begun its journey.

Renner takes a somewhat different approach than Stephen, but their essay is just as detailed and engaging. Let's go through some of the strengths of this essay.

One Clear Governing Metaphor

This essay is ultimately about two things: Renner’s dreams and future career goals, and Renner’s philosophy on goal-setting and achieving one’s dreams.

But instead of listing off all the amazing things they’ve done to pursue their dream of working in nanomedicine, Renner tells a powerful, unique story instead. To set up the narrative, Renner opens the essay by connecting their experiences with goal-setting and dream-chasing all the way back to a memorable childhood experience:

This lighthearted–but relevant!--story about the moment when Renner first developed a passion for a specific career (“finding the goldbug”) provides an anchor point for the rest of the essay. As Renner pivots to describing their current dreams and goals–working in nanomedicine–the metaphor of “finding the goldbug” is reflected in Renner’s experiments, rejections, and new discoveries.

Though Renner tells multiple stories about their quest to “find the goldbug,” or, in other words, pursue their passion, each story is connected by a unifying theme; namely, that as we search and grow over time, our goals will transform…and that’s okay! By the end of the essay, Renner uses the metaphor of “finding the goldbug” to reiterate the relevance of the opening story:

While the earlier parts of the essay convey Renner’s core message by showing, the final, concluding paragraph sums up Renner’s insights by telling. By briefly and clearly stating the relevance of the goldbug metaphor to their own philosophy on goals and dreams, Renner demonstrates their creativity, insight, and eagerness to grow and evolve as the journey continues into college.

An Engaging, Individual Voice

This essay uses many techniques that make Renner sound genuine and make the reader feel like we already know them.

Technique #1: humor. Notice Renner's gentle and relaxed humor that lightly mocks their younger self's grand ambitions (this is different from the more sarcastic kind of humor used by Stephen in the first essay—you could never mistake one writer for the other).

My first dream job was to be a pickle truck driver.

I would imagine the wonderful life I would have: being a pig driving a giant pickle truck across the country, chasing and finding goldbug. I then moved on to wanting to be a Lego Master. Then an architect. Then a surgeon.

Renner gives a great example of how to use humor to your advantage in college essays. You don’t want to come off as too self-deprecating or sarcastic, but telling a lightheartedly humorous story about your younger self that also showcases how you’ve grown and changed over time can set the right tone for your entire essay.

Technique #2: intentional, eye-catching structure. The second technique is the way Renner uses a unique structure to bolster the tone and themes of their essay . The structure of your essay can have a major impact on how your ideas come across…so it’s important to give it just as much thought as the content of your essay!

For instance, Renner does a great job of using one-line paragraphs to create dramatic emphasis and to make clear transitions from one phase of the story to the next:

Suddenly the destination of my pickle car was clear.

Not only does the one-liner above signal that Renner is moving into a new phase of the narrative (their nanoparticle research experiences), it also tells the reader that this is a big moment in Renner’s story. It’s clear that Renner made a major discovery that changed the course of their goal pursuit and dream-chasing. Through structure, Renner conveys excitement and entices the reader to keep pushing forward to the next part of the story.

Technique #3: playing with syntax. The third technique is to use sentences of varying length, syntax, and structure. Most of the essay's written in standard English and uses grammatically correct sentences. However, at key moments, Renner emphasizes that the reader needs to sit up and pay attention by switching to short, colloquial, differently punctuated, and sometimes fragmented sentences.

Even with moving frequently between hotels, AirBnB's, and students' apartments, I strangely reveled in the freedom I had to enjoy my surroundings and form new friendships with graduate school students from the lab. We explored The Inner Harbor at night, attended a concert together one weekend, and even got to watch the Orioles lose (to nobody's surprise). Ironically, it's through these new friendships I discovered something unexpected: what I truly love is sharing research.

In the examples above, Renner switches adeptly between long, flowing sentences and quippy, telegraphic ones. At the same time, Renner uses these different sentence lengths intentionally. As they describe their experiences in new places, they use longer sentences to immerse the reader in the sights, smells, and sounds of those experiences. And when it’s time to get a big, key idea across, Renner switches to a short, punchy sentence to stop the reader in their tracks.

The varying syntax and sentence lengths pull the reader into the narrative and set up crucial “aha” moments when it’s most important…which is a surefire way to make any college essay stand out.

Renner's essay is very strong, but there are still a few little things that could be improved.

Connecting the research experiences to the theme of “finding the goldbug.”  The essay begins and ends with Renner’s connection to the idea of “finding the goldbug.” And while this metaphor is deftly tied into the essay’s intro and conclusion, it isn’t entirely clear what Renner’s big findings were during the research experiences that are described in the middle of the essay. It would be great to add a sentence or two stating what Renner’s big takeaways (or “goldbugs”) were from these experiences, which add more cohesion to the essay as a whole.

Give more details about discovering the world of nanomedicine. It makes sense that Renner wants to get into the details of their big research experiences as quickly as possible. After all, these are the details that show Renner’s dedication to nanomedicine! But a smoother transition from the opening pickle car/goldbug story to Renner’s “real goldbug” of nanoparticles would help the reader understand why nanoparticles became Renner’s goldbug. Finding out why Renner is so motivated to study nanomedicine–and perhaps what put them on to this field of study–would help readers fully understand why Renner chose this path in the first place.

4 Essential Tips for Writing Your Own Essay

How can you use this discussion to better your own college essay? Here are some suggestions for ways to use this resource effectively.

#1: Get Help From the Experts

Getting your college applications together takes a lot of work and can be pretty intimidatin g. Essays are even more important than ever now that admissions processes are changing and schools are going test-optional and removing diversity standards thanks to new Supreme Court rulings .  If you want certified expert help that really makes a difference, get started with  PrepScholar’s Essay Editing and Coaching program. Our program can help you put together an incredible essay from idea to completion so that your application stands out from the crowd. We've helped students get into the best colleges in the United States, including Harvard, Stanford, and Yale.  If you're ready to take the next step and boost your odds of getting into your dream school, connect with our experts today .

#2: Read Other Essays to Get Ideas for Your Own

As you go through the essays we've compiled for you above, ask yourself the following questions:

• Can you explain to yourself (or someone else!) why the opening sentence works well?
• Look for the essay's detailed personal anecdote. What senses is the author describing? Can you easily picture the scene in your mind's eye?
• Find the place where this anecdote bridges into a larger insight about the author. How does the essay connect the two? How does the anecdote work as an example of the author's characteristic, trait, or skill?
• Check out the essay's tone. If it's funny, can you find the places where the humor comes from? If it's sad and moving, can you find the imagery and description of feelings that make you moved? If it's serious, can you see how word choice adds to this tone?

Make a note whenever you find an essay or part of an essay that you think was particularly well-written, and think about what you like about it . Is it funny? Does it help you really get to know the writer? Does it show what makes the writer unique? Once you have your list, keep it next to you while writing your essay to remind yourself to try and use those same techniques in your own essay.

#3: Find Your "A-Ha!" Moment

All of these essays rely on connecting with the reader through a heartfelt, highly descriptive scene from the author's life. It can either be very dramatic (did you survive a plane crash?) or it can be completely mundane (did you finally beat your dad at Scrabble?). Either way, it should be personal and revealing about you, your personality, and the way you are now that you are entering the adult world.

Check out essays by authors like John Jeremiah Sullivan , Leslie Jamison , Hanif Abdurraqib , and Esmé Weijun Wang to get more examples of how to craft a compelling personal narrative.

#4: Start Early, Revise Often

Let me level with you: the best writing isn't writing at all. It's rewriting. And in order to have time to rewrite, you have to start way before the application deadline. My advice is to write your first draft at least two months before your applications are due.

Let it sit for a few days untouched. Then come back to it with fresh eyes and think critically about what you've written. What's extra? What's missing? What is in the wrong place? What doesn't make sense? Don't be afraid to take it apart and rearrange sections. Do this several times over, and your essay will be much better for it!

For more editing tips, check out a style guide like Dreyer's English or Eats, Shoots & Leaves .

What's Next?

Still not sure which colleges you want to apply to? Our experts will show you how to make a college list that will help you choose a college that's right for you.

Interested in learning more about college essays? Check out our detailed breakdown of exactly how personal statements work in an application , some suggestions on what to avoid when writing your essay , and our guide to writing about your extracurricular activities .

Working on the rest of your application? Read what admissions officers wish applicants knew before applying .

Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points? We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

The recommendations in this post are based solely on our knowledge and experience. If you purchase an item through one of our links PrepScholar may receive a commission.

Anna scored in the 99th percentile on her SATs in high school, and went on to major in English at Princeton and to get her doctorate in English Literature at Columbia. She is passionate about improving student access to higher education.

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110 Personal Essay Topics

Though written from a lived experience, personal essay topics can be tricky to come up with because they have to be universal enough for other people to relate to.

Since the skill of writing a good essay is being able to paint an image with words, students must choose a topic that will get others interested in the story and what it has to say about life, society, or themselves.

In essence, personal essays are written from a personal point of view and express a writer’s own insights, opinions, and feelings on a particular topic. Additionally, these types of essays lead to an overall point, lesson, realization, or revelation.

Most commonly, personal essays are written by high school students as part of their college applications. However, there are many other reasons that a personal essay may be assigned or written, including:

• Scholarship applications
• Job interview
• Writing contest
• Grad school admission

Students and others struggling with a valuable personal essay topic can choose from any of the 110 personal essay topics on this list to help them get started.

How to Write a Personal Essay

Writing a personal essay will require you to follow a traditional essay’s guidelines, structure, and format. However, you will also need to ensure that your essay is personal or tells a story about yourself rather than being entirely academic.

For example, you might want to explain an experience that changed how you saw the world or share an opinion on something important to you – even if the rest of the world doesn’t agree with it.

It often helps to make a list of experiences that you may want to share before starting with the writing aspect of the personal essay.

Introduction

The introduction to your personal essay will set the scene for the reader. Therefore, your personal essay needs to start with a compelling hook that will draw the reader in and make them want to read more.

This hook statement could be a humorous or poignant anecdote related to your topic or a line of questioning that the reader will be interested in following. For example, some possible opening lines for a personal essay could start with:

• “I remember exactly where I was when I first realized …”
• “What would you do if you knew the world was going to end tomorrow?
• “So, I once had this problem …”

These beginning lines will often create questions in the reader’s mind, which is an excellent way to capture their interest and keep them reading. Following this initial opening sentence, you can introduce other details as you build up the main point of the story.

Your introduction should end with a thesis statement that verbalizes the general direction the story will go.

Body Paragraphs

Generally, a personal essay will have no less than three body paragraphs that detail your experience in chronological order. Each section should discuss one part of the story, including the events leading up to it, what happened during the experience, and what you learned from it.

Body paragraphs may also include examples of feelings, emotions, or arguments that support your experience. The goal of a personal essay is to share a compelling story and teach the reader something about life or themselves by using specific details and language.

Consider this formatting when creating the body paragraphs of your personal essay:

1st Paragraph

• Beginning of the story that answers questions related to “Who?” and “Where?”
• Initial attitudes, moods, feelings, and assumptions about the event or experience about to take place

2nd Paragraph

• Middle of the story
• Details that show how the situation evolved over time, including any changes in mood or assumption on your part

3rd Paragraph

• Ending of the story/resolution
• The final analysis on overall feelings, emotions, and mood

By sticking to this formatting for the body paragraphs, students can ensure that they are telling the story correctly and including every key detail as it happens.

Conclusion Paragraph

The conclusion of a personal essay is optional and depends on what you want to accomplish with the telling of your story. If you want to leave the reader feeling inspired or emotionally moved, then focus on summarizing the main points in a short paragraph that ends on a positive note.

However, if this was a darker story, you may want to use the concluding paragraph to sum up your feelings after the experience has ended or explore any unanswered questions that remain.

In any event, your conclusion does need to include an overall moral or lesson of how the writer:

• overcame hardship
• rose to the occasion
• identified new traits or abilities that they never realized existed
• turned defeat into success
• followed their instincts and made the right choice
• came to appreciate something about life after the experience took place

Any of these statements can stand alone as a powerful lesson learned. However, when combined in one concluding paragraph, you will leave your reader with a profound impression.

Using any of these 110 personal essay topics will ensure that you have a strong and interesting story to tell.

Personal Essay Topics About Relationships

• What was a time when you made a friend?
• What would your worst enemy say about you?
• Talk about the death of a friend.
• How did it feel to be bullied in school?
• The time when you had to get along with a sibling despite being different ages
• What you learned from your first relationship
• Why marriage isn’t important to you
• How you discovered polyamory, and how it changed your view of relationships
• How your best friend made you a better person
• The lesson you learned from being catfished
• The first time you experienced heartbreak
• A funny story about how technology ruined a relationship.
• How did you learn to recognize love?
• Who would you consider your soulmate? What makes them that person specifically for you?
• What was your most embarrassing moment as a boyfriend or girlfriend, and what did you learn from it?

Personal Essay Topics About Hardships

• The worst thing that ever happened to me
• The roughest time in my family’s life
• The hardest challenge I’ve ever had to overcome
• How did you deal with the stress of moving?
• What was your most embarrassing moment as a kid?
• What are some reasons that I am grateful for my disability/illness/condition?
• When have you had an “Aha!” moment in life?
• What’s something terrible that happened to you that turned into something good?
• What’s the biggest lesson I’ve learned from my failures?
• The time when it almost felt like the world was against me
• How did I handle/recover from a severe illness/injury/accident?
• When was the first time I realized that life isn’t fair?
• What was the biggest struggle I went through in my teens?
• The most challenging situation I faced in high school
• When was a time when I made a negative impact on someone else?
• The first time I got caught stealing
• The most embarrassing mistake I ever made with money
• What was the most challenging thing about getting sober/clean/overcoming addiction?
• When did I realize that life is short and that nobody is promised tomorrow?
• How did you learn to persevere through tough times?

Personal Essay Topics About Success & Achievements

• Best moment in my sports career
• My greatest success story
• The time I overcame my fear and found strength I didn’t know I had.
• What’s the happiest day of my life?
• How did I learn to overcome failure?
• The time I knew that dreams really do come true
• My greatest triumph over adversity – and what it taught me about myself.
• What made you realize that you have to work hard in order to achieve something meaningful in life?
• When did I know that I had made it in life?
• When was the first time you were acknowledged for your achievements?
• The night when my hard work truly paid off
• My most powerful moment after overcoming a setback
• How did I become successful?
• What are some defining moments in my career?
• How did I make it through a difficult time in college/university?
• What motivated me to become the person I am today?

Personal Essay Topics About Personal Growth & Self-Reflection

• Whose lifelong encouragement helped make me who I am today
• The first time I took responsibility for my own actions
• What gave me the courage to be myself?
• The most valuable life lesson I’ve ever received. Who taught it to me, and what was the context?
• How did I get through a difficult childhood/adolescence/teenage years?
• What did I learn from becoming a yoga master?
• How has meditation helped me overcome anger issues?
• How did I recover from using drugs and alcohol?
• What’s the biggest lesson I’ve learned from quitting my job?
• When did I realize that life is too short to hate someone?
• The moment when I knew it was time for a change
• I made a mistake – and this is how I bounced back
• How did I overcome depression/anxiety/mental illness?

Personal Essay Topics About Passions & Hobbies

• How did learning a skill change my life?
• Why exercise makes me a better person
• My passion for writing
• What’s the best advice I’ve ever received? Who gave it to me, and in what situation?
• The moment when I realized my true calling in life
• The importance of keeping a journal and how it has helped me become a better person
• My biggest bucket list dream and why it’s so important to me
• What is my vision for the future?
• How did I find peace, contentment, and happiness?
• The time when I truly lived outside of my comfort zone
• When was the moment when I felt like I “got” meditation?
• My journey towards becoming vegan. What inspired me to make this change, and what were the challenges I faced?
• What lessons have been easy for me to learn, and which ones have been harder?
• The time when travel changed my life

Personal Essay Topics About Challenges & Failures

• The low point of my life and how I got through it
• How did an illness/injury/death in the family affect me?
• Why did I decide to stop going on blind dates?
• What were the consequences of losing my temper, and how did I make amends?
• The time when I was broken. What happened, who got hurt, and how did it affect me? How did I overcome this experience?
• When was the moment when I realized that my words carry weight?

Personal Essay Topics About Family & Childhood Memories

• The time when my family showed me what unconditional love means
• My most vivid childhood memory and how it has affected me as an adult
• How did I learn to be patient and kind?
• What was the moment that sparked a change in my life? What caused this change, and what happened after the changes took place?
• The moment when I realized the true meaning of friendship
• What lessons did growing up teach me about life?
• My childhood dream and what it taught me about myself
• How do I feel about my hometown after living in three different places?
• Why is it important to visit your birthplace/hometown during holidays/vacations?
• My family’s most influential life lesson and how it has affected me
• What was the moment when I realized that my parents had their own struggles?
• The time when I learned about my family history. What happened, why did this happen, and how did it affect me? How did things change after this event?
• What do I know about family traditions now that I didn’t understand as a child?
• Why are your family memories vital to you?

Personal Essay Topics About Cultural Heritage & Identity

• What does being bilingual/multilingual mean to me? Why is it unique?
• My first interaction with someone from another culture
• What’s wrong with cultural appropriation, and how did I learn to stop?
• The moment when I became aware of my race/ethnicity
• My culture’s most influential life lesson and how it has affected me
• How I learned to not be afraid of my cultural differences
• Why is diversity important in my community? In what ways do I contribute?
• The moment I realized that I am proud of my culture
• How has the immigrant/refugee experience shaped who you are today?
• How traditions have changed the way I view my family

Personal Essay Topics About Childhood Dreams & Aspirations

• What were my childhood dreams, and how have they changed over the years?
• How did I make peace with the fear of growing up?

Any of these 110 personal essay topics are perfect for students struggling to find a topic that will impress a college admission officer or any other person with whom you’re trying to connect with on a personal level through storytelling.

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Essays About Life-changing Experiences: 5 Examples

Discover our guide for writing essays about life-changing experiences that combine three different elements: narrative, description, and self-reflection. 

Each of us has gone through life-changing experiences that shaped us into the individuals we are today. Because of how powerful they are, these events make for fascinating topics in writing. This subject doesn’t only let us tell our life stories, and it also pushes us to evaluate our behavior and reflect on why an incident happened.

Attract your readers by creating an excellent introduction and choosing a unique or exciting encounter. Paint a picture of the events that describe your experience vividly and finish with a strong conclusion.

5 Essay Examples

1. long essay on experience that changed my life by prasanna, 2. life-changing events: personal experience by anonymous on studycorgi.com, 3. my example of a life-changing experience by anonymous on gradesfixer.com, 4. life-changing experience: death essay by writer annie, 5. a life-changing experience during the holiday season by anonymous on studymoose.com, 1. life-changing experience: defined, 2. the experience that changed my life, 3. life-changing events and how they impact lives, 4. everyday events that change a person’s life, 5. the person who change my life, 6. books or movies that changed my life, 7. a life-changing quote.

“Experiences can be good and sometimes terrible that results in a positive or negative impact on one’s life. Life is full of many unexpected challenges and unknown turning points that will come along any time. People must learn and grow from every experience that they go through in life rather than losing yourself.”

In this essay, Prasanna discusses her father’s death as her most challenging life-changing experience. She was cheerful, immature, and carefree when her father was still alive. However, when her father left, she became the decision-maker of their family because her mother was unable to.

Prasanna mentions that she lost not only a father but also a friend, motivator, and mentor. That sad and unexpected experience turned her into an introverted, mature, and responsible head of the family. Ultimately, she thanks her father for making her a better person, and because of the devastating incident, she realizes who she can trust and how she should handle the real world. You might also be interested in these essays about choice .

“In life, certain experiences present challenges that change the way people relate to themselves and their families. Certain life events mark life-changing moments that alter lives either positively or negatively. It matters how people handle their relationships at such critical moments.”

This essay contains two life events that helped the author become a better person. These events taught them to trust and appreciate people, be responsible, and value family. The first event is when their best friend passes away, leading to stress, loss of appetite, and depression. The second circumstance happened when the author postponed their studies because they were afraid to grow up and be accountable for their decisions and actions.

The writer’s family showed them love, support, and understanding through these events. These events changed their behavior, attitude, and perspective on life and guided them to strengthen family relationships.

For help picking your next essay topic, check out our 20 engaging essay topics about family .

“I thought it was awkward because he looked and acted very professional. In that moment I thought to myself, ‘this person is going to have a great impact in my life!’. I was very curious to meet him and get a chance to show him my personality.”

This essay proves that you should always believe in yourself and not be afraid to try something new. The author recalls when they had many problems and met an extraordinary person who changed their life. 

When they were in sixth grade, the writer had life issues that caused them to be anxious about any future endeavor. The author then says they don’t usually open up to teachers because they fear their reactions. Then they met Mr. Salazar, a mentor who respects and values them, and the writer considers him their best friend.

“When the funeral was over and he was laid to rest, I had a feeling I can’t even describe. It was almost an empty feeling. I knew I had lost someone that could never be replaced.”

Annie never thought that she’d go through a life-changing experience until the sudden death of her father. Her thoughts and feelings are all over the place, and she has many unanswered questions. She says that although she will never wish for anyone to experience the same. However, her father’s passing improved her life in some ways.

Her mother remarried and introduced a new father figure, who was very kind to her. Living with her stepdad allowed her to explore and do things she thought she couldn’t. Annie still mourns the loss of her birth father, but she is also grateful to have a stepdad she can lean on. She gradually accepts that she can’t bring her birth father back.

“This story as a whole has really changed me and made me an even better person in life, I’m so thankful that this happened to me because now I have a greater appreciation for the little things in life.”

The essay shows how a simple interaction on a cold day in December can completely change a person’s view on life. It starts with the writer being asked a small favor of an older man with Alzheimer’s disease to help him find his car. This experience teaches the writer to be more observant and appreciative of the things they have. The author was inspired to spend more time with loved ones, especially their grandfather, who also has Alzheimer’s disease, as they learned never to take anything for granted.

7 Prompts for Essays About Life-changing Experiences

Everyone has their definition of a life-changing experience. But in general, it is an event or series of events profoundly altering a person’s thinking, feelings, and behavior. Use this prompt to explain your understanding of the topic and discuss how a simple action, decision, or encounter can change someone’s life. You might also be interested in these essays about yourself .

For this prompt, choose a specific memory that made you re-evaluate your views, values, and morals. Then, discuss the impact of this event on your life. For example, you can discuss losing a loved one, moving to another country, or starting a new school. Your conclusion must contain the main lessons you learned from the experience and how it can help the readers.

Various positive and negative life-changing experiences happen anytime and anywhere. Sometimes, you don’t notice them until they substantially disturb your everyday life. 

To begin your essay, interview people and ask about a momentous event that happened to them and how it influenced their way of living. Then, pick the most potent life-changing experience shared. Talk about what you’d do if you were in the same situation.

Some life-changing events include common things such as marriage, parenthood, divorce, job loss, and death. Research and discuss the most common experiences that transform a person’s life. Include real-life situations and any personal encounters for an intriguing essay.

It’s normal to meet other people, but connecting with someone who will significantly impact your life is a blessing. Use this prompt to discuss that particular person, such as a parent, close friend, or romantic partner. Share who they are and how you met them, and discuss what they did or said that made a big difference in your life. 

Movies like “The Truman Show” help change your viewpoint in life. They open our minds and provide ideas for dealing with our struggles. Share how you reached an epiphany by reading a book or watching a movie. Include if it’s because of a particular dialogue, character action, or scenes you can relate to.

While others use inspirational quotes for comfort and to avoid negative thinking, some find a quote that gives them the courage to make drastic changes to better their lives. For this prompt, search for well-known personalities who discovered a quote that motivated them to turn their life around.  Essay Tip: When editing for grammar, we also recommend spending time and effort to improve the readability score of your essay before publishing or submitting it.

Maria Caballero is a freelance writer who has been writing since high school. She believes that to be a writer doesn't only refer to excellent syntax and semantics but also knowing how to weave words together to communicate to any reader effectively.

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Narrative Essay Topics: TOP 200 Choices for Students

Imagine yourself facing a blank page, ready to fill it with your memories and imagination. What story will you tell today?

As students, you often have to write narratives that capture people's attention. But with so many stories to choose from, where do you start? How do you find the perfect topic that will grab our readers' interest and make them think?

Join our essay service experts as we explore 200 topics for college where stories are waiting to be told, and experiences are ready to be shared. From everyday events to unforgettable moments, each topic is a chance to connect with your readers and make them feel something.

Best Narrative Essay Topics: How to Choose the One That Resonates 

A narrative essay is a type of writing that tells a personal story, including characters, plot, setting, and the order of events. Its main goal is to connect with readers emotionally and share a specific message or insight through the retelling of a meaningful experience.

Students write narrative essays as part of their studies for several reasons. Firstly, it allows them to express themselves creatively by sharing their unique experiences, thoughts, and feelings. Secondly, it helps them develop important writing skills like organizing ideas and thoughts effectively.

Choosing good narrative essay ideas involves looking at personal experiences, interests, and the potential for engaging storytelling. Here's a simple guide to help you pick the right topic:

• Think about significant moments in your life that had a lasting impact, such as personal growth or overcoming challenges.
• Choose topics related to your hobbies, interests, or areas of expertise to make your story more engaging.
• Consider what your audience would be interested in and choose topics that resonate with them.
• Focus on a specific event or detail to make your narrative more focused and impactful.
• Look for universal themes like love or personal transformation that connect with readers on a deeper level.
• Brainstorm ideas and write freely to uncover compelling topics.
• Decide on storytelling techniques like flashbacks or foreshadowing and choose a topic that fits.
• Get feedback from friends, peers, or instructors to see if your topics are interesting and impactful.
• Choose topics that evoke strong emotions for a more compelling narrative.
• Select a topic that you personally connect with to make your story authentic.

Once you've chosen a topic, brainstorm ideas and create an outline for your essay. Follow your professor's instructions carefully and consider seeking help from our narrative essay writing service if needed.

Bring your stories to life with EssayPro. Select from a vast array of narrative essay topics and let our professionals help you weave your tales into captivating essays. Whether it's adventure, reflection, or imagination, we're here to assist.

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Ideas for Narrative Essay Topics

After exploring how students write narrative paragraphs, we've put together a list of narrative essay topics designed specifically for college and school students. This list covers a wide range of subjects, so pick one that speaks to you! If you want to see how to develop a topic into a written essay, check out our narrative essay example . 

Literacy Narrative Essay Topics for College Students

How about delving into captivating literacy narrative essay topics designed specifically for college-level writing? Exciting, isn't it?

• How did learning to read change my perspective on the world?
• What was my favorite childhood book and why?
• How did writing my first story impact my love for storytelling?
• What challenges did I face when learning a new language?
• How did keeping a journal help me improve my writing skills?
• How did my family influence my attitude toward reading?
• What role did literature play in shaping my identity?
• How did participating in a book club enhance my reading experience?
• How did technology affect my reading habits?
• What was the most memorable book I read in school?
• How did my favorite teacher inspire my passion for literature?
• What impact did reading diverse perspectives have on my worldview?
• How did overcoming a reading difficulty shape my relationship with books?
• What lessons did I learn from writing my first poem?
• How did storytelling traditions in my culture influence my literacy journey?

Personal Narrative Essay Topics on Relationships

Take a moment to reflect on your past experiences and craft compelling personal narratives with these essay ideas.

• How did my relationship with my best friend change over time?
• What lessons did I learn from my first romantic relationship?
• How did my relationship with my sibling influence who I am today?
• What challenges did I face in maintaining a long-distance friendship?
• How did a conflict with a family member teach me about communication?
• What role do my pets play in my life and relationships?
• How did volunteering together strengthen my bond with a friend?
• What impact did a mentor have on my personal growth?
• How did a betrayal affect my trust in relationships?
• What did I learn from a failed friendship?
• How did traveling with a friend deepen our connection?
• What role does forgiveness play in maintaining healthy relationships?
• How did my relationship with my parents evolve as I grew older?
• What lessons did I learn about teamwork from a group project?
• How did a disagreement with a colleague teach me about compromise?

Best Narrative Essay Topics on Education and Learning

Consider the beauty of sharing your personal experiences and emotions in a captivating manner through these ideas for personal narrative essays.

• How did a particular teacher inspire me to excel in school?
• What challenges did I face while adapting to online learning?
• How did participating in extracurricular activities shape my educational experience?
• What lessons did I learn from a memorable field trip?
• How did studying abroad broaden my perspective on education?
• What role does technology play in modern education?
• How did overcoming a learning obstacle impact my academic journey?
• What did I gain from tutoring a classmate in a challenging subject?
• How did a hands-on learning experience change my understanding of a topic?
• What impact did a mentor have on my educational and career aspirations?
• How did peer collaboration enhance my learning in a group project?
• What lessons did I learn from a failure or setback in school?
• How did my cultural background influence my approach to education?
• What role does self-directed learning play in my academic success?
• How did participating in a debate or public speaking event shape my communication skills?

At this point, we think you might've already been interested in our term paper writing service that helps busy students succeed in college. 

Personal Narrative Essay Ideas on Reflection on Life

Why not ignite your creativity with a range of narrative essay topics, from extraordinary moments to everyday experiences?

• How did confronting a fear change my view on courage and growth?
• How do family traditions shape my personal values and beliefs?
• What does success mean to me, and how has it evolved?
• Reflecting on friendships as a source of support in tough times.
• How have travel experiences expanded my global perspective?
• How do my hobbies and passions bring fulfillment to my life?
• Exploring the link between self-love and mental well-being.
• How can challenges lead to unexpected personal growth?
• Reflecting on the importance of setting and reaching personal goals.
• What pivotal moments mark my journey to self-acceptance?
• Investigating how forgiveness resolves personal conflicts.
• How do cultural expectations shape my idea of success?
• Reflecting on the significance of self-care for overall well-being.
• Exploring how technology influences my connections and worldview.
• What did I learn from facing a life-changing decision?

Ideas for a Narrative Essay on Culture and Society

Engaging your readers with narrative essays on culture and society is a great way to spark interest, offering captivating ideas for exploration.

• How has my cultural heritage shaped my identity?
• Reflecting on a tradition or ceremony that holds significance in my culture.
• Exploring the impact of globalization on local traditions and customs.
• How does language influence the way I perceive the world around me?
• Investigating the role of food in cultural identity and expression.
• Reflecting on a cultural celebration or festival that left a lasting impression.
• How does media portrayal affect societal perceptions of different cultures?
• Exploring the intersection of culture and religion in shaping values and beliefs.
• Reflecting on experiences of cultural assimilation or integration.
• How do stereotypes impact individuals within a cultural group?
• Investigating the role of art and literature in preserving cultural heritage.
• Reflecting on the challenges and benefits of multiculturalism in society.
• Exploring the significance of storytelling in passing down cultural traditions.
• How do cultural norms influence gender roles and expectations?
• Reflecting on the cultural exchange experiences that have broadened my perspective.

Since you're working on essays, we think it's suitable to suggest you learn more about the case study format , which is another common college assignment.

Narrative Writing Topics on Hobbies and Interests

Wow your readers by turning your passions and hobbies into compelling narrative essay topics that will get them thinking.

• Describe a memorable adventure or experience related to your favorite hobby.
• Reflect on how your hobby has evolved over time and its significance in your life.
• Write about a moment when your hobby provided a sense of escape or relaxation.
• Explore the role of hobbies in promoting mental health and well-being.
• Share a story of how you discovered your passion for a particular hobby.
• Describe a challenge you faced while pursuing your hobby and how you overcame it.
• Reflect on the impact of your hobby on your relationships with others.
• Write about a hobby-related achievement or milestone that you are proud of.
• Explore how your hobby connects you to a community or group of like-minded individuals.
• Describe the process of learning a new hobby and the lessons you gained from it.
• Reflect on the role of hobbies in balancing work, leisure, and personal growth.
• Write about a hobby-related project or creation that you are passionate about.
• Explore the connection between your hobbies and your broader interests and values.
• Describe a favorite memory or experience involving your hobby.
• Reflect on how your hobbies have influenced your perspective on life and the world around you.

Narrative Essay Titles on Life-Changing Moments

Life is full of unexpected twists that can lead to life-changing moments. Take a look at these narrative essay titles for stories that have had a lasting impact on your life.

• How did meeting a lifelong friend change my life?
• What lessons did I learn from overcoming a major obstacle?
• How did traveling to a new country broaden my perspective?
• Reflecting on the day I discovered my passion.
• How did a health scare transform my lifestyle?
• What impact did volunteering in my community have on me?
• How did I find strength in a moment of loss?
• Reflecting on the decision that altered my path.
• How did a random act of kindness change my outlook?
• What lessons did I learn from a failed endeavor?
• How did confronting a fear empower me?
• Reflecting on the day I realized my potential.
• How did experiencing a natural disaster shape my priorities?
• What insights did I gain from a cultural exchange?
• How did a mentor's guidance impact my life trajectory?

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Good Narrative Topics on Travel and Adventure

Consider creating intriguing titles for your narrative essay ideas by exploring thrilling travel adventures.

• What was my most unforgettable travel experience?
• How did a solo journey change my perspective on life?
• Reflecting on an unexpected adventure in a foreign land.
• How did traveling on a budget lead to unexpected discoveries?
• What lessons did I learn from getting lost in a new city?
• How did a cultural immersion experience broaden my understanding of the world?
• Reflecting on the friendships formed during a travel adventure.
• What was the scariest moment I encountered while traveling?
• How did volunteering abroad impact my outlook on life?
• What cultural differences surprised me the most while traveling?
• Reflecting on the beauty of nature experienced during a hiking trip.
• How did traveling to a remote destination challenge my comfort zone?
• What was the most delicious food I tried while traveling?
• Reflecting on the kindness of strangers encountered during a journey.
• How did a travel mishap turn into a memorable experience?

Narrative Essay Topic Ideas on Career and Work Experience

College students can uncover captivating narrative essay ideas by exploring potential career paths or reminiscing about past job experiences.

• What was my first job, and what did I learn from it?
• Reflecting on a challenging project that taught me resilience.
• How did a career setback lead to unexpected opportunities?
• What lessons did I learn from transitioning to a new career?
• Reflecting on a mentor who influenced my career path.
• How did a workplace conflict teach me about communication?
• What was the most rewarding moment in my career so far?
• Reflecting on the importance of work-life balance in my career journey.
• How did networking help me advance in my career?
• What challenges did I face as a new graduate entering the workforce?
• Reflecting on the decision to pursue a passion versus stability in my career.
• How did a career change impact my sense of fulfillment?
• What skills did I develop through volunteer work that helped in my career?
• Reflecting on the role of mentors in my professional growth.
• How did a career milestone shape my future aspirations?

Interesting Narrative Essay Topics about Challenges and Obstacles

If you're not sure what to write about for your narrative essay, think back to the tough times you've had and how you managed to get through them.

• How did I overcome my fear of failure?
• Reflecting on a time when I felt like giving up but persevered.
• How did a personal setback lead to unexpected growth?
• What lessons did I learn from navigating a difficult relationship?
• Reflecting on a time when I had to step out of my comfort zone.
• How did I overcome a major health challenge?
• What strategies did I use to overcome procrastination?
• Reflecting on the resilience I developed after facing adversity.
• How did I navigate financial challenges and come out stronger?
• What did I learn from failing at something I was passionate about?
• Reflecting on the obstacles I faced while pursuing my dreams.
• How did I overcome imposter syndrome in my academic or professional life?
• What role did self-care play in helping me overcome challenges?
• Reflecting on a time when I had to stand up for myself in the face of adversity.
• How did I find motivation and inspiration during tough times?

Final Remarks

As we wrap up, our list of 200 narrative essay topics is here to fuel your creativity for your next writing project! Whether you're sharing a memorable event, reliving a childhood memory, or expressing a profound insight, crafting a narrative essay can be an uplifting experience that resonates deeply with readers.

And if you're gearing up for college admissions, why not check out our admission essay writing service ? We've already assisted countless students in securing their spots at their dream colleges, and we'd love to help you, too!

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If you are here, you must be hunting for reflective essay topics, right? Picking one that truly speaks to you can seem tough, but don't worry. We're here to help. In this blog post, we're breaking down a whole bunch of fascinating reflection essay topics. We went the extra mile and arranged them by different categories to make it super easy for you. So, buckle up and let's dive right in. Your perfect reflective essay topic is just a scroll away!

What Are Reflective Essay Topics?

Think of reflective essay topics as starting points for a personal journey. They're about you and your experiences, feelings, or thoughts. The topics for a reflective essay aren't your average "write about your summer vacation" deal. Nope. They dive deeper, probing into how experiences have shaped you, lessons you've learned, and realizations you've had.

These topics push you to reflect, hence the name 'reflective' essays. But you shouldn’t just recount your experiences. Here it’s all about understanding your reactions, and figuring out how you've grown from them.  For this reason, reflection topics are often used in a college admission essay or personal statement for colleges . 

In this blog, we're about to dish out a collection of topics for reflective essays, all tailored to subject areas and specific needs. Stay tuned!

What Makes Reflective Essay Topics Good?

But what turns an ordinary reflective essay topic into a stellar one? Here are the key ingredients:

• Personal connection You've got to deeply relate to it. It's about your experiences, emotions, and memories.
• Exploration Good reflective topics are layered, giving you lots to explore and dissect. In this respect, they are very similar to topics for exploratory essays .
• Growth and transformation The best reflection topics tie into personal growth, letting you show how you've changed or evolved.
• Uniqueness Your reflection topic should be distinctive, reflecting your unique experiences and viewpoints.

How to Choose a Reflective Essay Topic?

Picking the right reflection paper title can feel like a challenge. There are so many options! Here's what you should do before you push yourself to the brink of decision-making exhaustion:

• Think about your experiences Reflective essays share personal experiences. So, start by thinking about your past. What moments have significantly shaped your life? Consider events where you felt strong emotions, learned a valuable lesson, or underwent a change in perspective.
• Identify the lesson Once you've picked a few worthy experiences, think about the lessons you learned from each of them. A good reflective essay topic goes beyond just describing an event – it also explores the impact it had on your personal development.
• Check its depth Assess if the topic has enough depth for exploration. Does it allow you to reflect deeply? Can you discuss not just what happened, but how it changed you? A good reflection essay topic should give you plenty of material to analyze.
• Keep it unique Lastly, ensure your topic is unique and personal to you. You don't want to pick a topic that's been overused or one that doesn't truly represent your personal experiences.
• Be honest Honesty is key in reflective essays. Choose a reflective topic that you're comfortable sharing and can be honest about.

It seems pretty easy on the paper, but actually it is not. Finding the right reflective essay topic can be tricky. If you don’t pick an interesting one, your essay might come out forced or lack the depth needed for a good reflective piece. But that’s about to be changed. Scroll down to find our suggestions. 

List of Top Reflective Essay Topics

Let us emphasize once again, the right reflective essay topic idea needs to resonate with you. That’s why, we suggest first to look at this list of top-rated reflective paper ideas to inspire you. Hover over these reflective essay questions and suggestions, find one that clicks, and get writing!

• Conquering your biggest fear.
• A life-changing experience in a foreign country.
• Balancing work and study: Personal insights.
• How a childhood hobby influenced your career choice.
• Reflections on a significant failure and its lessons.
• Meeting someone who changed your outlook on life.
• Learning a new language: Struggles and triumphs.
• Unexpected leadership: Stepping up when it mattered.
• Experiencing culture shock and its impacts.
• Living through a natural disaster: Personal narrative.
• Adopting a pet and learning responsibility.
• Personal growth from volunteering at a homeless shelter.
• How losing a job can lead to new opportunities.
• Lessons from a year spent off the grid.
• Navigating through the first year in college.

Good Reflective Essay Topics

We can't overstate this: your reflective essay topic has to hit home. So take your time perusing this list. We've got another set of good topics for a reflective essay right below.

• Your first encounter with significant loss.
• Finding strength in vulnerability.
• Living through a pandemic: Lessons and realizations.
• How a chance encounter changed your day (or life).
• Experiencing a paradigm shift in thinking.
• Embarking on a solo travel adventure: Insights and experiences.
• Coping with change in your life.
• Coming out of your comfort zone.
• Confronting your bias: A turning point.
• Discovering a passion later in life.
• Learning to let go: A narrative essay .
• A conversation that opened your mind.
• Reflections on a significant birthday.
• First experience of feeling truly independent.
• Mastering a complex skill: Your journey and outcome.

Interesting Reflective Essay Topics

We're back with another set of thought-provoking reflective essay prompts to get your creative juices flowing. Dive into these interesting titles for reflection papers shared by our professional  essay writer .

• When a book made you rethink your beliefs
• Embracing a new culture.
• Experience of confronting a personal phobia.
• Navigating the world of online dating.
• When a film resonated deeply with your life.
• Managing mental health: Your journey to self-care.
• Transformative power of an act of kindness.
• When a piece of art stirred your emotions.
• Growing through a toxic relationship.
• Lessons from a year of minimalistic living.
• Struggling with impostor syndrome.
• An experience that tested your ethical boundaries.
• How your first rejection shaped your resilience.
• Learning to prioritize self: A personal story.
• When cooking taught you more than just recipes.

Easy Reflective Essay Topics

If you're just starting out or looking for something straightforward, you're in the right place. Here are some easy reflective essay topics that let you explore your experiences while keeping it simple.

• Your first heartbreak: Lessons learned.
• Adopting a healthier lifestyle: Personal journey.
• Learning from a mistake at work.
• Being part of a team: Insights and growth.
• Coping with moving to a new city.
• Overcoming an academic challenge.
• A memorable family vacation.
• Dealing with a personal conflict.
• Your experience with meditation or yoga.
• A rewarding experience of helping someone.
• Adjusting to life during a major event or crisis.
• Taking on a new hobby: Personal experiences.
• Adjusting to the life of a college freshman.
• Experience of learning to drive.
• Your relationship with nature.

Unique Reflective Essay Topics

Writing a reflection paper around a unique topic can make your piece stand out. These topics for reflective essays are meant to trigger your imagination and help you explore less conventional themes. Here are unique reflective essay topics that'll make your writing unforgettable.

• The impact of a documentary on your worldview.
• Living without technology: Your experience.
• Experience of witnessing an historical event.
• How a stranger's kindness affected you.
• Your evolution as a digital citizen.
• Moving from consumer to creator.
• The influence of astrology on your life.
• Reflections on a silent retreat.
• Growth from a failed startup venture.
• Learning empathy through virtual reality.
• The impact of climate change: Personal perspective.
• Your journey in understanding gender equality.
• Surviving a cyberbully: Lessons and growth.
• Living a month following a strict budget.
• A personal encounter with wildlife.

Best Reflective Essay Topics

To help you pen an exceptional paper, we've compiled a list of some of the best personal reflective essay topics. These prompts are designed to guide you towards meaningful self-reflection.

• Reconnecting with an old friend: Your experience.
• How a mentor shaped your personal or professional life.
• The transformational power of music: Your story.
• An incident that sparked personal growth.
• Learning to forgive.
• The moment you felt most alive.
• Impact of a social issue on your life.
• The process of overcoming a deep-rooted fear.
• Your experience of learning a foreign language.
• Lessons from an unplanned adventure.
• A significant dream and its impact on you.
• How a speech or a quote changed your perspective.
• Coping with failure.
• Discovering a new perspective on a controversial issue.
• Experience of a spiritual or mystical phenomenon.

Reflective Essay Topic Ideas for Students

From middle school to college, students at all academic levels can benefit from reflective writing. It not only boosts critical thinking but also personal growth. With that in mind, we've curated a wide range of reflective essay ideas and topics suitable for students of all grades.

Reflective Essay Topics for Middle School

Writing a reflective essay in middle school can be a fantastic way to express your thoughts and explore your feelings on various topics. Whether it's a personal experience or a concept you've learned in class, reflection topics allow you to dive deeper and understand it from a unique perspective. Below are some engaging reflective essay topics designed especially for middle school students.

• Moving from elementary to middle school.
• A time you took a stand for something you believed in.
• Reflecting on a school project that challenged you.
• Your experience with a memorable school trip.
• Lessons from your first team sport experience.
• An incident that made you appreciate your family more.
• When you had to make a difficult choice: Your story.
• Learning from a time you failed at something.
• How reading your favorite book influenced you.
• Your experience of making a new friend.

Reflective Essay Topics for Grade 7

• Your experience of setting and achieving a personal goal.
• A time when you had to make a tough decision.
• Reflecting on your growth over the past school year.
• An encounter that helped you understand a different culture.
• Learning a valuable lesson from a sibling or friend.
• Your experience of participating in a school event.
• How a favorite movie or TV show has influenced you.
• The importance of an object that holds sentimental value.
• Your first experience with peer pressure.
• How volunteering or community service impacted you.

Reflective Essay Topics for Grade 8

• Reflecting on a personal achievement that makes you proud.
• Your first experience of handling a big responsibility.
• The impact of a significant historical event on you.
• A moment when you realized your parents were right.
• How an act of kindness changed your perspective.
• An experience that made you understand the importance of time management.
• The changes in your life since the start of middle school.
• How a piece of news or a current event influenced your views.
• The role of a specific school subject in your personal growth.
• Your experience of dealing with a significant change at home or school.

Reflective Essay Topics for High School

At high school, you are expected to connect the theoretical world of your education with the practical experiences of your life. Explore these topics for a reflective essay for high school students. These reflection writing prompts encourage you to think introspectively about your personal growth, experiences, and learning.

• Overcoming your biggest fear.
• The influence of a high school teacher on your academic career.
• Reflecting on a memorable performance or game in school.
• Navigating high school politics.
• A significant event that shaped your high school experience.
• Impact of social media on your personal and academic life.
• Transitioning from middle school to high school
• The role of high school clubs or societies in your personal development.
• Balancing academics, extracurriculars, and personal life.
• Preparing for application for colleges .

Reflective Essay Topics for Grade 9

• Your journey towards developing a growth mindset.
• Reflecting on your first year of high school.
• How a significant world event influenced your worldview.
• The role of perseverance in achieving academic goals.
• Learning about the importance of mental health: Your story.
• Navigating friendship changes in high school.
• The impact of a piece of literature on your thoughts.
• Your first experience with serious academic competition.
• Transition from being a follower to a leader.
• How you tackled an unexpected challenge in school.

Reflective Essay Topics for Grade 10

• Reflecting on your growth since the start of high school.
• The influence of a mentor or role model on your life.
• Your experience with a group project or team assignment.
• A personal achievement that signified maturity.
• An event that highlighted the importance of diversity for you.
• How learning a new skill changed your perspective.
• The significance of a community service experience.
• Learning from a setback in your academic journey.
• The role of self-discipline in personal and academic growth.
• How planning for the future has influenced your current decisions.

Reflective Essay Topics for College Students

As you venture into your college years, your experiences become more diverse. Whether it's about the transition from high school, exploring a new city, or forming new relationships, reflective writing in college can be an enriching exercise. Take a glance at these reflective paper topics for college students to guide you towards meaningful self-exploration.

• Adapting to a new city.
• Your experience of living independently for the first time.
• A course that significantly impacted your career choice.
• An incident that tested your leadership skills.
• The impact of an internship or part-time job on your perspective.
• Your transition from high school to college.
• How a group study experience contributed to your personal growth.
• The role of college clubs or societies in your development.
• Balancing academics and social life in college.
• Your experience of studying abroad or planning for it.

Topics for Reflective Essays by Subject

Investigating a particular subject through a reflective essay can be a fascinating exercise. This task offers you an opportunity to connect your personal experiences and thoughts with the concepts you're studying. Be it English Literature, Psychology, or Environmental Science, reflective writing can enrich your understanding of your academic studies. So, we've prepared a list of reflective writing topics for various subjects.

Reflection Essay Topics on Literature 

Are you an avid reader or a literature student? Reflecting on literature can be an engaging way to delve deeper into the themes, characters, and events of your favorite pieces. Below are reflective essay topics  to ignite your literary contemplation:

• Personal revelations from reading '1984' by George Orwell.
• How 'To Kill a Mockingbird' changed your perspective on racial issues.
• Lessons from 'Pride and Prejudice' on societal norms.
• Impact of the dystopian world in 'The Handmaid's Tale'.
• Lessons on friendship from 'The Kite Runner'.
• Examining love and loss through 'Wuthering Heights'.
• Unraveling survival in 'Life of Pi': Your understanding.
• Reflecting on the power struggles in 'Macbeth'.
• Unpacking symbolism in 'The Great Gatsby'.
• Parallels between 'Brave New World' and today's society.
• Lessons on empathy from 'To Kill a Mockingbird'.
• How 'The Scarlet Letter' sparked your thoughts.
• The tragic vision of life in 'Hamlet': Your interpretation.
• Human nature and civilization in 'Lord of the Flies'.
• Exploring feminism in 'Jane Eyre': Your insights.

History Reflective Essay Titles 

Have you ever wondered how historical events shape our personal choices? Reflecting on history allows us to personally engage with these significant events, analyze their impacts, and draw meaningful connections to our lives today. Here are some great topics for reflection on historical events:

• Personal lessons from studying the French Revolution.
• Reflections on the Civil Rights Movement and its ongoing relevance.
• Impact of World War II on your understanding of global politics.
• How the Cold War reshaped your perspective on international relations.
• Understanding human nature through the Holocaust.
• Cultural shifts post the 1960s counterculture movement.
• How studying the Civil War altered your understanding of America.
• Insights gained from the Women's Suffrage Movement.
• Decoding resilience in the face of the Great Depression.
• Learnings from the Age of Enlightenment.
• Personal understanding of colonialism through the British Empire.
• Reflections on the impacts of the Industrial Revolution.
• The Space Race and its influence on your view of progress.
• Drawing parallels between Roman Empire and modern society.
• Reflections on the impacts of the Renaissance on today's world.

>> More ideas: Historical Topics

Reflective Essay Topics on Religion

Religion can offer to explore diverse philosophies and their influence on personal and societal levels. Below are some reflective ideas and topics that invite you to elaborate on various religious facets:

• Impact of studying Buddhism on your personal beliefs.
• Comparing ethical principles in different religions.
• How understanding Hinduism influenced your view on reincarnation.
• The role of the Bible in shaping your moral compass.
• Reflections on the concept of karma in your life.
• Islamic teachings and your view of charity.
• Interpreting the significance of ritual in religious practice.
• Meditation in religious and personal transformation.
• Personal insights from exploring pagan religions.
• Religious diversity and your worldview.
• How studying the Holocaust impacted your understanding of religious tolerance?
• Insights gained from the philosophy of Taoism.
• Lessons on forgiveness from religious teachings.
• Exploring the concept of 'soul' across different religions.
• Your interpretation of the role of faith in modern society.

Sociology Reflective Essay Topics

Sociology is a fascinating field that provides a wealth of ideas for reflective essay. By analyzing societal structures, interactions, and issues, you can gain unique insights and develop your understanding of the world around you. Take a look at these distinctive sociology reflective essay topics to inspire your writing:

• Living through a culture shock.
• Analyzing personal relationships in the era of social media.
• Education as a societal development tool: Personal reflections.
• Family structure shaping personal growth.
• Observations on gender roles in contemporary society.
• Racial disparities and their effect on personal worldview.
• Personal identity within consumer culture.
• Lessons learned from studying local poverty.
• Navigating life in an urbanized community.
• Aging population and shifts in societal norms.
• Applying concepts of status and role to your life experiences.
• Participating in social movements.
• Unpacking the 'social self' through personal experiences.
• Popular culture shaping youth: Personal observations.
• Socialization experiences across different settings.

>> View more: Sociology Paper Topics

Reflective Essay Topics on Psychology

Psychology helps us make sense of human behavior, emotions, and mental processes. Reflecting on psychology can enrich your understanding of self and others. Consider these reflective essay topics in psychology :

• Your journey of self-discovery through personality tests.
• Discovering coping mechanisms: A personal journey.
• Unpacking the stages of grief through personal loss.
• Personal growth from understanding cognitive biases.
• Mindfulness and its effect on personal wellbeing: Your experience.
• Applying behaviorism principles in personal life.
• Emotional intelligence shaping your interpersonal relationships.
• Dreams and their interpretations: Your exploration.
• Your experience with stress management techniques.
• Understanding romantic relationships through attachment styles.
• Personal insights from studying body language.
• The concept of resilience: A personal narrative.
• Personal reflection on motivation theories.
• Insights from exploring the nature vs. nurture debate.
• Your experience of practicing positive psychology.

Reflective Essay Ideas About Public Health

Public health seeks to understand and improve the wellbeing of individuals, families, communities, and broader populations. Elaborating on public health can provide you with valuable insights about how to protect and promote wellness . Choose a proper reflective essay title from this selection of public health research topics :

• Experiencing a public health campaign.
• Personal growth from volunteering in a healthcare setting.
• Navigating personal health in a pandemic era.
• How understanding health disparities changed your worldview.
• Lessons from personal involvement in a vaccination drive.
• Your experience with fitness and wellness programs.
• Insights from observing the impact of environmental health issues.
• Personal reflections on health education and its significance.
• The role of nutrition in personal health.
• Addressing mental health stigma.
• Your experience with health promotion initiatives.
• Personal reflections on the interplay between lifestyle and health.
• How learning about epidemiology shaped your understanding of diseases.
• Experiences with healthcare accessibility and its effects.
• Your role in creating a healthier community.

Environmental Science Reflection Essay Titles

Environmental science intertwines with many facets of our lives, and reflecting on it can enhance our awareness of the natural world and our place in it. That’s why, we created this list of environmental science topics for reflective essays:

• Personal growth from participating in a tree planting initiative.
• Your experience of witnessing a natural disaster.
• Personal insights from tracking local weather patterns.
• Your journey towards adopting a sustainable lifestyle.
• Lessons from personal involvement in a recycling program.
• Observations on local biodiversity during nature walks.
• Experiencing the effects of urbanization on local environment.
• A personal narrative on water conservation efforts.
• Your exploration of renewable energy options for your home.
• Reflections on personal encounters with wildlife.
• The role of composting in waste management: Your experience.
• Understanding climate change through local environmental changes.
• Insights from observing seasonal changes in your locality.
• Your experience with efforts to reduce air pollution.
• Personal reflections on the importance of national parks.

Topics for Reflective Essays by Categories

No matter the topic you choose for your reflective essay, it should be centered around a meaningful event, thought, or emotion. Whether it's a place you've visited, an event you've attended, or a relationship that's had a significant impact, these experiences offer ample fodder for introspective writing. Search for a worthwhile topic navigating the following ideas for a reflective essay.

Reflection Essay Topics About Places

Whether it's a city you've visited or a corner of your home that holds special meaning, places can serve as a compelling focal point for reflective writing. Unleash your creativity with these astounding  reflective essay topics about places:

• Finding tranquility in a public park: Your experience.
• Your personal journey through a bustling city.
• Living in a rural community: Personal reflections.
• Your experience exploring a historical site.
• How a visit to an art museum inspired you.
• Experiencing serenity at a seaside: A personal narrative.
• How a childhood home influenced your identity.
• Discovering cultural diversity in a global city: Your story.
• Personal insights from trekking through a national park.
• Reflections on a visit to a local farmer's market.
• Navigating life in a multicultural neighborhood.
• Unpacking your experiences in a sacred place.
• Your journey exploring an ancient ruin.
• Personal growth from time spent in a library.
• Your experience with the vibrancy of a music festival location.

Reflective Essay Topics About Events

Events can be small, everyday moments or major occurrences that have a lasting impact. Below you'll find creative reflection essay topics about events:

• The emotional impact of witnessing a solar eclipse.
• Personal growth from surviving a natural disaster.
• Your experience of a peaceful protest.
• When a sporting event stirred your emotions.
• Attending a live theater performance: Personal reflections.
• Lessons learned from hosting a surprise party.
• Your experience of witnessing a cultural ceremony.
• Personal growth from attending a writer's workshop.
• Reflections on participating in a marathon.
• Your experience of navigating a family crisis.
• Attending a friend's wedding in another culture: Personal insights.
• Experiencing a religious ritual: A personal narrative.
• Your reflections on a significant news event.
• Witnessing the evolution of a local tradition: Your story.
• How attending a funeral led to personal introspection.

Reflective Ideas About Nature

Nature offers endless possibilities for reflection, with every landscape, animal encounter, or weather pattern holding potential lessons. Take a look at these examples of reflection essay topics.

• Personal insights from observing a sunset.
• Witnessing a storm.
• Your experience with gardening: Growth and patience.
• Observing wildlife in its natural habitat.
• Reflections on a hike through a mountain range.
• Your first experience of snow.
• Lessons learned from living through a natural disaster.
• Personal growth from exploring a rainforest.
• Observing the changing seasons.
• A night under the stars.
• Experiencing the grandeur of a waterfall.
• Your interactions with a pet and what they've taught you.
• Personal insights from a sailing experience.
• Observing the cycle of life and death in nature.
• How a solitary walk in a park changed your perspective.

Topics for Reflective Essay About Outdoor Activities

Whether it's an adventure you've experienced or a skill you've learned, reflecting on your outdoor pursuits can be engaging. Below we will share great reflective essay topics about outdoor activities:

• Wilderness survival course.
• Experiencing the calm of fishing.
• Insights from your first camping trip.
• Tackling an adventurous mountain trek.
• Lessons from a star-gazing experience.
• Bird-watching in a natural reserve.
• Joining a nature cleanup campaign.
• Experiencing a multi-day hiking trip.
• Solitude and serenity of a desert visit.
• Challenging rock climbing session.
• Navigating a maze in a cornfield.
• How gardening influenced your understanding of life cycles.
• Sailing for the first time.
• Participating in a beach volleyball tournament.

Reflective Essay Topics About Life Moments

Life is full of moments, some ordinary, some extraordinary. It could be a chance encounter, a quiet moment of introspection, or a pivotal life event, these experiences shape us in profound ways. Dive into the depths of your life moments with these reflective essay topics:

• How moving to a new city changed your perspective?
• The birth of a sibling.
• Lessons learned from a financial hardship.
• Personal growth from coping with a break-up.
• Overcoming a fear.
• Significant accomplishment.
• A moment when a child's words profoundly affected you.
• Dealing with a health challenge.
• Your experience of living alone for the first time.
• Decision to adopt a pet.
• A chance encounter that changed your viewpoint.
• Learning a new skill as an adult.
• How receiving a meaningful gift affected you?
• Your experience of embracing a new hobby.
• The moment you stood up for what's right.

Personal Reflective Essay Topics on Relationships

Relationships form the bedrock of our personal experiences. They teach us about love, empathy, resilience, forgiveness, and many other facets of human interaction. Whether these relationships are familial, romantic, or platonic, they offer many reflective essay topics:

• How a friendship shaped your understanding of loyalty.
• Turbulent romantic relationship.
• Lessons learned from a strained familial bond.
• Mending a broken friendship.
• Supporting a friend in crisis.
• The end of a long-term relationship.
• Lessons from being the 'new kid' in a social circle.
• The impact of a mentor in your life.
• Maintaining long-distance relationships.
• Difficult work relationship.
• How a sibling rivalry influenced your personal growth?
• Friendship that blossomed online.
• Helping a friend through grief.
• Insights from being part of a diverse community.
• How building a relationship with a pet changed your life?

Reflective Essay Topics on Hobbies

Hobbies are much more than just pastimes. They are a reflection of our passions, interests, and personalities. They teach us new skills, offer a sense of achievement, and sometimes even become a significant part of our lives. Consider these reflective essay topics focused on hobbies:

• How a hobby turned into a passion.
• Learning to play a musical instrument.
• Setting up a home garden.
• Personal insights from getting into amateur photography.
• How collecting stamps broadened your understanding of cultures.
• Learning a new language as a hobby.
• Lessons learned from DIY home improvement projects.
• Your experience of getting into bird watching.
• Baking your own bread.
• How practicing yoga transformed your outlook.
• Joining a book club.
• Your experience of learning to knit.
• Lessons learned from amateur astronomy.
• How a hobby of painting helped you express emotions.
• Your experience of starting a blog.

Reflective Essay Topics About Personal Experience

If you are searching for reflective paper topics related to personal experiences, don’t skip these ideas:

• Overcoming a personal challenge.
• Receiving an unexpected act of kindness.
• Facing an ethical dilemma.
• Conquering the fear of public speaking.
• Your first job interview.
• A surprise trip as a journey of self-discovery.
• Volunteering at a local charity: Behind the scenes.
• Handling a personal failure.
• A moment of profound joy.
• Experiencing cultural shock.
• Standing up against a social issue.
• A random conversation that changed your perspective.
• The journey of spiritual awakening.
• Learning to drive.
• How a personal loss influenced your outlook on life.

Topics for a Reflective Essay About Home

Home is often considered a safe haven; a place to retreat from the hustle and bustle of the world. Reflecting on your relationship with this special space can be an effective way to come to terms with your past and present experiences. Consider these reflective essay topic ideas if you want to describe meaningful things about your home:

• Growing up in a multi-generational household.
• First time home alone.
• Moving out: The journey from comfort to self-sufficiency.
• Childhood room: A sanctuary and its significance.
• Renovating your home.
• Home during holidays.
• Your experience of creating a home office.
• How setting up a kitchen garden transformed your space.
• Hosting a family reunion.
• Living in a dorm versus home.
• Your experience of maintaining a home library.
• How decorating your room reflected your personality.
• Transition from a bustling city home to a tranquil countryside abode.
• Your journey of turning a house into a home.
• Experiencing home through the eyes of a pet.

Bottom Line on Topics for Reflective Essays

Navigating the world of reflective essay topics might seem like a daunting task, but remember, the key is to choose something that you love. You're in the driver's seat, so pick a topic that stirs up memories, emotions, or thoughts worth exploring.

Remember, no experience is too small, and often, it's the simplest experiences that bring out the most profound insights. Whether it's about your home, school, or personal relationships, your reflection has the potential to turn into a compelling narrative.

In case you are wondering how to write a reflective essay  or any other type of essay , don’t forget to check our blog. From topic ideas to writing tips, we share tons of articles that will help you pass academic tasks.

Take a breather and let academic pros handle the heavy lifting! Our seasoned writers craft high-quality essays that won't break the bank. Order essay from our professionals and focus on more important matters.

Daniel Howard is an Essay Writing guru. He helps students create essays that will strike a chord with the readers.

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Life Experience Essays (Examples)

1000+ documents containing “life experience” .

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Life experience of personal care assistants in anchorage cross-cultural caring of older adults.

Life Experience of Personal Care Assistants in Anchorage: Cross-Cultural Caring of Older Adults: A Qualitative Phenomenological Study The increase in racial and ethnic diversity in the United States and specifically in Anchorage Alaska and the compelling evidence of ethnic health disparities (Smedley, Stith and Nelson, 2002) makes the incorporation of ethnogeriatric perspective into the practice of geriatric health care of critical importance. Reported are the "federally designated racial and ethnic groups…[of]…"American Indian/Alaska Native, African-American/Black, Asian-American, Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander, Hispanic/Latino-American, and white/Caucasian-American…" (McBride, 2012, p.1) Also reported are "vast differences or heterogeneity…found between and within these categories related to health beliefs and practices, access and utilization of health care, health risks, family dynamics and caregiving, decision making process and priorities, and response to interventions and changes in health care policies." (McBride & Lewis, 2004; McBride, Morioka-Douglas, & Yeo, 1996; McCabe & Cuellar, 1994; Richardson, 1996; Villa, Cuellar, & Yeo, 1993; Yeo,….

Life Experience Feel That I

I have seen older people that have seemed to go through their entire life without ever really looking inside to find out who they are. It actually makes me sad. There is so much more to life than what most people see. For me, the personal growth that most people think of is only part of the issue, however. Personal growth is often thought to be a "feel good" term that actually means very little. I believe what the term means is different for everyone. For me, it is not just about knowing 'who I am,' although that is part of it. It is also about knowing where my strengths and weaknesses are, and knowing what to do about them. The strengths that I have should be increased as much as possible, and the weaknesses that I have should be eliminated. However, a lot of weaknesses cannot actually be eliminated.….

Life Experience Professional Experiences Research Experiences and

life experience, professional experiences, research experiences and interests in multiculturalism and multicultural counseling. I was born in Hong Kong. As a child, I had traveled to many counties throughout the world such as Thailand, Malaysia, Japan and the United States, but my visits had been to mostly to popular tourist destinations. For example, in the United States, I visited Disneyland, Disney World, the World Trade Center, Sears Tower and the Statue of Liberty. Based on these trips, I had always thought that America was very similar to Hong Kong; America just had different looking people who spoke another language. My perception was also influenced by my ethnocentrism. Because Hong Kong is a very small, homogenous city, I assumed that all of America was just like New York. I later returned to America to start my undergraduate education. It was Winter 2000, when the airplane slowly descended into the Indianapolis International Airport.….

Life Experience That Has Had a Significant

life experience that has had a significant influence on my interest in research would have to be my years in school when I saw how my professors were devoted to understanding the subjects they taught. I was always very impressed by their motivation to dig deeply into their different fields and I wanted to understand the processes they went through to secure their standings. They always seemed so confident to me and full of knowledge. So that is what challenged me to want to become a researcher. One professor in particular that always stuck with me (though this may not be the best reason for wanting to pursue research) is actually a fictional character, who every young kid probably looked up to. That would be Indiana Jones, believe it or not. I loved the way he knew everything about ancient artifacts and different cultures, and I loved that he took….

Works Cited

Schensul, Stephen; Schensul, Jean. Initiating Ethnographic Research: A Mixed Methods

Approach. UK: AltaMira Press, 2013. Print.

Life Experiences and Background Shaped

Working with sports and drama required personal discipline as well as teamwork, and cooperation with others has become a hallmark of my academic and social lives. Having attended both Catholic Grammar School and Catholic High School has left indelible impressions on my psyche, by invoking in me a deep respect for the values, traditions, practices, and beliefs of my faith. Until eighth grade I was an altar server for the school chapel. When I was a freshman and sophomore I became a senior altar server. Currently I serve as a Lector for my church and will continue to be involved in the religious community throughout my life. Religion plays a vital role in the community by inspiring selfless service. However, secular service also has the potential to transform lives. My father currently sits as President of the City Council. Through him I have witnessed the power of local politics and recently….

Experiential Learning Through Life Experience

Life experience vs. classroom education Any evaluation of the type of knowledge received through "life experience" compared with that of traditional methods of learning, such as completion of college courses, must take into account what type of life experience is being considered, but almost every type of job experience can provide profound and lasting benefits for an individual. For instance, a 6-month stint as a burger jockey may not appear to be particularly valuable life experience, but any type of job - even a minimum wage job - will help young people learn a number of valuable skills and traits that will help them succeed later in life, both professionally and academically. Some of these specific benefits that are derived from experiential learning that are not, generally, gained from traditional course work include learning how to get along with co-workers, how to get to work on time, how to take and execute….

Personal Opinion Real Life Experiences Memory Is

Personal Opinion, eal Life Experiences: Memory Memory is self-sustaining and an extremely complex mechanism that allows us to store, remember and extract information that we had put in our minds at some time. Individuals build their personality based on the memories they have. It is impressive to think about how our memory is built and how it works (Myers 33). History has been the contested terrain established by a collection of individual memories. Memory is always essential in the construction of our experiences. Different authors have developed different concepts representing our memory. Our experiences are represented by a plethora of film techniques that establish different dimensions of past events. These techniques are used to show the relevance of experiences and the process by which our memory can reshape historical events Memory enables individuals to document their personal experiences, which enables them to understand the historical meaning and value of both the present….

Myers David. Psychology in everyday life: 2nd edition. New York: New World Library, 2009.

Getting to Know Yourself Finally J D Moyer

Introduction to Reading and WritingGetting to Know Yourself, FinallyDo we really know ourselves? If you were asked to define yourself, say in 100 words, would you give a true and factual account of whom you truly are? In the article titled, Getting to Know Yourself, Finally by J.D. Moyer, the author suggests a total of 7 questions that would come in handy in efforts to help one identify whom they truly are. The questions I resonated with the most are: What is your life purpose? What are my heart-driven action priorities?As the author of this thoughtful piece points out, self-knowledge comes to people at different stages in life (Moyer, 2011). I have been soul searching for my purpose in life, for years! It would be prudent to note that I've always admired and looked up to motivational speakers including, but not limited to, Dave Ramsey, Nick Vujicic, and Tony Robbins.….

Moyer, J.D. (2011). Getting to Know Yourself, Finally.  https://www.jdmoyer.com/2012/07/11/getting-to-know-yourself-finally-practices-for-active-self-knowledge/ 

Life and Death in Virginia Woolf

Virginia Woolf, the author focuses her attention on a number of scenes to bring home a central idea to her reader. Through her considerations of people, insects, and a variety of other elements Ms. Woolf considers the deeper meanings of life and the various meanings it might have for individuals and the collective of humanity. By a variety of essays that range from the death of a simple moth at a window to the complex writings of Horace Walpole, Virginia Woolf appears to contemplate the many ways in which life might make itself meaningful via death, perpetual pain, and creativity. Virginia Woolf's interpretation of death as life's ultimate purpose in its simplest form is provided in "The Death of the Moth." The author describes a moth that flies "by day," which is caught at a window. She also describes night moths as somewhat pleasantly exciting a sense of darkness, which….

Life of Worth as Seen

hile it is true that Lester's life is not worthless per se, it is important to realize that because he thinks it is and behaves as though it is, he has already given up in the sense that Morrison suggested. Lester has resigned himself to the fact that his life has reached its peak. In other words, he has placed himself into spiritual and mental sleep. At one point, he admits to Brad that he has "nothing left to lose." Here we see that Lester has all but given up because he believes that there is nothing of value left in life. In addition, Lester's life is worthless because he is not proactive. He proves Morrison's point succinctly when he lives so apathetically and selfishly. Instead of working on things with his wife, he allows himself to become distracted with a silly fantasy about Angela. He lives in a dream….

American Beauty. Dir. Sam Mendes. Perf. Kevin Spacey, Annette Benning. 1999. Videocassette. Dreamworks.

Morrison, Toni. The Bluest Eye. New York: Plume Books. 1970.

Life Span Interviews Identity in Emerging Adulthood

Identity in Emerging Adulthood Identity Title an exploration of employment selection behaviors and the link to identity development. Area of study This study considers the employment selection behaviors of emerging adults. Employment selection is a critical element of the development process. It influences and structures the ability to take care of oneself in the present and the future. However, more significantly employment is an indicator of independence and display of the ability to commit to a usually a long-term experience. Independence and commitment are skills that in adulthood can establish the way in which one lives. In this framework, employment can be viewed as one of the indicators that reflect an individual's development in these areas. This is beyond the individuals self-perception that they are not adults (Nelson et al. 2000). In the modern context, self-determination requires the individual to have some form of employment and access to legitimate forms capital not for developmental or….

Arnett, J.J. Emerging (2000). Adulthood: A Theory of Development From the Late Teens

Through the Twenties American Psychologist 55(5):469-480. DOI: 10.1037//0003-

066X.55.5.469

Nelson L.J., Padilla-Walker, L.M., Carroll J.S. Madsen, S.D. Barry, C.M. & Badger, S.

Life of Will Rogers In

In the absence of his cowboy abilities or his personality traits which were obviously the result of a certain life style, he would not have achieved success to the same extent. A third important step in the life of Rogers was represented by the film in which he starred in 1918, called "Laughing ill Hyde" and done after the homonym novel of Rex each. The film was an outstanding hit and its popularity made the producer house, Goldwyn Pictures offer him a contract. As a consequence he ended up making twelve movies in just two years. This contributed to immensely increasing his popularity. In the 20s and 30s he was basically everywhere. "Newspaper columns, books, motion pictures, radio appearances, recordings, ull Durham advertisements -- in what seemed every way imaginable, the image, voice, and words of Will Rogers were being disseminated all over the country."(Yagoda, 216) Writings such as "Never met….

Bibliography:

Rogers, W., Carter, J.C. (1991) Never met a man I didn't like. Harper Paperbacks

"Rogers, the cowboy entertainer" in virginia.edu, Retrieved November 3, 2010 from  http://xroads.virginia.edu/~UG00/3on1/cowboy/will.html

Life-Long Learning

diversity of the society in the educational settings is extremely important since it helps in opening up the minds of the students and encourages them to engage actively in their learning processes. According to the research, prejudice and bias is combatted in the educational environments when empathy development, critical thinking and the development of positive self-esteem among students is encouraged (Vandenbroeck, 2007). In this paper, we shall begin with the brief explanation of the aspects that we shall be looking with respect to the anti-bias approach towards the curriculum of social studies for the students of Grade III. Towards the end of the paper a checklist will also be provided for the school to figure out where they stand and what needs to be changed about their curriculum. Criteria for Adopting an Anti-Bias Approach In order to raise the issues of bias and diversity successfully in the classroom, the following criteria should….

Derman-Sparks, L., & Edwards, J. (2010). Anti-bias education for young children and ourselves (1st ed.). Washington, DC: National Association for the Education of Young Children.

Derman-Sparks, L. (2004). Culturally relevant anti-bias education with young children. Education Programs For Improving Intergroup Relations: Theory, Research, And Practice, 19 -- 36.

Lin, M., Lake, V., & Rice, D. (2008). Teaching anti-bias curriculum in teacher education programs: What and how. Teacher Education Quarterly, 187 -- 200.

New, R., & Cochran, M. (2007). Early childhood education (1st ed.). Westport, Conn.: Praeger Publishers.

Life Course Interview Synthesizes Personal

The entire look and feel of Kunming was different because of the way factories were developed and houses were built. People had fewer options and opportunities. In spite of the hardships that communism posed for Chan and her family, she remained strong. She never lost hope that one day she would start a new business. It was years before her dream came true, and it was not easy. The move to the United States was challenging because it made Chan feel "like a baby, starting again." She had no friends and only a few family members to help her. Gradually, though, she put together the financing for the business. She viewed it as a matter of personal pride but also as a way to leave something to her grandchildren. Chan illustrates how women can balance family and career and not succumb to the social pressures that suggest that business is….

Life of an Immigrant Explored

Jurgis is filled with grief and despair when thinks of how "they had put their very souls into their payments on that house, they had paid for it with their sweat and tears -- yes, more, with their very lifeblood. " (Sinclair). Perhaps the most dreadful of all things is Ona's death. Her death marks a brand new low for Jurgis. Personal hardship is the backdrop for Jurgis' dream. He is learning that things do not always turn out the way we expect them to turn out. Jurgis is realizing that hard work and a good heart do not always lead toward wealth and a better life. Jurgis also sees his American Dream die to the ways of socialism. As he begins to learn more about socialism, he gains a different sense of self. He is not shy about it and, in fact, he is very vocal about his beliefs.….

Sinclair. The Jungle. The Literature Network Online. Information Retrieved April 07, 2009.

I need some suggestions for beautiful mind movie essay topics. Can you offer any?

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Can you provide guidance on how to outline an essay focusing on Compare Jerry and his brother Armand in “President Cleveland, Where Are You?”

I. Introduction A. Introduce the characters of Jerry and Armand in the short story "President Cleveland, Where Are You?" B. Provide a brief summary of the story and its theme II. Jerry A. Description of Jerry's character traits 1. Kind-hearted and caring towards his brother 2. Resourceful and clever in finding solutions to their problems 3. Determined to reunite with their father III. Armand A. Description of Armand's character traits 1. Self-centered and rebellious 2. Impulsive and quick-tempered 3. Not as focused on reuniting with their father as Jerry IV. Comparison between Jerry and Armand A. Their approaches to finding President Cleveland 1.....

Need help generating essay topics related to david clay large. Can you help?

1. The Evolution of David Clay Large's Artistic Style: A Journey Through His Creative Phases - Explore the distinct phases of David Clay Large's artistic career, tracing his stylistic evolution from early figurative works to abstract expressionism and beyond. - Analyze the influences of various art movements and historical contexts on Large's changing artistic approach. - Discuss the role of experimentation, risk-taking, and self-expression in Large's artistic development. 2. The Significance of Place and Environment in David Clay Large's Work: A Reflection of His Personal and Artistic Journey - Examine the role of place and environment in shaping the imagery, themes,....

Do you have any tips for outlining an essay specifically on the subject of forming meaningful connections may enrich lives

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Top 100 Personal Experience Essay Topics for Students

Sep 1, 2021 | 0 comments

Sep 1, 2021 | Topics | 0 comments

We all have stories to share. Though many of us find it difficult to come up with topics for essays, we’ve put some thought into the matter and found that ordinary people encounter a wide range of experiences throughout their lives. We know how important essay topics are, so our goal is to help students develop captivating events or activities from which they can draw inspiration when writing about themselves from an “I” formative perspective. Students looking for a personal experience essay topic often have trouble thinking of something that they’ve had relevant to write about. Luckily we compiled some ideas below, so students will know what’s appropriate without thinking too hard on the subject matter themselves! Conclusion: there are both general or common topics and personal experiences that many people can relate with easily and start writing about immediately.

Personal Experience Essay Topics

• A personal experience of spelling competition
• Personal Experience: Culture and Language
• My Experience at a robbery scene
• Bad Hand Writing: Personal Experience
• Personal Experience as a tennis player
• My Experience As An Athlete
• My Experience of Meditation
• My Personal Experience During A War
• My personal experience during a lockdown
• Personal Experience With A Family
• My Personal Experience As An Applicant For A Scholarship
• My Journey of Personal Growth
• Personal Experience: This Rich Kid
• My Experience As a Part-time Worker
• My Experience Driving A Car
• My Personal Experience Through Counseling
• Scary Experience On The Road
• Graphics designing: My personal experience
• Personal Experience: The Seventh Grade
• Bullying at school: My personal experience
• My Experience Working For A Multinational Company
• My Experience Using An Android Device
• My Olympic Experience
• My Personal Experience of Hallucinations
• My Experience As An Outcast
• My Experience With A Movie Star
• My Experience in Dancing
• A Personal Experience during a pandemic
• A Child Of Divorce: Personal Experience
• My Experience with Writing
• My Experience During a Music Concert
• My High School Experience
• Personal Experience: My Culture Philippines
• Personal Experience in a Company: Over laboring
• Personal Experience: Sunday Worship
• My Experience As An Entrepreneur
• Sleep paralysis : A personal experience
• Gender Identity Disorder: Personal Experience
• A Personal Experience  On Patients
• Personal Experience in Raising Children
• My experience at a beach
• My Experience During a National Competition
• An International Learning Experience
• My Experience During The coronavirus Pandemic
• My Experience at an American International School
• Personal Experience: Borrowed Home
• Personal Experience as a football coach
• My Experience with Urban Sprawl
• Personal Experience: My Father Had Cancer
• Personal Experience During an Interview
• Personal Experience in a Fraternity
• Racism: Personal Experience
• Personal Experience: My Psychotic Disorder
• My Personal Experience in Volleyball Training
• My Experience in the US and Indonesia
• A personal experience of humiliation
• Past Job Experience
• My Life as a Nun: Personal Experience
• Personal Experience: Color Guard Group
• My Life as a Monk: Personal Experience
• My Experience on Microcultures
• The Wake Forest Experience I Have
• My College Experience: Reality vs. Plans
• The Power of an Impression: A Personal Experience
• Personal Experience: College Education
• My personal experience as a vacationist in Colombia
• A Personal Experience in College
• A Personal Experience with Moving
• My Air Force Experience
• My personal experience as a cowboy
• My Leadership Experience
• A Personal Tourist Experience
• A Personal Experience With Dyslexia
• A Personal Experience of life
• Love Within The Family: Personal Experience
• A personal experience of science
• My Experience As A Basketball Player
• Bipolar Disorder: A personal experience
• My Week at Bridge Builders
• My Experience With Domestic Violence
• My Experience During The Swine Flu Epidemic
• Suffering in Silence: A Personal Experience
• A Personal Experience in Fashion Industry
• Love at First Sight: My Personal Experience
• A Personal Experience of Music
• My Experience with Bad Leadership
• A Personal Experience with teaching
• Personal Experience With Health Care
• Microteaching Session: A Personal Experience
• Personal Experience: A Surprise Gift on Christmas Day
• Personal Experience Of Being A New Student In the College
• First Impressions: Personal Experience
• Terrifying Nightmare: A Personal Experience
• Foreclosures: My Family’s Experience
• Justice System: A Personal Experience
• A Personal Experience in Research Projects
• My personal experience as a worker in a pharmaceutical company
• Moving to China: Personal Experience

Get Help from the Experts with your Personal Experience Essay Topics Paper

We know that you’ve been writing these essays for a while now. You may have some good ones in your arsenal, but we also want to remind you of the importance of having fresh content on hand as well. If you need help with this process, don’t hesitate to place an order today! Our professional writers are waiting and ready to work with you one-on-one until your essay is polished and perfect. Which topics do you think will make great personal experience essay topics? Please tell us what’s going on in your life right now–we can’t wait to find out more about it!  

With a passion for education and student empowerment, I create blog content that speaks directly to the needs and interests of students. From study hacks and productivity tips to career exploration and personal development

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Shiny Essays Blog

Creative titles for essays: examples & advice.

A title is indeed the “Why” of your essay. It is a phrase that determines whether a reader will pass by or get interested in the story. These words set a tone of your piece and establish borders for the narrative.

Our writing agency Shinyessays.com specializes in all types of texts for high schools and colleges. We have seen thousands of essays, reports, case studies, etc. They all had headlines: catchy or boring, bold or standard, awesome or so-so. Thus, our authors know firsthand what a good title for an academic article or any other paper is.

We are willing to share our experience on this blog post. And we would be even more glad to come up with a title for your text. Send it to our support agents and get the best name for your opus.

Creativity is what you need most when it deals with headlines. One needs to compose a unique expression reflecting the overriding message of the whole project. Our professionals have enough experience and talent to make it captivating and informative.

A title tells a lot about the author, revealing his/her imagination, analytical abilities, a level of intelligence, etc. We want you to show the best version of your skills to professors, so our services are at your disposal.

How to come up with a good title? Ultimate guide

A title for the essay is the first phrase that is noticed by a reader. Yet, it is not the first wording that an author comes up with.

Experienced authors of Shinyessays.com often create a headline after they have finished the whole paper. Why so? It is mainly because they need to tie this heading to the text of the essay. Meantime, one of the following goals must be achieved.

Types of titles according to purposes:

• intriguing and promising,
• eye-catching,
• informative.

Your headline can contain one or even more aspects. However, the key thing is to make people read the text below the title. It is obviously worth your time and attention.

Things that work good for your titles:

• relevance to the topic of the argumentative essay,
• symbols: figures and abbreviations.

Do essays always have titles?

We suppose that every essay should have a unique headline. It is like a name for a book. People need this phrase to associate your piece with it.

Cool titles for essays are the first step to your successful essay.

Obviously, a headline must be composed correctly. You might have found numerous methods to do it, yet beware of the dubious ones.

Misconceptions concerning interesting titles for essays

• It is enough to copy the title from a given assignment

In doing so, you simply show a lack of creativeness. If you want to demonstrate a writing talent, you’d better come up with your variant.

• One is free to rewrite a title from another essay

Do not forget about the plagiarism check. In addition, your professors have already read hundreds of catchy title names for essays, and they definitely do not expect to stumble upon a duplicate.

• Why not use a creative paper title generator ?

Seriously, have you ever tried to do it? It is our understanding that such online tools can be used for inspiration only.

Professional help is the most reliable way to get a brilliant title for the text. Still, we have prepared guideline in case you want to try your hand at this stuff.

Practical tips

• Learn the requirements of your educational institution. There might be rigorous standards on its length and content.
• Study the titles of similar essays. You can look through academic papers on your subject. Thus, you will feel the style and the manner of composing headers. Trust your feelings. Try to evaluate what title is catchy and which one is boring. The best title is the one that grabs attention and “invites” to read the whole text.
• Do not write a title until the whole text is ready. It could double your efforts. Yes, you could have particular thoughts before writing a report. It is not the reason to rush to invent a heading. The thing is that a written text can be different from your intentions and images.

Short cheatsheet

• Finish your essay and revise it with fresh eyes.
• Determine the core message of your opus.
• Think about people who made you write this piece. It is not always a muse who inspires authors to create essays. Many literary works are born under the impression of some real personalities. You might devote the text to someone or address an important message to a particular audience.
• Try to compose several titles. A good heading is a matter of degree.
• Put yourself in the shoes of the readers. Would you read this text if you were a teacher?

Hints for those who are bold enough to go against rules

If your professors do not mind, use the following elements:

• provocative questions,
• brave suggestions, etc.

A secret of an intriguing title

Add a moment of surprise to your headline. Use words and phrases that highlight it:

• “unexpected,”
• “you didn’t know,”
• “dispelled myths,” etc.

The title of your essay: what should it be?

A well-considered title is half the battle. It is not only about a beautiful phrase. The thing is your headline reveals the essence of the whole research paper. It can be called “an idea” of your project, while other parts of the text are “implementation”.

Honestly, we could barely find any lessons or articles on how to write good titles for gender inequality essays. They don’t teach this stuff in detail at colleges and universities. That is why our authors have gathered materials on the Internet and from personal notes. We hope this post will be informative and helpful for you.

There exist different views on titles for essays. We consider, above all, a title as a hook for attention.

How to title an essay? 4 ways from our experts

Here is a classification based on the experience and individual feelings of our writers. It is a helpful instrument to come up with a headline fast.

1) Direct (traditional) title

We would rather call it “boring.” However, such headlines can be justified in terms of educational or academic standards.

There is nothing special in this phrase. It is concise and informative enough. That’s it. If you have strict requirements concerning academic writing, do not overdo with creativeness. No questions, games of words, citations, etc. A clear, direct title is precisely what you need in this situation. This neutral approach highlights seriousness and allegiance to rules.

Good examples:

• Documents (Charles D’Ambrosio)
• Death of the Moth (Virginia Woolf)
• Thoughts for the Times on War and Death (Sigmund Freud)
• How To Do What You Love (Paul Graham)
• Self-Reliance (Ralph Waldo Emerson)

Do not be afraid to seem banal using such wordings. Brevity is evidence for good analytical skills.

2) Titles with exaggerations

An exaggeration makes your title bright. The only thing is to stay honest while using it. One can add words: “secrets,” “dire predictions,” “terrifying mystery,” “unbelievable,” etc. Such titles will definitely make your essay stand out among others.

3) Bold titles presenting fresh views

It is a good idea to show your original insight right in the title.

• Is Pedantry the Mother of the Essay? (Ken Chen)
• The Hottest Water in Chicago: On Family, Race, Time and American Culture (Gayle Pemberton)
• Time Is the Thing a Body Moves Through (T. Fleischmann)

4) Manipulations with common phrases, a game of words and  paradoxes

Take a famous expression and change some words in it.

• The Mother Of All Questions (Rebecca Solnit,2016)

You could use something like:

• Knowledge and nothing else matters...
• Intellectual progress must go on...
• Keep calm and develop the mind...

Apparently, an academic sphere has strict rules and requirements on composing clever argumentative persuasive essay titles. Yet, if you are lucky to have some freedom, use creativeness. In case of a writer’s block, go to our live chat and order professional services from our authors .

So, a perfect title for an essay...

What is a secret formula for it? Actually, we cannot give you one right universal answer. The thing is that one should consider various factors.

• sphere (essay for blogs, for education, for science magazine),
• style of writing,
• a discipline,
• a level of seriousness,
• a target audience (reader).

We cannot judge whether a title is good or bad until we know the text below and its purpose. The rules are relative. What is good for an academic essay may be dull for a college essay on a free topic. Thus, do not forget to attach detailed instructions when ordering our writing services https://shinyessays.com/blog/online-essay-writing-at-shinyessayscom .

Creative ideas for essay titles

It happens that you have enough knowledge on how to compose a headline. You have read our tips, learned the rules that a professor gave you, and still feel a writer’s block. Indeed, it is not easy to say everything you want in one phrase.

Here are some hints to develop your imagination.

Read headlines from blogs

Some of them can inspire you to create an essay for a college paper. Check out our captivating articles , for instance.

Take this one, for example.

This title is intriguing since it tells about an outlook on students in the nearest future. Sounds curious, does it? In addition, it is rather compelling due to mentioning “experts.”

Social advertisement

As a rule, such projects are aimed to cause feelings. They are awesome sources of inspiration if  you need an emotional title. Striving to convey the main idea fully, its creators come up with “spot-on” slogans.

• This one is from the anti-anorexia advertisement:

( Source is here )

• For the homeless, every day is a struggle

(Source: https://www.treedom.net/en/blog/post/the-campaign-of-clemenger-bbdo-every-day-is-a-struggle-for-the-homeless-339 )

What do professional essayists write?

Famous authors are definitely good at titles for their literary works. Here are some popular essays:

• Why I Write (George Orwell,1946)
• A Modest Proposal (Jonathan Swift, 1729)
• Courage (JM Barrie,1922)
• Advice To Youth (Mark Twain, 1882)
• Eichmann and the Private Conscience (Martha Gellhorn, 1962)

Modern writers also often choose an essay as a preferred manner of writing. Interestingly, you can read most of their pieces online. For instance, The New Yorker has a column for essays. It can spark a thought too.

Here are the latest titles for essays from this portal:

• Love and Anger (Keith Gessen, December 23, 2019)
• Darryl Pinckney’s Intimate Study of Black History (Zadie Smith, November 26, 2019)
• Fred Moten’s Radical Critique of the Present (By David Wallace, April 30, 2018)
• What Makes an Essay American (Vinson Cunningham, May 13, 2016)
• Vivian Gornick Is Rereading Everyone, Including Herself (Alexandra Schwartz, February 3, 2020)

Helpful tip: You know, it is not even compulsory to read all these stories. You can simply review their titles and come up with a new idea.

Titles from celebrities

Do you have an idol or a hero among stars? Maybe, he/she is a good essayist too.

• The Meanings of the Selfie (James Franco)
• Matt Damon’s Marathon (Matt Damon)
• Confessions of a Juggler (Tina Fey)
• The Death of My Father (Steve Martin)
• My Medical Choice (Angelina Jolie)

​ Statuses from social media

Social media is often criticized for low-quality content and too much advertisement. This statement is quite dubious. We strongly believe that it is a matter of an individual choice. For example, their headlines and statuses can inspire you to formulate a title for a college essay.

• #Not all classrooms have 4 walls
• #Retain female talent in science

Essay title generator online or human talents?

This age of fantastic technological opportunities offers numerous online tools. A free creative scholarship essay titles generator is among them. What does it actually do? As a rule, its algorithm chooses words and phrases relevant to the topic. Probably, it has a database of catchy phrases and, thus, it combines them with your keyword.

We, on our part, believe that a manual way is still better than the automatic one. The thing is that artificial intelligence still cannot fully understand the sense of your essay, feel the mood, and reflect the tone in one phrase. Therefore, do not rely on such programs too much.

Read at your leisure:

• Best Ideas for Research Paper Topics in 2019: 100+ variants
• College Essay Writing Workshop
• Professional Essay Writing

Striving to find the best headline

The most suitable title for an essay implies one main phrase. It must focus attention on the sense of your paper, as well as engage people to keep reading the further text. In fact, it will be found somewhere at the intersection of college standards and your imagination. Enthusiastic writers of Shinyessays.com are willing to pick the best words for your headline. We can provide several options so that you could choose the finest one. Send us your draft, and we will find a superb title, or order writing services and get a ready-made paper. Give it a go today.

You might also like:

• How to Write a Great Motivation Essay Paper
• Why are Veterans Important Essay Example
• Do Video Games Cause Violence" Essay

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Essay Title Generator

Need help coming up with essay titles? Use our Essay Title Generator tool to generate creative and engaging titles for your academic papers.

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• Be Specific: Enter keywords that are relevant and specific to your essay topic. Avoid vague or general terms that may generate irrelevant or misleading titles.
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• Be Flexible: Don’t be afraid to modify or tweak the titles that you generate. You can add, remove, or change words, punctuation, or capitalization to make the titles more suitable for your essay. You can also combine or split titles to create new ones.
• Be Careful: Don’t rely solely on the good essay title generator to create your titles. You should always check the quality and relevance of the titles before using them for your essay. You should also make sure that the titles are not plagiarized or infringe on any intellectual property rights. You can use plagiarism checkers or search engines to verify the originality of the titles.

Is the essay title generator free to use?

How many times can i use the title generator tool to find a suitable topic for my essay, is my essay title unique enough to stand out from the crowd, what makes a good essay title generator, are there any common mistakes to avoid when creating essay titles, is the creative essay title generator suitable for all types of essays.

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• Knowledge Base
• The four main types of essay | Quick guide with examples

The Four Main Types of Essay | Quick Guide with Examples

Published on September 4, 2020 by Jack Caulfield . Revised on July 23, 2023.

An essay is a focused piece of writing designed to inform or persuade. There are many different types of essay, but they are often defined in four categories: argumentative, expository, narrative, and descriptive essays.

Argumentative and expository essays are focused on conveying information and making clear points, while narrative and descriptive essays are about exercising creativity and writing in an interesting way. At university level, argumentative essays are the most common type. 

In high school and college, you will also often have to write textual analysis essays, which test your skills in close reading and interpretation.

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Table of contents

Argumentative essays, expository essays, narrative essays, descriptive essays, textual analysis essays, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about types of essays.

An argumentative essay presents an extended, evidence-based argument. It requires a strong thesis statement —a clearly defined stance on your topic. Your aim is to convince the reader of your thesis using evidence (such as quotations ) and analysis.

Argumentative essays test your ability to research and present your own position on a topic. This is the most common type of essay at college level—most papers you write will involve some kind of argumentation.

The essay is divided into an introduction, body, and conclusion:

• The introduction provides your topic and thesis statement
• The body presents your evidence and arguments
• The conclusion summarizes your argument and emphasizes its importance

The example below is a paragraph from the body of an argumentative essay about the effects of the internet on education. Mouse over it to learn more.

A common frustration for teachers is students’ use of Wikipedia as a source in their writing. Its prevalence among students is not exaggerated; a survey found that the vast majority of the students surveyed used Wikipedia (Head & Eisenberg, 2010). An article in The Guardian stresses a common objection to its use: “a reliance on Wikipedia can discourage students from engaging with genuine academic writing” (Coomer, 2013). Teachers are clearly not mistaken in viewing Wikipedia usage as ubiquitous among their students; but the claim that it discourages engagement with academic sources requires further investigation. This point is treated as self-evident by many teachers, but Wikipedia itself explicitly encourages students to look into other sources. Its articles often provide references to academic publications and include warning notes where citations are missing; the site’s own guidelines for research make clear that it should be used as a starting point, emphasizing that users should always “read the references and check whether they really do support what the article says” (“Wikipedia:Researching with Wikipedia,” 2020). Indeed, for many students, Wikipedia is their first encounter with the concepts of citation and referencing. The use of Wikipedia therefore has a positive side that merits deeper consideration than it often receives.

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An expository essay provides a clear, focused explanation of a topic. It doesn’t require an original argument, just a balanced and well-organized view of the topic.

Expository essays test your familiarity with a topic and your ability to organize and convey information. They are commonly assigned at high school or in exam questions at college level.

The introduction of an expository essay states your topic and provides some general background, the body presents the details, and the conclusion summarizes the information presented.

A typical body paragraph from an expository essay about the invention of the printing press is shown below. Mouse over it to learn more.

The invention of the printing press in 1440 changed this situation dramatically. Johannes Gutenberg, who had worked as a goldsmith, used his knowledge of metals in the design of the press. He made his type from an alloy of lead, tin, and antimony, whose durability allowed for the reliable production of high-quality books. This new technology allowed texts to be reproduced and disseminated on a much larger scale than was previously possible. The Gutenberg Bible appeared in the 1450s, and a large number of printing presses sprang up across the continent in the following decades. Gutenberg’s invention rapidly transformed cultural production in Europe; among other things, it would lead to the Protestant Reformation.

A narrative essay is one that tells a story. This is usually a story about a personal experience you had, but it may also be an imaginative exploration of something you have not experienced.

Narrative essays test your ability to build up a narrative in an engaging, well-structured way. They are much more personal and creative than other kinds of academic writing . Writing a personal statement for an application requires the same skills as a narrative essay.

A narrative essay isn’t strictly divided into introduction, body, and conclusion, but it should still begin by setting up the narrative and finish by expressing the point of the story—what you learned from your experience, or why it made an impression on you.

Mouse over the example below, a short narrative essay responding to the prompt “Write about an experience where you learned something about yourself,” to explore its structure.

Since elementary school, I have always favored subjects like science and math over the humanities. My instinct was always to think of these subjects as more solid and serious than classes like English. If there was no right answer, I thought, why bother? But recently I had an experience that taught me my academic interests are more flexible than I had thought: I took my first philosophy class.

Before I entered the classroom, I was skeptical. I waited outside with the other students and wondered what exactly philosophy would involve—I really had no idea. I imagined something pretty abstract: long, stilted conversations pondering the meaning of life. But what I got was something quite different.

A young man in jeans, Mr. Jones—“but you can call me Rob”—was far from the white-haired, buttoned-up old man I had half-expected. And rather than pulling us into pedantic arguments about obscure philosophical points, Rob engaged us on our level. To talk free will, we looked at our own choices. To talk ethics, we looked at dilemmas we had faced ourselves. By the end of class, I’d discovered that questions with no right answer can turn out to be the most interesting ones.

The experience has taught me to look at things a little more “philosophically”—and not just because it was a philosophy class! I learned that if I let go of my preconceptions, I can actually get a lot out of subjects I was previously dismissive of. The class taught me—in more ways than one—to look at things with an open mind.

A descriptive essay provides a detailed sensory description of something. Like narrative essays, they allow you to be more creative than most academic writing, but they are more tightly focused than narrative essays. You might describe a specific place or object, rather than telling a whole story.

Descriptive essays test your ability to use language creatively, making striking word choices to convey a memorable picture of what you’re describing.

A descriptive essay can be quite loosely structured, though it should usually begin by introducing the object of your description and end by drawing an overall picture of it. The important thing is to use careful word choices and figurative language to create an original description of your object.

Mouse over the example below, a response to the prompt “Describe a place you love to spend time in,” to learn more about descriptive essays.

On Sunday afternoons I like to spend my time in the garden behind my house. The garden is narrow but long, a corridor of green extending from the back of the house, and I sit on a lawn chair at the far end to read and relax. I am in my small peaceful paradise: the shade of the tree, the feel of the grass on my feet, the gentle activity of the fish in the pond beside me.

My cat crosses the garden nimbly and leaps onto the fence to survey it from above. From his perch he can watch over his little kingdom and keep an eye on the neighbours. He does this until the barking of next door’s dog scares him from his post and he bolts for the cat flap to govern from the safety of the kitchen.

With that, I am left alone with the fish, whose whole world is the pond by my feet. The fish explore the pond every day as if for the first time, prodding and inspecting every stone. I sometimes feel the same about sitting here in the garden; I know the place better than anyone, but whenever I return I still feel compelled to pay attention to all its details and novelties—a new bird perched in the tree, the growth of the grass, and the movement of the insects it shelters…

Sitting out in the garden, I feel serene. I feel at home. And yet I always feel there is more to discover. The bounds of my garden may be small, but there is a whole world contained within it, and it is one I will never get tired of inhabiting.

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Though every essay type tests your writing skills, some essays also test your ability to read carefully and critically. In a textual analysis essay, you don’t just present information on a topic, but closely analyze a text to explain how it achieves certain effects.

Rhetorical analysis

A rhetorical analysis looks at a persuasive text (e.g. a speech, an essay, a political cartoon) in terms of the rhetorical devices it uses, and evaluates their effectiveness.

The goal is not to state whether you agree with the author’s argument but to look at how they have constructed it.

The introduction of a rhetorical analysis presents the text, some background information, and your thesis statement; the body comprises the analysis itself; and the conclusion wraps up your analysis of the text, emphasizing its relevance to broader concerns.

The example below is from a rhetorical analysis of Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech . Mouse over it to learn more.

King’s speech is infused with prophetic language throughout. Even before the famous “dream” part of the speech, King’s language consistently strikes a prophetic tone. He refers to the Lincoln Memorial as a “hallowed spot” and speaks of rising “from the dark and desolate valley of segregation” to “make justice a reality for all of God’s children.” The assumption of this prophetic voice constitutes the text’s strongest ethical appeal; after linking himself with political figures like Lincoln and the Founding Fathers, King’s ethos adopts a distinctly religious tone, recalling Biblical prophets and preachers of change from across history. This adds significant force to his words; standing before an audience of hundreds of thousands, he states not just what the future should be, but what it will be: “The whirlwinds of revolt will continue to shake the foundations of our nation until the bright day of justice emerges.” This warning is almost apocalyptic in tone, though it concludes with the positive image of the “bright day of justice.” The power of King’s rhetoric thus stems not only from the pathos of his vision of a brighter future, but from the ethos of the prophetic voice he adopts in expressing this vision.

Literary analysis

A literary analysis essay presents a close reading of a work of literature—e.g. a poem or novel—to explore the choices made by the author and how they help to convey the text’s theme. It is not simply a book report or a review, but an in-depth interpretation of the text.

Literary analysis looks at things like setting, characters, themes, and figurative language. The goal is to closely analyze what the author conveys and how.

The introduction of a literary analysis essay presents the text and background, and provides your thesis statement; the body consists of close readings of the text with quotations and analysis in support of your argument; and the conclusion emphasizes what your approach tells us about the text.

Mouse over the example below, the introduction to a literary analysis essay on Frankenstein , to learn more.

Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein is often read as a crude cautionary tale about the dangers of scientific advancement unrestrained by ethical considerations. In this reading, protagonist Victor Frankenstein is a stable representation of the callous ambition of modern science throughout the novel. This essay, however, argues that far from providing a stable image of the character, Shelley uses shifting narrative perspectives to portray Frankenstein in an increasingly negative light as the novel goes on. While he initially appears to be a naive but sympathetic idealist, after the creature’s narrative Frankenstein begins to resemble—even in his own telling—the thoughtlessly cruel figure the creature represents him as. This essay begins by exploring the positive portrayal of Frankenstein in the first volume, then moves on to the creature’s perception of him, and finally discusses the third volume’s narrative shift toward viewing Frankenstein as the creature views him.

If you want to know more about AI tools , college essays , or fallacies make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples or go directly to our tools!

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At high school and in composition classes at university, you’ll often be told to write a specific type of essay , but you might also just be given prompts.

Look for keywords in these prompts that suggest a certain approach: The word “explain” suggests you should write an expository essay , while the word “describe” implies a descriptive essay . An argumentative essay might be prompted with the word “assess” or “argue.”

The vast majority of essays written at university are some sort of argumentative essay . Almost all academic writing involves building up an argument, though other types of essay might be assigned in composition classes.

Essays can present arguments about all kinds of different topics. For example:

• In a literary analysis essay, you might make an argument for a specific interpretation of a text
• In a history essay, you might present an argument for the importance of a particular event
• In a politics essay, you might argue for the validity of a certain political theory

An argumentative essay tends to be a longer essay involving independent research, and aims to make an original argument about a topic. Its thesis statement makes a contentious claim that must be supported in an objective, evidence-based way.

An expository essay also aims to be objective, but it doesn’t have to make an original argument. Rather, it aims to explain something (e.g., a process or idea) in a clear, concise way. Expository essays are often shorter assignments and rely less on research.

The key difference is that a narrative essay is designed to tell a complete story, while a descriptive essay is meant to convey an intense description of a particular place, object, or concept.

Narrative and descriptive essays both allow you to write more personally and creatively than other kinds of essays , and similar writing skills can apply to both.

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The Hardships and Dreams of Asian Americans Living in Poverty

Illustrations by Jing Li

Asian Americans are often portrayed as economically and educationally successful.

In reality, about one-in-ten Asian Americans live in poverty. Asian Americans also have the most income inequality of any major racial or ethnic group in the United States.

Without closely examining the diversity of Asian American experiences, it’s easy to miss the distinct stories of Asian Americans living with economic hardship.

To understand more about this population, Pew Research Center conducted 18 focus groups in 12 languages to explore the stories and experiences of Asian Americans living in poverty.

Table of Contents

Of the 24 million Asians living in the United States, about 2.3 million live in poverty . Many are working to overcome the economic hardships they encounter and achieve their American dream. But they face challenges along the way, from Asian immigrants grappling with language barriers to U.S.-born Asians navigating pathways to success.

In February 2023, Pew Research Center conducted 18 focus groups with adult participants from 11 Asian origin groups in different regions across the U.S. These are among the most likely Asian origin groups to experience economic hardship in the U.S. Focus groups included those whose approximate family income is at or below 140%-250% of the 2022 federal poverty line, depending on their location. Accompanying these focus group findings are results from a Pew Research Center survey about the hardships and dreams of Asians living in poverty, conducted from July 2022 to January 2023.

Some common themes that focus group participants shared include day-to-day financial difficulties, assumptions by others that they do not need help because they are Asian, and the importance of financial security in achieving the American dream.

Related:   1 in 10: Redefining the Asian American Dream (Short Film)

Focus groups also reveal that Asian Americans’ experiences with economic hardship differ by whether they were born in the U.S. or outside the country. Some immigrants not only experience difficulties making ends meet, but also face challenges that come with living in a new, unfamiliar country. These include learning English, navigating daily life in a new place and finding a stable job.

Even though U.S.-born Asians grew up in this country and speak English, they talk about the challenges of understanding what it takes to succeed in America. This includes getting the “right” education, getting access to the “right” knowledge and knowing the “right” people to succeed.

The findings in this data essay reveal what participants shared about their experiences with economic hardship, overcoming challenges, and their views of the American dream and social mobility in America.

The terms Asians and Asian Americans are used interchangeably throughout this data essay to refer to those who self-identify as Asian, either alone or in combination with other races or Hispanic identity.

The terms living in poverty, living near or below the federal poverty line and living with economic hardship are used interchangeably throughout this essay to refer to adults whose family income is close to or below the 2022 federal poverty line.

• For results on Asian adults from the focus groups, this refers to adults whose approximate family income is at or below 140%-250% of the federal poverty line. Thresholds varied by focus group recruitment locations to account for differences in the cost of living.
• For results on Asian adults from the survey , this refers to adults whose approximate family income falls at or below 100% of the federal poverty line.
• For data on the total U.S. Asian population from the U.S. Census Bureau , this refers to all Asian Americans whose family income is at or below 100% of the federal poverty line.

The terms federal poverty line and poverty line are used interchangeably to refer to the federal poverty guidelines published yearly by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

The term U.S. born refers to people born in 50 U.S. states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico or other U.S. territories.

The term immigrant refers to people who were born outside the 50 U.S. states or the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico or other U.S. territories.

Asian Americans and financial struggles

Financial difficulties are part of many Asian Americans’ day-to-day lives, according to the 2022-23 survey. Asian adults were asked if they had experienced any of the following financial challenges in the past 12 months: gotten food from a food bank or a charitable organization, lost their health insurance, had problems paying for their rent or mortgage, had trouble paying for medical care for themselves or their family, had trouble paying their bills, or been unable to save money for emergencies.

“It got really bad to the point where a simple bowl of rice, we weren’t even able to afford that. So there were times where a bowl of rice would be a meal for all three meals, or we just simply did not eat.” NOLAN , FILM PARTICIPANT

The most common financial difficulty experienced is being unable to save for emergencies. More than half of Asian adults living in poverty (57%) said this had happened to them. By comparison, fewer Asian adults living above the poverty line (40%) said this.

Note: “Asian adults living in poverty” refers to survey respondents whose approximate family income is at or below 100% of the federal poverty line. Share of respondents who didn’t offer an answer or answered “no” not shown.

Source: Survey of Asian American adults conducted July 5, 2022-Jan. 27, 2023. “The Hardships and Dreams of Asian Americans Living in Poverty”

Some focus group participants shared how challenging it was for them to save because of their earnings and their family needs. Participants also talked about the urgency they feel to save for their children and retirement:

“I feel a bit helpless [about my financial situation]. … I don’t want to be in debt. I have to save money to raise my kids, but I don’t have money to save.”

–Immigrant man of Korean origin in early 30s (translated from Korean)

“[I save money] to go to Pakistan. Because I have four children … I needed five or six tickets, in case my husband traveled with us, and it required a lot of money. We used to save for one whole year, and when we were back from Pakistan, we were usually empty-handed. Then the cycle started again.”

–Immigrant woman of Pakistani origin in late 40s (translated from Urdu)

“You’re not going to work forever. No one is going to work forever. You want to have savings … for your rent [or] in case of medical bills [if] something happens. [You] might as well [save for] some trips down the while when you [can] travel still. But you’re not going to be working at 80 years old, are you?”

–U.S.-born man of Chinese origin in early 40s

“We were all four of us in one apartment, four siblings, plus the parents, so that’s six people in a house, which was very, very cramped.” SABA , FILM PARTICIPANT

Other common difficulties for Asian Americans living near or below the poverty line include having trouble paying their bills (42%), needing to get food from a food bank or a charitable organization (38%) and having problems paying their rent or mortgage (33%), the survey found. Smaller shares of Asian adults living above the poverty line say they experienced difficulties paying their bills (17%), got food from a food bank or a charity (6%) or had trouble paying their rent or mortgage (11%).

These findings were echoed in our focus groups, where participants recalled the stress and tension their families felt when things like this happened to them:

“My dad lost his car a couple of times. There was this one time where I remember it was nighttime. All of a sudden, a cop comes over to our home [with another person]. … And my dad was forced to give up his car to this stranger … because, I don’t know, he wasn’t paying off the car or something. And it was very humiliating, and my brothers wanted to get physical with that person because he was acting very arrogantly. My dad was able to eventually pay back the car and somehow get it back. But there were many times when we might not have had a roof over our heads.”

–U.S.-born man of Pakistani origin in late 20s

Asian immigrants face challenges navigating life and employment in the U.S.

Immigrant and U.S.-born Asians experience economic hardship in different ways. Asian immigrants in the focus groups discussed how a lack of English proficiency, navigating transportation and getting a good job all shape their experiences with economic hardship.

“I felt sad about life, didn’t know the language, didn’t know the roads. I had no friends, so I felt very sad.” PHONG , FILM PARTICIPANT (TRANSLATED FROM VIETNAMESE)

For example, not knowing English when they first arrived in the country created extra challenges when using local transportation systems and meeting basic daily life needs such as shopping for groceries:

“When we were very young, the most difficult thing we faced [after coming to the U.S.] was not being able to speak the language. Unless you lived in those times, you wouldn’t know. We didn’t know how to buy food. … We didn’t know the language and there was no interpreter available. … I didn’t know how to take the bus, I didn’t know where to go, or to which place they were taking me to school. When we were asked to go to the classroom, we didn’t know where to go. … There was no other way, because there was no communication.”

–Immigrant woman of Hmong origin in late 50s (translated from Hmong)

Language barriers also brought extra hurdles for Asian immigrants in the job market. Some focus group participants said it was hard to explain their skills to potential employers in English effectively, even if they had the relevant education or skills for the job and had learned English before they immigrated:

“After coming [to the U.S.], there were many problems to face, first … the language problem. We have read English … but we are not used to speaking. … We also had education … but since we can’t explain ourselves in English – what we can do, what we know … we are getting rejected [from jobs] as we cannot speak. … Another problem was that I had a child. My child was small. I could not go to work leaving him. At that time, my husband was working. He also had the same thing – he had education, but he could not get a good job because of the language. [As another participant] said, we had to work below the minimum wage.”

–Immigrant woman of Bangladeshi origin in late 30s (translated from Bengali)

Not wanting to be a burden influenced life choices of many U.S.-born participants

For many U.S.-born focus group participants, concerns about being a burden to their families shaped their childhoods and many of their life decisions:

“It’s difficult to talk to [my parents] because you grew up here and it’s just totally different from them growing up in Vietnam. … It’s the same like what [another participant] was saying, when you take off the burden to your parents, right? So I dropped out of college, just because I didn’t want them paying anymore. I just didn’t think that I was going to do or be anything in college, right? So I would rather work. So I started taking responsibility of my own and you start working really hard and you getting out of the house and helping them pay for bills.”

–U.S.-born man of Vietnamese origin in mid-40s

“My family’s struggling. Is education more important, [or] is working more important? I really felt that growing up because a lot of my friends, education – going to college and going to a techno school – wasn’t really on their radar, it wasn’t really something on their plan. I think talking to a lot of the folks and a lot of my friends during their time, they felt like they had to grow up to provide for their family or for you to find some type of income to kind of help their family. And so that really drove the direction of at least one of my friends, or a lot of my friends.”

–U.S.-born man of Hmong origin in mid-30s

Some U.S.-born focus group participants said that when reflecting on their childhoods, they could see the financial burden they had on their families in a way they did not realize as a child:

“At a certain point you become very aware of how much of a financial burden you are. You don’t ask for anything you want. Like, you don’t ask for prom. You don’t ask to join clubs. You don’t ask to go on field trips, things like that. You just know that it’s going to cause so much drain on your parents.”

–U.S.-born woman of Vietnamese origin in mid-20s

“[My parents] had like a lot of responsibilities, like … giving money back to their father, and then their sisters and brothers, helping them out back [in Pakistan]. … [My father] had to support us and then send money back constantly there. I didn’t know that until now, basically. … We would hardly see him. Maybe like on Sunday, we would see him a couple of hours. But it was on the weekdays, we would hardly see our father. He was always working.”

–U.S.-born woman of Pakistani origin in early 30s

Overcoming economic challenges

The survey found that when Asian adults living in poverty have needed help with bills, housing, food or seeking a job, about six-in-ten (61%) say they’ve turned to family or friends.

Some focus group participants mentioned that families and friends in their ethnic community were a great source of financial help. For others, the limited size of their ethnic community in the U.S. posed obstacles in obtaining assistance.

“My dad arrived in the U.S. when he was 26 years old, and I’m now 29 years old. … I have seven siblings and my parents who support me. And my parents didn’t have that, they didn’t have their parents to support them.” TANG , FILM PARTICIPANT

“It was very difficult during [my] study [at university]. … I had a scholarship, most of the part was scholarship; however, I had to pay something between $10,000 and $15,000 per semester. And I had to eat, I had to pay rent, I had to do everything. At the same time, there are many other things too, aren’t there? And there was always a stress about money. This semester is over now, how do I pay for the next? I had no clarity about what to do and not to do. In that situation, I approached those friends studying there or who came there a little earlier and were working to borrow money. … I [was] offered help by some friends and in finding a job and being helped for my needs.”

–Immigrant man of Nepalese origin in early 40s (translated from Nepali)

“We didn’t have a large Burmese community to ask for such help. It was not yet present. As we had no such community, when we had just arrived, we told close friends, got directions and went to ask for help.”

–Immigrant woman of Burmese origin in late 40s (translated from Burmese)

However, not all Asians living with economic hardship have asked for or received help. In the focus groups, participants shared why they or their families sometimes did not do so or felt hesitant. Fear of gossip and shame were mentioned multiple times:

“[I experienced financial difficulties after I first arrived in the U.S.] because I came here as a student. … It’s because I had to pay monthly rent and I paid for living expenses. I felt a little pressured when the monthly payment date approached. I had no choice but to ask my parents in Korea for money even as an adult, so I felt a sense of shame.”

–Immigrant woman of Korean origin in early 40s (translated from Korean)

“My cousin will [help me financially] without judgment. But, like, my aunt and elders – if it gets back to them [that I asked for help], it’s going to for sure come with judgment. And if I could figure it out myself, I will take the way without judgment.”

“To add on to what [another participant] said, if you go to the community [for help] or whatever, you know, by tomorrow everybody’s going to know it’s your problem.”

–U.S.-born woman of Pakistani origin in early 40s

Immigrants who came to the U.S. because of conflict are more familiar with government aid programs

Asian immigrants come to this country for a variety of reasons. In the focus groups, immigrant participants who came to the U.S. due to conflict or war in their origin countries referenced government assistance programs more often than those who came for other reasons.

This reflects a broader pattern among Asian immigrants overall: Those who came because of conflict or persecution have turned to federal, state or local governments for help with living expenses or employment more often than immigrants who came for economic or educational opportunities, according to the survey.

Focus group participants reflected on differences in the amount of government help available. Sometimes, they expressed a sense of unequal treatment:

“Vietnamese have this program where people got sponsored because of the war. So for other Asians, they feel that we are more privileged. Because from what I know, the Koreans and the Japanese, they must have money in order to come to America. As for us, we can come here through the refugee program, we can come here through the political program. They feel that we got more preferential treatment than other Asians in that regard.”

–Immigrant man of Vietnamese origin in early 40s (translated from Vietnamese)

“During the pandemic, I had to go through housing assistance and everything [to pay my rent]. Something like that with EBT [Electronic Benefits Transfer], how they send you stimulus checks. Korea doesn’t have any of that stuff.”

–U.S.-born woman of Korean origin in late 40s

“I think my community is relatively traditional. Because 20 years ago, we went straight to Chinatown fresh off the plane [after immigrating]. I still remember being in [the local] hospital, lots of social workers were there to help out, including with a medical insurance card, and applying for service, most importantly medical insurance. We all went to [the same] street. We relied on other Chinese people.”

–Immigrant man of Chinese origin in late 30s (translated from Mandarin)

Family ties contribute to increased awareness of government programs. For example, when asked how they learned about using government programs for help, some U.S.-born participants said:

“[I learned about the government programs from] my parents. I had to translate for them.”

–U.S.-born woman of Cambodian origin in mid-30s

“I was working at [a smoothie shop], and I was 17 and a half. … My college loan was like $50,000 [and I was] making $12.50 [an hour], how the hell am I supposed to be paying that month to month? Because my month-to-month was damn near $300, $500. My $12.50 an hour does not even cover for it, any of it, whatsoever. And, you know, me [having] been kicked out of home … I was living with my aunt. … I don’t want to burden her. So I had to go and ask her. She told me, ‘Hey, you should go and apply for food stamps.’”

–U.S.-born woman of Laotian origin in mid-30s

U.S.-born and immigrant focus group participants hold different views on education’s role in achieving a better future

“My friend, he started out at internship … I was too naive. I was laughing at the time, like, ‘Man you spend your time? You took buses there every day? No pay?’ … I just didn’t know the big picture behind [it]. I wish I could plan for [it] just like how they did.” PHUOC , FILM PARTICIPANT

Reflecting on what could lead to success and achieving the American dream, focus group participants who were born in or grew up in the U.S. emphasized the value of getting connected to the “right” opportunities:

“[You don’t have] to go to school to be successful. I mean, they say there are people who are book smart and just people who are street smart, you know. [As long as you] grow up and you know the right people … networking on the right people to get into things. Or, you know, the right people to do the right things to get to where you want to be in life.”

–U.S.-born man of Hmong origin in late 20s

Other participants said it would have helped if their families had a deeper understanding of how the education system prepares them for good careers:

“I feel if my parents were educated and they could have guided me in the right direction [for college] – although, they tried their best. I’m not blaming them. But, you know, if I had someone of a more academic background who knew the system … I will try my best to help my daughter out in college or help her choose what her major is going to be. [My parents couldn’t provide] that kind of help that really helped me in choosing my major. … And so I think just the background that we come from was not the best – or not having the full grasp of this system. … Versus someone who’s had parents here for multiple years, and their parents are now telling them, like, ‘Hey, this is not the right decision for you. Try doing this. This will be better in the long run.’”

–U.S.-born man of Pakistani origin in early 30s

Some also said firsthand knowledge of how to invest and how the U.S. financial system works would have helped:

“[In] the newer generation, we have access to learn all the things we need to, right? [I watch videos] that talk about, like, ‘These are the things you need to do in order to be financially successful. You need to invest your money, get into stocks,’ and stuff like that. And I know that not even 1% of my Hmong community knows anything about that stuff. … So I think we can be more financially successful, including myself, if we were to look more deeply into those things.”

–U.S.-born woman of Hmong origin in late 20s

“If you’re educated and know how, like, let’s say investments work, if you know how that’s done and then you apply it actually going through [someone] like investors or even stockbrokers, then you’ll see the fruits of your labor, or at least experience that, as opposed to not even having the knowledge or even the experience to begin with.”

–U.S.-born man of Cambodian origin in mid-30s

Some participants shared that even when they have some knowledge of financial institutions, they feel the system is working against them:

“I think systematic racism [is a barrier to achieving the American dream]. … I mean, if you own a car, you got to get the bank to approve you. … And they charge people with, like, no credit the highest fee, the most percentage, which are a lot of the folks [like] us trying to achieve the American dream. And then we go to neighborhoods that have the highest crime rate, we also have the most premiums. … And so I think that, one, we’re paying a lot more with much less … the system [was] set up well before minorities, and I think we’re pretty much going to fall behind.”

Many focus group participants also see the value of education, especially a college one, in leading toward a better future and achieving the American dream:

“[When I think of the American dream, it means] if you work hard enough, you can succeed. … You can get an education or a higher education. Then you have so many choices here and exposure to so many ideas and concepts that you wouldn’t otherwise.”

“The bachelor’s degree was important to me in the sense that I needed it so that I could apply for the jobs I wanted. … I guess it made things a bit easier.” THET , FILM PARTICIPANT (TRANSLATED FROM BURMESE)

But this sentiment resonated more with immigrant participants than those born in the U.S.:

“It is the education and the relevant knowledge I think that our Hmong people must have. We’ve been living in this country for the last 45 years. I think that to live in this country, it is very important for some people. I do not think everyone has a ‘lawyer’ or a ‘doctor’ in their house. If it happens, maybe we will reach our goal and the poverty will gradually disappear from our lives.”

–Immigrant woman of Hmong origin in mid-30s (translated from Hmong)

“I think if I obtain any degree, I would perhaps be able to do something.”

Assumptions about Asians hurt their chances of overcoming challenges

Participants shared that other people’s assumptions about Asians complicate their experience of living with economic hardship. Asians are often characterized as a “model minority” and portrayed as educationally and financially successful when compared with other groups.

Some participants shared how the assumption that all Asians are doing well hurt their ability to seek help:

“I have a daughter … she’s the only Asian in class. … Everybody tends to think, ‘She’s Asian; she’s so smart; her mommy has money. So you got to invite her to your birthday party because her mom is rich. [Her] mom will buy you a present.’ … I’m not rich, but because we’re Asian … she’s invited to all these parties.”

–U.S.-born woman of Hmong origin in early 30s

“What I can assume is that outside of our community, especially at the government level, [including] state level and central federal level here, we are missing out or not eligible for benefits. In their opinion, we are rich, no matter if we are working or not. [They may think] our stories may not be genuine. They may think we are making up a story [if we apply for benefits].”

Striving for the American dream

Freedom was a recurring theme in how focus group participants define their American dream. Two aspects were mentioned. The first was freedom from debt and stress over making ends meet, such as paying for everyday basic needs including rent and food. The second was the ability to make life choices freely without financial constraints, enabling them to live the life they aspire to.

Reaching the American dream

Half of Asians living near or below the federal poverty line say they believe they have achieved the American dream or are on their way to achieving it, the survey found. This includes 15% who say they have achieved it and 36% who say they are on their way. By comparison, among those living above the poverty line, 27% say they’ve achieved the American dream, and another 46% say they are on their way.

“Before I came to America, I had never heard of the American dream. … But because I was able to at least bring my son along, not only my life but also his education has improved significantly.” THEIN , FILM PARTICIPANT (TRANSLATED FROM BURMESE)

Among focus group participants, many were optimistic about reaching the American dream for themselves:

“[To me, the American dream is] the opportunity to come to America. I’ve learned a lot after reaching here. And I’ve been able to help my parents and relatives. Despite facing some troubles here, I’ve [provided them a] little financial assistance. I would’ve been unable to help them if I had been in Bhutan.”

–Immigrant woman of Bhutanese origin in late 40s (translated from Dzongkha)

Some participants were also hopeful that the next generation can achieve their American dream, even when they themselves are not there yet:

“When I think about the American dream, I look back at myself, because I belong to the first generation that came to this country. We all started very late. I know that this country will help you, but really it will not be easy for us. … What I think will help me to be happy is to ‘reach the American dream.’ If I can’t achieve it, then I will support my children so that they can reach the dream and I will be happy with them. I will give my children money to help them study.”

“If I can’t get [the American dream] for myself, it is okay. No matter how I am, I’ve already reached half of my life. But I’ve done as much as I can do for [my children], so my responsibility is done. If it’s their turn, I believe they will be able to do all that I couldn’t. I believe it.”

“I would like to own a home one day. And at this rate, and like many of my peers, that’s not a reachable goal right now. I don’t see it being a reachable goal for me for a very, very, very long time.” TANG , FILM PARTICIPANT

Still, the survey found that 47% of Asian adults living in poverty say the American dream is out of reach for them, higher than the share among those living above the poverty line (26%). Not all Asians living in poverty feel the same way about achieving the American dream, with U.S.-born Asians in the focus groups being less optimistic about reaching the American dream than immigrant Asians.

“In a certain era with the U.S. and the immigrants coming, the American dream [was] you come, you study, you do this, you can climb up the ladder, etc., etc. That was the big American dream. And I think there was a period where that was possible. Not any longer.”

Others also shared worries about their prospects of reaching the American dream because of different immigration histories and economic concerns such as inflation:

“I think I was conditioned to think too small to have the American dream. … Vietnamese Americans came over here at a very specific time. … There were Chinese Americans that came here like centuries ago, and they had the time to build generational wealth. We know that Vietnamese people came here in the ’70s. That’s not enough time to grow generational wealth.”

–U.S.-born woman of Vietnamese origin in late 20s

“I have kids. … They’re spoiled. … Now with inflation, houses are more expensive now [than 10, 20 years ago], right? Let’s say 20 years from now, when they buy a house, [the American dream] is going to be unachievable, you know what I mean? Like, unless they are a TikTok star or an entertainer or some kind. … [It’s] going to be tough.”

–U.S.-born man of Chinese origin in late 30s

Freedom from debt

For many participants, being debt-free is important to their vision of the American dream and promotes a life with more financial stability and independence:

“[If I could choose one dream in America, it would be to have] no debt. … When buying something, they always say, ‘Be careful, or you’ll be in debt.’ … And that is what got stuck in my throat.”

–Immigrant woman of Laotian origin in mid-30s (translated from Lao)

“[I haven’t achieved the American dream because I’m not] debt-free, you know, just trying to have extra money, instead of living paycheck to paycheck.”

“[My dream in America is] to be independent, for example, we always lived with the money of mom and dad. One is to be independent when you come here. Let me earn so much money that if I go to the store and buy something, I don’t even have to look at the price tag. That [is] my dream.”

–Immigrant woman of Nepalese origin in early 40s (translated from Nepali)

Participants shared that being debt-free also means having less stress and worry about making ends meet so that they can have extra resources and bandwidth to help their families:

“[The most important thing to achieving the American dream is] being debt-free and having real estate and income steadiness. … If you have rent income, you’re not trading in your time for money, so you have real estate. … You’re not stressing, you have time for your kids more, and your family. You’re probably a little bit happier.”

–Immigrant man of Cambodian origin in mid-20s

“The main thing is that I want to fully support my father and mother, and that I don’t have to worry about [how] I will support myself, or how I will pay my house rent. This is my number one.”

–Immigrant woman of Bangladeshi origin in late 20s (translated from Bengali)

For others, having a stable job is an important step to reaching the American dream:

“I want to have a job, and if I have a job, I’ll have money. I’m only working three and a half days a week right now, and I want to work more. I want more jobs the most, right now. I don’t need anything in America. Just a job.”

Freedom to dream

Focus group participants mentioned having the financial ability to not only meet their basic needs, but also pursue their dreams. Asians born in the U.S. mentioned the freedom to chase one’s aspirations without financial constraints more often than immigrants. Regardless of nativity, the ability to live the life they want is fundamental to many focus group participants’ definitions of the American dream:

“[When] everyone around you is immigrants and you’re all just trying to survive, the only thing you’re trained to think about is survival. But you’re not thinking about investment. Like, when you grow older and you start thinking, ‘Okay, I need to spend money to make money,’ that’s when you start thinking bigger. Yeah, I’m not just thinking about like having one home, I want 10 homes.”

“[Financial] stability is you have nothing but you could survive. [Financial] freedom is you have enough that you can do anything you want. That’s my financial freedom.”

“As it was so hard at that time … what motivated you to keep going and work so hard?” “My strength, my mindset was I wanted to earn money so that my children could have a bright future.” PHUOC AND PHONG , FILM PARTICIPANTS (TRANSLATED FROM VIETNAMESE)

The American dream, to some focus group participants, is about more than financial achievements. Finding happiness and helping others, ultimately leading them to live the life they desire, are key parts of their American dream.

“I want to thank [another participant] for saying ‘self-actualization,’ because personally I think it’s really powerful to be able to know what you want. Because then you’ll know what kind of job you want, what kind of house you want, whether you want to be in politics or not. Like, loving yourself and understanding yourself to your core, then that will be the [deciding factor].”

–Immigrant man of Cambodian origin in early 40s

“I think for me [the American dream] is that there is a house for me, with no interest, I do not owe any loan, my parents could live there comfortably, their struggle is over, and also I have enough … to be able to do something for Pakistan later [in life], God willing.”

–Immigrant woman of Pakistani origin in mid-20s (translated from Urdu)

“[Some people define success as having] lots of money, kids, cars, right? But that’s not really … what I would consider success. Success is something that – does it make you happy? … Are you happy every day going to work? Does it make you happy? When you come home, are you happy?”

About this project

Pew Research Center designed these focus groups and survey questions to better understand the experiences of Asian Americans living with economic hardship. By including participants who are among the Asian origin groups most likely to experience poverty, the focus groups aimed to capture, in their own words, their experiences and challenges in America today. The discussions in these groups may or may not resonate with all Asians living in poverty in the United States.

The project is part of a broader research portfolio studying the diverse experiences of Asians living in the U.S.

Survey and demographic analysis of Asians living in poverty

For a comprehensive examination of Asian adults’ experiences with economic hardship from Pew Research Center’s 2022-23 survey of Asian Americans, as well as a demographic analysis of the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2022 American Community Survey, read “Key facts about Asian Americans living in poverty.”

Videos throughout this data essay illustrate what focus group participants discussed. Individuals recorded in these video clips did not participate in the focus groups but were selected based on similar demographic characteristics and thematically relevant stories.

Watch the short film related to the themes in the data essay.

Methodological note

This multi-method research project examines the many facets of living with economic hardship among Asian Americans today.

The qualitative analysis is based on 18 focus groups conducted in February 2023 in 12 languages with 144 participants across four locations. Recruited participants had an approximate family income that is at or below 140%-250% of the federal poverty line, depending on the location. More information about the focus group methodology and analysis can be found in the focus group methodology .

The survey analysis included in this data essay is based on 561 Asian adults living near or below the poverty line from Pew Research Center’s 2022-23 survey of Asian Americans, the largest nationally representative survey of Asian American adults of its kind to date, conducted in six languages. For more details, refer to the survey methodology . For questions used in this analysis, refer to the topline questionnaire .

Acknowledgments

Pew Research Center is a subsidiary of The Pew Charitable Trusts, its primary funder. The Center’s Asian American portfolio was funded by The Pew Charitable Trusts, with generous support from The Asian American Foundation; Chan Zuckerberg Initiative DAF, an advised fund of the Silicon Valley Community Foundation; the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation; the Henry Luce Foundation; the Doris Duke Foundation; The Wallace H. Coulter Foundation; The Dirk and Charlene Kabcenell Foundation; The Long Family Foundation; Lu-Hebert Fund; Gee Family Foundation; Joseph Cotchett; the Julian Abdey and Sabrina Moyle Charitable Fund; and Nanci Nishimura.

We would also like to thank the Leaders Forum for its thought leadership and valuable assistance in helping make this survey possible.

The strategic communications campaign used to promote the research was made possible with generous support from the Doris Duke Foundation.

This is a collaborative effort based on the input and analysis of a number of individuals and experts at Pew Research Center and outside experts.

• In this data essay, definitions of “living near or below the poverty line” and related terms differ between survey respondents and focus group participants. Refer to the terminology box for details. ↩

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About Pew Research Center Pew Research Center is a nonpartisan fact tank that informs the public about the issues, attitudes and trends shaping the world. It conducts public opinion polling, demographic research, media content analysis and other empirical social science research. Pew Research Center does not take policy positions. It is a subsidiary of The Pew Charitable Trusts .