Students struggle to write their essays because they don't consider themselves interesting.

This only gets worse when they watch TikTok videos with opening lines like:

“I was born in prison.”

The truth is, most students don't have the kind of dramatic story that would get admission officers to tear up.

So what should they do in this case?

How can they turn their seemingly boring story into an interesting one?

The answer is simple:

Find the extraordinary in the ordinary.

Let me illustrate this with an example:

For context, the following case study is from a student who got admitted to Stanford.

His essay shares how his musical pursuits helped him grow.

Boring, I know, and that’s why I chose this example.

To most people, this is a rather ordinary essay topic until you read the first paragraph:

“Some might say it’s emasculating to have a butterfly as a spirit animal. Perhaps I should’ve gone with the dragon—my Chinese nickname—but the resourceful Viceroy butterfly Limenitis archippus created an identity too relatable to pass up.”

The student starts the essay strong by sharing some of his personality and cultural identity, in the very first paragraph.

And there’s something else the student is sharing, the theme that will connect the rest of his essay.

Can you spot it?

Let’s see another excerpt from his essay:

“I didn’t make All-State the first year I auditioned, but the emotional bond between music and me compelled me to continue. The system favored the Monarc caterpillars—wealthy children with European instruments, private instructors, and tiger parents who pushed them into practicing. However, I was just a Viceroy caterpillar unable to afford all of those privileges.”

This paragraph shares two main ideas.

1. He didn’t have the same advantages as wealthier children.

2. His emotional bond with music kept him going.

Again, nothing new or unique in any way.

But he makes it interesting, and relatable by connecting these ordinary ideas with, again, the main theme:

A metaphor of the Viceroy butterfly.

The end of his essay reads:

“... I did what I should’ve done the second I left my cocoon.

I raised my wings

And I flew.”

I chose this example because it shows how even a seemingly mundane topic like musical pursuits can be transformed into an impactful essay that wins admission.

Best of all? Any student can do this.

They just need to be brave enough to connect ideas that don't seem related at first.

Yes, it may not make sense in the beginning… But they won’t find these connections unless they try.

This is how any student can take a not-so-interesting story and turn it into a remarkable one.

That’s how they can find the extraordinary in the ordinary.

What you just read is a case study I will be sharing in my upcoming Essay Writing Workshop.

We closed enrollment last week but I realized we still have two spots available, so I’m reopening it until we fill those spots.

Here are the details in case you want to learn more:

On Sunday, July 14th, I'm hosting this Essay Writing Workshop for everyone who signed up for the Application Review Service.

The workshop will cover:

• The Dos and DON'Ts of college essays.

• How to find and use unique personal stories to grab attention.

• The anatomy of a winning essay.

• My proven techniques for coming up with an irresistible “hook”

• Live Q&A to get all questions answered.

Additionally, here’s a high-level view of what you’re getting when you sign up for Application Review:

1. Specialized 360 Application Review

2. Common App Essay Review

3. Multi-page Report

The next two people to sign up are getting a two-for-one deal.

Application Review + Essay Writing Workshop.

If your kid is applying to college this fall, I highly recommend getting one of the last two spots.

You can sign up by clicking the link below:

https://go.collegeadmissionssecrets.com/application-review

Dr. Agnia Grigas
Founder - College Admissions Secrets
Author - ‘‘How to Win the Million Dollar College Admissions Game’’

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