What NOT to Write: Common College Essay Mistakes

You know the feeling when you accidentally hit “reply all” on an email meant for one person only? Paste the wrong video link in your work channel, and publicly post your baby cousin in the pool without shorts on? Submit your final essay to your teacher without renaming the file from “BoringGarbageEssay.doc” before you send it in?

Making a mistake in a college essay is kind of like making a mistake on an important job application. It’s cringey, but it also has serious consequences. Even with new AI tools and other spell-checking software now available to help you write, certain common errors are still shockingly easy to make — but hard to look past in the review process. A great essay can help you stand out, but one riddled with mistakes unintentionally sends the wrong message.

So, how do you make sure your essay elevates your application instead of sinking it? As much as knowing what to write, you have to know what not to write. In this guide, we’ll explore the most common college essay mistakes, large and small — and how to avoid them — so your application shines for all the right reasons.

What you want to avoid…

…is a worst-case scenario. But what, exactly, does that look like? 

If we’re going to all the trouble of explaining what NOT to write in your college essays, we should also explain the context. Sometimes, our counselors say it best. 

Empowerly counselor Kyle C. tells students:

Think of it this way: If an admissions officer has two students who are exactly the same on paper (classes taken, grades, test scores, activities, etc), the essay is often the tie-breaker. The college essay can create a situation where an admissions officer feels like, “I know X student better than Y, and I have a better sense of their fit for our campus and what they might contribute here.”

Empowerly counselor David S. adds:

I always put it this way: Imagine you are an employee in an admissions office and have 50-60 applications to read in a day. It’s 2 PM. You just had lunch. You’re tired and a bit cranky. Second cup of coffee. You’ve read the same 10 essay topics over and over about sports and leadership. The last application made your eyes roll for obvious over-exaggeration. They get to your application in unideal circumstances, order, and things you cannot control as an applicant. Does this admissions officer want to fight for you? Do they feel drawn to you? Are they going to remember you? Are you going to beat the 2 PM energy crash? That’s the goal — to be interesting enough to stand out at the worst moment of an AO’s day, and to have that story stick out even after.

Convinced? Me too. Let’s get to it!

Avoid clichés and overused phrases

First things first; this is a big one. If your college essay starts with, “Ever since I was a child…” or “Winning that big game taught me the value of hard work,” you’re in risky territory. Eyes will glaze over. Admissions officers have seen thousands of essays, and when they start to blur together, it’s often because too many sound the same.

Why are clichés so tempting? They feel safe. They sound “college essay appropriate” because you’ve heard them before. But here’s the problem: clichés don’t reveal you. They reveal a version of you that’s been sanded down to fit a template, and that’s not what admissions officers want. 

The truth is, they’re looking for the real you — and that means your unique perspective, quirks, voice, and experiences, whatever that sounds like.

Examples of clichés to avoid

• The “sports injury as life lesson” story
• The “mission trip changed my life” essay
• Starting with a famous quote from Einstein, Gandhi, or your coach
• “I’ve always known I wanted to…” (especially when the essay is about a major you just discovered last year)
• Dictionary definitions (e.g., “Webster’s defines perseverance as…”)

With a little digging, you can find plenty more examples of these hackneyed topics. But here’s what it boils down to: these aren’t bad topics because sports, service, or perseverance are unworthy. They’re problematic because thousands of students use them the same way, often with generic takeaways. You can do better than that!

How to stand out instead

Focus on small, personal moments that no one else could write about. Instead of summarizing the life lessons from your championship win, maybe write about how repeatedly missing free throws taught you about patience — and how that carried over to learning guitar. Instead of starting with a quote, start with your own words and voice.

• Before (common): “Winning the state championship taught me perseverance.”
• After (revised): “Standing at the free-throw line, I realized that missing three shots in a row was teaching more about patience and courage than any win ever had.”

The best essays make admissions officers feel like they’ve met you. If they finish reading and say, “This could’ve been anyone’s essay,” it’s time to dig deeper for something uniquely yours.

Don’t lose focus and coherence

Admissions officers read hundreds of essays during application season, and an essay that feels scattered or unclear can quickly lose their attention. Not to mention, you have a strict word count, and therefore limited space — you can hardly afford to waste any! Keep your eyes on the prize here.

Create a clear narrative

A strong essay feels like it has a beginning, middle, and end. The beginning draws the reader in, the middle develops a central theme or story, and the end reflects on why it matters. Of course, it doesn’t have to be perfectly linear. But without this overall structure, your essay can feel like a series of disconnected anecdotes.

Here’s how one admissions expert at Empowerly explains it:

Think of your essay like a photo album: you want each picture to be related, not a random mix of unrelated images. A focused essay keeps your reader engaged and helps them clearly see the message you’re trying to share woven throughout.

Avoid tangets

It’s easy to want to pack everything about yourself into one essay, but less is often more. Choose one main idea and build around it. Admissions officers want depth, not a résumé in paragraph form. Make sure that every sentence supports your theme.

Ask yourself: 

• Does every sentence support my main point?
• Can a stranger summarize my main point in one sentence?
• Would someone who’s never met me understand something real about who I am?

Eliminate grammatical and spelling errors

A well-written essay signals attention to detail and respect for the admissions officer’s time. Errors — no matter how small — can make an otherwise strong essay feel rushed or careless.

Frequent typos or awkward sentences distract from your story and can raise questions about your effort. Or, you know, forgetting to change the name of the college in your essay. (Yes, it’s happened.) If you’re not careful, a missing word or misplaced comma could even change the meaning of a sentence.

Don’t skip the editing phase! At the very least, ask yourself: 

• Is my voice authentic, or am I using “application speak” (buzzwords)?
• Does it sound like me, or like I’m trying to impress?
• Are there any generic phrases I can rewrite?
• Are there any cliches, typos, or name mix-ups from another school?

Proofreading strategies:

• Read aloud: You’ll often catch missing words or confusing phrasing when you hear your essay.
• Get a second pair of eyes: Have a teacher, friend, or family member review it. A fresh perspective can spot what you’ve overlooked.
• Use tools wisely: Spell check and grammar tools are helpful, but don’t rely on them completely. They may miss context-specific errors or stylistic issues.
• Take a break before editing: Step away from your essay for a day and come back with fresh eyes. You’ll spot issues you missed before.

A professional touch

You don’t have to do this alone. If you want even more peace of mind, consider expert feedback. College essay reviewers can help ensure your grammar and overall flow support your message instead of undermining it.

Sidestep oversharing (or controversial topics for shock value)

Your essay is an intimate chance to share your personal perspective — but not every detail of your life belongs in an admissions file. Oversharing, or choosing polarizing topics without reason, can shift the focus away from your character and growth.

Finding the right balance

It’s natural to want to be authentic, but there’s a difference between being honest and sharing too much. Instead, focus on what the experience taught you or how you grew from it. You can write about meaningful challenges without detailing every painful moment, and you can show passion for an issue without alienating your reader.

Consider your audience

Admissions officers are looking to understand who you are as a student, peer, and community member. Keeping your content appropriate and thoughtful shows maturity and self-awareness — which are qualities every college values.

Steer clear of humblebrag or self-aggrandizement

It’s natural to want to impress admissions officers. After all, this is your chance to showcase your achievements and demonstrate why you’d be a great addition to their campus. But there’s a fine line between confidence and arrogance, and crossing it can leave a bad aftertaste.

How to share accomplishments the right way

Instead of centering on the achievement itself, focus on what you learned along the way. Admissions officers want to see evidence of growth and reflection, not a list of accolades.

Quick tips

• Show humility by acknowledging others’ contributions to your success.
• Share personal insights about what the experience taught you or how it shaped your future goals.
• Use honest language. Let your story speak for itself instead of overemphasizing titles or statistics.

If you’re looking for more examples, check out this video on other specific things that can undermine the impact of your essay:

Address application inconsistencies and red flags

Your college application tells a story across multiple pieces — your grades, activities, recommendations, and essays all work together to present a picture of who you are. If those pieces don’t align, admissions officers may be left with questions you don’t want them asking.

Why consistency matters

It’s always the best policy to be honest. But there are other ways inconsistency shows up, too. 

Imagine listing four years of robotics leadership on your activities sheet but writing an essay about how you’ve “never been interested in technology until now.” Or submitting a transcript with strong science and math grades while saying your real passion is English literature — without explaining the connection. These small inconsistencies can raise doubts about your clarity of goals, honesty, or self-awareness.

How to keep your story aligned

Your essay doesn’t have to repeat your résumé or activity list, but it should complement it. Use your essay to add depth or context to something already in your application, not contradict it.

• Does your essay support, rather than conflict with, your listed activities or achievements?
• Have you explained any unusual shifts, like a change in career interest or a dip in grades, in a thoughtful way?
• Does your essay align with the overall tone and message of your application?

When everything in your application works together, you present a clear and authentic picture —   one that helps admissions officers see where you’ll fit on their campus.

Are you ready to start your college essays?

If you’re wondering whether you’re ready to start drafting your college application essays now, check out our new quiz to assess your current status!

Starting on the right path

Your college essay is one of the few parts of your application that allows you to speak directly to admissions officers in your own voice. Avoiding common mistakes — like using tired clichés, wandering off-topic, oversharing personal details, or coming across as arrogant — can make the difference between an essay that blends in and one that stands out for all the right reasons.

If you’re unsure whether your essay hits the mark, don’t leave it to chance. Empowerly’s team of essay experts can help you refine your ideas, strengthen your structure, and make sure your essay supports your application narrative. Schedule a consultation today and take the stress out of essay writing—so you can submit your applications with confidence.