How To Start Your College Essay

Struggling to Start Your College Essay?

You're not alone.

One of the most common mistakes students make is trying too hard to come up with the perfect first sentence — what many people call a “college essay hook.”

You’ve probably heard that your essay needs to “grab the reader.” And if you’ve been scrolling social media, you’ve probably seen advice like:

• “Start with a crazy story.”

• “Your first line should be unforgettable.”

• “If you don’t hook them, you’ve lost them.”

It sounds urgent. But here’s what I’ve seen after working with hundreds of students on successful essays:

You don’t need a perfect hook to start writing a great college essay.

A Quick Story About Writing

Years ago, I wrote a book called Sparring With Charlie. Like most writers, I wanted the opening to be perfect. So I wrote it. Then rewrote it. Then rewrote it again.

I spent days stuck on the first paragraph. Those days turned into weeks. Nothing felt right. Eventually, I let go of the idea that I had to start at the beginning.

I wrote the rest of the book first. I figured out what the story was really about. And once I understood that, I went back and wrote the beginning. It came easily — because now, I had something to say.

What That Means for Your College Essay

Since founding College Essay Mentor, I’ve helped hundreds of students get into top schools. And here’s what I tell every one of them:

Don’t start with a hook. Start with your message.

Ask yourself:

• What do I want the reader to understand about me?

• What values or qualities do I want to show?

• What’s the takeaway I want to leave them with?

Once you know what you’re trying to say, the opening often takes care of itself. But if you try to write a “hook” before you know your message, you’re likely to get stuck.

How to Actually Start Writing Your College Essay

Here’s the practical advice I give my students:

1. Forget about the first sentence.

2. Focus on your message — the core idea you want the reader to know.

3. Write the body of your essay first.

4. Save the intro for last.

When you know what you’re saying, you’ll know how to start.