How to Begin Your University Essays (Without Staring at a Blank Page)
If you have ever opened a blank Google Doc, typed “Common App Essay,” and immediately closed your laptop, you are not alone.
Starting your university essays can feel like standing at the edge of a cliff: you know you have to jump, but it is hard to tell where to start or how to land.
At Momentum College Prep, we help students turn that initial overwhelm into a clear, confident first draft. It all begins with one simple step: knowing your story.
1. Start With Your Core Values
Before you write a single sentence, you need to know what matters most to you.
Your essay is not about trying to impress admissions officers. It is about revealing what drives you when no one is watching.
Are you guided by curiosity, empathy, creativity, or resilience?
Each of these core values can open the door to a different story that only you can tell.
👉 Take our Find Your College Essay Values Quiz to discover the themes that naturally shape your perspective.
Once you get your results, your Momentum advisor will help you connect those values to specific moments in your life. Together, you will uncover experiences that show how you think, grow, and respond to challenges.
💬 Advisor Tip: “We often start essay brainstorming sessions not by asking ‘What should I write about?’ but by asking ‘What moment taught you something about who you are?’ The essay unfolds from there.”
2. Understand Your Tone and Personality
Your writing voice should sound like you, not like an academic journal or a resume. Some students are reflective and poetic, while others are witty, bold, or analytical.
There is no right answer, but there is a right tone for you.
👉 Take our What’s Your College Essay Vibe? Personality Quiz to find out whether your essay should sound more like a Bold Advocate, a Reflective Empath, or one of our other signature essay profiles.
This quiz helps your Momentum advisor suggest structure, pacing, and even sentence style that fits your natural storytelling voice. When your essay sounds authentic, admissions officers remember you, not just your application.
3. Brainstorm Moments, Not Topics
Instead of saying “I want to write about leadership,” try recalling a moment when you truly felt like a leader. Perhaps it was when you stood up for a friend, guided a team, or made a difficult decision.
Your Momentum advisor will help you shape these micro-moments into story arcs that demonstrate growth and self-awareness.
💬 Advisor Tip: “Colleges do not want a list of achievements. They want to see how you think. A powerful essay shows how an experience changed your understanding of yourself or your world.”
4. Map Out Your Essay With the Essay Quest
Once you have found your values and tone, it is time to organize your ideas.
Momentum’s Essay Quest is a gamified Common App essay tool that walks you step by step through brainstorming, outlining, and writing, while your advisor provides feedback along the way.
Together, you will:
Identify the emotional arc of your story
Choose an engaging opening scene
Weave your values into every paragraph
End with reflection and purpose
By the time you finish, you will have a full first draft that is 100% you. It will not sound AI-generated, formulaic, or forced.
5. Remember: You Are Not Doing This Alone
Every student we work with starts exactly where you are right now: unsure what to write, but ready to try.
That is where the real growth happens.
Your Momentum advisor will guide you through every stage, from quiz results to final polish, helping you discover not only what to write about but also why your story matters.
💬 Advisor Tip: “Your college essay is not about perfection. It is about honesty and insight. We simply help you find the language for it.”
Ready to Begin?
Take the first step today:
Book your free consultation with a Momentum advisor here.
Your story is already waiting to be written. Let’s find your best beginning, together.
