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School Beautification Benefits Students - Volunteer at your school

by TransAct | Mar 28, 2017 | Volunteer Management

Would you believe it if I told you just by planning one school beautification day, the morale of the students would increase? That the school days after beautification would flow smoother and be filled with more energy? That your students would have higher levels of school pride?

It’s that simple. School beautification is a great way to do all of those things and more, bringing schools and communities together. It’s a way to create and preserve both beautiful and healthy environments where learning and camaraderie is enhanced. To put it simply, think of a student walking in on their first day of school. They are dropped off by bus or car and see the main entrance of the school building. Upon their arrival they notice a dreary, un-kept main entrance. How do you think seeing this affects them?

But what if they came in and saw a beautiful, clean, and well-kept entrance? How would they feel then? Beautiful landscaping and clean facilities push students in the right direction by giving them a wonderful space to work and grow in. They come into school knowing that they’re worth something because someone took the time to take care of a place they call home for eight or more hours of the day.

Along with encouraging students to be more involved in their school day, beautification teaches students how to be more respectful of the environment and to clean up after themselves. As the community sees how well treated their nearby school is, a sense of pride will begin to consume the community. You may see an increase in event and fundraiser attendance all because of the community and their drive to keep up the school’s appearance.

In my own experience, parents and members of the community would often rally around my school in times of school beautification by donating to fundraisers and  volunteering  themselves. More often than not, you can find a volunteer opportunity at your local school for either weekend or after-school beautification. And remember, school beautification doesn’t mean just the outside of the school. The inside of the school needs care as well. The  NEA  has an article discussing many ways to keep your school clean and students happy!

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essay about school beautification

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All rights reserved. This publication is intended for use solely by faculty, students, and staff of University of the Pacific. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, now known or later developed, including but not limited to photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the author or the publisher.

The perceived impact of campus beautification in middle school students' behavior and academic performance

Kirk S. Nicholas , University of the Pacific

Date of Award

Document type.

Dissertation - Pacific Access Restricted

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)

Educational Administration and Leadership

First Advisor

Dennis Brennan

First Committee Member

Beatrice Lingenfelter

Second Committee Member

Donald Larsen

Third Committee Member

Steve Farrar

If a school is valued, it will inspire pride of ownership among students, staff, and community members. A sustainable campus beautification effort can be a source of inspiration. The purpose of this study was to determine if campus beautification projects made a positive impact on student behavior and academic performance. This study was based on qualitative research methods. Theoretical applications compared the results of a case study involving five middle/junior high schools in Region VI of the Statewide System of School Support for the Delta/Sierra Region. Interviews measured the perceptions of one administrator and three teachers at each school site. Interview responses were coded and analyzed to discover emerging themes in the data. In general, the teachers and the administrators agreed that campus beautification projects had positively impacted student behavior and academic performance. Teachers stated that involving students in the process of improving the quality of their school environment taught pride of ownership, community spirit, and leadership skills. Students who took part in campus beautification continued to seek experiences in campus improvement. Administrators reported a positive change in student behaviors and that beautification experience benefited students from all academic levels and behavioral backgrounds. The majority of the interviewees expressed that students benefited most directly from campus beautification. Others stated that the staff was most positively affected. In either case, interviewees' overall perceptions were that campus beautification improved student behavior and academic performance. Campus beautification projects should be investigated at every school level. Projects provide a simple solution to the rising problem of aging school facilities. Schools should pursue campus beautification as a means of improving staff and student morale. District office and site administrations should support beautification efforts and allow students the opportunity to improve their campus environment. Schools should enlist parents and community members to participate in beautification projects. Recommendations for further study include the impact of beautification at the elementary and high school levels, on urban, suburban and rural schools, and into how school administrations and district administrations can best support beautification efforts.

Recommended Citation

Nicholas, Kirk S.. (2004). The perceived impact of campus beautification in middle school students' behavior and academic performance . University of the Pacific, Dissertation - Pacific Access Restricted. https://scholarlycommons.pacific.edu/uop_etds/2523

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Beautification Of School Essay

Student attitudes are shaped to some extent by the structures (facilities) through which they are mediated (Ferreira, 1995). In fact, building conditions can directly affect the attitudes of students or the attitudes of teachers and parents which in turn affect student attitudes. Pronghorns (1970) referred to physical settings and attitudes as follows: Physical settings-simple or complex-evoke complex human responses in the form of feelings, attitudes, values, expectancies, and desires, and it is in this sense as well as their known physical properties that their relationships to human experience and behavior must be understood.

P. 28) There is a body of research in the area of school facilities and their relationship to student and teacher attitudes. Stockyard and Maybe (1992) found that the quality Of a physical plant or environment is related to non- cognitive outcomes, such as better attitudes toward school. These outcomes may eventually relate to higher academic achievement. Christopher (1988) concluded that human nature makes people feel better about themselves when their surroundings are pleasant.

Students who have better attitudes usually learn more and work harder.

McCauley (1972) conducted a study investigating pupil attitudes toward their school buildings in the elementary level. He found that students housed in newer school buildings which were fully carpeted and air-conditioned showed more positive attitudes than students housed in older buildings. A study completed by Loving (1972) in Middle Georgia explored the attitudes Of elementary children who had moved from a traditional school to an open- space school. It was shown that the children were keenly aware of their school building and responded positively to bright and comfortable rounding’s.

essay about school beautification

Proficient in: Teaching

“ Very organized ,I enjoyed and Loved every bit of our professional interaction ”

In fact, these children’s attitudes were directly related to their physical surrounding. Chain (1982) compared student attitudes toward the physical environment of a school opened in 1980 and that of two older schools: one built in 1923 and the other in 1936. The main finding of this study indicated that pupils housed in a modern school building have significantly more positive attitudes toward school than do pupils housed in a much older building. Likewise, Cramer (1976) studied selected Junior High Schools in the Bibb County School District of Georgia.

School Premises Essay

He contended that pupils housed in newly renovated school facilities showed more positive attitudes. In the area of self-concept, Bowers and Burnett(1989) concluded that self- concept scores on the Piers-Harris Children’s Self-Concept Scale of students in a modern facility were significantly higher than the student scores Of those housed in an older facility. Mascot and Mint (1956) studied student attitudes in “ugly, neutral and beautiful” rooms finding significant differences corresponding to room quality in the responses (p. 466).

These researchers valued that the mean rating given by the subjects in the beautiful room was in the range defined as “energy” and “well-being” while the mean of the ratings given by subjects in both the average and ugly rooms was in the range defined as “fatigued” and “displeased” (p. 466). Furthermore, the students placed in the beautiful room expressed feelings of “comfort, pleasure, enjoyment, importance, energy and a desire to continue their activity’ (p. 466). Thus, if children have positive attitudes and look forward to attending school, it stands to reason they will do better in their classes (Christopher, 1988).

Teachers’ attitudes are also directly related to the school facility. Several studies have been conducted in the area of open-space classrooms and their effect on teacher attitudes. Lewis (1976) examined the influence of open- space classrooms and closed-space classrooms on the attitudes of teachers toward the school building. It was found that teachers housed in open-space classrooms showed more positive attitudes. Likewise, Jones (1974) concluded that teachers’ attitudes toward their students in open-space classrooms improved significantly.

Mills(1 972) agreed with Jones’ findings when he included that teachers in open-space areas exhibited behaviors that allowed greater pupil freedom and self-direction. These teachers displayed behaviors which were more permissive, supportive, warm and sympathetic toward students. As one can see, not only does the physical environment of a school affect children, teachers are also affected by the design of a school building. And so, school architects, educators and facility planners must take into consideration the impact that the design of school buildings have on student and teacher attitudes.

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Beautification Of School Essay

School Beautification Projects

Van thompson.

Students sitting on green grass in front of a school.

A school is a ready-made community gathering place where children, their families and other members of the community may hold events or discuss important political issues. The community surrounding your school deserves a beautiful and safe environment, and beautification projects may help encourage students and parents alike to participate more in your school's social and academic life.

Explore this article

  • Community Involvement
  • Making the Ugly Beautiful
  • Adding Something Useful
  • Improving School Safety

1 Community Involvement

Senior woman watering flowers.

To get the most done and have fun doing it, involve the local community. Residents at a local senior center might relish the chance to get out and paint or plant flowers, and local businesses might be willing to pitch in and help. Advertise your beautification project first, and invite businesses and charities to sponsor it. Be sure to offer an incentive -- such as an ad on the school's fence or in the school paper -- for organizations that step up to help.

2 Making the Ugly Beautiful

Male artist on ladder painting a wall.

Not everything at a school is inherently beautiful. Recycling bins, the garbage dumpster, supply closets and old fences may be utilitarian, but they're not welcoming. Turn these uninteresting staples of every school into gorgeous works of art. A mural on a trash dumpster or fence can make it come to life, and new paneling or doors on supply closets can make them key design elements rather than ugly pieces you'd rather hide.

3 Adding Something Useful

Butterfly on a leaf.

Every child is at school to learn, and adding new learning tools may help make your school more beautiful. A community garden, butterfly house, reading garden or astronomy center complete with a telescope can provide new learning opportunities while making your school more attractive. If you need something quicker, try painting portions of the school with white board or chalkboard paint. This cuts down on the stress of cleaning dirty walls, and invites children to create art in unusual places.

4 Improving School Safety

A group of students wearing gloves holding garbage bags.

Beautification projects that make your school safer kill two birds with one stone. Try a community cleanup day, then replace that old, rusty fence with something new and pretty. Create barriers between the school and the parking lot, then paint them in bright colors, or switch out old and unstable desks with newer, more attractive pieces.

About the Author

Van Thompson is an attorney and writer. A former martial arts instructor, he holds bachelor's degrees in music and computer science from Westchester University, and a juris doctor from Georgia State University. He is the recipient of numerous writing awards, including a 2009 CALI Legal Writing Award.

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Enhancing the College Experience: The Power of Campus Beautification

Well-planned campus beautification initiatives can help improve student enrollment and retention. Learn more about the benefits and spark some ideas to get started.

a beautiful campus containing well-kept buildings and landcaping

Table of contents

What is campus beautification, the goals of campus beautification, why is it important to have a beautiful campus, campus appearance and the link to enrollment, benefits of campus beautification, campus beautification ideas, using facilities management software for campus improvement.

When it comes to higher education, colleges and universities are more than educational hubs—they’re vibrant communities where students, faculty, and staff come together. While academics undoubtedly take center stage, a university’s physical environment plays a pivotal role in creating a holistic and enriching educational experience.

Campus beautification, the process of enhancing the aesthetic and functional aspects of educational institutions, has emerged as a transformative tool that goes beyond mere appearance. In fact, improving the quality of a school’s campus can have a significant impact on enrollment, student happiness, and even academic performance.

In this article, we delve into the concept of campus beautification, its significance, the impact on enrollment, and the multifaceted benefits.

Campus beautification is the deliberate and strategic effort to enhance the visual appeal and functionality of a college or university’s physical environment .

This encompasses a wide array of initiatives, from landscaping and architectural improvements to public art installations and sustainable design initiatives. The goal of campus beautification is to create an environment that not only reflects the institution’s values and identity but also fosters a sense of pride, engagement, and community among its members.

college students waiting in line for admissions

The primary goals of campus beautification extend far beyond superficial aesthetics. While improving the visual appeal is important, the broader objectives include:

  • Enhancing the student experience: The ultimate goal is to create an environment that enhances the educational journey of students. Beautified campuses provide spaces that encourage learning, personal growth, and engagement.
  • Fostering a sense of identity: The campus is a reflection of an institution’s identity and values. Beautification efforts should align with these values and help communicate the institution’s unique character.
  • Driving enrollment and retention: An attractive campus can positively influence prospective students’ decisions to enroll and can contribute to higher retention rates by creating a supportive and enjoyable learning environment.
  • Promoting sustainability: Campus beautification can integrate sustainable practices, from native landscaping to energy-efficient building designs. This not only reduces the institution’s environmental impact but also serves as a valuable educational tool for students.
  • Creating a lasting legacy: Well-executed campus beautification projects become part of the institution’s legacy. They contribute to its history and narrative, connecting past, present, and future generations.

A student’s environment greatly influences their overall college experience. A well-maintained and aesthetically pleasing campus creates a positive atmosphere that promotes learning, creativity, and collaboration. It sets the stage for memorable moments, encourages social interaction, and provides spaces for both quiet reflection and vibrant engagement.

Campus beautification communicates a commitment to excellence and demonstrates that the institution cares deeply about the well-being of its students and the quality of their education. But it goes beyond student satisfaction; a well-maintained campus has a higher chance of boosting enrollment and retention.

The correlation between campus beautification and enrollment is a noteworthy aspect that institutions cannot afford to overlook. A visually appealing campus can significantly impact a student’s decision to attend a particular college or university.

Prospective students often form their first impression of a college based on the appearance of the campus. A well-maintained and attractive environment can be the factor that sets one institution apart from another in a competitive landscape.

The condition of the campus has a direct correlation with enrollment trends. A campus that is poorly maintained, unkempt, or outdated may deter potential students. It sends a message that the institution is not invested in providing a top-notch experience and may lead students to question the quality of education they will receive.

Prospective students and their families are more likely to be drawn to a campus that showcases a sense of pride, attention to detail, and an inviting ambiance. They envision themselves as part of a community that values its surroundings, and they can more easily visualize a positive educational journey within such an environment.

1. Create a positive atmosphere

A visually appealing campus creates a positive atmosphere that fosters creativity, engagement, and a sense of belonging. Students are more likely to be motivated and inspired when surrounded by beauty and well-designed spaces.

2. Encourage community

Beautifully landscaped areas, inviting gathering spots, and public art installations encourage interaction and community building among students, faculty, and staff. These spaces serve as hubs for collaboration and socialization.

3. Make positive first impressions

The campus is often the first point of contact for prospective students and visitors. A well-maintained campus makes a lasting positive impression and can impact enrollment and support.

4. Health and well-being

Access to green spaces and well-designed environments has been shown to have positive effects on mental health and overall well-being. A beautified campus contributes to the overall wellness of its occupants.

5. Boost alumni engagement

Alumni are more likely to stay connected and give back to an institution that they feel proud of. Campus beautification fosters a strong emotional connection, leading to increased alumni engagement.

Your college or university can only benefit from campus improvements. Whether the grounds and buildings are in need of a complete overhaul or minor improvements, there’s plenty you can do to get started.

1. Lead a cleaning initiative

pressure washing a garden path

Sometimes a thorough cleaning can do wonders, especially in heavily populated areas where upkeep is a consistent challenge. Consider taking on a series of deep-cleaning projects that often get shifted to the side, like power washing walkways, clearing out overgrown brush, or scrubbing down trash receptacles.

2. Plant a garden or landscape

New greenery can work wonders to improve an outdoor space. Consider low-maintenance plants, or create a schedule that allows student groups or classes the ability to take responsibility for the garden’s maintenance. Or, let students lead the initiative like the American University in Washington D.C. Their students planted trees and shrubs throughout campus in honor of their 30th annual Campus Beautification Day.

3. Spruce up the parking lots

repainting the lines on a parking lot

These lots are often overlooked and neglected, though students and staff circulate through them hourly. Taking on a project to repaint parking spots could be a great way to start small but make a significant impact.

4. Initiate a student-led project

college students volunteer some gardening work for a campus beautification day project

Let students take ownership of a new campus improvement project. Students might work together as a group, or in a series of groups, to plan and design campus beautification projects, gain community input, and organize local support to source cost and labor.

5. Improve your admissions office

For prospective students, the admissions office is often the first impression they’ll make of your school’s campus. By making that space a positive reflection of your student body and community, you have the power to make a lasting positive impression. Franklin & Marshall College renovated their admissions office by upgrading their reception area, installing a cozy fireplace, adding interview rooms, and opening a lemonade stand when weather permits.

As colleges and universities continue to evolve, the importance of creating inspiring and beautiful campuses cannot be overstated. In the case of Franklin & Marshall College’s admissions office renovation, those changes improved the conversion rates for students touring the campus and increased student applications after tours .

At the end of the day, campus beautification goes beyond the surface level of aesthetics and plays a profound role in student life, academics, and enrollment.

When it comes to improving your campus, the first step is to develop a comprehensive facilities management plan.

FMX facilities management software can help you oversee campus operations inside and out. Whether you’re dealing with grounds and landscaping, new construction plans, or building maintenance , our software solution can help you request, record, and track all maintenance and care.

Gather data with capital planning and reporting tools to better manage your university and gain valuable insights to support future investment decisions.

Are you interested in learning more? Read more about how FMX facilities management software helps higher education institutions , or book a demo to see our product yourself.

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essay on beautification of your college campus

The Power Of Campus Aesthetics

“they’re putting in new sod again”.

Almost all of us at Boston College have grumbled about our University’s seemingly endless slate of beautification projects and “campus improvements.” There’s a light-hearted side to these complaints, and usually we don’t mean much by them. But many of us, myself included, have sometimes wondered: What is the logic behind maintaining a beautiful campus? Can we justify spending $78 million on a building like Stokes Hall at a time when the financial burden of college has become prohibitive for many? Expenditures like these can be quite difficult to reconcile with our sense of practicality.

Our school’s physical beauty is one of its most defining characteristics, and questions about this beauty are thus questions about BC itself. Others have recognized as much: critics such as The Heights ’ own Nate Fisher have tied complaints about University buildings to broader denunciations of BC’s philosophy and mission. Whether one agrees with Fisher or not, his basic assumption—that the way our campus looks has deep symbolic and almost spiritual meaning—rings true.

Symbolism matters. As rationally and spiritually oriented as we are, our lives are firmly bound to our physical surroundings. To truly grasp metaphysical realities, we need to see them embodied, to touch and feel them.  In Christianity, this truth is expressed through the mystery of Christ’s Incarnation, and is reinforced every time we experience the Eucharist: simple bread can become God Himself. The “incarnational ethos” helps explain why Christians have always seen churches and cathedrals—built from materials as mundane as stone and wood—as capable of communicating  deep spiritual realities.

The importance of symbolism doesn’t stop with churches. The places where we live, work, and study convey a message, both to us and to the world, about who we are and how we view ourselves. As Fr. Dwight Longenecker, S.J., points out , to discover what any society throughout history has valued, one needs only to find its most ornate and beautiful buildings. In today’s world, bank skyscrapers, sports stadiums, and shopping malls are often the most expensive and monumental structures we build. This speaks volumes about our civilization’s commitments, and one cannot help but feel that something in the environment we have created is out of balance.

To be sure, some of our society’s architectural and aesthetic choices are perfectly reasonable. It makes sense for a charity to allocate more money toward providing food and clothes than toward building ornate offices, and it makes more sense for a school to pay for skilled teachers than for a lavish new gym. But we need places in our society where noble enterprises are matched with inspiring physical settings. We need to be reminded, on a material level, that we are called to a higher purpose—we need soaring towers to chart paths for our spirits to follow.

So when BC builds a beautiful, new monument to the humanities, it is sending a dramatic message. It is telling society and students alike that our mission is irreplaceably important, and that we are fully committed to many more centuries of enriching the human mind and spirit. By opening an edifice like Stokes Hall, BC also extends a profound challenge to everyone who studies inside. “Live up to the calling laid out in these stones,” the University says. “Your work is so significant, so pivotal, that we created this building for you. Don’t fail in your mission, don’t let our hope in you be misplaced.” If we went to school among plain concrete buildings, overgrown gardens and mangled grass, BC would still be an inspiring place, filled with inquiry and reflection. But our higher purpose would be harder to remember. Our tenacious enterprise would sometimes feel foolish, and our confidence in the human spirit would sometimes feel inappropriate. It would be much easier to sink into the mistaken belief that our university is only a utilitarian job factory, meant simply for a hardheaded accumulation of skills.

The beauty of our school, then, is no waste. Gasson’s turrets, Bapst’s windows, Higgins’ glass roof, and Stokes’ wood paneling all function as both messages to society and as ways to strengthen our own spirits. As long as we remember that our school’s physical splendor is meant to challenge us to equally splendid intellectual and spiritual growth, the University’s investment in beauty is deeply worthwhile.

Yes, the constant rearrangement of sod, the planting and replanting of flowers, and the new staircase behind St. Mary’s can at times feel like excessive undertakings. But these highly visible and much-maligned projects make up a very small proportion of BC’s overall efforts to maintain stately buildings and grounds. The greater purpose behind the University’s commitment to aesthetics is a noble one. Grounded in a deep understanding of symbolism’s power to mold human hearts and minds, BC’s physical beauty calls us to take reflective, engaged, and energetic ownership of our education here

Featured Image by Alex Gaynor / Height Photo

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One comment on this post to “the power of campus aesthetics”.

The environment that surrounds us can lighten or deepen our mood. While I have wondered why BC spends so much money on landscaping and renovations, I have come to understand it. Our campus is beautiful. I do not want to attend a University that has old, gross, rundown buildings that are falling apart because that would be depressing. I want to attend a university that has pride in its campus like BC does. I love seeing the fresh, green grass and the newly planted flowers throughout the fall and spring. I love the amount of work that has been put into making our campus beautiful. I am proud to show my friends and family where I go to college and give them a tour of BC. Our campus reflects the message BC portrays, similar to the way our dorm room decorations show off our personalities. If you think about it, when you own a house you decorate that house to be aesthetically pleasing to your tastes. The outside must be beautiful and the perfect color and the inside must have the perfect furniture. When it all comes together the design must flow seamlessly from outside to inside and from room to room. Boston College’s campus design does exactly the same thing. Our campus is one big house. All of the outsides of the buildings flow and all of the rooms and decorations inside of the buildings match. Our campus is beautiful and while the amount of money spend on the aesthetics seems excessive, it is justified.

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4 Summer Campus Beautification Ideas for Community Colleges

Spring is upon us, which means it’s the perfect time to start thinking about revitalizing your community college campus grounds for summer. Landscaping and grounds maintenance are vital to the occupant experience on campus. For example, outdoor environments are the perfect place to study, relax, eat lunch and walk around during warm weather. In this blog, you’ll find four ways to prepare your grounds for summer and hit the ground running with landscaping.

4 Campus Beautification Ideas for Summer

1. give campus parking lots a summertime facelift..

Many community college campuses offer parking lots to students, faculty, staff and visitors as a year-round convenience. Parking lots are important, as they are one of the first things that people see when arriving to a community college campus. Unfortunately, deteriorating parking can at best be an eyesore and at worst become a safety hazard. Unrepaired cracks and potholes are tripping hazards and can cause damage to commuter vehicles.

Since many community college students and faculty will commute to campus via personal transportation, it’s important to make sure that parking lots receive proper care and maintenance throughout the year. Follow the steps within  AkitaBox’s Parking Lot Maintenance Checklist for Facility Managers  to get started.

Download Now - Parking Lot Maintenance Checklist for Facility Managers

2. Take steps to strengthen your pest management routine.

For many community college campuses, warm weather can mean increased pest activity. Many pests, including wasps, ants, mosquitoes, rodents, termites and flies, escape cold weather by hiding in mulch, under rocks and inside insulation. Since many pests can return with new vigor in spring, it’s important to take steps to prevent infestations before they occur.

The best way to mitigate infestations on a community college campus is to establish an integrated pest management program. Work with a trusted pest management provider that can aid in identification of outbreaks and spot conditions that encourage infestations, such as moist wood or stagnant pools of water. In the meantime, facilities personnel can keep pests at bay by repairing rips in window screens, moving garbage cans away from buildings, cleaning trash chutes, sealing building entry points and installing door sweeps.

3. Clear away dead or dying plant matter throughout campus.

Many plants on a community college campus will continue to bloom throughout the growing season if they are given a good start in the spring. First, identify if a plant is an annual or a perennial. Annual plants will not grow back from year to year, so it’s a good idea to remove all dead annual plant matter and put it in a pile for composting.

Perennial plants, on the other hand, will grow back from year to year, but require pruning for optimal growth. If you didn’t get the chance to prune back your perennials last fall, start by removing winter mulch and pruning plants down to the ground. Shrubby plants with woody stems must be cut back each spring, as buds will only bloom on new branches. With proper care and attention, your plant beds will be full and thriving in no time.

4. Promote plant growth with a layer of fresh mulch.

As you begin springtime and summertime gardening on campus, don’t forget to consider mulching your planting beds. Mulch comes in a variety of options and can help your plants thrive by protecting root systems, adding nutrients and slowing topsoil erosion. Neatly mulched beds can also improve the appearance of the campus landscape and control – or sometimes even kill – weeds.

If your landscaping could use new mulch, it’s best to wait until mid-to-late spring to allow the ground to warm up first. Layers of winter mulch should be pulled away gradually to prevent damage to new plant growth. Once warmer weather rolls around, lay down a relatively thin layer of mulch to allow springtime seedlings to grow through. A 1- to 2-inch layer of fine mulch should be sufficient, while coarsely cut mulch can be up to three inches deep. You can always apply additional mulch later in the summer to help plants retain moisture.

Free ebook for Community College Facility Managers

Are you a facility manager of a community college? Are you looking for new, innovative ways to boost efficiency of operations on your campus? If so, download the Guide to Higher Education Facility Management. This free ebook explores a variety of critical topics, including benefits of facilities data collection, affordable classroom furniture options, smart strategies for campus grounds maintenance and much more. Learn more about the ebook’s contents here .

What tips do you have for renewing and beautifying your campus for summer? 

Meaghan Kelly

Meaghan Kelly

Former marketing content copywriter for AkitaBox.

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The Campus Beautification Project, initiated in spring 2001, was created to help provide a solution to the excessive amount of flyers appearing on College walls, doors, and surfaces. With the assistance of student staff and volunteers, open bulletin boards are updated and maintained, and campus grounds are canvassed for wayward postings. In addition, we assist the campus community in updating and beautifying almost four hundred glass enclosed bulletin boards across the campus.

Guidelines for Posting

  • All postings must have an identifiable sponsor and contact number.
  • All student postings should be date stamped by Student Activities, 302 Student Center, prior to copying and posting to any of the bulletin boards.
  • Departments do not require date stamps on flyers
  • Commercial ads are allowable on the General Bulletin Boards only. They do not require a date stamp.
  • Keep postings (no larger than 11" x 17") limited to available space.
  • Avoid covering other printed materials.
  • Do not place any postings on college walls, entrances, grounds, etc. These will be removed.

More Information

Campus Beautification Project Coordinator Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs 2113 Boylan Hall P: 718.951.5352 E: [email protected]

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School Beautification Benefits Students - Volunteer at your school

by TransAct | Mar 28, 2017 | Volunteer Management

Would you believe it if I told you just by planning one school beautification day, the morale of the students would increase? That the school days after beautification would flow smoother and be filled with more energy? That your students would have higher levels of school pride?

It’s that simple. School beautification is a great way to do all of those things and more, bringing schools and communities together. It’s a way to create and preserve both beautiful and healthy environments where learning and camaraderie is enhanced. To put it simply, think of a student walking in on their first day of school. They are dropped off by bus or car and see the main entrance of the school building. Upon their arrival they notice a dreary, un-kept main entrance. How do you think seeing this affects them?

But what if they came in and saw a beautiful, clean, and well-kept entrance? How would they feel then? Beautiful landscaping and clean facilities push students in the right direction by giving them a wonderful space to work and grow in. They come into school knowing that they’re worth something because someone took the time to take care of a place they call home for eight or more hours of the day.

Along with encouraging students to be more involved in their school day, beautification teaches students how to be more respectful of the environment and to clean up after themselves. As the community sees how well treated their nearby school is, a sense of pride will begin to consume the community. You may see an increase in event and fundraiser attendance all because of the community and their drive to keep up the school’s appearance.

In my own experience, parents and members of the community would often rally around my school in times of school beautification by donating to fundraisers and  volunteering  themselves. More often than not, you can find a volunteer opportunity at your local school for either weekend or after-school beautification. And remember, school beautification doesn’t mean just the outside of the school. The inside of the school needs care as well. The  NEA  has an article discussing many ways to keep your school clean and students happy!

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essay on beautification of your college campus

Institute for Christian Teaching

Education Department of Seventh-day Adventists

CAMPUS BEAUTIFICATION:

A FACTOR IN INTEGRATION OF FAITH AND LEARNING

Larry W. Boughman

Adventist International Institute of Advanced Studies

School of Graduate Studies

Department of Education

Silang, Cavite, Phippines

Prepared for the

International Faith and Learning Seminar

Newbold College, Binfield, Bracknell, Berks, England

190-94 Institute for Christian Teaching

12501 Old Columbia Pike

Silver Spring, MD 20904 USA

INTRODUCTION

The principal thesis of this proposal asserts the need in Christian education for an integrational approach of campus beautification as it relates to the spiritual atmosphere and setting of the campus.

The historical development of campus beautification in colleges and other educational institutions can be traced to the very beginning of formal education.   Some colleges and universities considered it a very important part of the total plan, others did not.   Nevertheless, landscape design has proved itself to be of extreme value to the educational institution (Jellico, 1966).

Of all the arts, none takes so long to come to maturity, and none is so liable to deterioration and destruction as landscape design.   However, it is one of the great arts, and this study is directed towards an exploration of this art and how it relates to the spiritual component of educational institutions.

From a historical viewpoint, right after the Garden of Eden, beautiful settings were not made but discovered-here, a clearing in the forest, there a valley enclosed by mountains, or elsewhere an island surrounded by blue and green water.   In the oldest available accounts, such sports were natural, they just happened, and no work was needed to keep the places in order.   Such settings often had names that indicated its location: grove, park, garden, wilderness, and meadow.   When humans could find such places, they felt different because of the atmosphere surrounding them.   Many chose to live in such areas because of the beauty they provided (Thacker, 1979).

Given this natural bent of most of human, it is not too surprising to note that as people have developed schools and universities through the centuries, they have become more and more aware of the values of surrounding these places of learning with beauty.

Ancient Beauty Spots

The word "academies" refers to the grove of trees planted in honor of Academus in fourth-century-B.C. Greece.   Here, Plato and Socrates, sheltered from the relentless Greek sun in the cool of the shade of an olive tree, met with other inquisitive minds to discuss the nature of existence (State University of New York, 1988).

There are many references to outdoor schools in antiquity.   For instance, the Old Testament records the groves dedicated to Baal, which were destroyed by the Israelites.   History note that the Roman, upon arrival in Britain, remarked on the groves used by the Druids for study.   Outside the walls of Athens are the groves of the Academy (an enclosure scattered with tombs and monuments)–one of the earliest places of study.   This natural, untended quality of the grove reappears throughout the centuries and seems to mark the landscape as the natural side of art (Thacker, 1979).

Medieval Development

Gardens, or landscaping within the context of the academic setting of medieval times, first came about with Oxford and Cambridge colleges, where gardens and special landscaped areas were made within the quadrangle.

During the medieval period, the quadrangle evolved into the English "collegiate" system initiated at Oxford and Cambridge.   Here, one notes the development of a community of specialized buildings for living, learning, and worshiping all enclosed in a common courtyard known as courts (State University of New York, 1988).

Batey (1989), commented on the gardens of Oxford and Cambridge, and pointed out that the gardens often were the inspiration needed for developing the intellect.    She stated that records revealed accounts promotion the necessity of the garden of foster excellence of training.   Professors and students spent long hours sitting in the gardens contemplating and meditating.   The gardens were considered a source of inspiration and as part and parcel of the philosophy of simplicity and excellence for the students as well as the professors.   She maintained that the gardens were regarded as essential, in fact, more necessary to the colleges than good professors.

Batey continued by saying the designs of the gardens similar to those of Oxford and Cambridge were not easily developed.   Several groups had to be satisfied: Professors were consulted and each had his own idea, the supporters of the theatrical society had their ideas, and then advocates of a natural setting gave their input.

The 18 th Century

By the second half of the 18 th century, few colleges in England had any concept of campus design.   Lancelot Brown (1716-1783) developed many sites with the "capability idea."   He said that each site had capabilities, and in his mind, he would develop those capabilities for each particular site.   It was as if the were inspired for each site in relation to its capabilities.   Brown, through simple, open design, would develop the "spirit of the place."   For this reason, he became known as the great landscape artist of his day (Thacker, 1979).

Often, a mound or small hill, either in the middle or more often to one side against the wall, served as a vantage point from which the attractions of the landscape might be seen.   Although few of these mounts (mounds) have survived, the mounts in the gardens of Oxford and Cambridge colleges have been partially preserved within the design concept (Thacker, 1979).

Later, at Hohenheim, near Stuttgart, Germany, Herzog Eugen von Wuerttemburg (1737-1793) worked to develop a unique landscape concept for Hohenheim University by constructing the campus over the ruins of an ancient city.   Here and there, fragments of the wall, tower, or archway were allowed to protrude from the greenery, given a unique statement and preserving the appearance of a subsequent settlement.   It was these European models, in which the university is conceived of as a community, which provided inspiration for the American campus.

American Campus Development

Landscape architecture in America has a relatively short history compared to that of Europe, yet Americans have become increasingly aware of the need to provide and preserve significant landscapes for future generations.   Some of the first gardens and landscapes of America where associated with important persons such as George Washington and Thomas Jefferson.   Other landscapes of early importance surrounded such places as the capitol buildings and governors' palaces (Turner, 1989).

Colonial Period

In the early days of education, little regard was given to the development of the landscape around the school.   The first type of secondary school in the colonies was the Latin Grammar School, established in Boston in 1635.   It was, of course, a replica of similar schools in England.   Toward the end of the Colonial Period, men like Benjamin Franklin began to see the need for a new type of education to meet the need of society.   By the close of the 19 th century, the American public had endorsed a free, tax-supported public-school system that would help provide the type of setting necessary for optimum learning (Callahan & Clark, 1977).

Yale University, founded in 1701, was one of the first to be concerned with campus beautification.   By 1782, the school had grown so much that the original buildings were removed to make way for College Row, an alternating pattern of dormitories and meeting halls that established a nearly continuous wall along the street.   Under the influence of John Trumbull, the informal aesthetic adviser, College Row became the first example of an American campus deliberately planned to meet both functional and aesthetic criteria.   The red brick dormitories and classrooms had small, symmetrical yards along College Street, bordered by a low wood fence.   In the back, beyond the privies, Trumbull planted a picturesque English garden.   Most campuses during this time were located in what was viewed as the virtuous countryside, detached from the temptations of the city (Stern, 1986).

In 1770, the term "campus landscape" was first used to refer to the surroundings of Princeton University.   However, that term contains some redundancy.   The Latin word "campus" means a field, often scattered with trees.   Thus, campus literally means landscape (State University of New York, 1988).

The Jeffersonian Concept

Thomas Jefferson pioneered a new type of school tooted in a humanist conception of society.   By background and vocation a countryman, Jefferson expressed throughout his life a strong aversion to the city and a preference for a rural way of living.   "Those who labor in the earth," he wrote, "are chosen people of God, if ever He had a chosen people."   Wherever Jefferson was, he tried to make the surroundings more beautiful (Jackson, 1970).

Acting as both educator and architect, Jefferson brought a new kind of school into being.   He called it his "Academical Village," and his idea was to get the school out of the bustle, temptations, and conflicts of the city.   When Jefferson founded the University of Virginia in 1817, he located it a mile outside the barely settled village of Charlottesville.

Jefferson seemed to have an interest in the setting when he stated:

It is infinitely better to erect a small and separate lodge for each professorship, with only a hall below for his class, two chambers above for himself, joining these lodges with a covered way to give a dry communication between all the schools the whole of these arranged around an open square of grass and trees. (Stern, 1986, p. 121).

The Development of the 19 th Century

In 1853, the first village improvement association was founded in Stockbridge, Massachusetts.   "Improvement" meant beautifying the common, the cemetery, and the roads leading into town.   The example spread rapidly, and one village after another undertook to adorn its various public areas including the campus of the local college or seminary with greenery (Jackson, 1970).

A New Awareness of Landscaping

By the 19 th century, the landscape concept design began to turn away from the natural place, from developing the capabilities of the site, and started to add artificial elements.   Humphry Repton (1752-1818) introduced such things as the fountain, the greenhouse, flowerbeds, a terrace, or a drive to soften the natural designs typical of those used during the 17 th century.   By the late 19 th century, some campus designers started to use design concept from the beginning when planning a new campus, but for the most part, the idea of campus beautification was new and was incorporated at only a few institutions.

A New Wave of College Founding

The second phase of college founding in the United States, starting before and continuing through the Civil War, extended the colonial aesthetics of greens to include tree-lined walkways, buildings, and plantings.   These aspects of campus beatification were incorporated into the design of Bowdoin in Maine, Dickinson in Pennsylvania, Davidson in North Carolina, and Wittenberg in Ohio.   An outstanding example, founded in 1837, is Mount Holyoke College in Massachusetts with more than 800 acres that include four open quadrangles overlooking a small lake and, beyond the Prospect Hills, woodlands, trails, paths, and a wildlife sanctuary.

One carry-over from Jefferson's concept can be seen in the locating of the U.S. Navel Academy.   Stern (1986) remarked that, in 1845, the U.S. Naval Academy was established at Fort Severn in Annapolis rather than at the Naval Asylum in Philadelphia, reputedly on the decision of Secretary of the Navy, George Bancroft. A university man, Bancroft was convinced that a campus should be designed at a "healthy and secluded" site away from the "temptations and distractions" that necessary connect with a large and populous city.

Such examples in campus development were still relatively rare.   American schools made very little progress in the area of campus beautification.   They were simply places where students came to learn from the teacher.   Little thought was given to the appearance of the buildings and grounds, which were officially described in 1844 in New York as "naked and deformed" (Knight, 1951).

Concerns of the 20 th Century

In the United States there are more than 3,300 campuses of higher education.   For the most part these are pleasant places to visit.   The landscape architect's work is visible from coast to coast, from Stanford to Amherst College with its hill top location. An extraordinary range in campus type, extent, and use of landscape reflects the climate and acreage available and speaks of cultural values.   America's first colleges, Harvard, Yale, and Brown, each more than two centuries old, began with modest yards and greens, as did Dartmouth and Princeton.   The landscapes of Harvard, Yale, and Brown evolved, though constrained by limited and ownership; Princeton and Dartmouth were extended generously into their rural surroundings.

Recognition of preservation of important historical sites began to grow in the 1930s.   This new commitment to protect tout ensemble– the sum of the buildings and open spaces–rather than just individual structures also moved to preserve the landscape of educational institutions.   Now, landscapes are considered important on their own merits, rather than principally in association with a famous person or building (Turner, 1989).

Landscapes to Create a Sense of Place

Distinctive landscapes help create a sense of place: the informality of the original Radcliffe Quadrangle versus the mannerly sculptured garden of the University of California.   The enchanting Sarah Duke rose gardens at Duke University (1838) provide tranquil enclaves for quietness and meditation near the busy central campus.

Different types of trees and a variety of ground cover proclaim regional differences.   Simson College (1860) was laid out to look like an urban park, a nice gesture amid prairie and farmland.   The University of Miami campus (1925) is wrapped around a palm-rimmed artificial lake. All campuses are truly pedestrian precincts, which provide special opportunities to their inhabitants to experience the intertwining of architecture and landscape for aesthetic enjoyment (Dober, 1989).

The rise of the modern university brought about formal designs inspired by romantic interpretations of Gothic, Georgian, and classical architecture.   Monumental enclosed quadrangles can be found at Ohio State University (1870), the University of Chicago (1891), and Southern Methodist University (1910).   Typically, the concept includes a visually commanding building and open spaces.

The Emergence of an Adventist School System

During the latter part of the 19 th century, while the American public-school system was emerging, the Seventh-day Adventist denomination was beginning to develop its own educational system.   In 1872, the first official Seventh-day Adventist school was established.   It was housed in a little frame building, 20 by 30 feet on Washington Street in Battle Creek, Michigan (Spalding, 1962).

Since that early beginning in 1872, the Seventh-day Adventist Church has developed a worldwide educational system.   In this system, there are universities, colleges, academies, and elementary schools. Many of these institutions have developed beautiful campuses, but unfortunately many have not due to lack of funds or lack of vision.

A Need for a vision

A vision is needed to develop a campus, which will bring a sense of place for Christian worship and fellowship.   This vision may come from a number of individuals.   It need not come from someone in administration, but his would streamline the process if this were the case.   There are several major factors that need to be considered before a project of this nature is undertaken.   The first and most obvious factor is the vision.   Someone is needed who is skilled in campus beautification who has the ability to take a campus from its present state to a sate of development which will include the elements needed to produce the desired effect.   In this case a campus, which will inspire students and faculty alike not only to perform better academically but also ultimately be drawn closer to God.

There are two basic ways of going about this.   The first one is to hire a landscape architect who understands the vision and is willing to develop it into a set of drawings.   The next step would be to implement these plans as funds become available. This is usually quite expensive but does speed things up considerably. The other alternative is to fine someone within the church or college with the necessary skills to oversee the development of the project.   This would eliminate the need for an architect, but would place the vision in jeopardy because it would be dependent on the successful implementation and completion by one person.   The danger here is losing the original vision because it is not part of a landscape master plan or the possibility of the person moving before the job is complete. It should be noted that a landscape master plan is important to the fulfillment of the vision.

The next factor, which should be mentioned, is the financial element.   The beautification of a campus is certainly a positive selling point for most, but also to maintain.   If funds are not available or if the administration is not willing to make them available for beautification, the next alternative is to find finds from other sources.   Usually there is no problem with the idea of campus beautification it is with the financing.   There are several approaches one can take.   There could be a fund raising drive from the faculty, students, and local community.   There could be grants from various organizations or there could be donations and bequeathments for memorial gardens.   If the vision is presented in a appropriate way the funds can be generated.

Integration of Faith and Learning and the Campus

There are several ways in which faith can be woven into the beautification of the campus. Everything in nature is of God. The first book in the Bible says that it was God who created the earth.   In fact, he created the whole universe. He brought into being everything that is in the sky and on the earth and in the sea.

Then he commanded, "Let the earth produce all kinds of plants, those that bear grain and those that bear fruit" – and it was done. So the earth produced all kinds of plants, and God was pleased with what he saw. Genesis 1:11-12.

It is He who made the flowers and who gave to the sparrow its song who says, "Consider the lilies," "Behold the birds." p.95.   In the loveliness of the things of nature we may learn more of the wisdom of God than the schoolmen know.   On the lily's petals, God has written a message for us, written in language that we can read only as it unlearns the lessons of distrust and selfishness.   He has given us the singing birds and the gentle blossom to brighten and gladden our path in life.   He has filled earth and air and sky with glimpses of beauty to tell us of His loving thought for us.   He has surrounded us with beauty to make life bright and joyous and beautiful with the love of Christ-like the flowers, to gladden other lives by the ministry of love (White, 1956).

God cares about the way we treat the earth and everything in it. We have the ability and responsibility to protect nature and in doing strengthen our relationship with him.   As Christians, we have a God-given mandate to care for the earth.   God told Adam and Eve "have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over every living thing that lives upon the face of the earth." God did not give this dominion so humanity could plunder the earth's resources.   Rather, He intended that humans be stewards, to keep and protect the earth.

As Seventh-day Adventist educators this mandate should be taken to its fullest potential.   We could make our campuses the most beautiful places on earth if we are willing. We could leave areas of the campus in a natural state for the study of animals and water life. We could plant trees, shrubs, and flowers in an attractive manner, which will draw us closer to God.

The entrance to the campuses should be well designed, making a statement to all who come onto the campus that we care about the earth and the image we want to portray. The lighting, the side walks, the streets and grounds could reflect a careful thought out plan bringing symmetry and beauty to the campus.

Creating a sense of Place

Creating a sense of place is one of the best ways to bring into reality the idea of integration of faith and learning. The campus could be divided into sections, which would be developed according to its location and its relationship with other sections. We might think of it as a big house with many rooms and each of the sections a room. In one large room could be the academic area, perhaps around a quadrangle. The grounds within this quadrangle crisscrossed with sidewalks and along these sidewalks ornamental trees, flowers, and shrubs.

In another large room could be located the faculty homes, each one unique and landscaped according to the individual taste of each occupant, but each one reflecting their love of nature and beauty.

In a smaller room could be the entrance to the campus, beautifully landscaped and well maintained, reflecting the statement, which would be interpreted by all who come to the campus.

In another room, which may be large or small is an area that is left natural, with the grass tall and the trees untrimmed. In this room could be found animals and birds and insects and if there is a stream, many kinds of water creatures to be observed and studied.

In another room there could be gardens with fountains, benches, trees, shrubs, flowers, paths, and manmade structures to support the climbing flowers and shrubs creating an area of special interest and which could be used for weddings and special occasions.

In another room, a special room, a room dedicated to meeting God, a wall of natural stone around outside in an informal manner, surrounded by trees and shrubs and flowers. Inside, a water fall and stream with fish and a fountain which creates a pleasing sound, for there is nothing like the sound of falling water to soothe the soul.   Benches placed along the inside walls for sitting and kneeling for private prayer and meditation.   Quite, soft, instrumental music softly in the background helping to create the sense of space.   Special lighting at night could transform into a place of beauty unlike the day, drawing students, faculty, and members of the community to sit, listen, forget about the struggles of the day and be drawn to God.

THE BEAUTIFUL GARDEN OF PRAYER

There's a garden where Jesus is waiting, There's a place that

is wondrously fair; For it glows with the light of His

presence, Tis the beautiful garden of prayer.

There's a garden where Jesus is waiting,

And I go with my burden and care, Just to heart from lips words of

comfort, In the beautiful garden of prayer.

And He bids you to come meet Him there, Just to bow and receive

a new blessing, In the beautiful garden of prayer (Scroll, 1920).

The areas of the campus, which would be used to meditate and pray, would be special.   Therefore, it would depend upon the size and site layout as to how many may be needed.   By careful planning, the entire campus can be beautified in such a way as to bring a feeling of inspiration to the students and faculty.

Throughout history man has longed to be surrounded by beauty.   The idea of surrounding an educational facility with beauty to attract students and to inspire students and faculty is not a new idea, but one that has not been wide spread.   The thesis of developing a landscape to create a sense of place has developed fairly recently and the premise of developing certain aspects of a campus to deliberately enhance ones spiritual relationship is new.   Using the campus as a factor in integrating faith with learning is intended to use another dimension in bringing humankind into a closer walk with the creator.

Each campus is different and located in different geographical and climatic regions.   These ideas are not complete but are intended to spark an interest in this supposition and hopefully SDA campuses around the world will create such places which reflect our love for Christ because: "Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him." 1Cor. 2:9.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Balmori, Diana. (1985).   Beatrix Farrand's American Landscapes: Her gardens and campuses .   Dexter, Michigan: Thomson-Shore

Batey, Mavis. (1989).   The historic gardens of Oxford & Cambridge .   London: Macmillan.

Brewster, Sam F. (1976). Campus planning and construction .   Washington, D.C.: Association of Physical Plant Administrators.

Brown, Art. (1983).   Campus beautification and school gardening .   Lincoln, Nebraska: Department of Education for Mid-America Conference of Seventh-day Adventist

Carnegie Foundation, (1986, January/February).   How do students choose a college?   Change pp. 29-32.

Castaldi, Basil. (1969). Creative planning of educational facilities .   Boston: Allyn and Bacon.

Conner, Jerry.   (1986, February).   Landscaping, southern style.   American School and University , pp. 15-18.

David, Thomas G., & Wright, Benjamin D. (1975).   Learning environments .   Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

DiGeronimo, Joe, & Gustafson, George A. (1985, February).   Good looks.   American Schools and University , pp. 36-37.

Dober, Richard. (1989). American landscape architecture .   Washington, D.C.: National Trust for Historic Preservation.

Eckbo, Garrett. (1969).   The landscape we see .   New York: McGraw-Hill.

Fairbrother, Nan. (1974).   The nature of landscape design .   New York: Alfred A. Knopf.

General Conference of Seventh-day Adventist. (1977). Learners Live Here .   Washington, D.C.: Department of Education.

General Conference of Seventh-day Adventist. (1978).   North American Division Code, K-12 . Washington, D.C.: Department of Education.

Gonzalez, Eduardo A. (1989).   Landscaping.   Unpublished paper, Andrews University. Gould, Bryant, & Finci, David.   (1986, April).   Site plan: A first step.   American Schools and University , p. 60.

Hammer, Nelson. (1988, July).   Toward a safe, lasting landscape.   American School and University , pp. 35-37.

Jackson, J. B. (1970).   Landscapes .   Amhurst, Massachusetts: The University of Massachusetts Press.

Jellico, G. A. (1966), Studies in landscape Design .   London: Oxford University Press.

Kerezt, John. (1972, December). Landscape: Designing beauty in the face of change: School Product News , pp. 16-17.

Kilpatrick, Edward W. (1973).   School sites: Selection, development, and utilization .   Trenton, New Jersey: Bureau of Facility Planning, New Jersey State Department of Education.

Knight, Edgar W. (1951). Education in the U.S.   (3 rd ed.). Boston: Ginn.

Lees, C. B. (1960).   Budget landscaping .   New York: Holt.

Lohmann, Karl B. (1941).   Landscape architecture in the modern world .   Champaign, Illinois: Garred.

Pawsey, Murice. (1982, Fall).   Providing campus environmental coherence by landscaping. Planning of Higher Education ., pp. 25-29.

Postman, Richard A. (1978). Use of land design .   Unpublished paper, Andrews University.

Rubenstein, Harvey M. (1969). A guide to site and environmental planning .   New York: John Wiley and Sons.

Scroll, Eleanor Allen, (1920). "The Beautiful Garden of Prayer." Hymns for today, by Fillmore Brothers, Company.

Simons, John O. (1961).   Landscape architecture . New York: F. W. Dodge.

Southern Union Conference of Seventh-day Adventist. (1982) School gardening and campus beautification .   Practical Arts Curriculum Workshop, Southern Missionary College. Decatur, Georgia: Department of Education, Southern Union Conference of Seventh-day Adventist.

Spalding, Arthur W. (1962). Origin and history of the Seventh-day Adventist , (Vol. 1). Washington, D.C.: Review and Herald.

State University of New York. (1988).   State University of New York Campus             Environmental Improvement Program . (2 nd ed.). Albany: New York State Department of Education.

Stern, Robert. (1986). Pride of place .   New York: Houghton Mifflin.

Thacker, Christopher, (1979).   The history of gardens .   Berkeley, California: University of California Press.

Turner, Paul V. (1984). Campus .   Cambridge, Massachusetts: The M.I.T. Press.

Turner, Susan Louise. (1989). American landscape architecture .   Washington, D.C.: National Trust for Historic Preservation.

Vircan, Lori. (1984, April).   Grooming the Grounds. School Product News , pp. 27, 30.

White, Ellen G. (1900) Testimonies .   (Vol. 6) Oakland, California: Pacific Press. P. 187.

White, Ellen G. (1903). Education .   Oakland, California: Pacific Press.

White, Ellen G. (1923) Fundamentals of Christian education .   Nashville: Southern Publishing Association.

White, Ellen G. (1956). Thoughts from the mount of blessings .   Mountain View, California: Pacific Press Publishing Association.

I would like to include as an appendix a project at the Adventist International Institute of Advanced Studies (AIIAS) in the Philippines.   I have the privilege of being a professor in the Education Department, and serve as the secretary to the campus development committee.   The campus was started in 1989 and the faculty moved to the campus in 1991.   The campus is still under development, so it gives me a once in a lifetime opportunity to be involved in its development, especially the grounds.

We are placing gates and other objects along each sidewalk to designate it as a sidewalk from a particular country.   We already have one from Japan and one from Indonesia.   The gates serve as entry points into the academic area, creating a sense of place.   The project that I want to share with you is a meditation and prayer garden located in the center of the campus, which makes a nice statement; Christ is the center of our institution.

In June of 1991 my seventeen-year-old son was killed in a car accident and I wanted to do something in his memory, so I thought about giving the meditation and prayer garden his name.   I approached the administration and told them of my plans and they agreed.   I worked with the architect, engineer and contractor to develop a special place that would encourage our faculty and students to come and worship.

We thought about the things that create a sense of place for worship and decided that we needed the sound of water and the sound of religious music.   We also wanted to have small private places for individual meditation and prayer.   We wanted to have flowers and shrubs to add color and beauty.   As a result we have a large split-level area with waterfall, stream, fish, and fountain.   We have thirteen individual areas for families, small groups, couples, or individuals to meditate and pray.   We have flowers and shrubs that add to the beauty.   All of this is enclosed by a natural rock wall about five feet high with two entrance and exit gates.   The grounds surrounding the prayer garden are well landscaped and maintained.

There are a variety of lights at night to give the garden a colorful, peaceful atmosphere for worship.   Most students and faculty come very early in the morning or early in the evening to worship and meditate.   The Phillip Boughman Meditation and Prayer Garden is truly a blessing to the campus and brings each one who enters its gates closer to God and their Creator.

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16 Strong College Essay Examples from Top Schools

essay on beautification of your college campus

What’s Covered:

  • Common App Essays
  • Why This College Essays
  • Why This Major Essays
  • Extracurricular Essays
  • Overcoming Challenges Essays
  • Community Service Essays
  • Diversity Essays
  • Political/Global Issues Essays
  • Where to Get Feedback on Your Essays

Most high school students don’t get a lot of experience with creative writing, so the college essay can be especially daunting. Reading examples of successful essays, however, can help you understand what admissions officers are looking for.

In this post, we’ll share 16 college essay examples of many different topics. Most of the essay prompts fall into 8 different archetypes, and you can approach each prompt under that archetype in a similar way. We’ve grouped these examples by archetype so you can better structure your approach to college essays.

If you’re looking for school-specific guides, check out our 2022-2023 essay breakdowns .

Looking at examples of real essays students have submitted to colleges can be very beneficial to get inspiration for your essays. You should never copy or plagiarize from these examples when writing your own essays. Colleges can tell when an essay isn’t genuine and will not view students favorably if they plagiarized. 

Note: the essays are titled in this post for navigation purposes, but they were not originally titled. We also include the original prompt where possible.

The Common App essay goes to all of the schools on your list, unless those schools use a separate application platform. Because of this, it’s the most important essay in your portfolio, and likely the longest essay you’ll need to write (you get up to 650 words). 

The goal of this essay is to share a glimpse into who you are, what matters to you, and what you hope to achieve. It’s a chance to share your story. 

Learn more about how to write the Common App essay in our complete guide.

The Multiple Meanings of Point

Prompt: 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. (250-650 words)

Night had robbed the academy of its daytime colors, yet there was comfort in the dim lights that cast shadows of our advances against the bare studio walls. Silhouettes of roundhouse kicks, spin crescent kicks, uppercuts and the occasional butterfly kick danced while we sparred. She approached me, eyes narrowed with the trace of a smirk challenging me. “Ready spar!” Her arm began an upward trajectory targeting my shoulder, a common first move. I sidestepped — only to almost collide with another flying fist. Pivoting my right foot, I snapped my left leg, aiming my heel at her midsection. The center judge raised one finger. 

There was no time to celebrate, not in the traditional sense at least. Master Pollard gave a brief command greeted with a unanimous “Yes, sir” and the thud of 20 hands dropping-down-and-giving-him-30, while the “winners” celebrated their victory with laps as usual. 

Three years ago, seven-thirty in the evening meant I was a warrior. It meant standing up straighter, pushing a little harder, “Yes, sir” and “Yes, ma’am”, celebrating birthdays by breaking boards, never pointing your toes, and familiarity. Three years later, seven-thirty in the morning meant I was nervous. 

The room is uncomfortably large. The sprung floor soaks up the checkerboard of sunlight piercing through the colonial windows. The mirrored walls further illuminate the studio and I feel the light scrutinizing my sorry attempts at a pas de bourrée, while capturing the organic fluidity of the dancers around me. “Chassé en croix, grand battement, pique, pirouette.” I follow the graceful limbs of the woman in front of me, her legs floating ribbons, as she executes what seems to be a perfect ronds de jambes. Each movement remains a negotiation. With admirable patience, Ms. Tan casts me a sympathetic glance.   

There is no time to wallow in the misery that is my right foot. Taekwondo calls for dorsiflexion; pointed toes are synonymous with broken toes. My thoughts drag me into a flashback of the usual response to this painful mistake: “You might as well grab a tutu and head to the ballet studio next door.” Well, here I am Master Pollard, unfortunately still following your orders to never point my toes, but no longer feeling the satisfaction that comes with being a third degree black belt with 5 years of experience quite literally under her belt. It’s like being a white belt again — just in a leotard and ballet slippers. 

But the appetite for new beginnings that brought me here doesn’t falter. It is only reinforced by the classical rendition of “Dancing Queen” that floods the room and the ghost of familiarity that reassures me that this new beginning does not and will not erase the past. After years spent at the top, it’s hard to start over. But surrendering what you are only leads you to what you may become. In Taekwondo, we started each class reciting the tenets: honor, courtesy, integrity, perseverance, self-control, courage, humility, and knowledge, and I have never felt that I embodied those traits more so than when I started ballet. 

The thing about change is that it eventually stops making things so different. After nine different schools, four different countries, three different continents, fluency in Tamil, Norwegian, and English, there are more blurred lines than there are clear fragments. My life has not been a tactfully executed, gold medal-worthy Taekwondo form with each movement defined, nor has it been a series of frappés performed by a prima ballerina with each extension identical and precise, but thankfully it has been like the dynamics of a spinning back kick, fluid, and like my chances of landing a pirouette, unpredictable. 

The first obvious strength of this essay is the introduction—it is interesting and snappy and uses enough technical language that we want to figure out what the student is discussing. When writing introductions, students tend to walk the line between intriguing and confusing. It is important that your essay ends up on the intentionally intriguing side of that line—like this student does! We are a little confused at first, but by then introducing the idea of “sparring,” the student grounds their essay.

People often advise young writers to “show, not tell.” This student takes that advice a step further and makes the reader do a bit of work to figure out what they are telling us. Nowhere in this essay does it say “After years of Taekwondo, I made the difficult decision to switch over to ballet.” Rather, the student says “It’s like being a white belt again — just in a leotard and ballet slippers.” How powerful! 

After a lot of emotional language and imagery, this student finishes off their essay with very valuable (and necessary!) reflection. They show admissions officers that they are more than just a good writer—they are a mature and self-aware individual who would be beneficial to a college campus. Self-awareness comes through with statements like “surrendering what you are only leads you to what you may become” and maturity can be seen through the student’s discussion of values: “honor, courtesy, integrity, perseverance, self-control, courage, humility, and knowledge, and I have never felt that I embodied those traits more so than when I started ballet.”

Sparking Self-Awareness

Prompt: 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? (250-650 words)

Was I no longer the beloved daughter of nature, whisperer of trees? Knee-high rubber boots, camouflage, bug spray—I wore the garb and perfume of a proud wild woman, yet there I was, hunched over the pathetic pile of stubborn sticks, utterly stumped, on the verge of tears. As a child, I had considered myself a kind of rustic princess, a cradler of spiders and centipedes, who was serenaded by mourning doves and chickadees, who could glide through tick-infested meadows and emerge Lyme-free. I knew the cracks of the earth like the scars on my own rough palms. Yet here I was, ten years later, incapable of performing the most fundamental outdoor task: I could not, for the life of me, start a fire. 

Furiously I rubbed the twigs together—rubbed and rubbed until shreds of skin flaked from my fingers. No smoke. The twigs were too young, too sticky-green; I tossed them away with a shower of curses, and began tearing through the underbrush in search of a more flammable collection. My efforts were fruitless. Livid, I bit a rejected twig, determined to prove that the forest had spurned me, offering only young, wet bones that would never burn. But the wood cracked like carrots between my teeth—old, brittle, and bitter. Roaring and nursing my aching palms, I retreated to the tent, where I sulked and awaited the jeers of my family. 

Rattling their empty worm cans and reeking of fat fish, my brother and cousins swaggered into the campsite. Immediately, they noticed the minor stick massacre by the fire pit and called to me, their deep voices already sharp with contempt. 

“Where’s the fire, Princess Clara?” they taunted. “Having some trouble?” They prodded me with the ends of the chewed branches and, with a few effortless scrapes of wood on rock, sparked a red and roaring flame. My face burned long after I left the fire pit. The camp stank of salmon and shame. 

In the tent, I pondered my failure. Was I so dainty? Was I that incapable? I thought of my hands, how calloused and capable they had been, how tender and smooth they had become. It had been years since I’d kneaded mud between my fingers; instead of scaling a white pine, I’d practiced scales on my piano, my hands softening into those of a musician—fleshy and sensitive. And I’d gotten glasses, having grown horrifically nearsighted; long nights of dim lighting and thick books had done this. I couldn’t remember the last time I had lain down on a hill, barefaced, and seen the stars without having to squint. Crawling along the edge of the tent, a spider confirmed my transformation—he disgusted me, and I felt an overwhelming urge to squash him. 

Yet, I realized I hadn’t really changed—I had only shifted perspective. I still eagerly explored new worlds, but through poems and prose rather than pastures and puddles. I’d grown to prefer the boom of a bass over that of a bullfrog, learned to coax a different kind of fire from wood, having developed a burn for writing rhymes and scrawling hypotheses. 

That night, I stayed up late with my journal and wrote about the spider I had decided not to kill. I had tolerated him just barely, only shrieking when he jumped—it helped to watch him decorate the corners of the tent with his delicate webs, knowing that he couldn’t start fires, either. When the night grew cold and the embers died, my words still smoked—my hands burned from all that scrawling—and even when I fell asleep, the ideas kept sparking—I was on fire, always on fire.

First things first, this Common App essay is well-written. This student is definitely showing the admissions officers her ability to articulate her points beautifully and creatively. It starts with vivid images like that of the “rustic princess, a cradler of spiders and centipedes, who was serenaded by mourning doves and chickadees, who could glide through tick-infested meadows and emerge Lyme-free.” And because the prose is flowery (and beautiful!), the writer can get away with metaphors like “I knew the cracks of the earth like the scars on my own rough palms” that might sound cheesy without the clear command of the English language that the writer quickly establishes.

In addition to being well-written, this essay is thematically cohesive. It begins with the simple introduction “Fire!” and ends with the following image: “When the night grew cold and the embers died, my words still smoked—my hands burned from all that scrawling—and even when I fell asleep, the ideas kept sparking—I was on fire, always on fire.” This full-circle approach leaves readers satisfied and impressed.

While dialogue often comes off as cliche or trite, this student effectively incorporates her family members saying “Where’s the fire, Princess Clara?” This is achieved through the apt use of the verb “taunted” to characterize the questioning and through the question’s thematic connection to the earlier image of the student as a rustic princess. Similarly, rhetorical questions can feel randomly placed in essays, but this student’s inclusion of the questions “Was I so dainty?” and “Was I that incapable?” feel perfectly justified after she establishes that she was pondering her failure.

Quite simply, this essay shows how quality writing can make a simple story outstandingly compelling. 

Why This College?

“Why This College?” is one of the most common essay prompts, likely because schools want to understand whether you’d be a good fit and how you’d use their resources.

This essay is one of the more straightforward ones you’ll write for college applications, but you still can and should allow your voice to shine through.

Learn more about how to write the “Why This College?” essay in our guide.

Prompt: How will you explore your intellectual and academic interests at the University of Pennsylvania? Please answer this question given the specific undergraduate school to which you are applying (650 words).

Sister Simone Roach, a theorist of nursing ethics, said, “caring is the human mode of being.” I have long been inspired by Sister Roach’s Five C’s of Caring: commitment, conscience, competence, compassion, and confidence. Penn both embraces and fosters these values through a rigorous, interdisciplinary curriculum and unmatched access to service and volunteer opportunities.

COMMITMENT. Reading through the activities that Penn Quakers devote their time to (in addition to academics!) felt like drinking from a firehose in the best possible way. As a prospective nursing student with interests outside of my major, I value this level of flexibility. I plan to leverage Penn’s liberal arts curriculum to gain an in-depth understanding of the challenges LGBT people face, especially regarding healthcare access. Through courses like “Interactional Processes with LGBT Individuals” and volunteering at the Mazzoni Center for outreach, I hope to learn how to better support the Penn LGBT community as well as my family and friends, including my cousin, who came out as trans last year.

CONSCIENCE. As one of the first people in my family to attend a four-year university, I wanted a school that promoted a sense of moral responsibility among its students. At Penn, professors challenge their students to question and recreate their own set of morals by sparking thought- provoking, open-minded discussions. I can imagine myself advocating for universal healthcare in courses such as “Health Care Reform & Future of American Health System” and debating its merits with my peers. Studying in an environment where students confidently voice their opinions – conservative or liberal – will push me to question and strengthen my value system.

COMPETENCE. Two aspects that drew my attention to Penn’s BSN program were its high-quality research opportunities and hands-on nursing projects. Through its Office of Nursing Research, Penn connects students to faculty members who share similar research interests. As I volunteered at a nursing home in high school, I hope to work with Dr. Carthon to improve the quality of care for senior citizens. Seniors, especially minorities, face serious barriers to healthcare that I want to resolve. Additionally, Penn’s unique use of simulations to bridge the gap between classroom learning and real-world application impressed me. Using computerized manikins that mimic human responses, classes in Penn’s nursing program allow students to apply their emergency medical skills in a mass casualty simulation and monitor their actions afterward through a video system. Participating in this activity will help me identify my strengths and areas for improvement regarding crisis management and medical care in a controlled yet realistic setting. Research opportunities and simulations will develop my skills even before I interact with patients.

COMPASSION. I value giving back through community service, and I have a particular interest in Penn’s Community Champions and Nursing Students For Sexual & Reproductive Health (NSRH). As a four-year volunteer health educator, I hope to continue this work as a Community Champions member. I am excited to collaborate with medical students to teach fourth and fifth graders in the city about cardiology or lead a chair dance class for the elders at the LIFE Center. Furthermore, as a feminist who firmly believes in women’s abortion rights, I’d like to join NSRH in order to advocate for women’s health on campus. At Penn, I can work with like-minded people to make a meaningful difference.

CONFIDENCE. All of the Quakers that I have met possess one defining trait: confidence. Each student summarized their experiences at Penn as challenging but fulfilling. Although I expect my coursework to push me, from my conversations with current Quakers I know it will help me to be far more effective in my career.

The Five C’s of Caring are important heuristics for nursing, but they also provide insight into how I want to approach my time in college. I am eager to engage with these principles both as a nurse and as a Penn Quaker, and I can’t wait to start.

This prompt from Penn asks students to tailor their answer to their specific field of study. One great thing that this student does is identify their undergraduate school early, by mentioning “Sister Simone Roach, a theorist of nursing ethics.” You don’t want readers confused or searching through other parts of your application to figure out your major.

With a longer essay like this, it is important to establish structure. Some students organize their essay in a narrative form, using an anecdote from their past or predicting their future at a school. This student uses Roach’s 5 C’s of Caring as a framing device that organizes their essay around values. This works well!

While this essay occasionally loses voice, there are distinct moments where the student’s personality shines through. We see this with phrases like “felt like drinking from a fire hose in the best possible way” and “All of the Quakers that I have met possess one defining trait: confidence.” It is important to show off your personality to make your essay stand out. 

Finally, this student does a great job of referencing specific resources about Penn. It’s clear that they have done their research (they’ve even talked to current Quakers). They have dreams and ambitions that can only exist at Penn.

Prompt: What is it about Yale that has led you to apply? (125 words or fewer)

Coin collector and swimmer. Hungarian and Romanian. Critical and creative thinker. I was drawn to Yale because they don’t limit one’s mind with “or” but rather embrace unison with “and.” 

Wandering through the Beinecke Library, I prepare for my multidisciplinary Energy Studies capstone about the correlation between hedonism and climate change, making it my goal to find implications in environmental sociology. Under the tutelage of Assistant Professor Arielle Baskin-Sommers, I explore the emotional deficits of depression, utilizing neuroimaging to scrutinize my favorite branch of psychology: human perception. At Walden Peer Counseling, I integrate my peer support and active listening skills to foster an empathetic environment for the Yale community. Combining my interests in psychological and environmental studies is why I’m proud to be a Bulldog. 

This answer to the “Why This College” question is great because 1) the student shows their excitement about attending Yale 2) we learn the ways in which attending Yale will help them achieve their goals and 3) we learn their interests and identities.

In this response, you can find a prime example of the “Image of the Future” approach, as the student flashes forward and envisions their life at Yale, using present tense (“I explore,” “I integrate,” “I’m proud”). This approach is valuable if you are trying to emphasize your dedication to a specific school. Readers get the feeling that this student is constantly imagining themselves on campus—it feels like Yale really matters to them.

Starting this image with the Beinecke Library is great because the Beinecke Library only exists at Yale. It is important to tailor “Why This College” responses to each specific school. This student references a program of study, a professor, and an extracurricular that only exist at Yale. Additionally, they connect these unique resources to their interests—psychological and environmental studies.

Finally, we learn about the student (independent of academics) through this response. By the end of their 125 words, we know their hobbies, ethnicities, and social desires, in addition to their academic interests. It can be hard to tackle a 125-word response, but this student shows that it’s possible.

Why This Major?

The goal of this prompt is to understand how you came to be interested in your major and what you plan to do with it. For competitive programs like engineering, this essay helps admissions officers distinguish students who have a genuine passion and are most likely to succeed in the program. This is another more straightforward essay, but you do have a bit more freedom to include relevant anecdotes.

Learn more about how to write the “Why This Major?” essay in our guide.

Why Duke Engineering

Prompt: If you are applying to the Pratt School of Engineering as a first year applicant, please discuss why you want to study engineering and why you would like to study at Duke (250 words).

One Christmas morning, when I was nine, I opened a snap circuit set from my grandmother. Although I had always loved math and science, I didn’t realize my passion for engineering until I spent the rest of winter break creating different circuits to power various lights, alarms, and sensors. Even after I outgrew the toy, I kept the set in my bedroom at home and knew I wanted to study engineering. Later, in a high school biology class, I learned that engineering didn’t only apply to circuits, but also to medical devices that could improve people’s quality of life. Biomedical engineering allows me to pursue my academic passions and help people at the same time.

Just as biology and engineering interact in biomedical engineering, I am fascinated by interdisciplinary research in my chosen career path. Duke offers unmatched resources, such as DUhatch and The Foundry, that will enrich my engineering education and help me practice creative problem-solving skills. The emphasis on entrepreneurship within these resources will also help me to make a helpful product. Duke’s Bass Connections program also interests me; I firmly believe that the most creative and necessary problem-solving comes by bringing people together from different backgrounds. Through this program, I can use my engineering education to solve complicated societal problems such as creating sustainable surgical tools for low-income countries. Along the way, I can learn alongside experts in the field. Duke’s openness and collaborative culture span across its academic disciplines, making Duke the best place for me to grow both as an engineer and as a social advocate.

This prompt calls for a complex answer. Students must explain both why they want to study engineering and why Duke is the best place for them to study engineering.

This student begins with a nice hook—a simple anecdote about a simple present with profound consequences. They do not fluff up their anecdote with flowery images or emotionally-loaded language; it is what it is, and it is compelling and sweet. As their response continues, they express a particular interest in problem-solving. They position problem-solving as a fundamental part of their interest in engineering (and a fundamental part of their fascination with their childhood toy). This helps readers to learn about the student!

Problem-solving is also the avenue by which they introduce Duke’s resources—DUhatch, The Foundry, and Duke’s Bass Connections program. It is important to notice that the student explains how these resources can help them achieve their future goals—it is not enough to simply identify the resources!

This response is interesting and focused. It clearly answers the prompt, and it feels honest and authentic.

Why Georgia Tech CompSci

Prompt: Why do you want to study your chosen major specifically at Georgia Tech? (300 words max)

I held my breath and hit RUN. Yes! A plump white cat jumped out and began to catch the falling pizzas. Although my Fat Cat project seems simple now, it was the beginning of an enthusiastic passion for computer science. Four years and thousands of hours of programming later, that passion has grown into an intense desire to explore how computer science can serve society. Every day, surrounded by technology that can recognize my face and recommend scarily-specific ads, I’m reminded of Uncle Ben’s advice to a young Spiderman: “with great power comes great responsibility”. Likewise, the need to ensure digital equality has skyrocketed with AI’s far-reaching presence in society; and I believe that digital fairness starts with equality in education.

The unique use of threads at the College of Computing perfectly matches my interests in AI and its potential use in education; the path of combined threads on Intelligence and People gives me the rare opportunity to delve deep into both areas. I’m particularly intrigued by the rich sets of both knowledge-based and data-driven intelligence courses, as I believe AI should not only show correlation of events, but also provide insight for why they occur.

In my four years as an enthusiastic online English tutor, I’ve worked hard to help students overcome both financial and technological obstacles in hopes of bringing quality education to people from diverse backgrounds. For this reason, I’m extremely excited by the many courses in the People thread that focus on education and human-centered technology. I’d love to explore how to integrate AI technology into the teaching process to make education more available, affordable, and effective for people everywhere. And with the innumerable opportunities that Georgia Tech has to offer, I know that I will be able to go further here than anywhere else.

With a “Why This Major” essay, you want to avoid using all of your words to tell a story. That being said, stories are a great way to show your personality and make your essay stand out. This student’s story takes up only their first 21 words, but it positions the student as fun and funny and provides an endearing image of cats and pizzas—who doesn’t love cats and pizzas? There are other moments when the student’s personality shines through also, like the Spiderman reference.

While this pop culture reference adds color, it also is important for what the student is getting at: their passion. They want to go into computer science to address the issues of security and equity that are on the industry’s mind, and they acknowledge these concerns with their comments about “scarily-specific ads” and their statement that “the need to ensure digital equality has skyrocketed.” This student is self-aware and aware of the state of the industry. This aptitude will be appealing for admissions officers.

The conversation around “threads” is essential for this student’s response because the prompt asks specifically about the major at Georgia Tech and it is the only thing they reference that is specific to Georgia Tech. Threads are great, but this student would have benefitted from expanding on other opportunities specific to Georgia Tech later in the essay, instead of simply inserting “innumerable opportunities.”

Overall, this student shows personality, passion, and aptitude—precisely what admissions officers want to see!

Extracurricular Essay

You’re asked to describe your activities on the Common App, but chances are, you have at least one extracurricular that’s impacted you in a way you can’t explain in 150 characters.

This essay archetype allows you to share how your most important activity shaped you and how you might use those lessons learned in the future. You are definitely welcome to share anecdotes and use a narrative approach, but remember to include some reflection. A common mistake students make is to only describe the activity without sharing how it impacted them.

Learn more about how to write the Extracurricular Essay in our guide.

A Dedicated Musician

My fingers raced across the keys, rapidly striking one after another. My body swayed with the music as my hands raced across the piano. Crashing onto the final chord, it was over as quickly as it had begun. My shoulders relaxed and I couldn’t help but break into a satisfied grin. I had just played the Moonlight Sonata’s third movement, a longtime dream of mine. 

Four short months ago, though, I had considered it impossible. The piece’s tempo was impossibly fast, its notes stretching between each end of the piano, forcing me to reach farther than I had ever dared. It was 17 pages of the most fragile and intricate melodies I had ever encountered. 

But that summer, I found myself ready to take on the challenge. With the end of the school year, I was released from my commitment to practicing for band and solo performances. I was now free to determine my own musical path: either succeed in learning the piece, or let it defeat me for the third summer in a row. 

Over those few months, I spent countless hours practicing the same notes until they burned a permanent place in my memory, creating a soundtrack for even my dreams. Some would say I’ve mastered the piece, but as a musician I know better. Now that I can play it, I am eager to take the next step and add in layers of musicality and expression to make the once-impossible piece even more beautiful.

In this response, the student uses their extracurricular, piano, as a way to emphasize their positive qualities. At the beginning, readers are invited on a journey with the student where we feel their struggle, their intensity, and ultimately their satisfaction. With this descriptive image, we form a valuable connection with the student.

Then, we get to learn about what makes this student special: their dedication and work ethic. The fact that this student describes their desire to be productive during the summer shows an intensity that is appealing to admissions officers. Additionally, the growth mindset that this student emphasizes in their conclusion is appealing to admissions officers.

The Extracurricular Essay can be seen as an opportunity to characterize yourself. This student clearly identified their positive qualities, then used the Extracurricular Essay as a way to articulate them.

A Complicated Relationship with the School Newspaper

My school’s newspaper and I have a typical love-hate relationship; some days I want nothing more than to pass two hours writing and formatting articles, while on others the mere thought of student journalism makes me shiver. Still, as we’re entering our fourth year together, you could consider us relatively stable. We’ve learned to accept each other’s differences; at this point I’ve become comfortable spending an entire Friday night preparing for an upcoming issue, and I hardly even notice the snail-like speed of our computers. I’ve even benefitted from the polygamous nature of our relationship—with twelve other editors, there’s a lot of cooperation involved. Perverse as it may be, from that teamwork I’ve both gained some of my closest friends and improved my organizational and time-management skills. And though leaving it in the hands of new editors next year will be difficult, I know our time together has only better prepared me for future relationships.

This response is great. It’s cute and endearing and, importantly, tells readers a lot about the student who wrote it. Framing this essay in the context of a “love-hate relationship,” then supplementing with comments like “We’ve learned to accept each other’s differences” allows this student to advertise their maturity in a unique and engaging way. 

While Extracurricular Essays can be a place to show how you’ve grown within an activity, they can also be a place to show how you’ve grown through an activity. At the end of this essay, readers think that this student is mature and enjoyable, and we think that their experience with the school newspaper helped make them that way.

Participating in Democracy

Prompt: Research shows that an ability to learn from experiences outside the classroom correlates with success in college. What was your greatest learning experience over the past 4 years that took place outside of the traditional classroom? (250 words) 

The cool, white halls of the Rayburn House office building contrasted with the bustling energy of interns entertaining tourists, staffers rushing to cover committee meetings, and my fellow conference attendees separating to meet with our respective congresspeople. Through civics and US history classes, I had learned about our government, but simply hearing the legislative process outlined didn’t prepare me to navigate it. It was my first political conference, and, after learning about congressional mechanics during breakout sessions, I was lobbying my representative about an upcoming vote crucial to the US-Middle East relationship. As the daughter of Iranian immigrants, my whole life had led me to the moment when I could speak on behalf of the family members who had not emigrated with my parents.

As I sat down with my congresswoman’s chief of staff, I truly felt like a participant in democracy; I was exercising my right to be heard as a young American. Through this educational conference, I developed a plan of action to raise my voice. When I returned home, I signed up to volunteer with the state chapter of the Democratic Party. I sponsored letter-writing campaigns, canvassed for local elections, and even pursued an internship with a state senate campaign. I know that I don’t need to be old enough to vote to effect change. Most importantly, I also know that I want to study government—I want to make a difference for my communities in the United States and the Middle East throughout my career. 

While this prompt is about extracurricular activities, it specifically references the idea that the extracurricular should support the curricular. It is focused on experiential learning for future career success. This student wants to study government, so they chose to describe an experience of hands-on learning within their field—an apt choice!

As this student discusses their extracurricular experience, they also clue readers into their future goals—they want to help Middle Eastern communities. Admissions officers love when students mention concrete plans with a solid foundation. Here, the foundation comes from this student’s ethnicity. With lines like “my whole life had led me to the moment when I could speak on behalf of the family members who had not emigrated with my parents,” the student assures admissions officers of their emotional connection to their future field.

The strength of this essay comes from its connections. It connects the student’s extracurricular activity to their studies and connects theirs studies to their personal history.

Overcoming Challenges

You’re going to face a lot of setbacks in college, so admissions officers want to make you’re you have the resilience and resolve to overcome them. This essay is your chance to be vulnerable and connect to admissions officers on an emotional level.

Learn more about how to write the Overcoming Challenges Essay in our guide.

The Student Becomes the Master

”Advanced females ages 13 to 14 please proceed to staging with your coaches at this time.” Skittering around the room, eyes wide and pleading, I frantically explained my situation to nearby coaches. The seconds ticked away in my head; every polite refusal increased my desperation.

Despair weighed me down. I sank to my knees as a stream of competitors, coaches, and officials flowed around me. My dojang had no coach, and the tournament rules prohibited me from competing without one.

Although I wanted to remain strong, doubts began to cloud my mind. I could not help wondering: what was the point of perfecting my skills if I would never even compete? The other members of my team, who had found coaches minutes earlier, attempted to comfort me, but I barely heard their words. They couldn’t understand my despair at being left on the outside, and I never wanted them to understand.

Since my first lesson 12 years ago, the members of my dojang have become family. I have watched them grow up, finding my own happiness in theirs. Together, we have honed our kicks, blocks, and strikes. We have pushed one another to aim higher and become better martial artists. Although my dojang had searched for a reliable coach for years, we had not found one. When we attended competitions in the past, my teammates and I had always gotten lucky and found a sympathetic coach. Now, I knew this practice was unsustainable. It would devastate me to see the other members of my dojang in my situation, unable to compete and losing hope as a result. My dojang needed a coach, and I decided it was up to me to find one. 

I first approached the adults in the dojang – both instructors and members’ parents. However, these attempts only reacquainted me with polite refusals. Everyone I asked told me they couldn’t devote multiple weekends per year to competitions. I soon realized that I would have become the coach myself.

At first, the inner workings of tournaments were a mystery to me. To prepare myself for success as a coach, I spent the next year as an official and took coaching classes on the side. I learned everything from motivational strategies to technical, behind-the-scenes components of Taekwondo competitions. Though I emerged with new knowledge and confidence in my capabilities, others did not share this faith.

Parents threw me disbelieving looks when they learned that their children’s coach was only a child herself. My self-confidence was my armor, deflecting their surly glances. Every armor is penetrable, however, and as the relentless barrage of doubts pounded my resilience, it began to wear down. I grew unsure of my own abilities.

Despite the attack, I refused to give up. When I saw the shining eyes of the youngest students preparing for their first competition, I knew I couldn’t let them down. To quit would be to set them up to be barred from competing like I was. The knowledge that I could solve my dojang’s longtime problem motivated me to overcome my apprehension.

Now that my dojang flourishes at competitions, the attacks on me have weakened, but not ended. I may never win the approval of every parent; at times, I am still tormented by doubts, but I find solace in the fact that members of my dojang now only worry about competing to the best of their abilities.

Now, as I arrive at a tournament with my students, I close my eyes and remember the past. I visualize the frantic search for a coach and the chaos amongst my teammates as we competed with one another to find coaches before the staging calls for our respective divisions. I open my eyes to the exact opposite scene. Lacking a coach hurt my ability to compete, but I am proud to know that no member of my dojang will have to face that problem again.

This essay is great because it has a strong introduction and conclusion. The introduction is notably suspenseful and draws readers into the story. Because we know it is a college essay, we can assume that the student is one of the competitors, but at the same time, this introduction feels intentionally ambiguous as if the writer could be a competitor, a coach, a sibling of a competitor, or anyone else in the situation.

As we continue reading the essay, we learn that the writer is, in fact, the competitor. Readers also learn a lot about the student’s values as we hear their thoughts: “I knew I couldn’t let them down. To quit would be to set them up to be barred from competing like I was.” Ultimately, the conflict and inner and outer turmoil is resolved through the “Same, but Different” ending technique as the student places themself in the same environment that we saw in the intro, but experiencing it differently due to their actions throughout the narrative. This is a very compelling strategy!

Growing Sensitivity to Struggles

Prompt: The lessons we take from failure can be fundamental to later success. Recount an incident or time when you experienced failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience? (650 words)

“You ruined my life!” After months of quiet anger, my brother finally confronted me. To my shame, I had been appallingly ignorant of his pain.

Despite being twins, Max and I are profoundly different. Having intellectual interests from a young age that, well, interested very few of my peers, I often felt out of step in comparison with my highly-social brother. Everything appeared to come effortlessly for Max and, while we share an extremely tight bond, his frequent time away with friends left me feeling more and more alone as we grew older.

When my parents learned about The Green Academy, we hoped it would be an opportunity for me to find not only an academically challenging environment, but also – perhaps more importantly – a community. This meant transferring the family from Drumfield to Kingston. And while there was concern about Max, we all believed that given his sociable nature, moving would be far less impactful on him than staying put might be on me.

As it turned out, Green Academy was everything I’d hoped for. I was ecstatic to discover a group of students with whom I shared interests and could truly engage. Preoccupied with new friends and a rigorous course load, I failed to notice that the tables had turned. Max, lost in the fray and grappling with how to make connections in his enormous new high school, had become withdrawn and lonely. It took me until Christmas time – and a massive argument – to recognize how difficult the transition had been for my brother, let alone that he blamed me for it.

Through my own journey of searching for academic peers, in addition to coming out as gay when I was 12, I had developed deep empathy for those who had trouble fitting in. It was a pain I knew well and could easily relate to. Yet after Max’s outburst, my first response was to protest that our parents – not I – had chosen to move us here. In my heart, though, I knew that regardless of who had made the decision, we ended up in Kingston for my benefit. I was ashamed that, while I saw myself as genuinely compassionate, I had been oblivious to the heartache of the person closest to me. I could no longer ignore it – and I didn’t want to.

We stayed up half the night talking, and the conversation took an unexpected turn. Max opened up and shared that it wasn’t just about the move. He told me how challenging school had always been for him, due to his dyslexia, and that the ever-present comparison to me had only deepened his pain.

We had been in parallel battles the whole time and, yet, I only saw that Max was in distress once he experienced problems with which I directly identified. I’d long thought Max had it so easy – all because he had friends. The truth was, he didn’t need to experience my personal brand of sorrow in order for me to relate – he had felt plenty of his own.

My failure to recognize Max’s suffering brought home for me the profound universality and diversity of personal struggle; everyone has insecurities, everyone has woes, and everyone – most certainly – has pain. I am acutely grateful for the conversations he and I shared around all of this, because I believe our relationship has been fundamentally strengthened by a deeper understanding of one another. Further, this experience has reinforced the value of constantly striving for deeper sensitivity to the hidden struggles of those around me. I won’t make the mistake again of assuming that the surface of someone’s life reflects their underlying story.

Here you can find a prime example that you don’t have to have fabulous imagery or flowery prose to write a successful essay. You just have to be clear and say something that matters. This essay is simple and beautiful. It almost feels like having a conversation with a friend and learning that they are an even better person than you already thought they were.

Through this narrative, readers learn a lot about the writer—where they’re from, what their family life is like, what their challenges were as a kid, and even their sexuality. We also learn a lot about their values—notably, the value they place on awareness, improvement, and consideration of others. Though they never explicitly state it (which is great because it is still crystal clear!), this student’s ending of “I won’t make the mistake again of assuming that the surface of someone’s life reflects their underlying story” shows that they are constantly striving for improvement and finding lessons anywhere they can get them in life.

Community Service/Impact on the Community

Colleges want students who will positively impact the campus community and go on to make change in the world after they graduate. This essay is similar to the Extracurricular Essay, but you need to focus on a situation where you impacted others. 

Learn more about how to write the Community Service Essay in our guide.

Academic Signing Day

Prompt: What have you done to make your school or your community a better place?

The scent of eucalyptus caressed my nose in a gentle breeze. Spring had arrived. Senior class activities were here. As a sophomore, I noticed a difference between athletic and academic seniors at my high school; one received recognition while the other received silence. I wanted to create an event celebrating students academically-committed to four-years, community colleges, trades schools, and military programs. This event was Academic Signing Day.

The leadership label, “Events Coordinator,” felt heavy on my introverted mind. I usually was setting up for rallies and spirit weeks, being overlooked around the exuberant nature of my peers. 

I knew a change of mind was needed; I designed flyers, painted posters, presented powerpoints, created student-led committees, and practiced countless hours for my introductory speech. Each committee would play a vital role on event day: one dedicated to refreshments, another to technology, and one for decorations. The fourth-month planning was a laborious joy, but I was still fearful of being in the spotlight. Being acknowledged by hundreds of people was new to me.     

The day was here. Parents filled the stands of the multi-purpose room. The atmosphere was tense; I could feel the angst building in my throat, worried about the impression I would leave. Applause followed each of the 400 students as they walked to their college table, indicating my time to speak. 

I walked up to the stand, hands clammy, expression tranquil, my words echoing to the audience. I thought my speech would be met by the sounds of crickets; instead, smiles lit up the stands, realizing my voice shone through my actions. I was finally coming out of my shell. The floor was met by confetti as I was met by the sincerity of staff, students, and parents, solidifying the event for years to come. 

Academic students were no longer overshadowed. Their accomplishments were equally recognized to their athletic counterparts. The school culture of athletics over academics was no longer imbalanced. Now, every time I smell eucalyptus, it is a friendly reminder that on Academic Signing Day, not only were academic students in the spotlight but so was my voice.

This essay answers the prompt nicely because the student describes a contribution with a lasting legacy. Academic Signing Day will affect this high school in the future and it affected this student’s self-development—an idea summed up nicely with their last phrase “not only were academic students in the spotlight but so was my voice.”

With Community Service essays, students sometimes take small contributions and stretch them. And, oftentimes, the stretch is very obvious. Here, the student shows us that Academic Signing Day actually mattered by mentioning four months of planning and hundreds of students and parents. They also make their involvement in Academic Signing Day clear—it was their idea and they were in charge, and that’s why they gave the introductory speech.

Use this response as an example of the type of focused contribution that makes for a convincing Community Service Essay.

Climate Change Rally

Prompt: What would you say is your greatest talent or skill? How have you developed and demonstrated that talent over time? (technically not community service, but the response works)

Let’s fast-forward time. Strides were made toward racial equality. Healthcare is accessible to all; however, one issue remains. Our aquatic ecosystems are parched with dead coral from ocean acidification. Climate change has prevailed.

Rewind to the present day.

My activism skills are how I express my concerns for the environment. Whether I play on sandy beaches or rest under forest treetops, nature offers me an escape from the haste of the world. When my body is met by trash in the ocean or my nose is met by harmful pollutants, Earth’s pain becomes my own. 

Substituting coffee grinds as fertilizer, using bamboo straws, starting my sustainable garden, my individual actions needed to reach a larger scale. I often found performative activism to be ineffective when communicating climate concerns. My days of reposting awareness graphics on social media never filled the ambition I had left to put my activism skills to greater use. I decided to share my ecocentric worldview with a coalition of environmentalists and host a climate change rally outside my high school.

Meetings were scheduled where I informed students about the unseen impact they have on the oceans and local habitual communities. My fingers were cramped from all the constant typing and investigating of micro causes of the Pacific Waste Patch, creating reusable flyers, displaying steps people could take from home in reducing their carbon footprint. I aided my fellow environmentalists in translating these flyers into other languages, repeating this process hourly, for five days, up until rally day.  

It was 7:00 AM. The faces of 100 students were shouting, “The climate is changing, why can’t we?” I proudly walked on the dewy grass, grabbing the microphone, repeating those same words. The rally not only taught me efficient methods of communication but it echoed my environmental activism to the masses. The City of Corona would be the first of many cities to see my activism, as more rallies were planned for various parts of SoCal. My once unfulfilled ambition was fueled by my tangible activism, understanding that it takes more than one person to make an environmental impact.

Like with the last example, this student describes a focused event with a lasting legacy. That’s a perfect place to start! By the end of this essay, we have an image of the cause of this student’s passion and the effect of this student’s passion. There are no unanswered questions.

This student supplements their focused topic with engaging and exciting writing to make for an easy-to-read and enjoyable essay. One of the largest strengths of this response is its pace. From the very beginning, we are invited to “fast-forward” and “rewind” with the writer. Then, after we center ourselves in real-time, this writer keeps their quick pace with sentences like “Substituting coffee grounds as fertilizer, using bamboo straws, starting my sustainable garden, my individual actions needed to reach a larger scale.” Community Service essays run the risk of turning boring, but this unique pacing keeps things interesting.

Having a diverse class provides a richness of different perspectives and encourages open-mindedness among the student body. The Diversity Essay is also somewhat similar to the Extracurricular and Community Service Essays, but it focuses more on what you might bring to the campus community because of your unique experiences or identities.

Learn more about how to write the Diversity Essay in our guide.

A Story of a Young Skater

​​“Everyone follow me!” I smiled at five wide-eyed skaters before pushing off into a spiral. I glanced behind me hopefully, only to see my students standing frozen like statues, the fear in their eyes as clear as the ice they swayed on. “Come on!” I said encouragingly, but the only response I elicited was the slow shake of their heads. My first day as a Learn-to-Skate coach was not going as planned. 

But amid my frustration, I was struck by how much my students reminded me of myself as a young skater. At seven, I had been fascinated by Olympic performers who executed thrilling high jumps and dizzying spins with apparent ease, and I dreamed to one day do the same. My first few months on skates, however, sent these hopes crashing down: my attempts at slaloms and toe-loops were shadowed by a stubborn fear of falling, which even the helmet, elbow pads, and two pairs of mittens I had armed myself with couldn’t mitigate. Nonetheless, my coach remained unfailingly optimistic, motivating me through my worst spills and teaching me to find opportunities in failures. With his encouragement, I learned to push aside my fears and attack each jump with calm and confidence; it’s the hope that I can help others do the same that now inspires me to coach.

I remember the day a frustrated staff member directed Oliver, a particularly hesitant young skater, toward me, hoping that my patience and steady encouragement might help him improve. Having stood in Oliver’s skates not much earlier myself, I completely empathized with his worries but also saw within him the potential to overcome his fears and succeed. 

To alleviate his anxiety, I held Oliver’s hand as we inched around the rink, cheering him on at every turn. I soon found though, that this only increased his fear of gliding on his own, so I changed my approach, making lessons as exciting as possible in hopes that he would catch the skating bug and take off. In the weeks that followed, we held relay races, played “freeze-skate” and “ice-potato”, and raced through obstacle courses; gradually, with each slip and subsequent success, his fear began to abate. I watched Oliver’s eyes widen in excitement with every skill he learned, and not long after, he earned his first skating badge. Together we celebrated this milestone, his ecstasy fueling my excitement and his pride mirroring my own. At that moment, I was both teacher and student, his progress instilling in me the importance of patience and a positive attitude. 

It’s been more than ten years since I bundled up and stepped onto the ice for the first time. Since then, my tolerance for the cold has remained stubbornly low, but the rest of me has certainly changed. In sharing my passion for skating, I have found a wonderful community of eager athletes, loving parents, and dedicated coaches from whom I have learned invaluable lessons and wisdom. My fellow staffers have been with me, both as friends and colleagues, and the relationships I’ve formed have given me far more poise, confidence, and appreciation for others. Likewise, my relationships with parents have given me an even greater gratitude for the role they play: no one goes to the rink without a parent behind the wheel! 

Since that first lesson, I have mentored dozens of children, and over the years, witnessed tentative steps transform into powerful glides and tears give way to delighted grins. What I have shared with my students has been among the greatest joys of my life, something I will cherish forever. It’s funny: when I began skating, what pushed me through the early morning practices was the prospect of winning an Olympic medal. Now, what excites me is the chance to work with my students, to help them grow, and to give back to the sport that has brought me so much happiness. 

This response is a great example of how Diversity doesn’t have to mean race, gender, sexuality, ethnicity, age, or ability. Diversity can mean whatever you want it to mean—whatever unique experience(s) you have to bring to the table!

A major strength of this essay comes in its narrative organization. When reading this first paragraph, we feel for the young skaters and understand their fear—skating sounds scary! Then, because the writer sets us up to feel this empathy, the transition to the second paragraph where the student describes their empathy for the young skaters is particularly powerful. It’s like we are all in it together! The student’s empathy for the young skaters also serves as an outstanding, seamless transition to the applicant discussing their personal journey with skating: “I was struck by how much my students reminded me of myself as a young skater.”

This essay positions the applicant as a grounded and caring individual. They are caring towards the young skaters—changing their teaching style to try to help the young skaters and feeling the young skaters’ emotions with them—but they are also appreciative to those who helped them as they reference their fellow staffers and parents. This shows great maturity—a favorable quality in the eyes of an admissions officer.

At the end of the essay, we know a lot about this student and are convinced that they would be a good addition to a college campus!

Finding Community in the Rainforest

Prompt: Duke University seeks a talented, engaged student body that embodies the wide range of human experience; we believe that the diversity of our students makes our community stronger. If you’d like to share a perspective you bring or experiences you’ve had to help us understand you better—perhaps related to a community you belong to, your sexual orientation or gender identity, or your family or cultural background—we encourage you to do so. Real people are reading your application, and we want to do our best to understand and appreciate the real people applying to Duke (250 words).

I never understood the power of community until I left home to join seven strangers in the Ecuadorian rainforest. Although we flew in from distant corners of the U.S., we shared a common purpose: immersing ourselves in our passion for protecting the natural world.

Back home in my predominantly conservative suburb, my neighbors had brushed off environmental concerns. My classmates debated the feasibility of Trump’s wall, not the deteriorating state of our planet. Contrastingly, these seven strangers delighted in bird-watching, brightened at the mention of medicinal tree sap, and understood why I once ran across a four-lane highway to retrieve discarded beer cans. Their histories barely resembled mine, yet our values aligned intimately. We did not hesitate to joke about bullet ants, gush about the versatility of tree bark, or discuss the destructive consequences of materialism. Together, we let our inner tree huggers run free.

In the short life of our little community, we did what we thought was impossible. By feeding on each other’s infectious tenacity, we cultivated an atmosphere that deepened our commitment to our values and empowered us to speak out on behalf of the environment. After a week of stimulating conversations and introspective revelations about engaging people from our hometowns in environmental advocacy, we developed a shared determination to devote our lives to this cause.

As we shared a goodbye hug, my new friend whispered, “The world needs saving. Someone’s gotta do it.” For the first time, I believed that someone could be me.

This response is so wholesome and relatable. We all have things that we just need to geek out over and this student expresses the joy that came when they found a community where they could geek out about the environment. Passion is fundamental to university life and should find its way into successful applications.

Like the last response, this essay finds strength in the fact that readers feel for the student. We get a little bit of backstory about where they come from and how they felt silenced—“Back home in my predominantly conservative suburb, my neighbors had brushed off environmental concerns”—, so it’s easy to feel joy for them when they get set free.

This student displays clear values: community, ecoconsciousness, dedication, and compassion. An admissions officer who reads Diversity essays is looking for students with strong values and a desire to contribute to a university community—sounds like this student!  

Political/Global Issues

Colleges want to build engaged citizens, and the Political/Global Issues Essay allows them to better understand what you care about and whether your values align with theirs. In this essay, you’re most commonly asked to describe an issue, why you care about it, and what you’ve done or hope to do to address it. 

Learn more about how to write the Political/Global Issues Essay in our guide.

Note: this prompt is not a typical political/global issues essay, but the essay itself would be a strong response to a political/global issues prompt.

Fighting Violence Against Women

Prompt: Using a favorite quotation from an essay or book you have read in the last three years as a starting point, tell us about an event or experience that helped you define one of your values or changed how you approach the world. Please write the quotation, title and author at the beginning of your essay. (250-650 words)

“One of the great challenges of our time is that the disparities we face today have more complex causes and point less straightforwardly to solutions.” 

– Omar Wasow, assistant professor of politics, Princeton University. This quote is taken from Professor Wasow’s January 2014 speech at the Martin Luther King Day celebration at Princeton University. 

The air is crisp and cool, nipping at my ears as I walk under a curtain of darkness that drapes over the sky, starless. It is a Friday night in downtown Corpus Christi, a rare moment of peace in my home city filled with the laughter of strangers and colorful lights of street vendors. But I cannot focus. 

My feet stride quickly down the sidewalk, my hand grasps on to the pepper spray my parents gifted me for my sixteenth birthday. My eyes ignore the surrounding city life, focusing instead on a pair of tall figures walking in my direction. I mentally ask myself if they turned with me on the last street corner. I do not remember, so I pick up the pace again. All the while, my mind runs over stories of young women being assaulted, kidnapped, and raped on the street. I remember my mother’s voice reminding me to keep my chin up, back straight, eyes and ears alert. 

At a young age, I learned that harassment is a part of daily life for women. I fell victim to period-shaming when I was thirteen, received my first catcall when I was fourteen, and was nonconsensually grabbed by a man soliciting on the street when I was fifteen. For women, assault does not just happen to us— its gory details leave an imprint in our lives, infecting the way we perceive the world. And while movements such as the Women’s March and #MeToo have given victims of sexual violence a voice, harassment still manifests itself in the lives of millions of women across the nation. Symbolic gestures are important in spreading awareness but, upon learning that a surprising number of men are oblivious to the frequent harassment that women experience, I now realize that addressing this complex issue requires a deeper level of activism within our local communities. 

Frustrated with incessant cases of harassment against women, I understood at sixteen years old that change necessitates action. During my junior year, I became an intern with a judge whose campaign for office focused on a need for domestic violence reform. This experience enabled me to engage in constructive dialogue with middle and high school students on how to prevent domestic violence. As I listened to young men uneasily admit their ignorance and young women bravely share their experiences in an effort to spread awareness, I learned that breaking down systems of inequity requires changing an entire culture. I once believed that the problem of harassment would dissipate after politicians and celebrities denounce inappropriate behavior to their global audience. But today, I see that effecting large-scale change comes from the “small” lessons we teach at home and in schools. Concerning women’s empowerment, the effects of Hollywood activism do not trickle down enough. Activism must also trickle up and it depends on our willingness to fight complacency. 

Finding the solution to the long-lasting problem of violence against women is a work-in-progress, but it is a process that is persistently moving. In my life, for every uncomfortable conversation that I bridge, I make the world a bit more sensitive to the unspoken struggle that it is to be a woman. I am no longer passively waiting for others to let me live in a world where I can stand alone under the expanse of darkness on a city street, utterly alone and at peace. I, too, deserve the night sky.

As this student addresses an important social issue, she makes the reasons for her passion clear—personal experiences. Because she begins with an extended anecdote, readers are able to feel connected to the student and become invested in what she has to say.

Additionally, through her powerful ending—“I, too, deserve the night sky”—which connects back to her beginning— “as I walk under a curtain of darkness that drapes over the sky”—this student illustrates a mastery of language. Her engagement with other writing techniques that further her argument, like the emphasis on time—“gifted to me for my sixteenth birthday,” “when I was thirteen,” “when I was fourteen,” etc.—also illustrates her mastery of language.

While this student proves herself a good writer, she also positions herself as motivated and ambitious. She turns her passions into action and fights for them. That is just what admissions officers want to see in a Political/Global issues essay!

Where to Get Feedback on Your College Essays

Once you’ve written your college essays, you’ll want to get feedback on them. Since these essays are important to your chances of acceptance, you should prepare to go through several rounds of edits. 

Not sure who to ask for feedback? That’s why we created our free Peer Essay Review resource. You can get comments from another student going through the process and also edit other students’ essays to improve your own writing. 

If you want a college admissions expert to review your essay, advisors on CollegeVine have helped students refine their writing and submit successful applications to top schools.  Find the right advisor for you  to improve your chances of getting into your dream school!

Related CollegeVine Blog Posts

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Ultimate Guide to Writing Your College Essay

Tips for writing an effective college essay.

College admissions essays are an important part of your college application and gives you the chance to show colleges and universities your character and experiences. This guide will give you tips to write an effective college essay.

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Writing a strong college admissions essay

Learn about the elements of a solid admissions essay.

Avoiding common admissions essay mistakes

Learn some of the most common mistakes made on college essays

Brainstorming tips for your college essay

Stuck on what to write your college essay about? Here are some exercises to help you get started.

How formal should the tone of your college essay be?

Learn how formal your college essay should be and get tips on how to bring out your natural voice.

Taking your college essay to the next level

Hear an admissions expert discuss the appropriate level of depth necessary in your college essay.

Student Stories

Student story: admissions essay about a formative experience.

Get the perspective of a current college student on how he approached the admissions essay.

Student Story: Admissions essay about personal identity

Get the perspective of a current college student on how she approached the admissions essay.

Student Story: Admissions essay about community impact

Student story: admissions essay about a past mistake, how to write a college application essay, tips for writing an effective application essay, sample college essay 1 with feedback, sample college essay 2 with feedback.

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How to Write a College Essay | A Complete Guide & Examples

The college essay can make or break your application. It’s your chance to provide personal context, communicate your values and qualities, and set yourself apart from other students.

A standout essay has a few key ingredients:

  • A unique, personal topic
  • A compelling, well-structured narrative
  • A clear, creative writing style
  • Evidence of self-reflection and insight

To achieve this, it’s crucial to give yourself enough time for brainstorming, writing, revision, and feedback.

In this comprehensive guide, we walk you through every step in the process of writing a college admissions essay.

Why do you need a standout essay, start organizing early, choose a unique topic, outline your essay, start with a memorable introduction, write like an artist, craft a strong conclusion, revise and receive feedback, frequently asked questions.

While most of your application lists your academic achievements, your college admissions essay is your opportunity to share who you are and why you’d be a good addition to the university.

Your college admissions essay accounts for about 25% of your application’s total weight一and may account for even more with some colleges making the SAT and ACT tests optional. The college admissions essay may be the deciding factor in your application, especially for competitive schools where most applicants have exceptional grades, test scores, and extracurriculars.

What do colleges look for in an essay?

Admissions officers want to understand your background, personality, and values to get a fuller picture of you beyond your test scores and grades. Here’s what colleges look for in an essay :

  • Demonstrated values and qualities
  • Vulnerability and authenticity
  • Self-reflection and insight
  • Creative, clear, and concise writing skills

Prevent plagiarism. Run a free check.

It’s a good idea to start organizing your college application timeline in the summer of your junior year to make your application process easier. This will give you ample time for essay brainstorming, writing, revision, and feedback.

While timelines will vary for each student, aim to spend at least 1–3 weeks brainstorming and writing your first draft and at least 2–4 weeks revising across multiple drafts. Remember to leave enough time for breaks in between each writing and editing stage.

Create an essay tracker sheet

If you’re applying to multiple schools, you will have to juggle writing several essays for each one. We recommend using an essay tracker spreadsheet to help you visualize and organize the following:

  • Deadlines and number of essays needed
  • Prompt overlap, allowing you to write one essay for similar prompts

You can build your own essay tracker using our free Google Sheets template.

College essay tracker template

Ideally, you should start brainstorming college essay topics the summer before your senior year. Keep in mind that it’s easier to write a standout essay with a unique topic.

If you want to write about a common essay topic, such as a sports injury or volunteer work overseas, think carefully about how you can make it unique and personal. You’ll need to demonstrate deep insight and write your story in an original way to differentiate it from similar essays.

What makes a good topic?

  • Meaningful and personal to you
  • Uncommon or has an unusual angle
  • Reveals something different from the rest of your application

Brainstorming questions

You should do a comprehensive brainstorm before choosing your topic. Here are a few questions to get started:

  • What are your top five values? What lived experiences demonstrate these values?
  • What adjectives would your friends and family use to describe you?
  • What challenges or failures have you faced and overcome? What lessons did you learn from them?
  • What makes you different from your classmates?
  • What are some objects that represent your identity, your community, your relationships, your passions, or your goals?
  • Whom do you admire most? Why?
  • What three people have significantly impacted your life? How did they influence you?

How to identify your topic

Here are two strategies for identifying a topic that demonstrates your values:

  • Start with your qualities : First, identify positive qualities about yourself; then, brainstorm stories that demonstrate these qualities.
  • Start with a story : Brainstorm a list of memorable life moments; then, identify a value shown in each story.

After choosing your topic, organize your ideas in an essay outline , which will help keep you focused while writing. Unlike a five-paragraph academic essay, there’s no set structure for a college admissions essay. You can take a more creative approach, using storytelling techniques to shape your essay.

Two common approaches are to structure your essay as a series of vignettes or as a single narrative.

Vignettes structure

The vignette, or montage, structure weaves together several stories united by a common theme. Each story should demonstrate one of your values or qualities and conclude with an insight or future outlook.

This structure gives the admissions officer glimpses into your personality, background, and identity, and shows how your qualities appear in different areas of your life.

Topic: Museum with a “five senses” exhibit of my experiences

  • Introduction: Tour guide introduces my museum and my “Making Sense of My Heritage” exhibit
  • Story: Racial discrimination with my eyes
  • Lesson: Using my writing to document truth
  • Story: Broadway musical interests
  • Lesson: Finding my voice
  • Story: Smells from family dinner table
  • Lesson: Appreciating home and family
  • Story: Washing dishes
  • Lesson: Finding moments of peace in busy schedule
  • Story: Biking with Ava
  • Lesson: Finding pleasure in job well done
  • Conclusion: Tour guide concludes tour, invites guest to come back for “fall College Collection,” featuring my search for identity and learning.

Single story structure

The single story, or narrative, structure uses a chronological narrative to show a student’s character development over time. Some narrative essays detail moments in a relatively brief event, while others narrate a longer journey spanning months or years.

Single story essays are effective if you have overcome a significant challenge or want to demonstrate personal development.

Topic: Sports injury helps me learn to be a better student and person

  • Situation: Football injury
  • Challenge: Friends distant, teachers don’t know how to help, football is gone for me
  • Turning point: Starting to like learning in Ms. Brady’s history class; meeting Christina and her friends
  • My reactions: Reading poetry; finding shared interest in poetry with Christina; spending more time studying and with people different from me
  • Insight: They taught me compassion and opened my eyes to a different lifestyle; even though I still can’t play football, I’m starting a new game

Brainstorm creative insights or story arcs

Regardless of your essay’s structure, try to craft a surprising story arc or original insights, especially if you’re writing about a common topic.

Never exaggerate or fabricate facts about yourself to seem interesting. However, try finding connections in your life that deviate from cliché storylines and lessons.

Admissions officers read thousands of essays each year, and they typically spend only a few minutes reading each one. To get your message across, your introduction , or hook, needs to grab the reader’s attention and compel them to read more..

Avoid starting your introduction with a famous quote, cliché, or reference to the essay itself (“While I sat down to write this essay…”).

While you can sometimes use dialogue or a meaningful quotation from a close family member or friend, make sure it encapsulates your essay’s overall theme.

Find an original, creative way of starting your essay using the following two methods.

Option 1: Start with an intriguing hook

Begin your essay with an unexpected statement to pique the reader’s curiosity and compel them to carefully read your essay. A mysterious introduction disarms the reader’s expectations and introduces questions that can only be answered by reading more.

Option 2: Start with vivid imagery

Illustrate a clear, detailed image to immediately transport your reader into your memory. You can start in the middle of an important scene or describe an object that conveys your essay’s theme.

A college application essay allows you to be creative in your style and tone. As you draft your essay, try to use interesting language to enliven your story and stand out .

Show, don’t tell

“Tell” in writing means to simply state a fact: “I am a basketball player.” “ Show ” in writing means to use details, examples, and vivid imagery to help the reader easily visualize your memory: “My heart races as I set up to shoot一two seconds, one second一and score a three-pointer!”

First, reflect on every detail of a specific image or scene to recall the most memorable aspects.

  • What are the most prominent images?
  • Are there any particular sounds, smells, or tastes associated with this memory?
  • What emotion or physical feeling did you have at that time?

Be vulnerable to create an emotional response

You don’t have to share a huge secret or traumatic story, but you should dig deep to express your honest feelings, thoughts, and experiences to evoke an emotional response. Showing vulnerability demonstrates humility and maturity. However, don’t exaggerate to gain sympathy.

Use appropriate style and tone

Make sure your essay has the right style and tone by following these guidelines:

  • Use a conversational yet respectful tone: less formal than academic writing, but more formal than texting your friends.
  • Prioritize using “I” statements to highlight your perspective.
  • Write within your vocabulary range to maintain an authentic voice.
  • Write concisely, and use the active voice to keep a fast pace.
  • Follow grammar rules (unless you have valid stylistic reasons for breaking them).

You should end your college essay with a deep insight or creative ending to leave the reader with a strong final impression. Your college admissions essay should avoid the following:

  • Summarizing what you already wrote
  • Stating your hope of being accepted to the school
  • Mentioning character traits that should have been illustrated in the essay, such as “I’m a hard worker”

Here are two strategies to craft a strong conclusion.

Option 1: Full circle, sandwich structure

The full circle, or sandwich, structure concludes the essay with an image, idea, or story mentioned in the introduction. This strategy gives the reader a strong sense of closure.

In the example below, the essay concludes by returning to the “museum” metaphor that the writer opened with.

Option 2: Revealing your insight

You can use the conclusion to show the insight you gained as a result of the experiences you’ve described. Revealing your main message at the end creates suspense and keeps the takeaway at the forefront of your reader’s mind.

Revise your essay before submitting it to check its content, style, and grammar. Get feedback from no more than two or three people.

It’s normal to go through several rounds of revision, but take breaks between each editing stage.

Also check out our college essay examples to see what does and doesn’t work in an essay and the kinds of changes you can make to improve yours.

Respect the word count

Most schools specify a word count for each essay , and you should stay within 10% of the upper limit.

Remain under the specified word count limit to show you can write concisely and follow directions. However, don’t write too little, which may imply that you are unwilling or unable to write a thoughtful and developed essay.

Check your content, style, and grammar

  • First, check big-picture issues of message, flow, and clarity.
  • Then, check for style and tone issues.
  • Finally, focus on eliminating grammar and punctuation errors.

Get feedback

Get feedback from 2–3 people who know you well, have good writing skills, and are familiar with college essays.

  • Teachers and guidance counselors can help you check your content, language, and tone.
  • Friends and family can check for authenticity.
  • An essay coach or editor has specialized knowledge of college admissions essays and can give objective expert feedback.

The checklist below helps you make sure your essay ticks all the boxes.

College admissions essay checklist

I’ve organized my essay prompts and created an essay writing schedule.

I’ve done a comprehensive brainstorm for essay topics.

I’ve selected a topic that’s meaningful to me and reveals something different from the rest of my application.

I’ve created an outline to guide my structure.

I’ve crafted an introduction containing vivid imagery or an intriguing hook that grabs the reader’s attention.

I’ve written my essay in a way that shows instead of telling.

I’ve shown positive traits and values in my essay.

I’ve demonstrated self-reflection and insight in my essay.

I’ve used appropriate style and tone .

I’ve concluded with an insight or a creative ending.

I’ve revised my essay , checking my overall message, flow, clarity, and grammar.

I’ve respected the word count , remaining within 10% of the upper word limit.

Congratulations!

It looks like your essay ticks all the boxes. A second pair of eyes can help you take it to the next level – Scribbr's essay coaches can help.

Colleges want to be able to differentiate students who seem similar on paper. In the college application essay , they’re looking for a way to understand each applicant’s unique personality and experiences.

Your college essay accounts for about 25% of your application’s weight. It may be the deciding factor in whether you’re accepted, especially for competitive schools where most applicants have exceptional grades, test scores, and extracurricular track records.

A standout college essay has several key ingredients:

  • A unique, personally meaningful topic
  • A memorable introduction with vivid imagery or an intriguing hook
  • Specific stories and language that show instead of telling
  • Vulnerability that’s authentic but not aimed at soliciting sympathy
  • Clear writing in an appropriate style and tone
  • A conclusion that offers deep insight or a creative ending

While timelines will differ depending on the student, plan on spending at least 1–3 weeks brainstorming and writing the first draft of your college admissions essay , and at least 2–4 weeks revising across multiple drafts. Don’t forget to save enough time for breaks between each writing and editing stage.

You should already begin thinking about your essay the summer before your senior year so that you have plenty of time to try out different topics and get feedback on what works.

Most college application portals specify a word count range for your essay, and you should stay within 10% of the upper limit to write a developed and thoughtful essay.

You should aim to stay under the specified word count limit to show you can follow directions and write concisely. However, don’t write too little, as it may seem like you are unwilling or unable to write a detailed and insightful narrative about yourself.

If no word count is specified, we advise keeping your essay between 400 and 600 words.

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PrepScholar

Choose Your Test

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

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College Admissions , College Essays

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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.

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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!

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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 :

Craft Your Perfect College Essay

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

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

body_fixers

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.

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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.

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#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 .

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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 .

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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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Essays on Beautification

1 sample on this topic

To some students, writing Beautification papers comes easy; others need the help of various types. The WowEssays.com collection includes expertly crafted sample essays on Beautification and related issues. Most definitely, among all those Beautification essay examples, you will find a piece that conforms with what you perceive as a worthy paper. You can be sure that virtually every Beautification paper showcased here can be used as a bright example to follow in terms of overall structure and composing different parts of a paper – introduction, main body, or conclusion.

If, however, you have a hard time coming up with a solid Beautification essay or don't have even a minute of extra time to explore our sample database, our free essay writer service can still be of great aid to you. The thing is, our writers can craft a model Beautification paper to your individual needs and particular requirements within the pre-set timespan. Buy college essays today!

Beautification Of School Essay

Student attitudes are shaped to some extent by the structures (facilities) through which they are mediated (Ferreira, 1995). In fact, building conditions can directly affect the attitudes of students or the attitudes of teachers and parents which in turn affect student attitudes. Pronghorns (1970) referred to physical settings and attitudes as follows: Physical settings-simple or complex-evoke complex human responses in the form of feelings, attitudes, values, expectancies, and desires, and it is in this sense as well as their known physical properties that their relationships to human experience and behavior must be understood.

P. 28) There is a body of research in the area of school facilities and their relationship to student and teacher attitudes. Stockyard and Maybe (1992) found that the quality Of a physical plant or environment is related to non- cognitive outcomes, such as better attitudes toward school. These outcomes may eventually relate to higher academic achievement. Christopher (1988) concluded that human nature makes people feel better about themselves when their surroundings are pleasant.

Students who have better attitudes usually learn more and work harder.

McCauley (1972) conducted a study investigating pupil attitudes toward their school buildings in the elementary level. He found that students housed in newer school buildings which were fully carpeted and air-conditioned showed more positive attitudes than students housed in older buildings. A study completed by Loving (1972) in Middle Georgia explored the attitudes Of elementary children who had moved from a traditional school to an open- space school. It was shown that the children were keenly aware of their school building and responded positively to bright and comfortable rounding’s.

essay on beautification of your college campus

Proficient in: Teaching

“ Very organized ,I enjoyed and Loved every bit of our professional interaction ”

In fact, these children’s attitudes were directly related to their physical surrounding. Chain (1982) compared student attitudes toward the physical environment of a school opened in 1980 and that of two older schools: one built in 1923 and the other in 1936. The main finding of this study indicated that pupils housed in a modern school building have significantly more positive attitudes toward school than do pupils housed in a much older building. Likewise, Cramer (1976) studied selected Junior High Schools in the Bibb County School District of Georgia.

School Premises Essay

He contended that pupils housed in newly renovated school facilities showed more positive attitudes. In the area of self-concept, Bowers and Burnett(1989) concluded that self- concept scores on the Piers-Harris Children’s Self-Concept Scale of students in a modern facility were significantly higher than the student scores Of those housed in an older facility. Mascot and Mint (1956) studied student attitudes in “ugly, neutral and beautiful” rooms finding significant differences corresponding to room quality in the responses (p. 466).

These researchers valued that the mean rating given by the subjects in the beautiful room was in the range defined as “energy” and “well-being” while the mean of the ratings given by subjects in both the average and ugly rooms was in the range defined as “fatigued” and “displeased” (p. 466). Furthermore, the students placed in the beautiful room expressed feelings of “comfort, pleasure, enjoyment, importance, energy and a desire to continue their activity’ (p. 466). Thus, if children have positive attitudes and look forward to attending school, it stands to reason they will do better in their classes (Christopher, 1988).

Teachers’ attitudes are also directly related to the school facility. Several studies have been conducted in the area of open-space classrooms and their effect on teacher attitudes. Lewis (1976) examined the influence of open- space classrooms and closed-space classrooms on the attitudes of teachers toward the school building. It was found that teachers housed in open-space classrooms showed more positive attitudes. Likewise, Jones (1974) concluded that teachers’ attitudes toward their students in open-space classrooms improved significantly.

Mills(1 972) agreed with Jones’ findings when he included that teachers in open-space areas exhibited behaviors that allowed greater pupil freedom and self-direction. These teachers displayed behaviors which were more permissive, supportive, warm and sympathetic toward students. As one can see, not only does the physical environment of a school affect children, teachers are also affected by the design of a school building. And so, school architects, educators and facility planners must take into consideration the impact that the design of school buildings have on student and teacher attitudes.

Why Beauty Is Needed In The Classroom

by Bridgitte Alomes | Sep 4, 2023

essay about school beautification

Researchers communicated with well over a thousand teachers in the US around their experience of how learning environments affect their student outcomes – The conclusion: “Teachers across the country overwhelmingly agree that creative learning spaces play an important role in student engagement,” said Melissa Pelletier, MDR education research editor and an author of the study.

According to the educators who participated, the features that were most important for classroom learning were (in order of importance):

  • Accommodating different learning styles
  • Incorporating technology
  • Allowing for movement and “less sedentary behavior”
  • Manipulating lighting
  • Incorporating outside views and natural light

These elements are reflected in my own findings and experience of the correlation between learning spaces and student engagement. Although here, as is often the case, I find one of the missing pieces when educators discuss their ideal classroom, is the importance of beauty and the effect it can have on children. Having a beautiful, or at least an aesthetically pleasing learning environment is much more important than it being ‘nice to have’.

Students having a beautiful, welcoming environment to attend each day fosters a sense of safety and desire to be there. It can raise their expectations, self-esteem, and connection to others, which in turn often leads to greater focus, engagement, and enjoyment. For many children, entering a classroom that’s been intentionally designed sends the message that they matter, are valued and can potentially encourage and empower them to take ownership of their own learning.

“Teachers can be champions for learning spaces for a number of reasons, but one of the motives should be that beauty is good for learning, and students need to experience beauty to grow to their full potential.” – Dr. Robert Dillon.

Additionally, within the research, there was also an unsurprising preference stated by the participators – ‘If they could create the ideal classroom, they’d give themselves more room, and it would be more open and flexible and include collaborative spaces.’ As one teacher reported, “We teach classes of as many as 36 students. In some classrooms, students are practically on top of each other. There is no space to have quiet conversations, to work on writing, to do book groups. Space is premium.”

In response to this, I’d like to dive a bit deeper – adding my own experience of working extensively with school districts, educators and students to create better learning environments.

Firstly, the aspiration for educators to have more physical space within their classroom is easy to understand but almost impossible to achieve in terms of increasing the actual floor area. But better effective use of space can be simple to obtain. If you have inherited a classroom full of traditional desks and chairs, as you know they are taking up a lot of floor space and can be tricky to navigate around. Those same pieces of furniture can be used more effectively, they can be placed around the wall of the classroom or pushed together to create smaller more intimate collaborative areas. Another intentional action that creates the feeling of a more open space is decluttering frequently, ideally by both educators and students. This alone can immediately create an environment that feels more spacious and is more conducive for focused engaged learning.

These simple actions, along with a focus on creating an aesthetically inspiring space, can greatly contribute to achieving the very features educators sight as being the most important for classroom learning. I would add that these simple actions do not need any financial input, just some leadership and time management. The effort is worth it, especially when the results can potentially lead to engaged, focused students and better learning outcomes for all.

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School Beautification

School Beautification

Activity: School beautification through flower gardening.

Objective: To improve the physical ambiance of the school for learning.

Report: A day long school beautification program was carried out by scouts in collaboration with YVIA club and peer helpers on 15th of June.  It was done to let flower grow during a month long school vacation without any disturbance.

Implication: Improving physical ambiance will create a conducive environment for learning which will improve the academic performance of the school.

essay about school beautification

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School gardens offer numerous benefits beyond beautification

essay about school beautification

URBANA, Ill. — Even with the best teachers and best technology, sometimes the best learning happens in the garden. Many school grounds have gardens for visual reasons, but the benefits of having flowers, herbs, vegetables, and fruit trees go far beyond beautification.

“While so much emphasis put on the use of technology in the classroom, many kids today are missing out on the experience right outside the school doors,” says Brittnay Haag , a University of Illinois Extension horticulture educator.  

School gardens create hands-on learning opportunities for students that aren’t typically found in a classroom. Classes where students are able to plan, plant, and care for a green space have been proven to benefit not only the youth but also their community in a variety of ways. Research shows gardening activities can be brought into a variety of subjects and bring learning to life for science, social studies, math, writing, visual arts, health, and nutrition.

“Imagine being able to dig in the soil to explore its makeup instead of looking at pictures,” says Haag. “Students can observe firsthand the act of pollination and the life cycle of plants, or be inspired by the garden while writing an essay or painting a picture.”

The garden can also be used for health and nutrition lessons or a place to practice physical fitness while pulling weeds or spreading mulch. By growing fruits and vegetables, children's food attitudes and behaviors can change for the better. They are more likely to eat vegetables they have grown themselves and share those preferences with others.

Young learners need a place to play, explore, and learn. School gardens can be an asset to every student and teacher, offering a place to get outdoors, connect with the natural world, and explore new concepts through experiential learning.

Illinois Extension horticulture staff are available to assist schools and childcare facilities of all sizes and grade levels with starting a garden, reviving an existing garden, or connecting the curriculum to the garden. To connect with an educator in your area, visit go.illinois.edu/ExtensionOffice .

SOURCE : Brittnay Haag , Horticulture Educator, University of Illinois Extension

ABOUT EXTENSION : Illinois Extension leads public outreach for University of Illinois by translating research into action plans that allow Illiois families, businesses, and community leaders to solve problems, make informed decisions, and adapt to changes and opportunities.

PHOTO ACCESS : The photo in this article is  available to download for media use . 

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School beautification benefits students: volunteer at argonne es, announcement details, announcement message, volunteer at argonne es beautification day, and you will receive a volunteer recommendation letter and/or volunteer credit letter for community engagement and support..

The Facilities Services Division will hold a Beautification Day Event on Saturday, April 15, 2023. 

The scope of work depends on the school's location and volunteers.

Volunteer at beautification days to keep San Francisco beautiful through landscaping and gardening projects, graffiti removal, and litter cleanup in our neighborhoods. 

This Saturday, Apr. 15 

Argonne Elementary School

680 18th Avenue

San Francisco, CA 94121

What we need help with: 

We are asking students and their families to assist with the following:

  • traffic control
  • cleaning school territory
  • assisting with graffiti removal
  • checking people in
  • general support

Volunteers arrive at the kickoff between 8:30 a.m. and 9 a.m. and sign in.

We'll hold a short speaking program to review the day's activities and get a quick safety overview.

Volunteers and Public Works staff will then head to their assigned work sites.

Work will take about 3 hours, with everyone returning to the kickoff location around noon.

Neighborhood Beautification Days

Neighborhood Beautification Days help to keep San Francisco beautiful through landscaping and gardening projects, graffiti removal, and litter cleanup in our neighborhoods.

Events can be an incredible, fun, and rewarding opportunity for the school community to work together on improving school sites as we kick off this event at the school site. 

Schools are receiving power washing, cleaning of the yards, mulching, plant/tree planting, and miniature painting projects with PTA help. 

We hope to see you this Saturday! 

Announcement links.

Modair

School Beautification Project

In lieu of the company’s commitment to Social Responsibility, the company has devoted to adopt a community school through a beautification project.

Last December 5, 2015, Department and Project Managers both Japanese and Filipinos spearheaded by the company’s Management team enjoined in the final touches and painting of the school fence.  The beautification actually started 2 weeks prior to the finishing and turnover date.  Workers from our Timbao warehouse assisted in the construction of the fence and the fabrication of the dustpans and trash bins which will be donated to the school.

After the final touches and painting of the school fence, a Gratitude program was held by the school administration, teachers and students for Modair.  Students showcased their dance talents in appreciation of the project.  Subsequently, after the program, packed lunch were prepared and distributed by the company as another Christmas treat for all participants.

Fencing Timbao Elementary School and providing trash bins and dustpans may seem like a small undertaking but community projects such as these will surely make a difference for the residents of Timbao in Biñan, Laguna where most young children are attending school.  Because of the project, residents would feel safer for their kids.  The donated trash bins and dustpans will also raise awareness amongst students on the importance of proper waste disposal.

Related CSR

Making a difference in the lives of others gives a different kind of inspiration to Modair to work harder and persevere more. Being the reason for underprivileged children to smile is an added bonus.

Last January 6, 2018, Modair had chosen to spend Christmas with the orphans and children of the Asociacion De Damas De Filipinas (ADDDF) orphanage. The mid-morning program were filled with surprises as the kids showcased their talents through songs and dances. Modair management and employees also enjoyed various games with the children. The highlight of the event was when the youngest kids taught the Modair employees how to dance the Baby Shark, which was such a good timing because the company prepared baby shark hats for the kids and employees to wear for the event.

At lunch time, the managers and the employees dined with the children with foods and drinks specially prepared for the occasion.

Besides the special program and lunch party, the company donated individual sleeping clothes for the children according to their sizes which was arranged and prepared beforehand by the event organizers. Also, donations of food, cooking oil, condiments, sacks of rice, cash and other provisions for the orphanage were given to the ADDDF.

It was a wonderful Christmas celebration after all. Everybody left the venue smiling.

As part of Modair’s corporate citizenship and in celebration of the Christmas season

Modair in its quick response to assist victims of Taal Volcano eruption last January 12, 2020, had deployed its trucks and vans from its various projects to help in the evacuation of its workers, families and those who were affected by the eruption in the different municipalities in Batangas.

Likewise, the company immediately initiated the purchase of relief goods and necessities for the affected employees and their families whose houses were devastated and had no choice but to stay in the evacuation centers and facilities. Numerous iBoxes filled with mats, towels, medicines, canned goods, toiletries, face masks, canned goods and other necessities were delivered to the victims.

For continued Disaster Relief and Risk Prevention, Modair had ordered boxes of N95 face masks from Japan that were distributed to the different project sites in Batangas to protect its employees from the sulfuric ashes.

The company supports the development and enhancement of skills in different aspects of the employees’ careers.

Despite the challenges of Covid-19, Modair family has grown fast and huge in numbers in recent years in terms of number of manpower and projects and has shown resilience amidst the adversities. Last June 22, 2022, Modair took pride in celebrating its 30th founding anniversary.

After the effects of lockdowns and the aftermath of Covid-19 spread, the company and its people have remained strong in its goal to continue overcoming and shaping its business. In celebration of this milestone, the company held its Anniversary event and Team Building activities for employees last July 2-3, 2022 at the 8 Waves Hotel and Resort with the theme “Shape the Future, Overcome Adversities.” With all its employees fully-vaccinated and a number with booster shots already, the employees were able to bond in company-customized team building activities the whole morning of the first day, leisure time in the afternoon and Anniversary program/party in the evening.

Notwithstanding the safety and health protocols, the company arranged delicious feast for all employees, special program with games and surprises, and even hired a band to liven the occasion so the employees can enjoy jamming in singing and dancing.

As Modair celebrates its 30th fruitful years, the company would like to take this opportunity to extend gratitude for the stanch trust and patronage of our clients, the unwavering commitment of its employees and of course the solid support of its management who continuously develop means and ways for the betterment of the company. Thus, on this new decade, Modair would like to introduce our new tagline: NEXT EVOLUTION.

Modair launched a series of relief efforts in a company-wide campaign and additional initiatives for its

June 22, 2012, marked Modair Manila’s 20th year in business existence.  Two celebrations were held to highlight the big event and its continuous growth with its theme “Moving forward…Moving ahead @ 20”. 

Modair believes that no one should stop dreaming for careers in the Engineering or construction industry because of financial problems. Hence, it has been the advocacy of Modair to provide financial aid to deserving students to pursue their education in Mechanical, Electrical or Civil Engineering and CAD Designing and fulfill their dreams without any hurdles in life.

Modair decided to step in to create awareness among potential students and ease their journey back in 2007. This continuous Modair education assistance provides access to those who didn’t have means for meeting the expenses of education in the aforementioned courses. Modair has assisted 100% tuition scholarship with free of cost accommodation and an additional monthly stipend to cover books, miscellaneous and other educational necessities until their graduation. From 2007 up to 2021, Modair has fulfilled the dreams of 14 Mechanical Engineers, 4 Electrical Engineers and 27 CAD Operators. To date, there are current student-beneficiaries enrolled in various schools who are being assisted and financed by the company until they reach their dream profession.

Changing the lives of these underprivileged but deserving students does not end in their graduation but Modair ensures that they are accommodated for their On-the-Job Trainings (OJT) and financially-assisted also for board reviews and examinations. To elevate the lives of the scholar’s families, if there are vacancies in the company, Modair employs these scholars and trains them technically and professionally in their chosen fields and exposes them into actual Engineering, design and construction works.

In the twenty-four long years since its founding, MODAIR MANILA CO. LTD., INC. has played a major role in the transformation of lives

Modair

Cosmetology Essay on Beauty for School and College Students

A cosmetology essay is not a separate type of essay with specific requirements. It's a paper on a particular topic. You may either have cosmetology as a separate subject or just another topic covered in one of your classes. For instance, you may write a paper on this topic for your English composition or art class.

The issue of style and fashion is very relevant nowadays. A lot of young people (women, in particular) want to work in a beauty sphere or have experienced many cosmetology innovations themselves. So, this topic frequently becomes the subject matter of various academic projects.

If we consider cosmetology as a separate school subject, we can define it a certain way. " The study of beauty and beauty treatment that is divided into different categories according to the part of the body it refers to ." While some professionals deal with hair, others take care of your face. Some experts working in this field specialize in polishing nails, and others recommend the proper methods to get rid of the excessive weight. Cosmetology is highly demanding in terms of responsibility. Only people who possess enough theoretical and practical knowledge can handle such a delicate mission as making the client healthy and beautiful. It's impossible to look good without feeling good inside. But, it makes no sense to be healthy but ugly outside.

You may be assigned to prepare a cosmetology essay for your nursing or healthcare program as these fields are interrelated. Or, if you want to apply for cosmetology school, it can be one of the admissions counselors' requirements. And, the intent for cosmetology essay writing doesn't matter. You have to know some rules and standards that are very essential to top-notch academic projects.

When you get to this specific assignment, consider its type to meet the writing purpose accurately:

  • Definition. Interpret the term from the cosmetology field using a dictionary and your own words.
  • Descriptive. Describe what you consider beautiful.
  • Narrative. Tell a story about the power of beauty or beauticians' innovation.
  • Cause and effect. Dwell the line of your text on the reasons people go through plastic surgery and list the consequences of such decisions.
  • Compare and contrast. Find differences and similarities between images of beauty in different societies.
  • Argumentative. You have to deal with stating your idea related to beautification and proving its relevance.
  • Persuasive. Obtain a stance and make the audience agree with it. This cosmetology essay deals with strong arguments and reliable facts.

Now, we'll continue to discuss this assignment by analyzing the basics of its structure.

How to Write a Cosmetology Essay

Once you decide on the type of paper, you should formulate a good topic for your discussion. To choose one, you may follow the trendy news and have a brainstorm with your friends. Remember that before you start writing, your professor should accept the topic. You can find the list of the possible topics below, but first, we would like to recall the standards of general cosmetology essay structure.

  • Introduction. Hook + background info + thesis statement.
  • Body. 3 paragraphs: one claim per paragraph (the central argument) + some evidence.
  • Conclusion. Restated thesis + summary of the main points + forecast or another hook.

Now, let's take a closer look at each of these parts.

Writing a Winning Introduction

The most important thing is developing an introduction. This section has to be attention-grabbing to make the reader WANT to keep on exploring your essay. Sometimes, the best idea is to involve a shocking fact about beauty or a relevant quote/anecdote. For instance, " A famous company Botulinum Toxin Type A alone has encouraged more than 7 million plastic surgeries in 2018. In the future, I want my salon to surpass them. "

Then, specify the reason why you wish to discuss a beauty-related issue and also explain that some people are obsessed with the idea of being beautiful.

As for the cosmetology essay body, start each new paragraph with the central argument (claim) that aims to defend the thesis. Next, you must always include some quotations from credible sources as well as vivid examples to justify your point of view. Add a transition word at the end of each body paragraph to show the logical flow of your thoughts. Transitions help to connect the paragraphs with each other as well as the rest of the text.

Cosmetology Essay Conclusion

A conclusion for any essay is the essential part if you wish to make an impression. In the last sentence or few, you may explain how to implement some beauty techniques in real life or provide some forecasts for the future of this sphere. Never state a new question, although you can finish the writing with a rhetorical one. For instance, " So, does it mean that natural beauty is valued less than artificial one? "

10 Stunning Cosmetology Essay Topics

We promised to share some good ideas for your writing. Pick one of the offered topics or come up with your own statements after research:

  • What makes a woman attractive?
  • People skills are necessary for the cosmetology field. What are those?
  • The way people learnt how to sing beauty since the medieval ages.
  • The difference between a cosmetologist and an esthetician.
  • What is the importance of time management skills for cosmetology?
  • The help of beauticians for people working in the area of public relation is unavoidable.
  • Pros and cons of plastic surgery and its dramatic consequences.
  • Do weight-loss pills really help? Why are people so obsessed with the idea of weight loss?
  • Why is cosmetologist a challenging career to pursue?
  • Role models and their impact on young people today.

There are many topics related to cosmetology to cover in your academic papers. Pick the one you feel comfortable with and start writing using our tips or our academic help!

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Black Student’s Suspension Over Hairstyle Didn’t Violate Law, Texas Judge Rules

The trial was the latest development in a case that has prompted scrutiny of education policies and race in the United States.

A portrait shows Darryl George wearing his hair in locs, or long ropelike strands of hair, that he pins on his head in a barrel roll. He has a diamond earing in his left ear.

By Christine Hauser and Patrick McGee

Patrick McGee reported from Anahuac, Texas.

A Texas judge ruled on Thursday that a school district’s dress code, which it used to suspend a Black student last year for refusing to change the way he wears his hair, did not violate a state law meant to prohibit race-based discrimination against people based on their hairstyle.

The student, Darryl George, 18, has locs, or long ropelike strands of hair, that he pins on his head in a barrel roll, a protective style that his mother said reflected Black culture. Since the start of his junior year last August, he has faced a series of disciplinary actions at Barbers Hill High School in Mont Belvieu, about 30 miles east of Houston, after refusing to cut his hair. He was separated from his classmates, given disciplinary notices, placed in in-school suspension and sent to an off-campus program.

The hearing on Thursday, in the 253rd Judicial District Court in Anahuac, was in response to a lawsuit filed in September by the Barbers Hill Independent School District. The lawsuit argued that Mr. George was “in violation of the District’s dress and grooming code” because he wears his hair “in braids and twists” at a length that extends “below the top of a T-shirt collar, below the eyebrows, and/or below the earlobes when let down.”

The district asked State District Judge Chap B. Cain III to clarify whether the dress code violated a state law called the Texas CROWN Act, as the defendants, Mr. George and his mother, Darresha George, assert. The act, which took effect on Sept. 1, says a school district policy “may not discriminate against a hair texture or protective hairstyle commonly or historically associated with race.” It does not specifically mention hair length.

“The CROWN Act does not render unlawful those portions of the Barbers Hill dress and grooming restrictions limiting male students’ hair length,” Judge Cain said.

“I am not going to tell you that this has been an easy decision to make,” the judge said. Addressing the family, he encouraged them to “go back to the Legislature or go back to the school board because the remedy you seek can be had from either of those bodies.”

Allie Booker, a lawyer for the Georges, said she would appeal the ruling and seek an injunction to prevent the district from punishing Mr. George pending the outcome of a federal civil rights lawsuit that he and his mother filed last year against the state’s governor and attorney general.

The Georges left without commenting to reporters, more than a dozen of whom had gathered at the courthouse. State Representative Jolanda Jones said she walked them to their car.

“When I accompanied Darryl and his mom to the car, I saw a child that was crying, and he was upset and he didn’t understand,” Ms. Jones, a Democrat, said in an interview. “His mother was visibly shaking.”

Dr. Greg Poole, the superintendent of the Barbers Hill Independent School District, said in an emailed statement that the ruling “validated our position” that the dress code does not violate the state law, which “does not give students unlimited self-expression.”

The trial was the latest development in a case that has prompted scrutiny of education policies and race in the United States. At least 24 states have adopted laws that make it illegal to discriminate against students or workers because of their hairstyle.

The case involving Mr. George began soon after officials at the school objected to his locs and told Ms. George that the length of her son’s hair, even though it was pinned, violated the district’s dress code. The district subjected him to punishments, including suspension, after he refused to cut it.

Ms. George and her son filed a federal civil rights lawsuit in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas in September against Texas’ governor, Greg Abbott, who signed the law, and the state’s attorney general, Ken Paxton, saying they allowed the school to violate the act.

Their lawsuit is seeking a temporary order to stop Darryl’s suspension while the case moves through the federal court system, and accuses Mr. Abbott and Mr. Paxton of “purposely or recklessly” causing Ms. George and Darryl emotional distress by not intervening.

Supporters of the family, including legislators and activists, also said the measures violated the CROWN Act .

The family’s lawsuit said that Mr. George wears locs as an “expression of cultural pride” and claims that his protections under the federal Civil Rights Act are being violated because the dress code policy disproportionately affects Black male students.

In October, Mr. George was transferred to an off-campus disciplinary program. In December, he was allowed to return to his high school but then was given another in-school suspension , this time for 13 days.

In January, Mr. Poole, the superintendent, defended the policy in an advertisement published in The Houston Chronicle , saying that districts with dress codes are safer and have higher academic performance, and that “being an American requires conformity.”

Kitty Bennett contributed research.

Christine Hauser is a reporter, covering national and foreign news. Her previous jobs in the newsroom include stints in Business covering financial markets and on the Metro desk in the police bureau. More about Christine Hauser

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Essays on Beautification

1 sample on this topic

To some students, writing Beautification papers comes easy; others need the help of various types. The WowEssays.com collection includes expertly crafted sample essays on Beautification and related issues. Most definitely, among all those Beautification essay examples, you will find a piece that conforms with what you perceive as a worthy paper. You can be sure that virtually every Beautification paper showcased here can be used as a bright example to follow in terms of overall structure and composing different parts of a paper – introduction, main body, or conclusion.

If, however, you have a hard time coming up with a solid Beautification essay or don't have even a minute of extra time to explore our sample database, our free essay writer service can still be of great aid to you. The thing is, our writers can craft a model Beautification paper to your individual needs and particular requirements within the pre-set timespan. Buy college essays today!

COMMENTS

  1. Objectives for a Beautification Project in School

    1 Physical Surroundings The most visible results of school beautification projects are the changes to the physical surroundings. Removing graffiti from walls, picking up litter and garbage and even planting new trees and flowers will help to create a clean and attractive learning environment.

  2. App-Garden Blog

    It's that simple. School beautification is a great way to do all of those things and more, bringing schools and communities together. It's a way to create and preserve both beautiful and healthy environments where learning and camaraderie is enhanced. To put it simply, think of a student walking in on their first day of school.

  3. "The perceived impact of campus beautification in middle school student

    A sustainable campus beautification effort can be a source of inspiration. The purpose of this study was to determine if campus beautification projects made a positive impact on student behavior and academic performance. This study was based on qualitative research methods.

  4. Grade 12 Students and Faculty Lead School Beautification ...

    On February 11, 2020 the parents of Grade 12 students and faculty members at Malipo National High School in Guinobatan conducted a school beautification activity starting at 7:30 AM. The activity involved sweeping, cutting grass, picking up litter, painting and decorating around the senior high school building.

  5. School Beautification Benefits Students More Than We Think

    School beautification is a great way to do all of those things and more, bringing schools and communities together. It's a way to create and preserve both beautiful and healthy environments...

  6. Beautification Of School College And Narrative Essay Example

    1836 Student attitudes are shaped to some extent by the structures (facilities) through which they are mediated (Ferreira, 1995). In fact, building conditions can directly affect the attitudes of students or the attitudes of teachers and parents which in turn affect student attitudes.

  7. School Beautification Projects

    School Beautification Projects VAN THOMPSON CLASS ... A school is a ready-made community gathering place where children, their families and other members of the community may hold events or discuss important political issues.

  8. PDF SCHOOLS' BEAUTIFICATION PROGRAMME

    The Ministry of Education invites companies, organisations, and NGOs to participate in the Adopt A School Beautification Programme. Schools can be adopted from the Ministry of Education listing, then support can be pledged for these schools. Sponsors are also free to work with schools within their fence line areas and communities.

  9. Beautification of schools can enhance early childhood learning, development

    Beautification of schools can enhance early childhood learning, development Fri, Jul 27, 2012 To the Editor: Oklahoma City Educare, along with community leaders and education organizations, are working to emphasize the need for beautifying education sites across the city.

  10. essay on beautification of your college campus

    Campus beautification is the deliberate and strategic effort to enhance the visual appeal and functionality of a college or university's physical environment . This encompasses a wide array of initiatives, from landscaping and architectural improvements to public art installations and sustainable design initiatives.

  11. Why Beauty Is Needed In The Classroom

    Having a beautiful, or at least an aesthetically pleasing learning environment is much more important than it being 'nice to have'. Students having a beautiful, welcoming environment to attend each day fosters a sense of safety and desire to be there.

  12. PDF The beautification of schools campaign as an environmental management

    The aim of this study was to evaluate the "beautification of schools" programme as an environmental management tool with a view to facilitating the improvement thereof wherever necessary. An in-depth literature review on theoretical perspectives in environmental management indicated that these partially addressed the problem of the study,

  13. School Beautification

    School Beautification Activity: School beautification through flower gardening. Objective: To improve the physical ambiance of the school for learning. Report: A day long school beautification program was carried out by scouts in collaboration with YVIA club and peer helpers on 15th of June.

  14. School gardens offer numerous benefits beyond beautification

    Many school grounds have gardens for visual reasons, but the benefits of having flowers, herbs, vegetables, and fruit trees go far beyond beautification. "While so much emphasis put on the use of technology in the classroom, many kids today are missing out on the experience right outside the school doors," says Brittnay Haag, a University ...

  15. Campus Beautification Day Essay

    Campus Beautification Day Essay 2349 Words5 Pages I am currently an undergraduate student at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey where I am majoring in finance. As a student here I have noticed that students are exposed to unappealing and unclean surroundings on each campus.

  16. 3 Easy School Beautification Ideas That Won't Break the Bank

    When it comes to updating the way a school looks, it's great to have a few easy school beautification ideas that won't break the bank. Oftentimes, schools do always have the funding to upscale its appearance and that's where these ideas come in handy. Keep reading for ways you can use student art to give your school a much needed pick-me-up.

  17. School Beautification Benefits Students: Volunteer at Argonne ES

    Volunteer at Argonne ES Beautification Day, and you will receive a volunteer recommendation letter and/or volunteer credit letter for community engagement and support. The Facilities Services Division will hold a Beautification Day Event on Saturday, April 15, 2023. The scope of work depends on the school's location and volunteers.

  18. School Beautification Project

    School Beautification Project In lieu of the company's commitment to Social Responsibility, the company has devoted to adopt a community school through a beautification project.

  19. Beautify School Grounds

    552 Words 3 Pages Open Document Analyze This Draft Beautify School Grounds View Writing Issues Filter Results Imagine our school campus when eventually, everyone gets tired of picking up trash after others.

  20. Beautification

    Beautification is the process of making visual improvements to a town, city, or urban area. This most often involves planting trees, shrubbery, and other greenery, but frequently also includes adding decorative or historic-style street lights and other lighting and replacing broken pavement, often with brick or other natural materials.

  21. Cosmetology Essay Writing

    You can find the list of the possible topics below, but first, we would like to recall the standards of general cosmetology essay structure. Introduction. Hook + background info + thesis statement. Body. 3 paragraphs: one claim per paragraph (the central argument) + some evidence. Conclusion.

  22. essay about school beautification

    A "who am I" essay is a simple type of open-ended introductory essay. It is used in certain schools, workplaces and around the world to help members of a group introduce themselves through their writing. They are generally about a page long..... The five-paragraph essay is one of the most common composition assignments out there, whether for high school or college students.

  23. Black Student's Suspension Over Hairstyle Didn't Violate Law, Texas

    Dr. Greg Poole, the superintendent of the Barbers Hill Independent School District, said in an emailed statement that the ruling "validated our position" that the dress code does not violate ...

  24. Beautification Essay Examples

    Essays on Beautification 1 sample on this topic To some students, writing Beautification papers comes easy; others need the help of various types. The WowEssays.com collection includes expertly crafted sample essays on Beautification and related issues.