Read the College Essay About Costco That Got This Senior Into 5 Ivy League Schools

(And Stanford.)

Meet Brittany Stinson, an 18-year-old senior at Concord High School in Wilmington, Delaware, who just last week found out she got into Yale, Columbia, University of Pennsylvania, Dartmouth, Cornell, Columbia, and Stanford. What is so special about Stinson, you might ask? Besides the fact she's undoubtedly an excellent student, she wrote her college essay on Costco. Yes, Costco.

The Common Application prompt was: "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." Stinson felt her background as a "Costco veteran" was meaningful enough to share and she was right.

It takes a brilliant creature to elevate stuffing your face with free samples to a metaphor about having an appetite for life and approaching obstacles with curiosity instead of fear, but that's exactly what she did. You can read her essay in full below ... and spend the rest of the day thinking about what you plan to accomplish with the rest of your life.

Managing to break free from my mother's grasp, I charged. With arms flailing and chubby legs fluttering beneath me, I was the ferocious two­ year old rampaging through Costco on a Saturday morning. My mother's eyes widened in horror as I jettisoned my churro; the cinnamon ­sugar rocket gracefully sliced its way through the air while I continued my spree. I sprinted through the aisles, looking up in awe at the massive bulk products that towered over me. Overcome with wonder, I wanted to touch and taste, to stick my head into industrial­-sized freezers, to explore every crevice. I was a conquistador, but rather than searching the land for El Dorado, I scoured aisles for free samples. Before inevitably being whisked away into a shopping cart, I scaled a mountain of plush toys and surveyed the expanse that lay before me: the kingdom of Costco.  Notorious for its oversized portions and dollar-­fifty hot dog combo, Costco is the apex of consumerism. From the days spent being toted around in a shopping cart to when I was finally tall enough to reach lofty sample trays, Costco has endured a steady presence throughout my life. As a veteran Costco shopper, I navigate the aisles of foodstuffs, thrusting the majority of my weight upon a generously filled shopping cart whose enormity juxtaposes my small frame. Over time, I've developed a habit of observing fellow patrons tote their carts piled with frozen burritos, cheese puffs, tubs of ice cream, and weight-­loss supplements. Perusing the aisles gave me time to ponder. Who needs three pounds of sour cream? Was cultured yogurt any more well­-mannered than its uncultured counterpart? Costco gave birth to my unfettered curiosity. While enjoying an obligatory hot dog, I did not find myself thinking about the 'all beef' goodness that Costco boasted. I instead considered finitudes and infinitudes, unimagined uses for tubs of sour cream, the projectile motion of said tub when launched from an eighty foot shelf or maybe when pushed from a speedy cart by a scrawny seventeen year old. I contemplated the philosophical: If there exists a thirty­-three ounce jar of Nutella, do we really have free will? I experienced a harsh physics lesson while observing a shopper who had no evident familiarity of inertia's workings. With a cart filled to overflowing, she made her way towards the sloped exit, continuing to push and push while steadily losing control until the cart escaped her and went crashing into a concrete column, 52" plasma screen TV and all. Purchasing the yuletide hickory smoked ham inevitably led to a conversation between my father and me about Andrew Jackson's controversiality. There was no questioning Old Hickory's dedication; he was steadfast in his beliefs and pursuits – qualities I am compelled to admire, yet his morals were crooked. We both found the ham to be more likeable–and tender. I adopted my exploratory skills, fine tuned by Costco, towards my intellectual endeavors. Just as I sampled buffalo ­chicken dip or chocolate truffles, I probed the realms of history, dance and biology, all in pursuit of the ideal cart–one overflowing with theoretical situations and notions both silly and serious. I sampled calculus, cross­ country running, scientific research, all of which are now household favorites. With cart in hand, I do what scares me; I absorb the warehouse that is the world. Whether it be through attempting aerial yoga, learning how to chart blackbody radiation using astronomical software, or dancing in front of hundreds of people, I am compelled to try any activity that interests me in the slightest. My intense desire to know, to explore beyond the bounds of rational thought; this is what defines me. Costco fuels my insatiability and cultivates curiosity within me at a cellular level. Encoded to immerse myself in the unknown, I find it difficult to complacently accept the "what"; I want to hunt for the "whys" and dissect the "hows". In essence, I subsist on discovery.

Follow Tess on Twitter .

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Tess Koman covers breaking (food) news, opinion pieces, and features on larger happenings in the food world. She oversees editorial content on Delish. Her work has appeared on Cosmopolitan.com, Elle.com, and Esquire.com. 

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The Costco Essay Deconstructed

Article updated on November 15, 2019

Students searching for exemplary examples of college admissions essays may already be familiar with what has come to be known as The Costco Essay , but it is worth digging a little deeper to understand how this essay that “ got a high school senior in to 5 Ivy League colleges ” actually works.

Many people have noted that the essay alone did not get the student admitted to all these schools, rather it was the totality of her application. This is of course true! We have ourselves written extensively about the 11 distinct criteria colleges use to evaluate applicants, but the fact remains that when so many students have great grades and test scores, your college essays are clearly an important opportunity to stand out.

I caution all my students not to read an excessive amount of examples, because it can become overwhelming to compare too many glowing finished essays to one’s own blank page or early draft in progress.  But if you read in the right spirit, I believe a few examples can be both instructive and inspiring. I have tried to explain some of what I find compelling about the Costco Essay.

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Prompt 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.

College Essay Application Consulting

Now more than ever, colleges are affirming the weight given to a student’s character as it comes through across all elements of an application. So have no illusions that grades and test scores make one applicant more qualified or deserving of admission to college than another. We are not looking at the whole application, but in addition to being well written, this essay demonstrates of the kind of character that Ivy League and all colleges want on their campus.

Thanks for reading!

Ready to write your personal statement with Peter and I as your coach? Good news, the next cohort of Write Your Way Into College starts soon. 

If you’re looking for more personalized 1-to-1 counseling  through the college admission process, PCC is here for you. To learn about our comprehensive packages click here . 

If you’re not already receiving The Savvy Applicant (our weekly newsletter where we share important college admissions news and actionable guidance) you can subscribe at the top right of this page.

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A High Schooler's Loving Costco Essay Got Her Into 5 Ivy League Schools

Published on 4/7/2016 at 5:00 PM

college app essay costco

So far, the most your undying love for Costco has gotten you is a great deal on an 18-pack of toothpaste and a sneaky-good selection of cheap booze. Nothing wrong with those. A prodigious high school senior, however, took her wholesale love for the bulk retailer and channeled it into a impassioned college application essay that was so good, she ended up getting into five Ivy League schools and Stanford University .

Brittany Stinson, who boasts a 4.9 GPA (weighted) and will graduate as valedictorian of Concord High School in Wilmington, DE, learned of the good news on Thursday, according to a report by Business Insider. While her exemplary academics were certainly a factor, it appears the personal essay she wrote about her longtime love of Costco set her apart from the hundreds of thousands of other applicants to the elite schools.

In addition to the five Ivy League schools -- Yale, Cornell, Columbia, Dartmouth, and University of Pennsylvania -- Stinson received acceptance letters from other top-tier institutions like Northwestern University, New York University, Johns Hopkins University, and Boston University. For perspective, these schools have acceptance rates ranging from 13.96% to 4.69%, per the report. Damn.

Stinson shared her full essay in this BI report , but we pulled out a particularly great excerpt:

"From the days spent being toted around in a shopping cart to when I was finally tall enough to reach lofty sample trays, Costco has endured a steady presence throughout my life. As a veteran Costco shopper, I navigate the aisles of foodstuffs, thrusting the majority of my weight upon a generously filled shopping cart whose enormity juxtaposes my small frame. Over time, I’ve developed a habit of observing fellow patrons tote their carts piled with frozen burritos, cheese puffs, tubs of ice cream, and weight­loss supplements. Perusing the aisles gave me time to ponder. Who needs three pounds of sour cream? Was cultured yogurt any more well­mannered than its uncultured counterpart? Costco gave birth to my unfettered curiosity."

Yes, getting into some of the nation's best schools is great and all, but with loyalty like that, Stinson deserves a gift card for a dorm room shopping spree. Or, at the very least, a free membership.

Sign up here for our daily Thrillist email, and get your fix of the best in food/drink/fun.

Tony Merevick is Cities News Editor at Thrillist and hasn't been to Costco in soooooo long, unfortunately. Send news tips to [email protected] and follow him on Twitter @tonymerevick .

Essay About Love for Costco Wins Student Admission to Five Ivies

Brittany Stinson got accepted to five Ivies plus Stanford after writing her college essay about Costco.

A college essay about one teen's drive to explore life — as well as her deep and abiding love for Costco — has won over admissions counselors at six of the most prestigious schools in the U.S.

Brittany Stinson, an 18-year-old senior at Concord High School in Wilmington, Delaware, found out last week that she got into five Ivy League universities — Yale, Columbia, University of Pennsylvania, Dartmouth, and Cornell — as well as the similarly competitive Stanford.

Stinson, the only child of Terry and Joe Stinson, neither of whom are Ivy League nor Stanford graduates themselves, wants to be a doctor, and her mother says she has always been a strong student.

Special section: Get tips and advice about college at College Game Plan

“She’s always gotten straight As, takes the most rigorous courses she can, and is first in her class,” Terry Stinson, a Brazilian immigrant who became an American citizen only a few years ago, told NBC News.

Aside from her academics, Stinson's unusual essay made her college application stand out.

In response to the essay question, which asks students to share a "background, identity, interest or talent that is so meaningful," their application would be incomplete without it, Stinson described her admiration for America's largest wholesale warehouse — and how "the kingdom of Costco" was symbolic of so much more in her life.

“Just as I sampled buffalo ­chicken dip or chocolate truffles, I probed the realms of history, dance and biology, all in pursuit of the ideal cart–one overflowing with theoretical situations and notions both silly and serious,” she wrote. “I sampled calculus, cross-­country running, scientific research, all of which are now household favorites. With cart in hand, I do what scares me; I absorb the warehouse that is the world.”

Writing about Costco felt natural to her, she told NBC News.

“I had always gone to Costco while growing up. It was a constant part of my childhood. I Iooked forward to trips on the weekends, and I had always treated it as a Disneyland of sorts. I was always curious about the place. The same attitude carried over to everything I tried in life,” she said.

While it was risky to write about something so outlandish, Stinson felt like she needed something to stand out amid other applicants with similar grades, extracurriculars, and SAT scores.

“I couldn’t afford to go via the traditional route. I would actually be more worried about taking a traditional route at the risk of blending in with other applicants,” Stinson said. “I knew that writing about my experiences at Costco would at least make for a memorable essay, whether [admissions committees] loved or hated it. On another hand, I felt that the essay ended up being such an accurate representation of me and my personality.”

Related: After Bouncing Between Foster Homes, Golf Caddie Gets Full Ride to College

Stinson’s father, Joe, said he believes his daughter’s greatest strengths are “her fortitude and tenacity, to choose among many.” Her English teacher for the past two years, Leslie Wagner of Concord High School, says writing is one of those strengths too.

“Brittany has always had a knack for finding just the right phrase. She has a quiet demeanor overall, but in her writing her wit and her skill with language is quite apparent,” Wagner told NBC News.

Now, Stinson has a tough choice ahead of her. She said she has “no clue” which of the universities that admitted her she will choose.

“Admitted student day visits are going to be so vital. We’ll also be comparing financial aid packages,” she said.

Read Brittany Stinson's full essay below, reprinted with her permission:

Managing to break free from my mother’s grasp, I charged. With arms flailing and chubby legs fluttering beneath me, I was the ferocious two­ year old rampaging through Costco on a Saturday morning. My mother’s eyes widened in horror as I jettisoned my churro; the cinnamon­-sugar rocket gracefully sliced its way through the air while I continued my spree. I sprinted through the aisles, looking up in awe at the massive bulk products that towered over me. Overcome with wonder, I wanted to touch and taste, to stick my head into industrial­sized freezers, to explore every crevice. I was a conquistador, but rather than searching the land for El Dorado, I scoured aisles for free samples. Before inevitably being whisked away into a shopping cart, I scaled a mountain of plush toys and surveyed the expanse that lay before me: the kingdom of Costco.

Notorious for its oversized portions and dollar-­fifty hot dog combo, Costco is the apex of consumerism. From the days spent being toted around in a shopping cart to when I was finally tall enough to reach lofty sample trays, Costco has endured a steady presence throughout my life. As a veteran Costco shopper, I navigate the aisles of foodstuffs, thrusting the majority of my weight upon a generously filled shopping cart whose enormity juxtaposes my small frame. Over time, I’ve developed a habit of observing fellow patrons tote their carts piled with frozen burritos, cheese puffs, tubs of ice cream, and weight-­loss supplements. Perusing the aisles gave me time to ponder. Who needs three pounds of sour cream? Was cultured yogurt any more well­-mannered than its uncultured counterpart? Costco gave birth to my unfettered curiosity.

While enjoying an obligatory hot dog, I did not find myself thinking about the ‘all beef’ goodness that Costco boasted. I instead considered finitudes and infinitudes, unimagined uses for tubs of sour cream, the projectile motion of said tub when launched from an eighty foot shelf or maybe when pushed from a speedy cart by a scrawny seventeen year old. I contemplated the philosophical: If there exists a thirty-­three ounce jar of Nutella, do we really have free will? I experienced a harsh physics lesson while observing a shopper who had no evident familiarity of inertia's workings. With a cart filled to overflowing, she made her way towards the sloped exit, continuing to push and push while steadily losing control until the cart escaped her and went crashing into a concrete column, 52” plasma screen TV and all. Purchasing the yuletide hickory smoked ham inevitably led to a conversation between my father and me about Andrew Jackson’s controversiality. There was no questioning Old Hickory’s dedication; he was steadfast in his beliefs and pursuits – qualities I am compelled to admire, yet his morals were crooked. We both found the ham to be more likeable–and tender.

I adopted my exploratory skills, fine tuned by Costco, towards my intellectual endeavors. Just as I sampled buffalo­-chicken dip or chocolate truffles, I probed the realms of history, dance and biology, all in pursuit of the ideal cart–one overflowing with theoretical situations and notions both silly and serious. I sampled calculus, cross­-country running, scientific research, all of which are now household favorites. With cart in hand, I do what scares me; I absorb the warehouse that is the world. Whether it be through attempting aerial yoga, learning how to chart blackbody radiation using astronomical software, or dancing in front of hundreds of people, I am compelled to try any activity that interests me in the slightest.

My intense desire to know, to explore beyond the bounds of rational thought; this is what defines me. Costco fuels my insatiability and cultivates curiosity within me at a cellular level. Encoded to immerse myself in the unknown, I find it difficult to complacently accept the “what”; I want to hunt for the “whys” and dissect the “hows”. In essence, I subsist on discovery.

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ICYMI- Why The Costco College Essay Is Crucial Reading for Future College Applicants

Ivy Divider

At this point, it’s almost been impossible to avoid reading about the amazing Costco college essay that secured one lucky applicant admission to several Ivies and Stanford. It’s a great essay, but not everyone seems to understand why, so CEA Founder Stacey Brook broke it down and offered some lessons that everyone can take away from this well-executed piece of prose:

By now you have probably heard about or read the college essay by high schooler Brittany Stinson detailing how her routine trips to Costco shaped her life and world. In the piece, now officially at viral status , Stinson paints a vivid picture of how wandering up and down the aisles at her favorite big box store inspired her to ponder the addictive nature of Nutella, imagine physics experiments involving 3-pound tubs of sour cream and converse with her father about historical figures who share their aliases with giant hams . The essay is clever, warm and highly observant and introspective. If Costco is a kingdom, as Brittany claims, she is currently its reigning Queen. […]

The Business Insider piece that originally introduced Stinson’s essay to the world framed her success in their title: “This Essay Got a High School Senior Into 5 Ivy League Schools and Stanford.” As a college essay expert and advisor, I would love to be able to tell you that a college essay can get you into the school of your dreams. But the truth is, a wide array of factors are considered in admissions decisions and the essay is just one of them. And media attention that focuses exclusively on students who gain admission to multiple Ivy League Institutions sends the wrong message to students (and parents) about what is important and why they should pay attention to Stinson’s writing.

Stinson’s essay was not her ticket to admission. It was a thoughtfully crafted, brilliantly executed piece of a very complex puzzle. Still, the college essay is a highly significant piece of the puzzle in that it is one of the only opportunities students have to speak to admissions officers in their own voices and highlight something about their personalities or passions that allows them to stand our from other, similarly qualified candidates.

So what should students and parents take away from the Costco essay?

Read the rest at Huffington Post .

About Thea Hogarth

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Written by Thea Hogarth

Category: College Admissions , Essay Tips

Tags: advice , college acceptance , college applications , college essay , costco , huffington post , tips

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The Costco college essay has gained widespread attention and recognition for its unique approach to the college admissions process. Written by Brittany Stinson, the essay detailed her experiences at Costco and how they shaped her curiosity and love for learning. In this article, we explore the Reddit thread discussing this essay and take a deep dive into the opinions and insights of its users. We will also shed light on the background of the Costco college essay and provide valuable tips for writing a captivating and memorable college essay.

Decoding the Success of the Costco College Essay: A Reddit Discussion Deep Dive

The Costco College Essay: Background

Brittany Stinson’s Costco college essay went viral in 2016 when she was accepted into five Ivy League schools and Stanford. The essay is a prime example of how creativity and authenticity can make a significant impact on college admissions officers. With its relatable narrative and unique perspective, the essay has become a benchmark for students looking to write compelling college essays.

The Costco essay, penned by Brittany Stinson, has become a notable point of reference in the realm of college admissions, for its distinctiveness, effectiveness, and the impressive results it garnered. But what is it about the Costco essay that really made it stand out? This piece will explore the distinct aspects of this essay and delve into why it struck such a chord with Ivy League admissions officers.

Brittany Stinson’s Common App Essay, colloquially known as the ‘Costco essay’, is a personal statement that catapulted her into the limelight during the Ivy League admissions cycle. It showcased her ability to transform an everyday experience into a compelling narrative and unique essay topic, turning a mundane trip to Costco into an allegory of her intellectual curiosity.

When Ivy League admissions officers read personal statements, they are looking for insight into the applicant’s personality, values, and potential contributions to their institution. They want to see genuine passion and the unique perspective each student brings. Brittany Stinson’s Costco essay offered all of this, her Costco shopping journey providing a creative metaphor for her academic journey and insatiable appetite for knowledge.

Writing an essay for your college application, specifically the Common App essay, can be daunting. Finding the perfect topic that showcases your identity, while also intriguing the admissions officers is not an easy task. Yet, the Costco essay serves as an example of how selecting a unique essay topic, one that is both personal and engaging, can make your personal statement shine in the eyes of Ivy League admissions officers.

Brittany Stinson transformed a routine trip to Costco into a thought-provoking, insightful, and yes, successful personal essay. This essay didn’t just mention her desire for learning; it illustrated it, painting a vivid picture of a young woman eager to consume knowledge as enthusiastically as she consumes a Costco-sized vat of her favorite ice cream.

The Costco essay was successful in capturing the attention of admissions officers at highly selective schools because it was authentic and creatively addressed the prompt. It exhibited Brittany’s personality, her intellectual curiosity, her humor, and her observational skills.

Yet, the Costco essay isn’t just about picking a unique essay topic; it’s about crafting an authentic narrative. The personal essay or personal statement you submit as part of your college application should tell a story about you, about how you see the world, and how you engage with it.

So, as we explore the impressive achievements of Brittany Stinson and the Costco essay that was an integral part of her college application, we learn a vital lesson: the best personal statements, the ones that truly stand out to college admissions officers, are those that tell a genuine and captivating story. They can find profundity in the mundane, transform an ordinary topic into an extraordinary narrative, and above all, they are a true reflection of the applicant.

Whether it’s about a trip to Costco or a love for biochemistry, a successful personal essay is one that combines a unique topic with a personal narrative, effectively showcasing the qualities that would make an applicant an asset to their dream college.

Analyzing the Costco Essay: Reddit’s Opinions

In a popular Reddit thread, users discussed and rated the Costco essay. The thread highlighted several aspects of the essay that made it stand out and prompted valuable insights on what makes a strong college essay.

A Unique Approach to the Common App Prompt

One user mentioned that the Costco essay demonstrates how taking a unique approach to a Common App prompt can lead to a memorable essay. Stinson’s essay was not only well-written but also offered an unconventional perspective on an everyday experience, which captured the attention of admissions officers.

Creativity and Authenticity

Another user emphasized the importance of creativity and authenticity in the Costco essay. Stinson’s writing conveyed her genuine passion and curiosity, making her essay stand out from the thousands of other applicants. The user also noted that a successful college essay should showcase the applicant’s true self and not just focus on accomplishments.

Engagement with the Reader

The Costco essay excels in engaging the reader, as one Reddit user pointed out. Stinson’s essay maintained a conversational tone and included vivid descriptions that made it enjoyable to read. This user stressed the importance of keeping the reader engaged throughout the essay, making them more likely to remember the applicant and their story.

Avoiding Clichés and Overused Topics

One user noted that the Costco essay’s strength lies in its ability to avoid clichés and overused topics. Many college essays discuss similar themes or experiences, which can make them blend together. The Costco essay stood out by exploring an unconventional topic, demonstrating the impact of choosing a unique subject matter for a college essay.

The Importance of Storytelling

A Reddit user highlighted the importance of storytelling in the Costco essay. Stinson’s narrative created a compelling story that showcased her personality, growth, and passions. By incorporating storytelling elements into a college essay, applicants can leave a lasting impression on admissions officers.

Conclusion: Learning from the Costco College Essay

The Costco college essay serves as an excellent example of how creativity, authenticity, and storytelling can make a significant impact on the college admissions process. By exploring the opinions and insights shared by Reddit users, we can learn valuable lessons about writing engaging and memorable college essays. As you craft your own college essay, remember to stay true to yourself, choose a unique and engaging topic, and focus on creating a compelling narrative that captures the attention of admissions officers.

In conclusion, the magic of the Costco essay lies in its ability to take a seemingly ordinary experience and extract from it a narrative that is engaging, unique, and utterly personal. Brittany Stinson’s successful college application serves as a reminder to all students that an impressive personal statement isn’t dependent on grandiose achievements or a dramatic life event. Instead, it is about presenting your unique perspective on the world, using your personal experiences as a lens through which to view your academic and personal growth.

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Why the costco essay is crucial reading for future college applicants (and also why it's not).

Stacey Brook

Founder and Chief Advisor at College Essay Advisors and Creator of College Essay Academy

A backlit shopping trolley. 3D render with HDRI lighting and raytraced textures.

By now you have probably heard about or read the college essay by high schooler Brittany Stinson detailing how her routine trips to Costco shaped her life and world. In the piece, now officially at viral status , Stinson paints a vivid picture of how wandering up and down the aisles at her favorite big box store inspired her to ponder the addictive nature of Nutella, imagine physics experiments involving 3-pound tubs of sour cream and converse with her father about historical figures who share their aliases with giant hams . The essay is clever, warm and highly observant and introspective. If Costco is a kingdom, as Brittany claims, she is currently its reigning Queen.

Every year around acceptance time college essays of successful applicants are published (and then shared and reshared) for both the admiration and dissection of students, parents, journalists and admissions experts. Publications like USA Today , Refinery29 and even People latched onto this year's acceptance story, most of them acknowledging Stinson's writing prowess, and many focusing even more on the accomplishments purportedly made possible by such a stellar submission .

The Business Insider piece that originally introduced Stinson's essay to the world framed her success in their title: "This Essay Got a High School Senior Into 5 Ivy League Schools and Stanford." As a college essay expert and advisor, I would love to be able to tell you that a college essay can get you into the school of your dreams. But the truth is, a wide array of factors are considered in admissions decisions and the essay is just one of them. And media attention that focuses exclusively on students who gain admission to multiple Ivy League Institutions sends the wrong message to students (and parents) about what is important and why they should pay attention to Stinson's writing.

Stinson's essay was not her ticket to admission. It was a thoughtfully crafted, brilliantly executed piece of a very complex puzzle. Still, the college essay is a highly significant piece of the puzzle in that it is one of the only opportunities students have to speak to admissions officers in their own voices and highlight something about their personalities or passions that allows them to stand our from other, similarly qualified candidates.

So what should students and parents take away from the Costco essay? Here are a few things Stinson did right that you want to try and emulate in your own essay:

Be specific . The lively scene Stinson paints is so compelling because of the incredible number of details she includes about her Costco experience. She contemplates other patrons' selections, describing "carts piled with frozen burritos, cheese puffs, tubs of ice cream, and weight ¬loss supplements." She recounts the tale of a shopper "losing control until the cart escaped her and went crashing into a concrete column, 52" plasma screen TV and all." Even the opening portrait of Stinson as a two year-old losing her churro (it "gracefully sliced its way through the air while I continued my spree") in her race to explore the aisles piques the reader's interest and establishes Stinson as an energized explorer of an exciting world we might have once viewed as mundane. The inclusion of these observations also substantiates the claims the writer ultimately makes about herself. They're the key component of the "show, don't tell" approach and are much more powerful, concrete demonstrations of her character than a sentence that simply says, "I have always been curious." Connect your topic to your larger personality qualities and characteristics. This essay about Costco is not really about Costco. It is about Stinson's intellectual curiosity, her untamable imagination and her ability to link these qualities back to one place in her life where those qualities revealed themselves. She writes:

"Just as I sampled buffalo¬ chicken dip or chocolate truffles, I probed the realms of history, dance and biology, all in pursuit of the ideal cart-one overflowing with theoretical situations and notions both silly and serious. I sampled calculus, cross¬ country running, scientific research, all of which are now household favorites."

Stinson's desire to taste all life had to offer is clearly not relegated to formerly-frozen food served up in tiny Solo cups.

Lean into your voice. Just like a seventeen year-old leans into a fully-stacked Costco shopping cart. By the time admissions reads your essay they know many things about you, but they don't know what it would be like to sit in a room and have a conversation with you. Reading Stinson's essay, you get a sense of her lightness and humor. She isn't stiff or fake. She seems both genuine and genuinely like a person you want to be around. This is accomplished by trusting your instincts and writing in a way that feels natural to you. Maybe the following lines, amusing as they are, do not sound like things you would say or write: "Perusing the aisles gave me time to ponder. Who needs three pounds of sour cream? Was cultured yogurt any more well ¬mannered than its uncultured counterpart?"

Fret not and trust yourself. You will find the words that sound like you.

Notice how none of this advice suggests you "write in metaphors" or "search for weird topics." For all the good that can come out of combing through Stinson's carefully crafted words, there is a danger in leaning too heavily on essay examples of former applicants.

Students can be easily spooked by stellar admissions essays, especially when these applicants are in the vulnerable position of trying to get their own personal perspectives out of their subconscious and onto the page. It can be discouraging to compare your earliest ideas and drafts to final, edited masterpieces. "What if I'm boring?" they tend to ask themselves. "What if I can't figure out how to write about why I am just like a toaster oven or how my trips to Costco changed my life and worldview?"

This is why it is crucial to internalize that this Costco essay represents just one example of an approach that might work in a winning admissions essay. It worked for Stinson because this style allowed her to honestly and creatively represent her passions, thought processes, quick wit and blooming imagination. Put the strategies in your shopping cart and keep moving down the aisles. After a lot of brainstorming, some careful contemplation, and maybe even a Costco ice cream cone or two (to fuel brainpower, obviously), you'll know when you've found the right combination of topic, voice and style, be they oversized or a bit more subdued. Then it's time to hit the checkout counter and bring it all home.

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college app essay costco

  • Free Consultation

Ok Fine. I’ll Write About the Awe-inspiring Costco Essay

  • by Mattie Culkin

First thoughts:  It’s aight. I see why she got in places. My biggest negative towards the whole thing was actually how  calculated  and  polished the piece was. Yes, it’s a wacky Costco essay. But to a trained eye, it’s the work of a professional writer expertly crafting a work that will make a student come off well. One of the greatest magic tricks we as consultants play is making it seem like we were never there at all. The much rougher version of this type of essay is the essay I can tell a parent wrote. Those tend to be calculated as hell but never polished and usually really bad. This is a much higher level of touch-up.

Or maybe it wasn’t! I don’t know; perhaps she’s just both extraordinarily talented and knows how to professionally craft college work. And hey, she got in. Maybe I should take this as a bit of advice for myself.

Because of that, I’m less interested in giving this piece a grade (8.5. Needs more believable substance in the middle. See notes.) and more diving into what kind of thought process went into making the piece in the first place. I also start doing that editor thing halfway through where I say an essay is good only to then tear it to shreds line by line. Sorry. The doctor says it’s incurable.

Take this as an analysis of what I think goes into a top-tier college essay. As well as the type of feedback and advice I tend to give when doing my editing. Spoiler: It’s a lot more about strategy than talent.

https://www.businessinsider.com/high-school-senior-who-got-into-5-ivy-league-schools-shares-her-admissions-essay-2016-4

Prompt 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.

Managing to break free from my mother’s grasp, I charged. With arms flailing and chubby legs fluttering beneath me, I was the ferocious two year old rampaging through Costco on a Saturday morning.

This, students, is what we call a “hook.” A hook is a way of starting a piece of writing by presenting ongoing events immediately, live, as if the reader were an onlooker in the store themselves. The goal is to create intrigue and excitement by jumping right into the action before explaining the context. In a more general sense, the concept being used here is “en media res.”

I tend not to like hooks because everyone does hooks. College essays aren’t a zero-sum game, and it’s essential to realize that your essay will be read alongside hundreds of others. By using “best practices” to a tee, you end up with a problem that your “excellent” writing is excellent in the same way as everyone else’s. Gotta be two steps ahead, ya know?

I also don’t like hooks because they’re hard and I’m bad at them. I’m bad at intros in general. I will say that for a hook, this one is good. You want your reader to be intrigued by your info: not confused. There’s not too much going on here before the story opens up. Girl is excited about something. Oh, hey, I like Costco, too.

My mother’s eyes widened in horror as I jettisoned my churro; the cinnamon-sugar rocket gracefully sliced its way through the air while I continued my spree. I sprinted through the aisles, looking up in awe at the massive bulk products that towered over me. Overcome with wonder, I wanted to touch and taste, to stick my head into industrial-sized freezers, to explore every crevice. I was a conquistador, but rather than searching the land for El Dorado, I scoured aisles for free samples. Before inevitably being whisked away into a shopping cart, I scaled a mountain of plush toys and surveyed the expanse that lay before me: the kingdom of Costco.

OK, shoutout to this girl. I’d pretty much been coming to this conclusion on my own, but this is an excellent paragraph to explain what “show don’t tell means.” Reread this paragraph, but this time, focus less on the content and more on  what you learn about the author through what she writes.  Make a list. Here’s mine:

– She’s high-energy and a bit impulsive

– She emphasizes tangible experiences. She wants to see, taste, smell everything life has to offer

– She has an eye for gravitas and seeks wonder in everything she does

– She’s imaginative and likes to fancy her situation as more important than it probably is

– She can be extra

Even if you’re not trying to psychoanalyze her, anyone reading this paragraph will get a sense of this girl’s personality. Excitable and adventurous. Because this is well written, it doesn’t feel forced.

The “tell” version of this paragraph would be like, “I’ve always seen places I’ve gone to as fairytale lands to explore. When I’m in Cosco, I’m the queen of the market, and every overstocked shelf is my liege.”

I did the thing again, where I wrote an example trying to make it sound bad, only for it also to be fine. This is why I don’t think telling is necessarily that bad. But she did show, and she did it well.

Notorious for its oversized portions and dollarfifty hot dog combo, Costco is the apex of consumerism. From the days spent being toted around in a shopping cart to when I was finally tall enough to reach lofty sample trays, Costco has endured a steady presence throughout my life. As a veteran Costco shopper, I navigate the aisles of foodstuffs, thrusting the majority of my weight upon a generously filled shopping cart whose enormity juxtaposes my small frame.

I wouldn’t have kept the “apex of consumerism” line. Like, it is. But that’s not what this Costco essay is about. That implies her favorite thing about Costco is supporting free-market capitalism.

I think I would have cut this entire paragraph. It doesn’t add much, and I think we as readers already know what Costco is and why someone might like it. It’s not bad on its own, but there’s space lower where I’d like something more tangible, and cutting this would have saved 77 words for later.

Over time, I’ve developed a habit of observing fellow patrons tote their carts piled with frozen burritos, cheese puffs, tubs of ice cream, and weightloss supplements. Perusing the aisles gave me time to ponder. Who needs three pounds of sour cream? Was cultured yogurt any more well mannered than its uncultured counterpart? Costco gave birth to my unfettered curiosity.

This is a fun college admissions essay. Unfettered curiosity is probably my favorite line in this Costco essay. I will be stealing that.

While enjoying an obligatory hot dog, I did not find myself thinking about the ‘all beef’ goodness that Costco boasted. I instead considered finitudes and infinitudes, unimagined uses for tubs of sour cream, the projectile motion of said tub when launched from an eighty foot shelf or maybe when pushed from a speedy cart by a scrawny seventeen year old.

I don’t like “Finitudes and infinitudes.” Finitudes and infinitudes of what? She goes on to address individual ones, but the clause as a whole means absolutely nothing without context. I would probably want something as verbose. “Finitudes and infinitudes of the wholesale galaxy but a foodcourt away.” I’ll write someday about using big-kid writer words and phrasing. I’m not the guy to tell you to put down the thesaurus. But I will tell you only to use words that make sense and enhance the sentence. When you use big words just to use them, they tend to come off as forced or inauthentic. I discourage forced or inauthentic writing.

This is probably the right place to ask a question I have with the piece: is she ironic? My answer is “no.” But maybe? I would want to ask her and get a straight answer. Then we lean harder into one direction or the other. This essay reads like 80% legit power fantasy and 20% “lol Costco am I right?” I feel like the former is the right angle and why this piece popped as it did instead of falling into “le quirky teen” camp. But I would have wanted to make it 100% sincere.

I contemplated the philosophical: If there exists a thirtythree ounce jar of Nutella, do we really have free will? I experienced a harsh physics lesson while observing a shopper who had no evident familiarity of inertia’s workings. With a cart filled to overflowing, she made her way towards the sloped exit, continuing to push and push while steadily losing control until the cart escaped her and went crashing into a concrete column, 52″ plasma screen TV and all. Purchasing the yuletide hickory smoked ham inevitably led to a conversation between my father and me about Andrew Jackson’s controversiality. There was no questioning Old Hickory’s dedication; he was steadfast in his beliefs and pursuits – qualities I am compelled to admire, yet his morals were crooked. We both found the ham to be more likeable-and tender.

I would have shortened the part about the lady crashing into one sentence. Too much content, not about her. I might have her change it entirely to a third story just about her. I think there’s a clash where it goes story about her/nutella, a different person wiping out, her/father/ham. In trios like this, it helps to theme them, so the reader doesn’t have to reorient their understanding for each story.

I get to this more in my final notes, but this paragraph ain’t it. One hundred thirty-four words, and I just don’t like it that much.

I adopted my exploratory skills, fine tuned by Costco, towards my intellectual endeavors. Just as I sampled buffalochicken dip or chocolate truffles, I probed the realms of history, dance and biology, all in pursuit of the ideal cart-one overflowing with theoretical situations and notions both silly and serious. I sampled calculus, crosscountry running, scientific research, all of which are now household favorites.

With cart in hand, I do what scares me; I absorb the warehouse that is the world. Whether it be through attempting aerial yoga, learning how to chart blackbody radiation using astronomical software, or dancing in front of hundreds of people, I am compelled to try any activity that interests me in the slightest.

This section is what I like to call the “getting my shit in” paragraph. I laughed because I’ve done paragraphs precisely like it in essays precisely like this one. And those paragraphs always fall in this exact spot: right before the big dramatic ending.

There are two types of common apps essay:

  • A cool thing you did
  • What makes you tick

I’m sure you’ll be able to find me ones that are out of those realms, but I’ve done a lot of these, and those are the two themes that get hit 95% of the time. More and more, “what makes you tick” seems to make for a more powerful essay.  That’s what those third UC essays I wrote about last time tended to focus on.

The problem with those types of essays is it’s hard to then also get your shit in. College essays serve a lot of masters, and one of those is making sure the reader knows you’ve worked your ass off and have a damn good reason to have done so. The quick fix is this exact paragraph:

“Yes, I love Costco. JUST AS I LOVE YOGA AND DEVELOPING SOFTWARE IN MY SPARE TIME.”

I think I’m inching closer and closer to just dropping this paragraph from my student’s works. Seeing someone else do the same thing makes me realize how forced it feels. But I also want them to get their shit in…

My intense desire to know, to explore beyond the bounds of rational thought; this is what defines me. Costco fuels my insatiability and cultivates curiosity within me at a cellular level. Encoded to immerse myself in the unknown, I find it difficult to complacently accept the “what”; I want to hunt for the “whys” and dissect the “hows”. In essence, I subsist on discovery.

Do you know what my actual takeaway is after reading through this whole thing again? This essay didn’t need to be about Costco. There is another, near-identical essay in which this girl is at an amusement park, or playground, or ice cream shop, or anywhere else with lots of exciting things that you can interact with. Finding wonderment in the only somewhat-extraordinary is a thematic device that extends well past a particular big-box store.

It could also be set at a Walmart or Sams Club. But she went with Costco. And that’s why it worked, and she became a meme. Everyone likes Costco. Everyone  knows what Costco is . But no one likes Costco as much as this girl. Or at least that’s what she wants you to think.

All Costco is in this essay is a vehicle for her to explain how she thinks and feels. I covered it in the “Show don’t tell” section after the second paragraph. And that is by far the most compelling paragraph in the essay. I found myself less enamored with what came after, simply because I don’t think I got that same sense of discovery or interest about either the store or her.

If I were to touch this draft up, I would want her to talk more about why this sense of wonderment is only possible at Costco and/or connect Costco to herself more directly. I think too much of her work was based upon “Costco has a lot of stuff.” And it does! But that’s only a part of what makes Costco Costco. Walmart has giant TVs and people watching galore, too.

Where were the free samples? The frozen meat room to hang out in on a hot day? The guy spending seven seconds at the exit to make sure all $543 worth of stuff you bought you paid for?  Where were the free samples?

Then I would have wanted those free samples to link back to her life in more believable, more explanatory ways. I mention that the piece started to wander into parody territory for me, and that was because her rationales stopped being believable for what she was describing. I’m fine suspending my disbelief that Costco is her mecca. Totally cool. But if I start getting confused or losing the logic behind what she says, it all turns into word soup.

She also could have bailed on Costco sooner and opened things up more naturally. Instead of the “getting my shit in” section, the entire second half could have been a more natural explanation of how her wonderment at Costco matches her wonderment in life. I just didn’t find what she wrote in the final third credible.

(I FOUND THE FREE SAMPLES! THEY WERE IN THE PARAGRAPH I LIKED!)

But they’re mentioned briefly and then tossed aside. I think that was a huge mistake. That stuff is the gold in this essay. I would have had her cut a couple of lines from paragraph two and bring them back in as their own paragraphs. “ I was a conquistador, but rather than searching the land for El Dorado, I scoured aisles for free samples.”  has way more juice in it than just that one line. It’s such a good line, tho.

I legit think what happened is she got 300 words into this piece and went, “wait, what else does Costco have?” That’s why she started to have to reach for more generic and less important stuff to her.

That second paragraph is fantastic. And it’s why I liked the essay so much more the first time I read it then when I delved deeper. That paragraph was so good that my takeaway was “PRO WRITER DID IT.” I’m not so sure anymore. I think a pro would have guided her better to hit a lot of the same notes I wanted to see in the second half.

I figure a lot of people will like that second paragraph and then kind of skim the rest. Maybe that works. Reminds me of those 80-classic-rock-hits collections you can buy where the first song is  Freebird  and you’re like  Oh shit Freebird  but then you buy it and there’s also  Life in the Fastlane  and that’s not bad but then songs 3-80 you’ve never heard of except for  Whiskey in the Jar  which you only know because you got really into Thin Lizzy when you were 14.

I still give it like a 7.5. It seems a lot of people are split between  new paradigm  and  actually bad.  I see a good essay with an ingenious framing device that overshoots its load early and could have used structural changes to make it truly pop.

What do you think?

Want more?  Check out my FREE strategy guide on the “Why College” essay.

Like this? You might also like:

(This piece won the 2020  r/applyingtocollege  acorn award for most helpful post! It’s probably the most important thing I’ve ever written. Half-ideas is such fire omg.)

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Costco Essay (Meaning, Factors, Tips, FAQs)

Abasiofon Fidelis

  • January 31, 2023

A common application essay or personal statement is one of the requirements for admission into several colleges.

The Ivy League universities and other top colleges may not consider you for admission if you cannot put together a fantastic piece.

If you don’t know how to write an excellent essay, this article is for you.

It gives a short analysis of Brittany Stinson’s Costco essay, which helped her gain admission into several Ivy League schools.

Table of Contents

What Is A Costco Essay?

The Costco essay is a college essay that was written by a college applicant named Brittany Stinson in 2016 and landed her an admission spot at five Ivy League colleges.

She perfectly described every phase of the Costco store which enabled her to develop a strong character and ignited her interest.

Here are some of the key factors in the Costco essay that made it so effective:

1. The Topic

A good number of people craft stories about their individual experiences daily. This makes the Costco essay topic even more fascinating, as Brittany chose to do this.

When crafting your essay, make sure you talk about the aspects of your personal life that make you different from everyone else and do so creatively.

2. In-depth details

The Costco essay writer could have wished to focus on the way her family bought groceries at Costco.

Rather, she improved the quality of her essay by providing details of her experiences there and how she would discover the store and acquire more information on free samples, sales, and goods.

She showed how her experience and desire would help her do well in the things she wants to do.

3. Precision and elegance

Brittany wrote her essay in a way that made it fun and interesting to read for anyone.

4. Passionate tone and sense of humor

Brittany carefully explained what drives her passion in her preferred area of interest and how her strength of character has brought her this far.

Brittany also attached some hilarious phrases to her Costco essay.

Tips For Writing A College Application Essay ( Costco Essay )

Brittany received many commendations and public attention for putting together such a beautiful piece as her college application essay.

However, as a student seeking to get into college, you can also compose a wonderful piece by applying the tips below:

1. Brainstorm

Take time and think of your amazing ideas that can make your college essay stand out.

You can look to go down the creative pathway by telling a story that will enable you to express yourself effectively.

However, ensure that you organize your ideas so that anyone can understand the message you are passing.

2. Originality

Submitting a college application essay that another person has written is a terrible idea. Some colleges now use AI-powered software to assess essays and check for possible plagiarism.

So, it is ideal to think about your experience from another angle and describe it exclusively.

For instance, if you love watching a particular science program on TV, you can proceed to describe how it ignited the interest you have right now.

Look for a way to locate an original viewpoint.

3. Connection

When writing your college essay, always search for means to establish the connection between your experiences and your academics.

Link and explain in detail how your life has affected your school performance.

4. Self-assurance

When writing your Costco Essay as a student, make sure that you are bold with your words.

It is easy for the reader to think that you did not have the experiences you describe in your essay if they perceive a certain lack of confidence in your words.

5. Authenticity

Lying about an experience in your essay is a bad idea.

Although it can help you get into the school and course of study of your choice, you might struggle in it and risk facing the consequences from the institution if they find out you lied.

Do not submit your college application essay if it is not properly edited.

Once you’ve finished writing it, use an editing app like Grammarly to proofread it and remove any grammatical or spelling errors.

Afterward, you can show your essay to your older sibling, so they can tell you where you can make improvements and changes that you can add.

Doing this will ensure that you send in a top-notch article that is error-free, as poor vocabulary or bad spelling can make it hard for the reader to understand the context of the essay.

Tips For Excelling In Your Academics At College

If you finally get into college because of your essay and other good requirements, here are some tips to help you do well in school:

1. Go for lectures

Skipping classes as a student will only result in disaster.

Even though you already know what your teacher will teach, still show up in class anyway because they can drop helpful hints on areas where exam and test questions will emerge, enabling you to prepare effectively.

On the other hand, you can only acquire detailed knowledge of what is expected of you in an assignment if you show up for classes.

2. Study with your colleagues

Group study is another secret to academic excellence.

Although you should read alone, especially when you are far back in class so that you can take time to digest the study materials without any rush carefully, make sure that you embrace group study from time to time.

Studying in a group with your colleagues will enable you to exchange valuable ideas for the course you are studying together and inspire you to read.

Moreover, you can receive instant clarity on confusing study areas, which will aid your understanding.

3. Concentrate on what you’re learning in class only

The curriculum of each course is unique at a college.

Some courses will only touch on a few subjects, whereas others will provide a broad and in-depth overview.

But don’t go beyond the scope of what you’ve been assigned to read; stick to the course materials.

Reading about topics that have nothing to do with schoolwork is a recipe for academic failure.

4. Take some mock exams

Mock exams are another key to academic success at any college/university .

If you want to do well on your final examinations, you must take practice tests to see where you stand in your knowledge and where you still need to study.

In addition, taking regular practice tests will help you relax, improve your speed, and significantly enhance your memory.

So, take practice exams often.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) On Costco Essay

The Costco Essay is outstanding because it shows that students don’t need to tell a story about how they overcame their academic struggles or describe their educational or extracurricular successes to stand out.

The college application essay needs an open-ended response to general prompts that might enable you to share a story, talk about an experience, or deliberate on a theme.

You can begin a college essay excellently by using a powerful opening sentence that gives sustainable information and attracts readers.

When writing a college essay, ensure you don’t begin with a preamble, be officious, or hold back your experiences.

Brittany’s essay stood out among the thousands of college application essays sent to Ivy League schools in 2016 because of how perfectly crafted it was.

It was enough to secure her admission to five Ivy League schools, among which she later decided to attend Stanford University.

However, you need to know that just your application essay is not enough to grant you admission into your preferred university.

You must also possess excellent academic results, which will be reflected in your GPA, submit good recommendation letters, have a high SAT or ACT score, and fulfill several other requirements.

Awesome one; I hope this article answers your question.

Editor’s Recommendations:

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If you find this article good, please share it with a friend.

Abasiofon Fidelis

Abasiofon Fidelis

Abasiofon Fidelis is a professional writer who loves to write about college life and college applications. He has been writing articles for over 3 years. He is the Content Manager at School and Travel.

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A high schooler was accepted to five Ivy League colleges with an essay about Costco

Choices choices.

It took just a few short hours on Apr. 1 for Concord High School senior Brittany Stinson to go viral. Not because she staged an epic prank—though more than a few skeptics assumed that her sudden notoriety was an April Fool’s Day fakeout—but for her very real, decidedly eccentric college applications essay that helped garner her admission to five Ivy League colleges and Stanford University.

The essay isn’t your typical exercise in academic humblebragging or lofty save-the-world aspiration: It’s a nostalgic, free-form musing on the  joys of shopping at Costco with her mom . And while it shows a young essayist’s tendency to overwrite (the Achilles heel of some of us older wordsmiths as well), it also provides insight into a mind that takes creative risks and thinks with expansive originality.

Coming as it does in the thick of a heated debate over  “holistic” evaluation standards  at elite colleges—admissions practices that extend beyond comparing grades and scores to include assessments of character and the impact of background and cultural identity on a student’s academic journey—Stinson’s essay has generated a whirling array of reactions. After being posted on Business Insider last week, her essay was read over a million times and shared many thousands more on social media.

Brittany Stinson, in the store that started it all.

Many have found it charming and compelling, while others have attacked it as an example of the antics holistic admissions practices encourage among applicants hoping to stand out. The truth is, these two opinions aren’t mutually exclusive. Stinson’s SAT scores were in the high 90-something percentile (she wouldn’t say exactly her score) and she’s on track to graduate as her class’s valedictorian. Meanwhile, she participated in highly competitive STEM programs, loaded up on AP classes, was a competitive cross-country runner, and an active participant in her local community.

“I’d definitely fit in with the nerds, although the kids at our school would probably categorize us as the overachievers, instead,” Stinson says. “I’d like to study neuroscience in college. I volunteered in a research lab working on a genetics project at the University of Delaware. This was one of my favorite extracurriculars. I’m definitely pursuing research in college.”

All of these factors mark her as a strong candidate for an elite university. Of course, tens of thousands of other applicants had similarly outstanding academic and extracurricular profiles this year. Stinson’s essay, however, must have suggested to schools that she would bring with her a unique and interesting point of view.

Stinson acknowledges that her status as the daughter of a Brazilian immigrant mother who identifies as black, and a white US-born father, likely gave her admissions case a boost.

“I did declare my race and ethnicity on my applications. I think my background likely made my application stand out and impacted it positively,” she says, noting that she is also a proponent of affirmative action policies. “Many who criticize affirmative action think that nearly all minority admitted students are somehow less qualified, undeserving, or that ‘they took a spot’ from a more deserving non-minority student. I think that affirmative action makes a well-qualified minority student stand out, but it will never cause an unqualified student to be admitted. Non-minorities are still benefiting from a system built in their favor.”

At the same time, as clearly evidenced by Stinson, striving for diversity isn’t just about redress for past and present inequities. It’s also about bringing together a group of people with different ways of looking at the world—people who will spend four or more years side by side, learning from and being shaped by fresh and unique perspectives.

”College is a place where we learn just as much outside the classroom as we do inside,” says Stinson. “By being exposed to people of different races, socioeconomic backgrounds, cultures, and religions, we can learn from their experiences. Diversity enriches an education.”

While surprised that her essay has received so much attention, Stinson said she thinks it may have resonated because of the universality of its thesis.

“I’ve seen negative comments online from people who weren’t familiar with the literary devices I was trying to use. I’ve seen people say that it’s ‘ridiculous’ that my essay involved Costco, but I don’t think they’ve even scratched the surface,” she says. “They think that in order for an essay to have depth, it needs to involve tragedy, inspiration, or overcoming adversity. I don’t know if many applicants usually explore the mundane in their essays—that seems to have taken a lot of people by surprise. I thought that this essay was a genuine representation of myself: I’m a sarcastic, dorky weirdo with a passion for science and I tried to demonstrate that I’m the kind of person who finds meaning in seemingly ordinary things.”

Which might well be the perfect summary of the college experience: It’s a chapter in life during which young people go off to find meaning in seemingly ordinary things—most particularly, in other people.

For universities, this means recruiting student bodies that represent the best and brightest of a world of worlds: Diversity of heritage and faith, of nationality and culture, of class and familial background, and yes, of race and ethnicity.

Evaluating students by scores and grades alone can’t deliver on that promise. Only by understanding the person behind the scholarly achievements, and the context in which they were earned, can universities build a student body that reflects the kaleidoscopic array of ideas, traditions, and perspectives of our increasingly global society. Which means that those who  attack holistic admissions  fail to recognize that diversity isn’t an irrelevant factor in the making of an elite college education—it is, as Stinson points out, the very thing that makes these schools worth attending.

Here is Stinson’s essay, republished below with her permission:

Prompt 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. Managing to break free from my mother’s grasp, I charged. With arms flailing and chubby legs fluttering beneath me, I was the ferocious two­ year old rampaging through Costco on a Saturday morning. My mother’s eyes widened in horror as I jettisoned my churro; the cinnamon-­sugar rocket gracefully sliced its way through the air while I continued my spree. I sprinted through the aisles, looking up in awe at the massive bulk products that towered over me. Overcome with wonder, I wanted to touch and taste, to stick my head into industrial­ sized freezers, to explore every crevice. I was a conquistador, but rather than searching the land for El Dorado, I scoured aisles for free samples. Before inevitably being whisked away into a shopping cart, I scaled a mountain of plush toys and surveyed the expanse that lay before me: the kingdom of Costco. Notorious for its oversized portions and dollar-­fifty hot dog combo, Costco is the apex of consumerism. From the days spent being toted around in a shopping cart to when I was finally tall enough to reach lofty sample trays, Costco has endured a steady presence throughout my life. As a veteran Costco shopper, I navigate the aisles of foodstuffs, thrusting the majority of my weight upon a generously filled shopping cart whose enormity juxtaposes my small frame. Over time, I’ve developed a habit of observing fellow patrons tote their carts piled with frozen burritos, cheese puffs, tubs of ice cream, and weight­-loss supplements. Perusing the aisles gave me time to ponder. Who needs three pounds of sour cream? Was cultured yogurt any more well­mannered than its uncultured counterpart? Costco gave birth to my unfettered curiosity.
While enjoying an obligatory hot dog, I did not find myself thinking about the “all beef” goodness that Costco boasted. I instead considered finitudes and infinitudes, unimagined uses for tubs of sour cream, the projectile motion of said tub when launched from an eighty foot shelf or maybe when pushed from a speedy cart by a scrawny seventeen year old. I contemplated the philosophical: If there exists a thirty-­three ounce jar of Nutella, do we really have free will? I experienced a harsh physics lesson while observing a shopper who had no evident familiarity of inertia’s workings. With a cart filled to overflowing, she made her way towards the sloped exit, continuing to push and push while steadily losing control until the cart escaped her and went crashing into a concrete column, 52-inch plasma screen TV and all. Purchasing the yuletide hickory smoked ham inevitably led to a conversation between my father and me about Andrew Jackson’s controversiality. There was no questioning Old Hickory’s dedication; he was steadfast in his beliefs and pursuits—qualities I am compelled to admire, yet his morals were crooked. We both found the ham to be more likable–and tender. I adopted my exploratory skills, fine-tuned by Costco, towards my intellectual endeavors. Just as I sampled buffalo­-chicken dip or chocolate truffles, I probed the realms of history, dance and biology, all in pursuit of the ideal cart–one overflowing with theoretical situations and notions both silly and serious. I sampled calculus, cross­-country running, scientific research, all of which are now household favorites. With cart in hand, I do what scares me; I absorb the warehouse that is the world. Whether it be through attempting aerial yoga, learning how to chart blackbody radiation using astronomical software, or dancing in front of hundreds of people, I am compelled to try any activity that interests me in the slightest. My intense desire to know, to explore beyond the bounds of rational thought; this is what defines me. Costco fuels my insatiability and cultivates curiosity within me at a cellular level. Encoded to immerse myself in the unknown, I find it difficult to complacently accept the “what”; I want to hunt for the “whys” and dissect the “hows”. In essence, I subsist on discovery.

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Essay Hell

Lessons from a Winning Ivy League Essay on Costco

by j9robinson | Apr 2, 2016

sky-clouds-garden-school-large

Viral Costco Essay Writer Thanks Essay Hell!

Read brittany stinson’s college application essay that landed her in four ivies—plus stanford.

I can’t resist the news stories that break this time of year announcing students who get into multiple ivy league colleges.

What I find interesting is that these articles tout the student’s college application essay as the reason they got them into these insanely competitive schools.

It’s never that simple.

Yes, an outstanding college application essay can give a student an edge in their admissions chances—especially at the prestige colleges.

But to even be considered, applicants must first display off-the-charts grades, test scores, extracurriculars, the whole ultimate student package.

I believe the essay comes into play when a school ends up with a pile of dream applicants who all start to look alike.

So how do they pick?

That’s why it’s fun to get a peek at a so-called Ivy League essay, such as the one written by Brittany Stinson. She got into five ivies and Stanford (which has a lower acceptance rate than the ivies) this month, according to an article in Business Insider .

RELATED : Read Essay Hell’s Q&A with Brittany Where She Gives Tips and Advice on How She Wrote the Costco Essay!

How did Brittany’s essay set her apart?

calculator-scientific-large

Did she craft some brainy, intellectual tome about current-day politics or world thought?

Or was it a heady analytical piece on climate change or quantum physics?

No. Not even close.

She wrote her “Ivy League Essay” about Costco. And hot dogs.

I believe Brittany’s essay was effective because she followed many of the narrative-writing tips and advice I give my students on how to write effective essays.

UPDATE : I just learned that Brittany did actually use Essay Hell to help learn how to craft her now-famous essay. Here’s the comment she left after I shared this post:

Above all, Brittany used a narrative (storytelling) format in her essay, and engaged her reader at the start by using the writing technique called an anecdote.

In her anecdote, she recounted her real-life moments and experiences using a fiction-writing style so you could see her in action ( Show instead of Tell ).

She also  took a risk on her topic .

Instead of trying to impress her readers, she wrote about something “mundane” or everyday.

Costco-Wholesale-Corporation-marketing-mix

The Topic of Brittany’s Ivy League Essay

What’s more ordinary that Costco and hot dogs?

Brittany used Costco as a metaphor to the larger world, which is a classic writing device.

With that everyday topic, she was able to maintain a light, conversational style and playful language that allowed her teenage voice and sense of humor to shine through.

You almost couldn’t help but like her —a big factor in an effective essay.

Brittany also gave her essay a strong focus by highlighting one of her defining qualities : her curiosity. (As opposed to trying to cover too much about herself.)

She  dubbed herself an explorer, and escorted us through her childhood experiences at Costco that sparked her wonder and curiosity.

She then brought us up to her high school years and showed us how that sense of wonder shifted into more weighty areas, such as school and her other passions.

My point with sharing Brittany’s essay is not to hold it out as the exact essay that can get you into an ivy league school. (In fact, like all of these college application essays, it has its flaws and weaknesses.)

Instead, I want you to see that you can also write an equally engaging and meaningful essay using the same approach.

Start by finding one of your defining qualities or characteristics that you can showcase in your essay.

Then think of a moment or experience to start your essay (using an anecdote) that will grab the reader at the start.

Trust that a mundane or everyday topic will work beautifully, and let go of trying to be impressive.

Work in details about your life and interests. Be specific.

See what Brittany wove into her essay about herself in this single sentence:

Whether it be through attempting aerial yoga, learning how to chart blackbody radiation using astronomical software, or dancing in front of hundreds of people, I am compelled to try any activity that interests me in the slightest. 

No one can promise that your essay will get you into a prestige school.

coffee-desk-notes-workspace-large

But what a good one can do is help your target colleges get a clear picture of who you are, what sets you apart from other students and how you would fit into their school.

Where you end up will depend on the complete package you present your schools, and a lot of other highly subjective factors as well.

So don’t fret about your essay, or write one exactly like Brittany’s or try to game the decision-making process.

The best thing you can do is find a topic that is original and true to you, and learn some narrative writing techniques to help you tell your story and explain what it means to you.

Here’s Brittany’s Ivy League essay that she submitted to the Common Application (from Business Insider ):

Prompt 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.

Managing to break free from my mother’s grasp, i charged. with arms flailing and chubby legs fluttering beneath me, i was the ferocious two­ year old rampaging through costco on a saturday morning. my mother’s eyes widened in horror as i jettisoned my churro; the cinnamon­sugar rocket gracefully sliced its way through the air while i continued my spree. i sprinted through the aisles, looking up in awe at the massive bulk products that towered over me. overcome with wonder, i wanted to touch and taste, to stick my head into industrial­sized freezers, to explore every crevice. i was a conquistador, but rather than searching the land for el dorado, i scoured aisles for free samples. before inevitably being whisked away into a shopping cart, i scaled a mountain of plush toys and surveyed the expanse that lay before me: the kingdom of costco. , notorious for its oversized portions and dollar­fifty hot dog combo, costco is the apex of consumerism. from the days spent being toted around in a shopping cart to when i was finally tall enough to reach lofty sample trays, costco has endured a steady presence throughout my life. as a veteran costco shopper, i navigate the aisles of foodstuffs, thrusting the majority of my weight upon a generously filled shopping cart whose enormity juxtaposes my small frame. over time, i’ve developed a habit of observing fellow patrons tote their carts piled with frozen burritos, cheese puffs, tubs of ice cream, and weight­loss supplements. perusing the aisles gave me time to ponder. who needs three pounds of sour cream was cultured yogurt any more well­mannered than its uncultured counterpart costco gave birth to my unfettered curiosity. , while enjoying an obligatory hot dog, i did not find myself thinking about the ‘all beef’ goodness that costco boasted. i instead considered finitudes and infinitudes, unimagined uses for tubs of sour cream, the projectile motion of said tub when launched from an eighty foot shelf or maybe when pushed from a speedy cart by a scrawny seventeen year old. i contemplated the philosophical: if there exists a thirty­three ounce jar of nutella, do we really have free will i experienced a harsh physics lesson while observing a shopper who had no evident familiarity of inertia’s workings. with a cart filled to overflowing, she made her way towards the sloped exit, continuing to push and push while steadily losing control until the cart escaped her and went crashing into a concrete column, 52” plasma screen tv and all. purchasing the yuletide hickory smoked ham inevitably led to a conversation between my father and me about andrew jackson’s controversiality. there was no questioning old hickory’s dedication; he was steadfast in his beliefs and pursuits – qualities i am compelled to admire, yet his morals were crooked. we both found the ham to be more likeable–and tender., i adopted my exploratory skills, fine tuned by costco, towards my intellectual endeavors. just as i sampled buffalo­chicken dip or chocolate truffles, i probed the realms of history, dance and biology, all in pursuit of the ideal cart–one overflowing with theoretical situations and notions both silly and serious. i sampled calculus, cross­country running, scientific research, all of which are now household favorites. with cart in hand, i do what scares me; i absorb the warehouse that is the world. whether it be through attempting aerial yoga, learning how to chart blackbody radiation using astronomical software, or dancing in front of hundreds of people, i am compelled to try any activity that interests me in the slightest. , my intense desire to know, to explore beyond the bounds of rational thought; this is what defines me. costco fuels my insatiability and cultivates curiosity within me at a cellular level. encoded to immerse myself in the unknown, i find it difficult to complacently accept the “what”; i want to hunt for the “whys” and dissect the “hows”. in essence, i subsist on discovery..

Ready to learn how to write your own Ivy League Essay, or a killer college application essay that will help set you apart from the pack?

Start my post on How to Write a College Application Essay in 3 Steps.

Here’s another article on the Costco Admissions Essay that actually mentions me and Essay Hell!

If you found this post helpful, please share with your friends!

So, of course, I have to read the essay for myself.

Check Out These Related Posts!

#Selfie: 5 Ways It’s Like Your College Application Essay

Hi! This is Brittany! The girl who wrote the essay above. Funnily enough, I actually used this website to help guide a lot of my application essays, including this one. So I guess this would be the perfect opportunity to say thank you! I feel like my essays definitely strengthened my entire application.

j9robinson

Hi Brittany, How great to hear from you! I’m so happy I get to tell you CONGRATULATIONS directly! I think your essay will inspire other students to tell their unique stories as well. That’s so cool that you found help on Essay Hell. That makes my day! As you can tell in my post, I did find a lot of the writing devices and techniques in your essay that I try to teach students on this site. haha. If you have the time and energy to share any more of what you learned in your application process, let me know and we can put together a guest post. I would love to know how you came up with the Costco topic. Anyway, way to go!! Do you know which school you plan to attend, or are you still debating? That could be a hard choice! No matter where you end up going, I’m sure you will have an awesome experience. Just make sure there’s a Costco nearby. 🙂 Janine

I’d love to do a guest post! Just sent you an email. Oh, and I’m still undecided, I certainly have a tough choice ahead of me. Yale, Columbia, Cornell, Penn, Dartmouth and Stanford are all such amazing schools that appeal to me for different reasons.

Galina Nemirovsky

I also tend to contemplate the effects of Costco on our society, only I scrutinize it from a 41-year-old lens. As this seemingly mature teen nostalgically dives into academic introspection, I long for the envious headspace motherhood has monopolized. For her, Costco was a springboard for exploration; for me, it is a mundane, weekly errand where I am forced to recognize my position as just another American indulging in the American Dream: The Supermarket Edition. Read more of my rebuttal essay: https://heartseverywhere.com/2016/04/11/costco-membership-club/

Simon waweru

Hey am Simon and great to hear about this site and the great works its doing.. i would also like to know how to write the perfect essay for college admission abroad.. thanks you and I would be glad to get a helping hand. Congratulations Brittany

Prince X

These are some great tips! Just curious, if I’m not too good with words(As in vocabulary), will I still be able to write such an intriguing essay?

YES!! In fact, you don’t need to use big words in these essays. Everyday language works best (writing more like you talk) to strike the right casual tone. Keep reading my other posts for more tips and ideas on how to write your awesome essay! Janine

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This High School Student Got Into 5 Ivy Leagues With a Brilliant Essay About . . . Costco?

Updated on 5/16/2016 at 8:00 PM

college app essay costco

The popular saying-turned-cliché "write what you know" has long been used as the steadfast rule for high school students and novelists alike. Well, for her college admissions essay, one high school senior did just that — and it turns out that she knows Costco . She knows Costco really well.

A current senior at Concord High School in Wilmington, DE, Brittany Stinson has garnered attention for her brilliant essay (since shared with Business Insider ) about the beloved wholesale store that ended up getting her into five Ivy League universities: Columbia, Dartmouth, Cornell, Yale, and the University of Pennsylvania. Stinson was also admitted to Stanford — which is known for its notoriously low acceptance rate.

In her essay, Stinson recognized Costco as the invariable "apex of consumerism" that it is but also as the sprawling space that nurtured her curiosity at a young age. Below, you can read her full essay, which continues to delight readers and prove that those acceptance letters were well-deserved.

Managing to break free from my mother's grasp, I charged. With arms flailing and chubby legs fluttering beneath me, I was the ferocious two­ year old rampaging through Costco on a Saturday morning. My mother's eyes widened in horror as I jettisoned my churro; the cinnamon sugar rocket gracefully sliced its way through the air while I continued my spree. I sprinted through the aisles, looking up in awe at the massive bulk products that towered over me. Overcome with wonder, I wanted to touch and taste, to stick my head into industrial-sized freezers, to explore every crevice. I was a conquistador, but rather than searching the land for El Dorado, I scoured aisles for free samples. Before inevitably being whisked away into a shopping cart, I scaled a mountain of plush toys and surveyed the expanse that lay before me: the kingdom of Costco. Notorious for its oversized portions and dollar­fifty hot dog combo, Costco is the apex of consumerism. From the days spent being toted around in a shopping cart to when I was finally tall enough to reach lofty sample trays, Costco has endured a steady presence throughout my life. As a veteran Costco shopper, I navigate the aisles of foodstuffs, thrusting the majority of my weight upon a generously filled shopping cart whose enormity juxtaposes my small frame. Over time, I've developed a habit of observing fellow patrons tote their carts piled with frozen burritos, cheese puffs, tubs of ice cream, and weight­loss supplements. Perusing the aisles gave me time to ponder. Who needs three pounds of sour cream? Was cultured yogurt any more well-mannered than its uncultured counterpart? Costco gave birth to my unfettered curiosity. While enjoying an obligatory hot dog, I did not find myself thinking about the 'all beef' goodness that Costco boasted. I instead considered finitudes and infinitudes, unimagined uses for tubs of sour cream, the projectile motion of said tub when launched from an eighty foot shelf or maybe when pushed from a speedy cart by a scrawny seventeen year old. I contemplated the philosophical: If there exists a thirty-three ounce jar of Nutella, do we really have free will? I experienced a harsh physics lesson while observing a shopper who had no evident familiarity of inertia's workings. With a cart filled to overflowing, she made her way towards the sloped exit, continuing to push and push while steadily losing control until the cart escaped her and went crashing into a concrete column, 52" plasma screen TV and all. Purchasing the yuletide hickory smoked ham inevitably led to a conversation between my father and me about Andrew Jackson's controversiality. There was no questioning Old Hickory's dedication; he was steadfast in his beliefs and pursuits — qualities I am compelled to admire, yet his morals were crooked. We both found the ham to be more likeable — and tender. I adopted my exploratory skills, fine tuned by Costco, towards my intellectual endeavors. Just as I sampled buffalo chicken dip or chocolate truffles, I probed the realms of history, dance and biology, all in pursuit of the ideal cart — one overflowing with theoretical situations and notions both silly and serious. I sampled calculus, cross country running, scientific research, all of which are now household favorites. With cart in hand, I do what scares me; I absorb the warehouse that is the world. Whether it be through attempting aerial yoga, learning how to chart blackbody radiation using astronomical software, or dancing in front of hundreds of people, I am compelled to try any activity that interests me in the slightest. My intense desire to know, to explore beyond the bounds of rational thought; this is what defines me. Costco fuels my insatiability and cultivates curiosity within me at a cellular level. Encoded to immerse myself in the unknown, I find it difficult to complacently accept the "what"; I want to hunt for the "whys" and dissect the "hows". In essence, I subsist on discovery.

This essay got a high-school senior into 5 Ivy League schools and Stanford

High-school senior Brittany Stinson was accepted into five Ivy League schools — Yale, Columbia, University of Pennsylvania, Dartmouth, and Cornell.

She also got into Stanford, which has an acceptance rate of 4.69% — a lower rate than any of the Ivy League schools.

"I'm sort of still in shock. I don't think I've processed everything yet," she excitedly told Business Insider.

The Ivy League is notoriously hard to get into, as the hundreds of thousands of other applicants to the eight elite schools are well aware.

The schools Stinson was accepted into have acceptance rates ranging from 13.96% to 4.69%.

Stinson graciously shared her Common Application admissions essay with Business Insider, which we've reprinted verbatim below.

Prompt 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.

Managing to break free from my mother’s grasp, I charged. With arms flailing and chubby legs fluttering beneath me, I was the ferocious two­ year old rampaging through Costco on a Saturday morning. My mother’s eyes widened in horror as I jettisoned my churro; the cinnamon­sugar rocket gracefully sliced its way through the air while I continued my spree. I sprinted through the aisles, looking up in awe at the massive bulk products that towered over me. Overcome with wonder, I wanted to touch and taste, to stick my head into industrial­sized freezers, to explore every crevice. I was a conquistador, but rather than searching the land for El Dorado, I scoured aisles for free samples. Before inevitably being whisked away into a shopping cart, I scaled a mountain of plush toys and surveyed the expanse that lay before me: the kingdom of Costco. 

Notorious for its oversized portions and dollar­fifty hot dog combo, Costco is the apex of consumerism. From the days spent being toted around in a shopping cart to when I was finally tall enough to reach lofty sample trays, Costco has endured a steady presence throughout my life. As a veteran Costco shopper, I navigate the aisles of foodstuffs, thrusting the majority of my weight upon a generously filled shopping cart whose enormity juxtaposes my small frame. Over time, I’ve developed a habit of observing fellow patrons tote their carts piled with frozen burritos, cheese puffs, tubs of ice cream, and weight­loss supplements. Perusing the aisles gave me time to ponder. Who needs three pounds of sour cream? Was cultured yogurt any more well­mannered than its uncultured counterpart? Costco gave birth to my unfettered curiosity. 

While enjoying an obligatory hot dog, I did not find myself thinking about the ‘all beef’ goodness that Costco boasted. I instead considered finitudes and infinitudes, unimagined uses for tubs of sour cream, the projectile motion of said tub when launched from an eighty foot shelf or maybe when pushed from a speedy cart by a scrawny seventeen year old. I contemplated the philosophical: If there exists a thirty­three ounce jar of Nutella, do we really have free will? I experienced a harsh physics lesson while observing a shopper who had no evident familiarity of inertia's workings. With a cart filled to overflowing, she made her way towards the sloped exit, continuing to push and push while steadily losing control until the cart escaped her and went crashing into a concrete column, 52” plasma screen TV and all. Purchasing the yuletide hickory smoked ham inevitably led to a conversation between my father and me about Andrew Jackson’s controversiality. There was no questioning Old Hickory’s dedication; he was steadfast in his beliefs and pursuits – qualities I am compelled to admire, yet his morals were crooked. We both found the ham to be more likeable–and tender.

I adopted my exploratory skills, fine tuned by Costco, towards my intellectual endeavors. Just as I sampled buffalo­chicken dip or chocolate truffles, I probed the realms of history, dance and biology, all in pursuit of the ideal cart–one overflowing with theoretical situations and notions both silly and serious. I sampled calculus, cross­country running, scientific research, all of which are now household favorites. With cart in hand, I do what scares me; I absorb the warehouse that is the world. Whether it be through attempting aerial yoga, learning how to chart blackbody radiation using astronomical software, or dancing in front of hundreds of people, I am compelled to try any activity that interests me in the slightest. 

My intense desire to know, to explore beyond the bounds of rational thought; this is what defines me. Costco fuels my insatiability and cultivates curiosity within me at a cellular level. Encoded to immerse myself in the unknown, I find it difficult to complacently accept the “what”; I want to hunt for the “whys” and dissect the “hows”. In essence, I subsist on discovery.

college app essay costco

Watch: Here's what Costco looked like when it opened in 1983 and the annual membership was $25

college app essay costco

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Read the College Essay About Costco That Got This Senior Into 5 Ivy League Schools

From Cosmopolitan

Meet Brittany Stinson, an 18-year-old senior at Concord High School in Wilmington, Delaware, who just last week found out she got into Yale, Columbia, University of Pennsylvania, Dartmouth, Cornell, Columbia, and Stanford. What is so special about Stinson, you might ask? Besides the fact she's undoubtedly an excellent student, she wrote her college essay on Costco. Yes, Costco.

"I'm sort of still in shock. I don't think I've processed everything yet," she told Business Insider , with whom she shared the entire essay.

The Common Application prompt was: "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." Stinson felt her background as a "Costco veteran" was meaningful enough to share and she was right.

Her essay begins:

Managing to break free from my mother's grasp, I charged. With arms flailing and chubby legs fluttering beneath me, I was the ferocious two­ year old rampaging through Costco on a Saturday morning. My mother's eyes widened in horror as I jettisoned my churro; the cinnamon ­sugar rocket gracefully sliced its way through the air while I continued my spree. I sprinted through the aisles, looking up in awe at the massive bulk products that towered over me. Overcome with wonder, I wanted to touch and taste, to stick my head into industrial­-sized freezers, to explore every crevice. I was a conquistador, but rather than searching the land for El Dorado, I scoured aisles for free samples. Before inevitably being whisked away into a shopping cart, I scaled a mountain of plush toys and surveyed the expanse that lay before me: the kingdom of Costco. Notorious for its oversized portions and dollar-­fifty hot dog combo, Costco is the apex of consumerism. From the days spent being toted around in a shopping cart to when I was finally tall enough to reach lofty sample trays, Costco has endured a steady presence throughout my life. As a veteran Costco shopper, I navigate the aisles of foodstuffs, thrusting the majority of my weight upon a generously filled shopping cart whose enormity juxtaposes my small frame. Over time, I've developed a habit of observing fellow patrons tote their carts piled with frozen burritos, cheese puffs, tubs of ice cream, and weight-­loss supplements. Perusing the aisles gave me time to ponder. Who needs three pounds of sour cream? Was cultured yogurt any more well­-mannered than its uncultured counterpart? Costco gave birth to my unfettered curiosity.

It takes a brilliant creature to elevate stuffing your face with free samples to a metaphor about having an appetite for life and approaching obstacles with curiosity instead of fear, but that's exactly what she did. You can read her essay in full over on Business Insider ... and spend the rest of the day thinking about what you plan to accomplish with the rest of your life.

Follow Tess on Twitter .

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Costco College Essay: An Analysis

Costco Hot Dog

Yep, that’s right: it’s the famous Costco college essay that got Brittany Stinson into five Ivy League schools. Said schools include Columbia, Yale, UPenn, Cornell, and Dartmouth.

Now, this application essay was considered one of the “quintessential college essays” that every student was expected to strive for. It had a lot of positive attributes to it, notably its creativity, that made the college essay so strong in the application.

But here’s the thing: there are also mistakes in this essay that future applicants should be wary of.

It’s okay though. Here at PenningPapers, we try not to be a Negative Nancy. In fact, we just want to provide the most value from our admissions advice so that our clients and readers get the most useful analysis.

It just so happens that the Costco College essay covers a wide range of topics that could be useful for our readers to know.

We want our readers to be well-equipped to face their own college applications; thusly so, we have compiled a list of both the primary positive and negative attributes of the Costco college essay.

The Costco College Essay

Prompt 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.

Managing to break free from my mother’s grasp, I charged. With arms flailing and chubby legs fluttering beneath me, I was the ferocious two­ year old rampaging through Costco on a Saturday morning. My mother’s eyes widened in horror as I jettisoned my churro; the cinnamon­sugar rocket gracefully sliced its way through the air while I continued my spree. I sprinted through the aisles, looking up in awe at the massive bulk products that towered over me. Overcome with wonder, I wanted to touch and taste, to stick my head into industrial­sized freezers, to explore every crevice. I was a conquistador, but rather than searching the land for El Dorado, I scoured aisles for free samples. Before inevitably being whisked away into a shopping cart, I scaled a mountain of plush toys and surveyed the expanse that lay before me: the kingdom of Costco. Notorious for its oversized portions and dollar­fifty hot dog combo, Costco is the apex of consumerism. From the days spent being toted around in a shopping cart to when I was finally tall enough to reach lofty sample trays, Costco has endured a steady presence throughout my life. As a veteran Costco shopper, I navigate the aisles of foodstuffs, thrusting the majority of my weight upon a generously filled shopping cart whose enormity juxtaposes my small frame. Over time, I’ve developed a habit of observing fellow patrons tote their carts piled with frozen burritos, cheese puffs, tubs of ice cream, and weight­loss supplements. Perusing the aisles gave me time to ponder. Who needs three pounds of sour cream? Was cultured yogurt any more well­mannered than its uncultured counterpart? Costco gave birth to my unfettered curiosity. While enjoying an obligatory hot dog, I did not find myself thinking about the ‘all beef’ goodness that Costco boasted. I instead considered finitudes and infinitudes, unimagined uses for tubs of sour cream, the projectile motion of said tub when launched from an eighty foot shelf or maybe when pushed from a speedy cart by a scrawny seventeen year old. I contemplated the philosophical: If there exists a thirty­three ounce jar of Nutella, do we really have free will? I experienced a harsh physics lesson while observing a shopper who had no evident familiarity of inertia’s workings. With a cart filled to overflowing, she made her way towards the sloped exit, continuing to push and push while steadily losing control until the cart escaped her and went crashing into a concrete column, 52″ plasma screen TV and all. Purchasing the yuletide hickory smoked ham inevitably led to a conversation between my father and me about Andrew Jackson’s controversiality. There was no questioning Old Hickory’s dedication; he was steadfast in his beliefs and pursuits – qualities I am compelled to admire, yet his morals were crooked. We both found the ham to be more likeable-and tender. I adopted my exploratory skills, fine tuned by Costco, towards my intellectual endeavors. Just as I sampled buffalo­chicken dip or chocolate truffles, I probed the realms of history, dance and biology, all in pursuit of the ideal cart-one overflowing with theoretical situations and notions both silly and serious. I sampled calculus, cross­country running, scientific research, all of which are now household favorites. With cart in hand, I do what scares me; I absorb the warehouse that is the world. Whether it be through attempting aerial yoga, learning how to chart blackbody radiation using astronomical software, or dancing in front of hundreds of people, I am compelled to try any activity that interests me in the slightest. My intense desire to know, to explore beyond the bounds of rational thought; this is what defines me. Costco fuels my insatiability and cultivates curiosity within me at a cellular level. Encoded to immerse myself in the unknown, I find it difficult to complacently accept the “what”; I want to hunt for the “whys” and dissect the “hows”. In essence, I subsist on discovery.

The Costco College Essay: Critique

Unique Topic: This seems to be an underrated one. There are plenty of essays about serving as a camp counselor, and plenty more about playing the violin. The value of a unique topic like Costco is that it provides admissions officers with something different to read from the hundreds of thousands of similar essays. Having a unique topic in your college essay will make admissions officers love your story more than others who have less special ones.

Interesting Narrative: a strong narrative is arguably one of the most vital parts of the college admissions process. If you can capture the attention of the admissions officers with your words, you can put yourself in a much more positive light than the rest of the competition. Take this one for example: “. I contemplated the philosophical: If there exists a thirty­three ounce jar of Nutella, do we really have free will?”

Now, we do want to clarify that writing this well correctly and effectively so that the admissions officers DON’T find your essay ostentatious and overbearing is hard. There is a fine line between having capturing language and having pretentious language.

We recommend that if you feel uncomfortable with writing in this style but would still like to beat out the rest of the competition in the admissions pool, you should speak to our admissions experts to talk about how you can get your college essay edited.

Outdated subject: Whichever subject you talk about, make sure that it is not too far from your current year. The farther away your experience is from high school, the more irrelevant it becomes. It is very hard for people to believe that a child’s characteristics have transferred to their adult selves.

More importantly, admissions officers would like to know more about how you changed in the current time; there is little use in knowing what positive changes or character traits you’ve had in the past.

Cliché “thirst for knowledge”: There’s not much else to say about this section other than the fact that writing that you have a “thirst for knowledge” has been overdone. There are plenty of students who write that they are curious and are always learning. Unfortunately, this has become so saturated that it is sometimes even mocked in not just the admissions process but in job applications too. Even business gurus have been mocked for it: take Tai Lopez and his regrettable “knowledge” video.  

Corny ending: Here at Penningpapers, the intro paragraph is the most important paragraph of all, but that doesn’t mean the ending paragraph should be neglected. A bad ending paragraph will still leave a bad taste in the admissions officer’s mouth. So, what’s wrong with the ending? Well, it’s the mention of the “whys” “hows” and the “in essence.” These are famous lines that parallel Nietzsche’s quote “He who has a why can bear any how”. The “whys” and “hows” have been overplayed, and in STEM related college essays, we’ve found that the words “in essense” more times than we could count. The essay in all wasn’t particularly bad, but hearing the last paragraph made us want to puke.

In short, Brittany Stinson’s Costco college essay wasn’t perfect, but it was certainly a piece that stood out amongst the rest of the admissions essays. Perhaps you, dear reader, would like to make your admissions essay perfect. Perhaps you would like to make it as good as possible to remove any doubt of college acceptance, or even make up for poor scores. Perhaps it is too difficult to compete in the admissions process because your dream school is far too prestigious and competitive.

For that, we recommend you shoot us a call or send us a message so we can take a look at your application because remember: even the best application essays have critical flaws without editing!    

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COMMENTS

  1. Read the College Essay About Costco That Got This Senior Into 5 Ivy

    Besides the fact she's undoubtedly an excellent student, she wrote her college essay on Costco. Yes, Costco. "I'm sort of still in shock. I don't think I've processed everything yet," she told ...

  2. The Costco Essay: What Makes It So Good?

    If your child is applying to college now or in the future, you're probably familiar with the Common App Essay, or personal statement, required by many colleges. You may have even heard of the "Costco essay" that earned one student an acceptance to several ivy league schools. But first, let's revisit the purpose of the Common App Essay.

  3. The Costco Essay Deconstructed

    Students searching for exemplary examples of college admissions essays may already be familiar with what has come to be known as The Costco Essay, but it is worth digging a little deeper to understand how this essay that " got a high school senior in to 5 Ivy League colleges " actually works.

  4. PDF Lessons from a Winning Ivy League Essay on Costco

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  5. Costco Essay Analysis and Writing Tips

    Costco essay, also known as Brittany Stinson's essay, is a personal statement that got this student accepted into all Ivy League schools, even Stanford, which has extremely low acceptance level. How did she achieve it and what can you do for a similar success?

  6. Brittany Stinson's Costco Essay Got Her into 5 Ivy League ...

    High school senior Brittany Stinson's college application essay about Costco got her into five Ivy League schools -- Yale, Cornell, Columbia, Dartmouth, and University of Pennsylvania.

  7. Essay About Love for Costco Wins Student Admission to Five Ivies

    College 101 Essay About Love for Costco Wins Student Admission to Five Ivies A college essay about one teen's drive to explore life — as well as her deep and abiding love for Costco —...

  8. Why The Costco College Essay Is Crucial Reading

    ICYMI- Why The Costco College Essay Is Crucial Reading for Future College Applicants. At this point, it's almost been impossible to avoid reading about the amazing Costco college essay that secured one lucky applicant admission to several Ivies and Stanford. It's a great essay, but not everyone seems to understand why, so CEA Founder Stacey ...

  9. Decoding the Success of the Costco College Essay

    Brittany Stinson's Costco college essay went viral in 2016 when she was accepted into five Ivy League schools and Stanford. The essay is a prime example of how creativity and authenticity can make a significant impact on college admissions officers. With its relatable narrative and unique perspective, the essay has become a benchmark for ...

  10. How Brittany Stinson Wrote Her Costco Essay

    Last month, Brittany Stinson learned she got into five Ivy League colleges, as well as Stanford and many other top schools. When a newspaper reporter asked her to share her college application essay, Brittany didn't think twice. Within hours, her essay went viral. More than 1.6 million people, and counting, have now read the "Costco essay.".

  11. Why The Costco Essay Is Crucial Reading for Future College ...

    Stinson's essay was not her ticket to admission. It was a thoughtfully crafted, brilliantly executed piece of a very complex puzzle. Still, the college essay is a highly significant piece of the puzzle in that it is one of the only opportunities students have to speak to admissions officers in their own voices and highlight something about their personalities or passions that allows them to ...

  12. Ok Fine. I'll Write About the Awe-inspiring Costco Essay

    Yes, it's a wacky Costco essay. But to a trained eye, it's the work of a professional writer expertly crafting a work that will make a student come off well. One of the greatest magic tricks we as consultants play is making it seem like we were never there at all.

  13. Costco Essay (Meaning, Factors, Tips, FAQs)

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  14. A high schooler was accepted to five Ivy League colleges with an essay

    A high schooler was accepted to five Ivy League colleges with an essay about Costco. Choices choices. It took just a few short hours on Apr. 1 for Concord High School senior Brittany Stinson to go ...

  15. How a High School Senior Wrote an Essay That Got Her Into 5 Ivies

    Editor's note: A high school senior named Brittany Stinson earned the education world's attention in April 2016 with a unique college application essay set at Costco. Advertisement

  16. My take on the Costco essay : r/ApplyingToCollege

    Hack the College Essay (external PDF link) The ScholarGrade Essay Series Part 1: How To Start An Essay, "Show Don't Tell" The Top 30 Essay Mistakes To Avoid. Why College Essay tips and some Personal Essay Tips. Last Minute "Why X" & Supplement Advice from a current Brown sophomore. I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically.

  17. The Costco essay

    Last month, a Business Insider article about a college application essay went viral. BI reported that because of her essay, Brittany Stinson of Wilmington, Delaware, was admitted to five Ivy League universities (Yale, Dartmouth, UPenn, Cornell, and Columbia) as well as Stanford, academic powerhouses with notoriously competitive acceptance rates

  18. Lessons from a Winning Ivy League Essay on Costco

    Viral Costco Essay Writer Thanks Essay Hell! Read Brittany Stinson's College Application Essay That Landed Her in Four Ivies—plus Stanford! I can't resist the news stories that break this time of year announcing students who get into multiple ivy league colleges. What I find interesting is that these articles tout the student's college application essay as the […]

  19. College Essay About Costco

    This High School Student Got Into 5 Ivy Leagues With a Brilliant Essay About . . . Costco? By Kelsey Garcia. Updated on 5/16/2016 at 8:00 PM. ... Well, for her college admissions essay, ...

  20. This essay got a high-school senior into 5 Ivy League schools and Stanford

    Education This essay got a high-school senior into 5 Ivy League schools and Stanford Abby Jackson Apr 1, 2016, 8:59 AM PDT Brittany Stinson. Brittany Stinson. High-school senior Brittany...

  21. Remember that Costco essay girl? : r/ApplyingToCollege

    Stinson acknowledges that her status as the daughter of a Brazilian immigrant mother who identifies as black, and a white US-born father, likely gave her admissions case a boost. A good essay alone won't get anyone into a good college. 2. AutoModerator • 3 yr. ago.

  22. Read the College Essay About Costco That Got This Senior Into 5 ...

    Her essay begins: Managing to break free from my mother's grasp, I charged. With arms flailing and chubby legs fluttering beneath me, I was the ferocious two­ year old rampaging through Costco on ...

  23. Costco College Essay: An Analysis

    May 30, 2019 by Jason Yep, that's right: it's the famous Costco college essay that got Brittany Stinson into five Ivy League schools. Said schools include Columbia, Yale, UPenn, Cornell, and Dartmouth. Now, this application essay was considered one of the "quintessential college essays" that every student was expected to strive for.