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How to End a Personal Statement: Strong Tips And Examples

EssayEdge > Blog > How to End a Personal Statement: Strong Tips And Examples

When everything is written down, thoughts are made up together and you see the whole picture of your essay right in front of your eyes, you may think of how to end a personal statement . It may seem to be the easiest part of writing, but, to some extent, it is not. The destiny of the conclusion is to formulate the last impression of you as a personality. 

Table of Contents:

How to close a personal statement

Concluding the results of a completed job is always the most pleasing step in doing anything. Moreover, you can see with your own eyes the way you have passed to achieve your aim. The same regards personal statement conclusions. The key point of writing the conclusion is to accentuate the willingness of the applicant to receive a studying offer and get admitted to the educational institution. You have to think closely about the last paragraph in your essay. It must be the last bullet point to persuade the reader to do next-step actions further.

It may be difficult to decide what exact point you want to add at the end of the essay to complete the writing. First of all, take a break, read your essay several times, and summarize in your mind everything you have written. It is necessary to write standout sentences in your personal statement conclusion to assure the admission tutor that you are the one who is worth getting a place in the educational institution.

Brandon D.

While writing, remember that you should concentrate on your essay’s main idea, whether it is the given topic or your personal opinion. The summary should be short and terse, but expedient. Moreover, keep in mind that you are supposed to fit into the given requirements. Your conclusion should be about ⅓ of the entire paper.

And remember to check, check, and check everything a few times.

How to end personal statement and not to fail it

While thinking about how to end personal statement, you may come up with a bunch of questions. The main one may be about what to write and not screw everything up. Here are a few examples of what you shouldn’t write in your conclusion paragraph.

  • Rhetoric questions Forget about writing the statements you don’t know how to answer. This may only confuse the reader and leave them in suspense. In this way, you may only underline the point of not knowing something.
  • Writing a list of your skills without proofs Even if you want to demonstrate all your skills, don’t do it without proof. Don’t waste the words for just designating the things you are able to do or the knowledge you have. It is wonderful that you have all these aspects, but the admission tutor may not understand the destiny of just naming. Try to involve them all in your main paragraph of the essay.
  • Not expressing your future intensions Don’t just tell about your former personal background. It would be good to add to your personal statement conclusion some ideas on your future perspectives. Describe what you want to get out of the studying process and how you would embed it into your life and career.
  • Plagiarism from successful essays It is not prohibited to use samples of successful essays just like a pattern. However, you must not copy paste as all the rights of the writer are reserved. It may only spoil your reputation and will not bring any advantages to your essay. If you feel that you need help, it is better to refer to personal statement editing rather than plagiarize.
  • Writing the statements that are not related to the topic It is very good if you have a lot of stories to share. Though, you must be careful and think closely about whether the story you write about related to the main topic of your essay or not.

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Personal statement conclusion: tips on doing such a thing

So, how to conclude a personal statement? Your conclusion should be comprehensive and impressible. Below you can find a few tips on how to write everything well.

  • Take a break Really! It is worth it so to start in advance to have time to leave your writing for some time. After a break, you will read it with a new sight. Maybe you will remove something or, vice versa, add some more information. While having a break, you can think about the conclusion, you may recollect something in your mind that is worth to be written down.
  • Read everything many times Yes, you may feel aversion from your essay, but remember that it is a step to your future success and that is why you have to be attentive to the details. Try to figure out the main storyline of your essay and hold it till the conclusion. Peruse everything that is already written many times and you may feel what is missing.
  • Don’t be afraid to ask for help If you feel confused and don’t know how to close a personal statement, you don’t have to be scared. Everything can be resolved, remember about that. Ask your friends or parents to read your personal statement as they don’t know you. They may share with you some ideas and tell the general impression. According to that knowledge, you can easily make up your thoughts. If you are still not sure about your text, you can use personal statement editing services. Professionals will touch you up to the thought that is in need.
  • Summarize everything you mentioned above Yes, it is a very useful skill if you can do a summary, no matter if it is your essay or review of achievements that you have been doing through the years. Placing the accents and underlining your best sides would be a good idea.

Personal statement conclusion examples

As it is mentioned previously, there is nothing wrong with using personal statement conclusion examples. In this way, you can find inspiration and feel more confident and secure that you move in the right way. You shouldn’t neglect using successful examples to see how it works, but in no way, you mustn’t copy paste such samples into your essay.

Here is an example of a successful personal statement ending.

To summarize everything mentioned above, I reckon that I am that one person who is worthy of getting the allowance to enter the university. The main reason for that is my strong motivation to implicate the knowledge I’m supposed to get while studying, into the life of people around the world. As I mentioned before, I have such goals and a number of gained skills. Being admitted to the university may support my intentions and help me to develop the abilities I’ve already had. Moreover, I feel that this is a place where I must improve myself. I have a lot of familiar students and their stories about studying and university life impress me every time I hear them. My plans are global and I can make them real while studying and after graduating as I will have resources and experience. 

It is an example of a successful conclusion as the applicant highlighted their motivation, made an accent on the plans, and summarized the story that was told in the main paragraph. Also, this person mentioned that they have a kind of connection to the community of this university that gives an understanding that it will be easy for him to become a part of the university society.

Ending the personal statement is difficult, but the most pleasing part of the whole essay. With patience and efforts, everything can become possible. You can use examples to get inspiration. Moreover, using tips can really help you to cope with the given tasks. Remember that everything will be fine.  More details on how to write personal statement you can find in the EssayEdge blog. 

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How to End a College Admissions Essay | 4 Winning Strategies

Published on October 16, 2021 by Meredith Testa . Revised on May 31, 2023.

The ending of your college essay should leave your reader with a sense of closure and a strong final impression.

Table of contents

Endings to avoid, option 1: return to the beginning, option 2: look forward, option 3: reveal your main point, option 4: end on an action, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about college application essays.

A bad conclusion can bring your whole essay down, so make sure to avoid these common mistakes.

Summarizing

Unlike an academic essay, an admissions essay shouldn’t restate your points. Avoid ending with a summary; there’s no need to repeat what you’ve already written.

Phrases like “in conclusion,” “overall,” or “to sum it up” signal that you have nothing to add to what you’ve already written, so an admissions officer may stop reading.

Stating the obvious

Instead of stating the obvious, let your work speak for itself and allow readers to draw their own conclusions. If your essay details various times that you worked tirelessly to go above and beyond, don’t finish it by stating “I’m hardworking.” Admissions officers are smart enough to figure that out on their own.

You should also avoid talking about how you hope to be accepted. Admissions officers know you want to be accepted—that’s why you applied! It’s okay to connect what you discuss in the essay to your potential future career or college experience, but don’t beg for admission. Stay focused on your essay’s core topic.

Prevent plagiarism. Run a free check.

Many successful essays follow a “sandwich,” or full-circle, structure , meaning that they start with some image or idea, veer away from it in the middle, and then return to it at the end.

This structure is clean, self-contained, and satisfying for readers, so it’s a great choice if it works with the topic you’ve chosen.

In the “sandwich” essay outlined below, a student discusses his passion for musical theater. Instead of simply stating that interest, his essay starts with a funny anecdote about a minor fire that erupted on set. At the end, it returns to this anecdote, creating a sense of closure.

  • Intro: I may be the world’s worst firefighter.
  • Flashback to working on the school musical
  • Demonstrate my passion for theatre
  • Detail the story of the theater set catching fire
  • Show how I made the most of the situation
  • Conclusion: I proved my value as a director, an actor, and a writer that week一even if I was a terrible firefighter.

Many successful essays end by looking forward to the future. These endings are generally hopeful and positive—always great qualities in an admissions essay—and often connect the student to the college or their academic goals.

Although these endings can be highly effective, it can be challenging to keep them from sounding cliché. Keep your ending specific to you, and don’t default to generalities, which can make your essay seem bland and unoriginal.

Below are a good and a bad example of how you could write a “looking forward” ending for the musical theater “firefighter” essay.

Sometimes, holding back your main point can be a good strategy. If your essay recounts several experiences, you could save your main message for the conclusion, only explaining what ties all the stories together at the very end.

When done well, this ending leaves the reader thinking about the main point you want them to take from your essay. It’s also a memorable structure that can stand out.

However, if you choose this approach, it can be challenging to keep the essay interesting enough that the reader pays attention throughout.

In the essay outlined below, a student gives us snapshots of her experience of gymnastics at different stages in her life. In the conclusion, she ties the stories together and shares the insight that they taught her about different aspects of her character and values.

  • Passionate, excited
  • Sister born that day—began to consider people beyond myself
  • Realizing that no matter how much I love gymnastics, there are more important things
  • I’d been working especially hard to qualify for that level
  • It came after many setbacks and failures
  • I had to give up time with friends, first homecoming dance of high school, and other activities, and I considered quitting
  • Conclusion: I’m still all of those selves: the passionate 7-year-old, the caring 11-year-old, and the determined 15-year-old. Gymnastics has been a constant throughout my life, but beyond the balance beam, it has also shown me how to change and grow.

Ending on an action can be a strong way to wrap up your essay. That might mean including a literal action, dialogue, or continuation of the story.

These endings leave the reader wanting more rather than wishing the essay had ended sooner. They’re interesting and can help you avoid boring your reader.

Here’s an example of how this ending could work for the gymnastics essay.

If you want to know more about academic writing , effective communication , or parts of speech , make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples.

Academic writing

  • Writing process
  • Transition words
  • Passive voice
  • Paraphrasing

 Communication

  • How to end an email
  • Ms, mrs, miss
  • How to start an email
  • I hope this email finds you well
  • Hope you are doing well

 Parts of speech

  • Personal pronouns
  • Conjunctions

There are a few strategies you can use for a memorable ending to your college essay :

  • Return to the beginning with a “full circle” structure
  • Reveal the main point or insight in your story
  • Look to the future
  • End on an action

The best technique will depend on your topic choice, essay outline, and writing style. You can write several endings using different techniques to see which works best.

Unlike a five-paragraph essay, your admissions essay should not end by summarizing the points you’ve already made. It’s better to be creative and aim for a strong final impression.

You should also avoid stating the obvious (for example, saying that you hope to be accepted).

There are no set rules for how to structure a college application essay , but these are two common structures that work:

  • A montage structure, a series of vignettes with a common theme.
  • A narrative structure, a single story that shows your personal growth or how you overcame a challenge.

Avoid the five-paragraph essay structure that you learned in high school.

When revising your college essay , first check for big-picture issues regarding message, flow, tone, style , and clarity. Then, focus on eliminating grammar and punctuation errors.

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5 Examples of Concluding Words for Essays

5 Examples of Concluding Words for Essays

4-minute read

  • 19th September 2022

If you’re a student writing an essay or research paper, it’s important to make sure your points flow together well. You’ll want to use connecting words (known formally as transition signals) to do this. Transition signals like thus , also , and furthermore link different ideas, and when you get to the end of your work, you need to use these to mark your conclusion. Read on to learn more about transition signals and how to use them to conclude your essays.

Transition Signals

Transition signals link sentences together cohesively, enabling easy reading and comprehension. They are usually placed at the beginning of a sentence and separated from the remaining words with a comma. There are several types of transition signals, including those to:

●  show the order of a sequence of events (e.g., first, then, next)

●  introduce an example (e.g., specifically, for instance)

●  indicate a contrasting idea (e.g., but, however, although)

●  present an additional idea (e.g., also, in addition, plus)

●  indicate time (e.g., beforehand, meanwhile, later)

●  compare (e.g., likewise, similarly)

●  show cause and effect (e.g., thus, as a result)

●  mark the conclusion – which we’ll focus on in this guide.

When you reach the end of an essay, you should start the concluding paragraph with a transition signal that acts as a bridge to the summary of your key points. Check out some concluding transition signals below and learn how you can use them in your writing.

To Conclude…

This is a particularly versatile closing statement that can be used for almost any kind of essay, including both formal and informal academic writing. It signals to the reader that you will briefly restate the main idea. As an alternative, you can begin the summary with “to close” or “in conclusion.” In an argumentative piece, you can use this phrase to indicate a call to action or opinion:

To conclude, Abraham Lincoln was the best president because he abolished slavery.

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As Has Been Demonstrated…

To describe how the evidence presented in your essay supports your argument or main idea, begin the concluding paragraph with “as has been demonstrated.” This phrase is best used for research papers or articles with heavy empirical or statistical evidence.

As has been demonstrated by the study presented above, human activities are negatively altering the climate system.

The Above Points Illustrate…

As another transitional phrase for formal or academic work, “the above points illustrate” indicates that you are reiterating your argument and that the conclusion will include an assessment of the evidence you’ve presented.

The above points illustrate that children prefer chocolate over broccoli.

In a Nutshell…

A simple and informal metaphor to begin a conclusion, “in a nutshell” prepares the reader for a summary of your paper. It can work in narratives and speeches but should be avoided in formal situations.

In a nutshell, the Beatles had an impact on musicians for generations to come.

Overall, It Can Be Said…

To recap an idea at the end of a critical or descriptive essay, you can use this phrase at the beginning of the concluding paragraph. “Overall” means “taking everything into account,” and it sums up your essay in a formal way. You can use “overall” on its own as a transition signal, or you can use it as part of a phrase.

Overall, it can be said that art has had a positive impact on humanity.

Proofreading and Editing

Transition signals are crucial to crafting a well-written and cohesive essay. For your next writing assignment, make sure you include plenty of transition signals, and check out this post for more tips on how to improve your writing. And before you turn in your paper, don’t forget to have someone proofread your work. Our expert editors will make sure your essay includes all the transition signals necessary for your writing to flow seamlessly. Send in a free 500-word sample today!

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ways to end a personal essay

How to End Your College Essay: 5 Strategies

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What’s Covered:

What is the purpose of your college essay conclusion, cliche college endings to avoid, strategies for ending your college essay, how to make sure your writing is effective.

Finishing up your college essay is a daunting task. You want to tie everything together, but you’re nervous about being redundant. You want to be clear, but you don’t want to be didactic. You want to tell your story, but you are afraid of sounding too self-centered.

To get over some of these nerves, you may want to dive into conclusion writing with a specific strategy (strategies that have worked time and time again!). Read along to hear about 5 effective strategies for wrapping up a college essay.

The primary purpose of your college essay conclusion is to compel the admissions counselor to reflect on the narrative that you wrote about and see its importance. It is the final impression that they will have of you and your writing (which is often even more important than a first impression!), so you want to leave them satisfied and you want your argument unambiguous.

The ending of a college essay is also often the place where students take their essays to the next level. Through a variety of creative strategies, you have the opportunity to provide unique insight regarding the narrative you described and help readers to understand what you were getting at with your story. Your conclusion should help readers to connect your story to you. Be sure to apply a forward-thinking approach to the ending of your essay, telling the reader how your anecdote or story has an impact. 

Summarizing

The main issues with summary endings are that 1) if your essay is well-written, your summary will be redundant and 2) your summarizing phrase will divert a reader’s focus away from the thoughts, emotions, and images that you are working with so hard to evoke in them.

The purpose of a compelling essay will always be self-evident. If your essay ends with a summary, you should attempt to rewrite your conclusion, but you may also want to reevaluate your essay as a whole. Make sure that you are saying what you are trying to say without explicitly stating your purpose or identifying a “moral of the story.”

Some generally unconvincing (and thus, superfluous) summarizing statements include:

  • That was when I realized that…
  • The most important lesson I learned…
  • The catch point was when…
  • My aha moment was…

When you use these phrases, you sabotage your argument by interrupting your argument. You will lose the attention of your reader. Additionally, by summarizing, you assume that your reader is not intelligent when in reality your reader will be able to draw their own conclusions if your writing convincingly promotes your message.

When you ensure that your essay speaks for itself and avoid these summarizing statements, you will open your essay up for more creative, unique, and engaging endings!

Using Trite Transitions

Stock phrases are unnecessary and overused in college essay conclusions. Colleges are looking for students who can write well and articulate their thoughts creatively. Quite frankly, when an admissions officer (who has extensive experience writing at the college level) reads a trite transition, they will likely be irritated and that irritation will not work in your favor during the admissions process.

Trite transitions include:

  • “In conclusion”
  • “To conclude”
  • “In summary”
  • “To sum up”
  • “In essence”
  • “All in all”
  • “All things considered”
  • “In the end”

If you’re struggling to write your conclusion without the crutch of one of these transitions, you may consider moving forward with your transition, then going back after you have finished your first draft and deleting the transition and the sentence that follows it . Often, the sentence after your transition will also be redundant and unnecessary, and the second sentence of your conclusion will suffice on its own.

Mentioning Your Hopes of Acceptance

The admissions committee knows that the intention of your essay is to help you get accepted into the college or university that they are representing. This means that you should not mention your hopes of being accepted . You have a limited number of words for your essays, so don’t use them to state the obvious! Mentioning your acceptance can also come off as naive or lacking creativity.

There are many effective ways to conclude a college essay, and different ways work for different applicants and different topics. Knowing the theme of your essay will be immensely valuable when figuring out how to wrap things up.

Student essay themes often include:

  • Making the most of a hardship (during the hardship)
  • Growing from adversity (after the fact)
  • Overcoming a fear
  • Figuring out one’s values
  • Learning an important lesson
  • Building a valuable relationship/connection

Students often find that their theme lends itself to a particular essay-ending strategy. For example, a student exploring the theme of growing from adversity may benefit from the “Image of the Future” technique as they can preview the effects of their growth. A student exploring the theme of figuring out one’s values might use the “Reflection” technique to name their values and explore their implications.

ways to end a personal essay

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Here are 5 of CollegeVine’s strategies for ending your college essay:

Full Circle

The Full Circle strategy (also called bookending) involves seamlessly connecting your conclusion to your introduction. This can involve reintroducing a word, phrase, person, or object from the start of your essay. 

Bookending makes your essay feel complete, unified and settled. By reminding the admissions committee where your essay started, you remind them of the journey they went on while reading your essay and of everything they learned about you. When executed successfully, bookending feels unforced and will leave readers satisfied with all that you articulated.

Prompt #2 Example #2 on our Common App Examples is a great example of a Full Circle ending. The narrative begins with the simple word “Fire!” then the student explores their insecurity due to not being able to start a fire on a camping trip. Ultimately, the narrative resolves itself as the narrator describes how interests can change and how their former love of all things outdoors had transitioned into a love of all things writing. The narrator ends with “When the night grew cold and the embers died, my words still smoked—my hands burned from all that scrawling—and even when I fell asleep, the ideas kept sparking—I was on fire, always on fire.”

Image of the Future

The primary purpose of a college essay is to convince admissions officers that you should be admitted to their college or university. To do this, you may want to show how you would be a valuable addition to a college or university. The “Image of the Future” strategy involves concluding your essay with an image of how the lesson you learned, the growth you experienced, or the fear you conquered will help you later on.

Some examples of this strategy could include:

  • If your essay focuses on the importance that mock trial had in forming your identity in high school, you could describe a future situation and show how the values you gained from mock trial apply there.
  • If you write about gaining interpersonal skills through a complicated relationship, you could describe a hypothetical situation where your interpersonal skills are tested more severely and you still come out on top.
  • If you focus on your former insecurity when making new friends, you can explore a hypothetical situation where you actively facilitate a friendship for someone nervous in a social situation.
  • If you write about how classical music changed the way you viewed the world, you could create an image of you performing classical music much later in life and still recognizing its important (and evolving) role in your identity formation.

These examples, and this strategy more generally, give readers a sense of potential and opportunity. They have a romantic feel as they invite readers to see the connection between a past hardship or adversity and future success or growth. They also often involve an explorative, enlivened, and promising tone.

This ending strategy is particularly compelling for essays about significant hardships and challenges because readers get a before-and-after of the student (and thus, see their growth clearly). Admissions officers will see a chance to help someone realize their full potential, which can prove very appealing. 

I used the “Image of the Future” strategy when wrapping up my Common App essay:

“I envision myself sitting in my dorm room in a few years. I begin scribbling numbers on a sheet of paper. Fatigue consumes me, yet thoughts continue to race through my mind—thoughts that need to be acted upon. What if I go to bed and the next thing I was going to study is on the test tomorrow? What if staying up another hour gains me a better grade? I run a cost-benefit analysis of sleep versus grades. But then, the idea that happiness is more important than perfection wanders in the back of my mind—an idea from my eighteenth summer spent in Punalu’u. And what do I do? I choose happiness.”

If you are struggling to weave personal information about yourself into your essay, you may want to use your conclusion as a time to reflect on your experiences. When using this strategy, be careful not to resort to summarizing! Summarizing is restating your previous ideas or drawing obvious conclusions for your reader. Reflecting takes summarizing a step further by exploring the personal implications of your narrative.

Throughout your essay, you will describe different subjects and themes. A reflective ending is a place to explore how those subjects and themes inform your beliefs and values. Ending with an exploration of yourself and your identity will show admissions officers that you value self-reflection (and can effectively do it!). They also subtly tell admissions officers why you would be beneficial at their institution.

You may not want to use a reflective ending if you are a writer who reflects consistently throughout your writing. Doing so could leave you with a repetitive essay. Only use the Reflection strategy if you have not discussed your beliefs and values earlier in your essay.

Example from Prompt #5 Example #1 on our Common App Essays :

My mother remains a guiding force in my life, but the feeling of empowerment I discovered within myself is the ultimate form of my independence. Though I thought the summer before my freshman year would be a transition from middle school to high school, it was a transformation from childhood to adulthood.

Same, but Different

This strategy is similar to the Full Circle strategy but goes a bit deeper. Rather than simply tying your story up by repeating a symbol, image, or phrase, your goal is to cause readers to reflect on a change that occurred throughout your essay and to create a wider view of your narrative.

The “Same, but Different” strategy can be applied to objects, settings, and even people and can be achieved through dialogue, description, or reflection. Some examples include:

  • After focusing on how your perseverance led to improvements in your complex relationship with your father, you could end your essay with dialogue that shows the progress that has occurred in your relationship.
  • If your essay describes how you underappreciated your former pet, it could be effective to end your essay with a description of a new opportunity with a pet and your intentions to do things differently.
  • Following a discussion of your anxiety about a research article you are having to write, you could conclude with yourself at the same desk, approaching the same task, but with a different attitude.

This technique finds its basis in the idea that your reader will view the image differently than they previously had because of your writing.

Example from Prompt #4 Example #1 on our Common App Examples :

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

Different, but the Same

While the “Same, but Different” strategy focuses on what has changed, the “Different, but the Same” strategy focuses on what has stayed the same and emphasizes that this too is important . 

This strategy is valuable if, instead of focusing on hardship, your essay focuses on a fundamental aspect of your personality that has historically helped you. This type of ending can also be helpful when describing the importance of your fundamental values.

Examples of essay endings that highlight a consistent element of a narrative include:

  • Using an image of your father cooking after work to describe how, while your location has changed through a cross-country move, you still find comfort in the fact that you are surrounded by a family who loves you.
  • After a narrative where a student makes a difficult decision to attend a new camp after 5 summers at an old camp, providing an image of the same joy around a campfire.

Like with the “Full Circle” strategy, you may want to include specific words, phrases, or ideas from your introduction in this ending to tie things up. That being said, this strategy also should involve growth and understanding. Since they began reading your essay, readers should have gained a clearer understanding of the importance of the previously stated value, belief, character trait, an important object, important person, etc. 

The ultimate goal of this ending is to have admissions officers excited for you—excited that you learned to use your already great traits or that you were able to further explore something you have always appreciated or valued.

Example from Prompt #3 Example #1 on our Common App Examples :

“I no longer see myself as an athlete and a poet independently, but rather I see these two aspects forming a single inseparable identity – me. Despite their apparent differences, these two disciplines are quite similar, as each requires creativity and devotion. I am still a poet when I am lacing up my cleats for soccer practice and still an athlete when I am building metaphors in the back of my mind – and I have realized ice cream and gummy bears taste pretty good together.”

An excellent conclusion involves more than just good content. You must effectively pair your content with an appropriate tone. Experts at the Harvard Writing Center describe how concluding essays with sentences composed of mainly one-syllable words can create understated drama. They also say that parallel sentence structure can lead to a sense of balance at the end of your essay. If you want to shift your tone with your conclusion, you may also want to consider changing the rhythm of your final sentences.

While nuanced tips and tricks are helpful when writing, it’s often not that simple. Feedback is ultimately any writer’s best source of improvement! To get your college essay edited for free, use our Peer Review Essay Tool . With this tool, other students can tell you if your conclusion is effective and help you improve your essay so that you can have the best chances of admission.

ways to end a personal essay

Related CollegeVine Blog Posts

ways to end a personal essay

One of the most common questions we receive at the Writing Center is “what am I supposed to do in my conclusion?” This is a difficult question to answer because there’s no one right answer to what belongs in a conclusion. How you conclude your paper will depend on where you started—and where you traveled. It will also depend on the conventions and expectations of the discipline in which you are writing. For example, while the conclusion to a STEM paper could focus on questions for further study, the conclusion of a literature paper could include a quotation from your central text that can now be understood differently in light of what has been discussed in the paper. You should consult your instructor about expectations for conclusions in a particular discipline.

With that in mind, here are some general guidelines you might find helpful to use as you think about your conclusion.  

Begin with the “what”  

In a short paper—even a research paper—you don’t need to provide an exhaustive summary as part of your conclusion. But you do need to make some kind of transition between your final body paragraph and your concluding paragraph. This may come in the form of a few sentences of summary. Or it may come in the form of a sentence that brings your readers back to your thesis or main idea and reminds your readers where you began and how far you have traveled.

So, for example, in a paper about the relationship between ADHD and rejection sensitivity, Vanessa Roser begins by introducing readers to the fact that researchers have studied the relationship between the two conditions and then provides her explanation of that relationship. Here’s her thesis: “While socialization may indeed be an important factor in RS, I argue that individuals with ADHD may also possess a neurological predisposition to RS that is exacerbated by the differing executive and emotional regulation characteristic of ADHD.”

In her final paragraph, Roser reminds us of where she started by echoing her thesis: “This literature demonstrates that, as with many other conditions, ADHD and RS share a delicately intertwined pattern of neurological similarities that is rooted in the innate biology of an individual’s mind, a connection that cannot be explained in full by the behavioral mediation hypothesis.”  

Highlight the “so what”  

At the beginning of your paper, you explain to your readers what’s at stake—why they should care about the argument you’re making. In your conclusion, you can bring readers back to those stakes by reminding them why your argument is important in the first place. You can also draft a few sentences that put those stakes into a new or broader context.

In the conclusion to her paper about ADHD and RS, Roser echoes the stakes she established in her introduction—that research into connections between ADHD and RS has led to contradictory results, raising questions about the “behavioral mediation hypothesis.”

She writes, “as with many other conditions, ADHD and RS share a delicately intertwined pattern of neurological similarities that is rooted in the innate biology of an individual’s mind, a connection that cannot be explained in full by the behavioral mediation hypothesis.”  

Leave your readers with the “now what”  

After the “what” and the “so what,” you should leave your reader with some final thoughts. If you have written a strong introduction, your readers will know why you have been arguing what you have been arguing—and why they should care. And if you’ve made a good case for your thesis, then your readers should be in a position to see things in a new way, understand new questions, or be ready for something that they weren’t ready for before they read your paper.

In her conclusion, Roser offers two “now what” statements. First, she explains that it is important to recognize that the flawed behavioral mediation hypothesis “seems to place a degree of fault on the individual. It implies that individuals with ADHD must have elicited such frequent or intense rejection by virtue of their inadequate social skills, erasing the possibility that they may simply possess a natural sensitivity to emotion.” She then highlights the broader implications for treatment of people with ADHD, noting that recognizing the actual connection between rejection sensitivity and ADHD “has profound implications for understanding how individuals with ADHD might best be treated in educational settings, by counselors, family, peers, or even society as a whole.”

To find your own “now what” for your essay’s conclusion, try asking yourself these questions:

  • What can my readers now understand, see in a new light, or grapple with that they would not have understood in the same way before reading my paper? Are we a step closer to understanding a larger phenomenon or to understanding why what was at stake is so important?  
  • What questions can I now raise that would not have made sense at the beginning of my paper? Questions for further research? Other ways that this topic could be approached?  
  • Are there other applications for my research? Could my questions be asked about different data in a different context? Could I use my methods to answer a different question?  
  • What action should be taken in light of this argument? What action do I predict will be taken or could lead to a solution?  
  • What larger context might my argument be a part of?  

What to avoid in your conclusion  

  • a complete restatement of all that you have said in your paper.  
  • a substantial counterargument that you do not have space to refute; you should introduce counterarguments before your conclusion.  
  • an apology for what you have not said. If you need to explain the scope of your paper, you should do this sooner—but don’t apologize for what you have not discussed in your paper.  
  • fake transitions like “in conclusion” that are followed by sentences that aren’t actually conclusions. (“In conclusion, I have now demonstrated that my thesis is correct.”)
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How to End a College Essay: The Do’s and Don’ts

Last Updated: January 16, 2024 Fact Checked

Strategies to End Your College Essay

  • Things to Avoid

Expert Interview

This article was co-authored by Alexander Ruiz, M.Ed. and by wikiHow staff writer, Sophie Burkholder, BA . Alexander Ruiz is an Educational Consultant and the Educational Director of Link Educational Institute, a tutoring business based in Claremont, California that provides customizable educational plans, subject and test prep tutoring, and college application consulting. With over a decade and a half of experience in the education industry, Alexander coaches students to increase their self-awareness and emotional intelligence while achieving skills and the goal of achieving skills and higher education. He holds a BA in Psychology from Florida International University and an MA in Education from Georgia Southern University. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources.

Deadlines are whizzing by, primary-colored pennants are waving, and keyboards are clicking and clacking…it’s college admissions season! Beyond the test scores and grade point averages, your personal statement is your one chance to show colleges who you are—and for some reason, wrapping up that essay can be the hardest part. We spoke to expert academic tutor and educational consultant Alexander Ruiz to give you strategies for concluding your college essay, along with the examples included in this comprehensive guide to college essay conclusions.

Things You Should Know

  • End your college essay by returning to an idea or image you included in your intro or as your hook. This callback satisfies your reader with a full-circle effect.
  • Look to the future to conclude your college essay on a positive and hopeful note. Describe your goals and the impact you’ll have on the world.
  • Finish your college essay with a lesson learned. After sharing life experiences, describe what you’ve learned and how they’ve prepared you for your next step.

Step 1 Address the college or university directly.

  • As expert educational consultant Alexander Ruiz explains, universities are “trying to understand ‘How do you see that you fit within our school?’ Even though the prompt is asking ‘Why did you choose the school?’, it really is truly asking ‘How do you fit within the student body? How do you fit within our campus?’”
  • Example of a “college address” conclusion: I want to be part of the long legacy of civil rights activists and leaders, from Martin Luther King, Jr. to Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who have studied within the walls of Boston University. I’ve planted the seeds of this work through my two years of volunteering and campaigning in local elections. If admitted to your globally renowned Political Science program, I will be thrilled to grow my skills in Public Policy Analysis and ultimately serve the dynamic and deserving communities of Greater Boston.

Step 2 Bring the reader full circle.

  • Example of a “full circle” conclusion: This year was a challenge in many ways. But I know that when I drive across those state lines again next fall, I’ll be looking back at the swirling blues and grays of the Boise sky, already anxiously awaiting the next time I get to come back home.
  • Example intro hook for above conclusion: As my parents drove us across the Idaho state line, I looked out at the cloud-covered sky and thought: Well, this sure doesn’t look like home.

Step 3 End on a lesson you’ve learned.

  • Example of a “lesson learned” conclusion: Having the opportunity to travel around Latin America—bouncing between coastal towns like Sayulita and sprawling cities like Buenos Aires—I learned the importance of understanding other cultures and their perspectives. In expanding the limits of my physical world, I also had the opportunity to expand my worldview.

Step 4 Point toward the future.

  • Example of a “look forward” conclusion: When my great-great-grandchildren fasten their shoes with a futuristic version of Velcro and head down the road to school, they will do so with excitement and purpose. They’ll look forward to the day’s tasks of digging in the garden for Biology, journaling on their socio-emotional well-being in Health class, and debating the issues of their times in Social Studies. An education system built around students, their needs, and their futures—as a hopeful member of your teaching college, that is a future I am enthusiastic to have a hand in.

Step 5 Reveal the main point at the very end.

  • Example of a “last-minute reveal” conclusion: After multiple paragraphs of stories from swim meets throughout the writer’s life, they conclude with, I wasn’t just swimming to beat the stopwatch hanging around my coach’s neck. I was swimming because it gave me freedom, a place to reflect, and an ability to push back against even the strongest currents.
  • This strategy is difficult to pull off, as our instinct is to put our thesis right at the top. However, when it comes to college admissions, academic tutor Alexander Ruiz warns against “the five-paragraph format, the intro, body, body, body, conclusion.”
  • As Ruiz continues to explain, “When it comes to telling your story and sharing how valuable your experience will be to a school, [the five-paragraph format] is not going to be able to portray that in a way that's going to be very attractive. So I think that one of the main mistakes that people make is saying these quantitative measures are going to speak for themselves, and they don't put enough work into being able to tell their story in their essays.”

Step 6 End your essay with a plot twist.

  • Example of a “plot twist” conclusion: Every law office I interned at over the past four years, despite their intensity, was instrumental in shaping my path and who I am. They prepared me for college and a career and gave me a clear view of what I wanted to do: not study law. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed every minute of learning about the inner workings of our legal system, but now I want to put that knowledge toward my true passion: helping foster kids via a social services career.

Step 7 Pose a question to the reader.

  • Example of a thought-question conclusion: After all, with no other world to compare ours to, who are we to say a better world isn’t possible?
  • Example of a “call to action” conclusion: Now that I’ve spent some thousand-odd words advocating for voter rights, voter registration, and rattling off anecdotes of my door-to-door campaigning, I just have one question left: are you registered to vote?

Things to Avoid in Your College Essay Conclusion

Step 1 Avoid repeating or summarizing your points.

  • Don’t: In conclusion, my family’s struggle with poverty over the past five years taught me much about resilience.
  • Do: Tonight, my dad will put food on the table, as he always manages to. My mom will kiss him on the cheek as soon as she walks in the door from work, sighing as she finally sits down for the day. Despite all the challenges of the last five years, I’ve watched my parents overcome every obstacle with resilience and grit—and what I’ve learned from them is something I wouldn’t give up for the world.

Step 3 Avoid stating the obvious.

  • Don’t: I’m a hard worker.
  • Do: Juggling rigorous academics with grueling morning soccer practices has taught me the value of hard work and discipline.
  • Don’t: Climate change is a problem.
  • Do: My generation is already suffering the real-time effects of climate change, like our snow days turning to smoke days as wildfires burn around our homes.

Step 4 Avoid overly-emotional appeals for admission.

  • Don’t: Please consider me.
  • Do: As shown by the four years I volunteered at my local children’s hospital, community service is a priority for me in my future personal and professional life. Seeing what your university does for its surrounding neighborhood and the people there, I feel confident I would be a natural fit at your school.

Step 5 Avoid cliché quotes or generic statements.

  • Don’t: You miss 100% of the shots you don't take.
  • Do: In my wildest dreams, I never imagined I would be the lead in my senior play. Cut to now, and I’m singing my heart out to an applauding audience of parents and peers. From this moment forward, I will always understand and uphold the value of betting on yourself, even when you don’t know the outcome.
  • Don’t: College will help me reach my dreams.
  • Do: I’m enthusiastic about starting my next chapter—attending a school that will help me grow, learn, and take my next step toward my dream of becoming a doctor.

Expert Q&A

  • Be specific in your essay—admissions officers want to hear about you and your life, so tell details about who you are and your experiences. [10] X Research source Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
  • Be authentic—admissions officers have read enough college essays to know when someone is phoning it in. Be true to yourself, write how you speak, and let your personality shine through. [11] X Research source Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
  • Show enthusiasm—if you’re talking about the school or your future, show excitement for what the next four years will hold for you. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

ways to end a personal essay

You Might Also Like

Start a Scholarship Essay

Thanks for reading our article! If you’d like to learn more about preparing for graduation, check out our in-depth interview with Alexander Ruiz, M.Ed. .

  • ↑ https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/conclusions/
  • ↑ https://www.collegeessayadvisors.com/write-amazing-closing-line/
  • ↑ https://essaypro.com/blog/how-to-write-a-conclusion
  • ↑ https://students.tippie.uiowa.edu/sites/students.tippie.uiowa.edu/files/2022-05/effective_claims.pdf
  • ↑ https://www.rochester.edu/newscenter/how-to-write-your-best-college-application-essay-493692/

About This Article

Alexander Ruiz, M.Ed.

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How to end a college essay

How to end your college application essay (with examples).

Bonus Material: PrepMaven’s 30 College Essays That Worked

We’ve all been there: you’ve just about finished creating a brilliant, gripping piece of writing. All that’s left is to wrap it up with the perfect ending…but how do you give your essay the kind of ending that sticks with the reader, that wraps everything up neatly?

With college application essays, the stakes are even higher: the right ending can ensure you stand out from the thousands of other applicants and wow admissions officers. 

At PrepMaven, we’ve helped thousands of students do just that: create compelling, memorable admissions essays that land them acceptances at top-tier universities. 

In this post, we’ll specifically break down how to put those finishing touches on your Common App essay (or any other personal essay), providing examples so you can see exactly how each technique works. 

You can also feel free to hit the button below to download a free collection of 30 successful essays that worked, many of which provide great examples of these very strategies. 

Download 30 College Essays That Worked

Jump to section: Necessary elements of a college essay ending Reflect Connect to your narrative Look ahead to college 3 specific ways to end your college essay (with examples!)   The full-circle callback   The return with a difference   The statement of purpose Next Steps

Necessary elements of a college essay ending

In this section of the post, we’ll cover the beats that every college essay ending should hit to be maximally successful. Later, we’ll show you specific tricks for ending the essay–structures that you can easily integrate into your own writing. If you’d like to jump there, click here: specific ways to end your college essay .

Regardless of which specific technique you use to wrap up your essay, though, it should still help you accomplish the key things we list below. The fact is, college admissions counselors are really looking for pretty specific things in these essays. 

Whatever the structure, tone, or style of your admissions essay, you should be sure that the conclusion does all of the following:

Connect to your narrative

Look ahead to college.

ways to end a personal essay

If you’ve read our other posts on how to structure your application essay or how to start it , you probably already know a big part of your personal statement should involve a story. 

But it can’t be just a story: just as important is an element of reflection, which is best developed at the conclusion of your essay. 

What do we mean by reflection? Simply put, you need to think through the story you’ve laid out throughout the entire essay and articulate what it says about you, why it matters. In essence, the reflection is your answer to the question, “So what?”

For example, if you write an essay about giving up professional dance, your reflection might be about how that choice led you to view dance differently, perhaps as something that you can value independently regardless of whether you pursue it as a career. You might then expand that reflection to other elements of your life: did that changed viewpoint also apply to how you view academics, the arts, or other extracurriculars? 

Or say you wrote an essay about overcoming an obstacle to your education. Your reflection might then touch on how this process shaped your thinking, altered how you view challenges, or led you to develop a particular approach to academics and schoolwork. 

The key here is that you really show us the process of you thinking through the important changes/lessons/etc. at play in your essay. It’s not enough to just say, “This is important because X.” Admissions committees want to see you actually think through this. Real realizations don’t usually happen in an instant: you should question and consider, laying your thoughts out on paper. 

Rhetorical questions are often a great way to do this, as is narrating the thought process you underwent while overcoming the obstacle, learning the lesson, or whatever your story might be. 

A suggestion we often give our students is to read over the story you’ve written, and ask yourself what it means to you, what lessons you can take from it. As you ask and answer those questions, put those onto the page and work through them in writing. You can always clean it up and make it more presentable later. 

Below, we’ve selected the conclusion from Essay 2 in our collection of   30 Essays that Worked . In that essay, the writer spends most of the intro and body discussing their love for hot sauce and all things spicy, as well as how they’ve pursued that passion. Take a look at how they end their essay:

I’m not sure what it is about spiciness that intrigues me. Maybe my fungiform papillae are mapped out in a geography uniquely designed to appreciate bold seasonings. Maybe these taste buds are especially receptive to the intricacies of the savors and zests that they observe. Or maybe it’s simply my burning sense of curiosity. My desire to challenge myself, to stimulate my mind, to experience the fullness of life in all of its varieties and flavors.

In that example, the student doesn’t just tell us “the lesson.” Instead, we get to see them actively working through what the story they’ve told means and why it matters by offering potential ways it’s shaped them. Notice that it’s perfectly okay for the student not to have one clear “answer;” it actually works even better, in this case, that the student is wondering, thinking, still figuring things out. 

That’s reflection, and every good college application essay does it in one form or another. 

Who, on paper, are you? We know–it’s a brutal question to try to answer. That’s what these essays are all about, though, and these college essay conclusions are the perfect place to tie everything together. 

Now, this doesn’t mean you should try to cram elements of your resume or transcript into the end of your essay–please don’t! When we say the conclusion should “connect to your narrative,” we mean that you should write it while bearing in mind the other aspects of your application the admissions committee will be looking at. 

So, the conclusion of your college essay should work to connect the story and reflection you’ve developed with the broader picture of you as a college applicant. In a way, this goes hand in hand with reflection: you want your conclusion to tie all these threads together, explaining why this all matters in the context of college applications. 

ways to end a personal essay

You might, as in the above “hot sauce” essay example, allude to an element of your personality/mentality that your personal statement exemplifies. In that example, we can clearly see the writer showing off some scientific knowledge (“fungiform papillae”) while also highlighting their “curiosity” and desire to challenge themselves. 

This helps the reader see what this whole story is meant to tell us about the applicant, connecting to who they are and what they’re looking for. 

Or, you might connect this reflection to your academic goals. Or else you could connect elements of your story and reflection to some passion evident in the rest of your application. Often, the best essays involve a mix of all of these connections, but there’s no “right” or “wrong” connection to make, so long as it develops convincingly from the story you’ve told. 

There are numerous ways to go here, and it doesn’t have to be super heavy-handed or to take up much real estate. Simply bear in mind that these essays gain an additional sense of balance when they resonate with other elements of your broader high school narrative. 

Though it’s true these college essays are, in part, ways to demonstrate your writing skills and ability to respond concisely to a complicated essay prompt, their primary purpose is to show a college admissions counselor why you’re a good fit for their college. 

So, a strong college essay ending should draw strong connections to your future as (hopefully) a college student. As with the previous point, this is one that you don’t need to go over the top with! Don’t take away from your story by suddenly telling us how smart you are and what great grades you’ll get. 

Instead, you might want to suggest how the experiences you write about have prepared you for college–or, even better, how they’ve shaped what you hope to get out of the next four years. 

Generally, this is a small and subtle part of your conclusion: it might be a sentence, or it might even be the kind of thing that you imply without stating directly. The idea is that a college admissions officer reading your essay will walk away with some idea of why you’d be a good fit for college in general. 

In the example we quoted above, the essay does this fairly subtly: by describing their desire to challenge themselves and stimulate their mind, the writer is clearly alluding to the exact kinds of things college is for, even if they don’t come right out and say it. 

ways to end a personal essay

A successful college conclusion will contain all three of these elements. You can find thirty fantastic examples of such conclusions in the sample college essays below.

Read on for 3 specific techniques to end your college admissions essay. 

3 Specific ways to end your college essay (with examples!)

Each of the essay endings we cover below is designed to help your essay develop a sense of closure while simultaneously accomplishing all of those tricky things it needs to do to wow admissions officers. 

While all of these endings have been proven to work countless times, how you incorporate them and which you choose matters–a lot!

Because every student’s essay is (or at least should be) unique, we recommend getting a trusted advisor to offer guidance on how to wrap up your essay. You can get paired up with one of our expert tutors quickly by contacting us here . 

Now, for the techniques. 

The full-circle callback

ways to end a personal essay

This is probably the most classic ending structure for college essays, and with good reasons. The premise is simple: your essay’s conclusion will return to the image, story, or idea that your essay began with. 

Take a look at the below example, which includes just the first and last paragraphs of Essay 12 from our collection of 30 essays that worked . In this essay, the writer uses a discussion of food to explore their integration into American society as a Russian immigrant. 

“So long as you have food in your mouth, you have solved all questions for the time being.” – Franz Kafka […] So, Kafka, I hope that next time a memorable quote comes to mind, you think before you speak. Because when peanut butter cleaves to the roof of my mouth, I think about what it means “to cleave:” both to adhere closely to and to divide, as if by a cutting blow, especially along a natural weakness. And I think about my dual identity, how the Russian side and American side simultaneously force each other apart and bring each other together. I think about my past, feeling a little ashamed, and about my present and future, asking how I can create harmony between these two sides of me. That, Kafka, does not sound like solved questions to me. This student started with a quote from Kafka (a risky move, but check out our post on “ How to start your college essay ” to see why it was a good choice in this case). After spending the majority of the essay exploring how American and Russian foods can serve as a shorthand for their relationship to their Russian-American identity, this author ends with a final paragraph that returns to the Kafka quote and continues to work through it. 

Why does it work?

In part, people just love a full-circle ending, the idea that something ends up back where it began. 

Specifically, this ending helps the student tick off all three of our boxes for what a conclusion must do: 

  • They reflect (by thinking further about the quote and even the specific word “cleave”)
  • They connect to their narrative (by bringing it back to their own identity)
  • They look ahead (by highlighting their desire to create harmony in the future)

Check, check, check–plus, they come up with a clever enough one-liner at the end, slamming poor Kafka for a perhaps hyperbolic quote. 

The Return with a difference

ways to end a personal essay

This one is quite similar to the full-circle callback, but shouldn’t be confused with it. With this ending technique, you do indeed return to whatever you began your personal statement with. The emphasis, however, is on some significant change or perspective shift. The below example, once again taken from Essay 18 in our collection of 30 college essays that worked, makes what we mean more clear: 

I first encountered Naruto Uzumaki when I was seven and was immediately captivated by his story. An orphan navigating the world alone, without guidance or love, Naruto was misunderstood and often despised, deemed a threat by his village. Although my loving and supportive family was intact, I sympathized with Naruto. Even more, I appreciated his grit and audacity, thrilled by the way he managed to rewrite his own narrative, forging a new path and transforming himself into a hero.    […] Today, I am the protagonist of my own story. Hard work, baby steps, large leaps, occasional setbacks, countless revisions and refinements- all are essential to my journey of discovery. Ranging from unraveling the mystery of dark gravity, to writing a handful of papers that scrape a few flakes off the mountain of the unknown, my narrative is evolving; I am a work in progress and a champion of insight, advancement, and positive change. 

This essay starts by describing the appeal of Naruto’s story to the writer. When the writer concludes by saying that “I am the protagonist of my own story,” it’s clearly a reference to that initial introduction. 

The focus, however, is on the difference or shift: the author is no longer primarily captivated by Naruto’s story; instead, they’re excited to be carving out their own. It’s a return, but with a (big) difference, and that difference is precisely what allows this conclusion to succeed in hitting each of those key elements: 

  • It reflects (highlighting the theme of discovery and the hard work that it took to get to this point)
  • It connects to the broader narrative (making reference to this student’s interests in science and research)
  • It looks ahead to college (emphasizing the continued growth this student looks forward to)

It isn’t a coincidence that essays using the four techniques we’re outlining here succeed so well in capturing the key elements of an application essay conclusion. While these techniques can’t guarantee success, they certainly set you up for it: the structure of each of these methods makes it much easier to give college admissions counselors exactly what they’re looking for. 

The Direct Appeal

ways to end a personal essay

Compared to the previous techniques, this one is a lot more direct. It involves finishing your essay by directly addressing how the story you’ve been telling has shaped your future desires, often by articulating some goal you plan to accomplish or by highlighting the importance of college. 

You might think of it as leaning much more heavily on the “look forward to college” element of the conclusion. This ending technique can be risky, and really depends on how effectively you’ve been able to convey your story up to this point. 

Whereas the other ending techniques we’ve mentioned can, in general, only help the overall quality of your essay, this one can backfire. It tends to work best for essays that highlight some particular struggle you’ve overcome, or some injustice you plan to address. 

Take a look at an excerpt from Essay 29, which discusses the writer’s experiences as lower-income student attending an expensive private school, for a good use of the direct appeal: 30 college essays that worked : 

    Today, the drug-ravaged apartments of Southern Trace are transformed. Gentrified shortly after we moved, they boast a different crowd—Lisa and Linda have since been priced out of their homes and evicted. Heroin-addicts are replaced by “prettier” middle-class families; police rarely need visit their homes. Though dysfunctional, my childhood neighborhood was a community—people wrought with problems but filled with compassion, with beauty. But where was their voice when developers began to renovate? Who was there to listen? This community is an intrinsic part of me: I want to be their voice. And, with my understanding of the socioeconomic palette, maybe I can provide the canvas to blend the world of my childhood with the privileged society of Cincinnati Hills.  

Although this essay actually combines a few of our ending techniques (returning to something discussed in the introduction), it’s a great example of when a direct appeal works. This student shows a nuanced understanding of a complex socioeconomic issue that hits close to home. Their “pitch” at the end of this essay is simple: “I want to be their voice.” 

In this particular essay, the direct appeal works because it feels honest, like it comes from a real place (though you’ll have to read the entire essay to really see that). In terms of our 3 criteria, it easily fits the bill: 

  • It reflects on this student’s “dysfunctional” neighborhood and how those issues shaped the student’s viewpoint. 
  • It connects to their broader narrative, both by highlighting their own identity and their “understanding of the socioeconomic palate.”
  • It looks ahead to college, clearly articulating how the student’s long term goal–fighting for economically marginal communities–is an outcome of this story and a motivation for them to attend college. 

This is a perfect example of the direct appeal in action. In another, weaker essay, however, simply saying something like “I want to be their voice” might not work at all. If the actual story were weaker, if the student’s background were less carefully explained, it might have simply come off as preachy or presumptuous. 

The techniques we’ve outlined here will take you far. But, as always when the stakes are this high, we really recommend getting a professional opinion on your college essays. Our college essay tutors aren’t just fantastic writers: they’re expert editors who can ensure that you don’t miss anything in your own essays. Get paired with one quickly by reaching out to us here . 

In the meantime, click the link below and check out our collection of 30 sample essays, which include the full text of all the examples used above. 

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How to end a personal statement: writing a memorable conclusion.

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Reviewed by:

Rohan Jotwani

Former Admissions Committee Member, Columbia University

Reviewed: 1/3/24

When you know how to end a personal statement, you boost your chances of making a lasting impact on the admissions committee. It's all about making sure they remember you in a positive way.

‍ Crafting a compelling personal statement is the cherry on top of your college application essay. It's that final chance to leave a lasting impression on the admissions committee, to wrap up your story with finesse, and to underscore why you're the ideal candidate for their institution. 

So, let's delve into the art of writing a powerful conclusion that will make your application shine.

The Importance of a Strong Conclusion

Just like a personal statement introduction , the importance of a strong conclusion in your college application personal statement cannot be overstated. It's your last chance to leave a powerful impression on the admissions committee, summing up your key points and reinforcing your main message.

A well-crafted conclusion offers clarity, closure, and reflection while expressing your enthusiasm for the future. It's the finishing touch that can make your personal statement truly memorable.

Defining the Purpose of a Personal Statement Conclusion

The conclusion of a personal statement plays an important role:

  • Reinforces Your Core Message : It strengthens the central message or theme that runs through your personal statement, leaving a lasting impression of your candidacy.
  • Recaps Key Element s: It concisely summarizes the main ideas, important experiences, and notable achievements highlighted in your essay, offering a quick reminder of your qualifications.
  • Leaves an Impact : Similar to a memorable closing scene in a movie, a well-crafted conclusion can have a powerful impact. Whether through a thought-provoking question, an impactful quote, or a glimpse into your future goals, it aims to engage the reader's thoughts and emotions.
  • Demonstrates Your Writing Skills : Your conclusion also shows off your writing abilities, highlighting your capacity to convey your message effectively and memorably.

The conclusion adds the final touch to your personal statement. It brings clarity, wraps things up, and encourages reflection while showing your excitement for the future. Remember, a personal statement is not a statement of purpose . 

It’s all about explaining why you’re the right candidate for the program you’re applying to, rather than simply explaining why you’re applying. You need to stand out! This is your final opportunity to leave a strong impression on the admissions committee, making sure they understand why you're an exceptional applicant.

female student sitting on floor writing essay on paper

Selecting the Right Approach for Concluding

When you're reaching the end of your personal statement, it's crucial to select an approach that harmonizes with the tone and message of your essay. Take a moment to reflect on the story you've shared and the impression you aim to leave with the admissions committee.

If your personal statement has revolved around a narrative, a reflective conclusion that links back to your story can be fitting. Conversely, if your essay leans towards analysis or persuasion, you might opt to restate your main argument or emphasize the key points. 

Think about what will resonate most with your reader, and make sure your conclusion seamlessly follows the flow of your preceding content. This ensures a cohesive and impactful ending to your personal statement.

Summarizing Key Points

In the conclusion of your personal statement, a concise summary can be highly effective. Revisit the main points, experiences, or achievements you've shared in your essay. This summary provides a quick refresher for the reader, reinforcing your most significant qualifications and attributes.

It's a way to emphasize what makes you a strong candidate without restating everything in your essay. Keep it brief and focused, highlighting the highlights that best support your application. This approach ensures that your conclusion leaves a lasting impression while staying concise and to the point.

Reiterating the Thesis or Main Message

In your personal statement, you often have a central theme or message, such as your passion for a subject, your dedication to community service , or your ability to overcome challenges. In the conclusion, it's valuable to reiterate this thesis or main message.

By reinforcing the importance of your central theme and explaining how it relates to your desire to be a part of the college community, you can leave a strong and lasting impression on the admissions committee. This restatement emphasizes your unique qualities and aspirations, helping your personal statement stand out.

Ending With a Thought-Provoking Question

Ending your personal statement with a thought-provoking question can engage the reader and invite them to reflect further on your essay's themes. This question should tie back to your story and message, encouraging the admissions committee to consider its implications. 

However, be mindful not to make the question overly open-ended. Instead, guide the reader toward thoughtful reflection on your experiences and goals, reinforcing your candidacy effectively.

Closing With a Powerful Quote

Adding a meaningful quote to your conclusion can elevate your personal statement. Just make sure it aligns with your essay's themes and provides valuable insights. A well-picked quote connects your story to a broader perspective, making a lasting impact.

Suggesting Future Goals or Intentions

If your future goals align with the college you're applying to, your conclusion can serve as a bridge between your past experiences and your future aspirations. You can briefly mention how your journey has prepared you for what lies ahead and how you intend to contribute to the college community. 

This not only demonstrates your enthusiasm but also highlights the value you'll bring to the college. Just ensure that your future intentions feel authentic and well-aligned with your personal narrative.

In a nutshell, your choice of conclusion approach can make a world of difference in how your personal statement lands with the admissions committee. The right conclusion, like the perfect closing note of a melody, can leave a lasting impression that resonates with those who read it.

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Determining the Most Suitable Conclusion Approach

Keep reading for the key points on how to determine the most suitable conclusion approach for your personal statement:

  • Identify Your Main Message : Begin by pinpointing the central theme or message of your personal statement. What have you been trying to convey throughout your essay? This central message should guide your choice of conclusion.
  • Consider Your Audience : Think about the admissions committee who will be reading your personal statement. What type of conclusion would resonate with them? Consider what qualities or values they seek in prospective students.
  • Match the Style : Reflect on the style of your essay. Have you been narrating a story, reflecting on experiences, making a persuasive argument, or analyzing a topic? Your conclusion should align with the style you've used throughout your essay.
  • Authenticity Is Key : Ensure that your conclusion is authentic and true to your own voice. It should reflect your genuine self and not feel forced or insincere.
  • Don't Shy Away from Unconventional Approaches : Sometimes, a slightly unconventional conclusion approach can leave a more memorable impression. Don't be afraid to step out of your comfort zone if it enhances your message and connection with the reader.
  • Seek Feedback : Share your conclusion approach with trusted individuals who are familiar with college applications. They can provide valuable insights into the effectiveness of your chosen approach.
  • Get Support : Don't be afraid to ask for assistance if you need it. Our team of experts is here to provide personalized support in crafting your personal statement introduction, making sure it truly stands out.

Your conclusion is your final opportunity to make an impact, so choose an approach that feels right for you and effectively conveys your message to the admissions committee.

How Long Should the Conclusion of a Personal Statement Be?

When it comes to the length of your personal statement conclusion, try to keep it around 150 to 200 words. This range strikes the right balance between wrapping up your essay effectively and leaving a memorable mark on your reader.

Remember, though, that different application platforms may have specific word limit guidelines. For instance, the Common Application allows for personal statements ranging from 250 to 650 words, while the Coalition Application suggests 500 to 650 words. QuestBridge, on the other hand, typically sticks to a 650-word limit.

So, as you craft your conclusion, always keep an eye on those word limits. Staying within them not only showcases your ability to convey your message concisely but also demonstrates your adherence to application guidelines, which is something admissions committees appreciate.

It's your chance to end your personal statement on a high note, leaving a positive and lasting impression.

Tips for Personal Statement Endings

Writing an effective personal statement ending for your college application is crucial. Here are some tips to help you create a compelling and memorable conclusion:

  • Reflect on Your Journey : Take a moment to think about the experiences and challenges you've faced during your academic journey. Your conclusion should connect these elements to your future aspirations.
  • Revisit Your Main Message : Your personal statement likely conveys a central message about yourself. Reiterate this message in your conclusion, but do so in a way that adds depth or a new perspective to it.
  • Engage Your Reader : Consider ending with a thought-provoking question or a powerful quote that relates to your essay's themes. This can stimulate the reader's thoughts and emotions and leave a lasting impression.
  • Look to the Future : If applicable, hint at your future goals and how they align with the college you're applying to. This demonstrates your enthusiasm and commitment to contributing to the college community.
  • Match the Tone : Ensure that your conclusion aligns with the overall tone and style of your personal statement. Whether your essay is reflective, narrative-driven, analytical, or persuasive, the conclusion should feel like a natural extension of your essay's content and style.
  • Stay Concise : While your conclusion is essential, it should also be concise. Avoid introducing new information or going into extensive detail. Instead, focus on reinforcing key points and leaving a strong impression.
  • Proofread and Revise : Just like the rest of your personal statement, your conclusion should be well-edited and error-free. Proofread it carefully and consider seeking feedback from teachers, mentors, or peers.
  • Follow Word Limits : Adhere to any word limits provided by the application platform. Typically, a personal statement ending should be around 150-200 words, but this can vary depending on the application portal.

Remember, a conclusion is your final chance to leave a positive and lasting impression on the admissions committee. Use it wisely to showcase your strengths, uniqueness, and commitment to your academic and personal journey.

Examples of Great Personal Statement Conclusions

Now, let's take a look at some personal statement conclusion examples for inspiration.

Statement Example 1

“Our first theater meeting of the year was about a month ago. Remembering my freshman year, I brought everyone on stage. This year, I switched it up. Everyone stood in the circle for icebreakers. After each response, I asked follow-up questions and prompted others to share stories of similar experiences. And just like me, there were nervous freshmen, with little to no experience. This time, I spoke up: “Oh I’ve never heard of that show. Tell me about it sometime.”

Statement Example 2

“Now, I don’t let people go below what I like to call the [NAME] standard’. If I feel like someone is not treating me or my friends fairly, I don’t entertain their company.
What [NAME] did wasn’t anything extravagant. He didn’t give his kidney and he didn’t race down the 101 to save me from some terrible tragedy. However, the appreciation that [NAME] showed for me and how he vocalized who I was to him, meant all the difference to me.
Now, I always let my friends know that I appreciate them and that I am thankful to have them in my life. This gift has helped me with choosing better friends who I love and appreciate. Thanks to Ben, he’s shown me how great life is when you're not alone.”

Statement Example 3

“I’m proud to say I can be vulnerable and act on my insecurities. I became an amicable, self-aware, and social person gaining respect and friendship amongst teachers and peers. Throughout college, I make sure to spend time with my family by cooking dinner for them once a week, sending them silly texts of cute animals, or just giving them a call. My transition to becoming more open has ultimately led to my career path as an [JOB TITLE] - creating better lives for marginalized communities. Understanding what other people go through and being susceptible will allow me to properly achieve my goals and assist those in need. It’s [YEAR], and my dad is in the best shape of his life. I show my gratitude by accompanying him during his checkups and scolding him for trying to eat poorly.”

female student writing essay

Wondering how to conclude a personal statement? Let’s take a closer look by going over some commonly asked questions.

1. Is It a Good Idea to Reiterate the Main Message or Thesis Statement When Concluding a Personal Statement?

It's a smart move to recap your main message when concluding your personal statement. Reiterating your central theme creatively reinforces your uniqueness as an applicant without being repetitive, making a lasting impact on the reader.

2. Is It Acceptable to End a Personal Statement With a Question or a Quote?

Absolutely, you can conclude your personal statement with a question or quote that fits your essay's tone and message, engaging the reader and reinforcing your key points.

3. Can I Summarize the Key Points of My Personal Statement in the Conclusion?

Summarizing key points in your conclusion is a common and effective practice. Keep it short and sweet, focusing on the highlights that really support your application. 

Final Thoughts

There you have it! Your personal statement's conclusion is crucial. Now that you know how to end a personal statement, you're ready to leave a strong impression on the admissions committee. Your conclusion is your final chance to convince them that you're the right candidate for the opportunity. Make it count!

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How to End a Scholarship Essay in Five Steps

ways to end a personal essay

The end of a scholarship essay is one of the most important sections for writing a winning scholarship essay . It’s the part of the essay that leaves an impression on the reader, giving you the best chance of standing out from the other applications. This guide will show you how to end a scholarship essay in five steps, allowing you to close in the most effective and succinct way!

1. Recall your introduction

You can view your conclusion as a companion to your introduction. While an introduction provides a quick survey of the main points you’ll go over in your body paragraphs, a conclusion takes all of these points to the next level by tying them altogether in a concise and full circle manner. You don’t need to restate everything you just said, the conclusion should instead show how all those points you just made come together to form one larger idea. 

2. Build on past points, don’t repeat them

Again, your conclusion should focus on elevating the points you have made throughout the essay rather than restating them. At this point in the essay, you can assume that your reader already knows the basis of your case as a candidate. Use this opportunity to reference your past points, reflect on them, and take them to the next level. Your conclusion should tie your anecdotes together and emphasize any common themes.

EXAMPLE: A physics student may have told a story about being fascinated by Isaac Newton in elementary school and another story about an experiment they performed at a science program in high school. They could use their conclusion to emphasize a life-long fascination with physics, and what has motivated them to stick with it.

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3. discuss your plans for the future.

Make sure that your reader knows you have plans for your future career , and that you will continue to pursue your passions even after college. Emphasize how this scholarship would help you to achieve those plans, so they realize that by granting you this scholarship, they will help create a success story.

EXAMPLE: The physics student from the previous example could tie in their past stories towards their goals for the future. This could name a specific field of study they hope to pursue within physics, a graduate school they hope to attend, or a scientist they’d like to work for. The more succinct and specific, the better.

Also read: How to write a scholarship cover letter

4. Thank your reader for their time

At the end of a scholarship essay, it’s a good idea to leave a gracious impression upon your reader. Make sure that your reader knows that you appreciate the time they spent reading your essay, and the opportunity being presented to you.

Also read: How to write an essay about yourself

5. Remember to proofread!

As you finish writing that last sentence, you might think that you are done with your essay, but there is one more very important step. Make sure to proofread your work to correct for any typos and to ensure that your ideas flow logically and smoothly.

During this step, it’s a great idea to consult someone to read your essay over, try asking a friend, family member, teacher, or advisor for help. It can be difficult to see mistakes and opportunities for improvement after you have been working on your essay for a while. A fresh set of eyes can point out those mistakes and opportunities. 

Remember to take breaks as well and give yourself time to come back and make edits later! Once you’ve implemented these edits, you should be ready to submit. Best of luck!

See also: What’s the best scholarship essay format?

Additional resources

As you write and submit your scholarship applications, don’t forget to check back on Scholarships360 for resources and assistance. We can help you find vetted scholarships custom-matched to your interests and demographics through our free scholarship search tool . Additionally, we can guide you through writing a 250 word essay or a 500 word essay . Finally, we can help you find local scholarships , which are a great resource to improve your chances of a successful application.

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How to End a College Essay

How to End a College Essay, Leaving Your Readers Wanting More

ways to end a personal essay

Writing a compelling college essay is no small feat, and as you approach the finish line, the importance of a strong conclusion cannot be overstated. The concluding paragraphs of your essay leave a lasting impression on your reader, shaping their final thoughts and judgments. In this guide, we will explore proven strategies and effective techniques to teach you how to conclude a college essay, ensuring that it ends on a powerful note that resonates with your audience. 

How to End Your College Essay?

As you weave through the narrative, building the layers of your experiences and insights, it is crucial to approach the conclusion with the same level of thoughtfulness. The ending of your college essay is not merely a summation but a golden opportunity to leave a lasting impact on your reader, solidifying the themes and messages you've carefully presented throughout your writing.

In the final paragraphs, consider revisiting the essence of your introduction. Echoing a theme or idea mentioned at the beginning of your essay can create a sense of symmetry and coherence. This circular narrative structure can be a powerful way to show growth or transformation, allowing your audience to witness the full arc of your personal or academic journey.

However, it’s crucial to know how to end a college essay that transcends mere recapitulation. It offers an opportunity to expand beyond the confines of your individual story. Connect your experiences to broader themes, societal issues, or universal truths. This broader perspective not only elevates your ending but also emphasizes the relevance and significance of your personal narrative in a larger context.

Ultimately, your ending should linger in the reader's mind. Whether it's a profound reflection, a thought-provoking question, or a call to action, aim to leave your audience with something to ponder. If you don’t feel confident enough to write such an impactful ending or need a full text ready by the morning, use our college essay writing service . 

how to conclude a college essay

how to conclude a college essay

1. Lessons Learned

Concluding an essay with a "lessons learned" approach involves reflecting on the experiences or insights gained throughout the narrative. This technique allows you to not only summarize your journey but also emphasize personal growth or transformation. It will leave the reader with a sense of closure and a deeper understanding of the significance of your writing.

For example, if your essay revolves around overcoming a significant challenge, your conclusion could highlight the valuable lessons extracted from that experience. You might express how resilience and determination became guiding principles in your life. Consider a closing statement like, "In facing adversity, I discovered the strength within me, learning that challenges are not roadblocks but opportunities for growth."

Similarly, if your narrative explores academic pursuits, the college essay ending can emphasize the insights gained from your educational journey. You might conclude with a reflection on the broader importance of knowledge and intellectual curiosity, stating something like, "Through my academic endeavors, I've learned that true wisdom lies not only in what we know but in our perpetual pursuit of understanding, and it is this pursuit that fuels my passion for lifelong learning."

Strive for a balance between reflection and forward-looking statements. Express gratitude for the experiences that taught you valuable lessons, and consider projecting how these lessons will shape your future endeavors. Whether personal or academic, the lessons-learned approach provides your audience with a feeling of the enduring impact of your narrative.

2. Action-Packed Ending

Finishing an essay with an action-packed ending involves leaving the audience with a sense of movement, closure, or a call to action. Rather than simply summarizing key points, this approach to a college essay ending aims to energize the conclusion and leave a lasting impression. It's about propelling your narrative forward, creating a sense of momentum or anticipation.

For instance, if your essay is centered around a personal journey, you could conclude with a decisive statement about your next steps. An example might be, "Armed with the lessons from my past, I eagerly step into the unknown, ready to embrace new challenges and redefine my future." This action-packed ending infuses the ending with a sense of forward motion, inviting the reader to envision your continued journey.

In an academic essay, you might conclude with a call to action or a suggestion for further exploration. For example, "As we navigate the complexities of the topic, it's imperative that we continue this dialogue. Let's collectively strive for innovative solutions and collaborative efforts, ensuring a brighter future for generations to come."

The key is to convey a sense of dynamism and purpose. Consider the broader implications of your narrative and how it can inspire action or provoke thought. An action-packed ending ensures that your essay doesn't merely conclude but resonates, leaving your reader with a sense of movement and a compelling invitation to engage with the ideas presented.

3. The Full Circle

A full-circle college essay ending involves revisiting a theme, idea, or image mentioned in the introduction, creating a sense of completion and unity within the narrative. This approach allows you to tie together the various threads of your essay and leave the audience with a satisfying and resonant conclusion.

For instance, if your essay begins with a vivid image or metaphor, you can bring it back in the ending to underscore the journey you've undertaken. If, for example, your introduction spoke of a butterfly emerging from a cocoon as a metaphor for personal growth, your ending might revisit this image, stating something like, "Just as the butterfly emerges transformed from its cocoon, so too have I emerged from these experiences with a newfound strength and resilience."

Alternatively, if your introduction posed a thought-provoking question, your conclusion can provide an answer or reflect on the question's broader implications. For instance, if your opening question was, "What does it mean to truly understand oneself?" your ending could offer an insightful response, such as, "Through this journey, I've discovered that understanding oneself is an ongoing process, an intricate dance between self-reflection and embracing the evolving facets of one's identity."

The full-circle ending approach reinforces the unity of your essay and provides a satisfying sense of closure. By returning to a familiar element from the introduction, you create a narration symmetry that resonates with readers and leaves them with a lasting impression of your essay.

4. Addressing the College

Concluding an essay by addressing the college implies directly connecting your narrative to your aspirations, goals, or expectations for your college experience. This method ensures that your ending is not just a reflection on the past but also a projection into the future, demonstrating to the audience how your experiences will influence your college journey.

Let’s analyze some college essay ending examples. If your paper revolves around a significant extracurricular activity, you could conclude by explaining how this experience has shaped your goals for college. You might say, "As I eagerly anticipate the next chapter of my academic journey, I am determined to bring the same dedication and passion that fueled my involvement in my college community. I look forward to contributing my unique perspective and embracing new opportunities for growth."

Similarly, if your essay discusses a transformative academic experience, your ending can address how this will impact your approach to learning in college. You could state, "This journey has fortified my commitment to intellectual exploration. As I step into the college environment, I am excited to engage with diverse perspectives, delve into challenging coursework, and continue the pursuit of knowledge that has become an integral part of my identity."

This approach provides a forward-looking perspective, emphasizing the continuity between your past experiences and your aspirations for the future. By explicitly connecting your narrative to your college endeavors, you create a conclusion that not only reflects on your personal growth but also anticipates the contributions you hope to make in your college community.

5. A Glance into the Future

Concluding an essay by glancing into the future suggests projecting forward, offering insights into how your experiences will shape your future endeavors. This method encourages the reader to consider the lasting impact of your narrative and how it will continue to unfold in the time to come.

For instance, if your essay delves into personal growth or overcoming challenges, your ending might express aspirations for continued self-improvement. You could say, "As I look ahead, I am committed to building upon the resilience and determination that have defined this journey. I envision a future where challenges are not obstacles but stepping stones to further growth and achievement."

Alternatively, if your essay revolves around academic achievements or pursuits, your ending can provide a glimpse into your future academic ambitions. You might say, "The knowledge and skills acquired during this chapter of my academic journey lay the foundation for my future pursuits. I eagerly anticipate contributing to groundbreaking research and fostering a lifelong love for learning in the academic community."

Such college essay conclusions create a forward-looking perspective, ensuring that your essay's conclusion is not just a reflection on the past but a projection of your aspirations. By offering a preview of the impact your experiences will have on your future, you leave the reader with a sense of anticipation and a deeper understanding of the enduring significance of your narrative.

6. Avoiding Cliches and Generic Conclusions

Ending a scholarly paper without resorting to clichés and generic conclusions involves thinking beyond overused phrases and crafting an ending that feels fresh and genuine. Instead of relying on commonplace expressions, consider a personalized reflection or a thought-provoking statement that encapsulates the essence of your essay.

For instance, if your essay revolves around the theme of self-discovery, avoid the cliché of saying, "In conclusion, I discovered who I truly am." Instead, you might offer a more vivid and specific insight, such as, "Unraveling the layers of my identity revealed a tapestry of strengths and vulnerabilities, each thread contributing to a more nuanced understanding of myself."

Similarly, if your essay explores a transformative experience, steer clear of generic statements like, "This experience changed my life." Instead, you could convey a more distinctive sentiment, such as, "The challenges of academia not only reshaped my perspective but catalyzed a metamorphosis, leaving me poised for a future defined by resilience and newfound purpose."

By avoiding clichés and generic conclusions, you allow your unique voice to shine through. If your essay centers around a specific passion or interest, resist using trite phrases like "Follow your dreams." Instead, consider a more authentic expression like, "Fueling my passion for writing propels me toward a future where the genuine fire drives every pursuit within."

End a college essay without clichés, expressing your thoughts in a way that feels personal and true to your individual narrative. This approach ensures that your essay concludes with authenticity, leaving a lasting impression on the reader.

ways to end a personal essay

Avoid These Three College Essay Endings

Here are the most common pitfalls you should steer clear of when composing a college essay conclusion. Instead, create an ending that resonates with your authenticity and leaves a lasting impression on the audience. By avoiding summarization, clichéd quotes, and expressions of neediness, your conclusion can stand out as a thoughtful and genuine reflection of your personal narrative.

The summary snare

  • A common pitfall in college essay endings is falling into the summary snare. Reiterating the main points of your essay without offering new insights can leave your conclusion feeling flat and redundant. 
  • Instead of summarizing what your reader has just read, aim to provide a thoughtful reflection on the broader implications of your narrative or a glimpse into the lessons learned and their application in the future.

The famous quote trap

  • While incorporating quotes into your essay can be impactful, relying on a famous quote as the central element of your conclusion can be a clichéd choice. Overused quotes often lack the personal touch needed to conclude a unique narrative effectively. 
  • Instead of borrowing someone else's words, end your college essay with your authentic voice, leaving the reader with an original and memorable takeaway that encapsulates your individual journey.

The needy student triteness

  • Concluding an essay by explicitly stating your desire to be accepted or expressing a need for the college's resources can come across as insincere or manipulative. Colleges seek authentic and self-aware individuals who can contribute meaningfully to their community. 
  • Rather than portraying yourself as a "needy student," focus on showcasing your strengths, unique qualities, and the positive impact you can make on campus, ensuring your conclusion reflects confidence and self-assurance.

Best Tips on How to Conclude a College Essay

Here are some of the best tips for writing a college essay conclusion that is impactful and memorable:

college essay ending

  • Reflect on your journey: Use the conclusion to reflect on the journey you've undertaken throughout your essay. Highlight the key moments, experiences, or insights that have shaped your narrative and contributed to your growth or development.
  • Offer a thoughtful insight: Instead of simply summarizing your main points, aim to provide a thoughtful insight or reflection that adds depth to your essay. Consider the broader implications of your narrative and how it connects to larger themes or ideas.
  • Avoid clichés: Steer clear of clichéd phrases or generic conclusions that lack originality. Instead, strive to end your essay with a fresh perspective or a unique perspective that captures the essence of your narrative.
  • Leave room for interpretation: Consider ending your essay with an open-ended statement or question that encourages further thought or exploration. This allows the reader to engage with your ideas on a deeper level and leaves a lasting impression.
  • Connect to your future: Use the conclusion to connect your narrative to your future aspirations or goals. Discuss how the experiences or lessons you've shared will influence your future endeavors, whether in college or beyond.
  • Evoke emotion: Consider incorporating an emotional element into your conclusion. Whether it's a poignant reflection, a powerful image, or an evocative metaphor, appealing to the reader's emotions can create a memorable and resonant ending. Connecting on an emotional level ensures that your essay lingers in the audience's mind.
  • Offer a glimpse into your personality: Use the conclusion as an opportunity to showcase your personality. Your essay is not just a compilation of achievements and experiences; it's a representation of who you are. Let your unique voice shine through in the ending, allowing the reader to connect with you on a personal level.
  • Consider the tone: Adjusting the writing tone with the overall spirit of your essay. Whether your narrative is reflective, optimistic, or contemplative, the conclusion should maintain consistency. A seamless transition in tone enhances the cohesiveness of your essay and provides a satisfying reading experience for your audience.
  • End with confidence: Conclude your essay with confidence and conviction, reaffirming the significance of your narrative and the impact it has had on you. Leave the reader with a sense of closure and a clear understanding of the message you've conveyed.

Final Consideration

Incorporating these tips into your writing can pave the way for your academic success. By following our guidelines, you'll not only enhance the quality of your work but also foster a deeper connection with your readers. Reflecting on your journey, offering thoughtful insights, and avoiding the previously mentioned stumbling blocks will set your paper apart. Remember, your unique voice, coupled with an emotional touch and a forward-looking perspective, can leave a lasting impression. Embrace these tips to end a college essay, and you'll undoubtedly set yourself on the path of a successful and impactful writer.

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ways to end a personal essay

How To End A Personal Statement So The Admissions Committee Remembers You

ways to end a personal essay

Written by:

Max Stevens

Max Stevens

Administrator

Students are often unsure of  how to end a personal statement.  A strong conclusion makes all the difference in whether your application gets noticed by admissions officers or not.

If you’ve just finished writing your personal statement and you’re stuck on your ending, then don’t worry! This article will walk you through the essentials of personal statement conclusions.

Avoid writing a tedious and forgettable ending for your personal statement by following these rules.

Talk About Your Main Points

Don’t end your final paragraph by stating what you’ve never mentioned in the body of your personal statement. Remember, the purpose of your conclusion is to  wrap up  the package.

You shouldn’t say, “My experiences kindled my passion for engineering,” if you didn’t mention these “experiences” in the first place!

So actually summarising your key main body points is a great conclusion in many cases.

Summarise Your Key Points In A Simple Way

After reading thousands of personal statements, the admissions committee will be happy to see you concluding your personal statement with a clear summarisation of the vital points. 

Go over your personal statement and jot down the main takeaway of each paragraph. Once you have that list, find a way to integrate them into your conclusion.

You can dedicate a sentence to each key point, tie them all together, and you now have a conclusion that does what it’s supposed to do!

how to end a personal statement with 11 tips

Use Your Key Points To Restate Your Passion For Your Course

If you’re wondering how to end your personal statement using your key points, use them to restate your passion for the course you’re applying for.

Say your key points including your skills and experiences, and wrap them up by saying, “With the [your specific skills] and [your specific experiences] I’ve gained over the years, I’m committed to [mention your course].”

By doing so, you’re hitting two birds with one stone. One, you’re reminding the admissions committee that you have the skill set necessary to succeed in your course. Two, you’re demonstrating your dedication to your desired course.

Double Down On Your “Why”

Another powerful ending is to remind the reader of your “why.” Many students pursue their chosen course because they’re not sure what else to take.

So being clear on your purpose immediately sets you apart from the rest. 

To do this, take the most heart-moving story from the body of your personal statement on what inspired you to apply for your course. Mention the main idea of it in a sentence or two, then end with a “for this reason, I believe pursuing [mention course] is the best way to achieve my [state your why].”

If your course is related to education, perhaps your “why” is to help children learn by allowing them to show how they learn best.

Say you’re writing a medical personal statement . Maybe your “why” is to forward technology that helps safeguard the elderly from falling accidents because you witnessed your grandparent suffer injuries from a fall when you were young.

Doubling down on your “why” shows your conviction and direction on why you’re applying for your course.

Mention The Next Step Of Your Application Process

What’s the next step after the admissions committee accepts your personal statement? For many courses, they’ll call you up for an interview . Go ahead and mention this in your conclusion!

Write along the lines of “I’m looking forward to dedicating myself to this course, and I would love to receive an invitation for the interview.”

The reader will right away recognise that you’ve done your research. You know what the next step should be. You  are  serious about this application!

Make The Universities Excited To Have You As Their Student

Studying at a university is not merely a means to an end. It’s a profound journey in and of itself! You’ll meet new colleagues, form lifelong communities, and discover mentors who will guide you along with your future career.

Think of them when you’re pondering on how to end a personal statement. What can you contribute as a student to make the university a better place? Demonstrate your excitement in meeting them, building relationships with them, and serving them!

A statement as straightforward as “I am eager to establish new, lifelong relationships and use my [mention your skills] to help make the university a better place for learning and community-building.”

Demonstrate Your Willingness To Learn

Universities exist to train and mould students, not the other way around! A little humility goes a long way. Show yours by demonstrating your willingness to learn. Nothing excites teachers more than willing students.

To pull this off, make sure you know what values your course upholds. It could be service, excellence, inclusivity, and so on. State in your conclusion that “I’m looking forward to learning how to embody [write down the course’s values you resonate with], to grow and succeed in [mention your field of study].”

There’s so much value packed in this simple personal statement ending. Tweak it and make it yours!

Avoid Famous Quotes

Many students insert famous quotes from well-known persons when ending their personal statements. Avoid this tactic as much as possible because you’re driving attention  away  from YOU as the applicant.

If you want to include famous quotes, put them at the beginning of your personal statement to grab attention. To keep your reader’s attention focused on you in the end, why not come up with a memorable, relevant quote of your own?

Use The Bookend Strategy

Bookends are sturdy objects placed at either end of upright books to keep them standing. When you translate that into writing, the bookend strategy is when the introduction and conclusion statements connect to support the body between them.

You may start your personal statement with a heart-wrenching story about how you watched your beloved pet die of the wrong diagnosis. Then, for your conclusion, you can call back on this story and state how this event fuels you to pursue veterinary practice.

The bookend strategy is a clean and efficient way how to end your personal statement.

Ask Help From Your Family And Friends

If you’re still stuck on how to end a personal statement, don’t be afraid to ask for help. Approach your family and friends because they know you more than anyone. Read to them the introduction and body of your personal statement.

Ask them what particular line struck them the most. Maybe they know something about you that you missed including in your personal statement. What characteristics do they see in you that will help you succeed in your course?

Gather their answers in one place, and after reading them in one go, you now have a decent idea of what to emphasise in your conclusion statement.

Never State That It’s The “Conclusion” Or “Summary”

The most boring, generic way to end a personal statement is to write “In conclusion” or “In summary.” It’s actually one of the topics we cover in  what not to put in a personal statement .

Avoid this writing style at all costs. A good conclusion statement doesn’t require explicit announcements.

By its style and structure alone, the reader knows immediately they’re about to read a lasting statement. So don’t hesitate to proceed straight to the major points. As long as the conclusion connects seamlessly with the previous paragraph, you’re good to go!

Stay Authentic

Universities hold honesty in high esteem. Show authenticity and honesty in your personal statement beginning with an attention-grabbing introduction to a strong conclusion.

The best way to radiate honesty in your personal statement is to write from the right mindset. When you work on your personal statement, your objective is to show  who you are and demonstrate why you are a worthy candidate for the course .

Don’t try to impress. If you come from that standpoint, you’re more likely to add embellishments. The experienced admissions committee can smell insincere personal statements from a mile away. So stick with who you are and let your personality shine through.

Give Yourself A Break, Then Come Back To It

When working on how to conclude a personal statement, you need to give yourself time. After writing a rough draft of your conclusion statement, take a break and return to it after a few days. 

When you return to it, you’ll be surprised to notice details you haven’t seen before. Edit as you like, and make it better. Keep the old versions of your conclusion at hand so you can readily compare them with your newest, edited text. Compare and choose which one sounds better.

5 Bad Examples For A Personal Statement Conclusion

These are 5 personal statement examples for conclusions that don’t meet the criteria outlined above.

  • In this application essay, I have made it clear I am an outstanding candidate for a degree because I think everyone will love my positive attitude and I deserve it.
  • In summary, you can see my highlighted qualifications and experience, I know they’re not the best, but I want to stress that my passion for this field is what sets me apart as a candidate. It shouldn’t matter if the others are more qualified or experienced than me.
  • Remember the skills I have, that’s really what sets me apart from other students, they don’t have what it takes to break the rules creatively and not follow the book.
  • Finally, I would like to thank you for considering me for this opportunity and I hope you will make the right decision by choosing me, otherwise, I may cry and be disappointed.
  • As a final note, it’s easy to see how qualified I am for this degree and how I will excel in it – but you should accept me because I’m cool and will get along with everyone else.

5 Amazing Examples Of A Personal Statement Ending

  • In conclusion, I am excited about the opportunity to study computer science at this university. My passion for technology, combined with my programming skills and experience, make me an ideal candidate for the program. I am eager to learn from the esteemed faculty and contribute to the research community. I am confident that this program will enable me to achieve my career goals and make a meaningful impact in the field of technology.
  • In summary, I have always been fascinated by the human body and its functions. My experience in volunteering in hospitals, combined with my academic record, makes me confident in my ability to handle the rigours of a medical degree. I am excited about the opportunity to study at this esteemed university and to contribute to the field of medicine through research and patient care.
  • To wrap things up, I am excited to pursue a degree in Mechanical Engineering at this university. My passion for designing and building, combined with my experience in physics and mathematics, make me confident that I have the knowledge and skills to excel in this program. I am eager to learn from the esteemed faculty and contribute to the field of mechanical engineering through research and innovation.
  • Finally, I am honoured to be considered for a law degree at this university. My passion for justice, combined with my research skills and experience, make me an ideal candidate for the program. I am excited about the opportunity to learn from the esteemed faculty and to contribute to the legal field through research and practice.
  • As a final note, I am excited to pursue a degree in Environmental Science at this university. My passion for the environment, combined with my experience in environmental research, makes me confident that I have the knowledge and skills to make a meaningful impact in this field. I am eager to learn from the esteemed faculty and contribute to the field through research and conservation efforts.

How Long Should the Conclusion To A Personal Statement Be?

A personal statement conclusion should be 150-200 words long and leave a positive lasting impression on the reader. A UCAS personal statement should be 4000 characters long, making the conclusion 705-940 characters long – this is just a rough estimation based on the average number of characters per word (4.7).

Do You Feel More Confident Writing A Personal Statement Conclusion?

To  end your personal statement  in the best possible way, you need to know the body’s key points. Use them as pillars when deciding which direction your conclusion takes. 

Will you highlight your future goals? Maybe you want to focus on your why? Take the time to decide. And if you’re stuck, don’t hesitate to ask for help from your family and friends so you can leave a lasting impression on the applications committee.

How much did this article help you out? Don’t forget to bookmark this page for future reference!

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ways to end a personal essay

ways to end a personal essay

How To End A Personal Statement: Great Final Paragraphs

ways to end a personal essay

Second only to the opening paragraph , the closing paragraph of a personal statement is the part that people often struggle with the most.

From repeating key points to underselling achievements and ambitions, a personal statement conclusion can be the least effective aspect of the document.

That’s frustrating, as a personal statement closing paragraph is often the part that leaves the greatest impression in the mind of the reader.

So how should you end a personal statement and create a great final paragraph?

When considering how to end a personal statement, don’t summarize existing content in a repetitive conclusion. Instead, clarify your suitability with a new example and evidence your value to the institution. Lastly, outline your ambitions in relation to the opportunities presented by the course.

I’ve broken down each of these elements in detail so that you can craft a successful personal statement final paragraph…

The Final Paragraph Must Evidence Your Suitability

Instead of detailing all the key areas in which you are a suitable candidate for the course or role early on in your personal statement, it is valuable to hold back at least one example in order to add credibility and weight to your final paragraph.

This could outline an additional course you have completed or a qualification that you have achieved, but it could equally be a volunteering opportunity or work placement that reinforces your suitability for the higher study of a particular subject.

Admissions teams really want to see that applicants are clearly suitable for the courses they’re applying for, but also that they are suitably prepared for academic success.

Essentially, they want to know that you understand what you’ll be doing on the course and that you’re qualified to do it well . That’s why driving this point home in the last paragraph is so important.

For more of my powerful personal statement strategies, just click here .

The table below gives some examples of ways in which you might evidence your suitability in your final paragraph . They won’t all apply to you, but the chances are that you will recognise some of these aspects from your own preparation for higher education, and be able to include them:

Here’s how a sentence might look in a personal statement example…

ways to end a personal essay

If you’d like a detailed post on the skills you need to include in your personal statement, then why not check this out?

Outline Your Value to the University or Employer

It’s important that the final paragraph of your personal statement clearly outlines your potential value to the organisation. To understand exactly the kind of content that admissions tutors are looking for, ask yourself this question:

How will the university I am applying for, the faculty in which I will study and the community in which I will live, be better for having me be a part of it? David Hallen

As Whitney Soule, Dean of Admissions at Bowdoin puts it:

ways to end a personal essay

If a university can see evidence that you will make a positive contribution to their organisation clearly in the final paragraph of your personal statement, then you will have left them with an excellent impression of your potential.

But how exactly might you add value, and how do you write about it concisely?

Adding Value to your Personal Statement

  • Experience of diversity when contextualised in terms of social, cultural, gender, ethnicity, sexuality or ability. Your experiences will add to the wisdom and education of your cohort at a time when identity and empathy is paramount.
  • Knowledge of more than your subject . The life experiences, travel, background and passions that make you an individual and that you can share in a positive context are vital.
  • Sports skills or related team and community experiences . From playing soccer to white-water rafting, acapella singing or ultimate frisbee, the skills you bring to share with others are an important way to add value.
  • Experience of or intention to mentor . If you can show that you intend to mentor and support other students with a particular level of expertise, you’ll be a tremendous asset.
  • Proven commitment and dedication . Explain how you have the tenacity and resilience to overcome challenges by equating that with a specific example from your own life, and give the reader the confidence that you will successfully complete the course regardless of the hardships you face.
  • If you have experiences of leadership , make these clear and indicate how these are of value to the organisation. From captaining a team to leading on a research project, your ability to motivate and facilitate those around you make you a genuine asset.

A couple of sentences in your final paragraph that meets this goal might look something like this:

ways to end a personal essay

For some excellent advice on developing some outstanding personal statement examples, check out my post here . Alternatively, using a free software package like Grammarly can really help applicants convey the depth of their academic value. Check it out here or hit the banner below…

ways to end a personal essay

Finish Your Personal Statement by Showing Ambition

The last essential element of a great final paragraph is proof of ambition relating to the content and outcome of the course you are applying for .

If you can show that you have an informed understanding of where the course can take you and a good idea of the demands of the industry you might want to enter, your final paragraph will be far more convincing.

You’ll need to make sure you’ve achieved 3 important tasks before you type a single word…

  • You’ve fully researched the course(s) you are applying for and can reference the academic content, employment opportunities and outcomes
  • You’ve got some practical and theoretical understanding of the industries related to the course, prior to application
  • You’ve given some contextualised thought to your potential role within those industries, and how the course will help you reach that goal

ways to end a personal essay

For more specific content on how original a personal statement should be, and just how to include your ambitions and experiences in a way that readers will find compelling, check this post out .

Once you’ve got some notes on these three points, you can put a sentence together that evidences your ambition, promotes your application and demonstrates your understanding of your sector. An effective couple of sentences might look like this:

ways to end a personal essay

You can watch a great tutorial on showing ambition in your personal statement below, or check out some helpful UCAS resouces .

Whatever order you decide to tackle them in, if you ensure you include the three elements detailed in this post, you’ll be sure to write a relevant and compelling final paragraph, leaving the reader confident about making you an offer.

ways to end a personal essay

Good luck with your personal statement, and don’t forget to contact me if you’d like some 1-1 support. You’ve got this! D

Research and content verified by Personal Statement Planet.

David Hallen

I've worked in the Further Education and University Admissions sector for nearly 20 years as a teacher, department head, Head of Sixth Form, UCAS Admissions Advisor, UK Centre Lead and freelance personal statement advisor, editor and writer. And now I'm here for you...

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3 Ways to Make Conflict Less Destructive

Two ropes pulling on a larger rope to shape its path

“Do you think you could sum up the essence of all you’ve learned in one sentence?”

That was the question my friend Jim Collins, the famed leadership author, suddenly asked me as we were hiking up a mountain a few years ago.

“You’ve been wandering around the world for the last 45 years,” he continued, “working in some of the world’s toughest conflicts from the Cold War to the Middle East, from strikes to boardroom battles. What can help us in these times of intense conflict?”

I am an anthropologist by training. If I were a Martian anthropologist looking at us now, I would say we live in a time of great paradox. Never before in human evolution have we enjoyed such an abundance of opportunities to solve the world’s problems and live the life we want for ourselves and our children. And yet at the same time, with the rapid changes and disruptions, we face a wave of destructive conflict that’s polarizing every facet of life from family to work to community to our world—and paralyzing our ability to work together.

How do we navigate this stormy time to be able to realize the enormous opportunities we have at hand? 

First, we need to be realistic: we can’t end conflict. Nor should we . In fact, we may actually need more conflict, not less—and by that, I mean the healthy conflict that allows us to engage our differences, grow, and change what needs to be changed. The choice we face is not to get rid of conflict but to transform it from destructive fighting into creative, constructive, collaborative negotiation.

So what do we need to transform our conflicts and navigate these tumultuous times?

Read more: The Science of Getting Along

I would suggest we need three things above all: a clear perspective, a way out, and lots of help from others.

Let’s start with perspective. When it comes to conflict, we are often our own worst enemies. The biggest obstacle to getting what I want is not what I think it is. It is not the difficult person on the other side of the table. It is the person on this side of the table—it is the person I look at in the mirror every morning. It is our natural, very human, very understandable tendency to react—often out of fear and anger. We humans are reaction machines. As writer Ambrose Bearce once quipped, when angry you will make the best speech you will ever regret.

What’s the alternative?

It’s to do the exact opposite and pause for a moment. It is to think about what you really want and how you can get there. Imagine yourself on a stage and then go to the balcony—a place of calm where you can keep your eyes on the prize and see the bigger picture.

In other words, start by stopping.

That sets us up for the next challenge to find a way out . In today’s tough conflicts, we need more than ever to be able to find a way out of the labyrinth of destructive fights.

The other side may be far from cooperative. They dig in and refuse to budge.They pressure, attack, and threaten.  

Their position, their mind, is far away from yours. There is a huge chasm in between where you are and where they are. That chasm is filled with fear, anger, doubt, unmet needs, distrust. Our challenge is to build a bridge over the chasm—not just an ordinary bridge, a golden bridge. In other words, create an attractive way out for them and for you. 

Instead of pushing, do the exact opposite: attract. Instead of making it harder for them, do the exact opposite. Make it easier for them, easier to make the decision you want them to make. Leave your thinking for a moment and start the conversation where their mind is. Listen to them, try to put yourself in their shoes, and figure out their needs and fears so you can address them while advancing your interests, too.

That leads me to the third point: get some help . In today’s tough conflicts, it’s not easy to go to the balcony or build a golden bridge. No matter how good we might be, we are going to need help—and lots of it. 

Here’s the very common mistake we make when things get rough. We reduce the conflict to two sides—it’s us against them, union against management, Democrats against Republicans. What we forget is that in any conflict there is always a third side — the people around us, the friends, family, colleagues, neighbors, allies, and neutrals.

The third side constitutes a huge untapped potential resource for transforming the conflict. It is like a container within which even the hardest conflicts can begin to give way to dialogue and negotiation. The surrounding community can help calm the people who are fighting. It can bring the parties together and help them communicate and understand each other better. It can help them explore a way out, a golden bridge.

When the conflict is really hard, we may need a kind of community intervention. I call this a “swarm ” —a critical mass of persuasive influence and assistance—that can help the parties find a way through their difficulties. We need to mobilize the third side—the surrounding community—and build a winning coalition for agreement.

After all these decades working in tough conflicts and wars, people often ask me: are you an optimist or a pessimist? I like to answer that I am actually a “possibilist.” I believe in our human potential to transform even the toughest conflicts from destructive fights into creative negotiations. I believe it because I’ve seen it happen with my own eyes—in coal strikes, bitter boardroom battles, family feuds, and wars around the world. I’ve watched people unlock their hidden human potential and make the seemingly impossible become possible.

Where there are obstacles, possibilists look for opportunities. It is a change in mindset.

Possibilists aren’t blind to the dark side of human nature. To be a possibilist means to look at the negative possibilities too, but then to use that perspective to motivate us to look for the positive possibilities that avert the worst and bring about the possible.

I have seen how conflict can bring out the worst in us, but it can also bring out the best.

So what was the single summary sentence I offered Jim on that memorable mountain hike? “The path to possible is to go to the balcony, build a golden bridge, and engage the third side.” 

No conflict, however difficult, is impossible. Conflicts are, after all, made by humans so they can be solved by humans. And if we can transform our conflicts, we can transform our lives. We can transform our world.

That is my dream.

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Guest Essay

The Most Important Writing Exercise I’ve Ever Assigned

An illustration of several houses. One person walks away from a house with a second person isolated in a window.

By Rachel Kadish

Ms. Kadish is the author of the novel “The Weight of Ink.”

“Write down a phrase you find abhorrent — something you yourself would never say.”

My students looked startled, but they cooperated. They knew I wouldn’t collect this exercise; what they wrote would be private unless they chose to share it. All that was required of them was participation.

In silence they jotted down a few words. So far, so good. We hadn’t yet reached the hard request: Spend 10 minutes writing a monologue in the first person that’s spoken by a fictitious character who makes the upsetting statement. This portion typically elicits nervous glances. When that happens, I remind students that their statement doesn’t represent them and that speaking as if they’re someone else is a basic skill of fiction writers. The troubling statement, I explain, must appear in the monologue, and it shouldn’t be minimized, nor should students feel the need to forgive or account for it. What’s required is simply that somewhere in the monologue there be an instant — even a fleeting phrase — in which we can feel empathy for the speaker. Perhaps she’s sick with worry over an ill grandchild. Perhaps he’s haunted by a love he let slip away. Perhaps she’s sleepless over how to keep her business afloat and her employees paid. Done right, the exercise delivers a one-two punch: repugnance for a behavior or worldview coupled with recognition of shared humanity.

For more than two decades, I’ve taught versions of this fiction-writing exercise. I’ve used it in universities, middle schools and private workshops, with 7-year-olds and 70-year-olds. But in recent years openness to this exercise and to the imaginative leap it’s designed to teach has shrunk to a pinprick. As our country’s public conversation has gotten angrier, I’ve noticed that students’ approach to the exercise has become more brittle, regardless of whether students lean right or left.

Each semester, I wonder whether the aperture through which we allow empathy has so drastically narrowed as to foreclose a full view of our fellow human beings. Maybe there are times so contentious or so painful that people simply withdraw to their own silos. I’ve certainly felt that inward pull myself. There are times when a leap into someone else’s perspective feels impossible.

But leaping is the job of the writer, and there’s no point it doing it halfway. Good fiction pulls off a magic trick of absurd power: It makes us care. Responding to the travails of invented characters — Ahab or Amaranta, Sethe or Stevens, Zooey or Zorba — we might tear up or laugh, or our hearts might pound. As readers, we become invested in these people, which is very different from agreeing with or even liking them. In the best literature, characters are so vivid, complicated, contradictory and even maddening that we’ll follow them far from our preconceptions; sometimes we don’t return.

Unflinching empathy, which is the muscle the lesson is designed to exercise, is a prerequisite for literature strong enough to wrestle with the real world. On the page it allows us to spot signs of humanity; off the page it can teach us to start a conversation with the strangest of strangers, to thrive alongside difference. It can even affect those life-or-death choices we make instinctively in a crisis. This kind of empathy has nothing to do with being nice, and it’s not for the faint of heart.

Even within the safety of the page, it’s tempting to dodge empathy’s challenge, instead demonizing villains and idealizing heroes, but that’s when the needle on art’s moral compass goes inert. Then we’re navigating blind: confident that we know what the bad people look like and that they’re not us — and therefore we’re at no risk of error.

Our best writers, in contrast, portray humans in their full complexity. This is what Gish Jen is doing in the short story “Who’s Irish?” and Rohinton Mistry in the novel “A Fine Balance.” Line by line, these writers illuminate the inner worlds of characters who cause harm — which is not the same as forgiving them. No one would ever say that Toni Morrison forgives the character Cholly Breedlove, who rapes his daughter in “The Bluest Eye.” What Ms. Morrison accomplishes instead is the boldest act of moral and emotional understanding I’ve ever seen on the page.

In the classroom exercise, the upsetting phrases my students scribble might be personal (“You’ll never be a writer,” “You’re ugly”) or religious or political. Once a student wrote a phrase condemning abortion as another student across the table wrote a phrase defending it. Sometimes there are stereotypes, slurs — whatever the students choose to grapple with. Of course, it’s disturbing to step into the shoes of someone whose words or deeds repel us. Writing these monologues, my graduate students, who know what “first person” means, will dodge and write in third, with the distanced “he said” instead of “I said.”

But if they can withstand the challenges of first person, sometimes something happens. They emerge shaken and eager to expand on what they’ve written. I look up from tidying my notes to discover students lingering after dismissal with that alert expression that says the exercise made them feel something they needed to feel.

Over the years, as my students’ statements became more political and as jargon (“deplorables,” “snowflakes”) supplanted the language of personal experience, I adapted the exercise. Worrying that I’d been too sanguine about possible pitfalls, I made it entirely silent, so no student would have to hear another’s troubling statement or fear being judged for their own. Any students who wanted to share their monologues with me could stay after class rather than read to the group. Later, I added another caveat: If your troubling statement is so offensive, you can’t imagine the person who says it as a full human being, choose something less troubling. Next, I narrowed the parameters: No politics. The pandemic’s virtual classes made risk taking harder; I moved the exercise deeper into the semester so students would feel more at ease.

After one session, a student stayed behind in the virtual meeting room. She’d failed to include empathy in her monologue about a character whose politics she abhorred. Her omission bothered her. I was impressed by her honesty. She’d constructed a caricature and recognized it. Most of us don’t.

For years, I’ve quietly completed the exercise alongside my students. Some days nothing sparks. When it goes well, though, the experience is disquieting. The hard part, it turns out, isn’t the empathy itself but what follows: the annihilating notion that people whose fears or joys or humor I appreciate may themselves be indifferent to all my cherished conceptions of the world.

Then the 10-minute timer sounds, and I haul myself back to the business of the classroom — shaken by the vastness of the world but more curious about the people in it. I put my trust in that curiosity. What better choice does any of us have? And in the sanctuary of my classroom I keep trying, handing along what literature handed me: the small, sturdy magic trick any of us can work, as long as we’re willing to risk it.

Rachel Kadish is the author of the novel “The Weight of Ink.”

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COMMENTS

  1. How to End an Essay: Writing a Strong Conclusion

    1 Start with a small transition. This isn't necessary, but it can help your essay flow seamlessly and cue the ending of your argument. Read the last sentence of the previous paragraph. What naturally comes to mind as a following sentence? Try using one of these transitional phrases: [1] "All in all"

  2. How to End a College Essay: 10 Tactics & Strategies

    1. Connect to your values 2. The bookend or callback 3. The road forward 4. Save your thesis (or your whole intro) for the end 5. Connect to your career B. Strategies (may require big changes, or more planning ahead) 6. The "why us?" set-up 7. Back to the beginning, but something's changed 8. The twist/reveal 9.

  3. How to Conclude an Essay

    Step 1: Return to your thesis To begin your conclusion, signal that the essay is coming to an end by returning to your overall argument. Don't just repeat your thesis statement —instead, try to rephrase your argument in a way that shows how it has been developed since the introduction. Example: Returning to the thesis

  4. How to End a Personal Statement: Strong Tips And Examples

    Updated: April 19, 2023 When everything is written down, thoughts are made up together and you see the whole picture of your essay right in front of your eyes, you may think of how to end a personal statement. It may seem to be the easiest part of writing, but, to some extent, it is not.

  5. Ending the Essay: Conclusions

    Finally, some advice on how not to end an essay: Don't simply summarize your essay. A brief summary of your argument may be useful, especially if your essay is long--more than ten pages or so. But shorter essays tend not to require a restatement of your main ideas. Avoid phrases like "in conclusion," "to conclude," "in summary," and "to sum up ...

  6. How to End a College Admissions Essay

    Option 1: Return to the beginning Option 2: Look forward Option 3: Reveal your main point Option 4: End on an action Other interesting articles Frequently asked questions about college application essays Endings to avoid A bad conclusion can bring your whole essay down, so make sure to avoid these common mistakes. Summarizing

  7. How to Write a Conclusion for an Essay

    1 Restate your thesis As you set out to write your conclusion and end your essay on an insightful note, you'll want to start by restating your thesis. Since the thesis is the central idea of your entire essay, it's wise to remind the reader of the purpose of your paper.

  8. 5 Examples of Concluding Words for Essays

    19th September 2022 5 Examples of Concluding Words for Essays If you're a student writing an essay or research paper, it's important to make sure your points flow together well. You'll want to use connecting words (known formally as transition signals) to do this.

  9. How to End Your College Essay: 5 Strategies

    Full Circle. The Full Circle strategy (also called bookending) involves seamlessly connecting your conclusion to your introduction. This can involve reintroducing a word, phrase, person, or object from the start of your essay. Bookending makes your essay feel complete, unified and settled.

  10. 7 Helpful Tips on How to Write A Memorable Personal Essay

    4 Create an outline. All it takes to understand the importance of an outline is listening to someone who struggled to tell a personal story. Often, the story will seem to have no real point. The switchbacks where the teller says "But wait, I have to tell you about this part, first!" are maddening and disruptive.

  11. Conclusions

    How you conclude your paper will depend on where you started—and where you traveled. It will also depend on the conventions and expectations of the discipline in which you are writing. For example, while the conclusion to a STEM paper could focus on questions for further study, the conclusion of a literature paper could include a quotation ...

  12. How To End A College Essay

    ‍ Are you having trouble writing a conclusion for your college essay? Here's how to end a college essay with expert tips and examples. Writing the perfect ending for your college essay is no easy feat; it can be just as challenging as starting your college essay. But don't fear - we've got you covered!

  13. 7 Ways to Conclude a College Essay (With Tips & Examples)

    1 Address the college or university directly. Research the school and know exactly why you want to attend. Describe why the university fits you well, but be specific. Name certain programs you're enthusiastic about so the admissions reader feels your passion and excitement through your writing.

  14. Best ways to end an essay?

    What are some effective and memorable ways to end an essay? Is there a particular structure or technique you'd recommend? 23 days ago Hello! Ending an essay effectively and memorably is an important skill, especially for college essays. It's your chance to leave a lasting impression on the reader.

  15. How to end a college essay

    September 6, 2023 | In Applying | By Mike How to end your college application essay (with examples!) Bonus Material: PrepMaven's 30 College Essays That Worked We've all been there: you've just about finished creating a brilliant, gripping piece of writing.

  16. Conclusion Examples: Strong Endings for Any Paper

    Strong conclusion examples pave the way for the perfect paper ending. See how to write a good conclusion for a project, essay or paper to get the grade.

  17. How to End a Personal Statement: Writing a Memorable Conclusion

    ‍ When you know how to end a personal statement, you boost your chances of making a lasting impact on the admissions committee. It's all about making sure they remember you in a positive way. Crafting a compelling personal statement is the cherry on top of your college application essay.

  18. How to End a Scholarship Essay in Five Steps

    4. Thank your reader for their time. At the end of a scholarship essay, it's a good idea to leave a gracious impression upon your reader. Make sure that your reader knows that you appreciate the time they spent reading your essay, and the opportunity being presented to you. 5.

  19. How to End a College Essay, Leaving Your Readers Wanting More

    2. Action-Packed Ending. Finishing an essay with an action-packed ending involves leaving the audience with a sense of movement, closure, or a call to action. Rather than simply summarizing key points, this approach to a college essay ending aims to energize the conclusion and leave a lasting impression.

  20. Personal Statement Format + Examples

    Showcase your Values, Skills, Qualities, and Insights. The personal statement is one of the primary ways a college gets to know who you are, through seeing the values, skills, qualities, and insights you'll bring to that community. Both montage and narrative offer you a chance to demonstrate those aspects to your reader.

  21. How to Write a Personal Statement

    The best personal statements typically read like a story: they have a common theme, as well as a beginning, middle, and end. This type of format also helps keep your thoughts organized and improves the flow of your essay. Common themes to consider for your personal statement include: Special role models from your past

  22. How To End A Personal Statement: Make A Lasting Impression

    A personal statement conclusion should be 150-200 words long and leave a positive lasting impression on the reader. A UCAS personal statement should be 4000 characters long, making the conclusion 705-940 characters long - this is just a rough estimation based on the average number of characters per word (4.7).

  23. How To End A Personal Statement: Great Final Paragraphs

    The Final Paragraph Must Evidence Your Suitability Instead of detailing all the key areas in which you are a suitable candidate for the course or role early on in your personal statement, it is valuable to hold back at least one example in order to add credibility and weight to your final paragraph.

  24. How to Make Conflict Less Destructive

    In other words, create an attractive way out for them and for you. Instead of pushing, do the exact opposite: attract. Instead of making it harder for them, do the exact opposite. Make it easier ...

  25. Opinion

    But leaping is the job of the writer and there's no point it doing it halfway. Good fiction pulls off a magic trick of absurd power: It makes us care. Responding to the travails of invented ...

  26. CYOA Essay Tool Narrative Path

    3 Ways to Maybe Not End Your Essay. Don't just repeat or restate your thesis. We know, your teacher told you to (ours did too). And it might not be a bad idea for the conclusion to your AP US History or AP English Lang/Lit paper (although even there, maybe change the phrasing a little). But probably don't do this on your personal statement.

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