Skip to main content
What are your chances of acceptance?
Your chance of acceptance
Duke University
Loading…
UCLA
Loading…
+ add school
Your chancing factors
Unweighted GPA: 3.7
1.0
4.0
SAT: 720 math
200
800
| 800 verbal
200
800

Extracurriculars

Low accuracy (4 of 18 factors)

Is it bad to write about failure in my college essay?

Hey everyone, I want to write about a failure I experienced and how it helped me grow for my college essay. But I'm worried that it might make me look bad to admissions officers. Is it a bad idea to write about failure or can it actually be a good thing? Thanks for any advice!

a year ago

Hey there! Writing about failure in a college essay can actually be a great idea, as long as you focus on the growth and learning that resulted from that experience. It's important to demonstrate how you were able to overcome the setback and what lessons you've learned from it, instead of dwelling on the failure itself.

Admissions officers appreciate honesty and self-awareness, and discussing a failure can show them that you're able to learn from your mistakes and adapt. Just make sure to strike a balance between explaining the situation and emphasizing the positive changes that came from it.

For example, if you struggled with a particular subject, you could discuss how you sought help, put in extra effort, and eventually saw improvement in your understanding and grades. This would demonstrate resilience and determination, which are qualities that colleges look for in a prospective student. Good luck with your essay!

a year ago

About CollegeVine’s Expert FAQ

CollegeVine’s Q&A seeks to offer informed perspectives on commonly asked admissions questions. Every answer is refined and validated by our team of admissions experts to ensure it resonates with trusted knowledge in the field.