Calculate for all schools
Your chance of acceptance, your chancing factors, extracurriculars, should i give my college essay a title, or is it unnecessary.
I'm getting down to the nitty-gritty of my college essay, and it hit me – do I even need a title for this thing? Some people have told me it’s more polished with a title but others say it’s just fluff. If any of you have thoughts or know what admissions generally prefer, I’d really appreciate your insight!
It's natural to wonder whether a title adds to the impact of your college essay. In my experience, a title is not required and typically, admissions officers do not expect one. However, if you feel a brief, captivating title contributes to your essay and serves as a thematic entry point, it could be a tasteful addition.
Remember, the most crucial aspect is the content and the story you're telling, not the cosmetics of your essay. Should you decide on including a title, ensure it is succinct and reflective of your essay's core message. For example, a student I worked with gave her essay about community service the title 'Roots and Wings,' subtly hinting at her roots in community values and the 'wings' of impact these experiences provided.
Above all, it should add, not detract. If you're at all unsure, it's perfectly acceptable to forgo the title altogether and let the strength of your writing speak for itself.
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.
The Admissions Strategist
College essay titles: are they important.
If you’re reading this, you are probably writing your college essays. Writing, drafting, revising, and proofreading your essays all play really important roles in the process.
One of the finishing touches on most pieces of writing is a title – but do you need one in a college essay? This guide gives you all the information you’ll need!
Click above to watch a video on College Essay Titles.
Are college essay titles important?
To be blunt: not really. The most important part of a college essay is the essay itself. Your essay should be personal, insightful, creative, and meticulously proofread. They do not need to be titled.
However, this doesn’t mean that a title is a bad idea. A title for your college essay falls under the “nice to have” category. A title isn’t something that an application reader will be looking for, but a well-done title can really help tie your essay together, especially if you have room in your word count for one.
How to think of a great college essay title
A title for any piece of writing should be brief, clever, and creative. Most importantly for college essays, they should add something to your piece. College essays often have a limited word count, so if you are going to be using some of the words for a title, it’s important to make sure it’s worth it!
To begin brainstorming a great college essay title, close your eyes. Think about your essay holistically. Likely you have been working on a micro-level of editing and revising: word choice, sentence structure, and other small-level changes. Try and zoom out.
What is the big picture of your essay? What is the major lesson you learned? Or, perhaps, what is the funniest part – what could be an exciting hook for your reader? Try and brainstorm a list of these ideas. Don’t worry about being brief yet.
Once you have an idea you like, workshop it down. Try and make your title as short as you can without sacrificing substance.
It might also be a good idea to ask some friends, family members, or teachers for advice. Sometimes it’s easier to see the big picture of an essay if you weren’t the person who actually wrote it.
Examples of poor college essay titles
A bad essay title is wordy, confusing, or just plain boring. Restating the essay prompt in a title, or an essay for that matter, is a waste of words and time. Avoid titles that sound like the following:
- “My Most Memorable Moment” – boring
- “The Importance of Finding Community in Unlikely Places” – boring and wordy
- “Why I Want to Attend [University Name]” – boring
- “Cars and Lessons” – confusing and vague, doesn’t add anything to the piece
Examples of great college essay titles
So, what does a good college essay title sound like? Great college essay titles are quippy, creative, interesting, and/or add something new to your essay. Here are some examples:
- “Found Family, French Fries, and Football” – the alliteration shows some extra thought put into titling the essay. This title already tells a reader this will likely be about the author finding a community in a football team, but leaves the reader wondering how french fries factor into it all.
- “Y-whay I-way Ove-lay Ig-pay Atin-lay” – this falls under the “creative” category. That title uses “Pig Latin,” a made-up “language” many people are likely familiar with. Once translated, this also piques the reader’s interest; how will Pig Latin be relevant in a college essay?
- “It’s The Lemurs” – this title is for an essay answering “Why Do You Want To Attend Our School,” and the author chose to write about the university’s lemur research center. This is a short and surprising title, and definitely leaves the reader wanting to know more!
Conclusion: College Essay Titles
When push comes to shove, your essay is your essay, and you know it best. If you feel certain that the best title for your essay breaks one of the above rules, that’s okay. Our guidelines are just that: guidelines.
Hopefully, this guide helps you understand the purpose of college essay titles and how to come up with good ones. Remember, essay titles for college applications are certainly not necessary, but can add a lot if done correctly.
Learn how we can help you with college and career guidance! Check out our YouTube channel!
Click Here to Schedule a Free Consult!
Stay on track and ease your anxiety with our second-to-none college application assistance.
- Ethics & Honesty
- Privacy Policy
- Join Our Team
(732) 339-3835
