Click here to explore thousands of successful college essay exemplars!
Are you in the process of applying to college and need to write college essays? If so, you may be wondering how to write an effective conclusion. A strong conclusion is essential for a college essay, as it ties together the main points discussed, thus helping the reader understand the connection between the ideas in the body paragraphs. If you are a student who needs some help with writing the conclusion, this post is designed to provide you with some tips on things to keep in mind when formatting your conclusion.
College Essay Conclusion Format and Structure
You should aim to have the following elements in your college essay conclusion:
Link between the body and conclusion: Your conclusion should effectively wrap up the main points discussed in the body of the essay without directly repeating phrases or sentences from the body paragraphs. There should be a smooth transition from the body to the conclusion.
Evidence of personal growth: You should show evidence of how you have grown as a person from the experiences you narrated in the essay. How have these experiences shaped you or changed your view of the world?
Reflections for the future: You should briefly note how the experiences you described in the body paragraphs will prepare you for the future and how you plan on using your new skills or knowledge in the future.
A memorable ending: You should end with a memorable phrase or sentence that leaves an impact on the reader. Avoid clichés and instead try to come up with your own creative ending.
Word count: You should aim to keep the conclusion around 100-150 words for a longer essay like the Common App essay which has a word limit of 250-650 words. However, many supplemental essays have shorter word limits depending on the university or college you are applying to, so you should adjust the length of your conclusion accordingly.
Note that for future reflections and evidence of personal growth, it is okay to include just one of them, but it would strengthen your conclusion if you include both!
Now that you know the crucial components of a college essay conclusion, let's look at some examples taken from the Clastify website, where you can see how the above points are incorporated. Only the conclusions have been included in this post, but click the links in blue to access the full exemplar. The link between the body and conclusion will be in blue, the evidence of personal growth in green, the future reflections in orange, and the memorable ending in purple.
Example 1
With these goals in mind, I set out to embody them. I spent less time on academics in favour of more time for friends, family, and a wider community. I began to prioritise my physical and mental well-being. But I took the first important step inside that gym two years ago.
Right before the teacher moved on to the next name, I raised my hand determinedly.
"Actually, my name is pronounced Ady." Read the full essay here.
The link to the body is good as the student refers to the goals they outlined in the body paragraph, which shows a smooth transition. The student also described their personal growth of how they prioritised life and relationships beyond academics. Finally, the student's conclusion is memorable as they use a flashback technique to refer to their introduction where they were nervous about a substitute teacher mispronouncing their name. The final sentence is memorable as it shows the student corrected the teacher's pronunciation of their name, which shows confidence.
Example 2
My new aspiration is to combine these two selves. Now, l'm always delicately balancing between being careful yet comfortable. Firm yet friendly. Humble yet honest. Looking ahead, I want to chart a path that honors my desire for both discipline and spontaneity. In college, I look forward to surrounding myself with people who both ground me and hold me accountable. I want a place I'll feel happy calling home, regardless of what I'm wearing. Read the whole essay here.
The link between the body and conclusion is good as the student describes how they want to combine the "two selves" of discipline and spontaneity. The student also shows personal growth in how they've learned to balance between being firm/friendly, humble/honest, etc. The student also includes future reflections by stating their future plans for meeting people in college who align with the student's views of balancing these two selves. The student also ends on a memorable note as they say they want to be comfortable regardless of what they're wearing. This links back to the body where the student describes their change in attitude using a cap, which is something that can be worn.
Example 3
My closet is more than just a storage space, in fact, it represents the beginning of a journey towards cultural integration and self-discovery as well as a culmination of my academic journey. Sure, maybe clothes don't directly define us, however in my case, they exemplified not only my past, but also my present and future, as I continue to navigate the complexities of my cultural identity and personal growth, while closing the door of this principal chapter. Read the whole essay here.
The link between the body and conclusion is good as the student reiterates the importance of their closet being more than just a storage space since each article of clothing has a personal relevance to the student. The student also shows personal growth as they discuss how their closet represents their self-discovery journey and acceptance of their culture. The student has also briefly included future reflections as they mention that they want to continue exploring their cultural identity in future. Lastly, the conclusion ends with a memorable line as the phrase "closing the door" is a double entendre in which closing this chapter of the student's self-discovery is like "closing the door" to a closet, which was the main topic of the essay.
We hope that this guide has provided you with some helpful tips and examples on how to structure your college essay conclusions. Good luck with your college applications!
The Fast Track To Your
Best IB Coursework & College Essays
All content on this website has been developed independently from and is not endorsed by the International Baccalaureate Organization. International Baccalaureate and IB are registered trademarks owned by the International Baccalaureate Organization.