AI Prompts for Claude for College Essays

I need to write a college application essay and I have no idea what to write about. Ask me 10 specific, probing questions about my life, experiences, values, and what makes me different from other applicants. Then help me identify which answers have the most essay potential.

Here are three potential topics I am considering for my Common App essay: [LIST THEM]. Analyze each one for its strengths, risks, and differentiation potential. Which one would give an admissions reader the most insight into who I actually am?

I want to write my college essay about [TOPIC]. Play devil's advocate: what are the risks with this topic? Is it too common? Too vague? What would make it stand out versus a generic version of this essay?

What are the most overdone college essay topics and what makes them fail? I want to make sure I am not writing one of these essays without realizing it.

I am applying to [SCHOOL/PROGRAM]. Research suggests they look for [QUALITIES]. What essay angle would best demonstrate I am the kind of student they want while still being authentic to who I actually am?

I want to write my college essay about [DESCRIBE EXPERIENCE OR TOPIC]. I am [BRIEF BACKGROUND]. My essay should convey [WHAT YOU WANT THE READER TO KNOW ABOUT YOU]. Help me build an outline with a compelling opening, a specific scene or story, a pivot to reflection, and a closing that ties back to who I am now.

Here is my opening paragraph: [PASTE IT]. Be honest: does it grab attention? Is it specific enough? Does it start with a scene or an observation, or does it start with a broad generalization? Tell me how to fix it.

I have a rough draft of my college essay. Here it is: [PASTE ESSAY]. Give me honest feedback on: the strength of the opening, whether the specific details are sharp enough, whether the reflection is authentic, and whether the ending lands. Tell me the top three things to improve.

My essay sounds too formal and unlike how I actually talk. Here is the draft: [PASTE ESSAY]. Rewrite the first three paragraphs in a way that sounds more like a real person speaking. Then explain what you changed so I can apply that to the rest.

I have been told to "show, not tell" in my college essay but I do not understand what this means. Take this paragraph from my draft: [PASTE PARAGRAPH] and rewrite it to show rather than tell, then explain the difference.

Here is my full college essay: [PASTE ESSAY]. Read it as an admissions officer who has read 500 essays today. What is your honest reaction? What do you remember 5 minutes after reading it? What would make it more memorable?

My college essay is currently [X] words and the limit is 650. I need to cut [Y] words without losing the most important content. Here is the essay: [PASTE]. Identify what to cut, condense, or remove entirely.

The middle section of my essay feels flat. Here it is: [PASTE SECTION]. What specific details, moments, or observations could I add to make this section more vivid and honest?

Does my college essay answer the prompt? Here is the prompt: [PASTE PROMPT]. Here is my essay: [PASTE ESSAY]. Evaluate the alignment and tell me if I am actually answering what was asked or drifting away from it.

Here is my final draft: [PASTE ESSAY]. Check it for: anything that sounds AI-generated or overly polished, clichés I might have missed, any place where I tell instead of show, and any sentence that could be cut without losing meaning.

I need to write a "Why [SCHOOL]?" essay of [X] words. The school is [NAME]. I am genuinely interested in [SPECIFIC PROGRAMS, PROFESSORS, CULTURE, LOCATION]. Help me structure an answer that is specific to this school and not generic.

I have 10 supplemental essays due for different schools. Give me a strategy for writing them efficiently: which ones to write first, how to reuse material across essays without copying, and how to stay organized.

This supplemental essay asks: [PASTE PROMPT]. I have [WORD LIMIT]. Help me identify the best angle, write a first draft, and stay within the word limit without losing substance.

I need to write the "Activities" descriptions in the Common App. I have [X] activities to describe and only 150 characters each. Here are my activities: [LIST THEM]. Help me write tight, specific descriptions that highlight impact rather than just listing what I did.

I am applying to a school that asks why I want to study [MAJOR]. I want to study it because [DESCRIBE GENUINE REASONS]. Help me write a compelling answer that connects my background, experience, and specific interest in this field.