Exercise for Developing Essay and Interview Responses

Recently, someone asked me, “Who has inspired and encouraged you to be where you are today?”

This is the type of question I became intimately accustomed to during the time I churned out college and scholarship essays like a factory. It makes sense why a form of this question is often asked: we recognize that people are often influenced by people, events, or objects during their journeys to accomplish major life goals.

Usually, I would choose someone and offer a story that ties back to the main points I want to make about myself to the people who will eventually evaluate my response, but this time, while I tried to find an eloquent way to respond to the question, I had trouble choosing a singular source of mentorship. I thought of my kindergarten teacher, my 3rd-grade art teacher, my best friend, my elementary school bully, my karate sensei, and many other figures.

I challenge you to reflect on your past experiences leading up to this point. Take five minutes to consider all the people you have met and what they have taught you about yourself and your surroundings. Think about the moments that have inspired you to be courageous and to grow in some way. Write down a list of those people with the lesson they taught you in parenthesis. It is okay if multiple items on the list share the same or similar lesson. Then, write three sentences: a sentence to explain that person’s connection to you, a sentence to explain why the lesson was significant, and a sentence on a time you used the lesson to decide or do something. After this exercise, you might start to realize that there are more examples than you originally thought. These are the unique moments that have led you to this point, and they are important in telling your story.

You can adjust this exercise to fit the other questions that may be asked during your application processes. Click here for a list of commonly asked questions along with examples and tips on formatting your response.

If you have any questions about these prompts, selecting examples to share, or want us to review your plan, contact us.