Essay Prompts
An essay prompt is only the start: the real work is finding a claim you can defend or a question you can explore honestly. Each prompt below is phrased so it pushes you toward a position, not just a topic.
Is it ever right to break a rule you think is unfair? Use one real example.
15 essay prompts
- Is it ever right to break a rule you think is unfair? Use one real example.
- Should public libraries lend things other than books? Make the case.
- Describe a problem in your community and propose one realistic fix.
- Compare how two generations in your family think about work.
- Is boredom good for creativity? Argue from experience and evidence.
- Write about an idea that changed how you see the world.
- Should voting be compulsory? Take a side and address the other.
- What is something everyone should learn but schools do not teach?
- Reflect on a belief you inherited and later questioned.
- Are smartphones making us better or worse at friendship?
- Describe a place that shaped who you are.
- Is it better to be a specialist or a generalist?
- Write about a time you disagreed with someone you respect.
- Should cities ban cars from their centres? Weigh the costs.
- What does "success" mean to you, and where did that definition come from?
Tips before you start
- Turn the prompt into a one-sentence thesis before you write anything else.
- List the strongest counter-argument and answer it.
- For personal essays, favour one small story over a list of achievements.
Forge new ones with AI
Add a topic and get five fresh essay prompts written for it.
AI output is generated by openai/gpt-6-luna via Vercel AI Gateway. It can be wrong or odd; the prompt lists on this page work without it.
Questions writers ask
How do I turn an essay prompt into a thesis?
Answer the prompt in one arguable sentence, then add "because" and your two or three main reasons. That sentence becomes your thesis and outline.
What makes a strong college essay topic?
Admissions readers often say the best essays focus on a small, specific moment that reveals how you think, rather than a summary of achievements.