If you've done any research into college essays and how to write a great one, you've likely come across the esteemed "Costco Essay." This essay, published publicly in 2016, has since achieved near-legendary status in the world of college admissions. The Costco essay focuses on the writer's lifelong love of Costco and helped earn her spots at multiple Ivy League schools, as well as Stanford. Since then, it's been held up as a shining example of a college admissions essay.
But is the Costco essay still good? Was it really that impressive to begin with? Would it still get an applicant into Ivy League schools today or has it become overused and outdated? How can you take what it did well and apply it to your own college essay? Learn all the answers in this expert guide.
What Is the Costco College Essay?
The Costco essay gained widespread recognition in 2016 after it was published online by a high school student, Brittany Stinson, who used the essay to get accepted into multiple top colleges, including Columbia, Dartmouth, Stanford, University of Pennsylvania, and Yale. Each of those schools has a very low admissions rate, and to get accepted into all of them is quite the feat.
Students who wanted to repeat Brittany's admissions success carefully analyzed her essay, and admissions experts wrote numerous articles on it, expanding its audience even further. It helped that the essay focused on a quirky, unique topic: a trip to Costco, the warehouse store chain. Many people shop at Costco, but Brittany was able to turn that seemingly-mundane experience into an essay that helped seal her admission to multiple top colleges. The essay has remained popular among high school students, and many have attempted to copy its ideas in their own personal statements.
3 Reasons Why the Costco Essay Works
The Costco college essay really is a great example of a personal statement. So what makes it so good? The essay stood out because it took an ordinary experience (but one that wasn't commonly written about in college essays) and used it to reflect on the writer's personality, interests, and general curiosity.
The essay worked because it was unique, engaging, and unexpected. It wasn’t about Costco itself; it was about how the student’s mind worked. Here are three specific ways that it stands out.
#1: It Tells a Unique Story
Many college essays focus on overcoming challenges or celebrating major accomplishments. Those aren't bad subjects, and they can work well, but the Costco essay stands out because it focused on a totally unexpected angle. Who would think to write about a trip to a grocery store? But that’s what made it unique. Instead of trying hard to sound impressive, the writer just told her story in a way that felt natural. She didn’t add unnecessary big words or exaggerate her achievements.
College admissions officers read thousands of essays every year, and many of them sound the same. The Costco essay sets itself apart because it feels like an actual person wrote it, not someone trying to check off a list of what colleges want.
#2: It Shows the Writer's Personality
The essay, of course, wasn’t really about Costco; it's about who the writer is and how she sees the world. Brittany used a trip to Costco as a metaphor for her intellectual curiosity, from philosophy to linguistics to politics. She wasn’t just shopping at Costco; she used the essay to show how her mind is always making connections and asking questions.
Colleges love to see that because they’re always looking for students who are naturally curious. Brittany came across as curious, creative, and fun which is exactly the kind of person colleges want on campus.
#3: It's Well Written
Overall, the Costco essay is an example of strong writing. It's well structured, does an excellent job of showing instead of telling, tells a clear story, and ties everything up well. The essay is, in fact, so well written it's been rumored it was actually written by an adult/college admissions professional. Whether that’s true or not, it's clear that great writing stands out.
Is the Costco Essay Still Good?
The Costco essay was great when it was written, but does that still hold true? One issue is that the Costco essay became so popular that it led to lots of copycats. Many students, hoping to replicate its success, wrote their own versions about Walmart, Target, etc. Admissions officers read many, many essays each year. When a specific essay style becomes widely imitated, it loses its novelty and impact.
So, does the Costco essay still work? The answer isn’t a simple yes or no. Some aspects still work, while others no longer do. Let's take a closer look:
What Still Works
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Being Authentic: Writing in your own, genuine voice will always be compelling, regardless of the actual topic you choose to write about. Your college essay should feel like you, not a college applicant trying to impress college admissions teams.
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Choosing an Unconventional Topic: It can be hard these days to find a topic that isn't overdone, but choosing a unique topic or angle is still a great way to grab a reader's attention. Costco itself is just no longer an unusual college essay idea!
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Showing Your Intellectual Curiosity: What really made the Costco essay stand out was how it showed the writer's diverse interests and overall love of learning. In this short essay, she manages to fit in her interests in philosophy, physics, history, dance, scientific research and more. She shows she's intellectually curious and passionate about learning. The good news for you is that, even if every college essay does this, colleges still love to see it because they love to admit students with a genuine passion for learning and expanding their horizons. Just make sure it's personal to your own interests.
What Doesn’t Work Anymore
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Copying the Formula: Writing your college essay about a mundane experience just for the sake of being quirky is no longer that original. Admissions officers have seen too many attempts to replicate the Costco essay’s style for it to stand out these days.
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Forcing a Metaphor: Since the Costco essay became popular, many students have tried to copy it by writing about something seemingly boring like grocery stores, sneakers, a favorite snack, etc. in a deeply philosophical way. When you're so focused on the metaphor you're building your essay around, it's easy to devote too much of your writing to building up that metaphor. That both makes the metaphor look forced and prevents you from using your word count to actually tell readers about yourself.
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Wittiness Over Telling Your Personal Story: When the Costco essay was written, people loved how clever and witty it was. College essays can easily become overly earnest or dramatic as students try to impress schools, but the Costco essay seemed to purposely focus on something unimpressive (grocery shopping). However, with so many copycat essays being written, the pendulum has begun to swing back, and colleges now appreciate authenticity and a strong personal narrative more than pure cleverness.
How to Use the Costco Essay as a Guide for Your College Essay
First, it's important to note that, while the Costco essay is a strong college essay that certainly helped Brittany Stinson get into top schools, it was in no way completely responsible for her admissions success. To get into ultra-competitive schools, you need a standout admissions package: high grades, top test scores, impressive extracurriculars, strong letters of recommendation, etc. Her essay was more of the cherry on top of a strong application rather than the sole reason she was admitted into all of those schools. Keep that in mind when crafting your own college essay: it can help tip admissions decisions in your favor, but it's still only one piece of the admissions puzzle.
If you don't craft an earth-shattering personal statement but are strong in other areas, your essay likely won't have much of an impact on whether you get into a particular school or not. Similarly, even if you write the most amazing college essay the world has ever seen, it won't be enough to get you into top tier schools if your grades are poor and your test scores, extracurriculars, and letters of rec are lacking.
However, creating a strong personal statement is certainly worth putting in effort, and you can use the strengths of the Costco college essay to help guide your own essays. Here are some key ways to do that.
#1: Choose a Topic That’s Personal
The best college essays aren’t about what’s impressive or trendy at the moment; they focus on what matters to the writer. Your personal statement should reveal something unique about you, whether that's a hobby, goal, life-changing event, or an everyday moment. The Costco essay stood out because it wasn’t about Costco itself, it was about how the author’s curiosity shaped the way she saw the world. The essay made an everyday shopping trip a window into her personality, values, and thoughts.
When brainstorming your own topic, ask yourself: What’s something that genuinely excites or defines me? What’s an experience or idea that I can write about in a way no one else can? The more personal the topic you choose is, the more naturally engaging and authentic your essay will be.
#2: Focus on Self-Reflection
A strong essay doesn’t just describe an experience; it explains what that experience reveals about you. Many students fall into the trap of telling an interesting story but not connecting it back to themselves. A college essay isn’t just about what happened; it’s about why it matters. What did you learn? How did this moment shape you? How does it connect to your interests and future plans?
For example, in the Costco essay, Brittany didn’t just tell a story about interesting experiences she's had at Costco. Instead, she used those details to showcase her curiosity and passion for learning. Your essay should do the same by offering insight into your personality, values, and way of looking at the world.
#3: Write in Your Own Voice
Authenticity never goes out of style. Your college essay should sound like you wrote it, not like a generic student trying to impress an admissions officer. It’s tempting to use big words, complex sentence structures, or an overly intellectual tone to sound impressive, but this often makes essays feel unnatural. Instead, aim for a natural writing style. The Costco essay was fun, clever, and full of the writer's personality. You felt like you knew the type of person Brittany was by the end of it. In your essay, let your personality shine. If you have a sense of humor, use it! If you’re more reflective, let that shine through. The key is to write in a way that feels like you, not like what you think colleges want to hear.
#4: Tell a Story
Good essays have a clear narrative structure with a beginning, middle, and resolution. The Costco essay worked largely because it told a great story. It opened with a "hook," in this case a vivid scene of the author navigating Costco. Then it moved to showcasing her personality and interests and finally tied everything together with a strong conclusion. Nothing dramatic happens in the essay, but it still felt exciting to read. Your essay should have a similar flow. Whether you’re writing about a childhood memory, a meaningful realization, or a personal transformation, make sure your essay takes the reader on a journey.
Conclusion: Is the Costco College Essay Still Good?
When the Costco essay college burst onto the scene in 2016, it seemed like the pinnacle of college essay writing. But is that still true today? In general, yes. While there have been many Costco college copycats, the qualities of the Costco essay that made it stand out: its creativity, authenticity, unique topic, and ability to showcase the writer's personality and strengths, are all still great things to include in college essays. The trick, however, is not just to copy the Costco essay's idea by writing about a shopping trip or other mundane activity. Your college essay is a window into your personality and way of thinking. That means it should always sound like you. Focus less on trying to copy the Costco essay or thinking up a topic that's totally outside the box and more on creating a personal statement that feels authentic.
The best college essays focus on personal experiences, self-reflection, and pride in your individuality. Those qualities will always be valued in your essay regardless of what you end up writing about.
What's Next?
Are you working on your personal statement? If you're using the Common App, check out our complete breakdown of the Common App essay prompts and learn how to pick the best prompt for you.
Want to write a truly great college essay? Check out our guide on how to come up with great college essay ideas. You're sure to come away with a topic that's unique and enticing to colleges.
If you need help on other parts of the application process, take a look at our guides to choosing the right college for you, writing about extracurriculars, deciding to double major, and requesting teacher recommendations.
