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The Costco Essay Deconstructed

Article updated on November 15, 2019

Students searching for exemplary examples of college admissions essays may already be familiar with what has come to be known as The Costco Essay , but it is worth digging a little deeper to understand how this essay that “ got a high school senior in to 5 Ivy League colleges ” actually works.

Many people have noted that the essay alone did not get the student admitted to all these schools, rather it was the totality of her application. This is of course true! We have ourselves written extensively about the 11 distinct criteria colleges use to evaluate applicants, but the fact remains that when so many students have great grades and test scores, your college essays are clearly an important opportunity to stand out.

I caution all my students not to read an excessive amount of examples, because it can become overwhelming to compare too many glowing finished essays to one’s own blank page or early draft in progress.  But if you read in the right spirit, I believe a few examples can be both instructive and inspiring. I have tried to explain some of what I find compelling about the Costco Essay.

Prompt 1: Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.

Now more than ever, colleges are affirming the weight given to a student’s character as it comes through across all elements of an application. So have no illusions that grades and test scores make one applicant more qualified or deserving of admission to college than another. We are not looking at the whole application, but in addition to being well written, this essay demonstrates of the kind of character that Ivy League and all colleges want on their campus.

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Costco College Essay: An Analysis

Yep, that’s right: it’s the famous Costco college essay that got Brittany Stinson into five Ivy League schools. Said schools include Columbia, Yale, UPenn, Cornell, and Dartmouth.

Now, this application essay was considered one of the “quintessential college essays” that every student was expected to strive for. It had a lot of positive attributes to it, notably its creativity, that made the college essay so strong in the application.

But here’s the thing: there are also mistakes in this essay that future applicants should be wary of.

It’s okay though. Here at PenningPapers, we try not to be a Negative Nancy. In fact, we just want to provide the most value from our admissions advice so that our clients and readers get the most useful analysis.

It just so happens that the Costco College essay covers a wide range of topics that could be useful for our readers to know.

We want our readers to be well-equipped to face their own college applications; thusly so, we have compiled a list of both the primary positive and negative attributes of the Costco college essay.

The Costco College Essay

Prompt 1: Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.

Managing to break free from my mother’s grasp, I charged. With arms flailing and chubby legs fluttering beneath me, I was the ferocious two­ year old rampaging through Costco on a Saturday morning. My mother’s eyes widened in horror as I jettisoned my churro; the cinnamon­sugar rocket gracefully sliced its way through the air while I continued my spree. I sprinted through the aisles, looking up in awe at the massive bulk products that towered over me. Overcome with wonder, I wanted to touch and taste, to stick my head into industrial­sized freezers, to explore every crevice. I was a conquistador, but rather than searching the land for El Dorado, I scoured aisles for free samples. Before inevitably being whisked away into a shopping cart, I scaled a mountain of plush toys and surveyed the expanse that lay before me: the kingdom of Costco. Notorious for its oversized portions and dollar­fifty hot dog combo, Costco is the apex of consumerism. From the days spent being toted around in a shopping cart to when I was finally tall enough to reach lofty sample trays, Costco has endured a steady presence throughout my life. As a veteran Costco shopper, I navigate the aisles of foodstuffs, thrusting the majority of my weight upon a generously filled shopping cart whose enormity juxtaposes my small frame. Over time, I’ve developed a habit of observing fellow patrons tote their carts piled with frozen burritos, cheese puffs, tubs of ice cream, and weight­loss supplements. Perusing the aisles gave me time to ponder. Who needs three pounds of sour cream? Was cultured yogurt any more well­mannered than its uncultured counterpart? Costco gave birth to my unfettered curiosity. While enjoying an obligatory hot dog, I did not find myself thinking about the ‘all beef’ goodness that Costco boasted. I instead considered finitudes and infinitudes, unimagined uses for tubs of sour cream, the projectile motion of said tub when launched from an eighty foot shelf or maybe when pushed from a speedy cart by a scrawny seventeen year old. I contemplated the philosophical: If there exists a thirty­three ounce jar of Nutella, do we really have free will? I experienced a harsh physics lesson while observing a shopper who had no evident familiarity of inertia’s workings. With a cart filled to overflowing, she made her way towards the sloped exit, continuing to push and push while steadily losing control until the cart escaped her and went crashing into a concrete column, 52″ plasma screen TV and all. Purchasing the yuletide hickory smoked ham inevitably led to a conversation between my father and me about Andrew Jackson’s controversiality. There was no questioning Old Hickory’s dedication; he was steadfast in his beliefs and pursuits – qualities I am compelled to admire, yet his morals were crooked. We both found the ham to be more likeable-and tender. I adopted my exploratory skills, fine tuned by Costco, towards my intellectual endeavors. Just as I sampled buffalo­chicken dip or chocolate truffles, I probed the realms of history, dance and biology, all in pursuit of the ideal cart-one overflowing with theoretical situations and notions both silly and serious. I sampled calculus, cross­country running, scientific research, all of which are now household favorites. With cart in hand, I do what scares me; I absorb the warehouse that is the world. Whether it be through attempting aerial yoga, learning how to chart blackbody radiation using astronomical software, or dancing in front of hundreds of people, I am compelled to try any activity that interests me in the slightest. My intense desire to know, to explore beyond the bounds of rational thought; this is what defines me. Costco fuels my insatiability and cultivates curiosity within me at a cellular level. Encoded to immerse myself in the unknown, I find it difficult to complacently accept the “what”; I want to hunt for the “whys” and dissect the “hows”. In essence, I subsist on discovery.

The Costco College Essay: Critique

Unique Topic: This seems to be an underrated one. There are plenty of essays about serving as a camp counselor, and plenty more about playing the violin. The value of a unique topic like Costco is that it provides admissions officers with something different to read from the hundreds of thousands of similar essays. Having a unique topic in your college essay will make admissions officers love your story more than others who have less special ones.

Interesting Narrative: a strong narrative is arguably one of the most vital parts of the college admissions process. If you can capture the attention of the admissions officers with your words, you can put yourself in a much more positive light than the rest of the competition. Take this one for example: “. I contemplated the philosophical: If there exists a thirty­three ounce jar of Nutella, do we really have free will?”

Now, we do want to clarify that writing this well correctly and effectively so that the admissions officers DON’T find your essay ostentatious and overbearing is hard. There is a fine line between having capturing language and having pretentious language.

We recommend that if you feel uncomfortable with writing in this style but would still like to beat out the rest of the competition in the admissions pool, you should speak to our admissions experts to talk about how you can get your college essay edited.

Outdated subject: Whichever subject you talk about, make sure that it is not too far from your current year. The farther away your experience is from high school, the more irrelevant it becomes. It is very hard for people to believe that a child’s characteristics have transferred to their adult selves.

More importantly, admissions officers would like to know more about how you changed in the current time; there is little use in knowing what positive changes or character traits you’ve had in the past.

Cliché “thirst for knowledge”: There’s not much else to say about this section other than the fact that writing that you have a “thirst for knowledge” has been overdone. There are plenty of students who write that they are curious and are always learning. Unfortunately, this has become so saturated that it is sometimes even mocked in not just the admissions process but in job applications too. Even business gurus have been mocked for it: take Tai Lopez and his regrettable “knowledge” video.  

Corny ending: Here at Penningpapers, the intro paragraph is the most important paragraph of all, but that doesn’t mean the ending paragraph should be neglected. A bad ending paragraph will still leave a bad taste in the admissions officer’s mouth. So, what’s wrong with the ending? Well, it’s the mention of the “whys” “hows” and the “in essence.” These are famous lines that parallel Nietzsche’s quote “He who has a why can bear any how”. The “whys” and “hows” have been overplayed, and in STEM related college essays, we’ve found that the words “in essense” more times than we could count. The essay in all wasn’t particularly bad, but hearing the last paragraph made us want to puke.

In short, Brittany Stinson’s Costco college essay wasn’t perfect, but it was certainly a piece that stood out amongst the rest of the admissions essays. Perhaps you, dear reader, would like to make your admissions essay perfect. Perhaps you would like to make it as good as possible to remove any doubt of college acceptance, or even make up for poor scores. Perhaps it is too difficult to compete in the admissions process because your dream school is far too prestigious and competitive.

For that, we recommend you shoot us a call or send us a message so we can take a look at your application because remember: even the best application essays have critical flaws without editing!    

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10 days ago

A*Helpful Fact: Iceberg Lettuce Has a Higher Water Content Than a Watermelon

A*helpful fact: a simple clock drawing can show if you have dementia, a*helpful fact: wondering how smart are apes in reality both less and more than you think, a*helpful fact: only 12% of americans know how to be metabolically healthy, a*helpful fact: some birds like to snack on hot pepper, decoding the success of the costco college essay: a reddit discussion deep dive.

The Costco college essay has gained widespread attention and recognition for its unique approach to the college admissions process. Written by Brittany Stinson, the essay detailed her experiences at Costco and how they shaped her curiosity and love for learning. In this article, we explore the Reddit thread discussing this essay and take a deep dive into the opinions and insights of its users. We will also shed light on the background of the Costco college essay and provide valuable tips for writing a captivating and memorable college essay.

The Costco College Essay: Background

Brittany Stinson’s Costco college essay went viral in 2016 when she was accepted into five Ivy League schools and Stanford. The essay is a prime example of how creativity and authenticity can make a significant impact on college admissions officers. With its relatable narrative and unique perspective, the essay has become a benchmark for students looking to write compelling college essays.

The Costco essay, penned by Brittany Stinson, has become a notable point of reference in the realm of college admissions, for its distinctiveness, effectiveness, and the impressive results it garnered. But what is it about the Costco essay that really made it stand out? This piece will explore the distinct aspects of this essay and delve into why it struck such a chord with Ivy League admissions officers.

Brittany Stinson’s Common App Essay, colloquially known as the ‘Costco essay’, is a personal statement that catapulted her into the limelight during the Ivy League admissions cycle. It showcased her ability to transform an everyday experience into a compelling narrative and unique essay topic, turning a mundane trip to Costco into an allegory of her intellectual curiosity.

When Ivy League admissions officers read personal statements, they are looking for insight into the applicant’s personality, values, and potential contributions to their institution. They want to see genuine passion and the unique perspective each student brings. Brittany Stinson’s Costco essay offered all of this, her Costco shopping journey providing a creative metaphor for her academic journey and insatiable appetite for knowledge.

Writing an essay for your college application, specifically the Common App essay, can be daunting. Finding the perfect topic that showcases your identity, while also intriguing the admissions officers is not an easy task. Yet, the Costco essay serves as an example of how selecting a unique essay topic, one that is both personal and engaging, can make your personal statement shine in the eyes of Ivy League admissions officers.

Brittany Stinson transformed a routine trip to Costco into a thought-provoking, insightful, and yes, successful personal essay. This essay didn’t just mention her desire for learning; it illustrated it, painting a vivid picture of a young woman eager to consume knowledge as enthusiastically as she consumes a Costco-sized vat of her favorite ice cream.

The Costco essay was successful in capturing the attention of admissions officers at highly selective schools because it was authentic and creatively addressed the prompt. It exhibited Brittany’s personality, her intellectual curiosity, her humor, and her observational skills.

Yet, the Costco essay isn’t just about picking a unique essay topic; it’s about crafting an authentic narrative. The personal essay or personal statement you submit as part of your college application should tell a story about you, about how you see the world, and how you engage with it.

So, as we explore the impressive achievements of Brittany Stinson and the Costco essay that was an integral part of her college application, we learn a vital lesson: the best personal statements, the ones that truly stand out to college admissions officers, are those that tell a genuine and captivating story. They can find profundity in the mundane, transform an ordinary topic into an extraordinary narrative, and above all, they are a true reflection of the applicant.

Whether it’s about a trip to Costco or a love for biochemistry, a successful personal essay is one that combines a unique topic with a personal narrative, effectively showcasing the qualities that would make an applicant an asset to their dream college.

Analyzing the Costco Essay: Reddit’s Opinions

In a popular Reddit thread, users discussed and rated the Costco essay. The thread highlighted several aspects of the essay that made it stand out and prompted valuable insights on what makes a strong college essay.

A Unique Approach to the Common App Prompt

One user mentioned that the Costco essay demonstrates how taking a unique approach to a Common App prompt can lead to a memorable essay. Stinson’s essay was not only well-written but also offered an unconventional perspective on an everyday experience, which captured the attention of admissions officers.

Creativity and Authenticity

Another user emphasized the importance of creativity and authenticity in the Costco essay. Stinson’s writing conveyed her genuine passion and curiosity, making her essay stand out from the thousands of other applicants. The user also noted that a successful college essay should showcase the applicant’s true self and not just focus on accomplishments.

Engagement with the Reader

The Costco essay excels in engaging the reader, as one Reddit user pointed out. Stinson’s essay maintained a conversational tone and included vivid descriptions that made it enjoyable to read. This user stressed the importance of keeping the reader engaged throughout the essay, making them more likely to remember the applicant and their story.

Avoiding Clichés and Overused Topics

One user noted that the Costco essay’s strength lies in its ability to avoid clichés and overused topics. Many college essays discuss similar themes or experiences, which can make them blend together. The Costco essay stood out by exploring an unconventional topic, demonstrating the impact of choosing a unique subject matter for a college essay.

The Importance of Storytelling

A Reddit user highlighted the importance of storytelling in the Costco essay. Stinson’s narrative created a compelling story that showcased her personality, growth, and passions. By incorporating storytelling elements into a college essay, applicants can leave a lasting impression on admissions officers.

Conclusion: Learning from the Costco College Essay

The Costco college essay serves as an excellent example of how creativity, authenticity, and storytelling can make a significant impact on the college admissions process. By exploring the opinions and insights shared by Reddit users, we can learn valuable lessons about writing engaging and memorable college essays. As you craft your own college essay, remember to stay true to yourself, choose a unique and engaging topic, and focus on creating a compelling narrative that captures the attention of admissions officers.

In conclusion, the magic of the Costco essay lies in its ability to take a seemingly ordinary experience and extract from it a narrative that is engaging, unique, and utterly personal. Brittany Stinson’s successful college application serves as a reminder to all students that an impressive personal statement isn’t dependent on grandiose achievements or a dramatic life event. Instead, it is about presenting your unique perspective on the world, using your personal experiences as a lens through which to view your academic and personal growth.

Follow us on Reddit for more insights and updates.

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• The Inventory

A high schooler was accepted to five Ivy League colleges with an essay about Costco

It took just a few short hours on Apr. 1 for Concord High School senior Brittany Stinson to go viral. Not because she staged an epic prank—though more than a few skeptics assumed that her sudden notoriety was an April Fool’s Day fakeout—but for her very real, decidedly eccentric college applications essay that helped garner her admission to five Ivy League colleges and Stanford University.

The essay isn’t your typical exercise in academic humblebragging or lofty save-the-world aspiration: It’s a nostalgic, free-form musing on the  joys of shopping at Costco with her mom . And while it shows a young essayist’s tendency to overwrite (the Achilles heel of some of us older wordsmiths as well), it also provides insight into a mind that takes creative risks and thinks with expansive originality.

Coming as it does in the thick of a heated debate over  “holistic” evaluation standards  at elite colleges—admissions practices that extend beyond comparing grades and scores to include assessments of character and the impact of background and cultural identity on a student’s academic journey—Stinson’s essay has generated a whirling array of reactions. After being posted on Business Insider last week, her essay was read over a million times and shared many thousands more on social media.

Many have found it charming and compelling, while others have attacked it as an example of the antics holistic admissions practices encourage among applicants hoping to stand out. The truth is, these two opinions aren’t mutually exclusive. Stinson’s SAT scores were in the high 90-something percentile (she wouldn’t say exactly her score) and she’s on track to graduate as her class’s valedictorian. Meanwhile, she participated in highly competitive STEM programs, loaded up on AP classes, was a competitive cross-country runner, and an active participant in her local community.

“I’d definitely fit in with the nerds, although the kids at our school would probably categorize us as the overachievers, instead,” Stinson says. “I’d like to study neuroscience in college. I volunteered in a research lab working on a genetics project at the University of Delaware. This was one of my favorite extracurriculars. I’m definitely pursuing research in college.”

All of these factors mark her as a strong candidate for an elite university. Of course, tens of thousands of other applicants had similarly outstanding academic and extracurricular profiles this year. Stinson’s essay, however, must have suggested to schools that she would bring with her a unique and interesting point of view.

Stinson acknowledges that her status as the daughter of a Brazilian immigrant mother who identifies as black, and a white US-born father, likely gave her admissions case a boost.

“I did declare my race and ethnicity on my applications. I think my background likely made my application stand out and impacted it positively,” she says, noting that she is also a proponent of affirmative action policies. “Many who criticize affirmative action think that nearly all minority admitted students are somehow less qualified, undeserving, or that ‘they took a spot’ from a more deserving non-minority student. I think that affirmative action makes a well-qualified minority student stand out, but it will never cause an unqualified student to be admitted. Non-minorities are still benefiting from a system built in their favor.”

At the same time, as clearly evidenced by Stinson, striving for diversity isn’t just about redress for past and present inequities. It’s also about bringing together a group of people with different ways of looking at the world—people who will spend four or more years side by side, learning from and being shaped by fresh and unique perspectives.

”College is a place where we learn just as much outside the classroom as we do inside,” says Stinson. “By being exposed to people of different races, socioeconomic backgrounds, cultures, and religions, we can learn from their experiences. Diversity enriches an education.”

While surprised that her essay has received so much attention, Stinson said she thinks it may have resonated because of the universality of its thesis.

“I’ve seen negative comments online from people who weren’t familiar with the literary devices I was trying to use. I’ve seen people say that it’s ‘ridiculous’ that my essay involved Costco, but I don’t think they’ve even scratched the surface,” she says. “They think that in order for an essay to have depth, it needs to involve tragedy, inspiration, or overcoming adversity. I don’t know if many applicants usually explore the mundane in their essays—that seems to have taken a lot of people by surprise. I thought that this essay was a genuine representation of myself: I’m a sarcastic, dorky weirdo with a passion for science and I tried to demonstrate that I’m the kind of person who finds meaning in seemingly ordinary things.”

Which might well be the perfect summary of the college experience: It’s a chapter in life during which young people go off to find meaning in seemingly ordinary things—most particularly, in other people.

For universities, this means recruiting student bodies that represent the best and brightest of a world of worlds: Diversity of heritage and faith, of nationality and culture, of class and familial background, and yes, of race and ethnicity.

Evaluating students by scores and grades alone can’t deliver on that promise. Only by understanding the person behind the scholarly achievements, and the context in which they were earned, can universities build a student body that reflects the kaleidoscopic array of ideas, traditions, and perspectives of our increasingly global society. Which means that those who  attack holistic admissions  fail to recognize that diversity isn’t an irrelevant factor in the making of an elite college education—it is, as Stinson points out, the very thing that makes these schools worth attending.

Here is Stinson’s essay, republished below with her permission:

Prompt 1: Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story. Managing to break free from my mother’s grasp, I charged. With arms flailing and chubby legs fluttering beneath me, I was the ferocious two­ year old rampaging through Costco on a Saturday morning. My mother’s eyes widened in horror as I jettisoned my churro; the cinnamon-­sugar rocket gracefully sliced its way through the air while I continued my spree. I sprinted through the aisles, looking up in awe at the massive bulk products that towered over me. Overcome with wonder, I wanted to touch and taste, to stick my head into industrial­ sized freezers, to explore every crevice. I was a conquistador, but rather than searching the land for El Dorado, I scoured aisles for free samples. Before inevitably being whisked away into a shopping cart, I scaled a mountain of plush toys and surveyed the expanse that lay before me: the kingdom of Costco. Notorious for its oversized portions and dollar-­fifty hot dog combo, Costco is the apex of consumerism. From the days spent being toted around in a shopping cart to when I was finally tall enough to reach lofty sample trays, Costco has endured a steady presence throughout my life. As a veteran Costco shopper, I navigate the aisles of foodstuffs, thrusting the majority of my weight upon a generously filled shopping cart whose enormity juxtaposes my small frame. Over time, I’ve developed a habit of observing fellow patrons tote their carts piled with frozen burritos, cheese puffs, tubs of ice cream, and weight­-loss supplements. Perusing the aisles gave me time to ponder. Who needs three pounds of sour cream? Was cultured yogurt any more well­mannered than its uncultured counterpart? Costco gave birth to my unfettered curiosity.

While enjoying an obligatory hot dog, I did not find myself thinking about the “all beef” goodness that Costco boasted. I instead considered finitudes and infinitudes, unimagined uses for tubs of sour cream, the projectile motion of said tub when launched from an eighty foot shelf or maybe when pushed from a speedy cart by a scrawny seventeen year old. I contemplated the philosophical: If there exists a thirty-­three ounce jar of Nutella, do we really have free will? I experienced a harsh physics lesson while observing a shopper who had no evident familiarity of inertia’s workings. With a cart filled to overflowing, she made her way towards the sloped exit, continuing to push and push while steadily losing control until the cart escaped her and went crashing into a concrete column, 52-inch plasma screen TV and all. Purchasing the yuletide hickory smoked ham inevitably led to a conversation between my father and me about Andrew Jackson’s controversiality. There was no questioning Old Hickory’s dedication; he was steadfast in his beliefs and pursuits—qualities I am compelled to admire, yet his morals were crooked. We both found the ham to be more likable–and tender. I adopted my exploratory skills, fine-tuned by Costco, towards my intellectual endeavors. Just as I sampled buffalo­-chicken dip or chocolate truffles, I probed the realms of history, dance and biology, all in pursuit of the ideal cart–one overflowing with theoretical situations and notions both silly and serious. I sampled calculus, cross­-country running, scientific research, all of which are now household favorites. With cart in hand, I do what scares me; I absorb the warehouse that is the world. Whether it be through attempting aerial yoga, learning how to chart blackbody radiation using astronomical software, or dancing in front of hundreds of people, I am compelled to try any activity that interests me in the slightest. My intense desire to know, to explore beyond the bounds of rational thought; this is what defines me. Costco fuels my insatiability and cultivates curiosity within me at a cellular level. Encoded to immerse myself in the unknown, I find it difficult to complacently accept the “what”; I want to hunt for the “whys” and dissect the “hows”. In essence, I subsist on discovery.

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What Makes the Costco Essay So Popular (Not Just Hype)

“If there exists a thirty­-three ounce jar of Nutella, do we really have free will?”  Do you remember this? Well, yes, this is one of the best lines from the Costco essay from the 2016 Common App essay.

This essay helps Brittany Stinson get acceptance letters from 5 IVY league schools. But did this essay genuinely deserve the hype, or is it just an average?

Let’s discuss:

• What is the essay about?
• What makes it popular?
• How to write one like this?
• Finally, why is this not ideal for everyone?

Table of Contents

Remember that Costco Essay Girl? A Brief History

So, it’s true that all of you remember the girl who wrote a  college application essay  on Costco. In the essay, Brittany Stinson shares his personal experience of wandering through Costco with his mother.

The essay went viral in 2016 after she was accepted to five IVY league schools and Stanford. The topic’s uniqueness helps her stand out from others in the competition.

Furthermore, she brainstormed, made outlines, and worked on multiple topics at once that shows her unique perspective and intellectual curiosity.

What Makes the Costco Essay Popular According to Admission Officers

Many college admission officers share their thoughts on essay about Costco on forums like Quora and Reddit. Below are some traits that make the essay popular according to them.

Engaging Essay:

Brittany started with an  essay hook  that leaves the reader confused and curious. That was a great way to capture the reader’s attention. Moving further, she continues the Costco essay with slight ambiguity to ensure the reader is not lost.

As reading the next couple of lines, her story slowly comes to the focus. The whole paragraph connects well with the reader as it reminds them of their childhood days when they ran around the shops to buy little things.

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Precise Word Choice:

The next thing that stands out in the essay on Costco is the smartly chosen words. She elegantly uses sophisticated and unique words like “jettisoned,” “crevice,” “scoured,” “whisked,” and “notorious” within different  types of sentences  in her essay.

The word choice sounds genuine and fits the writing context exactly. In short, she played with the admission officer’s emotion because most officers are attracted to unique and rare word choices that are uncommon in every essay.

Use excellent imagery:

“Show, don’t tell”  is the philosophy almost every student knows, but very few can pull this off in their writing. Brittany uses excellent imagery that helps the admission officers to visualize the story.

Everything leaves a visionary impression on the reader, from that three-pound tub of sour cream to the shopping cart as it slams with the 54-inch plasma screen TV.

The Bright Side:

Do you think that was just a story, or is there more to it? Well,  Brittany Stinson  doesn’t only tell his personal story in a college essay about Costco but persuades the admission officer about what he will bring to the institution.

Her story depicts her intense desire to know, explore things out of the box, and bring a cart to the campus full of exciting experiences.

How to Write Your Own Costco College Essay

To write a winning Costco essay like the famous one that went viral, focus on these things mentioned below.

• Don’t just describe a visit to a place like Costco; instead, focus on adding your personal experience that resonates with you.
• Choose unique and sophisticated words to engage the admission officer with your story. The word collection must be uncommon and best fit the context.
• Create a mixed combo of multiple experiences and try to fit them into your single story.
• For example, if you are writing about a tour experience, don’t limit yourself to only joyful experiences; add hurdles, fun activities, bonding with others, and some thrilling incidents.
• Set the writing tone in a way that helps the AOs to visualize the whole story instead of just reading.

Here’s Why Costco Essay Isn’t Every Student Role Model

Potential for cliché.

First of all, the essay about Costco has gained a lot of popularity, making it very familiar to the admission officer. They may be sick with the shopping story and want something new from the applicants.

Don’t Bound to only Storytelling

Secondly, these officers are not only bound to storytelling. They even appreciate the more complex and in-depth research essays like  community service essays , which involve a formal tone and are also beneficial for society.

Don’t Fit Every Student’s Writing Style

Every student has their own writing abilities and skills. Don’t try to write like a Costco essay when you know that your writing style doesn’t fit such a situation.

Stay on Top of the Admission List With Expert Help

Whether writing a Costco personal statement essay or a community service essay for college admission, personal experience is the key to success. However, if you fear getting rejected by admission officers, get  personal statement writing help  from our expert and stay on top of the admission list.

Secure Your Custom Essay Writing Solution

The Costco essay not only shows how Brittany has performed in the common app essay but also what he achieved. It also shows the students how to tackle the common app essay and how to grab the admission officer’s attention. However, it is still not recommended for everyone to write a Costco college essay, as this may not fit everyone’s shoes.

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Student writes college admissions essay about her love of Costco, gets into 5 Ivies

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Getting into the top colleges in the country is no easy feat — great grades, test scores, and extracurriculars all play a role. And then there is the college admissions essay, which gives students a chance to flaunt their SAT-worthy vocabularies while also attempting to stand out from the crowd.

For Brittany Stinson, an 18-year-old senior at Concord High School in Delaware, that essay just happened to be about her love of Costco; writing about the wholesale superstore helped earn her a place at five Ivy League universities — Yale, Columbia, University of Pennsylvania, Dartmouth, and Cornell — as well as Stanford.

The essay prompt asked students to write about a "background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful" that their application would be incomplete without it, NBC News reports . Stinson, who grew up going to Costco with her parents, described how "the kingdom of Costco" meant more to her than just inexpensive 12-packs of paper towels.

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"Just as I sampled buffalo ­chicken dip or chocolate truffles, I probed the realms of history, dance and biology, all in pursuit of the ideal cart — one overflowing with theoretical situations and notions both silly and serious. I sampled calculus, cross-­country running, scientific research, all of which are now household favorites. With cart in hand, I do what scares me; I absorb the warehouse that is the world," Stinson wrote.

"I couldn't afford to go via the traditional route," she explained to NBC. "I knew that writing about my experiences at Costco would at least make for a memorable essay, whether [admissions committees] loved or hated it. On another hand, I felt that the essay ended up being such an accurate representation of me and my personality."

Stinson has yet to decide which school she will attend.

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Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week 's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate , and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News , The Awl , Vice, and Gothamist , among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter .

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ICYMI- Why The Costco College Essay Is Crucial Reading for Future College Applicants

At this point, it’s almost been impossible to avoid reading about the amazing Costco college essay that secured one lucky applicant admission to several Ivies and Stanford. It’s a great essay, but not everyone seems to understand why, so CEA Founder Stacey Brook broke it down and offered some lessons that everyone can take away from this well-executed piece of prose:

By now you have probably heard about or read the college essay by high schooler Brittany Stinson detailing how her routine trips to Costco shaped her life and world. In the piece, now officially at viral status , Stinson paints a vivid picture of how wandering up and down the aisles at her favorite big box store inspired her to ponder the addictive nature of Nutella, imagine physics experiments involving 3-pound tubs of sour cream and converse with her father about historical figures who share their aliases with giant hams . The essay is clever, warm and highly observant and introspective. If Costco is a kingdom, as Brittany claims, she is currently its reigning Queen. […]

The Business Insider piece that originally introduced Stinson’s essay to the world framed her success in their title: “This Essay Got a High School Senior Into 5 Ivy League Schools and Stanford.” As a college essay expert and advisor, I would love to be able to tell you that a college essay can get you into the school of your dreams. But the truth is, a wide array of factors are considered in admissions decisions and the essay is just one of them. And media attention that focuses exclusively on students who gain admission to multiple Ivy League Institutions sends the wrong message to students (and parents) about what is important and why they should pay attention to Stinson’s writing.

Stinson’s essay was not her ticket to admission. It was a thoughtfully crafted, brilliantly executed piece of a very complex puzzle. Still, the college essay is a highly significant piece of the puzzle in that it is one of the only opportunities students have to speak to admissions officers in their own voices and highlight something about their personalities or passions that allows them to stand our from other, similarly qualified candidates.

So what should students and parents take away from the Costco essay?

Read the rest at Huffington Post .

About Thea Hogarth

View all posts by Thea Hogarth »

Written by Thea Hogarth

Category: College Admissions , Essay Tips

Tags: advice , college acceptance , college applications , college essay , costco , huffington post , tips

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Costco Essay: Analysis And How to Write a Better One

Writing Costco Essay

Costco is one of the largest retail stores that focuses on lower prices for consumers. The company boasts of numerous warehouses that have more than 4000 different varieties of goods.

Through proper leadership strategies, Costco has been able to offer consumers high-quality prices at lower prices compared to its competitor stores.

They embrace a self-administration model of operation for customers thus reducing the need to employ workers. 

People Also Read: Is a person a primary or Secondary Source of Research?

What is a Costco Essay?

The famous Costco essay is a college admission essay that was written by Brittany Stinson, a former student of Concord High School.

As a requirement for high school students to write an admission essay before joining a college, Brittany chose the topic because of her love for Costco wholesale and retail stores. 

Shockingly, the essay got the internet and colleges cheering.

It received a high rating gaining her admission to top Ivy League learning institutions such as Cornell, Yale, Stanford, Columbia, and the University of Pennsylvania. 

Students who have gone through high school will all concur that the transition period between high school and college is challenging. It is a time when they experience a lot of emptiness because of the anxiety of going to a new learning environment.

To make it worse, gaining admission to the top schools is difficult if you do not come up with a good application essay. 

Even an outstanding performance in GPA and SAT is not enough to gain admission to a good college such as Stanford. Learning institutions provide a prompt for students to write an admission essay or personal statement to get a place in their classes.

Also known as Brittany Stinson’s essay, the Costco essay has been one of the most remarkable because of what it achieved. 

Analysis of What Makes The Costco Essay Good

The author did not write an ordinary essay about the topic. Instead, she made a summary of all her experiences with the Costco stores. This was in response to the admission application prompt in 2016. 

After reading the prompt of the essay, the author made huge efforts to write the essay to the best of her knowledge while observing her personal experience of the stores.

Her writing was a pure demonstration of imagination, profound thinking, and outstanding organizational skills.

The coherence of ideas and personal experience in the essay was simply impeccable.

There was an in-depth and precise description of the author’s experience at the stores.

As such, the audience reading the personal statement found it easy to feel the explanation of her writer’s personality.

To give the reader more connection to the experiences, Brittany gives a deep exploration of the relationship she had with this wholesale retail store. 

All the moments are captured so that even the person who does not know the store can completely understand the events. Smartly, Brittany related the experience to her childhood and teenage age. The moments spent at the store were well correlated to her personal qualities as well as her studies.

The wisdom of the writer and the ability to relate all the details and experiences ranked the essay high. Getting recognition from the Ivy League learning institutions is not easy. This league of colleges has a low acceptance rate.

Many successful high school graduates fail to get admission even after scoring high in their GPA. 

People Also Read: Is an Essay a Research Paper: The Differences from Each

How to Write a Similarly Good Costco Essay

Without a doubt, Brittany Stinson’s essay provides a good avenue for students to learn vital aspects of a successful college admission essay.

It teaches how to write great statements of purpose, admission essays, and personal statements that can secure admission to top institutions of higher learning. Below is what you can learn from this remarkable piece of essay:

1. Always choose an Outstanding Topic

If you are a keen reader, the topic is one of the most admirable features of the Costco essay. The theme was a clear reflection of the topic.

As such, always go for an outstanding topic even when you have been given the essay prompt. You only have to use the prompt given as a pillar for brainstorming good topic ideas . 

In the essay, it is clear that writing about yourself or everyday experiences should never be an end in itself.

To entice the admission committee, strive to have creativity as you balance the theme with the topic. Let the topic stand out by making it not only striking but also precise and hilarious.

2. Research and think Deep

If you dig deep into the Costco essay, you will concur it is precisely written. There is no exaggeration whatsoever in the essay’s ability to win the hearts of the admission committee. Brittany showcases nothing but deep thinking, reasoning, and great research abilities. 

Even though her focus is on how her family had a shopping experience at Costco, she made it more appealing to the reader. The author gave a study of her personal experiences and the effect on her personality growth.

Brittany went against her mother’s wish to explore the sales of the store, goods, and free samples. In simple words, there is a pure reflection of the author’s passion which is a good ingredient in writing a catchy admission essay.

3. Go with a Realizable Theme

Admission essays share a lot of similarities with book reviews and poems. They both need an underlying theme to make them more informative. The Costco essay uses the theme of passion and boldness to show the commitment of the author.

Coupled with a good grasp of English and proper use of vocabulary, the essay achieved the ultimate goal of pleasing the admission. Writers need to select good vocabularies that are in line with the context of the essay.

4. Good tone

If you want to write a good admission essay, set your tone from the start. Know how to balance the tones so that you kill boredom and monotony. Know how to use formal and informal writing in your essay.

In the case of the Costco essay, Brittany’s theme was formal. Nevertheless, she also managed to squeeze in humor that does not affect the seriousness of the message. 

People Also Read: How to Censor Words in an Essay: Bad Words in Academic Papers

Costco Essay Example Topics to Write on

• The good and bad sides of Costco Company
• A favorite meal you always want to cook and share with family
• The food retailing industry in America
• A complete analysis of Costco’s retailing strategy
• Retailing and wholesaling lessons from the success of Costco 

With over 10 years in academia and academic assistance, Alicia Smart is the epitome of excellence in the writing industry. She is our chief editor and in charge of the writing department at Grade Bees.

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This essay got a high-school senior into 5 Ivy League schools and Stanford

High-school senior Brittany Stinson was accepted into five Ivy League schools — Yale, Columbia, University of Pennsylvania, Dartmouth, and Cornell.

She also got into Stanford, which has an acceptance rate of 4.69% — a lower rate than any of the Ivy League schools.

"I'm sort of still in shock. I don't think I've processed everything yet," she excitedly told Business Insider.

The Ivy League is notoriously hard to get into, as the hundreds of thousands of other applicants to the eight elite schools are well aware.

The schools Stinson was accepted into have acceptance rates ranging from 13.96% to 4.69%.

Stinson graciously shared her Common Application admissions essay with Business Insider, which we've reprinted verbatim below.

Prompt 1: Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.

Managing to break free from my mother’s grasp, I charged. With arms flailing and chubby legs fluttering beneath me, I was the ferocious two­ year old rampaging through Costco on a Saturday morning. My mother’s eyes widened in horror as I jettisoned my churro; the cinnamon­sugar rocket gracefully sliced its way through the air while I continued my spree. I sprinted through the aisles, looking up in awe at the massive bulk products that towered over me. Overcome with wonder, I wanted to touch and taste, to stick my head into industrial­sized freezers, to explore every crevice. I was a conquistador, but rather than searching the land for El Dorado, I scoured aisles for free samples. Before inevitably being whisked away into a shopping cart, I scaled a mountain of plush toys and surveyed the expanse that lay before me: the kingdom of Costco. 

Notorious for its oversized portions and dollar­fifty hot dog combo, Costco is the apex of consumerism. From the days spent being toted around in a shopping cart to when I was finally tall enough to reach lofty sample trays, Costco has endured a steady presence throughout my life. As a veteran Costco shopper, I navigate the aisles of foodstuffs, thrusting the majority of my weight upon a generously filled shopping cart whose enormity juxtaposes my small frame. Over time, I’ve developed a habit of observing fellow patrons tote their carts piled with frozen burritos, cheese puffs, tubs of ice cream, and weight­loss supplements. Perusing the aisles gave me time to ponder. Who needs three pounds of sour cream? Was cultured yogurt any more well­mannered than its uncultured counterpart? Costco gave birth to my unfettered curiosity. 

While enjoying an obligatory hot dog, I did not find myself thinking about the ‘all beef’ goodness that Costco boasted. I instead considered finitudes and infinitudes, unimagined uses for tubs of sour cream, the projectile motion of said tub when launched from an eighty foot shelf or maybe when pushed from a speedy cart by a scrawny seventeen year old. I contemplated the philosophical: If there exists a thirty­three ounce jar of Nutella, do we really have free will? I experienced a harsh physics lesson while observing a shopper who had no evident familiarity of inertia's workings. With a cart filled to overflowing, she made her way towards the sloped exit, continuing to push and push while steadily losing control until the cart escaped her and went crashing into a concrete column, 52” plasma screen TV and all. Purchasing the yuletide hickory smoked ham inevitably led to a conversation between my father and me about Andrew Jackson’s controversiality. There was no questioning Old Hickory’s dedication; he was steadfast in his beliefs and pursuits – qualities I am compelled to admire, yet his morals were crooked. We both found the ham to be more likeable–and tender.

I adopted my exploratory skills, fine tuned by Costco, towards my intellectual endeavors. Just as I sampled buffalo­chicken dip or chocolate truffles, I probed the realms of history, dance and biology, all in pursuit of the ideal cart–one overflowing with theoretical situations and notions both silly and serious. I sampled calculus, cross­country running, scientific research, all of which are now household favorites. With cart in hand, I do what scares me; I absorb the warehouse that is the world. Whether it be through attempting aerial yoga, learning how to chart blackbody radiation using astronomical software, or dancing in front of hundreds of people, I am compelled to try any activity that interests me in the slightest. 

My intense desire to know, to explore beyond the bounds of rational thought; this is what defines me. Costco fuels my insatiability and cultivates curiosity within me at a cellular level. Encoded to immerse myself in the unknown, I find it difficult to complacently accept the “what”; I want to hunt for the “whys” and dissect the “hows”. In essence, I subsist on discovery.

Watch: Here's what Costco looked like when it opened in 1983 and the annual membership was $25

• Main content

Why The Costco Essay Is Crucial Reading for Future College Applicants (And Also Why It's Not)

Founder and Chief Advisor at College Essay Advisors and Creator of College Essay Academy

By now you have probably heard about or read the college essay by high schooler Brittany Stinson detailing how her routine trips to Costco shaped her life and world. In the piece, now officially at viral status , Stinson paints a vivid picture of how wandering up and down the aisles at her favorite big box store inspired her to ponder the addictive nature of Nutella, imagine physics experiments involving 3-pound tubs of sour cream and converse with her father about historical figures who share their aliases with giant hams . The essay is clever, warm and highly observant and introspective. If Costco is a kingdom, as Brittany claims, she is currently its reigning Queen.

Every year around acceptance time college essays of successful applicants are published (and then shared and reshared) for both the admiration and dissection of students, parents, journalists and admissions experts. Publications like USA Today , Refinery29 and even People latched onto this year's acceptance story, most of them acknowledging Stinson's writing prowess, and many focusing even more on the accomplishments purportedly made possible by such a stellar submission .

The Business Insider piece that originally introduced Stinson's essay to the world framed her success in their title: "This Essay Got a High School Senior Into 5 Ivy League Schools and Stanford." As a college essay expert and advisor, I would love to be able to tell you that a college essay can get you into the school of your dreams. But the truth is, a wide array of factors are considered in admissions decisions and the essay is just one of them. And media attention that focuses exclusively on students who gain admission to multiple Ivy League Institutions sends the wrong message to students (and parents) about what is important and why they should pay attention to Stinson's writing.

Stinson's essay was not her ticket to admission. It was a thoughtfully crafted, brilliantly executed piece of a very complex puzzle. Still, the college essay is a highly significant piece of the puzzle in that it is one of the only opportunities students have to speak to admissions officers in their own voices and highlight something about their personalities or passions that allows them to stand our from other, similarly qualified candidates.

So what should students and parents take away from the Costco essay? Here are a few things Stinson did right that you want to try and emulate in your own essay:

Be specific . The lively scene Stinson paints is so compelling because of the incredible number of details she includes about her Costco experience. She contemplates other patrons' selections, describing "carts piled with frozen burritos, cheese puffs, tubs of ice cream, and weight ¬loss supplements." She recounts the tale of a shopper "losing control until the cart escaped her and went crashing into a concrete column, 52" plasma screen TV and all." Even the opening portrait of Stinson as a two year-old losing her churro (it "gracefully sliced its way through the air while I continued my spree") in her race to explore the aisles piques the reader's interest and establishes Stinson as an energized explorer of an exciting world we might have once viewed as mundane. The inclusion of these observations also substantiates the claims the writer ultimately makes about herself. They're the key component of the "show, don't tell" approach and are much more powerful, concrete demonstrations of her character than a sentence that simply says, "I have always been curious." Connect your topic to your larger personality qualities and characteristics. This essay about Costco is not really about Costco. It is about Stinson's intellectual curiosity, her untamable imagination and her ability to link these qualities back to one place in her life where those qualities revealed themselves. She writes:

"Just as I sampled buffalo¬ chicken dip or chocolate truffles, I probed the realms of history, dance and biology, all in pursuit of the ideal cart-one overflowing with theoretical situations and notions both silly and serious. I sampled calculus, cross¬ country running, scientific research, all of which are now household favorites."

Stinson's desire to taste all life had to offer is clearly not relegated to formerly-frozen food served up in tiny Solo cups.

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Lean into your voice. Just like a seventeen year-old leans into a fully-stacked Costco shopping cart. By the time admissions reads your essay they know many things about you, but they don't know what it would be like to sit in a room and have a conversation with you. Reading Stinson's essay, you get a sense of her lightness and humor. She isn't stiff or fake. She seems both genuine and genuinely like a person you want to be around. This is accomplished by trusting your instincts and writing in a way that feels natural to you. Maybe the following lines, amusing as they are, do not sound like things you would say or write: "Perusing the aisles gave me time to ponder. Who needs three pounds of sour cream? Was cultured yogurt any more well ¬mannered than its uncultured counterpart?"

Fret not and trust yourself. You will find the words that sound like you.

Notice how none of this advice suggests you "write in metaphors" or "search for weird topics." For all the good that can come out of combing through Stinson's carefully crafted words, there is a danger in leaning too heavily on essay examples of former applicants.

Students can be easily spooked by stellar admissions essays, especially when these applicants are in the vulnerable position of trying to get their own personal perspectives out of their subconscious and onto the page. It can be discouraging to compare your earliest ideas and drafts to final, edited masterpieces. "What if I'm boring?" they tend to ask themselves. "What if I can't figure out how to write about why I am just like a toaster oven or how my trips to Costco changed my life and worldview?"

This is why it is crucial to internalize that this Costco essay represents just one example of an approach that might work in a winning admissions essay. It worked for Stinson because this style allowed her to honestly and creatively represent her passions, thought processes, quick wit and blooming imagination. Put the strategies in your shopping cart and keep moving down the aisles. After a lot of brainstorming, some careful contemplation, and maybe even a Costco ice cream cone or two (to fuel brainpower, obviously), you'll know when you've found the right combination of topic, voice and style, be they oversized or a bit more subdued. Then it's time to hit the checkout counter and bring it all home.

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Essay About Love for Costco Wins Student Admission to Five Ivies

A college essay about one teen's drive to explore life — as well as her deep and abiding love for Costco — has won over admissions counselors at six of the most prestigious schools in the U.S.

Brittany Stinson, an 18-year-old senior at Concord High School in Wilmington, Delaware, found out last week that she got into five Ivy League universities — Yale, Columbia, University of Pennsylvania, Dartmouth, and Cornell — as well as the similarly competitive Stanford.

Stinson, the only child of Terry and Joe Stinson, neither of whom are Ivy League nor Stanford graduates themselves, wants to be a doctor, and her mother says she has always been a strong student.

Special section: Get tips and advice about college at College Game Plan

“She’s always gotten straight As, takes the most rigorous courses she can, and is first in her class,” Terry Stinson, a Brazilian immigrant who became an American citizen only a few years ago, told NBC News.

Aside from her academics, Stinson's unusual essay made her college application stand out.

In response to the essay question, which asks students to share a "background, identity, interest or talent that is so meaningful," their application would be incomplete without it, Stinson described her admiration for America's largest wholesale warehouse — and how "the kingdom of Costco" was symbolic of so much more in her life.

“Just as I sampled buffalo ­chicken dip or chocolate truffles, I probed the realms of history, dance and biology, all in pursuit of the ideal cart–one overflowing with theoretical situations and notions both silly and serious,” she wrote. “I sampled calculus, cross-­country running, scientific research, all of which are now household favorites. With cart in hand, I do what scares me; I absorb the warehouse that is the world.”

Writing about Costco felt natural to her, she told NBC News.

“I had always gone to Costco while growing up. It was a constant part of my childhood. I Iooked forward to trips on the weekends, and I had always treated it as a Disneyland of sorts. I was always curious about the place. The same attitude carried over to everything I tried in life,” she said.

While it was risky to write about something so outlandish, Stinson felt like she needed something to stand out amid other applicants with similar grades, extracurriculars, and SAT scores.

“I couldn’t afford to go via the traditional route. I would actually be more worried about taking a traditional route at the risk of blending in with other applicants,” Stinson said. “I knew that writing about my experiences at Costco would at least make for a memorable essay, whether [admissions committees] loved or hated it. On another hand, I felt that the essay ended up being such an accurate representation of me and my personality.”

Related: After Bouncing Between Foster Homes, Golf Caddie Gets Full Ride to College

Stinson’s father, Joe, said he believes his daughter’s greatest strengths are “her fortitude and tenacity, to choose among many.” Her English teacher for the past two years, Leslie Wagner of Concord High School, says writing is one of those strengths too.

“Brittany has always had a knack for finding just the right phrase. She has a quiet demeanor overall, but in her writing her wit and her skill with language is quite apparent,” Wagner told NBC News.

Now, Stinson has a tough choice ahead of her. She said she has “no clue” which of the universities that admitted her she will choose.

“Admitted student day visits are going to be so vital. We’ll also be comparing financial aid packages,” she said.

Read Brittany Stinson's full essay below, reprinted with her permission:

Managing to break free from my mother’s grasp, I charged. With arms flailing and chubby legs fluttering beneath me, I was the ferocious two­ year old rampaging through Costco on a Saturday morning. My mother’s eyes widened in horror as I jettisoned my churro; the cinnamon­-sugar rocket gracefully sliced its way through the air while I continued my spree. I sprinted through the aisles, looking up in awe at the massive bulk products that towered over me. Overcome with wonder, I wanted to touch and taste, to stick my head into industrial­sized freezers, to explore every crevice. I was a conquistador, but rather than searching the land for El Dorado, I scoured aisles for free samples. Before inevitably being whisked away into a shopping cart, I scaled a mountain of plush toys and surveyed the expanse that lay before me: the kingdom of Costco.

Notorious for its oversized portions and dollar-­fifty hot dog combo, Costco is the apex of consumerism. From the days spent being toted around in a shopping cart to when I was finally tall enough to reach lofty sample trays, Costco has endured a steady presence throughout my life. As a veteran Costco shopper, I navigate the aisles of foodstuffs, thrusting the majority of my weight upon a generously filled shopping cart whose enormity juxtaposes my small frame. Over time, I’ve developed a habit of observing fellow patrons tote their carts piled with frozen burritos, cheese puffs, tubs of ice cream, and weight-­loss supplements. Perusing the aisles gave me time to ponder. Who needs three pounds of sour cream? Was cultured yogurt any more well­-mannered than its uncultured counterpart? Costco gave birth to my unfettered curiosity.

While enjoying an obligatory hot dog, I did not find myself thinking about the ‘all beef’ goodness that Costco boasted. I instead considered finitudes and infinitudes, unimagined uses for tubs of sour cream, the projectile motion of said tub when launched from an eighty foot shelf or maybe when pushed from a speedy cart by a scrawny seventeen year old. I contemplated the philosophical: If there exists a thirty-­three ounce jar of Nutella, do we really have free will? I experienced a harsh physics lesson while observing a shopper who had no evident familiarity of inertia's workings. With a cart filled to overflowing, she made her way towards the sloped exit, continuing to push and push while steadily losing control until the cart escaped her and went crashing into a concrete column, 52” plasma screen TV and all. Purchasing the yuletide hickory smoked ham inevitably led to a conversation between my father and me about Andrew Jackson’s controversiality. There was no questioning Old Hickory’s dedication; he was steadfast in his beliefs and pursuits – qualities I am compelled to admire, yet his morals were crooked. We both found the ham to be more likeable–and tender.

I adopted my exploratory skills, fine tuned by Costco, towards my intellectual endeavors. Just as I sampled buffalo­-chicken dip or chocolate truffles, I probed the realms of history, dance and biology, all in pursuit of the ideal cart–one overflowing with theoretical situations and notions both silly and serious. I sampled calculus, cross­-country running, scientific research, all of which are now household favorites. With cart in hand, I do what scares me; I absorb the warehouse that is the world. Whether it be through attempting aerial yoga, learning how to chart blackbody radiation using astronomical software, or dancing in front of hundreds of people, I am compelled to try any activity that interests me in the slightest.

My intense desire to know, to explore beyond the bounds of rational thought; this is what defines me. Costco fuels my insatiability and cultivates curiosity within me at a cellular level. Encoded to immerse myself in the unknown, I find it difficult to complacently accept the “what”; I want to hunt for the “whys” and dissect the “hows”. In essence, I subsist on discovery.

[Updated] A Teen Got Into 5 Ivy League Schools With This College Essay About Costco

" If there exists a 33 ounce jar of Nutella, do we really have free will."

High school senior Brittany Stinson wrote about her passion in her college essay, and it got her into five Ivy League schools.

Her passion just happens to be wholesale warehouse Costco. 

The prompt instructed applicants to write about "a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it." So, Brittany wrote about trips to Costco with her family, and now her essay is going viral.

"Costco has endured a steady presence throughout my life ... I was a conquistador, but rather than searching the land for El Dorado, I scoured aisles for free samples. Before inevitably being whisked away into a shopping cart, I scaled a mountain of plush toys and surveyed the expanse that lay before me: the kingdom of Costco," she writes in the essay , reprinted with her permission on Business Insider . " Perusing the aisles gave me time to ponder. Who needs three pounds of sour cream? Was cultured yogurt any more well­mannered than its uncultured counterpart? Costco gave birth to my unfettered curiosity."

Brittany, who in addition to being a great writer is also a straight-A student, told NBC News she doesn't know yet which school she'll attend but that she wants to be a doctor. Brittany was accepted to Yale, Columbia, University of Pennsylvania, Dartmouth, and Cornell — as well as Stanford.

"I had always gone to Costco while growing up. It was a constant part of my childhood. I Iooked forward to trips on the weekends, and I had always treated it as a Disneyland of sorts," she told the outlet. "I was always curious about the place. The same attitude carried over to everything I tried in life." 

We'll leave you with this deep nugget from the essay: 

" If there exists a thirty­three ounce jar of Nutella, do we really have free will."

Update 4:25 p.m.:  A Costco spokesperson tells Seventeen.com: "We are flattered that Brittany would choose Costco as the backdrop for her entrance essay and wish her the very best as she considers these exceptional universities."

Kate Storey is the author of White House by the Sea: A Century of the Kennedys at Hyannis Port and the senior features editor at Rolling Stone . She was previously a staff writer at Esquire , where she covered culture and politics, and has written long-form profiles and narrative features for Vanity Fair , Marie Claire , Town & Country , and other publications. 

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Costco & The Art of the College Essay

Updated: Sep 20, 2019

Business Insider : Brittany Stinson, a Delaware high-school senior who was accepted at five Ivy League universities as well as Stanford, Northwestern, Johns Hopkins, NYU and BU, says she’s “a shy person.” Yes, she has a 4.9 GPA (weighted), speaks fluent Portuguese, and has presented research at MIT. She also wrote a great essay, with a surprising focus: Costco. It’s well worth reading, and proof positive that ostensibly ordinary life experiences can be turned into extraordinary college admissions essays:

Prompt 1: Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.

Managing to break free from my mother’s grasp, I charged. With arms flailing and chubby legs fluttering beneath me, I was the ferocious two­ year old rampaging through Costco on a Saturday morning. My mother’s eyes widened in horror as I jettisoned my churro; the cinnamon­sugar rocket gracefully sliced its way through the air while I continued my spree. I sprinted through the aisles, looking up in awe at the massive bulk products that towered over me. Overcome with wonder, I wanted to touch and taste, to stick my head into industrial­sized freezers, to explore every crevice. I was a conquistador, but rather than searching the land for El Dorado, I scoured aisles for free samples. Before inevitably being whisked away into a shopping cart, I scaled a mountain of plush toys and surveyed the expanse that lay before me: the kingdom of Costco.

Notorious for its oversized portions and dollar­fifty hot dog combo, Costco is the apex of consumerism. From the days spent being toted around in a shopping cart to when I was finally tall enough to reach lofty sample trays, Costco has endured a steady presence throughout my life. As a veteran Costco shopper, I navigate the aisles of foodstuffs, thrusting the majority of my weight upon a generously filled shopping cart whose enormity juxtaposes my small frame. Over time, I’ve developed a habit of observing fellow patrons tote their carts piled with frozen burritos, cheese puffs, tubs of ice cream, and weight­loss supplements. Perusing the aisles gave me time to ponder. Who needs three pounds of sour cream? Was cultured yogurt any more well­mannered than its uncultured counterpart? Costco gave birth to my unfettered curiosity.

While enjoying an obligatory hot dog, I did not find myself thinking about the ‘all beef’ goodness that Costco boasted. I instead considered finitudes and infinitudes, unimagined uses for tubs of sour cream, the projectile motion of said tub when launched from an eighty foot shelf or maybe when pushed from a speedy cart by a scrawny seventeen year old. I contemplated the philosophical: If there exists a thirty­three ounce jar of Nutella, do we really have free will? I experienced a harsh physics lesson while observing a shopper who had no evident familiarity of inertia’s workings. With a cart filled to overflowing, she made her way towards the sloped exit, continuing to push and push while steadily losing control until the cart escaped her and went crashing into a concrete column, 52” plasma screen TV and all. Purchasing the yuletide hickory smoked ham inevitably led to a conversation between my father and me about Andrew Jackson’s controversiality. There was no questioning Old Hickory’s dedication; he was steadfast in his beliefs and pursuits – qualities I am compelled to admire, yet his morals were crooked. We both found the ham to be more likeable–and tender.

I adopted my exploratory skills, fine tuned by Costco, towards my intellectual endeavors. Just as I sampled buffalo­chicken dip or chocolate truffles, I probed the realms of history, dance and biology, all in pursuit of the ideal cart–one overflowing with theoretical situations and notions both silly and serious. I sampled calculus, cross­country running, scientific research, all of which are now household favorites. With cart in hand, I do what scares me; I absorb the warehouse that is the world. Whether it be through attempting aerial yoga, learning how to chart blackbody radiation using astronomical software, or dancing in front of hundreds of people, I am compelled to try any activity that interests me in the slightest.

My intense desire to know, to explore beyond the bounds of rational thought; this is what defines me. Costco fuels my insatiability and cultivates curiosity within me at a cellular level. Encoded to immerse myself in the unknown, I find it difficult to complacently accept the “what”; I want to hunt for the “whys” and dissect the “hows”. In essence, I subsist on discovery.

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