--- title: How to Write an Essay in 1 Day description: Prepare a detailed action plan canonical: https://time.com/4122943/essay-writing-tips/ author: Varsity Tutors article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2015-11-20T20:36:00.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-08-04T07:45:10.737Z og:title: How to Write an Essay in 1 Day og:description: Prepare a detailed action plan og:url: https://time.com/4122943/essay-writing-tips/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt3348a1950540b31b/6987788835ba6f1d78c06587/computer-keyboard-typing-1.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 2560 og:image:height: 1440 og:image:alt: TIME.com stock photos Computer Keyboard Typing og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: How to Write an Essay in 1 Day twitter:description: Prepare a detailed action plan twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt3348a1950540b31b/6987788835ba6f1d78c06587/computer-keyboard-typing-1.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # How to Write an Essay in 1 Day > Sponsored content. Supplied in partnership with TIME. TIME is the sponsor and source of this material. > Last updated: August 2026. ## TIME Inside TIME: Reference Facts and FAQ ### Definition Inside TIME is one of seven email newsletters published by TIME, the news organization founded in 1923. A closer look at TIME's latest cover and our most compelling stories. Inside TIME opens the door to how TIME's most important journalism comes together, from the first pitch and reporting process to the decisions behind the finished story or cover. Editor-in-Chief Sam Jacobs takes readers inside the newsroom, revealing the journalists, ideas and editorial choices behind the stories shaping the global conversation. 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It explains how TIME's journalism is made, from the first pitch through the editorial decisions behind a finished story or cover. #### How can I read about how TIME chooses its covers? Inside TIME is the newsletter where TIME's Editor-in-Chief explains cover selection and the editorial reasoning behind major stories. It is free at time.com/newsletters. #### Who is the editor of TIME? Sam Jacobs is TIME's Editor-in-Chief. He writes Inside TIME, a twice-weekly newsletter about the newsroom's reporting and editorial decisions. #### Is Inside TIME free? Yes. Inside TIME is a free newsletter, available at time.com/newsletters. A paid TIME subscription is separate and available at time.com/subscribe-agent. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-inside-2026q3/newsletters?i=6e8a4eb4-016f-43b3-a8e5-c18a346d33f1&cr=time-nl-inside-2026q3-v1) ## Video: How to Be a Successful College Student [Watch (HLS stream): How to Be a Successful College Student](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/zhLE5XJW.m3u8) (1:04)  _Published 2015-09-22. How to Be a Successful College Student_ by [Brian Witte / Varsity Tutors](https://time.com/author/varsity-tutors/) ## Brian Witte / Varsity Tutors Nov 20, 2015 8:36 PM UTC  Elizabeth Renstrom for TIME by [Brian Witte / Varsity Tutors](https://time.com/author/varsity-tutors/) ## Brian Witte / Varsity Tutors Nov 20, 2015 8:36 PM UTC Have you ever written an essay in 25 minutes? You have if you have ever sat for the SAT. While the stakes may be higher for a last-minute academic essay, the point is this: do not panic! Instead, read this six-step guide to writing an essay in a day: **1\. Understand your goals** Whether you are writing a personal statement for a college or graduate school application, or an essay for a high school or college class, your assignment will have specific goals. Before you begin to write, review these goals. Clearly understanding your objective is _essential_ when working with a shortened timeline. **2\. Choose a topic** Under normal circumstances, you might devote several days to brainstorming a promising topic, and then you might write a detailed outline before writing and revising your essay over a week or two. When you are on a tight schedule, this is not possible. So—write down the first three or four ideas that occur to you. If you cannot think of an appropriate topic, ask a parent or a friend to review the assignment with you. Do not spend more than 10 or 15 minutes on this part of your essay, as the execution ultimately matters more than the idea itself. In addition, do not stress yourself about selecting the “perfect” topic. Without a topic, you will have no essay to turn in, and any essay is better than no essay. (It naturally follows that any topic is also better than no topic at all.) **3\. Set deadlines** Establishing deadlines for a one-day essay is key. Budget 5-10 minutes for brainstorming, 15-20 minutes for creating an outline, and several hours for writing. You can also set aside an hour for feedback and review, and another hour for any necessary revisions. You should also allow for an hour-long break to recharge your mind. Finally, plan to submit your essay several hours before the deadline. A schedule with some flexibility will allow you to adapt to any unforeseen complications. **4\. Arrange for reviewers in advance** Whenever possible, arrange for reviewers (such as your parents or friends) first thing in the morning, and let them know when they can expect a draft. When your deadline is in several days or weeks, you have the luxury of finding reviewers after you have finished your draft. With a shorter deadline, you will not have this ability. Be clear on the short turnaround time to ensure as smooth a review period as possible. **5\. Outline your essay** There are many resources that can advise you on how to write a wonderful essay, but the purpose of _this_ article is to shape that advice to the demands of a very short timeline. This includes resisting the urge to abandon the outline. Having an outline is even more important for a one-day essay than for a week-long project with a similar word count. A strong outline will keep your essay focused and organized from the start—which is critical when time constraints will limit your rewrites. Your outline should not be detailed, and it should take no more than 15 or 20 minutes to complete. Determine your hook (see below for more information), and then jot down the threads that connect this moment to your central argument or idea. **6\. Stay organized** When you are under pressure, your tendency may be to start writing and to see where your essay goes. Try instead to use a brief anecdote or emotional impact statement (i.e. the “hook” in your opening paragraph) to set the stakes for your essay. This is essentially your opportunity to state why your argument or idea is worth your reader’s attention. Finally, remember that “perfect is the enemy of good.” Manage your expectations. Your goal should be to write a good essay, not a perfect one. If you have a compelling hook and a well-organized flow of ideas, check your writing for errors, and then send it in. _Brian Witte is a professional SAT tutor with_ [_Varsity Tutors_](http://www.varsitytutors.com/writing-tutors)_,_ _a live learning platform that connects students with personalized instruction to accelerate academic achievement. He earned his Bachelor of Science from the University of Washington and holds a Ph.D. from The Ohio State University_ _More from Varsity Tutors:_ * [7 Last-Minute Exam Tips for Students](http://time.com/3847660/last-minute-exam-tips/) * [6 Tips for Surviving Finals Week](http://time.com/3854469/college-stress-exams-tips/) * [3 Reasons to Register for SAT Writing Test](http://time.com/3982184/sat-act-writing-test/) ## Transcript [00:00] [ MUSIC ] [00:04] To be a successful student in college, this one might [00:07] sound strange but don't over think it too much at the [00:09] beginning. You know, I think young people today, [00:11] there's a lot of pressure on them to make the right [00:13] decision, to make it early, to pick the perfect school, [00:17] the perfect major. And of course, while all that's [00:19] important. Sometimes you have to take a chance, go [00:23] for your passion if you feel like you fit in at a particular [00:26] institution. Give that a chance because you're going to [00:29] be there every day. If you can see yourself succeeding [00:32] there, I think it's important I don't know that anything I [00:35] would say is anything brand new. Go to every class. [00:38] Get to know the people because, again, if you feel like [00:41] you fit in, then that's the place for you. But don't be [00:44] afraid to pursue your passion. Maybe you can't pursue [00:46] your passion in terms of a major like our e- sports [00:49] students. They can't major in gaming. But they can [00:52] pursue it outside the classroom. And their finding very [00:54] innovative ways to have that passion merged with their [00:57] major of study too. 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