<p>Is it just me or is everyone finding it rather difficult to "describe your intellectual evolution" in 250 words or less? </p>
<p>Don't answer this if you don't want (b/c I guess we are all competing against eachother), but how are you guys kind of going about that? I've had a blank word document titled "Academic Interest Essays" open for the past 2 weeks, lol, and I'm just not findning the right way to start. I have the common app essay all wrapped up but this one is giving me problems for whatever reason (lol). Am I overanalyzing this?</p>
<p>I think it really depends if you have one that you can write about that doesn't come off as ********. I'm personally having a harder time with the second essay because I'm applying to ILR so I think that they're going to be a little more selective and scrutinize the essays a little more. 250 words is definitely a tough limit for both essays.</p>
<p>try writing from the perspective of someone else writing about your interests. It takes the "high stakes" out of the process and is a great way to start getting your ideas down. You will end up with more than 250 words, and can then rewrite it more efficiantly from your own perspective, and even pear it down. Sometimes beautiful paragraphs have to go because they aren't necessary.</p>