Advice for Essay Topics

College Essays
1

Hi everyone! I’m a rising senior beginning the college application process. I have a few common app essay ideas in mind but I’m not sure which is best…

  1. How many people refer to me as the “whitest” black and how i have come to resent the term. I want to show how I don’t have to fit an archetype to be considered black.
  2. My large curly hair as an identity. In the past I straightened my hair very often. I want to show how I have evolved from trying to blend in to being who I truly am.
  3. Veganism. I want to show how being vegan has transformed my view of the world and has made me more compassionate and considerate of other people.
  4. I have a condition called hyperhidrosis. It used to hinder me from going out and being social and I want to show how I have grown to become more confident and outgoing.
2

1 or 2
3
4
Pretty much the order you listed, but I’m a 66-year-old white male [albeit a Reedie] so take my views for what they may or may not be worth to you. Can you blend 1 and 2?

3

I think 2 could make an interesting essay

4

True self. Clear and flowing. Not cutesy and contorted. Easy to read and held the reader to get a glimpse of you beyond the scores.

Yes to you. #2 and parts of #1.

No to negativity. Resentfulness. No. Leading you to understanding and perhaps forgiveness.

No to comparative Vegan diet leading to a unique perspective on the world. Unless it’s your life calling and best represents the full you. To me it’s a diet choice and a component of you. Anyone can be a vegan. Even a jerk.

No to disease stories. It’s perhaps in an essay prompt about overcoming obstacles or the sort. It also does not define or describe you. Nice people have it. And jerks have it. I can’t tell which describes you from a story of overcoming this obstacle.

I really like the idea of your hair as an extension and representation of your freedom to choose. Your race or hair are visible but not defining. That’s inside. And you choose to move freely and counterintuitively between many worlds.

5

@privatebanker thank you!

6

@kittrailor

  1. Could be good, especially if you are thoughtful and original in your handling of the subject. Sounds interesting and unique.

  2. Being who you truly are sounds a little cliche. The hair part could be interesting, but don’t reduce your essay to cliches.

  3. No. Has too much potential for sounding sanctimonious.

  4. Not as compelling as 1.

7

Hi! I don’t know if you’ve already made a decision but I think 1 and 4 are both very interesting (or even a combo of 1 & 2 together like some have mentioned). I honestly think as long as your super passionate about whatever it is you’re talking about, it tends to come through in the writing and gives an amazing essay. So whatever it is, make sure it’s something your so passionate about that you just want to scream it at everyone (that’s what I did for mine – I just talked about how I felt like space discovery was so important and so often overlooked).

8

Read the tips at the top of the essay forum. Being super passionate isn’t always going to help you, especially if you skip into cliches and generalizations.