As a future senior i’m starting to consider what i should do for my college essay. I am applying to Columbia, Princeton, Drexel, and Syracuse through the Common App and one of their essays is “Describe a problem you’ve solved or a problem you’d like to solve. It can be an intellectual challenge, a research query, an ethical dilemma - anything that is of personal importance, no matter the scale. Explain its significance to you and what steps you took or could be taken to identify a solution.” I am really wanting to talk about having periods of anxiety during my high school years, how it has changed my perception of life, and how i learned that sometimes “all work, no play, and no sleep makes me an anxiety-filled girl.” While figuring out the contents this essay would take a lot more time and thought, do you think this topic would be a good basis for the essay?
No, don’t do it. All you will do is draw attention to something that might make them question your ability handle the stresses of college. Do you want them to view you as an anxious person, or as a person who has something more to offer than a potential problem?
You can find something more interesting than this. How about something that you did in the past four years. Something concrete.
My gut feeling (based on the readings i do here and elsewhere), this topic (or any topic that focuses on emotional issues) will not resonate with admissions counselors.
Dog-piling on: college essays are therapy sessions, they are about adding color commentary to the dry stats of your narrative. And if this
is still has any truth for you, you might re-think what kinds of colleges you apply to. Some of those on your list are pretty well known for making even people without anxiety issues anxious- and there will definitely be periods of all work/no play/no sleep. Another poster just recently wrote about his daughter who is just now graduating from a tippy-top college. In hindsight he thinks that getting in was easier than getting through- she nearly suspended b/c the stress was getting overwhelming. Pretty sure you will blow this off (optimism is a wonderful thing…) but please- do think about it.
I’m pretty sure @collegemom3717 meant to write
“college essays are NOT therapy sessions”
If just HS made you anxious, the AdComms may doubt that you can handle college.
ack! thank you @GMTplus7 - I definitely meant that they are NOT therapy sessions 
I can understand how anxiety can pull someone down, but since it is your college essay I don’t think it is a good idea to project that yourself as anxiety ridden student. The admission officers will be looking for candidates who can handle the stress of college life.
I wouldn’t because it could make you a weaker candidate - I think you should right about something that makes you, you, not a negative emotion.
I’ll be honest. Most students in high-stress, selective colleges suffer some form of anxiety when they arrive on campus - whether from a large workload, the pressure of competing with kids that are just as good (if not better than you), sudden changes in lifestyle, etc.
Admission officers are aware of student stress in competitive environments. As they read essays, they are hoping to find students that will thrive on campus - not necessarily kids that will coast by without a bump in the road, but who will be equipped to face challenges that will ultimately come their way.
Keeping that in mind: if you have not overcome your anxiety yet, don’t write about it. And even if you have: most kids have anxiety and that alone would not differentiate you from thousands of applicants. I believe you must have a unique experience of your own that has shaped your work ethic and perception of life. Try writing about that. Feel free to PM me if you need someone to look over a draft!
Moreover, as I believe someone else mentioned in a similar thread the other day, even if you present your essay as being about how you overcame your anxiety, be aware that if you have a legitimate anxiety issue, it could easily return in college even if it’s under control right now.