<p>Prompt: In 50-100 words, briefly explain how you decided which activity was the most important to you.</p>
<p>"My involvement in theatre has had an enormous impact on my life. It taught me to come out of my shell and not be afraid to show who I am, in front of a crowd or otherwise. It introduced me to some of the greatest people I have ever known. I gained skills in theatre, such as writing and performing, but more importantly I grew as a person. If it werent for the things I learned and the people I met in my theatre program, I would not be the person I am today."</p>
<p>Any thoughts? I know it's extremely short, but it's 94 words which is almost the limit. Thank you so much!</p>
<p>Ask yourself- did I answer the HOW…question? If so, you’re within the word limit and good to go. Do not ruin your efforts for a brief statement based on what strangers here say. Do not stress out about your response. Have confidence in yourself.</p>
<p>I think your essay is pretty broad. Anyone who acted in high school could have wrote those things, to be honest. You wrote about how it affected you, but not how you chose it. Say something about the moment when you realized you wanted to dedicate the majority of your time to acting, and then maybe say a bit about how it affected you or how you’ve dedicated time to it. This is at least what I did, but since I am applying this year as well, I don’t know if it will be successful</p>
<p>I think it is generic sounding. You tell, but you don’t show and it does seem that if you answer the How question, you can get into specifics. I realize you don’t have much space, but it is worth it to try to find more impactful words.</p>
<p>We don’t get who ‘the person you are today’ is. instead of saying that, why not say ‘it made me x, y or z’?</p>
<p>Update! I tried to make it less generic and more descriptive. Any thoughts are welcome and helpful, and thanks in advance</p>
<p>“My experiences in my high school theater have had a profound impact on me. I was a four time cast member and nine time crew member in my school theater’s productions. I was also an active member of a specialized theater group, the Conflict Resolution Crew, dedicated to mentoring middle school students and promoting acceptance in our school and community through team-building and the production of original plays dedicated to real-life issues. Making a contribution to my community coupled with the skills, confidence, and wonderful friends I have gained, has made theatre the most important activity to me.”</p>
<p>(98 words)</p>
<p>Sounds good to go. Do you see the difference? Your second statement tells us a lot more about you as an individual.</p>
<p>Yeah, definitely. Thanks for the input on the first one, I was really unsure about it and now I’m glad I changed it. If only I could get the other two statements done now…</p>
<p>[Application</a> Tip Sheet - Office of Admissions at the University of Wisconsin-Madison](<a href=“http://www.admissions.wisc.edu/appTipSheet.php]Application”>http://www.admissions.wisc.edu/appTipSheet.php)</p>