Today I decided to get a start on looking at and prepping for the common application. I read over the essay prompts, and this particular one stuck out to me.
“Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.”
I immediately thought of when I realized that I am an atheist back in my freshman year. This truly is a huge part of my identity. It has shaped my values, my moral principles, my political beliefs etc. That being said, is religion (or in this case non religion) too touchy of a subject to talk about in a college essay?
I don’t think that religion/non religion is a touchy subject, and should be discussed more. our society has made it a touchy subject. I think that it depends on how you go about writing it into your essay.
No it isn’t that touchy, but your topic isn’t too original. I wonder can you make it sounds different than another student having the same epiphany? I have seen it come up several times here. If you have something actionable to discuss then likely you can.
First, you don’t want your essay to be “up in the clouds” to the point where it doesn’t say anything about you. Admissions officers won’t find value in your attempts to philosophize, no matter what you believe.
Second, atheism is a position on a single issue and doesn’t have a lot of content on its own. There isn’t anything about the definition of atheism that would prevent you from being superstitious, misanthropic, and unreasonable at the same time. You probably derive your moral views from humanism, not atheism in itself.
Overall, I would recommend writing about a specific experience that exemplifies your principles.
I sort of wrote about being an atheist, but that was because it tied into a lot of my high school experience. My mother is Jewish and my father a (non-practicing) Catholic, but I was raised neither. I ended up choosing to go to a private Catholic high school despite being an atheist, and had a reasonably interesting experience. I didn’t write so much about being an atheist because those experiences are neither unique nor particularly interesting, but I did tie it in a bit to some of what I did (I taught Catholic education at a local parish as a Catechist) as well as what I’ve gone through in my life and how it’s shaped me.
Don’t write about an atheist just to write about coming to a sudden epiphany that caused some great loss of faith. It’s not unique and it doesn’t add anything about your life. Also, it might give the admissions officers the wrong idea. A lot of the New Atheist movement is anti-theistic, Islamophobic, and sort of pseudo-intellectual.
If you have something valuable to write about such as how you dealt with being an atheist in a highly religious family or environment, your essay might have a very strong topic and a central theme. Religion (or lack thereof) is a relatively generic topic though. Best of luck!
The issue with atheist essays is often that the kid presents it as a big, important, defiant step; as mic said, a renunciation. Thus, reactive. And the only point made is that the kid is an atheist- which has little to offer an adcom.
OP, how has it shaped your values? You’ve become active in issues or helping others, empowered to do positive work because of this? You have something to “show” for it, not just “tell?”
Yes, following up on @lookingforward, maybe you could use it as a starting point for your essay, and then take it in a unique or unexpected direction that shows what an amazing learner you will be!
If possible, I would avoid religion and politics.
I would try to keep the essay noncontroversial, and wouldn’t push political or religious views, particularly atheism. In is fine to talk about how you volunteer in your church or whatever. If it is a school with a strong religious orientation, then fine to discuss how your religion fits in with it. Also, if your religion is similar but not the same as the religion of the school, then it might be good to discuss why the school fits in with your religious beliefs.
It might be good to indicate political activities, particularly if they imply political connections, but I would get into political views, particularly controversial ones.