<p>I've been really struggling to come up with something to write about for my common app essay. Recently, I've had the idea to write about the struggles I've had because I'm not religious in a community where the majority of people attend church at least once a week. I could fit it into either the first or second essay prompt (background/story central to identity or reaching adulthood). It wouldn't be about me rejecting the idea of a god, but about me learning to deal with adversity maturely and tactfully. Would this be okay, or could it offend admission officers?</p>
<p>Btw, my first choice school in located in a city in a very liberal state.</p>
<p>At the end of the day, your essay should tell colleges something about you as a student that makes them want you. If your essay develops the idea of how you’ve learned (for instance) how to look at all sides of issues even when those around you are not open to looking at things from different perspectives then I think you are fine. Just prove your point about freedom to investigate and decide for yourself (if that is your point) by not referring to others who do follow religion in a derogatory way. Just make it more about how you’ve learned to approach life issues in more mature way and less about religion itself (IMO).</p>
<p>I don’t think it is a very good topic particularly, it gets mentioned fairly often here, but it won’t offend anyone. I think it is very hard for a high school student to write well about such a topic, just think of the similar things that anyone else would likely say too. But if you do, scmom12 makes good points.</p>
<p>A lot of high-school seniors seem to worry that atheism is too controversial. Indeed, if any of them had any inkling how many seniors worry that the topic is too controversial, they’d stop worrying!</p>
<p>I am inclined to agree that the topic itself is neither remarkably good nor remarkably bad. This isn’t surprising, since almost all applicants’ essay topics are neither remarkably good nor remarkably bad. What matters is the execution. And I think scmom gave you some good advice about that.</p>