<p>For the common app essay, is it better to choose your own topic and focus on a single event instead of a general overview? Because I find it hard trying to fit in my ECs and stuff if I just talk about a single incident.</p>
<p>ECs are explained in another part of the application, and you shouldn't rehash them in the essay anyway. You want the essay to explain something about you that the adcoms wouldn't know otherwise.</p>