I have been riding horses since I was 8, and my dad has been encouraging me to write about that for my CommonApp essay since It makes up the biggest chunk of my extracurricular activities. However, I keep hesitating because I feel like a lot of people write about ec’s and the admissions officers could easily look at my resume and see that I ride horses. So I’m just looking for some other opinions and advice on the topic: should I write about my experience with horses (I have a creative spin in mind and was going to write it with the failure common app prompt in mind) or should I look for a more unique topic? And advice would be appreciated, I plan on applying to Harvard, Georgetown, and other selective schools… I have really good stats but so does everyone else applying so I really want to make sure my essays can be the best that they can be. Thank you!
I’d have to see your essay before I could definitively say, “No, this isn’t good enough for college admissions.” But generally, I think you should only write about your ECs if: 1. It reveals something new about you, 2. It extends to some other activity that isn’t on your application, and / or 3. There is a lot more to the activity than someone could imagine just based on what it sounds like.
I can see it both ways. My dd also had an activity that she did extensively, it was more an academic EC and she took extra coursework for it, she went on many expeditions related to it, she taught and led jr students, she wrote a magazine article, she won awards, she was in a science conference and journal… so in this case she didn’t need to make the essay about that as it was all over her application and in recommendations. But it was mentioned in the essay peripherally to show it as a motivator and to mention a social aspect to it that wasn’t apparent. Really the essay was about a small thing she did on her own but it showed a lot about her personality that you wouldn’t necessarily know from the accomplishments. She never mentioned the awards or classes or conferences or any thing in the essay itself.
So I encourage a more creative spin if you go that way, yes. You could also write that one up and try another one that shows a completely different side of you and see which compliments your overall application better.
I think that as long as your essay isn’t just about the FACT that you ride horses but how the experience has affected you, it might be a great essay. Remember that the admissions office wants to know about you and your personality, not your accomplishments. That’s what the EC section is for.