<p>Hey guys, I know that writing anything about Asian-American identity is really cliche, but has anyone thought of/written about this?</p>
<p>This is a possible response to a common app question: Discuss some issue of personal, local, national, or international concern and its importance to you.</p>
<p>I wanted to talk about how Asians are under-represented, treated as inferior, and how we really don't stand up for ourselves against prejudices (like we don't have our own version of MLK, Malcom X, Caesar Chavez).The only patent Asian rights communities I see are like student-run Asian clubs in colleges. Like basically we are treated as inferior and all this bull, but we don't really stand up against this "oppression?" And this allows us further to be treated like poop and affirmative action/intentional rejection against Asians in college application process to keep happening...</p>
<p>Sounds cliche?</p>
<p>I’m pretty sure lots of Asians write about this in their college essays.</p>
<p>Even if it is cliche, a well written essay should be fine.</p>
<p>Just be careful.</p>
<p>koreanblood777 -</p>
<p>There is no such thing as a cliched topic, just cliched executions of topics.</p>
<p>Having said that, you NEVER want to talk about how badly you are treated and how miserable you are because of something. Always always always always focus on the good. Yes, you can talk a little bit about how asians are mistreated (underrepresented? I’m not sure if I agree with that part) but you need to quickly turn it around and say what you will do or better yet, are doing, to change it.</p>
<p>If you need anything else, just ask!</p>
<p>Best regards,
<p>how Asians are under-represented, treated as inferior, and how we really don’t stand up for ourselves against prejudices…</p>
<p>Nothing like ticking off adcoms who see things differently, have a broader and more mature perspective. “Woe is me” backfires pretty fast. </p>
<p>The danger is not in cliche- it’s in consciously making a choice to present yourself as sour and bitter. (And, just so hs certain of something that’s not certain at all.) Showing the poor judgment to think that is an appropriate topic. Not what they want. You already knew that.</p>
<p>^ lookingforward is correct. That’s basically what I was trying to say. You never want to talk about how unfortunate your life has been. Stay positive because the adcoms could have had a life much more difficult than what you are explaining. By complaining in your essay, you come across as immature and unable to handle stress or pressure.</p>
<p>Hello I’m new here, can someone show me how to post a thread? Thank you</p>
<p>Rick1121 -</p>
<p>Just click the gray button above the first topic on any page. It says ( CC - New Thread ) or something to that effect.</p>
<p>I thought about writing on this too, but I think the real danger in this topic is controversy rather than cliche. The director of admissions from Middlebury came to my school to talk about writing essays, and he pretty much said you should avoid likely controversial topics such as race/religion at all costs.</p>
<p>putnamehere -</p>
<p>That is exactly correct. Why risk offending the very people who could put a big REJECT on your application for no reason other than they hated what your essay said?</p>
<p>Thanks for the feedback guys! yeah I really agree with what you guys are saying; I realized that I sound really bitter about this… I definately need something positive =)</p>
<p>Hi! I’m Korean, also, and I think the best essay is a piece of writing that is written in YOUR voice. It really doesn’t matter what you write about. Sure, others can write about the same thing you’re writing about. Your topic may be “cliche,” but their diction, flow, etc, and voice is different; your essay will still be different. So, go for it.
[Also, I agree with what that guy ^^ (or girl) said up there. Don’t do the “woe is me” act. They want a view of you, not a diary entry. I can see this topic being executed beautifully, though. Especially how there’s no asian MLK.]</p>
<p>It could be cliche, or it could be lovely. I had a an Asian friend who wrote an essay(I don’t know if it was for the common app or for the supplement) last year about how he loved to eat ramen and watch ninja movies after a long day of studying calculus and physics. He got into one of the top three Liberal Arts colleges(according to USNEWS, don’t wanna give away his identity. And how he didn’t care that he was confirming a major stereotype. </p>
<p>Any topic for an essay can be good or bad, just depends on how you write it.</p>
<p>The biggest thing you should be worried about is that you might come off as bitter. If you can put a positive spin to your topic, then sure, it’ll work.</p>
<p>You can talk about “Asian identity” but NEVER talk about affirmative action in a college essay, especially negatively!</p>