I’ve been trying to write my common app essay for a while now, but I feel like nothing interesting enough has happened to me. Most ideas have sounded shamelessly promotional or too cliche. Any ideas on topics or ways to really start writing?
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Thank you!!!
I’ll repeat what worked for my son.
Today: set a timer for 4 minutes. Copy the first prompt onto the top of a document, and brainstorm any event in your life, large or small that could possibly apply.
After 4 minutes, do the same with the second prompt, and then each remaining prompt. No idea is off limits; the more off the wall, the better.
Tomorrow: Go through your list, and eliminate any that seem like a bad idea. For those that remain, write a sentence or two about what you would write.
Friday: For each topic that remains, come up with bullets that generally outline what you would say. Eliminate any topic that doesn’t flesh out.
Saturday: Take what you have, and write a draft of the body of the essay. Don’t worry about an opening or closing, just get the guts of the draft written.
Sunday: Take what you have, and choose the one(s) that seem to have the most promise, and write an essay or two
The point is just to get something down on paper. It’s so much easier to edit than to write. So start by brainstorming topics for each of the prompt, no matter how off the wall. Then worry about refining your ideas.
It just has to be one blip in life. We all have stories. Its just hard to write about ourselves. Your parents are probably a good source of information as they will rememeber things you may not. Also, think about what you love and the why. How does it make you feel? Read some essay books for inspiration. There was an essay I read about a boy getting his haircut by his mom that was truly great. It can be the most mundane thing.
My daughter’s essay is written; she’s hitting “submit” tonight.
But this morning, as always, we went to the diner after 9 am mass. Only today, it was just the 2 of us-- her brother was working and her sister and dad were working the parish blood drive. We’re typically a party of 5.
Every week, when we arrive at the diner the owner, George, puts my husband’s name on the list. I’m not sure he even knows the rest of us by name.
So today, I waved when we walked in and he wrote down our name from across the lobby.
Five minutes later, the hostess called “Two for Peter??” and George came over to get us. The hostess pulled him aside, explaining that the name was “Peter” and we were two females.
George’s response? That’s OK, they’re Peter.
If my daughter didn’t already have her essay, this would be it.
It’s those little stories, the routines that make you or your family unique, the stories you tell and retell, that make for a good essay.
@bjkmom Yes, I completely agree with you. These little stories are what make them unique and personal. Nothing grand, nothing extraordinary. Just simple every day “stuffs”.
My DD is “finalizing” her CA essay and we might be hitting “submit” tonight too.
You said you have ideas, but that most have “sounded shamelessly promotional.” This may be the place to start.
Is there an interesting angle (personal anecdote, observation, interest, ambition, problem overcome) that you can expand on to take some of the focus away from what sounds like self-promotion? How would you tell the same story to a friend? Family? A younger sibling who is going into high school and looking for advice? If you find your own voice and tone, the essay will read more natural.
If you are someone who hates to brag or talk about yourself, then I would recommend having someone else read the essay and provide feedback. The essay may read better than you expect.
Your essay isn’t about promoting yourself, it’s about saying something truthful, funny, and interesting. Something that sets you a part. Whether its a physical feature that you’ve always been insecure about, an experience you had when you were little, or your favorite flavor of ice cream, any topic is fair game as long as you make it unique and honest. I wrote my essay about how I failed to get 5 papers published in an online blog, and that I kept making jokes in the papers about otherwise serious issues. It was basically how I learned a life lesson from something that seemed insignificant at the time, but otherwise taught an important skill. I ended the essay with a poop joke. I am currently a freshman at the University of Chicago. Colleges want you to be honest. They can tell when you’re trying too hard. Pick something near and dear to you, but preferably not something that they can already see on your college application. Hope this was helpful!
-Matthew Herskowitz
UChicago Freshman
From Fort Lauderdale, FL