I’ve recently started working on my essays and have only a brief time to finish them. Writing is definitely my weakness; I got a 2 on AP Lang and 7/12 on ACT writing. Could anyone give me advice on these essays aside from the cliches? I need to have great essays, but I’m scared I’ll fall short. I have a lot to write about. If anyone could give me some advice, I’d really appreciate it.
Write about an intense chess game you’ve played. That’d be unique, interesting, and maybe it’d be easier to write since you enjoy it(?).
Although I love that idea, I feel like it would require too much technicality. I don’t want to bore the readers. I love chess and I enjoy it a lot, but I don’t know if that would fit.
I wrote a very technical essay about a chess game in my MIT app last year. It earned me a waitlist (I expected a rejection).
Dang! Amherst seems great, though.
I wrote one of my essays about a chess game for the Stanford supplement and got in. I wouldn’t disregard the topic, your challenge would be to make it interesting to readers who might not even know the names of the pieces.
Pick a passion (and yes that could be chess), write about an experience that was meaningful to you, anything really that sounds interesting. Maybe make a short list of ideas and then try drafting your top 2 or 3.