Common App essay on veganism?

I’m from Connecticut and have been vegan for 3 years and am a junior right now. To me, veganism represents the way that I see the world. I want to go to college in California and I worry that, in this day and age, veganism is not unique or special enough to write a college essay about. Should I switch my topic?

It isn’t particularly unique, but you might be able to turn it into a decent essay. But you are right to think you might have a better topic in you. Don’t take the prompts too literally, think about what is unique about you, and think about whether your topic/story makes them want you on campus.

I agree. It got to be about you. The topic itself is not unique, but it should be unique when it is about you.

@karenfoster first off you want to go to college in California but this is a university of michigan thread…) :

Secondly, I like the idea but you have to relate it back to your major in a unique way. You have less then 10 seconds to get the readers interest. If you are the 2,000th application that went to a village and volunteered when on vacation with your parents… That doesn’t cut it. But if you can take your unique view of the world and relate it to your intended major and make it very “unique” and interesting to you. You might have something unusual. It is refreshing to hear that you are thinking about this now. Many students wait to late to start this process. You have time to play around with the idea. If it doesn’t work then move on to something else that describes you in a different way. Something that is sometimes helpful is looking at the schools class selections /courses and relating that in one of the essays. Always nice for the school to know that you took the time to research it. You can’t make it calculus 1 either. It should be again a more unique class or subject that they offer that relates back to your essay. Ie :“I can see myself taking the class…” Modern Gothic history of zombies " since it relates to my passion of… (fill in the blank)