<p>I have a list of potential (and maybe unique?) topics for my common app essay, but I'm totally unsure of which to choose. So if you guys want to help, just tell me here and I'll PM them over to you. Oh and PLEASE don't post if you haven't actually written yours yet. Thanks!</p>
<p>anyone? please?</p>
<p>It’s my opinion that you can choose any topic so long that your answer to the prompt does the following
- gives a very clear idea of the kind of person you are (can include personality, likes, dislikes, ethnicity, religion, etc)
- makes it obvious that you would be a worthwhile addition to the college to which you’re applying (ie, is it clear you are the kind of person to succeed at this college? Is there something relatively distinctive about you that makes you desirable to this college (maybe you’re a minority, child prodigy, etc)?)</p>
<p>That being said, if I were you, I would choose a topic for which you can produce a novel answer. Essays about your observations of the shifting of slabs of sidewalk next to a tree you walked by when you were young is much more of an interesting topic – at least for the adcoms – to read about than is how you survived the adversity of a difficult test in your boy/girlscout troop.</p>
<p>Hope that helps!
–Dany.</p>
<p>^ I dunno. I’d rather read a conventional tale that ends with some evolution, better awareness and improved contribution than some random attempt at being novel. Adcoms need to see your maturity, strengths, perspective- in ways that compel them to move your app forward in the process. Unless you are a creative writing major or have a rare talent, stick to the basics. That’s why the challenge prompt is popular. By the time they get to the essay, they’ll know you are minority or whatever- and “child prodigy” should be left to LoRs. It’s supposed to be a show-not-tell piece.</p>
<p>Thanks, guys. Would you mind if I PM’d you the topics?</p>
<p>I’ll help if you haven’t decided on a topic yet</p>