I thought I would share some insight that I have discovered about the common app and what many people are using as their response to the prompt about what is your application incomplete without and something about your background.
I say this with all the love and admiration and sympathy for both the people who are applying to colleges and the people who are reading those applications. I have been on this site for years and faithfully read and critiqued essays, hopefully helping many people.
If you read the prompt:
“Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.”
The prompt here is actually optional. If this sounds like you… Now having said that, many of you are choosing to answer the prompt which is great, I would 100% recommend doing this because it’s how I would have done my application. But they’re glossing right over the “application would be incomplete without it” part.
Now let’s get to the crux. And this is meant to help you guys so please put away the pitchforks.
I have read now almost 74 of the exact same essays. Each and every one of them is some slight variation of the immigrant story. I realize that this site is frequented by many international students and the immigration story is a very powerful one. But I urge each of you to consider carefully whether you want to be the 900th immigrant story your admissions officer reads that day in response to that exact same prompt.
Unless your story “sparkles” (as I call it), the very first thing your reviewer does when he or she sees yet another immigrant story response to this prompt is sigh in defeat, power through it and completely forget it two minutes later. What you feel is a very personal and meaningful story and will make you stand out in a sea of applicants is doing just the opposite.
I wish you all the best of luck. But I have yet to read a single essay that discusses a talent or interest. Food for thought.