Concern about my BC supplement essay

So I would like to answer this prompt out of the four offered:

“Boston College strives to provide an undergraduate learning experience emphasizing the liberal arts, quality teaching, personal formation, and engagement of critical issues. If you had the opportunity to create your own college course, what enduring question or contemporary problem would you address and why?”

I know exactly what to write about, my only concern is that it will not provide enough personal insight about myself to admissions officers, as BC only has one supplement essay. Should I go through with it, or should I do a different prompt that may offer more personal insight?

Is that the BC supplement for the class of 2022?

That prompt looks like prompt #3 for the class of 2021 application. I have no idea if this will repeat for the 2022 class or not.

To the OP: My general rule for my students is - write something nobody else can write. This is an essay about you and the qualities you want to present to the AOs. I think the “wrong” approach to this particular prompt would be - hey, I like to teach this XYZ class, dealing with these MNK issues, and have ABC speakers coming to speak etc.

A better approach is to show - the Why - why are you interested in the topic, why do you think your approach is good (and fit into the BC LAs mode), why do you think a class like that can benefit anyone - the insight I would like to get out of this prompt is - #1) what is this person passionate about? #2) what is the critical thinking process of this person? #3) what is the analytical, organizational skill of this person and #4) what is the fit of this person on our campus class discussions… JMHO.

I’m surprised that you think you have a good answer to that prompt that doesn’t give personal insight into who you are. On the contrary, a good answer to the prompt should show your passion and concerns about the world while providing you a place to explain why they are your passions.

This is a chance to show you can look at both sides of a controversial issue, or the many facets of a particular interest or your love of liberal arts and how you would design a course showing your insatiable curiosity in multiple areas of the liberal arts that inter connect.

@PepsiMAX32 I’m not sure, this is just what’s currently on their website for their supplement essay

@BigflowerSusie @Syrxis @preppedparent Ok thanks for the advice!

Just for reference. These are the essay prompts from BC for past cycles. I’d say the 2016-7 prompts are more conventional vs the more challenging ones from previous years (esp. 2013-4).

2013-4
“St. Ignatius of Loyola, founder of the Society of Jesus, encouraged his followers to live their lives in the service of others. How do you plan to serve others in your future endeavors?”

“From David McCullough’s recent commencement address at BC: ‘Facts alone are never enough. Facts rarely if ever have any soul. In writing or trying to understand history one may have all manner of ‘data,’ and miss the point. One can have all the facts and miss the truth. It can be like the old piano teacher’s lament to her student, ‘I hear all the notes, but I hear no music.’ Tell us about a time you had all of the facts but missed the meaning.”

“In his novel, Let the Great World Spin, Colum McCann writes: ”We seldom know what we’re hearing when we hear something for the first time, but one thing is certain: we hear it as we will never hear it again. We return to the moment to experience it, I suppose, but we can never really find it, only its memory, the faintest imprint of what it really was, what it meant.’ Tell us about something you heard or experienced for the first time and how the years since have affected your perception of that moment.”

“Boston College has a First-Year Convocation program that includes the reading and discussion of a common book that explores Jesuit ideals, community service and learning. If you were to select the book for your Convocation, what would you choose and why?”

2014-5 (2015-6)
What contemporary issue or trend relating to politics, culture, and society, or foreign policy particularly concerns you and why?

Many human beings throughout history have found inspiration and joy in literature and works of art. Is there a book, play, poem, movie, painting, music selection, or photograph that has been especially meaningful to you?

Contemporary higher education reflects a tension between preparing for a meaningful life and preparing for a career. What are you looking for in your undergraduate education? Which emphasis is more important to you at this time and why?

“Magis,” a Latin word meaning “more,” is often cited in reference to goals of Jesuit education, which seeks to help students become better, do more, and have as much impact on society as possible. How do you hope to achieve the Magis in your life?

2016-7
Human beings have a creative side that tends to shine most when we are truly invested in the world around us. Describe a situation when you responded effectively to a particular need and found yourself at your creative best.

Experience teaches us the importance of being reflective when making major decisions. Share an example from a recent event when a leader or an average person faced a difficult choice. What were the consequences of the decision? Would you have done the same?

Boston College strives to provide an undergraduate learning experience emphasizing the liberal arts, quality teaching, personal formation, and engagement of critical issues. If you had the opportunity to create your own college course, what enduring question or contemporary problem would you address and why?

Jesuit education stresses the importance of the liberal arts and sciences, character formation, commitment to the common good, and living a meaningful life. How do you think your personal goals and academic interests will help you grow both intellectually and personally during college?

@BigflowerSusie Oh wow I didn’t realize how much they change year to year. I’m guessing the 2017-8 prompts aren’t available until August?

@ian1235 the 17-18 prompts are up now

@ian 1235 Advice: don’t rush your essay, it’s not a race. Think about the prompts and lets the best one come to you, don’t fit yourself into it so to speak. Be honest and original. Write what you feel not what you think the AC wants to read. If you start and hit a dead end in the essay it’s probably not the prompt or answer that suits you best. In the end your essay should be unique and could only be written by you and no other applicant. And proof read!!!