<p>i was pondering the possible essay topics i have available and was wondering if it would be to out there (seem as if i were attempting to gain sympathy from admission personal) if i wrote about lossing my father to suicide when i was in 7th grade. do you think that is a legitimate topic? any opinions would be appreciated.</p>
<p>I read a couple of essay books and they said avoid death. I am not really sure why, but if you can pick another topic.</p>
<p>write about positive stuff...dont!!ever write about negotive ones..</p>
<p>First, my condolences on your father's death. Any death of a parent is difficult, but losing a parent to suicide is especially difficult.</p>
<p>Unless the focus of your essay is something like how your father's suicide inspired you to enter a field in mental health to prevent others from taking their own lives, I don't suggest that you write about your father's death.</p>
<p>College admissions officers are looking for what students have to offer the college They aren't selecting students based on the poignancy of their essyas or lives.</p>
<p>They're also looking for how well you write, because writing is key. If it reveals who you are, you've written an excellent essay.</p>
<p>One word: overdone.
I've read more college essays based on death of a relative than I'd ever want to. I'd hate to be an admissions counselor getting all of those...</p>
<p>I agree with dchow, actually. IF the subject showcases the writer's writing talent and/or their level of perception, self-knowledge, etc., I think virtually any subject can be suitable. One does have to be careful. We have a friend who wrote about something inappropriate (not death), assured that it would impress the committee with what were indeed her talents (cleverness, artistry in writing), but because the subject was so offensive in her case, the essay submission was overall more of a negative than a positive.</p>
<p>I've seen death written about in fresh ways that emphasize the writer's unusual maturity, & where the tone is unexpected.</p>
<p>logogirl, I'm sorry about your father.</p>
<p>Johnson181, how many people do you know lost a parent to suicide while they were in middle school? You're making it seem like it's a cliche topic that comes up all the time.</p>
<p>To the OP, I agree that if you choose to write about it, focus on the positive and how you've grown as a person because of your circumstances, rather than the event itself. If you don't choose to write about it, I would still make some mention of it somewhere in your application, as (I would imagine) such an event has probably affected you greatly.</p>
<p>sounds like a soppy maudlin essay... don't write about that...</p>
<p>Two, actually (well, one was in 9th grade). And a few others who lost parents/close relatives for other reasons.</p>
<p>And to the op, although I never said it in my first post, I'm sorry for your loss.</p>
<p>The fact that you are considering it and are leary of making it evoke sympathy from an adcom, tells me you have found a way to deal with your father's death in a unique way. Because you are concerned about it appearing sympathetic tells me you want it to have just the opposite reaction. You are in the minority on this board (because most have never had an experience like this) and no one can tell you what to do. If this event taught you something about yourself, and is a negative that you have turned into a positive, then you should tackle it and do a great job with it.</p>
<p>"how many people do you know lost a parent to suicide while they were in middle school? You're making it seem like it's a cliche topic that comes up all the time."
^^^I don't think a lot of people write about suicide, but lots of kids do write about hardships i.e. deaths, tragedies, etc. It is the perception of some people (not to make light of a situation at all, but it's unfortunately true), that writing about a hardship will give you a better shot at getting in, as it will create sympathy. Now, logogirl, I know that wasn't your intention at all, but unless you can make it positive, I'd stay away from it if I were you.</p>
<p>mention-definitely
focus of an essay-definitely not</p>
<p>I remember reading a book where an admissions officer was talking about one of her favorite essays. It was a death of a pet essay--one that Harry Bauld, in On Writing the College Application Essays, says is a cliche essay that should be avoided. But the writer revealed a lot about himself and showcased his development as a person as a result of the death. It was not a sob story, but it was touching. </p>
<p>I agree with vc08, you should always try to end on a positive note. YOu don't want to have a sad ending to your story.</p>
<p>ok, first off thanks everyone for your input. Second, i was never thinking of writting solely about the event itself, thus making it negative. I was definitely going to write about its impact on me and my development due to the event. Also, as flyboy said i did deal with it in a very unique manner...my older brother turned south and dropped out of high school, but i took it as an inspiration to do well. Since then everything i have done in life (school and outside activities) i have put sincere passion into, knowing that i would still be able to make my father proud even if he wasnt here in the flesh. I don't know exactly where to start and what direction to take the essay, but i feel as if i could make it meaningfull and give the event the credit for making me as passionate, hard working and successful as I am today.</p>
<p>by the way you described it, i think it could make a good topic if it was written properly. just remember there will be many other applicants writing their own tragic stories. so as long as your focusing on how you changed, i think it can work to your advantage.</p>
<p>my condolenses by the way.</p>
<p>I would think that it would be ok to mention it...</p>
<p>"When I was in the seventh grade a horriable thing happened in my family: my dad committed suicide...."</p>
<p>Then a few words to tell how this affected you. Followed by the bulk of the essay which goes on to say how you have grown, what you have accomplished, how you have changed/matured...ending with a brief mention of the incident to bring the essay full circle. </p>
<p>In other words, the bulk of the essay should be about positive things about you.</p>
<p>Logogirl, hearing how you described it and the maturity it brings, I think you can include it in a well-crafted essay. How it makes you the person you are and you want to do your dad proud. If you other academics and ECs hold up, I think a lot of schools will want to have you. So sorry to hear, what a thing for anyone to go through.</p>
<p>well, i for one know that there is one proud father looking down at his child. :)</p>
<p>yeah it makes sense i see both sides</p>