<p>Officially a rising senior here :D (kind of scary actually, but whatevs...)</p>
<p>So I have this idea of what I'm going to write my essay about, but I was just wondering... Should the essay really focus primarily on my accomplishments? Or can it focus on simply one aspect of my life that has very little to do with academics?</p>
<p>I don’t think your essay should focus on your accomplishments–those are already in your application. In my opinion, the essay should be an opportunity to demonstrate a different side of yourself; something beyond awards and achievements. Talking about a different aspect of your life isn’t a bad idea at all as long as there’s an overarching point you want to get across about yourself and your interests/talents/passions/etc.</p>
<p>Thanks for the reply :)</p>
<p>Yeah… I was browsing websites earlier and about half of them said something about showcasing “you as a person” and the other half said something about showcasing your accomplishments, so I got kind of worried.</p>
<p>Any other thoughts?</p>
<p>I agree with kmiller. Focus on something other than your accomplishments. The rest of your application gives you a chance to detail those. Your essay is the opportunity for you to differentiate yourself and let admissions see a little more about who you are. Don’t underestimate the importance of it. Good luck.</p>
<p>Thanks guys :)</p>