<p>I wrote an essay about a community service project I started for a scholarship application and I'm considering using it for the Common app personal statement. </p>
<p>It's about how I started an elementary insert to the high school newspaper. I work with elementary kids to create their own newspaper. I think it's pretty well written, and it actually made my journalism teacher and my counselor tear up.. But I'm wondering if it's too cliche. It's a pretty traditional essay.</p>
<p>It is not the topic, it is what you do with the topic.</p>
<p>If your essay is personal, detailed, honest, revealing, then you have a good essay. If you bring your unique voice and experience to a topic, then it won't matter how many other people may have written on this particular topic. Your voice, your experience, your personal details, will distinguish you from other applicants and enable your essay to help you in the admissions process.</p>
<p>If you can make a journalism teacher and a GC tear up, you may be on to something good. I've read hundreds of college essays and there are only a handful, no more than five, that actually made me tear up. Those few were among the very best that I've read.</p>