Essay Topics

Applying to College
1

<p>I'm trying to pick a good topic to write about for my Chapel Hill Common App essay, but I just don't know what to pick.</p>

<p>Should I go for the relevant yet overused topics like poverty? I've done things in my church and been around to enough places to have the personal knowledge about it, but would admissions committees be bored or unimpressed?</p>

<p>or</p>

<p>Should I go for the new/unique yet irrelevant topic like the NBA lockout? I'm a huge fan of the sports, there are tons of local businesses and restaurants around my town that are deeply affected by the lack of income from basketball, and I can tie it into my interest in sports medicine. However, would admissions people be turned off that I picked something less important to the world?</p>

<p>What types of approaches worked for you?</p>

2

<p>I think it would depend on how well you could write about the topics. The poverty topic, like you said, is rather overdone but if you have some way of bringing a fresh outlook to it (like maybe finding a way to tie sports medicine in with it?), then it would be original enough to impress admission officers. </p>

<p>In general, you should go for the topic that expresses the most about YOU. If the NBA lockout is something you have passionate feelings about, then write about that instead because your personality will shine through, and that’s what officers are looking for. Similarly, if you show more of yourself through the poverty essay, then do that instead.</p>