<p>I'm aware of the "Why Columbia?" blurb, but I'm not entirely sure about the other essays. I'm pretty sure the 500-word one is a free-write, but does anyone know roughly the exact wording of the question? And the other blurb is about an EC that meant a lot to you, correct? Thanks.</p>
<p>do a search, this has been answered many times</p>
<p>Yeah, thanks, I've already done that, but I was more interested in the actual wording of the question. Everything I found was "you can write about pretty much anything"...</p>
<p>That's a subjective answer though; "anything" isn't really clear-cut. So can you literally write about anything you want or is it limited in some way?</p>
<p>That's what I was gearing towards.</p>
<p>fabius_maximus, You can write about anything that describes who you are. That's always the guide line for college application essays. How are ya'll's essays going. I have yet to start my "explain who you are" essay but I completed my "Why [insert college name]" essays for 3 colleges and my 'significant e.c." essay.</p>
<p>"you can write about anything" = subjective? you couldnt use "anything" if there were, in fact, limitations and you'd think that with the number of threads about this, someone would have mentioned those limitations already, no?</p>
<p>Thank you kool for answering the question, and thank you Sky for demonstrating your intellectual superiority over me.</p>
<p>On his behalf, I say "you're most welcome".</p>
<p>You know how you do this essay? (unless you are applying early decision). </p>
<p>Work on your other essays for other schools which will often inspire you to come up with something creative, unique, and/or quirky. Choose the best one and just go ahead and submit it to Columbia. Of course, take out all references to the other University and make sure its not PAINFULLY OBVIOUS that you got the essay prompt from another school.</p>
<p>I.E
MIT "Describe an experience that led you to believe the world was coming to an end" (or it was something like that)</p>
<p>DONT send it off to Columbia with something like,</p>
<p>"WHen I thought the world was coming to an end, I. ..."</p>
<p>I'm applying ED. =/</p>
<p>I'll just go with a pretty static topic and write about being poor.</p>