I have been brainstorming and I came up with a couple of topics. Not a lot of them relate to my major (ecology and evolutionary biology) but I feel they really will show my personality and who I am. I hope they don’t make it seem like I’m trying too hard to be quirky lmao… but they’re just unique little tidbits about my personality I thought I could expand upon and take a unique angle on. Here they are:
The disconnect I feel as a kid from southern NJ from the rest of NJ. I have always felt integrated into the urban Philadelphia culture and how I feel the difference between these two sections is like two completely different worlds. I’m not sure how I would really relate this to academics at all but I think I could take a unique angle in that it has helped me understand the world in an entirely different way
I’ve sort of “suffered” (Idk if you can say that but it’s considered a condition) from something called Maladaptive Daydreaming. I basically compulsively daydream and it’s a bit invasive on my life but I see it as more as a positive part of my life that I use to make me more creative, aspire for more and see things from different perspectives.
I started making online friends when I was like 7 and I think the multiple friends I’ve made over the world have been an integral part of my childhood and have allowed me to understand things a lot differently
When I first saw Coraline when I was 9 I became a horror movie enthusiast. I think my love for horror correlates with my love for taking risks and rushes of adrenaline and has helped me become an outgoing person.
A specific friend of mine, although only friends with me for a short term, has made countless impacts on my life that has somewhat spawned a butterfly effect. Him introducing me to multiple things throughout my life has made me reconsider so many times how I want to live my life.
Those are a few essay topics I am considering. I’m not sure how they are (they may be completely awful) but I feel they could really capture the uniqueness of who I am. If anyone could offer their feedback, such as which sounds the most interesting and would not be boring to AOs, or what kind of unique angles I could take, that would be amazing. Thanks!
1. Showing that you feel a disconnect from NJ is probably not going to give a college-- particularly, say, Rutgers-- a reason to say yes to your application.
2. Ditto. Remember, you're applying to college. A compulsive daydreamer is not going to be seen as a positive addition to a college classroom. They do not want you daydreaming during class.
3. Make sure you don't imply that you have trouble making friends in the here and now in addition to those online friends.
4 Ouch. I'm NOT a horror movie enthusiast. A love for taking risks and rushes of adreneline could make you a huge insurance risk.
5. I think I like this one best.
Now, that said, I’m basing my reaction to the single sentence you wrote, not a whole essay. Why not rough out each of the 5 essays, and see what you end up with?
I also feel like #5 has the most potential, just based on initial impressions.
The best essays tie together a specific story with more general, thoughtful reflections that illuminate your view of the world and your life. If you can connect with your reader by telling an engaging story about this short friendship, and then parlay that into a statement about how your insight about how its effect on your life informs the way you envision yourself having an impact in the world, that could be a great essay. If you want to, you can fit in a reference to how daydreaming/imagination play a part in this vision - i.e. maybe something about how you like to imagine how your own actions might play out in the world in otherwise-unknowable ways? - but I think a brief glimpse of this aspect of your personality would be better than centering it as the topic. For that matter, you can mention your network of online friends and how that figures into the influence people can have on one another’s lives… but again, not centering that as the topic. You could even loop in your interest in evolutionary biology and the way small influences can affect the trajectory of whole populations. I think the brief friendship and its influence has great potential as the emotional core of a meaningful essay.
Your essays don’t have to relate to your area of academic interest. They should show who you are and give a clue as to what you could “bring to the table” as a future student.
Honestly, I don’t like any of your topics. None of them want make me want to know you better or give the impression that you have something tremendous to offer to the student body. JMHO (you asked)
@aquapt I definitely think your comment has helped me think of a unique angle to go about this. I think I could begin by talking about the butterfly effect as a whole, then narrowing in on this specific friend’s influence on my life and how he has caused change. Then, I could widen out my lens and talk about how, much like how this friend has inspired me, I hope to inspire ripples of change in other people through my actions. I could even tie in the daydreaming and biology as you said. Thanks so much for the help!
@Empireapple I appreciate the feedback. But what kind of topic makes someone think that someone has something tremendous to offer to the student body? I don’t have any crazy talents or culture that I can bring to the table and I don’t think AOs want me being someone I’m not. I think a lot of these essay topics do show who I am as a person because they relate to little things in my life that set me apart from everyone else. Of course I’m a hardworking, diligent student but I don’t really have any hobbies or anything.
@bjkmom For #2, I think I could show that my only friends aren’t online (lol). I’m actually a VERY extroverted person so I basically just seek friendship 24/7, online and off. I can see how doing this essay wrong could make me come off as some loner though.
It seems like #5 could be the best way to come up with a unique spin so that is the one I am leaning towards. Definitely will draft all of them though (and brainstorm some more). Thanks for the feedback!
Only #5 seems like a remotely good idea, and you run a strong risk of (1) it is more about your friend than about you, and/or (2) you look like someone without their own core or direction, pushed by someone else.
@intparent I wouldn’t write it about my friend, more so the impact a small amount of time I spent with this friend has changed my life. I would only mention them for a brief paragraph or two and focus primarily on how this friend caused my life to change and how, after we lost touch, I realized that I can have the same impact on other people through my actions and the life I lead.
I do believe I read a few years ago a successful Harvard essay in which someone wrote about a friend they had in second grade. I didn’t draw this idea from them, but I think if I take the right angle it can be a good essay. I will brainstorm some more though, and I will definitely take in mind what you have mentioned whilst writing my essay. I also plan to draft it out (will probably draft the others too and see which one truly resonates with me) and also get some feedback on the final products. I think getting family to read it will help me gain some perspective into which one also shows who I am. Thank yoh for the feedback!
I think a good starting place would be to think about your character. What about you is a good thing? Is there an experience you could write about that gives a lens into that and how it shaped you. Another concept is a challenge and how your dealt with it and how it has made you a better person. Also, think about a contribution you’ve made to your school, community or family. What did you give and why and what did you learn along the way? It is ok to be ordinary and real. Colleges are looking for real people who will be a positive influence on their community. You don’t have to have solved world hunger or created a start-up. Just someone who they want to have around. It’s only 650 words so hone into something about yourself and build upon it. I truly think the greatest challenge of the essay is that it is so short.
@intparent I did take a look at your tips a few months ago and I reread them just now. I think I understand exactly where AOs are coming from - they want to get to know me in a way that isn’t particularly shown in my application. I know I have to show them who I am as a person, but I just have a hard time figuring out just how to do that.