<p>This is the good stuff. What if I can guarantee you that your essay can be the 1 in 1000, regardless of what experiences you have had in your life? </p>
<p>“What?!?!?! Even me? But my life has been so boring, I haven’t faced crazy adversity or won any national awards?”
Guess what? I don’t care. You can still be the 1 in 1000. Here’s how…</p>
<p>Ask smart questions about your topic, and use those smart questions to come up with 5-6 critical elements to your essay. While those 5-6 critical elements may be unoriginal in isolation, you create a unique essay by threading those elements together in a thoughtful way.</p>
<p>Even if you’re competing with the most original, unique stories from your competitors, most won’t go to the deep and thoughtful level of your essay. And guess what? If I’m in admissions, I ask myself “how will student XYZ enrich and add to the experience of our student body if we accept this person?</p>
<p>That’s far more valuable than a “unique” essay topic. The only thing a truly unique topic has as a competitive advantage over you is that the unique 1 in 1000 experience has a tendency to more naturally answer those questions. But anyone can answer those questions. Anyone can do it. Most don’t because they’re ignorant or lazy.This is how ANYONE can be the 1 in 1000.</p>
<p>Let’s say you want to write on the most boring topic ever…a travel story.</p>
<p>PRIMARY TOPIC</p>
<p>So yah, hundreds of people write on that every year. No, it might even be less because it’s such a boring topic that people actively try and avoid it. Now…let’s morph it.
1) Was this a vacation with parents, a vacation with friends, a missionary trip, etc.?
2) Why did you go? Was it on your own will?
3) What did you learn from the trip? How did you grow?
4) How does the trip reflect your personality? How does it exemplify the type of energy/vibe you’re going to radiate at my college if I accept you?</p>
<p>I mean…better. You naturally would touch on some of these topics, but keeping those topics in mind and explicitly (or implicitly) expressing them on the essay does give you some depth. Now, let’s overlay the primary topic with a secondary topic.</p>
<p>SECONDARY TOPIC</p>
<p>Alright, let’s make this an even more boring scenario. You went with your family.
1) What’s your most interesting relationship between your family? Annoying sister? Cool dad? Weird step-mom?
2) Which relationship was progressed the most in the trip and why /// what relationship was not progressed despite your desire to progress it?
3) Did a relationship change because you wanted it to change, or was there an unexpected change.
4) Was there a unique dynamic to your relationship that was exemplified during this trip?</p>
<p>TERTIARY TOPIC</p>
<p>Alright, let’s make this the most boring scenario. You didn't even go anywhere cool.
1) What did you emotionally experience from being on this vacation? How does that contrast?
2) Was this trip even meaningful? Was it your first time doing something or going somewhere? Or have you gone there before?</p>
<p>Okay…so putting it all together. **Here’s a 1 in 1000 essay. **This mirrors an actual essay that was highly, highly successful in admissions results from a few years ago (by this site’s standards).</p>
<p>You go on regular fishing trips with your family. It’s a ritual, a habit, something reliable and predictable. Nothing special happens every time, but the experience of going on these trips is special because you can get away from this distracted world of smartphones and Snapchat to just…bond with your dad (Include 2 examples). Even though you don’t have the money to travel internationally, the most valuable experiences you have are ones when you can get closer with the people you care about. You’re a firm believer in having a foundation. These boring times build a foundation that allows you to hold steady in the most crazy times (give an example). It’s going to be weird leaving behind these fishing trips when you go to college, but at the same time, you have 4 dedicated years of being around your peers to build these relationships every day. To build new, boring, and memorable habits. The best experiences of them all. </p>
<p>Now…literally, that was the most unoriginal life experience. And seriously, if you complain about not having regular fishing trips you go on with your family, you’re completely missing the point and I give up on you hahaha.</p>
<p>Note, I said 1 in 1000 because over the course of an admissions officer’s career, there will be essays that contain similar elements to this one. However, you don’t need to be the 1 in 1,000,0000. Being 1 in 1000 is close enough to make you stand out in an admissions cycle, which is all that matters. Too many people try to go for the home run. All I care about is the result: admissions.</p>
<p>Check my post history for part 1. I will keep blogging throughout this year’s admissions cycle.</p>
<p>I cannot guarantee you anything, but I can give you your best chance.</p>
<p>P.S. I’m available to help anyone with one essay via PM as well, as long as you send it to me 1 week before the deadline as I am busy with my job during most days.</p>