Help me choose my common app essay and short answer topic?

<p>Which of the following do you think would be the best topic? I could write a lot about any of these. For the essay: My experience volunteering in the ER and what I learned from this experience, how it changed me; how my youngest brother influenced me with his struggle with epilepsy; what my parents' experience emigrating to this country taught me. For the short answer, I was going to write about being involved in FCCLA at my school, something I am passionate about (I am also president) but I felt it was a tad boring once I was done. Would it be okay to write about my passion in music? I play the piano and guitar, and have played the violin, saxophone, and clarinet.</p>

<p>I wrote an “influence” essay about my dad (how his line of work taught me various things but I never revealed what he did), a creative essay required for UNC and a short answer essay about my experience in student council. Pick whatever you feel the strongest about and it has a better chance of coming off as passionate/involved to the reader.
Where are you applying? Certain schools have reputations for wanting different things. If you are considering doing a major/minor in music you might want to pick that but if not, other schools place value in leadership</p>

<p>Personally I like the second topic the best, the one about epilepsy! The ER story is kinda overused and the emigration story might become more about your parents than you.</p>

<p>Be sure to talk about YOU</p>

<p>Bookishnerd: I am applying to the University of Scranton (first choice), Elizabethtown College, University of the Sciences, Richard Stockton College of NJ, and Seton Hall University through the common app for Occupational therapy (an exteremely competitive program)
Pandamic: Is ER really overused?! (not to question your knowledge, just some others told me it was the way to go)
Murphy600: That actually helped me because I feel like most of my topics are focused on others.</p>

<p>Any of these topics would be fine as long as they showcase who you are, what you care about, what you aspire to become and what you are hoping to get out of your education. Remember, the essay isn’t about the ER, your parents, your brother or music. It’s about you. Pick the topic that lets you shine through most clearly.</p>