<p>Is the topic of your essay just as important as the way its written?</p>
<p>What if someone wrote an essay about... their volunteer work in Africa, saving babies.. or something like that.. and then someone else wrote about a fishing trip with their Dad?</p>
<p>would the topic have a great effect on the admission officer?
will he automatically be more inclined to think that a "significant experience" essay is better than a simpler personal memoir?</p>
<p>this will sound cliche, but I don't think what topic you write about is as important as how you write about it. No matter what topic you choose, it is very unlike that yours is the only one that the admissions officer has ever read, so just write the best essay you could. But then again, I doubt a topic like your relationship problems will make the admissions officer like you all that much. good luck with your essay!</p>
<p>The topic of your essay is important, but the way its written is much more important. You can have an essay about an amazing topic/experience, but if you can't string together a cohesive paragraph, or even a sentence, then your essay will be tossed out the window. In the same way, if you have an essay about what may seem to be a boring topic, but you have an amazing way of writing, then your essay may be placed at the top of the pile. Make sure your essay is about something you are passionate about, and hopefully your passion will shine through the page. Have a bunch of people read over it to make sure it is well-written - though make sure you don't lose your voice! That is truly what they are looking for</p>
<p>I agree that how you write is more important than what you write. But that pertains to more than just writing style--the admissions committee will be reading between the lines to draw conclusions about what kind of person you are. For example, if the volunteer in Africa appears to be arrogant and self-satisfied, an essay about a fishing trip that portrays the writer as interesting and thoughtful could be seen as better.</p>
<p>i dont think topic is that important. I've seen the most amazing essays written about completely mundane things. Its your perspective, style, and insight that counts. </p>
<p>I assure you, the adcoms have read PLENTY of essays about death, starvation, africa, and volunteering. Be original. Write an essay about your train of thought when once you contemplated your navel. Or about how your love for _____ is parallel to ____. (it'd better be a damn good parallel too).
and those arent ideas. they're just crap spewed off the top of my head to show you that any topic can be fine as long as they're YOU, they're unique, and they're from a distinctive perspective.
[although you should never make up a perspective you dont have.]</p>