How can I reflect myself in my essay topics? Please, I'm so confused.

College Essays
1

<p>Hi, I have been browsing through the threads here quite often, but I now have a personal request.</p>

<p>Well, how can I reflect myself through my potential essay topics? I am just very confused on how to start off. Also, which topic do you feel most captivating?</p>

<p>1) This is my most personal topic. It is about how my father had been arrested 4 times in the time from my childhood to now, and on the last, went to prison for almost 10 months. I would love to talk about this essay, as it has affected me significantly. But I do not know what I can say about myself through the experience. Should I extrapolate a moral lesson? Should I simply write down my throught processes, feelings, and try to describe myself through the essay?
Also, I know that the essay is supposed to be consistent with the rest of the application, like with recs, grades, etc. However, I have never told anyone about this situation. It has always remained personal. So my teachers will not include this in their recs unless I tell them to do so. Should I instead go with a lighthearted topic that will be consistent with the rest of the application. I am sure my teachers will describe me along the lines as a responsible, happy, funny, and diligent young man. I do not want to risk writing an essay that will not be consistent. Also, I read that admission officers do nto like to read about struggle as much as about something more lighthearted. I am not sure, so please, I need your wisdom on my situation.</p>

<p>2) Despite such an experience, I do happen to be a very humorous student. I could write about my experience working in a local Burger King. It will be more of an essay that kind of shows the behind the scenes of working minimum wage, at a job that hides the proccess of how the succulent hamburger is made. I could easily make this a humorous topic, but again, how can I describe and reflect myself through this?</p>

<p>3) How I went to learn a type martial arts at a local temple that praised a religion different from my own? Eventually, my experience of learning the art led to me having to stop from cutting my own hair--a requirement in the religion that the instructors believed in--in order to continue learning the martial arts. Here, I can talk about self-image vs. inner beauty and strength, and my view on such a topic.</p>

<p>4) Building my own computer. Something that I am very proud of. I can talk about how ultimately, everything will come together.</p>

<p>5) Religious anecdotes I learned from my mom. This includes the reincarnation of a monkey, and sightings of religious dieties. </p>

<p>6) A website I made in 8th grade that helps students with study guides and other test prep materials for upcoming tests. I just really enjoy helping others, but I feel the essay could sound somewhat cliched.</p>

<p>7) Experience trying to transition from US to India. Going to school there and getting used to the way teachers hit the students when the students misbehave. And how the environment and water there caused me to develop several illnesses.</p>

<p>8) And finally, a small topic. Ordering stuff from Hong Kong. I am amazed by how cheap you can buy stuff from there when the same items here are ten times the cost. It can be an essay that can lead me to describe many things, from the harsh working conditions of China to the process of trademarking and my view on how the value of anything is distorted with a name. </p>

<p>Sorry for all the topics. It is just that, I feel like I can write a lot about all of them, but I just need to realize which one I can write to best reflect and describe myself in the essay.</p>

<p>I am just asking for some tips, not an exact outline of just how to write my essay. Just some guidance to kickstart my essay.</p>

<p>Thank you all in advance!</p>

2

<p>Also, for number 1, I really feel I could write the strongly about that topic, so if I write in the manner of a positive and learning experience, then will the consistency be clear?</p>

<p>I just don’t want to write it if struggle might be a touchy subject.</p>

3

<p>bump please. :frowning: I’m desperate</p>

4

<p>I think 1 would be a great essay topic. It shows that you have been successful despite overcoming tremendous obstacles and that you have been able to maintain your sense of humor and happy personality in spite of everything you’ve gone through. Just mention something like your father’s incarceration was “the one secret you could never tell anyone” or say “none of my friends and teachers even realized what was going on” and it will explain the discrepancy between your essay and recs. I don’t think the admissions officers will see “inconsistency”–I think they will appreciate seeing another, deeper side of your personality that goes past what they know from other sources. After all, isn’t that the whole point of the essay?</p>

<p>All of these topics sound great, though, and I hope you either find a way to tie as many as possible into your main essay, or include them in your application in other ways, such as through supplemental essays. You sound like such an interesting person–how many high school students have gone through what you have, lived in another country, built a computer, started a website, experienced another religion firsthand, and worked at Burger King while maintaining your sense of humor and what seems to be genuine curiosity about life? I’m sure you’ll do very well in college admissions.</p>

5

<p>Thank you so much, mmmgirl. Your post gave me tons of confidence. I am actually excited to apply now, lol. I think I am going to write my essay on the first topic.</p>

<p>I see that you are a senior as well. I wish you luck in the application process!</p>

<p>If anyone else would like to share their opinions, I’d greatly appreciate it!</p>