So, the prompt I’m trying to figure out how to write for is:
Describe a challenging situation you’ve faced. Briefly state the situation, how you responded and why, would you have done anything differently, has it affected or shaped who you are today?
The problem is I genuinely cannot think of anything that isn’t trite or overdone. I could go with a generic “I was bullied but I still get good grades” or “being LGBT” route, but I don’t want that. I want it to be unique, but I haven’t faced terribly unique challenges. I know admissions are looking for different problem-solving techniques to how to solve a challenge, but I haven’t done anything spectacular.
The two separate drafts I made about the topics above were shot down by an older friend who’s helping me, and now I’m lost. What kind of topic would you guys talk about?
I’m very stressed and I need to send in my application next week. Thank you for the help, I’ll PM anybody my other drafts if anybody wants them.
It seems to me that colleges are looking for a situation where you showed some adaptability – you might have picked an unorthodox way to solve a problem, or adapted some behavior or belief of your own.
The problem is that I can’t think of a specific event that suddenly changed the way I solved a problem, and I have a weak memory so it’s hard for me to recall specific instances anyway. I could talk about the day my dad told me he was a Buddhist and I felt ignorant because I didn’t know anything about it, so I researched by going to a Buddhist monk directly? Or when I failed a singing audition miserably, but got an acting role anyway and how that changed my outlook?
Most of the events that happened to me that adapted my beliefs (other than those two) are negative, and I can’t talk about depression or really negative stuff that I solved so that also makes it difficult.
Well, you could talk about the problem of trying to be unique for college applications, when you don’t feel that your life has been all that unique.
As to those topics that were shot down, whatever they were: don’t let someone else (myself included) shoot down something that YOU think has value. Shooting down an idea without offering some sort of constructive alternative is NOT helping.
Revisit those two topics. Spend some time today putting together ideas, and get that essay done this weekend.
So far I like the singing role one best. There are a couple ways to approach this essay. The “I was tough and soldiered thriugh the problem” approach, and the “I thought my way out of it”. I personally would prefer to read #2. They know everyone has not faced major adversity in their lives. Part of what they want to know is how introspective and creative are you – can you take a prompt like this and tell a story that interests them, and makes them want you on campus.
I’ll try writing both, so far I’ve written a draft of the Buddhism one and I’ll work on the singing one later today. If you want, I could PM you guys my drafts to help me with them (and I would really appreciate critique other than the shooting down of my ideas).
I have faced some major adversity, some that have forever changed my life. But I can’t write about it because it comes off as negative. But I also don’t want to come across as shallow either. I’ve tried to tweak some of it to make it sound less negative, but the major adversity I’ve faced is also too broad a topic to condense into 250 words.
You need to focus in on a small number of anecdotes for an effective essay. I don’t see at first glance how the monk story reveals much about your character and talents.
I don’t mean to seem unhelpful, but I can’t get to your essay anytime soon. I have to work all afternoon, then I have to make up my trimester exams this weekend.
But I agree-- as you tell it here, the monk story doesn’t make me want to say yes to your application.
You don’t need some big, overreaching theme. Small stories seem to work best.
I know it’s not the best, but at least the monk story helped me think about other experiences to write about. I’m just not used to talking about small stories and experiences, and something like a singing/dance audition seems overdone to me, I don’t know. I don’t know how to make that one stand out as unique.