<p>An essay should be about a particular thing in your life. A subject in school that has moved you, a relative that has had a significant impact on your life (my essay was about my grandfather in Trinidad), an activity that is important to you (my supp. essay was about these latin competitions that I started).</p>
<p>An important thing to remember is that the essays which are written purely for shock value are often the ones that hurt you rather than help you. The admissions people have seen it all...from the big X on the paper, to the essay written in Emily Dickinson's style, to the picture essay, etc. </p>
<p>A good essay is not what gets you into a college, but it can be the essay that hurts you. I think that buying one of those books (the Harvard Crimson puts out a good book of essays of people that got in every year). These books do not by any means give you some formula but it gives you a good idea of the types of things that are good in an essay.</p>
<p>I'll just give you one good piece of advice I wish I had known: DON'T let others influence you too much. They can help guide you, but be sure that whenever you're typing up your essay, nothing you say feels forced or something you wouldn't say (this is why using big words in application essays hardly ever work--it's not a natural voice to hear from younger students). I had to go through four drafts or so until I found something that was perfectly my voice and my writing style because I had so heavily edited the others based on of what people said to me about it.</p>
<p>But, in terms of finding a subject to write about, think of something quirky, creative, and original, but that still says a lot about you... Avoid AT ALL COSTS anything cliche! There's a thread somewhere on here about the most cliched essays to avoid, so I suggest reading that.</p>
<p>I just went with a topic that said something about me, which is what they want to know about. I talked about learning to speak English, which I'm sure has been done before by soemone, but it was important to me for various reasons. Write about something that means something to you.</p>
<p>for me, my topic is the one i was 100000000000000% sure about i guess ever since 10/1/2006, which was when the topic 'happened'. it was just 'it'. the one thing that has/had the greatest impact on me, so far in my life at least. i mean it was an unforgettable night and made me realized so many things.</p>
<p>i'm not the best writer...at all. i can't just write about anything and make it really good, like some can. so i tend to always choose the most personal stuff to write about whenever i get the chance.</p>
<p>i guess just write about somethin that ur passionate about. something ur comfortable with writing. something that u don't have to fake about.</p>
<p>idk mine just came to me. i started focusing on things about me that are interesting to other people but just seem ordinary to me. then something would hit me and i would write.</p>
<p>there were a few times i couldn't come up with anything. then i just wrote down everything that was in my head. i started several essays, but eventually i would get sick of them all until only one remained that i was still interested in writing about. that's how i knew it was important in my life...because i still cared about the essay. after i picked it i just kept writing until i finished...</p>
<p>but really the editing process is what'll make the essay great. just finish a paper... the rest is easy.</p>
<p>I got on the phone with my friend who is currently a freshman at a school to which I'm applying. I started talking to her about different things I had been thinking about for essays and all of them fell flat. Then I started explaining why I couldn't find something that represented me and that was it. In that, I found an essay that perfectly represented me. It was so easy to write and when I brought it to the teacher I asked to proofread, she told me that she loved it and felt it truly showed admissions committees who I am. </p>
<p>My advice: Have a rambling session with someone and see where that leads you.</p>
<p>i agree with mp153. it's really trial-and-error for all of us normal people that haven't had that much happen to us that's worth writing about. i wrote three essays that i really liked (but no one thought they said anything about me) before i wrote two others that i liked even better that were much more personal, but about events that would ostensibly have minimal impact on a person.</p>
<p>my advice comes from my writing habbit. i spend about half an hour a day doing random shot, which means, writing down whatever ocuring in my mind. Most of the time, the result leads to nowhere at all. but i can always find something interesting afterwards. it's a great way to warm up and you may find who you are by doing this, a writing without adornment.</p>
<p>Thanks for all the suggestions, guys! Man, I wish this became a featured decision earlier... like, when I was actually having my mental indecision breakdown, haha. how do threads become featured anyways? i was sort of shocked when i saw it there. especially after it had died. o_o
Anyhoo, this is really funny b/c I tried ALL of these - including several rambling sessions w/ friends and writing about indecision haha - but none of them really worked. For anyone in the same predicament I was in, um, I ended up writing on like 10 different topics and eventually found one that worked. Twas very messy. But it worked! =)</p>
<p>1) List the things that are important in defining who you are.
2) Look at the rest of your application and your recommendations, if you can, and look at what in your list is missing.</p>
<p>That's what you write about.</p>
<p>It could even be what's already been mentioned in your application, but something so important you want to go more in-depth with it.</p>
<p>Write something that defines you. Write something in one sitting without worring about introductions or theses. You'll be horrified at the very beginning, but new thoughts connect to each other and something truly you will pop up.</p>
<p>Find your voice in that stream of consciousness.</p>
<p>Like many others, I slaved for four months on perfecting a broad essay topic, trying to cover every single speck of who I am. It was almost 1000 words long and had amazing metaphor and thought behind it.</p>
<p>But it was too much, and I did cover everything, but without enough depth.</p>
<p>The essay I ended up using was 512 words long and was written originally as a blog on being frustrated on essay-writing. All of my friends said it was the most "me" thing I could have written.</p>
<p>There is no formula, just write as you are. Anything else is painful, stressful, and ultimately dissatisfying.</p>
<p>One way to think about essays is as a way to focus your application in a way you want it to be read. If you have some 'hook' or unique detail about yourself in your application, don't just leave it there hidden for them to find. They spend a lot less time on your application than you do, so if there is something you really want them to know about you, write your essay about it. Use your essay to bring your wonderful uniqueness to the attention of the admissions officers, even if it is in the app already.
I'm not fabulous at putting thoughts into words so I hope that made sense.</p>
<p>The trick is to find your AUTHENTIC VOICE. The subject matter may be inconsequential. (Like a possession, a long forgotten encounter or telling experience from your past.) </p>
<p>It shouldn't be a cliche topic like:</p>
<p>How I spent my summer, or</p>
<p>A person who influenced me the most, or</p>
<p>What I can contribute to Kalamazoo U.</p>
<p>It shouldn't be a group project...Don't let your parents or teachers or friends water it down for you. Have someone quite literate review it only for spelling and grammar.</p>
<p>Don't waste money on a pro...Admissions readers have a sixth sense about authenticity. In some cases, they will compare your essay to the Writing section of your SAT.</p>
<p>You may go through many ideas and drafts. But somewhere in your subconscious is a half-forgotten experience or trait that provides you with a clever way to show what it is about you that makes you somewhat unique. Like pornography, you'll know it when you see it.</p>