I want to write an essay that will stand out from all of the other cliche essays. How can I come up with a topic that will turn adcoms heads?
bump
Write about that time you cured cancer while winning the Boston Marathon and composing a piece for metric modulation on tympani and glockenspiel.
Seriously, though–you’re asking strangers how you can be unique?
Unless you’re Mark Watney, it’s hard to come up with an essay topic that is totally original.
Concern yourself more with making sure the essay is engaging, than obssessing over whether the topic is unique.
The idea of the essay is to tell admissions officers something about you that can’t be found elsewhere on the application. You need to figure the topic out yourself.
INTROSPECT! Sit or lay down, pull up the Interstellar soundtrack on YouTube, and just think. Just think. Emotion will lead you in the correct direction, and will make you see how you are unique.
98% of HS kids haven’t had some eye-opening experience. But what you have had is your own life’s experiences – and the essay can display how engaged you are, how kind you are, how much “character” you possess. But you can’t fake it either.
What’s your best character strength? Compassion? Drive? Honesty? Curiosity? Creativity? Why is that? Bring your readers into a scenario which shows how this developed.
Many years ago, I wrote about how I betrayed a friend’s trust and was in the ongoing process of rebuilding that friendship. I think it showed remarkable self-awareness for a knuckleheaded 17 year old dude. What’s remarkable about you?
Good luck
Think about the things you do each week, without even thinking about – getting to school, going to the grocery store, tying your shoes, etc. Make some scene small and insignificant scene come alive, and they’ll love you. They like uniqueness, so write about a subject that no one else would dare.
Admissions have read thousands of essays to the same prompts before reading yours. It won’t be unique.