<p>One of my main interests/"passions" is reading and literature, but I'm at a loss for how to include that in my college applications. I'm not a member of any book clubs (there are none in the area, and I prefer to read books at my own pace, not that of a group), and I haven't been affected by a single book or character enough to write about it for my essay. I'm considering doing something about how books and reading in general have influenced me (ie. wider perspective, curiosity, more informed, more open-minded, helped me with writing/academics...) but I'm not sure if I'd be able to make myself stand out enough, as everybody reads and is influenced to a certain degree by it. One of my teachers is going to mention it in her college rec letters and my other teacher might also (didn't say anything, but she's my English teacher, so it seems relevant), but it still doesn't seem like enough. And I'm planning in majoring in international relations, not English (perhaps a minor in that), so that doesn't help much either.</p>
<p>Any suggestions of what I could do? Thank you so much.</p>
<p>umm...why do you care to convey that you have a passion for reading? do you really, because it sounds like you don't. every person i know who genuinely has a passion for reading HAS been affected by either a book or a character. pick a different passion if you can't even think of a single book.</p>
<p>Well, I care to convey it because colleges want to see that you're especially interested/passionate in a few areas instead of just having a random smattering of ECs and the like. And YES, I DO really have a passion for reading. I HAVE been affected by books and characters, just not in a way which would be easy to write an essay about. Just because there isn't one book that totally changed my perspective on life, doesn't mean that I'm not passionate about reading or that I haven't been affected by what I've read.</p>
<p>Sounds to me like you dont really have something that you are passionate about so you just picked reading because you do it a lot. 95% of the people here love to read and do it a lot. Everyone has been influenced by books and has become curioius and more open minded because of them. Pick something else for your essay topic.</p>
<p>Upsilamba, I feel your pain. I'm an obsessive reader but I know it's difficult to convey that in an essay while still standing out. I'm having a similar issue, because it's something I want colleges to know about me, but it's very hard to express in the application. Try, if you can, to write sort of a narrative, starting from a time when you were younger and weren't so involved in reading, and then write how you got into it and how books changed you.</p>
<p>She took them last minute, ie we did not register and she just decided to take them, but I said to her I would pay if she decided to do that. She did fine but not perfect.</p>
<p>Your ECs should reflect your love of literature and writing, as should your grades.</p>
<p>You can mention it as an extracurricular (writing short stories, literary magazine, etc). But it CAN be a good essay, if you're organized enough to write it.</p>
<p>But writing a bad essay about how you love writing (or reading) for that matter, will be lame. And don't mention Catcher in the Rye.</p>
<p>Thanks everybody. I have some other essay topic ideas so I'll probably try out quick-ish rough drafts of all my ideas and then see how they turn out and if I can write an essay about reading without it being too lame or cliche. And I guess I can try to play that up in my interviews too.</p>
<p>Thanks TooRichForAid .I meant does any body think the Lit subject test would be a good measure of "passion" for reading? I'm guessing lots of good students enjoy reading but I am both impressed (and intimidated) by these subject tests, and wonder if they would separate hobby from passion.</p>
<p>I took it in June and got a 780. I think it could indicate some such thing to a certain degree, because people usually choose subject tests in their best (usually their favorite) areas, but at the same time, I know there were some people in my AP Eng Lang class last year who could have gotten a high score on the subject test even though they weren't particularly interested in the subject.</p>
<p>If you also enjoy writing, you could find a magazine/newspaper/website that accepts books reviews. Or if you have a newspaper or literature magazine at your school, you could volunteer to be reviews editor.</p>
<p>You could share your passion for reading with other people. Get involved in tutoring children or people who are not native English speakers in reading.</p>
<p>You could see if there are any events going on at your local library and become involved in those. Or see if you can arrange for an author to come and speak at your school.</p>
<p>It looks like a 780 puts you in the 98th percentile. The only other 780 that puts you in the 98th percentile is Bio and Math I. It might not be an EC, but if it reflects your reading (as opposed to some serious test prep) I think your time reading has been well spent! I hope my daughter's reading will help as much.</p>