<p>My mind is completely blank. What can I do to help stimulate it and find inspiration to write an exceptional essay?</p>
<p>This might sound counter-intuitive, but you might have more ideas if you narrow your focus. Don’t think of the prompt this way: write an essay about something. Instead, look at the actual prompts from this year’s common application. For example, topic #3 was: Indicate a person who has had a significant influence on you, and describe that influence. So you might start brainstorming all kinds of people - parents, politicians, friends, frenemies, Jesus, Snooki, whatever . . . and think about how they influenced you. Don’t let yourself find the ideas stupid until you have a good list - then you can weed out the bad choices. </p>
<p>The point is, most people actually find it easier to brainstorm when they have a set of parameters to work with.</p>
<p>What’s different about you? The time you broke your arm during summer camp? The stuffed parrot you always have on your shoulder? Taking care of your grandmother when she had a hip replacement? Your peanut allergy? Your love of really smooth rocks? Your homeschooling program? Your reasons for homeschooling? Why you chose one homeschooling path over another, or over public school?</p>
<p>They aren’t looking for a profound experience, only that you show your ability to think and write. You’re 17 - they don’t expect that you’ve cured cancer.</p>