<p>I'm looking to get into some top universities, especial CSOM at BC, Northeastern, and maybe Georgetown or Cornell. I know my scores and ECs are in line, but i have to find a way to hook the admissions board because i realize that there will be thousands of other applicants at these schools who resemble me in more ways than one. As a requirement for my AP Lang. and Comp. class this year, we ended the year with a draft of our college essay. My teacher loved mine and graded it 100/100, but I'm still second guessing myself. </p>
<p>I wrote sort of a mock epic narrative about how I tripped and fell in the hallway at my school, and how I had a "moment of epiphany" (to address one of the common app prompts) that i could either let the mockery get to me or change my attitude and laugh it off. I begin the essay with a sort of foreshadowing to the actual event of falling, and then go back in time to tell the story of my day leading up to my fall, and to describe my "epic battle with high school." Of course it's written with much more elegance than that, but is that too generic? </p>
<p>Be honest, I have time to change the essay! Thank you.</p>
<p>It doesn’t sound generic. It’s unique, but it definitely straddles that fine line between unique and ridiculous. Without seeing the entire essay, I can’t really tell you if it’s appropriate or not.</p>
<p>Thank you for your input! I’m not too worried that it’s inappropriate because, like I said, my English teacher (a Brown alum) loved it. </p>
<p>I guess my question is should I approach the essay as a way to exhibit a specific passion of mine, or will an essay about a lesson/moral that I’ve learned during my high school experience suffice? Just looking for a few opinions on the perspective with which I should view the essay. I’m worried that if I don’t emphasize a passion that I hope to cultivate in college I may appear boring and generic to an admissions board at a top school. Thanks in advance!</p>
<p>I agree with 314159265’s sentiments completely. And, money11, I think the latter (lesson/moral) is more intriguing (though I’d have to see both ideas in full), though I sympathize with your concerns regarding showing passion. However, you can show ECs elsewhere in your app, and lots of people will solely use their essays as a means of feigning passion. Lots of good essays do legitimately show it, but don’t try too much to please in that way. It’ll make you “generic” ;). Would love to see a few workings of this essay to give advice if you’re interested.</p>