<p>UIUC: ESSAY #1: The University of Illinois seeks to be a diverse and exciting community of students. In an essay of about 300 words, tell us more about yourself, describing interests and accomplishments which are not indicated elsewhere on this application.</p>
<p>The app didn't ask me for ecs or awards so should I throw a ton of them in there? What am I supposed to talk about? I know music's not exactly original but can I just talk about that since I have a ton of stuff for that?</p>
<p>If I had such prompt, I would focus on one interest I do outside of the community and school, whatever I do for a hobby that doesn't quite go into the EC section. I would actually write about my hobby in plastic scale modeling :)</p>
<p>I wish my hobby was plastic scale modeling. </p>
<p>I'm so not interesting. All my hs years seem to be all school ecs, community service, and piano (which is impossible for me to write about cause I know it's trite and overused unless I make it spectacular which I don't have enough energy to do). </p>
<p>So the only things that I could come up with are: lego building (me and my brother make houses out of them), board games (I'm obsessed, especially with Monopoly and Go and Risk and Checkers...yeah, you get the idea), reading (sounds kind of dull), or my private lesson sports (tennis, golf) or just other activities I do (ping pong/swimming) </p>
<p>Can I do any of these? When it comes down to it, I feel like I didn't do anything during my high school years. Yet I certainly felt busy.</p>
<p>board games!</p>
<p>I had to write something for this, but I just took an essay that I wrote for another school and changed the theme to fit this question. I talked about Hindu Pujas (religious ceremonies) and how working at them has affected me, what I've learned etc. It was kind of listed as an EC b/c I do graphic design stuff for the group that organizes these events, but I never mentioned my part in the actual ceremonies on my EC list so I guess its ok. I also mentioned how I have become more outspoken b/c of these events.</p>
<p>I suggest you write very passionately about a sport, despite how passionate you actually may be. I do all of the other things you listed frequently so I think it might sound dull if you use them (unless you're a fantastic writer) Good Luck.</p>
<p>Just my opinion, but I think you should present yourself honestly. If what you love to do is play board games, read, go golfing, etc., that's what you should write about, even if these activities seem ordinary. Why go to a college which doesn't value the activities you care most about?</p>
<p>I like the board games topic because they're interactive and non-solitary. Reading and piano are solitary. The essay will become interesting as you describe WHY you like to play these board games, WHO you play with, WHAT it means to YOU. Let them know what makes you tick. BTW, would you like to set up some sort of tournament or other creative use of the board game obsession at U. of Illinois??</p>
<p>If the app didn't ask you for ECs, admissions are probably mostly numbers-based. But another drawback to pretty much non-hollistic admissions is that they must have pretty much no idea of who you are as a person. I think this space is just for you to talk about whatever interests you and is your passion. Is your passion basketball? Being on the school basketball team? Reading and writing, so you joined the literary club? Maybe you even want to write it about skateboarding or surfing or volunteering. It can definitely be a school EC, or it might not be, if those aren't the things you're most passionate about.</p>
<p>Just whatever you love to do. Board games is neat! Be honest; I doubt it counts much except to show you're a good writer and display some character.</p>
<p>UIUC is numbers-based. I think it's rare a phenom essay bootstraps one up; more likely a bad essay drops one. Write a coherent essay, it's not bad.</p>