<p>It's for the Common App and is very strong (in my opinion and in a few people who reviewed it). It is kind of controversial though. It talks of diversity and growing up as a gay quadruplet, but I do not go by labels (always labeled as 1 of the quads, the gay kid, etc). Sounds sappy, but is this an <em>appropriate</em> topic? I've been warned by 1 or 2 people this might be risky, considering it mentions sexuality. I don't know if this will hurt my admissions chance, help, or do nothing to it. All I know is I think I wrote it well and it speaks my voice. </p>
<p>PS: Most of the schools I'm applying to are very gay friendly (Yale, Harvard, etc.) I'm not trying to suck up to the admissions officers or write what they want to see or anything, I'm just writing what is central to me, yet not the only thing about me. </p>
<p>@peetaisonfire - it’s not a bad topic (these schools are seeking diversity), and based on your other threads here, it’s clear you should not be playing it safe, as it’s highly unlikely you will be accepted Harvard, Yale,and peers - your scores are too low for an unhooked applicant to these colleges. Your only chance is to stand out as a unique, interesting applicant, and hope they decide to overlook your test scores.</p>
<p>You are also going to have to convince them you can handle the academic expectations. I know your grades are good, but many high schools give out As like candy - the standardized tests are the reality check.</p>
<p>@BldrDad thank you for the advice. I am just so nervous and I can’t seem to manage my time on the standardized tests. I find a rhythm, but then before I know it, time is up. I often will reread a question multiple times if I think it’s too easy, so I often waste a lot of time on the easy problems </p>
<p>when i went over applications with the penn admissions committee, there was an essay about a gay kid who had to switch schools and stuff. it is part of your identity, nothing to hide. i don’t think you should just throw it out though. like how has it affected you life? what experiences have you had? how have they changed who you are today? show them how you respond to adversity.</p>
<p>I would but I feel like sobbing about my struggles with my parents and acceptance and such wouldn’t make a good essay. It is part of my identity, but one of the main points of my essay is to talk about how being a multiple and how being gay aren’t the only things that define me. </p>
<p>The whole thing just seems contrived. Must you discuss your sexuality as part of your application? Don’t you have enough academic or other EC activities to highlight? Seems like you are trying to compensate for your low test scores by having some outrageous topics for your essay. Why bother? Do you think many hetero students feel the need to discuss their sexuality as an essay topic?</p>
<p>It’s not an outrageous topic in my opinion. It sets me apart and is my voice. It’s central to my identity more than anything else and that’s the prompt of the essay. </p>
<p>@mnm111 One of the specific common app prompts requests information about an integral part of your background or story. For many queer people, their sexuality is intrinsically connected to both of these. And I don’t think writing about heterosexuality is really analogous as its not a marginalized identity and, as such, does not serve to “other” a person or impact the course of their life and their self-perception the way being LGBTQ does. Just think- how often do people have to come out as straight? Never, as its society’s default orientation. </p>
<p>If you find it meaningful, OP, and believe it defines your voice, then go for it.</p>
<p>Thank you so much for that @abstract1. And to @mnm111, it’s not ONLY about my sexuality, as I mentioned at the beginning, it’s also about being a multiple and about diversity and how I’m tired of labels basically / they aren’t the sole things that define me as a person but they are still important. </p>
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