Is this a good college essay topic?

No those are not my stats. My SAT score is 1500 and I have received all As, with a GPA of 4.6. I have received the national emperor science award, have published a paper in Harvard’s Journal of Emerging Investigators, am President of a club at my school and officer of a couple others. I have volunteered at the hospital every summer and am currently doing a paid internship. I attended a 21 century leaders camp in the summer. And for top tier schools, I mean schools like Duke and Georgia Tech and others of similar caliber.

Another topic I was brainstorming is: my personal growth from the weird, shunned kid in elementary school to a flourishing person with many friends and a great personality or something along those lines. I would really appreciate any thoughts.

If you write on something like “my trampoline” as a metaphor for your life at the end of the essay the readers needs to have a good insight into the person you are. “If I ever fall down” gives me the impression you have never fell down, not so good. Also, from the POV of the reader, you need to demonstrate what you are interested in doing with your life, who you really are, and do so in a way that is entertaining for the reader. At the end of the essay the reader should feel like they know you at least a little bit (hopefully a good bit). Yes, a very difficult assignment.

Sorry. I pulled the quote from your thread in mid-November. What matters, btw, is unweighted gpa and actual grades on the transcript, esp those related to your possible major, then some other cores. And JEI is great, but a middle and high school journal and much of the competition will have this sort of pattern or more.

I’m not trying to be hard on you, just frank.

So on that note, I get that you’re searching for a topic meaningful to you- the “you” that you know and enjoy. But you need a better arc of sorts to balance these tales you’re coming up with. It’s not elementary school or proclaiming you’re now flourishing. It has to “show” in some example(s.) They have to feel it, see it, for themselves.

Duke will look for certain traits. You want a nice, tighly written, interesting narrative that ends up making it clear to the reader, on its own. Traits that the school looks for and wants in the class. What did you learn that’s relevant, how did this stretch you in ways that had some benefit to others around you?

Throw out some more ideas. But remember, it’s not just about you, now you’re more confident or grateful or whatever. It’s how you let them envison you active, open, engaged, stretching, testing yoursel, and more, once on campus.

One last question! Do you think it would be cliche for me to write about growing up Indian in an american society? All of the cultural clashes…experiences…what I have learned…etc? Maybe could even use some humor in that. Please let me know your thoughts asap! Thanks!

That is such a broad topic in general with many top applicants with the same background. Is there a trait(s) about you that makes you more unique/interesting that stems from or runs counter to your culture? For instance, we accepted a South Asian Indian in my admissions region a few years ago whose parents were both doctors, but this kid had a deep academic interest in Native American history and culture of the tribes indigenous to our part of the country.

You mean because adcoms have no idea? OP, do you understand what top collrges look for? Do the research into what makes a great essay.

Regarding your second idea is there one specific experience or event that happened and helped you get back up? Many times when trying to write it’s best to think of a little watermelon seed idea and build from there. "Family, friends, hobbies, books, etc. is starting wit the whole watermelon. I think you are on the right track in that you are thinking about yourself and how to showcase you.

But it still needs to convey what adcoms will look for, want to learn about you, for their campus. I think OP’s examples make it difficult to explain.