For the prompt about “describe a problem …,” I’m choosing to write about an engineering problem for a competition, how I approached it/the steps I took, and what I learned. Is this a bad idea if I’m applying to biology/STEM at highly selective universities, even if I talk about my humanities interests in the school-specific essays?
What’s the rest of the prompt? It’s impossible to comment without knowing exactly what was asked for…if this works to satisfy it or not.
Sorry, this Common App prompt: Describe a problem you’ve solved or a problem you’d like to solve. It can be an intellectual challenge, a research query, an ethical dilemma-anything that is of personal importance, no matter the scale. Explain its significance to you and what steps you took or could be taken to identify a solution.
While the engineering response would be safe…you could describe your analytical approach, etc…I’m concerned it would also be boring and not share much information about you as a person. I think you’d be smarter to dig a little deeper and come up with something more personal and impacting.
Remember…your essays are your sales pitch. They’re your chance to sell yourself, show who you are and why you’re a solid choice.
Unless your engineering problem illustrates some interesting things about your character, or ingenuity, or how you deal with struggle, etc…just describing the steps of solving the problem might be wasteful. You have an opportunity here.
The key, I think, is to be thinking outside the box about something bigger than yourself. Throw some crazy ideas at it…be gutsy enough to own them. Show your passion for what you want to do.
There’s nothing wrong with the topic. In general, the execution matters a lot more than the topic, with the exception fo some topics which can be risky for political / cultural / etc reasons. I’d probably advise trying to provide some insight into your personality or character in the course of the essay though; this is one of those topics that could end up being too purely technical, which would be problematic because the admission officers are looking for some insight into who you are as a person.
Be careful that the essay doesn’t repeat information that’s already in your application… that would be a wasted opportunity for you to show them more of who you are.
I agree with the other answers here…
be sure to stay true to yourself when writing the essay and let your personality ring through. Don’t get too carried away by what the prompt asks. This is a personal paper, not a technical essay.
Also, there is no problem of talking about your other interests in the humanities, no matter what school or major you are applying to. Unlike many colleges in the world, colleges in the US are looking for interesting people who will succeed no matter what they study.