is this topic too taboo/bad?

i’m trying to think of college essay ideas, and i recently had the experience of walking in on and preventing the suicide of someone that i love. lately, it’s all that’s been on my mind, and i’m struggling to think of anything else. i want to write about that day, about everything i felt and noticed, how it really changed who i am and how i function, but im nervous that this topic would be too taboo and unlikeable to admissions officers. thoughts?

So sorry you had to experience this.

I think you are right to pause and reflect before using this as a topic.

But some of that may be because this is a recent and traumatic experience, and it was at a time when you are also trying to think about a topic to write about for a life-changing experience of your own, as you prepare to head off to college.

It may be worthwhile to talk to someone professionally about how this experience has affected you. You may or may not be noticing the impact, there are lots of things in your life that are changing, so IMHO, you don’t want to risk attributing all of the change to this experience. It’s fine to be nervous at this stage of your life anyway - the vast majority of kids who get into top schools, as well as those who don’t, will all admit that their high school years involved a lot of nervous moments.

As far as how an admissions officer would view this topic - I would say that like all topics, it depends. It has to be well-written, of course. Most of all, I would advise you to be sure that the essay is about YOU, and is not about this other person. It should help convince they why they want to admit you.

Again, I am really sorry you had to go through this experience. One last suggestion might be to try to write a draft of you essay on this topic, to potentially see if you’re telling the story you want to be telling. If not, you still have time to come up with another topic.

Best of luck to you!