Is your common app essay more creative or academic?

College Essays
1

<p>I'm doing prompt one and while everyone tells me to write a narrative story to stand out and interest the reader, I find that my essay is much more straightforward and essay-like.
I talk about hardships and adversity, so it's not THAT boring. Of course, I think it's compelling.</p>

<p>Just wondering, how did you write your essay?</p>

2

<p>“Academic” and “creative” are not mutually exclusive! All essays should be creative, even if the writer has a straightforward writing style. </p>

<p>I was probably more whimsical than direct, though. I used contractions and eye dialect.</p>