<p>The prompt is
Describe a setting in which you have collaborated or interacted with people whose experiences and/or beliefs differ from yours. Address your initial feelings, and how those feelings were or were not changed by this experience.</p>
<p>This is for Texas A and M.
Is it ok for me to mention "I believe in a higher power". I refrained from using the words God or Catholic.</p>
<p>Hmm. That’s a difficult call. Some say to push the boundaries when writing a college essay to stand out. Others say to refrain from discussing politics and religion. I guess it depends on the context of those words you have there. I mean, I personally don’t think it’s a great idea to write a whole essay that basically states “I believe this and I believe that” when it comes to religion, regardless of how general the terminology is. Then again, that’s just me.
Keep in mind that this prompt asks HOW, not WHY. </p>
<p>Yes, you can mention it, and there is no reason to refrain from using the words God or Catholic. You haven’t said anything else about your essay, so I can’t add anything more to that. Just don’t think that topics are AUTOMATICALLY inappropriate. It’s all in the way you tell it.</p>
<p>I addressed my religion in my essays. Worked out well. The key is talking about how your beliefs have affected you personally without sounding like you’re trying to convert the readers. Make clear somehow that, while everyone’s entitled to their own creed, yours has influenced you in this & that way. There was a sample essay from a girl who wrote about growing up Muslim in the Middle East & it got her into HYPS, I think.</p>
<p>Ps: Texas A&M’s pretty conservative, so that should help.</p>
<p>My common app essay last year was about how my public school promoted Christian beliefs, holidays, and sayings and how, with my Jewish heritage, I felt uncomfortable. The essay worked out for me. As long as your essay itself isn’t pushing any religious beliefs on the reader, you should be fine. </p>
<p>Thanks for all of the responses! Alright I will write about it.</p>