My common app personal essay focused a lot about me being gay and how that’s affected me and what I’ve been through (I know it’s a cliche topic, I’m not looking for ideas on the topic). I want to use the same essay for my National Merit semifinalist essay. Would this be appropriate? Is it too personal? Is the essay really a formality for the National Merit competition?
AFAIK the essay is a formality. Once you’ve made NMSF you need to have done something wrong to not make NMF.