<p>So I'm absolutely freaked out by the fact that I can't seem to find a right essay topic/the right prompt for me. I feel like I have literally just about nothing to talk about (no interesting stories etc.) apart from what the admissions officers will be able to read in my application.
Plus by trying to be original, I feel like it just decreases my odds to get into my top schools -- loads of Ivies. HELP.
Anyone else feeling like this? Any advice on essay writing?</p>
<p>You probably just have a limited view of what can be interesting. Anything can be interesting if you write about it in an interesting way. There’s a lot of meaning in small things. Essays about major life events tend to be done badly anyway, because it’s almost impossible to tell those stories in 650 words without resorting to generalizations.</p>
<p>Yes, you don’t have to be original, just reveal the qualities and strengths they want in freshmen. If you’re stuck, maybe you go back and try to figure out what it is adcoms are looking for. And watch the asterisks.</p>
<p>Here’s a blog post on this problem that might be useful:
<a href=“http://making-your-statement.■■■■■■■■■■/post/55324922877/think-youre-ordinary[/url]”>http://making-your-statement.■■■■■■■■■■/post/55324922877/think-youre-ordinary</a></p>
<p>Stop freaking out, you’re making me freak out. I haven’t started any of my essays and don’t plan onto until Aug 1st. I have no interesting stories/activities either. </p>
<p>Frankly, don’t be surprised if you don’t get into your dream schools, (I won’t be for myself) try your best.</p>
<p>I’m feeling the exact same way! I even followed all the advice here on CC (about how you don’t need an interesting topic) and just started writing. I wrote 3 different essays for common app., planning to just use the one I liked best. Turns out, I hate them all…even the one I spent the most time on. Ugh. You’re definitely not alone, I’m feeling pretty defeated right now. I always thought essay writing was my strength, but now I’m like 99% sure I’m gonna end up using some POS essay (which my crappy GPA really can’t afford lol). :(</p>
<p>you’re not alone here. I’m ****ting my pants too. Perhaps we can all help each other?</p>
<p>Do you know what ‘literally’ means? </p>
<p>From your title, I thought this post might be asking for laundry tips.</p>
<p>I posted this on another thread this morning, but I’m reposting, as it needs to be repeated.</p>
<p>Often times, what you end up submitting to a college is NOT your first attempt at a topic, but your last one. The only way to know which topic works best is to actually write essays – lots of them. Both my son and daughter, who applied to college 3 and 4 years ago, worked for about three months on their essays – and not just on one topic. Each of them wrote about 10 to 12 different essays on different topics and revised each of them multiple times. It was only after having polished essays that they were able to narrow down their choices and press the submit button.</p>
<p>My advice: Start with any topic – the topic you like most – and write a first draft. Then, put it aside. Go on to another topic, the topic you like second, and do the same. After you’ve written about five different essays on different topics, go through each essay and edit and revise. Once you have done all of that work, you will know which topic works the best. Essay writing is a process and you can’t make a decision based upon an outline, or freaking out about it. You just need to do it. Best of luck to you!</p>
<p>Right, this is very helpful. Thanks a lot! I will definitely be looking at these pieces of advice more in depth.</p>
<p>It’s not your fault YOU can’t think of a good topic to write about. The questions are terrible. A prompt should be a boost, something to get one thinking. None of these do that.</p>
<p>I feel really nervous about the essay, too! None of them work for me very well.
But gibby’s advice was really helpful so I feel a bit better.</p>
<p>I posted the below on another thread; if you haven’t read it before, it may be helpful:</p>
<p>I once heard Peter Johnson, a Senior Admissions Director at Columbia University, give this tip on essays: “Your essay should be so personal and specific that if it fell out of your backpack at school and it didn’t have your name on it, and a classmate who you knew you well found it in the hallways of your school, that classmate should be able to read the essay, immediately know that it was yours, and return it to you.”</p>
<p>Without the “topic of your choice” option this year, many students will end up writing about the same thing – and that’s NOT going to help make you or your essay stand out. The way to avoid that is to follow Peter Johnson’s advice!</p>
<p>When approaching a topic, think about what other students might write about . . . and then come up with something completely unique and different that is specific only to you. For example, this year many students will probably write about their favorite place being their bedroom. First, think about what other students might write about – sports or music posters decorating their walls, the blue, pink or black colors of their room, the coziness of their bed etc. If you can’t think of something specific that pertains only to you – that not many other students will write about – your essay is not going to stand out in the crowd, so move on to another idea. I once knew two teenagers who shared the same room. One of them lived in a tent inside the room because they wanted privacy. Now THAT student could write a unique and interesting essay about their bedroom that’s going to make them stand out in the applications process. Most everyone has some quirky story that they are embarrassed to tell someone about themselves because it’s tooooooo personal – and that’s what students need to write about – something so specific that only you could write it.</p>
<p>My son is a rising senior (and hasn’t even looked at the prompts yet), but I did – they’re tough. I liked them better when my daughter was doing this 3 years ago. </p>
<p>I think a lot of people will go for the “peaceful place” one, but you could probably do a lot with the first one. I think it’s hard to stand back from your own life (after all, it’s your life – you were born with it), but there is probably something unique about your family or upbringing that you could talk about. I’m thinking my son can talk about growing up in a very traditional suburb (where dads work on Wall Street and moms play tennis), and his parents didn’t fit the mold – I work, and my husband stays home. And all that follows from that – learning that men and women can have different roles; the benefits (and downside) of having your dad home all the time; seeing your mom start a business, build it, struggle, survive.</p>
<p>Good luck to everyone (including my son).</p>
<p>Wow there are some great pieces of advice on here, thanks!!</p>
<p>Remember, this isn’t like a hs assignment where you work on a thesis statement, opine, or exercise wild creativity. They want to get a slice of who you are. What you choose to show of yourself- and how- is pretty revealing. It shows how you think, your perspective and so much more. To make it all simpler, just imagine you are writing to an adult poster you are familiar with. </p>
<p>The reason the challenge prompt works well is it frames what you write in a more natural sequence. Something happened, you responded, something changed, you evolved. But remember, it’s “show, not tell.” You get to show outlook, flexibility or resilience, a little maturity or problem solving- and perspective. No, they don’t get tired of that format. It’s not always a challenge in the sense that you had to climb some mountain in 100 deg weather or endure some loss. It can start with something quite simple. </p>
<p>breathe.
Btw, ime, you don’t lose points for subtly adapting a prompt. But do try to keep it positive. And, the tome and the qualities you show should somehow be relevant to college.</p>