Multiple schools I am applying to require a short essay elaborating on an extracurricular, but I’m torn on which EC I should write about… My choices are:
- Photography. I would talk about how I love trying to understand people & capture who they are through photos, as well as creating art in general.
- Debate. I would talk about how it has made me much more critical of my own beliefs & open-minded to others & why I thinking this is important in society. I could also talk about how I've helped to make my team a stronger community by recruiting, raising money, and helping my teammates.
- Math. I would talk about math is an art form to me & I love solving problems & seeing how others think about the same problem in different ways.
Could anyone help me decide? All of these ECs are very close to my heart and have shaped who I am.
Hmm, these all sound like very good topics. Here are a few things I would consider:
-
Have you mentioned this extracurricular in any of your other essays? If not, this could be a great place to expand on it if it has been meaningful to you.
-
Does this extracurricular show a new personality trait that you haven’t shown anywhere else? For example, your debate topic seems to show leadership/initiative/collaboration, the art topic seems to show creativity, and the math topic seems to show problem-solving/intellectuality/creativity. It may help to write a list of the traits you think have already shown through in other parts of your app and seeing what’s missing, which you could then fill in with one of these extracurriculars.
-
If you have the time, I’d recommend doing a “zero draft” for all 3 of these. Zero draft meaning you set a timer for some allotted amount of time, maybe 10 minutes, and write everything that comes to mind about this extracurricular, and don’t stop at the word limit. At the 10 minute mark, stop and repeat for the next topic. Then at the end, read through each and see which one you like best.
Hope this helps!!
I like the idea of discussing debate. Frame it with specifics if you can.
What did you write the main essay on?
Are you an Asian/male? (Sorry to stereotype here) but if you are, then I would avoid talking about EC #3
I like idea 1 the most.
Good luck.
OP: The manner in which you have presented your options frames them as three great topics.
Just pick one topic & write a draft. Allow a knowledgeable person to proofread it.
I also vote for #1. It shows another, non-academic side. It can bring some life to your app. (And it’s important that you mentioned others, understanding and appreciating them. That translates well to life in the campus community.)
But yes, draft them and see.