I was thinking I could write about how boring I am, because my only interesting traits are severe anorexia and depression, and I know colleges steer away from those.
I guess what I’m trying to say is, how can I stand out if I’m not unique at all?
You don’t have to write about “yourself.” Write about your point of view on something, or about a time when your point of view shifted.
Start here, and then PM me your draft when you have one.
http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-essays/1899933-my-generic-reply-to-almost-every-essay-topic-review-request.html#latest
What you write about yourself doesn’t have to be unique or mind-blowingly exciting. It just has to be ENGAGING to read.
C’mon, there has to be something that happened to you in your 17-18 years that was funny or goofy or sad or terrifying or embarrassing or triumphant. The size of the event doesn’t matter.
Just tell the story in your everyday voice (no lame thesaurus words), then reflect on what you learned from the experience.
Toxic topics to definitely steer clear of:
- mental health issues
- substance abuse
- disciplinary issues
- touchy political issues
- bodily fluids (you laugh, but I add this because of some of the CC threads I’ve read)
Topics that have high eyeroll factor:
- why I want to be a doctor
- my community service trip to Costa Rica
- how I got my drivers license
- how I want to help my fellow man
- my immigrant experience (if you’re asian)
You don’t need to “stand out” in the essay. You just need to be seen as a human being, not a robot. And did I mention that it just has to be ENGAGING to read?