<p>There are no cliche topics.</p>
<p>There are only cliche treatments of topics.</p>
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<p>The best topic is the one that allows for the most personal, detailed, and revealing essay. The one that only you could write.</p>
<p>I hear alot of people advise not to write about “big” moments in your life (i.e. winning something, volunteering, etc.), but instead write about more ordinary or mundane topics such as your lunch, brushing your teeth, etc. </p>
<p>These topics ARE different…however, what would your focus be? Should all personal essays have a somewhat moral to them?</p>
<p>Write about whatever allows you to be the most personal, detailed, and revealing. </p>
<p>I am skeptical about personal essays having a “moral”. The purpose of the essay is to reveal yourself, to distinguish yourself from other applicants. A moral is typically a telling, and lots of people can tell about a “moral”. Only you can show something from your own life, your own personality.</p>
<p>Show, don’t tell: [Show</a>, don’t tell](<a href=“http://users.wirefire.com/tritt/tip1.html]Show”>http://users.wirefire.com/tritt/tip1.html)</p>
<p>There is good advice here: [Essays</a>, Admission Information, Undergraduate Admission, U.Va.](<a href=“http://www.virginia.edu/undergradadmission/writingtheessay.html]Essays”>http://www.virginia.edu/undergradadmission/writingtheessay.html)</p>