Personal Essay Should Involve Passion/Major??

Applying to College
1

<p>Should the common app essay not only demonstrate your personality, but also relate your experience and personality to what you are passionate about? </p>

<p>Assume both essays are structured and written equally.</p>

<p>Let's say a girl had a mom who had cancer, battled for years, but died..the girl rambles on about an experience that helped her develop her personality and ambitions, etc... and relates that to her passion for bio med?? </p>

<p>OR</p>

<p>For the entire essay, the girl talks about the same experience that helped her develop her personality and ambitions... WITHOUT mentioning her passions. This essay would talk MORE about her personality, and be more personality focused, less passion focused</p>

<p>In your opinion, which one would be the better essay?</p>

2

<p>to be frank your bias against essay 1 is apparent. Why even ask the question?</p>

3

<p>If you are asking whether your essay has to include a choice of major and why you are choosing it, the answer is no. You are not expected to have chosen a major, let alone to defend the choice. You can apply as ‘undecided.’ You can apply as a bio major and never mention it at all if it’s not related to your essay topic. Write the best essay you can, that no one else could possibly write, about whatever you care about and want them to know about you.</p>

4

<p>Why do I have a hard time believing this is a hypothetical?</p>

<p>If the major is something of critical importance to this person, it could add to the essay. If not, it’s better left out.</p>

<p>I see the connection to the major as something that might be more appropriate for a “Why X course of study?” supplement essay.</p>

5

<p>While essay 1 might be a marginally stronger essay, keep in mind that essay 2 is a strong essay topic as well.</p>