<p>I was thinking about writing about my work on the Obama campaign since it ties into the political depth of my extracurriculars and work experience. But because it's centered around one of my campaign experiences, it's pretty hard not to mention politics.</p>
<p>Or I could choose to use my "diversity" essay about a Thanksgiving experience that draws on the relationship between my Chinese heritage and the American society I grew up in. But I feel like this one is less unique because there are a million Chinese-Americans out there and it doesn't make my extracurriculars look more impressive like the political one does.</p>
<p>the diversity one definitely. It sounds like it will be more personal and the reader will get to know you better. remember, when it comes to the essay, you don’t want to “impress” them, you just want to show them something unique about yourself they can’t find anywhere else in the app.</p>
<p>Alternatively, you could perhaps blend the two. You could use your discussion of your Chinese heritage and American society as an entry point into an anecdote about American politics, explaining your motivations for political involvement in terms of not only ambition, but heritage and continuity. Especially because Mr. Obama represents, to a degree, the multifaceted ethnicities that compose US society. </p>
<p>I found myself in a similar spot to you at this point last year- stuck between two topics I wanted to write about. I ended up, though, combining them in a slightly longer essay (between 700 and 750 words) and am very happy with how the application process ended up for me. Just my two cents, you can PM me if you want more details.</p>
<p>Matrix, did you just select the option “topic of your choice”?</p>
<p>Yes I did. DO NOT feel at all constrained by the CommonApp’s questions- they are only there to give structure to people who find the prospect of writing about anything and everything too intimidating. Think of them as suggestions for people who need advice, not as anything binding. The CommonApp prompts also serve as decent, respectable topics for people who can think of nothing else. But the “topic of your choice” option effectively turns the CommonApp essay into an essay about whatever you want, without restriction.</p>
<p>In short, write about whatever you want. The admissions officers reading your application will probably find it refreshing, and it allows you to represent yourself in a more creative and personalized way. Never even think of discarding a topic because it doesn’t fit one of the “suggestions” on the CommonApp.</p>