Hi, I’m a current SFS applicant, and was looking for some tips regarding the essay. I was planning on writing about the conflict on Mauna Kea. I’m Hawaiian and was present at the protests so I can write well about it, but do you guys think that it’s too personal? It’s definitely a global issue for many reasons, but would it seem like I don’t have knowledge about international issues/current events? Should I do a completely different topic? Thanks and good luck everyone!
There’s no right or wrong topic to focus on for the SFS essay, and you can definitely tie the Mauna Kea protests into a greater discussion of development vs. environmental/cultural protection. If it’s something you feel like you’d be able to do well, I’d say to go for it. If you don’t want to have it be too personal, I’d suggest approaching it more like an article or short paper than a personal essay.
Thanks for your input!