Should I write about something I'm not good at vs. something that I am good at?

College Essays
1

<p>I know it's not WHAT you write about; rather, it's HOW you write it. However, I need some advice on what to write about...</p>

<p>Idea #1: Community service. By the time I legitimately start applying to colleges, I will have 450-500ish volunteer hours under my belt. I think this is the one thing that truly distinguishes me from many of my peers, but I don't know how good of an essay I can crank out.</p>

<p>Idea #2: My dad + his attempts to cook. He experiments a lot with cooking, and doesn't really know how to do it. However, he loves it, and no matter what, he always tries his best. The most prominent thing I've gained from observing his cooking experiments is that he is not afraid of failure, something which has transferred into my life (with academics and sports).</p>

<p>Idea #3: Tennis. I've played tennis since 7th grade, and I've shown remarkable improvement throughout my high school tennis career. In 9th grade, I was at the bottom of JV. Next year (12th grade), I will be 2nd singles for Varsity. Tennis takes up a lot of my time, and I LOVE it. However...</p>

<p>Idea #4: I also love lacrosse. I do not have as impressive of a record in lacrosse, however. I began when I entered high school, and I have been on JV for 9th, 10th, and 11th grades. This year (11th grade), I've been made captain (of JV). I love, love, love the sport, and being captain has done A LOT to bring me out of my shell. I used be extraordinarily shy, but I have since become more outgoing and have gained an enormous amount of confidence.</p>

<p>I know that any of these COULD be a very good essay. I am very inclined to write about lacrosse; however, would it be more beneficial to write about something at which I have shown proficiency (community service/tennis), or do you think writing about lacrosse would be okay even though I'm not as good at it compared to the other activities? Any advice/comments/questions/critique/whatever else you have to say is welcome!</p>

<p>P.S. - The reason I have to have an essay is because my school is requiring every junior to complete the common app by April 30th. Not ideal for me, but you gotta do what you gotta do. I figure the more work I put into this now, the less I'll have to do later... And I'm actually kind of excited to write the essay. I know I'm weird :)</p>

2

<p>The best essay topic for you is the one that allows you to be the most personal, detailed, and revealing. To write an essay that is so you that no one else could write it.</p>

<p>Only you can know what that topic is.</p>

<p>With that in mind:</p>

<h1>1: If you use #1, make sure that the essay does not pretty much repeat what your reader can find elsewhere in the application.</h1>

<h1>2: If you use #2, make sure that the essay is about you, not about your dad.</h1>

<h1>3: If you use #3, make sure that you don’t write the cliche essay about how you were bad but you worked hard and got better and that shows that hard work pays off. Such an essay will not help distinguish you from other applicants.</h1>

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<p>Choose whichever topic allows for the most personal, detailed and revealing essay. For purposes of the essay, it doesn’t matter if you are good at lacrosse or tennis or community service. What matters is what you reveal of yourself: how personal and detailed the essay is.</p>

<p>Here is some good advice about essays:</p>

<p>[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>

<p>[Show</a>, don’t tell](<a href=“http://users.wirefire.com/tritt/tip1.html]Show”>http://users.wirefire.com/tritt/tip1.html)</p>

3

<p>Thank you, ADad, for the detailed post + links. I greatly appreciate it. In a burst of writing inspiration, I cranked out an essay about lacrosse–if I PMed you, would you read it?</p>