<p>I'm really stumped on the first essay topic:</p>
<p>"Everyone belongs to many different communities and/or groups defined by (among other things) shared geography, religion, ethnicity, income, cuisine, interest, race, ideology, or intellectual heritage. Choose one of the communities to which you belong, and describe that community and your place within it. (Approximately 250 words)"</p>
<p>I honestly have no idea what to write about whatsoever. It seems like the question really reaches out to those that are religious (ex. attend church with its own community) or people with strong ethnic backgrounds. I am neither.</p>
<p>I am a white, barely Jewish, middle class (not that I'd want to write an essay on that anyway) boy living in New Jersey. My family doesn't have any special cuisine. My interests are mainly academic based, which I have already talked to death in my other essays, or something along the lines of video games, which wouldn't really make a good essay for colleges.</p>
<p>Simply put, what are some of the things that you think I could write about? I know you don't know me, and that you can't write it for me, but I really just want some examples that aren't about church or family history or whatnot. Any help is appreciated.</p>
<p>Something about your town? What or you or your family value? Does your grandma make great chicken soup? Do you watch football with your family? Think broadly dude. You can do it!</p>
<p>A community is any group of people you belong to. While religious or ethnic groups are included, it extends much more broadly than that.</p>
<p>Your family, your school, any club that you’re in, a video game/internet community, a sports team, your neighborhood or town, an organization, a place where you volunteered, a country club or gym in which you had a membership, etc. There are countless things you can write about and I assure you that at least one applies to you.</p>
<p>Also, why wouldn’t an essay about video games be good for college? I know someone personally here who wrote about their online video gaming community and its importance to them in their community essay. As amazing as it sounds, they DO want to hear about things other than academics. They want to know things about your life, too. Admissions people are not naive to the point where they think your life is entirely centered around academics.</p>
<p>EDIT: I don’t know why this is appearing as the first post… Some error must have occurred…</p>
<p>Thanks for the responses. I’m in sort of a panic right now as I try to finish up my early action apps because of the hurricane and the threat of an extended power outage, but I’m feeling a little better now that I have some ideas to work with. Nobody else I talked to really gave me any ideas.</p>
<p>As for my video games comment, I meant that I think admissions officers might frown upon an essay about video games. I guess I shouldn’t scrap the idea entirely, though.</p>
<p>And yeah, I don’t know why your post is appearing first; must be some sort of glitch. It happened to me in a difference thread a few days ago too.</p>
<p>vgfanatic,
Do not write the essay for the college. Write it to the college. Write whatever’s natural and what you believe best represents your thoughts and yourself–even if it’s on a MMO or MMORPG community to which you belong.</p>
<p>I hope you get into UMichigan. Pray that I get in too! :)</p>
<p>It shouldn’t be that hard to write a short essay about a community group. The nature of the group isn’t important. The issue is more the description of your place in it. The university itself is a community and you will be spending much of the next four years working with other people. The question is trying to give the admissions committee a sense of how you will function in groups and whether your presence in the group will enhance the overall group experience.</p>