<p>I haven't written my commonapp essay yet. I'm looking for tips/advice on how to do it. Here goes:</p>
<p>I've heard that lots of kids write about Topic #3 (write about an influential person and describe the influence) but totally miss the boat. Applicants end up with a great piece about...their grandmothers, not them. Obviously colleges don't want this. </p>
<p>How can I make my essay about me and not about that influential person? Any advice?</p>
<p>Or, do any of you recommend I just find a new topic altogether, because this one seems, well, hard. Obviously, every essay has the same purpose: your personal statement, about you. But I'm having trouble conveying this without talking too much about the influential person. Advice?</p>
<p>You have to “describe the influence.” That is where you are meant to talk about you. Describe some immediate effects of this person, then maybe go into some long-term ones. </p>
<p>So, a basic cookie-cutter model for this is…</p>
<p>-describe person, including relation to you
-describe what about them influenced you
-describe how and why you were influenced
-describe an short-term effect or two of this
-describe a long-term effect or two of this
-sum it all up</p>
<p>The first three aren’t solely about you (half and half, maybe). The two after should pretty much be all you. The conclusion should probably be 2/3 you and 1/3 influential person. So, my math states that, assuming all of the above six parts are the same length, you have (1/2)<em>(3/6)+(1)</em>(2/6)+(2/3)*(1/6)=**25/36<a href=“about%202/3”>/b</a> of your essay just about you. That’s probably a fine balance. And it doesn’t seem that hard to follow my model.</p>
<p>^ I like that “formula”. I think also in describing the person, use vivid detail, as well as describing exactly what it was that influenced you. If warranted, use humor or dialogue. ALso, from what I have been reading and learning about the all important essay, don’t use the same old predictable 5 paragraph essay. Break it up a little, as necessary. Also, when done, give it to others to read.</p>