<p>So I was in a huge national academic competition in 8th grade and I wanted to write about when I almost gave up on studying because I felt so discouraged and I had experienced some small failures.
Would this be an appropriate topic for the Common App essay? I wanted to include this so that the admin officers would get to see it even though it wasn't during my high school years, and this was a pretty critical moment. I'd appreciate anyone's feedback!
BTW, I plan on applying to Yale, George Washington, OSU, and some others.
Thanks!</p>
<p>It has potential to be excellent; and it has potential to be quite cliche. Depends on how you write it. Let it be revealing and personal in an interesting way.</p>
<p>My essay was a story that was set almost entirely before high school. </p>
<p>It’s not like 2/3rds of your life is off limit to writing about. </p>
<p>My one friend (at yale now) wrote about growing up on a kibbutz in Israel.</p>
<p>Sweet!! Thank you so much!</p>