- Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.
Okay, so I am writing my essay using the prompt above. I have a very strange and unusual talent: I have been unicycling for close to six years now. My friend called me up in sixth grade and asked “do you wanna learn how to unicycle?” and I was very hesitant to do so because I was the “new kid” at my school and did not want kids to think I was weird. Basically, my essay says how unicycling taught me how trying new experiences and trying things that are considered to be “weird” can often be the most rewarding things in the world. Unicycling was very rewarding because my friend and I got reputations as “the unicycle dudes” after we unicycled in the talent show and it is one of my favorite hobbies/activities to do. Is this a good essay topic or is it too weird? I really don’t know, so I thought I should head over here and have you guys gauge how strange (or good, hopefully) this topic is. I have a rough draft done, but it’s nowhere near being completed. I know schools like to see people with a diverse set of talents and interests so I thought it would be kind of interesting and fun for admissions officers to read. Let me know what you guys think.
@skieurope please move this to the “college admissions” thread. I posted it in the chances thread on accident. Oops.
@agc1998 It actually belongs in the college essays forum, which is where I’ve moved it.
Let’s see… This would count as an interest and/or talent, so it falls under “background, identity, interest, or talent”… and it seems like unicycling was meaningful to you, so, according to the Common App, “If this sounds like you, then please share your story.”
If I were an adcom, I’d find an essay like that to be very engaging. And I’m sure that compared with some of the stuff people write, this doesn’t come anywhere near the category of “weird.” Read the first two paragraphs of the following: http://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/15/opinion/sunday/frank-bruni-oversharing-in-admissions-essays.html?_r=0
If I were an AO, I would love to read this essay. It sounds very fun and interesting. It stands out as different while still being FAR from too weird.
Your topic sounds really interesting; the more you stand out, the better! Feel free to PM me your rough draft/final.
Yes vote from me too. I would think it would make you memorable too.
I like it. Be sure to bring in some other tidbits about yourself during the essay. Please use caution sending your essay to others, especialy new posters. You don’t want people stealing your ideas or whole essay, especially one of those essay ‘services’ who use it for selling to other people.
I think this is a great essay topic! I’d definitely enjoy reading it. My top recommendation would be to start it off with a story/narrative scene–it’s a great way to pull the reader in and I think this topic would be conducive to that approach. Good luck!
Thanks! @proudterrier Do you think anyone could steal my idea by reading this thread?? @BrownParent
Well yes, but let’s hope someone won’t go as far as to invent a unicycle hobby. But it is a rather rare hobby. The more of yourself you put in and details on your own life the richer it will be and the more authentic and original.