<ol>
<li>How getting my first job last year matured me and marked my transition from childhood to adulthood
Or</li>
<li>How my experiences and failures in ninth grade band affected me and lead me to art</li>
</ol>
<p>I've already wrote an essay about the first topic but I feel it could be stronger. That's not to say I wouldn't revisit it, it's only August. I haven't written an essay about topic #2 yet but I feel this could be a better topic considering I'm applying to art schools. I also feel very passionate about this topic and feel I can write I quality eassy about it.</p>
<p>Thoughts???
Should the essay relate to the expected major??</p>
<p>Honestly, the topic is far less important than the lens from which you explore it through. As long as you bring the reader into a specific moment and let them experience it from your perspective (with details, dialogue, description and voice) you’ll do great. I’ll PM you a great essay about a summer job leading to maturity. If you’d like me to take a look at yours let me know. </p>
<p>Definitely the second one. From the tips I’ve read on the Common App prompts, the “first job” essay is going to be severely overdone for that prompt.</p>
<p>While I do completely second @utahblues22, I would say that the second one sounds a lot easier to bring your own unique and personal narrative to… it seems like you have a lot less of a chance of falling into writing a cliche essay. Again, though, one can make even the most cliche-sounding topic into a great essay if they do it right.</p>
<p>Okay guys how about this, I come from a very financialy challenged family and it’s held me back from having many experiences. When my friends are going to the movies or I felt like I needed SAT prep classes, I never even dared to ask for the money because I knew my parents could not afford it. When I got my first job in eleventh grade things changed. I got to experience much more but I was paying for it all on my own. I paid to take my SATs and my APs, I paid to go to prom solely on my own, and even loaned money to my parents on multiple occasions for gas and bills and what not. </p>
<p>These experiences I feel have humbled me greatly as a person, and make me appreciate EVERY little thing my parents have given me throughout my life. I’ve seen my mom sacrifice having winter boots so she could give my siblings and I Christmas presents. </p>
<p>I bought birthday presents for people this year, and I wasn’t making that much money. This made me realize how incredibly generous it is to give extremely hard earned money away to others. This made me see my parents and their generosity in a whole new light and appreciate it even more.</p>
<p>I feel this could make a good essay for prompt one but I’m not sure. I don’t want to sounds bratty or ungrateful, and I don’t want to seem like I’m giving a sob story. Thoughts???</p>
<p>Again, while I think that’s a nice topic, I think that a lot of applicants could write similar essays. I have trouble thinking of how you could make this idea unique and personal, but I really think you should just try writing a bit or all of all of the essays and see which is easiest to write and which sounds the most like you - and only you. :)</p>