<p>I'm about to write my common app essay-I can't decide which of these would be better. If you think none of these are good, please tell me. I have time to rewrite, rethink, etc. Do any seem interesting to you?</p>
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<li><p>About how being a fraternal twin changed the way I grew up and how I approached my social life. About how he influenced me.</p></li>
<li><p>About my interest in cooking, and how I grew to love it. About my academic interest to learn about foods and cooking styles. (Might be hard to write; it might make me sound like I want to become a chef instead).</p></li>
<li><p>About how I chipped my front tooth by being too competitive when riding my bicycle as a youngster. About how it taught me to not be so competitive.</p></li>
<li><p>About something else.</p></li>
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<p>I like the cooking idea. If you can really sell that you love it, and maybe even link it to other areas of study in some ways, the final product will be amazing. </p>
<p>Oh, and you’re not limited to 500 words. The Common App actually requires at least 500 words, but I’d probably say keep it under 1,000 :)</p>
<p>I think the whole chef thing could be great-- actually, wouldn’t it be cool if you could talk about how your life experiences were part of one great recipe that composed… well, YOU. Idk, sounds like it could be good, depending on how you write it.</p>
<p>Twins are uncommon, so I have to conclude that admissions officers would remember your essay solely because of that. But it could easily end up about your brother and not about you.</p>
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<p>Now this sounds like a good essay topic. If you’re concerned that admissions officers will think “Oh, so and so only wants to be a chef,” then mention that in your essay. Say that you don’t want to pursue cooking as a career, but wish to develop cooking as a passion independent of your work. It would also be easier to insert anecdotes (and maybe a little humor), like stories about recipes gone wrong or the cooking masterpieces that you’re most proud of.</p>
<p>But I would strongly advice against creating “a recipe for you.” There’s a 99.999% that it will end up dripping with cheese.</p>
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<p>This sounds to me like a formulaic “lesson learned” admissions essay. You need to emphasize a trait that is specific to you, but you’re lesson about not being so competitive could have happened to anyone.</p>
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<p>You never know if that perfect topic (or handling of a topic) is just waiting in the wings, so keep an open mind. But in the meantime, you may want to start on that cooking essay. It’s definitely the best of the ideas you’ve listed.</p>
<p>I guess I’ll just have to write both and then evaluate them separately? Or I could use one topic for the common app, and try to use the other in multiple supplements.</p>
<p>I love the cooking one. You don’t need to tie it into your major if it’s a stretch. Tying it into academics in general would be nice, but even just how it shows who you are is probably plenty great. I have also found that writing drafts of all of your (decent) ideas helps a lot. I had this great idea for a V for Vendetta essay, but it was an utter disaster in practice. Waste bin for that one.</p>
<p>The best essay topic for you is the one that allows for the most personal, detailed and * revealing* essay. The one that is so you that only you could have written it.</p>
<p>Only you can know what that topic is. Strangers on the internet cannot know which topic will work best for you.</p>
If you’re concerned that admissions officers will think “Oh, so and so only wants to be a chef,” then mention that in your essay. Say that you don’t want to pursue cooking as a career, but wish to develop cooking as a passion independent of your work. It would also be easier to insert anecdotes (and maybe a little humor), like stories about recipes gone wrong or the cooking masterpieces that you’re most proud of.</p>