Which Prompt Would This Fall Under??

College Essays
1

Hey Guys! I was curious about which prompt my essay idea would best fall under. My idea was based off me facing a hard struggle after being diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes, which destroyed my dream of serving as an officer in the military, from which I was able to overcome my obstacle, leading me to achieve great things since then that I did not think was possible.

I figured it would fall under prompt 1 or 2. Which prompt do you think I should write it under?

  1. 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.

  2. The lessons we take from failure can be fundamental to later success. Recount an incident or time when you experienced failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?

2

It’s hard to say without specifics, but to me, it sounds like it would fit under 1) better because diabetes isn’t exactly a failure.

3

I would call it #2.

Saying it’s central to your identity seems to imply that your identity has been limited by diabetes. Number one implies the realization you couldn’t realize that dream was an opportunity for growth.

You’re 17 years old. If I were an Adcom, I would much rather admit a kid who found a silver lining, rather than one who had focused on the limitations.

Or you could use it for #5: the realization that you had to alter your dream taught you that adults don’t cry over spilled milk. You realized that, as happens so often in life, you would have to play the hand you were dealt and find other dreams.