Topic 1: I have an incredibly low GPA but a tremendous upward curve to go with it. I wrote an artistic analogy about a dull knife becoming a samurai sword to represent growth. I feel pressured to defend my low GPA because I honestly feel it doesn’t represent me despite being what I earned. I’ve also been told during interviews that my transcripts look pretty bizarre-- how I go from D’s and F’s to A’s and B’s taking Honors and AP classes.
Topic 2: I could write about my challenge to become student body president of my school. It wasn’t simply a popularity contest, long story short I took it very seriously and campaigned as if it was real, because I hope to major in pol sci. I was being interviewed by a board for this one school, and one of the members was a politician, he mentioned how the way I treated this was unique and that more young people should keep that mindset or something like that.
I would avoid the first, but I’m not crazy about the second either to be honest. Neither tells me who you are, merely what you’ve done.
But, far more important than my opinions: are you a high school senior or a junior?
If you’re a Senior, and it’s December 30, I say write about whatever you want, but get it written!!! The prompts have been out since about February.
The deadline is January 1, right?? So that’s midnight tomorrow?? And the “midnight” part presumes that there will be no computer glitches if you choose to wait until the very last second (defined pretty much as any time after Christmas, but most notably tomorrow.) That would probably be a first-- there’s always a computer glitch at the last minute.
You can measure the remaining time in hours, not weeks or months. At this point, you need an essay. You don’t have time to poll the internet on which topic presents you in the best light.
Can you write about an event that made you decide to engage in school that also shows who you are now? The fact that your grades improved is apparent from your transcript and your GC may also be able to add some color so don’t waste the space on that.
I’ve been told to avoid abstract analogies in college essays, so I would avoid the first one. The first one however, I see some potential if you show yourself well.