<p>i hear so many people doing essays on abstract metaphorical stuff that seems insignificant but is twisted to be relevant. but my essay is about my passion: filmmaking. it gives a little background on how i got started in filmmaking and talks about what filmmaking means to me personally and in what ways i hope it could effect others. </p>
<p>i'm really worried that this is not what they're looking for. i've gotten mixed advice--a lot of people say that i SHOULD make my passion for filmmaking clear in my essay. but then there are those people who say not to talk about humanitarian ideals and instead focus in on one little moment in your life. advice?</p>
<p>I too wrote about my passion in my essay. I think that you did the right thing - obviously, there are always many ways to go about answering a question, but your’s is definitely a valid approach.</p>
<p>does anyone else agree/disagree? i really need to make sure my essay is great since there are other parts of my application that are really good but not “perfect”.</p>
<p>I agree with Dan. I think you did the right thing by talking about your passion. Always follow your gut, it’s going to show you the right way!</p>
<p>On a side note: I wouldn’t usually say this, especially since you haven’t offered yourself, but your essay sounds very intriguing. May I read it (out of sheer curiosity)?
I’ve already written/submitted my essay and application so you don’t have to be worried about me copying it or anything. However, if you still do not want people (me) reading it, then that is fine as well! </p>
<p>wow, thank you so much, hmj! that makes me feel better. i’m actually still in rough draft/revisions/revisions/and more revisions stage right now, but when i’m done, i’ll send it over. :D</p>
<p>Oh, my gosh. My essay is very similar. Except mine is about my passion for screenwriting (though, in a way, it’s about my passion for TV/film since that’s what’s screenwriting is all about!) Mine talks specifically about the TV series I have been working on for the past seven years, but also talks about my goals with TV/film in general. Mine also addresses what one might call “humanitarian ideals” that I hope to accomplish through my work, but I don’t think they’re overly grand, so I hope it’s fine. May I read your essay too, whitecadillac? And maybe you can read mine?</p>
<p>It’s not what you wrote, it’s how you wrote it. </p>
<p>I was talking to my friend, and she went to a Brown information session, and the admissions officer there said that the best essay he had ever read was written about a bus ride. Similarly, she had also told me that one of her friends applied and got into Harvard, and the essay that her friend wrote was about a ladybug.</p>
<p>^Yeah, but that’s the thing. It seems whitecadillac is saying that all the really “good” essays are cited to be about seemingly insignificant things but wrote in a great way. But what he’s wondering (and I am too) is if someone writes about something that is obviously significant to them (and in a great way), would it be a disadvantage because it’s not about something commonplace/metaphorical?</p>
<p>No, I really don’t think so. I mean, every essay is different and there’s no general rule. If you manage to say more about yourself in a direct essay than you would in an indirect one, the direct option is obviously the one to go with.</p>
<p>Okay, I hope you’re right! I mean, I could probably churn out some good “metaphorical” essays too, but I think my one about my screenwriting passion shows more about me…</p>
<p>Eiffel, in response to your question, one admissions officer told me that the best essay he ever read was about someone’s community service work, which was definitely the students passion and not some random commonplace event/object! I think most counselors like to point out the “strange” or “esoteric” topics in order to encourage applicants to think creatively, and to show that essays do not HAVE to be about something that is obviously significant. This does not mean that an essay about one’s passion is not just as good (if not better :P) than an essay about an esoteric topic. Basically, chosing a topic like the one you and whitecadillac are talking about will definitely not be a problem! Also, if anyone wants me to read an essay to look it over and make sure its not about a “bad” topic, I would be glad to. I already sent mine in, but if you would like to read it, just tell me.</p>
<p>That’s really good to know, Dan. Thanks so much for writing that response. I might make my Yale supplement essay more esoteric so I can try to get the best of both worlds! What I don’t understand is…why would they really encourage esoteric essay to the extent that they do? Every competitive applicant to Yale probably has a passion in something, don’t you think? It seems like most people would want to write about that passion, but it seems most are not going down that route.</p>