I was born with a cleft lip and palate, and I am thinking about writing about my experience for common app essay. It’s definitely something that’s affected my outlook and who I am. Is this too personal of a topic? It’s not something I readily discuss with my friends or anything. Also, would it be considered a possible cliche or sob story? The idea of becoming a physician assistant is appealing to me as of now, and having the birth defect I have has given me the opportunity to be in the patient’s shoes, which is something I could potentially incorporate into my essay.
I’m having the same issue as you. In fact I made a thread on a subject like this in a just a little bit after you did. I think the issue isn’t ever about if the topic is too personal it’s more about if you can write it effectively. If you can write an essay that focus on how this made you grow as a person and not on how horrible it was for you (even if it was) then it can work. I wouldn’t write from the point of view of the physician assistant unless you flip it around at the end and make it VERY clear how the story relates to YOU. The essay should primarily focus on your experience because this is the only time in the application that you can really show your humanity.
Though I really really do get it. At this point I don’t even want anyone to edit my essay because it makes me feel way too vulnerable.
I think it’s totally fine as long as you make it more about your motivations towards the future. Let someone edit it though!
Thanks for the advice and glad to know I’m not alone. I think I’ll follow through and write about this since it really has made an impact on my life that inevitably played a role in shaping my character. And I understand about not wanting anyone else to read it.
I suggest you find a trusted mentor in your life that you can share your experience with, even though it might make you uncomfortable, it’ll benefit you in the long run. I chose to let my guidence counselor know about everything I go through and it’s made it a lot easier to talk about. Before, anytime I even tried to mention it, I would choke up a little and then found a way to evade the subject. Actually, the first time I mentioned it to her, my eyes started to well up, not from sadness, but from the unease it caused me since it was a topic that I had always chosen to push away. Now she’s the one that’ll help me edit my essay and provide suggestions and all that jazz.
Thanks for the advice! Definitely will have someone take a look at it.
I wrote mine on a congenital tongue defect that I had that later affected my development and self-esteem, and it ended up being a pretty decent essay IMO. I’d say go for it.