<p>I've done extensive work on gay rights since 10th grade and it's a vital part of my high school life. I think, since I'm straight myself and I live in an ultra conservative region, it matters even more. Still, would it be too much of a risk to write a supplement essay about me as an activist and how it helped me grow? (plus, the schools I'm applying to aren't religiously affiliated--a lot of the top schools, some safety schools)</p>
<p>If this is an important part of who you are, would you want to go to a college that would turn you down for writing about it?</p>
<p>Although I appreciate what you’re doing, 10 years ago, it would have been cutting edge. Now, it’s approaching cliche, because so much progress has been made in areas of the country outside your own. </p>
<p>So be careful about how you go about it and avoid the cliches. Think about the admissions officer who’s going to read it at the end of a 12 hour reading day and try not to get the reaction, “Seen this a million times. Next!”</p>
<p>I think it could work if you focus on some specific aspect of how you “grew”. That adage about showing (not just telling) really applies here. Use stories and incidents, not just general description.</p>
<p>But… you mentioned this as a “supplemental essay”. If this is just something in addition to the other essays requested by the schools, then I say don’t do it. Colleges don’t want additional essays beyond what they have already requested, they have enough to review already in your application. If it is your common app essay or a supplemental they have requested, then go ahead.</p>
<p>the thing is, I live in a country outside of the U.S. that does not tolerate LGBT people at all (it’s not strictly illegal, but you could get killed/mugged for it and not get protected by the law)…the military thinks it’s a mental illness, the people all think gay people are crazy…but I’ve done a lot to improve that. I’m not going to say what, because there are some big things that could reveal my identity. And no, it’s a supplement essay they require. So…would it still be cliche or risky?</p>
<p>I never thought it was cliche or risky in the first place. Here is the thing, you don’t want to write an essay that is an opinion piece… so like your titles says “Writing about gay rights in common application?” I say no. But if you are writing about yourself and what you do and how it affects you and you show your character and your actions and things that are good to know about you for college admissions committee, then yes. It is not controversial to be a gay rights supporter, to American college committees. But apparently it is in your country and that might be very interesting.</p>
<p>BrownParent offers reasonable advice. My impression of the OP’s tone in the two posts above was “anger”. This is clearly a tone to avoid. Also, as BP suggests, avoid making the essay an opinion piece, which is what OP appears to want to write.</p>
<p>Adcoms simply want to know more about the applicant - they don’t read essays to learn about issues regardless of how relevant/controversial/informative it might be.</p>
<p>If the essay focuses on how gay activism influenced the applicant, then it could be a fine topic. However, if the topic is handled poorly, it could be a disaster.</p>
<p>Since the essay is a supplement, I would not include it. Additional essays are far more likely to be cliches or offensive than something that brings new information about the applicant. Adcoms have clear reasons for specifying the number of essays that they request - and a wise applicant adheres to these constraints.</p>
<p>First off, the other posters here are correct, writing essays beyond what is required/asked for is generally a no-no, it just annoys the readers and likely won’t get read. </p>
<p>What was not clear was that you were in another country, which takes this in another direction. So if you can find another place to write about it, yes, it would be a good topic if you talk about how you are standing up for an oppressed group at some risk to yourself with little personal gain involved. That’s always a good topic. Being a member of the Gay-Straight Alliance in a US HS is hardly cutting edge any more, and really cliche. What you are doing is vastly different.</p>
<p>I believe OP is saying that it’s a required essay in the college’s common app supplement.</p>
<p>In that case, forget the comments made by the people who told you. That is a very interesting story. It will make you stand out.</p>