I wanted to respond to the 6th Common App prompt by talking about my love of fishing (I could go on and on about it here, but it has basically changed my life. I go fishing any day that I have time and it’s the closest thing to an obsession in my life). I see it as a way to immerse myself within an ecosystem and enjoy learning more about the design/functionality of lures and the ways that fish respond to different stimuli.
I have more academic and “serious” topics to write about, but fishing is honestly the thing I am most passionate about and I believe the other topics I could write about are more generic. Will admissions officers take an essay like this seriously?
I think the academic stuff is well covered in every other part of the application. The essay is a chance to separate you from your statistics-- to show them how you’re different from every other kid with the same GPA and activities.
A little different twist from me. It sounds interesting and you see how it’s “a way to immerse myself within an ecosystem and enjoy learning more about…”
But remember, this is for your review for an admit. Try to show the attributes your targets look for.
They don’t just want to see, wow, this kid loves fishing. (In fact, you may not get much chance to fish during college. Overplay it and they may think you need a college on a river, lol.)
Otoh, you could use fishing to underscore your curiosity. Think how to show that in a nice narrative and how it extends in other areas, too. Curiosity is a good thing. The point isn’t just to answer literally. Try to use fishing to show a number of the assets and attributes they like.
I like the fishing idea too. I’ve read a number of times now that kids need to “package” themselves and their essays need to match the rest of the application. Some may say, if you’re not competing in fishing competitions and excelling, don’t write about it. I disagree. Some of the best advice we got from our college visits this summer was from a AO who said to use the essays to answer the following question: What do we NEED to know about you that hasn’t come through on the rest of the application? She said schools want to know who you are. Seems your apps would be incomplete without writing about fishing.
Our son may be in a similar situation. He loves to play disc golf. Doesn’t compete. He does it for other reasons. Contemplation time when he goes alone. Bonding time with his friends if he golfs with them since their lives are so busy it’s hard to see each other. Quality time spent with my husband and/or me. He loves getting better at the game on his own terms and learning about different discs. And I think he likes that it’s the only thing that’s not a competition for him. His other sports, his academics, even his art seems like competition now.
Disc golf won’t show up anywhere else on his apps but I think he could write about it eloquently. Sounds like fishing is your disc golf.
I love it! One of the applications our son is doing asks what you would do with an extra hour each day. Our son wrote in his own voice exactly what he would do. I wish I could post it here, but suffice it to say that it sounded exactly like him, wasn’t academic in the least, and in the 50 words or less, showed precisely who he is and it was my favorite thing he has written for college essays so far because it was HIM! I firmly believe that the essays are a chance for the admissions people to see who you really are and they already know you academically. It’s a way for them to know a quirky thing or a fun thing about you - about what would make you an interesting, valuable community member for their school and what sets you apart from all the others.
You said fishing has basically changed your life. That makes it a great topic. Show how it has changed your life. The essay is not then about fishing but telling something more about you.
Just let what it shows be relevant to an admit review.
Taken to extremes, you get kids who really, truly love staring at their bedroom ceiling or naming their socks or pranking. Just be aware of the impression you make and what your adcoms like.
Think how to show that in a nice narrative and how it extends in other areas, too. Curiosity is a good thing. The point isn’t just to answer literally. Try to use fishing to show a number of the assets and attributes they like.