Hi all! I was wondering if the community has any tips for coming up with/incorporating/expressing a “theme” in their college essays ? I know this is a really common and effective method to write a great essay.
What was your theme? How did your activities relate to that overall theme? Did it work? Please answer only if you are comfortable sharing and don’t feel obligated at all - I’m simply curious. Thanks so much!
@Lindagaf ???
In general, I help students come up with a good idea for an essay. As we work through an outline, we discuss what the student feels the essay conveys about her/his character or personality. Often, a student has a solid idea that relies on the writer being able to reveal what he/she wants the reader to know about him.
As an example, I’m helping a student who has chosen to write about his love of a particular color. He feels this color aligns with his personality because of how he feels when he wears it or sees it. His goal is to express his confidence and positivity. That’s a pretty thematic essay.
That’s just one way to write an essay though. You don’t have to have a theme. Much of it will have to do with your writing skills. I worked with a student who wrote an amazing, gritty essay about being approached by a drug addict. I wouldn’t say there was a clear theme, but it revealed that the student was mature, observant, etc…and was also a really good writer.