Finding an Essay Topic for Your College Admissions Essay
What Makes an Ideal Essay Topic?
Perhaps the most difficult part about writing a college admissions essay is coming up with an essay topic. Sure, if you've done something incredible such as discover a new vaccine or lead a mission to Africa, that's probably what you're going to write about. But if you're in the 99.99% of people who haven't had such an experience (and face it--if you're reading this article, you're among that 99.99%!), how do you choose an essay topic?
For some reason, high school students think they need to choose an essay topic that will amaze the admissions committees. But that's not what colleges are looking for. Instead, they simply want to learn more about who you are and what makes you tick.
The best admissions essays form a bond between the applicants and the reader. Sure, the quality of your writing has a great deal to do with how you establish that bond.
But the essay topic you choose can be equally important. Most college essays aren't very effective, and that's in part because applicants write about subjects that don't shed any light on their lives or what's important to them.
Here are three keys to choosing a first-rate admissions essay topic:
- Be interesting
This sounds obvious, but you'd be surprised at how many good students choose boring essay topics for their admissions essays. And if it sounds boring to you, you can imagine how it probably sounds to an admissions officer who reads literally hundreds of admissions essays each season.
An interesting essay isn't necessarily about an inherently exciting subject. You don't need to write about skydiving or fighting crime. But you want to write about your subject in a way that isn't predictable or yawn-inducing.
An essay about how proud you felt when you won a tennis tournament will most likely be boring, because you probably don't have anything unique to say about the subject. An essay about the anguish you felt when you chose to give up the sport, however, could be endearing and revealing.
When you choose your essay topic, think about whether you'll be able to say something interesting. Is it something that you might choose to pick up and read? Something that you'd want to show your friends?
- Write about yourself
The entire purpose of the admissions essay is to let the admissions committees get to know you a little better. They've already got your grades, test scores, and other basic information. Now they want to know about the person behind the numbers, and what makes that person tick.
You want to give them insight into your personality, to help you make that personal connection. What's important to you? What experiences have shaped you? What issues do you think about? How have you changed over the past several years? Too frequently, applicants choose essay topics that don't actual reveal enough about themselves. Some common examples of essay topics that are too impersonal:
- An immigrant grandmother who serves as a role model. Grandma may be impressive, and may be important to you, but this essay will probably be more about grandma than the applicant.
- Recent developments in biology. Perhaps in response to a question about a favorite subject, the applicant may write with enthusiasm about where this scientific field is headed. But the essay, while informative, probably won't reveal much insight about its author.
- Being a part of a championship team. An otherwise strong essay about hard work and teamwork probably won't say enough about your own personality, or allow the reader to make much of a connection with your writing.
- Choose an essay topic that lets you write about something not obvious from the rest of your application.
The essay is a great opportunity to tell the admissions committee something they don't already know. Not everything fits into those activities grids and on your transcript; there's a whole life that you've been living, and you probably have some interesting things to write about that didn't make it onto the rest of your application.
I'm not saying that you can't write about anything you've already mentioned. For example, you can still write a good essay about debate even though you've listed debate as one of your activities. But you don't want to write an essay that doesn't really add anything to the shorter description you've already made.
For example, avoid writing about a class if you've already had a teacher from that class write you a recommendation. Don't chronicle your rise through the ranks of the chess world if a list of your accomplishments can have the same effect. And so forth.
The essay is an opportunity to add a unique and personalized element to your application. Don't waste it by rehashing what's already obvious.
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