Well-meaning professionals, parents, and teachers, and even their peers, pepper college applicants with advice full of don’ts. “Don’t write about the death of your grandparent.” “Don’t write about summer camp.” “Don’t write about your mission trip.” “Whatever you do, don’t write about catching the winning touchdown.” But the truth of the matter is that I’ve read some wonderfully poignant college essays about summer camp, grandparents, and mission trips. Why?
Because your topic doesn’t matter.
That’s right! Stop putting so much pressure on yourself to choose the perfect topic, to avoid the cliche, to be incredibly unique! If your essay is really, truly about you, it will be unique enough.
Our approach to the essay starts with the student, not the topic. What is it important that college’s know about you? From there, a theme surfaces. If a story about your mission trip to Honduras would be just as impactful if it happened in your backyard, it is a story about you. If not, it’s a story about Honduras. Use your theme as a jumping off point to delve more deeply into what makes you tick.
So regardless of what you choose to write about, make sure that you know why you are writing about that particular event or person. The best thing you can do to brainstorm the college essay is to look in the mirror and be self-reflective. You don’t need a “catch,” all you need is you!