What should our college essay really focus on?

So here's the big q: What should our college essay really be about? I get that it should be 'personal and revealing', but how do you decide what part of your life or personality to focus on? And is it better to go with something academic or extracurricular or just personal growth? Thoughts??

Hey there! Choosing a topic for your college essay can indeed seem like a daunting task, but it’s great to see you’re putting thought into it. The key is to focus on something that reveals something important and unique about you. Personal growth topics are often very strong because they can show your values, challenges you’ve overcome, and your resilience. For example, if you’ve gone through a challenging experience that sparked some significant personal growth or change in perspective, that could be a powerful story to tell.

Academic or extracurricular topics can work well too, especially if they show your passion, leadership, or dedication, but remember the primary goal is to give the admissions committee a glimpse of who you are beyond grades and test scores. If you choose to write about an academic or extracurricular achievement, try to connect it to a broader personal context. Perhaps discuss what you learned from an experiment gone wrong or how organizing a community service event taught you about teamwork and empathy.

Whichever topic you lean towards, the most important thing is to make sure it’s truly reflective of who you are and that it can't easily be applied to someone else's profile. Start by brainstorming moments when you felt really challenged or particularly proud, and your authentic voice is sure to shine through!