Hey everyone, I've been brainstorming ideas for my college essays and I'm kinda stumped. Can my essay be about literally any experience or topic, or are there unwritten rules about what colleges prefer? I want to stand out but don’t want to pick something too out there. Any advice?
Absolutely, you can write your college essay on a wide range of topics! Most prompts tend to be open-ended, so that you can choose a topic that resonates with you personally and showcases your unique qualities, experiences, or perspective. An authentic essay will always stand out more than one crafted just to impress admissions officers—even if your topic is relatively common, your particular connection to it is not.
That said, there are some general guidelines regarding topic selection that you might want to keep in mind. The topic should be something you're passionate about or that has had a significant impact on your development. It should tell the admissions committee something new about you that isn't already evident from the rest of your application. Choose a topic that allows you to reflect deeply and showcase aspects of your personality that speak well of your ability to thrive in college, like your problem-solving skills, empathy, or leadership.While there's room for creativity, it's also important to maintain good taste and avoid overly controversial or inappropriate subjects.
All that being said, there are some essay topics that simply are too common to truly allow you to stand out. You can read about these topics to avoid on CollegeVine's blog: https://blog.collegevine.com/cliche-college-essay-topics. Finally, if you've chosen a topic and started drafting, but aren't sure your approach is working, consider taking advantage of CollegeVine's free peer essay review service, or paid expert review. Getting a neutral perspective on your essay, from someone who doesn't already know you, can help you envision how an admissions officer will view your essay, and obviously they're ultimately the ones you're trying to impress.
Good luck with your brainstorming, and with your applications in general!
CollegeVine’s Q&A seeks to offer informed perspectives on commonly asked admissions questions. Every answer is refined and validated by our team of admissions experts to ensure it resonates with trusted knowledge in the field.