How to Choose a College Essay Topic
After a year that has us re-examining most things (standardized testing, the in-person college visit, the appropriateness of the wear-to-work robe), the college essay endures as a dreaded (or beloved!) rite of passage. For most students, this essay is unlike any you’ve ever written. If you’re not already familiar with the personal essay genre, I recommend reading a few before you dive in yourself. Once you’re aware that essays can cover anything from dressing up for Mass, the death of a moth, to the smell of the sweat of Alexander the Great, you might be left asking, “Where do I start?”
Here are some tips to help you get writing:
Review your prompts. For most students, these will include prompts from the Common Application that will go to all schools along with 1-3 supplementary essay questions for each school on your list. Gather these prompts into an organized document. Review them in the context of your other application materials (especially your transcript and resume). Ask yourself, what story isn’t already being told?
Think small. Your resume and transcripts will cover your big accomplishments. Some of the most compelling college essays center around small details or mundane moments. What are the little things that make you you? Stay away from sports highlight reels, family vacations, and cliché service stories.
Brainstorm. Here are a few questions to help you think small. What’s the first word that comes to mind? Daily ritual? Something a friend once said? Something you wish you had said but didn’t? A song lyric? A place that is too small or out-of-the-way to have a name?
Freewrite. Try a few of these ideas and see where they take you. Odds are, you won’t land on the right topic on your first try — but, all is not lost! Some of your initially-discarded ideas may turn into school-specific supplements.
Remember, this isn’t an academic essay. Think of your prompts as starting points, not destinations. You’re in the driver’s seat: take turns, make pit stops, surprise your reader. While your first paragraph should introduce a theme, it doesn’t need to map everything out or make a clear argument. Be creative!
Writing a college essay can be a time-consuming, vulnerable process of soul-searching, wordsmithing, and experimentation. If you need help, reach out to our team of expert tutors. We’re here to support you.