Q: I’m applying to colleges and I need to write an admission essay, but I can’t think of a creative topic. I wanted to write about my mission trip to Peru this summer, but my teacher said that colleges get too many essays about that topic. I want to write an essay with a topic that will stand out against the rest. I want the people who read it to read the first paragraph and immediately put it in the “keeper” pile. My grades and test scores aren’t very good, so this essay is all I have to get into college. If you have any idea or have heard of other topics that are good then please let me know.
A: Your teacher is right! Colleges get tons of essays like this a year. But, don’t listen to your teacher! Share what makes your experience unique and tell how your experience has led you to want to attend a particular university or study in a particular field. If you change your mind and want to write about something else, then choose a topic that you’re passionate about. For example:
- Write about a professional (famous or not) in your prospective field whose research, work, or advice has inspired you to choose your major or to pursue some other related interest.
- Tell them about a personal tragedy that inspired you to choose your major or to pursue some other related interest.
- Talk about a time when you volunteered at home or abroad. Describe your experience and how it changed your life.
- Are you an international student or do you speak another language? Then maybe you can talk about your experience learning a new language or why it is important that you spend time abroad.
Though you’ve been taught to believe otherwise, your teachers don’t always tell you what’s best and they’re not always the best people to go to for advice that will have an effect on the rest of your life. If you’re still not convinced, ask the guidance counselor at your school instead of relying on your teacher’s advice.