PSA: Don't write your essay about building huts in Africa!

[Anonymous]

Our nephew had a terrible college app season. Despite good grades, activities, and being a generally nice and well-liked kid, he was RJ or WL everywhere except one safety. We were really surprised and sorry for him. We just found out he wrote his essay about building huts in Africa on a service trip. The kid goes to a private school and had a private essay counselor. How could no one have told him what a bad essay topic this was? I'm posting in case one of your kids wants to write an essay like this - DON'T LET THEM.

In the end, our nephew came off the waitlist at a terrific, big state school that probably doesn't even read the essay, so all's well that ends well, but beware....

[Anonymous]

Agreed. The conventional wisdom on what topics to avoid changes every year. But this is a tough one to pull off without looking like a cliche. See also, "how the pandemic affected me" and "how my sport changed my life." There are ways to make these work, but the best idea is usually more personal and less expected.

[Anonymous]

Maybe he literally had nothing better to write about and as such, the "everywhere" schools he applied to saw through it?

[Anonymous]

"how my sport changed my life."

My high stats (3.98 GPA/4.53 wGPA/35 ACT, full IB) class of 22 wrote an essay like this (and his sport really did change his life), which I thought was pretty good, and he did not get into most of the selective schools he applied to (Yale, Harvard, Williams (legacy, but didn't apply ED), Amherst, Duke, UVa, MIT). Obviously not getting in to any of those could just be luck of the draw, but I wonder if his essay ended up hurting him.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Maybe he literally had nothing better to write about and as such, the "everywhere" schools he applied to saw through it?

+1

Or maybe he applied to only Reach schools and no real targets and only the one safety
I've heard way too many say "I got into only 1 school" and then look at their list of 15 schools, all with less than 20% acceptance rates. And you have to wonder how smart they really are.

[Anonymous]

I wouldn't write about something that screams "privilege" because someone paid heftily for him to be there building huts. Definitely don't write about something that was enabled by your parents, write about something that you did or created by yourself without sponsorship...

[Anonymous]

On the flip side, my kid wrote a sports essay (not about performance but what leadership on a team looks like) and was accepted early to his two top choices (one top 20 and 1 highly sought after OOS flagship).

I only say this bc I think some topics are not as taboo as they are said to be.

I also would probably not write about a pay to play service trip though.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

"how my sport changed my life."

My high stats (3.98 GPA/4.53 wGPA/35 ACT, full IB) class of 22 wrote an essay like this (and his sport really did change his life), which I thought was pretty good, and he did not get into most of the selective schools he applied to (Yale, Harvard, Williams (legacy, but didn't apply ED), Amherst, Duke, UVa, MIT). Obviously not getting in to any of those could just be luck of the draw, but I wonder if his essay ended up hurting him.

Unfortunately, I bet it did. In the case of my nephew though, we are talking about the top schools, but also schools a level below that, like Emory, Tulane, etc

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

"how my sport changed my life."

My high stats (3.98 GPA/4.53 wGPA/35 ACT, full IB) class of 22 wrote an essay like this (and his sport really did change his life), which I thought was pretty good, and he did not get into most of the selective schools he applied to (Yale, Harvard, Williams (legacy, but didn't apply ED), Amherst, Duke, UVa, MIT). Obviously not getting in to any of those could just be luck of the draw, but I wonder if his essay ended up hurting him.

Ugh, that's depressing. My child's sport changed her life, too, and I think it's unfair to say this is not a good topic. I'm sure your son would have been a great addition to any of these schools ... they're just so tough. Is he happy where he ended up?

[Anonymous]

I wouldn’t be so quick to blame his rejections on his essay. Give us GPA and SAT scores and what schools he applied to.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Agreed. The conventional wisdom on what topics to avoid changes every year. But this is a tough one to pull off without looking like a cliche. See also, "how the pandemic affected me" and "how my sport changed my life." There are ways to make these work, but the best idea is usually more personal and less expected.

So let’s take the kid in the OP - seems like he’s had a pretty secure and cozy upbringing. What was he supposed to write about?

[Anonymous]

One's college application essay topic has no bearing on admissions decisions; it's all about the content.

[Anonymous]

You only write about something that screams privilege - if there is depth and breath to it.
If the experience ties to something you are doing after the trip or want to study.

[Anonymous]

I like how other countries do essays.

Like SAT, students have to write an essay on the spot in a given time.
They give you the topic at the testing place.

This will give you real ideas about kids' thought processes and writing skills.

US system is totally F'ed up.

[Anonymous]

Whelp, since my teenager has to work as a lifeguard and camp counselor in order to have spending money for the year, I don't think he'll be writing about trips overseas of any kind, service or otherwise.