Thinking about essay topics

[Anonymous]

DS is 2e. For years, he has thrived at a therapeutic school via non public placement. His academics have come from outside sources such as self study, CTY, and summer programs. His school doesn't offer the academic rigor or ECs that other comprehensive schools offer. But he got a 1580 and has 7 APs under his belt with 5s. He also has DE credit. For ECs, he's steadily volunteered at So What Else, is in an improv troupe, and does creative writing. He has no national awards and does not participate in math or writing competitions.

So...for his essay, can he write about his autism/adhd/anxiety and how it impacted his life? His reach schools are Rice, Harvey Mudd, and CMU. Other schools on the list are Reed, Case, UMD, RPI, and RIT. He likes the idea of Brown and I've told him he can apply but not to expect anything. My concern about the autism is that it's viewed as a trite topic. But most of the schools he's applying to have a high neurodiverse population. He's proud of the challenges he's overcome and success he is now having in life. He doesn't want to attend a school that won't welcome him for who he is or if he has to mask who he is in order to be admitted.

[Anonymous]

Is he a senior?

[Anonymous]

My DC is also 2e (severe ADHD, 1590 SAT, NMSF, etc.) The essay focuses on a specific experience that led to personal growth. Heading to T10 next fall.

The standard advice is to avoid the topic that your DS has in mind. One thing that may help is to write 2-3 personal essays. In the process of doing so, he may find out that another topic works better for him.

[Anonymous]

I think I'd try to convey that a school might welcome his neurodiversity and be a great fit while also being interested in other aspects of his personality, accomplishments, and interests.

Can he write about improv for example and mention his neurodiversity but focus on an experience related to improv?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is he a senior?

No! We're starting to brainstorm a year in advance.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My DC is also 2e (severe ADHD, 1590 SAT, NMSF, etc.) The essay focuses on a specific experience that led to personal growth. Heading to T10 next fall.

The standard advice is to avoid the topic that your DS has in mind. One thing that may help is to write 2-3 personal essays. In the process of doing so, he may find out that another topic works better for him.

Congrats to your DC! I know the standard advice is to avoid the ASD topic. I don't know why though. If a child had been born missing a limb and they wanted to write about overcoming that challenge, would it be considered a topic that should be avoided?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think I'd try to convey that a school might welcome his neurodiversity and be a great fit while also being interested in other aspects of his personality, accomplishments, and interests.

Can he write about improv for example and mention his neurodiversity but focus on an experience related to improv?

What about growth from participating in the local food bank? He started in 6th grade and we go once or twice a month now. When we started, I had to go with him and he was the behind the scenes stock boy so he didn't have to interact with anyone but me. Over the years he became more comfortable and was able to move up to manning the tables. He learned basic Spanish from the people in line. He learned how to help the elderly select their groceries and carried their bags. His school teaches ASL rather than a foreign language and he is very proud that he's one of the few people that can help the hearing impaired navigate the lines and selections.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My DC is also 2e (severe ADHD, 1590 SAT, NMSF, etc.) The essay focuses on a specific experience that led to personal growth. Heading to T10 next fall.

The standard advice is to avoid the topic that your DS has in mind. One thing that may help is to write 2-3 personal essays. In the process of doing so, he may find out that another topic works better for him.

Congrats to your DC! I know the standard advice is to avoid the ASD topic. I don't know why though. If a child had been born missing a limb and they wanted to write about overcoming that challenge, would it be considered a topic that should be avoided?

Because there is so much misunderstanding of ADHD, autism, etc. out there. It’s just very risky as a topic.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think I'd try to convey that a school might welcome his neurodiversity and be a great fit while also being interested in other aspects of his personality, accomplishments, and interests.

Can he write about improv for example and mention his neurodiversity but focus on an experience related to improv?

What about growth from participating in the local food bank? He started in 6th grade and we go once or twice a month now. When we started, I had to go with him and he was the behind the scenes stock boy so he didn't have to interact with anyone but me. Over the years he became more comfortable and was able to move up to manning the tables. He learned basic Spanish from the people in line. He learned how to help the elderly select their groceries and carried their bags. His school teaches ASL rather than a foreign language and he is very proud that he's one of the few people that can help the hearing impaired navigate the lines and selections.

That sounds like a promising topic. It’s all about how he writes it. It needs to be personal and specific.

[Anonymous]

I wouldn't use it as the focus of the piece, just write about it as aspect of his identity, the way I would write about my heritage or similar. Don't hide it, but use the essay as an opportunity to tell a very compelling story they have not heard before. His autism/adhd/anxiety is part of who he is - not his defining trait.

I think key for his applications will also be the Why Us supplements - he sounds like he would be an excellent part of any community, so have him make the case for why he specifically belongs in each particular school and how he would thrive there. Too often people assume that folks with his dx are insular. Good luck to him!

[Anonymous]

It's not "trite." It's fine. But you are starting so far in advance that I'd have him brainstorm like 3 or 4 topics and do very rough drafts -- just 2-3 paragraphs or so -- on each. And see how he feels. If he does this, and still feels strongly about writing about the autism, let him do it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I wouldn't use it as the focus of the piece, just write about it as aspect of his identity, the way I would write about my heritage or similar. Don't hide it, but use the essay as an opportunity to tell a very compelling story they have not heard before. His autism/adhd/anxiety is part of who he is - not his defining trait.

I think key for his applications will also be the Why Us supplements - he sounds like he would be an excellent part of any community, so have him make the case for why he specifically belongs in each particular school and how he would thrive there. Too often people assume that folks with his dx are insular. Good luck to him!

Yes! Thank you for saying this. For him, because of his IEP, it has impacted his school placement and the opportunities that were available to him. That's the part I'm really concerned about.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wouldn't use it as the focus of the piece, just write about it as aspect of his identity, the way I would write about my heritage or similar. Don't hide it, but use the essay as an opportunity to tell a very compelling story they have not heard before. His autism/adhd/anxiety is part of who he is - not his defining trait.

I think key for his applications will also be the Why Us supplements - he sounds like he would be an excellent part of any community, so have him make the case for why he specifically belongs in each particular school and how he would thrive there. Too often people assume that folks with his dx are insular. Good luck to him!

Yes! Thank you for saying this. For him, because of his IEP, it has impacted his school placement and the opportunities that were available to him. That's the part I'm really concerned about.

The context of his school (and opportunities) is important indeed. This is something that the school counselor can address in their recommendation. It’s super impressive that your DS has achieved so much academically, given what’s available for him at school. That should come through in his application.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wouldn't use it as the focus of the piece, just write about it as aspect of his identity, the way I would write about my heritage or similar. Don't hide it, but use the essay as an opportunity to tell a very compelling story they have not heard before. His autism/adhd/anxiety is part of who he is - not his defining trait.

I think key for his applications will also be the Why Us supplements - he sounds like he would be an excellent part of any community, so have him make the case for why he specifically belongs in each particular school and how he would thrive there. Too often people assume that folks with his dx are insular. Good luck to him!

Yes! Thank you for saying this. For him, because of his IEP, it has impacted his school placement and the opportunities that were available to him. That's the part I'm really concerned about.

This can also be addressed in the “other information” section.

I have a 2e kid also and the advice we’ve heard is that if it is going to be self-evident in other materials (eg your child had a resource class) there is no reason not to address it head on.

And my personal perspective is a school that doesn’t want my ASD kid probably isn’t the right fit for my ASD kid.

That said, I do worry the topic can be hard to make original and/or interesting. Our DD wrote several essays before she landed on a topic. I’d give it a try but if it isn’t coming together be prepared to pivot to a new topic.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wouldn't use it as the focus of the piece, just write about it as aspect of his identity, the way I would write about my heritage or similar. Don't hide it, but use the essay as an opportunity to tell a very compelling story they have not heard before. His autism/adhd/anxiety is part of who he is - not his defining trait.

I think key for his applications will also be the Why Us supplements - he sounds like he would be an excellent part of any community, so have him make the case for why he specifically belongs in each particular school and how he would thrive there. Too often people assume that folks with his dx are insular. Good luck to him!

Yes! Thank you for saying this. For him, because of his IEP, it has impacted his school placement and the opportunities that were available to him. That's the part I'm really concerned about.

This can also be addressed in the “other information” section.

I have a 2e kid also and the advice we’ve heard is that if it is going to be self-evident in other materials (eg your child had a resource class) there is no reason not to address it head on.

And my personal perspective is a school that doesn’t want my ASD kid probably isn’t the right fit for my ASD kid.

That said, I do worry the topic can be hard to make original and/or interesting. Our DD wrote several essays before she landed on a topic. I’d give it a try but if it isn’t coming together be prepared to pivot to a new topic.

Thanks for this advice. My kid never had a resource class so from his transcript it’s not blatantly evident. But something is off—-like why does the kid not take honor level or AP courses but scores a 5 on APUSH. Why is he taking Quantitative Literacy but scores a 5 on the BC exam.

I agree with you about the fit of the school. If you don’t embrace my ND kid, your probably not the right place for him.