Topics to avoid for admissions essays

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My DD wrote about a trip to an orphanage in Ethiopia and got into an Ivy. She is a non-Christian who traveled with a Christian youth group simply because they were going to the orphanage where the little girl she tutored (after having been adopted) lived. She wrote about being an atheist and how uncomfortable she was with what the youth group leaders would say to people in a third world country, how it affected her to see where her tutoring girl came from and meeting the women who'd taken care of her, etc.

I think this is different because she had a personal connection to the trip. But, in general, these essays just tell admissions that your parents are wealthy and trying to buy you an essay topic. Much better to write about the job you had over the summer working in fast food. In fact, colleges want to see that applicants have actually worked a job. That helps more.

[Anonymous]

My DS wrote an essay on working as a dishwasher in a restaurant and how it took him out of his bubble of AP classes and privileged kids and into a world where he met coworkers who had drug/depression issues or were in poverty, being in an environment that didn't care if you were bored, unstimulated or not enjoying yourself, an how he learned that sometimes in life, you're not going to get much credit (whether pay or otherwise) for working hard. It sounds kind of pretentious, but he got into several Top 25 schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:IMO her essay should be based on more than 4 nights of her life. We're those 4 days really that life changing that they're the only thing worth telling them about?

Actually, lots of "winning" essays are about something much shorter than 4 nights -- a funny story, a family dinner, a photograph, something granny used to say, the house in the 'ole country, etc., etc. The essay is not meant to be a resume.

True, but the best essays give a sense of the person. I think what people are saying here is that the struggle to communicate in a foreign language is actually not all that different an experience from person to person, and it's the rare kid/experience that stands out with this kind of topic.

I do think it's much better to write about your favorite band--something relatively few kids will write about--than the mission/travel. And I think it's silly to worry about whether the admissions officer prefers classical music to pop. They aren't looking for people who share their interests, they're looking for interesting, well written, essays that stand out from the others.

Admissions people do a fine job but they are not above reproach and have biases like everyone else. While they are not looking to find essays that share their interest, they certainly might be turned off by something they find contemptible no matter how well written. Everyone has biases, even admissions people. The best we hope for is the essay falls into the hands of the majority who are discriminating in their reading.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:IMO her essay should be based on more than 4 nights of her life. We're those 4 days really that life changing that they're the only thing worth telling them about?

Actually, lots of "winning" essays are about something much shorter than 4 nights -- a funny story, a family dinner, a photograph, something granny used to say, the house in the 'ole country, etc., etc. The essay is not meant to be a resume.

True, but the best essays give a sense of the person. I think what people are saying here is that the struggle to communicate in a foreign language is actually not all that different an experience from person to person, and it's the rare kid/experience that stands out with this kind of topic.

I do think it's much better to write about your favorite band--something relatively few kids will write about--than the mission/travel. And I think it's silly to worry about whether the admissions officer prefers classical music to pop. They aren't looking for people who share their interests, they're looking for interesting, well written, essays that stand out from the others.

Admissions people do a fine job but they are not above reproach and have biases like everyone else. While they are not looking to find essays that share their interest, they certainly might be turned off by something they find contemptible no matter how well written. Everyone has biases, even admissions people. The best we hope for is the essay falls into the hands of the majority who are discriminating in their reading.

+1. You just never know how someone will react to your topic if it goes too far off the deep. I personally like unusual essays though I would draw the line at hateful commentary if I were an interviewer.

[Anonymous]

How do you think this essay would be perceived by most colleges? I think it would be hard for admissions to read this without serious eye rolls.

http://www.nydailynews.com/life-style/co-ed-don-hate-rich-article-1.1489621

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How do you think this essay would be perceived by most colleges? I think it would be hard for admissions to read this without serious eye rolls.

http://www.nydailynews.com/life-style/co-ed-don-hate-rich-article-1.1489621

Probably not well, but I applaud her. This country must begin to address its envy problem or we'll remain stuck in the mud.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How do you think this essay would be perceived by most colleges? I think it would be hard for admissions to read this without serious eye rolls.

http://www.nydailynews.com/life-style/co-ed-don-hate-rich-article-1.1489621

Probably not well, but I applaud her. This country must begin to address its envy problem or we'll remain stuck in the mud.

The picture of her with the flag stick in her crotch is just a bit much though.

[Anonymous]

I'd stay away from anything to do with race or sexual orientation. These issues are at once both too controversial and too cliché.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'd stay away from anything to do with race or sexual orientation. These issues are at once both too controversial and too cliché.

I agree and it doesn't matter what race you are.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:first sexual experience.

at the end of the adcom read, the women all have soaked their aeron charis whilst the men furiously tug at themselves underneath the table -

admissions success.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How do you think this essay would be perceived by most colleges? I think it would be hard for admissions to read this without serious eye rolls.

http://www.nydailynews.com/life-style/co-ed-don-hate-rich-article-1.1489621

Probably not well, but I applaud her. This country must begin to address its envy problem or we'll remain stuck in the mud.

No one even said anything to her. She made all kind of assumptions about what two women in the supermarket were thinking.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My DD wrote about a trip to an orphanage in Ethiopia and got into an Ivy. She is a non-Christian who traveled with a Christian youth group simply because they were going to the orphanage where the little girl she tutored (after having been adopted) lived. She wrote about being an atheist and how uncomfortable she was with what the youth group leaders would say to people in a third world country, how it affected her to see where her tutoring girl came from and meeting the women who'd taken care of her, etc.

So writing about a Christian experience from an anti-Christian POV is to be admired, but writing from a Christian POV is to be avoided and disdained?

right. Unless you're applying to Lynchburg College or Brighgam Young or somewhere like that

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My DD wrote about a trip to an orphanage in Ethiopia and got into an Ivy. She is a non-Christian who traveled with a Christian youth group simply because they were going to the orphanage where the little girl she tutored (after having been adopted) lived. She wrote about being an atheist and how uncomfortable she was with what the youth group leaders would say to people in a third world country, how it affected her to see where her tutoring girl came from and meeting the women who'd taken care of her, etc.

So writing about a Christian experience from an anti-Christian POV is to be admired, but writing from a Christian POV is to be avoided and disdained?

right. Unless you're applying to Lynchburg College or Brighgam Young or somewhere like that

Meh. I think that particular poster is the problem. Plus, that poster is probably a troll (seem to be several trolls on this forum recently). So I wouldn't take that very seriously.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My DD wrote about a trip to an orphanage in Ethiopia and got into an Ivy. She is a non-Christian who traveled with a Christian youth group simply because they were going to the orphanage where the little girl she tutored (after having been adopted) lived. She wrote about being an atheist and how uncomfortable she was with what the youth group leaders would say to people in a third world country, how it affected her to see where her tutoring girl came from and meeting the women who'd taken care of her, etc.

I think this is different because she had a personal connection to the trip. But, in general, these essays just tell admissions that your parents are wealthy and trying to buy you an essay topic. Much better to write about the job you had over the summer working in fast food. In fact, colleges want to see that applicants have actually worked a job. That helps more.

Assuming your daughter DID get into an Ivy, then its highly doubtful that it was the essay that did it....had to be a combination of test scores; grades etc. and THEN possibly the essay. But it wasn't "just" her essay.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:first sexual experience.

This is fucking gold.