portalicious, there are no new topics. an topic can be publishable or any topic can be laughably bad. It is the how and not the what that matters. At least that is my approach. Some people say there are topics not to write about and yet some of the best essays I have read are on exactly those topics.
So, by this logic, would me writing about my autism (going from special ed until community college) and writing about how it shaped my life (as well as how I've been able to work with it) be considered "cliche"? I really want to give difficult-to-get-into colleges as many reasons as possible to accept me and I'd hate to have to dismiss writing an essay on my autism because there's really nothing else I can think of right now.
Phoenix, it depends on who reads it. Some admissions officers may find it clever if you pull it off correctly but most will hold it against you. I wouldn't recommend it.
I've heard that some of the best college essays are written on deceptively simple things. Just try to use unique phrAsing and viewpoints and you'll be able to stand out.
