getup01

I am decent at a certain sport and have various awards for that sport, but I would like to focus mainly on academics in college. I am passionate for wrestling, but also a certain academic area. Writing an essay would be easier and would make me sound more "human" (meaning, not robotic or exaggerated). I already have the essay mapped out in my head, but I want colleges to know that I am more than just a sport. Should I write about wrestling or about the academic interest? If I do write about that sport, how should I show my dual passions?

getup01

Bump.... I meant to write "Writing an essay on wrestling would be easier... human." By human, I meant that I could write a more passionate essay rather than big words and thesii (or thesisis w/e). Thank you.

mhartmann

Do you see any link between your two passions? Anything that you've learned from wrestling that you've carried over into academics (work ethic, methods of problem solving, etc...)? If it feels like a stretch, I wouldn't force it, but I would be willing to bet that you can find an authentic connection.

b1gm0ose

Yeah, i've asked that same question before cuhs im a wrestler also
Im very passionate about the sport but dont know if it would make a good subject

Well.. my friend who went to Berkeley actually advised me not to write about that subject after he talked to an admissions officer because it ends up being the same old same old about determination and fighting when it seems like you've lost...

I'm not 100% certain its not a good subject though, thats just what he told me

getup01

Thanks. I was planning on going into a similar direction, but now Im not sure. I was going to write about how a complete mind is created from both strong academic passions and hard nosed mental toughness (all coaches preach it). Without one of these components, the mind will crumble. Is this different enough from the average "wrestling is about determination, etc." or is it just the same thing and I should scrap the idea? I could write about something else, but then that would require a little extra brainstorming. ugh.

mhartmann

It sounds like your angle is more specific than the vague "wrestling is about determination" approach. However, if it's something that "all coaches preach," it may still be a cliche. That doesn't necessarily mean you should scrap it--a familiar idea can still be powerful if the writing is specific, concrete, and unsentimental. Try to stay away from abstractions, and try to use scenes full of physical detail as much as possible.

Roger_Dooley

Determination is good. Perhaps you could use wrestling as a metaphor for life (determination, wrestling with choices, being held down, being stuck, reversing a bad situation... to throw out a few random thoughts), and tie in academics that way.

Caution: One overworked essay theme according to the classic Bauld essay book is "The Big Game." So, avoid writing about The Big Match.

Ivy Hopeful

do not write about either topic. you should write about something they can't already see from the other sections of your application

BLY

just don't turn it into a jock essay

getup01

Alright. Thanks guys. I definately won't turn it into a jock essay. haha. All good advice though. Back to the chaulkboard, since the easiest themes to write about are already taken throughout the rest of my application... but I'll look around CC to spark some ideas.

DeantheMachn

but if you think about it, a lot of topics are over-used, so it's not really so much about completely avoiding those topics. it's about looking at them from a different perspective, which would in turn show original thinking, reflection, and understanding. That would be a lot more impressive than just an unusual topic.

dank08

I'm writing about sports too. The reason: sports truly changed my life for the better. They want to know about you, so if sports is or was a main component of your life then at least mention it.

beach

Think about the specifics about wrestling. The smell of the mat when your face is covered in sweat with your cheek pressed firmly on the ground. The spectators, your Mom's eyes when she sees her son in a head lock. What piece of literature reminds you in some significant way of how you feel while wrestling. The fresh air when leaving a hard won match. The ups and downs and how it resembles life.

dank08

"Caution: One overworked essay theme according to the classic Bauld essay book is "The Big Game." So, avoid writing about The Big Match. "

What is the big game?

zogoto

I read that book like 2 years ago, but I think the Big Game essay is when you talk about how hard you'd been training for the big game and then after you win/lose/whatever, you learn how important determination, hard work, and cooperation are.

I wrote about a sport for my essay. My original essay was about an academic passion (research), and I only used it one place and got rejected. I used the other one everywhere else and got in and even got likely letters. The rest of my application was the same, so I've come to the conclusion that the sport was what made the difference.

I didn't write about any specific event in the sport so it cut out a lot of possibilities for cliches. Instead I tried to write about that intangible feeling that draws you to the sport even though it's sometimes painful to run fast/jump/train/etc.