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College Essay Help!
StressedPotato
0 replies2 threads New Member
So I'm still stuck on college essay topics but I have one in mind I'm just not sure if it would be a good idea or how to go about writing it so it doesn't sound too cliche and jumbled. I did gymnastics for 9 years and quit before high school- since then I hadn't gone to the gym at all- I've been hired as a coach at my old gym though (which is my first job) and so maybe somehow writing something based on this? I'm not sure though because I didn't continue with gymnastics so idk how that would come off? I was thinking of writing it in some form like: going back to the gym and then seeing everything, describing its impact on my life (like maybe learning the importance of balance- idk if too cliche) and then transitioning to how I'm going to be teaching kids this stuff or like how I'm going to change their lives in ways that gymnastics changed mine. Sorry this is so long but I need advice; thanks!
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Replies to: College Essay Help!
As admin officers have to read so many essays, I recall several information sessions at multiple top schools, where they were asked "What essays stand out to you?" The common response was they preferred the essays that they can immediately tell are written by the student in their own voice. Not an essay written by a parent, teacher, or prep coach, but from a 17-18 year old kid. You're not supposed to know everything yet - you're still a kid - but you can show a lot about yourself in your essay.
BTW - Congrats on your first job! This is an exciting time for you, with a lot to look forward to, and while there will be plenty of stress and waiting, it will fly by faster that you realize.
Your idea is a good start but you should dig a bit deeper. Try this: Take a big piece of paper and set an alarm for ten minutes. Then start writing whatever you think of without letting your pen rest. Then you can check what you wrote and see whether there is a common theme. There is no specific topic that gets you into your dream college and it is super important that your essay has your voice. AO will detect if something is off (aka you write about a topic that you think will get you in). So if it’s gymnastics is the most obvious theme after this exercise : go for it! Wrote about how it shaped you as a person and what skills you gained that you can use in other situations. Good luck with your essay and let me know how it goes! I am happy to help you brainstorm or edit