<p>For one of the prep schools I’m applying to, the topic of the long essay is to describe a personal trait or value and how it came to be/ developed. Can I write it on a weakness instead of a strength? I’m worried that writing about a weakness wouldn’t be appealing to the AO’s, but I think I could do a much better job writing it on a particular weakness than I would finding a strength to write about.</p>
<p>I would urge you to FOLLOW THE TOPIC PROMPT. Now is not the time to get creative - schools have very specific reasons for choosing their specific essay prompts, and I think it is a bad idea to ignore the prompt and go off in a different direction.</p>
<p>You can certainly include discussion of a weakness (that you recognize, and are working to improve) in describing a personal trait or value, though.</p>
<p>mountainhiker’s right. stick with it.</p>
<p>Can a weakness be a personal trait?</p>
<p>Yes, a weakness can be a personal trait. If a person is lazy, that is a trait, but certainly not one to highlight in an essay. Based on your user name, perfectionism might be a personal trait, but probably not one you should highlight. This is your chance to talk about your strengths! Talk about all the positive attributes of your desire and drive to excel. It’s ok to mention the downsides of a trait, but make sure to stress how you keep things in balance.</p>
<p>Talk about how you turned a weakness into a personal victory and strength. That would work.</p>