<p>I’m currently writing my Common Application essay for college and I was just wondering how to approach the prompt. </p>
<p>Here’s the prompt: Some students have a background or story that is so central to their identity that they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.</p>
<p>When I look through essay-writing guides, all I see are examples in which the sample essay is very light-hearted and perhaps playful. However, when my sister wrote her college essays (back in 2003), she got accepted at the schools (Duke and Upenn) where she put more of a serious, straightforward tone in her essays. In fact, for the colleges where she wrote so called “creative essays,” she ended up getting rejected. I will be applying to some highly selective schools, so I was wondering whether it would be advised to be serious in my response to that prompt and the supplement essays or whether I should put a creative spin on my response. Any help is greatly appreciated!</p>
<p>Don’t forget there are four other prompts… </p>
<p>For this prompt however, it would be difficult to put a creative spin on it as it is an ostensibly serious topic. For example, if someone wrote about how central nutella is to their life… it would be pretty lame that nutella was chosen as being of integral importance to their life.</p>
<p>I sort of interpreted that prompt as a “topic of your choice” kind of thing, and one of my possible essays is about the first time I dyed my hair. It’s certainly not as significant as, say, the time I was put into foster care, but that has little relevance to my life today and the story isn’t as interesting to me.</p>
<p>I see… Both of my parents and grandparents are doctors, and my sister is in her residency right now. In terms of background, should I include more of that or should I focus on an interesting event I encountered when I volunteered at the hospital–and then perhaps tie in some lesson I learned from that event? Or is that too cliche…?</p>
<p>By “story central to my identity” does it necessarily mean like my life story and my whole background, or can I talk about an experience summer job that made me want to go into a certain field? (This is a “story” that happened to me that is central to my identity because it made me realize what I love doing, but it is not a “story” in the sense of a life story, rather a 2-day story that happened to me once)</p>
<p>The point is, in the story you craft, what you show about yourself, the qualities they can expect. Is what’s central to your identity, your parents occupations? </p>
<p>They want to get to know you. Your topic is the frame. Then, the qualities that come out in the tale matter. Pick a topic that allows you to subtly reveal positives that adcoms seek, for their college. Remember, “show, not tell.”</p>
<p>It honestly does depend on you. Whatever your sister did does not mean you will have the same experiences. If you write about your family, I would definitely find an interesting way to present it creatively. it doesn’t need to be playful, but it can’t just be a boring “This is my family and this is how my family affects me”.</p>