Automatic no-no’s:
-Not answering the prompt
-Mentioning any psychiatric problems you suffer from
-Admitting drug use
-Writing about your mission trip to Guatemala and how that experience “taught you that poor people can be happy too” (this is a no-no according to my English teacher)
Cliche topics are cliche, but they’re not necessarily worse. Your goal isn’t to appear special. Your goal is to write a well-written, genuine, and personal essay that answers the prompt. In general, I think it’s better to not pay attention to what other people are writing about. Other people’s essays shouldn’t influence how you feel about a topic.