<p>For one of my applications it requests that I write an essay about an issue of local, national or international concern and why this issue is important to me and how I think it should be addressed. </p>
<p>For another application, I wrote an essay about a HIV+ woman that I met in India that was an artist and it was regarding her painting my portrait and how her painting and presence had shaped me. </p>
<p>So for this essay, I was thinking about writing about HIV+ positive people in India and the social stigma that they face from their families and community. (ie-being kicked out of their homes, or how they are ostracized by society in general) and attempt to tie in the HIV+ woman’s story and the impact that she had on me. Does that sound like a good idea? The reason that I am worried is that I don’t want to come across as wishy-washy and don’t really have a solution for “how it should be addressed” other than say that I believe that we should try to educate the community about HIV/AIDS and to alleviate ignorance surrounding the disease by establishing HIV education programs in schools and rural communities. </p>
<p>Anyway, thanks for reading and I greatly appreciate any suggestions that you may have.</p>
<p>I think all your essays should help the reader get to know you better. I’m not sure how this essay will do that, since it isn’t written yet, but I fear that it will end up saying a lot about the AIDS problem in India and not so much about you. Have you personally ever done anything to address an issue of local, national or international concern, maybe as part of community service? Could you possibly tie that experience and what you learned to your experience with the AIDS problem in India and your ideas of improving AIDS education there?</p>
<p>Hello, thanks for your response. I think this topic is tricky for me as it is hard to make it “personable” or show something about me. I have done community service in India on HIV/AIDS. (I volunteered at an AIDS clinic and helped to implement a school education program there.) If you or any one has any other further advise, I would greatly appreciate it. </p>
<p>I think your proposed essay sounds perfect. It shows you think about important issues, and you can relate the artist’s story to yourself personally. </p>
<p>The assignment was not to tell something about yourself, it was to discuss some important problem. </p>
<p>If you pick any non trivial issue, no one expects you to figure out how to solve it, they just want to hear how you think. </p>
<p>If you can SOLVE the problem of AIDS in poor countries, you can drop out of college and spend the rest of your life collecting an endless series of Nobel prizes.</p>
<p>I, too, think your planned essay and approach sound good. While it is true that the essays should reveal something about you, some are “about” you and some reveal how you think, what you are interested in. That seems to me what this prompt is seeking and I think your approach is on the mark. I presume this same school has other essays (after all, why have you jump throught just one hoop when they can have you jump through five :p?) which will be more about you (Personal Essay, your most important EC etc.).</p>
<p>For the record, what I said was “your essays should help the reader get to know you better” not “tell something about yourself.” How the applicant thinks, what they care about, how they spend their time…all come under the category of “getting to know you better.”</p>
<p>"why this issue is important to me and how I think it should be addressed. "</p>
<p>IMO, the ‘how it is to be addressed’ part is wide open - ranging from a personal level to a coordinated international response. If you write your essay carefully, you will be able to provide a valid, thoughtful response to the prompt, focusing on the personal or local response.</p>
<p>I believe that even an essay such as this one, that asks about an issue of local, national or global importance should always come back to the personal. Why is this issue important to you? How did your experiences affect you? How has it changed your outlook or future goals? You can weave the personal and the objective very successfully in an essay such as this one. It sounds like you have the makings of just such an essay. Just make sure it does bring you, your reflections and your values into the picture in a big way!</p>