I apologize if this was recently asked in the CA forum! I checked the first three pages, but I could have missed it.
My question is this: I am stuck between two of the five personal statement essay prompts for Common App. I have the choice of the riskier prompt (Reflect on a time where you challenged a belief or idea.) or the safer prompt (Discuss an event crucial to your transition into adulthood.). The reason I call the latter “safer” is because I have a far less chance of offending someone reading my essay, as I would write about the novel I wrote and finished last year.
However, I feel that the time I challenged a belief or idea was more central to me, and could potentially be more appealing to someone who agrees with me on the subject. I grew up in an extremely liberal area in California, and to many people in my life, “liberal” means someone who agrees with modern social justice movements, rather than someone who is open-minded and responsive to viewpoints that they don’t agree with. Because of this, I have become moderately conservative in social and economic areas.
The event I would write about is how I spoke up for the conservative side in a social justice discussion in my English class. (Specifically, I personally do not agree with gay marriage, but that I respect those who pursue the marriage rights they believe they should have, but many who are pro-marriage are much ruder and less tolerant than those shamed for not being liberal in their eyes.) I learned much that day, especially that there are others who agree but stay silent because they see no benefit in fighting against the vocal majority. Others thought of my view for what was likely the first time. I do not regret entering the discussion and would definitely do it again if I got the chance.
TLDR; My question is this. The schools I am applying for on the Common App are reach schools, but those that are not my priority schools (I am aiming for UC Berkeley and San Diego most, and CA is only for super reach Stanford and Yale). Should I go for the more risky prompt that may offend readers, or should I go for the safer prompt on the novel I wrote and finished last year? If it matters, I plan on pursuing Economics, which could possibly be relevant for the conservatism.
Write a good attempt at both prompts on both topics and maybe a few others. Some of these essays will turn out to be engaging and will bring out good aspects of your unique viewpoints and some will seem ponderous and difficult and without a real point.
At first glance, your epiphany during a single high school class (yup, people have different opinions and not all of them wear their heart on their sleeves especially in the confines of high school or any other place with a dominant viewpoint) seems less compelling than a novel in high school, but who knows until you actually put something on paper.
Where did these two things take you ?
In terms of risk and/or political correctness, you can tone down the more risky and less PC thoughts a bit, since you are not running for office but trying to seem attractive and probably more importantly, even remotely interesting to your readers.
Don’t UCs still have lots of essays? Do those too, maybe first, and see where they lead you.
Since your chances at Stanford and Yale are very slim to begin with (as they are for every applicant), writing a “safe” essay isn’t going to help your case. Writing an essay that the committee remembers can only help. Either topic can be done in a way that takes risks. What the committees want to see is a spark that sets you apart. There are so many academically qualified kids who are just study-bots: they did well in high school and will go on to lead comfortable lives but won’t shake anything up. Stanford and Yale don’t really want those kids. They want the ones who did well and show some promise to go on to do something really extraordinary. They want the kids who will do something worthy of the schools’ names. So if you wrote a novel, talk about what it took to get it down on paper. It’s something many people dream of but few accomplish. What did you learn about yourself in the process? How did it change your view of yourself or of the world? Don’t say “It made me realize the importance of self-discipline” – the committees will barf at that. Say something that makes you feel vulnerable at first, because then you’re actually getting at something deep.
I wouldn’t touch that topic with a ten foot pole in the current environment, particularly on campuses. There is only one acceptable viewpoint on that topic.
I’d move to your other topic, personally, unless you are 100% sure you can pull it off with a finesse of Henry Kissinger or Ghandi.
Stanford and Yale strong candidates would have been having these discussions over the dinner table or maybe via some blogs for years. You are almost an adult and would have to see beyond the petty behaviors of friends and classmates and really see something deep here, or have some personal involvement with the issue (a gay uncle, an intolerant family member, a thriving gay family across the street, a troubled friend with gay parents, troubled gay friend, be a troubled gay youth, etc). Many people are highly involved politically by age 18.
Stick to the novel.
Talk about your dog making friends with your cat, or something memorable.
UC is pushing tolerance and a lack of tolerance for narrow views that are judgemental of minority groups. All colleges are pushing a diversity campaign.
You would have to find a conservative religious school to make a case here, and … like I said, there are political warriors at 18…