<p>Prompt: “Tell us about a personal quality, talent, accomplishment, contribution or experience that is important to you. What about this quality or accomplishment makes you proud and how does it relate to the person you are?”</p>
<p>So, when I read this prompt, the first thing to pop into my mind is my drawing hobby. I’ve been drawing for as long as I can remember, and it’s developed quite a bit. I’ve won a school-wide drawing contest, contributed to the school in the form of posters advertising clubs, events, etc. and I’ve designed T-shirts for a science bowl team. I taught myself Photoshop to extend my hobby into the digital field, and this year I’m working on our yearbook, utilizing my Photoshop skills. I’m wondering how favorable being passionate about something as “useless” as art would be… </p>
<p>Drawing is important to me; it has distinguished me from my AP classmates during high school, but I’m afraid that it’ll be something to scoff at when read by the admissions. I am a science/math person (my grades and scores are good, my courseload includes AP bio, chem, physics B and C, calculus BC), and I know that having art on the side is not exactly the norm or encouraged…but if I can write well with this subject, should I go for it anyway? Or is it too risky?</p>
<p>It sounds like an excellent idea. The topic appears to allow you to be personal, detailed and revealing–to write something that no one else can write.</p>
<p>It may be unique, but I’m not sure if it’ll come off as intelligent. What if I write something like, “even as my course work became more difficult, I never submitted to giving up drawing.” It may show passion, but does it show it in a laughable area? If I hold this hobby in high regards, will it seem like I don’t know my priorities?</p>
<p>I agree with ADad. It says right in the promp…"talent…important to you.
Your art certainly qualifies. There’s nothing laughable about expressing yourself through your drawing. Go for it!</p>
<p>Your grades, test scores and course load will show your intelligence and overall priorities. Your recs can also reveal a serious, committed student and person. So, I still don’t see a problem with this topic.</p>
<p>Only you can judge what topic allows for the most detailed, personal, honest and revealing essay. I am a little troubled, though, by your strong reluctance to share what seems to be an admirable and central part of your personality. I wonder if general you tend to undervalue yourself, and tend to care more than perhaps one should about what other people might conceivably think?</p>
<p>IMHO, writing about your drawing can only help set you apart from all the other “math/science” kids. Plus, it is obviously a very significant EC for you, but one that might not be apparent in the rest of your ap. And don’t start thinking that drawing is silly. It means a lot to you, and that’s nothing to be laughed at.</p>
<p>Thanks so much for all your input, guys. =) I must admit, I do tend to undervalue this hobby of mine…I’ve been surrounded by people who have felt that drawing/art will get you nowhere in life (sure, they’ll say that they enjoy my drawings, but they’ll also make sure I don’t lose sight of a realistic field of study), so even if I never quit drawing, I don’t tend to flaunt it proudly either…“time spent on art could be time spent studying”. And I’m afraid UC’s might think the same way. Ugh. </p>
<p>But since those who have posted feel otherwise, I’m leaning more towards going for this topic.</p>
<p>I don’t believe that the UCs, or indeed any college, are going to think “time spent on art could be time spent studying.” Rather, I think that they will welcome such achievements and recognize that participation in the arts and other ECs can be beneficial in many ways for all students.</p>
<p>i have sort of a, uhh…question/suggestion that might be reallly risky in a stand-out kind of way (i’m trying to help/become familiar with creative ways to approach the essay so feedback would b nice ;))
how about…instead of <em>typing</em> the essay, u <em>draw</em> it…like, by hand and then photocopy. there could b like a scenery in the back and it could b sort of a very free, expressive flow of words being <em>sketched</em> kind of thing…? any ideas. (trying to become familiar with the essay i suppose…would this even work? for the OP, of course ;))</p>
just trying to make it <em>POP</em>, i guess? :)</p>