<p>I know that the process is holistic, but does anyone know any application essay topics that an admit of a top 25 wrote? Of course I’m going to be original, but I need a foundation and don’t want to work on a topic that might be too risqu</p>
<p>Never forget that the topic of ANY essay should be YOU. The prompt just provides a backdrop in which to tell a tale about you.</p>
<p>That said, imagine your poor reader. She probably has a stack of about a hundred application folders that must be evaluated in a very short time. Very quickly all essays seem to run together and sound the same. So that’s where an original backdrop for your story might be a little bit of a relief for her. But any topic badly written will be badly received. And any topic well written will be well received.</p>
<p>The main thing you want is for your essay to be personal and memorable. When that reader puts down the stack of applications, you want her to remember your essay above all others and LIKE you for it.</p>
<p>There are some specific techniques to do that (make it memorable). The advice I give in my book is to use the elements of a movie screenplay. These are elements that are used in almost every movie, from action adventures to romantic comedies, to involve the viewer in the film and tug at emotional strings to give the movie heart.</p>
<p>Where to start? Look into your own memories and pull out those ones that are the ones that you will never forget. They might be good memories… or bad ones. If one of those changed you - made you stronger, wiser, more tolerant, etc - then that memory should be your topic. Think of the essay as a screenplay (in essay form) of that memory and your transition to a better person.</p>