<p>I’m not gonna lie, I haven’t had any life changing experiences or conversations. I’m a regular white, middle class girl living in suburbia. My material for common app essays is pretty much non-existent. In English class we are writing practice essays (that are being graded) and have to use one of the common app options. Which of the following is more interesting/make a better essay? (I’m a fairly good writer when I have a good topic)</p>
<p>Transition to Adulthood essay - About my first job (really not extraordinary, at a local country club helping with activities) and the adult qualities I gained while there </p>
<p>or</p>
<p>Background Story essay- About my big Irish, ultra competitive family that has motivated me my whole life. I think this essay may be more passionate and heartfelt, but I don’t know if my middle class family is interesting enough?</p>
<p>thanks :)</p>
<p>The idea with these essays are to stand out. You can turn a seemingly boring life into a “personally enlightening” story. So when you do end up focusing on these general topics, you will have to focus specifically on the things that make you unique.</p>
<p>I think those are both fine topics. Try writing an essay with both of them and see which one develops faster. Maybe show it to a teacher or friend and see which one they think reveals “more” about you. Then once you think you have a better idea you can focus in on that one topic.</p>
<p>To be honest, the second one would interest me more. But that is a common topic among “middle-glass white” families, the “perpetual motivation” thing; so you will want to show maybe some different things your family did, different traditions, I’m not sure how strong your Irish heritage is but that can be something to focus on.</p>
<p>I’m in a fairly similar boat as you. I haven’t had many interesting events in my life. It seems like all the “awful things” evade me and smack one of my friends or something. Nonetheless, I think I have some interesting topics that I can bring out my personality in.</p>
<p>Good luck</p>
<p>I agree that both topics are fine, do whichever you feel more passionate about. Many people don’t have life-changing events to write about so you are not alone. If you write about your family be sure to focus on not just the family but how family traits have impacted you personally, how they helped to lead you where you are today, and how they can help you to succeed in college and beyond. </p>
<p>The general rule is to start several of them and the best one will emerge on it’s own. Several people tell the story of writing what they thought was going to be the easy essay, but it bogs down and doesn’t go anywhere - it’s one of their second or even third choices that really sings and practically writes itself. And it doesn’t have to be a story of woe or overcoming great obstacles, it can be about a little thing, like an “a ha” moment where you first realized something or just a moment when you felt perfectly content. </p>
<p>Small things are often easier to write about in the amount of space they allow, you aren’t writing “Angela’s Ashes” here.</p>
<p>@Ctesiphon @happy1 thanks for all your advice, I thought both these ideas were kinda hopeless so this has given me a bit more confidence! I’ll be sure to write with passion and detail about whichever topic I chooss</p>
<p>@MrMom62 I’m definitely gonna try this strategy! And haha now I want to read that book</p>
<p>I think a lot of kids overthink this. My son (who did well in the “lottery”) wrote about putting together a computer he had bought the pieces for, with some humorous “surprises” along the way. You don’t have to show that you cured cancer; I think you really just want to show that there’s more to you than “that kid” who has always just followed the prescribed path to “success”. Show that you are interesting, thoughtful, quirky, curious, kind, whatever. And I agree that either of those topics has potential.</p>
<p>For most students, they have no dramatic life experience and yet many wrote great essays. It is the tricky part to turn something ordinary into a great essay. My D just went through the process last year and one of the essays has been revised many times over 8 months for different schools and scholarship applications. It has really been changed from a boring plain vanilla essay into a very interesting one after so many revisions (even with more or less the same content). Her final version got her a scholarship last week.</p>
<p>@donnaleighg sounds like your S had a good essay, thanks for the advice!
@billcsho revision might be my saving grace(s) with my essays haha, thank you for helping! And congrats to your D</p>
<p>I just read a novel about this: Early Decision. Good read, given the subject. </p>