Would this essay topic make colleges wary of accepting me?

College Essays
#1

Hi everyone :slight_smile:

Throughout my high school experience, nothing has quite defined me like my struggle to overcome social anxiety. I actually ended up taking a year off and going to online school to try to fix it (it got worse, and it’s a mistake I’m going to highlight). However, I pushed myself to go back to my public school to ensure that I got the best education (we start AP’s in Junior year) and was willing to confront one of my biggest challenges with an academic initiative. I want to show how dramatically I changed over the year by explaining how I was selected for a leadership camp by a teacher that noticed my change, along with rising up and taking leadership positions in clubs to ensure that next year’s members felt as welcome as I did when I was struggling. Lastly, I pushed myself and became a Link Crew leader (to help freshmen transition) to ensure that terrified freshman felt welcome like I never did.

I would also really like to use humor in the essay, especially the beginning, to set a positive tone rather than a dismal one that seems like the experience was extremely negative.

Thanks ahead of time.

#2

Obviously if you made a good change in your life colleges are not going to be “wary” and would instead look at it positively.

Be careful using humor in your essay and only use it if you really think it works.

#3

I think you’ve asked a good question, and initially it seems to me that it would go over well. But I recommend writing it up and having someone look at it for you. Try to ask someone who is well-versed in college applications, like a college counselor, or perhaps an English teacher or librarian. You’ve realized that a college app is, to an extent, marketing yourself, so although we may not like that, it is what it is.

#4

How about if you describe your former self as very shy rather than someone who suffered from social anxiety? If you read any posts here about students trying to appeal academic suspensions from college, quite a few of them claim they couldn’t go to class and couldn’t ask professors for help due to social anxiety.

#5

I think it sounds pretty good but I’d try it without too much humor too, I’d try it more sincere. Try one each way, you don’t want to obscure the message too much. I wouldn’t characterize it as a disorder either^^.

#6

I think it sounds like a good prompt! It sounds like something you can definitely write a lot about. However, like a few of the other posters said, I would be wary about using humor and would go for sincere instead. It seems like a safer angle; humor can sometimes be read as sarcastic.

On a more personal note, congratulations for overcoming social anxiety. It’s definitely not something easy, and you should be proud of yourself!