<p>I'm applying to several top tier private schools, and I'm having some serious difficulty figuring out how to start my Common App essay. I have an excellent idea for what I want to write about, but just can't seem to craft a decent intro. As a Hispanic, I feel like my one true advantage over other applicants to top schools is my ethnicity. Not because being a URM boosts my chances, but because my experiences being completely immersed in Central American culture have given me a unique perspective of the world beyond our borders, much better than what the typical mission-tripper can boast of having. Naturally, I intend to use my education as a tool to help improve the deplorable conditions in these countries. The only problem is, I'm not exactly sure how to convey this in my essays.</p>
<p>Don't start with the introduction. Write whatever comes to mind; worry later about the order, length, and introduction.</p>
<p>There is good advice here:</p>
<p>Essays</a>, Admission Information, Undergraduate Admission, U.Va.</p>
<p>Try to make it anecdotal or something.</p>
<p>^While my general intention is to make it anecdotal, I'm not quite sure how to relate a specific example to a "bigger picture". I want to strike a balance between detail and sensory description and personal insight, growth, and perspective.</p>
<p>^^Excellent advice, and thanks for the link.</p>