Common essay topics

Anyone have a bead on what the most commonly used college essay topics are? I don't wanna corner myself into writing about something that admissions officers see a thousand times a day. I'd love to be unique, but it's proving to be more difficult than I thought.

Sure thing, happy to provide some guidance. Crafting a compelling and unique essay is indeed a challenge; however, knowing what to avoid could certainly give you a leg up.

There are a few topics that are often considered cliché in the world of college essays. For starters, stories of winning a sports match, overcoming a sports injury, or the struggle and eventual success in a challenging course are common tropes. Additionally, essays about changing schools or moving to a new place, including the challenges of being an immigrant adjusting to a new culture, are frequently used as well.

Another topic to approach with care is service trip experiences. Many students write about trips where they've built homes for the less fortunate, taught English to children in developing countries, or similar experiences. If you do write about this, it's important not to center your essay on how the experience changed you, as this often comes across as savior sentiment and lacks depth.

That being said, these topics aren't off-limits. They just need to be handled with extra care to avoid sounding cliché. What matters most about your essay isn't the exact topic, nor is it about showing off accomplishments (that's what the rest of the application is for). Instead, it's about showing who you are as a person— your values, your ability to reflect and learn from experiences, and your personality.

So, instead of focusing on what to avoid, think about this: what story shows a side of you that the admissions officer wouldn’t know about from the rest of your application? You might think your life is 'beige' or 'boring' on the surface—most teenagers do—but I'm willing to bet you have some great stories to tell if you dig a bit deeper.