Hey guys, I'm brainstorming for my college essays and one of the schools I'm applying to has this prompt about 'What inspires you?' I'm struggling to figure out the best way to answer this without sounding cliché or overly dramatic. How did you guys approach this? Did you talk personal stuff or kept it academically focused? Any pointers would be appreciated!
Hey there! I totally get what you mean about not wanting to sound cliché. When approaching this type of prompt, you might find it helpful to dig into the less obvious things that inspire you. For example, instead of writing about a grandiose figure like a world leader, look at the traits and little moments that spark motivation. For example, a student might choose to write about how the meticulous craftsmanship of local artisans in their neighborhood inspired their interest in engineering.
The key is to pick something genuine to you and then reflect on how it influences your aspirations, education or career path. If that happens to be a personal story, great, but if it's more academically inclined, that's also fine—as long as it's truly reflective of what motivates you. Remember, the admission team reads tons of essays, so a unique perspective can really stand out. Don't be afraid to get a little personal; that adds color to your narrative. Just be sure to keep the essay grounded so that it doesn't veer off into the 'overly dramatic' territory you're wary of.
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