Would writing about growing up as an Indian in a mostly white populated school/community be a cliche? Answered
Hi! I'm currently struggling to come up with what to write my Common App essay about. I don't want to write about a cliche. I'm from India and I've lived in the U.S. for about 10 years. I want to write about struggles of racism and growing up around a "white mainstream" culture.
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3 answers
If your essay is personal and offers anecdotes of your unique experiences, it's possible to write a strong essay on a common topic. That said, it's not recommended that Asians and South Asians write on topics that draw more attention to their demographics (like immigration or racism), as they already have a harder time getting admitted. It also doesn't necessarily distinguish you for other South Asian applicants. If this topic is very central to your identity and high school experience, you can certainly still write about it, but be aware of the risk. If there's another aspect of your identity you could write a meaningful essay on, which would allow you to "stand out," you might consider it. I hope this helps - it's certainly a very tricky topic. Good luck!
I think you can pull this off even if it is a very common prompt.
The thing that is going to set you apart is how it personally affected you. How you feel like your life has changed because of this. And also include what you are doing now (even if it's a change of perspective on life) that is because of how you grew up.
You can definitely make this a very impactful personal story!
Honestly, I think this is a great essay topic, especially with everything going on in the world now with racism. It would be a great way to show how growing up in the U.S. and how you grew up in a predominately white school impacted you; it would show a pretty unique perspective. Just keep in mind of the person who may read your essay. Though it's pretty sad, there still are people in the world that are racist so I would just keep in mind what you write may be considered offensive by one reader, but not by another. Writing about this would be a little risky, but if you craft the essay well enough, I think you could pull this off.
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