What NOT to Write About in College Essays!
- Bonnie Kleffman, M.Ed., GCDF
- Jul 29
- 6 min read
Parents, if you are ever wary of some of the style choices your teenager makes, you aren’t alone. My household contains about 250 big t-shirts, pairs of Converse sneakers, and the occasional box of hair dye. This may seem concerning until you encounter large groups of teens at school or in the wild, where this seemingly unusual sense of style becomes cliche’. Social media fashion trends trickle down, and friend groups, as supportive as they are, end up all dressing and looking essentially the same.
While the need to fit in with peers is nothing new, there is one scenario in which teens should avoid presenting themselves like everyone else: the college essay! The purpose of the 650-word spotlight on the college application is to humanize the applicant, to set them aside from the numbers and ‘quantifiable’ portions of their profile and give insight into who they are as a young citizen of the world. Great essays provide insight into a student’s values, unique experiences, and ability to tell a focused, engaging story. While there are innumerable great topic possibilities, there are also overused topic choices that are best left to the rest of the herd. While there are technically no wrong topics, the following are more likely to ensure that your college essay sounds like all the others.
Moving/Immigration Stories
While changing schools, whether neighborhood, state or country, can be a traumatic experience for some teens, it is also a very common occurrence. While my grandparents lived on the same street their entire lives, it is unlikely that you will. These essays tend to follow the formula: “I was nervous about moving, it was hard to adjust to my new _____, but I was brave and found my new thing/friend group/cultural dichotomy, etc.” And while the ‘adjusting to a new normal’ theme can make a great essay in some cases, in this case, leave the moving boxes off the page. It is simply an overused topic.
Yet, since there are really no wrong answers here, if you must write this story, be sure it focuses on one moment in the chaos and not on the generalities of moving as a process. Always keep in mind: What do I want the admission officer to know about me as a result of reading this essay? If, after reading the essay, the message sounds cliche’ (I got over my move and now I am better than ever!), it probably is. Try something else.
Sports Stories/Sports Injuries
As wonderful and formative as sports experiences (the big victory/defeat) can be, if it is a story the whole team/squad/marching band can tell, then it probably is not unique as a college essay. This essay needs to be uniquely YOUR story. If team sports are a huge part of your world, great - but it will be a challenge to write a unique essay using this topic.
The same goes for sports injuries. I absolutely understand that these can be formative and traumatic experiences, but the ‘I came back stronger than ever’ story is so common that admissions officers may groan at the sight of another one of these stories. Since our goal is to delight them with a unique and fascinating story, leave the sports injury in the doctor’s office unless you can muster a truly unusual perspective here.
The Mission Trip/Leisure Travel
While it may seem odd to lump these two experiences together, the effect of both is essentially the same. A student goes on a trip to ______ place, observes ______, changes life forever because of ______. I have simply seen it too many times. If your family is privileged enough to vacation in other countries and see the world, I am very glad for you! Yet, fancy family vacations will smack of privilege, and while sightseeing is worthwhile, it will not make a standout essay.
Mission trips tend to take the same formulaic approach. Though the motivation may be altruistic, students may face challenges in describing the populations that they helped on their trip. It is also easy to sound a bit self-congratulatory when describing the service they provided while on the trip. As absolutely wonderful as mission trips are in purpose and in experience for students, they don’t often make for compelling college essays.
Details Found Elsewhere on the College Application
The mistake I see most often here is when students provide a laundry list of achievements/extracurricular activities that are listed elsewhere on the application. Yes, it is perfectly fine to use one of your activities from the activities list as a basis for your essay, but simply providing a list of achievements and/or academic accomplishments is not the purpose of the main essay.
Consider what admission officers already know about you: your high school and zip code (in which they can gather your approximate socioeconomic status), your grades, the courses you took, your test scores (if you choose to submit them), your school profile, the major you are applying to, etc. The purpose of each portion of the application is to peel away layers of the onion on who the student is at their core. Each portion of the application, each layer, should provide something new about them
The same goes for writing a ‘Why This Major’ essay for the main essay. For many highly selective colleges, ‘Why This Major’ is its own, separate question. Be sure to answer that question there, and not in the main essay.
Divorce
Traumatic: it can be. Hectic for students: absolutely. Essay fodder: probably not.
Sadly, divorce is a very common occurrence and is therefore an overused topic. As well, unless you are the one getting divorced, it isn’t your story. Choose something else.
Controversial or Politically Charged Topics
Students, you will never know the political views of those individuals who review your application. Keep your topic to something you could politely mention to a group of grandparents at the dinner table. Save seriously politically charged, controversial or polarizing topics for another day, and keep this essay focused on sharing the positive, exciting student you are!
Although this is not an exhaustive list, these are the topics that I see all too often, and that is what makes them sub-optimal. That said, don’t be afraid to share your vulnerable side, or provide a unique perspective on a common occurrence. Admission officers want to know what you will bring to campus, not just your academic chops, but your quirks, your identities and your values. Students can never go wrong focusing on these things, and your reader will thank you for providing an essay that is unique.
While your fashion choices are yours alone and following the trends may be desirable, resist the urge to follow the crowd when it comes to your college essay. Don’t check your humor at the door - there are always bonus points for the essay that is so clever it induces laughter from the reader. Happy writing!
For more advice on essay writing and all of your college application tasks, book your free DISCOVERY CALL today!
Frequently Asked Questions:
1. Why should I avoid writing about common, cliché topics in my college essay?
The primary goal of the 650-word essay is to humanize you, separating you from the "quantifiable" data on your application and providing insight into your values, experiences, and ability to tell a compelling, focused story. Using overused topics makes it more likely that your essay will sound like everyone else's.
2. Which specific topics should I avoid?
While there are no technically "wrong" topics, the following are often overused:
Moving or immigration stories.
Sports experiences or sports injuries.
Mission trips and leisure travel.
Lists of achievements already found in your application.
Divorce.
Controversial or politically charged topics.
3. Can I write about my extracurricular activities in my essay?
It is perfectly acceptable to use an activity as a basis for your essay, but avoid simply listing your achievements, as that information is already covered elsewhere in your application. The essay should peel back a new layer of who you are at your core.
4. What if I feel strongly about writing a "common" topic, like a move or a sports injury?
If you choose to write about a common topic, you must provide a unique perspective. Focus on one specific moment in time rather than generalities, and ensure the essay reveals something specific about your character, rather than a clichéd story about how you "overcame" a situation.
5. What should I prioritize when writing my essay?
Focus on sharing your quirks, identities, and values to show admissions officers what you will bring to campus. Additionally, don’t be afraid to use humor; an essay that is clever enough to induce laughter can often earn bonus points with the reader.
