What are the most overused college essay topics?

Common cliche college essay topics include sports injuries/victories, mission trips, overcoming a personal tragedy (death/illness/divorce), the "person I admire" (hero/grandparent) essay, immigrant stories focusing on food/feeling out of place, and generic community service or travel experiences, often because they lack unique insight or focus too much on the event/person rather than the applicant's growth and self-reflection.

What are the most cliche college essay topics?

Cliché College Essay Topics to Avoid + How to Fix Them

• Résumé of your life and achievements. ...
• Sports injury, challenge, or success. ...
• Immigrant story. ...
• Tragedy – death, divorce, abuse. ...
• Working hard in a challenging class. ...
• Someone you admire (a person you know or historical figure) ...
• Volunteer trip.

What are the most popular college essay topics?

Tackling the Common App Essay Prompts

• Prompt #1: Share your story.
• Prompt #2: Learning from obstacles.
• Prompt #3: Challenging a belief.
• Prompt #4: Reflecting on gratitude.
• Prompt #5: Personal growth.
• Prompt #6: What captivates you?
• Prompt #7: Topic of your choice.
• Describe a person you admire.

What are bad topics for college essays?

Avoid topics that are:

• Overly personal (e.g. graphic details of illness or injury, romantic or sexual relationships)
• Not personal enough (e.g. broad solutions to world problems, inspiring people or things)
• Too negative (e.g. an in-depth look at your flaws, put-downs of others, criticizing the need for a college essay)

What are the 5 D's of college essays?

The "5 Ds" of college essays are common, overused topics to avoid, representing Death, Divorce, Disease (or Depression), Drugs, and Dating, as they're hard to write about compellingly and often become cliché, making it tough to stand out; instead, focus on showcasing your personality and growth through more unique experiences, experts advise. 

What 100 college essays taught me about who gets rejected…

Is it bad if my college essay is exactly 650 words?

No, it's not bad; hitting exactly 650 words for a Common App essay is perfectly fine and often seen as ideal, showing you've used the space effectively to tell your story without going over the strict limit, which admissions officers appreciate for conciseness and following directions. While some aim for slightly under to leave room for editing, getting right to the maximum demonstrates full engagement with the opportunity to share your unique self, so focus on quality content over hitting an exact number, but don't shy away from the limit if your story warrants it. 

Can I trauma dump in my college essay?

No, it's generally not okay to "trauma dump" (overshare intense details) in college essays, as it often focuses on the negative event rather than your growth, potentially making admissions officers pity you instead of admire your resilience, though writing about overcoming hardship can be powerful if it highlights skills, perspective, and personal development, not just shock value or pity. The key is to show growth and insight (what you learned and how you changed) from challenges, rather than just recounting the trauma itself, focusing on who you are now and your potential contribution to the college. 

What do colleges not want to see in an essay?

You should avoid college essay topics like bragging about accomplishments, clichés (the big game, mission trips), focusing on others (parents, pets, heroes), illegal/unethical acts, excessive trauma/illness (death, abuse, serious mental health), politics/religion, or anything that makes you seem entitled or boring, as they often fail to reveal your unique character or growth. The key is to show your insight and growth, not just recount events or list achievements. 

What is a very debated topic?

Social and Political Issues Debate Topics

The death penalty should be abolished. Human cloning should be legalized. All drugs should be legalized. Animal testing should be banned. Juveniles should be tried and treated as adults.

Do and don'ts for college essays?

For college essays, DO be authentic, show through details (don't just tell), focus on a narrow topic, answer the prompt directly, and proofread carefully; DON'T use clichés, repeat your transcript, discuss controversial topics, sound overly polished (lose your voice), or write what you think they want to hear.
 

How to stand out on a college essay?

12 Strategies to Writing the Perfect College Essay

1. Be Authentic.
2. Grab the Reader From the Start.
3. Focus on Deeper Themes.
4. Show Don't Tell.
5. Try Doing Something Different.
6. Write With the Reader in Mind.
7. Write Several Drafts.
8. Read It Aloud.

What not to write in a college personal statement?

• DON'T just restate your résumé in narrative form. ...
• DON'T address your weaknesses in the personal statement. ...
• DON'T focus on your high school activities or accomplishments. ...
• DON'T be overly dramatic. ...
• DON'T spend too much time talking about someone or something else.

What do most people write their college essays on?

Good topics when writing college essays include personal achievements, meaningful lessons, life-changing challenges, and situations that fostered personal growth. It's best to avoid anything too intimate or controversial.

What are the 3 D's of college essays?

The "3 Ds" in college essays refer to common, often overused topics to avoid: Death, Divorce, and Disease, sometimes expanded to include Drugs and Drama. While these experiences are significant, they are so frequent in applications that admissions officers can become desensitized, making it hard for a student to stand out unless they focus intensely on personal growth, reflection, and unique insights, rather than just the hardship itself, emphasizing "whys" and personal development. 

What are the 7 college essay prompts?

Seven common college essay prompts focus on personal growth, challenges, identity, passions, and significant experiences, encouraging reflection on obstacles overcome (like a failure), beliefs questioned, accomplishments, or things that captivate you, with the popular #7 "Topic of Your Choice" providing an open-ended option to share a meaningful story. These prompts aim to reveal your character, values, and potential beyond grades, exploring topics like your background, a surprising moment of gratitude, or an idea that sparks your interest. 

How to get a H1 in a personal essay?

Know what the examiner is looking for

For example, if you're doing a personal essay, the examiner will be expecting a very personal piece about the chosen subject, rife with memories, anecdotes and personal thoughts and opinions. You'll also need descriptive and reflective paragraphs.

What are some hot take topics?

We usually see hot takes in areas like entertainment, sports, hobbies, and food. They usually feature unpopular opinions, so much so that they're similar to memes and often divide opinion.

What are the 4 great debates?

The "Four Great Debates" typically refer to major theoretical clashes in International Relations (IR), shaping the field: (1) Realism vs. Idealism (role of power vs. institutions), (2) Traditionalism vs. Behavioralism (history/interpretation vs. scientific methods), (3) Neorealism vs. Neoliberalism (power politics vs. cooperation), and (4) Rationalism vs. Reflectivism (logic/structure vs. social construction/meaning). These debates highlight evolving perspectives on international politics, from power struggles to complex social dynamics. 

What are bad college essay topics?

Writing about cultural heritage, bad grades or personal flaws, music, sports, drama, politics, or a family member's serious illness in college essays is tempting, but dangerous. We show why these topics can hurt students with admissions teams and how to handle them well.

What are good controversial topics to write about?

Argue for or against the following statements:

• Discrimination law has gone too far.
• Feminism is an embarrassment.
• Discrimination laws should not apply to religious institutions.
• A person can never really change sex.
• If you've built up a business, you should be entitled to hire who you like.

What colleges care the most about essays?

A few colleges known for putting a strong emphasis on essays include the University of Chicago, Brown University, and Stanford University. The University of Chicago is famous for its unconventional and creative prompts, which demands students to think outside the box and showcase their creative writing skills.

What are the don'ts of college essays?

DON'T choose a topic that is too controversial or negative. DON'T have too many adults “revise” your essay. Yes, it should be free of grammatical errors, and yes, it's fine to have your English teacher check it over for that reason, but the colleges want to hear an 18-year-old voice, not a 45-year-old voice.

Is it bad to talk about death in college essay?

When it can be a small part of a bigger story: If you are able to de-center the death in your essay, incorporating it into your narrative as part of a larger story, it may also make sense to include death in your college essay.