Top 5 College Essay Topics to Avoid
From Jay Brody, “Your Guide to College Admissions: U.S.”
Good college essays can be written about almost anything. Certain topics tend to be more popular
than others, but as long as students follow the college essay writing basics, almost any topic can
be the basis of a terrific essay.
However, essays that are boring, trite, or inappropriate tend to follow the same basic patterns.
While several of the topics here could potentially be used in a good college essay, it's typically
wise to avoid these subjects.
1. Essays About Death
Sometimes it seems natural to write about a person's death and what that person meant to you,
especially when it's a close family member. While writing about that experience may be
therapeutic and useful, it's usually not a great idea for a college essay topic. The essay is a good
opportunity to write about positive aspects of yourself, and essays about death tend to focus on
another person. It's also frequently difficult for applicants' personalities to shine through such a
somber topic.
2. The Sports Triumph
Admissions officers have read hundreds of essays about the big game or the state championship.
If you have something interesting to say, this topic can work well. But just explaining how hard
you worked and how good it felt to win (or win as a team) isn't enough. While the experience
may have been meaningful to you, there usually just isn't that much interesting to say about it.
3. The Essay That's Too Clever
For every essay that tries a unique approach, there are 10-20 essays that just don't read well for
the somewhat jaded admissions officers who have seen it all. Being interesting and unique is a
good thing. But don't start your essay "It's five hours before the deadline and I still don't have an
essay topic...," or write your essay from the perspective of the family cat. It's all been done.
Again, it's all been done. Write an essay that's meaningful and personal, and if it's clever consider
that a bonus.
4. Bad Comedy
Bad jokes can kill any piece of writing. Generally, even if "funny" is a big part of your
personality, wisecracking and joke-telling shouldn't dominate your essay. If you write in a funny
tone, that's great, but run your essay by a few people from diverse backgrounds (not just peers
your own age) who will give you an honest assessment. Most good, funny college essays are
more warm and endearing than they are sidesplittingly, laugh-out-loud hilarious.
5. Inappropriate Topics
Don't write about inappropriate subjects such as your drinking experiences or amorous
encounters. While most people won't be shocked by such things, the choice of an inappropriate
subject demonstrates a lack of maturity on your part.
What the Admissions Officers Love to See
Jennifer Wong, director of admissions at Claremont McKenna College: Please use
your own "voice," especially when writing your personal statement. This should not be
an exercise in packing in as many SAT-prep words as possible! Write about something
that you care about, something that gives us a window into your perspective/experience.
Students who take some calculated risks in their essays, and in doing so, really show their
personality.
John Latting, director of admissions at Johns Hopkins University: Get your pen and
paper or saddle up to the word processor; the important thing to keep in mind is, don't
write as if there is a correct answer. Don't be too cautious. It seems to me that we work
hard to craft questions that prevent that, but we see students who are too cautious. Be
adventurous intellectually-write unconventionally. Applicants have more freedom than
they think, and it's in their interest to use that flexibility.
Lorne T. Robinson, dean of admissions and financial aid at Macalester College: Be
yourself. Use your own voice. "Own" your essay rather than letting someone else tell you
what to write. Address any questions the admissions committee may have about your
application up front. Tell your "story," if you have one.
Alyssa Sinclair, assistant director of admissions at Middlebury College: Most
students should "write what they know," and not worry about being completely original
in their subject matter. In most cases, we care more about how a student writes about a
topic than the topic itself. Ideally, we love to see truly fine writing that reflects mature
thought, a mastery of the language and mechanics, and a topic that reveals a great deal
about the applicant simply because it tells a good story. Essays of that caliber are fairly
rare, so we also enjoy pieces that possess the elements mentioned above but may not have
them in equal share.
Joel Bauman, dean of admissions at New College of Florida: Once you've written
your essays, let them sit for a few days. It's very tempting to hit the "send" button or drop
them in the mail, but it's definitely a good idea not only to proofread for mechanical
errors, but also to consider whether there is a real point to each essay. Are they well
developed? Do the ideas flow logically? Our college writing consultant points out that
she can teach someone how to use semicolons, but she can't teach them how to think.
We're looking for some sort of organized, well-reasoned argument, without typos or
grammar errors-looking for the ability to reason and think clearly and make a reasoned
argument on some topic. The greater the evidence of thoughtfulness, the better. The essay
should show some level of sophistication, technical skill, and reasoning ability. We love
to see a clear sense of engagement-that the student hasn't just fulfilled her or his
obligation to submit an essay, but has really thought about it and obviously cares about
the topic. We also get a big kick out of colorful metaphors-although these, in and of
themselves, will probably not make the difference in an admission decision.
Carol Lunkenheimer, dean of admissions at Northwestern University: Answer the
whole question. For example, we have a question that asks what an applicant would do
with five minutes of airtime; what would you talk about and why? Kids don't answer the
why part, they go on about the subject but there's no analysis, no reflection. In addition,
we like writing with a natural voice. Don't be formal if you're not formal. If you're funny,
be humorous. We're trying to get a sense of what you're like; stay with your natural voice.
Jim Miller, dean of admissions at Bowdoin College: Keep it narrow, get readers'
attention right away, and stay on task, on point. We like to see things that are personal
and simple. People try to get complex. Things that are meaningful come across that way
as you read them.
Janet Rapelye, dean of admissions at Wellesley College: I'm a complete sucker for the
grandparent essay, i.e., what I learned from them, what they taught me, what they taught
my family. In my 22 years in admissions, I haven't read a bad grandparent essay. I like to
hear about gratitude for someone in your life, such as a family member or favorite
teacher.
A few more pointers
Grammatical accuracy is key. A thoughtful essay that offers true insight will stand out
unmistakably, but if it is riddled with poor grammar and misspelled words, it will not
receive serious consideration. It is critical that you avoid all grammatical errors. We just
can't stress this enough. Misspellings, awkward constructions, run-on sentences, and
misplaced modifiers all cast doubt on your efforts. Admissions officers will wonder, how
much care did you put into the essay's composition?
Good writing is writing that is easily understood. You want to get your point across, not
bury it in words. Don't talk in circles. Your prose should be clear and direct. If an
admissions officer has to struggle to figure out what you are trying to say, you're in
trouble. Also, almost every college requires freshmen to complete a course or two in
composition, even if you plan on majoring in a subject that isn't writing-intensive, like
chemistry. If you can demonstrate that you have good writing skills, you'll have a serious
edge in these required courses.
Get to the point in three pages. Don't be long-winded and boring. Admissions officers
don't like long essays. Would you, if you were in their shoes? Be brief. Be focused. And
if there is a word limit, abide by it.
This article is excerpted from College Essays That Made a Difference.
College Essay Writing Tips
Write an Effective Application Essay
A great application essay will present a vivid, personal, and compelling view of you to the
admission staff. It will round out the rest of your application and help you stand out from the
other applicants. The essay is one very few parts of your application over which you have
complete control, so take the time to do a good job on it. Check out these tips before you begin.
DO’s

Write an essay that only you could honestly write. If it's possible that the reader will read
anything similar from any other applicant, go back to the drawing board.

Convey a positive message overall. Cynicism will not score points with the admission
committee.

Strive for depth, not breadth. Focus on one event or idea rather than trying to cover an
entire subject. Think personal and anecdotal. Essays that try to be too comprehensive end
up sounding watered-down. Remember, it's not about telling the committee what you've
done -- they can pick that up from your list of activities -- instead, it's about showing
them who you are. Develop your main idea with vivid and specific facts, events,
quotations, examples, and reasons.

Reject your first idea or angle. It's probably been used a million times.

Be interesting; but more important, be yourself. Convey your true and genuine thoughts
and feelings; don't try to portray yourself as someone with interests, values, and opinions
that aren't really yours.

Write about what you know and have observed or experienced firsthand, not about things
that are beyond your personal development as a teenager. Book knowledge or other
secondhand information does not convey to the reader any sense of who you are.

Write about something you feel strongly about. If you write on a topic about which you
have little interest or knowledge, your lack of sincerity and enthusiasm will show.

Write about other people as well as about yourself. We are defined as individuals largely
in terms of our experiences with others, and acknowledging this through your essay will
help ensure that you don't appear overly self-centered.

Be experiential, but avoid too much imagery. Relate to the reader the full scope of an
experience—sights, sounds, and perhaps even smells. Be careful, however, not to overuse
imagery; otherwise, the result may be a forced, unnatural style that gives the reader the
impression that you are trying too hard to be creative.
DON’Ts
 Try to sell yourself or prove anything by convincing the reader how great you are, how
smart you are, or how accomplished you are. Your definitive theories and brilliant
solutions to global problems will not impress the reader. Admit it: you have many more
questions than answers at this point in your life. Use your essay as an opportunity to
wonder about life, to pose thoughtful questions, and to probe and investigate, not to tell
the reader "the way it is."

Write about death, moving, injuries/surgeries or divorce. Every average high school
student will be writing about one of these topics. Don’t be average, and think outside the
box.

Let others—especially your parents—decide for you what to write. Feel free to
brainstorm with others for ideas, but don't ask: "What should I write about?"

Try to write an important or scholarly essay. A well-researched essay that shows off your
knowledge of a particular academic subject tells the reader nothing about you. The reader
will only suspect that your essay is actually a recycled term paper.

Try to guess what the admission committee wants you to write. This approach will result
in a "safe" essay that will fall flat.

Rehash what the reader already knows about you. Don't reiterate accomplishments or
activities that are already mentioned elsewhere in your application.

Appear overly idealistic. World peace and a clean environment are worthy ideals, but
avoid coming across as "preachy" or fanatic. There are always at least two sides to every
controversial issue, so recognize the merits of all sides. Otherwise, you might sound a bit
naive.

Waste your essay opportunity to explain blemishes or deficiencies in your application. A
low grade, a low SAT score, or an absence of extracurricular activities is not a worthy
subject for discussion in your essay. If you must defend a blemish in your record, contact
the school and ask (anonymously) if you can attach a separate (and brief) explanation as
an "addendum" to your application. As an alternative, ask your college counselor to
clarify these points in his or her recommendation letter.

Write anything that might embarrass the reader or make him or her feel uncomfortable.
There's nothing wrong with discussing sensitive topics such as substance abuse,
sexuality, spirituality, religious beliefs, and political views. Just be sure to treat the
subject gingerly, avoid generalizations, and use a respectful tone. Otherwise, you may put
off or even offend the reader.

Write an essay that reads like a newspaper editorial. The schools welcome your opinions,
but don't get on a soap box and appear overly critical of other viewpoints.

Even think about mentioning popular television shows, movies, musicians, or actors,
regardless of how significant they are to you; and please don't mention any Dr. Seuss
book. The wastebaskets in admission offices fill to the brim every fall with Dr. Seuss
essays.

Use 50 words when five will do – get to the point.

Forget to proofread. Typos and spelling or grammatical errors can be interpreted as
carelessness or just bad writing. Don't rely on your computer's spell check.
Information taken from:
McGinty, Sarah Myers. "The College Application Essay." College Board. College Board. 18 July
2005
<http://http://www.collegeboard.com/article/0,,5-26-0-9406,00.html>.
Stewart, Mark Alan. "The Best College Essays." West. 18 July 2005
<http://www.west.net/~stewart/best.htm>.