What are the most overused college essay topics to avoid?
I'm just starting to brainstorm ideas for my main Common App essay, but I'm worried about picking a topic that admissions officers have seen a million times. I really want my application to stand out, so I'm trying to figure out which topics have been done to death.
If anyone has insight into which stories or themes are considered too generic or clichéd, I'd really appreciate a heads up. For example, I've heard that writing about sports injuries or community service trips can be risky, but are there other topics to avoid too? I’d love to hear about what you all think, especially from people who have talked to admission reps or gone through the process themselves.
If anyone has insight into which stories or themes are considered too generic or clichéd, I'd really appreciate a heads up. For example, I've heard that writing about sports injuries or community service trips can be risky, but are there other topics to avoid too? I’d love to hear about what you all think, especially from people who have talked to admission reps or gone through the process themselves.
4 months ago
•
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Camille Luong
• 4 months ago
Advisor
Your instincts are spot-on: standing out in your essay often means avoiding the topics admissions readers see repeatedly—unless you have an especially unique or personal angle. The themes that tend to get overused include:
1. Sports injuries or big game victories. These often focus on perseverance and teamwork, which are great qualities, but can blend in unless something unusually personal happened, such as discovering an unexpected new passion while sidelined (for example, starting a team blog during your recovery).
2. Mission trips or community service abroad. Often, these essays center on how the trip made you 'grateful for what you have' or want to 'give back,' which can sound surface-level if not tied to a deeply personal shift or ongoing commitment. If you want to write about service, focus on a nuanced, complex moment of conflict or growth that stuck with you long after the experience ended.
3. Immigrant or moving stories. Many students write about emigrating, learning English, or moving schools. These are meaningful experiences, but unless you pinpoint a very specific event or moment and reflect on what you learned, they can blend together. For example, write about a particular conversation or ordinary detail that illustrates a bigger change in you.
4. Academic struggles (like a tough class) and overcoming them. Essays that end with a big test score or grade improvement get repetitive. If this is your story, make sure it's less about the final grade and more about how it changed your perspective, habits, or relationships.
5. Losing a loved one. Grief is powerful, but unless you can center the essay on a distinct personal evolution (instead of describing the loss itself), this theme can be hard to make stand out. Instead, use a specific, unexpected anecdote that shows how the loss influenced your actions or values.
6. Winning competitions, getting into leadership roles, or other résumé rehashes. Admissions readers want insight into your character, not a summary of your accolades. Focus on the moments that aren't in your activities list.
A helpful approach is to think of the moments of tension or self-discovery in your life, even if they seem small, and build your essay around them. For example, one student wrote about being the only bassoonist in a marching band and how it forced them to improvise, literally and figuratively, which no one else could have written. Specificity and authentic reflection are what make an ordinary topic extraordinary. If you dig deep into what truly matters to you—and how a particular experience shaped who you are—you’ll have a much better shot at crafting a unique and memorable essay.
1. Sports injuries or big game victories. These often focus on perseverance and teamwork, which are great qualities, but can blend in unless something unusually personal happened, such as discovering an unexpected new passion while sidelined (for example, starting a team blog during your recovery).
2. Mission trips or community service abroad. Often, these essays center on how the trip made you 'grateful for what you have' or want to 'give back,' which can sound surface-level if not tied to a deeply personal shift or ongoing commitment. If you want to write about service, focus on a nuanced, complex moment of conflict or growth that stuck with you long after the experience ended.
3. Immigrant or moving stories. Many students write about emigrating, learning English, or moving schools. These are meaningful experiences, but unless you pinpoint a very specific event or moment and reflect on what you learned, they can blend together. For example, write about a particular conversation or ordinary detail that illustrates a bigger change in you.
4. Academic struggles (like a tough class) and overcoming them. Essays that end with a big test score or grade improvement get repetitive. If this is your story, make sure it's less about the final grade and more about how it changed your perspective, habits, or relationships.
5. Losing a loved one. Grief is powerful, but unless you can center the essay on a distinct personal evolution (instead of describing the loss itself), this theme can be hard to make stand out. Instead, use a specific, unexpected anecdote that shows how the loss influenced your actions or values.
6. Winning competitions, getting into leadership roles, or other résumé rehashes. Admissions readers want insight into your character, not a summary of your accolades. Focus on the moments that aren't in your activities list.
A helpful approach is to think of the moments of tension or self-discovery in your life, even if they seem small, and build your essay around them. For example, one student wrote about being the only bassoonist in a marching band and how it forced them to improvise, literally and figuratively, which no one else could have written. Specificity and authentic reflection are what make an ordinary topic extraordinary. If you dig deep into what truly matters to you—and how a particular experience shaped who you are—you’ll have a much better shot at crafting a unique and memorable essay.
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Camille Luong
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Stanford University, BAH in Urban Studies
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5 years
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