What are the most popular topics for college essays this year?
As I'm starting to brainstorm for my Common App essay, I'm wondering what the most common topics students are writing about right now. I want to choose something that feels true to me, but I also don’t want it to be something admissions officers have read a thousand times.
Are there any themes or experiences that you keep seeing repeated among your friends or in sample essays online? I’m just trying to avoid falling into a cliché without realizing it. If anyone has noticed any trends (like writing about sports, family, failure, or cultural identity), it would be super helpful to know. Also, if anyone knows of less traditional, more unique topics that former successful applicants have used, I’d love to hear about those too!
I'm currently a junior stressing a bit because I want my essay to stand out. Any insight would be great, thanks!
Are there any themes or experiences that you keep seeing repeated among your friends or in sample essays online? I’m just trying to avoid falling into a cliché without realizing it. If anyone has noticed any trends (like writing about sports, family, failure, or cultural identity), it would be super helpful to know. Also, if anyone knows of less traditional, more unique topics that former successful applicants have used, I’d love to hear about those too!
I'm currently a junior stressing a bit because I want my essay to stand out. Any insight would be great, thanks!
6 months ago
•
53 views
Lydia Schooler
• 6 months ago
Advisor
You're definitely not alone in wanting to avoid clichés—admissions officers do see certain essay topics over and over again. Each year, a few themes tend to be especially popular. Recently, many students focus on:
1. Sports injuries or triumphs: Stories about overcoming an athletic challenge, recovering from an injury, or learning leadership from sports are extremely frequent.
2. Cultural or family identity: Essays exploring being the child of immigrants, code-switching at home and school, or learning to embrace two cultures are common. These can be powerful, but it's important to bring a specific, new angle or tell a unique story within this broader theme.
3. Academic setbacks or failure: Discussing a bad grade, tough class, or major mistake and what it taught you about resilience appears a lot. Admissions officers report fatigue seeing so many essays about learning to persevere after a disappointing test.
4. Service or travel experiences: Volunteering abroad, a service trip, or a summer internship that “changed my perspective” is a very familiar narrative.
Some less typical, memorable topics that worked well include:
- A student writing about designing a new board game with their younger sibling and how it taught them to collaborate, adjust to feedback, and see the world through a child’s eyes.
- Someone reflecting on their love for collecting and labeling insects in local parks, and how exploring these tiny ecosystems shaped their curiosity and environmental passion.
- Another student wrote about baking elaborate birthday cakes for each family member, using the essay to show creativity and how each cake told a unique story about their relationship.
The trick is often to pick a very specific moment, hobby, or quirk that only you can write about, even within larger themes. Sometimes, it helps to ask yourself: "Could someone else I know write this exact same essay?" If the answer is "probably," try zooming in on a smaller experience or digging into a detail that makes it truly personal.
If you feel drawn to a common topic—like your cultural background or a family tradition—think about framing it through an unusual lens. For example, instead of a general story about fitting in, maybe you share the story of the first time you cooked a special dish without help, and the blend of pride and nostalgia it brought up.
Ultimately, the most memorable essays show a student's individuality, personality, and reflection. Take your time brainstorming: sometimes the best ideas start with the smallest, everyday moments!
1. Sports injuries or triumphs: Stories about overcoming an athletic challenge, recovering from an injury, or learning leadership from sports are extremely frequent.
2. Cultural or family identity: Essays exploring being the child of immigrants, code-switching at home and school, or learning to embrace two cultures are common. These can be powerful, but it's important to bring a specific, new angle or tell a unique story within this broader theme.
3. Academic setbacks or failure: Discussing a bad grade, tough class, or major mistake and what it taught you about resilience appears a lot. Admissions officers report fatigue seeing so many essays about learning to persevere after a disappointing test.
4. Service or travel experiences: Volunteering abroad, a service trip, or a summer internship that “changed my perspective” is a very familiar narrative.
Some less typical, memorable topics that worked well include:
- A student writing about designing a new board game with their younger sibling and how it taught them to collaborate, adjust to feedback, and see the world through a child’s eyes.
- Someone reflecting on their love for collecting and labeling insects in local parks, and how exploring these tiny ecosystems shaped their curiosity and environmental passion.
- Another student wrote about baking elaborate birthday cakes for each family member, using the essay to show creativity and how each cake told a unique story about their relationship.
The trick is often to pick a very specific moment, hobby, or quirk that only you can write about, even within larger themes. Sometimes, it helps to ask yourself: "Could someone else I know write this exact same essay?" If the answer is "probably," try zooming in on a smaller experience or digging into a detail that makes it truly personal.
If you feel drawn to a common topic—like your cultural background or a family tradition—think about framing it through an unusual lens. For example, instead of a general story about fitting in, maybe you share the story of the first time you cooked a special dish without help, and the blend of pride and nostalgia it brought up.
Ultimately, the most memorable essays show a student's individuality, personality, and reflection. Take your time brainstorming: sometimes the best ideas start with the smallest, everyday moments!
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