What topics should I avoid in my college essay?

Your instincts are right: it's less about a strict 'do not write about this' list and more about how personally and uniquely you tell your story. That said, there are some topics that are considered overdone or tricky, often because many students approach them in a generic way. Here are a few examples:

1. **Sports Injuries or Victories**: It's really common for students to talk about tearing an ACL or winning a big game and then reflecting on perseverance and teamwork. Unless you can bring a very fresh perspective (like how being benched led you to discover a new hobby, such as coaching youth soccer), this topic can blend in with hundreds of others.

2. **Mission Trips and Volunteering Abroad**: Discussing how travel to a less privileged place made you 'more grateful' can come off as privileged or self-focused if not done thoughtfully. Admissions officers have seen this story a lot. If you choose this, make it about a moment of complexity or growth—maybe a difficult conversation with a community member that challenged your assumptions.

3. **Overcoming a Class or Academic Challenge**: Many essays center on 'I was failing, but I worked hard and succeeded.' It's not bad to discuss struggling, but readers want to know how you grew deeper as a person, not just as a student. For example, you might focus on how you supported others with similar academic struggles, which sparked your interest in peer mentoring.

4. **Tragedy as the Focus**: Writing about loss, trauma, or hardship is valid, but be careful that the essay doesn't become only about the event. Admissions officers want to know about you: your coping, your growth, and what you've done with those lessons, not just the hardship itself.

5. **Immigrant or Moving Stories**: These can be extremely powerful but are also very common. The key is specificity. Instead of a summary of the move, focus on a particular moment of culture clash or a tiny detail (like a first lunch in a new cafeteria) and what it revealed about you.

What admissions officers really want is authenticity and insight into who you are, not just what you've done. So, if you write about a common topic, make sure it's through a lens only you could bring.

An example of a fresh take: One student wrote about how she used baking traditional desserts to bond with her grandparents and teach her younger cousins about their culture. This wasn't just about 'being proud of my heritage' but about tiny, meaningful, and even funny moments spent learning from family, mistakes in the kitchen, and family recipes.

A good test: Could someone else have written your essay, just by swapping out a few details? If yes, it's time to rethink. Focus on moments, quirks, or passions that are uniquely yours. And if you're ever unsure about a topic, try outlining what makes your angle truly distinctive and personal.