What are some overused or cliche college essay topics I should avoid?

You’re right that admissions officers see certain essay topics over and over — and some have become so common that it’s tough to stand out if you take a traditional approach. Here's a list of the most overused college essay topics:

1. The Sports Injury or Big Game: The "I tore my ACL, learned perseverance, and made a comeback" narrative, or the story of scoring the winning goal, is one of the most frequently submitted topics. Unless there’s a highly personal, unexpected twist, these essays tend to blend together.

2. Mission Trips and Volunteer Abroad Experiences: Essays that focus on a transformative service trip, especially if the realization is, “I’m lucky to have what I do,” can come off as less insightful because they’re so predictable. If you write about volunteering, it's better to focus on a single, specific moment or genuinely personal impact.

3. Overcoming a Challenging Course or Academic Struggle: Telling the story of getting a bad grade in a class, working hard, and finally succeeding is common. To be fresh, zoom in on a unique personal insight or how this changed your view of learning, not just your work ethic.

4. Moving Schools or Immigration Stories: While these can be powerful, essays that only discuss the challenges of moving or acclimating often lack unique detail unless you connect it to a very specific moment, insight, or action you took.

5. Winning/Failing a Competition: Generic tales of placing first at a debate, math, or science competition, or facing a big loss, can feel familiar. Admissions officers want to see how you respond to specific moments of adversity or what you learned that truly shapes who you are.

6. The "Passion for X" Essay: Writing about a broad passion like reading, music, or sports in a general sense without specific anecdotes or new perspectives won’t distinguish you.

Advice for familiar topics: If you feel called to write about a common topic, identify a singular, often understated moment — for example, the first day after your injury when you felt lost or a meaningful conversation you had during a service trip. Focus less on the achievement or the obvious lesson and more on your internal conflict, vulnerability, or an unexpected outcome. For instance, if you loved debate, maybe the turning point wasn’t a win but a mistake you made during a tournament that changed your definition of leadership or humility.

Ultimately, admissions officers want to understand how you think and what sets your perspective apart. By digging into niche aspects of otherwise common topics, or honing in on unusual experiences and inner change, your essay will feel authentic and memorable.