What would make a unique or memorable college essay topic?
I’m starting to brainstorm for my college essay, but I’m struggling to pick a topic that will stand out to admissions officers. I keep hearing that you shouldn’t write about something that’s too common, but it’s hard to tell what’s overdone and what’s actually unique.
For context, I’m involved in student government, I play the piano, and I’ve done some volunteer work at a local animal shelter. None of these seem super special, but maybe there’s a way to approach them that’s different?
Has anyone come up with an essay topic that they felt was really personal and memorable? How do you balance being original with being true to yourself?
For context, I’m involved in student government, I play the piano, and I’ve done some volunteer work at a local animal shelter. None of these seem super special, but maybe there’s a way to approach them that’s different?
Has anyone come up with an essay topic that they felt was really personal and memorable? How do you balance being original with being true to yourself?
4 months ago
•
12 views
Camille Luong
• 4 months ago
Advisor
When aiming for a unique or memorable college essay topic, the key isn’t necessarily the activity itself, but rather the specific angle or story you choose to tell. Even if you have common interests like student government or volunteering, your perspective and the particular moments you share can set your essay apart.
Consider zooming in on a specific incident or conflict within your experience. For instance, instead of broadly discussing your time in student government, reflect on a single meeting where you changed your mind about an issue or navigated a disagreement. Maybe you learned something unexpected about leadership or compromise from one tense debate—describe that moment in detail, how it challenged you, and your personal growth because of it.
Another approach is to connect two interests in a surprising way. Suppose your time volunteering at the animal shelter overlapped with a stressful period preparing for your piano recital. Perhaps you discovered that playing music for the animals calmed both you and them. That’s a personal, memorable intersection that demonstrates reflection and creativity.
Adding unique sensory details and focusing on feelings makes your essay intimate. For example, you could begin with the precise moment a shy puppy at the shelter crawled into your lap, and tie in how that feeling reshaped your understanding of empathy—not just for animals, but for classmates whose needs weren’t recognized in student government.
A former student once wrote about making origami cranes to cope with performance anxiety before piano recitals, then teaching this method to the younger volunteers at the animal shelter to help them bond with nervous animals. Even though all parts of the story came from common activities, the essay was memorable because of its vulnerability and the inventive solution.
Ultimately, originality shines when you reveal a side of yourself that isn’t obvious from your activities list. Start with a small, personal moment that meant a lot to you and dig into why—what did you learn, how did you change, or what question did it raise? Authenticity will resonate, even if the starting point is familiar.
If you’re uncertain, share drafts with trusted readers who don’t know the specifics of your activities—they’ll help you spot what’s truly distinctive in your approach.
Consider zooming in on a specific incident or conflict within your experience. For instance, instead of broadly discussing your time in student government, reflect on a single meeting where you changed your mind about an issue or navigated a disagreement. Maybe you learned something unexpected about leadership or compromise from one tense debate—describe that moment in detail, how it challenged you, and your personal growth because of it.
Another approach is to connect two interests in a surprising way. Suppose your time volunteering at the animal shelter overlapped with a stressful period preparing for your piano recital. Perhaps you discovered that playing music for the animals calmed both you and them. That’s a personal, memorable intersection that demonstrates reflection and creativity.
Adding unique sensory details and focusing on feelings makes your essay intimate. For example, you could begin with the precise moment a shy puppy at the shelter crawled into your lap, and tie in how that feeling reshaped your understanding of empathy—not just for animals, but for classmates whose needs weren’t recognized in student government.
A former student once wrote about making origami cranes to cope with performance anxiety before piano recitals, then teaching this method to the younger volunteers at the animal shelter to help them bond with nervous animals. Even though all parts of the story came from common activities, the essay was memorable because of its vulnerability and the inventive solution.
Ultimately, originality shines when you reveal a side of yourself that isn’t obvious from your activities list. Start with a small, personal moment that meant a lot to you and dig into why—what did you learn, how did you change, or what question did it raise? Authenticity will resonate, even if the starting point is familiar.
If you’re uncertain, share drafts with trusted readers who don’t know the specifics of your activities—they’ll help you spot what’s truly distinctive in your approach.
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Camille Luong
Nomadic
Stanford University, BAH in Urban Studies
Experience
5 years
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5.0 (5 reviews)