What are some interesting and unique essay topics for college applications?

It's totally normal to feel stuck or to worry that your story won’t stand out. Many applicants go through this, but often the ideas that feel “too ordinary” have the most honest potential if approached with a unique angle or specific detail. The trick is to zoom in on small but telling moments, personal quirks, or overlooked passions. Here are some avenues to help you brainstorm:

One approach is to look for a story in the details of your everyday experiences. For example, instead of writing about being a member of your school band, you might write about the ritual you developed to clean and tune your instrument before every performance, and how this meditative process connects to your sense of discipline and calm in tense situations.

You can also focus on pivotal experiences that aren’t dramatic at first glance. One student wrote about her lifelong habit of baking bread with her grandmother. She tied each type of bread (and each baking session) to a lesson she learned about patience, history, and family heritage. The essay wasn’t really about bread—it was about her relationship and the way she learned to slow down and appreciate challenges.

Think about unusual interests, small obsessions, or ‘weird’ habits. For example, someone once wrote an essay about their fascination with vending machines in different countries. It led to a discussion about ingenuity, globalization, and finding comfort in unfamiliar places. The topic itself was quirky, but it naturally showed curiosity, adaptability, and open-mindedness.

Sometimes, a personal contradiction or failure makes a powerful essay. If there’s a moment where you changed your mind on an important issue, or realized you were wrong and grew from it, that can be just as compelling as a story about victory or success. Maybe you started out fearing public speaking but ended up running for student government—and you can focus on a specific, awkward moment on stage where everything went wrong but you learned to adapt.

Lastly, essays that deeply reflect on a seemingly insignificant personal object—a favorite keychain, a thrift store sweater, a notebook filled with doodles—can become a metaphor for something larger about you. For example, someone used their love for collecting pressed pennies from family trips as a way to write about memory, hope, and preserving simple joys.

No matter which direction you go, try to find a story that only you can tell. Look for moments of conflict, surprise, humor, or quiet transformation, and don’t be afraid to let your actual personality (quirks and all) shine through. A well-told story from your unique lens will always stand out.