What are some overused college essay topics I should avoid?

You are asking the single most important question in the brainstorming phase. In elite admissions, originality is currency. If an admissions officer can predict the end of your essay after reading the first paragraph, you have already lost.

We call these topics "The Noise." They are the stories that 90% of applicants instinctively gravitate toward because they feel significant, but in reality, they are structural clones of one another.

Here are the specific clichés you must avoid (or radically reinvent) if you want to stand out.

1. The "Voluntourism" Epiphany (The Service Trip)

This is the cardinal sin of college essays.

The Plot: You went to a developing country (or an underserved community) for a week. You saw people with very little who were still "so happy." You realized how privileged you are.

Why it Fails: It centers you as the "savior" or the "enlightened tourist" while using the suffering of others as a prop for your personal growth. It feels transactional and patronizing.

Unless you have a sustained, multi-year commitment to a specific community where you made a tangible, structural impact (not just painting a fence), do not write this.

2. The "Hero Worship" (The Grandma/Grandpa Essay)

The Plot: My grandfather immigrated with five dollars in his pocket. He worked three jobs. He is the strongest person I know.

Why it Fails: After reading 650 words, the admissions officer wants to admit your grandfather, not you. You spent so much time praising someone else that you forgot to show us your own traits.

If you mention a mentor, it must be a brief context for your actions. The essay must be about how you view the world, not a biography of someone else.

3. The "Academic Comeback" (The Bad Grade)

The Plot: I was a straight-A student. Then I took AP Chemistry. I got a C on the first test. I was devastated. I went to office hours, studied harder, and learned that failure is part of success. I ended up with an A-.

Why it Fails: This is the baseline expectation for a student. Overcoming a difficult class is not a unique personality trait; it is your job. It shows "competence," not "excellence."

Keep this for the "Additional Information" section if you need to explain a grade dip. Do not waste your Personal Statement on it.

4. The "Meta" Essay

The Plot: Writing about how hard it is to write the college essay. You stare at the blinking cursor. You toggle through ideas. You realize your life is a mosaic of small moments.

Why it Fails: It is trying to be clever, but it comes off as lazy and neurotic. It breaks the fourth wall in a way that exhausts the reader.

Just write the essay. Don't write about writing it.

5. The "Dictionary Definition" Intro

The Plot: "Webster's Dictionary defines 'resilience' as..."

Why it Fails: It is the literary equivalent of dry toast. It signals a lack of creativity immediately.

Never, ever do this. Start with a scene, an image, or a thought, never a definition.

How to Save a "Common" Topic

The truth is, almost every topic has been done. The difference between a "Cliché" and a "Winner" is Specificity.

Cliché: "Baking taught me patience." (Generic)

Winner: "My obsession with perfecting the hydration levels in sourdough starter taught me to embrace the scientific method in my daily life, turning my kitchen into a chemistry lab where I track variables in a spreadsheet."

The Rule: If your essay could be signed by another student and still make sense, it is too cliché. Zoom in until it is unrecognizable as anything but yours.