What kinds of essay topics should I avoid for Johns Hopkins applications?

For Johns Hopkins, the main topics to avoid are the ones that feel broad, generic, or interchangeable with any other applicant’s essay. Skip anything that could be about almost anyone, like a vague “I work hard” essay, a general passion for medicine or science without a specific personal angle, or a résumé recap that just repeats activities already in your application. Johns Hopkins is a research-heavy, intellectually focused school, so they respond better to essays that show how you think, what you noticed, and how you engage with ideas in a distinctive way.

Also be careful with overused hardship narratives if they are told in a predictable way. Stories about injury, family illness, moving schools, or a difficult class can work, but only if the essay goes beyond the familiar setup and reveals something precise, reflective, and personal. What usually hurts these essays is not the topic itself, but a lack of specificity or an attempt to force a dramatic lesson that feels polished rather than real.

For Johns Hopkins specifically, avoid sounding performative about STEM. If you write about science, medicine, or research, make sure it is grounded in a concrete experience, a question you cared about, or a problem you tried to understand. The strongest Hopkins essays usually show curiosity, close observation, and genuine engagement, not just ambition or prestige-chasing.