WRITING THE COLLEGE ADMISSIONS ESSAY: FINDING A TOPIC

It’s tough to write a strong essay on a weak topic.

That’s why, when preparing to write your college admissions essay, you need to be absolutely exhaustive in exploring potential essay topics. Often, although there are exceptions, your first or second topic choice is the same one that many other students have chosen. So you need to keep digging in and reaching out, exploring and probing.

One way to do that… interview yourself!

That’s right, go all Carson Daly and ask yourself the probing, challenging and revealing questions that will uncover the perfect essay topic (while still fully answering the essay prompt). And exactly what are those questions? Here are ten to get you started.

1. What’s the bravest thing you’ve ever done?
2. The most cowardly?
3. The most memorable
4. The smartest?
5. The dumbest?
6. The most “outside the box?”
7. The most valuable to another person or people?
8. What’s your biggest achievement?
9. Your biggest disappointment?
10. What did you learn from both?

The key here is to answer the questions as fully and honestly as you can. Try not to edit yourself; let each question take you where it will. Resist the urge to simply read through the list and answer the questions in your head. Instead, write your responses down with as much detail as you can. Then read your answers back and see if they don’t lead you to a compelling essay subject.

For more personal help with the college admissions essay, please contact Craig Heller directly at 818-340-1276 or [email protected].

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