Many college applications give you a lot of freedom to choose your topic. This freedom, unfortunately, can lead to confusion and bad decision making. Can you write about sex or drugs? Is it okay to argue for or against abortion? Surely that trip to Central America is a good topic, right?
College admissions officers encounter certain bad essay topics over and over again. Granted, a really skillful writer can make pretty much any topic work, but college applicants would be wise to steer clear of these 10 bad essay topics.
Also be sure to check out these essay tips for the Common Application essay options: an ethical dilemma or significant experience | an important issue | an influential person | a fictional character or historical figure | diversity | the open topic | a supplemental essay | the short answer
Comments
Would you say controversial subjects such as abortion is a bad topic?
The reason I ask this is because I am really passionate about the subject, but I am scared I will lose my chances if the admissions officer reading my essay disagrees with me.
Hi Cindy–The answer depends a lot on the type of school to which you are applying. If you are passionate about the issue and you think an essay on abortion will convey who you are to the admissions folks, then don’t shy away from the topic. That said, use your best judgment. I wouldn’t, for example, submit a pro-choice essay to a Catholic University, nor would I make a strong pro-life argument for a school that is known for its liberal politics. Even in these situations, however, a good admissions officer welcomes students with opinions that differ from his/her own, but as you are aware, bias is always a possibility.
Hello. I wanted to ask if I were to write a summer vacation essay in a diary format would it be bad? I wanted to give the reader a sense of who I am in my entrees.
I was planning to write my essay on Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Is it ok to reference sex? I’m not talking a sex essay or gory details or anything, but references to the emotions associated with the loss of virginity.
Hi Laurel–I don’t see any problem with that. Sex certainly isn’t a forbidden topic in admissions essays, but I do always recommend that applicants not talk about their own sex lives so that they avoid the whole “too much information” awkwardness.
Would it be bad to write about a person who unexpectedly helped me become a better version of myself if it involves depression or self harm? It wouldn’t be the focus of the essay, instead it would be about how I’ve grown, etc. Thanks!
Hi Katie–Tough question. As I state in the article, a talented writer can make any topic work. And I also hate steering applicants away from topics that truly define who they are or where they’ve come from. But I would approach the topic carefully, especially if you talk about self harm. As you write your essay, think about the perspective of a university’s administration. One of their worst nightmares is when students get harmed or harm themselves. Make sure your essay doesn’t raise any concerns in the minds of the admissions folks that you might be a higher risk student than others.
Is it ok to write about personal struggles (things such as weaknesses, fears…) and how life at campus would help me overcome them?
Nicole–Personal struggles are fine for a topic as long as they are handled well. I wouldn’t recommend writing about a weakness or fear that continues to handicap you in a significant way, for that could raise a red flag for the admissions folks. They might think that the weakness will reduce your chances for success in college, and that would obviously reduce your chances for admission. However, if you present a weakness that you’re making progress towards overcoming, that could be a positive–it would show personal growth and self awareness.
Is a struggle with self-esteem a good topic? In my case, there was no self-mutilation or bullying from others – it was just that I had little self-esteem. I started to have confidence in myself as I grew older, and I would say it was due more to my family and experiences in general than it was to a single person or factor. Or would an essay with that topic sound weak and whiny?
Hi. As a freshman, my boyfriend got extremely high and raped me. I used this experience to keep my school’s anti drug use club up and running and I visited schools and talked about how destructive drugs are and how it became a passion of mine to keep other kids from abusing drugs. Is this something I should stay away from when writing about my interests for college?
would an essay about having an abortion and how it changed my life be appropriate?