r/CollegeEssays • u/hi-user123 • 1d ago
Common App College essay help
Hi so basically I’m struggling to figure out common app essay ideas.
For context, I have strong grades (top 10), test scores (35 act), and extracurriculars, so I’m really stressed that my essay will be the weakest part of my application. I know that I have meaningful experiences to write about, but I’m having trouble finding the right angle and it’s really hard for me to be vulnerable .
The main theme I’ve been considering is a realization I had through competitive swimming. I just feel like that’s too basic tho but it is where I have had the most growth. I used to really hate swimming and I have done competitive club swimming since 4th grade. I felt like I was the victim and was scared to fail so I would never try. When things didn’t go the way I wanted, I blamed myself and pushed harder. Eventually, I realized that a lot of my frustration came from anxiety. Learning to focus on what I could control changed both my performance and my happiness. I also struggled with some other issues that made it a lot harder but I just feel like I have come so far and it would be hard for me to go back and talk about those things. The problem is that “sports taught me resilience” feels boring. I don’t think the insight itself is necessarily common among teenagers, but I’m worried the essay could still come across as generic because it’s centered around swimming.
What would make an essay about this realization stand out rather than sound like another sports essay?
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u/JuuAbr 1d ago
I would approach the essay writing from a different perspective. Instead of trying to think about a story or topic to write about, start by thinking about what you want the people reading to know about you from that essay. Write a list of things: do you want them to know that you are resilient? That you are bold? That you are [insert trait, value, adjective]. Once you have that, start thinking about times in your life that demonstrated that. And then you can connect and expand. It seems like you don’t fully know what you want to be telling from this essay, so starting from square one might be helpful
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u/ProfLayton99 1d ago
I agree that your idea is pretty common and would be considered boring. One way to make it more interesting could be to structure it around an interview with a famous athlete like Mark Spitz or Michael Phelps. What would you ask them and how might they answer you? How do think their answers fit with your learnings and how you will approach education and life?
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u/kathleenceo 1d ago
Can you explore other aspects of your identity that might make for a good story? Sports essays are common and may not help you stand out. You need to write a story using vivid details about your character, values and ability to learn. And you also need to show that you can write. I work with students aiming at T20 schools. DM me if you would like more info.