Selecting a Topic
by EssayEdge

EXERCISE #2: SELECTING A TOPIC

In this exercise, you will find a list of Do’s and Don’ts for selecting a topic, along with comments from long-time admissions officers. For each of your five to seven potential topics, fill in this checklist. If you find yourself repeatedly answering “no” to these questions for any given topic, you should drop it and move on to another.

1. Have I selected a topic that describes something of personal importance to my life?
Admissions Officer Says: “Personalize your essays as much as possible-generic essays are not only boring to read, they’re a waste of time because they don’t tell you anything to help you get to know the applicant any better.”

2. Am I avoiding a gimmicky topic?
You should be very, very careful of trying to write your essay in iambic pentameter or with lots of jokes. Almost always, this is done poorly and is not appreciated by the admissions committee. Nothing is worse than not laughing at something that was written to be funny.

Admissions Officer Says: “Gimmicks are a big mistake, and a sarcastic or flippant tone will often offend.”

3. Does my topic stay away from information listed elsewhere on my application?
Don’t mention GPAs or standardized test scores in your essay. That’s what the resume and other parts of the application are for.

Admissions Officer Says: “Listings of anything are dull, no matter how impressive.” “Essays should be about more than just a running tally of accomplishments.”

4. Will I be able to offer vivid supporting paragraphs to my essay topic?
Do not choose a topic if you cannot provide concrete examples for the body of the essay.

Admissions Officer Says: “Details provide the color, the spice, and the life of the essays.” “As the saying goes, if you’re going to talk the talk, you better walk the walk.”

5. Can I fully answer the question asked of me? Can you address and elaborate on all points within the specified word limit, or will you end up writing a poor summary of something that might be interesting as a report or research paper?
If you plan on writing something technical for an application, make sure you can back up your interest in a topic and not merely throw around big scientific words. Unless you convince the reader that you actually have the life experiences to back up your interest in neurobiology, the reader will assume that you are trying to impress him or her with shallow tactics. Also, be sure that you can write to admissions officers and that you are not writing over their heads.

Admissions Officer Says: “Actually answer the question they ask. Many people just list off their accomplishments and never relate it to the theme of the question.”

6. Will my topic keep the reader's interest from the first word?
The entire essay must be interesting, considering admissions officers will probably spend only a few minutes reading each essay.

Admissions Officer Says: “If the first paragraph doesn’t fix my attention, like anyone I’m prone to skimming.”

 From ESSAYS THAT WILL GET YOU INTO COLLEGE, by Amy Burnham, Daniel Kaufman, and Chris Dowhan.
Copyright 1998 by Dan Kaufman.  Reprinted by arrangement with Barron's Educational Series, Inc.