There are many parts that go into the holistic admissions process. Your test scores, extracurriculars, and GPA all play a crucial role, but perhaps one of the most important parts of your college application is your application essay.
Your application essay is your opportunity to demonstrate who you are, what drives you, and what is important to you. It’s a chance to go beyond numbers and draw a picture of the person behind the application.
That said, admissions officers read thousands of these essays every year. Since it’s highly likely that they’ll come across a lot of the same topics and themes, you’ll want to avoid clichés that will keep you from standing out.
Here’s a list of common topics to avoid in your application essays:
The autobiography
Avoid retelling your entire life story in your essay. Remember, each admissions officer has hundreds of essays to read through and you have limited space to make an impression. It’s better to focus on one meaningful experience that has impacted you.
Bragging about accomplishments
Similarly, you don’t want to use your essay to give a long list of your accomplishments. For one, a laundry list of achievements will likely come off as arrogant and may not sit well with an admissions committee. There are also other areas of your application where you can list these such as your résumé and additional information section. You’re better off using your essay to give a better sense of who you are, not just what you’ve done.
Moving
Unfortunately, writing about a big move is one of the many college essay topics that have been done countless times. Admissions officers have likely already read about plenty of students having to switch schools and adapt to a new place. Instead, try and focus on a specific part of your life or identity that changed when you moved.
Divorce
Similarly, divorces are another common topic that affects many students which means admissions officers have likely read many essays on the subject. Again, this is an instance where it’s better to focus on the specific impact it had on your life and what you took away from the experience, rather than on the event itself.
Immigration story
While immigrating to a new country is certainly impactful, there are many common clichés used in telling these stories that you want to avoid such as feeling ostracized, language barriers, feeling homesick, etc. Focus instead on what this experience has brought to your life and how it’s shaped the person you’ve become.
Romantic relationships
Just like applying for a job, you want to keep your college application as professional as possible. Romantic relationships or breakups are likely too personal of a topic for a college admissions essay. The important thing to remember is that you want your essay to shine a light on your identity which is admittedly harder to do when the topic revolves around another person in your life. The same can be said for writing about a beloved pet or someone you admire, so you’ll likely want to avoid those, too.
Illegal/bad judgment
Again, it’s important to keep your application professional and make a good first impression for admissions officers. Avoid telling a story that may demonstrate poor judgment on your behalf, especially if it deals with anything illegal. Instead, focus on highlighting your best traits and the best version of yourself.
Sports clichés
While sports are a great way to learn life lessons, they’ve likely all been heard by admissions officers before. Sports stories are often predictable and forgettable (think of every inspiring sports movie you’ve watched) so you’ll probably want to avoid these if possible and instead, focus on a specific instance where you might have applied some of the lessons you learned through sports.
Remember, there’s no hard and fast rule to what makes the perfect college admissions essay. Avoiding these topics will probably make it easier for your essay to stand out, but there are exceptions to every rule. Your main focus should be telling a specific narrative that is unique to you and gives a sense of your personality to the admissions officer.
For more guidance, be sure to check out some examples of strong admissions essays from top schools and this list of common mistakes to avoid in your essays.
There are many parts that go into the holistic admissions process. Your test scores, extracurriculars, and GPA all play a crucial role, but perhaps one of the most important parts of your college application is your application essay. Click here to find out which college essay topics you should avoid.
If you're moving to the United States for college, you're probably excited and nervous at the same time -- and we don't blame you. To make the move a little easier, we're going to list some of the important (and comforting) items that you should bring with you. Check out our international student college checklist here.
As you narrow down your list of colleges you plan to apply to, juggling various application dates will become crucial. Click here to see the Regular Decision dates for the class of 2026!
As you narrow down your list of colleges you plan to apply to, juggling various application dates will become crucial. For some of your top-choice and reach schools, you’ve likely considered or already submitted an Early Decision application. For the rest of the schools on your list, you’ll need to prioritize and plan around various application deadlines for Regular Decision.
Remember to start applications early and working on them periodically. This will ensure a polished product when the deadlines approach. You’ll also want to avoid working on all your applications around the same time. This can often lead to silly and avoidable mistakes. Instead, focus and finish one set of applications so you can fully apply yourself to the next one.
Make sure to check the deadlines for all colleges you have on your list as they vary between schools. With so many varying deadlines for different schools, it’s important to keep track of which college’s applications you’ll need to complete first and leave enough time to complete the rest. The earlier you complete your first applications, the more you’ll be able to pace yourself and complete your later applications.
For example, if you’re applying to one school with a January 1st deadline, but several schools with a January 15th deadline, you’ll want to complete the earlier application first, then get ahead and try and complete one of the latter applications ahead of time so you’re not scrambling to complete two applications at the same time.
For colleges and universities that offer rolling admissions, remember that your chances of admission are much higher the sooner you submit your application. You should try and prioritize these applications if you can.
Here are Early Decision Dates for the class of 2026 for some of the top schools in the US:
*These colleges offer rolling admission.
Remember, this list is not exhaustive. Add the relevant application deadlines to your calendar, and good luck!
