College Essay Lessons Part 1: You Matter More Than Your Essay Topic

Writing your college essay can feel really daunting. It doesn’t have to be. In this post, I share insights on choosing an essay topic to write about.

This is the first in a series of posts I’ll be writing about what I’ve learned working 1:1 with students as their college essay coach.

You matter more than your college essay topic.

You’re not writing about a topic. You’re writing about yourself, your values, and what it means for your future self.

In other words, don’t spend time worrying if you have the “right” topic to write about. I’ve learned many students have a gut feeling about what to write about before they start. Be open to changing your mind, but trust your gut.

For example, one student I worked with knew what she wanted to write about: a love of tea. It’s a quirky topic, but I’ve learned that an unassuming topic is a great way to present yourself in unpredictable ways to college application readers.

“Quirky works,” a one college essay coach recently put it.

It wasn’t about the tea.

Of course, the topic wasn’t about tea. Tea was a way for the student to write about what motivates her as a learner. It was a way to write about her sense of responsibility, as a student and as an older sister. Tea was a way to write about the importance of mindfulness while living a busy and stressful life.

So, as you start thinking about what to write your essay about, know that whatever topic you land on the real work will be connecting it to something true and authentic about yourself.