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Lesson Two: Brainstorming a Topic
Introduction
Choosing
an essay topic can be one of the most difficult aspects of the entire
admissions process. Questions often ask you to think about your entire life,
pick just one thing, and talk about it in great depth. Even the most
reflective writers are left wondering: “How am I supposed to know the ONE
event that has changed my life or the one thing that represents my entire
personality.” In all likelihood there isn’t just one. But there probably
is one that you can write about most passionately and effectively. The most
important part of your entire essay is finding this one subject. Without a
topic you feel passionate about, without one that brings out the defining
aspects of you personality, you risk falling into the trap of sounding like
the 90 percent of applicants who will write boring admissions essays. Coming
up with this idea is difficult and will require a great deal of time. But
whatever you do, don't let this part stress you out. Have fun!
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EssayEge
Extra: One Essay, Multiple Applications
By now, you
have figured out that you can save time by submitting the same or
similar essays for the applications to various schools. If you are
creative, you will be able to plug in many of your answers into
some not so similar questions, too. It is fine to lift whole
paragraphs or even entire essays and apply them to different
questions-as long as you do so seamlessly. Be absolutely sure that
you have answered the question asked. Pay special attention to the
introductions and conclusions-this is where cutting and pasting is
most evident. Thorough proofreading is imperative if you take
shortcuts like these. If a school notices that you have obviously
swapped essays without even bothering to tailor them to the
questions at hand, it shows them that you are lazy and insincere.
If the question requires an answer specific to the school, you
should show that you have read the college’s web page,
admissions catalog, and have an understanding of the institution's
strengths.
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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.
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