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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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