Your College Essay Doesn't Need a Tragedy

One of the biggest mistakes students make with college essays is believing something extraordinary must have happened to them.

It doesn't.

Some of the most revealing stories happen in kitchens, classrooms, cars, barbershops, churches, sports practices, family gatherings, and ordinary conversations.

Instead of asking, "What is the most impressive thing that has ever happened to me?" try asking:

What small experience changed the way I see myself or other people?

That question can uncover a much more personal essay.

The college essay isn't simply about the event. It is about the meaning the student makes from the event. Two students could write about washing dishes with a grandmother and produce completely different essays because the stories reveal different things about them.

Take-away: Look for the small story with the big meaning. Your student's ordinary life may contain the most memorable essay.

I explore this approach more fully in Writing a Powerful, Memorable & Moving Essay, which teaches students to use stories and micro-stories to reveal the person behind the application.