College Essays: Yellow, Red, Green Flags
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This document provides examples of topics that could make for tricky college application essays and should generally be avoided. These include essays that focus too much on high school drama, brag about how awesome the author is without substance, or discuss illegal behavior, religious arguments, or hot-button political issues. Better topics show personal growth and engagement with the world beyond high school.
College Essays: Yellow, Red, Green Flags
- 1. In the end, there are no bad topics, just bad essays. However, some topics are TRICKIER than others – either because they are in bad taste or just cliché. Examples…
- 2. How you’re so awesome How did you get that way? Your essay should make you look awesome without just saying it.
- 3. Your High School Drama Because it makes you look like high school is your whole life, instead of thinking about college.
- 4. Your Travel Journal It can be done well, but you have to show what YOU gained from the experience, not just how cool the places you visited were.
- 5. Religious or Philosophical Arguments Figured out the meaning of life? Great. But don’t preach to the person who’s reading your essay.
- 6. Quoting famous people Martin Luther King once said… that students should come up with their OWN brilliant words!
- 7. Making fun of the prompt You can definitely be funny in your essay, but don’t try to turn it into a satire, or be cynical in your essay – colleges won’t want you on their campus.
- 8. Your Excuses There may be very good reasons that you didn’t perform as well as you should have in high school – but this should be coming from your advisor. Stay positive in your own essay.
- 9. Your illegal behavior Even if you got caught, got punished and learned from the experience… colleges don’t want trouble.
- 10. Hot-button issues People have strong feelings about topics like abortion, terrorism, gun control, police, etc… no matter what you write, you may offend the reader of your essay.
- 11. Stories outside of high school Show that you’re engaged with the larger world!
- 12. Show how you’ve grown You may be awesome now, but what key life experience, mentor, or idea did you have which helped you get there?
- 13. Specific personal details Your essay should be so specific that there is no WAY it could belong to anybody else.