How to Find an Essay Topic: Expert Tips and Best Practices

During summer break, many rising seniors face the challenge of choosing a compelling college essay topic. To help students and parents navigate through this process, we spoke with an expert

For many students who are in their summer break approaching their senior year, the “college essays” are the start of an anxious yet important task. Specifically, the process of choosing the topic they should write these essays on are especially difficult for both students and parents alike. What kind of essays do the admission officers really want to read? How can I transform the story of “ordinary me” into a special narrative? Your child will need to complete a common application along with additional school-specific essays. First, Googling the phrase “college essay topic” brings about millions of results. Despite the overwhelming amount of information available online, finding the right topic for your child remains a challenge. Second, most applicants will also have the story of “overcoming challenges” or “volunteer experience” that makes it difficult to stand out to admission officers. Third, while honesty is important, it must also align with a college’s purpose and mission.

Here are some topic categories and real examples from successful essays that capture different aspects of a student’s story.

Best Cases for Essay Topics

So, what are some realistic steps that successful applicants took over the summer to brainstorm essay topics? Here are four steps to help discover your topic.

Four steps of Brainstorming:

8 Week Essay Completion Plan

My own story, start with a honesty-filled “small moment”
When selecting an essay topic, the most important factor is “authenticity.” One thing that all admission officers emphasize is not, “What did this person write about?” but, “How did they write this?” Think of a moment that you’d want to share with someone, an event that helped you grow, or an experience that seems plain and ordinary yet shows your true values. For instance, one student wrote on the topic titled “The Steps to Creating a Perfect Ham and Cheese Sandwich.” At first glance, the topic looks like a plain and unimportant story, yet displays the student’s creativity, obsession for details, and happiness in the smaller things in life. It made clear to the admission officers who this student was as an individual.

The best way to find a topic – “Look around yourself”
“Look one-by-one at all the items in your room. The posters on the walls, the hidden boxes under the bed, the most recent websites on your search history, the songs most frequently listened to.” An effective brainstorming method is to reflect on what emotions the experiences from the items evoke, and be sure to jot down any stories that come to mind.

Who are the writings meant for? The stories that colleges “want to hear.”
Because each college has a purpose and culture that they emphasize, it is crucial for the applicant to explore the college’s mission statement, admission site, etc. For example, colleges that center around community and cooperation, a strong topic could be, “My experience of resolving conflicts within team projects.” Additionally, there are colleges that favor originality in essays; it is better to develop the essay’s narrative with a creative style and structure rather than following a traditional format. However, the most important thing is to write an essay that has “your voice.”

Things to avoid
Cliché, heroism, dictionary definitions: “I learned what teamwork was through this experience,” “Failure is the mother of success.” These types of general and obvious resolutions struggle to grab the admission officers’ attention. Dictionary definitions, famous phrases, sports metaphors, etc hurt the essay’s originality rather than being helpful. Instead, using specific scene descriptions, sensory expressions, and questions to begin the essay can help readers become immersed.

How parents can get involved
Essays are the result of an applicant looking within themselves and organizing their self-reflections. Rather than being helpful, parents that try to write the essay for the student or excessively involve themselves in the writing process can be like poison. These following strategies, however, can be useful to help students.

▶ Creating conversations with the student to brainstorm ideas: Help your child recall memorable events that happened to them through conversation. A comfortable conversation can develop creative ideas.

▶ Organizing their personality and emotions: If you objectively explain what you’ve observed about your child’s values and tendencies, it can be a big hit in their brainstorming process.

▶ Don’t get directly involved in their writing: Even if it is out of good intentions, a parent’s editing or telling them, “this is how you SHOULD write it,” can bury the individual’s personal color.

▶ Read the first draft and give feedback: Once the first draft is complete, check the logic and the flow; give advice on the logical flow, authenticity of expressions, sentence structure, etc.

▶ Help organize and manage a writing schedule: Essays should go through at least three to five drafts. Throughout summer break, help create a schedule and environment that helps them consistently write their essays.

It is also effective to suggest topics. Here are some that are actually used a lot by successful applicants:
▶ Lessons learned from mistakes or failures
▶ The influence favorite books, music, movies had on me
▶ Cultural traditions and meanings within family settings
▶ Ethical dilemmas faced within daily life
▶ Lessons in the importance of communication from friendship conflicts
▶ Change in personal worldview that traveling gave to me
▶ My daily, personal life; for example, gardening with family every Saturday morning

“Golden Topics” introduced by experts
▶ Passion: A case of how weekend LARP (Live Action Role Play) experiences developed leadership skills
▶ Growing Pains: Failure/frustration leading to a “perspective shift”
▶ Discovered from daily life: Like the example of “The Steps to Creating a Perfect Ham and Cheese Sandwich” essay, a small but reflective story that shows who I am
▶ Culture, Family: The impact preparing food for the Holidays with family had on my self-identity
▶ Future, Vision: How the entrepreneurship club project lead to career decisions
▶ Values, Faith: Difficult conversations (political-social issues) that helped teach the art of listening

Writing about the “real me” is the best strategy
The college essay is not just a simple writing essay. It is a short but most personal story that exposes “who you are.” Your unique and personal life narrative, which cannot be seen through mere grades or wards, is conveyed through this very essay. Rather than being anxious or nervous, use this summer to explore yourself. One simple question is all you need. “What kind of story can I utilize to best display myself to others?”

Five questions you can ask yourself for better results
▶ Am I completely revealing “my true self” in my writing?
▶ What kind of impression will I leave on my readers when they read my writing?
▶ Did I use any cliches or vague expressions?
▶ Did I select a topic that I genuinely have an interest and passion for?
▶ What will the admission officers most remember about “me” from this essay?

Remember, the most powerful essay topics often come from everyday moments. Don’t search for what sounds most impressive and flashy — focus on what feels genuine to you. This summer, take the time to reflect, explore, and most importantly, write with honesty.

BY BYUNGHEE JANG, ANGELINA CHO(Intern Reporter)