Comments on: 11 Offbeat College Essay Topics

By: Hannah

Hannah — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 20:12:35 +0000

Describe how a world event has helped to shape the person you are today. (Virginia Tech, 2011)

I wrote about the extinction of the dinosaurs

By: Darcy

Darcy — Sun, 30 Jan 2011 04:25:55 +0000

Northwestern asked for a essay topic suggestion on their application.

Mine was, “What do you think of Northwestern’s policy of not offering merit-based scholarships?”

I didn’t get in.

By: Tracy

Tracy — Sun, 30 Jan 2011 04:22:45 +0000

My son’s application to Sewanee asked him to describe a moral dilemma he had experienced in the past, and how he handled it.

His response? “I’ve never had a moral dilemma.”

I worried they wouldn’t believe him, but he was steadfast about his response. I have never been prouder.

(He was accepted, BTW and made Dean’s List this semester.) :-)

By: Jordan

Jordan — Fri, 28 Jan 2011 17:02:05 +0000

One option for UChicago this year was “Find x”
That’s it.

“Find x”

They’re crazy! ha

By: Kate

Kate — Fri, 28 Jan 2011 16:11:50 +0000

My college essay exam was about Role Models. I ended up writing about the classic 80s anti- drug commercial: ‘From you, alright! I learned it from watching you!”

I got in with a scholarship.

By: JFS in IL

JFS in IL — Fri, 28 Jan 2011 12:58:38 +0000

Could it also be that admissions folks are getting bored senseless from reading the same essays over and over and are trying to get kids to write something more interesting for them to read?

By: Todd

Todd — Mon, 20 Sep 2010 04:55:34 +0000

The question from the school I applied for…If you were a cancer, which would you be and why?

By: Charlies

Charlies — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 14:36:11 +0000

To number 8

I will be president in 2020, on the campaign slogan, I Will Push that Shiny Red button to Make Coffee in my Oval Office.

By: Celeste

Celeste — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 01:36:42 +0000

when i applied to tulane two years ago, their honors college application included a question similar to rice’s: you were given a box and told to put anything in it, around it, or to create anything out of it. the ransom note is pretty brilliant, i have to say.

By: Vicki

Vicki — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 18:46:11 +0000

University of Delaware 2004 application had a question that was “Imagine. Write a story 2 pages or less fiction or non.”