OT New Random Thread Pt. 3

[Eyes On The Prize]

My oldest wrote about her performance anxiety issues in cheer that developed out of nowhere. My friend's daughter's "meaningful experience" was randomly and of course unexpectedly seeing a picture of herself and her father on the wall at the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown.
From having gone through it with one kid and about to go through it again this coming year, what I've seen/heard the most important aspect of any college essay is the authenticity of it, and allowing the school to learn about a part of yourself that they otherwise would not have know from looking at the rest of your application. If cheer is your meaningful experience, try to isolate one aspect of it and write about that.

Bolded part for emphasis - thats what the college essay is mainly for. College boards want to know who are you and if you fit in with the community they are building. And how strong your writing skills are.

@FierceIsTheName - I'd disagree with the teachers that say to avoid sports. Theres a lot sports teach you that translates over to college extremely well - discipline, determination, accountablity for your own success, teamwork, respect, personal growth, etc. Kids are also.... kids? They aren't out there saving people from burning buildings, solving world hunger, fighting for social issues, or helping cure cancer. They are going to school, playing sports, working, involved in church, doing homework, volunteering, and worrying about their plans for after highschool. So for your teachers to say dont write about sports seems.... shortsighted. Youth sports is extremely beneficial and you should be able to write about it.

FWIW, This American Life had an episode about college and they were interviewing a guy who worked in admissions for Georgia Tech. They asked him what the new trendy topic of college essays was and what he was sick of seeing. He said mission trip essays that usually all ended with "I thought i was going to change someone elses life but in the end it was my life that was changed."

Also FWIW, I wrote my college essay on cheer. It was about how much I struggled with tumbling and what I learned from falling on my face over and over and over again for 13 years straight Talking about a failure is usually a good starting point for an essay. Failure is an important part of life.

 

[CheerBank]

Bolded part for emphasis - thats what the college essay is mainly for. College boards want to know who are you and if you fit in with the community they are building. And how strong your writing skills are.

@FierceIsTheName - I'd disagree with the teachers that say to avoid sports. Theres a lot sports teach you that translates over to college extremely well - discipline, determination, accountablity for your own success, teamwork, respect, personal growth, etc. Kids are also.... kids? They aren't out there saving people from burning buildings, solving world hunger, fighting for social issues, or helping cure cancer. They are going to school, playing sports, working, involved in church, doing homework, volunteering, and worrying about their plans for after highschool. So for your teachers to say dont write about sports seems.... shortsighted. Youth sports is extremely beneficial and you should be able to write about it.

FWIW, This American Life had an episode about college and they were interviewing a guy who worked in admissions for Georgia Tech. They asked him what the new trendy topic of college essays was and what he was sick of seeing. He said mission trip essays that usually all ended with "I thought i was going to change someone elses life but in the end it was my life that was changed."

Also FWIW, I wrote my college essay on cheer. It was about how much I struggled with tumbling and what I learned from falling on my face over and over and over again for 13 years straight Talking about a failure is usually a good starting point for an essay. Failure is an important part of life.

My oldest went on a "community service" trip to South Africa the summer before her senior year. It was a glorified teen tour where they spent time helping out with a school and getting to interact with the kids and the community. I'm not saying she did not get anything out of it, because she definitely did, but it was not life changing for her and she knew it. She was advised by a private college advisor NOT to write about that experience.

 

[njallday]

I need some serious college essay help...
The school's prompts:

• Share a meaningful experience and how this has helped shape you in your preparation for college. This could be related to your passions, commitments, leadership experience, family or cultural background.
  
  
• Describe any activities you have been involved in related to diversity or multiculturalism and explain how you will actively contribute to a diverse campus community at Western.

The bottom one might be impossible for me... but the top one... I can't think of anything that's really changed me and I've heard from many of my teachers to not write about sports.
I'm struggling because in my English class this is our assignment and everyone has really deep and life changing experiences and I haven't.... leaving me with nothing to write about.

Just throwing this out there that is doesn't necessarily have to be a positive life changing thing. Mine was about my mom's diagnoses, how it changed my life and shaped me into who I am, and how changing her outcome became my passion/chosen career choice. I think everyone always jumps to positive stories or don't want to get too personal or have the admissions committee think they're crazy, but some of the best I've read have been dealing with mental health/bullying/overall tough situations and how you survived.

As @CheerBank said, authenticity is more important.

 

[ErinS]

I need some serious college essay help...
The school's prompts:

• Share a meaningful experience and how this has helped shape you in your preparation for college. This could be related to your passions, commitments, leadership experience, family or cultural background.
  
  
• Describe any activities you have been involved in related to diversity or multiculturalism and explain how you will actively contribute to a diverse campus community at Western.

The bottom one might be impossible for me... but the top one... I can't think of anything that's really changed me and I've heard from many of my teachers to not write about sports.
I'm struggling because in my English class this is our assignment and everyone has really deep and life changing experiences and I haven't.... leaving me with nothing to write about.

I would flip them (I don't know your life so I'm assuming here) and talk about how you've lived in a sheltered bubble that lacked diversity (again Im not saying, I'm just assuming this is something you can really play up) and talk about how the majority of your peers are like you in X,Y and Z. Mention what you do to excel in your bubble and then say that a campus like Western (?) would help me break this mold (something to that effect) and mention all of various x,y and z at Western will help this, that and the third. Mention growth and exploration and how the university will afford you that. Say that your HS and upbringing has made you aware of x,y and z and you eagerly await the x,y and z Western offers.


Basically what I'm saying is humble your life experience and take yourself away from how they're approaching it and bring it back with some vulnerability and eagerness.

Maybe your school isn't diverse maybe everyone shares a similar culture. Write how you've appreciated that and it has shaped you into someone eager and willing to break out of that monotony

TBH it's just a prompt. they don't care what you say, it's all about how you say it and sell it. Like the story about the girl that got into the IVY League talking about a trip to Cosco

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[CheerBank]

Speaking of colleges...if a school sends your child one of their generic mailers/emails encouraging them to get more information from the school does it mean they are potentially within range of their usual applicants? Or is it completely insignificant?

 

[EWalsh1029]

Same minus the grad school. A lot (if not all) of my graduated friends who aren't continuing their education have salaried jobs and I'm hourly. I don't mind it because I'm eligible for overtime pay if/when its needed. However I don't make enough to do fun things, or buy a newer car like a lot of people my age are. Student loans suck and I basically can't do anything because of them.

This! I graduated with my bachelors last December, and got a great job in February (almost a year now), but I just feel so stuck With student loans, car loan, insurance, and other bills - I'm hardly able to save and it is such a buzz kill.

 

[MissCongeniality]

Speaking of colleges...if a school sends your child one of their generic mailers/emails encouraging them to get more information from the school does it mean they are potentially within range of their usual applicants? Or is it completely insignificant?

I look at it as insignificant- It seems like the same schools sent (now on my 3rd HS student) the same stuff after PSAT, SAT etc. to all of my kids--- and trust me--- they couldn't be more different!

 

[Alexx]

This! I graduated with my bachelors last December, and got a great job in February (almost a year now), but I just feel so stuck With student loans, car loan, insurance, and other bills - I'm hardly able to save and it is such a buzz kill.

Im moving to a new city for a new job next week and I already know I'm going to be broke all the time. I plan on making saving a priority still since I have an older car that could potentially die at any time, so having enough for a decent down payment is important to me. But yeah my student loans are whats killing me right now. Between rent and student loans I'll be paying out over 2/3 of my take home.

 

[alexacheer2010]

Im moving to a new city for a new job next week and I already know I'm going to be broke all the time. I plan on making saving a priority still since I have an older car that could potentially die at any time, so having enough for a decent down payment is important to me. But yeah my student loans are whats killing me right now. Between rent and student loans I'll be paying out over 2/3 of my take home.

Contact the student loan company about Income based Repayment. You can get the payments lowered to reflect how much you're making!


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[Alexx]

Contact the student loan company about Income based Repayment. You can get the payments lowered to reflect how much you're making!


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Already did unfortunately. Two of my loans are private so they're not eligible.

 

[alexacheer2010]

Already did unfortunately. Two of my loans are private so they're not eligible.

Oh bummer


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[Alexx]

Oh bummer


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Yep. I had to take out more than government loans would cover so private loans were my only choice and they have to be paid back within the length of the loan, so if I took deferment now, I'd end up paying even more over the life of the loan. I wish colleges weren't so expensive in Illinois/Wisconsin. I also went to a community college my freshman year, which actually screwed me over because the school I went to cut my scholarships and grants in half so it actually cost me what it would have for four years for just three so that was fun.

 

[quitthedrama]

I need some serious college essay help...
The school's prompts:

• Share a meaningful experience and how this has helped shape you in your preparation for college. This could be related to your passions, commitments, leadership experience, family or cultural background.
  
  
• Describe any activities you have been involved in related to diversity or multiculturalism and explain how you will actively contribute to a diverse campus community at Western.

The bottom one might be impossible for me... but the top one... I can't think of anything that's really changed me and I've heard from many of my teachers to not write about sports.
I'm struggling because in my English class this is our assignment and everyone has really deep and life changing experiences and I haven't.... leaving me with nothing to write about.

If you cheer I don't know how the bottom one could be impossible for you! I agree with those who have stressed the importance of making it authentic

 

[KPep]

legitmix.com is down and it puts me in a difficult situation. I can't buy the mix I used to train my athletes and we compete in a month.

"/$%?&*()

ETA: I am very angry. It means it will be impossible for small school teams like us who don't compete in the US to get a reasonably priced mix for 4 competitions.

 

[cheerisloving]

I need some serious college essay help...
The school's prompts:

• Share a meaningful experience and how this has helped shape you in your preparation for college. This could be related to your passions, commitments, leadership experience, family or cultural background.
  
  
• Describe any activities you have been involved in related to diversity or multiculturalism and explain how you will actively contribute to a diverse campus community at Western.

The bottom one might be impossible for me... but the top one... I can't think of anything that's really changed me and I've heard from many of my teachers to not write about sports.
I'm struggling because in my English class this is our assignment and everyone has really deep and life changing experiences and I haven't.... leaving me with nothing to write about.

My English teacher had us do our personal statements as an assignment too, and I wrote about cheer. Mind you-I'm a black girl who went to predominantly white schools for most her life. I could do the diversity one in my sleep but I thought one on cheerleading would be more effective because it's not what one would expect.

I was told not to write about sports if you're going to just talk about how you learned from losing or gaining a skill. Try to tie into your everyday life. I wrote about how cheerleading was my safe place when I was being bullied at school and how it gave me the confidence that I didn't have. I'm totally willing to let you see it for inspo if you want.

I worked for an educational planning company and have heard so many people talk about essays. You can write about your sport or things you do, but make it stand out or approach it in a new way.