University of Southern Maine



Step 1: Brainstorming ActivityOne of the best methods of brainstorming is to begin with a grand list of potential topics and slowly let the best rise to the top. In order to generate a laundry list of important people, events, accomplishments, and activities in your life, fill in the worksheet below. 1) If you were writing your autobiography right now, what would be five to ten events or things that would have to be included? It will be easiest to think over your life chronologically. 1.6.2.7.3.8.4.9.5. 10.2) List five accomplishments you have made over the last five years. Do not limit these to those for which you have been formally recognized since the most interesting essays are often based on accomplishments that may have seemed insignificant at the time but have become crucial when placed in the context of your life.1.4.2.5.3.3) List five things you are good at.1.4.2.5.3.4) List five things you are bad at.1.4.2.5.3.5) List three to five things about which you consider yourself very knowledgeable.1.4.2.5.3.6) What are your most important extracurricular or community activities?1.4.2.5.3.7) List two times in life when things didn’t go as planned and two times when you were fantastically successful.Failure:Success:Failure:Success:8) List five of your favorite things and five of your least favorite things. These can include activities, places, objects, virtues, etc.Favorites:Least favorites:1)1) 2)2)3)3)4)4)5)5)9) What are 10 things that nobody knows about you?1)6) 2)7)3)8)4)9)5)10)10) List five things you consider to be your strengths.1.4.2.5.3.11) List five things you consider to be your weaknesses.1.4.2.5.3.12) List five things you want to get out of college.1.4.2.5.3.13) 20 years from now I see myself:14) 10 years from now I see myself:15) 5 years from now I see myself:16) What is your favorite movie or book?____________________________________________17) Who is your favorite musician or artist?__________________________________________18) Ask a few friends or family members to pick five adjectives or personality traits that characterize you. List them here.Person #11)4)2)5)3)Person #34)1)5)2)Person #23)1)4)2)5)3)19) Ask your parents/guardians for five events in your life that they will always remember.1.4.2.5.3.Step 2: Choosing a TopicYou now have around 100 potential essay topics. The next step is to narrow the above lists down to the topics that are most suited to an admissions essay. For each item listed above, answer the questions below. Some of your ideas may reveal themselves as dull, while you will find plenty to discuss for others. Circle ideas for which you have longer or more interesting answers, and use the space below for your notes.For personal characteristics or skills you have listed, ask:Does it distinguish me from others I know?How did I develop this attribute?For activities you have listed, ask:What made me join this activity?What made me continue to contribute to it?For each event in your life you have listed, ask:Why do I remember this particular event?Did it change me as a person?How did I react?Was the event a moment of epiphany, as if my eyes saw something to which they had been blind?For each of your favorites and least favorites, ask:Why is this a favorite or a least favorite?Has this influenced my life in a meaningful way?For each success and failure, ask:What if anything did I learn from this?What if anything good came out of this?Ask Yourself:What events have had an impact on my perspective of the world and my role in it?Why do I love what I love? Why do I hate what I hate?What experiences or moments have sharpened my vision of what I want out of life and from myself?What experiences have made me interested in or passionate about what I do? Why am I so interested in these things?What has turned my assumptions of the world and myself upside down?What have I done to change the lives of others?Is there a hobby or interest I have that reveals my intelligent thinking, curiosity, or compassion?How do my activities and experiences connect with my future goals and course of study?What was the most difficult time in my life and why? How did my perspective on life change as a result of this difficulty? Have I ever really struggled a lot for something and succeeded? What made me successful?Have I ever really struggled a lot for something and failed? How did I respond?Of everything in the world, what would I most like to be doing right now? Where would I most like to be? Who would I most like to be with?What is my strongest, most unwavering personality trait? Do I maintain a strong belief or adhere to a philosophy?Additional notes:________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Step 3: 2017-2018 Common Application Prompts:From Step 2, think about which ideas made you want to write the most. Keep those ideas in mind as you write notes on how you would respond to the following Common Application prompts:1. Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.Possible Topic: _____________________________________________________________________________________Key words/description: _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________What is the message? _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Why was this important? What do readers learn about you? _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________2. The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?Possible Topic: _____________________________________________________________________________________Key words/description: _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________What is the message? _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Why was this important? What do readers learn about you? _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________3. Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. What prompted your thinking? What was the outcome?Possible Topic: _____________________________________________________________________________________Key words/description: _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________What is the message? _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Why was this important? What do readers learn about you? ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________4. Describe a problem you've solved or a problem you'd like to solve. It can be an intellectual challenge, a research query, an ethical dilemma - anything that is of personal importance, no matter the scale. Explain its significance to you and what steps you took or could be taken to identify a solution.Possible Topic: _____________________________________________________________________________________Key words/description: _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________What is the message? _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Why was this important? What do readers learn about you? ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________5. Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others.Possible Topic: _____________________________________________________________________________________Key words/description: _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________What is the message? _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Why was this important? What do readers learn about you? _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________6. Describe a topic, idea, or concept you find so engaging that it makes you lose all track of time. Why does it captivate you? What or who do you turn to when you want to learn more?Possible Topic: _____________________________________________________________________________________Key words/description: _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________What is the message? _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Why was this important? What do readers learn about you? _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________7. Topic of your choice.Possible Topic: _____________________________________________________________________________________Key words/description: _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________What is the message? _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Why was this important? What do readers learn about you? _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Step 4: Choosing the Right TopicWhen you have narrowed your selection down to one topic, or even a few different topics, ask yourself the questions below to make sure that it’s the “right” topic:Did I select a topic that describes something of personal importance in my life, and can I use vivid personal experiences as supporting details?Is my topic a gimmick? Am I trying to make my essay too funny?Will my topic only repeat information listed elsewhere on my application? (Do not mention things like GPAs or SAT scores.)Can I offer vivid supporting paragraphs to my topic? (If you cannot easily think of supporting paragraphs with concrete examples, you should choose another topic.)Can I fully answer the question asked? Can I address and elaborate on all of the points within the specified word limit? (Common App word limit is 650 words which is about 2.5 double spaced pages)Can I keep the reader’s interest from the first word?Is my topic overdone?Will my topic offend or turn off the reader?Am I presenting a topic that is controversial?Most importantly: Will an admissions officer remember my topic after a day of reading hundreds of essays? (If it’s a topic you’re excited to write about, they likely will!)Chosen Topic: _____________________________________________________________________________________Possible hook 1: _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Possible hook 2: ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Key notes/description/vivid details: _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________What is the message? ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Why was this important? What do readers learn about you? ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ................
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