I am writing my college application essays? Is it a good idea to write about the coronavirus?

Question

College essays and coronavirus

Answer 1

Hi there!

I think that writing about coronavirus for your college applications could be a really good idea, if you do it right! When an admissions officer reads an application essay, they're looking for unique, fresh stories that say something about you and the way you interact with the world. That's why it's important to be original and reflective.

As I'm sure you can imagine, admissions officers in the next few years will probably be reading tons of essays about coronavirus. That's not to say it's not a good topic, since it definitely impacted all of our lives in various ways, and there's a lot of room for reflection when we look back on this time. However, it's really important that you find a way to make the topic unique and specific to you.

When you're thinking of the specific spin you will take with your essay, think about your own specific experience with coronavirus. What did it make you notice about the world around you? How did it shape your connections with others, whether that's friends and family or strangers? What injustices or inequities did you become aware of because of coronavirus? What action were you inspired to take?

Hope that helps!

Answer 2

Is it a good idea? I have to say NO, and YES! In any kind of communication it's important to think about your audience. In this case it's a graduate student, a retired professor, a tutor, or even an admissions officer. What they have in common is that they will be reading upwards of 500 to 1000 essays over the course of months. Having read a few of their autobiographies, I can tell you that they say most essays are dull; they include easy platitudes, and nothing memorable. In fact, when one of them reads an exciting, surprising or different essay, he or she shares it with fellow readers. That is why I can't help but feel sorry for these people as they will definitely read hundreds of essays about the virus!

What follows are some likely examples:

1. I have a new respect and love for my family, or I never realized how much my parents need to do around the house, or from now on I'll help out more even when all this is over.
2. I never realized how fragile life is and so now I appreciate everything more, or I never appreciated my friends and teachers so much, and I never realized how much I like to hear the birds.

You get the point. These are the kind of comments that we all make.

The reader is waiting to hear some story that is refreshing, specific, inspirational, or even funny. And mostly something about you that lets us know if you're an out of the box thinker, a philosopher, an incredibly honest and earnest person, or maybe someone who is willing to examine himself. Perhaps you are finding out that you are kinder or more observant than you thought, or less caring and more selfish. What have you learned about you during this time?

So, the answer is YES, write about the virus if:

1. You started buying groceries for a senior who lives on your street. Unexpectedly this exchange turns out to be a gift for you. How could you have known that this man made guitars in his garage, and what is more, he offered to have you apprentice with him since you showed real interest?
2. While you were helping your dad work on his vegetable garden, you initiated a new kind of relationship with him, deciding that you would be honest about your feelings, or your truth, or something...
3. Following a great deal of media coverage of the virus, you saw how much public health and governors matter to the well-being of their states and country. From that you realize that instead of pursuing international relations, you are sure you want to go into the Public Health arena..
4. You never realized the disparity between African Americans and Hispanics as compared with the rest of our citizens until this truth was brought home by the statistics about the disease. This got you to make a difference by ...?

You get the idea. If you mention the virus and the quarantine as a backdrop to something that happened to you or something you did, something tangible, then of course write about it.

By the way, I'm still sheltering in place (with asthma) so I'm around to coach you through the essays. Finally, no matter who you work with, try to complete your essays before your senior year begins. As you know, this fall semester is the busiest and most stressful one of all. With so much to do, at least get the essays out of the way. Besides, to write well you need time to try different topics, write more than one draft, and edit your work.

I wish you the best. Good luck!

Answer 3

Many college application essays have a specific prompt, so make sure it fits in with what they are asking you to write about. With that said, Coronavirus has affected your education recently in a lot of ways and made you learn to adapt, work with technology, and learn in different ways. It has shaped your year this year and is a historical event that will be remembered. It is more than appropriate to address this in your application. If you need an experienced proofreader to look over your essays please don’t hesitate to reach out!