10 College Essay Topics to Avoid

The common app essay is an important part of the college application. Colleges will see your grades, test scores if you submit them, and your list of activities and volunteering, but the essay is an opportunity to share personal details about yourself and highlight some of your qualities, interests and passions.  Picking a topic to write about can feel daunting, but a great essay can really make a difference and help you stand out. However, the wrong topic can hurt your chances of admission. Here is a list of essay topics to avoid. 

• Sports related. It’s a tale as old as time–winning the championship, scoring the winning goal, or a comeback win from behind. These topics are overused and admissions counselors have heard it all before. It is tough to make these sports-related topics unique, so it’s best to avoid them.
• Covid. We all know how hard covid was and how it affected education. Counselors don’t want to relive this time in our history again and neither should you, especially since it was before the class of 2026 was in high school.
• Death. Everyone has faced death in their family, especially with a beloved grandparent. Sob stories don’t really reveal much about you as a person, as you’re mostly talking about the person who passed away. Plus, you want your story to be uplifting and not depressing, and highlight your best qualities.
• Political statements. You don’t know who will be reading the essay or which way they lean on the political spectrum, so unless you’re going to talk about getting involved in less contentious topics, then it’s best to avoid it altogether. 
• Bad grades. The college essay is an opportunity to talk about your strengths. If you have an extenuating circumstance you want to discuss, save that for the Additional Info section. But generally, admissions counselors know there could be ups and downs in your grades, so it’s not worth explaining as it may sound more like complaining.
• Mental health. This is a tricky topic since you don’t want to share that much personal information as it could actually cause counselors to be concerned about your readiness for college. You can frame it as overcoming challenges, but be careful about using this topic.  
• Extravagant travel. While traveling opens up many opportunities to share amazing experiences, sometimes it can come off as being entitled. You can talk about what you learned from people you’ve met in your travels or how you’ve helped others through volunteer work.  
• Illegal activities. Don’t talk about drugs, getting drunk, speeding, or getting arrested. These topics can reflect poorly on your judgment. 
• School activities. There is a separate activity list in the common app, so the essay should focus on something different than what counselors have already read about you.
• Critical or negative topics. You don’t want the essay to be a rant about how you hated something or someone. You should be focusing on positive experiences, how you’ve grown or learned something, ah-ha moments, rather than criticizing people or the world around you.

For more advice on the college essay, check out our blog Writing a College Essay That Tells Your Story and Gets You Accepted.

For help on brainstorming topics and editing your college essay, we’re here to help. Contact us today!