How to Write About a Super Specific Topic
by Amy T.
So, you’ve landed on a topic for your college essay and you’re ready to get started. The only issue is that you’ll be writing about an academic subject or major that happens to be complex, and you’re not quite sure how to approach it.
How much do you have to explain the topic for your intended audience—the admissions reader?
Since admissions readers come from diverse academic backgrounds, you can’t make any assumptions about their level of knowledge on any given subject. Therefore, you’ll need to make the topic accessible, which will likely involve a brief explanation of it.
Beyond that, you have one very important objective—the same objective that should underpin all the writing you do for your applications: to show the admissions officer who you are.
So how do you do this?
- Make your writing conversational in tone. Don’t try to impress the reader, or you’ll risk sounding insincere. Approach the essay as if you’re explaining the subject to a friend or teacher with whom you’re comfortable. This helps you avoid an overly formal or academic tone.
- If you’re still struggling with clarity, do some online research and find examples of accessible explanations of the topic. Use them as models to help you simplify your descriptions.
- Offer the reader plenty of context so the essay isn’t vague or general and isn’t just about the academic topic itself. Ask yourself: does this essay explain WHY this topic interests me and HOW I have demonstrated this interest?
Avoid vague descriptions like: “I really like studying thermodynamics because it’s interesting. I’m also really good at it and got a 5 on my AP Physics 2 exam.”
Instead, tell the reader what specifically about the topic captured your interest. How has it impacted you? What does this look like in your life? Maybe you’ve spent weekends conducting experiments at home to satisfy your curiosity. If so, tell the reader!
Once you have a draft on paper, try these tips:
- Read it back to yourself—just hearing it out loud often helps you instinctively identify awkward sentences and phrasing in your writing which you can then correct to increase clarity.
- Share it with one or two trusted people who don’t have prior knowledge of the subject. Ask them if they understand both the subject and the context of why it matters to you. If they say no, make sure you understand why, then repeat the above steps and try again.
Remember: be specific, be clear, and most of all, be authentic.
