G11 Parents: Remind Your Kids to Start Thinking About Their College Essays Now!

Many families assume essays can wait until summer. They can't.

Starting in August leaves no time to land on the right topic. Stories need time to be recalled, shaped, and refined. Some material tied to activities, competitions, or personal experiences has to be gathered in advance. And topics chosen under pressure tend to be generic, the kind that don't stick with admissions officers.

Generic vs. Memorable: What the Difference Looks Like

Generic topics:

• "I love math because I'm smart." No story, just a claim.

• "My favorite class is history." States an interest, nothing distinctive.

• "I once did volunteer work." Vague, no real impact.

Memorable topics:

• "At a math competition, I designed an algorithm to help my community improve waste sorting." A real challenge, a result, a ripple effect.

• "In history class, I researched immigration policy and submitted a piece to the school newspaper." Shows initiative and follow-through.

• "During volunteer work, I noticed the school library's cataloging system was a mess, proposed a fix, and saw it adopted." A small moment that reveals capability and impact.

  
  

💡A Note From the Han Education Consultant Team

Figuring out the right topic before summer is worth more than the writing itself. Think early, and you'll have the time to shape a story that actually stays with the reader.

If you have any questions towards college application, feel free to reach out to us, our consultants are more than happy to provide more insights to you!