Can you talk about illegal things in a college essay?

Likewise, if a story of addiction and recovery is an essential part of your past, it may be a worthy topic. However, students should never mention the casual use of drugs or alcohol. The same goes for any illegal acts. It sounds obvious enough, but you'd be surprised!

Can you write about illegal stuff in college essay?

In a perfect world, this would go without saying, but here goes: whatever you do, make sure your college essay doesn't talk about you participating in illegal or unethical activities.

What shouldn't you write about in a college essay?

While drug addiction, alcohol use, arrests, jail stints, and similar activities may seem intriguing, they are usually college essay topics to avoid. There is a chance the admissions committee won't view those actions favorably, regardless of the lessons they learned along the way.

Is it okay to talk about abuse in a college essay?

Your story is valid even if you haven't turned your experience into a non-profit focused on preventing sexual assault, combating abuse, or eating disorders or done anything whatsoever to address the larger systemic issue. Your story and experience — your personal growth and lessons learned — are intrinsically valuable.

What should you not write your college essay on at least 5 topics?

The Worst Kinds of College Essays

Can I talk about drugs in my college essay?

1. Avoid Inappropriate or Risky Topics. On occasion, students write essays on illegal or illicit topics that they may have worked through in their lives: drugs, alcohol, sexual behaviors, arrest, etc. It's possible to write an effective essay on these topics, but it's better to avoid such risky topics entirely.

Is it OK if my college essay is bad?

If a student's essay isn't great OR good, the admission officer will probably just skim past the essay and move right on to your transcript and your test scores to evaluate your candidacy for admission. Bad essays don't get read. Period.

Can I trauma dump in a college essay?

However, students should consider avoiding including traumas in their essays because traumatic moments don't always demonstrate the best aspects of one's personality. “If I was applying to college or any other part of my life, I would not want to feel obligated to be judged on my worst moments,” Henderson said.

What is considered inappropriate on a college essay?

Avoid topics that are: Overly personal (e.g. graphic details of illness or injury, romantic or sexual relationships) Not personal enough (e.g. broad solutions to world problems, inspiring people or things) Too negative (e.g. an in-depth look at your flaws, put-downs of others, criticizing the need for a college essay)

Can you incriminate yourself in a college essay?

You are not required to incriminate yourself in your application essay, nor should you.

Do colleges check your essays?

College admissions officers read a boatload of essays. They're generally not gonna fact check them unless a) the topic really piques their interest, or b) something seems wackadoodle. In short, they take you on your word.

Is it OK to write a sad college essay?

While there's no definitive answer to whether or not sad college essays will work for every student, it's important to focus on presenting a well-written, genuine, and impactful story. If your "sad" topic is truly significant to your life and has shaped your character or values, then it might be a strong choice.

What is the most common college essay topic?

Can you write about illegal things?

There are all sorts of things you can't publish: libel, child pornography, copyright infringement, inciting to commit a crime. But yes, you can write about anything. There are books in which the people do crimes. Sort of hard to write a murder mystery without a murder.

Do colleges check if your essay is plagiarized?

Colleges do indeed take plagiarism very seriously when it comes to application essays. While admissions officers are quite skilled at detecting when something seems off, many colleges also utilize plagiarism detection software to ensure that submitted essays are original work.

How bad is a typo in a college essay?

Take a breath and remember that college admissions officers, who have to read your whole file in a very short time, are not going to nit-pick over a minor error! They realize that applicants are 17-year-olds; a typo is not going to spell doom for your application.

What shouldn't you say in an essay?

Should you write about ADHD in college essay?

You might opt to put information about your ADHD (or any other health or mental health situations) in the additional information section so that admissions officers are still aware of your experiences but you still have the flexibility to write your personal statement on whatever topic you choose.

What is too much for a college essay?

Pay Attention to Form

Although there are often no strict word limits for college essays, most essays are shorter rather than longer. Common App, which students can use to submit to multiple colleges, suggests that essays stay at about 650 words.

Is it OK to talk about depression in a college essay?

Mental health history or a disability might be an integral part of who a student is, but that doesn't necessarily make it relevant to a college application. Keep in mind that it is actually illegal for colleges to ask for these types of details about your life because it can be considered discrimination.

Is depression a bad topic for a college essay?

To prevent discrimination against students with mental health difficulties, it is illegal for U.S. colleges to request this information from you. It's therefore completely up to the individual to decide whether to disclose a mental health disorder or mental health leave of absence in a college application or essay.

Can you write about bullying in college essay?

You can write about bullying, coming out, political opinions, death and loss, depression, anxiety, drugs, religion, or any other sensitive topic in your college essay. In fact, you can write anything you want as long as you have a good reason for doing so.

Can a good college essay make up for a bad GPA?

Your essays account for approximately 25% of your application — 5% more than your grades and coursework. So, if you meet the overall academic thresholds (including test scores) or have extenuating circumstances, you can offset a weaker GPA with strong essays.

Should I bold words in my college essay?

If you lose the italics, use the Common App italics formatting to add them inside the text box. I see no reason to use either Bold or Underlining in your essays. Avoid gimmicky formatting, such as ALL CAPS, emojis or #hashtags. Avoid titles.

Do colleges look at bad grades?

The answer is a conditional yes. You can still be admitted to a college if your grades were less than stellar. However, you should do everything you can to make the rest of your college application shine diamond bright. Here's what colleges will consider if your GPA isn't what they'd like to see.