3.1 - Revising Your Essay:
Clarifying (or Changing) Your Topic
Time:
10 minutes
Module Content
Is your topic clear? If not, here are some ways to clarify it:
Try writing a logline for your essay. A logline is a screenwriting term for a one-sentence description of your story
This is just a descriptive sentence to help you clarify your essay and should not be included in the essay.
Example from the "My Desk" essay: "This desk I sit at has not only seen me through the last six years, but its story and the story of the objects I keep on it provide a foundation for my future pursuits."
Example from the "Laptop Stickers" essay: "My laptop is like a passport. ... Each sticker is a stamp, representing a place I've been, a passion I've pursued, or community I've belonged to."
Important: You don't have to ultimately include your logline in your actual essay, but it can help you clarify your main idea for yourself. (And what's the difference between a topic and a main idea? Your topic is what your essay is about. Your main idea is the point you're making about your topic.)
Try naming your essay topic (i.e. thematic thread) in the first sentence. Example: "I love kombucha," or "I'm obsessed with constructed languages." That's right—just go simple.
Try clarifying your topic in a transition sentence between your first and second paragraphs. It could be something as simple as, "But that's not the only lesson that animals have taught me ..." or "My ability to ask questions has proved useful in a variety of ways ..." Again, simple.
Try going through your essay draft and bold each time your theme or topic is mentioned. You can see an example of this in the "Home" essay. Notice that the author mentions the word "home" just once per paragraph, but the mentions stand out because most of them are at the ends of her paragraphs. You don't have to do this, but you can.
Try highlighting the first sentence of each paragraph and then read them aloud to yourself. Is your topic clear? If not, rewrite those sentences so that it is. Then use those sentences to create a new outline. For an example, check out the "With Debate" essay.
Next Steps
[action_item]
Action Item: Spend at least 7 minutes trying one of the methods for clarifying your topic.
Tried these things and none of them worked? Or are you finding that you’re just really not loving this topic? Good news:
The best time to try a new topic … is right now.
Why? Because right now is when you have the most time left before your essay is due.
Remember: the purpose of the personal statement is to demonstrate the skills, qualities, interests, and values you’ll bring with you to college. Is your current topic doing that? If not, it may be worth asking, What topic might help me do that?
Once you’ve tried some of the strategies above, if it’s not working, try a different one. Here they are again, for reference:
Once you’ve clarified your topic, click continue.
