Brainstorming session with you to help me direct essay of 250 words for college LAC

problem-solve gathering

Here is where I am starting out by brainstorming. I would like to describe about my cultural background. Then I would like to show how I spent this year working and then also attending computer classes part time in order to pay bills. I wanted to take time off to show myself in the real world by being able to display my unhoned talents to elsewhere. I would like to show how well I am in music and then also being able to play the saxophone because it brings me closer to the blues roots of the usa. There is alot of harmony in music but then it brings to me an understanding of the way jazz has played a pivotal part of this example. Also i would like to describe my amazing talents in soccer which i tie as a way to be athletic but also being able to maintain my existence as a human being. I really think that physical education is important because of the way that I can be a strong person mentally and also physically. I believe the way to college is to also play athletics and to do music. Well here is my brainstorm, I hope it doesn't show that I don't have much to brainstorm.

David, it is always an excellent idea to brainstorm before you start writing your essay. However, you should brainstorm only for the ideas that will directly apply to the prompt that you are responding to. So, in order for me to choose which pieces of information from this list can be used in your essay, I first need too know what the essay you will be writing is. That requires you to first get the prompt from the application packet, then posting it here so that I can use it to look for the relevant information from the list. It will also help me to suggest which information should be expanded and to what extent within the essay.

You have a lot of ideas to use for your upcoming essays David. It is just a question of choosing the applicable ones for the prompt you will be responding to. The information you have at the moment looks like it will best be used for the development of a personal statement. Once you know the actual required information for the personal statement, I should be able to help you choose and develop the most relevant parts of your brainstorming list results.

@Holt
Hi thanks for your prompt reply. The essay has no theme or prompt and its up to me. I think because it is 250-500 words that I thought it should be very general or very specific like a story in my life. Right now I think I have a lot of ideas in my head but I would like to describe myself as a student that is looking to attend school and play athletics. That's about 50% of all college apps so to distinguish myself is that I am taking time off to find a career path and also to pay bills. I read in the NYT that paying bills, taking care of loved ones is just as important instead of someone writing about visiting a remote village and discovering themselves.

Okay. Since there is no specific prompt for this essay, you should focus on introducing yourself to the reviewer in relation to your interest in your college course, as well as your interest in their university. Let me see if I can create a suggested list for the topics to include in your expanded essay. Here we go:

1. Cultural Background
2. The reason why you spent this year working to pay bills. (It would be great if this led to your interest in your chosen profession or major.)

3. When you were first exposed to the field of interest you will be enrolling in.
4. How that interest changed you as a person.
5. The basis of your interest in LAC in relation to your major.

I'm sorry if I changed some of your brain storming ideas. The personal statement is a very important essay because it has to show the development of your interest in your chosen major, as well as sell the reviewer on the idea that you are an excellent candidate for the course. The reason for your choice of university is also a mandatory part of a personal statement which is why I called your attention to that as well.

@Holt
Thank you so much for the help. The essay sounds so easy but very confusing unless its not outlined how you wrote it. I will definitely use this as a guideline its much better than brainstorming because of the focus on how it relates to college and specifically a major interest in college. In fact after going to attend a fashion boot camp im interested in fashion tremendously and design. I think this break gave me a real world experience in that world. Plus I am also working at a gym which gives me experience with doing sports. I think that connection really works well. I really thank you for this advice.

@esfo2017
hi, few thoughts on brainstorming process.

jot down all ideas you have based on one key theme. after that, start to group similar ideas together, you may end up with 3-4 big groups. you can then identify the commonalities and name the group.

This will help you to differentiate the main ideas/themes, the supporting facts and examples