College Essays to Skip: 10 Topics Admissions Officers Dread

Admissions officers expect originality, maturity, and authentic reflections when it comes to college essays. Recycled or cliché narratives will kill an application dead in the water.

So what’s considered overused?

Here are 10 topics every applicant, especially the gifted and talented, should avoid:

1. Listing Academic Achievements or Strengths

Rehashing your GPA, test scores, or awards adds nothing new—admissions officers already see those. As Lessonpal puts it, “Don’t write about what is already there in your application.” Instead, use the essay to reveal qualities that can’t be measured by numbers. UndocuScholars reminds students: “Give the admissions counselor a deeper understanding of who you are.”

2. Tragedy or Trauma as the Main Theme

Adversity can shape you, but essays focused entirely on illness, loss, or family trauma often read as pity-seeking or unprocessed. They’re also among the most overused essay types. As Emergent Education warns, if you’re not careful, it can come across as using tragedy to score points rather than showing real growth.

3. Sports Injury or the “Big Game”

The lesson-learned-from-sports essay is so common that even well-written versions rarely stand out. As a Redditor puts it, “I’ve seen the sports injury topic work, but it has to take a unique angle.” The point isn’t that you can’t write about sports at all, especially if athletics are central to your life, but that your essay should go beyond the field and reveal something deeper about who you are.

4. Immigration or Moving Stories (in cliché form)

If your story follows the predictable arc of culture shock, language struggles, and eventual adjustment, it risks blending in with thousands of similar essays. According to Prepory, admissions officers have already read countless accounts of switching schools, feeling homesick, or struggling to fit in. Instead, focus on a specific moment or aspect of your identity that changed when you moved—something uniquely yours.

5. Privilege or “Being Blessed”

Acknowledging your circumstances can be a powerful sign of maturity, especially when you recognize that you’ve had advantages others may not. But writing about how fortunate or privileged you are can easily backfire and come across as tone-deaf or shallow. As Emergent Education notes, and as Lessonpal warns, writing about “struggles” like having to drive a minivan instead of a Mercedes will not land well. It risks sounding disconnected from real hardship.

6. Romantic Relationships and Breakups

Admissions officers don’t want to read about your love life. Essays about romance almost always lack the depth to highlight meaningful personal growth, and they risk making your application feel immature. According to Prepory, romantic relationships or breakups are often too personal and too trivial in the context of college admissions. The same goes for essays about a beloved pet or friendships. These topics may be heartfelt, but they rarely showcase the qualities that matter most in an applicant.

7. Hero Worship (writing about someone else’s influence)

Whether it’s a parent, coach, teacher, or grandparent, essays about someone you admire often end up telling their story instead of your own. The danger is that the “hero” shines brighter than the applicant, leaving little room for your own voice. If the admissions reader finishes your essay remembering your coach more vividly than you, that’s a problem. What they really want to see is how YOU think, grow, and act when faced with challenges, not just how someone else inspired you.

8. Controversial or Inappropriate Topics

Essays on politics, religion, or other taboo issues can easily alienate readers or raise red flags—unless handled with exceptional maturity and balance. According to Undocuscholars, students often fall into the trap of sharing personal opinions rather than analyzing the issue with nuance. The result is an essay that feels more like persuasion—trying to prove your beliefs right—rather than reflection. Unless you’re applying to a religious or mission-driven institution where such topics are directly relevant, it’s usually best to avoid them.

9. Complaints about School or Community

Criticizing your school or community is a red flag. Complaints about bad teachers, weak peers, or frustrations often sound whiny rather than reflective. According to Undocuscholars, some students highlight their school’s shortcomings or hometown’s limitations to explain why they want to attend a new college, but this usually leaves a negative impression and risks sounding disrespectful. A stronger approach is to keep a positive tone and show how you’ve made the most of your circumstances.

10. “How Hard I Worked” in School

Hard work is expected of every applicant. Writing about late nights, heavy workloads, or struggles with classes doesn’t make you special. You’re only showing off about what colleges think you’re already supposed to be doing. Don’t make admissions officers roll their eyes. Instead show how the experience changed you, what you learned, and how it shaped the person you’re becoming.

Key Takeaway

Colleges already assume you are smart and hardworking. What they want is your voice, your perspective, and your originality. Avoid these overdone topics and instead use your essay to showcase curiosity, resilience, creativity, and character, qualities that can’t be reduced to test scores or awards.