406: Why You Don’t Have to Write about Trauma in Your College Essay to Stand Out—and What You Can Do Instead w/ Tina Yong
Sep 15, 2023
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In a thought-provoking discussion, TED speaker Tina Yong shares her insights on college essay narratives, emphasizing that students shouldn’t feel pressured to write about trauma to stand out. She reflects on the systemic issues around personal storytelling, especially for students of color. Yong highlights the importance of taking ownership of one's identity and offers practical exercises to help articulate personal narratives. The conversation also touches on the implications of recent Supreme Court rulings regarding race in college applications.
Students don't need to focus on trauma in their college essays; instead, they should emphasize authenticity and unique strengths.
Discussions about racial identity in applications must be nuanced to avoid oversimplification and instead highlight individual experiences and contributions.
Practical exercises can help students explore diverse aspects of their identities, enriching their narratives without solely relying on personal challenges.
Deep dives
The Impact of Misinterpretation on College Essay Advice
Misinterpretation of college essay advice can lead to significant anxiety for students, particularly regarding personal storytelling. In the case discussed, a TED Talk referenced a quote suggesting students should include painful memories, which was misattributed, causing concern over how such advice influences essay writing. The speaker emphasizes the importance of clear communication in college essay guidance to prevent students from feeling pressured to conform to damaging narratives surrounding trauma. By addressing and correcting misinterpretations, the conversation aims to clarify the value of authenticity over sensational storytelling in personal statements.
Navigating Racial Identity in College Essays
The complexities of discussing racial identity in college applications have been heightened by recent Supreme Court rulings against race-conscious admissions. While students of color may feel pressured to highlight their racial backgrounds, the conversation highlights the need to approach this topic with care, focusing instead on how their experiences shape their unique perspectives and contributions. There are shifts in application prompts encouraging students to discuss their identities, yet the challenge lies in avoiding the oversimplification or tokenization of one's narrative. A nuanced approach allows students to express their individuality while offering admission officers a true sense of their character.
Emphasizing Strengths Beyond Challenges
Students often grapple with the dilemma of whether to frame their college essays around personal challenges or to present a more diverse set of interests and strengths. The conversation suggests that while discussing hardships can be impactful, it is essential for students to also highlight their unique qualities and intellectual pursuits. Techniques such as the one-third, one-third, one-third approach can help students balance their narrative by dedicating equal attention to their challenges, actions taken, and lessons learned. By focusing on wider aspects of their identity beyond adversity, students can craft well-rounded essays that truly reflect who they are.
Practical Exercises for Identity Exploration
The use of practical exercises can significantly enhance a student's ability to identify diverse facets of their identity beyond just challenges faced. A guided series of prompts helps students articulate insights about their family background, cultural influences, interests, and personal initiatives. This reflective process encourages students to explore and celebrate all dimensions of their identity, fostering a richer narrative for their college applications. By documenting these aspects, students can uncover compelling stories that resonate with their authentic selves, ultimately strengthening their applications.
Counselor's Role in Supporting Genuine Narratives
College counselors play a crucial role in guiding students through the admissions essay process while ensuring emotional well-being remains a priority. It is essential for counselors to approach discussions about trauma with sensitivity and to empower students, encouraging them to own their narratives authentically. By fostering a supportive environment, counselors can help students navigate complex feelings about their identities and experiences without reducing them to mere story elements for essays. Acknowledging that not all experiences lead to personal growth allows for a more compassionate and holistic understanding of a student's journey.
In this episode I sat down with TED speaker Tina Yong to talk about why students don’t have to write about trauma in a college essay to stand out—and what they can do instead.
We discussed, among other things:
Tina’s experience as an immigrant/racialized person feeling the pressure to turn her personal story into a personal statement with a linear, digestible plot—and how she realized how damaging this could be damaging to students of color
How Tina believes this is more a systemic issue
The recent Supreme Court ruling and how it can be okay to talk about race in the college application, with certain caveats
An example personal statement that mentions race but speaks specifically to qualities of character and unique abilities the author would bring to a college campus
Other ways students can share their identities in ways that allow them to take ownership of their story
Practical exercises students might use to talk about their different identities in their application—identities that include but aren’t limited to race
Supplemental essay prompts that ask specifically about challenges
Specific advice from Tina for students and for counselors
Play-by-Play
0:00 - Intro
3:45 - Who is Tina Yong?
4:04 - Ethan and Tina’s backstory
7:08 - ICYMI: recap of Tina’s TedX Talk about her experience as an immigrant applying to US universities
9:44 - What inspired Tina to speak on trauma in college essays?
11:11 - How and why Ethan changed his workshop approach
12:32 - What response did Tina get after her TED Talk? What was the impact?
14:29 - What has Tina learned since giving her TED Talk?
17:28 - How will applicants of colors be affected by the recent Supreme Court ruling on race-conscious admissions?
19:46 - Is it okay to discuss race in your application?
22:03 - Ethan & Tina read of a sample personal statement that discusses race
25:03 - Tina’s analysis
27:32 - Ethan’s analysis
30:04 - Three ways that students can share their identity in their personal statements—that don’t focus on a traumatic story with a happy ending
34:55 - How to avoid writing a “sob story”
35:45 - How to structure a challenges-based essay
36:34 - What are colleges looking for in a college essay?
38:15 - Practical brainstorming exercises for finding great personal statement topics
43:04 - Navigating supplemental essay prompts
47:31 - This isn’t the “Vulnerability Olympics”
51:36 - Counselor resources & takeaways
53:11 - Student resources & takeaways
55:47 - Book recommendations from Tina on psychology & trauma
