How to Avoid the Most Overused Essay Topics

The Infinite Futures Team has read tens of thousands of essays. We’ve seen it all - and we’re here to help you understand what essays are overused, what grabs the admissions committee’s attention, and how to position the personal statement to complement your application.

Hear from former Ivy League admissions officers, high school counselors, and experienced college advisors. We’ll share what works, what doesn’t, and how to put your best writing forward.

Infinite Futures is a full-service college advising company founded by educators. Our team of experienced Former Admission Officers and College Advisors use their decades of experience to help each student find success in high school and beyond.

Speakers

Kelly Braun

Kelly Braun is first and foremost a student advocate. Working in the educational field for over 17 years, she has been a cheerleader of student dreams since she earned her Bachelor of Arts and then went on to earn her Master of Education. Prior to joining Infinite Futures, Kelly has worked in university admissions and international high school counseling. Most recently, she was Director of High School Counseling and University Guidance at an international school in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam and Tokyo, Japan. Kelly is active in the international and US Association for College Admissions Counselors, presenting at industry conferences, serving as faculty at counseling training institutes, and volunteering to support students.

Dr. Corinne Smith

Dr. Corinne Smith holds a BA in Political Science and Sociology and an MS in Higher Education from Northwestern University. She received her Ed.D from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Prior to joining Infinite Futures, Corinne spent two years working in undergraduate admissions at Northwestern University, followed by eight years at Yale University. She has also read applications for Brown University and UC San Diego. Corinne has read tens of thousands of college applications and served as a voting member on domestic and international admissions committees. She is the co-author of College Essay Journal: A Mindful Manual for College Applications. At Infinite Futures, she serves as the Director of Former Admissions Officers while overseeing the application strategy and essay editing processes for all students.

Juliette Wallace

Juliette Wallace has worked in education for over five years. After graduating from Yale with a BA in Environmental Studies, she worked in the undergraduate admissions office for four years prior to becoming a College Advisor. At Yale, Juliette read thousands of applications and voted in numerous admissions committees. Her admissions territory included Ohio, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Pennsylvania, Texas, and West Virginia. Juliette is an expert in highly selective, transfer, ROTC, and QuestBridge admissions. As a first-generation college student herself, Juliette understands the challenges of navigating the college admissions process and finding the right fit. She prioritizes increasing confidence and accessibility for all students at Infinite Futures. When Juliette isn’t working with students, you’ll find her outside hiking, swimming, or kayaking.

Samuel Fung

Samuel Fung graduated from UC Berkeley with a degree in Mechanical Engineering and has been working with students for over 15 years. Samuel has worked with hundreds of students one-on-one and has seen them accepted into competitive majors at the UCs, like Computer Science, Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, and Business Administration. Furthermore he has helped students get into top programs at universities like Harvard, Princeton, Columbia, and the University of Pennsylvania. In addition to working with students, Samuel has also coached students in robotics, career development, and mental health. He is also a member of the National Association for College Admission Counseling.