Obstacle/Challenge Essay Clarification

[TheBossDoctor]

Hey guys, so I'm on my last secondary and I had a clarification question about the greatest obstacle/challenge essay. Normally, the question asks about the obstacle and how we overcame it and grew through the process. So I usually say stuff like how I learned proper stress management techniques and I learned to become resilient (and all that).

However, this secondary seems to have a slightly different prompt:

"Please describe to the Admissions Committee a challenge you have overcome and what you learned about yourself from that experience."

The key difference I see is that it asks me to write what I learned ABOUT MYSELF as opposed to what I learned in general. For this essay would it be OK to just write the same stuff (that I learned to be resilient, practice problem-solving skills, and manage stress in a healthy way)? Or do I have to change it up and write about some insight I gained about myself and my personality? I can easily write about skills/traits/qualities that I learned, but I'm having trouble coming up with what I learned about myself as a person.

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[chillaxbro]

Yeah... I had the same problem. I ended up with a cheesy essay with stuff like "I LEARNED I CAN OVERCOME ANYTHING IF I JUST TRY!"

The worst wording I got was "Describe an obstacle you've overcome and how it has defined you."
What does that even mean

 

[pietachok]

Hey guys, so I'm on my last secondary and I had a clarification question about the greatest obstacle/challenge essay. Normally, the question asks about the obstacle and how we overcame it and grew through the process. So I usually say stuff like how I learned proper stress management techniques and I learned to become resilient (and all that).

However, this secondary seems to have a slightly different prompt:

"Please describe to the Admissions Committee a challenge you have overcome and what you learned about yourself from that experience."

I'm sure there are people who disagree with me, but I think the stress management essays are overdone and too common. When I've heard members of adcoms reflect on the ones that stuck in their head and made them want to meet the applicant, they're much more mundane obstacles that reveal who you are as you discuss your process of conquering them -- e.g. (real examples) I needed to support myself with my job at a hot dog stand on the beach over the summer and there were 50 other hot dog stands so through daily critical analysis I made my hotdog stand and business plan stand out as clearly superior, having all of one's personal possessions stolen in a foreign country where I didn't speak the language and how I address it, etc. . . .

 

[TheBossDoctor]

I see. Man I'm just confused if I can get away with talking about what I learned in general instead of specifically talking about what I learned about myself.

I do a good job of giving examples of how I approached the obstacle and overcame it so I'm not too worried about that though.

Anyone else have input?

 

[Microglia]

I see. Man I'm just confused if I can get away with talking about what I learned in general instead of specifically talking about what I learned about myself.

I do a good job of giving examples of how I approached the obstacle and overcame it so I'm not too worried about that though.

Anyone else have input?

Depends on how much you care about the school.

If a lot, consider rewriting it toward that prompt emphasizing your journey of self discovery.

If medium, just add a conclusion part tying your revelations to self transformation.

If none, Ctrl-C, Ctrl-V. Bada bing, bada boom done.