3. Brainstorm ideas for a topic to answer the question, looking for a theme or topic that fits the question
There are a number of places where you can look for ideas about a theme or topic for essay questions: think about your long-term activities or what you love to do; take a look at your activities resume or the notes you generated when you brainstormed about personal stories or anecdotes, if you have done that. If you feel stuck, bring in a parent or someone else you trust to help you brainstorm ideas.

Peter looked over his resume and saw that there were a lot of potential essay topics that could relate to “a most meaningful activity, interest or experience.” Among other things, he

• had a number of activities that involved his math talents

• was President of his school Chess Club, as well as a nationally ranked  chess champion

• was a member of his school’s Academic League team

• had been taking karate lessons since he was seven years old and

• was a member of his high school Varsity basketball team

4. Choose a topic
Choose a topic that specifically answers the essay question.

Peter had determined that his main essay was going to be on chess, so he quickly ruled out that topic for the shorter meaningful activity question.

Math was a real interest, but Peter figured he could write about it in questions that asked about academic or intellectual concerns.

As Peter thought about different messages about himself that topics might provide, Academic League was too similar to chess and math, but karate and basketball were completely different. Basketball was his real passion, so he decided on it as the topic for the meaningful activity essay.

In using the criteria established above, Peter found that

• basketball was a topic that fit the essay question,

• it was a subject about which Peter was a total nut,

• he had some interesting things to say about it,

• because of his unusual “take” on basketball, Peter thought that admissions readers would learn something very important about him,

• and he liked the idea of writing about basketball because he thought it was going to be so much fun. Peter couldn’t wait to start writing his essay.