Prompt: Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.
What is the prompt asking?
This prompt may appear quite confusing to you since it is very broad. If you have something you love to do or are very good at doing, or something that happened to you, which you have not mentioned anywhere but that you feel is an important part of your story, then this prompt is the place to mention it. This prompt wants to know your view towards your own life.
The prompt’s wants to know what is genuinely important to you personally rather. The key is that whatever you write about needs to be a part of your life that you count as important, not just something you think will look good to the admissions committee. You need to be clear on why this story is so important in your application that you could not leave it out of application. The prompt is just asking what is important to you and why.
What do the colleges want to know through this prompt?
Your background has a role to play in shaping your academically as we as professionally. The admissions committee want to know what role your background has played in your life so far and how it is going to help you further. They want to know what affect experiences have on you; do you learn from your experiences?
You are providing a judgement on yourself in this prompt by identifying and explaining an experience or trait that is important to you. So it is clear that the admissions committee want to know how you view yourself as a person. They also want to check if you value your leadership abilities or your determination in overcoming obstacles and challenges. Everybody is unique in themselves. You may have more than one important trait, but through this prompt you are telling the college about the most significant one along with supporting reasons.
What kind of topics can be included?
This is a broad topic for which the content can vary greatly from one student to another. After all everybody is unique in their background and qualities and more importantly in their judgement of themselves in the setting of those backgrounds and qualities. You could write about almost anything for this prompt: an unusual interest or hobby, a part of story related to your family, or an event that changed you for the rest of your life. Beware; you can end up being vague in such topics. Be as much specific as possible. You cannot tell everything you have to tell, so being succinct is important.
Choosing a topic is in your hand; it can be light or serious or funny, but needs to be unique in itself. Keep in mind that this prompt is to reveal the inner qualities of yours.
What should you avoid?
Be careful not to end up writing a resume with a list of achievements that you are proud of. Your answer to the prompt needs to add something to the rest of your application. So avoiding something you have already mentioned and giving space to newer topics is important here. You might repeat a topic if you have a completely unique view on it.
Try avoiding broad and generic topics on which any other student could write; this is your story. One way to avoid this problem is to be very specific. Playing guitar can be a topic, but a very generic one. But, remaking a totally broken guitar because you wanted to play it is more specific. You can be more specific than I just mentioned. First of all, you need to be you.