Asking help for graduate school application essay

I am in the process of applying to graduate schools for a Master's in Social Work, and am struggling with my autobiographical statement. In it, I am being asked to discuss a social issue that I find important and about which I am interested and passionate. My question is: I am thinking about discussing how turning our heads to our leaders' war crimes (or injustices like indefinite detention) tears at the fabric of our society (in the United States) and causes a general breakdown in empathy and compassion, and can have ramifications leading us to treat "others" in our society with contempt, or a lack of empathy. Another option for the essay is to focus on how our continued militarism and war on terror is zapping our country's resources to help those in need. It may not make sense as I have just written it - but these are topics that I feel strongly about. Or I could instead just write a paragraph or two about important issues such as homelessness, etc. So, I would like DUers' opinions as to whether these topics would be considered "social issues" and appropriate for the essay, or would it be too "esoteric". I hope this makes sense. Any opinions would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks you!!!!
Choie. :)

issue you choose, you make an effort to write in a cogent, clear and persuasive manner. As for subject matter itself, I'd go for the latter rather than the former. I think it's easier to make the case that militarism and military adventures abroad, are deleterious to the health and welfare of citizens and society.

This trending clearly shows the rich are getting richer, actually sucking most of the cash out of the "system" that used to be partially available to the people that actually did the work.

the elites have been fucking over working people for a long time and now even being a working person in America with a half way decent job no longer provides enough income to go after even a part of the American dream.

The future of young people today is horrific, thanks to the greed heads of my generation in a position to do what's best for themselves at the expense of 99.5% of the rest of us.

And America needs a hell of a lot of poor people because they serve in the military and the elite no longer have to worry about a draft.

-90% jimmy

Whether it's big-picture or small-picture oriented. I would think MSW programs would focus more on proximate issues, even though the constant issue of not-enough-money is driven by big picture issues.

I'd say focus on why YOU want to go into this field, and what YOU will do to apply what you learn.

The application also requires that I discuss a particular social issue that interests me.

1. Find out about the scholarly interests of the faculty there -- especially the ones whom you might want as a mentor.

2. Write about one of those interests if you think you can master the material.

3. Show the faculty that you have good writing skills and are thoughtful.

4. Talk to someone who successfully entered a MSW program (especially the one you are applying to) about what makes a good MSW essay. Some program probably welcome "political issues" and others less so. In some social sciences programs a political essay would be put on the bottom of the pile.

such as 1, 2, and 3 but of those, the one I feel most strongly about is....

#3 will be a popular issue on a great deal of incoming essays, I would think #1 and 2 would stick out more from the mainstream essay statements. Best of luck!

Using your terms, I would argue that one of the resources being drained by our continued militarism is our capacity for empathy and compassion.

This isn't what you asked, but I would recommend writing more than a few paragraphs in your essay. Paragraph one defines the issue to be discussed. The final paragraph summarizes your key points and identifies solutions, if any, to the proposed problem. You need stuff in between to validate your argument.

I find writing very difficult, and am fearful of being totally inadequate on that count, so your suggestions are very helpful.