I’ve spent the last few weeks writing thousands of draft words for the CA essay, but I feel that I’m just going round in circles not writing anything that I could actually use.
What is the true purpose of the essay - what traits should I implicitly be showing?
And should it be written with one anecdotally described event, and how that impacted me etc. Or, should it be about a broad theme in my life (maybe with a few anecdotes contained within) and how this broad theme has made me who I am etc etc.
Thank you!
You’re writing without knowing the purpose? Or what colleges want to see in you? And you’re interested in Ivies, which expect a purposeful app and supp? This is backwards.
To me, the common app is the single most ridiculous essay one can write (the supplements, even Chicago’s eccentric ones, I have no issue with - because THEY MAKE SENSE). It lacks a formally defined ‘correct structure’ yet there appear to be implicit things which top universities wish for you to convey in it. That, to me, is backwards.
If it really was a creative piece showing one unique element of my personality, then sure, I can write a top essay. But, even if they don’t say it (university admissions websites are 99% lies anyway), there are certain personality traits they wish for you to convey, and certain ways of writing seem to be more powerful than others.
Yet every ‘consulting’ service seems to give you a different answer. Hence why I came on here to look for opinions.
Yes, I am applying Ivies, and I think that my grades, ECs, and personality matches a few of the schools (Princeton and Penn notably). Whilst I know some consideration is made for int’l (UK) students who are acquainted with writing slightly more formal and sensical pieces, I still hope to have a “good” common app.
Of course it involves no " formally defined 'correct structure." Its not a graded hs assignment. In fact, for tippy tops, of course one needs to be able to translate what the colleges say and show. They want this ability. It reflects thinking and thinking skills more than bemoaning the lack of some formal instruction set.
If you have researched your targets and processed, you have a better idea what they want to see, what traits or attributes. Of course consulting services say whatever they want. Their business is selling their services. Most have no direct admissions experience, nor the special insight they claim. Most have not slogged through thousands of apps/supps/essays, at the colleges.
You could write about one aspect of your personality. But it needs to be relevant to what they look for, at tippy tops. Do you understand some of the attributes they do seek?
All the CC talk about “being yourself” is useless without some understanding. And far too many applicants claim they have the ECs without knowing what matters. I know this is a challenge. But we’re talking TTs, their higher level of expectations and the immense competition from kids who do “get it.”