<p>I want my son to include an additional essay if school doesn't ask for it - "why I want to go to XYZ College"</p>
<p>Guidance counselor said "absolutely no" - send only the essays that the colleges request.</p>
<p>I am torn as to what to do.</p>
<p>Thanks</p>
<p>I'm still in this process, but I tend to side with the GC. The schools get so many applications that adding essays only adds to their workload. If they cared about "why XYZ college", they'd ask.</p>
<p>To be sure, though, you might want to call the admissions office anonymously and ask if it's OK to send the additional essay.</p>
<p>good idea..............</p>
<p>I'm still new too, but I agree. Don't overwhelm them with too much stuff. It might be possible to convey in one essay, on whatever topic, that your child is a good match for the school.</p>
<p>However .. I've also seen people here recommend sending a "cover letter" with the application, which includes a short paragraph about why xx college. My daughter is writing these for each school. Any thoughts about this approach would be appreciated.</p>
<p>Usually the college's application (or college's supplement to the Common App) will have a short answer question as to why the student wants to apply to XYZ college.</p>
<p>If you really want your kid to write a cover letter or "why I want to go here", keep it to ONE paragraph. If the adcom really wanted to read another essay they'd ask for one.</p>
<p>Some colleges, like Stanford, abhor anything additional. Call the admissions office. If you actually get through to a human being, ask. It cannot hurt.</p>
<p>Many colleges though, including Stanford I think, have a space on their application that they invite you to use for anything additional. (Though the implication is that you use it to explain why you had bad grades sophomore year.)</p>
<p>yup like cornell they basically ask you to write your interest and how it relates to the school you wanted to go to</p>
<p>Writing about why you really wanted to go to Stanford in that last box in the Stanford app would be a misuse of the space. It's meant to explain extenuating circumstances. When I was at Stanford, an admissions rep said that the most common use of the space in the last year was from New Orleans residents explaining that some of their classes were incomplete because their schools were flooded and shut down for weeks.</p>