<p>Has anyone here wtih some very average stats (2100 SAT, 4.0, the APs and what not)</p>
<p>Yet applied to HYPS or anything of that caliber that really calls for something amazing to be able to be stood out, and wrote an EXTRAORDINARY essay that they think was the reason they got accepted?</p>
<p>I.e. essays that went far and beyond the cliche metamorphosis stories "And from that experience I became a better person..."</p>
<p>Something that was extremely personal that revealed your character, an incredibly embarrassing story or your darkest secrets that show your openness and personality.</p>
<p>On what planet is “(2100 SAT, 4.0, the APs and what not)” ‘very average stats’?</p>
<p>But anyways, you would never really know if you got in solely because of their essays anyways. It’s not like the admissions letter says: “Oh your stats weren’t exceptional, so we let you in JUST because of your essay.” Either way I think the complete application will always be what gets the kid into the school.</p>
<ol>
<li><p>2100 SAT is the 97th percentile. That, by definition, is well above average.</p></li>
<li><p>A 4.0 is an exceptionally high GPA. When unweighted, it can’t get better. Either way, it’s well above average.</p></li>
<li><p>No idea what you mean by “the APs.” It’s not an “I did AP” or “I didn’t do AP” thing.</p></li>
<li><p>They don’t tell you why you were accepted or rejected.</p></li>
<li><p>It’s unlikely that anyone with actually average stats got in unhooked, brilliant essay or not. If your stats aren’t up to scratch, it’s hard to get your foot in the door with the top schools, because they’re worried you can’t handle their academics.</p></li>
<li><p>People with the above-average stats you mentioned get into top schools all the time.</p></li>
<li><p>Please go look up the definition of “average.” Afterwards, please wake up to the reality that below-average on CC is probably still well above average.</p></li>
<li><p>If you still think a 2100 SAT and a 4.0 GPA are bad, please slap yourself. You need a reality check, and fast.</p></li>
</ol>
OP specified PRESTIGIOUS schools. 2100 and 4.0 GPA is pretty typical of HYPS applicants. So we could just take a good question for what it’s worth instead of being a dick about semantics.</p>
<p>I challenge that those are average stats even among a pool of applicants to a prestigious school (score ranges reflect admitted students). I addressed that in my post:</p>
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<p>Further, people with those stats wouldn’t be getting in just on the merits of their essays, as their stats obviously have merits, too. (There’s also the statistical likelihood that those applicants have more going for them than just those stats.)</p>
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<p>Which explains why you neglected to answer the OP’s question.</p>
<p>2100 and 4.0 is “within range” for an Ivy. Now, it’s up to you to craft a compelling app package. No one knows if an essay is ever the sole determining factor, It certainly is one, very important factor. So are LoRs (over which you have nearly no control) and misc elements like geog diversity. </p>
<p>Adcoms, btw, don’t need to know your darkest secrets, your extraordinary metamorphosis- they need to see, in the topic, style, development and conclusions that, in a nutshell, you’ve got the maturity, perspective, insight, flexibility, basic writing skills, etc, etc, that they know helps kids at top colleges succeed. That’s one reason these “awfully revealing” essays can backfire.</p>
<p>No one knows. Even if they think they know, they still don’t know. Even if an adcom told you that your essay was fabulous and the best he ever read, you still don’t know.</p>
<p>Kids with SATs of 2100 and a 4.0 get into prestigious schools all the time. This is because there are a lot more than 4 prestigious schools. How many kids with those stats, but who are otherwise unhooked and don’t have some unusually impressive achievements get into HYPS? Not many. For the few who do, is it because of the essay? Maybe, but no one knows.</p>
<p>Okay, let’s let’s call it the top 20 and rephrase: you can get past many review rounds with 2100 and 4.0, and great writing, LoRs, ECs and rigor. In the end, all sorts of misc needs come into play. IME, the most fabulous essay is only one part of a holistic review. And, you have to realize that the U’s institutional needs form their own sort of unpredictable “hook.” You know if you’re a URM, 1st gen, legacy, athlete, etc. You don’t know how you play in terms of geographical diversity, having some skill that adds to a vibrant campus life, filling seats in a major, etc.</p>
<p>There’s this idea that appears frequently on CC that a really super-duper essay can get an applicant in who is otherwise unexceptional. I find that to be very unlikely. It may be that a really good essay might be what puts somebody over the line, but you’d have to be close to the line already. It’s also possible that information about the applicant appears in the essay and shows that the applicant really is exceptional. But merely a well-written essay, even a superbly written essay, is unlikely to have such a huge effect.
Also, I’ve never understood the point of this: write the best essay you can. Wouldn’t you do that anyway?</p>
<p>While Hunt is correct in that we’ll never know, I’m guessing my kid got in on his essay. His stats were only average for that college and his ECs were weak. GC rec had to be average at best since our GC/student ratio is 600/1. One teacher rec was good; didn’t see the other one. Thus, I’m guessing that the essay/story put him into the pile that said, “I’d like to have this kid for a roomie or in my class.” </p>
<p>fwiw: while on campus 6+ months after acceptance, I sat in a adcom’s preso for prospectives. After the session, I introduced myself to the adcom just to say hello. He asked where I was from, etc., and immediately remembered my son’s essay. This was an adcom that did not cover our region but had randomly been assigned the second reading.</p>
<p>Thanks for the responses. Never expected so much feedback and info from such knowledgeable folks.</p>
<p>I’m just debating with myself on whether to be safe and write a noncontroversial essay (that might be enough to get into UC Berkeley with good stats), or whether to push the limits and write a somewhat extreme essay that might impress Stanford or turn them off immediately: I"m a big fan of evolutionary psychology and the idea of people’s belief of the purpose in life, might dwell into nihilism and the science behind sex (issues of monogamy, what happens to dopamine and its consequences in self-stimulation, etc)</p>
<p>Of course, when sharing my beliefs I would do my best to refrain from sounding like I’m trying to impose them.</p>
<p>However the UC’s have their own app, so I might go on the safe side and go a bit personal and revealing for Stanford and the HYP as the risks are worth it</p>