<p>Would anyone like to read my optional essay? I will read theirs in exchange.</p>
<p>Share your essay with a teacher that knows you well. Ask them: “Does this sound like me?” “Does this essay convey who I am?” If they answer yes, then you nailed it. Asking random strangers what they think of your essay is a complete waste of time and energy because they don’t know the human being behind the words. Best of luck to you.</p>
<p>Well, admissions officers are, in essence, strangers, so I don’t see the validity in your argument, Gibby. However, I think trusting the judgement of people on CC is a bad idea for other reasons… </p>
<p>Sent from my HTC VLE_U using CC</p>
<p>^^ Yes, Admissions Officers are total strangers. However, they are reading student essays to get a better sense of an applicant’s “character.” That’s an old fashioned word, it means the way you develop your inner qualities: intellectual passion, maturity, social conscience, concern for community, tolerance, inclusiveness and love of learning. </p>
<p>Strangers, who don’t know you, cannot give you an opinion of whether your essay has revealed who you are. It’s been my experience that giving your essay to ten, twenty or fifty strangers only results in ten, twenty or fifty different opinions – all of them not be as helpful as showing your essay to someone that knows you well.</p>
<p>It’s also not wise to share your essays on CC because another applicant could inadvertently, or on purpose, steal your idea or concept and use it in their essay.</p>
<p>But, angelsndemons is welcome to ignore my advice and do as s/he pleases.</p>
<p>If I may - strangers cannot give an opinion as to whether an essay has shown the writer’s character, but they can give an opinion as to what character is projected by the essay. Surely that is the important thing.</p>
<p>". . . but they can give an opinion as to what character is projected by the essay. Surely that is the important thing."</p>
<p>While that is true, sometimes the character projected in an essay is not the same as the character portrayed in a teacher recommendation or guidance counselor report. Which is why I recommended that the OP show her essay to a teacher. Preferably, the OP should show the essay to a teacher that is writing his or her recommendation letter, as Admissions Officers look for a teacher to reinforce and confirm the “character” projected in a student’s essay.</p>
<p>Yeah, the application should be consistent, agreed.</p>
<p>This just isn’t like a peer review in a hs class. The college’s adult, experienced adcoms and reviewers will be judging your essay, NOT another hs kid who hasn’t even hit the submit button yet.</p>
<p>Since you posted this on the H forum: some of what Gibby calls “character” includes the savvy to seek the appropriate help.</p>
<p>^^ and angelsndemons, that’s why your opinion on someone else’s essay is equally worthless. Nice to offer but lookingforward has sage advice for you.</p>