<p>As far as the UVa essays not seeming like a kid wrote them - I know many 17 yr olds who have an extremely mature writing style that surpasses the ability of most adults. It's really kind of silly to think that at 17, it's impossible (or even unlikely) to develop such a talent. 17 yr olds often read the same literature adults do, and have been since very young ages...ample time for the brightest to become very proficient and adult-sounding. Looking at the work of my peers (of course, many of them are going to Harvard, etc.), those essays don't seem unrealistic.</p>