Hi everyone! I’m applying to ECU, and I have to admit it’s one of my safeties. My stats are above their average (29 ACT, 1940 old SAT score, 3.95 unweighted GPA), and I also have a lot of good EC’s (editor of school newspaper, officer in two clubs, interned at town newspaper, restaurant job, etc). I was hoping the ECU application would be really easy, and I have come to find there is an ‘optional’ essay.
Is this essay truly optional, or does not writing it show laziness and cause them to look upon you unfavorably? Do I need to write the essay with my stats?
Thanks for anyone who responds!
Anything optional on a college application should be answered. It does sound like ECU is truly a safety school, but I would still do the essay. Good luck!
I agree with the above poster and this goes for a safety school all the way up to your reach – complete everything on applications, even optional items. You want every opportunity to set yourself apart. If Jane and Joan have the identical credentials and Jane did the essay but Joan didn’t, Jane will likely get chosen over Joan. With an applicant pool of over 10K or more at some schools, that scenario probably happens even more than we think. good luck! 