<p>CMU asks me to list 4 books I've read this year. Though I have read some classics which are of strong literary merit, I also read books such as the Twilight series (still awesome, just not classics obviously)</p>
<p>which books should i write down? how do they judge the book lists that they receive?</p>
<p>I think it would be most in your favor to write about books you enjoyed that tell something about you. Maybe I’m wrong, but I think a college would prefer to hear about your favorite book and how it affected you than some cookie-cutter answer about Of Mice And Men that everyone in the country reads for school.</p>
<p>oh, also…when it asks for a list of 4 books, is it really just 1.book-author, 2.book-author, etc., or is it supposed to include descriptions as well?</p>
<p>I think the question is trying to see where your academic interests lie outside of school. To that end, I’d avoid something like Twilight or Harry Potter, which everyone in the country also reads (well maybe not Twilight). Of Mice and Men isn’t exactly cookie-cutter, but it is relatively common compared to some other classics. It’d be best if you read works of literary merit that were not required for school, which is what colleges want.</p>
<p>At a Columbia info session, the admissions officer specifically stated that colleges don’t want to see stuff like Harry Potter because they don’t really show academic interests.</p>
<p>this is a quick example, but how about something like “The Road” by Cormac Mccarthy? not a book to read in school, but is a recognized book of literary merit that I read for pleasure.</p>
<p>I’d say The Road is acceptable (it sure is better than using Twilight on your list). That being said, The Road was insanely depressing, albeit a bit cathartic. But if you really liked it, then go ahead and use it.</p>
<p>I guess I’m just confused about what book I should use. :(</p>
<p>Its not a big deal at all, nothing you put is going to make or break an application. Honestly, just put the 4 books you enjoyed the most. I remember putting a sci-fi book, a murder mystery, and a history book on one application, just because those were the best books I had read over the summer. Don’t stress about it too much.</p>