<p>Does any one besides me wonder how carefully most essays are even read? With all the hype about the increase in applications, I imagine lots of essays just being skimmed. I know colleges hire extra readers, but still… 15,000 20,000+ essays. Can’t help wondering how much attention they really get.</p>
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<p>I have two of these kids. They’re thinkers. They stink at limited time writing assignments, a la the SAT. But, give them a few weeks to let it simmer and time to revise their drafts a few times (as in application essays) and their writing is quite good.</p>
<p>I sure hope colleges are not going to take a pass on the thinkers. What a waste that would be… :/</p>
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I can’t speak for all schools, but we read everything. Sometimes it’s hard to get through them when you know that a great essay isn’t going to make the applicant competitive in your pool, but they’re often quite enjoyable (when you aren’t reading your 1000th essay about The Kite Runner). </p>
<p>I’ve been reading since 7 AM this morning, took an hour break to take CavDog out for some playtime and get a bite to eat, and expect to be sitting in this spot reading until midnight. This is the routine for most days during reading season. </p>
<p>FWIW, I’ve never heard anyone use the term DDI. The author doesn’t say where it came from, but my suspicion is that one of the many officers he interviewed used the term and he decided it was common.</p>
<p>I don’t question all great essays. I’ve found myself questioning great essays that aren’t accompanied by any hint (in recs or ECs) of the student being a good writer elsewhere.</p>
<p>student615: that link is priceless; thank you</p>
<p>There was a link with the online version of this article to the UVA admissions website, where they talk about “good” and “bad” essays. The sample “bad” essay reeks of vocab words that aren’t neccessary, and is so esoteric as to be almost unreadable. NO 17 year old who knows how to write would write it. The good essay is very descriptive - sight, sound, smell - beautifully written, again NOT typical of a 17 year old but believable from an excellent writer (and better than what 90% of adults could write).</p>
<p>Those of you who think their kids are such good writers that the adcom will think a parent wrote their essay, don’t worry - if your kid is truly a good writer their essay won’t sound like the “bad” example. Using the occasional SAT word or having a rich vocabulary is believable - using a dozen of them in a single paragraph is obviously coached (and poorly coached, at that).</p>
<p>But what if they write with really high diction but do it well? Use lots of “complicated” words–well?</p>
<p>^ Then the essay will likely read smoothly enough not to raise any eyebrows. Or perhaps the “complicated” words will occur within an essay that has a distinctly adolescent topic, humor, ‘voice’, or whatever else. And if there is trouble, then the strong writing/vocab may show through elsewhere in the application, or be supported by high English grades, writing-related EC’s, a recommendation from an English teacher (or anyone who knows the student’s writing), a particularly eloquent interview, or–if there’s really a lot of doubt–a call to the high school. </p>
<p>I really don’t think this should be worrying anyone, including the very best young writers. At this point in time, all it means is that schools are being cautious. In the midst of college application madness, they’re trying not to reward cheaters. The article gives no real reason to believe that the wrong group is being punished. On the contrary, it goes to pretty great lengths to show that schools want (and are working) to avoid that risk.</p>
<p>Think of it this way: If the article focused on a new ‘trend’ of hiring professional essay writers to ghostwrite application essays, we’d be upset at any unfair edge given to these students. We might be asking “But can’t the schools tell if a poor student with a terrible Writing SAT score and low English grades suddenly comes through with a publication-worthy personal statement?!”</p>
<p>We can’t have it both ways… :p</p>