@onceuponamom (re post #4): “Months’ worth of essays . . . I don’t see that.”
Developing unique, compelling, and coherent ideas for two (or more) essays and then writing each articulately, cogently, concisely (the word limits are severe) and with some wit can – and probably should – take months. Doing so, instead of submitting yet another middling, pro forma, trite, and uninspired essay, is absolutely a major competitive admissions plus – one that is likely to distinguish a highly-qualified applicant from a pack of tens-of-thousands of similarly distinguished candidates.
You indicate that you “don’t see” this. I then suggest you attempt to perceive essay evaluation from the reader’s/scorer’s viewpoint of daily drudgery . . . and how refreshing and persuasive a rare “special” essay would be.