<p>I really need help. I go to a competitive high school and my parents have hired a college councilor to help me through the process. For my supplements, we talked about what would be good, I send her my draft and she sent it back it with many many many changes. I can't stand the changes. She writes things a high school kid with NEVER write like "how to arrange the rows of merchandise so as to best generate sales." I feel like my essays should have MY voice, not the voice of a 55 year old woman. When I talk to my parents about it they defend her and say she knows whats best but I can't stand it! Its my application and it should be my voice. What are your opinons?</p>
<p>If the admissions officer reads your application and feels it has the “voice” of a 55 year old woman you are sunk. You are entirely correct. An ethical college counselor will not attempt to write your essays and applications for you.</p>
<p>Agree with YaleGradandDad. The issue is how to approach your parents since they obviously think this is ethical (or they don’t care if it’s not). I would make the case to them that you don’t want to be admitted on anything except your own merits. Getting accepted because someone else rewrote your essays to make them sound ‘better’ (in their opinion) would make you feel uncomfortable. I would also argue that although ‘everyone they know may be doing it too,’ that has (hopefully) never been an argument that carried weight in your house and it shouldn’t now. The clincher should be that they should be sufficiently proud of who you are and what you’ve accomplished and your ability to make that case for yourself, to support your decision to use your own voice in an essay.</p>
<p>Sleep on her ideas - you may want to use them as suggestions, but go with your gut</p>
<p>Maybe there is a middle ground - revise the areas she flagged as problems but avoid using her exact words.
I think this is a common problem with paid counselors - they can go too far. I bet some parents expect this kind of service. I believe adcoms will look at the essay on writing portion of the SAT and compare the writing style if they smell something fishy.
My son used his English teacher to help with his essay, good constructive criticism only.</p>
<p>Absolutely do not take this counselor’s suggestions wholesale–and your example of a non-teenage voice is an excellent one. I have had students whose families have hired private counselors in tears with the same problem, saying ‘this isn’t my essay any more.’ It’s true that admissions counselors can detect adult diction. </p>
<p>You are far more at risk of being ‘dinged’ for a phony essay that you are for not being admitted with a sincere and clear essay that is obviously written by an 18-year-old. That might be something that your parents would understand. I like the advice to “sleep on her suggestions and go with your gut”–there may be some mild adaptations you want to make, and certainly do not submit an essay with errors. Good luck to you.</p>
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<p>I quite agree–as long as your voice speaks in standard American English. </p>
<p>“I can’t detect my own voice in this essay any more,” is a complaint that should resonate with both your parents and the paid counselor. If the counselor isn’t willing to work with you on that, then she’s not a good counselor. If your parents aren’t sympathetic, then…well…sorry, that’s really a tough spot to be in.</p>
<p>In the end, you’re the one submitting the apps. My GC also recommended to make changes, some which I abhorred. I made the changes on a draft to make her happy - she was the one writing the rec letter after all. I submitted the one without her suggestions. Sometimes, you just have to pretend to like it… O.o</p>
<p>councilor</p>
<p>Pay attention to her spelling corrections.</p>