<p>Who would like to read my columbia essay? Preferably someone from columbia! It is about being biracial - half chinese, half pakistani.</p>
<p>I'm not from Columbia (god, I wish :D) but I'd like to read it. I pride myself on being good at churning out solid but distinctive essays. PM me, if you'd like.</p>
<p>I'm not applying TO columbia, but I'm applying to schools like Columbia. And plus, I'm american indian, so I can probably relate and give you honest advice. PM me if you like.</p>
<p>I can help give some suggestions too.</p>
<p>i'd love to read it. pm me.</p>
<p>yea i'd love to help critique</p>
<p>I just got into Columbia and I'd love to read it. Also, PM columbia2002 and ask if he/she will be willing to read it.</p>
<p>I'm not sure somebody from Columbia -- even a teacher -- would be able to give you very good advice about it. Just, if it's brilliant, that'll show no matter who looks at it. Anyway, my dad teaches there, and he's still totally out of it when it comes to admissions. I don't even ask him about admissions advice for anywhere. He himself went to Harvard undergrad and still doesn't seem to understand the "tens of thousands of people would give up vital organs to be there" issue -- chastised me for saying it'd be a miracle if I got in. Hell, it's a miracle if anyone gets in.</p>
<p>Just because somebody is from a school doesn't mean they know what the admissions peeps want. </p>
<p>My advice:</p>
<p>1) Write until you feel like you've torn out part of yourself and discovered something new under that.
2) Take out every word that does not have a purpose. As whatsisname said, put every word on trial for its life.
3) Spend like three or four days just reading truly great personal essays in ALL of your free time. There are a few great ones in the current issue of The American Scholar (particularly the one by Emily Bernard imo; also the one by Nick Bromell), or you could buy that "Best American Essays of 2006" book. Yours will have to be shorter than theirs, but still. It gives you a feel for what great essays can be.
4) Kill your little darlings. Like if you think a particular phrase is unusual and impressive, it should probably go. Sacrifice fake originality at the altar of sincerity.</p>
<p>pm it over</p>
<p>ur essay seems interesting. PM over to me. i will read.</p>
<p>i'm in. pm it. i got deferred from columbia.</p>