<p>I decided where to apply partly based on how easy the supplements are.
I really wanted to, for example, apply to Penn and Claremont… but their applications were awful.
I didn’t like Carnegie Mellon’s… so I didn’t apply there.
I didn’t like that Dartmouth required a friend recommendation… so I didn’t finish my app there</p>
<p>On the other hand, Harvard’s nice and simple supplement pushed me over the edge, and led me to apply there
Same with Vandy, Wash USTL, BC, and SCU</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Crazy U? I loved that book, it made me laugh out loud a lot.</p>
<p>I dropped NYU because of the essays and the stories of terrible financial aid.</p>
<p>^^^^ I dropped NYU based on horrible financial aid as well. Initially it was one of my top choices, and still probably would be. Their disgraceful offers for middle class students just wasn’t going to cut it.</p>
<p>I’m gonna take a stab at it and say that most people, myself included, didn’t apply to a college solely on the essay reason. For me, yeah, I didn’t feel like wasting time doing essays that were either long, vague, or downright uninteresting. But afterwards, I considered the cost of each application, the realistic probability of actually being accepted into my “elite” colleges, and the time I could use to do other activities, study, or relax. I ended up applying to only one college, and t’was well worth it.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Oops. Sorry. Yes, Crazy U.</p>
<p>I kind of had that issue with UNC-Chapel Hill. They were already low on my list and once i saw how many more supplement essay I’d have to write…I just said “forget it”</p>
<p>I didn’t do UChicago’s app because of their supplement. I still think it’s a great school, and I think their essays should remain that way because they help match the “true fits” of UChicago. When I think of UChicago, I think of students who happily write those essays while pondering on philosophical matters(I’m sorry if I stereotype UChicago students here :)) On Dec 31st, I didn’t have time for all that.</p>
<p>The most tedious were Elon’s. It’s like they had these essays to show that they were playing with the big boys or at least nudging against Wake Forest down the road. But seriously: it’s Elon! Not exactly a household name.</p>
<p>S had an opportunity to apply to Columbia late, which he had interest in, but then looked at their supplement and passed. The questions/essays were interesting, but it was just too much to do.</p>
<p>Although UNC and UVA had essays, my view is that, as state schools who are used to being stat-driven, I truly doubt anyone there spent much time on the essay at all. This seems to be confirmed by the EA threads posting results for both schools. I’m not seeing there many “reach” kids – the stats are uniformly fairly excellent (at least OOS). Sadly, at UVA, you get stuck with the over-achieving failed Ivy Northern VA kids; at UNC, you get the kids who are, well, from North Carolina.</p>
<p>placido240 wrote:
</p>
<p>NC law states that at least 82% of the students in each freshman class at UNC must be North Carolina residents. Yet, amazingly, given the severe handicap this presents in placido240’s mind, UNC CH is consistently ranked in the top 5 public universities in the nation. </p>
<p>I’m not sure how placido240 can possibly have become offended by an entire state, but regardless of the cause, his statement was unhelpful, illogical and rude.</p>
<p>A student, that I was assisting in applying to college, dropped NYY, Columbia and Syracuse. Mostly because of the extra essays. (But wow- Wake Forest appears a clear “loser” in this particular regard from the posts up thread.)</p>
<p>Ditto on Wake - my DS dropped Wake Forest from his list because of the essays. It’s a good first filter to gauge interest and commitment to a school and to narrow your list - he happily completed many essays for other schools.</p>
<p>Daughter #1 did not apply to Bryn Mawr because in addition to their regular requirements for all applicants (Common Ap, Supplemental Essay, SAT + 2 Subject Tests, etc.), they require that homeschoolers submit a research paper with evaluator notes! Homeschoolers must also submit yet another essay and are required to interview with admissions staff, whereas for all other applicants, an interview is merely suggested. </p>
<p>Daughter #2 will not apply for the same reasons. Both daughters have/had excellent PSAT (National Merit), ACT, and SAT scores, in addition to dual enrollment credit with excellent outside recommendations. Daughter #2 has also won 2 national writing awards. We can understand the “why did you choose homeschooling” essay, but a research paper??</p>
<p>I think Wake has six essays. Elon maybe also six or seven. Most are on the intellectual level of if you were a wasp, who would sting? Basically useless. But, they have figured out how to avoid being a safety school, at least.</p>
<p>My kids didn’t choose based on essays, but they did apply in the order of least to most time-consuming essays. For my son, that meant that he never completed the Penn app because he heard back from his EA school before finishing with Penn.</p>
<p>On the other hand, Harvard’s application was so easy that my D finished it right after her EA app, and had a Harvard interview before hearing back from the EA school.</p>
<p>Placido: wake up on the wrong side of the bed?..yes, Elon has their essays to ensure that the students really want to be there; enough said…</p>
<p>Very surprised at the number of Wake responses; I guess a top 25 ranking is not all its cracked up to be when there are many other choices without onerous essays…</p>
<p>My s was half way through his app at CMC and was working on the additional essays when his first acceptance came in with a nice scholarship. So poor CMC was dead inthe water They emailed him several times to ask if he was going to finish his application. Npe. He.was.done.</p>
<p>rodney: In my daughter’s case, it wasn’t the number of essays for Wake. She turned out well-written essays very easily. It was the prompt, which she saw as reflecting a kind of “we’re so great” attitude. It totally turned her off.</p>
<p>Nothing against Wake Forest here. I just think that they had a really bad prompt.</p>