<p>I'm applying to a lot of colleges that have "optional essay" in their Common App Supplements... and I really don't have anything to write about. I doubt that it would make a significant difference but I just want to make sure before I submit my app...</p>
<p>Thanks!</p>
<p>I heard that since they are “optional” they aren’t a requirement (obviously) but colleges would prefer if you submit an essay, and you’d probably have a better chance of getting into the college if you submit the essay.</p>
<p>Optional essays can end up not being very optional at all, especially at schools where interest is very important.</p>
<p>If you want to go to the school, you will probably write those essays. Not writing them shows you don’t really want to go there.</p>
<p>Which colleges have optional essays?</p>
<p>UPenn which says that it is “Truly optional”, which sounds as if it really has only a slight impact on your chances of admission.</p>
<p>sanguinity is right; the “optional” essay is usually the most important one! A lot of selective colleges are inundated with apps from kids that like the buzz associated with that college but care little about it. For the adcoms, this is a two-edged sword. On the one hand they love the flood of applicants; not only does it bring money into the admissions dept, but it gives them the selectivity they crave when they can reject more kids. On the other hand, they have a vested interest in ferreting out those kids that really want to go to that school, as opposed to those looking for any top-20 US News school. The optional essay is the perfect vehicle; those kids with little interest in that school in particular will skip it since it’s “optional” and they don’t want to spend the the effort figuring out something to write about. Those with some interest will at least write an essay, but the writing and thought devoted to it clearly won’t be on par with their other essays. And those who really want the school will realize this is their chance to show the adcoms they want in, often turning in a better “optional” essay than the required ones.</p>
<p>Look up “signaling” in economics if you want more understanding of what’s going on here.</p>
<p>If a question states:
Is that a truly optional question? What if we have nothing further to discuss?</p>
<p>Anything “optional” is never optional…it’s a clear measure of motivation and interest.</p>
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<p>So you are suggesting filling the common app Additional Information box with as much as possible?</p>
<p>a UPENN rep told the kids in my school (which has a very good penn relationship) that he would prefer not to read it.
I aint doing it!</p>