EEK! 7 days to write essays!

College Essays
1

Time is a-ticking, and I am applying to the following schools:

Yale
Brown
Harvard
Stanford
UChicago
Georgetown

All my schools are ‘reaches’ as I am an international student, and considering fees, distance, etc, it just made more sense to make the U.S my ‘reach’ bucket (to my parents anyway, I would of had it differently.

I’m in the IB program and have also just finished applications to Oxford, so have had little time to write essays. I’ve been gnawing through them, and have 6 supplements left (4 of them started, 2x 250 prompts, 3 x 150 prompt and 1x 50 prompt). I also have my common app to do, and my Harvard optional essay.

Therefore, this is my plan:

TUESDAY - SUPPLEMENTS WRITTEN
WEDNESDAY - SUPPLEMENT EDITING (THIS IS 1000000% NECESSARY)
THURSDAY - SUPPLEMENT EDITING (^^, I believe but I’ll try to push it )
FRIDAY - COMMON APP
SATURDAY - COMMON APP
SUNDAY - COMMON APP
MONDAY - HARVARD + SUBMIT
TUESDAY (I’m keeping this as an emergency day j in case for any apps on the 2nd of Jan deadline, but DO NOT want to be using it)

SO HERE’S THE KEY QUESTION: DOES THIS SEEM ACHIEVABLE?

Is 3 days enough to write my common app? I’m a strong writer and very good at story telling. The common app has already been planned and is on my identity, my mother’s suppression of her Burmese heritage and the impact of having a stay-at-home father (but obviously, all in relation to how it’s impacted me, of course).

The Harvard essay will either be an expanded version of my favourite supplement (within means), on something more intellectual and my growth in a particular activity (MUN, I got best delegate in my 2nd conference, went from making one speech to leading my high school’s advanced club and middle school club in a year) or an essay on a book I wrote aged 4 called “The Shark Who was afraid of water”, which defines me quite well.

Please help - I am panicking!

2

I know one day is tight for Harvard and will push if I can but I don’t see another way around it - particularly if i can just expand on another of my supplements. When I mention the HARVARD essay, I mean the optional one! All supplements (extracurricular, etc) are already written :slight_smile:

So one day for the optional harvard essay

3

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4

achievable? yes.
a bit foolish? yes.

if the three days you have saved for your common application essay include editing, reviewing, and rewriting, then it may be enough time, but you are pushing it. i did the same thing last year (ended up taking a gap year), and it was disastrous. i’m not meaning to sound pessimistic, just realistic. it seems like you have everything planned accordingly, so i’m rooting for you! now, get to writing those supplements. :slight_smile:

5

your Oxford application went in more than 2 months ago, so not exactly “just finished”. Just sayin’

6

Stop writing here on College Confidential and get to work. No amount of reassurance here is going to make a difference. You have a short amount of time left, it is what it is. Good luck.

7

Get off College Confidential and start writing your essays.

Being here is just another stall. You’ve had exactly the same amount of time as every other applicant, and your essays need to be every bit as polished and compelling as theirs.

Get going, and good luck.