<p>Which do you guys think would make me a stronger candidate for Cornell RD: an upbeat essay about my curiosity/exchange trip/interest in other cultures OR more of an emotional essay about my mom being my role model, and how hard she worked in order for me to have a good education and opportunities?</p>
<p>Any help is appreciated, come on guys.</p>
<p>write both and see which one is more successful to show what you are trying to get across</p>
<p>First off, thanks so much for your response. I agree with you that I should send the better one, but I was just thinking that the essay about my mom, although very personal and real to me, might make me one-dimensional. My counselor wrote about me overcoming difficulties to get good grades, so I was thinking maybe if I stress too much the fact that my mom and I went through a lot of stuff to get where we are today it might make me whiny and annoying. In addition, that would contradict my counselor’s rec, because he said I’m not a complainer, lol. The other essay I wrote makes me sound very happy-go-lucky, interested in new experiences, and brave but the material may not be as powerful. </p>
<p>I can’t decide!</p>
<p>If you choose to write the essay about your mom, make sure you include how she has influenced you (not just her efforts) and how you use the lessons you’ve learnt from her in your life. I guess you should focus more on the positives.
If you want to write about your trip, maybe you could choose a single experience that you had during that trip that has some significance to you or how the trip has moulded you as a person or further fueled an interest. Remember to focus on the reaction, not the action. Hope that helped :)</p>
<p>@bluemenon</p>
<p>That has definitely helped. “Focus on the reaction” is really good advice! Thanks for that! By saying focus on the positive do you mean I should go ahead and use my happy-go-lucky essay?</p>
<p>not necessarily…you can make a positive spin out of a more serious situation, depending on how you write it</p>
<p>You need a bit of balance with your essays. For now, lets just put off your counselor’s rec.</p>
<p>I’m assuming you’re talking about your essay for the specific college that you’re applying to here. You should have a look at your common app essay and your short answer. You’d want those two pieces to complement your college essay. So if they are cheery, go with the one about your mom. If they’re more serious, go with the more upbeat option.</p>
<p>If you’re still unsure, how about both? If you can, use one for your common app essay and the other for your college essay.</p>
<p>@cernan</p>
<p>No, I’m actually talking about my common app essay. My specific college essay is done, and I think it’s pretty good. It gives off a bit of dreamer vibe. I talked about my interest in my major and how I already know what I want to do with it. I also talked about Cornell being the perfect place to study what I want to study and gave specific examples of why I admire it. It definitely shows excitement and eagerness to learn.</p>
<p>@everybody</p>
<p>Thanks so much for your input, it means a lot.</p>