<p>Hi guys, I'm applying to a few selective colleges and I recently encountered a huge problem with my writing style. </p>
<p>My writing is extremely excessive and superfluous; think: "Jane-Austen-1800s-type-writing"
I know that college essays need to be concise, especially as college admissions people are reading through thousands of these and thus don't have the mental presence to decipher cryptic walls of "Plato-like" text.
The problem is though, that that is how I write; that IS my style. Like they say "write like a high schooler, not a term paper" in order to maximize genuineness and make sure that they can hear your voice, but that IS my voice (to my knowledge) and anything LESS seems almost disingenuous and fake, like I'm dumbing myself down to adhere to this sort of perception of what a high schooler SHOULD be.</p>
<p>There are plenty of people applying to these schools that are as smart as me, and many that are even smarter, so I feel like one of my greatest advantages over anyone else is the ability to introspect and philosophize and then convey these musings on paper in a way that's eloquent and nuanced.</p>
<p>But my editor says, and I agree with him, that it appears pretentious, and it's too difficult for a rushed admissions officer to decipher by skimming.</p>
<p>How should I proceed now? How do I really find my writing voice, and what course of action is best recommended?</p>
<p>I know I need to fix my style for the purposes of college essay writing, but how would I go about doing this while still showcasing my biggest talent (nuanced essay writing)?</p>