<p>I guess I don't understand why the silly essays work. Isn't the point of the essay for the AO's to get to know you, the person behind the applicant? Is it really our job just to keep the AO's awake by writing humorous short stories?</p>
<p>Yes, I read the Harry Bauld book and I understand who the audience is and how they only give each app 2 minutes of their time...but why write about such trivial things as fried dumplings? shoe size? short stature? or some other hair-brained scheme?</p>
<p>Is it better to do that, or write about something you're passionate about that reflects more of who you are? I mean, the goal is getting in...so if that's what it takes! But really, c'mon now, is it our job to keep them awake?</p>
<p>If you write about who you are , not what you are, then your essays will be fine. My first essay was on Crime and Punishment and how it literally changed my life. In the second, I compared myself to House, given one specific criteria. There is a perfect balance between entertaining and passion. </p>
<p>Take the book Dune for example. The book explores the concepts of caste system, discrimination, the mental/moral development out of animal instincts, and many other topics. But you know what? No one would have read it is the novel wasn’t wrapped in a thrilling story.</p>
<p>So, job one, passion. If you are passionate, the entertainment will come.</p>
<p>the thing to remember here is not just that your app only gets 2 minutes but that these schools recieve literally tens of thousands of apps each year, that means that they’ve seen all the gimmicks already. Don’t worry, you can’t get in just by talking about shoe sizes, but if you can entertain WHILE writing about something you’re passionate about, you demonstrate that you are that much better of a writer…
plain silliness doesn’t work…
oh, and side-note, it’s hare-brained, not hair-brained</p>
<p>My commonapp and supplement essays were pretty much pure corniness. There were a couple of “clever” things said here and there, but overall I just spilled my heart out onto the page.</p>
<p>My 150 word commonapp response was rather lighthearted, self-deprecating even. I think it provided a good contrast: I’m passionate, but I don’t take myself too seriously.</p>
<p>My main common app essay was definitely not the stereotypical serious essay. I have read a lot of essays about a family member dying, major medical disorders, and the such. My essay on the other hand was purely lighthearted, mainly because I haven’t done anything REALLY major in my life and haven’t had any traumatic life changing experiences. My essay, however, definitely stands out in a crowd as I would bet that no one else has written about the fact that they have a very embarrassing sock tan. I chose this route because I believed it was my only way to stand out from a group of other 4.0 valedictorians with crazy ACT/ SAT scores.</p>
<p>My common app essay was a serious essay about playing a sport and having an injury, and how I grew from the experience. My Yale supplement, however, used a lot of humor and a sort of creative topic, but did tell a lot about me. I think serious essays can be good when they’re well written and show a new facet of you, but I think it’s a problem when some people take themselves too seriously. If you can talk about something you like to do or tell something important about you and do it creatively or with humor (but not gimmicky), that probably stands to help you more and catch attention to your application. You’ll be fine as long as you talk about something that matters to you or show something about your personality or who you are.</p>