<p>for rpi's 2nd application for the 7-year accelerated med program (the albany medical school application) they ask for two essays. one of which is</p>
<p>Describe yourself (other than scholastic achievements).
(1,000 character limit, including punctuation and spacing)</p>
<p>(both supposed to be written in 1 week)</p>
<p>for the first essay, i wrote in essay format. but for the 2nd essay, i really want to write in a list format because i feel it will describe me that way the best (i really do enjoy writing lists, anyways).</p>
<p>is this too risky? .. i mean, i can make the list clever.</p>
<p>If it's not really in a list format, I would read them as simple sentences making up the entire essay, unless there's some technique used to where the whole sentences evoke a meaning, or in a way that the reader knows you did it on purpose.</p>
<p>If you are going to do "I like... I like... I am... I am... I didn't... I didn't... I will I will..." I would consider it to be a risk that I would not do. Unless the "essay" develops as each sentence is read, I would most likely fall asleep...</p>
<p>It's possible to create an interesting "essay" with this style such as building up an emotional momentum and releasing + exploding it at the end with poignant closure from this buildup, but you have to do some planning, which IMO, is the most difficult part of the writing.</p>
<p>Have you ever read that essay that goes something like:</p>
<p>I have jumped off cliffs.
I have traveled to 134 countries.
I have dug in the tunnels of Egypt.
and more crazy cool stuff, but finally ends with.
But I have not yet gone to college.</p>
<p>It was pretty risky (I think most of the things the person hadn't really done) but it was brilliant and the person got into NYU, full ride.</p>
<p>At the same time, though, be sure that your list-essay is going in a certain direction or conveys something important. Maybe you are original because you love sea-foam green, red toasters, French crossword puzzles, and complicated physics problems, but your best friend is equally original for liking robin's egg blue, purple washing machines, Spanish soap operas, and reading calculus textbooks. My point is that while a list of things that you like and/or enjoy may SEEM original, witty, and quirky to you, many other people could be original, witty, and quirky with a completely different list. </p>
<p>A lot of people warn against any essay that could be sung to the tune of "My Favorite Things" from Sound of Music. However, I think that the list essay CAN be done well if you take into consideration that it all needs to lead somewhere. I think that if you pull it off it will go over really well and be something unique, but just be sure that the list is cohesive and not just a random assortment of things that you like/don't like.</p>
<p>RPI is different from some other schools in that they are not looking so much at your English skills as they are at your potential to do well in their program & contribute to campus life. While they are going to want you to have a good command of the language, they are mainly concerned with the content (not so much your presentation). As long as you give them the info completely and accurately, you should be fine with your list format. You might want to state in your essay that you are presenting it that way BECAUSE you like to make lists --- that is a great insight into your personality & it definitely is a trait a school like RPI would value.</p>
<p>I read a book discussing the same college admissions essay for that NYU guy princessbell mentioned. The book advised against mimicking the style, because supposedly every admissions person has read it. I'd be wary of listing, particularly if it's boring and monotonous, but if you feel like you can manage the task without sounding like a broken record, go for it! :)</p>