Essay Inspiration and Teacher Recs.

Prep School Admissions
1

<p>I’m just going to kill 2 birds with one stone here, well 3 birds, actually, by asking 3 questions in one thread :slight_smile:

  1. How did you find your inspiration to write your essay? I’m feeling rather annoyed at mine. I’ve got a very inconvenient case of writers block. My topic is the generic “Life changing person/experience” and my experience is joining my first swim team. I’m 3/4 done but I’m not to happy with it. Also, is it a good idea to tie in academics? Academics don’t really have a place in my essay but I suppose I could force them to fit. Schools want to hear about academics 1st and foremost, correct? Is it a good idea to do so even if its unnatural?</p>

<li><p>How do teacher recs work? I’m applying to a total of 5 or 6 schools (all of which take the common application). Do they hand them back to me so I can make photocopies? Do I see them before they send them off? Do they need to fill out 5 or 6 identical but separate recommendations? What if one of my teachers refuses to do it?</p></li>
<li><p>SSAT scores. This is more specific. Is an 82% overall enough to compete for a spot at Lawrenceville for 10th grade? Do schools take SSAT schools into account more then they would take grades or EC’s into account?</p></li>
</ol>

2

<p>You are on your own for #1.</p>

<h1>2. You should have given a postage paid addressed envelope for each school that you are applying along with the rec form. The teacher then can copy the rec and send them. Some school's guidance office will do the actual sending but the rec should not go back to you.</h1>

<h1>3. Discussed many times. IMO EC's are far more important. The SSAT will only knock you out if it is too low. I think an 82% will not automatically exclude you, it will depend on your EC's, grades, Recs ect...</h1>

<p>Others who know more can correct me.</p>

3

<p>When you write an essay and someone you know very well reads it and says, "That's crickett234 to the max!" then you've written a great essay. If it captures who you are and "sounds" like you, it's an excellent essay...regardless of what you talk about.</p>