<p>As mentioned in another thread, my daughter will be applying to some top (but probably not Ivy) schools this fall for 2008 matriculation. </p>
<p>I am wondering about the essays. Is it ethical to have someone review (but not write or even re-write) it? Are there services that do this? I am sure that the colleges are smart enough to sniff out an essay that was not really the student's work, in most cases. So I am NOT suggesting that. But I am wondering if there are any nuances to the essay that we may be missing and need to know about.</p>
<p>It is quite ethical, and it is often done by teachers. We parents on CC also can help (hint, hint).</p>
<p>At our HS the essay is part of the senior English class first term writing assignments. It goes through all the writing stages, peer reviews and teacher reviews.</p>
<p>Here's an excerpt from Stanford's website regarding writing essays and getting help with essays. Most schools and admin officers provide similar advice:</p>
<p>"Remember: In reading all of your writing, we want to hear your individual voice. Write essays that reflect who you are; use specific concrete details and write in a natural style. Begin work on these essays early, and feel free to ask your parents, teachers, and friends to provide constructive feedback. When you ask for feedback on an essay draft, ask if the essay's tone sounds like your voice. It should. Your parents, teachers, and friends know you better than anyone else. If they do not believe that your essay captures who you are, how you write, or what you believe, surely we will be unable to recognize what is most distinctive about you. While securing feedback is suggested, you should not enlist hired assistance in the writing of your essays."</p>
<p><a href="http://www.stanford.edu/dept/uga/applying/1_2e2_essay.html%5B/url%5D">http://www.stanford.edu/dept/uga/applying/1_2e2_essay.html</a></p>
<p>Here is a recent personal experience that may or may not shed some small light: I teach writing to the gifted. One of my students had an ACT tutor who apparently drums up business by telling her clients at the start that their writing is terrible and will get their applications tossed in the trash. I know this to be untrue in his case because he has been in my course and is a good writer who has recently won a national essay contest (with a monetary award, to boot). I have volunteered to read and critique (NOT rewrite) his essays for nothing because I think he has been abused by this "tutor." She led him to doubt himself terribly.</p>
<p>I have no way of knowing how many such people are out there, but it seems clear that this one is an example of what is to be avoided. It never occurred to me before he told me about what had happened to him that this COULD happen. Just know that it can and be watchful.</p>
<p>I've reached the conclusion that in many cases, parents and students alike will be better off if we trade around the essays instead of doing the hard edits on our own children.
In other words, I've offered to edit the essays of a friend's child, and she's offered to edit the essays of my child.
Seems like a good plan. But now we need deadlines. Like Aug. 15.</p>
<p>I read my son's and found one typo. I didn't really trust myself to be objective on anything else. His GC sent it around to a few teachers and a college admissions person he knew. No one suggested any changes. I agree with others that it's not necessary to hire someone to help with this and it can be detrimental if the "helper" hijacks the tone.</p>
<p>This is what someone I know did with her son, whom she described as a great writer, she herself is a professional editor:
brainstormed possible topics; discussed what traits he wanted to highlight in the essay about himself.
When the essay was written, she read it over for typos. She also queried some parts of the essay :"is it what you want to convey?" "Is this the right choice of word?"</p>
<p>Good thoughts, marite.
Perhaps the most valuable role for a parent or mentor is a Socratic one, in everyday life, looking for those moments and stories that define a young person and getting the young person to reflect on them and consider them for essay topics.
While my kid sometimes bridles at my "Why do feel so strongly about blah," questions, I hope they help her think and verbalize. And I try to balance those questions with statements like, "I'm proud of the story that others tell about your skill at blah." I'm sure I don't do that enough though.
I'm thinking that Socrates was teaching a bunch of 17-year-olds. There are reasons probing questions work better at this age, rather than out-and-out rules or "You should...." statements. If only I could remember that all the time...</p>