I think they are fine to use.
Google âHacking the College Essay 2017â and read it.
Write the Essay No One Else Could Write
âIt boils down to this: the essay that gets you in is the essay that no other applicant could write.
Is this a trick? The rest of this guide gives you the best strategies to accomplish this single
most important thing: write the essay no one else could write.
If someone reading your essay gets the feeling some other applicant could have written it,
then youâre in trouble.
Why is this so important? Because most essays sound like they could have been written by
anyone. Remember that most essays fail to do what they should: replace numbers (SAT/GPA) with the real you.
Put yourself in the shoes of an admissions officer. Sheâs got limited time and a stack of
applications. Each application is mostly numbers and other stuff that looks the same. Then she picks
up your essay. Sixty seconds later, what is her impression of you? Will she know something specifically
about you? Or will you still be indistinguishable from the hundreds of other applicants she has been
reading about?â
The million dollar question for me is âDid the essay really work or did the applicant get accepted in spite of the essay or even if the essay was indifferent?â
You go to some websites that says âcollege essays that workedâ or something similar but we really donât know if the essay was the controlling factor that got Suzy into a selective college unless we talk to the adcom directly about this specific studentâs entire application.
Itâs a complex and interesting question but I have a feeling that most accepted students have essays that are very average but the rest of their âbody of workâ, choice of major, and LOR are what got them in. The essay was not the controlling factor.
Occasionally you have a very compelling story like the applicant who was homeless who lived in her car during high school and was ultimately accepted to Harvard.
IMO, for most colleges, the essay is just another data point and not as important as we might think. I remember talking with a UCSB college rep and she said that the essay was 50% of the decision and very important. In reality, GPA, course rigor, and test scores are likely 90% on whether or not they accept you.
May I please repeat that itâs not âthe essay only you could write?â Itâs not picking it up off the floor and saying, wow, Johnnyâs college personal statement. If only you would write about something your dog did or some lower school experience or how you hide in the attic or hate your little brotherâŠnone of those are what they look for. They arenât relevant, wonât edge you along. Despite being âyou.â
For very top colleges, most kids write so-so essays. And most kids do not get an admit.
I had this struggle with my son too. I agree with you
Anyone recommend any college that considers essays more important than anything else?
@Herpzlord This might be best handled in a new thread to get specific lists. But in general:
- Some colleges pride themselves on unusual questions (check out UChicago). They are very interested in the essay. But they also expect the âfull packageâ. A great essay wonât overcome bad stats there.
- You can bump your chances a little with a great essay at any college that says they have holistic admissions. It can give you an edge over other similar applicants. But it wonât vault you into a new tier of consideration. #1 question a college has is: âCan you succeed academically there?â You still need to pass that hurdle. You need to apply to colleges that match your stats.
- Be sure to complete any optional or supplemental essays.
@intparent Thank you so much for your advice.
@Herpzlord, Bard has an alternative application thatâs entirely essay based.
http://www.bard.edu/bardexam/
@Sue22 Wow thank you for the information
I agree
Only way to know essays made a significant difference is if the adcom tells you so, or at an accepted students gathering, they mention your essay as one of the impactful essays, i.e., that stood out to them. Even then, who knows?
The common data set of almost every college lists how much importance a given college places on the essay. A bad essay at a college that considers them âvery importantâ can be a decisive factor in denial. A great essay at that same college might outweigh other factors. And there have been quite a few stories here on CC whereby a student has received a personal note saying the essay was memorable, etc⊠If you get in despite some weaker points in your app, it could well be that the essay made the difference.
@Herpzlord - William and Mary is known to value the essay highly, and likes quirky, different submissions. I wonât necessarily leapfrog a student who is academically unqualified, but will allow a talented writer to demonstrate their âuniquenessâ.
I am not sure being the great writer is a prerequisite to writing great college essays. Some kids write book essays beautifully but have a hard time writing about themselves.
I also would encourage any young person, if they are going to include any info about mental health to include how their adherence to professional guidance improved their personal trajectory toward stabilization of any condition. Leading then, to continue on toward education and a future secure professional occupation.
My oldest was a pretty good writer for an engineer, but found the personal essay excruciating. In the end he began the essay with his favorite procrastination technique which was writing a program that would write the essay for him. He started the essay with a paragraph the program âwroteâ. My other kid wrote about how he started folding origami so he wouldnât fall asleep in AP Bio, but then he kept going with it. I think their essays showed intellectual vitality, a willingness to teach themselves things they werenât getting in a classic curriculum and a sense of humor.
Donât forget you want to be likable, and you want to seem like someone who would add to the intellectual climate of the school.
I think @mathmom gave some really good advice. I would encourage everyone to be personal (on at least some level) with their essays and honest.
Hey guys, Iâm a student whoâll be applying later this year. Iâve religiously gone through this thread and had a question about my current essay.
Iâm currently writing about something thatâs an integral part of who I am. If I had to pitch myself to an AO or really anyone in an academic context, the thing Iâm writing about would 100% be present. However, I feel like this might be something thatâs normal in the American education system and only mine lacks that thing (itâs about how I study and form my ideas and beliefs). Do you think itâs still a good idea to write about it?
I donât see why not, since itâs such an important part of who you are. From what Iâm getting (correct me if Iâm wrong) youâre an international student and your education system (may) lack something that you think is present in the American education system, and you have gone out of your way and developed this skill or quality. A few more specifics would be helpful, but what I am thinking is that in your essay it might be a good idea to mention how your school might be different from other applicants, but you have developed this skill or quality anyway. Otherwise admission officers may get a little confused if it is typical for American students.