<p>I am applying to Georgia Tech. It's my top choice school. As far as high school, I've made all A's, one B (an 89.3, at that) and am an Eagle Scout, Eagle Palm distinction, on the Mayor's Youth Council, 32 ACT, clubs, honor societies, etc.
What kind of material does the undergraduate admissions office look for in the essays?
Examples?</p>
<p>One, as long as you are in the top 10 percent, I doubt your essay will take away from you being accepted. Past that, I don’t get what you mean by materiel they are looking for in your application. They obviously want to learn about you, while also seeing that you can write a good essay. Other than that run free with it.</p>
<p>Thanks VAfan,
The essay I am responding to is as follows:
Georgia Tech is proud to draw students from around the United States and countries throughout the world. This unique compilation of academic interests, personal backgrounds, and various life experiences creates an exciting and inspiring educational mix. Given your personal background, what would you hope to learn and contribute through becoming part of this sort of campus community?
Apart from explaining how my experiences and interests will help, are they implying that I do research on the GT campus and community too?</p>
<p>might not be bad to show some understanding of what GT is and what it isn’t. Basic research = good. Trying to show some super-nuanced understanding of GT when you haven’t lived on campus for any amount of time = too much.</p>
<p>It’s good to include interest in specifics of GT in your essay. An essay that looks like you could just send out to any college shows that you may not have much interest in the particular college you’re applying to, which essay reviewers may not appreciate too much. </p>
<p>Other than that, the essay is the personality section. They only want your statistics and figures in the statistics and figures section on your app (and it looks like you definitely have no problem in that department), so be personal and expressive in your essay.</p>
<p>Anybody have any advice on how long to make the essay? Most other schools seem to either set a hard limit or at least give you a general idea about the length it should be. But not here. They just set a 5000 character limit. So what would you recommend as far as word count?</p>
<p>My son just finished his essay and it’s at about 3900 characters. He considered adding more to it, but felt that would just be padding. He is happy with the essay, it says what he wants it to say, and he’s leaving it.</p>