<p>So, I am wait listed at several schools. Without telling me, my mother added a "Why I want to go to this school essay" to one of the envelopes. An admissions officer wants to talk to me about my position on the wait list and give me an interview.</p>
<p>Now, this letter wouldn't bother me that much, except that my mother is a terrible liar and it isn't exactly truthful. It largely exaggerated several of my positions and added some things that most certainly weren't true.</p>
<p>Is it best to tell the truth about the essay, or should I just keep my mouth shut and go along with it?</p>
<p>I'm sorry that your mom put in that position. That really is a tough one. I think I would tell my GC and let him explain to the adcom, and then add that you are one great kid who really wants to go to that school and that you are very upset about what your mother did. You can then talk to the adcom about why you want to go there.</p>
<p>I would take advantage of your mom's considerate, albeit sneaky, actions. You will never have this opportunity in your life again -- don't ruin it! Go for it and get into that school!</p>
<p>Typically when adults try to write essays for their kids, those essays sound like they were written by adults. The admissions officer may be calling to interview the OP to see what the real story is on the essay.</p>
<p>I think you should bring this up first thing on the call. Adcoms are experts and have seen everything, and may already smell a rat. My guess is that doing so will actually help your case. You can explain that your mother meant well, but that she went way over the line, and that the rest of the app is yours. I don't see a need for another essay.</p>
<p>This, among other reasons, is why I would never let anybody aside from myself have control over my college application submissions, my resumes and cover letters, my grad school apps... etc. etc. etc... Yikes! Bad situation to be in, OP. =\ Good luck!</p>
<p>CLAIM IT AS YOUR OWN. You are on the waitlist already, so you need to do anything you can to get off. If it means exagerating your positions, so be it. What do you have to lose? If you tell them it was written by your mom, they may no longer consider you. Dont take yourself out of the running. BTW, this is why u do an online application</p>
<p>This wasn't part of my actual application. It was in the envelope where I put my little card that said I wanted to stay on the wait list. My mom said she would take my envelopes to the post office for me, and she slipped in the mini-essay before she sent the envelope off.</p>
<p>I say take it and run with it. What do you have to lose? Don't tell on your mom for sure though. Anyways, they might suspect something, but they have no way of proving that your mom wrote it. The worst that could happen is that you remain waitlisted, which will probably happen for sure when you tell them your mom wrote it. And I think the adcoms would suspect even more fishy behavior when you tell them that you didn't know your mom wrote it. So yeah I would say run with it.</p>
<p>Adcoms aren't dumb. They probably already have figured out there's something fishy about it, and may be calling you hoping you'll volunteer an explanation that shows it wasn't your fault that an adult wrote the essay. Adcoms also know that there are overzealous parents, and don't hold that against the students as long as the students themselves have integrity. I've heard this directly from admissions officers </p>
<p>I think you should ask your GC to call and explain, as someone suggested earlier in this thread. During the interview, you can apologize for what your mom did, explain that it was behind your back, and then interview as the ethical person whom you are.</p>
<p>Presumably, too, you want to get into Brandeis based on your own efforts, not what your mom did.</p>
<p>BTW, I have heard of parents who filled out entire applications including essays for their kids. The students learned this when they got accepted to colleges that they hadn't applied to. My therapist told me that she had clients who'd done that (not with her approval!). I imagine the apps were to places like public universities that basically do admissions by the stats, and just make sure that some essay is included.</p>
<p>Tell them. Either have your GC call and explain, or call yourself, or start the interview by telling them. As a parent, teacher, coach, and scout leader, I can attest that there is never a wrong time to do the right thing. They will respect you for your honesty.</p>