<p>How do colleges consider each applicant (in general)?
There are thousands of applicants, all with essays and recommendations. How do they read them (or not read them) and pick? Does anyone have any idea of how most colleges do this in general? Thanks</p>
<p>From all those that I have talked to in admissions, including a good friend of mine, they do read every single application, essay and required recommendations that are sent in (supplementary might not get looked at if a student does not have what it takes to get in). </p>
<p>You are far more than a number in a system, and use that power as an advantage. Think of this as one big job interview and you are trying to get the most offers for jobs as you possibly can.</p>
<p>think of it this way... picking out applicants is like playing tetrus for the adcoms... they are trying to think of putting the school in order.</p>
<p>so... they don't want all the smartest, b/c although that would create an order community, it would be very dull. so.... they are looking for a variety of students that would help them create order and at the same time diversify their campus.</p>
<p>i.e. say they want someone to play the piano one year, they might take a piano prodigy who knows nothing else, but the next year, when they have a piano player, they might pick someone else like a flute player, and sometimes, when they already got a piano player, they might even reject a nationally awarded piano player the next year.
so find out what they want and be that!!!</p>
<p>Ahh I see.. also, how much of an edge does it give an individual if he/she writes all essays for the supplement of a certain school along with the Common Application essay?</p>
<p>P.S.- Also, I noticed there is space to write additional things about yourself in the Common Application (it's right under the Common App. Essay). Should I use this space? Would it be a disadvantage if I don't? I don't know what I could put in here that I wouldn't be able to put in any of my other essays.</p>
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Ahh I see.. also, how much of an edge does it give an individual if he/she writes all essays for the supplement of a certain school along with the Common Application essay?
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<p>It is better to simply do what is requested. If the school ask for the common app and one additional essay than you do the one additional essay. </p>
<p>for example: Amherst has about to 5 questions on their supplemental essay form. Doing all of the essays does nothing for your cause other than demonstrate that you do not take instruction well as only the first one they come to will be read.</p>
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Also, I noticed there is space to write additional things about yourself in the Common Application (it's right under the Common App. Essay). Should I use this space? Would it be a disadvantage if I don't?
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<p>If you have something additional to say, then use the space if not it will not be held against you</p>
<p>That's why it's called ADDITIONAL! If there was something specific they wanted to know, they would've asked it. No reverse psychology here.</p>
<p>get the book "The Gatekeepers" in which a reporter spent a year inside the admissions dept. at Wesleyan. Or you can find excerpts online (the book started as a series of articles in the NY Times).</p>
<p>More specifically, Johns Hopkins gives the option of writing two more (Johns Hopkins-specific essays) which they will read. Would it be terrible to only do one?</p>
<p>Are you sure they want you to do two, and not just pick one? If so, just do both. Why not?</p>
<p>Well, it wouldn't be <em>terrible</em>. But why not take every chance you get to show them how much you love them?</p>
<p>Yeah, from the sound of the application supplement, it sounded like JHU wanted two. It's not that I don't want to write the two JHU essays, I don't think I can write anything too fantastic about one of the topics-- it just seems too dull :(</p>