<p>As a mom who writes poetry and legal briefs, with a son like yours, I can relate! However, my son was worse off: He had the super math and science, but only a 590 on the writing SAT. And MAJOR emotional issues about writing.</p>
<p>His college essay was torture. Our college counselor, a specialist in working with kids with special issues, pulled it out of him. It wound up being about… his favorite math equation (and why). And how other kids he knew had favorite TV programs, sports teams… and how he was looking forward to getting to college and finally meeting kids like him. How even though his dad failed calculus, he still loved his dad. At least once we suggested he use a different word so as not to be repetitive, he would not as it was the “right” word.</p>
<p>Several colleges wrote in their acceptances (with scholarships) that they specifically loved his essay. It wound up being self effacing, charming, insightful, funny, smart… and really HIM. </p>
<p>He then partly chose his college because it had the least amount of writing required. He just finished his required freshman writing seminar. On a visit home he complained his final paper was “impossible.” Long story short, I gave some advice (making him more upset of course) and then told him, “well, you’re smart enough and competent enough to slap something together to get a C or B; you can not hand it in on time and get some help from the writing center; you can add more ******** to your basic competency like everyone else does (he views what WE view as good writing as ********) or you can fail the course and retake it later. Your choice completely, although the last one might screw up your scholarship.” He wound up getting an A in the course and said he took the BS option.</p>
<p>I tell this story because I think your son already has everything he needs to succeed – at the very, very highest level. He may not LOVE to write (now) but he is clearly smart, competent and able… and when he wants to write about something he loves, he’ll have the tools he needs.</p>