Many places like colby, kenyon, grinnell etc don’t have their own essay and it is incredibly easy to just put them on your college list. Interest should be at a higher priority for LACs as they can’t afford fewer students but yet I am pretty sure many just notice these places and just put them on their list without really caring one way or another…
As an international, it was difficult to apply for interviews and moreover, I am also applying for aid. Even though I have a solid enough application, I am not having much hope for getting any response from such places…