<p>I just wanted to see how many people were planning on doing it or not.</p>
<p>As for me, I'll be doing the first optional essay (Tell us about something that you have created) but not the second one (If you think additional information or material will give us a more thorough impression of you, please respond)</p>
<p>What about you?</p>
<p>I'm definately doing the "create" one. As for the "other" one, I may kind of sum up what I hope they see in me as an applicant, definately more of a personal thing than an academic thing. And also thanks them or whatever, you know, kind of like a cover letter, only it comes at the end. But whatever, it'll be professional.</p>
<p>I'm doing the creation one; I may or may not do the second one.</p>
<p>I've already done the first one.. and I'm not touching that second one until I start/finish the main essay >_<</p>
<p>hm - what do you guys mean by the second "optional" essay? Do people send in three essays? That's quite a load on the admission officers, isn't it? I was under the impression that the additional information section was more for things such as extenuating circumstances, extra exam scores, etc.</p>
<p>A cover letter sounds like a good idea though - just kind of awkward after extra exam scores.</p>
<p>I'm definitely doing the main (errr... at least I better definitely do the main) and the "create." I'm unsure whether my "create" is actually valid though. To me, it makes sense, but I can also see how it could be seen as a stretch.</p>
<p>John Galt.</p>
<p>I think the rule here (as with most other things) is quality over quantity. I've written some odd 20 different essays for colleges totalling over 120 complete revisions (for a total of ~120 .docs sitting in my folder). Make sure that essay is who you are. Make sure it's you that get's through.</p>
<p>huh, and i thought we just had to write one main essay and 2 short answers!</p>
<p>You do. I was just never happy with mine until recently. I finally cut the crap and got to the core of who I am and what made me this way.</p>
<p>yes, main + create, not sure about an essay for the completely optional, #2, just 120 revisions? </p>
<p>Well, it could be just me, but I have 120 revisions just for MIT alone. Hope they won't kill my mid-year report. I am such a bad writer, due to the recent death of my muse.</p>
<p>My son did them both. He only half filled the second one, but it says what he thought was important for MIT to know. He speculated on throwing in activities and voluteer stuff that had no space left on the rest of the app, but he decided that was really trivial to his whole person conduct and achievement throughout high school, so it really wouldn't contribute to MIT's snapshot of who he is.</p>
<p>will not doing the "create" essay hurt my chances for admission? i know it is an optional essay but many times even though colleges say something is optional, it is "highly recommended" that you do it.</p>
<p>I believe the essay is entitled "Completely Optional", indicating that, in fact, it is completely optional.</p>
<p>I did the main + create one.</p>
<p>ok...for people who did the 'create' one, what kind of things did you create?? I haven't invented or made anything spectacular, and i'm afraid they're gonna think my creation is stupid compared to others' research, robots, and what have you. Though what I made was something rather simple, it was extremely useful. Is this OK to write about?</p>
<p>Of course it's OK to write about something simple and useful you created! These essays are how the Admissions folks learn about your "character and personal qualities", after all.</p>
<p>"Create" doesn't have to mean "research" or "invent". It could even be a poem or a sketch or a demo tape of your band! Last year my son did the "create" essay. He included an evocative photograph he'd taken and wrote an essay about what that creation signified to him at that point in his life, and then described his holistic approach to photography, with a link to his photography website. He is now a freshman at MIT.</p>
<p>oh, cool! Thanks mootmom...</p>
<p>i did the main 3... and i was going to send in a recording, but i didn't want to seem arrogant like "oh he's not that good, but he must think he is"</p>
<p>I sent an abstract/summary of my research report.</p>