<p>I posted this already in college essays but...</p>
<p>Is it possible for bad (poorly written) essays to destroy an applicant's chances of admission?</p>
<p>Big state schools, it wouldn't matter at all. Selective private schools, essays could make or break you.</p>
<p>Personally, I think essays can make you, but if you are a very qualified candidate they have to be fairly bad to break you.</p>
<p>They definitely can't make you. No one with 1600 out of 2400 SAT's, a 2.0 gpa, and bottom half of their class can get into HYPSCM on an amazing essay without any solid hooks like world class athlete or musician or something. However, at the same time even a mediocre to semi-descent essay could hurt your chances for top schools if the academic things are up to par because there's so many other people applying with equal to better stats that are already more than the school can accept so even if they essay by itself isn't that important it ends up being the only thing to distinguish one 2100+ 4.0 student from the other thousands and thousands.</p>
<p>If it's a stat-based school, you're fine. If it's a selective school, every little bit counts. Selective schools are trying to build a freshman class, not just admit every qualified applicant, and essays help to get your personality across. I think most essays are decent enough that they're a non-issue, but an honestly bad essay (grammatical errors, informality, rudeness, inappropriate subjects...) would probably be a turn-off, even for an otherwise qualified applicants. No selective college has the prerogative to accept you, so you have to compile an application that's the complete package. A good essay will only help you, though essays impressive enough to catch the adcoms eyes are pretty rare.</p>
<p>@glassesarechic
yea...hopefully my essays don't stand out in the bad way...
@balaylay
ahhh...i guess i'll just have to deal with rejection then...</p>
<p>Bowdoin admissions person told me that essays can definitely break you but it is very veyr very rare that they wil get you in somewhere
you have to have the grades and scores first</p>
<p>essays can definitely break you? lol i'm so screwed now.</p>
<p>umm...essays CAN make you. After looking at around 350+ essays from people at CC and other sites over the past 4 years and getting feedback after admission season was over, I've seen miraculous results with some people.</p>
<p>Me personally? I got into Michigan on a 2.8 GPA. I also got deferred and waitlisted on UPenn (i also had a D in trigonometry, and they required calculus to even APPLY to their school). </p>
<p>So a great essay CAN VERY WELL make you.</p>
<p>Remember, YOU ARE MORE THAN A NUMBER.</p>
<p>Extra-curriculars, essays matter at the top college. State schools? Ahhh, they don't really care. But privates/LACs, oh, you bet an essay can make you. ** You bet.</p>
<p>Just my .02**</p>
<p>P.S. Someone on CC who got accepted into all the Ivys had personal emails sent to her on how good her essay was by the adcoms. Search and see for yourself. And no, I don't have her essay.</p>
<p>Well you also have to realize that as has already been said, most essays are mediocre as much as the students might think they're so amazing. Very few are extremely stand out so it ends up being a lot more about how your essay appeals to the adcoms reviewing it rather than how good it is and also a bit of random luck if everything else is there. So don't worry you're not screwed :-D</p>
<p>if you're a borderline candidate... I think essays can make you.</p>