<p>The regional admissions officer who came to my high school said that the essay won't be the reason you are denied, but it can push a decent application over the fence. Does anyone have any comments on that? This is the same admissions officer that I tried to speak to at a college fair and pushed me aside to speak to a young man in a varsity jacket about his sports. Maybe he is trying to cross over to athletic recruitment? I don't know, anyway he just didn't seem very professional so I was a bit concerned about the information he gave us.</p>
<p>I’m okay with opinions too…</p>
<p>“decent application over the fence.” I believe that was the case for me. Essay DO count, don’t BS them completely. Put some effort and feeling into them.</p>
<p>He’s right. They definitely help sub-par to decent applications. From what I can tell, a student who has way above average stats (for the school he/she is applying to) will most likely get in as long as they put even a tiny amount of effort into the essay (I got into one of my safety schools with a really subpar essay, and was offered a good amount of money still). But the essay definitely helps a student who might not get in just based on his stats. If a student’s stats are way low, he/she won’t get in even if the essay is a masterpiece, but if it’s a 50/50 application, the essay and the supplements can very much push that student over the top.</p>
<p>My scores are definitely on the mid to high end (32 ACT and 4.0 UW) for Michigan, but my plan is to take the ACT again and hopefully get a 34. That way I should have a lot of room if my essays aren’t as good I hope for them to be.</p>
<p>Obviously I am going to put effort into my writing, but I’ve read sample essays and if that’s what you have to do to be accepted, well I’m out of luck. I can tell about myself in an intelligent manner, but I can’t seem to do this “show” thing that everyone keeps asking for.</p>
<p>Thanks for the input!</p>
<p>My opinion, I think there matter even less for Engineering. I just copy and pasted the same two essays for ever school I applied to and no one seemed to care.</p>
<p>I’m applying to LS&A so I’m not sure if that would go over quite as well… even though I am by no means pursuing an “artsy” major (actuarial science/financial mathematics)</p>