<p>I've read several books on writing college essays, and one of them said that your parents, when reading essays, will want you to 'sell yourself' and that this approach is 'dead wrong'. Another book said that one admissions counselor claimed the best essay she'd ever read was about being a "first-rate follower". </p>
<p>My parents are criticizing EVERYTHING that I write because they think it makes me sound selfish, or I'll admit that I'm not particularly good at sports BUT I've been dancing for 11 years and I'm good at that - they want me to take out the sports part when really I'm just being honest.</p>
<p>Is it okay to "admit" certain things about you? I'm not perfect, and I don't want to pretend that I am. I have good things about me, that I will gladly let colleges know, but I also have flaws that are just as much a part of me, you know? If they want to know my personality, shouldn't it be fine to let them know? Or will they pick up on those and be discouraged from accepting me?</p>
<p>You're human. The adcoms know this. They want to know what you've accomplished despite your flaws. If you feel that your essays are amazing, there's no need to change them.</p>
<p>Sure... you can admit you have flaws, but it should NEVER be the main topic of your essay, and it should be implied and not stated. Use your flaws to highlight your strengths.</p>
<p>I don't really see the point in sprucing myself up, so to speak, just to sell myself into colleges that I might not fit into as the token "weird, nerdy kid." In my essay, I was honest and wrote about how one of my best friends is somebody that I met in the Lord of the Rings chat room on AIM in 2002 and have kept up a successful friendship with since then (and she's four years older). It also mentioned how one of my past career choices had been to be the Crazy Cat Lady a la The Simpsons. This essay wasn't all negative -- being friends with this girl taught me how to open up and be myself, how to make friends, and that life isn't central on the Internet. Also, that I care a lot for my cats.</p>
<p>Dunno, this might sound naive, but I never really understood the point of lying about oneself. People should like you for who you are, and if you feel as though you have to pretend about your personality to be accepted, aren't those people/colleges not worth your time?</p>
<p>In one of the common app supplementals I wrote about how I was selected to go to a science competition, got all hyped up about it, and then only answered 2 questions correctly... I made it kind of poke fun about myself</p>
<p>I got into a fairly selective university... Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, I think if you can leave yourself in a positive light throughout the essay you will be fine.</p>
<p>My school's college counselors told me to take out parts of my essay that talked about some faults that I have. Five of my past English teachers didn't agree with them and I didn't change anything about my essay and I was accepted into my first choice ED school (Bryn Mawr, if you're curious.)</p>
<p>Everything should just kind of be turned around in a positive light I would think. Like, "I may not be the best at sports, but I truly love them. Dedication etc etc"</p>
<p>If you don't love sports, well I suppose I can't see the purpose in purposely knocking yourself.</p>
<p>I agree, I think that you shouldn't emphasize your flaws unless you making a point to show how your flaws make you a better person and how they will contribute to their institution.</p>