I’m in the process of applying to college, which means a plethora of college essays to write. I have two essays due next week and my parents are insisting that they read it so that they can “make it better.” However, I’ve written some deeply personal things in these essays that I absolutely do not want them to read. My parents are threatening that I absolutely won’t get accepted into any colleges if they don’t read my essays and if I don’t allow them to, they’ll be suspicious and login to my account and read them anyway. The essays are due in a week and I don’t have enough time to rewrite them, not do I want to because I think they’re pretty good as they are.
If it’s that deeply personal, then why would you send it to complete strangers to read to judge you by? A college essay is not therapy.
I advise against writing anything that would embarrass you if leaked.
@PrimeMeridian
I realize that a college essay is not therapy. That’s not what I’m aiming for by any means. The prompt asked what struggles have shaped my life and I’m answering the question as it applies to me. It’s not deeply personal in the sense that I would be embarrassed for it to be leaked. I specifically do not want my parents to read it because they tend to be very judgemental and I’ve written things that they don’t know about me (we don’t have a close relationship).
I’ve written lots of things I thought were Pulitzer Prize perfect, only to have another pair of eyes pick out sometime helpful.
Give them a different essay to read.
@PrimeMeridian
Like I said, I specifically don’t want my parents to read my essays. I have no qualms about having other people do it.
In your situation it looks to me like @gentleindifference’s idea is the best.
@choirsandstages @gentleindifference
I think that’s what I’m going to do. I’m writing multiple essays anyway so I guess I’ll just show them another one. Thanks!
Compromise and have a teacher review it. High school seniors aren’t always the best judge of what will resonate with an admissions committee. You should have an adult look it over. But change your password so they can’t.
@intparent
I definitely plan to have an adult read it so long as it’s not my parents. Thanks for the advice!
Close or not, I assume your parents are paying the bills. Therefore they have some latitude to survey the process. At the same time, they should be encouraging your independence so long as you are staying on top of things. The advice to have a trusted teacher or similar person review your essay is good and your parents should respect that.
At the same time, if you are not particularly close to your parents, why care what they think of your essay?
I didn’t let my parents read any of my application essays either, and I got into a top 10 program in my field at a school that my high school guidance counselor told me my GPA was too low for. If you’re old enough to apply for college, you’re old enough to have some privacy. If your parents can’t respect this reasonable boundary, I endorse the idea of showing them a different, less personal essay and not feeling guilty about it.