<p>I went to the best public high school in Georgia and it was amazing! Classes were challenging, teachers were passionate and students wanted to learn. We were writing at least an essay per week in AP Lang and AP Lit classes and it really helped me to excel at writing. I love writing, academic or otherwise and actually have fun editing my friends' papers. With such a challenging curriculum, I emerged from high school with a not-so-brilliant 3.2 into Auburn University, a decently good school. Well, I've exempted both of my intro writing classes due to 5s on both of my English APs and took a sophomore/junior level literature course. However, despite a lackluster performance in high school, I have a 4.0 at Auburn. The thing is, I only had to write 3 essays all semester... And that's not only in English. That is 3 essays total, despite having a 15 credit hour schedule. I feel as though my writing is suffering and, as I am applying to transfer to the University of Michigan, I'm afraid that this regression is going to cause me to be unable to compete with my peers. How do I move past this slip?</p>
<p>How are you unable to compete with your peers if you have a 4.0 GPA.?</p>
<p>Your really complaining of a lack of essays? Then take more writing intensive courses!</p>
<p>I’m just worried that my writing is getting weaker. Yes, it may be an unpopular opinion that I am advocating a curriculum with more writing, but writing is one of the most fundamental skills you need for the real world. It’s on par with (and arguably more important than) math. You will need it no matter where you go. Writing is how we communicate ideas, how we build a foundation for projects and leave an impression of the work we’ve done. If students end up with weaker writing skills than your average high schooler, they won’t succeed in the real world. Despite my 4.0 at auburn, I fear that I will be nowhere near the levels of the students in the University of Michigan because they are not the same. Michigan is a harder school and more prestigious students go there. Even with a 4.0 at auburn, I am not guaranteed admission (as I’m sure many people on this site know). If I do get in, which I really hope I do, I want to be able to reach the same heights that the students there can. Beyond that, I want to be a better writer for my future, not a worse one.</p>
<p>Don’t worry about your peers; concentrate on your own development.</p>
<p>Is there an honors college or program? With your grades, you should be a shoo-in.</p>
<p>Get to know your professors. Try to work one-on-one as a researcher or a TA.</p>
<p>Get a job in your school’s writing center. Become the Auburn go-to person for writing.</p>
<p>All of these will make you a huge fish in the Auburn pond and will help when you apply for graduate school or for jobs. You know what standard you want to meet, and there are ways for you to do it without transferring. All you need is some help from a few competent and caring faculty members.</p>
<p>Auburn’s honors college has a horrible catch-22 to it. You can’t register for classes unless you make the grade requirement for the semester, which they don’t determine until registration is over and classes are full. The writing center is more of a tutoring grammar tutoring opportunity than somewhere I could really improve my writing. And I’m not transferring based on my writing opportunities alone. Auburn was originally my safety school and now that I have a better footing in extra curriculars and GPA, I’m applying to my dream school. I have forged some meaningful relationships with a few professors and I do enjoy my time here, but rather than being “a big fish in the auburn pond” I need to be in the pond that treats me best. I just want to be prepared to do so.</p>
<p>It sounds as if you have a good idea of what good writing is. Write short essays and critique yourself. Try getting something published in the local newspaper or school magazine. Just keep writing. And if you are not being challenged, transfer. Don’t limit yourself to one school. There are lots of good choices.</p>