Hey, I was just wondering what everybody’s opinion is on college essays and their importance in the admissions decision, as compared to say academics or EC’s, and especially when your academics and EC’s could only really be described as typical :(. I know it varies for each school but I was just wondering on how much time you have spent/planning to spend on the actual portion of the application. Thanks in advance for any replies!
<p>Do it well, but don't obsess. If you worry too much about it it probably won't be your best writing anyway.</p>
<p>Essay is extremely important. The essay is probably the best indicator of your true intellectual ablitity on your entire application. Your essay shows your personality, your charisma, your ability to communicate. A great essay by a "typical" person at most schools (especially LACs, and some LAC-like universities) will trump a statistically better kid who couldn't write an interesting paragraph to save his life.</p>
<p>Most of what semiserious said was true, except the part about intellectual ability. The essay is all about you, you, you. It's not like an english paper or a scientific research paper that would show your intellectual side. There is some overlap, like if you write about how you loved research, but it should be about you and your interests, not trying to impress someone with how smart you seem. Plus, the person reading the essay isn't going to be a supergenius, they are normal seniors at the school and people likely less educated than the profs and such. Using big scholarly words turns them off.</p>
<p>Selectivity of University:
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<p>Importance of essay:
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<p>As essay can certainly push you into the in basket at schools where you have just average stats. It's highly unlikely to get you into a school where you don't have the stats.</p>
<p>At highly selective schools where they could fill several classes with perfect stats applicants, they truly can be the deciding factor.</p>
<p>Umm, what is that supposed to mean Bananas? I would just like to comment that at some LACs and UChicago, essays are absolutely HUGE. More important than ECs, perhaps.</p>
<p>as the selectivity of the university increases, so does the importance of the essay.</p>
<p>When I say intellectual ability, I don't mean grades or research or book-smarts. I mean your true, honest ability to express yourself and communicate your feelings and ideas. If you can do that well, it is a true indicator of the intellectual level at which you function--regardless of the topic of the essay.</p>
<p>I totally agree the more selective the school/program/major, the more important the essay becomes. How is Harvard supposed to pick a class they like several times over without the important essay? How are you supposed to get into that competetive program/major if they don't know why you want to do it?</p>
<p>So you are saying the best writers are the smartest people in general?</p>
<p>Yes, I am. Math, science, and history can be taught. Writing comes from the soul and the personality.</p>
<p>Does this sound like an interesting essay topic?</p>
<p>My family has a parrot (blue and gold macaw) who totally wants to kill me. All I want him to do is love me as he does the other people in my family. That's the basis of the essay. I think it's pretty quirky/memorable and I should be able to make a poignant piece of writing on love and hate. Sound good?</p>
<p>I like it. It's risky, so it's either sink or swim</p>
<p>I LOOOOOOVE that idea. It's quite sexy.</p>
<p>I like the premise but what does it say about YOU?</p>
<p>It says that they should accept me so there's less chance of him biting off my fingers or tearing out my throat as might happen if I went to the local uni. :)</p>
<p>Your right, I'll keep that in mind semi.</p>
<p>I think you can make it about you, but again this doesn't sound like something easy to write</p>
<p>"Yes, I am. Math, science, and history can be taught. Writing comes from the soul and the personality."</p>
<p>So the soul and personality are the determining factors in intelligence? It seems to me that they have very little to do with intelligence.</p>
<p>I consider intelligence to be something you are a born with, an innate part of you. It is the ability to interact with the world in ways that you have never been taught but rather have discovered for yourself.</p>
<p>The ability to do a lot of hard work and memorization and get a 2400 SAT or an A+ in Calc AB is a little bit of intelligence, but it's mostly perseverence, dedication, and work ethic.</p>