<p>I just revisited my essay, and I realized it was definitely not my best work. Nowhere near my best work, actually. It was kind of the one I accidentally procrastinated on until the night before deadline… Oops. And now I feel as if my chances are very very very very very slim.</p>
<p>Exactly how much weight do they put into the essay?
It’s the “academic experience that influenced you” one.</p>
<p>Very very very important. </p>
<p>Most people are qualified when they apply to high caliber schools like Brown … they have good stats, ECs, recs, etc. </p>
<p>The essay is what sets you apart, from which adcoms can figure out if you can fit in the class. </p>
<p>I still don’t know how they “build” the class each year. Must be a really tough one…</p>
<p>How important the essay is depends on the strength of the rest of your application. The essay is one of the last things in the application folder. Some people might flip immediately to your essay, but most likely look at everything else first – your grades, what classes you took, your teacher recommendations. So there is already an impression of you before they get to the essay. If they love you, and your essay is so-so, you’ll get in. (I’ve read mediocre essays written by admitted students.) If they love you but your essay is truly crap, and actually changes their entire image of you in a bad way, you’ll get rejected.</p>