Interesting Insight from Adcom

Colleges and Universities A-Z Dartmouth College
1

<p>So I asked a question to admissions about what role personality via personal statement and recommendations have on superseding and/or enhancing other parts of the application that may otherwise blend into the pool EC-wise or academically. </p>

<p>I thought the response would be helpful for those that didn't cure cancer or #1 in their class (i.e. me) but rather have an interesting perspective on the world and a good sense of humor.</p>

<p>Without further ado:</p>

<p>Thanks for your question. When we read applications, we look for four things: academic accomplishments, extracurricular accomplishments, intellectual qualities, and personal qualities. Some applicants are stronger in different areas than others. One applicant's musicianship may really make him stand out while another student's sense of humor and stellar academics may really make her stand out. Different pieces of the application tell us different things about the applicant, for example the essay (as well as the teacher and peer recs) are often very helpful in telling us about an applicant's personal qualities. </p>

<p>I have never seen an applicant get in based on one piece of the application. An excellent essay will not "make up for" poor performance in high school or the decision to take an easier courseload. An excellent essay may make a student whose strong academic profile was standard in our pool stand out more. But if an applicant wrote a truly outstanding essay, perhaps very funny or very insightful, I would look to see that humor or that insightfulness reflected in other parts of their application as well. It would not be the essay, but rather the qualities revealed in it, that might help a more typical applicant stand out. </p>

<p>Feel free to add your own insight. Hope someone finds this helpful in the last 24 hours of waiting.</p>

2

<p>That’s really interesting and well put. It makes me more hopeful. Haha until tomorrow, that is. Can’t wait to have my anxiety attack as I click the button and read the first word…</p>

3

<p>Ya…just reinforces the fact that academic performance rules all and everything else is an accessory. I keep thinking about someone on this forum I forget where, who was an ORM, mediocre SATs, mediocre GPA, medoicre recos by her own admission, mediocre activities but pulled a 34 on her ACT. Clearly, that was a statistics shopping expedition by admissions. Pluck! I don’t blame them, they have to compete vs. other schools on the rankings like we have to compete with other students.</p>

4

<p>^
That wasn’t my interpretation at all! How did you come to that conclusion from what the OP just posted? It doesn’t make sense…</p>

5

<p>I’m not saying that you can get in on personality alone nor that academics are unimportant, but rather I think this email says that personality has the potential to be as crucial a supplement to academics as possibly ECs. After all, you could discover the next subatomic particle, but if you act like a jerk or induce sleep with your essay/recs, then your candidacy is marred. That is all.
Just a glimpse of hope for the imperfect but ambitious.</p>

6

<p>Sounds like they’re just saying that they use a holistic approach, which is true.</p>

7

<p>This may be off topic, but Xanatos, if your username is where I think it’s from, much respect, my friend ;)</p>

<p>But seriously, I agree with the above posters. It makes sense that the qualities of a person found in an essay should be reflected throughout the app.</p>