<p>Looking over my app, I feel as if I'm writing an application to a friend, not a college admissions officer. Basically I mean, it doesn't sound formal. I know that seems bad at first thought-but I can't seem to write it any other way without being myself. I'm afraid some of my schools (Princeton, Stanford, Columbia etc) will think I don't care enough, even though I do, or that I'm condescending, even though I'm not, or that I'm not sophisticated enough, even though I am. I COULD change some of my essays and my app to fit the "typical app" mold, but that would feel like lying or false advertising to me. What should I do?</p>
<p>You know the answer, you just want to hear somebody else say it</p>
<p>I wrote very casually. I don’t think it will matter. AOs are typically young and “hip”. I bet they get tired of all those exceedingly formal essays and apps.</p>
<p>You’re supposed to express yourself in a way so that a reader will like you. Casually might work better than formally because you’d be more open to let someone learn about you. </p>
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<p>I wouldn’t necessarily agree with the “all adcoms are young” opinion. Some are old, and most admission directors are old. But they can still be very “hip”.</p>
<p>I wouldn’t be totally conversational(ie still use proper grammar/sentence structure), but being casual is good. It sets the reader at ease and makes it easier to show your personality. My essays were pretty casual(I used contractions, humor, etc.) and I just got in to Wharton ED.</p>
<p>The part that concerns me is where you say that your essays might be viewed as “condescending”. You might want to have your parent read over the essays to check for that, which should get edited out.</p>
<p>Condescending and casual rarely go hand in hand. Condescending means that you’re talking down to the reader. Casual is very much the opposite.</p>
<p>If you’re worried about sounding like you don’t take the admissions process seriously, don’t. Levity is utilized on all levels, even the most formal.</p>
<p>If you come across as likable because of the casualness of your essay, that is good. If you come across as sloppy, then it isn’t.</p>
<p>If you come across as if you don’t care or as if you’re looking down on the reader, then that will bode badly for how your application is received. I find it odd that you consider coming across as a friend to be condescending or not caring. Is that really the way you treat your friends?</p>
<p>lol I probably just used the wrong word. I think I’ll keep my app as is. Thanks for the input</p>
<p>Probably the best idea. Good luck.</p>
<p>Mostly useless post here but it might make xAAAx feel better-condescend also means to ‘put aside dignity in order to assume equality with one regarded as inferior’ and so in context that would make sense, if the essay were so casual that it came off as if one was extremely intelligent but TRYING to sound casual and ‘hip’ in order to come across as a fun-loving teenager or something. It also used to mean ‘to yield’ and ‘to assent.’ (Can you tell I’m an etymology junkie? lol) I don’t think that was a very good explanation, and maybe I’m putting my foot in my mouth here, but basically using the word condescend like that is common in older writing. So if you’re a senior in Brit Lit this year like me then that would make sense cause you’ve been seeing the word around in a much different connotation than usual :-)</p>
<p>thanks blackcat haha</p>