<p>My daughter is applying to BC, as well as Fordham and Georgetown. Her common app. essay is about how she began to question her faith when her confirmation coincided with AP European history. It isn’t a “why I became and aetheist” essay, but more about how the class taught her to question things, including her faith and her struggles with that. Nevertheless, I am a little leary about having the essay go to BC (or Fordham, I think Georgetown will be OK) as I get the feeling that BC is a little more conservative re. faith than the other two. Also, since BC doesn’t have a supplementary essay, she only has the common app. to talk about herself in detail. I hate to start creating secondary common app.s with differing essays as that seems like a formula for disaster, or at least for mistakes. Can anyone weigh in on this? If it make a difference, she is probably over qualified for Fordham, and in the roulette category with everyone else for Georgetown. She is probably a solid match for BC.</p>
<p>BC is all about questioning things, including faith. Sounds perfect. Also, BC isn’t just looking for devout Catholics (as I am sure is the same case with Fordham and Georgetown). This essay shouldn’t be a problem anywhere.</p>
<p>Dear Calmama : A Jesuit institution is about questioning, challenging, and defending a position. A liberal arts education is about evaluating your position intelligently and being flexible in your views and beliefs, spiritual or otherwise.</p>
<p>Given this, if your student’s essay comes across as “my mind is made up because of my confirmation and European History course”, that will be seen as NOT fitting with the Boston College methodology. However, if the essay is seeking more information and diversity of thought in order to assert or refute this same position, it will be more positively viewed.</p>
<p>Now, in general, my recommendation is to just steer clear of “religion” in the essay section only because it is often seen as “playing” to the Boston College community. If the essay’s view on religion is that is really shows some insight on your student, continue down the same path. It is a very narrow tight rope to walk. Be sure that your child’s essay clearly shows an admissions counselor why Boston College is a better place for everyone with your child admitted. In other words, give them reasons to INCLUDE your child, not to ELIMINATE your child.</p>
<p>Hope that this shading makes sense.</p>
<p>Most excellent advice all around, I am glad I asked. It definitely is more of an intellectually based essay and I would say it speaks more to her depth of thought, analysis etc. than it does specifically to religion. However, we are Catholic, so I am subject to “Catholic Guilt”. I appreciate the input.</p>
<p>" … I hate to start creating secondary common app.s with differing essays as that seems like a formula for disaster …"</p>
<p>Is this possible? I thought the core portion of the Common App had to be exactly the same for all schools, with only the supplements being different across submittals?</p>
<p>None of my other kids ever tried it but I have heard that you can…if you have a different username and account? Or maybe you can delete the main essay and upload a new one? I am not sure and it sounds like a big hassle so I haven’t looked into it. I am just hoping the essay on religion is going to cut it.</p>
<p>The CA checks against your SSN and address, so no you cannot start another file. In the old days, however, it was extremely easy to save, submit to xx colleges, and then start a different essay for other colleges. Dunno if it is still possible, but looks like it is still doable.</p>
<p><a href=“https://www.commonapp.org/commonapp/docs/alternateversiontechnologyfaq.pdf[/url]”>https://www.commonapp.org/commonapp/docs/alternateversiontechnologyfaq.pdf</a></p>
<p>It is possible to create up to 10 alternate versions of the common app</p>
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