The prompt is: “Education is…” and I want to complete it by saying it’s not a luxury, it’s a human right. But from there, I’m not sure if I should talk about 1) my own high school, which is a super competitive ivy-league feeder exam school, and talk about how unfair it is that a lot of the time you need to have certain connections and/or resources to get in, or 2) how screwed up college in America is, with the College Board’s monopoly and how freaking expensive college is. The second one is risky for obvious reasons, but the first one is risky not only because it looks like I’m bashing my own school (which I’m SUPER grateful that I got into) but also because the university this essay is for gets lots of kids from my high school, so they’re well aware of it. My cop-out essay is to compare about how other people in other countries die fighting for education, while over here in america most kids just complain about it. It’s an okay idea but I feel more strongly about the first two… except they feel SUPER risky. Which one do I use?
One way I thought about getting around the first idea is to talk about public schools in America in general, and just use my school and the public schools in my city as examples, alongside other ivy-league feeder schools in america. Still risky though (I think)
To be honest, I think the first idea is too risky. Are you set on the essay’s topic being education? If so, I would go with the second idea. The first idea is skating on thin ice and sounds somewhat ungrateful and hypocritical coming from a kid who wishes to exercise and benefit from the education system she so passionately criticizes. I choose prompt two, but that is just my opinion.
What school is this for? If it’s a super liberal school I feel that your second option would be fine, however if it isn’t, then your cop-out essay may be your best bet. I think the first could come off as almost hypocritical
It’s a bit ironic to write an essay decrying the privileges of elite education, while partaking of said elite education. It does make you sound hypocritical. Likewise, talking about how screwed up college in the US reflects a deep lack of awareness about what a really screwed up higher education looks like in many countries - we actually have it remarkably good here. (Not as good as in a few Scandi countries perhaps - but better than in many others where exams determine at an early age whether you are college bound or not - or the educational system is so corrupt that anyone with money can buy a degree - or where the number of seats are so limited that kids are studying day and night from a early age desperate to get in.)
I’d suggest that you find another approach to this topic. Education as a human right is a good starting point.
@Jcannon1023 it’s for Boston University… not sure, are they super liberal?
@N’s Mom that’s what the point of my cop-out essay is – we have it really good over here, but we just complain about it all the time. I don’t feel as strongly about it, which is why I feel like it’s a bit of a cop-out.
So based on what everyone’s saying the first idea is a no-no, but I’m getting mixed reactions from the second idea… does that mean I should just go with the cop-out?
I actually really like the first idea, if and only if you can pull it off. If you can explain it as “I have had this incredible educational opportunity, I am extremely grateful for it, AND it is unfair that most people don’t have the opportunities I have had”, I think it could be successful. I think it would show a lot of awareness about the inequity that is out there, while not bashing your school or the opportunities you have had.
I think the first one seems a bit immature or not developed yet. The college board, really? If you have time the write a good essay and refine the ideas, maybe. Have someone with critical thinking skills check it over for weak or bs arguments. Also the essay you propose is missing a personal touch. You can talk about your own school critically without basing it, if you are a good writer. There is nothing wrong with having personal experiences enter in. Just realize that your perspective is limited.
Btw there is a dedicated Essay forum here.
@BrownParent Wait, I’m confused about which essays you’re talking about — my first idea is about my own high school, my second idea is about the college board. And the one that’s missing a personal touch, is that the cop-out essay? Because I agree, that’s why I feel iffy about it. And where’s the essay forum?? Sorry totally missed it!! (I don’t think I can move this thread now that I’ve posted it, can I?)
@jazzcatastrophe I’m so glad someone sees it this way!! That’s what I was going for, but so many people had a negative reaction to it I think I’ll just go with the third option. This essay is just so I can be accepted into their honors program, and I don’t want it to negatively affect the rest of my application.
I wouldn’t write about the college board. I think you can probably turn your first idea into a decent essay. Emphasize that education is what you make of it. Taking advantage of the opportunities that come your way, whether it is an exam entry school or a college honors program.
Higher education is not a human right.
Enough education to subsist on one’s own is a human right, and coupled with that is the requirement that those who cannot be educated to that level must be taken care of by others.
You are just complaining, so I don’t see any purpose to your essay, it is just making you look like the others you would mention as complainers not doers.
UNLESS you’ve actually done something tangible to forward education for those who have to fight for it - then you can focus on that and put the “complainers” and CB and high tuition costs in as a small sidenote.
Don’t worry about offending the Admissions Committee - show them what you think - how you’ll contribute to their campus with your unique (and controversial) ideas. Write the essay you MOST want to write about, without regard for how they’ll interpret it. If they’re any good, they’ll look at the substance of your writing, not what you’re trying to prove.
By the way, I agree with you - High Education IS a human right. As members of a civilized society, we have an obligation to each and every one of our peers, to grant them the same opportunity as anyone else, the same shot at pursuing their passions. To do that, University is often a prerequisite and is as such something to which ALL, by virtue of their being human - and in our case, citizens of the United States, are entitled.
Dang straight. Write about anything you want. Murder! Drugs! How eager you are to party at their school! Who cares how they perceive it?
@bodangles, don’t take it to the extreme. What he wants to write about is intellectual in nature (political, yes, but writing about it would demonstrate his ability to think critically). I hate that those on this website are so caught up in producing picture-perfect, polished applications that they lose sight of what EDUCATION is really supposed to be about.
Education, in this case, is about making them WANT TO LET YOU IN. Insult their system all you like in the essay. But that’s not going to get you into that school.
Lord, you really are out of touch. Good day.
Says the high school student. Okay, dude.
Stop and think about the reason for this essay.
You want to give them a reason to say yes. It’s not an OP Ed piece for the NY Times, it’s a plea for admission to their educational institute.
I can’t see how “bashing” ANY school serves that purpose.
You’re considering two essays that you label as “super risky”— why?? If you admit that it probably won’t give them a reason to say yes, then why on earth would you submit it as part of your college application?
Again, repeat the mantra: “Does this part of my college application give them a reason to say yes???”
@ N’s mom I’m sorry, but just because other countries have it hard doesn’t leave a fucked up system out of any criticism or fault. We should be aiming for the best education systems, not leaving any of them mediocre because anything but signifies ungratefulness. That just doesn’t make any sense.
The public education system here IS messed up. We still utilize the model of education from the Industrial Revolution-- one meant to make education EFFICIENT, not effective. I’ve written an essay on this. Our nation’s overall school progress has not gotten any better since the 70s. Our model of education was also created by people who wanted an optimal workforce, not a humanistic, educated body.
In other words, we’re still using the same model of education we used to make students obedient workers, not educated in the sense it means today. Not to mention the concept of grades as a tool of operant conditioning, as a means of weeding out all non-compliant voices. You don’t behave as we say? F-. The higher the grades, the more obedience and conformity you find.
OP, don’t listen to the people here about that topic. Yes, the first one is hypocritical, but please do research on our education system and write about it.