I submitted my early application to an Ivy already, and my essays seemed good at the time, but I’m reading over them now and I realized that they’re actually pretty bad. Has this happened to any of you guys?
I think that you are just freaking out. I reread my essays after submission and found multiple typos. I also have a kinda love-hate relationship with my essays. It happens to the best of us. Don’t worry. I’m pretty sure if youir essays seemed good when you submitted them then they r good. So it happens to every one and it doesn’t mean your essays are bad.
They are going to spend 15 minutes tops on your whole app. It is unlikely they are going to reread your essay. If they read it first time and like or not, they won’t go back to see if they still like it or not. They might read it again, if it is very compelling, or if they are truly undecided about whether or not to waitlist you. If you thought it was good at the time, they hopefully do too. There is nothing you can do now, so just bide your time until notification dates.
For those reading, it might be helpful to point out something. You want your essay to make a good impression immediately. You want them to read your essay and think “I like this kid. I want this kid here.” I strongly suggest making a final draft of the essay and putting it aside for a day befroe submitting. Have someone else read it before submission, and of course, reread it yourself. Anything that leaps,out, or is jarring, or just off a bit, or whatever, should then be addressed before submitting. However, don’t keep doing this indefinitely, becasue you will then pick it to pieces and find imaginary flaws. The goal isn’t total perfection. The goal is that it needs to give them a good idea of who you are. If a stranger read it, would they be able to say what type of person you are?
I tell this to many people: A Columbia AO said your essay should be so about you that if your friend found it lying on the floor,they would immediately know it was yours. That is good advice.
Good advice from @Lindagaf. You have to get away from your essays for a few days, otherwise you read along with them in your head, hearing all the “tone” you want them to have. When you step away then come back, you read it like an admissions person reading it for the first time and it is clear what is off.
A rule I have with all my kids, is once they hit submit, they/we never look back. The last and final read is before they hit submit. Once that is done, they are gone, done, finished. Nothing to do but file them away. The next time I look at them is when the younger sibling is applying and I need info from the old application like the years my husband and attended various colleges (which has been so long ago, I forget).
yes, best let it go. You’re going to find a wonderful school just right for you, in all likelihood. Best of luck.
Everyone feels this way! All you can do is adjust them for the rest of your schools and move forward. Put it out of your mind.