<p>My son Applied to the University of Richmond last week and the essay question was something like, "tell us about spiders." He is really into creative writing so he wrote a nice essay all about his childhood experiences with spiders. The first line was "spiders are wretched little creatures," and he repeated that idea towards the end of the essay. Well, I was on the U of Richmond website today and I just realized that spiders are their mascots! They are the U of Richmond Spiders!!! Ahhhh!!! He totally insulted spiders in his essay and now I feel like we can just forget about any chance of acceptance there. :( Perhaps they even ask that question to see who really knows all about the school. Do you think it's hopeless or do they have a sense of humor about these things? This is the second huge goof we've made. :(</p>
<p>that’s too funny! all this research you’ve done and you didn’t know they were spiders! </p>
<p>I think the essay is worth no more than any other part of the application. If the essay’s well written, the goof can have next to no negative effect. Richmond lists “level of applicant’s interest” as “not considered,” so don’t worry about the goof. </p>
<p>having said that, this goof could reach the level of myth in CC annals. 
</p>
<p>I think that they will find it a refreshing change after all the essays extolling the virtues of spiders.</p>
<p>I hope they find it unique, refreshing and humorous – after all, how many applicants (and others, for that matter) are unaware of Richmond’s mascot – but I wouldn’t “bet the ranch” that they will . . . I suspect it all depends on the individual Reader’s values and mood. </p>
<p>That could be the next clam frat. Let us know if that worked. He must be burning the candle at both ends writing these things.</p>
<p>*clam fart keeps autocorrecting and I can never edit</p>
<p>LOL, thanks everyone! Yeah I thought of the clam fart post right away! Hopefully it will be ok. :)</p>
<p>And yes, he’s getting loopy from so many essays! I’m not super happy with one of his Rice essays either…the question was something like “Why Rice,” and his answer was basically ‘Houston has great weather.’ Doh! I must be getting loopy too since I somehow let him submit it like that…We have been just swimming in essays and quality control is slipping.</p>
<p>At least he didn’t say because it goes well with chicken.</p>
<p>
Hahaha!!!</p>
<p>And I have no idea what my gearbot wrote on his supplemental essay. He said he had the whole thing under control and I never even reviewed the app before he sent it out and paid for it with his bank debit card (summer job). I’m afraid to even see it at this point but he already was accepted to one good university. He is our practice child and I thought “Well at least he owned it.” The only big error he made was he paid and then did not sign and hit submit.</p>
<p>Wow you are brave to leave that up to him without checking it! But it sounds like he did a great job if he’s already getting good offers. 
I supervised everything and we have still managed to make several major goofs!</p>
<p>Actually I assumed he would check in before he sent it out. Maybe a daughter would do that? Sigh. It’s his college life and he owned it.</p>
<p>the essay is one element I had to cede total control of. never got a peak at it, and I’m an English professor! I like to think it cost her BIG! >:) </p>
<p>i hope they have a sense of humor!</p>
<p>
Wow! She is probably a good writer with an English professor for a mom though! My mom (who is an editor) and I checked all his essays for spelling and grammar errors, and gave suggestions on improving content…but we still let the bad Rice essay pass, and now this spider goof! Ugh! </p>
<p>
Me too!!!</p>
<p>@chris17mom Anxious to hear how the “spider” essay turned out</p>
<p>Haha, we have heard absolutely nothing from the U of Richmond. That can’t be a good sign! But still waiting…I will definitely update this thread when we hear something.</p>
<p>Well, if he doesn’t get accepted at least he can use this as a funny reason for why he was rejected. I am bugging my daughter to finish up some essays. These are for scholarships. She always wants to submit or send it in right after it’s done and I won’t let her. You need to sit on it a few days and see if you want to make some changes. </p>
<p>Yes! The essays are so important. My son rushed through his for several reasons and I know it was a mistake. </p>