<p>I'm applying to the Trinity School, and the one essay that applies to me is optional. </p>
<p>The Following Questions Are Optional - And Yes, They Truly Are Optional! If You Choose Not To Answer Them, You Chance Of Admission Will Not Be Affected.</p>
<p>Are they saying that if I were to submit the supplement right now with no essay other than the common app, I would have the same chances as someone who submitted it with a well-written Why Duke essay? I don't understand how this could be the case. Could writing that optional essay be the sway factor?</p>
<p>I think this has been answered before, but anyway. I think yes, the optional essay could be the sway factor. Let’s say it comes down to two people with the same stats and are pretty much in the same standing in terms of scores/grades/ECs, etc. The admission officers may use the optional essay as the determinant. Its really for them to see how much you know about Duke already and why you’re willing to go there.</p>
<p>So I recommend it, even though if you have not written it yet, it’ll really be last minute.</p>
<p>I think writing the essay shows that you cared enough to take the time to do it. They know you’re probably busy with other schools’ applications…but, it you took the time to give them some more information, I think that would be looked upon as favorable for RD. For ED, maybe optional could really be optional.</p>
<p>I tend to take what they say at face value and believe them. But it does stretch credibility for them to state that “if you choose not to answer them, your chance of admission will not be affected”. It would be logically equivalent for them to state that “if you do choose to answer them, your chance of admission will not be affected”; taken together, those two statements would render the optional essay meaningless.</p>
<p>But I don’t really know. I do know that my DD did not submit the optional essay and was accepted in the ED round.</p>