<p>Is the optional essay actually required? Did people get in without submitting it or is it actually a necessity?</p>
<p>im pretty sure that its a necessity euphemized as "optional", at a school like Pomona, they want people who take their app seriously--plus, if they see two people exactly the same and one turned in a great "optional" essay and one didnt who do you think theyd pick?</p>
<p>Of the people I've talk to about their applications, I don't know of anyone currently at Pomona who didn't do the optional essay.</p>
<p>Because Pomona's own application (not the common app) requires two writing samples, submitting the optional essay on the common app would be the equivalent. I'd strongly recommend submitting it. Good luck!</p>
<p>I know it doesn't explicitly say that we may write on a topic of our own choosing, but does the optional essay absolutely have to be on one of those 2 topics? Could I submit my essay for Bowdoin, which was on how one of my teachers influenced me?</p>
<p>Is there any way that you can tweak the Bowdoin essay to respond to topic #1 (high school), e.g., by having more teachers like the one who influenced you, the school can be improved? Otherwise, I'd recommend you write a new essay on one of the two topics as a demonstration of your ability to write about a specific subject provided to you.</p>
<p>Also, if you are really proud of your bowdoin essay or something, i have heard of people who send in 3 essays...and one just becomes supplemental (though, im not sure if theyll have time to read it or not)</p>
<p>Good idea! I'll see if I can tweak it to make it work with the first topic. I wrote an essay on the second topic about when my mom and I drove up to Portland, OR to see Springsteen (my favorite musician) for my 16th birthday, but I don't know how well-written it is, and I thought they might just find that silly...</p>
<p>"Of the people I've talk to about their applications, I don't know of anyone currently at Pomona who didn't do the optional essay."</p>
<p>wow..really?</p>
<p>It's true, but I have to admit that I basically only talked to my sponsor group about it.</p>
<p>If you really want to get accepted to Pomona, demonstrating your interest as much as possible, i.e., doing the optional essay, would only be in your best interest.</p>
<p>If you're underqualified, another essay won't do much for you. If you're a shoe-in, not having an essay won't hurt you. It's mainly for the gray-area cases -- and even then, I think it's not necessary if your other writing samples are strong (also consider whether or not you followed the word limits!)</p>
<p>"If you're a shoe-in, not having an essay won't hurt you."</p>
<p>LOL. I wish I knew if I was a shoe-in for not. Nowadays, boring hardworking kids like me can never tell with admit rates at 1 in 5.</p>