Hello! Quick question: is it a huge concern for an admissions counselor if I don’t write the optional essay for American?
Just for reference’s sake if this makes a difference, it is my safety school and I’m well above their average test scores/GPA, and I’ve been told my Common App Essay is strong so I think that demonstrates my writing abilities well
Thank you in advance for any response, have a great day!! 
Read previous threads and you may learn that those who treat AU as a safety school are often dismayed with the result. I recommend that you either (a) save your time and the $70 fee and not bother applying or (b) put in the effort to make it look like you actually want to attend.
It’s not a concern for the Admissions Counselor at all. They will immediately know you are using them as your safety and not admit you. There are many instances of high stats kids getting denied by AU because the Admissions believes that the students only interest in AU is as a safety. AU’s regular decision acceptance rate is 23%, so it’s not a safety unless you go ED at 89% especially if you are a high stats kid. I suggest you find an actual safety because even if you submit the additional essay AU is still not a safety. The criteria for a safety:
Your standardized test scores are near or in the top 25% of accepted students.
The school has an acceptance rate higher than 50%. - This is why AU is not a safety at RD.
You are reasonably sure you will be admitted.
pswillia I didn’t mean that disrespectfully and I’m sorry if I came off that way, but I do want to attend and I would be very happy there. It is just a school that I know I am well above their average and it is my third choice… it isn’t my safety safety school like I am by no means guaranteed an acceptance, but I do feel more confident getting in there than my number one choice. I don’t mean that in anyway to bash the school, it is an excellent one, but I do approach this knowing that i am above their averages.
That’s really interesting @sahmkc , I didn’t know how much more selective they got. I visited last year and the previous year’s acceptance rate (I visited in October) was in the late 30s, and I feel reasonably confident only because I am looking not only at the stats in general but at the stats of the students in my school who have been accepted/denied there. Plus I will be meeting with my admissions counselor in November as he’s coming to my school so I will be able to talk to him. I think both you and the other user think of the term “safety school” much more negatively than I do. While I know my stats are above theirs, it is a school I would happily go to and be happy there. It is more of a relative safety school than a real real one. I guess I should have clarified that, my real safety has like a 75% acceptance rate and they’ve already sent me emails about scholarships. It’s more like American is my third choice and less selective GPA/test score wise than my 1st and 2nd choice schools.