<p>i know that the essay, or whatever you decide to do for it, is optional. i was wondering if any knows how much, if at all, doing the essay helps with getting admitted. thank you. oh, and if youve done one in the past that was out of the ordniary, please tell. thank you.</p>
<p>i did a collage about myself, I thought it was cute but I'm not sure how many other people did one so I don't know about its originality but I thought it helped</p>
<p>My son used the optional essay to provide background for his freshman year, when his grades were poorer and he was at a different school. He used a story format. If you don't have something to explain or provide further info on, I think the optional essay begs for creativity. He considered a collage but felt it was more important to provide information about his freshman year. If W&M is a top choice for you, I would recommend that you do the essay to show how invested you are in attending W&M. The essay gives admissions some additional insight or information about you but it also tells them how willing you are to spend time on the W&M application, meaning, how much you want to go there.</p>
<p>haha i did a collage about myself too melend...ay i thought i was being original, but i guess not so much. good luck everyone</p>
<p>i sent in a really funny poem i wrote for ap lit</p>
<p>I did a collage-esque thing about what's in the bag I usually carry with me...complete with funny captions about my ancient, ginormous cell phone (like, I wouldn't need mace if anyone ever tried to violate me. That's how big this phone is); my deteriorating wallet and finger puppet named "awesome monkey", among others.</p>
<p>I wrote a new essay for the optional piece, basically about why I thought william and mary needed me and why my interests fit wm. I took the "type of person you are/what makes you unique and interesting" prompt and ran with it</p>
<p>I should have written the optional essay, but was too lazy.</p>
<p>I did the collage thing as well...apparently I wasn't the only one. :)</p>
<p>oh boy..this wait is going to be so long....</p>
<p>I took an excerpt from a really intellectual conversation a friend and I had over IM one night during my junior year. trying to show that intellectual curiosity is a part of my everyday life...that's how i explained it to myself, anyway. </p>
<p>i changed the screennames, of course.</p>
<p>it might be a silly idea, it just occured to me on a whim</p>
<p>I sent in the additional essay, because I had already written two for a different application... It wouldn't hurt to send something extra because it shows effort and that you took their form seriously</p>
<p>...or not sending one just shows that you feel your application already represents you well; it's not necessarily a matter of taking something seriously or not. My friends who applied early and got in did not write the optional essay.</p>
<p>I scanned in a watercolor painting that I did, and sent them a printed copy</p>