<p>Does the optional essay make/break an application?</p>
<p>Optional Essays are not Optional.</p>
<p>Not doing them tells the college you are not interested enough to bother with their school.</p>
<p>Depends on the college. Also, don’t include one if it’s worse than your other essays.</p>
<p>Just look at it this way: as long as you put even a little effort into it, it will make you seem more appealing than a similar candidate who didn’t do it.</p>
<p>^ Not if you have nothing to say.</p>
<p>So, I’m guessing even if the college writes “Optional Essay: Truly”, you still have to do it to have a better chance at that school?</p>
<p>Better safe than sorry. As long as it’s not a truly awful essay.</p>
<p>I think submitting an optional essay accomplishes 2 things that potentially can benefit your application:</p>
<ol>
<li> It shows the college that you are willing to put all possible effort into attaining acceptance to their school.</li>
<li> You can show the college one more aspect of yourself, hopefully one that is not well represented in the rest of your application. This can be in regard to academics, ECs or just your original view of the world. It’s another chance to show them the contribution you will make you your class. I personally can’t see how any serious applicant would pass up such an opportunity.</li>
</ol>
<p>^ so it’s a win-win situation…</p>
<p>Like entomom says, the optional essay is a fantastic opportunity to give a college another chance to see you as an individual, to stand out. But, here is the catch, just because it is optional does not mean you can spend less time on it. It has to be very polished because the colleges really get so little information and it is a way for them to see how well you write. So, if you’re not a writer, really do evaluate it the same way you evaluate and revise the other essays you submit.</p>
<p>as others have pointed out, an optional essay that can only be used for that school is an excellent tool for adcoms to ferret out who is really interested in their school. If you can’t be bothered to do it, or do it but clearly have put in minimal effort compared to the polish of your standard essays, that sends a clear message about your desire to get in.</p>
<p>Now why would they have “optional” essays?</p>