First off make a spreadsheet unless you have one already.
There is nothing optional in my opinion. If it says optional it isn’t. Want to show interest. Then do the work and write the essays, do the common app and send in both required plus optional essays. You ask why? Because all the other kids are doing it. If there is an opportunity on the app, rec etc to give more positive information about your son then do it. Don’t leave anything blank on the app. It’s all an opportunity to learn something about your son.
Rose and some other schools are competitive especially for some of their merits.
Yeah, we have a spreadsheet with all the requirements. I don’t know how we’d keep it straight otherwise!
He is doing all the school-specific optional essays. Not so sure about schools that say they don’t even want the main essay. Do they really not want any? Seems like the consensus is that the main essay will help and won’t hurt as long as it’s good.
In the case of Rose, the only thing in question would be should we submit 1 or 2 letters of rec? Most people on this thread seem to be saying submit a second only if it adds something significant beyond the the first. In my son’s case, it doesn’t, so we’d only submit the 1 required letter.
Louisville requires 0 letters and accepts up to 10 (!!!). Rochester Inst of Tech requires 0 and accepts up to 4. I’m sure some kids send 4 to RIT, but that seems excessive in our case. So should he send 1 letter to each school or 0 letters?
Sounds like Pitt truly wants 0 letters and it’s just hard to read between the lines on some of these “optional” components. Seems a little more complex than just deciding to do everything that’s optional. But it sounds like that’s what he may end up doing anyway…
I do think Pitt truly does not want the letters, as that is what they said in the admissions zoom, and the Common App says letters “not applicable.”
On my S’s list, UW Seattle also said in their admissions zoom that they do not want any letters, and please do not send them, and the Common App says letters “not applicable” for them. So I guess this should be considered an indicator on the Common App.
That is really strange about Louisville… who has 10 letters to send???
Follow the instructions. No one is sending in 10 recommendations. Maybe it’s a joke for the AO to see what people do? .
I would just follow and send what they are asking for. Again, to me, optional isn’t optional.
Rose is looking for things to help your kid get merit. If he’s in that conversation GPA and stat wise then great. On Rose’s website it says one rec. So send one. Follow their instructions. If @momofboiler1 tells you to send two for Purdue then do so. She’s the expert for them.
Just follow the instructions per school. Sometimes I think schools want to see if people can follow instructions… Lol. Have your son take the lead on this also.
Right, so, that’s the problem. I wish it were as simple as just following the instructions. I’m sure all of us here (and our kids) can follow instructions. The instructions give you different options and leave it open to individual choice.
On one hand, you’re saying “optional isn’t optional”. That would mean sending 2 letters into Rose because they require 1 and leave the 2nd as an option to send. But then you say to send only 1 letter because that’s “their instructions”. By that same logic, he’d send 0 to Purdue because they’re not required according to their instructions, but you’re saying to send 2 to Purdue.
That’s why people like @momofboiler1 are so helpful. They can help applicants decide whether or not to include optional items.
Submitting an optional essay or common app essay is not going to annoy an AO. They may or may not actually read it, but better to have it if you are merit hunting and looking at some honors colleges from this list.
I only have their website to go off of. You have more information since you have the applications. So if their having an optional one then yes, I would send it.
Your son can also reach out to admissions and just ask your questions. For Rose that might be a plus since they are a small school and it will be added to your file that you called. To Purdue. Not so much since they are a larger school.
My kid got into a decent college (think t50-t70) with some merit without submitting the optional essay. So it can happen. But in general, if you’re really wanting to go somewhere it doesn’t make sense to not take the time to do the optional things.
Some “lesser” schools will still let you in - but it shows commitment to the higher level schools.
Never send in more essays than they allow - and there’s no need to go over the required. But if you have them already in your common app, then no harm sending.
Most things you read says optional means required.
At schools that need kids, likely not true. At schools that have the ability to pick amongst many great ones - certainly it shows a level of commitment.
But you even have schools that send special apps - and will say no essay required - but give you the optional part. And you should do if merit $ an issue. Not sure how TE works.
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