<p>Hey,</p>
<p>I am just wondering, for the optional essay in the Penn supplement, does the bolded "(optional truly)" mean that the essay is truly optional? lol</p>
<p>YES IT IS 10 char</p>
<p>I assume that it gives a boost if the essay is actually good.</p>
<p>From the Penn site</p>
<p>"The optional essay in the Penn Application Supplement, asking you to submit page 217 of your autobiography, is truly optional. We even put "Truly" next to where it says "Optional." Yet, people keep asking us if it really is optional. It is. Truly."</p>
<p>yes it is optional..</p>
<p>but think about it. if you were choosing from two applicants of the same caliber. would you choose the applicant who took the time to write an extra essay or a student who did the bare minimum?</p>
<p>it says a lot about your character and your desire to attend UPenn.</p>
<p>^I disagree. If you aren't a good writer or don't have a good idea, it would be to your disadvantage to write the optional essay. Desire to attend a university, imo, has nothing to do with whether or not you want to write an optional essay that could hurt you if done incorrectly. That is called taking a risk. Given, some risks do pay off.</p>
<p>@QuakQuaker - It's just an essay man. Choosing to not do an optional essay hardly says anything about your character or desire. I mean, are you joking? If you feel they admissions would have a good picture of who you are from your other essays, you don't exactly have to write the essay. But if you feel that they haven't gotten a clear picture of you, feel free to write the other essay.</p>
<p>QuakQuaker- wrong. If you can write a good essay it can help. Writing a mediocre essay can hurt. Its completely optional</p>
<p>i heard from an admissions officer that if there are a few kids applying from the same high school are applying, the people who write three essays show that they are motivated students which is what penn wants.</p>
<p>i have a question about it..</p>
<p>is it 300 pages of your life up to now, and you write 217 being like 2/3 through?
or is it like 300 of your entire life.. like you're writing it in the future? xD i thought the 2nd one but i'm not sure..</p>
<p>Either one</p>
<p>Everybody overthinks this prompt - it is purposely ambiguous to see exactly how you interpret it and work with it. There is no right or wrong approach to this one, just be creative.</p>
<p>i love the hypothetical situations... why would they ever compare just two applicants at a time? and why are these two applicants completely identical?? isn't everyone reviewed individually? i mean come on if you don't do this essay it won't be the reason you got rejected, only the reason you got accepted if anything.</p>
<p>I personally agree w/ quakquaker
i admire someone who puts in more time and effort to add something "extra" to their application. </p>
<p>If two people had almost the exact same stats, yet one person chose to do the optional essay... I would definitly choose that person.</p>
<p>i would write it if I were you...and spend time on in</p>
<p>lol.</p>
<p>well i said that under the assumption that if you do end up writing the optional essay it would be a good one. </p>
<p>if you really want to get in, why not spend the extra time? this is the essay where you can add more personality and creativity compared to the other two supplements. have fun with it. this prompt was by far my favorite.</p>
<p>It gives you another opportunity for Penn to know you better through your writing. Perhaps Penn thinks that all qualified HS senior should be able to write and express themselves well.</p>
<p>
[quote]
"The optional essay in the Penn Application Supplement, asking you to submit page 217 of your autobiography, is truly optional. We even put "Truly" next to where it says "Optional." Yet, people keep asking us if it really is optional. It is. Truly."
[/quote]
</p>
<p>still loling</p>
<p>I didn't write it and I got in. This has been rehashed a million times...</p>