Can a good essay really help with being admitted to good colleges? Despite having some destructive sides to your application?
Essays are not miracle workers, but yes, they can help you, but they can also destroy you.
The admissions process works in steps. First come the numbers: your scores and grades. If those are not there you are already out of the running. The admissions committee sticks to students with the numbers that are in line with what they can demand. An essay makes no difference either way.
But if your numbers are good, you then move onto the next round, the round where they actually want to know who you are. Here, a good or great essay can make a difference. If you make yourself seem like the kind of person they want on campus, who will be an interesting part of a class, the admissions folks will admit on the strength of your self portrait. Conversely, a bad essay will make them yawn – or worse – and they are not compelled. They may still let you in. I have seen plenty of lame essays from student who were accepted to top schools. But the students had other stuff the school wanted. So a bad essay decreases your odds.
Also, the writing counts! They want good writers and good thinkers.
There is a lot of support for the above view from actual admissions committees people. Just check YouTube and other articles a la Google.