<p>well, dang it, I thought there was a thread here at CC just on finding readers for common app essays but i can't locate it...so I'm using the larger forum. My D -- going for a wide variety of colleges from top 20s to state university -- would really welcome strangers reading her essay. :) Right now, she's convinced that her friends/teachers aren't being straightforward enough. </p>
<p>The prompt is **Describe a place or environment where you are perfectly content. What do you do or experience there, and why is it meaningful to you?</p>
<p>Please PM if you're willing! </p>
<p>There is actually an essays forum here:
<a href=“College Essays - College Confidential Forums”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-essays/</a></p>
<p>That being said, I’m a current UChicago student and I can give you some feedback from a perspective other than that of a teacher–just PM me if you’d like me to give it a read.</p>
<p>If she’s including top 20’s, make sure this place where she is content still shows the attributes that are relevant to a college app review. It’s not just like a hs writing assignment.</p>
<p>Hey @Lookingforward so let’s talk about that a bit…in almost every case, she’s doing between 1-4 additional essays <em>per</em> college…based on their individual prompts…and those tend to be more academically minded.</p>
<p>The two of us attended a UPenn talk last week and they had 5 recent graduates who spoke…one said his essay was on the joys of ballroom dancing (as a guy) and the other wrote about how it drove her crazy to see “less than” rather than “fewer than” when in the grocery store express line. And they both were sitting up there as happy ivy league grads :)</p>
<p>Somehow ballroom dancing may have included the right notes- maybe some challenge, how he interacts or mentors, isn’t judgmental, his openness to an activity that’s uncommon for many kids etc. The “show not tell” includes what you show about yourself- both in the essay and in the choice of topic. Many kids take the prompt literally but it needs to be relevant. I guess an example is one where the applicant really enjoyed being in her baby brother’s room- it was sweet, but hard to see college in that. </p>
<p>Likewise, maybe the “less than” showed tolerance and humor, some comparison to other situations. You want to see if college-ready attributes come through- not just a writing assignment. Send it to me if you wish.</p>
<p>@Lookingforward Points well-taken and very valid…i’ve PM’d you the essay and would value your insights. </p>
<p>Hi SouthernHope, I can read it too. I’m a mom, and don’t have any applying this year. I can give you some unbiased feedback. </p>