<p>What about a separate forum for essays? Kids are posting them all over the place. It'd be nice to have everything in one forum.</p>
<p>I think that would be a wonderful idea. I for one do not read the essays, as I have nothing to offer these kids.</p>
<p>I have read many, and commented on a couple. My complaint is that every essay writer titles his/her thread something like "my essay." When I'm trying to go back to the one I commented on, to see if the original poster had any questions about what I wrote, I have a hard time finding the original post. (I don't pay a lot of attention to posters' names.) It would help me a great deal if the threads were titled with something to do with the essay itself, eg. "essay about living in Timbuktu," or whatever.</p>
<p>I think it is a great idea.</p>
<p>I think it's a great idea too, as some people clearly like reading and/or commenting on essays, while others feel they clutter up other forums. </p>
<p>It would probably take some policing to keep the essays off other forums anyway. But at least it would improve the chances that the essays would find people who want to read them, while not getting in the way of those who don't.</p>
<p>I do not think kids should be posting their essays on the forum. I believe the moderators have been discouraging this practice. I have occaisionally commented on an essay when I have felt that the sentiments of the writer were way off from the essay itself, but I feel I should not encourage this practice either.</p>
<p>Jamimom, I agree, though I confess to reading a few.</p>
<p>I agree with Jamimom. I used to read and comment on essays but then I realized that I didn't KNOW the kids who were posting their essays so I couldn't really be much help in pinpointing whether their essay captured them or not. Once in a while, I will still comment when an essay has major, glaring grammatical flaws.</p>
<p>If you feel up to the task, request that a student email you an essay. Handle all review and comments by mail or PM. Then we won't have to worry if someone is stealing another user's posted essay. Of course that assumes that you parents are not in the habit of stealing essays... ;)</p>
<p>I think the whole topic of essay help is a thorny one. On the one hand, these essays are supposed to show that the student can write, and give the adcoms some information about the student, right? So that would imply that the essays 1) should be written by the student and 2) shouldn't be massaged to death by a committee. Students should have learned to write by the 11th grade, shouldn't they? On the other hand, the amount of essay help (not to mention the general quality of education) varies drastically from school to school. And of course wealthier kids can buy all sorts of help with prep and essays. So if someone here can help, why not? It's great that this forum exists and that there are parents here who can give real help to kids all over the world who may have little or no access to resources. I also think that even the best-intentioned help can stifle the student's voice. I saw that at my D's school, where the English teachers specifically teach college essay writing. This is a good thing, but my D's teacher kept asking for rewrite after rewrite, to the point where we all (D and her parents) said that enough is enough, and leave it alone. I guess she did ok; she got in. I fully agree with the cautions put forth by the moderators. And I put forth for consideration the question of whether it is fair for us parents to help with essays (our kids' or anyone else's!).</p>