<p>i know this question sounds stupid, but i've even been advised against writing ok essays. My friends all suggest that colleges do not expect chinese students to write well, so if i give good essays, colleges would think that i didn't write them on my own. I am in a normal public high school where nobody uses English and my parents cannot speak a word of English. So I have been trying to make my essays more boring and more simple, but I think every college I want to apply to would just throw them in the bin. What should I do?</p>
<p>that’s the worst advice i’ve ever heard. you’re better off bringing crayons to bubble in your SAT tests</p>
<p>write the best essay you can possibly write and make fun of your friend when you get into a better college than him/her</p>
<p>I agree. You’ve been talking to the wrong people. It’s all the more impressive if you’re writing excellent essays. Your friends gave you bad advise. Sometimes the essays can make or break the application. Honestly, I doubt the colleges will give it enough thought to think that you had help. They probably will only have a sense of your situation, not the full picture and won’t assume that you’re writing an “ok” essay because of your school. College admissions isn’t like that. Write what you want to write and let yourself shine through. Good luck! :)</p>
<p>thanks; I’ll just ignore my friends. I hope they won’t be affronted.</p>
<p>your friends are idiots. sorry.</p>