The Essay

<p>How important is the essay?</p>

<p>I think it's a pretty big part of the admissions process so you do need to spend some time on it. They just want to see 1) who you are and 2) how you write. If you do that, then have a few people edit it and then send it off.</p>

<p>The most important thing, however, is your academic record (recs, ECs, GPA, rank, etc.).</p>

<p>The essay---if it is incredibly well-written----can make a huge difference.</p>

<p>I agree. It definitely can't get an unqualified applicant in, but an excellent essay could be a tipping factor for someone on the fence between rejection and acceptance. A really bad essay (ex. one that looks like someone wrote it in 30 minutes) could also keep someone out who would otherwise get in, because the college will probably think the student didn't care enough to try and write a good essay.</p>

<p>I had written an essay for the common app, and when it was done, I was very, very proud of it. So when it came time to apply to Notre Dame, it had a few questions, along with the seemingly-required choice of "A topic of your choosing." So, since I really liked my common app essay, I submitted that, with the "topic of your choosing" box checked.</p>

<p>Now, do you think the admissions office will see that as laziness?</p>

<p>I think that it's important, seeing that there is only one essay and ND doesn't offer interviews. And I doubt the officers are going to care. They realize you're applying to other schools and have a lot of essays to write.</p>

<p>First of all, ND does look at the essays more carefully than a lot of other schools and they can really help you so it is definately worthwhile to make it good.</p>

<p>Secondly, I have heard through the years that it is best not to use the topic of your choice option just because it does essentially show that you weren't willing to spend the time to make a special essay for ND and your essay may not be exactly what they are looking for. That being said, they have that option for situations like this and there are plenty of individuals like me that just modified their essays for the various schools (but it matched ND's question as ND was my top choice so I wrote that essay). In other words, using that option is not ideal in my opinion but if it is a great essay then it is a great essay. If it wasn't acceptable, it wouldn't be an option.</p>

<p>I am not sure if that makes sense or not, but here is the Cliffs Notes version: DON'T STRESS IT AT THIS POINT. I am sure you wll be fine. There is nothing more you can do at this point; the grades and your application is in and now it is just a waiting game. Have faith in all of the hard work you have put in over the years and just try as well as you can to be patient. Good luck and really don't stress it at this point. I really don't see it as something that could break you if it is a good essay.</p>

<p>Yea, I mean, that makes sense...</p>

<p>Then again, I talked to my great aunt (who's on the board of trustees at ND) what she thought, and she said that if I was proud of my one essay, to go with it. I tend to listen to her.</p>

<p>And yes, I am hoping that my aunt will pull some strings. I make no apologies.</p>

<p>I am sure you will be fine, and regardless at this point it doesn't matter anyways as it is in and the work is done. I am just telling you what I have heard either from admissions or college counselors (I forget whom). There is a reason that they offer that option so don't stress it too much.</p>

<p>Good luck with the string pulling!</p>

<p>I wrote my essay for the ND application (since I applied EA) but I used "topic of your choice" so that I could use it for my common app essay as well (which I did). As long as you choose an interesting enough topic- I don't think the Adcom will stress over which school you wrote the essay for. If it seems like your topic is important to you, they probably won't care which prompt you are answering.</p>

<p>There ya go, living proof that it can work. Thanks Shellzie. Don't stress it KevDude, I am sure you will be fine.</p>

<p>I used the "topic of your choice" also, and I still got in as a Notre Dame Scholar EA. I even got a nice card from admissions saying how much they enjoyed my essay, so I really don't think the topic matters. Write whichever essay that will show the most about your personality.</p>

<p>Used topic of choice--got in EA!</p>

<p>Mine was also topic of choice. However, mine was a ND specific essay it just didn't follow the two given topics.</p>

<p>Just wondering, which essay prompt did everyone choose and what did you actually write about?
And... did you get in EA, were you deferred or are you waiting for RD?
Thanks!</p>

<p>i used the "topic of your choice" prompt. however, it was an original essay, not used for anywhere else. i wrote about governor's school. </p>

<p>i'm waiting for rd.</p>

<p>As I already mentioned, mine was for the "topic of your choice" prompt. I wrote about an experience I had while traveling in China- it wasn't too exciting, but I've been told its good by several people. When I met with the admissions counselor at the College of Science Open House, he told me that he liked it. I was acepted EA.</p>

<p>Mine was slightly cliche in that i wrote about a trip (i went to germany for world youth day) and talked about the impact the trip had on me. it was a "topic of choice". it worked out great...i got in EA and was named a ND Scholar.</p>

<p>xcjimmy, WYD was awesome! I was about 5 feet from the Pope!!! </p>

<p>(sorry, this is sort of off topic)</p>

<p>Everyone's essays sound cool. Keep posting, because I think it's really interesting, considering how much ND stresses the personal statements. I kinda incorporated a church trip in mine, too, xcjimmy... but it was to ND Vision, not Germany! lucky you. (mine corresponded to the "passion" prompt)</p>

<p>when i had to write my essay last year, i wrote an original one just for ND (mostly because I only applied to ND) and it was a chose your own topic one. Mine was about how I have grown as a person and in my faith due to my mother's death when i was 11. its a pretty cliche but it worked for me.</p>