The Reuse of Old Essays and Choosing a Fit

Transfer Students
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I’m a reduce, reuse, recycle advocate with most material things (i.e. plastic bottles, cans, and the like); however, in my case I’m not certain this mantra holds.

I applied early decision to a LAC senior year and was accepted. I attended it last year. For context, without revealing too many personal details, it is either: Swarthmore, Pomona, Middlebury, or Amherst. I conclusively have decided that I’m much more the big university type and was mistaken that a LAC environment was right for me, won’t go into too much detail here. I enjoyed the intimacy of teaching, but there was certainly a feeling of claustrophobia that I didn’t appreciate.

I applied to transfer and was accepted to Penn, Columbia, Chicago, Duke, Vanderbilt, Notre Dame, Rice, and Brown (I know Brown is in stark contrast to Columbia and Chicago, but their comparative lit department was the draw here, whereas for Columbia and Chicago it was their cores).

I’m planning a literature and philosophy major. This is really all just context, perhaps absolutely useless for my questions.

I have multiple citizenship which would allow me to undertake study in either the UK or EU (now that it looks like EU won’t count toward UK discounts for tuition). I’m strongly considering graduate school after undergraduate.

I’m interested in aesthetics, artificial intelligence, and philosophy of mind.

I have a semi-random passion for architecture, and could see myself becoming an architect. However, fascinations in literature and philosophy might mean that I would pursue graduate study in those fields as well. Definitely someone who loves learning for learnings sake and appreciates the chance to research with professors.

So, I was accepted to all those colleges, and then coronavirus came along. This shook things up and made me weary of transferring. I reached out to all those colleges and, although they were perhaps saddened to hear this, informed them that I would not be choosing to transfer for the fall. Please don’t attack this choice; it’s been made. I didn’t want to begin at a new institution online. It was a decision founded on many discussions with current professors and faculty at the schools of interest.

I selected to take online classes at my current college to continue progress toward a degree. The claustrophobia doesn’t exist as much online, oddly. I’m still planning to transfer, likely at the end of this year. And if coronavirus isn’t dissipating by then, I would leap even if that meant starting online.

First question: Is reusing essays acceptable under these conditions? My writing will continue to improve, so I figure I will edit and improve upon the essays, but can I still utilize the ideas contained? Chiefly concerned about the uncommon UChicago essays.

Second question: I had largely narrowed down to Chicago and Columbia. Does this fit the context I’ve given on what sort of school would fit me? I like the idea of the Cores, even though they are different. These schools also both have bomb philosophy and lit departments, that would likely be able to set me up well for graduate schools?

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A few comments:

  1. I would not re-use essays from the prior year even if they are edited. The colleges likely have last year’s application on file and you don’t want to appear that you are unmotivated or that you have not grown/matured in the last year.

  2. I would apply widely next year – Unless you have some assurance from an admissions officer I don’t think you can count on Chicago or Columbia re-accepting you as a transfer student.

  3. Look carefully at the core curriculum at both colleges and be sure you can finish the core plus the courses you need for your major in the two remaining undergraduate years.

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@happy1

  1. Would it be viable to reuse a portion of the “Why Transfer?” essay? Certainly I’ll be writing from whatever perspective I have toward the end of this year, but the base reason for me transferring hasn’t changed, and that was a subject of my essays. I’ve just delayed that leap because of external circumstances.

  2. Chicago, Notre Dame, Columbia, and Vanderbilt all informed me that my reapplications would be evaluated in full and that my decision now would not affect the second reading. I didn’t reach out to the others with the same question. I suppose citing coronavirus concerns on my applications as the reason for rejecting the initial offer might be a good idea? I don’t need any financial aid, if that affects things.

  3. I should be able to, yes, I’ve looked.

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@happy1 Just an addendum to the third point. I’m taking a philosophy and English course right now. Have already taken 1 English course and 3 philosophy courses, all of which were approved for credit this time around, so I expect would be again. So that helps with the majors. Columbia requires 10 courses in English, and Philosophy is similar. That means after this semester I’ll be 4/~10 philosophy and 2/10 English, so should be fairly achievable. The requirements at my college and Columbia/Chicago for both majors are similar.

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Any thoughts on if I’m considering fit the right way?