<p>Hi Guys! </p>
<p>I have a question about writing my college essay(s). I have pretty good stats and all but I am lacking in the leadership realm of the application. I am applying to some top tier engineering schools like MIT, CalTech, Cornell, and Rice. My goal is to get a degree in Mechanical Engineering and pursue a PhD degree as well so that I can become a Professor. I know that it is impossible to calculate the chances of getting into the schools listed above, but would it help if I write my essay on how I am a planner and that I set myself up for success in the future, and then go on to say that I am planning to get a PhD and become a professor. This way, if I build up my essay to give the reader a sense of my personality, they may find my goal of becoming a professor more believable since I am so young (many people write things and don't follow through). I don't really have any other "grand" ideas as topics for my essays. My parents thought this would be a great idea for my essay since those schools love to see passionate and unique kids.</p>
<p>Any feedback would be helpful!</p>
<p>I think it would help if you honed in on a specific experience you had, that demonstrates why or how you’re a good planner. Show them, rather than tell them. And make sure you apply to safeties!</p>
<p>While that is a novel and interesting idea, I think it focuses a great deal on the future and not really who you are at the present. It is easy to say “I want to become an astronaut/doctor/engineer” but it is very different to do it because you haven’t experienced it yet. Instead, I think you should tell about a past experience(s) that shows a lot of your personality or who you are today. Colleges do like to see students who are ambitious and have goals. But I think it is important to show the “backbone” of why you want to be those things either through your experiences. Or quite frankly, the college essay doesn’t have to necessarily focus on your potential major at all. Although mine related briefly with my interests, they mostly reflected who I was as a person. Because there may be hundreds of other kids with the same aspiration, but there is only one you. Does that make any sense?</p>
<p>Thanks for the advice @ghostalgic! I will make sure to write about my experience in high school where my planning helped me out. I made sure to apply to my safety already 
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<p>@shawnspencer Yeah that definitely makes sense! I will definitely take that into account while writing my essays. Also, some of those schools require multiple short essays and/or long prompts, so I think I could mix and match the topic of each essay!</p>