Treating a College Admissions Essay Like a First Date

College Essays
1

<p>College essay-writing advice abounds, and I do feel that some students actually lose their literary voices when trying to adhere to all the how-to edicts they encounter.</p>

<p>But the catchy title of Jacques Steinberg's latest New York Times blog, "The Choice" made it too intriguing to pass up, even for someone like me who hasn't actually had a first date in four decades.</p>

<p>See Treating</a> a College Admissions Essay Like a First Date - The Choice Blog - NYTimes.com</p>

<p>One comment especially hit home for me. (Here, Steinberg is citing Chad Hemmelgarn, an English teacher at Bexley High School in Columbus, Ohio,who took part in a panel this week aimed at high school juniors at the annual convention of the College Board in New York City.)</p>

<p>
[quote]
One other tip from Mr. Hemmelgarn: When an applicant is asked a question like, “Indicate a person who has had a significant influence on you,” as appears on the Common Application, what the college is really seeking is something about you (as in how you are similar to the person, or different.)</p>

<p>“The college is not accepting grandpa,” Mr. Hemmelgarn said. “They want to know what qualities of grandpa do you have.”

[/quote]
</p>

<p>I just read an essay that a neighbor asked me to review for her nephew. The young man had done a decent job of profiling his best friend's ailing grandpa--a man he clearly admired. But there was very little in the essay that told me about the author himself, beyond the fact that he had empathy for a struggling octogenarian. </p>

<p>But more controversial is Hemmelgarn's practice of requiring his 11th-grade pupils to write 25 practice college essays in 25 weeks. </p>

<p>I'm sure some CC readers will object rather strenuously to such assignments. But, had it been my own erstwhile junior English teacher who had demanded this, I probably would have said, "Hey, that's cool. As long as you don't give us any other homework." It would have certainly taken the heat off at application time the following year (although back in those days, the "heat" was more like just a balmy breeze.)</p>

2

<p>As someone who has had a few first dates in the last six months, lets just say his advice sounded much like the advice Match.com gives for writing your match profile. And yes, the essay questions are still stressful. I don’t think you can’t give your high school senior the same advice my girlfriends gave me, write them after you’ve had a glass of wine.</p>

3

<p>

</p>

<p>In my experience, most substance-inspired “inspirations” only sound great while under the influence. Of course, if the admission folks who read them are similarly impaired, it might work out okay. ;)</p>

<p>On another note, last night I encountered two local high school seniors who were complaining about the stress of essay writing. I asked what they thought about an 11th-grade English teacher requiring 25 essays in 25 weeks. </p>

<p>The first student echoed my own thoughts (“If it’s the only homework assigned …”) it might be a worthwhile approach. He also added that it would be nice not to be graded.</p>

<p>The second student suggested that having a couple dozen decent but ultimately unused essays on his hard drive might provide perfect start-up inventory for a cottage industry.</p>

<p>Even though he said this in jest, it does take me back to the question I ask myself all the time … that is, how many applicants are not writing their own essays or are submitting those that have been whitewashed beyond recognition?</p>

<p>Perhaps the 25-per-year plan would up the odds that the work is truly original, although I also wonder how much teacher intervention is involved here.</p>

<p>The other thing I like about the 25/year essay plan is that the first five or 10 essays would probably be on predictable topics (“How my community service trip to Costa Rica changed my life” or “The Big Orchestra Recital”) but, by the time the student is desperately dredging up ideas for #22 and 23, he or she might actually hit on something that is both revealing and unique.</p>

4

<p>I read this article yesterday when originally posted so forgive me if I am missing something; re: 25 essays in 25 weeks required by 11th grade english teacher…</p>

<p>When did an english teacher’s job description change to include “college admissions coach”? Isn’t 11th grade english supposed to be a “critical thinking”, American literature focus?..</p>

<p>I could understand if this particular english teacher provided this essay help as “extra help” or even as a “pay for service”, but to be conducting an exhaustive college admissions process in his/her classroom seems to be a little ridiculous…</p>

<p>Why don’t we just change the entire HS english curriculum and rename it “college counseling”?</p>

5

<p>@Rodney: </p>

<p>Why does it have to be two different things? Admissions questions often follow the lines of: What event or debate holds meaning to you? Talk about world affairs/ talk about the US comapare yourself to George Washington, Argue how you would’ve changed ____.</p>

<p>I think it’s quite close-minded to say 25 days of essays will kill the curriculum focus. Essays are just as important to write, and students need practice. I was already writing essays nearly weekly in 11th grade, more wouldn’t have been that different.</p>

6

<p>Not talking about quantity necessarily; more about content…I would have less of an issue if these 25 were spread across all the subjects, not just in english…as you point out eloquently, an essay in history about world affairs, or an essay in science about a new discovery would all fit the bill…but if you’re doing 25 focusin only in english class? not so sure…and it also wasn’t made clear if the 25 essays were actually tied to language/literature or just were meant to be “application essays”…?</p>

<p>Some clarification would probably be required to make a sound judgement on this one…</p>

7

<p>

</p>

<p>If you happened to read Acceptance by Dave Marcus, you saw that the high school that is profiled in the book offers a fall-term senior elective called “Essay Writing for College.” The class is co-taught by “Smitty” (the guidance counselor who is the protagonist in this “story”) and by the AP English teacher (who happens to be Smitty’s Significant Other … but that’s another story).</p>

<p>The main focus of this class is to help students to dig deep within themselves, to identify what really matters to them, and to learn to reveal this in their essays. The class also provides the opportunity to discuss broader concerns related to the application process.</p>

<p>While I loathe the idea that the college admissions process has taken on such a life of its own that it has spawned a daily semester-long class, I do think that offering such a class is worthwhile in light of the prevailing insanity and would allay Rodney’s very reasonable concern about the senior English curriculum being hijacked by the demands of college essays.</p>

8

<p>^^Oh, wow…completely different story; although no less disconcerting…thanks for the clarification; no, I have never read that book (nor after hearing about this course, do I intend to)…</p>

<p>Knowing, though, that this is a “senior” elective does allay some of that concern…junior year, another story…</p>

9

<p>I think that this post is pretty good. I’m still a junior in High School, so I don’t really know much about college esays, but I have to say that I agree with Sally. :)</p>

10

<p>

</p>

<p>Thanks, Maryia16. I can’t tell which of my multiple diatribes you agree with, but it’s still nice to have someone agreeing with me. :)</p>

11

<p>I’m a senior in high school currently going through the essay writing process. While I think that perhaps 25 essays in 25 weeks is a little excessive, I wish my English teacher had required a couple. I’m having trouble coming up with topics for some essays and if my teacher had had us write several essays on some more unusual prompts that one sees every once and a while, I would be much better off for it. Don’t get me wrong, I wrote a lot in my junior English class, but a couple of college essays might have been helpful</p>

12

<p>I agree … writing 25 college essays in ANY amount of time seems excessive.</p>

13

<p>Hahah…everyone with 25 is excessive. {Full disclousure, I’m a Nanowrimo participant. 50,000 words in 30 days. 25 essays isn’t hard, it’s just work and practice, like any other thing.}</p>

<p>At any rate, it’s more helpful in the end. I’ve complained at nearly every AP essay I’ve been given monthly, but I know that it’ll get me the 5 in the end. My lit teacher just added essays for college as a requirement. “You have 3 days to write one. Have fun.” </p>

<p>I rather like the idea.</p>

14

<p>Yeah my AP Lit teacher gave us one “college essay day.”</p>

<p>She didn’t let up on any homework, we still had an unfair, cruel amount as always, but she said for one class we should bring in a college essay (because she “knows we’re doing them now” and can’t pretend we haven’t written any). She gave us half a class, 45 mins, to trade papers with two different people and write comments. It was a really valuable exercise, as long as you chose the right people to switch with. It was doubly nice to see how other people are responding to similar or the same prompt.</p>

<p>However, she knows her purpose is to teach us English and not to college-coach us, and I think she would disagree with the teacher who felt he had to assign 25 essays.</p>

15

<p>Yeah… 25 essays is a LOT. And if each of them has to be quality college essays, well, that seems just unrealistic. :slight_smile: As a high school senior who had a tough junior AND senior courseload, I really don’t think I could’ve found the time to write 25 essays. Besides, I’d rather write two or three really good ones that I’ve edited over and over again, than 25 which are only mediocre.</p>

16

<p>And another consideration is who is reading and evaluating the essays. I’ve known English teachers who don’t seem to get what a college application essay is supposed to convey. Some even view it as a laundry list of achievements … a sort of resume in sentence form. Others insist on inserting the “prompt” at the start of the first paragraph: “A person who had a significant influence on me is …” (snore)</p>

<p>So the “practice” value of 25 essays is diminished if the feedback isn’t on target.</p>

17

<p>"If you happened to read Acceptance by Dave Marcus, you saw that the high school that is profiled in the book offers a fall-term senior elective called “Essay Writing for College.” The class is co-taught by “Smitty” (the guidance counselor who is the protagonist in this “story”) and by the AP English teacher (who happens to be Smitty’s Significant Other … but that’s another story).</p>

<p>The main focus of this class is to help students to dig deep within themselves, to identify what really matters to them, and to learn to reveal this in their essays. The class also provides the opportunity to discuss broader concerns related to the application process."</p>

<p>That was an easy to read, excellent book. Every school district should be blessed with a Smitty.</p>

18

<p>interesting approach to essays, but 25 are wayyy too many…</p>

19

<p>Read the following journal article which you will be able to access in the Liverpool University online library: </p>

<p>McAdam, R., & McCormack, D. (2001) ‘Integrating business processes for global alignment and supply chain management’, Business Process Management Journal, 7 (2), pp. 113–130. </p>

<p>The authors state that, ‘Organisation structures change to suit their environment and to enable strategic decisions.’ How well is this proposition borne out by the evidence from the various companies surveyed, and in particular from Nortel Networks? You should provide clear examples from the evidence to support your argument. </p>

<p>Read the following journal article which you will be able to access in the Liverpool University online library: </p>

<p>McAdam, R., & McCormack, D. (2001) ‘Integrating business processes for global alignment and supply chain management’, Business Process Management Journal, 7 (2), pp. 113–130. </p>

<p>The authors state that, ‘Organisation structures change to suit their environment and to enable strategic decisions.’ How well is this proposition borne out by the evidence from the various companies surveyed, and in particular from Nortel Networks? You should provide clear examples from the evidence to support your argument.</p>

20

<p>can you explain more this articale , about what?</p>