<p>I disagree completely with the idea of the helicopter parent simply because I’ve experienced it firsthand and I’ve seen that it doesn’t work. My best friend has got perfect SATs, perfect ECs, perfect GPA, perfect everything, except for his essay. Quite frankly, it’s one of the worst things I’ve ever read, and I believe it is because he doesn’t have time for any creativity to flow inside of him. His mother, a hardcore helicopter, pressures him non-stop to strive for perfection, schedules his life incessantly, and pretty much does all his work for him. Because of that his time-management skills are absolutely dismal, he’s got no confidence whatsoever, and he depends on his mother for EVERYTHING.</p>
<p>My parents, on the other hand, have always been supportive and loving. They stress that no matter what I do in life, I will always make them proud and that they will be happy with whatever becomes of me. This in turns makes me want to become a better person, to make them even more proud. Because of this freedom they allow me, I’ve become a better, self-motivated PERSON. I am not a robot controlled by my parents. I actually have interests, I have dislikes, I have passions. I may not know what I want in life yet - I’m only 17 - but I know that I will achieve my goals because I’ve got loving parents who will support me. If I ever need help in life, then I know they are the first people I will ask.</p>
<p>I admit that I am flawed, as is everyone else on this planet, and that’s okay. It is living with this knowledge that makes life more bearable and almost more exciting. Having my parents try to mold me into something I cannot be is an almost inhumane, disgusting idea.</p>
<p>By the way, I used words like ‘awesome’ and ‘sucks’ and ‘cool’ in my essays, I did the entire application process by myself and only asked my parents for help when I needed it, and I was accepted early with a full ride scholarship to the University of Chicago. I’m living proof that naive, youthful imperfection is what colleges are looking for, not sterile, parent-edited ‘relish’ robots.</p>