What difference could the essays make? (Ivy Chances!)

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>Hey everyone!</p>

<p>Just wondering -- how much of a difference would really unique, well-written essays (both on the Common App and individual school supplements) make in the college admissions process? Does anyone have any experience or knowledge regarding this (or feel like they were accepted to a top school primarily because of their well-written essays)?</p>

<p>Just a few additional stats, though not a full profile -- I'm a white female with a 3.7-3.8 UW GPA at one of the top high schools in my state (we don't rank, but I'd place myself in at least the top 5%-zone of my class). I'm completing the IB Diploma Programme (which, at our school, includes a number of AP/IB courses -- so I'm taking AP Bio, AP Stats, and being prepared for the AP English exams in addition to my 6 IB higher-level and standard-level exams.) Also, only 4 students out of 160ish are doing IB. </p>

<p>My SAT is in the 2100's and I have a 31 ACT -- with strong scores in the reading and writing portions of both exams (I plan to major in the liberal arts [creative writing?], maybe double-major with business). SAT II's are 650 world history and 720 literature -- not perfect, I know, but there weren't any exams that correlated well with both my strengths as well as the IB curriculum. </p>

<p>Extra-curricular-wise I'm the editor-in-chief of our school newspaper, the captain of the school's varsity mountain biking team, the secretary/parliamentarian (two years) for our state's Latin language organization, etc. I have an average-ish amount of community service activity (though nothing particularly special), and have participated in a handful of other clubs. Also, I've been on the tech crew for our school plays for three years (and won an award for "Outstanding Technical Theatre Artistry" last year). </p>

<p>Awards-wise there's nothing particularly notable -- first place at a university summer camp's entrepreneurship program, a number of nationally-ranking awards for our school paper as a whole, and a number of 2nd and 3rd place finishes in mountain biking races (including 3rd at the state championship race), and some state-level Latin language/classics awards.</p>

<p>Anyhow... would interesting, unique, well-written essays be enough to gain acceptance to a top-ranking college? I really think that they show that "spark" of uniqueness that most schools are looking for -- I was just wondering if these would be enough to overcome my low-average test scores for schools of a very high calibre (Yale, Columbia, Penn, WashU, and Emory in particular).</p>

<p>Thanks so much! :)</p>

<p>-- Cinnamon</p>

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<p>I would like to know as well.</p>

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<p>Well written essays would give you a decent shot at those universities with your test scores and EC’s.</p>

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<p>Essays play a big role in applications especially recently. Since its becoming more and more competitive and students are getting higher and higher scores the colleges are looking for what makes you unique from all the other applicants and they want to see the kind of person you are. I went on an info session to Uchicago and they said the two most important things are the transcript and the essay. I went to another at Bucknell and they said the same thing and that high scores arent going to guarantee acceptance.</p>

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<p>I have to disagree with the above poster. Essays really mainly have a noticeable impact if someone is on the edge or it’s really bad, otherwise not much of an affect. And, just my own observation, everyone on the results threads and all thinks their essays are really unique and well-written, but as I’ve read around, the vast majority of essays fall into clich</p>

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<p>Rigor + passionate and focused ECs + stunning essays and recs = acceptance at most places. Ivies are a bit different since they factor in hooks a lot more, and they are very random. However, that’s the best way to solidify your application. People focus so much effort on test scores when, at a point, they stop being a factor (i.e a 750 in math vs a 800). </p>

<p>Plus, I go to a top 70 school, and in my AP Lit class (which has tons of smart people, and already like 4 Ivy acceptees), we read each others college essays. I was stunned at how boring, cliche-filled, uninspiring, unoriginal, and horrible the majority were. I think a really well-written, unique, and strong essay that lets your voice and passion come through really does distinguish you from the crowd. Make them memorable, and you’ll increase your chances tremendously.</p>