<p>for the “what don’t you know” essay on the supplement, how do you think admissions would view a response along the lines of…</p>
<p>’ I don’t really know much of anything because I haven’t really studied anything in-depth enough to REALLY understand the material at a deep level’. </p>
<p>I think that statement is probably true for me as well as most applicants out there, but how do you think would admissions react to such an approach?</p>
<p>It might help you stand out because it’s such a short response, but honestly I think admissions officers would think you are lazy. Although there is no specified word minimum, it does seem like you just haphazardly threw some words together and called it an essay. If that is really the best you have to say, you should probably choose another essay topic. It sounds like you took a page out of the applicant’s book who wrote “THIS is courage.” Heard of him? People say he got into Harvard or Yale or something, but I’m pretty sure he is a MYTH. Even if he were real and that’s all he wrote, your essay is along the same lines as his, so it would be copying anyway.</p>
<p>I think maybe, MAYBE, if you can phrase a beautiful, moving, and creative statement that is only a sentence long, then you should take that approach. But if you can’t, write a longer essay or choose another topic. Best of luck (I chose that topic too)</p>
<p>ok, sorry for being unclear…I didn’t mean that i would JUST write that one sentence. I don’t have the guts to do that, nor do I think that would be a very good answer.</p>
<p>What I said in the original post was more of a guideline/thesis for what my essay would be about. I would give definitely get into details to make the essay as personal as possible. </p>
<p>I was wondering how admissions would respond to using that as my “thesis” for the essay</p>
<p>Don’t do it. It might show you’re a little creative, but it also makes you look…erm, stupid.</p>
<p>You’re competing against people that will be writing things just as creative, but more intellectually stimulating. Would this really be how you wanted to represent yourself? :)</p>
<p>Oh haha, sorry for misunderstanding. Well, I guess as long as your essay is extremely well-written and is far from boring (and makes sense), then it should be okay. Picking a creative angle is important, but I hear that how well you write/content is just as important, if not more so. You can give it a shot and ask us to read it if you’re not sure.</p>
<p>I read an article about the person who wrote “I am succinct,” as her essay. People always think she doesn’t actually exist, but she does. She was accepted to Harvard.</p>
<p>haha ok i don’t think i was clear enough, what I said in the OP wouldn’t be the whole essay, that would just be the theme for the essay. thanks fc12, anybody else have any thoughts?</p>
<p>that’s actually word for word what I put in mine…</p>
<p>“I don’t know anything” is my opening line.</p>
<p>Uh, no. They want to see that you’ve studied something in-depth. Even if you didn’t go to a top school where teachers were very engaging, they want to see that you went and researched a topic you were interested in by yourself.</p>
<p>I think the average student hasn’t studied anything in-depth, so that would definitely be a terrible thesis for your essay.</p>
<p>Don’t look at the essay as being unique.
Pretend you are an admissions officer and you’re reading a student’s application (among millions). Sure, it would be different from all the other applicants trying to impress you, but would you admit a student who says they haven’t studied anything in-depth?</p>
<p>I wrote on that topic, too, and mine was quite cheeky. It’s 500 words, but I didn’t write anything academic related. I know it’s definitely a hit-or-miss essay for me, but I recommend writing on something you know you can talk about. If it’s too hard to keep going with that prompt, I agree with just picking another one.</p>
<p>I’m guessing many, many students wrote (or came to the conclusion) that they don’t know anything. How you get there, i.e. how to write it, is what they’ll looking for. Some students were quite philosophical, some very specific. Have fun with it. Share ‘your voice’.</p>
<p>It’s just not going to be effective…
It’s like you can’t just write “oh my life is so full of awesome experiences that I don’t know which to pick for my personal essay. Period.”</p>
<p>But I don’t think it has to be related to academics though :/</p>
<p>Sorry, I just don’t think that will be effective. I’m sure the admission officers would have read a thousand “I don’t know anything, therefore admit me to Brown” essays. Try something more personal. Or if you want to stand out, try something more quirky. Some girl in my class wrote hers on her not knowing to read minds. She handled it very well. Best of luck!</p>
<p>Okay so after reading all of the advice that people have been giving you, I must completely disagree. That’s pretty much what I wrote about in my essay (though expanded of course) and I got in. (:</p>