<p>So far I've seen some college supplements ask for a list of books you have read in the past year. For example:</p>
<p>"Please list...the books read for pleasure that you enjoyed most in the past year" (150 word limit)</p>
<p>"List the books (if any) you've read this year for pleasure."</p>
<p>I love reading. I've always been a big book worm, so I have tons of books I can put for these sections. However, is it bad to list twenty or thirty novels, maybe more when there doesn't appear to be a word limit? I know one's asking for what you enjoyed most, but I feel like I should take advantage of the 150 word limit it provides. I legitimately really like a lot of the books I read, and I want to show how much I enjoy reading. But I'm afraid that writing a lot might be excessive and that I might seem like I'm insincere and making up a bunch of book titles. </p>
<p>I know this is a little bit of a try-hard, worry-wart kind of question, but I'd appreciate some advice. :)</p>
<p>My DD was working on her apps and asked me a similar question. She wanted to know whether they literally mean just make a list, or whether they want her to comment on the books at all. She found this confusing.</p>
<p>I don’t see any reason not to list all the books you’re thinking of, and I think if they wanted commentary they would ask for it.
Maybe leave out the really popular classics that would be likely to come into the mind of someone who was just making stuff up?</p>
<p>Also, bouncing off the OP’s question, does it really matter whether or not you actually read them in the past year? Some of my absolute favorite books have been from several years ago, so I’m planning to just list them anyway, since they won’t know.</p>
<p>It does matter when you read them since they asked about the last year. To list otherwise means even if they don’t know that you are not a truthful person.</p>
<p>Usually they ask later in a separate question to discuss one of the books, so I’ll be listing when they say list. There isn’t really a way for them to tell if you’ve actually read the books in the last year, so I guess if people wanted to put others/lie, it could be done. I bet people often do. But I’m not planning on lying, I’ve really read a whole bunch of books in the last year .___. I’ll consider not naming some of the popular ones.</p>
<p>Just list the books - including the “popular” ones. It isn’t a trick question - they want a list. So give them your list - no need for editing (or embellishing).</p>
<p>Do not try to impress them by the quality, quantity of your books. Do not leave out popular ones, and dont put there books you read years ago. Do not try to second guess what would they like to hear.
How about answering the TRUE?</p>
<p>I think the first question is different from the second. In the second question you are asked to list books you read for pleasure, so list them - all of them if you want.</p>
<p>In the first question, you’re asked to list the ones you enjoyed most. I still don’t think 15-20 is too many, though, as many people can read 50-60 books in a year.</p>
<p>I think you can fudge the year a little bit, too. They’re asking this question to get an idea of who you are - what you like and how you are keeping your mind engaged. I mean, don’t list books you read 7 years ago (which if you’re 17-18 would be books you read at 10-11 anyway, and therefore not impressive lol), but if you read the book 2 years ago but it’s stuck with you and changed your life, I don’t think it would be a problem to list that.</p>
<p>I’m kind of nervous about this question because I read A LOT, and my New Years resolution for 2013 was to keep a list of every book I read. Buys its only August and my list has 114 books so far. I read really quickly, and I read a lot, but I’m afraid if I put so many they’ll think I’m lying! Should I shorten it?</p>
<p>heatherdinae, it really depends on the books. You are basically a new book every two days. You read page turners. A Beautiful Mind was a page turner for me. I don’t read as much as you but when I get engrossed, the book is done in two days. I could easily see you reading something like a James Patterson novel or Freakonomics in a day during your summer vacation. Now if you were reading books on subjects such as chaos theory, I would be suspect. Your list will suggests that it is possible.</p>
<p>Maybe you could list some of the better known books you’ve read, or some from each genre that you like (poetry, science fiction, historical biographies or such) and then instead of listing more write something like “and numerous pulp mystery novels” or whatever genre it is that you read so much of.</p>