What should I write in these essays? I don’t even know where to begin! Should I write about clubs, food, dorms, majors that interest me, academic areas that the school excels in? I really don’t have specific reasons for wanting to go to the schools that I’m applying to, it’s a rather random bunch based mostly on location and size, so I suppose I’ll have to make some up… where should I begin?
<p>"I really don't have specific reasons for wanting to go to the schools that I'm applying to"</p>
<p>Then you need to spend more time thinking about your choices. It simply doesn't make sense to apply at random to colleges. College will be a big investment of your own time, and of your parents' money. Your choices are worth doing some deep thinking about.</p>
<p>I think the question you raise, Veronique, may be similar to the one my son faces. He is interested in so many subject areas, has received so much mail, and has heard so many college presentations at this point, that he has a sense of overload. With some exceptions, the colleges start to sound alike. And he has found that visits are often not too indicative of what he thinks he might find ultimately, just depends upon what someone shows him that day, or which student he spends the overnight with. So, he has chosen his list according to his desire to be near a city to avail himself of the cultural opportunities there, (we live in a rural area now) and to link those to his college experience. </p>
<p>Perhaps you could ask these all important questions of yourself: What do I want to gain, and what do I want to give? Then do your research via the websites and this forum, and contacts with the college admissions offices, to determine whether the colleges on your list will be able to meet your needs. </p>
<p>Other added things my son has looked at are size of the college, dedication of faculty to undergraduates, intensity of the academic experience, diversity, opportunities for community service, and reputation of specific major areas. It is harder to say why you are applying to a particular school if you are undecided about the major, but if you do know what you are seeking in a major, contact students and faculty to discuss your interests.</p>
<p>Veronique --</p>
<p>What are your essay questions?</p>
<p>I'm not an 'expert', but when my S was writing his essays I told him I thought the most important thing was that 1) they be written in his 'voice' and that he 2) provide the reader as clear a view of who he is through his writing as possible. My impression is that the purpose of the essays is that it is a chance for the admissions people to distinguish you as an individual from all the scores and grades that simply make you another in their list of statistics, so the more you come across as an interesting person who they would like to have on campus, the better the essay. Yes?</p>
<p>Dizzymom</p>
<p>sorry this has nothing to do with your post, but is Veronique your real name? all throughout high school we had French names in our French classes and that was my name! :)</p>
<p>1) I'm not applying at random to colleges, just a little bit randomly. I'm sure I'll be more than happy at any of the colleges I'm applying to. I'm not really one for "deep thinking". Plenty of people who think really deeply about where they want to go don't get into their dream schools or even end up not liking a school they had previously thought was to die for.</p>
<p>2) Yeeep, the more I research colleges, the more the same they seem. After visiting a ton in the spring, I just can't make myself visit any more. I'm sick of it!</p>
<p>3) The essay question is basically "Why do you want to go to -------?" (I have it for a few different schools I'm applying to)</p>
<p>4)Yayyyyy French names! Yeah, it's not my real name, it's a former French name. Only we don't have French names at my high school, we just had them in middle school.</p>
<p>The Why___________ only requires a pretty short and direct answer. Surely there must be something about the school that is positive. Are there some kind of academic qualities that put it on your list instead of off. Will you be participating in sports? You don't have to overthink it.</p>