<p>I'm applying to the University of Pittsburgh and James Madison University. The University of Pittsburgh has 3 optional short answer questions. James Madison University has an optional personal statement. Are these really optional? If I don't do them will I not get accepted? Please help.</p>
<p>There’s a story somewhere on CC about the guy who got intro all his Ivies but was rejected from his safety because he didn’t do the “optional” essay. I think that tells you your answer.</p>
<p>I think your answers to those essays mean little. Whether you choose to do them or not says a lot.</p>
<p>In a competitive world, any “option” is a requirement.</p>
<p>I’ve heard multiple admissions officers say that optional essays are not optional unless you are not especially interested in attending that institution. You need to do them…</p>
<p>agree with other posts. The “optional” essay is a valuable test. Many are trivial or silly (like the Stanford “write a note to your roomate”), but the content is not that important. Admins figure that kids that are really interested in their college will do anything to get a leg up, and will jump at the chance to do an optional essay that may push them ahead of the kids that didn’t bother (or submit something that shows little effort). </p>
<p>This is ridiculous. If the essays are not really optional, why don’t the admissions officers simply require them? What on earth is the purpose of labeling something “optional” when it’s really required, other than playing mind games with 17-year-olds?</p>
<p>In any case, I agree that I would do them just in case.</p>
<p>“If the essays are not really optional, why don’t the admissions officers simply require them?”</p>
<p>They “really” are optional. But why would a serious student take the lazy route of not putting their best foot forward? Why would a serious student try to get by on the minimum when there is so much competition for precious college seats? </p>
<p>Pretty much every college major has a “weed out” class, the class that filters out the people unwilling or unable to complete the road ahead. Many colleges have a “weed out” process that let’s the serious student differentiate themselves from the not-so-serious student. Most colleges, 99%+, are not in a position to pick elite students from an elite pool of candidates. Most colleges need to determine which kids are potentially serious about attending there versus those that are just in it for the safety aspect. If a kid is not willing to do more than the minimum to apply, it is probably more likely that they are probably not going to attend if accepted and probably not going to do more than the minimum in the classes even if they do attend.</p>
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I thought it was obvious from what people have been posting. The “optional” nature serves to reveal something about the applicants level of interest, by observing whether they choose to complete them or not. Requiring them eliminates the signal. </p>
<p>Last year the only school i wasn’t accepted to was a safety where my school had >90% acceptance rate. I didn’t write the optional essay. I should note that I got into my two top schools with full tuition music scholarships.</p>
<p>^^And there’s the definitive answer. Thanks for sharing that.</p>