<p>I am not sure where general writing sample questions should go, so if you find a more suited place for this question, please let me know.</p>
<p>I am considering sending in a writing sample to several colleges. The piece that I would like to send is a 13-page essay I spent three months working on in the spring trimester of my junior year. It is about the Stonewall Riots (Stonewall</a> riots - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia) and arguing that they did not end up changing public opinion on homosexuality. I truly believe that it is one of the best examples of my writing abilities, and I worked very hard on it.</p>
<p>I am not worried about what I argue making me seem intolerant because my Common App will show that I am vice president of my school's gay-straight alliance, but is sending a paper on this controversial topic too risky?</p>
<p>Also, more generally, is 13 pages too long for a writing sample? If so, what is a good length to shoot for?</p>
<p>Thanks!</p>
<p>If your paper is truly so amazing, it won’t come off as offensive; your topic sounds quite interesting, in fact (and I actually agree with your thesis!). 13 pages is a bit too long, though–I’d say keep it under 10 pages, double-spaced, size-12 font, 1-inch margins.</p>
<p>I would have posted this in the College Admissions forum.</p>
<p>Yes a 13 page writing sample is too long. So is 10 pages. Can I ask why you are sending a writing sample at all?</p>
<p>I just checked, and the main “essay” part of the paper is 7 pages (2 pages of footnotes and 4 pages of works cited/consulted bring it up to the 13 pages). Is this still too long because the actual document is still 13 pages total? Or would they just care about how long the essay is?</p>
<p>Sorry for all the questions, but I have just one more: I am also very involved in writing poetry; I have won a couple of awards and have been published. Would it be better to send a couple of 1-page poems than the research paper?</p>
<p>BrownParent: I want to submit a writing sample because I plan on double majoring in physics and either math, computer science, or Russian. With the exception of Russian, all of these are STEM fields. I know of a lot of students interested in STEM fields that neglect English/history courses and underestimate the importance of writing and communication, and I want to show that I actually love writing and believe that it is essential for anyone to continually study. Additionally, because the writing sample would be a research paper or a series of poems, it would have a very different tone than the other essays on the Common App, and I’d like to show my different voices in writing.</p>
<p>Thanks for your opinions!</p>
<p>I love the concept of the essay, but at the same time supplements like these are risky. Colleges receive a lot of things like this and it just adds to the pile of stuff to be looked over; that’s why most of them say to post only if you have an exceptional talent. And I mean exceptional as in your paper could be written by a published professor and could seriously knock some people off their feet. If you don’t feel like it’s up to this par, I would recommend not doing it-especially since your essay is so very long, it’ll most likely seem a bit pretentious.
I think it would be much better to send poetry- more creative too, and perhaps easier for someone who may not be interested in your views/have opposing views to get through and relate to.</p>
<p>My opinion is to not send a writing sample unless the college specifically says they welcome supplemental material. Some colleges actively discourage it and you shouldn’t send it except if it is something really special. It is crazy to think that an adcom wants to read 7 pages and footnotes. It verges on disrespectful of their time. If they are really very good, send the one or two poems.</p>
<p>My daughter did have a (2 page with pictures, so more like 1-1/2 page) magazine article talking about how she got involved in research and what she does. It was added by her guidance counselor with his recommendation. So she got out of debating over this herself. Stealth add on.</p>
<p>If you love writing, address it in one of your essays or short answers. And be sure your essays are really good because that will impress them more than supplements.</p>
<p>They are not going to read it. The admissions officer will only be spending 1-2 minutes on your primary personal statement. If you think you have the skills, show them off there.</p>
<p>No one reads academic papers unless they have to. I know you are proud that you put in the work and came out with a 12-page essay, but really, try to imagine whether anyone could enjoy reading it besides yourself. You are still young and haven’t properly developed an allergy to these things just yet. Come undergrad, you’ll start to understand what I mean. The last thing your reader wants is a throwback to his or her own rhetoric classes. </p>
<p>Job well done with your analysis of the Stonewall Riots, but now is the time to focus on selling ‘you’, not your writing skills. Strong writing doesn’t make a memorable applicant - a poignant personal statement does.</p>
<p>If you plan to double major in STEM fields, then you can show your interest in writing much better by getting a stellar recommendation from your English teacher (who can make reference to your essay, poems), or having honor/AP English classes in your transcript, having 5 AP English score much better, then cluttering your application with unsolicited items. </p>
<p>Despite the myth, the majority of STEM students (in top universities, TIs) are deeply interested in other not STEM objects. You do not havet to lecture them.</p>
<p>I’d say excelling in your english sat/act sections would suffice to get your point across as well lol… I agree that no one is actually going to read that 12 page paper. MAYBE a paragraph of it tops. I wouldn’t bother…</p>