Would it be considered a bad thing to write using to simple prose? As I was reading through a number of my essays, I noticed that all of them probably don’t go above an 8th grade reading level maximum (if that makes sense). Now of course I know that I should in general use language that is precise and concise, but will overly simple language give my essays an unacademic tone? After seeing the essays of some admitted students, I’m starting to worry that this is the case. To provide some context, the colleges I’m applying to with these essays are mostly HYPMS or similarly competitive.
There’s a difference between simple - and simplistic.
You can write complex things, with shades of meaning and depth, using simple clear language. That’s a good thing to strive for. Above all, don’t use big words when simpler ones suffice. That comes across as pompous, and it only makes ad coms roll their eyes.
Well, that’s a big question - and a bit of a moot point as far as this conversation goes, I think. At issue is a college application essay. You’re not writing for the Journal of Philosophy.
I once read an article on this where the author said "Remember - the admissions officers are not sitting around a crackling fireplace with a warm blanket and a glass of tea. They are reading hundreds of these. Write your essay to catch the imagination and attention of the admissions officer who is trying to get just one more essay read while a screaming 2 year old clings to their leg and their family member is waiting to go to soccer. Sounds silly, but it’s actually quite profound if you think about it. Pedantic loses.
related question, but how important are complex topics and strong language to colleges? i was reading some of the admitted essays for john hopkins and as a transfer student all of them came across as very pretentious, yet they were obviously placed on their website to demonstrate great examples of what they want. compare that to a UC or state college essay where it’s more down to earth and direct about your experiences without all the symbolism/similes/pathos ect.
why do top colleges want that super “common item / uncommon connection” type of stuff? isn’t it cliche? would it be better to strive for that even if it sounds a bit inauthentic? how bad would it be if you just went for the direct straight to the point-no-frills-and-bows kind of thing?
edit: btw i am not a transfer student at john hopkins, still in community college looking to transfer (though not at john hopkins, it was just an example i brought up since they post examples of good essays on their website)
the reason they came across as pretentious is because one of them for example was about a student who struggled to tie the bow on the cake box at their place of work. it just seems very… pretentious to me to make a flowery elegy about the struggles of that when there are students who have probably had actual life experiences who probably don’t waste time trying to make their struggles sound pretentious and “intellectual.” but is that really what they would prefer? it just seems to me that writing about something so mundane although articulated nicely seems like a cover for not having had any real experience. although i understand that some high schools indeed never go through life experiencing something worth writing about or anything to be passionate about but still… i mean i could talk about my actual life or make up some stuff about a pair of headphones because it sounds “smart”? what is best?