Common app essay and identity

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes, it is odd and confusing. My son has read his friends essays from this past cycle (class of 2025) and their essays talked very openly about their race and ethnicity. These kids are at Ivies - so it was definitely ok last year to talk about your race. I'm also on Application Nation, and Sara Harberson is dead set against it, which makes me wonder if I'm missing something.

DC also read class 29 friends essay, can confirm race is the main theme in the main essay, and in at Ivies.
AN's advice is very confusing. In what context she said that?
It didn't sound rational at all.
Did she have insider information?
Did she talk to her AO friends?

It makes sense to me. The environment is very different today and general counsel‘s offices are now involved in admissions decisions. Colleges do not have the autonomy they once had. Take race and ethnicity out of your applications so there is no question or judgment call that will need to be made in adcommittee.

+1. I don't think that many PPs have been closely following the actions of the administration and the specific pressures that they are placing on colleges in the "negotiations" that are happening, especially at elite schools. The essays and outcomes of the 2029 class aren't on point anymore.

Schools and AOs prefer to operate in a world where they can class shape and promote diversity and have full autonomy, of course. Most universities struggle to shift their organizations quickly and these forced changes have been abrupt. Yes, they used to love the essays talking about heritage and probably still would, but their world has had a seismic shift. Websites and info session presentations are often confusing because they reflect mixed messages during this chaotic time of transition.

Sara Harberson has blog posts that discuss her position if you are interested. The upshot is that, for highly competitive schools, each element matters in the "holistic" review. Students must have top grades, rigor, and increasingly scores, to get in the door. There is a danger in this environment that a school might opt not to read and/or exclude from consideration a race-focused essay to avoid any "risk" of not complying with the administration's mandates. That doesn't necessarily mean that the application is immediately tossed, but it means that the student has one less element that is considered that could help his or her candidacy. So Sara's recommendation is to avoid a heritage essay to ensure that it is read and helps tip the scales for admission. I don't agree with all of Sara's advice but I think that her caution is valid on this topic.

[Anonymous]

So if you are an ORM with super high stats (naturally smart, no test prep or tutors), and your name clearly gives away your heritage, should you still avoid mentioning heritage in the culture/community essay? How would you answer it then?

[Anonymous]

https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/1282205.page

[Anonymous]

Looks like it’s a bad idea to talk about your identity in the college essay, especially with the news that the government is trying to infiltrate admissions decisions, and governance of select schools even further.

Sara H was right.

[Anonymous]

OTOH, if your test scores are solid, none of this matters.

They don’t want to defend taking that URM w a 1200 in public. They know how MAGA soundbites work.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OTOH, if your test scores are solid, none of this matters.

They don’t want to defend taking that URM w a 1200 in public. They know how MAGA soundbites work.

Disagree. It’s not about the score anymore.

[Anonymous]

It’s more about the score than ever for many schools. Any school that can say “our Black admits have an average of 1500 sat, 40 points higher than the pool as a a whole” has no worries.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Bumping this because I saw Sara Harberson doubling down in a recent reel about not mentioning race or ethnicity in essays. Her tone is dire.

How does one do this when one of the supplementals asks questions about culture, personal background, and community? Here is one from a T20 school:

What is distinctive about your personal experiences and development (eg, family support, culture, disability, personal background, community, etc)? Why are these experiences important to you and how will you enrich our campus community?

My kid already answered this question and revealed ethnic heritage. He's VERY competitive for this school for various reasons, including grades and test scores. Should we be concerned or perhaps not even answer this question?

I wouldn't take the risk. If you're questioning it, then I'd find a different topic that you would be at peace with.

But why would a school ask about culture if they are going to disqualify someone for revealing culture. The response was about foods eaten during family gatherings that reference country of origin at grandparents' home.

Who knows why the question is there but based on today's political environment and the recent actions that we're seeing in this administration, I would not take that risk. Look at the WSJ article posted here on the WH demanding schools to ban the use of race or sex in hiring and admissions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So if you are an ORM with super high stats (naturally smart, no test prep or tutors), and your name clearly gives away your heritage, should you still avoid mentioning heritage in the culture/community essay? How would you answer it then?

Don’t mention heritage.

In culture talk about small parts of identity. Lover of all sorts of ethnic food; kid who loves trains and finds his ppl on train rides or train museums. Kid who finds his community in moments.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Bumping this because I saw Sara Harberson doubling down in a recent reel about not mentioning race or ethnicity in essays. Her tone is dire.

How does one do this when one of the supplementals asks questions about culture, personal background, and community? Here is one from a T20 school:

What is distinctive about your personal experiences and development (eg, family support, culture, disability, personal background, community, etc)? Why are these experiences important to you and how will you enrich our campus community?

My kid already answered this question and revealed ethnic heritage. He's VERY competitive for this school for various reasons, including grades and test scores. Should we be concerned or perhaps not even answer this question?

I wouldn't take the risk. If you're questioning it, then I'd find a different topic that you would be at peace with.

But why would a school ask about culture if they are going to disqualify someone for revealing culture. The response was about foods eaten during family gatherings that reference country of origin at grandparents' home.

Who knows why the question is there but based on today's political environment and the recent actions that we're seeing in this administration, I would not take that risk. Look at the WSJ article posted here on the WH demanding schools to ban the use of race or sex in hiring and admissions.

They asked those questions before the WH upended schools again today.

It’s different now.

[Anonymous]

So...don't mention heritage, or do?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So if you are an ORM with super high stats (naturally smart, no test prep or tutors), and your name clearly gives away your heritage, should you still avoid mentioning heritage in the culture/community essay? How would you answer it then?

Naturally smart, no test prep or tutors means nothing, PP. Get over yourself.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So...don't mention heritage, or do?

In passing only. Religious identity is ok though.

[Anonymous]

What if heritage is clear from name? Till don’t mention in essay?

[Anonymous]

Our DD's private and school counselor said she should not change her common application essay which talks about her identity with a connection to her academic interests/career paths. She is an URM, high stats, lots of leadership, awards, etc. I think the advice of the counselor was that it may be problematic if you were applying to a school where your stats and overall profile were way below the school and you spoke about your background.