Common app essay dilemma

[Anonymous]

I'm embarrassed to write this (pls don't flame). DC spent all summer struggling with his essay - wrote so many drafts on different topics. Finally landed on a topic he liked, got fired up, and last night he wrote a draft he is genuinely excited about. He was so relieved and proud. BUT. I just logged onto his computer and read it. The writing is great and the anecdotes are super compelling - subtlety humorous, show personal growth. The problem is, I'm fairly certain they're totally made up. Or maybe based on something that happened, but the details don't ring a bell to me. WWYD? I think DC will let me "officially" read it if I ask.

[Anonymous]

I’d ask to read it and then ask him about it. If the anecdotes are mildly altered versions (like sanitized or made slightly funnier or simplified/made easier to follow) I’d think nbd, if he’s bragging about accomplishments that aren’t accurate completely different story.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’d ask to read it and then ask him about it. If the anecdotes are mildly altered versions (like sanitized or made slightly funnier or simplified/made easier to follow) I’d think nbd, if he’s bragging about accomplishments that aren’t accurate completely different story.

I don't want to out my kid by saying what the essay is about, but it's not a brag sheet - it's about a special relationship in his life and what it taught him.

[Anonymous]

Kids lie on their Common app essay all the time.

I'm sure he was trying to come up with a topic all summer and now he's hearing from other kids how they "make up" or exaggerate their stories on the essay.

[Anonymous]

The writing is great and the anecdotes are super compelling - subtlety humorous, show personal growth.

Do you recognize it as his normal style of writing? (Yes, I'm asking if he plagiarized it from somewhere.)

The problem is, I'm fairly certain they're totally made up. Or maybe based on something that happened, but the details don't ring a bell to me.

Again this might lead me to suspect plagiarism.

If you think he could have written it but he's inventing or embellishing, eh let it go.

[Anonymous]

agree with the others. If they are random stories that you think he wrote then no big deal.

If he's claiming to be someone he's not (like an essay about his time as a soccer captain if he's not a captain) or if it seems like he didn't write the thing then it's a big deal. Worst case scenario he copied the whole thing from an online site.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

The writing is great and the anecdotes are super compelling - subtlety humorous, show personal growth.

Do you recognize it as his normal style of writing? (Yes, I'm asking if he plagiarized it from somewhere.)

The problem is, I'm fairly certain they're totally made up. Or maybe based on something that happened, but the details don't ring a bell to me.

Again this might lead me to suspect plagiarism.

If you think he could have written it but he's inventing or embellishing, eh let it go.

I'm 100% sure it's not plagiarized. Totally his writing style. Especially the subtlety funny part.

Like for example...if his essay was about being lead trombonist in band, and the conductor was difficult, but he learned how to get along with him. And he actually IS in band, and I know the conductor was difficult - but I'm pretty sure the examples and anecdotes he used to illustrate their relationship never happened.

[Anonymous]

It's fine - sometimes they need an anecdote that fits the point they're trying to make. I'm fine if it fits the "spirit" of the truth.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm embarrassed to write this (pls don't flame). DC spent all summer struggling with his essay - wrote so many drafts on different topics. Finally landed on a topic he liked, got fired up, and last night he wrote a draft he is genuinely excited about. He was so relieved and proud. BUT. I just logged onto his computer and read it. The writing is great and the anecdotes are super compelling - subtlety humorous, show personal growth. The problem is, I'm fairly certain they're totally made up. Or maybe based on something that happened, but the details don't ring a bell to me. WWYD? I think DC will let me "officially" read it if I ask.

As long as it's not plagiarized, who cares? Tons of those essays are written by "consultants" or parents and/or are totally made up. I read one from a neighbor's kid where the opening paragraph was a blatant rip off of my DS' and the whole thing he wrote about was something he had done once, not continuously. Whatever.

I think they need to do away with them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

The writing is great and the anecdotes are super compelling - subtlety humorous, show personal growth.

Do you recognize it as his normal style of writing? (Yes, I'm asking if he plagiarized it from somewhere.)

The problem is, I'm fairly certain they're totally made up. Or maybe based on something that happened, but the details don't ring a bell to me.

Again this might lead me to suspect plagiarism.

If you think he could have written it but he's inventing or embellishing, eh let it go.

I'm 100% sure it's not plagiarized. Totally his writing style. Especially the subtlety funny part.

Like for example...if his essay was about being lead trombonist in band, and the conductor was difficult, but he learned how to get along with him. And he actually IS in band, and I know the conductor was difficult - but I'm pretty sure the examples and anecdotes he used to illustrate their relationship never happened.

So? It's well written and could have happened. Maybe he has a career as an author ahead of him.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

The writing is great and the anecdotes are super compelling - subtlety humorous, show personal growth.

Do you recognize it as his normal style of writing? (Yes, I'm asking if he plagiarized it from somewhere.)

The problem is, I'm fairly certain they're totally made up. Or maybe based on something that happened, but the details don't ring a bell to me.

Again this might lead me to suspect plagiarism.

If you think he could have written it but he's inventing or embellishing, eh let it go.

I'm 100% sure it's not plagiarized. Totally his writing style. Especially the subtlety funny part.

Like for example...if his essay was about being lead trombonist in band, and the conductor was difficult, but he learned how to get along with him. And he actually IS in band, and I know the conductor was difficult - but I'm pretty sure the examples and anecdotes he used to illustrate their relationship never happened.

This is totally ok.
My kid made a “crisis” seem larger than it was in essay.
No harm no foul.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm embarrassed to write this (pls don't flame). DC spent all summer struggling with his essay - wrote so many drafts on different topics. Finally landed on a topic he liked, got fired up, and last night he wrote a draft he is genuinely excited about. He was so relieved and proud. BUT. I just logged onto his computer and read it. The writing is great and the anecdotes are super compelling - subtlety humorous, show personal growth. The problem is, I'm fairly certain they're totally made up. Or maybe based on something that happened, but the details don't ring a bell to me. WWYD? I think DC will let me "officially" read it if I ask.

As long as it's not plagiarized, who cares? Tons of those essays are written by "consultants" or parents and/or are totally made up. I read one from a neighbor's kid where the opening paragraph was a blatant rip off of my DS' and the whole thing he wrote about was something he had done once, not continuously. Whatever.

I think they need to do away with them.

Like he ripped off your kids essay?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's fine - sometimes they need an anecdote that fits the point they're trying to make. I'm fine if it fits the "spirit" of the truth.

OK thanks! I would love for him to be happy with this essay and drive on (28 supplements to go!). But I wouldn't want him to do anything problematic.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

The writing is great and the anecdotes are super compelling - subtlety humorous, show personal growth.

Do you recognize it as his normal style of writing? (Yes, I'm asking if he plagiarized it from somewhere.)

The problem is, I'm fairly certain they're totally made up. Or maybe based on something that happened, but the details don't ring a bell to me.

Again this might lead me to suspect plagiarism.

If you think he could have written it but he's inventing or embellishing, eh let it go.

I'm 100% sure it's not plagiarized. Totally his writing style. Especially the subtlety funny part.

Like for example...if his essay was about being lead trombonist in band, and the conductor was difficult, but he learned how to get along with him. And he actually IS in band, and I know the conductor was difficult - but I'm pretty sure the examples and anecdotes he used to illustrate their relationship never happened.

Very much let this go. Call it creative license. If it makes his essay stronger and more entertaining, that's excellent.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

The writing is great and the anecdotes are super compelling - subtlety humorous, show personal growth.

Do you recognize it as his normal style of writing? (Yes, I'm asking if he plagiarized it from somewhere.)

The problem is, I'm fairly certain they're totally made up. Or maybe based on something that happened, but the details don't ring a bell to me.

Again this might lead me to suspect plagiarism.

If you think he could have written it but he's inventing or embellishing, eh let it go.

I'm 100% sure it's not plagiarized. Totally his writing style. Especially the subtlety funny part.

Like for example...if his essay was about being lead trombonist in band, and the conductor was difficult, but he learned how to get along with him. And he actually IS in band, and I know the conductor was difficult - but I'm pretty sure the examples and anecdotes he used to illustrate their relationship never happened.

This is really fine imo, and I’m no softie on issues like this.