New Michigan leadership essay

[Anonymous]

How serious should it be? It talks about future plans? Are they referring to career goals?

Here's the prompt:

At the University of Michigan, we are focused on developing leaders and citizens who will challenge the present and enrich the future. In your essay, share with us how you are prepared to contribute to these goals. This could include the people, places, experiences, or aspirations that have shaped your journey and future plans. (Required for all applicants; 100 word minimum; 300 word maximum.)

[Anonymous]

These schools know these essays are just a bunch of smoke being blown up their @sses, right? Why do 17 and 18 year olds have to all know exactly who they are, what they want to be, and have a 10-year plan to get there? Isn’t figuring out all of that what college is *for*?

[Anonymous]

They can talk about aspirations or they can talk about experience they had on a team or with an activity. This isn't complicated.

[Anonymous]

It basically means "what will you contribute to society after getting your degree" and the kid can connect their future goals with their high school achievements/resume. They want to hear about leadership skills along the way. Don't overthink it.

For brainstorming....

"Why do you want to go into major X?"

"What did you do in your high school career that made a difference?"

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:These schools know these essays are just a bunch of smoke being blown up their @sses, right? Why do 17 and 18 year olds have to all know exactly who they are, what they want to be, and have a 10-year plan to get there? Isn’t figuring out all of that what college is *for*?

Ok but can you try to answer OP’s question?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It basically means "what will you contribute to society after getting your degree" and the kid can connect their future goals with their high school achievements/resume. They want to hear about leadership skills along the way. Don't overthink it.

For brainstorming....

"Why do you want to go into major X?"

"What did you do in your high school career that made a difference?"

They have a separate 550 word why major essay.

This is horrible advice. It should not be about your major at all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They can talk about aspirations or they can talk about experience they had on a team or with an activity. This isn't complicated.

But what if the team isn’t related to your career or future plans? It was just a team? Do you actually have to connect the dots for everything?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They can talk about aspirations or they can talk about experience they had on a team or with an activity. This isn't complicated.

But what if the team isn’t related to your career or future plans? It was just a team? Do you actually have to connect the dots for everything?

Leadership is leadership. If the applicant has shown any leadership on anything, this is a good place to talk about it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:These schools know these essays are just a bunch of smoke being blown up their @sses, right? Why do 17 and 18 year olds have to all know exactly who they are, what they want to be, and have a 10-year plan to get there? Isn’t figuring out all of that what college is *for*?

You’re choosing a university where you commit to a degree within a certain college and are expected to follow that degree/plan for your 4 years.

Probably want to have an “after” in mind.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It basically means "what will you contribute to society after getting your degree" and the kid can connect their future goals with their high school achievements/resume. They want to hear about leadership skills along the way. Don't overthink it.

For brainstorming....

"Why do you want to go into major X?"

"What did you do in your high school career that made a difference?"

They have a separate 550 word why major essay.

This is horrible advice. It should not be about your major at all.

PP. OK. What's your take on what should be covered?

What your societal contribution might be doesn't have to only be covered in "Why Major". I think your program of study would be a logical subject to work in. In a short essay, y

They used to have a kind of b.s. community essay which invited you to talk about some aspect of your background. This new essay still invites that. It can still be a personal vignette that complements the "Why Major" essay.

As I recall my kid had complementary material in his "Why Michigan" and another essay. It was not redundant.

Basically just be logical, interesting, provide evidence of leadership, and align to the themes in rest of app. This is really a freebie. I've heard the only thing they're really looking for is "leadership" evidence.

3 people in my family have attended. I guess our essays were sufficient.

[Anonymous]

^In a short essay, you only need to recap, not belabor the point about your goals.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It basically means "what will you contribute to society after getting your degree" and the kid can connect their future goals with their high school achievements/resume. They want to hear about leadership skills along the way. Don't overthink it.

For brainstorming....

"Why do you want to go into major X?"

"What did you do in your high school career that made a difference?"

They have a separate 550 word why major essay.

This is horrible advice. It should not be about your major at all.

PP. OK. What's your take on what should be covered?

What your societal contribution might be doesn't have to only be covered in "Why Major". I think your program of study would be a logical subject to work in. In a short essay, y

They used to have a kind of b.s. community essay which invited you to talk about some aspect of your background. This new essay still invites that. It can still be a personal vignette that complements the "Why Major" essay.

As I recall my kid had complementary material in his "Why Michigan" and another essay. It was not redundant.

Basically just be logical, interesting, provide evidence of leadership, and align to the themes in rest of app. This is really a freebie. I've heard the only thing they're really looking for is "leadership" evidence.

3 people in my family have attended. I guess our essays were sufficient.

What is this gibberish

[Anonymous]

I look down on any institution who talks about leadership. It's entirely meaningless. You can be successful and productive without showing "leadership abilities" at 17 or being a "leader" at work.

I think your child could write a reflection on "what is a leader?" and push back against conventional notions of leadership, which are restrictive and unhelpful. And take examples from their life.

Because in the end, what matters is being noticed and standing out.

[Anonymous]

This is a really hard essay. It is easy to make it a “Why Michigan” essay, but they already have that essay. It is also easy to make it an activities essay, but that doesn’t seem to be what it is about. My DC is struggling on this one.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is a really hard essay. It is easy to make it a “Why Michigan” essay, but they already have that essay. It is also easy to make it an activities essay, but that doesn’t seem to be what it is about. My DC is struggling on this one.

Agree it should be neither an activities essay nor a why Michigan/why major essay.