The college essay

[Anonymous]

If your DC asked for help, then give some help. Having them read it out loud to you goes a long way for finding things that are awkward. Fix the worst grammar errors or point out places to improve flow. That’s what the English teacher would be doing. Don’t suggest lots of wording changes or restructure it completely - you’ll lose DC’s voice. For most colleges, it really won’t be the most important thing.

And to PP who said they wrote most of it for 2 kids - I salute you. The only place that I really think the essays matter is for very selective schools. This is where I think it’s most important for students to write their own essay, and also where I’m sure the most paid for essays are submitted. My DC1 wrote a crappy 1st cut essay that he refused to edit and got into state flagship on strength of SAT scores. DC2 wrote amazing essays that I never saw and was accepted at several top schools. Writing is the current bane of DC3. Has difficulty starting because they have a bazillion ideas and can’t pick one. Then, if left on own will produce 3 times as much writing as needed and then can’t edit down. Did I sit down this weekend and ask them a series of questions, typing their answers, to get something outlined as a start? Yes. They are supposed to do some more editing in the next week. Will I likely be sitting down again to help refine? Yes. They aren’t applying to top schools, the essay is a BS requirement generally IMO, and I’m over it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If your DC asked for help, then give some help. Having them read it out loud to you goes a long way for finding things that are awkward. Fix the worst grammar errors or point out places to improve flow. That’s what the English teacher would be doing. Don’t suggest lots of wording changes or restructure it completely - you’ll lose DC’s voice. For most colleges, it really won’t be the most important thing.

And to PP who said they wrote most of it for 2 kids - I salute you. The only place that I really think the essays matter is for very selective schools. This is where I think it’s most important for students to write their own essay, and also where I’m sure the most paid for essays are submitted. My DC1 wrote a crappy 1st cut essay that he refused to edit and got into state flagship on strength of SAT scores. DC2 wrote amazing essays that I never saw and was accepted at several top schools. Writing is the current bane of DC3. Has difficulty starting because they have a bazillion ideas and can’t pick one. Then, if left on own will produce 3 times as much writing as needed and then can’t edit down. Did I sit down this weekend and ask them a series of questions, typing their answers, to get something outlined as a start? Yes. They are supposed to do some more editing in the next week. Will I likely be sitting down again to help refine? Yes. They aren’t applying to top schools, the essay is a BS requirement generally IMO, and I’m over it.

+1M

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If your DC asked for help, then give some help. Having them read it out loud to you goes a long way for finding things that are awkward. Fix the worst grammar errors or point out places to improve flow. That’s what the English teacher would be doing. Don’t suggest lots of wording changes or restructure it completely - you’ll lose DC’s voice. For most colleges, it really won’t be the most important thing.

And to PP who said they wrote most of it for 2 kids - I salute you. The only place that I really think the essays matter is for very selective schools. This is where I think it’s most important for students to write their own essay, and also where I’m sure the most paid for essays are submitted. My DC1 wrote a crappy 1st cut essay that he refused to edit and got into state flagship on strength of SAT scores. DC2 wrote amazing essays that I never saw and was accepted at several top schools. Writing is the current bane of DC3. Has difficulty starting because they have a bazillion ideas and can’t pick one. Then, if left on own will produce 3 times as much writing as needed and then can’t edit down. Did I sit down this weekend and ask them a series of questions, typing their answers, to get something outlined as a start? Yes. They are supposed to do some more editing in the next week. Will I likely be sitting down again to help refine? Yes. They aren’t applying to top schools, the essay is a BS requirement generally IMO, and I’m over it.

+1M

Well, it's a BS requirement but not because of what you think but because most are never read. The readers first cull through the applications sorting for GPA, rigor, test scores, ECs, POC, URM, first-generation and so on. The average applicaiton to a slac gets a six minute read. Only the very best make it to the regional coordinators who actually might read the essay.

[Anonymous]

Wow, I am really dismayed by the people writing their kids' essays. That's not cool. They do count.

Mine worked so hard on hers. Like a PP, I helped brainstorm and offered feedback but did not offer verbage or fixes, just ID'd what I perceived as problems.

[Anonymous]

I'm surprised to read this. I would not dream of writing an essay for my kid. He's working on it on his own...did brainstorm a bit with me but that's it. At this point, he does not want to show it to me. Is going to share with English teachers at school. He said he may have me read it because he's not sure he trusts his English teacher on content. If he does, I'll only proof or point out something if it seems awkward.

He's applying to top schools; I was thinking essays do matter and was suspecting that admissions officers are good at detecting authentic student voice.

Do find the 20+ supplemental essays to really be excessive. How can kids applying to 10 schools come up with reasons why each one is the perfect place for them?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Find a teacher or librarian to help them with anything beyond brainstorming general ideas.

[Anonymous]

I secretly wanted to write my kid’s essays but both absolutely refused my input. Glad they did it on their own . . . both of them wrote killer essays in their own voice and were very proud of themselves. My best advice is back off and let them shine (or not) on their own. You don’t want to send the message that they aren’t capable of doing this thing. Plus there’s the bigger issue of integrity and honesty.

[Anonymous]

Although I bought that College Essay Guy book, we didn't use it. We both brainstormed ideas. DC wrote an essay and trashed the idea.

Now, they finished essay 2 and think it's not personal enough.

The essay was stunning when given to parent A. Offered questions to probe thinking. Offered light edits/proofreading. Parent B chimed in and couldn't find much of anything to adjust.

If only the essay could make up for a draggy SAT math score.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm surprised to read this. I would not dream of writing an essay for my kid. He's working on it on his own...did brainstorm a bit with me but that's it. At this point, he does not want to show it to me. Is going to share with English teachers at school. He said he may have me read it because he's not sure he trusts his English teacher on content. If he does, I'll only proof or point out something if it seems awkward.

He's applying to top schools; I was thinking essays do matter and was suspecting that admissions officers are good at detecting authentic student voice.

Do find the 20+ supplemental essays to really be excessive. How can kids applying to 10 schools come up with reasons why each one is the perfect place for them?

One way is not to apply to 20 schools...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm surprised to read this. I would not dream of writing an essay for my kid. He's working on it on his own...did brainstorm a bit with me but that's it. At this point, he does not want to show it to me. Is going to share with English teachers at school. He said he may have me read it because he's not sure he trusts his English teacher on content. If he does, I'll only proof or point out something if it seems awkward.

He's applying to top schools; I was thinking essays do matter and was suspecting that admissions officers are good at detecting authentic student voice.

Do find the 20+ supplemental essays to really be excessive. How can kids applying to 10 schools come up with reasons why each one is the perfect place for them?

One way is not to apply to 20 schools...

Wrong, for gods sake get some relevant context before you knee jerk a response. A kid who applies to 8 schools can easily have 20 essays to write as some schools require multiple supplements. If you’ve been part of the app process anytime in the last decade, How do you not know this ?

[Anonymous]

Lots and lots of help
International school required first draft submission of common app. Feedback provided to DC which was not very helpful.
Then DC asked for my input. I was barely helpful.
Then DC got help from an essay advisor, who was so very helpful. Would do it again.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Depends on the kid. For one or two of mine, I basically wrote their essays. Whatever. They have very little impact on college admissions for most kids.

I like this honesty. I think this is probably true for at least 50% of the kids. About 50% of my friends admitted to writing their kids essays or hiring someone to. The other half either lie or seriously didn't, I am not sure which.

I had my kid do the first draft essay and then I edited it pretty heavily.

My kid wrote his own essays and worked really hard on them. If your kid can’t write their own essay, maybe they aren’t ready for college.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If your DC asked for help, then give some help. Having them read it out loud to you goes a long way for finding things that are awkward. Fix the worst grammar errors or point out places to improve flow. That’s what the English teacher would be doing. Don’t suggest lots of wording changes or restructure it completely - you’ll lose DC’s voice. For most colleges, it really won’t be the most important thing.

And to PP who said they wrote most of it for 2 kids - I salute you. The only place that I really think the essays matter is for very selective schools. This is where I think it’s most important for students to write their own essay, and also where I’m sure the most paid for essays are submitted. My DC1 wrote a crappy 1st cut essay that he refused to edit and got into state flagship on strength of SAT scores. DC2 wrote amazing essays that I never saw and was accepted at several top schools. Writing is the current bane of DC3. Has difficulty starting because they have a bazillion ideas and can’t pick one. Then, if left on own will produce 3 times as much writing as needed and then can’t edit down. Did I sit down this weekend and ask them a series of questions, typing their answers, to get something outlined as a start? Yes. They are supposed to do some more editing in the next week. Will I likely be sitting down again to help refine? Yes. They aren’t applying to top schools, the essay is a BS requirement generally IMO, and I’m over it.

This is my go-to strategy for helping my writing-reluctant kid get started on an essay. It's still definitely their words, but helps them get over that "I can't write" hump. Now, how much I get involved in editing is something I constantly struggle with...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Kids who get into top schools do not write their own essays. Don't believe anyone who says differently.

Nonsense. My kid got into an Ivy. She wrote all her own essays.

[Anonymous]

My kid got into a top 10 engineering school. He wrote all of his own essays.