Common app essay dilemma

[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.

op: OMG! Going to tell my kid not to show his essays to friends. Just in case.

I agree that between AI and coaches and parents, and the ridiculous # of supplements, essays probably need to go.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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.

op: OMG! Going to tell my kid not to show his essays to friends. Just in case.

I agree that between AI and coaches and parents, and the ridiculous # of supplements, essays probably need to go.

Yeah. My DS had a pretty memorable opening line, which I mentioned to my neighbor/friend. DS graduated several years before the kid, but it was almost verbatim and unique enough that there is no way he just came up with it on his own. I did't say anything because there's no way she (mom) would believe me anyway. And I just didn't care that much. But I would tell your DS not to show his essay to same age friends or discuss it too much.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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?

No, just the opening line/scene for lack of a better way to describe it. Not the whole essay.

[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.

If it's a good read, interesting and follows the rulebook (don't talk about death, avoid cliche topics, etc.) for CA essays, let it go. No one really cares.

[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.

If it's a good read, interesting and follows the rulebook (don't talk about death, avoid cliche topics, etc.) for CA essays, let it go. No one really cares.

I agree with this. (And as a side note about cliche topics, I have a friend whose husband has been ill with cancer for all of her son’s high school career, and sadly it’s been clear he’s dying for the last two years. It does seem strange that this poor kid can’t really write about this incredibly difficult situation he’s been dealing with for fear of writing about a “cliche” but that’s the advice they’ve been given too.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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.

If it's a good read, interesting and follows the rulebook (don't talk about death, avoid cliche topics, etc.) for CA essays, let it go. No one really cares.

I agree with this. (And as a side note about cliche topics, I have a friend whose husband has been ill with cancer for all of her son’s high school career, and sadly it’s been clear he’s dying for the last two years. It does seem strange that this poor kid can’t really write about this incredibly difficult situation he’s been dealing with for fear of writing about a “cliche” but that’s the advice they’ve been given too.)

Lots of people write about a parent dying. He should - but it should ultimately be about the kid, not just the sadness of impending loss. If that makes sense?
The illness/impending death would literally be less than a quarter of the essay.
I've seen it done quite well....the rest is about the kid's journey.

[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 scenario sounds fine to me.

[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.

I'm a college counselor and would call the kid out on this. It's a bad choice to turn in an essay that doesn't reflect his actual experiences, both from an ethical standpoint and also a practical one—authenticity plays better in applications than fabrication does.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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.

I'm a college counselor and would call the kid out on this. It's a bad choice to turn in an essay that doesn't reflect his actual experiences, both from an ethical standpoint and also a practical one—authenticity plays better in applications than fabrication does.

DP and I was wondering how hard it might be to remember the false anecdotes and be consistent with them if needed later. Would be awkward to get caught embellishing, right?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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.

I'm a college counselor and would call the kid out on this. It's a bad choice to turn in an essay that doesn't reflect his actual experiences, both from an ethical standpoint and also a practical one—authenticity plays better in applications than fabrication does.

DP and I was wondering how hard it might be to remember the false anecdotes and be consistent with them if needed later. Would be awkward to get caught embellishing, right?

Yes, I'm having mixed feelings. Have your son imagine getting called for an interview with his school, or even a program within the school. (Like an Honors College.) Imagine the dean saying, "Hey, I loved your essay! Can you tell me more about that crazy that happened with the conductor?"

This is the worst case scenario, but I could see it happening.

I think there's room for a LITTLE creative license, but not a lot.

[Anonymous]

I know a kid who keeps getting into colleges via Common app with nary an essay written.