Some College Essay Prompts are OTT

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Y’all like to hang out on the college forum but seem to know nothing about the artifice students see daily. Every free response question has a preamble. Part of being responsive is parsing the question. Best case reading the excess hones attention to something more significant. Are you the same people that want the SAT to decide everything?

If *that* question is actually upsetting, consider it training for an eventual job interview. Odds are they’ll want lip service to cooperating with peers, too. Might need a cover story.

If one is trying to elicit a free response, why would one preface such a basic question with a preamble- one that instead molds responses to what someone else thinks the answer should be- thus eliminating the free part of the response?

[Anonymous]

College essays are overall a piece of cake. Some of the ones for law school this year are extremely lengthy and have a million questions to answer. For instance, Notre Dame:

The mission of Notre Dame Law School is to educate a "Different Kind of Lawyer" - one who sees the law as more than just a profession, but as a service to others. Students are encouraged to explore not only the moral and ethical dimensions of the law but also their unique roles in furthering the cause of justice.

Following the murder of George Floyd, Dean G. Marcus Cole wrote an open letter to the Notre Dame Law Community in June 2020 in which he stated the following:

One thing that each and every one of us can do is to end the cycle of hate by ending the separation that leads to it.... Each of us needs to get to know people who differ from us. We must all make a conscious decision and effort to expand our circles.

Considering the mission of Notre Dame Law School, Dean Cole's open letter, and his call to action, please provide a response to one or both of the following:

What experiences, hardships, or adversity have you faced that have shaped your perspective on law and justice?

How has your own “circle,” culture, and community inspired you, your morals and ethics?

The "Different Kind of Lawyer" statement must be the applicant's own work in their own words. It should be no more than two double-spaced pages. The statement's header must include the applicant's name, LSAC account number, and be titled "DKL Statement."

[Anonymous]

My alma mater had completely ridiculous essay questions on their own application in the 90s and I decided to send the common app (which I photocopied and sent to 4 schools) instead.

When I got a supplemental form mailed to me to return, I thought “damn, they are going to make me answer a ridiculous question that no teenager can answer without bs-ing like crazy, aren’t they?” Turned out, they insisted on a picture-equally goofy, but much less painful for me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:THESE are OTT questions:

https://collegeadmissions.uchicago.edu/apply/uchicago-supplemental-essay-questions

Questions do give you idea about school and admissions readers. Would love answering these during otherwise boring application process and definitely over question OP gave as example.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:THESE are OTT questions:

https://collegeadmissions.uchicago.edu/apply/uchicago-supplemental-essay-questions

I think these are interesting questions, and kind of fun. Plus they’re written by students.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:THESE are OTT questions:

https://collegeadmissions.uchicago.edu/apply/uchicago-supplemental-essay-questions

I think these are interesting questions, and kind of fun. Plus they’re written by students.

They seem ridiculous but maybe I’m a grump? Like if I went to a job interview and someone asked “if you were a tree, what kind of tree would you be?” Dumb and off-topic.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Y’all like to hang out on the college forum but seem to know nothing about the artifice students see daily. Every free response question has a preamble. Part of being responsive is parsing the question. Best case reading the excess hones attention to something more significant. Are you the same people that want the SAT to decide everything?

If *that* question is actually upsetting, consider it training for an eventual job interview. Odds are they’ll want lip service to cooperating with peers, too. Might need a cover story.

If one is trying to elicit a free response, why would one preface such a basic question with a preamble- one that instead molds responses to what someone else thinks the answer should be- thus eliminating the free part of the response?

To teach performative hypocrisy which is a very useful skill in corporate and political careers. Reading the “room,” folding in the right jargon and somehow say something unique that makes you sound like possibly a real person is a success skill. People who can do this well will get far in life.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:All you have to do is answer the last sentence. They are probably just trying to make sure it doesn’t sound like they’re asking about race.

+1

This.

[Anonymous]

^ saying

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:All you have to do is answer the last sentence. They are probably just trying to make sure it doesn’t sound like they’re asking about race.

Yes, hiding something would explain the circuitous style. But if that is the case, it is incredibly transparent. Won’t pass the sniff test.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:All you have to do is answer the last sentence. They are probably just trying to make sure it doesn’t sound like they’re asking about race.

Yes, hiding something would explain the circuitous style. But if that is the case, it is incredibly transparent. Won’t pass the sniff test.

You are way overthinking this. The preamble is window into the college's priorities. The question is at the end. Blend your experience with the college's priorities and resources.

[Anonymous]

Preamble is pretentious. Question is easy for a selective college.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Preamble is pretentious. Question is easy for a selective college.

It would be easy for you or me. But most kids haven't fine-tuned their bullsit-production skills yet. It's harder for them to drill down and see the hidden agendas. They just want to be sincere and honest - as they should want to be at their age.

[Anonymous]

Admission staff are not faculty. They write these silly questions because they have an overinflated sense of self importance. If your kid likes the school, just tell them to buck up and play the game so they can get in.

[Anonymous]

It's just pretentious BS from the school. It's just like an AP exam prompt.