Common app essay and identity

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hearing many private counselors are advising not to mention anything about racial, ethic or religious identity in common app essay given current Trump admin oversight and general cautiousness in college GC office.

Do we agree?

App Nation (Sara Harberson) isn't "approving" any personal essay topics related to heritage/identity. I've seen TikToks from other private counselors (influencers) as well advising to stay away from these topics as much as humanly possible.
Don't think it makes sense to do that now.

If what is AN advice for Jewish kids??

[Anonymous]

Her advice is not to mention

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Her advice is not to mention

Really?? How is that possible nowadays? In this enviroment?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Her advice is not to mention

For any race?
What rationale?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Her advice is not to mention

I’m surprised! She used to say Jewish kids should not write about ethnicity in essays, but everyone else should. I would have expected her to say Jewish kids should mention now but rest should not.

[Anonymous]

Why kids can't write about their heritage? What's wrong with that? What's the rational? Can someone please explain?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Her advice is not to mention

I’m surprised! She used to say Jewish kids should not write about ethnicity in essays, but everyone else should. I would have expected her to say Jewish kids should mention now but rest should not.

Bc of trump.
If you write about being black, brown, orange, whatever, and are admitted, it may allow more scrutiny of your application. That perhaps an AO considered your race in a way that was improper and not in a way entirely focused on "merit" (look at the press release after the "deal" with brown focused on enforcing "merit-based standards":
https://www.whitehouse.gov/fact-sheets/2025/07/fact-sheet-president-donald-j-trump-secures-major-settlement-with-brown-university/)

So now - don't write about it AT ALL. Don't disclose it openly at all. If it's listed in your activities bc you are part of the native american students' affinity club, so be it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Her advice is not to mention

I’m surprised! She used to say Jewish kids should not write about ethnicity in essays, but everyone else should. I would have expected her to say Jewish kids should mention now but rest should not.

Bc of trump.
If you write about being black, brown, orange, whatever, and are admitted, it may allow more scrutiny of your application. That perhaps an AO considered your race in a way that was improper and not in a way entirely focused on "merit" (look at the press release after the "deal" with brown focused on enforcing "merit-based standards":
https://www.whitehouse.gov/fact-sheets/2025/07/fact-sheet-president-donald-j-trump-secures-major-settlement-with-brown-university/)

So now - don't write about it AT ALL. Don't disclose it openly at all. If it's listed in your activities bc you are part of the native american students' affinity club, so be it.

But the orange man doesn't get to see your essay. Schools only send GPA and Test scores to DOE.
I still don't understand.

And what about white or asian kids, can they write about it?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Her advice is not to mention

Kind of hard to do if the supplemental prompt is about culture and identity. This is a top 20.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Her advice is not to mention

I’m surprised! She used to say Jewish kids should not write about ethnicity in essays, but everyone else should. I would have expected her to say Jewish kids should mention now but rest should not.

Bc of trump.
If you write about being black, brown, orange, whatever, and are admitted, it may allow more scrutiny of your application. That perhaps an AO considered your race in a way that was improper and not in a way entirely focused on "merit" (look at the press release after the "deal" with brown focused on enforcing "merit-based standards":
https://www.whitehouse.gov/fact-sheets/2025/07/fact-sheet-president-donald-j-trump-secures-major-settlement-with-brown-university/)

So now - don't write about it AT ALL. Don't disclose it openly at all. If it's listed in your activities bc you are part of the native american students' affinity club, so be it.

But the orange man doesn't get to see your essay. Schools only send GPA and Test scores to DOE.
I still don't understand.

And what about white or asian kids, can they write about it?

No they should not. It’s not part of “merit based standards”.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Her advice is not to mention

Kind of hard to do if the supplemental prompt is about culture and identity. This is a top 20.

Lots of different identities that are not focused on race. Think about hobbies.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Her advice is not to mention

I’m surprised! She used to say Jewish kids should not write about ethnicity in essays, but everyone else should. I would have expected her to say Jewish kids should mention now but rest should not.

Bc of trump.
If you write about being black, brown, orange, whatever, and are admitted, it may allow more scrutiny of your application. That perhaps an AO considered your race in a way that was improper and not in a way entirely focused on "merit" (look at the press release after the "deal" with brown focused on enforcing "merit-based standards":
https://www.whitehouse.gov/fact-sheets/2025/07/fact-sheet-president-donald-j-trump-secures-major-settlement-with-brown-university/)

So now - don't write about it AT ALL. Don't disclose it openly at all. If it's listed in your activities bc you are part of the native american students' affinity club, so be it.

But the orange man doesn't get to see your essay. Schools only send GPA and Test scores to DOE.
I still don't understand.

And what about white or asian kids, can they write about it?

DOE is constantly changing the rules. What they see today may be different next cycle…

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hearing many private counselors are advising not to mention anything about racial, ethic or religious identity in common app essay given current Trump admin oversight and general cautiousness in college GC office.

Do we agree?

App Nation (Sara Harberson) isn't "approving" any personal essay topics related to heritage/identity. I've seen TikToks from other private counselors (influencers) as well advising to stay away from these topics as much as humanly possible.
Don't think it makes sense to do that now.

Is Application Nation becoming cultish? Like the message is to ignore common sense, what colleges say, and what other college counselors say.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Her advice is not to mention

Kind of hard to do if the supplemental prompt is about culture and identity. This is a top 20.

Lots of different identities that are not focused on race. Think about hobbies.

The prompt specifically probes about culture and identity. You can link "hobbies" with culture and identity? You are an idiot to buy into this nonsense.

DCUM, please don't listen to these idiots. They are just trying to derail your kids' applications so their kids can get in. Colleges want diversity and they have every right to curate a diverse student population and gather the information in any way they choose.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hearing many private counselors are advising not to mention anything about racial, ethic or religious identity in common app essay given current Trump admin oversight and general cautiousness in college GC office.

Do we agree?

App Nation (Sara Harberson) isn't "approving" any personal essay topics related to heritage/identity. I've seen TikToks from other private counselors (influencers) as well advising to stay away from these topics as much as humanly possible.
Don't think it makes sense to do that now.

Is Application Nation becoming cultish? Like the message is to ignore common sense, what colleges say, and what other college counselors say.

I don’t know if it is cultish, but you certainly don’t have to follow everything she says blindly. For example, AN doesn’t like students reporting 4s on the APs and most other counselors (private school and IEC) say absolutely submit alls 4s and 5s on the common app testing section. I think this is based on her work as an admissions officer over 10 years ago. Thinking has changed on AP scores since TO and this contradicts AN advice. AN also says not to mention college summer programs on the activity list or essays because it shows privilege. That one is a little odd as well.