College essay: can being too honest backfire?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s not “honesty” that’s the problem, it’s that those kinds of stories tend to make dull, dreary essays. It’s an application essay, not a confessional. I would try to help dc brainstorm topics that have more to do with dc’s personality or interests or how he spends his time.

I agree. It doesn't need to be cathartic for your kid to write it, it needs to be an inspiration for anyone reading it. So you need to be able to take a step back and look at the essay as objectively as possible.

+2. The advice I’ve heard on essays is to put yourself in the admission counselor’s position of reading thousands of essays and maybe having 5-7 minutes per admission packet. Is this essay something you would want to read? Also with good writing in general you hear to “show rather than tell the readers”.

There is a related but separate debate if you should even acknowledge mention mental health struggles or neurodiversity in the application. I don’t know think my dd will include anything about that but if she does, at one of the college counseling sessions at her high school with a college admission counselor (not of a school she is applying to), the person mentioned that there is usually a section if you want to provide additional information.

At the end of the FAFSA there's an additional information section, that's the appropriate place to discuss trajectory in GPA. Don't weight down the essay with that. The essay should highlight her current self.

100% agree with this. That section is at the end of the Common App (not the FAFSA). What the colleges really want to know is what your kid brings to the table and how it helps round out the class. Will your kid be the engineer, the talented artist, the avid reader, the social media expert, the aspiring attorney helping those less fortunate defend their rights? Your student should use the “other info” section to provide context for the not so pleasant stuff, but use the essay to let his passions shine.

Oops, I meant to write Common App. Clearly I'm too awash in college forms at the moment .

NP here. Slightly different question"

What is the deal with the "additional information" section of the common app? Is that meant to be an essay? Or just to describe and adversity (like depression, ADHD)? I can't get a clear answer from the counselor. Seems to be something you leave blank UNLESS there is a big adversity. Is that right? Any help appreciated.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s not “honesty” that’s the problem, it’s that those kinds of stories tend to make dull, dreary essays. It’s an application essay, not a confessional. I would try to help dc brainstorm topics that have more to do with dc’s personality or interests or how he spends his time.

I agree. It doesn't need to be cathartic for your kid to write it, it needs to be an inspiration for anyone reading it. So you need to be able to take a step back and look at the essay as objectively as possible.

+2. The advice I’ve heard on essays is to put yourself in the admission counselor’s position of reading thousands of essays and maybe having 5-7 minutes per admission packet. Is this essay something you would want to read? Also with good writing in general you hear to “show rather than tell the readers”.

There is a related but separate debate if you should even acknowledge mention mental health struggles or neurodiversity in the application. I don’t know think my dd will include anything about that but if she does, at one of the college counseling sessions at her high school with a college admission counselor (not of a school she is applying to), the person mentioned that there is usually a section if you want to provide additional information.

At the end of the FAFSA there's an additional information section, that's the appropriate place to discuss trajectory in GPA. Don't weight down the essay with that. The essay should highlight her current self.

100% agree with this. That section is at the end of the Common App (not the FAFSA). What the colleges really want to know is what your kid brings to the table and how it helps round out the class. Will your kid be the engineer, the talented artist, the avid reader, the social media expert, the aspiring attorney helping those less fortunate defend their rights? Your student should use the “other info” section to provide context for the not so pleasant stuff, but use the essay to let his passions shine.

Oops, I meant to write Common App. Clearly I'm too awash in college forms at the moment .

NP here. Slightly different question"

What is the deal with the "additional information" section of the common app? Is that meant to be an essay? Or just to describe and adversity (like depression, ADHD)? I can't get a clear answer from the counselor. Seems to be something you leave blank UNLESS there is a big adversity. Is that right? Any help appreciated.

Our kid got an IB diploma and our counselor recommended DC briefly identify and explain their IB extended essay there. There was no other obvious place to discuss the 4000 word research paper IB diploma kids write independently as it's not an extracurricular and would make for a boring personal essay topic.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you had bad grades your first year of high school due to ADHD, depression, or just plain laziness, don't mention it, even if you believe - and your subsequent performance shows - that you've overcome the problem.

If you feel the need to explain away that year, just make up a horrible tale about family hardship, having to work to chip in on the bills, or watching someone close to you die. It's not like they're going to verify it.

I know you and you know me. It's the sobb story, sobb story.

"sob" has only one "b"

It's probably the same poster who keeps putting two n's in Denison.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Op, I don’t mean to be snarky but of course it can? How do you not know this?

Do you feel better now? Sad you know you’re being snarky and still post.

I think it’s strange an adult doesn’t know that it’s possible to be too honest in a college esssay (and basically any other area of professional or academic life.) I think they should stock up on college admissions books/online resources because most parents (and teens!) have a baseline understanding of the world and human nature such that the answer to the question is obvious.

I think it's strange that an adult is so ignorant of human nature or lacking in compassion or empathy.

OP was probably feeling anxious and wanting something to back up her conversation with her child. Which she received from people who are kinder and more mature than you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s not “honesty” that’s the problem, it’s that those kinds of stories tend to make dull, dreary essays. It’s an application essay, not a confessional. I would try to help dc brainstorm topics that have more to do with dc’s personality or interests or how he spends his time.

I agree. It doesn't need to be cathartic for your kid to write it, it needs to be an inspiration for anyone reading it. So you need to be able to take a step back and look at the essay as objectively as possible.

+2. The advice I’ve heard on essays is to put yourself in the admission counselor’s position of reading thousands of essays and maybe having 5-7 minutes per admission packet. Is this essay something you would want to read? Also with good writing in general you hear to “show rather than tell the readers”.

There is a related but separate debate if you should even acknowledge mention mental health struggles or neurodiversity in the application. I don’t know think my dd will include anything about that but if she does, at one of the college counseling sessions at her high school with a college admission counselor (not of a school she is applying to), the person mentioned that there is usually a section if you want to provide additional information.

At the end of the FAFSA there's an additional information section, that's the appropriate place to discuss trajectory in GPA. Don't weight down the essay with that. The essay should highlight her current self.

100% agree with this. That section is at the end of the Common App (not the FAFSA). What the colleges really want to know is what your kid brings to the table and how it helps round out the class. Will your kid be the engineer, the talented artist, the avid reader, the social media expert, the aspiring attorney helping those less fortunate defend their rights? Your student should use the “other info” section to provide context for the not so pleasant stuff, but use the essay to let his passions shine.

Oops, I meant to write Common App. Clearly I'm too awash in college forms at the moment .

NP here. Slightly different question"

What is the deal with the "additional information" section of the common app? Is that meant to be an essay? Or just to describe and adversity (like depression, ADHD)? I can't get a clear answer from the counselor. Seems to be something you leave blank UNLESS there is a big adversity. Is that right? Any help appreciated.

No. It's a place to include additional information that you could not include anywhere else, but that might make a difference to the admissions committee. It could be positive, or negative.

For example: " My mother died when I was 12, so I have cared for my three younger siblings since then. I packed lunches, helped with homework, kissed boo-boos, did laundry and the chores that were necessary to keep our household running"

The applicant might not want to make being a surrogate parent the main theme of their essay, but it's a very important piece of information for the admissions committee to know that they had this huge other responsibility.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It’s not “honesty” that’s the problem, it’s that those kinds of stories tend to make dull, dreary essays. It’s an application essay, not a confessional. I would try to help dc brainstorm topics that have more to do with dc’s personality or interests or how he spends his time.

Worse (from the reader's viewpoint), it's a predictable confessional.