DD refused to edit her essay..
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Anonymous
And the application fee? We don't even know how many schools OP's DD is applying to. Maybe the DD is over-stretching herself on applications and OP shouldn't fund this application fee. There are multiple ways to cut apron strings. |
Anonymous
NP. Re: the bold: No, she won't find out. What colleges tell any rejected student such specific reasons for rejection? Admissions offices don't have time for that. OP's DD would never know whether she was turned down due to her essay, her scores etc., her extracurriculars, the fact she was oh so close but other students had just barely better this or that....Nope, the lesson for the DD will not be "See? You didn't get admitted because you were sloppy and resistant about accepting feedback on your essay!" |
Anonymous
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I think there are two issues.
1. The actual essay. Is it ready for prime time? Does it need polishing? Should mom insist on polishing it back off? 2. Is student taking the application process seriously? College visits, application fees, final visits, and TUITION make for a massive financial investment from parents. Parents expect their teens to approach the process with as much seriousness and maturity they can muster. Starting and completing the common app in one afternoon, then refusing a round of feedback, sounds like the teen *might be* half-assing it. Let’s not nitpick over issue 1. I think mom is really talking about issue 2. Perhaps teen needs another month of senior year for the importance of the application elements to since in. Maybe she’s nervous about growing up and is sabotaging herself. Maybe she doesn’t really understand the app review process. Whatever it is, I think mom needs to dig in around the underlying issues, rather than nag about the essay itself. |
Anonymous
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Best bet may be to ask her to "compromise."
As we all know, advice coming from parents is often (heavily) discounted in their eyes. Find a neutral 3rd party (with english expertise?) who will give her feedback. Tell her to receive it but remain in control of whether any of it gets incorporated. Tell her it is good practice for college, where ALL of her writing will be critiqued by an ever-changing cast of characters. Tell her that you respect it as her essay and agree it should reflect her voice. It is a very solid draft but even famous, published writers have editors (because we cannot know how our words will be interpreted by others). Good luck! |
Anonymous
That is because you taught writing. Profs don't proofread papers. |
Anonymous
It is correct that students should proofread their own work before sharing it (I tell mine to read it out loud) BUT if you ask someone to read it over and they see a typo/misspelling, they will point it out. |
Anonymous
OP: You are wrong. Your daughter is mature enough to understand that college admissions wants to read her work product, in her voice, revealing her thoughts and other qualities about her. Moreover, your daughter may be revealing information about herself that she prefers to remain unknown to her parents. Could be about sexual orientation,about an experience unknown to her parents,about her family life, or about anything that she wishes to remain private from immediate family members, friends, and teachers. OP: If you want to proofread and edit her college essays, then tell me what you think college admissions' officers are looking for in an applicant's admissions essays. |
Anonymous
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I am a grad school professor (in a health, not English-related field). No professor that I know of would proofread a student's assignment prior to them turning it in for grading.
The one possible exception is a thesis. That goes through many iterations. The advisor will point out places where it is unclear or does not meet the writing guidelines which are accepted in that field (e.g., for tone). Missing content, such as Study Limitations. You are teaching them how to write as a scientist, but you are not proofreading their assignment for them. |
Anonymous
New poster. Are you me? This is what happened with us, too. I have a journalism background, and DC is a very strong writer, and I knew we'd clash if I read the essays, so the test prep tutor we'd used worked for us separately to talk with DC about essays and read over them. Just a few comments, not a big deal or even in-person sessions. If we hadn't done that, DC likely would have asked a family friend who is an MS teacher. I myself read essays by a friend's son to give him feedback because he didn't like his parents reading them. OP, the issue is that students will respond much better to a third party than to their own parents. As the parent, you can, I think, insist that she get SOME other eyes on her essays. Parents do have a role in the overall process and shouldn't balk at saying, I get that you don't want me to read it and I won't, but someone besides you (DC) has to; what about counselor X, teacher Y, test prep person Z? (But I would not ever withhold application fees or do other punitive things like that, as some above are advocating in this thread. Wow, that seems aggressively punitive.) But you, yourself, shouldn't try to read, proofread or substantively edit essays, as long as she's getting some kind of outside feedback. If you push to read essays, she will resist and neither the essays, nor your relationship with her, will benefit. |
Anonymous
They did for me and I almost majored in English, took many lit and "writing" courses. Apparently my Midwest, Big State U had better profs than what a lot of you had. The class I used to teach involved a specific type of writing, synthesizing a lot of written material into a final product. I'm not sure why you feel the need to diminish that to prove some point. |
Anonymous
Some kids are like that. They are overconfident with their writing skills. She will pay for that and you will pay her app fees. |
Anonymous
Correct. I haven't read all the responses, but please encourage her to find out whether there is something in place at her school, either through the guidance counselors or the English department. You could also try a trusted friend or older sibling. |
Anonymous
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the schools know what is edited by adults and what is written by students.
they know what a senior in high school writes like and would rather have a good essay with some typos etc that a professionally crafted essay that is not a reflection of the student. |
Anonymous
| My 15 yr old son writes brilliant essays. Perhaps your dd is the same. |
Anonymous
Do you not know what proofreading means? Constructive feedback, yes. A line edit or proofreading? No way. |