When you say your child's essays were amazing - objectively, how do you know that?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Because I wrote them

If there was a like button on dcum, this would be the most liked comment.

Yes!
My friend slipped up and said she wrote her daughter's essay and then tried to backtrack.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Because I wrote them

If there was a like button on dcum, this would be the most liked comment.

Yes!
My friend slipped up and said she wrote her daughter's essay and then tried to backtrack.

I read my kids essays and they were good (I am an appellate lawyer so write for a living). I kept reminding them that the key point is to write something that makes the AOs really want you at their university. Too many kids lose sight of the real objective and write about topics that don't advance that goal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Because I wrote them

Ha! Ha! Me too!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Because I wrote them

This great response really made me laugh!

How do you know it's a joke?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Because I wrote them

If there was a like button on dcum, this would be the most liked comment.

Yes!
My friend slipped up and said she wrote her daughter's essay and then tried to backtrack.

I read my kids essays and they were good (I am an appellate lawyer so write for a living). I kept reminding them that the key point is to write something that makes the AOs really want you at their university. Too many kids lose sight of the real objective and write about topics that don't advance that goal.

As an appellate lawyer, you should frame your issue with more precision. What makes admission officers "really want you at their university" ?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm an editor at a very well-known publication. You've probably read things I've worked on. My son's essay was objectively very good. It wasn't a function of grammar and spelling, though; the essay was good because of topic selection, focus and impact. A stranger could read that essay, find it compelling and want to meet the kid who wrote it. Which, I guess, it what happened because he got into his target school.

My son's essay was not perfect (I did not see it before it went in; I would have made some edits!) but it was clever and thoughtful and unique and he is clearly a good writer. I write for a living and think I can recognize a good essay. He too got in ED to a top school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm an editor at a very well-known publication. You've probably read things I've worked on. My son's essay was objectively very good. It wasn't a function of grammar and spelling, though; the essay was good because of topic selection, focus and impact. A stranger could read that essay, find it compelling and want to meet the kid who wrote it. Which, I guess, it what happened because he got into his target school.

My son's essay was not perfect (I did not see it before it went in; I would have made some edits!) but it was clever and thoughtful and unique and he is clearly a good writer. I write for a living and think I can recognize a good essay. He too got in ED to a top school.

Again, the issue is what are college admissions officers seeking in an essay. Merely stating that an essay is well written or interesting is too broad. Competent writing is expected.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I did not think DDs was that great. She shunned all outside advice.

Same here

[Anonymous]

We never read our oldest kid's essays before he applied to colleges.

Does that make us weird?

[Anonymous]

I am not questioning the professional writer's, the editor's, or the appellate lawyer's writing ability; but, I am questioning their knowledge as to what components make up an effective college admissions essay.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am not questioning the professional writer's, the editor's, or the appellate lawyer's writing ability; but, I am questioning their knowledge as to what components make up an effective college admissions essay.

And, yes, I am playing with you all.

[Anonymous]

Because they paid thousands to consultant for essay help

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I know because I wrote them.

Did you plagiarize those essays like you did with this post?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am not questioning the professional writer's, the editor's, or the appellate lawyer's writing ability; but, I am questioning their knowledge as to what components make up an effective college admissions essay.

Because there is not merely ONE good essay, or ONE successful formula. I'm not any of these posters. I'm a scientist, and a foreigner to boot who never had to write essays to get into college. But since I knew nothing, I read compilations of admitted students' essays. And they're all unique and vibrant and the voice of their author is apparent. They feel authentic. Since they were selected from the best, none of them have grammatical mistakes, or clunky sentences. But I'm sure other essays of students who were admitted may have a few imperfections here and there - that's probably not disqualifying. The most important thing is to have the ability to take a possibly ordinary topic or event and express self-awareness, maturity and growth. As others pointed out, merely witnessing a historical event or suffer personal trauma is insufficient. What did the student learn from it, how did it inform their values or academic path? The student can veer into humor, dialogue, verse, any written medium, as long as the reader can understand who the author is and what they've learned about themselves in their 17 years of life.

That's why it's so hard to explain what makes a good essay. But after reading a few, you know one when you see one.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Because I wrote them

Ha! Ha! Me too!

This just makes me mad for my kid and all the others who actually wrote there own admissions essay.