So many essays !!! Wtf?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I do not remember so many essays when I applied to college.

So we have the common app essay- great, but every college my kid is looking at requires from 2-4 different additional essays and none of them overlap that much.

Kids have AP courses, sports, work, etc. when the hell are they doing all of this?

Let’s face it, rich kids just pay to have their essays written for them or spoon-fed anyways. It should just be common app essay, GPA, test scores and 2 teacher recs.

I can see why there are so fewer males to females in college.

Stop with the rich kid thing. It isn't true for 99.9% of kids. Why does it makes you feel better to create a scapegoat for a process every college applicant will go through?

yet people always say rich people buy SAT scores thus it's unfair

Test optional proponents freak out if you mention no essays

Because the majority of kids write their own essays. They may have guidance with brainstorming and editing, but most do not "pay someone to write the essay" .
Essays tell a lot more than some standardized test. It is the opportunity to tell the AO a bit more about yourself---whether it is true or not is up to the applicant. And yes for the ones that have 4+ supplementals, it does help weed out those that are not actually interested.

Omg. You people are so naive.

Our neighbor had two other neighbors currently at school of choice write his essay. Another dad told me he wrote his kids and paid someone to edit it. A few more told my kid they used chatGPT. Another used a much older sibling’s old essay.

Essays are the easiest of the 3 to cheat with: test scores zero opportunity almost and GPA is on your transcript.

Where do you live? Sounds l like a neighborhood full of sleazy families. I

I hate to hear that kids are being raised with these values.

It is really not universal.

52% of applicants lie about their ethnicity.

GPA & test scores- and 2 teacher recs. Blind to race and gender and $.

That’s how it should be done.

Because you say so?

I do not believe most kids lie about their ethnicity.

More than 1/3 of applicants lie about being a racial minority. Most say Native American which is idiotic.

https://thehill.com/changing-america/enrichment/education/577722-more-than-a-third-of-white-students-lie-about-their/amp/

https://www.insidehighered.com/admissions/article/2021/10/25/survey-asks-if-applicants-are-truthful-about-race

^^ More than three-fourths of those who lied (77 percent) said they were admitted to colleges that they lied to. And 85 percent of them said they believed their lie helped them.

[Anonymous]

Where do you find the essays required by each college?

Do you need to wait to apply to see them?

I have a Junior at home that needs to start writing some. He doesn't know where to look...

He has been working on the one he needs for the Common app.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Where do you find the essays required by each college?

Do you need to wait to apply to see them?

I have a Junior at home that needs to start writing some. He doesn't know where to look...

He has been working on the one he needs for the Common app.

some of them post them on their websites under their admissions info. the UC essays (pick 4 out of 8) are up and some of the LACS too

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I do not remember so many essays when I applied to college.

So we have the common app essay- great, but every college my kid is looking at requires from 2-4 different additional essays and none of them overlap that much.

Kids have AP courses, sports, work, etc. when the hell are they doing all of this?

Let’s face it, rich kids just pay to have their essays written for them or spoon-fed anyways. It should just be common app essay, GPA, test scores and 2 teacher recs.

I can see why there are so fewer males to females in college.

Stop with the rich kid thing. It isn't true for 99.9% of kids. Why does it makes you feel better to create a scapegoat for a process every college applicant will go through?

yet people always say rich people buy SAT scores thus it's unfair

Test optional proponents freak out if you mention no essays

Because the majority of kids write their own essays. They may have guidance with brainstorming and editing, but most do not "pay someone to write the essay" .
Essays tell a lot more than some standardized test. It is the opportunity to tell the AO a bit more about yourself---whether it is true or not is up to the applicant. And yes for the ones that have 4+ supplementals, it does help weed out those that are not actually interested.

Omg. You people are so naive.

Our neighbor had two other neighbors currently at school of choice write his essay. Another dad told me he wrote his kids and paid someone to edit it. A few more told my kid they used chatGPT. Another used a much older sibling’s old essay.

Essays are the easiest of the 3 to cheat with: test scores zero opportunity almost and GPA is on your transcript.

Where do you live? Sounds l like a neighborhood full of sleazy families. I

I hate to hear that kids are being raised with these values.

It is really not universal.

52% of applicants lie about their ethnicity.

GPA & test scores- and 2 teacher recs. Blind to race and gender and $.

That’s how it should be done.

Because you say so?

I do not believe most kids lie about their ethnicity.

More than 1/3 of applicants lie about being a racial minority. Most say Native American which is idiotic.

https://thehill.com/changing-america/enrichment/education/577722-more-than-a-third-of-white-students-lie-about-their/amp/

https://www.insidehighered.com/admissions/article/2021/10/25/survey-asks-if-applicants-are-truthful-about-race

That was akin to a buzzfeed survey. Nowhere close to reliable information. Pops up here at DCUM all the time, but it is trash, sorry.

[Anonymous]

At least it is electronic now, and there is a common app.

Really, college is work. If they can't motivate to do this (not that it is fun), consider whether they are not on track for the next phase of their lives.

(Though I will say, we have somehow managed to beat all of the fun out of senior year. I wish there were no AP's and kids could just start college level work when they start college!)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I do not remember so many essays when I applied to college.

So we have the common app essay- great, but every college my kid is looking at requires from 2-4 different additional essays and none of them overlap that much.

Kids have AP courses, sports, work, etc. when the hell are they doing all of this?

Let’s face it, rich kids just pay to have their essays written for them or spoon-fed anyways. It should just be common app essay, GPA, test scores and 2 teacher recs.

I can see why there are so fewer males to females in college.

My kids wrote all of their own essays. And we are "rich." You sound a little off.

+100- this is not an issue of "haves/have nots". This is about curating an appropriate list and time management. This needs to come from the student. Parents can be in the wings to encourage and support. Our youngest is heading to college in a few weeks. Last summer/early Fall when it looked like she was fatiguing with the process (and tons of EC's, sports, job ,etc) we suggested she take 2 (of her 9 schools) and table them for regular decision. The rest of the schools she applied early (not binding). In the end- she did not do the additional work for the two schools she tabled because she was happy with the early acceptances. It was an approach that worked in our home, might work for others as well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I do not remember so many essays when I applied to college.

So we have the common app essay- great, but every college my kid is looking at requires from 2-4 different additional essays and none of them overlap that much.

Kids have AP courses, sports, work, etc. when the hell are they doing all of this?

Let’s face it, rich kids just pay to have their essays written for them or spoon-fed anyways. It should just be common app essay, GPA, test scores and 2 teacher recs.

I can see why there are so fewer males to females in college.

My kids wrote all of their own essays. And we are "rich." You sound a little off.

+100- this is not an issue of "haves/have nots". This is about curating an appropriate list and time management. This needs to come from the student. Parents can be in the wings to encourage and support. Our youngest is heading to college in a few weeks. Last summer/early Fall when it looked like she was fatiguing with the process (and tons of EC's, sports, job ,etc) we suggested she take 2 (of her 9 schools) and table them for regular decision. The rest of the schools she applied early (not binding). In the end- she did not do the additional work for the two schools she tabled because she was happy with the early acceptances. It was an approach that worked in our home, might work for others as well.

NP. None of the EA schools on my kid's list give EA results before RD deadlines, unfortunately. They're all late Jan, which is so annoying...

[Anonymous]

My child applies to 7 schools that did not have supplemental essays. Here is the list we used:

https://toptieradmissions.com/colleges-without-supplemental-essays-4/

Also, they refused to write any extra essays for colleges they really would not consider going to if accepted. So, the extra essays actually help the kids really prioritize which schools for which they’re willing to put that extra effort in.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: Where do you find the essays required by each college?

Do you need to wait to apply to see them?

I have a Junior at home that needs to start writing some. He doesn't know where to look...

He has been working on the one he needs for the Common app.

Try this. On the right-hand side, you see the different colleges. It will show what the supplemental essay prompts are once they have been released.

[Anonymous]

https://www.collegeessayadvisors.com/supplemental-essay/emory-university-2022-23-supplemental-essay-prompt-guide/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I do not remember so many essays when I applied to college.

So we have the common app essay- great, but every college my kid is looking at requires from 2-4 different additional essays and none of them overlap that much.

Kids have AP courses, sports, work, etc. when the hell are they doing all of this?

Let’s face it, rich kids just pay to have their essays written for them or spoon-fed anyways. It should just be common app essay, GPA, test scores and 2 teacher recs.

I can see why there are so fewer males to females in college.

WTF does this mean. Boys are capable of writing essays. And that is a lame crutch to fall on to defend what you perceive as boy ineptness.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I do not remember so many essays when I applied to college.

So we have the common app essay- great, but every college my kid is looking at requires from 2-4 different additional essays and none of them overlap that much.

Kids have AP courses, sports, work, etc. when the hell are they doing all of this?

Let’s face it, rich kids just pay to have their essays written for them or spoon-fed anyways. It should just be common app essay, GPA, test scores and 2 teacher recs.

I can see why there are so fewer males to females in college.

Stop with the rich kid thing. It isn't true for 99.9% of kids. Why does it makes you feel better to create a scapegoat for a process every college applicant will go through?

Besides the issue is kids that constantly have tutors, who deem themselves “not rich”.

What is wrong with having a tutor if you need one?

A tutor if you need one is very different than what some people do - which is a tutor for every class. If you need a tutor for every class, you are obviously taking the wrong classes.

Don't hate the player. Hate the game.

Until this ridiculous college admissions game changes, this is what you get. Yes, it's for people who can afford it but . . . that's life.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:At least it is electronic now, and there is a common app.

Really, college is work. If they can't motivate to do this (not that it is fun), consider whether they are not on track for the next phase of their lives.

(Though I will say, we have somehow managed to beat all of the fun out of senior year. I wish there were no AP's and kids could just start college level work when they start college!)

Nah. My son has had straight As at a tough private in a very rigorous schedule. Always self-motivated. Never had to check up on him. Studied for standardized tests, scored 5s on every AP and the college essays are a huge PIA. They feel phony and ridiculous. Just have them turn in a graded paper and use scores, gpa and recs.

I think it’s also like the end of the marathon- making it to Jan of senior year. It’s almost there, have to keep chugging…

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I do not remember so many essays when I applied to college.

So we have the common app essay- great, but every college my kid is looking at requires from 2-4 different additional essays and none of them overlap that much.

Kids have AP courses, sports, work, etc. when the hell are they doing all of this?

Let’s face it, rich kids just pay to have their essays written for them or spoon-fed anyways. It should just be common app essay, GPA, test scores and 2 teacher recs.

I can see why there are so fewer males to females in college.

No, “rich kids” do not pay for others to write them. More selective colleges have had extra essays for decades. Nothing new here.

[Anonymous]

Yes - wealthier kids have some advantages -- I am sure there are many who apply ED or have a top choice and have an essay advisor or college advisor at least proof-read and edit their essays, if not write them completely. And definitely so with the common app essay. With that said, I think a lot of wealthy kids still write the bulk of the college-specific essays -- although having an educated parent editing can help. These days, with Tests going away or being optional, essays are kind of important - and with Justice Roberts giving an AA-out, now a necessity at some schools.