How to tell teen her essay topic sucks?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Step up and pay a professional for their opinion.

Don't be an a** to your kid about the topic. It is one thing to do it early on in the process but now it is too late.

Completely unnecessary and ridiculous. The point of the essay is to see how a kid can write, in their own voice. OP’s kid did that. If everything else in their package is “tippity top,” a cringey topic won’t make or break anything. And if it’s really that bad, then maybe the kid just isn’t that tippity top after all.

We are saying the same thing. Leave it alone unless you pay a professional and find out that it truly is a lousy essay. If you don't get a professional opinion, then you can't tell you kid that it is a bad essay when the kid has finished it and been to see his teacher and counselor and discussed it.

OP here. I AM paying a professional. She didn't give topic advice whatsoever. She just dove in and started editing what DD already had written.

So you paid somebody and it’s been reviewed by her teacher(s)? You’re done here. Step away.

OP here. Hoping you are right. The woman we hired used to be an AO for one of the schools DD is considering. Hopefully she would tell us if the topic seems canned/cheesy to her and not spare our feelings. Or maybe she knows that it doesn't actually matter that much. Anyway, I'm going to make some minor editing suggestions and otherwise leave it be. Thanks all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Colleges expect teens to write like teens. AOs are not looking for essays ghost written by parents in their forties and fifties.

Do yourself a favor and find some of those "50 successful Harvard admissions essays" type books or look up the best admissions essays included in various alumni magazines at top colleges. Read the essays and you'll be astonished. It is rare to read one that looks like the polished writing of a future Nobel Prize in literature winner. They are kids. They write like kids.

Haven't read those, but I've read a bunch of the NYT ones and the topics were surprisingly bad. One was about judging people based on their car bumper stickers!

DP. That’s sounds like it could be funny. Remember that humans have to read hundreds if not thousands of these. Entertain them.

It's quite political and disparaging.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Colleges expect teens to write like teens. AOs are not looking for essays ghost written by parents in their forties and fifties.

Do yourself a favor and find some of those "50 successful Harvard admissions essays" type books or look up the best admissions essays included in various alumni magazines at top colleges. Read the essays and you'll be astonished. It is rare to read one that looks like the polished writing of a future Nobel Prize in literature winner. They are kids. They write like kids.

Haven't read those, but I've read a bunch of the NYT ones and the topics were surprisingly bad. One was about judging people based on their car bumper stickers!

DP. That’s sounds like it could be funny. Remember that humans have to read hundreds if not thousands of these. Entertain them.

It's quite political and disparaging.

Not necessarily. But lighten up a bit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Tell us the topic.

OP here. I won't get specific, but she mentions a popular childhood book series she enjoyed. And she relates it back to her own life in a cheesy way. I can't think of a way to make it less cheesy, and I also don't think it relates to her life in a in a helpful or interesting way.

The actual writing/grammar is fine. The college counselor and teacher had her add more personal details, but I think the topic is just really cringey.

Okay, on this one I can help, my kid did a short answer essay that keyed off a favorite childhood book. His high school counselor said, "sweet, but trite," very common and they aren't looking to admit 4 year old you. She went on to list other topics/themes that have the same problems- 1) high school athletics interrupted by injury and 2) my grandma/grandpa is my hero (they also aren't looking to admit your grandpa). I wouldn't have thought of it that way but it made sense, they are trying to understand/compare 17 year old to see how they might grow and contribute in a field of other 17/18 YO's so topics highlight childhood or other people rather than current/future person are starting off at a big disadvantage. Sorry your school counselor didn't help you out on this one

My (non athleic) kid wrote about a fairly minor sports injury that changed their life. It was a great essay, funny, with a twist that tied into their future major.

They got into nearly every school they applied to, including several top 10 schools.

Interesting. Sports Injury is on the top of most lists about what NOT to write about, along with death of a loved one, making or not making a team, etc.

This is why I hate college applications. These are all major formative events for a teen. Why shouldn’t they write about them? Either let them write about a topic that interests them that is not themselves (eg which manga series is best and why) or let them write about things that actually affect teens — their first love, death of their grandparent, quitting a sport they’ve played for years. They aren’t gojng to write about he bombing of Dresden fod Pete’s sake, they are teens.
And really teen that writes about their grandparent — that can tell you a lot about who they are and what matters to them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:She is going to be mad and cry.

But it's really really bad. Her grades/SATs/rigor are tippity top. Her essay is terrible and doesn't say that much about her.

Do we just rip the bandaid and tell her? Any tips on phrasing or what to say?

“Your essay topic sucks.”

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Colleges expect teens to write like teens. AOs are not looking for essays ghost written by parents in their forties and fifties.

Do yourself a favor and find some of those "50 successful Harvard admissions essays" type books or look up the best admissions essays included in various alumni magazines at top colleges. Read the essays and you'll be astonished. It is rare to read one that looks like the polished writing of a future Nobel Prize in literature winner. They are kids. They write like kids.

Haven't read those, but I've read a bunch of the NYT ones and the topics were surprisingly bad. One was about judging people based on their car bumper stickers!

DP. That’s sounds like it could be funny. Remember that humans have to read hundreds if not thousands of these. Entertain them.

It's quite political and disparaging.

I remember that one. I loved it.

[Anonymous]

I’m imagining the essay is “I thought I was a Ravenclaw but in HS I learned I’m actually a Hufflepuff.” Which could actually be a good essay.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Colleges expect teens to write like teens. AOs are not looking for essays ghost written by parents in their forties and fifties.

Do yourself a favor and find some of those "50 successful Harvard admissions essays" type books or look up the best admissions essays included in various alumni magazines at top colleges. Read the essays and you'll be astonished. It is rare to read one that looks like the polished writing of a future Nobel Prize in literature winner. They are kids. They write like kids.

Haven't read those, but I've read a bunch of the NYT ones and the topics were surprisingly bad. One was about judging people based on their car bumper stickers!

DP. That’s sounds like it could be funny. Remember that humans have to read hundreds if not thousands of these. Entertain them.

It's quite political and disparaging.

I remember that one. I loved it.

Most importantly, it's fresh and memorable. That, with a little humor and personality, is the goal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m imagining the essay is “I thought I was a Ravenclaw but in HS I learned I’m actually a Hufflepuff.” Which could actually be a good essay.

I just spit out my lacroix.

[Anonymous]

Can you just tell you're concerned about the topic and have her write a second one? Then have her critically look at both and and assist her to choose the one that will best help her in the eyes of the admissions committee.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Step up and pay a professional for their opinion.

Don't be an a** to your kid about the topic. It is one thing to do it early on in the process but now it is too late.

Completely unnecessary and ridiculous. The point of the essay is to see how a kid can write, in their own voice. OP’s kid did that. If everything else in their package is “tippity top,” a cringey topic won’t make or break anything. And if it’s really that bad, then maybe the kid just isn’t that tippity top after all.

We are saying the same thing. Leave it alone unless you pay a professional and find out that it truly is a lousy essay. If you don't get a professional opinion, then you can't tell you kid that it is a bad essay when the kid has finished it and been to see his teacher and counselor and discussed it.

OP here. I AM paying a professional. She didn't give topic advice whatsoever. She just dove in and started editing what DD already had written.

So you paid somebody and it’s been reviewed by her teacher(s)? You’re done here. Step away.

OP here. Hoping you are right. The woman we hired used to be an AO for one of the schools DD is considering. Hopefully she would tell us if the topic seems canned/cheesy to her and not spare our feelings. Or maybe she knows that it doesn't actually matter that much. Anyway, I'm going to make some minor editing suggestions and otherwise leave it be. Thanks all.

good plan OP

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Tell us the topic.

OP here. I won't get specific, but she mentions a popular childhood book series she enjoyed. And she relates it back to her own life in a cheesy way. I can't think of a way to make it less cheesy, and I also don't think it relates to her life in a in a helpful or interesting way.

The actual writing/grammar is fine. The college counselor and teacher had her add more personal details, but I think the topic is just really cringey.

It sounds fine. Get over it.

[Anonymous]

Maybe brainstorm topics with her.

Look online for things that a personal statement should convey and see if she did or not.

Ask her to write one on something else and give both to reviewers and see if they prefer one over the other.

Let it lie a couple wks, but it is absolutely your lane as a parent. She needs your perspective. Don't throw away all the yrs of hard work and tip top application because you're worried about upsetting her. Don't say it sucks but point out things that may not be the best to include. Give concrete suggesions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Does she use the expression "tippity top" in her essay?

Invariably a sign of a moron...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Unless your kid's topic is something completely insane...like writing about her heroin habit (not kicking her habit, but how much she loves her active habit) or how she fantasizes shooting up college campuses...the topic really doesn't matter.

13:17 PP here, my kid wrote about how her ADHD makes her fixate on/do deep dives into subjects. I cringed but it was well written and she did great.