Reply to Top Stats students that had difficult admissions last year

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Lots of people who are delusional about the importance of essays and recommendations.  They aren’t difference makers unless they are really bad.

Ultimately it is important your kid do a good job on the application so as to not wind up on the bad category, but the difference makers are mostly out of your child’s control at this point.  They’re going to be compared to their class mates and kids from similar local schools.  The school may want kids looking for a certain major or that have a certain talent (e.g. a harpist).  But mostly it’s just a numbers game.[/quote]

Hard disagree. If you are applying to T20 colleges - where every single applicant is going to have stellar academics - the essays and the letters of recommendation are hugely important. This is where you have a chance to get the reader on your side so they argue for you at the table. It's important. The essay is the one place on an application where the student can really show who they are. And personalized letters of recommendation from teachers who know the students help schools feel confident in extending an acceptance. It's foolish to ignore essays and letters of recommendation. They are very often the difference makers at highly selective schools that accept fewer than 10 percent of all applicants.

I have two kids at T20 universities presently. Both spent a lot of time on their essays. Very unique. Very funny. Very well written. I'm convinced the essays and really good letters of rec - plus exceptionally good ECs - are what distinguished them from all the other unhooked applicants with outstanding GPAs and test scores.[/quote]

I have 2 kids at T10 universities and I am guessing their essays were good. I have no idea if that helped or not. How can anyone? In sheer number- it seems impossible that the admissions staff can read the volume of essays which are in the 10s of thousands. I truly don’t believe every essay gets read. 3-4 mins per application, correct?

I think the letters of recommendation have some weight. Best of the best stuff helps, I think. That, IMO, is why my kids were accepted. Their objective stats are similar to many, many applicants.
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