Reply to College essay: can being too honest backfire?

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]It’s not “honesty” that’s the problem, it’s that those kinds of stories tend to make dull, dreary essays. It’s an application essay, not a confessional. I would try to help dc brainstorm topics that have more to do with dc’s personality or interests or how he spends his time.[/quote]

I agree. It doesn't need to be cathartic for your kid to write it, it needs to be an inspiration for anyone reading it. So you need to be able to take a step back and look at the essay as objectively as possible. [/quote]

+2.  The advice I’ve heard on essays is to put yourself in the admission counselor’s position of reading thousands of essays and maybe having 5-7 minutes per admission packet.  Is this essay something you would want to read?  Also with good writing in general you hear to “show rather than tell the readers”.

There is a related but separate debate if you should even acknowledge mention mental health struggles or neurodiversity in the application.  I don’t know think my dd will include anything about that but if she does, at one of the college counseling sessions at her high school with a college admission counselor (not of a school she is applying to), the person mentioned that there is [b]usually a section if you want to provide additional information[/b].[/quote]

At the end of the FAFSA there's an additional information section, that's the appropriate place to discuss trajectory in GPA.  Don't weight down the essay with that.  The essay should highlight her current self.

[/quote]

100% agree with this.  That section is at the end of the [b]Common App (not the FAFSA)[/b].  What the colleges really want to know is what your kid brings to the table and how it helps round out the class.  Will your kid be the engineer, the talented artist, the avid reader, the social media expert, the aspiring attorney helping those less fortunate defend their rights?  Your student should use the “other info” section to provide context for the not so pleasant stuff, but use the essay to let his passions shine.  [/quote]

Oops, I meant to write Common App.  Clearly I'm too awash in college forms at the moment :).[/quote]

NP here. Slightly different question"

What is the deal with the "additional information" section of the common app? Is that meant to be an essay? Or just to describe and adversity (like depression, ADHD)?  I can't get a clear answer from the counselor. Seems to be something you leave blank UNLESS there is a big adversity. Is that right? Any help appreciated.[/quote]

Our kid got an IB diploma and our counselor recommended DC briefly identify and explain their IB extended essay there.  There was no other obvious place to discuss the 4000 word research paper IB diploma kids write independently as it's not an extracurricular and would make for a boring personal essay topic.  [/quote]

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