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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]If your DC asked for help, then give some help. Having them read it out loud to you goes a long way for finding things that are awkward. Fix the worst grammar errors or point out places to improve flow. That’s what the English teacher would be doing. Don’t suggest lots of wording changes or restructure it completely - you’ll lose DC’s voice. For most colleges, it really won’t be the most important thing.

And to PP who said they wrote most of it for 2 kids - I salute you. The only place that I really think the essays matter is for very selective schools. This is where I think it’s most important for students to write their own essay, and also where I’m sure the most paid for essays are submitted. My DC1 wrote a crappy 1st cut essay that he refused to edit and got into state flagship on strength of SAT scores. DC2 wrote amazing essays that I never saw and was accepted at several top schools. Writing is the current bane of DC3. Has difficulty starting because they have a bazillion ideas and can’t pick one. Then, if left on own will produce 3 times as much writing as needed and then can’t edit down. Did I sit down this weekend and ask them a series of questions, typing their answers, to get something outlined as a start? Yes. They are supposed to do some more editing in the next week. Will I likely be sitting down again to help refine? Yes. They aren’t applying to top schools, [b]the essay is a BS requirement generally[/b] IMO, and I’m over it.[/quote]

+1M[/quote]

Well, it's a BS requirement but not because of what you think but because most are never read.  The readers first cull through the applications sorting for GPA, rigor, test scores, ECs, POC, URM, first-generation and so on.  The average applicaiton to a slac gets a six minute read.  Only the very best make it to the regional coordinators who actually might read the essay.[/quote]
I’m PP who said the essay was a BS requirement, and I meant it for the reasons you state. DS1 got into state flagship purely on his SAT score. His 3.5 GPA, non-existent ECs, and poor essay certainly didn’t do it. And yes, he had friends with better GPA and ECs, but lower SAT scores who did not get in. That fact taught me a lot about the process.[/quote]

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