Reply to DD refused to edit her essay..

Forum Index » College and University Discussion

Reply to "DD refused to edit her essay.."

Subject:

Emoticons





More smilies

Text Color: Font: Close Marks

[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Several years ago, I read a college application essay that was outstanding with respect to grammar, punctuation, word choice, and flow and was written in a sincere, genuine, and moving tone. The applicant's statistical credentials and an EC were adequate for any Ivy League school, yet she ended up being rejected by all "most selective" schools and ended up at a school with an acceptance rate of almost 90%.

The essay had been reviewed and commented upon by a significant number of experienced college advisors on a international college website after it had been submitted and after the rejections had been received. None understood why this college applicant was not accepted by multiple elite colleges and universities.

I, too, read the essay after the fact. I communicated with the 18 or 19 year old student in writing. I thought that I understood why this student was unsuccessful in the attempt to get admitted to a dozen or so highly selective schools. My communication with the student confirmed that the student did not exhibit the most important qualities sought by the most selective colleges and universities and this was reflected in the student's application essays. This was a student with at least two hooks--resident of an unrepresented state, national award or awards (I forget), and of modest financial resources who had received careful and thorough review of her essay before submission by two trusted teachers at her high school.

I wrote this post to make two points: One, a beautifully crafted essay does not necessarily elevate a highly qualified applicant with hooks to the yes pile. Two, that a meticulously written essay which retains the writer's voice can still be so flawed as to cause a rejection.

My advice: Think before you write, and think when you reread your essay. Never forget your goal and understand that an essay whether polished or crude can and should reflect the true qualities of the individual writer.

I believe that I could have easily "corrected" the student's writing and greatly increased the student's chances for admission to an Ivy or Ivy equivalent school if the student elected to take a gap year, but I did not offer to do so because her writing convinced me that the student had been admitted to the most appropriate school.[/quote]

Correction: Even though unrepresented state may have been correct, I intended to write "underrepresented" instead on "unrepresented".[/quote]

Options

	Disable HTML in this message
	Disable BB Code in this message
	Disable smilies in this message

Review message

Search Recent Topics Hottest Topics