Anonymous
Post 12/18/2025 13:54     Subject: If DC got into Ivy, what was their best essay about?
Anonymous wrote:People like to gate keep, OP. Even after their kid already got in. The smugness is real. They won’t help you


It’s not a smugness. The information is of no help. If I told you my kid wrote about cooking with insects or grandma or while blind or for an ill parent or the basics up thru finishing Julia Childs’ book, etc. how is that helpful in anyway.
Anonymous
Post 12/18/2025 13:52     Subject: If DC got into Ivy, what was their best essay about?
The gym
Anonymous
Post 12/18/2025 13:51     Subject: If DC got into Ivy, what was their best essay about?
Spending a summer on the border learning peoples stories and weaving that with their volunteering program with refugee students
Anonymous
Post 12/18/2025 13:47     Subject: Re:If DC got into Ivy, what was their best essay about?
Anonymous wrote:I don’t agree with the trend theory, and most schools have admitted (recall it on Yale podcast), most are sufficient but not noteworthy.

My opinion is that it is authenticity and the feeling you really know the person once you stopped reading, and zero to do with the topic itself.



This sounds right to me, and I've listened to a lot of podcasts. The essay is all about showcasing who you are and showing some of your personal qualities. That can be done using any topic.
Anonymous
Post 12/18/2025 13:42     Subject: If DC got into Ivy, what was their best essay about?
Anonymous wrote:Being in a band with friends, cooking with relatives.


I heard something from a former Ivy AO that its a red flag if nothing at all in an entire application references friends....
they wonder if you have friends at all....
they don't want those kids.
Anonymous
Post 12/18/2025 13:39     Subject: Re:If DC got into Ivy, what was their best essay about?
I don’t agree with the trend theory, and most schools have admitted (recall it on Yale podcast), most are sufficient but not noteworthy.

My opinion is that it is authenticity and the feeling you really know the person once you stopped reading, and zero to do with the topic itself.

Anonymous
Post 12/18/2025 13:35     Subject: If DC got into Ivy, what was their best essay about?
Anonymous wrote:People like to gate keep, OP. Even after their kid already got in. The smugness is real. They won’t help you


Or, we know things. I've worked with students who got into Ivies. The answers to the questions that OP is asking would not have been useful to them.
Anonymous
Post 12/18/2025 13:28     Subject: If DC got into Ivy, what was their best essay about?
People like to gate keep, OP. Even after their kid already got in. The smugness is real. They won’t help you
Anonymous
Post 12/18/2025 13:27     Subject: If DC got into Ivy, what was their best essay about?
Being in a band with friends, cooking with relatives.
Anonymous
Post 12/18/2025 13:26     Subject: If DC got into Ivy, what was their best essay about?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:It's not the essay topic that got them in. It's the execution, and all of the years of preparation before it.


Yes definitely it’s only 1 part of entire application, but wondering what students writing about -just topic wise. There are usually topic trends over the years and wondering what trends are this year. Example, for several years climate was a hot topic and then became more on sustainability. What are topics right now for students? More politics, less politics? Hope? Fear?


This seems like you’ve spent a lot of time on this. I can say my kid got into an ivy, is unhooked, and I would never answer this.


Then why did you even post a reply? Move on.
Anonymous
Post 12/18/2025 13:24     Subject: If DC got into Ivy, what was their best essay about?
Kindness. Community.
Anonymous
Post 12/18/2025 13:23     Subject: If DC got into Ivy, what was their best essay about?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:It's not the essay topic that got them in. It's the execution, and all of the years of preparation before it.


Yes definitely it’s only 1 part of entire application, but wondering what students writing about -just topic wise. There are usually topic trends over the years and wondering what trends are this year. Example, for several years climate was a hot topic and then became more on sustainability. What are topics right now for students? More politics, less politics? Hope? Fear?


This seems like you’ve spent a lot of time on this. I can say my kid got into an ivy, is unhooked, and I would never answer this.
Anonymous
Post 12/18/2025 13:16     Subject: If DC got into Ivy, what was their best essay about?
Anonymous wrote:It's not the essay topic that got them in. It's the execution, and all of the years of preparation before it.


Yes definitely it’s only 1 part of entire application, but wondering what students writing about -just topic wise. There are usually topic trends over the years and wondering what trends are this year. Example, for several years climate was a hot topic and then became more on sustainability. What are topics right now for students? More politics, less politics? Hope? Fear?
Anonymous
Post 12/18/2025 13:06     Subject: If DC got into Ivy, what was their best essay about?
It's not the essay topic that got them in. It's the execution, and all of the years of preparation before it.
Anonymous
Post 12/18/2025 13:06     Subject: If DC got into Ivy, what was their best essay about?
If willing to share: what were your kid’s essay/topics used this year that kids not only were most proud of but got them accepted (as part of overall application)?
Every couple years seem to have trends and curious what were this year for what wrote about (that worked).