I would say definitely one of my kids' essays was meh. It was IMO a pretty generic, 1st job-learned to take responsibility story. He didn't want feedback and was applying to big state Us that were matches/safeties so I expect it wasn't going to matter much so I wasn't going to make a big deal about it.

My other kid's I think (as a non-admissions person) was excellent because it drew me in from the very beginning and 100% reflected her voice and unique experiences and showcased her passions and why she wants to major in a topic. I have no idea what an elite college admissions rep would think of it since she was only applying to matches/targets but she's gotten in to all her schools and received notes from a couple admissions reps referencing that they liked her essay (which I suppose they do for lots of kids).

Multiple people told him he could get it published. Emphatically.

I think that lots of parents don't know how to differentiate a strong essay from a mediocre or totally ineffective one, and that is probably why so many parents think that their kid wrote an amazing essay.

My oldest is an excellent writer.

She had great essays. We know this because she has a love affair with reading and writing always has.

However, she sent two of her schools the wrong essays. Still accepted .....

I proofread but don't think his essays were "amazing" I'd say "good" or "fine". Grading, I'd give him 89%

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DC showed it to their English teacher who said: "Show this to no one and don't change one word. It was written by either someone very wholesome or very sneaky. I couldn't not read to the end after the first paragraph."

Your child's English teacher told them not to show any colleges their essay and you concluded from this that it was "amazing"?

No, he meant show it to no other students re: plagiarism.

Anonymous wrote:DC showed it to their English teacher who said: "Show this to no one and don't change one word. It was written by either someone very wholesome or very sneaky. I couldn't not read to the end after the first paragraph."

Your child's English teacher told them not to show any colleges their essay and you concluded from this that it was "amazing"?

Anonymous wrote:I see so many parents here (and on other forums) say that their kids' essays were amazing. On what basis? Just your opinion, or do you share them with someone who can objectively say so?

I myself have no idea what makes a personal statement amazing, so I won't be much help to my kid in this regard if they ask me for feedback on an essay.

Extreme personal bias for me!

Anonymous wrote:I'm an editor at a very well-known publication. You've probably read things I've worked on. My son's essay was objectively very good. It wasn't a function of grammar and spelling, though; the essay was good because of topic selection, focus and impact. A stranger could read that essay, find it compelling and want to meet the kid who wrote it. Which, I guess, it what happened because he got into his target school.

Are you taking clients? I'm only half kidding.

Anonymous wrote:DC showed it to their English teacher who said: "Show this to no one and don't change one word. It was written by either someone very wholesome or very sneaky. I couldn't not read to the end after the first paragraph."

If that's how the English teacher really speaks, God help the kids!

I'm an editor at a very well-known publication. You've probably read things I've worked on. My son's essay was objectively very good. It wasn't a function of grammar and spelling, though; the essay was good because of topic selection, focus and impact. A stranger could read that essay, find it compelling and want to meet the kid who wrote it. Which, I guess, it what happened because he got into his target school.

Anonymous wrote:DC showed it to their English teacher who said: "Show this to no one and don't change one word. It was written by either someone very wholesome or very sneaky. I couldn't not read to the end after the first paragraph."

I’m so confused.

DC showed it to their English teacher who said: "Show this to no one and don't change one word. It was written by either someone very wholesome or very sneaky. I couldn't not read to the end after the first paragraph."

Anonymous wrote:Objectively for my DD. She wrote about being there for the Arab spring in Egypt and about barricades, shootings, crowds breaking in.
My friend's son, who was there too, choose to write about his love for video games.

That doesn't mean your DD's essay was better. What she says about her experience is more important than what the experience was

Anonymous wrote:12:58 again. I think the parents who say their kid had great LORs must have been allowed to read them. DS and I have no idea what was written about him. He got into UMD Honors, which we considered a safety, so the LORs must have been decent!

Yes, one my of son's teachers and an outside recommender shared the letters. The letters were outstanding based on my experience writing and reading LORs for grad school/colleagues as a professor. Also, my son's public HS counselor loves him so I'm confident that the counselor rec form was positive/outstanding.