Anonymous
Post 01/15/2026 12:19     Subject: What is your experience this year? Essays sharing race, gender and immigration status could hurt the applicants
Mentioned grandma in one essay against my advice. Will see how it goes…
Anonymous
Post 01/14/2026 22:42     Subject: What is your experience this year? Essays sharing race, gender and immigration status could hurt the applicants
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Mine didn’t write about race but it came up in an EC essay. Figured their name made their race clear anyway. But essay didn’t revolve around race.

Wrote one about difference in opinion with some classmates around abortion. Didn’t say what their view is- that wasn’t the question. Question was what did you do when you faced someone with different values. The topic was just mentioned but topic itself was not debated.



I’m an essay reader and we don’t even get the name or any other part of the application when we evaluate essays. The identifier is a number. Each part of the application is evaluated completely separately. Academics- ECs- Essays. Each of the 3 areas are scored and the scores added up. You can graduate top of your class, but if you bomb the essay your score will
never make the cut.



False. First of all, every school has different policies re its contact readers, what the readers see and its instructions to readers. Readers make the first cull looking for GPA, test scores, rigor, rank vis-a-vis other applicants from the same high school,legacy, if applicable, intended major, first Gen, institutional priorities, etc. Rarely, are essays read at this point. Depending upon the size of the institution the first cut (already slashed for GPA, test scores, if submitted, etc) goes to the regular non-contract Admissions staff. Then, after the third cut, the remaining applicants go to the regional AOs. Only then do essays ever get read. The average applicant gets only a 6 minute read. Survey you don’t think all 110,000 essays submitted to UCLA are actually read?


Actually, yes they are read.
Anonymous
Post 01/14/2026 22:32     Subject: What is your experience this year? Essays sharing race, gender and immigration status could hurt the applicants
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Mine didn’t write about race but it came up in an EC essay. Figured their name made their race clear anyway. But essay didn’t revolve around race.

Wrote one about difference in opinion with some classmates around abortion. Didn’t say what their view is- that wasn’t the question. Question was what did you do when you faced someone with different values. The topic was just mentioned but topic itself was not debated.



I’m an essay reader and we don’t even get the name or any other part of the application when we evaluate essays. The identifier is a number. Each part of the application is evaluated completely separately. Academics- ECs- Essays. Each of the 3 areas are scored and the scores added up. You can graduate top of your class, but if you bomb the essay your score will
never make the cut.



False. First of all, every school has different policies re its contact readers, what the readers see and its instructions to readers. Readers make the first cull looking for GPA, test scores, rigor, rank vis-a-vis other applicants from the same high school,legacy, if applicable, intended major, first Gen, institutional priorities, etc. Rarely, are essays read at this point. Depending upon the size of the institution the first cut (already slashed for GPA, test scores, if submitted, etc) goes to the regular non-contract Admissions staff. Then, after the third cut, the remaining applicants go to the regional AOs. Only then do essays ever get read. The average applicant gets only a 6 minute read. Survey you don’t think all 110,000 essays submitted to UCLA are actually read?


I certainly did think that ! - DP
Anonymous
Post 01/14/2026 22:25     Subject: What is your experience this year? Essays sharing race, gender and immigration status could hurt the applicants
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Mine didn’t write about race but it came up in an EC essay. Figured their name made their race clear anyway. But essay didn’t revolve around race.

Wrote one about difference in opinion with some classmates around abortion. Didn’t say what their view is- that wasn’t the question. Question was what did you do when you faced someone with different values. The topic was just mentioned but topic itself was not debated.



I’m an essay reader and we don’t even get the name or any other part of the application when we evaluate essays. The identifier is a number. Each part of the application is evaluated completely separately. Academics- ECs- Essays. Each of the 3 areas are scored and the scores added up. You can graduate top of your class, but if you bomb the essay your score will
never make the cut.


How bad is the AI in the essays this year? Is it the tone? Em dashes? Tricolons?


This makes my kid sad because they love using em dashes and now feel like they can’t, for fear of falsely being flagged as AI.
Anonymous
Post 01/14/2026 20:53     Subject: What is your experience this year? Essays sharing race, gender and immigration status could hurt the applicants
Anonymous wrote:The essays don't move the admissions needle. Never have.


This is not true at small liberal arts colleges. Not true at all.
Anonymous
Post 01/14/2026 20:43     Subject: What is your experience this year? Essays sharing race, gender and immigration status could hurt the applicants
FWIW, my 2024 ORM kid made several allusions to their heritage in their common app essay. I don’t think that helped or hurt because it was obvious from the last name.
Anonymous
Post 01/14/2026 20:41     Subject: What is your experience this year? Essays sharing race, gender and immigration status could hurt the applicants
Yes. Race was key to DS’s personal narrative in his main essay. Got into a HYP. This is why advice from college counselors who say to avoid identity/race entirely (eg Sara Haberson) are wrong. If it’s an important part of your kids’ personal story, have them write about it.
Anonymous
Post 01/14/2026 11:18     Subject: What is your experience this year? Essays sharing race, gender and immigration status could hurt the applicants
The essays don't move the admissions needle. Never have.
Anonymous
Post 01/14/2026 11:13     Subject: What is your experience this year? Essays sharing race, gender and immigration status could hurt the applicants
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Mine didn’t write about race but it came up in an EC essay. Figured their name made their race clear anyway. But essay didn’t revolve around race.

Wrote one about difference in opinion with some classmates around abortion. Didn’t say what their view is- that wasn’t the question. Question was what did you do when you faced someone with different values. The topic was just mentioned but topic itself was not debated.



I’m an essay reader and we don’t even get the name or any other part of the application when we evaluate essays. The identifier is a number. Each part of the application is evaluated completely separately. Academics- ECs- Essays. Each of the 3 areas are scored and the scores added up. You can graduate top of your class, but if you bomb the essay your score will
never make the cut.



False. First of all, every school has different policies re its contact readers, what the readers see and its instructions to readers. Readers make the first cull looking for GPA, test scores, rigor, rank vis-a-vis other applicants from the same high school,legacy, if applicable, intended major, first Gen, institutional priorities, etc. Rarely, are essays read at this point. Depending upon the size of the institution the first cut (already slashed for GPA, test scores, if submitted, etc) goes to the regular non-contract Admissions staff. Then, after the third cut, the remaining applicants go to the regional AOs. Only then do essays ever get read. The average applicant gets only a 6 minute read. Survey you don’t think all 110,000 essays submitted to UCLA are actually read?


I think what the PP was saying is broadly true.

The AO generally don't know your name or ethnicity while reviewing your file. Not anymore at least.
At any of the more competitive schools, a bad essay is going to keep you out.
Anonymous
Post 01/13/2026 23:20     Subject: What is your experience this year? Essays sharing race, gender and immigration status could hurt the applicants
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Mine didn’t write about race but it came up in an EC essay. Figured their name made their race clear anyway. But essay didn’t revolve around race.

Wrote one about difference in opinion with some classmates around abortion. Didn’t say what their view is- that wasn’t the question. Question was what did you do when you faced someone with different values. The topic was just mentioned but topic itself was not debated.



I’m an essay reader and we don’t even get the name or any other part of the application when we evaluate essays. The identifier is a number. Each part of the application is evaluated completely separately. Academics- ECs- Essays. Each of the 3 areas are scored and the scores added up. You can graduate top of your class, but if you bomb the essay your score will
never make the cut.



False. First of all, every school has different policies re its contact readers, what the readers see and its instructions to readers. Readers make the first cull looking for GPA, test scores, rigor, rank vis-a-vis other applicants from the same high school,legacy, if applicable, intended major, first Gen, institutional priorities, etc. Rarely, are essays read at this point. Depending upon the size of the institution the first cut (already slashed for GPA, test scores, if submitted, etc) goes to the regular non-contract Admissions staff. Then, after the third cut, the remaining applicants go to the regional AOs. Only then do essays ever get read. The average applicant gets only a 6 minute read. Survey you don’t think all 110,000 essays submitted to UCLA are actually read?