Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:are doing the schools’ work for them!

You are not talking about for competitive schools, right?

Do you think people who answer questions at job interviews are "doing the company's work for them"?

Pretty dumb comment, IMHO.

THAT'S DUMB.

If you're an adult applying for a *specific* job at a *specific* company, you have *specific* reasons for wanting that job (money, prestige, it's your dream job, a good stepping stone, etc.). You probably aren't going to be entirely truthful as to why you want the job. ("I just want the big bucks. Hire me!" "My wife got a job in this city so now I have to, too." "My cousin knows the CEO and I thought it would be easier to get a job") You're going to say what you think they want to hear.

But unless your kid is applying for a *specific* program or truly has a distinct interest, how can a 17 year old who hasn't even visited a campus and who might have no idea what he or she wants to major in be able to truthfully say why they want to attend that specific college? If they want to study the philosophy of cats and the school best known for that is Middlebury, then you can honestly say why you want to go to Middlebury..

Otherwise, it's the kids trying to figure out what the college wants to hear. Because they don't know, and if they don't know, they can't say: "I just want to go there because it's an Ivy." "I want to make money and it has the highest income after graduation." "I want to live in Chicago." "My dad went there." "My counselor told me to apply." "I thought I could get in." "It's a party school and I want to party."

YES! This is what I was trying to say - with my "dumb" post about kool-aid above. And the people who think that the highly rated universities are really offering "immense" opportunities and "unparalleled" experiences are deluding themselves. Or maybe just consoling themselves about spending so much $$ on a school that's slightly higher ranked than another one. DCUM is obsessed with these rankings and prestige, and are - I repeat - doing the schools' work for them! A kid can get a terrific education at a third rate school, and we all know bonehead legacy kids who get terrible educations at the Ivies or wherever.

There is just something "off" about the parents who are going on about how ordinary kids need to figure out how to lie about their interests in schools/campuses they've never visited and who have no idea what they want to study... It's incomprehensible to me. Be on the side of your KID! of all KIDS! not these institutions that are hoovering up your $$ and laughing at how effectively you all are doing their marketing for them.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:are doing the schools’ work for them!

You are not talking about for competitive schools, right?

Do you think people who answer questions at job interviews are "doing the company's work for them"?

Pretty dumb comment, IMHO.

THAT'S DUMB.

If you're an adult applying for a *specific* job at a *specific* company, you have *specific* reasons for wanting that job (money, prestige, it's your dream job, a good stepping stone, etc.). You probably aren't going to be entirely truthful as to why you want the job. ("I just want the big bucks. Hire me!" "My wife got a job in this city so now I have to, too." "My cousin knows the CEO and I thought it would be easier to get a job") You're going to say what you think they want to hear.

But unless your kid is applying for a *specific* program or truly has a distinct interest, how can a 17 year old who hasn't even visited a campus and who might have no idea what he or she wants to major in be able to truthfully say why they want to attend that specific college? If they want to study the philosophy of cats and the school best known for that is Middlebury, then you can honestly say why you want to go to Middlebury..

Otherwise, it's the kids trying to figure out what the college wants to hear. Because they don't know, and if they don't know, they can't say: "I just want to go there because it's an Ivy." "I want to make money and it has the highest income after graduation." "I want to live in Chicago." "My dad went there." "My counselor told me to apply." "I thought I could get in." "It's a party school and I want to party."

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:are doing the schools’ work for them!

You are not talking about for competitive schools, right?

Do you think people who answer questions at job interviews are "doing the company's work for them"?

Pretty dumb comment, IMHO.

THAT'S DUMB.

If you're an adult applying for a *specific* job at a *specific* company, you have *specific* reasons for wanting that job (money, prestige, it's your dream job, a good stepping stone, etc.). You probably aren't going to be entirely truthful as to why you want the job. ("I just want the big bucks. Hire me!" "My wife got a job in this city so now I have to, too." "My cousin knows the CEO and I thought it would be easier to get a job") You're going to say what you think they want to hear.

But unless your kid is applying for a *specific* program or truly has a distinct interest, how can a 17 year old who hasn't even visited a campus and who might have no idea what he or she wants to major in be able to truthfully say why they want to attend that specific college? If they want to study the philosophy of cats and the school best known for that is Middlebury, then you can honestly say why you want to go to Middlebury..

Otherwise, it's the kids trying to figure out what the college wants to hear. Because they don't know, and if they don't know, they can't say: "I just want to go there because it's an Ivy." "I want to make money and it has the highest income after graduation." "I want to live in Chicago." "My dad went there." "My counselor told me to apply." "I thought I could get in." "It's a party school and I want to party."

Anonymous wrote:Not to mention in less than 5 minutes an applicant can search the school's website, find something, anything that interests them and write about wanting to know more about it. A class, a research paper written by one of the professors, etc.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:are doing the schools’ work for them!

You are not talking about for competitive schools, right?

Do you think people who answer questions at job interviews are "doing the company's work for them"?

Pretty dumb comment, IMHO.

THAT'S DUMB.

If you're an adult applying for a *specific* job at a *specific* company, you have *specific* reasons for wanting that job (money, prestige, it's your dream job, a good stepping stone, etc.). You probably aren't going to be entirely truthful as to why you want the job. ("I just want the big bucks. Hire me!" "My wife got a job in this city so now I have to, too." "My cousin knows the CEO and I thought it would be easier to get a job") You're going to say what you think they want to hear.

But unless your kid is applying for a *specific* program or truly has a distinct interest, how can a 17 year old who hasn't even visited a campus and who might have no idea what he or she wants to major in be able to truthfully say why they want to attend that specific college? If they want to study the philosophy of cats and the school best known for that is Middlebury, then you can honestly say why you want to go to Middlebury..

Otherwise, it's the kids trying to figure out what the college wants to hear. Because they don't know, and if they don't know, they can't say: "I just want to go there because it's an Ivy." "I want to make money and it has the highest income after graduation." "I want to live in Chicago." "My dad went there." "My counselor told me to apply." "I thought I could get in." "It's a party school and I want to party."

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:are doing the schools’ work for them!

You are not talking about for competitive schools, right?

Do you think people who answer questions at job interviews are "doing the company's work for them"?

Pretty dumb comment, IMHO.

Anonymous wrote:are doing the schools’ work for them!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:These are ridiculous.

What are admissions offices looking for? How much genuine interest can a 17 year old have for a school they’ve only seen on a virtual tour and clicked around online to look at classes, professors, sports? What truly is there to say that would make such an essay stand out?

Unless you know the school personally because someone you know well went/goes there, or the schools has a highly specialized program in a particular area or in interest, what could a child honestly say about why College [Name]?

+1. I think it’s ridiculous as well. And I have a kid who threw stuff against the wall and will see what sticks. I think the parents who are like - they need to research and know exactly what they want out of college at age 17 have drunk the kool aid and are doing the schools’ work for them! The schools are laughing all the way to the bank. The only exception might be if you have a kid who has known since childhood what they love and want to study and know they want to study X at Y university. But the vast majority of kids are not like that and shouldn’t be forced to pretend.

Anonymous wrote:These are ridiculous.

What are admissions offices looking for? How much genuine interest can a 17 year old have for a school they’ve only seen on a virtual tour and clicked around online to look at classes, professors, sports? What truly is there to say that would make such an essay stand out?

Unless you know the school personally because someone you know well went/goes there, or the schools has a highly specialized program in a particular area or in interest, what could a child honestly say about why College [Name]?