Anonymous wrote:My DD is a strong writer with a classical education. She’s planning to major in English or History. Her writing is very mature and has a formal tone, and she prides her self on her large vocabulary. How can she give her application essay more of a teenager feel, so she isn’t accused of being her mother? Are their tools that measure the “age” of writing?

That is the prompt that you can give to the AI.

this is absolutely an issue with our DC, and I’m glad someone put this out there - she is an amazing writer and there was a real concern from both her school guidance team and her private college counselor that her essay was “too good”. I know this sounds crazy but the private counselor said it was the best essay she ever read. Ugh! we opted against having her “dumb it down”, hopefully it turns out for the best

OMFG

I hope this is a troll

I teach writing. One of the things that emerges organically with writers over multiple things they write is voice. Try to tweak that and it often loses authenticity. The work sounds fake, not genuine. I suspect trying to “make” her sound like something other than who she is will backfire. Let her pour her personality into her writing. Her voice will help show who she is.

Oh, and strong verbs… avoid lazy adverbs.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:She could try the Hemingway Editor, which will indicate grade level readability. Might just help flag overly complicated sentences. Fancy vocabulary doesn’t always sound smarter.

This is true.

+1. The point isn’t the size of the vocabulary. It’s whether she is able to discuss something personal or important to her in a relatable way. If she can do that at an appropriate maturity level, she’ll be fine unless she is using quarter words when nickel words will do— which can be a weakness and a sign of an immature writer. If she is so “mature,” that her essay sounds like a research paper, it will work against her. And not because she writes “too well”. Ironically, it will be because she isn’t a well rounded writer, lacks the skill to write for the intended audoence and is only strong in academic writing and not more personal, informal writing— which is also an important skill.

I disagree with this. If personal, informal writing were that important of a skill, schools would teach it.

The reason for the essay to NOT sound like a research paper is to be relatable to AOs and for them to see this kid as a “normal” person who will get along with others. Not because the kids need to have this skill. LOL

Personal and informal and reliable are very much the same thing. You are arguing semantics.

And BTW, I’m a federal lawyer who has to brief for federal Court and explain complex concepts at a 6th grade reading level in agency determinations for the American public. Not personal writing, but definitely more informal, short words and sentences and concise. Total different beasts, both job requirements.

And yes, many people do have to write in a “relatable” way in real life— both personal and professional.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:She could try the Hemingway Editor, which will indicate grade level readability. Might just help flag overly complicated sentences. Fancy vocabulary doesn’t always sound smarter.

This is true.

+1. The point isn’t the size of the vocabulary. It’s whether she is able to discuss something personal or important to her in a relatable way. If she can do that at an appropriate maturity level, she’ll be fine unless she is using quarter words when nickel words will do— which can be a weakness and a sign of an immature writer. If she is so “mature,” that her essay sounds like a research paper, it will work against her. And not because she writes “too well”. Ironically, it will be because she isn’t a well rounded writer, lacks the skill to write for the intended audoence and is only strong in academic writing and not more personal, informal writing— which is also an important skill.

I disagree with this. If personal, informal writing were that important of a skill, schools would teach it.

The reason for the essay to NOT sound like a research paper is to be relatable to AOs and for them to see this kid as a “normal” person who will get along with others. Not because the kids need to have this skill. LOL

I swear that half of admissions is filtering for people who are good at bullshting, manipulation, and sales, because those people are good at lining their pockets and the schools are hoping for donations.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:She could try the Hemingway Editor, which will indicate grade level readability. Might just help flag overly complicated sentences. Fancy vocabulary doesn’t always sound smarter.

This is true.

+1. The point isn’t the size of the vocabulary. It’s whether she is able to discuss something personal or important to her in a relatable way. If she can do that at an appropriate maturity level, she’ll be fine unless she is using quarter words when nickel words will do— which can be a weakness and a sign of an immature writer. If she is so “mature,” that her essay sounds like a research paper, it will work against her. And not because she writes “too well”. Ironically, it will be because she isn’t a well rounded writer, lacks the skill to write for the intended audoence and is only strong in academic writing and not more personal, informal writing— which is also an important skill.

I disagree with this. If personal, informal writing were that important of a skill, schools would teach it.

The reason for the essay to NOT sound like a research paper is to be relatable to AOs and for them to see this kid as a “normal” person who will get along with others. Not because the kids need to have this skill. LOL

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:She could try the Hemingway Editor, which will indicate grade level readability. Might just help flag overly complicated sentences. Fancy vocabulary doesn’t always sound smarter.

This is true.

+1. The point isn’t the size of the vocabulary. It’s whether she is able to discuss something personal or important to her in a relatable way. If she can do that at an appropriate maturity level, she’ll be fine unless she is using quarter words when nickel words will do— which can be a weakness and a sign of an immature writer. If she is so “mature,” that her essay sounds like a research paper, it will work against her. And not because she writes “too well”. Ironically, it will be because she isn’t a well rounded writer, lacks the skill to write for the intended audoence and is only strong in academic writing and not more personal, informal writing— which is also an important skill.

I teach college, including writing. Believe me, we can tell kids' writing (no matter how fancy or perfect the kid may think it is) from adults' writing. And we're pretty good at sensing AI writing, too, at least in its current free-access versions. (Give it a few more years and a lot more money for it to be truly convincing.)

OP, my son is a good writer too and he is terrified of certain constructions because they “sound like AI”. So for his college essays, he’s going over them constantly trying to sound more human. He is - in fact - human. Sigh. It’s all something to worry about! I wouldn’t touch the essays, btw- leave ‘em alone.

Anonymous wrote:Don't think it matters as long as the writing is consistent throughout the application. My WASP kid writes like a young college professor. We didn't touch it. That's authentically who he is. I'm sure some of his recs discussed his strong writing skills as well.

^^ we did tell him to try to add a little humor because it tended to be dry and academic.

Worst humble brag ever

Anonymous wrote:"Six million Jews were systematically murdered by the Nazis during the Holocaust, a horrific event that began not with gas chambers, but with words and the erosion of human dignity".

Why on earth are you resurrecting a year old thread with this?

Don't think it matters as long as the writing is consistent throughout the application. My WASP kid writes like a young college professor. We didn't touch it. That's authentically who he is. I'm sure some of his recs discussed his strong writing skills as well.

I think OP is writing her child’s essays and is asking how to make it sounds like from a teenager.