Anonymous
08/08/2025 11:45
Subject: why even have college application essays anymore?
Anonymous wrote:Agree - essays should be eliminated - unless you're applying for, say, creative writing.
In an ideal world, they’d administer essays in a timed, supervised setting so you could see how the kids can actually write without paid essay coaches and AI.
Anonymous
08/08/2025 11:22
Subject: why even have college application essays anymore?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Yep, seen many"essays that worked" that just aren't good or don't say much about the applicant. It's all so dumb.
Maybe bring back the interview instead. They they can "get to know the applicant" and there's no cheating. Just as subjective as the essay review.
Only if you make faculty do the interviews. Alumni interviews are a massive waste of time.
Alumni interviews are also hugely biased in favor applicants who look like the interviewer or the interview’s children and their friends.
+1, I've always distinctly disliked the alumni interview process and was happy to see my kids not have to experience it. It also assumes alumni know anything about how to select a student for their college when most students at competitive colleges don't know why they were accepted over other students, at all.
Anonymous
08/08/2025 11:19
Subject: why even have college application essays anymore?
Anonymous wrote:You're spinning around about the wrong things.
Either you are bored and have no kids going through the process this year (and like to pontificate), or you don't realize everything you can/should be helping your kid with NOW to get in a great position for improving their candidacy and app narrative before Labor Day, so you are procrastinating?
This thread is just a waste of time.
OP here - if this is directed at me, I actually kinda agree with you
gets to a point where u just have to deal with things in life, whether they make sense or not. I do have a kid going through process and like another on thread they are a recruited athlete, and yes they are procrastinating! He keeps telling me not to worry, he will write an essay and have chatgpt edit it!
Anonymous
08/08/2025 11:19
Subject: why even have college application essays anymore?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Yep, seen many"essays that worked" that just aren't good or don't say much about the applicant. It's all so dumb.
Maybe bring back the interview instead. They they can "get to know the applicant" and there's no cheating. Just as subjective as the essay review.
Only if you make faculty do the interviews. Alumni interviews are a massive waste of time.
Alumni interviews are also hugely biased in favor applicants who look like the interviewer or the interview’s children and their friends.
Anonymous
08/08/2025 11:16
Subject: Re:why even have college application essays anymore?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Jesus people get so hysterical. People have been cheating on the essay forever- doesn’t mean we should retire it.
Your kids will need to write essays to get into lab research, internships, fellowships, grad/professional school, clubs, scholarships, and more. If they do not begin learning how to write about themselves, they will quickly fall behind everyone else.
No, people haven’t been cheating on their essays “forever.” Forever ago, the essays were simple one-page affairs typed on a typewriter. There was no pressure. They were a far cry from the loaded essays students are expected to write today - tell a “story”!
I agree with the others; they should be done with. Too much manipulation, too much dishonesty.
Could make the same arguments for GPA. We can’t trust a students grades aren’t just GPT at this point. Some schools have no ai policies.
Hearing anecdotally that AI cheating in high school is common
Anonymous
08/08/2025 11:15
Subject: why even have college application essays anymore?
Anonymous wrote:Yep, seen many"essays that worked" that just aren't good or don't say much about the applicant. It's all so dumb.
Maybe bring back the interview instead. They they can "get to know the applicant" and there's no cheating. Just as subjective as the essay review.
Only if you make faculty do the interviews. Alumni interviews are a massive waste of time.
Anonymous
08/08/2025 11:12
Subject: why even have college application essays anymore?
You're spinning around about the wrong things.
Either you are bored and have no kids going through the process this year (and like to pontificate), or you don't realize everything you can/should be helping your kid with NOW to get in a great position for improving their candidacy and app narrative before Labor Day, so you are procrastinating?
This thread is just a waste of time.
Either you are bored and have no kids going through the process this year (and like to pontificate), or you don't realize everything you can/should be helping your kid with NOW to get in a great position for improving their candidacy and app narrative before Labor Day, so you are procrastinating?
This thread is just a waste of time.
Anonymous
08/08/2025 11:08
Subject: why even have college application essays anymore?
Anonymous wrote:Yep, seen many"essays that worked" that just aren't good or don't say much about the applicant. It's all so dumb.
Maybe bring back the interview instead. They they can "get to know the applicant" and there's no cheating. Just as subjective as the essay review.
Interviews usually weren’t for actual evaluation- it was to keep alumni relationships strong. We don’t have actual interviews in the US, because we don’t expect mastery of a subject like Oxbridge.
Choosing your applicants based on one interview that isn’t even technical reeks of inequality.
Anonymous
08/08/2025 11:07
Subject: why even have college application essays anymore?
Yep, seen many"essays that worked" that just aren't good or don't say much about the applicant. It's all so dumb.
Maybe bring back the interview instead. They they can "get to know the applicant" and there's no cheating. Just as subjective as the essay review.
Maybe bring back the interview instead. They they can "get to know the applicant" and there's no cheating. Just as subjective as the essay review.
Anonymous
08/08/2025 11:02
Subject: Re:why even have college application essays anymore?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Jesus people get so hysterical. People have been cheating on the essay forever- doesn’t mean we should retire it.
Your kids will need to write essays to get into lab research, internships, fellowships, grad/professional school, clubs, scholarships, and more. If they do not begin learning how to write about themselves, they will quickly fall behind everyone else.
No, people haven’t been cheating on their essays “forever.” Forever ago, the essays were simple one-page affairs typed on a typewriter. There was no pressure. They were a far cry from the loaded essays students are expected to write today - tell a “story”!
I agree with the others; they should be done with. Too much manipulation, too much dishonesty.
Could make the same arguments for GPA. We can’t trust a students grades aren’t just GPT at this point. Some schools have no ai policies.
Anonymous
08/08/2025 11:01
Subject: Re:why even have college application essays anymore?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Jesus people get so hysterical. People have been cheating on the essay forever- doesn’t mean we should retire it.
Your kids will need to write essays to get into lab research, internships, fellowships, grad/professional school, clubs, scholarships, and more. If they do not begin learning how to write about themselves, they will quickly fall behind everyone else.
I don't understand, it's not as if kids can't use AI to help write up lab research, apply for internships and grad school, scholarships, etc. I hate to break it to you, but even professional writers are currently using AI. I don't like it either, but that is just the reality.
Okay? So keep the essay then. It’s about producing the most convincing reason to get the opportunity, not the actual writing.
It’s clear to me a lot of people haven’t been listening to AOs for a decade or longer. Your writing can be mundane and plain, they’re looking for reasons to bring you on to campus.
Anonymous
08/08/2025 10:57
Subject: Re:why even have college application essays anymore?
Anonymous wrote:Jesus people get so hysterical. People have been cheating on the essay forever- doesn’t mean we should retire it.
Your kids will need to write essays to get into lab research, internships, fellowships, grad/professional school, clubs, scholarships, and more. If they do not begin learning how to write about themselves, they will quickly fall behind everyone else.
I don't understand, it's not as if kids can't use AI to help write up lab research, apply for internships and grad school, scholarships, etc. I hate to break it to you, but even professional writers are currently using AI. I don't like it either, but that is just the reality.
Anonymous
08/08/2025 10:49
Subject: Re:why even have college application essays anymore?
Anonymous wrote:Jesus people get so hysterical. People have been cheating on the essay forever- doesn’t mean we should retire it.
Your kids will need to write essays to get into lab research, internships, fellowships, grad/professional school, clubs, scholarships, and more. If they do not begin learning how to write about themselves, they will quickly fall behind everyone else.
No, people haven’t been cheating on their essays “forever.” Forever ago, the essays were simple one-page affairs typed on a typewriter. There was no pressure. They were a far cry from the loaded essays students are expected to write today - tell a “story”!
I agree with the others; they should be done with. Too much manipulation, too much dishonesty.
Anonymous
08/08/2025 10:45
Subject: Re:why even have college application essays anymore?
Jesus people get so hysterical. People have been cheating on the essay forever- doesn’t mean we should retire it.
Your kids will need to write essays to get into lab research, internships, fellowships, grad/professional school, clubs, scholarships, and more. If they do not begin learning how to write about themselves, they will quickly fall behind everyone else.
Your kids will need to write essays to get into lab research, internships, fellowships, grad/professional school, clubs, scholarships, and more. If they do not begin learning how to write about themselves, they will quickly fall behind everyone else.
Anonymous
08/08/2025 10:45
Subject: Re:why even have college application essays anymore?
Anonymous wrote:But also, like test optional working better for kids who aren’t amazing test takers, what about the kids who just aren’t great writers? Seems unfair to make them write an essay! Lol
Sadly, this is the overwhelming number of kids in high school. It is one of the reasons there is such a lucrative college consultant industry.