Worries Grow About Application Essay Help That May Go Too Far

Worries Grow About Application Essay 'Help' That May Go Too Far There is not one way that all colleges work, so I always tell students to assume everyone in the admissions office could their essays so that they cannot write anything that anyone and everyone cannot read. Also I believe that students should believe that the more people who read an essay the better as these essays should really captivate and engage readers and help them see why you belong on their campus. It really depends on the schools to which you are applying. These tend to be smaller liberal arts schools or small selective programs within a larger university. Other schools may only read an essay if there is some question/s about the other parts of the application or there is a scholarship component and the answer to the essay has influence over that decision. One of the things that helps students feel in control of this process is having options. Being able to consciously choose to take a gap year feels a lot better than having to take one by default. Some schools will allow you to defer enrollment for a year, and if you reapply after taking a gap year, you’ll have new experiences and stories to share in your application. While students can use the same main essay on the Common App for multiple schools, we always recommend that students tailor their supplemental essays to the individual colleges. Telling Caltech why you want to attend MIT is a quick way to end up in the “no” pile. Take the time to write original responses to all the prompts. It’s a lot of work, but it will pay off in the end. For students thinking about taking a gap year, I would encourage them to apply to colleges during their senior year. Teenagers change a lot from August to May, and while you might feel sure in the fall that you want to take time off, seeing all your friends making college plans might make you feel differently in the spring. Talking about how being in marching band taught you the value of hard work isn’t your story; that could be anyone’s story. Talking about how helping people feel good isn’t original; everyone experiences that. Many students try to sound smart rather than sounding like themselves. Others write about a subject that they don't care about, but that they think will impress admissions officers. College admissions officers are very busy and only want to read essays that help them make admissions decisions. Some colleges have a team of people read each file. Others divide them up, and then only share files that require further discussion. It’s just that admissions officers learn nothing new about you when you write something that anyone could claim. A lot of students feel anxious about this because they don’t feel like anything unique has happened to them. But everyone has a different perception of their experiences, and the more you can share that, the more you’ll stand out in that stack of applications. Nothing has more impact than just being yourself. I worked with a student last year who had played in the marching band all of high school, which is something thousands of students can claim. It is always best however, to ask each school this very question and to understand exactly what they are looking for from the applicant in their answer. I always tell students that they should be writing and essay that is to be published in the New York Times. Well, you just need writing professionals in your life. CollegeEssay.org writes a great college essay at a very affordable price. Our extremely skilled writing specialists and experts can write all types of essays for middle school, high school, college, and university. Our college essay experts go through a rigorous selection process that evaluates their writing skills and knowledge of college admissions. Admissions officers have to read an unbelievable number of college essays, most of which are forgettable. If you would not want to see the work you are submitting published there in such a public way, then it is probably not in an acceptable form to submit for your application. It also depends on the school as to how many people will read an application essay. I know of a school where the complete application is read and the passed to another counselor who must agree with the decision of the first counselor. If that does not offer, then the application is passed on to another reader. Taking a semester or a year before diving into college life can help students go into their freshman year with confidence, maturity, and some real-world perspective.