| Hopkins does not use a point system, nor do we formally rank the importance of each application factor. Our review process is holistic and comprehensive. Everything matters.
I actually disagree with you on your comments about essays. I think essays should be a very important factor in the admissions review process, as it is the only part of an application where the student speaks for themselves. Everything else is a record of accomplishments or others writing about the applicant. The essays are the only time the student's voice is used, and therefore that should be very important in the review of ALL APPLICANTS.
The importance of the essays is not to determine an applicant's writing ability, but rather to assess who the student is, who they want to be, what their strengths and weaknesses are, and how they see themselves. Some students can write quite eloquently and still have poor essays. Whereas others can write simplistic essays but they turn out to reveal so much about the applicant.
I specifically disagree with your statement that essays should not play as much of a role in applications for science students. Science students first will have to write in college, so clearly that is important. But more important is that as an application reader, I want to know as much about a "science" student as I do a humanities student, social science student, engineering student, or someone undecided.
And as for students who don't write their own essays ... don't worry about that. In the majority of those cases it is clearly obvious and it will hurt the applicant. |