| Essay writing frustration–any advice for "scientist" who can’t write creatively?
So, my daughter has competed against the best of the best in various math/science/engineering/computer contests and has placed first or close to the top in most. But she wishes to attend a certain Ivy League school which requires a number of essays, some a bit obscure. To write about any of the above categories more than once would be overkill, but even if she wanted to, she simply doesn’t have the training or skills to write the type of essays we have seen others cite on line as “good examples”. She has started and completed a half dozen, but all seem very elementary and not at all up to the standards required. (However, she can write a "research paper" that is comparable to that of many PhD's).
It seems very unfair. If it were suggested that every student entering (regardless of preferred major) were to write a "rigorous proof”, most would cry foul, so why do the most competitive schools expect every student to write as though they were writing majors?
Maybe this is more of a “rant” than a call for advice, though any constructive advice would be welcomed.
Do any other science/math oriented students share this problem?
To any college students (or their parents) who found themselves in this situation, how did you handle?
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