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What do ivy leagues look for in the essay?

Alexia1kAlexia1k 1 replies1 threads New Member
in College Essays
Please help !I have started writing an essay,but I would like some pointers.I would like to have an outstanding essay,but I feel they have certain expectations.Any ivy students on here who have tips will be deeply appreciated!
9 replies
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Replies to: What do ivy leagues look for in the essay?

  • TheSATTeacherTheSATTeacher 236 replies0 threads Junior Member
    Read Harry Bauld's book. It is the classic text on the subject. If you want general advice, it is the best place to start
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  • tgl2023tgl2023 266 replies6 threads Junior Member
    I second Harry Bauld's book, and recommend Alan Gelb's "Conquering the College Admissions Essay in 10 Steps" as well. My son found them to be very helpful in crafting his admission essays last year.
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  • CU123CU123 3718 replies77 threads Senior Member
    I'll second the above statements, "How to write a college admissions essay" and others are the best place to go for help with essays.
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  • Alexia1kAlexia1k 1 replies1 threads New Member
    Thank you all I will check these out!
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  • mathmommathmom 33188 replies161 threads Senior Member
    Ivy league colleges don't want anything different from other colleges. They want to some insight into what sort of a person you are. You want to come off as the sort of person someone would like to have as a roommate and who would be an asset in class. There's not one magic formula. You can be a quiet introvert who thinks deeply, a wild extrovert who gets lots done, have a quiet sense of humor, be passionate about some particular intellectual field, or any number of other things. Many colleges also post essays they liked on line. Here's the Tufts one https://admissions.tufts.edu/apply/advice/past-essays/
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  • happy1happy1 24023 replies2407 threads Super Moderator
    Successful essays have been written on a wide range of topics. If there was a secret formula someone would be bottling and selling it.

    The purpose of the essay is to tell something about yourself that can't be found elsewhere on the application and to make admissions officers want to have you on campus.
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  • suzyQ7suzyQ7 4882 replies66 threads Senior Member
    tgl2023 wrote: »
    I second Harry Bauld's book, and recommend Alan Gelb's "Conquering the College Admissions Essay in 10 Steps" as well. My son found them to be very helpful in crafting his admission essays last year.

    @tgl2023 if you had to choose one of these books, which would it be? D is not a big reader so want to get her the most effective one.
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  • tgl2023tgl2023 266 replies6 threads Junior Member
    suzyQ7
    My son has a slight preference for the one by Harry Bauld.
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  • Mwfan1921Mwfan1921 5366 replies91 threads Senior Member
    Hamilton and JHU also post real 'essays that worked':

    https://www.hamilton.edu/admission/apply/college-essays-that-worked (there are lots of years archived)

    https://apply.jhu.edu/application-process/essays-that-worked/
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