<p>^ a fine point and I agree, when fit is already “up there.” It also explains waiting on the tougher decisions til after the admit.</p>
<p>I’ve reviewed, a sizable majority have been ordinary – nothing to positively render an application salient on their own; some are excessively hackneyed or pervaded by ungrammaticality; and a small number are extraordinary. </p>
<p>Exactly. And, the wise kids, whether they’re asking your help, mine, or someone else’s, can take suggestions and reframe. I advocate kids getting someone savvy to look at their apps, when they’re aiming high. Not writing for them, but guiding as a mentor would do for any significant project. </p>
<p>It’s not unethical. One expectation at a competitive college, is that a kid will know how and when to seek appropriate guidance and/or constructive criticism. And, take the best of that advice and roll with it, on his own. </p>
<p>Unfortunately, as seen on CC, there’s the rush of overconfidence re: stats and a few hs titles and a dust storm of everyone saying admissions is a lottery or crapshoot. </p>
<p>Agree that the essay itself is less predicively helpful re: end results. But, the functional goal is to get yourself to the last round. When people say crapshoot, they’re envisioning admit decisions as random, from the get-go. They forget that, for a highly selective school, you have to advance through successive rounds of reviews. </p>
<p>Much more we could say.</p>