<p>MidwestMom,</p>
<p>I have an “average” kid, so I doubt the essay was a deal breaker where he applied. I just wanted to say that in our high school, grad class of 385, in the first marking period of English class they worked on their essays. They called it a “personal statement” and it pretty much did work for his applications. They did several drafts and it was graded. I think I probably did look it over for him along the way and he got a 90 I think. We fixed up the areas she noted and used that. It’s a shame if your child’s school isn’t doing that. At any rate he should have a teacher look over it for grammar etc. Unless you are amazing at it!</p>
<p>Oh yes, I enjoy reading them too. It’s amazing what they don’t tell you! He wrote one in college this year for comp 101, a very early one. It was about his football coach and respect. He had some stories in there he’d never really told me and I loved reading it. The topic was the greatest gift you ever received. He went with respect. Got a 93! Too bad his verbal SAT was so bad he didn’t get in one of the schools because his writing SAT was pretty good (not used for admission at that school). The 93 sort of proved to me that he CAN do it! From his verbal score they probably thought he couldn’t read, but how can you write well when you can’t read???</p>