Complaint Essays?

College Essays
1

<p>Hey guys,
I’m thinking of ideas for my college essay and one experience I’ve had in particular comes to mind… In 9th grade I went on a 1 month backpacking adventure in wyoming. I absolutley hated the idea of the trip in the begining and complained like crazy on the trip. However, by the end of the trip I was having a good time and by the time I got home I was craving going on another trip. My idea for an essay is this… I’m really really really ( I mean really ) good at writing essays that are almost like long rants that are comical. </p>

<p>Here is a post I made on here a few days ago on the “act Sucsess stories”</p>

<p>[[[[[Ok! I’ll tell mine!!!
First off I took the SAT thinking it was all I’m going to take! Then I get the score back and its a, wait for it, 1820! OHHH GOLLEE GEEE, I’m thinking woohhh doggy this is going to get me into Wharton! YEA BABY.
But then I’m like my oh my, maybe I should take the act and get a 36! Woot Woot. So I go to the ACT and get a 30!!! Boy gee wilacurs!!! At this stage of the game I’m so happy I’m twitching more than a fat kid around chocolate. Of course I still want more than a 30 and I know its possible because I got a 28 in science and it dropped my score! So I’m super excited and decide to study my **<em>*ing A</em> off to I can get above a 30 on the scence and get my dream score of a 33!
SO After 10 170$ lessons with my tutor I’m pumped. I’m averaging a 32-33 on my practice tests and I know I can get my dream score and be finished! So the test roles around and I finish feeling like a champ. Its a long wait but I shivering with excitment once I leave the testing room, just tasting the 33. </p>

<p>The night that the test scores are released roles around and my parents have had to clean my sheets for the past 3 nights because I was so excited! So that night me and 6 other friends stay up to get the scores we’ve been waiting for all our lives! And slowly but shurley 12 roles around and its time for me to open up the site and check my scores! At this stage I’m shaking and my stress ball breaks because I’m ripping it apart with my hand in anxious anticipation. I open up the score site and the first thing I see is “35 english” at this stage of the game I’m sh#tting my pants. My eyes start tearing and I know things are going to be alright. I scroll down to see a 33 In reading, At this points I say f#ck reading a 35 on science no way! SO I scroll down yet again and see a 30 in math. I’m thinknig hey thats not that bad all I need is a 30 in science and I’ll be done with this test for good!!! So I slowly scroll down and guess what I see, I bet you won’t be able to guess, well maybe you did, I see a mother f#cking 26 science!!! A 26 SCIENCE!!! AT THIS point I’m so ****ed I kick the computer and break it and cry myself to sleep.</p>

<p>]</p>

<p>Alright, this is the writing I’m talking about for my nols trip. I plan the essay in the begining being a long rant about every thing that went wrong on the trip (we lost half the group, 3 kids go helivaced, thought it would be summer weather but was -10 most nights…etc). However at the end of the essay i’m going to write about even though the begining of the trip was iffy, by the end I was absolutley loving the feeling of hiking and being self sufficient.</p>

<p>What do you guys think about this idea?</p>

2

<p>In theory, I think this idea could work quite well. I did a similar, overcoming disinterest sort of vignette for my “Why Duke” essay (I’m a double legacy and wanted to assert, honestly, my reasons for applying besides my parents).</p>

<p>But, frankly, I don’t think you’re a particularly gifted stream-of-consciousness writer. Consider something more formal.</p>

3

<p>Yea, I’m going to just write about work. The guys could careless about essays anyways so :(.</p>

4

<p>Just send that ACT success story post in as your essay.</p>

5

<p>Who could care less about essays?</p>

6

<p>Ahh, I talked to an admission councler and they said only 10% of students decesions are actually changed by essays. I’m a good writer but not a top 10%. And ishanz I would love to do that but that essay seems strange. Also I need to somehow write about my job but I don’t know if I can do that in a humorous way… I’ll crap out an essay in like 20 minutes tonight and you guys can take a look at it and tell me what you think.</p>

7

<p>It may not make or break an application, but it’s important in the sense that most admissions decisions are not automatic acceptances or rejections. A lot of little things–ECs, essays, interviews–can build up to push a qualified but otherwise underwhelming applicant over the edge. </p>

<p>But if, for whatever reason, you’re looking to right an unimpressive essay, don’t write something like your ACT post. Write a more traditional, 5-paragraphy “McEssay.”</p>