<p>Need some input from wiser and more experienced parents. Son is a HS senior. He is applying to a range of LACs (8 in all)–he has a good list of schools, a little heavy on the reaches but two solid safeties so I guess that’s okay. At this point, of course, his grades are set (very solid, all As in very challenging classes except for one B+ in physics–he wants to major in languages so hopefully no one will care about his physics grade). His ACT score is a 31 (he took it again today but he had already maxed out his strengths, ENglish and reading, and I’m not especially hopeful that Science or Math will come up). He has asked his guidance counselor and two teachers for recommendation letters. So mostly what is left is the essay. He has a draft. It is good but not outstanding. It is thoughtful and conveys his interests, but it is not especially personal. It talks about an international issue, and is in some places pretty abstract. </p>
<p>So, my question is, when do you decide that the essay is good enough? His safeties he will be admitted to just on the objective measures (grades and scores). I realize that the top LACs really count the essay a lot. But how to prioritize? He still has all of the supplemental essays to write, plus schoolwork, plus band and a host of other time-consuming ECs. Where on this list should “revise essay” be?</p>
<p>Does his GC have the experience to know whether the essay needs revision or not? I felt my S’s needed revision (different reasons from yours, but that’s probably not relevant). His GC, as a routine, looked at essays and advised on whether they needed work, etc.</p>
<p>She was happy with his and it seemed to work quite well.</p>
<p>BTW, S had worked on his essay a reasonable amount prior to that, in terms of draft/revise/review by others/revise. I think virtually every essay benefits from revision and most essays sorely need revision from the initial draft. </p>
<p>I do happen to agree with your implication that it not being especially personal is a problem. But I will be interested to see what others say.</p>
<p>Make sure the essay conveys things about you that do not show up elsewhere in your app.</p>
<p>“Show, don’t tell.” Are there interesting examples?</p>
<p>There are five senses. Is there some “life” in there? Sounds, smells, tastes, “feels”?</p>
<p>Good luck. My D’s common app essay improved a little bit every time she looked at it, I think. Revisions are really helpful. There are a lot of books out there with tips on writing essays, and the “essay” forum here in CC is helpful.</p>
<p>One college GC told us, “Make sure the essay answers the prompt.”</p>
<p>Try not to answer the whole prompt in the first paragraph.</p>
<p>An anecdote is often helpful.</p>
<p>But we’re having the same difficulties as you: D’s essay meets the criteria, but at the moment doesn’t sing; we’re tired of pushing; she’s revised many times; and life is so full of other things to do. This essay is but one piece of her bigger application; we’re aiming to get it “good enough.”</p>
<p>Essays should answer the prompt, but the real aim of the essay is to make some one in the admissions office say “I really like this kid”. My older son wrote an essay that I think some admissions officers got and others didn’t. (It started with what appeared to be utter nonsense, a compilation of various sample essays on line that he combined via a computer program he wrote.) It was the result of a lot of hair-pulling and some advice from my sister-in-law who was an English grad student. It was never going to be a brilliant essay, but I did think it was about as good as this computer nerd was going to produce. In the end got into some top schools, but also got rejected from his top choice. My younger son (the B+ student) will probably write a much better essay. </p>
<p>I’ve heard that most of the essays admissions officers read are pretty dull, but there are always a few that are bad enough that a kid will get rejected and a few that are so good that they really make a difference. I’ve read a few from students here on CC. I’d say that about half were top notch, and half were okay. Most were better than my older son’s essay.</p>
<p>I agree. I’ve read some essays that accepted Stanford students posted on line (there is a link to a facebook page with essays somewhere on the Stanford forum) - most of them are surprisingly boring and corny…</p>