Essay Importance

SeinfeldFan1
Sat, 26 Jul 2014 01:06:08 +0000

This thread has probably been made hundreds of times, but how much can the Common App essay help or hurt you?
My Stats:
SAT SuperScore 1820 (600 M, 630 CR, 590 W)
My unweighted GPA is probably around a 3.1, and I haven’t taken any APs going into senior year.
I have the usual extracurriculars, I did crew every season for 3 years, but never was really successful. A medal and placing in races here and there.
Right now, I have 18 volunteer hours, hopefully that number increases. I volunteered 6 times at a soup kitchen in Camden, so at least it has been some quality volunteering. Hopefully I will get some more hours before I fill out the Common App.
I was also nominated by one teacher and one staff member at my school for something called the “People’s Choice Award”, which is given to students who have overcame adversity or have stood out in a positive way. 30 out of 2200 students got it in my school. I don’t know anyone who has won this, so I’m not sure how much (or how little) this affects anything. Anyway, the teacher that nominated me is going to write one of my Letters of Rec, and my guidance counselor, who knows me very well and likes me, will write the other. The staff member who nominated me may write the third if it’s necessary.
So back to the point, can a great essay save what otherwise may be a somewhat weak application? The hardest schools I’m applying to are TCNJ, Franklin and Marshall, Dickinson College, and American U.