<p>None of the essay question appear to fit well with the main essay my son is thinking of writing for the common app. He is thinking about writing about his summer experience as a Microsoft intern by day and rehersing for a teen musical (Grease) by night. I think this is a great idea as it can show two different sides of him that are very important to undersatnding who he is. Unfortunately neither of the main MIT essays seems to lend itself to this topic. </p>
<p>We really think this essay topic would be far better than what he has comeup with so far for the main MIT essay questions. Do you think this could be use to answer the question about something you have created (i.e. he created code by day and a show by night)? Or is that too much of a stretch? If not, could he submit this as some sort of supplmental essay? We’d like to find way to get this in somehow.</p>
<p>You can submit anything you want as supplemental information. Just submit it to MIT with your son’s name and birthdate on it, and it will be added to his folder.</p>
<p>I helped my son with his essays last year (brainstorming topics, editing, not writing!). He too had trouble finding a way to stay on-topic, but I think your idea is fine; it’s OK to “stretch” to stay on-topic. Someone answered the “what you have created” essay once by talking about baking a cake. My son wrote about surviving a hurricane, but also sent in a supplemental essay (the “risk” prompt) about performing a solo classical music piece in public for the first time (requiring simultaneous piano and bassoon). As long as the essays are entertaining, revealing, and focused, the readers generally don’t deduct points for how specifically/literally the prompt is addressed.</p>