<p>I copied the following quote(s) offered by a student who attended a Harvard info session:</p>
<p><<Random girl asks: What type of essays are you guys tired of reading.</p>
<p>Harvard admissions officer (last name is Herrera): Doesn’t matter what it’s about, as long as we get to know you. Even if it’s a generic topic, but we get to know who you are, then you’ve written a good essay. >></p>
<p>This struck me as important, because I think that often, in the search to grab the readers’ attention or to be especially creative, the student’s own personality takes a back seat.</p>
<p>About personality taking a back seat, I’ve seen too many essays that are over-edited, whether by student or parents or other, and have all the originality and freshness of Velveeta. There’s also a tendency to be “too safe.”</p>
<p>D last night was telling about how in high school when she was bored in class she took notes in mirror writing a la DaVinci. Imo, that could have been the basis for a very unusual essay…most people would have been too scared to admit they were ever bored in class. She had never told anyone before.</p>
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<p>LOL, TheDad, back in the stone age, I did the same thing! Came in very handy as an attorney when I could read upside down!</p>