<p>My first time starting a thread, but I was moved by reading this advice from Ben Golub, a junior who is part of Caltech’s admission committee. (This Ben also posts on MIT’s site, but is not to be confused with benjones, the MIT rep.) Ben was responding to a HS student who did not quite achieve the traditional high SATs and math contests.</p>
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<p>Ben Golub writes a mean essay himself! Nicely done. Thanks, Bookworm, for sharing.</p>
<p>Well, Ben’s suggestions are certainly a ‘keeper’! I’ve printed a copy, to set aside in a file labeled ‘Essay Suggestions’ for my sophomore to ignore when it’s his turn to apply. I don’t see any reason why S2 shouldn’t have the benefit of all the wonderful information I made available to S1, which he too ignored!</p>
<p>sjmom-at least we’re all in the same boat. 
I’ve heard that if we do our job right, they move away. Why don’t they tell us this on the front end? We’ve spent the last 17 years devoted to D, now she’s convinced we’re idiots!</p>
<p>Bookworm</p>
<p>Excellent article! Printed a copy for my son.</p>
<p>I like the part where Ben says you have to win their hearts and then gives the example of Sam and Toby’s writing on The West Wing.</p>
<p>My S is an excellent writer, but the first essays he wrote for college applications lacked passion. We talked about his intended audience and the purpose of the essays (yes, to convey information, but to also show his passions in a delightful way). I think putting a “face” on the intended audience helps a lot for a writer.</p>
<p>Thanks again Bookworm!
FresnoMom</p>
<p>bookworm: Now that’s a nice piece of writing. Thanks so much. I enjoyed reading that.</p>
<p>Great article, thanks for posting.</p>
<p>SJMom, “…for my sophomore to ignore when it’s his turn to apply,” LOL!</p>
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<p>Ain’t that the truth! My older one ~sometimes~ listens to me, I have absolutely no control over her younger sister (the stereotypical redhead). The only way I’m going to make use of all the information I’ve learned here is for me to apply to college again myself!</p>
<p>Thank you all very much for the kind words :)</p>
<p>My daughter received a wonderful internship at a prestigious institution based on the essay portion of her application. Her advisor told me (in the course of an unrelated conversation about housing in the DC area) that her passion for the subject matter made her application “jump out” from the rest of the applications.</p>
<p>What was the subject matter?</p>
<p>A HS student asked a Q about how to improve his chances to be accepted at Caltech. I think Ben’s advice about showing your passion in an essay could be generalized for other students and the parents that look over their shoulders.
It would propably come as no surprise that Ben G was accepted everywhere he applied. His posts are always informative, often humorous, and genuine.</p>
<p>Regarding information that we print for our kids to ignore…</p>
<p>Somewhere along the line I bought the Harry Bauld book (“On Writing the College Application Essay”) and, without saying a word, dropped it in the box where my daughter has the college guidebooks and application packages. </p>
<p>One night my daughter got inspired and wrote a phenomenal essay. She read it to me, and I thought “Yes!” … this was exactly the essay I hoped she somehow could write. All of the right stuff - a grabbing lead, a compelling story, a consistent theme. The next day, in her room, I noticed the Bauld book lying on her bed. </p>
<p>Since that time, talking about essays, she has frequently mentioned the Bauld book. So I would suggest to other parent that this is a good little kernel of wisdom to leave lying where your kid might find it. If you act like you don’t know where it came from, it’s possible that it might get used.</p>
<p>The Bauld book is excellent, though it provoked much cursing by me. If I had but one book to recommend, that would be it.</p>
<p>Why the cursing? Just because every topic your kid wants to write about turns up on the list of topics to avoid?</p>
<p>That and that the pitfalls became obvious as they were explained.</p>
<p>I think the point is that they need to avoid the hackneyed approach epitomized in the summaries – not that the whole genre is off limits. </p>
<p>In any case, its better to find out in advance what to avoid, before the kid pours her heart out extolling the virtues of a deceased pet.</p>
<p>Well, certainly, as Marie Antoinette observed, execution is everything. But so many topics–including dead pets and my big game…as well as some that transpose into those–come up with depressing regularity and even if done brilliantly are difficult to rescue.</p>
<p>Writing is hard. </p>
<p>Few kids have inspiration and the stick-to-it-iveness to write (and then rewrite, rewrite) a truly GREAT essay. It is no surprise that those who do will bowl people over. Imagine how the sublime essay wakes up that poor, bleary-eyed admission officer who has read hundreds of pages of drek. Imagine how that young author steps out of the generic mist as a whole, intriguing person with something important to offer. </p>
<p>Ben G’s advice is excellent. It may not be a guarantee, but if you are in range, and someone “inside” is moved by your essay, it has to be a huge advantage.</p>