If a Personal Statement (not a "Why Us?") is described as optional, is it really optional?

ucbalumnus
Wed, 15 Aug 2018 23:32:43 +0000

If the college considers “level of applicant’s interest” (see the college’s common data set, section C7, or its admissions tab on collegedata.com), that optional essay may be another way to write something that expresses more interest specifically in that college.