I’m doing the essay for Bryn Mawr College, and my whole premise is that at first, I thought applying to a women’s college would be awful, only to then realize that going to a women’s college could be this really great thing. That’s going to be the general theme to my essay, which I plan on using to answer the question about how I imagine my experience at Bryn Mawr, and all that.
What do you think? Does this sound like a good idea?
The premise of reluctant might be a better choice than that of awful…
I really don’t think saying “My first impression of you was awful” is going to go over well with admissions officers.
You want to be memorable. But in a way they fight for you.
Don’t do it
@hop maybe “awful” is a bit dramatic. What if I said hesitant instead?
As I read your question, you decided that the act of applying (that is, filling out the application) for a women’s college would be awful. I do not think that is a good message to convey as the college probably does not care whether you think that the application process was boorish. No one likes the college application process. You need to convey as honestly as possible how you think that you would benefit from that college and how the college might benefit from having you as a student there. The college application for a women’s college is probably not too different from an application to a coeducational school aside from checking the box to affirm that you are female and thus meet the key demographic requirement for attending a women’s college.
Hmm…maybe if it’s done well it would work. But the thing is, your view is held by the vast majority of the undergrads here. Very very very very few students at bryn mawr actually were actively looking for a woman’s college, and the admissions officers know that. So your essay doesn’t really make you stand out. It’s just more of “oh, another girl who never thought she’d end up at a woman’s college and now she’s applying just like 98% of the other people here.”
I hope I don’t sound snarky! But that’s really how it’s going to come across 
@literallyleslie That’s actually a really good point. And don’t worry, you don’t sound snarky! Thanks so much for your input. 