<p>We’re starting to roll out some new content on our info site - [College</a> Admissions, Search, and Financial Aid Help from College Confidential](<a href=“http://www.collegeconfidential.com%5DCollege”>http://www.collegeconfidential.com) - and one of the first new items is a big piece on essays written by Dave Berry. A number of sample essays are included.</p>
<p>In the coming weeks, we’ll be adding new content and updating old content. Keep watching. We’ll post here when there’s something new and big over there.</p>
<p>You see, at first I read that as an essay “contest” instead of “content,” and was confused when there was no mention of a scholarship anywhere ;)</p>
<p>First of all, that is a great new feature! I’m so glad to see it. I’m sure it will serve many, many students applying to college this fall and in the future.</p>
<p>I have a few questions about it though. Are you endorsing Yvonne’s opinion that “the most important part was the essay?” She assumes she knows why her classmate was not admitted to many of the schools she applied to, but another easy explanation makes sense. Many Valedictorians will apply to mostly schools that are highly competitive. It’s likely that if one is shooting for the best that there will be a lot of misses.
In addition, I can tell you personally that while I got an early start and put in a lot of work, but I ended up writing a pretty dismal essay. I am embarrassed when I read it. Even so, I was admitted ED to a respected university, which I credit to my GPA and my SAT scores. I would absolutely not recommend that anyone else gamble on this, and everyone should strive to write the best essay they can muster. When I applied I thought my essay was at least satisfactory. My personal story of admission is worth just as much as these other students’ experiences.</p>
<p>Also, I enjoy reading many essays for people who post here in the CC forums. I know people here self-select, but in the past month, out of the approximately 15-20 essays that I’ve read, I have seen nothing that is as well-written as the sample essays in the new article. I have seen some very nice and effective essays, but they always have a few flaws. Those essays have superior focus, themes, and style. I can’t find anything I would bring up for reconsideration; my response would be “that is fantastic!”
The point I want to make with that last paragraph is twofold. On one hand, it’s good that all students can see examples of such quality writing, and it gives them something to aspire to. On the other hand, if they are not as good at writing, they might feel intimidated, because they believe they’ll be going up against legions of similar essays if they decide to apply to the traditional “top schools.”</p>
<p>In general, I think that’s an excellent new resource to have on the site. I wish it was around for me to look at last year. When I offer feedback to people on these forums, I’ll definitely point to those sample essays as good examples of things I suggest.</p>
<p>PS. I don’t know exactly who “you” is here. I suppose CC in general, or Dave Berry, who wrote the article.</p>
<p>Faustarp, I don’t necessarily agree with Yvonne’s opinion, but it does have some degree of validity, depending on local circumstances. The purpose of my article is to show some examples of superb essay writing and how effective it can be in Ivy, elite, and other applications. High schoolers who spend time developing their writing skills are investing in a process that will pay lifelong dividends.</p>
<p>I dunno…I thought some of those were pretty cruddy writing. Technically correct, yes, but content- and structure-wise, ew! I know a college essay seems to be a genre all its own, but gosh, they mostly sounded like they were trying too hard to be “unique” or funny, or just rambled too much, or weren’t unified. (Or just plain used too many adjectives.) I’d be a pretty bored/annoyed admissions officer if all the essays I had to read sounded like those.</p>
<p>I actually agree. I am a pretty good writer (not trying to brag or anything), but I would never submit anything like that. Its obviously personal to an extent, but other than the essay on communications, which I thought was good, the others seemed to just try too hard.</p>
<p>Hey!
so I wrote an essay for the common app and I’m having the same problem that the first reply on this thread was talking about…my topic’s quite different from the second essay in the article (the rube goldberg one), but my structure seems kind of similar. I have a lead that, while not as dramatic as hers, still doesn’t really tell you where you’re going until the 2nd paragraph in a similar style to how she did it. Then in the last sentence at the very end I bring back that lead. I’m really disappointed because I worked really hard on it and thought it was great before I read these essays, but now I’m wondering if I should change it because people might think I stole her structure (even though I didn’t because I didn’t read this article until after I had written my entire draft of this essay). </p>
<p>That kind of structure is something I’ve been taught to do for a long time in classes… should I change it, or is it common enough anyways that it won’t really matter to an admissions officer?</p>