Settle a grammar dispute?

Parent Cafe
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<p>This essay is for the Georgetown essay #1 prompt of “Please submit a brief essay, either personal or creative, which you feel best describes you.” I was thinking about submitting my Common App essay for this, although I didn’t think it would fit. I wrote my essay on option 4 (describe the influence of a character from literature/history/etc.), comparing myself to Ignatius J. Reilly (A Confederacy of Dunces), and was very pleased with how this essay turned out, although I believe that Gtown would recognize a recycled essay.</p>

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@dmd77 I appreciate the insight, and this essay is (tastefully, or so I hope) about things that I have accomplished. This part on books has two functions: describe my personality (which is done throughout the essay, but focused on here), and emphasize my interest in English (I indicated that I’ll be an English major on my app, and have oodles of writing awards on my application to go along with this). And, btw, that bathroom essay does sound interesting!</p>

<p>@mathmom </p>

<p>This excerpt does come off as overly formal, but the essay is lighthearted/jocular overall (I imagine somewhat like your son’s essays. And, as a side note, isn’t UChicago famous for asking for and rewarding quirky essay topics?). What is the ruling on contractions in terms of college essays? Years of essay-writing has weaned me off of their use in official papers, although there are many times that I’d like to throw one in. Thoughts?</p>

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<p>I agree, it should be ‘they’. And I also agree, you may want to rewrite.</p>

<p>I understand what you are getting at, and good luck on your essay!</p>

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euphemism for “stolen” ?</p>

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<p>NJRes: borrowed and returned. But the Senate bathroom is strictly limited to sitting Senators. </p>

<p>(Pun absolutely intended.)</p>

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<p>Silly me - I wasn’t thinking in terms of a college essay. Duh. </p>

<p>I would go for a more creative tone then - not formal.</p>

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<p>So then if that’s true, why are you writing this essay? Why not just give your book list, if it enables strangers, such as the admission committee member who is reading your essay, to understand your personality?</p>

<p>I’m with mathmom. Write about something you’ve done.</p>

<p>Oh, and that it in the third sentence? No. It stops the reader dead as she searches back trying to figure out its referent. Recast the sentence.</p>

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<p>Agreed.</p>

<p>Write simple sentences and be direct whenever possible.</p>