Do College Admissions Essays really matter?

[ohioguy218]

Ok ... So I've been writing admissions essays for the past few weeks and I'm starting to stress out. My question is this: Do they really even matter???

I have a 4.0 gpa, a 35 ACT, and a load of ECs ... but my essays aren't really imaginative or great ... just solid and well-written

So, I know some of you guys go to pretty selective colleges ... how were your essays? Great, average, poor?

I'm especially interested in Duke and Northwestern ... Do I have to write great essays ... or am I fine with ordinary, boring ones?

[surftheiop]

write great essays and you still might not get into northwestern

[chisness]

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write great essays and you still might not get into northwestern

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I go to Northwestern and at least from my high school anyone with those stats was auto-in. My essays were definitely pretty mediocre. NU has a very high admit rate.

You'll need very good essays to get into HYPS, MC, and you're probably not auto in at some of the lower ivies either. You can probably get into anywhere NU or "worse" without anything too great though.

[surftheiop]

What year are you?

I heard somewhere NU's admittance rate halved or quarted or something in last year or two. Also i would agree about the auto-in if its early decision.

[ohioguy218]

Afraid it's regular decision, but I did an overnight visit ... so hopefully that will weigh into consideration.

[emon87]

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Afraid it's regular decision, but I did an overnight visit ... so hopefully that will weigh into consideration.

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lol won't matter at all

[EvilSteve]

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I have a 4.0 gpa, a 35 ACT, and a load of ECs ... but my essays aren't really imaginative or great ... just solid and well-written

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I think "imaginative" and "great" are not things you should even be shooting for. You're not trying to create a brilliant work of art here. Solid and absolutely conventional and very difficult for anybody to pick apart or criticize in any way would seem ideal. Sounds like you'll do just fine.

[LetsHugItOut]

Not a direct answer, but: You've put in a lot of work over the last four years to position yourself well for getting into college -- why not knock yourself out for the next month, write a couple of great essays, and feel as good as possible about your application?

Essays might not be the most important piece of an application, but they are important. And I disagree with the poster above -- "imaginative" and "great" ARE things you should be shooting for in your essays. Admissions officers aren't looking to pick apart or criticize your essays -- they're looking to get a sense of the student. The only two real objectives of admissions essays, IMO, are 1) to reveal something about the student and 2) to stand out.

If your essay topics are open-ended (like the common app was when I applied in 2005), a good route is to pick a quirky interest of yours and write about it. The quirkiness will stand out; that it's an interest will reveal something about you.

[Ganjasaurus Rex]

My college essay consisted of the following:

"I want to go to your school. If you reject my application, i'll be forced to go elsewhere. Do you really want to hurt my feelings like that?"

I got into every school i applied.

Of course, my GPA and SAT scores probably had a little something to do with it. [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

Moral of the story? If you think you're borderline, then spend a lot of time on your essay?

[lippy]

My advice;

You're worrying about it too much. You're obviously very smart and if you put forth a few hours, you will write something that is definitely acceptable, probably very good.