A few questions today, which will hopefully trigger some discussion in the comments.
Did any of you, readers, use a handbook for college admissions essays to assist you in your essay writing? Or, if you’re going through the process right now, are you using one? If so, which one was it, and do you recommend it?
Your English teachers know best.
Michael, coming from you, that’s hilarious.
Nothing has humor quite like a statement of total hypocrisy.
What I found useful was reading the essays of seniors before me. I could see what schools they got into, what schools they got rejected from, and form some sort of conjecture about the essay from the grades they got, APs, and such.
I’m sure there’s a way of doing that that is much less complicated, but this way if I’m wrong, it’s nobody’s fault but mine.
Believe it or not SAT Prep with Mr. Orcutt was a big help.
@Chris: That’s a good idea, I’ll get on that.
@Christine: That idea has inspired me to ask to borrow the book that he teaches out of for that class. I’ll ask him today or tomorrow.
Oh, dear, what have I done? I never meant to imply that English teachers ever were, are, or will be useful for anything except occasional witty banter and target practice. However, some English teachers claim to know what the essay readers want (Which I find ironic, for none of them have ever been in such a position to support that claim).
Also, remember that many elite universities use what I call the Katana Cut (Samurai Cut, etc.), as their primary method of selection.
1. Make a single column of all applications (electronically)
2. Line up the applications by SAT Score. The ones at the top have an SAT score of 2400, the bottom, 0.
3. Find what minimum SAT Score would result in a number of students somewhat higher than the quota.
4. You know what to do.
Taking this into account, it does mean that your essay is insignificant if your SAT Score is 2400 (assuming you have a few other achievements). However, a student with ~1960 CAN beat someone with ~2010 based on the college essay and other factors.