7 Days, 6 Schools, 5 States: What College Admissions Thinks About the Essay

I’m writing this post with my feet propped up, after a whirlwind week of college touring. We visited six schools in about as many days, up and down the eastern seaboard. We visited big schools, small schools, publics and privates. The schools were highly selective and somewhat selective (“selective” being completely relative, of course!) We got ice cream sandwiches, drawstring backpacks, cups of coffee … and bupkis. And a thousand brochures.

The schools were quite different in location and vibe, but there was much they had in common: dorm rooms are tiny, blue light safety systems are ubiquitous, and there are hundreds of clubs to get involved with. In fact, every school offers not only a squirrel watchers club, but a club for folks who watch the squirrel watchers. Yes, higher education is creating a generation of stalkers. (I’ll admit to being amused the first time I heard about the squirrel watchers watching club seven years ago on a tour. Now I just clench my teeth when I know it’s coming.)

And when it comes to the college essay, there was definitely a consistent theme. Here is what six different admissions officers and representatives had to say:

“Tell me something I don’t know from the rest of your application. Make sure it sounds like you.”

“It should sound like a 17 year old. If I have to pull out a thesaurus, I wonder if it’s the student’s writing. And I can tell if it’s AI.”

“Optional Essay means do it.”

“The supplemental essays are so we can get to know the applicant better.”

“When it comes to the whole application, I haven’t heard anything in the student’s own voice until the essay.”

“The essay is important to tell us your story. That’s the place where it happens.”

“Pick the best story you have of yourself.”

“The supplementals are the best place to differentiate yourself. Be super specific. Mention professors, classes [for the ones asking about “why this school”] … do your homework.”

“The admissions process is a human process. We want to know you beyond grades and test scores.”

“Use the ‘additional circumstances’ section on the Common App to explain not great grades.” (This is optional. But if you feel like you want to explain anything that you feel deviates from who you are as a student, it’s there for that purpose.)

“How do you engage outside of the classroom? It’s not what you do, but why you do it.”

“The essay is my favorite thing to read about … it’s what makes you YOU. It’s not about the topic; it’s what we learn about you. The story you tell us, how you’ve changed and grown.”

“You don’t need to write about the most outrageous topic, but rather what means the most to you. That tells us who YOU are.”

“If you threw your essay into a crowd in your high school, people should know it’s you.”

“Make it your authentic voice. Don’t use Chat GPT.”

“It’s not about the topic, but what do we learn about you apart from the rest of your application.”

Hope you find this information helpful and can put it to … oh, look! A squirrel watcher!