The last couple weeks we’ve talked a lot about what is going to make our admissions essays the “red envelope”. The real question is, what do they really want to hear about? How many of us are going to write a funny essay? How many of us are going to write a serious essay about serious things that have happened to them? How many will write out a list of all the brown-nosing volunteer work they’ve done in high school? What I realized this week while trying to pick a style is that there is no correct style.
It’s a toss up
It’s a crap shoot.
Why? Because you have no idea who you’re writing to.
How do you know that your essay about your volunteer work at the Human Rights Campaign isn’t being read by an eighty-year old conservative?
Ya’ don’t.
How do I know that my slightly racist, yet ironic comment about how Asian people are good at violin isn’t being read by a now-very-pissed-off Asian lady?
Ya’ don’t.
These essay readers are humans too. They have their own biases, their own preconceived notions, and their own sense of humor.
How can you know?
I didn’t write this blog post because I have an answer to this predicament. I don’t. Comments, tips, and anecdotes appreciated.
You do you!! If the college is the right fit for you and what you formulated your application around, chances are the admissions people are, yes humans, but also people who have the mindset the college likes and wants. If that makes sense??
ReplyDeleteHaha I enjoyed your post Ellie. I agree with you and I feel like the reason there are so many "manilla folders" is because people try to remain close to the norm and try to appease to all types of people. And audience is such a big part of writing that writing without an audience in mind feels so weird and hard. Great post though. Very fine work.
ReplyDeleteIt's always hard to break away from the norm, but it's really the only way to get noticed
ReplyDelete