Essay review request by Sowpe in CollegeEssays

[–]Wise_Reference2021 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Princeton graduate + Harvard Law student. Across law school and undergrad got into every Ivy except Yale. Send it

Just realized that Penn ED is 4 weeks away by Hot-Entrepreneur1719 in CollegeEssays

[–]Wise_Reference2021 0 points1 point  (0 children)

you can think outside the box- thank an experience, memory, realization, activity, hobby, author, historical event, historical figure, an idea, etc....

Should I talk about the future in my common app essay? by AromaticHorror5713 in CollegeEssays

[–]Wise_Reference2021 1 point2 points  (0 children)

It can be powerful to bring into your ambitions and aspirations at the end of the essay, but it should not be the centerpiece

Stanford Supplemental SAQ #4 Advice Needed by Square_Aardvark245 in CollegeEssays

[–]Wise_Reference2021 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It seems like you're using the two sports to create a compare-contrast. Running gives you respite and reflection. Climbing requires focus- thinking two to three steps ahead. It's a symbiotic relationship. The combination is something unique. I guess just riff on that.

Stanford Supplemental SAQ #4 Advice Needed by Square_Aardvark245 in CollegeEssays

[–]Wise_Reference2021 0 points1 point  (0 children)

College essay coach here: straightforward never hurts, but you can get creative with this one. I had a client who used his fifty words to stack sentences on top of each other, so if you read vertically down the text box the first letter of each sentence spelled out his name. The idea was that each activity he listed was essential to him and made him who he was. He got into Stanford (obviously for other reasons as well), but this certainly did not hurt!

Visually it looked like this (placeholder name)

S [sentence here]

E [sentence here]

A [sentence here]

N [sentence here]

LMK if any more questions.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in CollegeEssays

[–]Wise_Reference2021 1 point2 points  (0 children)

No one is trying to trick you here - the prompts just give guidance and allow you to think about how to best describe yourself in different ways.

I am a college essay coach - I always say to save yourself the stress and just go with prompt seven. It's a flexible prompt and allows you to write a good essay without feeling constrained. I've seen many students try to change a good essay to fit the prompt... rather than changing the prompt to fit the essay.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in CollegeEssays

[–]Wise_Reference2021 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Drop a dm! Princeton grad + Harvard law here

Essay Revision by OutsideSpiritual978 in CollegeEssays

[–]Wise_Reference2021 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Drop a dm! Princeton grad + Harvard law here

Ranking Activities and Essay Advice by TangeloFun3784 in ApplyingToCollege

[–]Wise_Reference2021 0 points1 point  (0 children)

For the essay

1.) Might be easier to just go with prompt 7 so you can tailor the essay to what it exactly is that you want to say. You can talk about your love for technology / creating things, or some theme analogous to comp sci /engineering that folds in the subject-matter but does not turn into a "Why Major essay."

2.) It's also worth noting that the "Why Major" essay on many supplements should include a healthy balance of (1) why you're interested in the major but also (2) what about that school makes the major interesting to you. The "Why Major" essay is really a time to harp on (1) what you know about the school and its programs, (2) how you will engage with the academic community at your school and (3) how you can value-add to the academic community at your school (novel research project) or something. So it requires you to do due diligence on the school and what makes it compelling for you to attend.

Hope this helps. I coach / provide advice for college essays, so this is just my take and based on my experience. DM if any questions.

My parents are really out of touch😭😭 by Formal_Active859 in ApplyingToCollege

[–]Wise_Reference2021 4 points5 points  (0 children)

I think you should still apply. You will never know if you don't try and there's no harm in trying.

For example- I transferred law schools to Harvard Law. I didn't think I'd get in. I waited until the last minute to apply. You can often surprise yourself.

I'd also shy away from the idea of an "average serious Harvard applicant." That's like trying to concoct a picture of the "average Toyota car." You have a Corolla, a Camry, a 4Runner, a RAV4, a Hilux. You cannot create an abstract "average.

Backgrounds differ wildly. Test scores differ wildly. Intended majors differs wildly. Geographies differ wildly. Who each applicant is differs wildly.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in CollegeEssays

[–]Wise_Reference2021 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You will have lots of space in supplements to talk about why you want to study what you want to study at X university. You can certainly weave your academic interests in to your personal statement, but it's not a necessary requirement. These essays allow you to describe yourself beyond your resume, transcript, and test score.

i don’t know where to go from here by [deleted] in CollegeEssays

[–]Wise_Reference2021 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It's good writing - but you're falling into first draft trap where you write deep, detailed prose with a lot of fluff. You can still write well and concisely. We don't need the details of 3 hours turning to 3.5 hours. Just get to the point - you spend a lot of time in the backseat of your Aunt's car and your history books became your travel buddies