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Six seniors at Cherry Creek High, a public school in Denver, blog their college searches.
I feel like Billy Pilgrim.
Unstuck in time, the protagonist of Kurt Vonnegut’s “Slaughterhouse-Five,” relives his life, in no particular order, in a desperate search for meaning. He revisits the consequential coincidences, the milestones and the turning points in his eventful existence, trying to understand himself and his place in the world.
Were it not for his age, grim depictions of World War II and other-worldly encounters with aliens, Billy could very well be a college applicant in America today.
I can identify with Billy, for I, too, am a time traveler on a similar quest: to not only discover who I am but also to fit my findings into 500 words or less. With regular decision deadlines rapidly approaching, I’ve focused my efforts on the most vexing part of my applications: the essays.
“Please submit a brief essay, either personal or creative, which you feel best describes you,” Georgetown asks of me.
These are big questions for an 18-year-old, and with admission to many of the schools to which I’m applying hinging, perhaps, on even the smallest of factors, my answers could well affect the next four years of my life.
The rules are simple: write, revise, proofread, check again, and repeat as necessary. But to get into the schools of my choice, merely following the rules isn’t enough – I need to “let my life speak,” as Tufts instructs. To be successful in the admissions process, I must compellingly cram my personality and my voice into the confines of a few short responses.
The essays are my chance to reveal myself as an individual with substance beyond scores and merit beyond my transcript. If I fail to do so, I will become little more than a statistic in the eyes of admissions. If I succeed, I may prove myself a worthy candidate for acceptance.
This essay-writing process is no small task – I must perfect, in addition to the Common Application short response and personal statement, 18 other essays of various lengths – but I hesitate to call it toilsome or punishing. On the contrary, it has been my favorite part of the application process, both invigorating and enlightening.
Over the past few months I have considered the most significant people and events in my life, developed a possible solution for a current global issue (for Georgetown), and even pondered my favorite place to get lost (for the University of Virginia). I’ve rediscovered my past in order to explain my present and determine my future.
But unlike Billy Pilgrim, who foresees and accepts his inevitable death, I don’t know exactly what my future holds. Will my true personality shine through my essays, and, more importantly, will admissions officers want my voice in their Class of 2015?
Mr. Campbell is one of six seniors at Cherry Creek High School in Denver blogging about his college search for The Choice between now and May. To comment on what he has written here, please use the box below.
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I don’t want to throw a wrench into Mr. Campbell’s plans, but after multiple cycles reading student writing on here, and multiple cycles reading applications for an Ivy League school: Mr. Campbell has talent. I am not the end all be all of essay writing, but I do know my way around the block, and what my former colleagues think about good writing.
I am not sure how much support the blog offers to students in crafting their entries. But if Mr. Campbell is any way as graceful, insightful and personable in his other essays, he may wish to try his hand at more selective schools. Writing of this caliber can cover up a lot of other deficiencies. Bravo to this young student, and I wish him the best of luck finishing up.
Personally, I’m completely sick of the college application process and so happy that I only have live through it for a few more months.
Once my youngest son receives his college application notifications, I’m happily going to light a match to every single piece of marketing material he has received over the past year! At least the stuff I have left, most of the recent mailings went right into the garbage…UNOPENED.
This is so clever!
It conveys intelligence (indicates you’re well read). It’s creative, asking what you want through story telling.
I’m a mother of a senior who is waiting for the “letters” to come in.
I’ve seen some awfully long essays. Boring, hard on the brain and eyes. I’d toss them. I agree with the Former Admissions Officer perhaps applying to a higher reach might be a thought? Great job. Good luck dear.
I am a college consultant and am quite sure that the obviously bright, mature Mr. Campbell has given great thought to the schools he has chosen to apply to. The ones he mentioned are all excellent, and highly selective. If you are implying that because they are not Ivey’s they’re below him, wake up! The number of great schools for great students now goes way, way beyond just those 10.
Just think – you will have to do it all over again in 4 years when you apply to grad school, which is ever so more competitive.
Good luck with your college career!
It’s a tough time of our [Seniors’] lives. To be able to answer in a true reflective manner is nearly impossible… to a point. I’ve spent a plethora of times going through my essays, over and over and over again. I have never learned so much about myself other than through this process. My parents were surprised to find out that I have a particular historical figure who I can identify with – they realized this upon reading my finished essays. It’s just tough knowing, and not knowing, whether you as a person will be good enough. Questions that spark in my mind are “am I coming through well enough in this essay” or “will they see what I see” … There doesn’t seem to be an end in sight (pun unintended). How is the typical student supposed to write about themselves in under 500/250 (or other limit) words? It just doesn’t really work right.
Don’t worry too much though Michael. In a way, we’re all going through this together. It won’t last much longer. Just keep at it man. You’ll go where you need to go, I’m sure of it.
Good Luck! I know how hard it is to write those essays. Good luck especially with that W&M essay- I know I struggled with it as an ED applicant, but after receiving an acceptance letter, it was worth it.
What a treat to hear from a intelligent and successful high school senior who is not obsessed with the Ivy League.
No offense meant to commenter #1, but I hope you ignore him.
#8 – part of the job of being an admissions officer is to identify talent, even in the most simple of settings.
it isn’t that he should or should not be ivy obsessed (there are plenty of schools i love that are not ivy league schools, and in fact prefer to ivy league schools for students).
but i will put it simple: with vast knowledge of the system of education – admission to outcomes – i know how big of a leap it is to attend the likes of georgetown and harvard. and we talk rankings as if they mean anything concretely, but in the realities of preparedness for a future, the distance between the two is more than rankings can express.
i think naivetee about admissions is what propels poor advice. let’s not confuse what we might say generically, with what counsel we might give Mr. Campbell specifically.
further – how is this helpful ‘ignore him.’ what if i just said the most important thing that no one has ever said to him in his life? and you just told him to ignore that advice? what if i said the most unnecessary thing ever? the point is – if he ignores any comment he will suffer from the same myopia that is the problem of admissions in general.
admissions is supremely complicated – because of the universities involved and their various priorities, the interplay of students, families, money, aid, short term and long term goals. the student should feel comfortable reading my thoughts, thinking about them critically and if he finds them irrelevant, tossing them out. but ‘ignoring’ them only asks the student to buy into the charade of this whole thing.
applying to colleges is not about what college you get into, it is about learning about your abilities and learning about what you want to do. it is a means to an end, and not an end.
I couldn’t agree with you more on the value of essays, even through the challenge/quagmire of writing them, but mostly I want to say how glad I am you led in with a Kurt Vonnegut reference. I’m constantly tempted to do so in my writing, and you did it very well. This will mean nothing to the public, but I feel like we’re kindred columnists! Hurray!
I am also a student like you, and will be applying to schools soon. The fact that they only give you 500 words (or less) to make yourself sound interesting and appealing is quite frightening to me. I agree with you, those types of essay prompts are very hard for teenagers to write about, and knowing that this could affect your career, let alone your college acceptance, makes it ten times more stressful. I think you’re going on the right path, by really putting a nice a mount of thought into these essay prompts by reexamining your past in search for interesting topics. Good luck in your application process, and the best of luck on those essays.
What a delightful and insightful approach to the college essay! This is beautifully written and your personality shines through. The admissions officers are going to be impressed with you and your essays.
Michael, the correct answer to the essay question is “None of your shuggabewxying business.” However, if you want to give it to them, the mathematical answer is to fabricate an exciting self-portrait that is much more imaginative than what you have written here. But my advice to you is not to waste time with college, which is a conspiracy to make you stupid. Regards to Kirby and your Mom.
The most important thing while writing an admission essay is to make sure you are under no pressure and write from your heart. It’s about being honest, but still knowing the fine lining between being naive and clever. The idea is to reveal important things about yourself without being too emotional.
Another thing that helps tremendously is to know the college’s background you are applying to. The more details you have about the college, the better it is. Also, try and link your own personal information to that of the college and draw synergies.
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