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You can have ho-hum grades and still get into Harvard. You can have average SAT scores and still get into Berkeley. You can even have mediocre teacher evaluations and still get into Princeton. But the one thing that spells instant rejection from any college is a poorly written essay. An Ivy League admissions officer once told us that of all the parts of the application, the most memorable and important is the essay. This 12-year veteran of the college admissions process explained that while each section of the application is carefully considered by the admissions committee, it is only the essay that has the potential to make or break an applicant’s chance of getting accepted. Why is the essay so important? Quite simply because it is viewed by admissions officers as their window into the “real” you. While thousands of applicants have similar test scores, grades, evaluations, and extracurricular activities; it is the essay that gives your application that all-important personal touch. Through your essay, the admissions officers hear your voice and see how you respond to questions or problems. Your essay is representative of you, and because colleges are interested in admitting interesting and thoughtful human beings—not just students with certain numerical scores—the essay is an indispensable resource for them. The essay also shows the admissions officers your writing ability. It is no secret that some students at Harvard have been admitted with mediocre grades, SAT scores, or evaluations simply because they have written essays so extraordinary that the admissions officers were willing to overlook their other shortcomings. So don’t be surprised if you find yourself spending weeks on your essays. They are extremely important and you can console yourself when you are re-reading your essay for the umpteenth time that this, perhaps more than anything else, will decide whether or not you get admitted.
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