should i do the optional essay for college application

Submitting an optional essay can enhance your application in several ways. Firstly, it can help give the admissions committee a more rounded picture of who you are as an individual. It helps elaborate on unique perspectives or experiences that you can bring to the college environment. For instance, if you have a passion for community service ...

by Lisa Albro, former admissions officer at Goucher College One might argue that the word "optional" is not open to interpretation, and that it simply means one has a choice. When it comes to the optional essays on college applications, this is sometimes true. But on occasion, it can be better to go the extra mile and take the time to craft a meaningful response for an essay that is not ...

If the school is highly competitive or you believe that your application is bordering on the edge of their typical admissions standards, then completing an optional essay may provide an additional opportunity for you to demonstrate your fit and provide compelling reasons for your acceptance. Good luck! CollegeVine's Q&A seeks to offer ...

He is a co-author of the books The Enlightened College Applicant (Rowman & Littlefield, 2016) and Colleges Worth Your Money (Rowman & Littlefield, 2020). This article highlights the importance of optional components of college applications, including essays, writing samples, resume, interview, etc.

Before you go, here are a few final quick tips and tricks to always keep in mind if you do write an optional essay to accompany your college application: Do stick to the word limit (if none, it shouldn't be longer than your personal statement). About 250 words will usually suffice.

Although the essay portion of the SAT became optional in 2016, many students still chose to write it to demonstrate strong or improved writing skills to prospective colleges. In June 2021, the ...

The answer, in short, is yes. You will not be penalized for not writing these college essays. However, if you have something meaningful or worthwhile to talk about, you should absolutely write the optional essay. Doing so will add more dimension to your application and further demonstrate your strong writing abilities.

When colleges provide 'optional' essays, think of them as opportunities to share more about yourself and stand out. If you have the time and can write a strong essay, I'd encourage you to do so. It allows the admissions committee to gain a deeper insight into who you are beyond grades and test scores. Not submitting an optional essay won't ...

Students who do not take the SAT or ACT may not be eligible for these scholarships. "Optional" essays which aren't optional. On the college application, students may see that an essay is "optional.". At International College Counselors, we believe that optional essays are not optional and that students should complete all "optional ...

While all colleges require applicants to write a large or "main" essay—often through the Common App application system—many schools also offer shorter, optional essays as part of their applications. Often, for schools that use the Common App, these essays will be more specific to the particular school, while the admissions officers are ...

The University of Chicago's optional video is about as low-key as an application assignment can get. The time limit is just two minutes, and the instructions insist that edited, polished productions are not welcome; selfie-style phone recordings are. So, as with the open-ended optional essay mentioned above, this mini movie will give you the ...

A key component in your application to any college is the essay; a platform that allows you to give admissions committees a window into your life beyond your stats and admissions on paper. ... And when you do write that optional essay, be sure to go big; write an essay on a totally unique passion, a compelling narrative of a key moment in your ...

This made diversity essays easy (MANY schools ask what makes you stand out, this is usually either required or optional, so be sure to have a great essay for that), but "why us essays" were the most annoying thing in the world for this reason. 1. Reply. Award.

In fact, essays are thought to be the third most important part of the admissions process after SAT/ACT scores and transcripts. We know that essays can also be intimidating. That's why we created this guide to help you write powerful essays that will help you get into college. Writing in the admissions process can be grouped into 2 buckets:

We polled a random sample of over 200 students in Harvard's Class of 2017 and found that of those accepted students, over 85% wrote the optional essay. So you probably should as well. This finding shouldn't surprise you. For a few students it truly doesn't matter - kids have been accepted into Harvard before without sending in the ...

It's generally a good idea to write the optional essay, especially for a competitive school like Harvard. Although it's optional, completing the essay can demonstrate your interest in the school and provide additional information for the admissions committee to consider. However, you should only write it if you believe you can contribute a strong and well-written piece.

For some you're probably fine, but depending on the acceptance rate it might be good to submit just in case (but you don't need to spend a lot of time on them for most public colleges) 2. Reply. Jayson1222. • 3 yr. ago. Maybe they'll help a bit for getting more scholarship money. They don't have to be high effort tbh. 2.

r/ApplyingToCollege is the premier forum for college admissions questions, advice, and discussions, from college essays and scholarships to college list help and application advice, career guidance, and more. ... The essay is optional, but when you think about it, so is the whole application if you don't care about getting in. :) Reply reply ...

DON'T copy and paste. With upwards of 25 or more essays to write for a balanced college list of 10-12 schools, it's tempting for students to repurpose essays across applications if the prompts are similar, especially when working down to the wire. While students can use the same main essay on the Common App for multiple schools, we always ...

Instead, you will have an hour to do something that you really enjoy. Senior year is already busy enough without doing "extra" essay prompts on college applications. Right? On the "No" side . . . When you see the word "optional" think "opportunity" instead. You may also note on the Common Application that there is an optional ...

If a college application is "test-optional," it means admissions officers will consider your test scores if you submit them, but scores aren't required for admission. ... high school coursework, class rank, college essays, and other parts of your application. Note that admissions officers may look to test scores to gather more information ...

Nevertheless, an optional statement may provide an opportunity for you to help us understand how you will contribute to the diversity of perspectives, experiences, and pathways in the student body at Harvard Law School. Many prospective students wonder whether an optional statement is secretly required to put forth a strong application to ...

15) Drexel University. Drexel University joins the list of colleges without supplemental essays. They do require all students to complete the 250 to 650 essay on the Common or Coalition Application. However, the short answer question is optional.

Write optional essays only if they contribute to your case for admission. A classic mistake applicants make is to write as much as allowed, hoping that something will stick. Applicants can best ...

Ignoring the prompt: This is a major key. STAY ON TRACK. Make sure to carefully read and understand the essay prompt, and write your essay accordingly. The last thing you want to do is write a college essay that has nothing to do with the prompt. Reading is essential here.

Completing the CSUSA enters you for nearly every scholarship at CSU that you're eligible for. Now all you have to do is nail that application essay … and we're here to make that part easy, too. Here are some insider info, tips, and even a few essay excerpts to help you as you tackle your essay. #1. It's less formal than you think.

Optional Essays: Diversity, Adversity Statements and Addenda. You may choose to attach a response to one or more of the following questions in addition to the required Personal Statement if you feel the information would be helpful to us when considering your application or submit an addendum to explain any discrepancies in your application.

This is your opportunity to tell us something about yourself that is not already reflected in your application or academic records." I looked it up and found that you should not write optional essays if you don't actually have anything substantial to write. I don't have anything to write that hasn't been written in my common app essay or on the ...

3322. 0846. Submit all application materials to Ohio University's Undergraduate Admissions Office: Undergraduate Admissions. Chubb Hall 120. 1 Ohio University Drive. Athens, OH 45701. [email protected]. Optional Application Materials: You may also wish to submit an essay, letters of recommendation, end-of-course examination scores, and/or a ...

Secondary essays vary in length and number. Vanderbilt requires applicants to submit an 800-word essay and two 600-word essays. Some schools may require close to 10 secondary essays. Shemmassian ...