A key element
Whether you are applying to U.S. universities (most) or UBC Commerce and the likes, you are aware of some of the tough academic standards they have in place for admission – grades, difficulty level of high school courses or top four (UBC), SAT or ACT scores (U.S.), recommendation letters. And if you have done any homework about applying, you also know that they will be asking you to write some essays for your college application. Just how seriously should you take these?
For a lot of years I have worked with my students on the importance of the essays as a way to show their personality, character strengths, various qualities that may shed light on who they are, so that their application is not simply a two-dimensional summary of data. College admission is actually a very human process (most often, except in the case of some large public universities). If you can show the admission application reviewer and committee a bit about who you are, aside from grades and test scores, you stand to improve your application and chances for admission.
New Dimensions
However, in the last couple of years, these essays have begun to take on yet another dimension, as universities are shifting even more attention toward the character in admission. As universities grapple with becoming more selective or needing to bring in a student body that is most suitable for their ever-evolving programs and campus environments, they are turning to these non-cognitive or character aspects as a key aspect to evaluating applicants. Specifically, the short answer essays, of typically 100 to 200 words or less, are designed to get at just what defines a student as a person. And what are colleges looking for? These days you will often hear the word “resilience”. While there may be variation in exactly how a university or its admission office defines this, you can be sure they will be considering things such as a student’s self-concept and identity, self appraisal and ability to see their own true strengths and weaknesses, adaptability and ability to deal with adversity, and community membership and contribution, among other things.
Some institutions, such as Oregon State, prominent law schools Harvard and Michigan, scholarship foundations, the US Air Force Academy, and many others, have delved into putting a specific set of additional questions together that will get at these qualities. And they use student’s answers to these as a critical defining factor in their highly selective admissions, where many students who apply are academically qualified and must be distinguished from each other.
So, when you are in the process of completing applications, don’t underestimate the significance and importance of the essays, and especially the short-answer essays that are a supplement to the application. They may very well mean the difference between an admission offer and a deny letter.
As always, I am here to help you with this element of applications. Just contact me for a free consultation
