Two weeks left in the final countdown for college applications. This weekend the common application is getting the final polish and one university is going to get two supplemental essays. Ugh. My whole household is weary.
As my son sat at the kitchen table writing away, I looked at the kitchen sink, only to find several dirty bowls, plates and pans. I had just cleaned the kitchen up an hour ago.
“How come every time I do the dishes I come back and it’s like I never did them?!?” I exclaim.
“Every time I write an essay it’s like I never wrote it.” my son retorts.
Boy did he nail it. Just like a favorite pot, I’ll call it diversity, I either scrub it down a lot or a little, depending on the question, I mean food—chicken soup or beef stew. My best talent, I mean frying pan, what will it do for me today–hash browns or pancakes? What do I hope my trusty pan will do for me tomorrow if I cooked at my neighbor’s house—fluffy cheese omelet or one-pan-dinner? In the interest of time, I’ll pick whatever is the easiest to clean and still answers the question, I mean feeds my family.
When one university application is finished, I mean, one sink is emptied, I am relieved. I can relax and go to sleep satisfied. I wake in the morning, only to find one more 250-word essay, I mean sink with a few dried cereal bowls and sticky hot chocolate mugs. It’s not a lot of work, like diversity, I mean a lasagna pan, but annoying.
Luckily for my son, his pain will end in two more weeks. Mine will continue forever.
Another college essay..I mean sink of dirty dishes?!?
So true. These applications are supposed to be opportunities for students to express and differentiate themselves from other students, in lieu of an in-person interview that most colleges no longer grant or require. However, in this competitive world we call “college admissions” students are asked to jump through so many hoops. The reality is that grades and test scores are the most important factor in admissions, so why do essays cause so much grief? I blame it on the rankings, really. As yield plays such an important role for a college, granting admission to a student is akin to asking someone to marry you. They kind of want to know ahead of time that the student will attend their school before admitting them, otherwise it goes against their yield/rankings. Colleges are also competing for the best candidates, and the kids are caught in the crossfire. If they really wants to see how well a student can write or if the candidate will be a good fit, they should let the student write about one thing that is important to them. Better yet, make it optional to take the pressure off.
Thanks for keeping it in perspective Gina!