Does The Essay Matter?
Yes, the essay matters. If it didn’t, you’d write it in crayon.
Your essay is not a check-the-box assignment or a meaningless addendum to your application; instead, it reveals something more, something beyond the facts and figures contained in your application. The essay demonstrates how you think, what energizes you, and why the school of your choice should select you.
Grades and scores accredit you. Curated extracurriculars round out the picture. Finally, admissions read your essay to bring that well-curated application into focus. There, they hope to discover what makes you tick.
Admissions look to the essay to form a more compelling picture of you.
“The essay is the one part of the application that is completely within your control.”
The statistical information of your academic career is compiled from your midterms, exams, presentations, and papers collected over the years, and it's permanent. It cannot be revised. The essay speaks from today's vantage point about your identity and personal values. Approach the essay with due respect for what it can reveal about you. You may stack up similarly to other accomplished students, but your essay should distinguish and set you apart.
The essay matters because it furnishes a close-up snapshot into the person you have become. It captures a glimpse into your intellectual curiosity, your pursuits, perhaps aspects of your cultural background, and the quirks that make you who you are today. The admissions committee would like to meet you over lunch; however, instead of a sandwich and a face-to-face chat, you have a blank page and a warehouse of words with which to introduce yourself. So, reflect on what matters to you and make it matter to them.
Your college essay brightens the picture of you. It establishes that you stand apart from thousands of other qualified applicants vying for an acceptance letter. The essay matters, so please, don’t write it in crayon!