January 5, 2010--Dearest University of Chicago
Many selective colleges have application deadlines this first week in January. From coast to coast one can almost hear the throb of angst and moaning among high school seniors and their hyperanxious parents.
Rona and I are experiencing it too even though we do not have college-bound children. But we do have considerable university administrative experience, including some that involved admissions-related responsibilities, and thus, we have been hearing from the children of friends and relatives, and of course their parents, who hope we might have some good advice to offer and especially if we might be willing to read drafts of the essays college applications these days require.
We love playing this role, if and only if we think those seeking our assistance are well qualified for the colleges to which they are applying. If we feel they are not, well, that makes things a bit delicate and complicated. How to indicate what we think and how to find socially-acceptable excuses not to get too involved.
As much as we enjoy this, at times in the past reading over these personal statements and other essays about "Why the University of Whatever Would Be A Good Fit for Me," when all of these essays begin to look and sound the same, we would have appreciated hearing that the colleges to which our friend's children are applying had done something as witty, and controversial, as the University of Chicago. But, then agin, I'm not so sure. Read on.
According to the New York Times, the newly-appointed dean of admissions there about 10 days ago send out a sample essay to all potential applicants, as he put it, to "lighten your mood . . . and inspire your creative juices" as you complete your application and think about what to say about why the university appeals to you. The sample letter, written by an actual early-action applicant who was referred to as "Rohan," sent around with his permission, begins:
As you might imagine, reactions ran the full gamut. Many were delighted to learn that the dean has a sense of humor while others were outraged by the sexual nature of the love letter to the college. (Full article linked below.)
Chicago prides itself on admitting thoughtful and creatively quirky students and the essays they require to attract these types, in addition to the usual "Why Chicago" sort, included this year one that asked applicants to confess "How did you get caught? Or not caught. as the case might be." The good dean did not offer a sample for that one.
But he did quote more from Rohan's application. In addition to the "gooey" stuff with which he began, he (who was in fact admitted early) wrote:
For me this is too cute by far. I would have rejected him to save the faculty from having to put up for four years with his puns.
I prefer the essay our niece wrote for Columbia about how studying taekwondo for more than ten years helped shape her character and the excellent one the daughter of a friend composed in a similar manner about ballet. Both, by the way, were admitted to their first-choice colleges and the one at Columbia is getting straight A's. While half the poor faculty at the University of Chicago have applied for sabbaticals.
Rona and I are experiencing it too even though we do not have college-bound children. But we do have considerable university administrative experience, including some that involved admissions-related responsibilities, and thus, we have been hearing from the children of friends and relatives, and of course their parents, who hope we might have some good advice to offer and especially if we might be willing to read drafts of the essays college applications these days require.
We love playing this role, if and only if we think those seeking our assistance are well qualified for the colleges to which they are applying. If we feel they are not, well, that makes things a bit delicate and complicated. How to indicate what we think and how to find socially-acceptable excuses not to get too involved.
As much as we enjoy this, at times in the past reading over these personal statements and other essays about "Why the University of Whatever Would Be A Good Fit for Me," when all of these essays begin to look and sound the same, we would have appreciated hearing that the colleges to which our friend's children are applying had done something as witty, and controversial, as the University of Chicago. But, then agin, I'm not so sure. Read on.
According to the New York Times, the newly-appointed dean of admissions there about 10 days ago send out a sample essay to all potential applicants, as he put it, to "lighten your mood . . . and inspire your creative juices" as you complete your application and think about what to say about why the university appeals to you. The sample letter, written by an actual early-action applicant who was referred to as "Rohan," sent around with his permission, begins:
Dear University of Chicago:
It fills me up with that gooey sap you feel late at night when I think about the things that are really special to me about you. Tell me, was I just one in a line of many? Was I just another supple "applicant" to you, looking for a place to live, looking for someone to teach me the ways of the world?
As you might imagine, reactions ran the full gamut. Many were delighted to learn that the dean has a sense of humor while others were outraged by the sexual nature of the love letter to the college. (Full article linked below.)
Chicago prides itself on admitting thoughtful and creatively quirky students and the essays they require to attract these types, in addition to the usual "Why Chicago" sort, included this year one that asked applicants to confess "How did you get caught? Or not caught. as the case might be." The good dean did not offer a sample for that one.
But he did quote more from Rohan's application. In addition to the "gooey" stuff with which he began, he (who was in fact admitted early) wrote:
Your cup overflows with academic genius, pour a little on me, You're legendary for it, they all told me it would never work out between us, but I had hope. [sic] I replied to your adorable letters and put up with your puns. [?]
I knew going into it that you would be an expensive one to keep around. . . . And now you inquire as to my wishes? They're simple, accept me for who I am! Why can't you just love and not ask why?
For me this is too cute by far. I would have rejected him to save the faculty from having to put up for four years with his puns.
I prefer the essay our niece wrote for Columbia about how studying taekwondo for more than ten years helped shape her character and the excellent one the daughter of a friend composed in a similar manner about ballet. Both, by the way, were admitted to their first-choice colleges and the one at Columbia is getting straight A's. While half the poor faculty at the University of Chicago have applied for sabbaticals.
posted by Steven Zwerling at
4:14 AM
4 Comments:
Steven, I'm a student journalist at the University of Chicago Maroon, an independent newspaper. Can you tell me how you heard that so many professors are taking sabbaticals? Or was that a figure of speech?
Thanks,
Asher Klein
Thanks for your comment Asher. It was a figure of speech. But you can only imagine what many of the professors there must be thinking about this silly approach to admitting students with whom they will then have to deal. Good luck to you!
Steven,
The only purpose of a college application essay is to show you can write complete sentences and stick to a chosen subject, any subject. Creativity is dangerous because it is, well, creative, so the tutored applicant takes no chances and writes in a peculiar form. I assume the dean, bored by the usual essays, was trying to invite some daring. Perfectly fine.
By the way, to change the subject, I used your table this morning, but the newly hired server wanted to know, "Who are the Zwerlings".
Jared
Answer--That old foggy who's snowbirding in Florida.
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