How differently might we view history if the Roman Empire could fit into a single sentence? Or if Shakespeare’s tragedies were simplified into just one line of dialogue? Now imagine a performance of Mahler’s Third Symphony where, instead of the whole piece, the audience only heard one note. These scenarios feel incomplete, highlighting how much is lost when narratives are condensed into fragments. However, every year, high school students are tasked with a daunting challenge: putting themselves into a college essay.
In the late 19th century, the college admissions process was much more straightforward than today. Students applying to college were simply meant to pass essential subject exams, with multiple retakes allowed. However, this process favored those from higher social classes, making them shoe-ins for top colleges while also making it increasingly difficult for those having gone through the public system to attend prestigious colleges.
As a form of higher education was being discussed for disadvantaged students, as well as a combination of other factors, colleges sought to create a more selective approach. Since then, the college essay has become a way of assessing a student’s personal qualities beyond academics.
As more diverse applicants are applying to these private colleges, new additions to the process were used to maintain certain demographics. For example, Columbia University introduced a lengthy application in 1919 that included questions about family and religion, with the goal of uncovering a student’s background.
After World War II, there was an influx of veterans looking for higher education without paying, which was achieved through the GI Bill. This led to higher demand for college, causing schools to develop stricter admissions criteria, such as adding additional essay prompts. For schools like the University of California, Berkeley, the change in admissions resulted from the desire to make the school more accessible while also dealing with limited space. Meanwhile, private colleges used essays and interviews to maintain control over the composition of their student bodies, sometimes using these criteria to limit the presence of certain groups.
Despite this, social movements during the 1960s and 70s began to change this process.
Admissions criteria, such as personal essays, had once been used to exclude specific demographics, but then they became tools for doing the exact opposite, to promote diversity. For the first time, it was acknowledged by financially well-endowed colleges that aspects of their applicants’ life and education were being overwhelmingly shaped by their backgrounds. Essays began to be seen as a way to understand the experiences of students from different racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic backgrounds, opening up institutions to groups that had been historically excluded.
The personal statement is one of the more recent additions to the college application process, especially when compared to long-standing components like standardized test scores, Advanced Placement exams, and extracurricular achievements. This essay was initially seen as a step towards bringing a more human element into the evaluation process. While test scores and transcripts offer a clear view of a student’s academic performance, they often fail to capture what makes each individual applicant unique and a good fit. The essay was introduced to fill this gap and allow students to tell their unique stories whilst sharing the experiences that shaped their career prospects. This aimed to level the playing field for disadvantaged students, giving them an opportunity to shine regardless of the limitations of their academic record. The Common App’s introduction made the college application program more standardized, a result when it became more difficult to differentiate and choose between one applicant or another. Essays gained more traction as a way to distinguish the students outside of academic qualifications. Recently, these essays underwent prompt adjustments to accurately reflect the change in their values, such as questions about the COVID-19 pandemic.
However, despite the changes to the admissions process, there remains a common issue about the fairness of today’s college admissions. While many people do believe that essays give disadvantaged students an additional help in the application process, other people believe that this aspect can cause an imbalance between students, as wealthier families often have access to more opportunities, such as private tutoring, professional essay coaching, and admissions consultants.
Thankfully, actions have been taken to address this issue. Universities have decided to be test-optional to view each applicant beyond a single score. College Board’s ‘Landscape’ further levels the playing field by providing admissions officers with contextual data about students’ high schools and neighborhoods and an understanding of their potential environment throughout their education. Despite attempts to make admissions fairer, issues with the process still persist.
The personal essay provides students with a way to self-express. However, it has also pressured students to craft the “perfect” narrative that includes every essence of who they are within a few hundred words or less. What began as a way to humanize the admissions process has turned into a stressful task for students, especially those who believe they have to make up for other aspects of their application.
However, students often feel the college essay format may limit their ability to get across aspects of their life they wish to share. As a writer for the Harvard Crimson points out, the structure of college essays tends to favor “attention-grabbing drama” rather than everyday experiences, pressuring students to choose a story about only their most compelling or traumatic moments that may not be as easy to put into words. This is a significant stress inducer, as some students are left feeling like they must conjure up or explain in explicit detail a hardship, in order for their applications to stand out.
To combat this thought process, teachers often recommend that students make the most of the limited word count by focusing on specific, impactful moments rather than attempting to cover every detail of their lives. Writers at Elite Educational Institute suggests that students aim for depth over breadth by centering their essays on particular stories or vivid experiences that reveal character, values, or personal growth. Additionally, teachers encourage students to use the strategy “show, not tell,” using sensory details and concrete examples in order to illustrate points to make the essay more engaging and authentic.
Another approach recommended by counselors is to read essays aloud or share them with friends or mentors, who can help identify parts that might need more clarity or feel underdeveloped. This feedback loop allows students to refine their writing and ensure that they convey the essence of who they are within the tight word limit. By focusing on distinctive stories and gathering trusted feedback, students can write essays that authentically reflect their identities despite the challenge of limited space.
Ultimately, the college essay continues to be a challenging, yet interesting way for students to represent themselves. By homing in on a single story or experience, no matter the depth of it, students can memorably showcase their unique qualities and values, often leaving a stronger impression.
The personal essay provides students with a way to self-express. However, it has also pressured students to craft the “perfect” narrative that includes every essence of who they are within a few hundred words or less.