Three annual events have recently taken place like clockwork.
1. Ivy League schools proudly released their (dropping) admissions rates.
2. One student has been accepted by many or all of them.
3. The press is running headlines touting “the essay that got her admitted.”
Here’s the problem with the headline. We don’t know if it’s true.
Did the essay get her admitted? Or was it a non-factor? Or was she admitted in spite of the essay? Maybe the committee believed she could take the school’s physics department to the next level? Maybe none of the readers much cared for the essay but admitted her anyway because of something else that impressed them? In fact, it’s entirely possible that each school had somewhat different reasons for admitting her. That’s the way admissions works.
The only people who know how a college reached a decision about any particular student are those who sat there in the room when the admissions committee discussed and voted. The one occasional exception is a high school counselor who communicates with the admissions office.
I’m not trying to downgrade any student’s admissions glory—these applicants should feel proud of their accomplishments and excited about their opportunities.
But the essay is just one of many factors that an admissions office considers. And offers of admission are rarely made based on one piece or part alone.
So please don’t bookmark those articles with the intent to mimic the story or the writing when you apply. It’s an essay, not a blueprint.