Every time I come to the essay part of my college applications I ask myself: why am I doing this!! How is a 500 word essay going to prove that I am the "right person" for that particular university? How will my re-telling of a "life-altering experience" prepare me for the real world? I just don't understand why 50% of my life’s work can be judged by a singe essay.
When an applicant writes an essay, they usually write what they think the admissions officers want to hear. If this is true, then how can an essay be a true evaluation of the student? A student can not be too much of an individual because then they are not appealing to their reads (the admissions officers), and at the same time they can not be too main stream because they do not stick out of the crowd.
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
I agree, but all the university's or two year colleges I have applied to haven't requested that I write an essay. But I agree, I dont think that thye should require you to write a 250 word essay to get accepted. But I think the reason as to why they have you do that is so that you can sell yourself to the university and prove to them that you are worth having around the campus. I see it from two spectrums.
I agree, but there are many students that have passed through school without being able to write a simple sentence let alone a structured essay. Does not writing the essay prove that you at least have some knowledge of the written word?
I totally agree. But as the last person said it is to sell yourself, just as you do in a job interview. You have to show them you are worthy and aren't doing this just to get out of working for a time or that you'll take a class or two and then just up and quit. Being willing to write that essay to get in is a measure of how much you want to go to that college. I used to wonder the same about doing essays for scholarships but the same thing applies. if you need/want it that badly you'll do whatever it takes.