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I was wondering what kind of tone the essay should be. I am writing about an obstacle that i have faced and I think the tone may be a little somber or depressing. Will the admissions people look down upon this since I appear to be self-pitying and what can i do to improve it. Also is it true that if i use the common app that i dont have to do the essay questions in the schools regular application? i know theres a supplement with other essays for some schools. Does it matter if I use the common app or the school app. Do schools prefer that i use their specific app? Any Help would be
greatly apperciated.

By Dave Berry on Friday, June 28, 2002 - 06:49 pm: Edit

What level of colleges will you be applying to? It's fine to write about a serious topic if you can do so without sounding like you're whining or trying to garner pity. That tactic won't work.

Probably the best thing you can do to help yourself understand how to approach your essay would be to get the book On Writing The College Application Essay by Harry Bauld. It will answer all your questions and show you some excellent examples.

Whether or not you'll have to write more than the Common Application essay will depend on where you're applying. My personal philosophy is that your chances for admission improve at the best schools when you use the school-specific application. That's just my opinion, but I think doing the Common App for top schools shows that you're not quite motivated enough to answer all the questions they went to the trouble to think up. Why not show them that you're willing to go the extra mile in you application?