Southwestern Optional Essay Forum

[Judge Philip Banks]

I want to submit my app to Southwestern today, but am on the fence about doing one of the optional essays... Is there anyone who is applying right now or already has this or any previous cycle that has done the optional essay? What difference would doing it really make?

[swilson215]

I applied but didn't do the optional essays. I kind of wish I had, but I don't think it will make me an auto-reject because I didn't. I just wanted to get everything off my desk before Thanksgiving.

[Judge Philip Banks]

Yeah, that is how I feel, too (minus the pre-Thanksgiving part...). I can't imagine them rejecting someone who would normally get in just because they didn't write one of the essays. I'm feeling somewhat paranoid, however, and just want to write the essay so I can't say later that I didn't do everything possible to get myself in. I would really be angry at myself if I didn't get in and didn't do the essay. Hence, I have been working on it today... :/ It seems rather generic and simple, though, so it isn't too hard or anything, but I just do not get what the school would gain, if anything, from this optional requirement (oxymoron?).

[swilson215]

Yeah, that is how I feel, too (minus the pre-Thanksgiving part...). I can't imagine them rejecting someone who would normally get in just because they didn't write one of the essays. I'm feeling somewhat paranoid, however, and just want to write the essay so I can't say later that I didn't do everything possible to get myself in. I would really be angry at myself if I didn't get in and didn't do the essay. Hence, I have been working on it today... :/ It seems rather generic and simple, though, so it isn't too hard or anything, but I just do not get what the school would gain, if anything, from this optional requirement (oxymoron?).

Probably just an increased familiarity with your writing style, as well as a different perception of or angle on who you are and where you're coming from, in a general sense...I'm with you, though.