Optional Essays - Why X vs. other topics
Posted: Mon Nov 23, 2015 11:52 pm
At schools like Penn and Michigan that offer a bunch of different optional essay topics (and waitlist overqualified people), what do you think the difference would be for someone hovering around the 75%ile between submitting the Why X essay or choosing another topic? (i.e. Describe a time when you excelled as a leader or were particular frustrated etc. etc.) I already submitted my apps to these schools doing alternative prompts but I was just wondering if anyone has any insight on whether they will YP people that don't submit the Why X essay even if they submit one of the other optional ones.