How much do MIT and Carnegie Mellon value essays?Answered
I am struggling with my supplemental essays. I feel like my Carnegie Mellon essays are good, but when I submit them for review, I am told that I do not talk enough about myself. Do they only care about personal growth? I talk about a competition that was important to me, should I elaborate on that or just on myself?
Similar questions go for MIT. They have a short word count, so it is even harder. How much of my essay should be focused on my personal growth and how much should be focused on other aspects?
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3 answers
It would be best if you were answering your essay prompts in whichever way feels the most natural to you. According to the MIT admission office, "You should certainly be thoughtful about your essays, but if you’re thinking too much—spending a lot of time stressing or strategizing about what makes you “look best,” as opposed to the answers that are honest and easy—you’re doing it wrong."
Hi @Chiara_Sloboda!
Based on MIT's common data set, the application essays are as important as academic rigor, GPA, standardized test scores, and recommendation letters.
From Carnegie Mellon's common data set, essays are as important as recommendations but not as important as academic rigor, class rank, and GPA.
Universities care more about what you, as a person, bring to their campus rather than a detailed explanation of the competition. There would've been other people at the competition, and any of them could describe it similarly. What did you do differently at the competition that sets you apart from them? Of course, some information about the competition will help give some context, but don't go into unnecessary details.
Hope this helps!
I found the website, where assist me in my management assignment help. I liked the way that the essay topics were organized, and the essay questions were developed. I definitely think that both MIT and Carnegie Mellon value essays. I'm glad that both of these schools place a lot of importance on them.
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