Answers from Harvard’s Dean
On The Choice, the New York Times’ college admissions blog, a Harvard dean of admissions responds to questions about what level of parent assistance is appropriate when it comes to college applications.
We evaluate essays in the context of students’ transcripts, comments from teacher recommendations, any academic accomplishments that indicate unusual promise, or even by examining how the application essays compare to the essays on the SAT or ACT writing exam.
We look for, as Phil Smith (former dean of admissions at Williams) put it many years ago, internal consistency.
Writing a great essay cannot lead to admission if the rest of the application is not at the same level. What students achieve on a day-to-day basis during high school is far more compelling. But the essay provides an opportunity for students to tell colleges about something that is important to them, perhaps something that will not be found in other parts of the application.
The rest of his response can be found here.
