Sunday, November 22, 2009

College Essay Editing: How Far Is Too Far?

A high school senior’s personal response can make or break an application. The problem, however, is determining how much an essay should be edited by a teacher. Recently, as discussed in Richard’s column, teachers are often conflicted as to how much help should be given to high school seniors. To some teachers, editing and rewriting parts of someone’s essay is acceptable. Yet to others, teachers feel it’s only valid to encourage students to find their “voice”. Still, there are services offered online and in person that greatly edits a high school seniors’ essay. Services can guarantee “Complete package” that provide “‘an upfront, wide-ranging interview, an outline, and after you write it, editing your essay’”. Though these services are appealing, being accepted based on your own writing can only make you feel more accomplished with your own work, not an overly edited work.

Adrienne Kwan, Director of Social Media
University Advisors

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