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Your chance of acceptance
Duke University
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UCLA
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Your chancing factors
Unweighted GPA: 3.7
1.0
4.0
SAT: 720 math
200
800
| 800 verbal
200
800

Extracurriculars

Low accuracy (4 of 18 factors)

How thoroughly do admissions officers read essays?

Hey everyone, I'm just curious about the college application process. To what extent do admissions officers read our essays? Do they read them all or just skim through?

11 months ago

Hello! When it comes to college application essays, admissions officers generally read them quite thoroughly. It is an important part of the application, as it allows them to better understand who you are as a person, your experiences, and what makes you unique beyond your grades and test scores.

Each college has its own process, but typically, an admissions officer will read your entire essay. Multiple people might review your application to make decisions as well, which means that your essay may be read several times. Skimming through essays is not an effective way for admissions officers to gauge the quality of an applicant's personality, writing skills, or potential fit for the school, so it's highly unlikely that it would happen.

With that said, it's essential to make your essay engaging and well written since it will be read carefully. Make sure to grab the reader's attention from the beginning, convey your message clearly, and leave a lasting impression by the end of the essay. Your goal is to demonstrate your unique qualities and experiences in an authentic and compelling way.

Just remember, admissions officers read thousands of essays during each admissions cycle, so it's beneficial to make yours stand out, be genuine, and avoid clichéd topics if possible. Good luck with your application process!

11 months ago

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CollegeVine’s Q&A seeks to offer informed perspectives on commonly asked admissions questions. Every answer is refined and validated by our team of admissions experts to ensure it resonates with trusted knowledge in the field.