Hey everyone, I'm in the midst of college application season and I was wondering if it's frowned upon to use the same essay for different applications? Or should I be personalizing each essay to the college I'm applying to? Insight appreciated!
Hey there! From my experience with my own kiddo last year, it's generally fine to reuse the same essay for multiple applications, especially if it's a personal statement that's not specifically about the college itself. But it's important to make sure the essay prompt is actually the same or very similar. If it's a 'Why Us?' essay or any prompt that asks about the specific college, you'll need to tailor it to show you've done your research and really understand what makes that school a great fit for you. For instance, my child wrote one personal statement for several schools but crafted individual 'Why Us?' essays for each institution. Not only does it show that extra effort, but admissions officers can usually tell when they're reading generic responses. Good luck with your applications!
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