Skip to main content
3
a year ago
Admissions Advice

Honors Application Essay Question
Answered

Hey everyone-

I'm applying to the Honors College at the University of Missouri, and one of the requirements is submitting an additional essay. One of the essay options states: "If you feel that an essay you have already written encompasses information that would be helpful to the committee, feel free to use it instead. You may use your Common Application essay..."

However, I've already used my Common Application essay on my regular application. I have a back-up essay I can submit instead, but it isn't quite as strong as the essay I initially applied with.

My question is: Would it be beneficial to submit a completely new essay? Or can I use the one I already applied to the school with?

I'm more wondering if that's looked down upon by admissions councilors or not, or if it's two completely separate people who read them and won't know if it's already used.

Thank you so much for your advice!

application
applicationadvice
CommonAppEssay
essay
honorsessay
3
4
🎉 First post
Let’s welcome @jordanrues to the community! Remember to be kind, helpful, and supportive in your responses.

Earn karma by helping others:

1 karma for each ⬆️ upvote on your answer, and 20 karma if your answer is marked accepted.

2 answers

1
Accepted Answer
a year ago

If your backup essay emphasizes another part of you or communicates a better voice for colleges to get to know you on paper, then I say go for it. If you feel ashamed of the backup essay, then I would not submit it. Honors colleges are looking for who each individual student is, rather than perfection. Essays are used to communicate a few things: can this student write well, and who is this student? Even honors essays look for those two things. If you can write well (not perfect, but well), and if the backup essay contributes to answering the "who are you" question, submit it.

1
0
a year ago

Unfortunately, you do not have a lot of time. I would reread your back-up essay and think about it: Is it easier to start from scratch or polish this up? If your back-up essay simply needs some revising and grammar correction, run with it. However, if you feel like it's a lame topic, than you may need to start a new idea. What is the topic of your back-up essay, if you don't mind sharing?

0
What are your chances of acceptance?
Your chance of acceptance
Duke University
Loading…
UCLA
Loading…
+ add school
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)

Community Guidelines

To keep this community safe and supportive:

  1. Be kind and respectful!
  2. Keep posts relevant to college admissions and high school.
  3. Don’t ask “chance-me” questions. Use CollegeVine’s chancing instead!

How karma works