The Application Essay
Note: See further below for details on a special FREE offer that’s good through November, 2011.
The personal statement is the one portion of the application that is under the complete control of the student, so be sure to make the most of it! Admissions committees use the essay to get an intuitive sense of the applicant as a person—the real, live human being behind the transcript and the test scores.
Composing the personal statement can be nerve-wracking, sometimes for good reason. Writing well is difficult, and writing well about yourself is even more so. Frankly, we’ve seen all too many essays that are filled with grammar mistakes and awkward syntax—not to mention clichéd, dull content.
We would never write the essay for your child, but we’ll work closely with the student—through multiple re-writes, if necessary—until the end result is a powerful and memorable statement of your child’s unique qualifications for admission.
Special Introductory Offer: Smarty Pants Admissions Consulting is offering a completely free, no-strings-attached essay
critique to any new client who responds before December 1, 2011. We will carefully read your application essay (please, one
per student) and reply with detailed feedback on grammar, style, and content. Why are we doing this? Because we think you’ll find the analysis so valuable that you will continue working with us as a paying customer. Please e-mail your essay to Alex Chernavsky at alexc@aya.yale.edu.