Do admissions officers actually read the full college essay?
I've been working on my Common App essay for weeks, and it's almost at the 650-word limit. I'm putting a lot of effort into every detail. But I've heard rumors that admissions people get so many applications, they might just skim the essays, or maybe not even finish reading them if they aren't interested.
Is this true? Does anyone know if colleges read the whole essay, or do they usually just skim the first few paragraphs? I feel kind of stressed thinking all my work might not even get fully read. Should I try to make the beginning super attention-grabbing, or is it safe to assume the essay gets read from start to finish?
Would love to hear from people who have talked to admissions officers recently or have any personal experience with this.
Is this true? Does anyone know if colleges read the whole essay, or do they usually just skim the first few paragraphs? I feel kind of stressed thinking all my work might not even get fully read. Should I try to make the beginning super attention-grabbing, or is it safe to assume the essay gets read from start to finish?
Would love to hear from people who have talked to admissions officers recently or have any personal experience with this.
7 months ago
•
167 views
Lydia Schooler
• 7 months ago
Advisor
Your concern is totally understandable—when you spend so much time fine-tuning each sentence, it’s natural to wonder if your efforts will be noticed. The reassuring news is that at most colleges, especially selective ones, admissions officers do read the full essay from start to finish.
Their job is to get a sense of who you are beyond your grades and test scores, so the essay carries real weight in their holistic review process. Many admissions officers read hundreds, even thousands, of essays each season, but they are trained to give every application a fair shot. Often, applications are split up among several officers, and some schools require two separate reads or even a committee review, which means your essay might be seen by more than one person. For instance, an admissions officer at Tufts shared in an info session that although they move quickly, they do read the entire essay because every detail can reveal something important about you.
Of course, the beginning of your essay matters—a strong hook can help your application stand out and make a great first impression. However, don’t overlook the importance of the middle and end. Some applicants try to save a surprising twist or meaningful insight for the final paragraph, and these conclusions can leave an admissions reader with a lasting image of who you are. One former admissions officer at a liberal arts college mentioned a student whose essay about baking bread started simply but built up to a moving metaphor in the last lines, which ended up being a memorable part of her application file.
In rare cases, if the essay is illegible or completely off topic, it might be skimmed, but for the vast majority of essays, it gets full consideration. So keep working hard on every part—and take comfort knowing your story is being read with care.
Their job is to get a sense of who you are beyond your grades and test scores, so the essay carries real weight in their holistic review process. Many admissions officers read hundreds, even thousands, of essays each season, but they are trained to give every application a fair shot. Often, applications are split up among several officers, and some schools require two separate reads or even a committee review, which means your essay might be seen by more than one person. For instance, an admissions officer at Tufts shared in an info session that although they move quickly, they do read the entire essay because every detail can reveal something important about you.
Of course, the beginning of your essay matters—a strong hook can help your application stand out and make a great first impression. However, don’t overlook the importance of the middle and end. Some applicants try to save a surprising twist or meaningful insight for the final paragraph, and these conclusions can leave an admissions reader with a lasting image of who you are. One former admissions officer at a liberal arts college mentioned a student whose essay about baking bread started simply but built up to a moving metaphor in the last lines, which ended up being a memorable part of her application file.
In rare cases, if the essay is illegible or completely off topic, it might be skimmed, but for the vast majority of essays, it gets full consideration. So keep working hard on every part—and take comfort knowing your story is being read with care.
Related Questions
Students also ask…