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On October 18 2005 08:00 Hot_Bid wrote:
the essay doesn't matter nearly as much as your grades and SAT... i'd study like mad for the standardized test then worry about your essays
actually, your grades actually matter quite a bit more. my school was highly competitive and i was ranked similarly to you (like #41 out of 550 or so) but got a high SAT score (1550) and predictably didn't get into any of the top tier Ivy's (yale, princeton) but did for the lesser ones (cornell).
listen to this guy. i say screw the essays until you are done with all those tests. they hold much more weight in the selection process. however, an outstanding essay may very well be able to tip the scales in your favor, so don't leave it to the last minute either.
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Great post by hulk, im a bad writer myself. So stuff like that is allways a good reminder on things i should pick up for later use =)
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On October 18 2005 16:04 DevAzTaYtA wrote:Show nested quote +On October 18 2005 08:00 Hot_Bid wrote:
the essay doesn't matter nearly as much as your grades and SAT... i'd study like mad for the standardized test then worry about your essays
actually, your grades actually matter quite a bit more. my school was highly competitive and i was ranked similarly to you (like #41 out of 550 or so) but got a high SAT score (1550) and predictably didn't get into any of the top tier Ivy's (yale, princeton) but did for the lesser ones (cornell).
listen to this guy. i say screw the essays until you are done with all those tests. they hold much more weight in the selection process. however, an outstanding essay may very well be able to tip the scales in your favor, so don't leave it to the last minute either.
an essay adds depth and personality. having just a pretty good score (2100+) will not make you stand out from the thousands of other applicants with similar scores. if you dont stand out, you will very likely be rejected.
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Hulk: When do you use a dash instead of a comma (it seems like you would know)?
Also, while you shouldn't be verbose just to be verbose, nothing is more satisfying then using a word which fits the situation just right, instead of a more common one (i.e describing a top socom team as a cadre)
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First off, many formal writers hate on the dash. You might want to use it sparingly if you've got an uptight teacher. I think it's a great tool, though, and use it often.
In usage, the dash tends to indicate an abrupt change while the comma tends to indicate a pause. You set a phrase off with dashes much like you would with parentheses, but they make the phrase not so much an aside as a change in your train of thought, after which you can carry on with your sentence. Example:
The rescue workers had to deal with many dangers (for which, incidentally, poor leadership left them unprepared) as they picked through the ruins of Hawkesburg.
That's more or less an aside. But here the interrupting clause relates more directly to the sentence:
The rescue workers had to deal with many dangers--downed wires, flash flooding, stray animals, and the aftershocks of the devastating earthquake--as they picked through the ruins of Hawkesburg.
In that case, the dash-phrase operates much like an appositive. However, it provides a cleaner, more forceful break than commas. Look at how nicely the dashes separate that phrase from the rest of the sentence. It lets the reader know that you're chasing down a tangent rather than just giving a short elaboration.
But, yeah, the dash has jumped onto the scene fairly recently, from what I've heard. You can feel free to be a little bit experimental in your usage. Just make sure you're using it in a way that a different punctuation mark doesn't already cover.
Some final notes on the dash:
There is no space before or after the dash.
Each dash is actually two hyphens with no space between them.
As far as word choice is concerned, I do enjoy a big word every now and then. Sometimes a good old, Latinate compound word is the best word for the job. You just have to make sure you're not forcing it. I think you and I see eye to eye on this one, though.
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United Kingdom10597 Posts
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I'm just reporting orthodox punctuation here, boss. Don't shoot the messenger.
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is awesome32281 Posts
Would someone mind explaining the consecuences of the score you get in thi SAT test and how it works? :0
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The best tip I have is that a college essay is an anecdote or series of anecdotes, not a grocery list of things that happened. You have to infuse it with as much detail as you can in the scant space you're allowed (500 words?); describe your experiences and tell the admissions board why you are tight. I'm going through the same process as you right now, and let me tell you, writing a good college essay is so much harder than most of the other writing I've done - and I've done a lot.
an essay adds depth and personality. having just a pretty good score (2100+) will not make you stand out from the thousands of other applicants with similar scores. if you dont stand out, you will very likely be rejected.
This is exactly right. It may be true that GPA and test scores are important for admission to state universities, but the more selective the college gets, the more critical your essay becomes. Having a 2360 SAT and 4.0 GPA doesn't distinguish me from most applicants at the U. of Chicago or Yale, let me tell you that!
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if i have a super good essay but a shitty gpa and a really high sat/act score do i have much chance to get into a good college?
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On October 18 2005 20:50 AiurZ wrote:
if i have a super good essay but a shitty gpa and a really high sat/act score do i have much chance to get into a good college?
maybe
GPA is pretty important though
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My college essay was titled "How mario changed my life" and I was accepted to every school I applied to. Just think of something unique to write about and it will work.
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Heh, now I feel so cliché writing about playing the piano. Writing about a topic like Mario is probably a bit of a risk, but one that I would probably take myself if my numbers were less solid. Plus it would be easier and more fun...
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EPT
