Got to talk with Valera about admission. Managed to ask the qu | Simusara

Got to talk with Valera about admission. Managed to ask the question that I've been concerned about lately.

The question was:

Talking specifically about essays, are there strongly set criteria for admission officers to assess us as individuals, our world-perception, personality to infer whether to accept us or not or are they more of subjective morality supporters. Because you know there is a trend among US universities that everyone has to have equal rights in terms of applying for colleges no matter of their beliefs, religion, background and so on.
Let's say in my essay I say smth opposite to what they generally believe in. Are they gonna reject me or understand that everyone has his own values and that different doesn't mean wrong.
For instance, I got rejected from an american program because of (I'm assuming) my kind of provoking essay. I said smth like we should prevent ourselves from showing fake sincerity. And this is opposing view to Americans' one. You know they are always so nice to everyone, they always smile.

The answer was: (not literally)

Yes, you have to know your audience. Just like in Eurovision there are certain songs that work and some that don't. Keep in mind that admissions officers don't want to see 17 year old philosopher. They've seen and know a lot, have their masters. (I think the purpose of these sentences was to say that it's better to not touch philosophy in essays bc it would look like showing off and perhaps the arguments youll make would not be valid or thought-out enough and be banal for the experienced professors). Plus, it's important to leave а good impression. When they think of you, they shouldn't remember you as a confrontational but rather ambitious (e.g) applicant.

#thoughts