Which “Optional” Essays are Really Optional?

Students are not always sure which “optional” essays are truly optional. Use Wow coach
Joe Kane’s insight to guide you and your students. Joe has been with Wow since 2013. He
also runs a youth writing program in Nashville, and is a wonder with any type of student. 

At the end of a recent brainstorm session, one of my students said he was concerned that
his application didn’t demonstrate enough hardship. After a couple follow up questions, I
discovered that he had read through the Common App sections before our meeting, and the
Additional Information section caught his attention. Reading the long list of challenging
circumstances gave him the impression that living through hardship was a prerequisite for a
strong application, but he knew that none of the listed circumstances applied to him. 

Even though my student saw that the Additional Information section was labeled “optional,”
he didn’t trust it. And with good reason. There are plenty of supplemental essays and
additional materials that are marked “optional” but are really a requirement if students what
to be competitive. Students notice that. They also notice when adults, who are trying to
maintain a positive tone, get a little cagey when asked if a part of the application is truly
optional. 
 
While discussing the Additional Information section with my concerned student, I was
intentionally direct. I acknowledged that some essays marked “optional” are actually
required, while others are perfectly fine to leave blank. I also promised that I would always
tell him the difference right away. I’d never leave him guessing. 
 
For the hardship question, I told him that if he didn’t immediately think of an idea while
reading the prompt, that’s probably a sign that the question isn’t for him. Students who have
experienced hardship that significantly impacted their high school experience generally don’t need to dig for a story. It’s already on their mind. When he realized that he could leave that section blank, he heaved a big sigh of relief.

Optional? In this case, yes.
 
In others, maybe…
 
Trust yourself and trust the process. You can download a free copy of the ten-step Wow
Method here: https://wowwritingworkshop.com/wow-method-free-download/

Susan Knoppow is CEO of Wow Writing Workshop. She can be reached at
susan@wowwritingworkshop.com