Applying to 8 schools, especially the schools that Reagan chose meant on average 3 or 4 essays per school. Those good with math know that's a max of 32 essays. The pressure on Reagan (mostly internal and Mel's deadline awareness reminders was pretty high. After all, the content of these essays could be the thing that makes or breaks her acceptance.
Essay 1
"Whoa, I don't think this is how you want to start it." That was my first comment on the Google Doc that was shared with me allowing me the chance to highlight text and put some thoughts into a bubble alongside the document. I seem to be on the slow learn curve because this one comment got the document unshared, tears and a room leave.
This turned into a "well if she doesn't want my help, that's fine" attitude that really didn't go over well. Mel became the negotiator and I began a learning process of how to approach a sensitive writer hopped up on super-high college aspirations. If this was going to happen, I was going to have to change my tone.
Essay 2
After leaving my comments I zoomed out. How much "red ink" was there vs what she wrote? It was clear she needed a win to help boost her confidence. I began adding in good comments, like "this is g a great phrase" and "this is really good". Immediately I felt like a coach on the field, not an editor ripping through text. That didn't stop the tears, hurt look, silent treatment, it just means that I was going to have to turn the ship slowly.
Essay 3
I love writing when it's free of fluff. I don't like cliche's or wordy choices. I think it's because I've written for the web and for business where long stuff just doesn't get read. That's not Reagan's style.
Instead, she's verbose. She's stubborn to change or anyone changing her word choice. She's proud.
I think I must have been that way one time but writing for editors who rip stuff up must have fine tuned my ego to accept edits without shame. Reagan's not had that benefit but it still surprised me how resistant to change she is.
I really enjoyed ripping her 500 words down to 250 to meet the requirement. Turning a long paragraph into 3 sentences is easy for me at this point. Reagan resisted but knowing the word count was negotiable made it just a little easier.
Essay 4
This is about when I foolishly thought Reagan and I were seeing eye to eye and could work on collaborative level. We'd been through so much, she knew I was only trying to help despite my dumb helpful comments like "Good God, this is rough" and hits like "Maybe you just draw a line below this and try rewriting." Not a winner.
Apparently, Reagan doesn't write like I do. Given the chance, I'll write 3 drafts. If I were to rewrite, I'd write 3 new ones. I am not a fine of continuous refinement, I'd rather wander and see if I strike gold in another metaphor, another turn of phrase, another verb choice. I see that creative stretching as a necessity. That's not Reagan.
She despised my idea of starting over. It seemed to be a condemnation of who she is and all she would ever be. I think all-told, we rewrote one essay out of the bunch.
Essay 5
This one was for a school I don't want Reagan to go to. It's far away, in a city, and is so different than anything I've ever known. The topic was boring and Reagan's start was pushing me to recommend a rewrite. The tears were flowing and it wasn't going to be a battle anyone won.
Mel had the brilliant idea of just giving up, it was for a very selective scholarship for this one school. It took no effort to convince all of us this was OK to skip.
Final essay
This was for Johns Hopkins. The topic was something like "given all Hopkins has to offer, tell us what you will bring to the community" or something like it. Yuck.
Reagan jotted down a few ideas and I searched for some samples (some schools put notes on "winning essays" and comment on why the admissions office liked the samples. It can be helpful. I read them and holy crap, these kids were smart and amazing writers.
I was nervous. Reagan's essays had been good, certainly better than mine in high school but were they this good? I had doubts.
Then I read her first take and it was amazing. I had no comments (it was a short piece). It reflected her hopes, her past and guessed at her future. It was beautiful, just like Reagan.
That made one essay, out of 31 that we didn't fight over, no tears were shed, no silent glares. If I am honest, now that they are over, I kind of miss working with Reagan on writing. Both for the fun of writing and for working with her. She's a quirky, stubborn, funny kid with a great sense of where she fits in.
I suspect Mel misses being the referee (which really was just glaring at me with that, "you are doing this oh-so-wrong" look).
Maybe I'll get her to apply to Dad U. and we can work on some essays again...
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