Small Questions: They’re Just That
By Robert J.
Lots of top applications now include a series of “Very
Short Answer” or “Hodge Podge” segments. They
usually consist of a series of questions on trivial topics that
are designed to give admissions officers a better idea of who
you “really” are. In reality, however, these sections
do little more than give nervous applicants a few additional
ulcers. Never in my life have I seen so many people lose sleep
over what fruit or vegetable is truly their “favorite.”
From an application reader’s viewpoint, I certainly understand
how these seemingly obscure facts can help differentiate applicants
and make things a little interesting. They certainly reveal
at least a little bit about how the applicant’s mind works.
For many people, however, that’s precisely why these benign
little questions can be so stressful.
“Well, I really think Lord of the Rings is my
favorite movie, but I don’t want the person reading this
to be a fan of the books and not the movie, and I’ve already
listed ‘Atlas Shrugged’ as my favorite book, so
I don’t confirm anywhere in here that I actually read
the books, so how can I show that I’m not one of those
people who just sees the mov… oh, screw it, I’ll
just put Casablanca.” That’s a pretty common
example of the thought process that goes into these types of
questions. Many people come up with a genuine answer, find some
possible fault in it, then worry about the risks so much that
they just lie by listing something that isn’t necessarily
their “favorite” but is a lot more generic.
"Ode to Joy" is a beautiful piece of music, but what
18-year old that you know would legitimately list it as his
or her “favorite song”? If you said “one in
a million,” I’d say you’re being generous.
Yet, for some reason, that answer will be given dozens of times
this fall, probably more frequently than every top-40 song of
the year combined. But, why? Simple: it’s a risk-free
answer.
Everyone knows that there’s not a college employee in
existence that would say, “Man, this kid is an idiot.
Everyone knows Beethoven’s ninth is horrible!” Avoiding
any unfavorable response is enough to sway most applicants to
these generic answers. However, the smart ones realize the repercussions
of responding to ten questions that are supposed to make you
stand out with untrue, generic answers. When you answer that
way, don’t expect to your reader to say, “wow this
applicant has very mature taste.” In reality, it will
more likely be something like, “oh no, not another one
of these…”
My point: Keep it real. It’s better to have an admissions
officer feel like he or she knows you but disagrees with you
then to have them so bored by your answers that they forget
you exist. Of course, that doesn’t mean you can’t
have a predictable answer or two in there. If your favorite
book is really 'War and Peace', more power to you. Just don’t
be afraid to also list “Dumb and Dumber” as your
favorite movie because it doesn’t fit the “scholarly
image” you’re trying to project. If you’re
a scholar, the rest of your application will prove it. This
section is here to prove that you’re a person.
Believe it or not, admissions committees don’t want to
invite a class of students who will do nothing but sit in their
rooms studying all day. They love to see applicants who are
smart and intuitive, but also active members of their own generations.
In that sense, don’t be afraid to give an answer that
shows who you are. If your favorite place to eat is Burger King,
say so, despite the temptation to put “The Tibetan Garden”
in order to sound more cultured. Honestly, odds are better that
the person reading your application is munching on a Whopper
than on a bowl of Tsel Tofu. Don’t deny yourself the right
to shine as the person you truly are. Be creative and let the
truth come out.
I’ll leave you with an example from one of my own applications.
The last question of the “Hodge Podge” section was,
“What is the best advice you’ve ever received?”
After words of my family, my teachers and countless historical
figures flashed through my head, I looked down at my desk where
my copy of the “How High” soundtrack sat. I wrote
the truth:
“If you’ve got to be a monkey, be
a motherf—kin’ gorilla”
-Redman
...yes, they let me in.
