“I hate the letter ‘S.’” This line has become one of the most famous Common App essay introductions. Written in 2021 by high schooler Abigail Mack, this essay garnered 16.5 million views on one TikTok video alone, capturing the attention of students nationwide. While this essay earned Mack acceptances into Harvard, Yale, and Princeton, there is a deeper lesson to be learned from her story. When writing college essays, students must balance enticement with character, crafting a piece of writing that conveys their authentic self, revealing how there is no “one size fits all” method to developing a Common App. Essays like Mack’s serve as models for how students can captivate readers, sustaining the interest of their audience through various literary techniques. It is undeniable that Abigail Mack’s college essay contains an enthralling hook, seizing the admission officer’s focus with her bold declaration of hatred for a seemingly harmless letter in the alphabet. After reading this almost bizarre opening line, it is nearly impossible to withhold oneself from reading further.
Throughout her essay, Mack continues to refer to the motif of the letter “S,” ensuring that readers are still engaged with her writing. Using vivid imagery, she describes herself as running away from the letter “S,” desperately trying to move forward and avoid looking back at the haunting letter chasing her. Indeed, Mack’s utilization of “shock value” and a prolonged metaphor tremendously strengthen her essay. Statistically speaking, on average, college admissions officers spend around ten to fifteen minutes reading and analyzing each essay—quite a small portion of time to be deciding someone’s future! In fact, college admissions officers can read up to 100 applications per day. As a result, students must construct unique aspects of their writing that allow them to quickly stand out amid the vast sea of college essays, making a lasting impression in a matter of seconds. Overall, Mack’s essay does an incredible job of demonstrating how weaving enticement into one’s writing can propel a student forward in the admissions process. At the same time, it is vital that students balance enticement with the illustration of their character.
While enticement ensures that the admissions officer will stay engaged throughout the piece, character highlights the core values, morals, and beliefs of a student. These qualities are critical in determining whether or not a particular student will be a good candidate for a certain college. For example, Abigail Mack’s essay was not simply about her loathing of the letter “S.” Mack writes about her experience with losing her mother to cancer at the age of twelve, detailing how the shift from having two parents to having one parent catapulted her abhorrence of “S.” Moreover, Mack narrates how her persistent attempts to ignore her grief and avoid the letter “S” gave rise to her busy schedule, with her days constantly being packed with school, practices, rehearsals, and homework. The final message that Mack leaves readers with revolves around her motivation for maintaining such a frenetic agenda: passion. Despite the two S’s in this word, passion was what enabled Mack to move forward after the passing of her mother, communicating her perseverance and enthusiasm to the admissions officers.
Altogether, Mack is able to effectively create a strong profile of her character, making her a prominent student among the tens of thousands that apply to Harvard each year. At the end of the day, Mack’s “I hate the letter ‘S’” essay is not a “one size fits all” approach to college essay writing. Attempting to exactly mirror the format or content of a viral influencer essay will undoubtedly harm a student’s chances of getting admitted into the colleges they apply to, as a lack of sincerity always seeps through in one’s writing. The ultimate goal of writing a Common App essay is not to copy someone else, flaunt one’s achievements, or trauma dump to the admissions officer. Instead, college essays are meant to reveal a student’s authentic voice, offer insight into their experiences, and help readers understand who they are beyond superficial grades and awards. Students can demonstrate authenticity by reflecting on meaningful experiences in their lives that have genuinely shaped their perspective, values, or identity. By writing in a natural voice, students showcase their sincerity and true character, crafting a memorable essay.
