College application essays are a difficult genre to properly execute. Focus too much on your resume, and fail to make a personal impression on admissions officers. Brag and boast too much, and risk coming off as arrogant. Perhaps one of the most difficult contradictions of the genre to navigate, especially when it comes to a college’s specific supplemental essays and questions, is the simultaneous necessity to demonstrate a deep understanding of the college’s culture and traditions while avoiding any and all name dropping. Huh? Is name dropping really that bad? What if there’s a professor you’re very excited to study under? What if you want them to know that your uncle John Henry XI donated the Henry library?

Yes, it’s that bad. Let’s unpack why.

Name Dropping in College Essays Almost Always Backfires

This is because college essays are more a game of likability than highlighting accomplishments. The perfect college essay is not a laundry list of accomplishments and merits. In fact, any and all boasting should be done sparingly and in the service of conveying a singular admissions hook. Admissions officers are not just assessing your academic potential, they’re trying to evaluate the highly personal characteristics that make you you! And the extent to which you will contribute positively to campus culture and community is a very important part of this evaluation. 

But what does this have to do with name dropping? The truth is, gushing about one professor in particular, even if their interests align with yours, comes off as opportunistic and disingenuous, all but killing any chances of being considered a positive community member. How can you be expected to explore everything that campus has to offer when you’ve already limited your academic horizons to one professor? Universities are revolving doors of academic talent. The biology professor you hoped to conduct research with might be on sabbatical for the next two years. The history professor with an exciting new method you want to explore might not be taking on any new students. These contingencies are more likely than one might think!

Worse still, those misguided applicants who boast about a legacy connection in the hopes of impressing admissions officers are just plain unlikable. If you’re fortunate enough to benefit from legacy consideration at a highly selective college, let this family history do all the talking! Pointing it out in essays with very limited word counts, in which every last sentence counts, is redundant, and quite frankly annoying.

No One Believes Professor X or Benefactor Y Is Solely Drawing You to Campus

Admissions officers can see through the name dropping farce. You want to go to Dartmouth (or Brown or Middlebury) because of the unique culture and traditions that make it Dartmouth! Write about these qualities instead, especially when prompted to reflect on what’s drawing you to that campus in particular. And be specific. Imagine how you’ll feel on that one campus holiday that everyone looks forward to. Linger in the exciting opportunities that a certain department or program would provide for you as you pursue your unique passion. Talk about an aspect of campus history that only a serious applicant would know about. But don’t list a handful of names with the hopes of getting through the door. People are fickle — institutional specifics are forever!

Despite this advice, countless families who are not our clients ignore us and go down the treacherous path of pointing out Professor X and Benefactor Y. When space is limited, every sentence should be written in the service of demonstrating a singular hook and deep knowledge of the college to which you’re applying. Those that take Ivy Coach at our word will thank us later!

How Ivy Coach Helps Students Craft the Perfect “Why This College?” Essay

Ivy Coach helped pioneer the deeply-specific and yet genuine “why this college?” essay that gets ambitious students onto elite college campuses. If you’re interested in optimizing your child’s case for admission to a highly selective college, fill out our complimentary consultation form, and we’ll be in touch.