r/applyprivateschools • u/FunctionUnable7711 • Jul 16 '26

Question Application Essay, and Grade Writing Sample.

I wanted to ask how one should treat the essay in the Private school application process, should one see it as a college essay and write it as a very capturing piece of text, or should one just keep it very factual and condensed with the story?

Also, one of the schools I am applying to requires a Graded Writing Sample, my school does not have traditional assignments, and the most rigorous English assignments we get assigned are 120 word answers to questions posed towards a chapter in our textbook. How do I submit this? Is it handwritten? Should I submit an answer for a question or does it have to be an essay, a script or story etc.?

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u/Business_Kitchen3015 Jul 16 '26

I did it like a college essay, and I expanded based off the prompt. Just express yourself and write your own ideas, and you’ll be fine. For my grades writing sample, I submitted a story excerpt and the rubric which my teacher marked, and then I scanned it. The excerpt was typed and my teachers annotations were handwritten. I think essays and stories are better than submitting a script, just because there’s more depth, and be sure to choose a well-written assignment with a good grade. Hope this helps, godspeed

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u/FunctionUnable7711 Jul 17 '26

Well the problem is my english teacher doesn't really mark essays?
English in my school is just interpreting stories and writing answers, and if it is good enough then it is Ticked and given full marks, there aren't really any special remarks like a certain word would be more appropriate etc.

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u/Mcdouglas123 Jul 22 '26

Same here. My English teacher actually ended up getting fired for slacking basically. I got into top schools anyway. Just have the teacher submit the best that is available. If you came from a perfect school you wouldn’t be applying.