Do colleges really read every part of the application?

Yep, they do. Every awkward joke in your essay, every club on your activity list, every glowing (or… not-so-glowing) recommendation—someone reads it. At holistic schools, admissions officers don’t just skim your app like a TikTok scroll. They’re building a community, and every piece of your application is a puzzle piece that shows how you’d fit in. Even “optional” essays? Not so optional. They show initiative. Think of your app as a Netflix series: your transcript is the plot, your essays are the emotional arcs, and your rec letters are the fan reviews. Don’t phone it in. If it’s part of the application, it’s part of your story—and someone’s paying attention.