Marcia Landesman, 2001年7月至2013年7月，担任耶鲁大学本科招生办副招生主任，现任Choate Rosemary Hall寄宿高中的升学顾问部主任。她在耶鲁大学负责招生工作时，阅读过海量的申请Essay,她认真研究一篇出色的essay，如何能让你脱颖而出。这些是她重点要求的：1，“......Write about something that matters to you. Use your own voice",; 2, Your perspective -the lens through which you view your topic - is far more important that the specific topic itself. Topics that spring from the life of the imagination. 3,proofread, proofread, proofread! Share your essays with at least one or two people who know you well - such as a parent, teacher, counselor, or friend - and ask for feedback." 她强调的是要写出你自己，你是谁； 最后一点她指出要至少一位或两位熟识你的朋友阅读你的essay， 例如你的父母，老师，顾问或朋友。