Teen's essay about losing mother, letter 'S', goes viral | firstcoastnews.com

Viral College Admissions Essay by Abigail Mack

• The Essay's Premise: 18-year-old Abigail Mack wrote a viral college admissions essay centered on the letter "s" and the loss of her mother to cancer.
• Key Metaphor: Mack explores the pain of the "s" in the word "parents," noting that she now only has one parent, yet the plural "s" remains a constant reminder of her loss.
• Grammarly Conflict: The essay highlights a moment where the software Grammarly flagged her use of the word "parent" as grammatically incorrect, underscoring how the world is not designed for her specific experience of grief.
• Coping Mechanism: Mack describes how she dealt with her mother's death by over-scheduling herself with extracurricular activities—including academics, theater, and politics—to avoid thinking about her loss.
• Shift in Perspective: She concludes the essay by shifting her focus from the singular "s" of her loss to the double "s" in "passion," which she credits with giving her purpose.
• Academic Success: The essay was instrumental in her acceptance to several prestigious universities, including Harvard, Notre Dame, Northwestern, and Dartmouth.
• Background: Abigail Mack is a student from Brockton, Massachusetts, whose TikTok video reading the essay went viral across social media.