Writing my College Essay on Poker?

[BrettP217]

So in the last few days I have decided its about time to start writing my college essay. i have really been strugling thinking of a topic to write about and everything i come up with is super cheesy. So i figure i might as well write it on what im passionate about right now... poker. Im going to start writing right after i post this so anyone can help me think of an angle that would be good to go about this. Im hoping to give the people reading my essay a break from the monotony of everyone else who writes a generic essay. I play online and a little in casinos (when i dont get carded) and have a decent bankroll. I dont really think they would care if im underage but if they do that means they are intrested enough in my essay to go through the paperwork and see if I'm 18. So if you give me some ideas about how to go about this and help me brainstorm a little it would be much appreciated.

-Brett

I post my final draft in a few days when im done

[Seth Money]

Kid,

Since your not writing for experts in your class or your teacher/professor your going to ahve to be somewhat basic when your speaking about terms and stuff that 98% of generaly public doesn't know abut it. Hope your teacher/audience is a poker person it will be a lot easier. Prolly not the best place to post it write here, try the gerneral discussion.

But if you want a term paper about "Expansion of Western Civilization From 1850-1950" let me know /images/graemlins/smile.gif

Seth

Is this a college application essay?

[BrettP217]

yes

what college(s)?

[BrettP217]

College's... i live in a suburb of seattle so

UW,Western Washington, university of Portland, UC Riverside, Longbeach State, U Arizona.

stayin on the west coast

[wall_st]

No matter how well you write this thing it will read:

Hello unknown person I would like to impreess you with a story about myself, I have a gambling problem. I am underage and have a gambling problem. Please let me into your school as you are in close proximity to a great casino !!!! Also do you have T-1 available in your dorms ? I need to log those hours your know!

Seriously this is a very very bad idea.

Ok, i live in wisconsin, looking at gonzaga

I'm prolly just a pussy, but I'd stay away from writing about poker. Did you read the sports illustrated article a while back? I've gotta think that colleges won't be too ecstatic about you playing poker (underage or not).

[BrettP217]

im not really looking for whether or not i should write this about poker or not... because i am. But im actually looking for some guidence in writing the actualy essay.

I might apply to gonzaga too

[beeyjay]

I think you should find something a little more "socially acceptable" to write about. I go to wisconsin and I don't even think hellmuth's dad would be too impressed.

[Bartman387]

[ QUOTE ]
No matter how well you write this thing it will read:

Hello unknown person I would like to impreess you with a story about myself, I have a gambling problem.

[/ QUOTE ]

NH

Seriously, I can't see how this would in anyway be a good topic for a college entrance essay. The only possible way I can see it coming across as halfway decent is going very in depth on the expert strategy, completely skip past basics, the mathematics behind it, and how many of these skills can be apllied to life and taken from life. Ala the example that fighter pilots have the proper mentality required to play poker. Do not talk about your experience with playing poker, because this will come off as having a gambling problemm as was previously said.

I didn't have to write an essay to get into the U of M, what are the guidelines for this essay?

[BrettP217]

[ QUOTE ]
I think you should find something a little more "socially acceptable" to write about. I go to wisconsin and I don't even think hellmuth's dad would be too impressed.

[/ QUOTE ]

i know im taking a risk in doing this but doesnt everyone write an essay about something socially acceptable? Maybe it would give the college admisions board a change of pace.

[Bartman387]

[ QUOTE ]

i know im taking a risk in doing this but doesnt everyone write an essay about something socially acceptable? Maybe it would give the college admisions board a change of pace.

[/ QUOTE ]
Did you recently watch Risky Business by chance??

[ QUOTE ]
doesnt everyone write an essay about something socially acceptable?

[/ QUOTE ]

cuz everyone wants to get accepted

[gumpzilla]

[ QUOTE ]
I think you should find something a little more "socially acceptable" to write about. I go to wisconsin and I don't even think hellmuth's dad would be too impressed.

[/ QUOTE ]

I would shudder to read whatever pseudo-inspirational garbage I wrote for a college essay now, I suspect; I can't even remember what I wrote it about. I actually kind of like the idea of writing about poker, if that's what the OP is interested in, simply because I think the odds that he'll write something interesting, engaging, and largely bullshit free are substantially higher if he's going with something that actually interests him rather than things more like: "The greatest challenge I ever faced was getting cut from my junior high soccer team. It really taught me how to handle adversity and made me a stronger person. Now I know how to persevere and attain my goals like so many of the other achievers at UW/Gonzaga/blah blah blah." Of course, I'm not an admissions officer, maybe they actually enjoy that kind of thing.

[BrettP217]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
No matter how well you write this thing it will read:

Hello unknown person I would like to impreess you with a story about myself, I have a gambling problem.

[/ QUOTE ]


the promt i have to write about is "We ask you to write a personal essay that will help us to know you better... You should feel confident that in writing about what matters to you, you are bound to convey a strong sense of who you are"

NH

Seriously, I can't see how this would in anyway be a good topic for a college entrance essay. The only possible way I can see it coming across as halfway decent is going very in depth on the expert strategy, completely skip past basics, the mathematics behind it, and how many of these skills can be apllied to life and taken from life. Ala the example that fighter pilots have the proper mentality required to play poker. Do not talk about your experience with playing poker, because this will come off as having a gambling problemm as was previously said.

I didn't have to write an essay to get into the U of M, what are the guidelines for this essay?

[/ QUOTE ]

[BrettP217]

[/ QUOTE ]
Did you recently watch Risky Business by chance??

[/ QUOTE ]

no???

I played the board game in business class on friday /images/graemlins/grin.gif

Worst game ever /images/graemlins/frown.gif

[brimstone1]

As any self-respecting college-counselor would tell you: there are several topics that you don't write about on your essays.

Boozing, smoking, drugs, etc.

They usually don't even bother counting 'gambling' on that list because gambling hasn't been available to 21- too long, bu trust me, its on that list.

Anything you think is 'cool' and 'da bomb' -- don't write about it. Remember, you're not as special as you think you are, and you're not going to be 'the guy who wrote about poker and got in' because his story was so passionate and amazing. You're going to be the guy who wrote about poker and got rejected.

end of story.

[pergesu]

It really depends. When I was applying for colleges, I knew I'd get accepted into wherever and the essay I wrote didn't matter.

If you're not a shoe in for these schools, and your essay is going to be a key tipping point...you'd hate for it to be about poker.

As an aside, I bet there are thousands of dumbass teenagers this year saying, "omg I'm gonna write about POKAH!!!!" Not saying you're a dumbass, it's probably just not nearly as unique as you think.

[/ QUOTE ]
Did you recently watch Risky Business by chance??

[/ QUOTE ]

nh, sir.

Dude, seriously, do not write your essay on poker, they will think you are a degenerate gambler who will flunk out after first semester.

An essay can be about anything. It's the writing as much as it is the story. Just as long as it's more about yourself than the game, it can be a great admissions essay. Write what you're passionate about. If you're a poker player, write about poker. This is representing you, not the cliche HS Senior.

FWIW, I go to Northwestern and got in writing my essay about juggling.

--Go Cats!

[wall_st]

Dear humboldt,

I love weed it is really important to me and I smoke it every day. If I come to your school I think I could really do some serious smoking. Right now I smoke all of the time (NEARLY EVERYDAY!) and I know all about it, I can tell apart buds that look nearly identical to the average person. I know how you should handle different types of buds when you are growing them because I have a lifetime subscription to high times! In my free time I enjoy posting on the high times internet message boards, in fact I posted there just before writing this essay! What do I have to offer your university ? Well nothing really unless you have a major in hyrdroponics (LOL IM SO HIGH RIGHT NOW!)

Replace the following words with their equivalent:

Weed, Smoking = Poker/playing poker
Hydroponics = Game theory
handle different types of buds = When to re raise against a UTG raiser
High Times = 2+2

This is how your college essay will read to anyone. This includes anyone with a background in poker. If someone from high school writes in about how they like to do some borderline illegal activity how do you think things will play out ?

I am applying to get my MBA right now. During which time I will support myself via poker. The last thing on my mind is writing about poker, because I understand how the general public views it, as GAMBLING! Some people no matter how smart and well educated will just view you as some degenerate moron who will do nothing for their school. In fact you will probably be viewed as a very high liability to dropout.

Why do you think there are so many posts on these boards concerning talking about confrontations concerning gambling between loved ones. If your loved ones cannot understand something like that how will people WHO ARE PAID TO JUDGE YOU FOR A LIVING VIEW YOU ?

[raptor517]

not the best idea.. but could be interesting.. you may get someone that is intrigued by it. dont make it sound like its a problem. just talk about it in a statistical sense and maybe break down some terms, etc, and show how based on math, its a very beatable game. they will eat it up. im doing a sociology paper on leadership on doyle brunson. gotta see if he'll schedule an interview with me. would be teh pwnz. holla

[ QUOTE ]
It really depends. When I was applying for colleges, I knew I'd get accepted into wherever and the essay I wrote didn't matter.

If you're not a shoe in for these schools, and your essay is going to be a key tipping point...you'd hate for it to be about poker.

As an aside, I bet there are thousands of dumbass teenagers this year saying, "omg I'm gonna write about POKAH!!!!" Not saying you're a dumbass, it's probably just not nearly as unique as you think.

[/ QUOTE ]

Where (did you end up / are you going)?

That's great, but I don't think the admissions committee is going to worry about someone having a juggling problem. Gambling, on the other hand, is a serious concern. The people on your admissions committe will be my age (36) or older, most likely, and will not know enough about poker to be impressed, and will immediately be turned off by some kid with nothing better to write about than gambling on the internet. Go work for Habitat for Humanity, or volunteer at a shelter and write about that, they eat that stuff up. Unless you are really borderline on getting in, it really should not make that much difference. But writing it on poker is definitely -EV.
GL

[The4Aces]

you could write about the sterotypes with poker and how you dont fit the mold. AKA your not addicted to gambling. Bankroll managment [censored] like that.

[BrettP217]

[ QUOTE ]
That's great, but I don't think the admissions committee is going to worry about someone having a juggling problem. Gambling, on the other hand, is a serious concern. The people on your admissions committe will be my age (36) or older, most likely, and will not know enough about poker to be impressed, and will immediately be turned off by some kid with nothing better to write about than gambling on the internet. Go work for Habitat for Humanity, or volunteer at a shelter and write about that, they eat that stuff up. Unless you are really borderline on getting in, it really should not make that much difference. But writing it on poker is definitely -EV.
GL

[/ QUOTE ]


OK OK
i wont write about poker

ill go with the above bull [censored] approach...hold the applause

Im a pussy

[raptor517]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
That's great, but I don't think the admissions committee is going to worry about someone having a juggling problem. Gambling, on the other hand, is a serious concern. The people on your admissions committe will be my age (36) or older, most likely, and will not know enough about poker to be impressed, and will immediately be turned off by some kid with nothing better to write about than gambling on the internet. Go work for Habitat for Humanity, or volunteer at a shelter and write about that, they eat that stuff up. Unless you are really borderline on getting in, it really should not make that much difference. But writing it on poker is definitely -EV.
GL

[/ QUOTE ]


OK OK
i wont write about poker

ill go with the above bull [censored] approach...hold the applause

Im a pussy

[/ QUOTE ]

stfu, dont be a pussy, write it on poker. just do it right. holla

[lorinda]

How about taking the negative angle and mix it in with your knowledge of actual play and rules.

"Player 123 would go bust because he simply did not understand Concept xyz..... he could have stopped this occuring by simply <lowering stakes/understanding Concept abc/whatever"

"Player 345 was underrage, which is bad for the industry because...."

"Player 456 was a compulsive gambler. While the industry does direct people to gambling helplines, these helpful pieces of info are usually small and hard to find...."

I suspect that it's a significantly more popular essay than it has been in other years, maybe put a fresh (for the college guys) slant on it. Every other essay will be saying how they play poker, and win at it. You can drop this in there but in disguise.

Just a thought,

Lori

[C M Burns]

I think a well written interesting essay is more important that the topic. these guys read hundreds in a row. But as people have said you don't want to come across as a guy who will be more into gambling than school. A good angle might be to talk about how this "hobby" has sparked a broader interest in some more mainstream things like psychology or math that you may want to pursue in school. make it less "about" poker and more about things you have learned or gained interest in. admissions guys wouldn't be admissions guys if they didn't go for a little personal growth bs.

Examples and anecdotes usually read the best. maybe talk about a specific hand you played and how it got you to think about how people think or the math involved. also it may be better to say you play games with freinds or family rather than sneaking into casinos or even online. If it sounds like something your dad taught you rather than something you do instead of homework it will sound better.

[pergesu]

[ QUOTE ]
Where (did you end up / are you going)?

[/ QUOTE ]
I chose the Rochester Institute of Technology, in NY. Recently heard that yourfoxygrandma goes there. Ended up leaving because it turns out I hate engineering and really cold weather.

Hey there Brett. I actually created an account just to tell you that I wrote an essay on poker for my college applications last year, and I am currently a freshman in Princeton. This essay also helped me get into Caltech, Columbia, Yale, and UCBerkley.

Now I must warn you that what most of these people are saying is probably quite true. In fact you have to make a concerted effort to convince the adcoms that you enjoy poker NOT because of the money, but because of some other aspect. Since I had a lot of ECs and an interest in math and science, I used a odds and outs spin...

The general gist of the essay was that even in a game which seemed to rely so heavily on math and statistics, people still needed that unexplainable intution or feel for the game etc. It went on to say how even though I depend on math and science to explain the world, there are so many things it can't explain, i.e. a simple card game seemingly based straight on statistics and how I am driven to explore and understand the gaps left unexplained by math and science etc... sorta

So you can have poker in your essay, but make sure that you use it to tell the college something interesting about you or your personality.

[SCfuji]

go to puget sound dude. GO LOGGERS.

[sahala]

[ QUOTE ]

It went on to say how even though I depend on math and science to explain the world, there are so many things it can't explain, i.e. a simple card game seemingly based straight on statistics and how I am driven to explore and understand the gaps left unexplained by math and science etc... sorta


[/ QUOTE ]

nh

OP, this is a great example. I agree with Raptor. If writing about poker means you'll write a great essay, go for it in a smart way.

[schwza]

if you're not in a time crunch, write it. you may decide not to use it, but you'll probably come up with some useful stuff for whatever you do write. and it's lame not to write it because a bunch of 2+2'ers tell you not to.

[BrettP217]

thanks for helping me make the write decision... i still might write one on poker just to see how it turns out but i probably wont use it for applying to colleges.

Brett

[TheNoodleMan]

[ QUOTE ]
thanks for helping me make the write decision... i still might write one on poker just to see how it turns out but i probably wont use it for applying to colleges.

Brett

[/ QUOTE ]
Mom and Dad may have taught you to know right from wrong, but unless you learn to tell write from right, I don't think you'll have a great deal of success in college.

[The Yugoslavian]

The subject you write your essay on shouldn't make or break your chances. It is exactly how you fit into the subject. Hell, I wrote about how I made 9 year olds cry and I got in to every school I applied for.

I think Raptor and Lori get this while that MBA dude's thinking is way too uptight.

Through playing poker, what have you learned about yourself so far? What are the essential components for being a great poker player? What have you learned so far about life via poker?

I am confident I could write an essay on any of these questions and it would fly fine. Also, once you get an interview with the school you applied to then you will have something you are clearly passionate about to talk to.

Just be sure that your insight goes deeper than the surface so that the reader won't make the mistake of thinking 'damn useless addict...[whatever].'

I have a friend who wrote his college essay about how much he hated the pottery class he was currently in b/c he only did it so he could give gifts to friends/family (and not pay for gifts) and b/c he thought it'd be almost no work. He got into the schools he applied to as well. So you could do much, much worse here.

Yugoslav

[Supersetoy]

[ QUOTE ]
im not really looking for whether or not i should write this about poker or not... because i am. But im actually looking for some guidence in writing the actualy essay.

I might apply to gonzaga too

[/ QUOTE ]

Seriously, don't. Unless Poker made some HUGE change in your life/made you realize something about your life/epiphany blah blah.

Unless your SAT scores and GPA are good enough to get you in alone, I wouldn't recommend it.

Note: I just graduated from UW last year.

[Irieguy]

I did not read all of the responses, so I don't know what most people are saying... but this is clearly a bad idea.

There is absolutely nothing at all you can disclose about your individuality and humanity through a poker essay that you couldn't disclose by discussing another topic. On the other hand, there is a huge potential downside due to the fact that you are discussing a form of gambling which is illegal in most states.

Be smart, dude. There rates to be something in the universe that you could speak intelligently about other than poker. Choose that thing.

Irieguy

[DaveKForty7]

Straight up, it could definitly fly if you played the negative angle. How "no one really wins except the house" and gambl00r has a hold of everyone who plays, ruins families that kind of thing. It'd be a way to write it about poker, which they would appreciate because your writing about something relevant to the times, not just some random life dribble. They'd probably have very similar views towards poker too, and even if by some miracle they didn't, they'd have to appreciate your argument.

[The Yugoslavian]

[ QUOTE ]

Be smart, dude. There rates to be something in the universe that you could speak intelligently about other than poker. Choose that thing.

Irieguy

[/ QUOTE ]

Like making a 9 year old cry??

/images/graemlins/confused.gif

I expected like almost the exact opposite response to the OP from you, /images/graemlins/frown.gif.

Weird.

Of course, you're not wrong. In fact, you're spot on.

I still think that if poker is what moves him, it is what he should write about.

Yugoslav

[skipperbob]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]

Be smart, dude. There rates to be something in the universe that you could speak intelligently about other than poker. Choose that thing.

Irieguy

[/ QUOTE ]

Like making a 9 year old cry??

/images/graemlins/confused.gif

I expected like almost the exact opposite response to the OP from you, /images/graemlins/frown.gif.

Weird.

Of course, you're not wrong. In fact, you're spot on.

I still think that if poker is what moves him, it is what he should write about.

Yugoslav

[/ QUOTE ]

How do you spell moeran?

No Rides for You /images/graemlins/frown.gif

[mosdef]

[ QUOTE ]
I still think that if poker is what moves him, it is what he should write about.

Yugoslav

[/ QUOTE ]

right...so for your college entry essay, you wrote about almost naked women?

If you've already decided to do it, don't assumer that whoever is reading it knows a lot about poker. Also remember that whoever is reading it has to read dozens of these at a time, so make it stand out.

[MrX]

[ QUOTE ]
I did not read all of the responses, so I don't know what most people are saying... but this is clearly a bad idea.

There is absolutely nothing at all you can disclose about your individuality and humanity through a poker essay that you couldn't disclose by discussing another topic. On the other hand, there is a huge potential downside due to the fact that you are discussing a form of gambling which is illegal in most states.

Be smart, dude. There rates to be something in the universe that you could speak intelligently about other than poker. Choose that thing.

Irieguy

[/ QUOTE ]

Listen to Irieguy. I agree with him almost always as I do in this case.

Writing an intelligent essay on poker will not help you anymore than writing an inteligent essay on any other topic, but it can hurt you big time.

I suppose you know that online poker and college age gambling are hot topics among college circles these days and potentially will not be looked upon favorable.

X

[bawcerelli]

I vote push. If it's what you're really interested in you'll write a better essay IMO. Be careful in how you word it though.

[MrX]

[ QUOTE ]
I vote push. If it's what you're really interested in you'll write a better essay IMO. Be careful in how you word it though.

[/ QUOTE ]

Horrid advice, the average high school kid should just write about sex then (which potentially is less controversial than gambling to a college admissions officer).


X

[theben]

bad idea

[Isura]

Since you're 18, this would be your college entrance essay right?

This is a pretty dumb idea. What institute of higher learning is going to be interested in excepting someone who's only interest in life is playing a card game for money.

[asherpuppy]

Brett, writing about poker is a huge gamble (I'm on the faculty at UC Riverside, and most of these people in admissions are really serious).

If you do write about it, you probably want to hit on some social aspect of it, or just how the pure math side intrigues you. One thing you might talk about is how poker terminology has become prevalent in everyday talk even among underage people. I'm not sure about you, but I hear high school kids around here saying "I'm all in" about everything under the sun. Other phrases I hear outside of poker context are "pot committed", "cold call", "fold", "I got rivered". Heck, I told my 5-year old I was sending him to time-out and he said, "Oh yeah, well I RERAISE you!"

[bawcerelli]

[ QUOTE ]


Horrid advice, the average high school kid should just write about sex then (which potentially is less controversial than gambling to a college admissions officer).


X

[/ QUOTE ]

well that depends on what you mean by 'talk about sex'. talking about how you like orgies probably isn't a good idea. talking about teen pregnancy rates, std's etc. is completely different. it's all about context. that's why i said be careful how you word it. I.E. look at the poker explosion as a social issue, not from view of oh sh!t lots of fish poker is a great way to make money.

[Maulik]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Where (did you end up / are you going)?

[/ QUOTE ]
I chose the Rochester Institute of Technology, in NY. Recently heard that yourfoxygrandma goes there. Ended up leaving because it turns out I hate engineering and really cold weather.

[/ QUOTE ]

i figured that out when I visited in April,and it was snowing /images/graemlins/mad.gif

I used to be a Caltech student, where there is small contingency of highly profitable online players. Since I am slightly older (25), I have some glimpses into the administrative world from people I still keep in touch with. I've heard that administration there is "worried" about the trend, and I imagine that other places are as well. While poker is an excellent game of incomplete information, the general public, though enthusiastic about it, still views it as gambling. Any admissions officer reviewing your essay is going to say "if we admit this kid, there's a chance that he'll be spending 4-5 hours a day playing poker via our network instead of focusing on his studies." I suggest finding a different topic. Best of luck!

[gergery]

I use to read admissions essays for Business schools, and as a general principle I think there are more downsides than upsides to writing about poker in your essay.

Main downside: you don’t know what perceptions the admissions officer will have about poker players. But in general, poker players tend to be viewed as 1) gamblers like slot machine players who will eventually lose everything, and 2) un-productive members of society who will not go on to cure cancer/run big companies and generally be cool alumni the school can cite as having turned out. Those are big preconceptions to overcome in 300 words or less.

One important thing for any essay is to elaborate on why your activity is a cool link to your future career. If you’re going to be an equities analyst or bond trader then poker might be a good topic. Not many other career fields come to mind where the lessons learned from poker are wonderfully applicable.