Writing my College Essay on Poker? - Page 2

Bartman387 · #11 10-03-2005, 12:26 AM

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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.

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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 · #12 10-03-2005, 12:26 AM

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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.

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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 · #13 10-03-2005, 12:28 AM

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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.

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Did you recently watch Risky Business by chance??

#14 10-03-2005, 12:29 AM

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doesnt everyone write an essay about something socially acceptable?

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cuz everyone wants to get accepted

gumpzilla · #15 10-03-2005, 12:30 AM

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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.

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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 · #16 10-03-2005, 12:31 AM

[ 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 · #17 10-03-2005, 12:34 AM

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Did you recently watch Risky Business by chance??

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no???

#18 10-03-2005, 12:37 AM

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

Worst game ever [img]/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img]

brimstone1 · #19 10-03-2005, 12:38 AM

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 · #20 10-03-2005, 12:43 AM

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.