Writing my College Essay on Poker?

[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]

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

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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]

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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


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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]

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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

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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]

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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

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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.