Admit to Underage Drinking in essay?

Applying to College
1

<p>Alright the Penn board is down right now, so I'll post my question here.</p>

<p>For the optional essay, two topics are risks you've taken and first experiences you've had.</p>

<p>I'm talking about all the new things I've done senior year, about how I've openned up and become much more extroverted, in school and outside of school.</p>

<p>Now, something I tried this year was drinking, and I don't know if I should include it in my essay. Will the adcom just completely be offended because I'm admitting to illegal activity, or respect my honestly and consider how I've learned from it?</p>

<p>Thanks</p>

2

<p>I guess it depends on how you present it, but unless it really adds to your essay, I'd avoid it.</p>

3

<p>NOOOOOOOO!!!!! Anyway, it isn't that original. I think the drinking thing could be good if it was a few years ago and you got horribly sick and hurt people and realized you were an alcoholic and have been going to AA meetings for three years and are totally sober. Humility and repentence is good for essays, but you haven't had enough time for that.</p>

<p>Talking about how you've become more extroverted is a good topic...that's a hard thing for a lot of people to do...</p>

4

<p>Not a good idea. Schools have had such serious problems with underage drinking. Find some other more interesting way to illustrate your key theme. Besides, it's trite. Everyone has to deal with alcohol in high school.</p>

5

<p>haha ok, gotcha</p>

6

<p>No because underage drinking is illegal. It'll be a jab at your integrety. How can they trust someone that breaks <em>laws</em>?</p>

7

<p>you might as well just beg the admissions officers to reject you...seriously....</p>

8

<p>lol it is not special since a lot of people do it, they just dont talk about it</p>

<p>i wouldnt write about it</p>

9

<p>y don't u just right "f*** you" for your essay; it'll pretty much have the same effect... :P</p>

10

<p>As commonplace as underage drinking is, it's better Penn doesn't know about it. </p>

<p>Consider the admissions board to be like a boss.</p>

<p>Either way, if you get into Penn (which I hope you do), you'll find yourself drinking more alcohol than you would've ever imagined (or so a friend of mine tells me - though he's not complaining about it).</p>

11

<p>I would definitely avoid it. You shouldn't really talk about anything illegal you have ever done.</p>

12

<p>They say the things you absolutely do not at all want to reference are Drinking, Drugs, Dating, and I forget what the other D is... but yeah. Underage Drinking + College app = not so good much.</p>

13

<p>^^ divorce and death, unless presented correctly. : P</p>

14

<p>The other D is Depression.</p>

15

<p>Drinking, Drugs, Divorce, Dating, and Death.</p>

16

<p>haha alright. I also mentioned asking a girl out in that essay, but that wasn't a big part of it, just a setnence or two</p>

17

<p>uhhh...lol</p>

<p>post the essay!</p>

18

<p>haha no i'm alright. I thought it was pretty good though, and yes i cut out the paragraph about drinking</p>