<p>In the what-do-we-know-anyway dept., here's advice from a pro, the dean of admissions at UVA, who votes <em>for</em> those risky lines:</p>
<p>I think it's great general advice on the topic (but I'm guessing that the qualities that he's talking about will emerge in your S's essay with or without the JW-vampire--S must be hilarious to be around!):</p>
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Any student who has already learned the basics of showing should think about taking a risk on the college essay. What kind of risk/ Think about starting an essay with: "I sat in the back of the police car." Or, as in the example (below): " The woman wanted breasts." These first sentences use what journalists call a hook. The sentence reaches out from the page and grabs our attention. It creates a bit of controversy and an expectation that the writer might be willing to take academic risks in the classroom. A good hook does not mean that a good essay will follow, but it does mean that a reader will look forward to seeing what will unfold.</p>
<p>A risky essay can border on the offensive. In some cases, as in the excerpt, it is possible that a few readers might write off an applicant based upon questionable taste. That is the danger of taking a risk. People wonder if they will be penalized if they do take a risk in an application. They want to know, in other words, if there is any risk in taking a risk. Yes, there is. I can say, however, that my experience in the admissions field has led me to conclude the great majority of admissions officers are an open-minded lot and that to err on the side of the baroque might not be as bad as to stay in the comfort of the boring.</p>
<p>The best essays are crafted not from a formula for success but by a voice that is practiced. Those who are willing to take a risk, to focus on that part of the world that matters to them and to show the passion and the practice it takes to write about it well, will help their chances of admission through their essay.
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