<p>When it comes to writing essays, I always come off as being sarcastic. Like for example, when I had to write an essay about Romeo and Juliet for some Shakespeare thing in English, kids wrote about young love and the trials of youth and rivalry and all that, whilst I applauded the scenes of implied statutory rape for arousing me, thus distracting me from the play itself. I earned many claps and many laughs from everyone in the room.
However, I feel that if I write an admissions essay in a sarcastic tone, they may take it that I don't care about what I write or think I'm just plain old lazy. </p>
<p>“I applauded the scenes of implied statutory rape for arousing me” sounds distasteful. Good personal statement should be genuine and give the adcon a good impression of who you are. </p>
<p>bomerr is correct</p>
<p>What earns laughter and applause from a room of high school students may be interpreted VERY differently by an admissions officer.</p>
<p>^^ yes. I actually think it’s a good idea – in theory. But you must be 100% certain that your jokes work for college-educated adults, not just teenagers. Pro tip: the safest jokes are self-deprecating. Explain why you’re a fool, and let the context show that you don’t mean it. If you feel a need to add <jk> it’s probably not funny.</jk></p>
<p>Short answer: don’t do it.
What your classmates regard as funny, adults may regard as childish, if not outright silly. Also, keep in mind that, to many people, delivery style, not actual content, is what makes a joke funny. Therefore, your jokes are probably less funny when someone reads them in an essay.</p>
<p>Don’t miss this opportunity to show who you actually are.</p>
<p>If that particular piece of humor is what you consider representative of what you plan to write in an essay, then PLEASE DON’T. Not appreciated.
If you can do it tastefully, in a way that admissions reps will find to be a humorous sidetrack from reams and reams of “my mother inspires me” essays, then go ahead. But what you describe above sounds like something to run away from. </p>
<p>Don’t play the buffoon or try to be the provocateur. Try to see if you have anything to say once you drop the sarcasm. UC Davis gives a pretty good list of common pitfalls, note the last one:</p>
<p>Not reading the instructions in the application.
Not writing about recent events.
Reiterating information listed elsewhere in the application.
Listing accomplishments without explanation or detail.
Using gimmicky writing techniques, such as poems.
Using cliches.
Writing more about an inspirational person than yourself (e.g. your mother, favorite uncle, etc).
Rambling, unfocused thoughts.
Being overly humorous, self-deprecating or glorifying.</p>
<p>Not sure if I’m too late here, but yes humor is acceptable if done well. You know adcoms are sick of reading dry essay after dry essay and humor is a bit of a relief.</p>
<p>To me, it’s worse when a student writes an essay that sounds very faux-pretentious: lots of big words, something about the apex of their life or when their childhood ended, etc etc. </p>
<p>Word of advice though, best way to check it is to have an English teacher that doesn’t know you very well read it. If they think it’s fine, you’re set.</p>
<p>It would depend upon the school. Its all very subjective and your sense of humor may be accepted for what it is or rejected for being non-serious attitude not fit for college. I would be careful when using humor in my admissions essay for the sake of not losing admission into my dream school. </p>