Caltech Supplement - Satire?

Colleges and Universities A-Z California Institute of Technology
1

<p>This is probably a stupid question, so you can stop reading now if you like :D.</p>

<p>For the question:</p>

<p>"Caltech students have long been known for their quirky sense of humor and creative pranks and for finding unusual ways to have fun. What is something that you find fun or humorous? (Please limit your response to 1500 characters or less)"</p>

<p>Can satire pass off as a response (assuming it actually is funny)? Or do I have to really give them a numbered list of everything I like, so to speak? (listing things isn't really my 'style', so I figured I might as well give them something nicer to read than 'I like basketball/running/taking the derivatives of complex exponential equations')</p>

<p>Also, would a reference to the Invisible Pink Unicorn (nothing against religion or any religion in particular, just a mention of the unicorn) be looked down upon? I've read somewhere that Caltech is mostly atheist, but I'm worried that if someone on the admissions committee is religious, they might take it the wrong way.</p>

2

<p>I think a funny satire would be a good idea. I’m sure they’ll get plenty of lists.</p>

3

<p>Yay; thanks for the reply!</p>

<p>I guess this is practically the same question, but I’m wondering: does it have to show what you like, or would it be enough to just be funny (e.g. something like the Onion)?</p>

4

<p>I just did funny stuff (mentioned jokes from cracked.com and such) so yea thats fine.</p>

5

<p>Yay (again)!</p>

<p>Thanks for the reply :D.</p>

6

<p>I believe that there is quite a lot of latitude in that essay. It is about having fun after all. I wrote about ‘your mom’ jokes.</p>

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<p>Heh, I can only hope they see the ‘funny’ in what I wrote.</p>

<p>Now to find another essay topic to fuel my procrastination :D!</p>

<p>Thanks everyone! (and damn you people for being so nice and making Caltech seem like such a good place, DAMN YOU ALL! :))</p>

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<p>^ caltech students irl are way nicer than students on this board, btw :p</p>

<p>

</p>

<p>absolutely. (assuming it actually is funny)
i wrote that entire essay in math-pun format
which probably wasn’t funny
but i got in didn’t i :D</p>

9

<p>I remember this question. lol.
I think I wrote about how I tried to come up with pick-up lines using mathematical and scientific terms, like “If I were an enzyme, I’d be helicase so I could unzip your genes” and “I wish I were your derivative so I could be tangent to your curves”. I don’t think my response is what got me in though so I’m not that much of a reliable source.</p>

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<p>Just remember that there are both male and female admissions officers ;).</p>

<p>I once made that mistake, and ended up waitlisted everywhere I sent my “hilarious” articles.</p>

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<p>So will do they prefer if you have fun in a science-y way? Or are they just trying to look for more than just a science nerd?</p>

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<p>I don’t think they really care but I actually am of the belief that any opportunity to appear nearly as one dimensional as possible is probably good for admissions. Still, I don’t think being one dimensional is good in general, just in terms of admissions.</p>

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<p>Just make sure that your funny essay is actually both funny and relatively inoffensive. Nothing is worse than seeing someone try to be funny and fail.</p>

14

<p>Tell them which decimals you think are funniest and why. </p>

<p>I’d steer away from ‘yo mama so fat’ jokes though.</p>