<p>"The VAST majority of accepted students to any college get in based on their voice, and they don't need to resort to swearing to show their voice."</p>
<p>There is absolutely no way that you could know this.</p>
<p>Don't invent facts here.</p>
<p>Maybe if you had written "gosh" you would have been invited to that dream school. LOL</p>
<p>It might go unnoticed, or it might be an integral part of the essay. Are you applying to Oral Roberts University.</p>
<p>In light of celebrian's post, let me re-phrase what I meant to say.</p>
<p>I personally don't think it's a good idea to curse in a college essay, unless you were quoting someone. Since that doesn't appear to be the case, I'd advise against it because there are bound to be other, more appropriate words to use.</p>
<p>I read an essay when someone wrote "mothertrucking unbearable heat". And our GC held this as an example of a good essay. </p>
<p>I seriously doubt that Damn will make a difference.</p>
<p>ok there are two possibilities for using damn in the context of your essay
Possibility A: blah blah blah blah and I couldn't believe how much I hated that damn teacher of mine blah blah blah
Possibility B: My father just uttered a loud "Damnit" and went on to beat my sister in his alcohol-indued rage blah blah I learned never to be an alcoholic.....
A would hurt you, B wouldn't</p>
<p>Wow...what a bunch of uptight people.</p>
<p>I am glad none of you are adcoms. There is nothing wrong with a cuss word as long as it is appropriate in the context in which it is used. To just use it because that is all your vocabulary consists of is not a good reason..but that is not what the OP stated.</p>
<p>Loosen up people.</p>
<p>Quoting from Carol Lunkenheimer, (possibly former) dean of admissions at Northwestern University (taken from princetonreview.com): "Admissions Officers Hate to See
"
Lunkenheimer: "Swear words." Perhaps this is clearer, from the adcoms at Middlebury: "The use of profanity, even for "effect" may be viewed as reflecting poor judgment."
Put another way - there is no appropriate context for profanity. It's easy to paraphrase, and you can easily get the same - or even stronger - emotion across without using it.
The real question is whether 'damn' is considered a swear word. While I don't think it is, you simply cannot know how the adcom will view it. I believe that when in doubt, it is better to err on the side of caution.</p>
<p>i agree with cevonia
exilio, who is being uptight? i read over every post, and i dont really see anyone being uptight...mind clarifying?</p>
<p>cevonia:</p>
<p>Though I still disagree with you that using "damn" is inappropriate, I applaud your resourcefulness.</p>
<p>If the selection of a vocabulary word puts forth the image you wish to portray, than that is your choice. When my s. went for an on-campus interview, he was dressed in khaki's and a polo shirt. The kid sitting next to him had spiked purple hair, a lip piercing and a dog collar (seriously). Neither is right or wrong- it just puts forth the image you wish to portray.</p>
<p>i think a lot depends on context. personally, i don't feel like "damn" is a big deal--but religious, etc, admissions officers might feel differently.</p>
<p>For all of you who feel inclined to use curse words in your essays, I say go right ahead. It will just make everything that much easier for the rest of the applicants.</p>
<p>juzam_djinn - Are we even supposed to write about abuse and all that in our essays? I come from a family of abuse and was going to write about it for my ED Columbia essay (I was rejected a while back anyway, whether because of my essay or not), and the people who I figured were most knowledgable about college essays told me that writing such things would seem like an attempt to foster sorrow and pity from the adcoms. Although, it does seem to me that a lot of students who would choose to write about things like that would be the ones to get in. (You know, ". . . growing up black in a white neighborhood . . .," " . . . trying to make something of my education while living the slums . . .,"". . . my father was laid off so it was really hard on my family and taught me so much . . .".) Maybe essays are pretty much a crap shoot.</p>
<p>And, by the way, my opinion on cursing in essays is that cursing in essays is wrong, but saying damn is not, when used in the proper context, although juzam_djinn's example doesn't strike me as the best. And if we CAN'T say "damn" in our essays, then what are those adcoms really thinking? Some of the best writers in history have used the word "damn" in their works, so what bars us from doing the same, when, again, it is used in the proper context? And the "writer's liberty" or whatever the hell is a stupid excuse. There's a reason that those books are regarded as classics.</p>
<p>Who the hell knows for sure really? Probably better safe than sorry though.</p>
<p>lucifersam, yeah that's what i would think too, because usually when you write about an extenuating circumstance it make it seem as though you are trying to stir their sympathies, and it sometimes becomes very pathetic
however, if you can somehow twist it and make it a very well-written essay that does not look like it is trying to win sympathy points, I think it would be better than a very well-written essay on a subject like "my summer trip" or "my band"
you ought to let the adcoms know about what challenges you have had to overcome, and if you decide not to put it in an essay, definetely put it in the section they include for listing extenuating circumstances</p>
<p>Just out of curiosity, how many of you use the word "damn" in essays you write for your English classes?? Feel free to express yourself-- but understand that everything has its place. It is just a matter of using good judgement in a situation where you are trying to put your best foot forward. Personally... I'd save the poetic license for when I am already accepted-- not when I am trying to get in the door. Just my $.02</p>
<p>Sound natural. Sound like yourself.</p>
<p>Substituting with anything else just sounds fake or silly.</p>
<p>Besides, the admissions officers aren't looking for perfect pure little children to admit to their school. Writing a 'damn' in there, if consistent with the tone of the rest of the essay, should be fine.</p>
<p>Of course if you're writing it in academese and then suddenly say DAMN! it won't be a good thing.</p>
<p>I consider it a curse word- obviously not on the same level with other 4-letter words, but still it's a swear word. If you think it's 100% necesary, than risk it, but I would rather play it safe than sorry.</p>
<br>
<blockquote> <p>Some of the best writers in history have used the word "damn" in their works, so what bars us from doing the same, when, again, it is used in the proper context?<<</p> </blockquote>
<br>
<p>Because you are not yet one of the best writers in history. You are a college applicant trying to convince a bunch of possibly stuffy and old-fashioned adults to let you into their school.</p>
<p>When you are one of the best writers in history feel free to write damn as much as you want.</p>
<p>I wouldn't do it... Sure I guess it could work and maybe they won't care but why take a risk if you don't need to? Just play it safe</p>