essay question : too risqu

Colleges and Universities A-Z Columbia University
1

<p>my essay's going to be about getting involved with the worldwide feminist movement/ women's rights in the arab world (i live in the uae). More specifically, starting an all girl band and a zine distro/establishing a zine culture here (both the first of their kinds in the middle east region), vs the somewhat misogynistic attitudes of people here.</p>

<p>Among other things, I wanted to mention our first gig, where we threw out tampons (packets spraypainted to look like candy, with little social critiques written on them), ie as a means of prompting people to think.
only, does this sound too risqu</p>

2

<p>i think it could be very interesting- and different</p>

3

<p>you may not want to put in the things about the tampons though</p>

4

<p>yeah that's my main question, the tampon bit; I'm definitely still writing about the rest. i ask because I'm wondering if it might go against me? But then I also hear that Columbia's got a pretty liberal, soemwhat leftist slant - would this extend to the adcoms?</p>

5

<p>I think if you can make the tampon bit tasteful and well...interesting...there would be no problem.</p>

6

<p>This is Columbia. It's school policy to have a box of condoms available on every res hall floor at all times. Trust me, the tampon thing isn't too risqu</p>

7

<p>cutxpaste, you sound awesome. I have a friend who just moved to the UAE.</p>

8

<p>I think your zine and band and the idea of addressing feminist issues in the Middle East will make you stand out a mile for the admissions committee as someone who is creative, passionate, energetic, thoughtful, interesting, and gutsy. But If you want an opinion from someone closer to the age of those who will be reading your application, I'd leave out the tampons. When the committee members read about you, part of what they're doing is imagining you as part of the Columbia community. Imagining you initiating publications or performances about issues is interesting, even exciting. But imagining you throwing tampons at them as they leave their offices... They may think it's funny, or they may think it's immature.
My opinion is: why take the chance?</p>

9

<p>I'm with sac. I think you asked in a previous post that now I can't find whether the tampons really add anything to your essay. I don't think they do; I think you can make your very strong point without them. "What stunt will she think of next?" is not what I would want in the minds of the AdCom.</p>

10

<p>I think the part of the tampons is shocking, but it could be done very interestingly. I would say use it.</p>

11

<p>university is the grown up world, they can cope with a couple of tampons</p>