I’m writing about a time when I was called a racial slur. Would it be appropriate to actually include the slur, or should I skirt around it and refer to it as “the bad word” or something like that?
Also, do I need to provide context for some things that I mention in my essay? Like, “I ate an apple (a fruit that grows on trees)”. I’m an International applicant and will be mentioning some things that the average American probably wouldn’t know about. I imagine that AOs won’t have the time or be bothered to google every obscure topic that applicants mention in their essays.
I wouldn’t include the racial slur. I don’t think the specifics add to why a college should accept you.
And absolutely do NOT assume they’ll google anything. But I would try to write an essay that they can understand without too many context explanations. Each one of those eats away at the words you have to convince them that they should accept you— as well as taking away from the flow of the essay.
I wouldn’t worry about the slur, especially if there is a descriptive or historical meaning to the slur that connects to what you are trying to convey.
I wouldn’t use an obscure term and then describe it. Either the context of the rest of the sentence or paragraph provides meaning to the term (use it) or you should just not use the term and describe what it is.
Selective colleges are reading your essay looking for clues to your “character” – that’s an old fashioned word meaning the way you develop your inner qualities, intellectual passion, maturity, social conscience, concern for community, tolerance, inclusiveness and love of learning.
How you reacted, what you did or did not do, when you were called this racial slur may provide evidence to your strength of character. Everything depends on what you say and how you say it – including using the racial slur in your essay (which is okay). Keep in mind that many African Americans, Mexicans, Latinos, Puerto Ricans, Asians etc have also been called a racial slur and may have used that same topic in their college essay. So how is your experience different from theirs? What is unique about your story or what you did or did not do? If another student from your country was called the same racial slur, would they have reacted the same way??? If so, you may want to investigate other essay topics.
@gibby - good answer. As a minority who has been called a racial slur on a few occasions, I agree that the essay would have to be more nuanced that stating what the slur was and how they responded. I would encourage him to explore if being called this slur spurred him to do something - start an organization that works to foster better understanding between teens in his country - for example. Being called out your name once or twice does not make a very good essay topic on its own.