<p>Hi, I want to know if I actually send colleges my poetry portfolio, how many poems should i have at the least. I've started writing several months ago and have abotu 20+ really good poems as of now. During the summer, I'm writing abotu 2-3 per week and I keep a record of all of them.</p>
<p>In addition, do colleges like Stanford and UPenn or like Caltech and MIT care for these things?</p>
<p>BTW, I don't write thsoe typical teen poems on love and depression. I write about abstract ideas and objects, pretty quirky stuff ;)</p>
<p>P.S. Can that be an EC since I dont have anything major planned for the summer? (besides a volunteering job that hasn't started yet, so 1-2 weeks of free-time for me)</p>
<p>Send one or two, and make sure they're good.</p>
<p>BUMP</p>
<p>but the thing is, I write light poetry, short ones, so i don't think 1 or 2 will do it.....</p>
<p>any other takers?</p>
<p>okay, they have about 10 minutes to look at your whole application.</p>
<p>I'll let you figure it out.</p>
<p>I'm a writer too, and I sent in three poems. I've been writing for 10 years and have been published multiple times, so it was a reflection of a large passion in my life. I sent mine in to reinforce a small "what do you do for fun" essay on MIT's essay. Be really selective when sending in any supplemental material, especially creative writing. Mine were really short too - but remember, college admissions staff really only have time to read one or two short poems because they are IN ADDITION TOO a "normal" application.</p>
<p>thanks, any other takers?</p>
<p>They definitely will not read 10~20 poems. No more than 2 or 3, and if they're not of real high, superb quality as in it's going to be a big help and clearly distinguish yourself as a writer, don't even bother. They really don't weigh too much for supplements.</p>
<p>FYI, Stanford doesn't accept writing as supplemental material. </p>
<p>All of these schools make very clear that you should only submit something if you have a truly exceptional talent in the field. Creative writing would probably go to the English department for review (since art and music both go to their respective departments, I think?), so only submit poetry if you think it'll impress academics and writers at these universities. Look over literary journals like Poetry or The Paris Review for some perspective. I agree with everyone else, though; if you do send them stuff, don't send too much and make sure it's representative of your abilities.</p>
<p>Funny, I was in exactly your same position last year, wondering about the same thing. Obviously, I have no idea how your poetry rates in the grand scheme of things. Here are a few things to consider, the things I ended up basing my decision on.</p>
<p>-Can you make it clear you have a passion for poetry without sending stuff? Sending stuff is a risk you may not have to take.</p>
<p>-How well do you write prose? If you write prose excellently, no need to sap the intellectual vigor of your prose with poetry that may lean into teenage emotions, however well you express them.</p>
<p>-The places you are applying to-- that I applied to as well -- will have some of the very best young poets in the nation sending in material to them. These people may have, and almost certainly will publish poetry in the future. Can your poetry stand alongside that of a future celebrated author?</p>
<p>Lastly, this: in the end, I decided not to submit my poetry. I was admitted early to Yale, my first choice and to 5 of the other 7 places I applied, all peers of Yale. I mention that simply to suggest that not submitting poetry, however well you write, can still let you pass just fine.</p>