<p>Thanks for all your help!</p>
<p>I’m probably going to change the word now since so many people are against it, but not 100% sure because a part of me still believes that using the other synonyms seems… weak.</p>
<p>Well, the reason why I was considering whether or not to use “screwed” in the first place is because I showed my dad the essay and he was really, really against the word even though my brother and I believed that it portrayed the intended emotions.</p>
<p>If your dad was “really, really against the word”, I’d probably go with his advice over your brother’s. If it’s just to “portray intended emotions”, then it’s probably not the best word.</p>
<p>Again, remember that your essay will be read by older adults, not those of your age and mindset. Sure, it’s only one word. But the stakes are pretty high, wouldn’t you say?</p>
<p>In general it’s unwise to attempt something risky unless you have a safe position to fall back on. What’s your fall back if the reader of your essay is offended? “Screwed?”</p>
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<p>As one of the few people here who doesn’t think that starting the essay with “Screwed” is necessarily a bad idea, I would like to point out that the older adults who will read the essay are college admissions officers, who read things written by high school students on a daily basis. They’re not your typical adult readers.</p>
<p>I would not recommend starting the essay with “Screwed” if you’re applying to Brigham Young University or others of its ilk, though.</p>
<p><<the quote,=“” from=“” someone=“” who=“” supported=“” the=“” use=“” of=“” church=“” because=“” it=“” meant=“” that=“” there=“” would=“” be=“” no=“” limit=“” on=“” number=“” guests=“” each=“” graduating=“” senior=“” could=“” invite,=“” went=“” something=“” like=“” this:=“” “screw=”" constitution.=“” i=“” want=“” all=“” my=“” grandparents=“” to=“” able=“” come=“” graduation.“=”">></the></p>
<p>Sounds like an excellent opening for the essay. Why? Because the writer is <strong>quoting</strong> someone; moreover, someone whose use of the word “screw” illustrates their lack of sophisticated reasoning and expression. If the <em>writer</em> had started off with “Screw the Constitution, I wanted my grandparents to be able to come to my graduation,” as his or her own words, it would be a lot riskier–and had better be followed by a convincing story that explains why s/he came to realize that his or her initial reaction was shallow and/or ignorant!</p>
<p>Exactly. Additionally, “screwed” is a complaining form of the verb (to invent a new grammatical category). “Screwed” tends to mean something is someone else’s fault, which is not a good rhetorical position. It’s possible that the essay could make a deliberate turn away from that stance, but it’s hard to picture that.</p>
<p>Only if you are a DAMN GOOD writer and can justify your diction 100%.
Teachers like when students have a unique writing style, but you’ve got to be good.
Although, considering the word that you want to start your paper off with is ‘screwed’ maybe you shouldn’t. </p>
<p>(:</p>
<p>Only if you want to be screwed out of a spot! Seriously, younger people hear/read this word differently than their parents… The word is too connected to sex for the probable age of your reader. An example of this is the difference between your brother’s and your father’s opinions of the word.</p>
<p>I’d love to know what the OP did, but unfortunately he/she hasn’t posted on CC since last January.</p>
<p>No. (short answer)</p>
<p>Just another anecdote–when DS#1 was working on the big application essay, he drafted one that I edited to the point it didn’t sound like him (still a darn fine essay, though!). He finally told me to back off and wrote one on a completely different topic. It had an off-color word in it (now I don’t even remember which one, although I think it was “*****”). I had promised myself I was reading for spelling/grammar only, so swallowed hard and didn’t comment on it. DS was admitted to 7 of 8 schools he applied to, mostly LACs. He got an e-mail from an adcom at one school about how excited she was to present his application to the whole committee and how much she liked the essay. Got a postcard from an adcom at another school saying how much he liked the essay. In context, there really was not a better word. The English language is what it is.</p>
<p>No.</p>
<p>(10 char)</p>
<p>ingerp, now I’m dying to know what that word was. Cleary CC doesn’t approve!</p>
<p>As long as you can back it up (ie - a great story on how you got out of being screwed or overcoming adversity) then by all means go for it. Application essays are much better when they have a deep personal meaning and if the word “screwed” is going to give it that extra punch then do it.</p>
<p>I can see how starting off like this would make a really good essay.</p>
<p>very old thread here. It would be nice to know how the essay turned out, screwed, screwed up, or not screwed at all.</p>
<p>haha. Didn’t notice the start date!</p>
<p>I wasn’t reading when the thread started, but I think its a fine idea if you’re writing about Archimedes.</p>
<p>dadx,that was GOOOD!</p>
<p>What occurs to me is that the reaction to the opening may depend on the age of the reviewer. Cool, hip twenty-something? No problem. Dignified, hard-working middle-aged reader? Oh, my. </p>
<p>Unless one is absolutely certain that the entire admissions staff is under age 30, I think I would find another opener.</p>