<p>I feel that my essay topic, playing poker, is going to be very risky because of its negative perception for certain people (possibly my admission's reader). I'm not going to be talking about money, but rather the skill, math, and psychology that the game involves as well as how it taught me perseverance, as well as losing in stride.</p>
<p>I don't think sending this essay would be an issue to me for my reach schools because they are reach schools so I feel I have to take a risk somehow and you never know, but I'm scared that for schools that are targets for me it could be too much of a risk and could possibly cost me admission at those places (for me NYU, CMU, or UMich). </p>
<p>So should I send in my essay about poker into my target schools or use a more conventional essay that I already wrote for those schools?</p>
<p>I don’t think it’s risky if you’re careful not to leave the impression that you’ve got a gambling problem. My suggestion is that if you think this is your best topic, write it, but have an unbiased eye review it for you and then listen to what that person has to say about perception. Good luck!! (My 11 year old is an excellent poker player and has been for years. We credit him being in the 99th percentile on standardized tests because of the skills he learned playing poker. They can be very valuable in many ways, and if you can play well and keep in control, you’re better off for it.)</p>
<p>You could try setting that essay aside and writing an alternative. You can then decide which one feels stronger to you. I’m getting the sense that you are concerned that the poker essay is not your strongest approach.</p>
<p>Apparently gambling at schools is becoming a significant issue. (Check out NYT’s article on this. Opinion | The Choice - The New York Times ) I don’t think it’s a good idea to share how you are into gambling when this is exactly what they don’t want to hear.</p>
<p>I think it could be a real negative. Why take the chance? An essay should give them a reason to want you on campus. Problems with addiction aside, what does a poker player contribute to the community?</p>
<p>jp, if you’re applying to Harvard it could be a boost. Harvard Law School Professor Charles Nesson founded the Global Poker Strategic Thinking Society which focuses on the skill aspect of poker and how gaming theory and other forms of strategic thinking are key to poker success. Just google poker and Harvard or MIT and you’ll be surprised (or maybe not!) at how many poker pros have distinguished academic backgrounds. I’d say, go for it!</p>
<p>Honestly, I don’t see how this is risky (but then I’m not an adcom so don’t take my word 100%). Poker is a very strategic game; it’s not how T.V. shows portray it with people going all-in randomly and what not because those just want drama. And poker is not exactly “gambling” in its true sense because a better poker player will, on average, profit.</p>
<p>I think if you talk mostly about what you said (psychology, math, etc.) and how it relates to poker, you should be fine. </p>
<p>MIT had a card-counting team going to Vegas so poker is not nonexistent in colleges.</p>
<p>Ok, so basically it seems to me that the notion of a poker essay is split 50/50, which sort of scares me if half of my readers will like the topic in itself and the other half will not.</p>
<p>Would it be better for me to clearly, explicitly mention in my essay that I do not play for money or have a gambling problem (both of which I truly do not do)? I typically play either online (like on Facebook) or in the neighborhood with my friends. Are typical college essay readers open minded enough to go beyond their instilled beliefs about poker from what people or themselves think about it?</p>
<p>The whole idea of a risky essay is that reactions are 50/50. The reactions you’re getting now, will probably be much of the same at a school’s adcom office. You can either take the risk that they’ll be in your favor, or not, or re-write. But I think it’ll stay 50/50.</p>