<p>I am extremely fond of playing this one game. I've actually become one of the highest-ranked players in the world for that particular game and I am a recognized member of that game's community. In fact, this "passion" of mine has also led me to formerly becoming a writer and section head for an online newspaper. I've made many friends and acquaintances playing this game, both in-game and in the game's community, and it has played a big role in my life for the past two-three years.</p>
<p>I am also fond of bodybuilding. I lift weights with a passion and am very serious about this. I've recently become part of a bodybuilding community and hope to see where that takes me.</p>
<p>Maybe, I honestly have very little experience in the matter (I’m still in high school so I don’t know too much about college essays), but I think it would be interesting. Since colleges like interesting people, it might work?</p>
<p>I played RuneScape in junior high. Unfortunately, top colleges typically look down on video games and MMORPGs. RuneScape, although certainly fun, is an online game that cultivates little in terms of enrichment in real life. So although your feat is certainly admirable in the eyes of many online gamers, I have a hard time believing that an Ivy League institution or other top college would see it as a passion which would help diversify their campus. If it truly is very important to you, feel free to list it. Just don’t expect to be given a boost because of it. I hope there’s another real-life activity that can function as one of your main ECs.</p>
<p>Bodybuilding could definitely be listed, however. That’s a unique one, and it obviously has positive effects in real life. So I’d include that one.</p>
<p>my friend is one of the best cs gamers in the world and has won thousands in awards and internationally placed, but i don’t think that this would count, maybe the writing part but i’m not sure. sent you a pm, btw</p>
<p>If you can package and market it correctly, anything you love can be considered as a passion. </p>
<p>Step back for a bit–at least you /have/ a passion. Some poster on CC is only passionate about “getting into an Ivy League”. Poster’s words, not mine.</p>
<p>The problem with this is that being the top player in this shows little of what you can bring to the top college community. Is it interesting? Sure. But a person who can regularly cater a dinner for 500 people is interesting as well. The question is does your passion (which I agree it is) add a dimension to the college campus that it’s bereft of besides you. Weightlifting: not really. Being super at an online game: I don’t see either. My personal opinion.</p>
<p>But congrats nonetheless. I play for enjoyment and really am fond of my games. But it won’t be valued by my next potential employer.</p>
<p>I would agree with decrescendo and T26E4 - to some extent.</p>
<p>It really depends how you want to go ahead and market yourself in terms of your being a gamer and a body builder. It is clear that it is your passion, but how will that come across as being “a part of a college community?” This would be the same as a person who loves soccer and writes an essay that starts with “There was only 2 seconds left on the clock. All eyes were on me, and I was sweating bullets. Then, 1 second remaining, I kicked the final goal and the whole crowd cheered.” —> Do you see how many cliches are in there? The same would apply to a passion like “gaming.” I used to game a lot too, but I didn’t write anything about it on my app. It just comes at a little transparent…to some degree. The body building is unique, however, and it really depends how you write about that as well. </p>
<p>Why don’t you draft both and I’ll read them and give you my $0.02? I can see how you can pull it off, but if you can’t, then I wouldn’t touch it. The fact that you mentioned the RS bit and how it “improved” your “writing” and “communication” skills, is somewhat interesting.</p>
<p>I went to a Stanford college tour, and the admissions officer that talked to us was admitted with a passion for video games like you described But he also told us that he had won some awards in video game competitions…</p>
<p>This is why I hate the whole “passion” concept. Do colleges like students that have consuming, genuine interests? Absolutely. But it’s because they offer something to the campus, not because of the passion itself. Passion also tends to result in accomplishments, whether those be awards, internships, published books, or a letter of rec from the parent of a kid you tutored well. Writing and getting a video game guidebook published would be impressive; playing video games would not.</p>
<p>Besides which, colleges below the tippy-top tier make decisions based overwhelmingly on stats. You may be better off raising your SATs or putting in extra effort to get an A intsead of an A- if you’re looking below T20 schools.</p>
<p>I smiled the moment I read RuneScape. Made my day. Wow, that used to be a large part of my life at one point of time… and Ironically, I had to leave it to concentrate on my studies… I miss it so so so so so much… the community… my friends… the fun! Oh how I want to join … mm the money making… </p>
<p>Anyway, back on topic.
You MAY be able to pull it off, but its a HUGE RISK. Either they will LOVE it, and accept or HATE it and reject. Its hit and miss.</p>
<p>Some pointers that came to my mind:
Accept it sounds silly at the face of it
Then take it to the next level
Explain how it has impacted your life, made you this amazing person (this should be more than half your essay in my opinion)
Highlight how this has NOT affected your grades in any way whatsoever, and it is a hobby - and you find time after all those awesome grades (which you hopefully have, if your aiming IVY) because it is your way of taking out stress, etc blah blah.
Make sure you remove all possible negative connotations when it comes to gamers and a game being your passion, like - you only play RS cause you dont have any friends in RL etc. (I feel horrible even typing it, but thats what some people may think.)</p>
<p>I could go on and on, PM if you want me to.</p>
<p>End of story - if you have really really good grades and an academic record (im talking Ivy) and you pull off this essay/passion well, it can turn out to be one of the MOST compelling and unique essays. But thats my 2 cents, and take everyone money here with a pinch of salt. None of us are admission officers.</p>
<p>+1 to what glass said. Unless you’ve done something with RS outside of play the game (you DID mention the online writing thing) that is a high achievement, then you can play it off. It really depends. Like I said, write both essays and have people read them.</p>
<p>This is a very fine line to walk. Some schools actually do have gaming teams. If you write about this in a very creative way you MAY be able to pull it off. Keep in mind who your target audience is, and this is not a unique angle. The first essay that was written about gaming was interesting, bold, unique. Now unless it is done very, very well it’s just a kid who played a lot of games while his peers were involved in school activities. The same holds true for the first student who wrote their entire essay in ‘text language’. It was fresh and showed an awareness of the changes in social media in the newer generation. By the time an admissions rep saw one slide across their desk from the 100th applicant who thought they were bold and fresh, it was simply annoying.
Try looking at a specific angle on runescape. Think of yourself as a social anthropologist studying the habits of people as the characters in the game. What lengths will they go to for seemingly useless objects? How does one decide the value? Is there a social status among players/member of the ‘community’? Taking this angle may translate beyond simply being the best darn gamer, to ‘I came to understand given these circumstances members…’. That’s just my two cents.</p>
I’ve worked as a Database Moderator for a RS fansite which attracts hundreds of thousands of people. And back to the online writing thing, it was a newspaper for that fansite and I helped write for the RS section.</p>
<p>
I’m not sure if this would fit in to what you said, but I’ve actually written some guides for the fansite I previously mentioned. My guides have probably been viewed by a many number of people.</p>
<p>So you play RuneScape, eh? There’s this one kid on CC who plays RuneScape as if he has no home. His homepage is runescape.com (and talk.collegeconfidential.com, of course) This guy, rumor has it, is an RS God. He walks the streets of Rune, people kissing his feet left and right. He is fed grapes as hot RuneScape women fan with with giant palms. </p>
But he also told us that he had won some awards in video game competitions…</p>