poker on college application
 

the nits at OOT pointed out that I used the wrong forum. Also, apparently my question is "stupid" and I should "use the search function". If this is true then you can go ahead and lock this thread.

my situation is as follows:

I finished high school several months ago, and took a year off for poker. Been doing that for a few months now.

my GPA sucks. I had A's and B's in freshmen and soph year, but bombed 2nd half of junior year and senior year. 2.9 GPA

I have really good test scores. 1510/1600 SAT, and perfect MCAS (standardized MA test).

Not really much for extracurriculars. Math league and [censored].

I also used to play Magic (lol nerdaments). I won lots of tournaments including like $25k in scholarship and was really succesful at that. Seems like a good thing to mention in an application essay, yes?

Between mtg/poker and my test scores, its really all I've got going for me. Recommendations is a tough area too. I am not sure who I would go to for this. My grandfather works at a good college as a professor of sociology and probably has some connections in other colleges. I really doubt that any teachers at my school would be willing to write a good recommendation. Maybe one, idk if its even worth pursuing. Definitely not the guidance counselor either.

Mostly, I am conflicted about including poker on the application. I've worked with cardrunners, and being a part of a successful business seems like a positive thing. I've done really well playing poker. However, this seems like a delicate subject. Stupid people could see poker as being degenerate and a negative influence. Forget making tons of money and being successful at a strategy based game.

So, whats my line? Try to sell the magic and test scores and forget poker? Should I even mention cardrunners? Or maybe I am being ridiculous and having been very succesful in poker, it would benefit me to mention it. Perhaps I should just include poker and my successes on applications for a few slightly more selective colleges to try to stand out?

I need some sort of plan of attack because my grades really aren't good enough to get me into anywhere but a state school, and not a good one at that.

Re: poker on college application
 

How old are you? It sounds like talking about poker would be basically admitting to illegal activity. I'll bet there are a lot of students who could brag about being successful drug dealers in high school, but I don't think even considerable business success at this would help them get into college.

Re: poker on college application
 

Apply to all your top choices. You have solid test numbers. If you don't get in, go to a jc and transfer after a year.

I would mention that you were integral in a buisness and have Taylor write a letter of rec for you. What you say really depends on the flow of your paper. You could write it and then post it here.

Re: poker on college application
 

Putting poker on a college app is a sure way to get rejected immediately. How can anyone think differently? [img]/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img]

Re: poker on college application
 

Screwed for life, IMO

Re: poker on college application
 

definitely emphasize magic and your SAT scores. As for poker, I would make sure to put an emphasis on the business aspect of Cardrunners, and not the poker aspect. Make it sound like you were a part of a successful online website (which you were) instead of a degenerate gambler.

Re: poker on college application
 

[ QUOTE ]
definitely emphasize magic and your SAT scores. As for poker, I would make sure to put an emphasis on the business aspect of Cardrunners, and not the poker aspect. Make it sound like you were a part of a successful online website (which you were) instead of a degenerate gambler.

[/ QUOTE ]

Just to add that you definatly have to explain a year off somehow, can't leave it as a blank.

Re: poker on college application
 

The only way I could see putting poker on your application is if you used it in an essay like "during my last two years of high school, I stuggled to overcome a crippling gambling addiction." But it would certainly have to be positioned as an unfortunate obstacle to your academic success, and not an indicator of future success.

Re: poker on college application
 

I don't know what kind of level of school your looking for but while 2.9 isnt steller, with your test scores you can get into most really solid colleges. As for the poker thing, you probably need to mention what you've been doing in your year off but I'd mention working for cardrunner or whatever and leave it kind of vague as poker does sound bad to alot of people.

Re: poker on college application
 

[ QUOTE ]
The only way I could see putting poker on your application is if you used it in an essay like "during my last two years of high school, I stuggled to overcome a crippling gambling addiction." But it would certainly have to be positioned as an unfortunate obstacle to your academic success, and not an indicator of future success.

[/ QUOTE ]

so sad, yet true. The world we live in =/

as for cardrunners, I like the idea about the letter of recommendation and trying to use it (and travelling, which I have done a lot of) to explain the year off. However, still seems hard to fit it in. I don't see how CR can play a big roll in the essay if I have to be so general that I can't even explain what cardrunners does.

I quit Magic a couple years ago, but perhaps I could claim that I've been doing that a lot the past year. A little lying never hurt anyone?

Re: poker on college application
 

[ QUOTE ]
I don't know what kind of level of school your looking for but while 2.9 isnt steller, with your test scores you can get into most really solid colleges. As for the poker thing, you probably need to mention what you've been doing in your year off but I'd mention working for cardrunner or whatever and leave it kind of vague as poker does sound bad to alot of people.

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm not exactly trying to get into Harvard here. I'm mostly applying to MA schools, the most selective of which is Northeastern. I'm also applying to a few out of state schools in areas I'd like to live; UNC, UF, Cali, etc.

I'm actually having my test scores and grades sent to the schools tommorow, and doing applications to send in before PCA.

-Jeff

Re: poker on college application
 

dude, admit to them you are a degenerate gambler, honesty is always the best way forward.

Re: poker on college application
 

What schools are you applying to?

If you're applying to schools that people with 3.0s in high school go to, don't mention poker. If you're trying to get into higher tier schools, they're not gonna accept you without the poker and magic stuff, but they might with it.

In general, getting into college with higher SATs and lower grades than the average applicant is tough. You're gonna have to try really hard to sell yourself as a kind of self-motivated genius, and not a guy who just slacked off in high school cause he didn't need to work.

Edit: Just saw your post about where you're applying. Why not at least try for some of the Ivys/Stanford/MIT/Berkeley, etc?

Re: poker on college application
 

tell them you've been doing equity investing and you're now a baller/busto but it was fun while it lasted.

Re: poker on college application
 

Admissions office bureaucrat clones are likely to have little to no exposure to poker, and will probably react negatively. Do not list it on your application.

Re: poker on college application
 

Tell them you can pay 3 semesters tuition up front.

Re: poker on college application
 

I think it's a really, really bad idea.

1510 speaks for itself.

Re: poker on college application
 

Yeah seriously, you shouldn't be applying to just NU, you should be able to get into a better school with a 1510, even with just a 2.9.

Incidently, if you're gonna try for UNC/Cali Schools, you might as well try for a top 25 school. UNC only takes 18% out of state, so its really hard to get into, the Cali schools are really hard too for similar reasons.

Re: poker on college application
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I don't know what kind of level of school your looking for but while 2.9 isnt steller, with your test scores you can get into most really solid colleges. As for the poker thing, you probably need to mention what you've been doing in your year off but I'd mention working for cardrunner or whatever and leave it kind of vague as poker does sound bad to alot of people.

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm not exactly trying to get into Harvard here. I'm mostly applying to MA schools, the most selective of which is Northeastern. I'm also applying to a few out of state schools in areas I'd like to live; UNC, UF, Cali, etc.

I'm actually having my test scores and grades sent to the schools tommorow, and doing applications to send in before PCA.

-Jeff

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It shouldn't be very hard getting into northeastern with a 1510, despite a 2.9 gpa. What are you majoring in?

Re: poker on college application
 

1510 very impressive - 800 math?

Re: poker on college application
 

I would highly advise not to include poker... it's usually looked at from a poor light with lots of bias and ignorance...

Re: poker on college application
 

I mentioned it on mine, but its not like I took a year off to play or anything.

Re: poker on college application
 

Def. mention the business aspect, I guess you have to mention playing poker to cover the year you were gone.

Re: poker on college application
 

i would play up poker. you shouldn't have any trouble getting in to the schools you seem to be interested.

edit: in my uneducated opinion.

Re: poker on college application
 

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I guess you have to mention playing poker to cover the year you were gone.

[/ QUOTE ]
no, you don't.

Re: poker on college application
 

Please, I wrote my college essay on how I became an atheist and got accepted tons of places. You don't get much worse in terms of social stigma than that. Writing about Magic and touching on poker or whatever else you enjoy and makes you unique is infinitely better than stuff you do not care about.

Re: poker on college application
 

[ QUOTE ]
i would play up poker. you shouldn't have any trouble getting in to the schools you seem to be interested.

edit: in my uneducated opinion.

[/ QUOTE ]


This is exactly why he SHOULDN'T mention poker. He's in unless he [censored] it up.

Re: poker on college application
 

birdy,

obv

catalyst,

is it bad if I dont know and am not going to decide until I have to write it in the application? lol

idk about ivey league, im not shooting that high. honestly id be pretty happy to get into northeastern or UNC or UWA. I don't think I'd even be up to the work load of a top notch school, even if I somehow could get in. I prefer taking it a little easier and enjoying making money at poker.

ty for the perspectives so far.

-Jeff

Re: poker on college application
 

its not like he's applying for a job. i don't think they'll dislike poker at all. of course i'm just speculating, but i don't see why an admissions board would see poker as so bad and some may very well be impressed and like it a lot.

Re: poker on college application
 

My advice . . . don't include poker.

I actually got a 1420 on my SAT (32 on ACT as well) and only had a 2.0 gpa in high school. I STILL got accepted to the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville (a top 350 per the Princeton Review) and after a year I was accepted for transfer to GaTech (though I ended up staying in Fayetteville as I got married during this time-frame...yup, started young).

My advice is go where you can and build up your resume. It won't be hard with your apparent intellectual ability. Then move on if you wish.

Re: poker on college application
 

AJ,

What major are you thinking? Engineering? Econ?

Re: poker on college application
 

I haven't really decided, but I guess I should for the application

econ is a possibility. Probably not engineering or math, even if I'm good at it, I find it to be unbearable. I've always really liked physics, but when I actually took AP Physics I found it to be really dry and uninteresting, and I fell behind. Business and biology seem like candidates, as well as lots of BS majors.

At the moment I am not particularly interested in anything academic, and hate having to make a commitment. Several years down the line, I'd like to be doing something I enjoy or something I can have some free reign in. I just don't know what that is. Stock broker? heh. I really don't know.

Re: poker on college application
 

There's nothing wrong with the list of schools you have right now. You can always transfer if where you end up is what you're looking for. Don't look yourself into academic commitments you don't make to fulfil.

If you're gonna talk about poker I'd focus your thoughts around the business that is cardrunners and your travels, and not much on anything poker strategy related. I'd mention that it is a game of skill once and then move on to something else. Be original though.

lol at the pay for 3 months up front comment [img]/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img]

Re: poker on college application
 

Do both.

Re: poker on college application
 

[ QUOTE ]
birdy,

obv

catalyst,

is it bad if I dont know and am not going to decide until I have to write it in the application? lol

idk about ivey league, im not shooting that high. honestly id be pretty happy to get into northeastern or UNC or UWA. I don't think I'd even be up to the work load of a top notch school, even if I somehow could get in. I prefer taking it a little easier and enjoying making money at poker.

ty for the perspectives so far.

-Jeff

[/ QUOTE ]

LoL.

You still don't get it. Getting into UNC, or really any competitive southern state school is going to effectivly be as hard for you as getting into a top 30 private BECAUSE YOU'RE FROM OUT OF STATE. You probably will not get in to UNC. I don't know why you have this list of low schools, and then UNC. You might as well throw harvard on there.

My advice in the "what have you been doing" column is just to write that you were writing for a magazine called cardrunner. Don't even mention poker. That way it says you were writing, which is good.

There's no sense in paying for a rediculously expensive NU education when you can get a better one at a better school, for probably less money elsewhere.

Re: poker on college application
 

[ QUOTE ]
Please, I wrote my college essay on how I became an atheist and got accepted tons of places. You don't get much worse in terms of social stigma than that.

[/ QUOTE ]

LOL, do you know anything about the left wing intellectual elite in this country? They probably considered you a hero for writing about that.

Writing about poker would make them think "oh, another one of these poker brats, we have a serious problem with them on campus as it is, remember what happened at Lehigh?" Definatly won't make him stand out, that's fo sho.

Re: poker on college application
 

Dave,

ok, I get your point.

Do you think I should even mention CR on all my apps (at the risk of them researching it and seeing it is poker related?).

It seems that some people think anything poker related at all is a bad idea, but that I should mention CardRunners anyway-I'm not sure how I would do this without at least having to mention poker. On the other hand maybe I could get away with mentioning poker (without going into detail on the strategy or specifics of the game) on at least a couple applications just to differentiate myself from other applicants with better grades.

Re: poker on college application
 

[ QUOTE ]
Dave,

ok, I get your point.

Do you think I should even mention CR on all my apps (at the risk of them researching it and seeing it is poker related?).

It seems that some people think anything poker related at all is a bad idea, but that I should mention CardRunners anyway-I'm not sure how I would do this without at least having to mention poker. On the other hand maybe I could get away with mentioning poker (without going into detail on the strategy or specifics of the game) on at least a couple applications just to differentiate myself from other applicants with better grades.

[/ QUOTE ]

have you ever written for the 2+2 magazine? that would probably look good.

Re: poker on college application
 

no, I don't post much. Don't want to give away my secrets (which is why I make cardrunners videos obviously)

Re: poker on college application
 

AJ,

i skimmed through the thread and i think you should:

1)raise your self-esteem. don't even think about having Northeastern as your top school. You can get into a better school and you loose absolutely nothing if you apply to the ivy's. Low GPA - it sucks and you better be able to talk well about it in an interview. There is always an option of writing an additional essay explaining your situation.
They schools receive thousands of APs 99% of which are the same with generic college app. essay about father-son relationships, adopting to a new situation and overcoming difficulties or how being in the band for 4 years got you nothing but blisters from masturbating.
You are unique and you will stand out if you can articulate your poker background well, together with your magic accomplishments and your high SATs. Maybe the guy who is reading your essay loves poker or also played magic => you are in.

This should occupy a TON of time and its worth every second. $50 app fee+50hrs of writing the essay+10hrs on each additional essay+a few minutes to order the school's original app.+campus visit+networking with alumni = diploma which is so much more valuable than the effort that you put in.
Once it comes time to graduate and you and your friends will be looking for jobs, you will be pissed at yourself after you look at the Harvard's career website and see Fortune 500 companies and top investment/consulting shops are kissing their ass 24/7.
i learned it the hard way. i had the opportunity to go pretty much anywhere but did not take the risk and [censored] it all up, got scared and decided to do ED to a decent but def. not top school.
i had strong ambitions but at the end of this process i was so drained and my college counselor lowered my self-esteem so much that i withdrew my aps from harvard and just rushed EDII.....ok harvard reject hahahha.

on the separate note, they are the biggest bitches cause they sent out a letter saying "Congrats, you are waitlisted!"

anyways...so take everybody's advice with a grain of salt. apply everywhere...just all over the place. you have nothing to loose but the opportunity to make the most of your time in the next 4 years.

also, i would def. say which major you are interested in. it shows focus ..maybe determination. colleges like it.

i just put down comp sci. + history cause i didnt know what i was doing and these were the APs that i was taking at the time. as soon as i got to school, i changed to econ/ir.

best of luck man....also have everybody you know read all your crap - essays, emails, thank you notes, resume etc.
more is always better here