poker on college application

[WillMagic]

[ QUOTE ]
Jeff,

You in particular have no need to go to a top notch school. In fact, for you in particular, a top notch school is an opportunity cost, possibly for six digits a year.

You need a school and a curriculum where you can make B+'s while doing absolutely nothing. If you lived in Cali, I would recommend their community colleges because they're absolutely perfect for you/can get you into Berkeley two years from now if you're so inclined. Since you don't, look into similar type situations in the Northeast.

[/ QUOTE ]

QFT. Jeff, go with your first instinct and say [censored] the ivys. You are going to school for...wait for it...the union card. After you graduate you are going to get jobs based on the fact that you are competent and a genius, but you just need the diploma to get a foot in the door. Spending huge dollars and huge amounts of time on an ivy diploma that is just a stepping stone would be a waste.

[higher_energy]

AJ,

good luck in the app process and keep us posted.
also, you could have found a better place to look for career/college app. advice than 2p2 or at least, consult other people/forums, if you have not already before you decide on something concrete.

willmagic - to get the foot in the door he will have to be screened by HR unless he has an amazing contact.
i am not doubting his skills/personal traits but up until the first interview he is a piece of paper. that's all....
basically, i really don't think that its as clear cut as you make

oh and good2cu's question is very important

[WillMagic]

[ QUOTE ]

willmagic - to get the foot in the door he will have to be screened by HR unless he has an amazing contact.
i am not doubting his skills/personal traits but up until the first interview he is a piece of paper. that's all....
basically, i really don't think that its as clear cut as you make

[/ QUOTE ]

So HR screens him, and they see he has a degree. And he's good. And this is just for the first job - once you have a reference or two who cares what college you went to?

I mean, if he wants some i-banker/big city lawyer job, if he wants to go through that factory, then yeah, ivys would be the way to go. But that's not how he's described the situation, not at all. The guy wants the degree for the union card.

[NickMPK]

[ QUOTE ]

Keep in mind that if you stop with a college degree, your education will be absolutely useless for anything you do, because you are capable of making mid six figures from now until the end of time and therefore will never work 'for' anybody with a BA/BS. The only thing you can do that would net you more than that is Wall Street work, for which you can simply go to grad school.


[/ QUOTE ]

Are you really comfortable saying that? Poker might not be available as a lucrative career five or twenty years from now to the extent that it is today. Putting aside the legal situation, there are a lot of bright young people playing poker right now, and most of them are going to lose money.

To the OP, I would apply to the best schools you think you have a chance to get into. It will help in the future. From the disparity between your test scores and your GPA, it sound like you have already allowed poker to do permanent damage to your educational opportunities. I would plug this leak as soon as possible.

[KingDan]

Adanthar,

I'm in a similar position to the OP. Say I graduated a mediocre college and played poker for a few years. If I get sick of it, how open will my options really be?

[sparkyjones]

Hey AJ

I know I'm not actually responding to your question posed in the topic, but I wanted to comment on your potential college choices. I am a senior in highschool atm and looking at a lot of the same areas, I think UF would be your best bet, both location and cost wise. Additionally, you'll have an increased chance of getting in even with the year off because their admissions is pretty lax. Their degrees are pretty marketable as well, one of the best public universities.

I would focus on the MTG thing. I'm using some of my Vs. System accomplishments in a few of my college essays, dependent on where I'm applying. What you write about is going to be influenced largely by who you think your audience is. I'm writing a poker essay for UChicago, whereas I wouldn't write one to Harvard, Yale, UF, UNC etc...

Good luck. Maybe I'll end up meeting you at UF if we both end up going there. Gator nation baby

[emon87]

LOL @ people who think he's gonna get into Ivy's.

[adanthar]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]

Keep in mind that if you stop with a college degree, your education will be absolutely useless for anything you do, because you are capable of making mid six figures from now until the end of time and therefore will never work 'for' anybody with a BA/BS. The only thing you can do that would net you more than that is Wall Street work, for which you can simply go to grad school.


[/ QUOTE ]

Are you really comfortable saying that?

[/ QUOTE ]

For ActionJeff, 100%. Most other people's mileage will vary.

[ QUOTE ]
Adanthar,

I'm in a similar position to the OP. Say I graduated a mediocre college and played poker for a few years. If I get sick of it, how open will my options really be?

[/ QUOTE ]

For law school, so long as you ace the LSAT (170++) and possibly also have a respectable GPA/no criminal record, nobody will care about anything else you do. For B-school, you'll probably want some work experience unrelated to (edit: actually playing) poker; AJ theoretically has this covered through his business. Obviously, this won't get you into med school, and you may or may not have problems trying to get a PhD if you're into that for some reason. For the two typical ways out of a mediocre degree, though, poker per se does not pose any problem at all.

[smartalecc5]

you seem like a slacker in school but naturally gifted. Tell them why you are going to work hrd and what not

[shortline99]

[ QUOTE ]
LOL @ people who think he's gonna get into Ivy's.

[/ QUOTE ]
really? why?