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Hey Scott/Omari. Quick question. In my essay to Haas, I was talking about my experience as a performer with Second City. Most specifically, I was talking about some of the quips written on the walls in the green room. Rachel Dratch (current SNL cast) wrote, "I am Pussy Galore". I used this quote in my essay. It is by no means any part of the theme of the essay, but I think it adds some character to the essay. Even though Pussy Galore is a character from a James Bond flick, I am still a little worried about using the word "pussy" in my essay. I am sure you know why. Let me know your thoughts.

Thanks

scottshrum · Answer

Wow, way to walk the line! That's a tough one. I usually advise applicants to take some chances in their essays, but I'd hate to tell you to use it, and then you get an uptight, politically correct adcomms reading your essay on a bad day, and your app goes in the "ding" pile because he/she doesn't get it. 

I love what you're trying to do, but I's probably feel better telling you to try another quote, if at all possible. You just don't know who will give your essay a first read. 

Let me know what you choose!

Scott

chriswil2005 · Answer

Thanks for the reply Scott. I actually kept the "Pussy Galore" quote in my essay. The essay is for Haas and I submitted last night. My rationale was that Haas is a west coast school, very liberal, and more laid back compared to its east coast counterparts. Therefore, I don't think it will adversely affect me and I could be seen as someone who takes risks (I think is a good trait to most adcoms). I got that feeling when I visited the campus and talked to former and current students. Don't get me wrong, Haas is one of the best schools in the nation, very strong all around.

We'll see what happens!

Do you think it was good for me to look at it this way?

scottshrum · Answer

Yeah, definitely go with your gut. As a fellow improv guy, I want yu to succeed. Let me know how it goes!

Scott

eastcoaster9 · Answer

I went through Haas' UG program, and I would have advised leaving it out. The school is much more conservative than the campus at large. Although, a lot will depend on the exact way you used it and the readers. I would agree that it is borderline, and not definately inappropriate.

chriswil2005 · Answer

Uggh.

That's not what I wanted to hear. But I guess I will have to wait and see what happens. I can't change it now since I already submitted the app. Everyone keep their fingers crossed and wish me luck 8-)

Thankfully. Haas is my last choice school and the first app that I submitted.

greenandwise · Answer

I have a quick question for you scott, I also am a former improv guy and in one of my essays I was recounting a story about when the troupe was asking the audience for tpoics for a song and so the improv troupe leader asked for a special moment and your favorite sport, the crowd answered with "Loosing your virginity" and "Golf as the two topics. Using those two topics our group came up with the song, "Hole in One on the 19th green" I recounted this story in one of my essays, is this too risque?

scottshrum · Answer

Yeah, I know what it's like... 9 suggestions out of 10 are usually X-rated. :-)

That's probably a bit more risque than what *I* would have written about. Like I said above, it's hard to know who will read your app, what kind of sense of humor they have, how uptight they are, etc. My that's just my own take. I also think that you should be true to yourself and go with your gut. If you think it works, then use it. If you have qualms (and it's not too late), then don't. It's a pure judgment call! Scott

greenandwise · Answer

You are absolutely right! The audience members always found a way to come up with something either "perverted" or "politically incorrect". But the point of recounting that was not even to get laughs or be "shocking" it was connect improv to my life and recount a story where we I worked with a group of people in a seemingly difficult situation to come up with something creative. Do you think the adcomm would be so offended so as to miss the point of what I was saying? Besides the song was about "your first time", is that really that offensive?

scottshrum · Answer

I agree with you that's it's perfectly reasonable and not really offensive. I think it's okay. My point is just that you never totally know who will give your essay a read in the admissions office. Some things are just out of your control. While in a perfect admissions office, everyone reads every application exactly the same way, free of their biases, etc., that's not always the case.

Don't stress over it too much. You've done all you can to get in... Now just wait, as hard as that may be!

Scott

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