Click here to go to the NEW College Discussion Forum

I'm thinking about writing my essays about my turning vegan in an effort to help people, animals, and the environment. Is this a very good catch for an ivy-league applicant?

By Warriorlax22 (Warriorlax22) on Tuesday, December 30, 2003 - 02:44 am: Edit

i dunno. does what type of food you eat make a difference?

By Trombonist (Trombonist) on Tuesday, December 30, 2003 - 02:49 am: Edit

I was thinking that it would show committment: I don't eat milk, eggs, cheese, or any animal products. I haven't had a piece of chocolate in years, lol. How important of a committment, however, is questionable. I have several other things to pick from for an essay of course, and thanks for your input.

By Caliplaya03 (Caliplaya03) on Tuesday, December 30, 2003 - 02:54 am: Edit

lol how do you eat milk. lol i know what you meant. No chocolate????? I cant live without chocolate.Um i really dont see how the vegan thing will help but i guess if your committed you might as well put it in.

By Trombonist (Trombonist) on Tuesday, December 30, 2003 - 02:59 am: Edit

yeah, it is pretty boring. I'll probably just pick something else

By Culovv (Culovv) on Tuesday, December 30, 2003 - 03:02 am: Edit

Do you eat french fries?

By Collegehelp1234 (Collegehelp1234) on Tuesday, December 30, 2003 - 03:02 am: Edit

Awesome! Anyways, while I often hear that you aren't supposed to use humor in a college essay for fear that it will not be funny, I'm sure that you could write a HILARIOUS essay about your experiences with veganism. Talk about the temptation of meat/chocolate/a gummy bear on a camping trip blah blah blah. Make sure they understand that vegans don't eat ANY animal products, much different from vegetarians. My vegan cousins went CRAZY and went back to meat for awhile, then slowly became vegetarians. Maybe you can make it seem like a "hero's journey" idunno. GOOD LUCK!! hope I helped a little

By Savedbythebell7 (Savedbythebell7) on Tuesday, December 30, 2003 - 05:59 am: Edit

Fries? what the heck.....Fries come from cows right? just like Buffalo Wings come from Buffalos.

By Foreignboy (Foreignboy) on Tuesday, December 30, 2003 - 09:32 am: Edit

You are a fool, Savedbythebell7. Everyone knows that fries, along with all other potato products come from the potato bunny (who makes a good soup btw).

By Got2go (Got2go) on Tuesday, December 30, 2003 - 11:15 am: Edit

I am a vegavore-I only eat animals that are vegetarians since this is healthier for the animals. I wrote about this for one of my essays as well but I didn't get accepted at the school.

The only problem be a vegavore is that the Atkins diet is becoming a lot more popular for livestock now and it is getting harder to find strictly vegatarian animals.

By Pisces3 (Pisces3) on Tuesday, December 30, 2003 - 01:32 pm: Edit

Hey Trombonist- I'm vegan too. I did have an essay that I wrote about being vegan, but then I wrote a better one about backpacking- so I switched. But I did send it to Yale, since they needed two, but I was accepted ED to Vassar, so Yale won't ever read it. But I have no clue how well it would have gone over.

By Celebrian23 (Celebrian23) on Tuesday, December 30, 2003 - 03:48 pm: Edit

the only problem might be that everyone who is vegan thinks thats original and might write about-you need to bring an original spin to your essay if you write about that

By Got2go (Got2go) on Tuesday, December 30, 2003 - 04:49 pm: Edit

Yea-I agree. I thought being a vegavore was original, but it didn't seem to help me any.

By G2go1818 (G2go1818) on Tuesday, December 30, 2003 - 05:11 pm: Edit

I wrote about my background, living in the company of animals on a farm, and how it affected my life. How i became a vegetarian, and it's impact on my family. How i treat animals as equals etc... It is a very good subject matter...unless the person reading it is a hunter/likes meat a lot.

By Celebrian23 (Celebrian23) on Tuesday, December 30, 2003 - 05:17 pm: Edit

like i said, you simply have to write originally or else its like writing about your twin, i mean its good you have a twin, but so does a lot of other people, its better to pick something that is truly original by the way G2go did you get acceptted

By Collegebnd (Collegebnd) on Wednesday, December 31, 2003 - 11:37 am: Edit

lol I'm vegan too, but I didn't write an essay about veganism...It crossed my mind once or twice, but I never actually did it. In some ways, I guess I was worried about offending the admissions committee by making them feel as if I were "talking down" to them. This wouldn't have been the case, but I know a lot of non vegans who get VERY VERY defensive if you tell them that you stopped eating meat/dairy to help the environment, animals, etc. (I guess this is because they feel like you're telling them that they are destroying the environment by not being vegan). It really depends on who reads the essay, and how well you focus on the commitment part without making the adcoms feel as if they are being attacked. Good luck!

btw... XOXO makes really good vegan chocolate (I get it at Whole Foods) It's the dark kind- 70% cocoa I think.

By Xdtish (Xdtish) on Wednesday, December 31, 2003 - 11:46 am: Edit

"just like Buffalo Wings come from Buffalos. "

Geez they come from Chickens. I pity the fool. I pity the fool.

By Pisces3 (Pisces3) on Wednesday, December 31, 2003 - 01:48 pm: Edit

I agree- collegebnd. I had to redo my vegan essay many times, to make sure it didn't sound like I was just trying to voice my opinions. That's something to be careful of.

By Got2go (Got2go) on Wednesday, December 31, 2003 - 01:53 pm: Edit

I find that not many people get offended either way when I tell them I'm a vegavore. I also am a vegan at times, but only for short stretches (usually about 2 or 3 hours). Most people just look at me strange when I try to explain this.

By Savedbythebell7 (Savedbythebell7) on Wednesday, December 31, 2003 - 06:24 pm: Edit

Xdtish
"just like Buffalo Wings come from Buffalos. "

Geez they come from Chickens. I pity the fool. I pity the fool.


CAN YOU NOT SENSE SARCASM IF YOUR LIFE DEPENDED ON IT? Also did you think that I thought cows pooped out Fries? come on man.

By Xdtish (Xdtish) on Wednesday, December 31, 2003 - 06:38 pm: Edit

Can you not sense "my" sarcasm here?

My comment was pun intended.

By Xdtish (Xdtish) on Wednesday, December 31, 2003 - 06:40 pm: Edit

"nice pic, by the way"

By Savedbythebell7 (Savedbythebell7) on Wednesday, December 31, 2003 - 08:16 pm: Edit

Sorry. Have a happy new years!

By Rubster (Rubster) on Thursday, January 01, 2004 - 12:50 am: Edit

vegetarians don't deserve to live. We should feed them to starving African children...we should also can more whales.

By Rubster (Rubster) on Thursday, January 01, 2004 - 12:52 am: Edit

less vegetarians = less bitching = less hunger...everyone wins!

By Rubster (Rubster) on Thursday, January 01, 2004 - 12:53 am: Edit

mmm...whales

By Jadesark (Jadesark) on Thursday, January 01, 2004 - 01:17 am: Edit

Vegans...yay!