Pop culture in essays?

[lilsnowskier711]

Hi all -- I'd love to hear your thoughts on whether or not it is appropriate to reference pop culture in secondary essays? I think it'd make the essay more fun and unique, but also less professional.

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[Pacna]

Hi all -- I'd love to hear your thoughts on whether or not it is appropriate to reference pop culture in secondary essays? I think it'd make the essay more fun and unique, but also less professional.

Less professional is not a good direction for medical school applications. They put a LOT of value in professionalism. Two of my questions in interviews were on the topic.

 

[TheWeeIceMan]

This thread has potential.

 

[lilsnowskier711]

bump

 

[Doctor Strange]

I might or might not have thrown a "With great power comes great responsibility" in several of my secondaries.

 

[Geebeejay]

Hi all -- I'd love to hear your thoughts on whether or not it is appropriate to reference pop culture in secondary essays? I think it'd make the essay more fun and unique, but also less professional.

How would making references to popular culture make an essay unique?

 

[kmp0410]

I'm mentioning being "weeded" in my secondary, so that may count.

That's being super busy for you non-restaurant folk.

 

[Levitin]

I mentioned my band opening for Vanilla Ice in one of my secondaries. I felt it was something that would stand out amidst a pile of identical applicants.

 

[Ellie Arroway]

You mean like "I first realized I wanted to be a doctor when I saw this one totally badass episode of House"? Because I would say no. I would also refrain from quoting Call Me Maybe, no matter how much you want them to call you.

 

[Narmerguy]

I referenced Lebron James in mine, but it literally was just a short one sentence example of something I discussed with a patient. I think pop culture references can be fine so long as they aren't distracting and wouldn't prevent someone understanding your point without understanding the reference (a bunch of academics aren't always as uptodate on pop culture as you would think).

 

[LizzyM]

I'm mentioning being "weeded" in my secondary, so that may count.

That's being super busy for you non-restaurant folk.

Yikes... I thought it had something to do with weed.

I mentioned my band opening for Vanilla Ice in one of my secondaries. I felt it was something that would stand out amidst a pile of identical applicants.

Or I'm thinking about restaurants and think that this has something to do with frozen desserts or flavored vodka....

You have to be careful because the range of people reading your essays can include 20-something medical students, parents of small children, grandparents of small children, lab geek scientists, opera-going neurologists, and marathon running anesthesiologists. Pop culture references can fall flat if your reader is not familiar with the culture.

 

[Arkangeloid]

If you have to ask if something is "ok," it's probably not.

Same thing for the girl with lavender hair.