Can I use a short script I wrote based on a prompt from school A's application as a writing sample submitted to school B?

[jekale]

The school who created the prompt was Columbia, fwiw. I liked what I wrote enough that I'd like to use it as one of my writing samples for applications I'm still submitting. Is that allowed, given that I did not come up with the premise and it originated from another school's application process? Thanks!

 

[llueve]

Hey jekale, This is a really good question and I'd also love to hear opinions on this. Here's my thinking:

As far as I know, there is no rule anywhere that says you can't do this. It's your own writing. I don't think Columbia owns it. (Right?) And I understand the appeal -- you like what you wrote, it's a good piece, it fulfills the requirements of a writing sample for another school. Why shouldn't you use it?

The only negatives in my opinion are the following risks:

Risk 1 - The prompt is too well known ?
-- May not apply here, but for example, USC uses the same prompts year after year. Who among us has not heard of the two people stuck in an elevator on New Year's Eve? If Columbia is similar, there is a possibility your readers will *know* that they are reading a Columbia prompt. And will they care? I'm not sure. Maybe not! Good writing is good writing. Or maybe they will care; maybe they'll feel like Columbia's sloppy seconds

Risk 2 - Are other people doing the same thing, thus rendering your script unoriginal ?
-- Say the Columbia prompts change all the time (do they? don't they?) so maybe Risk 1 is not a problem. But, how specific is the Columbia prompt? Is it one of those prompts that gives you characters, location, and premise, kind of like the USC elevator prompt? If so, will there could be other people submitting similar material...? Hey, maybe my second school has never heard of the USC New Year's Eve Elevator prompt! But man, this is like the third or fourth script they've read about two people stuck in an elevator...Not a lot of punch to it...

I'm not sure how much weight to give either of those risks, but to help you brainstorm an answer, I thought it was worth considering these two factors.

Anyone else have opinions or insights on this? I'd love to know!

 

[Chris W]

Personally I'd try to write something new for each application prompt.

Any excuse to exercise and get your creative juices going is good. You can only get better.

 

[JasperJohns]

It is also possible to alter a prompt so that it isn't so identifiable with the school. Take the USC prompt, for example. Change the setting and the date when it takes place, if you can, and no one will know from whence it came. Of course, not all scenes can be re-worked in this way, but maybe there is some sort of middle ground for you. A way to use the core of the work you love, while changing the bells and whistles that make it so identifiable with a particular school. To have your cake and eat it, too.