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Essay Question:
Could you tell us about a time in your life when you experienced disappointment, or faced difficult or trying circumstances? How did you react?
Academics have always been my passion. Having held the highest grade average for the first nine years of my scholastic life, I used to enjoy the subsequent school-wide reputation. But in my own definition of excellence, surpassing the rest wasn't enough; I had to unlock my full potential. In November 1999, not happy with the academic level of the Central American school system, I decided to pursuit my own version of the American dream. As soon as I came to the United States, my academic reputation was over. My new school summarized and translated my life's academic efforts into a two-digit field: 'GPA 2.8.' My academic background was greatly underestimated as well. For example, by 9th grade I already had 13 credits under my belt, including units such as Pre-calculus and Physics. However, the staff in charge of providing me with a 'smooth transition' into my new school agreed that I was to be given credit for classes an 'average freshmen' would take, like Algebra I and Earth Science. Did I consider it fair? At the beginning I did not. I felt disappointed as I saw the fruit of my academic passion fade away. What I couldn't see at the moment was the opportunity of my life to demonstrate that even if I started in the darkness - being only a number, one more student among the masses - I could crawl into the light. Sure, the path into light was steep and I knew it wouldn't be an easy journey. It wasn't easy. A new school, a new language, a new society, they all collided to make the job harder, but it wasn't impossible. I didn't know where all my efforts would lead. I knew academic excellence was not the end, but rather the means to get there. Taking one step at a time, I started getting attention from a few teachers. Some comments here, a few recommendations over there, and after a long year I got the recommendations to get into Advanced Placement U.S. History and English Language. It wouldn't make sense to most of my friends: I had never heard of the Pilgrims before, and I did have a funny accent when speaking. However it made perfect sense to me. My new life in this school system was producing its first fruits. Now I know who the Pilgrims were and I don't speak with an accent anymore. I did pass both AP tests, being particularly proud of getting the highest score in the English test in the entire school, even though I had only been in the U.S. for about year and a half. I recovered my academic reputation - this time in a greater magnitude - and my GPA is definitely higher. But my biggest personal satisfaction comes from proving that no matter how bad the circumstances are and how behind I start the race, there's always a way to get ahead. It was the biggest challenge I had faced in my life, and I was able to overcome it.
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Major Essay - Personal Statement
Throughout my secondary school career, I have really dedicated much of my time to furthering my knowledge of science and conducting research. I have been involved in several different research endeavors over the last few years and have won numerous distinctions. Over the last three years, through my extensive involvement in environmental preservation, I came to realize that there are many severe problems that urban lakes are facing in our modern era. I chose to examine the effects of eutrophication (the process by which a body of water becomes rich in phosphate compounds and becomes shallow with marked deficiencies in dissolved oxygen) in local bodies of water in the Los Angeles Area, namely Madrona Marsh (City of Torrance) and Harbor Lake Machado (Harbor City), and found that phosphate pollution was extremely severe in these areas. After extensive research, I found that phosphate binders, common substances used to treat medical patients with phosphate retention, could be used in this situation, and I devised a filtration system to remove phosphate and ammonia through ion-exchange and accelerated denitrification. I was extremely excited to find that these filters were extremely successful, and currently, the City of Torrance is in the process of funding construction of these filters at Madrona Marsh. For this research, I was awarded best of category and first place at the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair in Environmental Science in May 2002. In addition, I have won third place at the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair in 2001, as well as first place at the California State Science Fair and Los Angeles County Science Fair. I am in the process of patenting this filtration system and am submitting my paper for publication to several national journals. I am also participating in the Intel Science Talent Search and the Siemens Westinghouse Science Competition, in which I currently hold semi-finalist status, with this work. I hope that this research will eventually lead to the betterment of lake ecosystems throughout the world. In addition to this research, I have also worked under Dr. Vito M. Campese, M.D., chief of the Division of Nephrology, University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine, for the past three years conducting research on neurogenic hypertension. I have worked extensively in this lab utilizing several techniques, including nephrectomy, femoral artery catheterization, DNA extraction, polymerase chain reaction, reverse transcription, and western blotting. This research has produced two papers for publication, entitled 'Renal Injury Caused by Intrarenal Injection of Phenol Increases Afferent and Efferent Renal Sympathetic Nerve Activity' (American Journal of Hypertension 2002; 15(8):717-724) and 'Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) Stimulate Central and Peripheral Sympathetic Nervous System Activity' (In Approval Stages), in both of which I am a co-author. I have spent over 1000 hours during the past three years conducting research at the University of Southern California, and this type of research particularly interests me. My ultimate dream is to pursue an academic research career. Research has truly been a rewarding experience in my life. I have worked more than 2000 hours during my years as a secondary school student, and I know that my future will be in scientific research and investigation. Through my counselors, previous university alumni from my school, and my own research, I have found that this would be a perfect fit for me in every way. The extensive research conducted there, specifically in natural sciences, and the caliber of the professors with whom I would be working would truly allow me to grow and mature as a scientist, which is my ultimate lifetime goal. I think that my intellectual curiosity, dedication towards research, and extensive experience will contribute greatly to the university community.
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Essay Question:
Major Essay - Describe the most important activity in high school?
My Efforts in Preserving the Environment Of all the activities in which I have been involved, I have been most passionate and committed to environmental preservation and restoration. I have dedicated much of my time outside my rigorous academic schedule to environmental service and have served and continue to serve on the executive boards of several organizations that are committed to this very goal. Since seventh grade, I have spent many hours doing conservation work and I realized the only way to further this goal is to be active politically and by drawing commitment from other people. With this in mind, in ninth grade, I founded the Environmental Sciences Club at my school and became its president. In my three years at Palos Verdes Peninsula High School, I have encouraged more than 200 students to commit more than 3000 hours in conservation efforts to make my school one of the most active groups in the area. That year, I was invited by the president of our local chapter of the National Audubon Society to speak at the national conference in Asilomar, California, about the significance of youth in environmental service and I was conferred the Audubon Youth Environmental Service (YES!) Award for my work. I subsequently received an invitation to join the Palos Verdes Peninsula Land Conservancy Board of Directors as a student representative. In tenth grade, I spearheaded an effort to create the Audubon YES! Council to help coordinate youth environmental activities throughout the South Bay. This council, of which I am currently vice president, now comprises representatives from over twenty high schools acting diligently to increase awareness and promote student involvement. In recognition of my efforts, I was awarded the first Audubon YES! Council award by the Palos Verdes South Bay Audubon Society in 2002, and I was made a student YES! Council representative of their board of directors. In 2000, I created a school-wide recycling program for cans, bottles, and aluminum. After many frustrated attempts, I was finally able to get approval for the program and locate private sources willing to donate all necessary equipment to the school. Since its inception, the Environmental Sciences Club has very successfully headed this program. Concurrently, I conducted in-depth research to reduce water pollution, and served as a consultant to the Friends of Madrona Marsh Board of Directors and the Harbor Park Advisory Council on water quality issues. In recognition of these various efforts, I was conferred the 2002 Palos Verdes South Bay Audubon Society Youth Conservation Award, given annually to the student who best exemplifies conservation efforts in the local and regional communities. I also received the 2002 Palos Verdes Peninsula Coordinating Council and County of Los Angeles Board of Supervisors Teen Service Awards. During secondary school, I have dedicated over 1400 hours to these efforts, and this impacted my life in many positive ways. I have learned the value of community work where results can only be achieved with the collaboration of many people, organizations, and elected representatives working together in conjunction towards a cleaner, healthier, and balanced world. The protection of our environment is an unending task. It is hard, unpredictable work but vital to our survival and to the quality of our lives on this planet. I am very proud to be a part of it, but at the same time humbled by the immensity of the task ahead of us.
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Essay Question:
Major Essay - describe a unique experience in high school.
It is a sad fact that many species on this planet are endangered or have become extinct due to human activities, especially in recent decades. I have always had a strong desire to be part of efforts to stem or reverse this trend. Due to my many environmental efforts and research that I conducted to reduce water pollution, I was afforded the unique opportunity to visit the Amazon Rainforest in August 2002 to study two species of endangered turtles in the Araguaia National Park (Ilha do Bananal), Brazil. Because of my first place finish in the environmental sciences division at the Los Angeles County Science Fair in 2002, I was also awarded a Helen and Peter Bing Earthwatch Fellowship for the expedition, which included a full share of cost payment and a travel stipend. This project was co-sponsored by the Earthwatch Institute, the Tocantins State University, and Instituto Ecolsgica of Brazil. I had the pleasure of working with a diverse international team of volunteers and researchers for two weeks in a remote region of the Amazon. Our goal was to locate and preserve hundreds of turtle nests from predation by transferring the eggs to safer locations. We also used granulometrics and thermographs to show the correlation between temperature, humidity, and grain sizes to incubation period and sex determination. The two species of turtles involved were the Tracaja (Podocnemis unifilis) and the Amazonian (Podocnemis expansa); these are endangered for many reasons: illegal poaching, deforestation, water pollution, and climate change. The work that was done in the two weeks of the project will hopefully save thousands of turtles and help in the long run to increase the turtle populations back to self-sustaining levels. Overall, the project was extremely successful, and hopefully will make a difference in the protection of these extremely important and beautiful animals. The epitome of the trip was by far the day sighting of a female Tracaja laying eggs. Such a sight is so rare in these early night-laying turtles that the principal investigator, Dr. Adriana Malvasio, had only seen it twice in the many years that she has worked with the animals. Even more amazing, the second group had also found a turtle on another beach. It was almost as though fate had determined for us to find these turtles that morning commemorating our two weeks of work in helping these turtles. A coincidence or an act of fate - something we will never know; but it certainly brought to a grand finale the trip of a lifetime. This was truly an exciting experience, and I hope that I will someday get the opportunity to visit the Amazon once again. I would have to say that the Amazon Turtles expedition was definitely one of the best experiences of my life thus far, if not the best -- it is certainly something that will stay with me for rest of my life. The friendly people, the unique surroundings, and the invaluable environmental work really came together to make this a truly memorable trip.
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Essay Question:
Name an item that is special to you and explain why it is.
'Mama says they was magic shoes. They could take me anywhere.' Forrest Gump Here he comes again, stomping down the stairs with big thumps. Even as I sit here on the other side of the house, I can feel the ground shake as he approaches. His face soon appears above my soles as his bare feet slide on top of me. The moment I feel his calloused feet against my foot beds, I wonder what our next adventure will be. Hardly a day passes when I am not with him. Every day through sun, wind, rain, and yes, even snow, I protect his feet. People tell him that he is crazy for wearing Birkenstock sandals in the winter, but I know that I am special to him. He is always running'to school, to Student Council meetings, to volunteer at the hospital - so I suppose that is why he and I are always a pair; he just needs to slip me on, and he is set to run out the door. We share many memories. I will never forget those long physics lab periods when he would pour over his work, making sure he examined every aspect of an experiment, or those days he would stay after school just to run extra trials. I could always tell whenever he got frustrated because his right foot would begin to shake, but he never quit; his curiosity would not let him. I remember days in government class when he would get into political debates with his teacher. Sometimes he would win, sometimes he would not, but he always came out of them more knowledgeable about the topic than he had been going in. He is never afraid to speak his mind and stand up for what matters to him. Together, we have marched in human rights protests in New York City, circulated petitions at his school, and fought the school board for club funding. Sometimes, he even fights with his brother for the remote control, but that's him, always passionate about what he does. Yet he never forgets about his other interests, however small. Sometimes we hang out in Barnes and Noble as he flips through magazines, looking for articles on international politics. There are sunny days we go to the park and toss Frisbees with his friends and rainy days we run out and dance in the rain. As a duo, we once joined in a snowball fight, only quitting when his feet began to turn shades of blue. I even remember, though not fondly, the day he used me as a projectile while horsing around with his friends. Still, I never miss a beat, even on sprints with his greyhound. I know he remembers the same things. Perhaps Forrest Gump's mother was right when she said that there are such things as magic shoes. But I am magical for a different reason: I can not only take my friend anywhere, but I can also take him to his memories of where he has been and what he has done. He will never leave me because we share these memories that pictures cannot capture. I know that when we arrive home after a long day, he will carefully place me in my corner spot near the door. There I will sit and wait, until I can again feel the rumble of his footsteps.
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Essay Question:
We know you lead a busy life, full of activities, many of which are required of you. Tell us about something you do for the pleasure of it.
Right outside of the backdoor of my house sits a pond that is a world of its own. As a hobby, I take care of this garden pond and its inhabitants, ensuring that the water remains in a healthy condition for the goldfish, bullfrog, and white and pink water lilies to thrive and protecting the overall beauty of the pond. I also tend to the perimeter of the fishpond, making sure the landscaping is carefully maintained. On warm days, I enjoy sitting by the pond and admiring my work as the fish swim by and the fountain bubbles like music ricocheting off the surface of the water.
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Describe the world you come from. How has that world shaped your dreams and aspirations?
The world that I live in is one full of opportunities. These include opportunities to pursue interests, discover new domains, and pass holiday weekends. Indeed, the thrill that comes with living in one of the most vibrant cities in the world is endless. Oftentimes, the challenge in New York City is not finding something exciting, but instead, choosing between the neighborhood concert and the AIDS symposium taking place at the same time. This environment opens the mind to an unrestrained array of ideas that foster many unique characters. Growing up in this intellectually stimulating world, I have been allowed to develop passion and determination. My aspirations to make contributions through science result from many of the activities that I have experienced in school and in my community. In the marine biology mentoring project at the Hudson River Project last spring, I participated as one of the dozen high school mentors who served as model scientists to a motivated group of fifth-graders. In effect, we were used as guinea pigs in a fledgling study designed to determine whether underprivileged kids are more likely to pursue a seemingly esoteric scientific career after having had accessible role models. Yet I was intrigued by the idea of being able to explore a new field of biology while, perhaps at the same time, making a difference in someone's life. With that, my student and I set out to study the water quality of Hudson River. I realized from the start that the task would not be easy. Throughout the project, I had to study the basics of marine biology before each session, master the techniques required for our experiments, and perhaps hardest of all, ensure that the student was completely fascinated during every step of the process. Nonetheless, my commitment to the project was worthwhile, as my student's desire to make discoveries in science blossomed. I have achieved my goal of showing a youngster what it means to work with a passion. At the same time, seeing how proud he was during the final presentation of our work and the warm environment that surrounded it, I grasped the sense of unity and cooperation that are large parts of a scientist's world. This project reaffirmed my love for conducting research. Moreover, it enabled me to understand the necessity of helping others with my abilities, without which science would not be as meaningful. By embracing the challenges that accompanied this project, I have been able to acquire new knowledge, much of which was unexpected. In fact, the hidden opportunities of the city often result in the most memorable and invaluable experiences, because it is amazing how inspiration comes from so many people and events. Thus I love the city for providing me with opportunities to encounter new ideas and, most importantly, I love the city for giving me the opportunity to dream.
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Essay Question:
Tell us about something you do for the pleasure of it.
Collecting stamps used to be what took away my father's Saturday afternoons and what took up a corner of our already-crammed living room, until I realized the beauty of stamps in being an extraordinarily compact form of expression. I love stamp collecting because of the extensive history that lies behind each stamp; because of the satisfaction I get from flipping through generations of stories; and because of the moments of exuberance when my 'useless' knowledge of American artists or Olympic sports comes into use. Suddenly, all the stamp hunting, painstaking washing, and endless arranging become worthwhile.
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Essay Question:
Which department or program at MIT appeals to you and why?
Seeing the incredibly ordered workings of living organisms as complex as the human body, I would like to understand how microscopic cells are able to combine into an organism capable of moving, reproducing, and thinking. Perhaps even more amazing is how each individual cell is able to contribute to the whole by the instruction of a set of genetic codes. The biology department at MIT provides the ideal resources and environment for me to find answers to many of my questions and perhaps add another piece to the puzzle of biological wonders.
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Major Essay: What drives you? What are you passionate about?
Early in the summer, my Naniji (meaning 'maternal grandmother') was teaching me about Indian culture, particularly cooking and reading Hindi. Today, in her feisty style, she was showing me how to make paneer, an Indian delicacy. Not letting me touch the pot she was stirring, she impatiently explained the process: 'the milk has to be heated to exactly the right temperature or else the paneer will be loose. After it has heated, add lime juice to the milk.' Paneer is a soft, cheese-like white substance so laborious to make that it is only served on certain Indian holidays or for special company. When Naniji at last consented, I excitedly added a drop of juice to the nascent paneer, carefully observing the tiny havoc it caused. A small, yellowish drop of lime juice tumbled into the milk, causing the milk to part around the juice and become strangely stringy. The word for this process -- coagulation - popped into my mind. I liked the funny-sounding word in chemistry class, and felt a linguistic familiarity with it because I could discern its etymology: 'cogo', from Latin, meaning 'to do or to drive'. 'That makes sense,' I thought, 'because coagulation could be the process of driving solute together.' As I added more juice, I looked carefully at the developing paneer and began to wonder what was driving the milk together. Thinking back to biology and chemistry, I quickly figured it out: protein from the milk emulsion was clumping together because it had been denatured! The lime juice had a low pH, which denatured, or reshaped, the proteins by altering charges on the polypeptide chain, causing the proteins to stick together! That's why I can make paneer! In a flash, I had figured it all out. Why the process worked, where its name came from, and how things would look at the molecular level. I also realized something else entirely: how much I love science, especially when applied. I felt such an inner satisfaction that moment I figured out why my drops of lime juice could so dramatically transform the milk into paneer. I wanted to feel the same thrill again and test whether I really was passionate about science. I enrolled in multiple higher-level classes, and since then, I have felt the same enthusiasm discovering why only half of medicine synthesized is useful, identifying unknown mixtures in lab, and proving Newton's laws of motion. Much of my zeal for science stems from its human aspect, whether that is coagulation from pH change in the context of Indian cooking and culture, or global-level problem solving, like dealing with an epidemic. Science not only excites and satisfies the inquisitive child in me, but it also connects me to environmental problems, people, and even my heritage. Feeling all of my yearnings - curiosity leading to understanding, cultures and people, and the possibility for a positive contribution - is why I see my future in search of the truth that only science provides me.
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What interests you about Brown?
I want my college experience to be about self-discovery, both inside and outside the classroom. I am starting to know myself; I have learned what open-mindedness is, what it is not, and how much I value it. I've searched for a compromise in many situations: how tolerant is one to be of intolerance? I confronted this question when helping a student understand his Asian identity and cope with parental disapproval of his sexuality. I was confused about how much parental intolerance to challenge because of the respect he held for his parents. Would I be challenging that respect as well? As a Multicultural Peer Counselor I have not only had to think abstractly about these questions, but give answers and see consequences. Though in the process I have gained some wisdom, it seems insignificant compared to all of the progress that I must make. The placement of an MPC and WPC on each freshman hall demonstrates the communal respect for issues of personal and group identity and difficulties people face because of them. As all of us uncover who we are, this acceptance is crucial. My determination, curiosity, and intensity would cause me to fit well with the 'similarly passionate, motivated, and accepting' student body as described to me by one Brown student. Brown is my ideal environment because it demands learning with wonder, confronting questions, exploring fundamentals, challenging beliefs, and true tolerance.
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Essay Question:
We recognize that all good writers seek feedback, advice, or editing before sending off an essay. When you have completed your essay, please tell us whose advice you sought for help, the advice he/she provided, and whether you incorporated his/her suggestions.
The final authority for my writing is an experienced teacher whom students fondly refer to as 'our resident essay expert'. Before, however, using the time of such a sought-after and presumably busy man, I asked my college-going peers to edit my work. Some of my peers gave me purely grammar and syntactical corrections, which I executed before delving further. Others gave me suggestions for voice and sentence structure. Teachers were final judges of my essays, because they focused on them from a holistic point of view. I sat across from Dr. Miller, an almost elderly gentleman, as he perused my essay. I nervously awaited feedback. Older friends had told me, 'he tore apart my essays, but in the end they turned out well. So it was worth it.' Although my essays had been reviewed by parents, peers, and another teacher, I still waited for my essay to be torn apart. When he finished, he looked up and began to speak: 'Reading this essay, I get the impression that you are a meticulous, observant, formal, driven and philosophical person. Is this true?' Other feedback that I remember included 'in the 7,428 college essays I have read during my career, this is perhaps the most impersonal one I have ever read. Tell me, do you have a sense of humor? Perhaps you should insert a humorous comment here. It is awfully nerdy that you explain a chemical process in your college essay.' Allowing this advice to percolate for some time, I edited the essay. And edited. And edited. I edited it so much that the essay was left pathetically shorn of its former passion and enthusiasm! I showed the over-edited version to peers and it turned out that my fear had come true: I edited the essay to the point of blandness. My once vivacious essay was now, many hours later, a boring, textbook description of protein behavior. In despair, I went for a walk, contemplating other ideas - I waited a week, reread a preliminary draft of the essay, put it away, and then quickly rewrote the essay, trying to sincerely feel the essence of the experience, not grammar. I made minor revisions to this draft, and then e-mailed the essay back to parents and Dr. Miller. After incorporating their suggestions a second time, that is the essay I present.
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Essay Question:
Please share with the Admissions Committee how you discovered Caltech and the reasons you decided to apply. What do you believe you would contribute to Caltech both academically and personally?
In the world of science and technology, it is impossible not to discover the California Institute of Technology, renowned for its rigorous courses, its Nobel Prize winning professors, and its state-of-the-art laboratories and research equipment. In my AP Physics class, every other current event we talk about is somehow related to Caltech, be it a breakthrough made by an alum or professor, or the recent 2004 Nobel Prize in Physics, awarded to Caltech professor H. David Politzer and two other scientists for their discovery of asymptotic freedom in quantum chromodynamics. Considering my intended major, Environmental Engineering, Caltech can provide a vital source of knowledge and experience required to assist me in my course of study. I have chosen this major because of my interest in the future of energy sources. It is apparent that the world is on the cusp of an energy revolution. Just like the Industrial Revolution of the 18th century, this one will pertain to discovering new energy sources and utilizing those we have available more cautiously. In the 1700s, coal was the miracle fuel on which technology depended; today's revolution calls for alternative sources. I am excited to be a part of the revolution and see how it will play out in my lifetime. Caltech already has professors researching the need for alternative sources. David Goodstein, a professor of Physics and Applied Physics at Caltech, published an article titled 'Energy, Technology and Climate: Running Out of Gas.' Goodstein's main point is that the supply of readily available fossil fuels will become non-existent in the near future, which can have catastrophic effects on civilization. New energy sources are going to be a vital area of study, and I am extremely passionate about getting involved in its research. In the Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, one of the courses students can enroll in is 'ESE: Undergraduate Laboratory Research in Environmental Science and Engineering.' In this course, students independently research any current environmental problem of their choice; this freedom of study for undergraduates is unique to Caltech. Research is a major aspect of Caltech. Every successful research group requires a leader, which is what I would contribute to Caltech, since I have acquired extensive experience in this role. For example, on the AP Chemistry lab final, our three-person group only had nine days of in-class time to do the eight days' worth of lab, so we had to work accurately and efficiently. As the leader, I assigned specific tasks to the other two members, and compiled and checked the results. Due to my contribution as a leader, we received the highest grade out of the three AP Chemistry classes. With my long-standing history of being the leader in projects, it is just second nature for group members to depend on me, and I never let them down. Given the opportunity and the proper learning environment, I am confident I can achieve all the goals I set for myself. With Caltech's longstanding reputation as one of the top science schools in the world, this could be the perfect match.
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Essay Question:
Discuss an issue of local, national, or international concern. Why is this issue important to you? How would you resolve it? What impact would its resolution have on others?
Speaking the Language of Pride and Prejudice Today, languages fascinate me. However, in middle school, it took my mother four hours of debate before I finally agreed to take Spanish. 'But, mom, I already know another language! Our family is Chinese!' I whined. 'Take the class. One day, you'll understand,' she said sagely. And so I grudgingly went to my first Spanish class. However, once I had mastered the basics of the language, I spent hours amusing myself with rrrrolling my r's. I've been told that some things just can't be translated without losing meaning.The subtle nuances of Spanish grammar intrigued me. For example, to express whether or not one thinks it will rain, two verb forms can be used. With a single syllabic change, the speaker can convey her certainty or doubt. From having to cluck like a chicken the first day (while desperately racking my brain for a word, any Spanish word), to gradually conversing spontaneously, I found myself making friends with many non-English-speaking Hispanics. I realized that had it not been for Spanish, the door to communicating with millions of people in theworld would be bolted shut. As a Chinese-American, I feel the frustration of those who struggle with a new language and culture when in a new country. When my family first came to America, people in our neighborhood would periodically puncture our car tires simply because its owners were Chinese. Too confused to turn to the police, there was nothing we could really do. Fortunately, we moved away from that neighborhood, and I grew up speaking English without any accent. I was rarely teased in school. I thought things had changed. America appears to have integrated and accepted different ethnicities. But the day after 9-11, a Muslim student in my school was the target of a fight. I couldn't help thinking that he had done nothing wrong to deserve such treatment, just as my family had done nothing wrong to have our car vandalized. How could the aggressor think for a moment that attacking a human who merely shared the same religion with the terrorists would resolve anything? It would only escalate local tensions. Most Muslims were just as grief-stricken and terrified and shocked at the tragedy as all Americans were. I was revolted that such an attack had occurred. Fear, anger, and resentment weren't adequate justification for victimizing an innocent human being. I found myself frustrated by those who shunned others based on superficial differences instead of working to foster a relationship. Patriotism and pride in identifying one's background is good, but when manifested hatefully, it degenerates into disrespect for humanity. Those who have seen the consequences of war seem to agree. Robin Wright, the chief diplomatic correspondent for The Los Angeles Times, came to my high school to give a speech. She had seen her friends blown to pieces in Iraq and advocated something with which I completely agree - everyone in the world should learn at least two foreign languages. In this era of globalization, communication is of paramount importance so that misunderstandings can be quelled before escalating into needless violence. Last week, my mother came home from work smiling. She works for a German company. That day there was a party. Trying to be social, she had joined a light conversation about the German language and everyone had fun mispronouncing 'Ich spreche kein Deutsch (I don't speak German)'. All of a sudden, a whisper brushed past her ear. 'Why don't you learn better English before starting German?' She whipped around. The secretary smirked at her. I felt shocked, immensely hurt for my mother, and astonished that she was smiling. When I asked how she could possibly look happy, she replied, 'I speak English and can talk to her when I want to. She doesn't speak Chinese and never wants to learn. Shouldn't I be glad to have a greater power of communication and an open mind towards the world?' Prejudice is a bruise that cannot be easily comforted away. A lot has changed since our family arrived in America a decade ago, but a lot has remained the same. The pain of racial discrimination pierces my life, but I am grateful. In a way, it enlightens me. It helps me empathize with others who have been hurt by discrimination. In a larger sense, it helps me understand our diverse world. For this last reason, I have continued my studies in Spanish at a local universityafter having taken AP my junior year, even if it is just for an inner chuckle such as, 'Hah hah, Graciela and I are planning your secret wedding shower rightin front of you, but you don't realize it' at the University of Michigan Physiology Lab where I worked this summer. Languages are tools that overcome cultural misconceptions to peacefully unite different peoples. My mother was right after all about taking Spanish.
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Essay Question:
In 100 words or less describe your most important intellectual experience or accomplishment to date as it related to the fields of math, science, technology or research. Hint: we don't want to know about test score or course grades, rather we want to know about your creativity, you willingness to take intellectual risks for your scholarly endeavors.
In my IB Psychology class, I had the opportunity to design a psychology experiment studying how Social Facilitation affects the Stroop Effect. The Stroop Effect measures the response time of subjects reading and naming colors of color-words on a slide such as YELLOW, BLUE, and GREEN. The effect shows that people can read words faster than they can name colors. I enhanced the experiment by creating an interactive video of color word slides and used my computer to measure the response times to the millisecond by finding the exact moment when people began to verbalize their response. The results of my experiment showed that Social Facilitation decreased the Stroop Effect.
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Essay Question:
In 150 words or less describe your most important non-academic activity and why it is an important activity:
Through the Key Club at my high school, I volunteer extensively in my community. I have been a member for three years and currently I am the president of the club. The club is important to me because it gives me many unique opportunities to give back to my community through serving meals to the homeless and working with handicapped children. In addition, my Key Club service is an extraordinary leadership building activity: I organized three blood drives at my school and participated on a steering committee for the Bellevue 24 Hour Relay. The steering committee was an exciting experience because I was involved with city officials and other students in the planning of a citywide event.
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Essay Question:
Minor: If you are applying to Trinity College, please discuss why you consider Duke a good match for you. Is there something in particular at Duke that attracts you? If you are applying to the Pratt School of Engineering, please discuss why you want to study engineering.
As a college student, I want to take challenging classes from interesting professors, and work hard, learning as much as I possibly can. But, there are many things I anticipate doing in addition to classes. I want to attend lectures on interesting topics by notable speakers, participate in scientific research as an undergraduate, and be involved in orchestrating large student-run events. In college, I am searching for self-discovery, learning, and balance among academic, social and extracurricular spheres of interest. Attending Duke would make all of these things possible. As a student at the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics, I have attended several lectures at Duke. One of my favorites was listening to Dr. Craig Venter, founder of the Institute for Genomic Research, speak on the recent advances in the Human Genome project. Currently, I am involved in a program through the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics which pairs chosen students with a mentor in their chosen field of interest. At Duke's Gross Chemistry Laboratory, I work with Dr. Stephen Craig each Tuesday afternoon, conducting research on protein dimerization involving a chemical ligand. Until this point, I have created mathematical models of the proteins predicted behavior and am beginning a simulation involving DNA fragments. Attending Duke would allow me to continue working with Dr. Craig, as well as gaining towards a major in biochemistry. My experiences with Duke University have been positive thus far, and I believe that as a student, I would enjoy attending Duke University while taking advantage of all it has to offer.
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Essay Question:
We know you lead a busy life, full of activities, many of which are required of you. Tell us about an activity you pursued for the pleasure of it.
Before me were five wise men. They were leaders and professors representing the five major world religions: an energetic pastor who loved to tell stories, a Jewish professor who used humor to convey ideas; a patient 'I am a layman' practitioner of Buddhism; a wildly gesticulating Hindu professor; and finally, a calm Muslim Imam who raised his hand when the pastor asked 'who of you were raised in Christian households?' These men comprised a panel of speakers for the 'World Religions Conference,' an event organized by the Multicultural Peer Counselors, (ten students, of which I am one) as an opportunity for students and staff to learn and inquire. As an organizer, I nervously awaited a dispute or insensitive comment, but instead I saw careful listening, respect and acceptance. Before me was something much greater than five men: open-mindedness with living hope for religious harmony. To share this feeling of oneness with the rest of my community is the reason I pursued becoming a Multicultural Peer Counselor.
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Essay Question:
Although you may not yet know what you want to major in, which department or program at MIT appeals to you and why?
My first thorough introduction to bioengineering came with reading Dinner at the New Gene Cafi. I had been intrigued by genetic engineering since hearing about golden rice, and performing an experiment in which I used recombinant DNA to transform bacteria. As I took higher-level chemistry classes and was introduced to physics, I realized that what I wanted was to pursue pure science in a broader context than only biology. Biological Engineering encompasses a broad spectrum of sciences, and aptly lends itself to practical, real-world problem solving. MIT has one of the only bioengineering departments in the country, and a vast array of advanced undergraduate courses.
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Essay Question:
What personal characteristics do you most value in yourself? What characteristics do others most value in you?
To myself, I'm a strong-willed person who thinks she can achieve anything with discipline and hard work. Otherwise, I'm pretty zany. I'm the girl who replaced lemons in water with cucumber slices, patiently arranged sand making a mandala, and created parrots from Styrofoam. My creativity can be artistic, but also handy for problem solving. Creativity gives me direction. When I asked friends what they most value in me, they replied: 'compassion towards friends, your morals, your humor and occasional bouts of silliness!' though they sometimes wonder how I can enjoy science even as I surrender my sanity to classes. Maybe my humor and silliness are why I can survive sometimes energy-sapping Physics and Chemistry.
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Essay Question:
Tell us about an activity you pursued seriously.
I sat on a frayed brown chair in the dilapidated but cozy old room at school called the assembly hall. Before me was a semicircle of five sage men; I listened to them, fully engrossed and enraptured by the wisdom their wisdom. They were professors and religious leaders from the community who represented the five major world religions. This was a yearly event known as the 'World Religions Conference', in which a representative from each of the five major world religions comes to speak, answer questions and engage in discussion. The Christian pastor on the far right of the crescent loved to stand up and tell stories to illustrate points. It was as though he were in church, speaking from a pulpit. His opposite, a calm Buddhist practitioner, sat to the left. The practitioner explained the concepts of Buddhism patiently, and gently, having kindly introduced himself with a delicate humility characteristic of Buddhism: 'I am a layman.' In the center of the semicircle sat the Judaism representative. He was a professor, so he taught. He stood up, paced, gave anecdotes, and even-role played. Similarly, the Hindu representative was also a professor. Trying to relate Hinduism to the audience, he used examples from current events and even showed newspapers with recent headlines to explain concepts and draw comparisons. Gesticulating wildly, he deftly quoted from many different religious texts and drew upon what the other speakers had said, especially the Muslim Imam. He perhaps possessed the most holy aura of them all. When the pastor asked the audience 'who of you were raised in Christian households?', the Imam raised his hand! An audience consisted of students, staff members and even teachers surrounded me as the World Religions Conference took place. The Multicultural Peer Counselors organize this event annually, and, in 2002, I was an organizer. I nervously clutched the edge of my chair waiting for tension to arise. Much to my relief, and slight surprise, this didn't happen. Instead, I sensed a powerful, pervasive feeling of acceptance. Manifested was the true spirit of inquiry, far beyond that of mere tolerance, but actual consideration, evaluation, and imbibing of new ideasreal open-mindedness. That realization struck me with such impact: an open dialogue without conflict! Furthermore, this audience proved to be curious about human thought, belief and religion! What was so powerful and amazing about the conference is that not only does one learn about individual religions, but comes away with more than simply facts: a bigger, perhaps a broader search for truth. From comparing, contrasting and seeing each religion in context and relation to the others, understanding and continuity emerge. The overwhelming quality permeating the room stemmed from the almost perfect atmosphere of understanding, reviving my hope in a true universal harmony. I shall always hold an image of the bright crescent and strive to carry that mindset with me. I felt so uplifted by the conference that I wanted to share this spirit of acceptance and true open-mindedness with the rest of society. Perhaps it could be a starting place to mend some of the rifts between groups today. Presently, as a Multicultural Peer Counselor, I hope to continue sharing this spirit. As I grapple with different issues in the future, I hope to find this true spirit of inquiry in my future college community.
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Essay Question:
Tell us about an opinion that you have had to defend or an incident in you life which placed you in conflict with the beliefs of a majority of people and explain how this affected your value system.
One of the characteristics about myself that I am proud of is that I am vegetarian. My parents raised me as a vegetarian and I have chosen to remain vegetarian because I believe that it is both a healthy and environmentally friendly decision. However, while growing up, most of the people that I dealt with were not vegetarians. Sometimes, this set up a conflict between my peers and I. During these times, my classmates questioned my beliefs, putting me in the position of defending and explaining my reasons for being vegetarian. Through this experience, I have strengthened my own beliefs and I have become more tolerant of the beliefs of others. As a teenager, I occasionally find time to go out for dinner or to a party with my friends. It was through these types of social engagements that my friends learned that I am vegetarian. Several times I have been in situations where as result of a misunderstanding or miscommunication, there are not any vegetarian accommodations for me. After incidents like that, food usually becomes the topic of the conversation. There are hosts of typical statements that I have heard said about being vegetarian such as, 'What do you eat?' or 'I would starve on vegetables!' or 'Where would I get my protein?' My all-time favorite is 'I tried a veggie-burger and almost died!' I have found that a good response to these questions is a small joke or an example of how simple vegetarian lifestyle can be satisfies everyone's general curiosity. The scope of my interactions concerning vegetarianism is not limited to simple meal discussions. Conversations on the pros and cons of not eating meat and eating meat made me cringe when I was a freshman and sophomore in high school, because I did not know where to begin defending my belief. At this point in my life I began to seek out other vegetarians my age in order to answer some of my questions and find support. For a year, I joined a controversial animal-rights club at my school. Through this experience I discovered a number of other organizations that supported my cause, such as People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) and the Northwest Animal Rights Network (NARA.) Through my research, I found an abundance of literature that answered my questions about why being vegetarian is significant. Prepared with the certainty of my research, I have the facts to hold up my side of debate over vegetarianism. After resolving the insecurity of my beliefs on vegetarianism, I did not go out and attack other's beliefs. Instead, I have chosen to be more accommodating. After having gone through the intimidation of facing a majority that opposed my beliefs, I do not want to put someone else through the same uncomfortable position. I have taken it to heart to be more flexible in understanding people or groups that don't share my beliefs without compromising my own.
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Essay Question:
Describe one person who has influenced your life and how.
When I walked into Honors U.S. History at the beginning of my junior year, I didn't know what to expect. I hadn't heard much about the class or the teacher. But what I learned from that year will affect me for the rest of my life, because of an incredible History teacher named Mr. Brewer. Mr. Brewer is not a conventional teacher. He has been at Harrison High School for many years, and all the while he has been teaching some of the brightest minds ever to go through the school. Because of this, he has had ample time to adjust his teaching style, and the results are phenomenal. His lectures are so captivating that I could hardly wait to go to class everyday. Another thing about Mr. Brewer that makes him very unique is the simulations that he mediates. While in U.S. History, I participated in the Continental Congress, a game in which students were assigned different personas that paralleled the founding fathers and their beliefs, and the Oil Game, in which cutthroat competition between buyers and sellers often culminated to yelling matches and bitter rivalries, while still teaching us about capitalism. Mr. Brewer is incredible in the ways that he finds to weave past accounts into present-day ideas by illustrating the cyclic nature of human culture, and showing how we can learn from those Americans before us. Not only does Mr. Brewer teach History, but he does so neutrally. His classroom is a haven for new ideas and radical beliefs. We are encouraged to speak our mind, formulate and opinion, and then support it. I have developed all of my political beliefs based on that class. The best thing is, I came to the conclusions on my own, without my parents help, and without another person telling me what to think. As good as all of these previous stories seem, the best thing that Mr. Brewer has done is to bring out qualities in me that a good person should have. Characteristics like integrity, honesty, patriotism, and leadership are things that come to mind when I think of Mr. Brewer. Although Mr. Brewer does a good job of staying neutral in his beliefs, one thing that is obviously important to him is integrity, and as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. says, 'Judge not by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.' Because of my incredible respect for Mr. Brewer, integrity will always be a quality that I hold myself to. Mr. Brewer is an incredible educator. I have learned more life lessons from him than from all the other teachers I've had put together. He is an amazing instructor and person, and I know that the values he has instilled in me I will carry forever.
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Essay Question:
Personal statement
It was the pivotal third game of my sectional volleyball semi-final match against the Logansport Berries. We had beaten Logansport earlier in the season, but for some reason we were struggling today. Perhaps it was the added pressure that sectionals bring. Lose and your season is over, win and advance a step closer to the state title. We were down by three, 14-17, and the entire team was tight. Our best server sailed her attempt out of bounds, and our most steady passer had shanked several balls into the stands. The team was in a very familiar position. Just one week ago we had played Avon for the conference title, and that night we rode home from the match defeated and disappointed. A million 'what ifs&' led to one depressing conclusion; we were our own worst enemy. When we were confronted with the challenge of a big game, we didnt perform well and somehow found a way to lose. Every Raider wanted to turn this game for the better, but no one seemed able to shake off their nerves and play well. I realized that if we were going to win, somebody would need to step up. For the first time in my volleyball career, that person was me. I couldnt afford to worry about missing a block or hitting a ball into the net, I just needed to perform. Everything else fell away - the crowd, the officials, even my coach - and I was completely focused. Harrison scored the next three points, and I was responsible for the score each time. Best of all, the rest of the team settled down once I regained my composure, and they played up to their potential as well. We beat the Berries that day, and came back to defeat the McCutcheon Mavericks and the Marion Giants, securing the sectional title. Sports have been my life since I was in middle school. Something about competition has always attracted me; I find everything from the raw athleticism to the passion appealing. However, no sport has been more meaningful to me than volleyball. Disappointment had been present in my volleyball seasons throughout high school. Even in my senior year we lost the conference title in a game that was ours to win. However, instead of backing down and giving up, I responded to the loss by taking a risk when I took control of my team. It was not an easy choice. Before me I had the opportunity to be either the hero or the scapegoat. I knew that any disappointment would be twice as bad if I were the one to blame. But I put all that behind me and took the chance, and I now know that it was the right thing to do. By reacting with a positive mindset instead of giving up in the face of adversity, I was able to lead my team to a sectional victory.
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Essay Question:
Relationships play a big role in shaping a student's life. Describe one of your relationships that has influenced who you have become. Personal Statement
When my cousin and I were young, we were very close friends - so close, we seemed like brothers. Even though he was four years older than me and lived hundreds of miles away, during our visits at Grandpa's house Evan and I were inseparable. The atmosphere at Grandpa's house was always relaxing, loving, and carefree. Our favorite activity was performing puppet shows for the family to show off our crude but humorous staging and voicing skills. We prepared all afternoon for an evening show; however the fun did not so much lie in the show itself as it did in the preparations for the show. We picked out the best stuffed animals from Grandpa's vast collection and made props for them to use in the show. It was a chance for me to artistically express myself without having to worry about the quality of the final product. The time I spent with my cousin Evan was very special because he seemed like a big brother to me. He made me feel wanted, valued, and appreciated. He was a real friend, always there to play with me and enjoy carefree, happy times together. He showed me what having a fun, easy-going, and understanding big brother could be like. A few years later, when I became a big brother, I realized how difficult being a good brother can be. Initially, I was mad that I had to share my parents' and everyone else's attention with my little brother, David. However, over time, I learned how to overcome my anger at David and was eventually able to change my attitude into one that would allow David to see in me what I saw in Evan. I tried to be kind and loving, tried to help him whenever needed, teach him from my experiences, and make him feel important. Thirteen years later, I feel the relationship has been mutually beneficial, providing each of us with a close friend and family member to confide in and spend time with. David has learned a lot from me and I have learned a lot from him. My relationships with Evan and David have taught me how to be considerate, kind, caring, thoughtful, fair, and patient. These relationships have helped to shape my lifelong goal of becoming the best person I can be. I want to bring kindness into a world filled with hatred. For me, achieving this goal starts at home by being the best brother possible.
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Essay Question:
We know you lead a busy life, full of activities, many of which are required of you. Tell us about an activity you pursued for the pleasure of it.
Every spring about fifty neighbors from my community write, direct, produce, and perform an original community show. Neighbors collaborate to rewrite lyrics and choreograph dances to a few dozen well-known tunes, producing a comical parody which pokes fun at Washington, DC's politics. For the past two years I have had the pleasure of providing rhythmic accompaniment to the show. I especially enjoy this activity because of the hilarious acting and pleasant socializing with neighbors that it provides. Currently in its 47th year, this community event provides a creative and fun break from normal life that everyone, ages two to two-hundred, can participate in.
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Essay Question:
Although you may not yet know what you want to major in, which department or program at MIT appeals to you and why?
Although I am curious about many subjects, I am currently leaning toward electrical or mechanical engineering as my focus. When I began my college search last April, I had no idea what I wanted to study. All I knew was that my strengths and interests lay in math, science, and computers. After visiting many schools, I realized that engineering was made for me. During the MIT tour, I discovered a nanotechnology lab along the infinite corridor. It was awesome. The science of nanotechnology amazed me, leaving me eager to learn more. When the guides explained how engineering students benefit from the UROP program, I knew engineering was for me.
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Essay Question:
What personal characteristics do you most value in yourself? What characteristics do others most value in you?
For me, the only way to live a fulfilling life is to continually try your best, no matter what the circumstance. Whether I am helping a friend understand a problem set, working out a difficult jazz chart on the vibraphone, or talking with a beautiful girl at a party, I put all of my effort into that specific activity, trying to succeed as best I can. The key to success and happiness is to live up to your own expectations, not worrying what others will think. My friends might describe me as kind, considerate, and generous because of the time and effort I put into my friendships.
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Essay Question:
Write on a topic of your choosing.
'Hi! We are Team 14, the Robo-catz! My name is Britney. My teammates are Chelsea and Elham, and we're all going into eighth grade next year. Out teacher is Hanhan.' I smiled broadly from my post at the computer screen. This presentation marked the culmination of my first week working as a teacher at Carnegie Mellon's RoboCamp, a weeklong day camp for middle school students interested in robotics. My all-X-chromosome team had created this presentation to describe all they had learned throughout the week. 'This is a rotational sensor. We used it to track how many degrees our Legobot moved before it would start painting dotted lines with the marker.' My mind drifted off as I recalled the first day of RoboCamp. I had spent the week before playing with LegoBots, Not-Quite-C Programming Language, sensors, and Adobe PageMill, and I was eager to teach these toys to my campus. Looking around the room, I spotted my team. They were all girls! My mind bubbled with excitement and enthusiasm. Now, not only would I be teaching what I loved, but I'd have the opportunity to share it with females, who normally dont attend science camps. 'We Robo-Catz learned so much this week. On the first day, we didn't even know what an RCX was, and now we can command our robot to do anything. We struggled at first, but Hanhan kept us focused, and she cheered us on when we succeeded. It was awesome when our Robo-kitty finally performed its task.' I remembered that frustrating first day. Whereas the other teams dived right into the Challenge problem, I spent that hour teaching what a gear does. However, our slower start did not hinder our success over the other teams, especially the all-boys team. Unlike the XY-creature, who each believed he ranked as the world's smartest engineer, the girls and I worked as equals, forming the ultimate team. The first morning, I taught Chelsea how to program her robot. After she finished testing it, a huge grin spread across her face as the LegoBot traced a square path. Simultaneously, Britney worked on her first engineering challenge, configuring the robot's gears to increase torque. My role was the cheer on their efforts, encouraging and helping my team whenever our robot 'had spasm attacks' (according to Britney). As their teacher, I saw their knowledge and creativity flourish. When the girls succeeded, I felt the same thrill of discovery. In my eyes, teaching ranks as the most rewarding job. Beginning with an empty knowledge bank, the girls on my team quickly learned multitudes about robotics. Day by day, the girls expanded on their knowledge, which resulted in remarkable discoveries. Although I had the title of teacher, I realize that I learned even more than my students, and this feeling kept me smiling each day. I dug my hands into the mud as my team invented, explored, and kicked Robo-butts. 'We want to thank Hanhan, our super teacher for helping us. She's always an extremely positive and enthusiastic person, definitely cooler than any of the boy counselors.' My face flooded with pride and exuberance. For the first time in my life, I felt that I had made an important difference upon the world; I had impacted these girls' lives. Chelsea told me that she now shared my dream to become and engineer. In the larger realm of influence, I also knew that I had helped to change the face of the world's future engineers. In years to come, these girls will take their place in the currently male-dominated science and engineering fields. I know that they will pave new history, breaking that gender stereotype while creating dramatic inventions. Through teaching at RoboCamp, I had an opportunity to share what I loved and instill the same sparkle in tomorrow's eyes.
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Essay Question:
Life brings many disappointments as well as satisfactions. Could you tell us about a time in your life when you experienced disappointment, or faced difficult or trying circumstances? How did you react?
As our small group chatted in the lobby at the end of our tour, I recognized an acquaintance who lived in the apartment building entering. 'We were just visiting your roof!' I explained to her enthusiastically. In response, I received a puzzled stare. It appeared that she was not familiar with the fact that her building was on the cutting-edge of green building techniques in Portland, Oregon. It had taken me several weeks of exchanging e-mails with an expert at Portland's Bureau of Environmental Services to arrange this tour, one of the first steps in a project I was organizing as part of my school's Greens Club. We had been observing an eco-roof'a thin layer of vegetation that, when placed over the top of a normal roof, provides a multitude of benefits. Besides reducing the runoff that flows into the city's sewage system every time it rains, eco-roofs can also provide added insulation, reducing energy use. Although Portland is a national leader in promoting the technology, the idea is not new, and eco-roofs are quite common in parts of Europe. With a basic eco-roof education now under our belts, at our next meeting we proceeded to take a look at the school's blueprints to see if our roof would, in fact, be strong enough to support the added weight of some soil and plants. The school district's Resource Conservation Specialist joined our group, and after several more meetings, it became obvious that we would need to find a structural engineer to help us. This was where the process really began to bog down, as I encountered dead-end after dead-end. Several times I would find an engineer who claimed to be interested, yet would never reply to our further inquiries. It took several months to finally round up a crew of several qualified and reliable volunteers; by then, it was midsummer. Unfortunately, after assessing the plans, our roof did not turn out to be strong enough. Not only had I wasted a gigantic amount of time over the past several months, but the environment wasn't any better off for my efforts. Instead of discouraging me, however, this served to motivate me further. If I hadn't been able to help the environment this time, my next project would have to make up for it by being even more successful. In fact, I had already been planning another project - the production and sale of 'eco-books,' notebooks made using the school's binding machine and paper reclaimed from school recycle bins - and I began pushing it along a little harder, preparing a nice stock of eco-books for the start of the school year. Within the first month of school, we had already saved the equivalent of several reams of paper and had made a nice contribution to the Greens Club projects fund, to boot. I tried my best to turn a disappointing situation into something useful, and I succeeded.
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Essay Question:
We know you lead a busy life, full of activities, many of which are required of you. Tell us about something you do for the pleasure of it.
Often, in the middle of working on homework, I like to stop for several minutes and take a break to relax. One thing that I occasionally do during these breaks is knit. I don't knit anything in particular, but I just do it because I find the simple, familiar routine becomes very soothing. I also find looking at what I have already knit a useful reminder of the interconnectedness of all things--if one stitch is messed up, the whole thing may unravel.
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Essay Question:
Indicate a person who has had a significant influence on you, and describe that influence.
No. You don't know him. No, you have never heard his name. No, you don't even know he exists, yet once you read this, you will want to meet him. He was born in 1923 in the midst of Nazi Germany, where he grew up facing feelings of hatred towards him, all because he was an innocent Jewish boy. With black hair and dark eyes, he was different than his siblings (for they had blonde hair and blue eyes), and thus was called a 'dirty Jew' by the other Aryan youngsters. At age twelve, his parents decided to escape Europe before falling to Hitler and his Nazism. For the first time, he left his home on a boat and headed to Cuba, where he was denied access. More feelings of hatred and prejudice was what he encountered. Then, by pure chance, he anchored in the remote port of Buenaventura, in Colombia. He had never heard the Spanish language, but due to economic necessities, he had to start working in the Spanish speaking wilderness as a golf caddie. He was only twelve, and the hope for receiving a formal education had banished. He soon moved from the coastal town to Bogota, which was still only a big town and not a city. Life was hard and money was scarce. His father was a seamstress while his mother juggled the job of raising five kids and attending a bakery. He worked hard: he was a newspaper delivery boy, a caddie, and a messenger at a factory. His twenty cents a week salary taught him the value of each cent. With all these jobs, he never again entered a classroom. Today, he is fluent in five languages, learned how to read and write, knows math, science, history, literature, and geography, just to name a few. He has his own factory where thousands of panty hose and socks are produced and sold each day. He never attended college, yet he has become a successful businessman. He has three kids, who all hold a college-degree. He has established and supported a family, all from scratch. He supports all four of his siblings, who have not been as successful as he has. Also, he now takes care of his wife, who suffers from Alzheimer's. He is always there to help his family, no matter what the problem is. He has taught me numerable lessons and values. Clearly, he is a self made man. He has taught me, and most important, has showed me that hard work and determination can take a person anywhere. One's dreams are the limit to what one can achieve. He often tells me: 'Value your education because it is the only thing that you can hold forever.' He encourages me to pursue my dreams, and pushes my intellectual abilities to the limit. He inspired me to strive to reach my goals. He epitomizes the idea of a self made, Renaissance man, for he is wise, loving, caring, and determined. I am proud to say, this man is my grandfather. I hope everyone gets to have one as great as mine, but I find it hard to believe that there are that many great people in this world.
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Essay Question:
Evaluate a significant experience, achievement, or risk that you have taken and its impact on you.
Bang! The gunshot exploded as I ate dinner with my parents at a local restaurant in Colombia. As we saw the gunman shoot, my family and I hid under the table while I continued to clutch the hamburger I was eating. I was only ten years old, and violence was already part of my everyday life. This was not a foreign fear but a living reality. Two days later, while in XXX school, a bomb threat reached the classrooms, causing all the students to evacuate to the dense forest surrounding the institution. Fear for my life are the only words that explain my terror. On the other hand, life in our South American nation was also the paradise anyone could dream of. Warm hospitality, strong traditions, and a nurturing community were the customs I grew up with. Weekly family gatherings to celebrate Jewish festivities and eat traditional Spanish foods composed my life. In addition, I had my entire family as well as my childhood friends, all living within close proximity. In this homogeneous society, I felt a strong sense of security in my roots, for the combination of my Jewish roots and the Colombian traditions made me feel extremely comfortable. Then one day my parents sat me down for a serious conversation. My greatest fear now became a reality: 'We are moving to Miami in six months.' I stared at my parents in disbelief. How could I leave my comfort zone? How would I establish my life in another country, with different traditions and customs? But I did not have enough time to answer these questions, for before I knew it, I was on American Airlines flight 241 to Miami. I started seventh grade in a new school where I did not find anyone like myself. The first year was a miserable and lonely one, for I had no friends to call on the weekends and no family members whom I could visit. Slowly, I started to accept the harsh reality: my life would never be like the one I had in Colombia. Family dinners with ajiaco, a traditional Colombian soup, and gefilte fish were now a thing of the past. On the other hand, I no longer had to worry about my safety: now I could wear my gold earrings to the mall, and I did not fear someone pulling them. My new worry was getting accustomed to my life in a society with different values. I also had to find happiness in this new country. Slowly but surely, I discovered the differences between the third world country and Miami and learned to make the most out of them. Instead of longing to interact with people of my culture and background, I learned to appreciate the new cultures which I encountered in my new home. I discovered that other people were interested in the diversity which I brought, for a Jewish Colombian young girl was not the typical combination found in my new environment. Perhaps the most strategic change I faced, and appreciated the most, was going to school with African American kids and those of other nationalities. I soon joined Multicultural Club, and through the organization I attended various events that celebrated cultural diversity. This exposure to other cultures helped shape my character by making me more culturally aware. After living in the United Stated for five years, I now look back on the tragic day I moved to Miami and smile about that moment. Although I took the risk of leaving my comfort zone, I know that it has planted the seeds for my intellectual growth and development. Knowing the future lies ahead I have to strive to preserve my own culture and individuality, and in doing so I contribute to the appreciation of all cultures.
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Essay Question:
Describe a moment that has had an impact on your goals.
I looked at the score board: 14-13. It was the match point of the district volleyball game, and I was at the service line with the ball in my hands. This would be the last time I would ever play for my high school team. The whistle blew. The pressure was all on me. I started to think about my life, my education, and my goals in search of inspiration. I was only nine years old when I joined XXX Clubs girls volleyball team in XXX city. I had never played the sport, and naturally, as any amateur, I was not good at it. When it was time to play, I was so nervous that I could not even bump the ball over the net. I would turn to look at my mom in the stands, clapping and giving me a sense of security, but then I would just miss the underhand serve. It was a harsh reality, but I was not good at all. My determination and my love for the game kept me from quitting, until I had to move to Miami, where there was no XXX Club volleyball team. I was fourteen years old when I decided to try out for Junior Varsity volleyball team at school. Tryouts were intimidating, for the other girls were much better than me, but the coach saw my passion for the game and decided to give me a chance. For the entire season, a warmed the bench for my teammates. Nevertheless, I was determined to improve. The following season, I migrated from the bench to the starting line up. It was a great feeling now that I could get an overhand serve over the net and in the court. Still, that season I could not spike a ball to the floor. Eleventh grade soon arrived, and I was moved to the varsity team, where I was also a starter. I worked on my weaknesses, and strived to improve. The season was great, for I learned a lot from it. The team's record was 16-3 (the best it had been in a long time). Now, as a senior, I had passed the hardest obstacle: spiking. As I thought about my life, I realized how much I had improved on the court. My passion for the game drove my determination. More important, my determination was not limited to the court, but was evident in all my activities, both extracurricular and school related. I had reached my goals in life, and was now ready to set new ones. BEEP! The whistle blew and I contacted the ball for the serve.
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Essay Question:
Why are you interested in studying engineering?
The field of engineering is appealing to me because it deals with problem solving, which offers a practical application of ones knowledge. The field allows one to use the rigorous powers of analysis, which prepares students for future careers in science, industry, research, business, law, or medicine. Engineering requires an individual to use the tools learned in mathematics and science and apply them to real problems. The field trains an individual to understand a concept thoroughly in order to make use of it in a practical manner. I find it particularly attractive that one uses advanced math to solve complex problems, for math is my strongest and favorite subject. Furthermore, engineering allows me to experience hands on learning by conducting experiments in a lab to further develop my skills. I like the fact that engineering combines math and science in a field that allows one to use analytical skills and creativity to come up with the most practical solution to dilemmas. These aspects are appealing to me because I see engineering as a practical science that helps society solve crucial problems in a mathematical and analytical way by developing new processes and methods.
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Essay Question:
Briefly describe any experiences that you have had that are related to engineering or that led you to have an interest in one or another field of engineering.
I became interested in engineering as a result of my A.P calculus and chemistry classes last year, where I saw the practical applications of the materials learned. While finding the derivative of the cost function to find its minimal cost to examining an unknown substance to discover its components, I grew interested in a field that combines both subjects. Furthermore, I attended the Introduction to Engineering Program at Notre Dame last summer, where I reconfirmed my previous interest. At the program, I explored various fields of engineering as well as the curriculum in each of these. I also learned about the work of an engineer today, which was appealing to me.
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Essay Question:
How do you think the programs in engineering offered at Princeton might suit your particular interest?
Unlike many universities, Princeton University offers a wide variety of programs from which to choose. Although I am sure that I want to pursue the field of engineering, I have not yet decided what type of engineering I want to study. Since Princeton offers various types of engineering, I have many options to choose from once I decide what field I want. In addition, I am attracted to the engineering curriculum at Princeton, for students study mathematics, physics, chemistry, and computing during the first two years in addition to seven courses in humanities and social sciences. In this manner, the University shapes its engineering students into well-rounded students that are knowledgeable in an array of areas. Furthermore, the program provides engineers with language and communication skills that are crucial for today's world, which are often areas that other engineering programs neglect. The freshmen seminars offered at Princeton include topics such as the Engineering of Ice Cream or How Cities Work, which are programs that are unique to the University. The program at Princeton is appealing because it is a flexible program where the student can choose from many courses.
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Essay Question:
Think about all the things you hope or expect to gain from your college experiences, and then tell us which two or three you would place at the top of your list.
College is a once in a lifetime opportunity where an individual learns and experiences new things everyday. During the next four years, I am eager to become intellectually mature not only in my field of expertise but in other areas as well. The foundations that I will build in my undergraduate years will mold me into a well-prepared woman for the career world. In addition to engineering, I want to become a well-rounded person who can hold intellectual conversations about a wide variety of topics. In addition to expanding my intellectual limits, I hope to become a mature and independent person. The college experience will be an exciting one for me because I will be living in a college dorm as opposed to my home. This encompasses various new responsibilities, for I will have to be independent. Consequently, I will have to learn to manage my life and my money in a responsible manner. Independence and maturity are crucial tools to achieving future.
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Essay Question:
Discuss something you just wish you understodd better than you now do.
Very often, bad things happen to good people. It seems indeed cruel that honest and caring people have to suffer the consequences of hardships. For this reason, I wish I understood why events such as these occur. For example, I do not understand why innocent children are born with birth defects or cancer. It is also a mystery to me why people are starving throughout the world and why women are being suppressed in Afghanistan. When someone has not done any harm to other humans, why do they have to suffer dire consequences? In instances like these, I wish I understood the role of God and religion. I may never be able to understand this concept, for it is an abstract concept that involves a thorough understanding of religion. Nevertheless, I wish I could comprehend why bad things happen to good people.
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Essay Question:
Chances are that you are going to have one or more roommates at some point in your college years. What sort of person would you consider the ideal roommate? Explain why.
The ideal roommate needs to be a person who has an array of ideas and interests, like myself. The person should want a quiet study time during the weekdays and a social time in the evenings. She should be understanding and compassionate, so that I can share my feelings with her. In addition, she should value her education as highly as I do. Just like myself, she should be a caring, friendly, energetic, and outgoing person who is always eager to explore new ideas. Furthermore, she should be an honest and open-minded person whom I can live with in a harmonious manner. From rapelling to snowboarding to art and to studying, the roommate should be a well rounder person. The ideal roommate should be a respectful person who shares some similarities with me, yet celebrates our cultural and religious differences. My ideal roommate should be an organized, clean person, but not a neat freak. The roommate should be responsible for her personal belongings and have respect for my property as well. Hopefully, my roommate likes a variety of music, ranging from Latin to pop to classical music. My roommate should be a person whom I can trust. I hope my roommate is a person whom I can grow and mature with.
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Essay Question:
What one person, class, book, or experience would you point to as having had a significant effect on the way you think about something? Explain.
My exploratory trip to Israel two summers ago clearly shaped the way I view my own heritage and ancestry. Before the trip, I valued my Jewish roots and history, but I was unaware of the struggles my people have undertaken in order to have a Jewish nation. Furthermore, I did not know the hardships of everyday life faced by Israeli people. During my summer trip, I visited the Holy Land with a group of teenagers. During the six-week trip, I toured Israel from North to South and East to West. While staying in Jerusalem, I learned about the conflicts between Muslim, Jews, and Christians over the sacred city. I also experienced the coexistence of different people within one city. In addition, I learned the history of the Jewish people in the place where it happened. I toured the museums, national cemeteries, mountains, and beaches of my native land. Furthermore, I compared the way of life in Israel with that of XXX, learning the pros and cons of each. The most impacting moment was my weeklong stay at the Israeli army base where I was a soldier. I woke up at 5:30 AM to exercise and then proceeded to courses on military tactics and skills. By shooting an M-16 rifle or having to work in the kitchen that served the five hundred soldiers, I experienced the life of every eighteen year old in the land. I learned how to be thankful for the system in the United States where enlistment is voluntary. Not only did I mature during my trip, but I also learned to appreciate my Jewish culture. By facing the barriers that are present in Israel, I further appreciate my way of life in XXX. The trip changed the way I view life and my culture.
