Essay Category:
Essay Question:
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.
Essay Category:
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.
Essay Category:
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.
Essay Category:
Essay Question:
Evaluate a significant experience, achievement, risk you have taken, or ethical dilemma you have faced and its impact on you.
I grew up in Latvia. The stage of fairy tales. Where Sleeping Beauty lay and Snow White hid from the wicked witch. This enchanted setting sheltered me from the turmoil of my birthplace. Barely safe from the grip of communist Russia, Latvia was as uninviting as a Siberian winter. Before birth, I had two strikes against me: my family's belief in Judaism and my Russian nationality. Latvians saw both of these cultures not only as alien but also pernicious; they treated the two with outward hostility, leaving me family to feel the hate. Antipathy became part of our daily lives. A Latvian woman even chased my ten-year-old brother off a public bus after discovering that he went to a Jewish school. With many such incidents, my mother knew that living in Latvia was no longer a viable option. She began the arduous process of acquiring refugee status for my family. Our physical passage to America was simple. We took a train to Moscow and after a short stopover at JFK, flew to Los Angeles. However, the emotional repercussions of this short trip were far more lasting. The inability of my seven-year-old mind to comprehend the possibilities of the American dream sank me into a depression. I saw only the negative: I had left behind my father, grandparents, friends, home and way of life. I entered a world where I was a deaf-mute. Understanding nothing and unable to communicate, a sense of impending doom haunted my life. I am going to fail, I thought. This is not my land. Arriving home after a long day of school, I would sit down in front of the TV, mute the volume and watch the jubilant mid-day Duck Tales cartoon run before me as I sobbed my pain. Soon after moving to the US, I morphed from a loving, carefree child into something that could only be described as a dry husk. I went through the day mechanically: woke up at 6am, chewed and swallowed my scrambled eggs, rode the bus to school, sat in class straining to catch a word here or there, came home dizzy with exhaustion, cried, and went off to bed only to repeat the same empty routine the next day. But I was born a fighter. This was a 'sink or swim' situation and I would not flounder. After months of struggling with the language, my thinking suddenly transferred from Russian to English. It was as though someone had flicked on an internal switch. Armed with self-expression, I released my unspoken emotions. As I look back on the experience of my immigration, I thank my mother for her wisdom in bringing us to America. I remember the experience of feeling caged by an inability to communicate. This is why I educate myself: never again do I want to be limited by a lack of knowledge. Like Sleeping Beauty, I awoke from my slumber, but not to a handsome prince, rather I awoke to a renewed zeal for education and life.
Essay Category:
Essay Question:
Person who influenced you.
Describing Cash Oshman is a Tantalian task. A true specimen of the flower power generation, he embodies the idea of living 'outside the box,' so how can I, in a mere one page, begin to delineate the man who has shifted the course of my life on a bimonthly occasion? I can start small, a miniscule scrimmage in a never-ending war. The first time I laid my eyes on him, I recoiled in fear, grabbing onto my mother. Here stood the antithesis of my world, a world of order, where my hip long hair remained braided and my ironed skirt always covered my never-scraped knees. His friendly face was, in my mind, a ploy to make me surrender to his entropy. However, no one forced me out of my fastidiously organized realm; instead, we interfused our respective worlds via drawing, a perfect amalgam of order and disarray. With a blank paper and a crayon box of colors in front of me, I could not stay frightened for long. I let go of my mother and my perfectly ordered world. This was just the beginning of the mixing of the microcosms. Cash Oshman is my biologically unrelated big brother. Upon arriving to America from Latvia with my divorced mother, brother and grandmother, I joined the Jewish Big Brother program for single parent families. Only seven at the time, I remember the extensive questioning that led to my match with Cash. Although seemingly opposite, Cash and I made a perfect pair: our contrasting personalities sharpened our relationship. Cash composed adventures for every other weekend where my mind freed itself from a reality where every dollar counted and was stretched beyond breaking point, a reality where I was trapped by my lack of linguistic skill. For Cash little details, like language, made no difference. Our world became shaped by our time together. Riding a carrousel became a wild gallop on my chestnut horse, George. A simple rainy day was enough to row down the streets of West Hollywood. Speeding down the freeway in red convertible firebird, became the flight of the Spirit of St. Louis. No matter how hard things got, Cash was there with an easy smile and a promise of a fairy tale where I, the princess, never felt forlorn. With a world of imagination at my beck and call, I transformed from a sullen, introverted first grader unwilling to raise my hand in class to a confident, gregarious pre-teen. Cash created this dimension of life for me. When he said, 'you can be whatever you want to be,' he meant it. Having one person believe in me was enough to catapult me to my personal best. I thank Cash for everything that he has contributed to my life, ranging from making me less self-conscious to squelching my fear of spiders by taking me to a bug fair, but I do not think that it is enough. He saved my life from emotional devastation and made me see a life worth more than 1000 words.
Essay Category:
Essay Question:
Personal Statement. Write about any experience.
Escape to Lake Boronda I'm not known as an outdoor person. I've never gone camping or hiking before, and an indoor fly is enough to repulse me. But this summer, a friend convinced me to drive up to nearby Lake Boronda with him ' and for the first time in my life I was introduced to the pleasure of fishing. For five hours on a beautifully breezy summer day deep within the peaceful Bay Area Foothills, I sat at the edge of a dock switching between watching my friend cast his rod, and observing a pair of dragonflies mate besides my head. As I picked up my friend's pole and cast it for the first time, I felt a strange transformation, as if holding that rod suddenly converted me into a placid naturalist. Standing with a fishing pole on a small dock, dwarfed by a huge lake, overshadowed by a mountain range, I had a distinct feeling of serenity in casting and reeling, casting and reeling. My schoolwork, social life, and stress seemed to sink away; all I could do was watch my lure sail through the air and splash, feel the tingling of ants scrambling up my leg, and smell the fresh scent of algae that had just risen to the surface. Some people tend to ignore nature because it doesn't play a part in their daily lives - but as I took my friend's rod and sat down at a nearby, secluded rock, I began to feel a warm dependency on my surroundings. I gauged the passing time by glancing at the sun rather than my watch; I dug in the dirt with my hands to find worms for bait, and then rinsed my hands in the lake water to wash off the grime. I didn't catch any fish that day. In fact, I revisited that lake over a dozen times that summer, yet I did not catch a single fish. However, it didn't matter. It wasn't the fish I was after, but the tranquility, the escape. Perhaps it was fitting that the fish continuously eluded me, for I was on their turf. Some of my friends derided me for enjoying sitting alone on a rock, instead of joining them in more typical teenage pursuits, like playing video games or going partying. But at the lake, I felt a joy from being away from the strains of society, and among the beauties of nature. By walking past the gate that separates Palo Alto from the Foothills, I was stepping into a new world free of calculus tests and English essays. There was something tranquilizing about those wiggling tadpoles, those screeching gulls, and those pesky flies that kept buzzing into my ear. On the last week of the summer, I drew from the murky water a gleaming, four-inch long bass. I didn't feel triumphant, but flattered - as if the fish had finally accepted me into its secret paradise. Feeling a peculiar bond form between that tiny creature and me, I held it tenderly in my hand and stretched it over the water, letting it jump off and scramble away. Then I reset my reel and cast once more, gazing at the lure as it sliced through the air and dove into the water, again and again.
Essay Category:
Essay Question:
Common Application: Evaluate a significant experience, achievement, or risk that you have taken and its impact on you.
A princess at the age of five' I reigned over my imaginary kingdom in the library's children's area every Saturday morning. The cushy seat was my royal throne and the endless shelves of books were my domain. As ruler of a magical land, I had the power to explore Africa, to fly with Babar, or to cross the Boston streets with ducklings at the slight flip of a page. Rows of adventure laid at my disposal. I loved the children's area, the tollbooth to my Wonderland. As I grew older, I still visited the library and knew the librarians by name. However, I spent more time researching in the nonfiction section than daydreaming in the children's area. Sports, music and academics had replaced my adventures into fantasyland. My reign as princess existed only in memories. One Saturday morning, while I returned a reference book, the head-librarian Jennifer voiced her troubles to me. With furrowed brows, she told me apprehensively that the story lady had just phoned in sick. Yet she loath to cancel story hour the sight of eager kids already seated at the children's corner. Sensing her dilemma, I volunteered to be the storyteller for the day. Entering the children's area was like meeting an old friend, but being the storyteller - the center of thirty pairs of eyes' made my stomach churn. With clammy hands, I gingerly picked up a copy of The Three Little Pigs and began to read in a shaky voice. 'Speak slowly. Enunciate. Don't rush,' I inculcated. 'The children count on you to bring the story to life. Don't screw up!' I reminded myself. 'This is just like reading to your brother at night. Confidence. Control. Think of this as giving a concert. Be passionate! Wait - read slower - you can do it. Don't be shy to be a fool. Have fun!' With these encouraging thoughts, I became the raconteur, painting pictures with my voice and hands. When the wolf in the story 'huffed and puffed', I stretched my neck, inflated my cheeks and blew obnoxiously. When the wolf finished devouring a pig, I leaned back, rubbed my stomach and licked my lips slowly. The children and parents laughed, mimicking me by sticking out their tongues and oinking like pigs. Together, we all became the wolf and the three pigs. At the conclusion of the last page, I felt breathless but elated; invigorated by the children's cheers, I opened another tale. Story time has brought me back to the children's section; it has reminded of my imaginative past and returned me to my carefree youth. Every weekend, I reenter magical dragon guarded castles and fairy kingdoms to embark on arduous quest. However this time, I am more than the starry-eyed child who flips though pictures books looking for adventure' I am now 'The story lady', the 'li-berry-ann', the friendly face who safeguards the crowns for the future princes and princesses.
Essay Category:
Essay Question:
Major: Write a personal essay that will help us to know you better. Ex. Families, intellectual and extracurricular interest, ethnicity or culture, school and community events to which you have strong reactions, people who have influenced you, significant experience, personal aspirations, or topics that spring entirely from your imaginations. You should feel confident that in writing about what matters to you, you are bound to convey a strong sense of who you are. (500)
I hug the dryer fresh warm blanket closer around me. Outside the ominous sky threatens to pit fat raindrops against my curtain-drawn windows, but I am safe from the blustering gale. I am in my room, my sanctuary where I can think. Drawing a pillow closer to my chest, I curl up on my bed to reread a worn copy of The Glass Menagerie. Laura lived in her imaginary world - what type of world do I live in? Am I like her? I suppose that I am similar to Laura Wingfield that I reflect upon the past. I can vividly recall my kindergarten self planting leaves and counting stars; playground games seemed only like yesterday: swinging on swings, jumping on seesaws and climbing on monkey bars. However, I have moved on. My past does not define me; it only shaped me. No, though I remember my childhood, I am not Laura - I do not live in memories. As a young girl, I was shy and afraid to express my views like Laura. But after I began playing the violin, I grew outspoken and self-assured - my violin pushed me to overcome my introverted nature. My instrument's four resonate strings and warm sound box believed in me by freeing my emotions and allowing me to sing. From each recital and concert, I gained a bit of confidence - until I finally locked my fluttering butterflies in cocoons within my stomach. My violin is my springboard to the world. It gives me the courage to lead story time and the confidence to serve as Academic League Captain. Without my violin, I would probably be the silent Laura, hiding in the classroom corner rather than leading the class discussions. Laura isolated herself in her glass menagerie and never connected with others. I also have an eclectic trinket collection, but I realize that crystal ornaments are only objects. No matter how sparking or clear they are, they lack the warmth, the trust and the understanding found in human-to-human relationships. I build these bonds between hearts. As a Peer Advocate, I connect with cancer patients, pregnant teens, and failing athletes by listening to their personal experiences and supporting them on their path to success. Through counseling, tutoring and encouraging, I have learned how to empathize and identify with others. My world extends beyond inanimate objects into the emotional realm. And unlike Laura, I dream of the future. I embrace change, I question life, and I wonder about tomorrow. Will I do well on my statistics test? Will become a Yalie and study under Dr. Richard Edelson? Will I make a difference? Find success? Find happiness? These questions linger in my mind as my eyelids begin to feel heavy. The play falls from my fingertips as my head drops into the pillow. The sound of pattering rain fades as I slowly drift off to sleep...
Essay Category:
Essay Question:
Minor: How have you taken advantage of the educational opportunities you have had to prepare for college?
It was six o'clock. I stood at the main gate clutching my backpack tightly in both hands while watching my dad drive away to his night shift job. His last reassurances echoed in my ears as I turned to walk towards class. I tried unsuccessfully to control my jumpy steps as shivers of excitement and fear ran down my spine. It was my first day of school again; it was my first time as a college student. That night marked the advent of my college experience. The year before, I had completed my middle school's highest math level, and I now had the choice to either skip math for a year or enroll in a community college class. At first, I did not know that to do. I loved math but I felt apprehensive of being a junior high student in a college course. After long deliberations, I decided to take the challenge. I enrolled, and I excelled in the college Intermediate Algebra class. Ever since taking that first math class, I have continued to challenge myself with other courses such as chemistry, French and statistics. College is now familiar territory; college classes are where I can study subjects in depth and satisfy my craving for knowledge.
Essay Category:
Essay Question:
The prompt was to choose a personal quote and write an essay about how it relates to your life or how it has affected you. This was a major essay.
"If a story is in you, it has got to come out." - William Faulkner There are many stories that I need to get out. I could write a romance about my eleven-year-long love affair with six guitar strings. Or possibly an essay about my identity-defining summer spent in Spain would help the Admissions Committee to know me better. I could tell the story of my battle against my athletic-career-ending football injury, and still another about my lifetime attempt to reconcile my mixed-racial make-up. But perhaps nothing in my eighteen years has defined me so much as the actual act of telling stories itself, the literary craft - writing. For the past five years of my life, I have set ink to paper, night after night. In poems and short stories, in vignettes and memoirs, in the sanctuary of sentences I place the past and present - words on paper for feelings of the heart. And after four years of training, I finally gathered up enough courage to begin my first humble attempt at the Great American Novel. But why would one ever take on such a responsibility, the obligation to sit down and bathe in the computer screen's blue fluorescence every night? I write for the same reason that students inscribe their names on desks, that lovers whittle their initials into trees, that vandals shower walls with graffiti - to construct enduring monuments to our limited time on Earth. The ink may fade, the pages may crumble, and the writer may perish. But the words live on - in minds and memories, in ballads and in songs, on the lips of living, and on the tombs of the dead. So I take these undying words, and I write to make a difference, to somehow affect more people than those that occupy the narrow niche around me. I write to remember the past, to perfect the present, to influence the future. I write to be read, to understand and to be understood, to teach and to be taught. But most of all, I write to relive my experiences, to give my life permanence on paper. Should I lapse into some Spanish slang in the middle of the page - that's my Barcelona summer sneaking out into the sentences. And if the words become more like music and less like literature - that's the six-stringed-sounds of my guitar slipping through into the syllables. If the words become dolorous, if the syllables scream out all too somberly - that's the sound of my fractured spine and all the sports it took away. And if all these things happen at once, if the literary layers overlap until it becomes impossible to sort out - that's the confusion of a multicultural make-up coming through. With pen in hand, I mix the words in my brain, the writer's palette, and set them to my paper canvas. In coats of commas and semicolons, in daubs of hyphens and apostrophes, I paint a portrait of my life, converting my life into fiction - syllable by syllable, word by word, sentence by sentence, hour after hour. From the swirls of literary surrealism comes a story of factual feeling, jumping the boundaries of its fictional birth. A feeling that splatters the paint of my words amongst the canvases of others, connecting us at the crux of human existence - emotion, humanity's indelible ink of communication. This is my reward, the writer's reward: a multitude of singular canvases united in a mural, strung together by syllables and sentences, finished and framed by feeling. And whether people love my words or cast them aside with harsh criticisms, I have achieved my goal, for my words have begotten feeling, and from feeling we come to understand one another. My victory is in generating a reaction, in engendering communication, in making paper and ink into the story that has to come out, one six-stringed-half-Spanish-syllable at a time.
Essay Category:
Essay Question:
Prompt: Of the activities, interests and experiences listed previously, which is the most meaningful to you, and why?
Editor-in-chief was, and still is, proof of my capacity to adapt. When a spinal fracture I suffered during a football game ended my H.S. athletic career, I joined the school newspapers sports staff in order to remain athletically involved. I covered every football game and wrestling match that remained that year, vicariously playing my old sports with words on paper. Hours of hard work brought about a quick promotion to sports editor - a position that brought me a new team, a team of writers. After a year of journalistic labor and yet another grueling application process, my team recognized my dedication to headlines and bylines, leads and layouts; I was promoted to team captain editor-in-chief. And of course I learned many things - funding the paper introduced me to the business world; previewing it to school administration refined my social skills; running the journalism class molded me into a leader. But most of all, the paper translated weeks of labor into something tangible and permanent - something in which I could take pride and call my own. I had unwillingly relinquished my football jersey and wrestling singlet for what I thought would be a life less grand; I never thought that ink and paper could compare to the glory of stadium lights and wrestling mats. But I achieved more with words than I ever could with tackles and takedowns. And when my principal read my last article at the baccalaureate ceremony, I realized I had performed before the same crowd after all.
Essay Category:
Essay Question:
Sharing intellectual interests is an important aspect of university life. Describe an experience, literary work, class, project or idea that you find intellectually exciting, and explain why. Minor Essay
As children, everyone knew everyone else's ethnicity - we grew up together; of course we knew. But when I moved to Philadelphia, race became a fresh issue. When someone asks me, 'What are you?' I never know how to respond. Do I say that I'm Hispanic? Austrian? Spanish Hispanic or Filipino Hispanic? All of the above with the percentage breakdown of each? Does it even matter what I say? Olive skin, chocolate eyes, Spanish-speaking... Caucasian? Impossible. But stand me next to my sister whose Nordic phenotype manifests the caprices of independent assortment and things get tricky. Following a reading of a novel about a boy of mixed heritages, my English professor said that race is not simply a matter of blood - it's an interplay of descent, consent, and coercion. And this idea has revolved about in my mind like a Rubik's Cube ever since. When I answer the question, 'What are you?' it's as if I get to choose how others define me - Which color on the Rubik's Cube will I give them? But is race really a choice? An ostensibly simple three-word question engenders infinitely complex ideas about race and culture, identity and definition. And perhaps that's the most intellectually moving idea of them all - that questions could be more important than answers.
Essay Category:
Essay Question:
Evaluate a significant experience, achievement, risk you have taken, or ethical dilemma you have faced and its impact on you.
It was 8:00 A.M. on the first day of the Tournament of Champions National Debate
Tournament (TOC), and I was utterly exhausted from researching, writing
arguments, and doing practice debates the day before. I was also jittery and
excited, for I was finally competing at the most prestigious high school policy
debate tournament in the country. Only 72 teams were accepted into the
tournament, and this Holy Grail of debate had eluded me for a year and a half.
In
my junior year, my partner and I were put on the waiting list for the
tournament,
and then, three days before the tournament, a spot opened up. My partner and I
immediately began working on debate like crazed fanatics, tossing homework aside
in order to prepare for the tournament, then flying across the country to
compete. Although badly unprepared, we were ecstatic.
In the first round, our opponents were Westminster School's top team, among the
16 best teams in the country. Their arguments were excellent, and despite our
most valiant attempts we lost that round. Rounds 2, 4, 5, and 6 had similar
outcomes, and the win/loss record for my first year at TOC was 2:5. Two wins,
five losses. It was depressingly reminiscent of sophomore year, when nearly
every
tournament had ended with a losing record.
Sunday night, after the seven prelim rounds were finished, gloom hung over my
head. I was functioning on four hours of sleep and doubts were gleefully
parading
through my fatigued head. I was missing classes to be here and had spent the
last
week preparing for the tournament rather than the AP exams that were beginning
in
five days. My teachers had suggested that I skip the tournament and my parents
had been hesitant to support me. What would they say when they heard about my
dismal performance this weekend? My blood began to boil at the
thought of the 'I told you so,'s that I'd be hearing in a few days, and suddenly
the debater in me stood up and aimed an evil glare in my direction.
She demanded to know why I was moping around like a whiny second-grader. I liked
debate, didn't I? I'd chosen to come here, knowing that the competition would be
intense, and had opted to spend my time embroiled in fast, heated arguments
about
foreign policy and weapons of mass destruction. I'd debated decently in all of
the rounds, and there was no justification for sitting on my bum and brooding.
A bit shocked at first, I realized that the irate debater manifestation of
myself was correct. I was obsessed with debate, and still haven't found anything
as stimulating and invigorating as the fierce, intellectual arguing that is
policy debate. Unlike other forms of debate, policys focused on argumentation
rather than rhetoric, and it pulled out a confrontational, aggressive side of me
that none of my other academic activities could. The multitude of rounds that I
lost in tenth grade, although dismal, only served to make me stronger, more
tenacious, and more determined to succeed. And the work had paid off; even if my
showing at TOC hadn't been stellar, I'd made it into elimination rounds at other
national tournaments in my junior year. Furthermore, despite having only three
days' notice, I'd held my own against some of the best teams in the country,
teams that had been preparing for two months. The chance to face off against
some
of the most intelligent people in the activity was more than worth the lost
study
time.
People ask me why I debate, why I choose to participate in an activity that
takes up most of my weekends, my spare time, and weeks of every summer for
tournaments and camps. The answer, which my debater self reminded me of at TOC,
is that policy debate challenges me. It demands work, obsession, and passion.
Schoolwork, sports, music - none of those hobbies is as intense as debate, and
none of them has taught me as much as debate has. From debate, I've learned
about
a wide variety of topics: deaf education policies, racial profiling, critical
race theory, and Bowers v. Hardwick, for starters. Furthermore, debate has
taught
me about life - from the countless rounds where Ive had to give a speech
extemporaneously, I've developed an ability to appear self-assured and
competent.
That has bled over into life outside of debate, and I find that I'm much more
self-confident and forceful in front of people than I used to be. More
importantly, debate has made me critical and skeptical. Everything is open to
attack in debate, since the point is to seek out the holes in your opponent's
arguments and then blast them into craters with the cannons of logic and
evidence. After spending hours playing this game, I can't take anything for
granted - information that teachers present, articles in the news, formerly
sacrosanct religious beliefs, all are scrutinized from a doubting point of view.
It's as if I have to intellectually dissect whatever thought is presented to me
before I can take a stance on it. I've been debating for three years, going on
four, and yet my obsession with this activity of intellectual skirmishing has
yet
to fade.
Essay Category:
Essay Question:
Personal statement
One of the main activities of the Junior Classical League (JCL) is certamen, a buzzer game that's Quizbowl with a Classical twist: all of the questions are about ancient civilization. In ninth grade, when I started taking Latin, my teacher would use the last few minutes of class for a bit of certamen practice. Although we only had time for two or three questions, each reference to an unfamiliar nymph or a quirky Roman bathing habit spurred me to learn more about the ancient world. The Classics were a foreign realm to me, and the tidbits of knowledge that I picked up in the certamen questions were entrancing hints that an ancient civilization had once thrived in Rome and Greece. I chose to focus on mythology and Roman customs, and studied fiercely. My teacher took the school's JCLers to competitions, and through attending local, state, and regional certamens I met people who passionate about ancient Greece and Rome. We challenged one another to see who was the quickest at answering questions and argued about obscure mythology. I continued to play certamen for the next three years, and although winning competitions and correctly answering questions were thrilling, the true allure of certamen was that it pushed me to learn more about Latin than basic grammar and translation. Since certamen questions covered a wide range of topics, from Roman history to grammar to Latin derivatives, in order to succeed I had to study subjects beyond what I learned in class. As my interest in certamen grew, I started to write certamen questions as well as compete in tournaments. As opposed to simply reading Meridian Handbook of Classical Mythology and attempting to master its contents via rote memorization, writing questions demanded that I absorb the stories of the capricious Olympians and think how to best test the information in the format of a certamen question. Writing them certainly increased my skills at the game, since I was retaining more information, but it was primarily a way to learn more about the fascinating cultures that had once flourished on the Mediterranean. These were militaristic civilizations that had conquered the greater part of Europe, but they were also the poetic realms that had produced Homer and Vergil. At first, Dr. Duncan, an ex-JCLer who dropped by Harker to help the Latin students with certamen practice posted my questions online on the Certamen Questions Database. Although I knew that very few people were using my questions, I was still excited at the idea that my work was available to other people. In my own way, I was promoting the study of the Classics, spreading knowledge of this bygone but fascinating world. I spent my weekends perusing the official, JCL-sanctioned sourcebooks for certamen and wrote questions for whole sections of Mythology, by Edith Hamilton. Although my early questions were basic, a hundred and fifty questions later, my question-writing skills have improved dramatically and my certamen questions possessed the same flair and tested for the same depth of knowledge that questions from the National Junior Classical Leagues certamens did. Last summer Dr. Duncan published Myth Mayhem, a book of more than a thousand certamen questions on the material in Mythology, and we sold many copies at the National JCL convention. I wrote over three hundred of the questions in Mayhem. The thrill of seeing my work in print was certainly exciting, but the true joy came when teachers and students from across the country bought Myth Mayhem - people would be using my questions to further their own knowledge of mythology! Three years after starting certamen, I remain excited about all the details of the Classical world that I don't know - yet. Continuing with writing questions, I'm now writing a book similar to Myth Mayhem, but this time around I'm expanding my horizons to write on Latin literature rather than mythology, and I'm doing it independently. My questions are based on Moses Hadas' A History of Latin Literature, and my goal is to present the information contained in the book in an engaging format that is more accessible to the average JCLer than Hadas' dull, if informative, prose. Thus far, I've written 227 questions on subjects ranging from Plautus to Cicero, and with determination and a bit of luck, next summer I'll be selling a book filled with thousands of questions on Latin literature at the National JCL convention.
Essay Category:
Essay Question:
Of the activities, interests and experiences listed previously, which is the most meaningful to you and why?
I've been involved with policy debate for four years, and I'm determined to continue with it in college. One distinctive aspect of policy is that everything in it is open to question. In order to succeed, one must be skeptical and question every assumption and argument that is made within a round. I've carried this attitude of skepticism with me into life outside of debate and it's caused me to examine, reject, and differ from what's normal to a greater extent than I did before. I don't rebel from the norm simply for the sake of rebellion, however. Generally, it's only after examining an idea considered normal, such as the mall-crawling life that friends repeatedly tell me is normal for teens, that I decide to reject it. Debating has also increased my tenacity, since winning, or continuing with a tournament after losing four rounds in a row, demands determination and aggressiveness. I used to be an uncertain wallflower; now, after three years of arguing in front of strangers and researching topics ranging from Foucault to racial profiling, I'm outspoken and able to express my opinions.
Essay Category:
Essay Question:
Sharing intellectual interests is an important aspect of university life. Describe an experience or idea that you find intellectually exciting and explain why.
Although I've been raised in a churchgoing family, my religious beliefs are atheistic, rather than Christian. I find it extremely difficult to cling to an ideology that seems inherently irrational - Christ's resurrection, miraculous healings, and even the very existence of God run counter to the precepts of Newton and Bacon. Yet, discussing theology and diverse religions still sends a jolt of interest through me, mainly because religion is an incredibly powerful force in people's lives. It shapes their ethics, their behavior, and determines a great deal of their perspectives on life. It's something inexplicable, something that demands the abandonment of rationality for pure faith, and thus different from the pragmatic intellectualism that I've adopted as my belief system. Therefore it is utterly foreign to me, and captivating, like anything that's strange or difficult to understand.
Essay Category:
Essay Question:
Relate a personal experience that reveals something about you to your future college roommate.
I spent my last Thanksgiving day writing a piece of fanfiction. A short story based on J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter series, to be precise. A few hours after posting my story online, I was astounded to receive multiple responses filled with positive feedback. Most of the people who know of my interest in Potter fiction, aside from other fans, give me skeptical looks and queries as to why on earth I'm intrigued by a children's book. The response is that, although J. K. Rowling's books may be intended for kids, the Harry Potter fandom is a diverse, fascinating place full of interesting writing and people of all ages. Through a common interest in fanfic, I've talked with people from London, Melbourne, Canada, and other foreign lands. Reading the various stories is appealing because each one is a different, original interpretation of the Potter books. One of my favorite authors explores the racism of Rowling's Eurocentric wizarding community, and many others discuss homophobia. For me, fanfic, aside from being an escape into a fantasy world, is a means of finding out different perspectives on contemporary issues such as prejudice in a forum not likely to be filled with bitter partisanship.
Essay Category:
Essay Question:
Risk comes in many forms - exploring an idea, bridging a social divide, confronting one's fears. Reflect on a risk you have taken and introduce us to your thoughts. (major)
'Hey Mike, can you do me a favor?' asked Anders, one of my best friends, as I passed him in the hallway after school. 'Yeah, sure thing,' I replied, waiting to discover the nature of the task. 'Can you go get a Swiss Semester application form for me,' he asked. 'I accidentally lost mine, and I've already asked them for two extras.' 'Of course, no problem,' I consented. Although I, myself, was only vaguely familiar with the program that he was talking about, I went to the main office and requested the forms, so that Anders could make copies of them. This was the beginning to one of the biggest risks that I have ever taken. * * * Eleven months later, I sat with my back pushed hard up against the plastic seat of the train. I loosened my necktie as I stared out the window at the vast mountainous expanse that surrounded the outside of the train. The lush green valleys and snow-capped mountains seemed endless, and I could not help staring at it for I had never seen anything of their likeness before. Within the train, I was surrounded by forty-nine unfamiliar boys, girls, and teachers from all over the United States, of whom I knew only two yet with whom I would spend every single moment of the next three months of my life. The train accelerated as it arrived at a straightaway, reaching nearly 80 miles per hour. I was already at least 6,000 miles from Washington, and therefore 6,008 miles from my house in Bethesda. Every second I was not only getting farther from home but I was also getting closer to a place that I had never been, a place that I knew almost nothing about. I was leaving almost every stable and comfortable aspect of my life - my family, my friends, my school, my country - for a place with a different language, a separate culture, distinct customs, and a disparate environment. I had met the director of the program, Mr. Robbins, six months before the start of the program, at a sort of question-and-answer session for all of the students from DC. His only real policy at that point, however, was to keep as much of the program as possible for a surprise. Obviously to quell the fears of every worried parent about the prospect of sending their own child to another part of the world for a few months, Mr. Robbins had to address issues like safety, security, money, what to bring, and basic activities. But I for the most part I knew very little about what I was embarking on. The only way I reassured myself was to remember that past St. Albans students had, in fact, survived the program and came home to recount exciting narratives. Despite this reassurance, I was quite anxious as I sat on the Zermatt-bound train next to a girl from Kansas City. I was filled with many unanswerable questions: what would it be like? What if I didn't like it? What if I wasn't in good enough shape for the strenuous hikes? What if I got homesick? What if the courses were harder than what I had been used to? What if I wasn't a good enough skier? What if the people weren't nice? Yet, as the minutes passed into hours and into days, I found myself gradually becoming much more comfortable with the situation, finding ways to cope with the fact that I was so distant from everything that had been important to me. Almost immediately I made friends with the other Swiss Semester students that, only days before, I had been so anxious about meeting. Through our combined academic, physical, and mental struggles overseas, I formed many tightly-knit friendships students, and I can still say (two years later) that some of my best friends today were from Swiss Semester. After only a few weeks, I adjusted to the rigorous academic schedule that, with so many strenuous extracurricular pursuits each day, left me with very little time to accomplish a lot. Although the course load and activities were extremely demanding, I found myself easily encouraged to push myself in order to meet the challenges. Thus, I formed very efficient work habits, while finding myself in the best physical shape of my life. I even gained a good deal of proficiency in both skiing and rock climbing, two sports in which I had had very little training or talent, previous to the program. Finally, living in a foreign culture proved not to be as difficult as I had thought. Zermatt, with only two-thousand residents, was filled with friendly townsmen, all of whom were familiar with the Swiss Semester Program and treated us with kindness and respect, even though Americans are often looked down upon in European countries. I was constantly able to practice my French and even pick up a bit of Swiss German. I grew fond of the quaint little town and its customs and was sad to leave at the end of the program. While it was probably one of the largest risks that I have ever taken, Swiss Semester was one of the greatest times of my life, and I gained much from it. I persevered through all of the hardships there and gained friends all across the United States. Furthermore, I was able to experience firsthand a culture almost entirely different from that of the United States, an experience I will never forget.
Essay Category:
Essay Question:
Of the activities, interests and experiences listed above, which is the most meaningful to you and why?
Perhaps one of the most important and meaningful decisions that I have made so far in my seventeen years began, ironically enough, when I was only four. My mother had enrolled me in a local music school summer camp, in which all of the campers sampled a different musical instrument every day for two weeks. With my limited musical experience at the conclusion of those two weeks, I requested to my parents on my own volition (as I have continuously been told, since obviously my own recollection of the events when I was four is considerably vague) that they allow me to study the cello. With my parents consent, I began to learn to play one of most beautiful-sounding instruments. What amazes me even today is that I continued to play the cello throughout my childhood at my own desire, without stopping or quitting at difficult times, even though my parents, recognizing that it had been my own decision, had determined not to force me to play or to practice. Thus, to answer the question concisely, I consider playing the cello to be the most meaningful of the activities that I undertake, for several reasons. First, I have invested many years in studying the cello, and it makes me proud to reflect upon the progress that I have made during those years. It has allowed me to play the music of some of the most brilliant composers, both for benefit others and for myself. It has provided me with a fundamental musical basis as to be able to branch out to other forms of music; for example, I joined the St. Albans Chorale and have been teaching myself to play the guitar. Finally, perhaps the most pleasing quality of playing the cello is that I am able to use it as a means of relaxation after a long day of school or during a time of anxiety. Playing the cello has given me many memories, and I hope to continue playing throughout my adult life.
Essay Category:
Essay Question:
Sharing intellectual interests is an important aspect of university life. Describe an experience or idea that you find intellectually exciting and explain why.
This summer and so far this school year I have been fortunate enough to have the opportunity to work in a biomedical research laboratory at the National Institute of Health, in which I was able to observe firsthand and gain experience in a particular field of biology that I find particularly intellectually exciting. With the rapid expansion of technological capability in the last few years, computers have had profound applicability and influence in many scientific fields, especially biomedical research. The onset of such technologies has spurred companies including Celera Genomics and the Human Genome Project and has, in effect, merged computer science and biomedical research together into the new field of bioinformatics. Bioinformatics makes use of computer databases and algorithms mostly to investigate gene expression in cells. This is especially interesting to me because computer science and biology are perhaps the two main subjects that interest me the most. Thus, I was very excited this summer when I was able to learn and use several techniques in bioinformatics in order to sequence and characterize several relevant genes for the research laboratory in which I worked. Perhaps the most interesting aspect of bioinformatics is the promise that it shows for the future: computers have, in the past, revolutionized nearly every field to which they have been applied. Although the past is not always an accurate model of the future, it seems likely that computers will further transform biology and biomedical research, catalyzing further progress in fields that have already had significant advancement just in the past few years and undoubtedly helping to find remedies for those who are afflicted.
Essay Category:
Essay Question:
Jot a note to your future college roommate relating a personal experience that reveals something about you.
I was three. Grandma Jeannette, my sole superior at the time, was in the adjacent room, snoring rather loudly in front of a blaring television. I glanced around the kitchen where I lay, to check if I was being supervised. I wasn't. Upon my looking, however, I noticed that the dishwasher was pulled open, with a gap of nearly one foot in thickness between the counter and the top of the door. Not knowing what sort of instrument lay open in front of me, I crawled closer for further inspection. It had bright dials and buttons on its face, and although I did not understand the machine's function, I was nevertheless intrigued. I decided that my goal was to inspect the contents of the apparatus, in order to achieve a better understanding of its function. I attempted to gain such a view, but the sides of the device obstructed my line of sight. While contemplating alternative means at attaining my objective, I noticed a small stepstool placed conveniently close to my location. I crawled to its location and dragged it in front of the machine. Slowly, I made my way up each of the stool's five steps, each increasing my curiosity and excitement. Upon reaching the highest level, I leaned forward in amazement, gaining the ever-so-coveted view of the contents and innards of the machine. However, as my zeal at completing the goal took the forefront of my attention, I lost track of my balance on the stool. At nearly the same instant as I had reached the peak, I plummeted back down to the bottom, landing headfirst in the dishwasher that only a moment previous I had been so anxiously waiting to see.
Essay Category:
Essay Question:
A picture is worth a thousand words as the adage goes. Include a photograph or picture that represents something important to you, and explain its significance.
(The pic was looking down a clay road at my brother's back about 50 feet away.) It seems - it is - simplistic to say that I love my brother. Of course I do; he is, in all respects, an excellent brother, friend, and co-conspirator, and I'd be a fool, and probably a misanthrope, not to love him. I suppose a photo of his back leaves something to be desired as an emblem of my affection, but it's one of my favorite few among the thousand or so pictures that I've taken. Something about its composition and simplicity just strikes me every time I see it. It's a pleasing coincidence, then, that this picture has an apt - and, yes, convenient - symbolism, since Alex may be walking out of our family's life. Since graduating from college last June, he has found a job and an apartment; given how busy we both are, we see much less of each other, and I'm still adjusting to the feeling of distance. Alex's absence is all the more striking because of how close we've always been. Many siblings seem to truly hate each other; many others simply couldn't care less what the other one does. Alex and I fit neither mold. He has always been the one I can turn to. He was the one who offered some perspective when I felt about to drown in schoolwork, the one I could talk to when my best friend's father died, the one who always seems to know what's wrong - and usually what to do about it - without needing an explanation. It's hard to see him leaving, hard to imagine that his back could really ever be turned as he walks on without me. I call Alex a friend, and I mean it: he is more than just an ally or someone to lean on. We have much the same slightly twisted sense of humor and similar taste in music, and revel in each other's company. Lately, we have fallen into the habit of improvising songs together, with surprising - and often surprisingly agreeable - results. (Alex sings and I play guitar; we have to do without backup vocals for now, since my singing voice falls somewhere between the sounds produced by a frog and a car horn.) It's also not unusual for me to get confusing voicemail messages from someone claiming to work at 'Bob's Chicken Shack and House of Insurance.' Occasionally, we both attempt to ride home on his bike, with limited success, neither one of us willing to make the other one walk. Even our names are inextricably linked in my mind - Danny and Alex together are as much an entity as is either one of us alone. (My mother, calling to us across the apartment, often yells something like 'Daaalex - umm, Danny, come here!') Alex is himself one of the few people who call me Dan. He also calls me Manimal, which I accept as being his fraternal prerogative. Such is the nature of our brotherhood. Now he's moving out, and I'm not sure what to feel. Loss, of course, though he won't be far and, in fact, I had a harder time with his departure for college. Happiness, naturally, for these early successes of his, and some pride whose origin I can't quite explain. But I've noticed something else, too - another way to look at the picture. Alex isn't just walking away from me, and he hasn't forgotten me. He's showing me something. He's my older brother, and all he's doing is what an older brother should: walking in front and giving his little brother an image to build towards. Manimal, Alex is saying, are you going to catch up to me, or what? I think what would give him the most satisfaction would be, in a few years, to be looking at a picture of my back as I pass him. Alex can walk away for a while, if he wants; I'll still feel exactly what I always have, and exactly what I started out with: I love my brother, and, more than ever, I'm glad to have him walking ahead of me.
Essay Category:
Essay Question:
Of the activities, interests, and experiences listed on the previous page, which is the most meaningful to you, and why?
Ever since I first picked up a lacrosse stick back in sixth grade, my passion for the sport has intensified and matured. At the moment, I am utterly addicted to the sport. Any given weekend, I can be found at my off-season games improving my skills and striving to compete at a higher level. Almost daily, I spend an hour or two outside pounding a ball against a fence, repeating fakes and dodges, or slinging balls into a goal. Retrospectively, my infatuation with the game has improved my life physically and mentally, and has also taught me important life skills. Physically, I am healthier and stronger from the rigorous running and weight training I have endured to improve my bodily performance in the game. Additionally, lacrosse provides me with a means of relaxation and a distinct peace of mind. On the field, I release stress through concentrating all my efforts on the game. Every so often this engagement reaches the point that I completely lose perception of the world around me, and direct all of my thoughts towards how I will shake the defender in front of me or coordinate a defensive trap with my teammates. Finally, my involvement with lacrosse has taught me other lessons such as teamwork, discipline, leadership, and responsibility. In short, lacrosse is significant to me because it is a simple pleasure, and moreover, it provides me with a source of personal improvement.
Essay Category:
Essay Question:
Sharing intellectual interests in an important aspect of university life. Describe an experience, literary work, class, project or idea that you find intellectually exciting, and explain why.
During the summers of 1999 and 2000, I attended a selective camp at Skidmore College called the Center for Talented Youth (CTY) run by Johns Hopkins University. Never in my life have I enjoyed such an academically inspiring experience as the classes I took there. The highlight of this program came during my second summer, when I elected to learn about the Fundamentals of Computer Science. This course was not only educationally challenging, but was far more interesting and involving than any other class I have ever taken. The teachers were exceptional: they obviously loved the subject matter, and would employ appealing methods of teaching to convey new ideas. Whenever I finished an assignment, they presented me with a more demanding project or more abstract concept to master. I quickly became immersed in the material, and found that for once in my life, I had a passion for learning. It was fun. In addition, my peers only enhanced the experience of CTY. Rather than being alienated for my abilities and interests, my companions viewed me as an equal. Students there were not only remarkably bright, but they shared the same enthusiasm that I felt for learning. Consequently, I was only pushed to excel even further, and I finally discovered what it was like to be excited by school. In brief, learning at a higher level enlivens me because I crave to be challenged and inspired.
Essay Category:
Essay Question:
Jot a note to your future roommate relating a personal experience that reveals something about you.
Recently, during the summer of 2002, my life took a significant turn when my family moved to Southeast Michigan from upstate New York. Before the relocation, I was clueless as to how much of an impact it would have on my life. Upon arrival to Michigan, I faced an intimidating and strange world: the landscapes, food, fashion - basically the entire culture - was distinctly unlike what I was accustomed to. I grew up in rather petite towns on the East Coast, surrounded by historic architecture, aged surroundings, and blasi cities. Southeast Michigan proved to be entirely different: almost all the homes are built from brick, everything is enormous, the traffic and road conditions are terrible, and being so close to Detroit, there are oodles of pleasant people to meet. At first I was completely shocked, but as I acclimatized, the Michigan lifestyle rubbed off on me. Within a few months of moving I had a respectable job, attended a new school, found activities that fit my interests, and made countless new friends. I also recall being stunned at how laid-back and outgoing everyone in Michigan was. Everywhere I went, people were delighted to attune themselves with the new kid. Looking back, I realize that my life has improved in several respects. Now, I am increasingly able to adapt to change, happier, and more gregarious - all due to the diversity I encountered during the relocation.
Essay Category:
Essay Question:
'Simplify, simplify, simplify,' intoned Thoreau. If you were to follow Thoreau's advice and scale back your possessions, what would you keep, and why?
At first consideration of Thoreau's dilemma, if I had to trim down my possessions and decide what things are truly important, the most obvious solution would be to keep the belongings I need to survive, such as food, clothing, and shelter. However, if I threw away everything except a bag of rice, my latest Abercrombie & Fitch outfit, and a cardboard box to sleep in, I would be a miserable wreck. The more logical answer is to keep what I need to get by, and to also retain a few select items to brighten my days. Thus the question at hand is, which of my possessions serve no function for survival, but are still important to me? To be honest, I own many things that I am quite fond of, but the most beloved of my belongings are my photographs and my artwork. To me, pictures carry a heavy sentimental value within them. I do not simply keep them in order to remember how things looked at a certain time. Photographs also help me to recollect sensation and sentiment - they provide a way of recalling the ambiance and sensations of a specific place or event. When I look at a snapshot of, say, a vacation I took last year, I remember what it was like to actually be there. I recall the way the sunset glimmered through the waves, how the breeze ruffled my hair, and how the sand felt between my wiggling toes while I snapped the shot. Throwing away my pictures would be like throwing away my past; and without my past, I would not truly be what I am today. Another purpose behind saving my photographs would be to show them to friends, family, and others. If I have children in the future, I want to be able to pull out a photo album and show them what my life was like before, instead of just telling them. I also enjoy seeing the reactions on peoples faces when they see images of my trip to Hawaii or of last years Homecoming dance. Visual reference of past events gives an amazing vivacity to memories, and allows others to relate to the experience. Photographs are a representation of life, and that is why I would choose to keep them instead of my other possessions. Along with my photos, I would hold onto my artwork if faced with the task of reducing my assets. Ever since my first doodle as a little child, I have always loved expressing myself through art. From my primitive scribbles in pre-school to my latest sculptures and paintings, every piece carries a part of me with it. The effort and thought invested into each unique creation shines through and reflects my quintessence and persona. For example, a plaster carving I produced during my sophomore sculpture class is now on display in my bedroom, because in a way it encompasses a personality similar to my own. It is a simple piece - small, smooth, and streamlined - in the original white plaster color from which it was carved. The basic shapes and sharp angles produce a modern and bright appearance, yet it also contains deep shadows and dark crevices. However, the aspect of this sculpture that I am most proud of is how fittingly it embodies my basic nature and character. At the core, I am fairly calm, bright, subdued, and forthright. Conversely, I also have my dark lapses and locked away feelings, which for the most part are kept concealed in the shade. In essence, a great deal of my personality can be seen in certain aspects of the carving. The point is - my artwork is a part of me. Each piece shows a different fragment or trait, but it all reflects something about me, Jonathan Aase. Without my artwork, I would lose touch with each of these little parts of me that are contained in my work. I would forget the general sense of how I express myself, and how I have portrayed my perspective in the past. Although I own many personal belongings that I could forgo, I would never be able to subsist in a world devoid of my pictures and artwork. I suppose that both are priceless to me simply because they personify many of the cherished recollections of my past, and the different experiences, emotions, and sensations contained in them. Only with my photographs and artwork safely preserved, can I genuinely live unperturbed and assured that no matter what, I will always have my memories.
Essay Category:
Essay Question:
Write on a topic of your own choice
(Name) American College of Sofia On Blue Cheese and Decision-Making Everything comes to an end, even high school. Upon graduation, every senior has the challenging task to choose one among all the routes open before him. Until a short time ago, however, I used to think that I would not have difficulty taking this decision. By the time I was nine I already had a definite plan - to study math in a Parisian university. Back then I knew nothing about the quality of French education, but books and movies had filled my fantasy with appealing images of Paris. I was fascinated by the boats sailing on the Seine, the evening view from the top of the Eiffel Tower, the people playing music everywhere in the subway, and the abundance of cheese in my favorite color. The reasons behind my choice of major were even more solid: the subject proved to be my forte in school and was strongly recommended by my parents, who were both mathematicians. I knew exactly what I desired, and I set myself the goal of mastering the chosen science. As an unintended result of studying math, I understood the veracity of Oscar Wilde's observation, 'In this world there are only two tragedies. One is not getting what one wants, and the other is getting it. The last is much the worst; the last is a real tragedy!'1 [footnote] At the age of 18 I was accepted in a math lycie in Paris, but this did not bring me a feeling of contentment and certitude; on the contrary, it plunged me into a well of anxiety and hesitation. I was twice as old as at the time when only France seemed an option, and I already felt unprepared to decide. Ultimately, the universal problem of the high school senior had become an issue in my life. Enrolling in the lycie meant devoting my entire energy to nothing but exact sciences and my scarce leisure to nothing but sleep. This disheartened me because when my dream of many years finally came true, I had changed. While I still took ample interest in mathematics, I had gradually become just as passionate about poetry. While I still longed to spend my evenings at the top of the Eiffel Tower, I preferred to broaden my horizons by spending my days in debate. While I was still attracted by the charm of the Seine, I realized I could discover more beauty by taking classes in literature. It is never easy to part with your dreams, but my exhausting adventure in the well of indecision left me doubtless: I no longer yearned for Paris. Of the factors that had shaped my childhood dreams, the allure of the city itself was outvoted. Blue cheese, mystical and enticing though it seemed, could not be decisive. Acquainted with the taste of both French cuisine and American education, I found the latter reasonably worthier. My experience in a liberal-style school had helped me discover that my interests and potential extended to fields which I was unable to appreciate while I was devoted exclusively to math. Once I had set my thoughts free, I would not consent to restrain them again. This is why I chose to enroll in a university in which I could explore not merely the exact sciences but also the arts of literature and debate. Thus, I would be better prepared to choose a route after graduation, and I would also feel complete during the next four years, even if I have to play my own music in the subway. ______________________________________________ [footnote] Wilde, Oscar. 'Lady Windermere's Fan.' Oscar Wilde: Plays. Eds. L. Kasatkina et al. Moscow: Foreign Languages Publishing House, 1961. 71.
Essay Category:
Essay Question:
Common application question: Which activity has had the most meaning for you, and why?
(Name) American College of Sofia Magic I feel very strongly about three of my extracurricular activities because they have all added magic to my days. Since I am reluctant to classify one as more important than another, I decided to put them in alphabetical order: debate, literature, and mathematics. My three major areas of interest are indeed quite dissimilar, but what they have in common is that none of them can be mastered completely by a single person; neither can they exhaust their capability to thrill--to provoke the electrifying feeling that I associate with magic. I have developed an unusual passion for debate, which, as all passions, is rather hard to put into words. During a debate I indulge completely in what I'm doing, I become part of a larger thinking unit - my team - and anything irrelevant to the discussion somehow melts away. For sixty minutes my entire being is dedicated solely to playing this 'intellectual game', and I am totally enchanted by it. To me the pressure of an intense debate has inexplicable allure, like a challenging match to a devoted football player; I am also charmed to hear two entirely contradictory theses that sound reasonable. Heated discussions can provide hours of cerebral pleasure, yet their magic is not limited solely to that. Debating also allows a speaker to influence other people. I used to think that only sorcery could induce such radical changes of mind as can result from a good speech. Literature, too, has magic. Its diversity of genres and capability to intrigue are almost addictive. During the last couple of years at the American College of Sofia I have gradually gotten involved in all possible literature-related activities on campus, but instead of satisfying my curiosity for books, they seem to have only nourished it. I have been discovering various genres and styles of writing; each one of them, like a fragrant spice, has its specific allure. Some of these spices, I admit, are too strong for my taste, and I doubt that I'll ever enjoy adding naturalism to my intellectual meal. Others I want to place on the shelves in my kitchen, or library, and savor every day. I am in love with works so different as 'The Rime of the Ancient Mariner' by Coleridge, Loon Lake by Doctorow, and 'Sloth' by John Agard. I am enchanted by the infinite variety of emotions which reading can evoke. Has anything more tickling than the comedies of Oscar Wilde or more expressive than the poetry of (Bulgarian poet) Peyo Yavorov ever been written? Could a piece of literature demonstrate more profound understanding of human nature than Shakespeare's tragedies do? Is there anything more cynical than the four-liner Francois Villon wrote when he was sentenced to death? Is it possible that a book be more exhilarating than Jerome K. Jerome's Three Men in a Boat (to say nothing of the dog)? I would guess that the answer to all these questions is 'yes'. I am not sure yet, but I intend to find out. Some would perhaps say that exact sciences are too logical to have magic, but I believe that mathematics is magical exactly because of its rationality. I stand in awe of this incredibly complex system based upon just several simple axioms. I often gasp at the way the different branches of mathematics are interrelated. For example, I was startled to find out that the concept of conic sections unites solid geometry and algebra or that complex numbers can serve as a tool in geometry. There are innumerable creative approaches to a mathematical question: conversion to another numerical system, coloring, proof by contradiction, induction, extreme element principle' Each time I learn a new method for solving problems, I feel something similar to what a newborn must be experiencing when he discovers his senses. Math causes me to feel infantile fascination and curiosity. My interest in this science dates from my early childhood - so early that my parents say I could perform calculations before I was even able to read - and will probably not cease as long as I am a self-aware individual. One who expected this essay to be an account on occultism might find the title misleading; I would argue, however, that the headline is completely reasonable. Inexperienced as I am in witchcraft, I am nevertheless lucky to enjoy a substantial amount of magic in my life.
