Undergraduate / Northwestern Supplement- Utilizing the resouces at NW [2]

Prompt: What are the unique qualities of Northwestern - and of the specific undergraduate school to which you are applying - that make you want to attend the University? In what ways do you hope to take advantage of the qualities you have identified?

A distinctive feature of Northwestern University is its quarter system. The quarter system will allow me to accelerate in my studies. By utilizing the quarter system and the combined BS/MS program offered at Northwestern's McCormick School, I will be able to graduate with a masters degree in engineering within four years. This program gives me a sufficient amount of time to experience the four-year college life. In addition to the master's degree, I will be able to do at least one internship during the four years. This is important to me because I believe a practical approach to learning is vital.

Also, I noticed that there is something different about Northwestern University from all the other universities: Northwestern deeply cares about its undergraduates. The easy-to-use undergraduate website that Northwestern provides and the fact that over 97% of undergraduate courses at Northwestern are taught by its faculty are all evidence to support my belief. This means that I will not be getting a hastily education from Northwestern via the quarter system, but instead an intellectually challenging and fast paced learning experience, which is exactly what I want.

In addition to the superior education Northwestern offers, the wealth of clubs and community service opportunities will provide me with an ample amount of leadership opportunity and chances to give back to the community of Evanston and Chicago. By developing my leadership skills through involvement in the community and school, I will have obtained a skill that is crucial to any successful engineers. Involvement will also allow me to broaden my network, which is crucial to anyone that wants to be successful in the future.

Furthermore, one cannot overlook the importance of the diversity that Northwestern offers. By working with a diverse group of students, I can learn the different points of views and solutions to engineering problems, which will broaden my horizon and allow me to think more creatively. Also, interacting with students of different cultural backgrounds will allow me to improve my social skills which will better prepare me for the future.

Lastly, the McCormick School is a first class engineering school. I believe the School will teach me how to blend ideas with math and science to create innovative products. By taking advantage of the undergraduate research opportunity that is available to its students, I can pursue my interest into a deeper level. The research opportunity will not only prepare me for graduate school, but also it will give me a deepen understanding of the engineering topic that I will pursue by working in close proximity with a Northwestern professor.

The amount of opportunities available at Northwestern is unparalleled. The convenient location along with a diverse student body and club choices coupled with a first class education is what ultimately attracted me to the school.

Any suggestion is welcome. I need to make it longer. Also I think it is rather weak and choppy as it stands. The conclusion need some work too I believe... I know there is bound to a lot of grammar mistakes.

Undergraduate / Chicago short question- "Intellectual Holy Grail" [3]

Question 1. How does the University of Chicago, as you know it now, satisfy your desire for a particular kind of learning, community, and future? Please address with some specificity your own wishes and how they relate to Chicago. (2 paragraphs)

When I hear "University of Chicago" I envision an intellectual Holy Grail with mathematical and graphical representations of black holes and economic theory in the background. Of course, just knowing that the University of Chicago is filled with world renowned professors and an unrivaled science and economics curriculum only tells me part of the story. As I uncovered more secrets of University of Chicago, I slowly fell in love with the university. The University is packed with students who have a genuine passion for learning that surpasses the tangible wall of the classroom. Most importantly, the University cultivates an environment that promotes critical thinking through its small discussion oriented class led by full time professors and the intellectual and cultural diversity it offers.

Even though my primary interest is in the sciences and economics, it is my intention to be a renaissance man. University of Chicago's intellectual melting pot and its focus on offering its students a broad range of interdisciplinary classes will help me achieve this dream. I have no doubt that I will attend graduate school in the future because of my hunger for knowledge. The institution's emphasis on community involvement and developing leadership skills along with the rigorous curriculum it offers will not only prepare me for graduate school, but also the competition environment of the outside world.

Any advice or suggestions is appreciated! I will try my best to return the favor. Thank you so much!

Undergraduate / Chicago Supplement- Is the universe really what we perceive it to be? [7]

This is a really long essay. I probably violated all the laws of physics in my essay. Any suggestions are welcome. Thank you for your time!

Prompt:Argonne National Laboratory and Fermilab (both national laboratories managed by the University of Chicago) have particle accelerators that smash bits of atoms together at very high energies, allowing particles to emerge that are otherwise not part of the everyday world. These odd beasts - bosons, pi mesons, strange quarks - populated the universe seconds after the Big Bang, and allow their observers to glimpse the fabric of the universe. Put two or three ideas or items in a particle accelerator thought experiment. Smash 'em up. What emerges? Let us glimpse the secrets of the universe newly revealed.

ESSAY
Grab an object nearby. Look at it. Feel it. Pretty solid and real isn't it? Think again! The collision of a charm quark, a Higgs boson, and a graviton in Zevatron, a sophisticated particle accelerator that is composed of three linear particle accelerators in the shape of a "Y", suggests that the universe is a virtual image composed of a two-dimensional spinning membrane intertwined with a four dimension space. The collision resulted in a distorted micro-black hole which evaporated instantly while illuminating a powerful and blinding burst of light. The event spontaneously emitted two unpredicted particles: the F and the M particles, which are the groundbreaking finds that led to the disheartening proposal. Within a picosecond, a fifth fundamental force of nature (Zeta force) blended the two particles into a naked singularity. The unstable singularity exploded and emitted every single elementary particle predicted by the laws of physics: quarks, leptons, and bosons. What were the two mysterious and magical particles?

The F particle is also known as the flat particle because of its massless and volumeless characteristic. It spins at rate of one revolution per Planck's time. The speed at which it spins would have conceal the fact that it is a two dimensional particle, but the exodus of Hawking radiation that resulted from the evaporated black hole slowed down its spin and revealed its secrets. Due to the fact the F particle is flat, the spin is fixed at 1/6 when alone, but once it integrates with the M particle, the spin becomes chaotic and unpredictable. The F particle has a defined area, but not shape. It is able to shift its shape with the help of the M particle. The F particle works in close proximity with the M particle via the zeta force to provide the foundations of the universe.

The M particles primarily exist in a four dimensional space. While they appear in our universe when a rip in the space-time fabric connects us to the higher dimension, they can only be detected at high energies. A modified solution to Einstein field equation resonates with the explanation. The particle acquired its name from the infamous M-theory, a candidate for the theory of everything. Ironically, evidences obtained from the M particle refute some components of the M-theory. For instance, the M particle has shown that different elementary particles are not the result of the different vibrations of strings or multi-dimensional membranes, but instead the result of M particle's interactions with the F particle and the curvature of Zeta force created by their interactions. Unlike the fixed spin of the other particles in physics, the spin of the M particle is directly proportional to the number of the quantum wormholes one Planck's length from the most outer surface. No, the particle does not exhibit quantum mechanical properties such as a probability region where the particle can be found. In fact, the interconnected fourth dimension offers an alternative explanation of why there is even a probability region in which a particle is most likely to be found. Because a part of the universe is made out of a delicate spinning membrane, there will often be rips in this space-time fabric. Once a portal to the other dimension is made, particles can leave or enter the other dimension via the portal at near light speed. This event allows a particle to look like it is in many places at once which also makes it impossible to predict its exact position and velocity instantaneously.

But how do these two particles suggest that the universe is a virtual image composed of a two-dimensional spinning membrane intertwined with a four dimension space? By forming a naked singularity, these two particles have reenacted a historical cosmological event: the big bang. The path, velocity, and the relative amount of particles that were emitted from the mini-explosion were compared with the predicted values of the real big bang and it led to one conclusion: the initial conditions that triggered the real big bang is analogous to the initials conditions of the reenactment. Supported with mathematical equations and models, this find suggest one intriguing idea: we are but a persistence of memory.

Undergraduate / NYU 5 short question supplement- Stern [5]

Any suggestions are welcome. Thank you so much!

In addition to any work experience that you listed on your application, please tell us how you spent your most recent summer vacation.
This past summer I stayed in NYC and caught the virus that Wall Street emitted. I daringly took out all my personal savings, which was about 4000 dollars and invested in the crumbling stock market that seemed to be a bargain; Dow has dropped 2000 points since last year! After days of research, I put all my money into the infamous Washington Mutual that failed later on this year. I was aware of the huge risk involved, but my ambitions pushed me on. I have learned much from this incident.

495/500
Describe a trait or characteristic that has been passed along to you by your family. Tell us why you like or dislike this aspect of yourself.

I wonder if there is a genetic code embedded in my DNA that made me curious. My need to ask the question "why" has broaden my horizon and allowed me to venture into topics such as string theory. It has allowed me to become more reasonable because I am able to understand the different views that people have and think critically. Most importantly, it gave me the ability to think innovatively because of the assortment of unusual ideas flowing in my brain.

461/500
New York City is an essential element of academic and cultural life at NYU. If you could engage in an activity or start a club or service organization at NYU, what would it be and how would you envision it impacting the larger community?

If I can start a club in NYU I would start a "chat club". People from all backgrounds can come together and talk about their problems, offer their advice, or have an intelligent discussion. This club will allow people of different backgrounds to understand each other better. It is my vision that this idea will spread across the country and help shorten the cultural gap among the different ethnic groups and give people time to reflect upon their lives and the things they take for granted.

497/500
You have been selected to sing in a talent show. What song would you choose? Why?
I would choose "Simple and Clean", because it is one of the few songs I know how to sing. I find the name of this song extremely attractive because it gives me a sense of satisfaction and peace. One of my favorite line in this song is "regardless of warnings the future doesn't scare me at all" because it is such a simple way of living but with an immense amount of courage. It really makes me want to live life to the fullest, and I wish it will inspire others to do the same.

481/500
Please tell us what led you to select your anticipated academic program and/or NYU school/college, and what interests you most about your intended discipline.

The huge investment potential in China, India, and Brazil's developing market brings shivers down my spine. This generation of business leaders in the global economy will have an enormous impact on the future environment, business ethnics, and society and I want to be an active member of this revolutionizing change. Stern's exceptional business program with emphasis on liberal arts will prepare me for the competitive environment that I will have to face soon.

466/500

Undergraduate / Carnegie Mellon Supplement Essay- "The Magic of Moving Objects" [2]

From a young age, I have been captivated by the magic of animated objects both virtually and in real life. My captivation with animated objects coupled with my innate ability to take anything apart ultimately sparked my interest in engineering. In my first encounter with a robot, my decision to become an engineer was only reaffirmed. The robot's barrier evading abilities put me in awe. Desiring to learn more about robots, my interest in robotics gradually developed as I learned more about it online. Little by little my interest in robotics grew while I learn more about it online. Within a month, I had drew a twelve page detailed design for my ideal consumer robot that was integrated with a volumetric display that I mistakenly called a hologram at that time. As I was on my quest to make my dream into a reality, I encountered a problem: my trial and error engineering knowledge would not have helped any on this complex project. Today my desire to be an engineer and a programmer is not only because I want to find the solution to the problems in my design, but also because of a strong belief that robots will become the computers of tomorrow and that innovative engineering and programming can change the world for the better.

After looking through many universities and the various programs each offer, I have no doubt that Carnegie Mellon university is best institution for me. Carnegie Mellon's diverse student body is what first caught my attention. By working with a diverse group of students, I can learn the different points of views and solutions to engineering problems, which will broaden my horizon and allow me to think more creatively. Also interacting with students of different cultural background will allow me to improve my social skills which will better prepare me for the future. Furthermore, Carnegie Mellon allows its student to pursuit two undergraduate degrees. This means that I can pursuit an electrical and computer engineering degree at the Carnegie Institution of Technology and a computer science degree or a robotics minor at the School of Computer Science since they are where my primary interest lies. Both of these schools offer what I am looking for: a rigorous curriculum taught by innovative professors and a hands on approach to learning.

CIT not only offers an excellent engineering curriculum, but also helps students develop leadership and management skills, which is crucial to any successful engineer. It is my intention to utilize the resources available at CIT which is why I find the honors research program that CIT offers really attractive. It will allow me to work in close proximity with a Carnegie Mellon professor in first-class research facility during my senior year. The experience and knowledge I gain from this experience will surely benefit me, especially if I decided to apply the IMB program that CIT offers. The IMB program will allow me to directly obtain my masters in ECE without the need to apply for graduate school.

The School of Computer Science has been a pioneer in computer science. It is my desire to contribute to and learn from the innovation thinking at the School of Computer Science and develop a ground-breaking artificial intelligence program. The research topics offered at this School such as the Cognitive Robotics on the Sony AIBO will help me achieve this ambition. Also the school of Computer Science offers similar advantages like the ones CIT offers such as the fifth year masters program and the BS Computer Science & MBA 3/2 program. This means if I have a change of plans and would like to focus on one subject, I will still have many options.

Whether I decide to work the industry or perform research on the subject that I am interested in, I believe Carnegie Mellon can provide me with the excellent education and experience I need to succeed.

I feel this is a rather weak essay...
I know it is a long essay and I would appreciated any suggestions. Also, I slightly went over the 1 page limit, what should I cut out? Thank you!