Undergraduate / It's a school like no other / the world of jazz. Common App for Lafayette College [3]

Any advice and critiques would be great. Thanks!
Students identify Lafayette as an excellent fit for countless reasons. In your response, be deliberate and specific about your motivation for applying to Lafayette.
200-word max

The EDGE method

I want to apply to Lafayette because it is much different from other schools. Lafayette embodies liberal arts and engineering which prompt new ideas for the college and around the world. I feel that if I am a student at Lafayette I can accomplish projects with fellow students that can help the world. Just like Lafayette, I have accomplished many projects in my high school experience. As an Eagle Scout and Safety Captain of the Robotics team, I collaborated ideas to benefit both teams. For example, the robotics team helped engineer a sled for a winter competition for boy scouts. This sled was able to go through snow and dirt which gave my troop an advantage other troops did not have. In addition, the robotics team learned new techniques for leadership positions like the EDGE method. The EDGE method is an acronym for; explain, demonstrate, guide, and execute. This gave leaders a simple guide when teaching new members to deal with circuits and using a drill. I want to be with a program that collaborates different ideas that change the world. I believe I can help the world at Lafayette just like in my community through boy scouts and robotics.

199 words

There's a difference between being busy and being engaged. Lafayette comes alive each day with the energy of students who are deeply engaged in their academic, co-curricular and extracurricular explorations. In response to the prompt below, keep it simple - choose one activity and add depth to our understanding of your involvement.

200-word max

tight rhythms of jazz

Jazz is a genre of music not much people know about. Jazz incorporates tight rhythms and complex melodies that people cannot understand like rock or pop. As the bassist for the Big Band and Jazz Ensemble at Roxbury High School, I learned about jazz and became flexible with the music so I can write simple rhythmic melodies that were different from the recordings. In my first year with Big Band, I discovered I can play upright bass on a swing or shuffle chart and play electric on a latin chart. My second year, I grasped more knowledge of jazz and made a stellar performance with Big Band. My third year, I moved up to the pro like Jazz Ensemble which fused charts with their own melodies and solos. This band challenged me. I practiced for hours which developed a tight connection with the drummer and let me create my own part. My involvement with the jazz band program enabled me to actively learn about the world of jazz which I loved. And I was able to create a sound with band members I will not be able to hear again.

190 word

Undergraduate / University of Delaware Essays; me as a student, being treated unfairly, great accomplishment [3]

University of Delaware Common App Essays

Writing Questions are Optional: Provide a short response, 200 words or fewer, to each of these prompts.

Q1. Anticipate what it will be like for you as a student at the University of Delaware. Both in and out of the classroom, where do you expect to feel most comfortable and where will you need to stretch?

When I was a freshman in high school I was not comfortable since there were sophomores and upperclassmen in my classes and clubs. In addition, I had my own schedule of classes and clubs that were much different than my friends. I felt out of place. Yet, I got more comfortable since people had the same interests as me. In engineering class, I loved when I got to talk about creating different designs and learn how to use Autocad Inventor with classmates and friends. Also, I enjoyed when I got to learn different games every year and how to design a robot with members of the Roxbury Robotics Club for competition. I not only made friends but prioritized myself so I would not get off track from academics and made sure I would be active in clubs and sports I liked. If I was a student at the University of Delaware I would be comfortable in my classes clubs where people have the same interest with me. Also, I would have to stretch when I have my own personal schedule and prioritize myself throughout college. I at first it would be hard but in time I would be more comfortable where I am.

Q2. Relate a personal experience in which you were denied an opportunity or treated unfairly. How did you resolve the situation? If that were to happen during your college experience, what would you do?

It was not a great feeling when I was not playing Friday night under the lights. I could not do anything but cheer. I was ready but not for varsity. That was my junior year of football. That coming offseason, I worked long hours in the weight room on bench and squat to show my strength. I also worked on my catching ability since I did not have the best hands on the team. That coming season I was one of the strongest backs in the lineup and showed my coaches that I was able to play varsity. During the 2016 season, I had a position where I started every game. I got to start on kickoff and play special teams on punt. I was also second string running back for the team. If I was denied an opportunity during my college experience, I would approach it the same way I did in football. I would work hard until I get the opportunity again or get what I want to accomplish. And if I fail, I would continue my hard work.

Q3. Describe an accomplishment that took a great deal of time and/or effort on your part. What motivated you to persevere when it got challenging? Who or what did you turn to for support, and how was that helpful?

Eagle Project
All boy scouts who continue till they are eighteen have a commitment. My commitment to remain a boy scout is that I wanted to be an Eagle Scout because I wanted to show how loved scouts. To become an Eagle Scout I had to work on a service project. My service project was to restore a food pantry for Trinity Lutheran Church. The pantry had to be restored since the church needed to collect more food for the homeless. This project took two years in which I planned, executed and reported the project. The hardest part was getting the project approved since all the paperwork took a long time. The Boy Scout council would return my paperwork to me because more details would need to be added to planning. This meant I had to take inventory of all the equipment I would use, safety guidelines for everyone who I would work with, and steps if the project got delayed. With the help of my troop members, friends and family got to finish this project within a week. I could not do it without them since they helped me be a leader and supported me the whole way with my commitment.

Self-Appraisal of your academic performance: Your academic performance. With Delaware's increasing selectivity, grades of "B" or above are expected. The Admissions Committee expects that you will take advantage of this question to explain any grade on your transcript that is unusually low or varies significantly from your usual performance in the section below.

Chemistry
Chemistry was my most important class junior year because it was my hardest class. My goal was to get an 85. Yet, I ended the year with a 78 average. I was not pleased. It did not reflect who I was and how I earned that grade. Yet, put the work in for Chemistry just like football. I tried my best every class. I asked for problems every day from my teacher, spent every night on Khan Academy and made detailed study guides for every chapter. Even though I did the work, I could not accomplish the right grade because I could not understand some concepts of chemistry. It was just hard for me, unlike other classes. Chemistry was tough but I have learned to not give up even though I did not get the grade I wanted. I had to accept a below par grade which was better than failing.