Undergraduate / NYU supplements- essay about why i chose academic program & NYU [8]

hi there! i'm applying to NYU, and would love some help on my short essays. they only give us 500 characters to write these, so i'm not sure how well this answers the prompt! any constructive criticism is welcome!

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.

I have always been passionate about equality. In elementary school, I wanted to make sure everyone knew I was as good as any boy. In high school, I developed into an outspoken feminist, or, as one of my friends calls me, "a dirty man-hater". So, it was natural to choose Gender & Sexuality Studies as my major at NYU. There is no other school that offers such an environment as the College of Arts and Sciences does. The program there does not just offer me a chance to read and study- it gives me the chance to explore the meanings of "male" and "female" actively.

Undergraduate / 'I didn't get sick' - NYU Supplements- my summer vacation was... [8]

hi! i'm applying to NYU, and am trying to write my essays. I'd really appreciate any constructive criticism that you have to offer! This essay prompt is:

In addition to any work experience that you listed on your application, please tell us how you spent your most recent summer vacation.

This summer, I was the only one in my family who didn't get sick, so I was stuck at home for four weeks. I just read, made jewelry, and hung out with friends. The latter end of my summer was much more exciting. I went to my church's summer camp for the second, and last, time. It was a great opportunity to expand in my faith- and have tons of fun. I also went up to Northern California to visit my family, and I had a blast hanging out with my cousins, who I only get to see once a year.

Undergraduate / Boston U essay- three qualities (inquisitive, trustworthy, passionate) [8]

this is my BU essay, and i'm not sure how well it turned out! whatever you have to say is appreciated! thank you!
btw, it's exactly 500 words...

In an essay of no more than 500 words, please select three words that describe you best and tell us how you will use these qualities/characteristics to contribute fully to the BU community.

How you see yourself is more important than how others see you. It's not that it is not important to be seen in a good light- it is that it is better to know and love yourself first. That makes the words you describe yourself with important. To take a word and assign it to yourself is bold. To proclaim to the world that that word defines you even more so.
 But here I am, about to tell you and the world what three words I think define me- describe me- best.

I believe that you can not live life until you question it. There is no point in blindly following something- if you do only as others do, how can you find your own self? That is why a word I have chosen is inquisitive. I am proud that I constantly question my beliefs and the world around me. Last year, I had the opportunity to take an AP English class. We explored questions like why we raise our children as we do and why we speak as we do. I was able to question every concept, and have that question be taken seriously. It was exhilarating.

I was taught to "watch out for strangers". As humans, we are wary of everyone that comes our way. We do not trust strangers, for we have no relationship. Trust makes a relationship, and I pride myself on being a trustworthy person. As the oldest of her second "set" of daughters, it is important for me to keep my mother's trust. I remain trustworthy by having good friends and neither partying nor staying out late. We have built our relationship on that, just as I built my relationship with my friends out of trust. My friends and I keep each other's secrets and help each other through hard times, of which there are many.

I believe in putting my all into every project, and so I see myself as passionate. I put my passion into every club I am in, always reaching for higher goals. It is because I am passionate about the Arts that I have been on the Drama Club board for four years, and because I am passionate about my faith that I am Co-President of my school's Christian Club. However, what really drives me is my passion for equality. I am a firm believer that everyone deserves equal treatment, and I am the first to point out discrepancies in the way people are treated.

These qualities will make me a good addition to Boston University. With inquisitiveness, I can liven up classroom discussions. By being trustworthy, I will give my professors the knowledge that I will always turn my papers in on time, and will be a great addition to organizations around campus. With passion, I can help make those organizations grow, and by being passionate about equality, can help ensure that BU community remains as diverse and as open-minded as it has in the past.