Undergraduate / "studying the human mind and its effects on behavior" - Pomona Transfer [3]

2. Please provide a statement about your current educational interests and how they have changed since your initial college enrollment. The statement should include reasons for leaving your present college to attend Pomona. If you are not currently attending college, please describe your current pursuits (e.g., employment, military service, volunteer work, etc.). Please be concise and limit your response to one or two pages.

I never thought I would get that feeling whenever I saw her name on caller ID. That weird sinking feeling you get when you knock something over and see it about to plummet into your big toe. It is then quickly followed by guilt that consumes you, because what kind of friend would even getting that sinking feeling in the first place? Sarah and I have been friends ever since pre-school. Our friendship continued when we went our separate ways for college. I remember I once enjoyed talking to her on the phone for hours. Yet in recent months, phone calls became less pleasurable, and felt more like a duty. She had a tough childhood, full of emotional disturbances, and now, after being admitted to a mental hospital, I believe she is finally getting help. However, in the previous months, she was painfully struggling with herself and I sat through much of it. There were times, when I felt obliged to pass up studying for an exam to listen to her cry about how she didn't understand the point of life and how everything was a test and that she was failing miserable. An exam seemed so much less significant than the problems she was dealing with. I never knew what to say to her, so I just tried to be there for her. Somehow through all this, my declared major of Biomedical Engineering, seemed a lot less important to me. I do not, by any means, intend to belittle the importance of engineering new devices to save lives. But, the design of a fetal heart monitor held little importance to me, when the workings of the human brain baffled me endlessly. How is it possible that she is experiencing all this, while another person's present concern is their frizzy hair with the high humidity? Why do some people suffer from depression, while others are almost abnormally optimistic? More importantly, is there something we can do to help this? Through my experience with Sarah, I have come to discover my new passion for neuroscience and psychology.

After taking a course in Abnormal Psychology, I have realized that studying the human mind and its effects on behavior is where my true interests lay. Pomona College has numerous opportunities and the close-knit community provides something my current institution does not. With Sarah, I have realized the importance of developing personal relationships beyond just textbooks and I feel my current institution does not foster that type of development as well as Pomona does. I hope to join this community and I feel I would be able to contribute beneficially.

Undergraduate / Stanford provides meaningful relationships and expressing yourself through a dorm [2]

Virtually all of Stanford's undergraduates live on campus. Write a note to your future roommate that reveals something about you or that will help your roommate - and us - know you better.

Dear Roommate,

If you saw my current room right now, you might ask what color the wall is. My dorm room walls are adorned with things ranging from the typical high school photo collage, to napkins I found at the dining hall with scribbles of an inspirational quote, to a sMRI scan of my brain. To be honest, these three things do give a good insight into me; I treasure my high school friendships, love spontaneous art, and am fascinated by the human brain. However, there is no way you could get a clear picture of my personality by just examining the decorations on my wall. You can, instead, learn that I feel the space you occupy should resonant with your personality. If someone else could come into my room, and call it their own, I would feel cheated. Individuality is essential and to me, I find expressing it outwardly can make me feel more at home. I look forward to sharing a room with you and hope to learn about you beyond just wall decorations.

Why Stanford?

I visited Stanford this past winter and was lucky enough to be shown around one of the Cellular and Molecular Physiology labs. Seeing students working in a lab gave me insight into where I could be in a couple years. When introduced to the students, I learned more than just about their research interests; one was recently married, one just returned from a vacation in Peru, and one was an avid biker. This information, while probably less significant to the research, helped me to see that relationships beyond science are fostered at Stanford. The family atmosphere of this lab really appealed to me, showing that Stanford didn't just prepare one for a career, but provided an environment for developing personal relationships as well.

(i will elaborate more on the opportunities of stanford, is this a good beginning?)