Undergraduate / My life with numbers - I always wanted to solve the puzzle, the mystery [5]

Hey guys. I wrote an essay on the first common app topic: Some students have a background or story that is so central to their identity that they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story. (250-650 Words).

I'm really looking forward to any opinions. Thanks

For as long as I can remember, numbers have been a huge part of my life. I wasn't the brightest student in primary or middle school, hell, I wasn't even getting good marks in math, but whenever I sat down to do math homework or assignments, I wanted to do them. I wanted to see a question and begin solving it, I wanted the puzzle, the mystery, the rush when I reached that last line of the equation. At the end of my arduous yet pleasurable endeavor, I couldn't help but feel warmth inside me, like I had rediscovered fire. I was always awed by how I had started with something abstract and came up with this array of numbers which meant nothing to anyone but meant the world to me. The best part, I didn't have to remember anything. It came to me as I went. Such a beautiful art, so innate and so spontaneous, it was almost like a supernatural inspiration. It was like my own personal Universe, of which I knew nothing about but the thrill was in finding everything out for myself.

Answers led to more questions; how do imaginary numbers have an impact in the real world, why is the derivative of the area of a circle equal to its circumference and why is 2.71 so special? I could be compared to a druggie with easy access to his addiction. Furthermore, it wasn't a drug which was condemned but rather one which was encouraged. So I was going through life with everything I wanted and I was doing pretty well in the other subjects; I was indulging my passion without compromising my other 'duties'.

As I grew older, the problems became more complex, and my need became vaster. I was realizing that our world wouldn't function without a decent knowledge of math, that those abstract arrays of numbers at the end did hold some meaning, that there would be no physics, chemistry, computer science or economics without math. Everything changed. My simple passion became an obsession. Why is the Fibonacci sequence so common in nature, why does the earth orbit in a way such that it sweeps equal areas in equal amounts of time, why is the Universe flat etc. It didn't matter what questions I asked, since all of it could be explained by some mathematical formula or equation. It wasn't just the numbers anymore, it was what they could represent, what they could define, which, to my awe, was practically everything. I still can't believe how organized and divine it all is. Like how it is all definite, that we can find a way to describe it with numbers. I don't know about anyone else, but just thinking about it, that everything out there is quantifiable, that there is a way that we, being nothing more than tiny specks of stardust which just happened to coalesce into this intelligent being, can define and parameterize the entire Universe with just a few equations on paper.

Now here I am, looking forward to pursuing this passion of mine in college. I want to gain more knowledge of the Universe through numbers, so that one day I can help find that one equation which defines everything, from the origin of the mysterious forces within the atoms to the width of this never-ending Universe. I want to somehow be a part of or at least witness the manifestation of this almost magical idea.

What a day that will be.

Undergraduate / Of course, everyone has their ideas; I have many ideas right now. Why Penn essay [2]

"The Admissions Committee would like to learn why you are a good fit for your undergraduate school choice (College of Arts and Sciences, School of Nursing, The Wharton School, or Penn Engineering). Please tell us about specific academic, service, and/or research opportunities at the University of Pennsylvania that resonate with your background, interests, and goals." 400-650 words

University Of Pennsylvania offers tremendous opportunities in my prime areas of interest which are mathematics and physics. In addition to the competent and research- oriented faculty of teachers, the university can also provide many opportunities for individual advancement through research. This particularly appeals to me as I have always been more interested in what is not known rather than what is known.

Learning just the concepts of the curriculum has never satisfied me and so I have always indulged in extracurricular research to a small extent. Whenever I come to know of a new mathematical formula or physical concept, I go home and look up its origins and the work done in proving it. This curiosity is what attracts me to a field like research. Reading proofs to revolutionary theories and ideas brings me such immense pleasure; I can only imagine what formulating some of my own ideas will be like.

Of course, everyone has their ideas; I have many ideas right now. But I can't give shape to these ideas without the proper direction or opportunities. Broad-ranged research programs like the University Scholars program at Upenn ensure that there will be no scarcity of opportunities. The mentoring, funding, not to mention the intellectual events held by this program, will facilitate my passage into the world of research and I will have a sense of the art by the time I get to graduate level. Also, due to the program's versatility, I will have the chance to go off-campus for research, which will gain me invaluable exposure.

I have always been impressed by professors and researchers who devote their time to discovering new theories and phenomenon even though they have no obligation to do so; they do it simply because they have a knack for it. When I see these professors in science videos on YouTube, when I see them smile and speak as enthusiastically about a mystery of the Universe as they would about their own child, I'm awed by their resolve and infatuation. So I would like to be mentored in the art of research by these great minds in the hope that I will be able inherit some of their enthusiasm and determination. Moreover, interaction with these professors at Upenn is facilitated by innovative programs like the 'Take a Professor to Lunch' program, which I find very unique as the professor can get to know the student on a more fundamental level which will obviously make him more inclined to work with the student .Of course, the learning experience will be tremendous. I will learn to think like a true scientist and innovator, what variables to consider during research and how to approach a particular project.

I think it's pretty clear that I will probably end up doing something related to physics and mathematics, but as of yet, I don't have anything specific in mind. I will probably do a double major in Physics and Mathematics at undergraduate level but the variety of research opportunities, ranging from Astrophysics to Particle physics, at Upenn will help me define a more specific area of interest in the long run. If I do get into research somewhere in the future, teamwork will be a vital aspect. The various student societies like the Penn State Society of Physics Students will be great place for intellectual interaction with other students who share the same passion as me, even though we don't have the same major. The experience will definitely be an important asset to my professional career. So I've come to the conclusion that if I do end up going to Upenn, the possibilities will be endless.

Any comments would be appreciated. Thanks.