Undergraduate / What I Carry reflect my many obsessions - Tufts voice essay [7]

Self-identity and personal expression take many forms. For example, music, clothing, politics, extracurricular interests, and ethnicity can each be a defining attribute. Do you surf or tinker? Are you a vegetarian poet who loves Ayn Rand? Do you prefer YouTube or test tubes? Are you preppie or Goth? Use the richness of your life to give us insight: what voice will you add to the Class of 2014?

The things I carry reflect my many obsessions. A pencil, a pen, a notebook. College ruled, of course. My life would practically fall apart if it weren't for the grounding pleasure of writing lists. Lists of goals, lists of to-do's, lists of some event I'm planning or some idea that I couldn't let myself forget. And although I carry my lists, they never seem to make up my frenzied mind. I carry poise and flow but am never truly at peace, for I'm always carrying that one last thing on my list. That one thing breaking responsibility from freedom.

Sometimes I carry eternal happiness upon my face but for the most part exists an unfading seriousness and strive for the best. Wherever I am, I carry an endless wonder about the dynamics of the world and of the individuals that comprise it. A wonder about my own capability and potential and where I fit into the scheme of things. I carry an incessant yearning to learn and a constant stream of questions I have about my studies, about things I'll never know about the world around me.

In my bag I carry entertainment. In the golden pocket is my ipod, filled with electro-alternative music and the occasional show tune- and believe me, there's nothing I can't dance to. I carry a book, whether I'm reading Harry Potter, The Awakening or a copy of the New Yorker. Whether I'm plugged in, caught up in words or absorbing my environment I'm the type of person who is never bored.

At Tufts, I will carry memories of my childhood and aspirations for future, and an eagerness to become a vital member of the Tufts community. I will carry my voice, a voice filled with confidence and curiosity, intellect and eccentricity.

Undergraduate / Political Science Dept/ Study Abroad Why Tufts (50 words) [7]

Which aspects of Tufts' curriculum or undergraduate experience prompt your application? In short: ''Why Tufts?''

I feel that Tufts is a perfect match for my future intellectual pursuits and is exactly the learning environment I have been looking for: a research university with a liberal arts feeling. I plan to flourish in Tuft's strong Political Science department and think it will help me pin down my future career goals.

Also, I would like to study abroad in France my Junior year, and I am intrigued by Tuft's excellent Study-In-Paris Program and can't wait to immerse myself in French culture and language.

(can only be 500 characters)

Undergraduate / Not a Typical Upbringing...Tufts Community Essay [5]

1. There is a Quaker saying: ''Let your life speak.'' Describe the environment in which you were raised--your family, home, neighborhood or community--and how it influenced the person you are today.

Everything about my home is quite eccentric; I live in a cute, hundred year old bungalow with a loud Irish family and bad acoustics. I am not part of a typical "Marin family," where parents work constantly and kids are over-scheduled to the point of insanity. Growing up, I often felt jealous of my peers, many of whom lived in beautiful homes in the hills, and whose parents forced them to participate in a ridiculous amount of sports, dance, and music. Maybe it's odd for a kid to want more overbearing parents, but I always felt as if I didn't measure up to my friends. Yet, as I grew up I began to realize that what I had was unique, and what shaped me into an interesting and self motivated person. When other kids were being forced to participate in the Nutcracker or soccer camp, I was taking it upon myself to figure out my interests. I was the one dragging my parents to sign me up for school plays, art lessons, and even Irish Step Dancing.

Funny, but I've found that many people whose parents forced them to take up piano lessons and learn foreign languages have quit, yet I continue to do what I love. Having had the wonderful opportunity to express myself in my own way, I've never relied on my parents to tell me what to do. While other kids are being nagged by their parents to do their work, I am completely self reliant and take responsibility for myself. Yes, on an average school night after finishing my schoolwork, you may find me in a dramatic engagement at the piano wrapped up in music from the Phantom of the Opera or singing "Defying Gravity" at the top of my lungs while teaching my brother the art of Irish Step Dancing, but that's what makes me who I am.

Undergraduate / The unexamined life is unworth living- Stanford [5]

-Stanford students are widely known to possess a sense of intellectual vitality. Tell us about an idea or an experience you have had that you find intellectually engaging. (2575)

"The unexamined life is not worth living."-Socrates.
These words have resonated with me ever since I first heard them. This statement poses a question, about our human tendency to examine the world around us, and whether our use of technology is beneficial to society. Although the accrual of knowledge is both dangerous and unprecedented, I believe that it is more important for us to aspire to step outside our self defined borders and accept the drawbacks than to sit back and be ignorant to the world around us. The thirst for knowledge is only dangerous if it is reckless and purposeless.

In the novel Frankenstein, Victor irresponsibly seeks after knowledge for no good other than his own curiosity. His ruthless pursuit of knowledge results in a destructive monster that drives him to insanity. Indeed Frankenstein shows us how reckless lust for knowledge can prove dangerous, yet that doesn't mean knowledge should simply not be sought after. If we aren't willing to take any risks, society will never improve.

In an article by Neil Postman, "Informing Ourselves to Death," Postman asserts that, "The human dilemma is as it has always been, and we solve nothing fundamental by cloaking ourselves in technological glory." While an overload of information and technology are not crucial to our basic needs, if we never look for anything greater than ourselves then we will never be grateful for having what we do have, and ultimately it is a life "unworth living."

Despite the fact that Prometheus tales have been taught to us since day one about he who tried to play God and failed miserably, nevertheless when we test our natural boundaries we can learn something very valuable. If responsibly sought after, it can either make us more grateful for having what we already have, or lead us to new innovations that expand the boundaries of the natural human world.

Undergraduate / Trip to Disneyland/Leadership Common App [4]

(For Stanford)

Evaluate a significant experience, achievement, risk you have taken, or ethical dilemma you have faced and its impact on you.

There I was, my red patent shoes tapping across the wooden floors, bright white tights displayed under the neat puff of my Minnie Mouse dress. The signature red velvet bow and black ears perfected the look, but today, I was not just a cute little blonde girl; today, I was on a mission. After countless hours of twirling in my dress, begging my parents to take me to Disneyland for my fifth birthday, I had finally persuaded them to make my dream come true.

Twelve years later, I would find myself in high school, using all of my persuasion to convince the parents, teachers, and administration comprising my school's governing body, the Drake Leadership Council (DLC) to let me organize a senior trip to Disneyland. Surely I've had more grandeur undertakings than this one, but this was Disneyland. I sat there, prepared as I could be, one against fifty more qualified and experienced speakers. Being back at DLC reminded me of what it was like serving as a student representative for my freshman and sophomore years; the room would fill with tension as heated debates would arise over various, often trivial issues. As nervous as I was, I would always keep my opinions to myself. I knew I was persuasive and a very good public speaker and debater, but my anxiety held me back from being an integral part of the adult dominated discussions.

I had grown since then, no longer the shy underclassman appointed to represent my grade. In my four years in the leadership program, I never consciously realized that I was changing, but as I assumed greater responsibility in riskier endeavors like becoming the chairperson of the school-wide Blood Drive, I began to transform into a new person. I felt empowered by what I was capable of planning and executing, and as I was mastering how our campus worked I was also learning about myself; out of many of the group projects I worked on, I was the one who emerged as the responsible leader and was looked up to by others for guidance. My developing perseverance, organizational skills and fervency gave me the confidence to assert myself rather than continue as an anonymous girl at a school meeting. Today, I wasn't going to let anyone hold me back from pitching my ideas and achieving my goal; I was no longer plagued with intimidation and could firmly stand my ground.

As I sat adjacent to the Principal, conveying my ideas to the room while being told that I was being economically unrealistic and simply impractical, it occurred to me that I was no longer a little girl; I couldn't rely on dressing up like minnie mouse to achieve my goal, nor could I sit idle, expecting things to miraculously go my way. Amongst the discouragement flooding the room, I assured myself: I am persistent. If I want Disneyland, it is not in my nature to settle for something lesser, not Great America nor Marine World. I wasn't there to be appeased, and thus it would take a lot more than a committee of angry teachers to stop me from getting what I wanted.

Tabling my motion and coming back with a stronger presentation at the next meeting, I managed to get 94% of the committee members present to vote on the motion allowing me to move forward with the trip. I had eloquently addressed the exasperating rejections from many of the teachers with a professional demeanor, keeping level headed with my goal in mind. I came out of that meeting feeling triumphant. While the daunting tasks of convincing 75% of my class along with twenty chaperones to participate lays ahead, I'm not doubting myself. I feel confidently that I can overcome the hurdles that already are presenting themselves as well as those that I have yet to reach.

I've finally realized that I can achieve many things regardless of what seems to be in my way, because the only real thing that can stop me is my own hesitation. Through my newfound sense of confidence, I have matured, into a strong willed young woman and a capable leader, but the part of me that's never really changed is what fuels my desire to use my acquired skills to accomplish my goals.

Undergraduate / Stanford Roommate Essay (I'll bring pictures and many priceless memories) [24]

"Virtually all of Stanford's undergraduates live on campus. What would you want your future roommate to know about you? Tell us something about you that will help your future roommate -- and us -- know you better."

Dear Roomie,
I am ecstatic at the prospect of delving into a college life, although there are a few things I'll really miss. For one, my adorable Olde English bulldogs whom are incessantly begging and insisting that they are lap dogs. Yet, while I know I can't bring along my dogs that doesn't mean I'm coming without an animal. I'm bringing along Raja, my Steiff tiger that I've slept with since I was three, his fur matted to the point that you may not believe me that it is a tiger. I'll also miss my lovely Parisian room that I am constantly perfecting. I'll miss the array of antiques I've collected over the years, from the glass perfume bottles, mirrors, paintings, and possibly even the piles of clothes my messy sister has draped over everything. I'll bring along a couple things to remind me of my room and maybe you'll be able to help me out with the mess I'm used to from my sister- but it's okay if you're tidy like me too. I'll also miss crowding in my bed with my friends on rainy days around my laptop, watching classics or comedies and downing warm cups of Earl Grey tea with honey, but I'll bring my movies and tea and we can see if we can find some time amongst the hours devoted to studying to bond over a good movie or TV series like The Office. I'll miss watching the baseball games at my school and going out to get frozen yogurt with mochi and raspberries after, but I can't wait to be an avid benchwarmer at all the Stanford football games and I hope my roommate is as spirited as I am. I'll miss living in a cute, hundred year old bungalow with a loud Irish family and bad acoustics, my own contribution to the noise from sitting at the piano and getting wrapped up in deeply dramatic music from the Phantom of the Opera or by blasting "Defying Gravity" and teaching my brother how to Irish Step Dance. I'll always miss some things from my past, but I'm exuberant to think that with new memories comes future nostalgia. I'll miss my room, my house, my boyfriend, friends, and family, but I'll bring pictures and many priceless memories so we can share our stories and help each other embrace an entirely new community together.

So... I know it needs a lot of work right now. Do you think the style I've written it in doesn't really answer the prompt? I'm not really sure if i need to write more about my personality or what not