Undergraduate / Describe the world you come from (India to America) -MIT essay [3]

Describe the world you come from; for example, your family, clubs,school,community,city, or town. How has that world shaped your dreams and aspirations?(*) (200-250 words)

To understand where I come from, I have to take you half way around the world, to the small town of Thrissur, to the roots of my namesake, my grandfather, Parameswar. In a small village at the southern tip of India, my grandfather, an elementary school dropout, lived with my grandmother and seven kids. With no education, and no training, my grandfather supported his large family through multiple small businesses he owned. Utilizing a deep understanding of machinery and engineering, accrued through experience, he strove to make ends meet through entrepreneurship. My dad grew up in this house of leaky roofs and puddles, but he was also surrounded by business. He was involved with multiple family ventures, and he saw firsthand the difficulties of self employment.

My father came to America, with only $100 in his hand, dreaming of higher education in engineering. Now two decades later, he has established a software company, mixing engineering with commerce. Through him, I too have seen the ups and downs of business. Just as my dad saw my grandfather struggling to put food on the table, I have seen my dad go through a bankruptcy, fighting to keep his company alive. I have seen the difficulties of a business, and yet I remain positive.

My father brought the family entrepreneurial spirit to America, now I hope to take the spirit to the world. Knowing the difficulties of building a business, I cannot dream of anything other than the uncertain path of an entrepreneur.

Please let me know what you think. Thanks in advance!

Undergraduate / Hello my future roomie! Stanford University Short Answer [6]

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.

Hello my future roomie!

I've been sitting here for almost an hour trying to write, and all I've accomplished is refreshing Google news 15 times, and revisiting Engadget.com 10 times. I originally thought I would write about my interests in film: how I love to watch it and produce it. I was going to write about my fascination with making a story come alive on screen, and how every ounce of life around me inspires a film. But I then decided I wanted to present a more holistic view of myself.

I thought of writing about my easy going personality and my love for games. I wanted to write to you about my interest in discussing everything under the sun, or about how we could play Play Station, chess, poker, or any number of games together.

I wanted to incorporate how I love to sing, and yet I can't tell a tone apart to save my life. I thought of mentioning my interests in cooking, and my hatred of cleaning. I pondered talking about my family and my background or about my passion for drawing cartoons, and yet none of these seemed to come together to truly define me.

However, as I look back on it, this piece says a lot more about me than just the rudimentary details. The flow of the letter reflects the way I think. It is a collection of random ideas and concepts, tied together by what seems to be a lack of thought, and yet to me these ideas have a meaning. They make sense, and they are who I am.

While I can't promise to be the life of the party, I can promise that I won't be predictable. I'll be a piece-wise function, a person whose derivative cannot be taken. And while unique is, ironically, a cliché self description, I hope my name, at least, can earn me some credibility in the category.

Looking forward to meeting you,

***** **********

I don't know how well the essay and the structure work... any feedback would be appreicieated...