Undergraduate / Bucknell Supp -- Why did I chose my major and Three Important Characteristics [5]

Hey! Could you please go over my supplement questions for Bucknell? If you want me to check your essay, please feel free to leave a link and I will gladly help you! :) Thanks!

Please explain why you are interested in this major/undecided status:

Despite my difficulty drawing anything that involves skills other than ruler-using, I find Art bewitching because of its ability to see the nonexistent and its limitless capacity. I have chosen engineering precisely because it satisfies my craving for logic and allows me access to artistic fulfillment. The engineer participates in all processes of creation - from the idea, to the plan, to the execution - and, like a blacksmith, forges Science and Art into a single tool setting off to change the world. I see the engineer as a multidimensional being who studies reason, but perceives the potential outside his box. Because of this versatility, they develop into leaders of areas ranging from industry all the way to government. What I hope is to one day be that ingenious.

What are the three most important things Bucknell's faculty and students should know about you? (up to 200 words each / 1400 characters)

I think that I need a lot of help with this one. Especially with grammar and punctuation. Thanks

I consider myself to be a 'Why-Guy'. Basically, if you've ever met one of those annoying kids who are never satisfied with an answer and repetitively ask you 'why this' and 'why that', you have met someone pretty similar to me. I am never ever pleased with an explanation even if it is a thorough as it can be. If I ask you, "why is the sky blue?" and you meticulously start explaining me all about the Rayleigh scattering and how the blue light is absorbed by the gas molecules and scattered because it has a short wavelength, I will understand what your clarification despite its complexity. However, there always seems to be something missing - at least, for me. "Why is there blue light?" And, of course, you will start talking about the visible spectrum and how the human eye will respond to wavelengths from about 380 to 750 nm which includes the color blue with a wavelength ranging from 450-495nm. But, it still does not elucidate me on "why can we only see colors with certain wavelengths?" And, as you have perceived, this will go on and on until it's time to go to bed. Unfortunately, the sun will rise once again and I'll either continue with my 'blue-sky-questions' or I'll just start off the day with a fresh inquiry: "Why am I so curious?" The worst part will be finding someone who can actually solve this enigma.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

I broke Coyote's record for the number of times an animal has chased the Road Runner. I was the one who convinced Al Gore that global warming was a pressing issue. I have single-handedly pulled three strings together from a rope bridge after it snapped and managed to save twelve Asian children from the town of Nanxun. I have solved the Rubik's Cube just by looking at it. I am internationally famous for cheering up the deaf with inspirational speeches. I am the one who led the Hebrew people out of Egypt and parted the Red Sea, even though Moses got all the credit. What I am trying to say is that if I was to define myself using a single, twelve-lettered, hyphenated adjective I would have say 'high-spirited' - not only because it's the only word I can think of that adheres to the requirements, but also because it suits me appropriately. I sometimes think that if science and engineering did not exist - how cruel would such a world be - I would have majored in clowning. My entertainment skills are extensive and, aside from hyperbolic statements, I am an expert at silly faces. I was hoping to attach photo of my tongue reaching into my nostrils, but I decided to play it safe this time.

Undergraduate / Bucknell Supp -- Question (plans, major) [4]

I did not quite understand what they want me to write about in this specific question. Could anyone clarify this for me? Sorry if it is too obvious and I am the only one who is confused :P Thank-you.

Bucknell is a multifaceted university with broad opportunities for you to explore your interests and discover new ones. Many of our students choose double majors or minors or combine academic interests in unique ways. If you'd like, choose one to three majors from the major of choice list above and let us know what other subjects, besides your first-choice major, you might pursue while at Bucknell. [350 characters]

Are we supposed to list 1-3 other majors from the list aside from our first-choice? What do they mean by "other subjects"? Math, biology, chemistry, that kind of subject?

At this time, do you have graduate/professional school plans?

My answer is yes, however, they ask me "If so, please outline briefly:" What exactly am I supposed to outline? Am I supposed to say where and what exactly do I wish to do in graduate school?

Thanks for the clarification!

Undergraduate / CU Short Answer -- Talk about Activity [3]

Limiting yourself to the space provided, briefly describe which single activity/interest listed above represents your most meaningful commitment and why. [used 291 characters of the 300 available]

Aside from developing rational students who understand global problems, the Model United Nations stimulates debating skills that allow me to better appreciate perspectives of other cultures. The beauty of this activity is embedded in having to defend a stance you might not even believe in.

Undergraduate / Cornell - Why Engineering -- Help Me With Just a "Yes" or "No" [4]

Can you guys understand the analogy of the die (singular for dice)

Paint and brushes were never my strongest allies. They have haunted me ever since my classmate looked at my drawing of an alien starship and confused it for a tree. He thought that the futuristic ray of light being emitted from its bottom surface was a mere tree trunk. Since then, I've only trusted myself with stick figures. The truth is, though, that despite my difficulty sketching anything that involves skills other than ruler-using, I find Art bewitching because of its ability to see the nonexistent and its limitless capacity; it is like throwing a die with an infinite number of faces.

On the other hand, every time I think about science, I feel like I'm a five-year-old who has just entered a candy shop; I look in wonder at the colorful liquids in the test tubes and at the shocking chemical reactions, amazed at how there seems to be a logical explanation for everything. In my thirst for numerical knowledge, I drink up information from textbooks and websites while attentively listening to my father's justifications about the weirdest phenomena. Science magnetically attracts me because of its coherency, the way everything runs efficiently and serves its purpose. If Art is the many-sided die, then Science is what makes sure it lands on one of its countless surfaces so that the pawn can be moved forward.

Undergraduate / Rice Supp -- How will you contribute to Rice? [4]

"ĄHola amigo! żCómo se llama?" It was the second person that day who had uttered those same irritating words on my ear. Did they really not know that I spoke Portuguese instead of Spanish?

The exchange program had so far been more than what I expected. It was only my first day in a Canadian high school and already the unknown faces that passed by me at the hall smiled, waved and even welcomed me in slang. I had to admit that being a Brazilian had its advantages; they stared at me, not in a humiliating way, but as if I was the luckiest person in that room. After all, I was born in the land of the godlike soccer players and dwelled amidst the most seductive women on the face of the Earth.

But, I then realized that these stereotypical remarks were more than just joking statements, and instead reflected the little knowledge that students had about my country. The situation went from critical to dangerous the moment Peter asked, "Do you live in the Amazon forest? You know, with monkeys, and snakes and stuff?"

Fortunately, my exchange program enabled me to perceive that living in a different culture had made me more understanding to different traditions. Having experienced the Canadian way of life, I was more knowledgeable about their beliefs and accepted them more easily, for I knew what it meant to be a Canuck. With that in mind, I felt like it would be important for me to share some of my culture with by Canadian friends, that way opening their minds to the diversity of our human race.

I started talked about Brazil twenty-four seven; I showed people pictures of my hometown and even had my mother mail me a book about samba dance to share with my classmates. I taught them about Carnaval, about the strong influence of the Catholic religion in our culture and even dared to make some predictions about our economic growth. My mission culminated in a fifty-minute presentation for my IB Geography class about Bahia - the province I live in - and I left the country glad that my friends were becoming international students.

The truth is, though, that the world is big and my mission must continue. After this experience, I perceived that learning about other cultures helped people develop tolerance and respect, fostering a sense of cooperation that allowed me to preserve my Canadian friendships even after my departure. With technological advances sweeping away all boundaries, our world today is one broad community and its members must recognize that coexisting harmoniously is advantageous to all. By stimulating an atmosphere that values the mixture of diverging characteristics, communities avoid a "clash of civilizations" and guarantee the development of a deep-rooted sentiment of family defined by no particular trait other than being human. Through cultural acceptance, collective efforts generate more progress and human potential is no longer being wasted on the basis of irrelevant differences.

With that viewpoint, I trust that I will contribute to Rice University by promoting an environment that integrates minorities into all spectrums of the institution. One of the first actions I plan to take when I study in this college is participating actively in the Multicultural Community Relations, which seeks to enhance the relationship between the college and its smaller groups, both inside and outside the campus. Be it through luncheons, outreach programs or casual conversations with students, I hope to strengthen the Rice community in order to make sure that all have access to a fruitful college experience. One of the programs which caught my attention was the Empowering Leadership Alliance supported by Rice's Center of Excellence and Equity in Education. This initiative works to develop a national network of colleagues who share the common experience of being part of underrepresented groups at research institutions. By campaigning and sponsoring this project, I would be aiding undergraduates all across the nation who might be facing difficult cultural obstacles in receiving a bachelor's degree.

However, I could not forget to show my deep concern for a single aspect regarding Rice's social communities: it does not possess an association which I could be a part of. Being a Brazilian, I understand that I am a minority within minorities and thus, creating an organization specifically for the Luso-Brazilian population might prove to be a challenge. Nonetheless, one of the primary changes I shall promote within the university is widening the range of the Hispanic Association for Cultural Enrichment at Rice (HACER). Because the organization focuses solely on members belonging or descendents from Spanish-speaking countries, it unfortunately excludes the Brazilian community. However, if its spectrum were to expand - assisting individuals that instead fall under the broader "Latino" category - such problem could be resolved with a simple, yet efficient measure. By coordinating a combined effort between the Hispanic and Luso-Brazilian cultures, this new joint association would guarantee a bolder approach to promoting diversity within the Rice family.

I trust that one day, as I'm sitting down in the Academic Quad, a friendly Rice student will approach me and say, "Oi! Como vai?" and, when we're finished greeting one another, he'll ask me about the favelas and wonder how those shantytowns have emerged in the center of most Brazilian metropolises. I'll be glad to tell him all about it and I'll be even happier to know that I had helped my Rice community become international.

Undergraduate / "all processes of creation" - Rice Supp - Why Engineering? [6]

Prompt: With the understanding that the choice of academic school you indicated is not binding, explain why you are applying to that particular school of study.

Paint and brushes were never my strongest allies. They have haunted me ever since my classmate looked at my drawing of an alien starship and confused it for a tree. He thought that the futuristic ray of light being emitted from its bottom surface was a mere tree trunk. Since then, I've only trusted myself with stick figures. The truth is, though, that despite my difficulty sketching anything that involves skills other than ruler-using, I find Art bewitching because of its ability to see the nonexistent and its limitless capacity; it is like throwing a die with an infinite number of faces.

On the other hand, the word logic sounds to me like a bubble gum brand. Every time I think about science, I feel like I'm a five-year-old who has just entered a candy shop: the colorful liquids in the test tubes, the shocking chemical reactions and the hilarious "mad-scientist" hairstyles. In my thirst for numerical knowledge, I drink up information from textbooks and websites while attentively listening to my father's explanations of the weirdest phenomena. I am magnetically attracted to Science because of its coherency, the way everything fits so perfectly. If Art is the never-ending die, then Science is what makes it land on one of its countless surfaces allowing the pawn to move forward.

I have chosen to major in engineering precisely because it satisfies my craving for logic and allows me access to artistic fulfillment. In my perspective, this school of study is all-encompassing, incorporating vision, design and execution. The engineer participates in all processes of creation - from the idea, to the plan, to the solidification - and, like a blacksmith, forges Science and Art into a single tool, setting off to change the world. Aside from the adventurous spirit, the engineer is a multidimensional being who is no longer only focused in studying science, but understands the complexity of our world and how fields of study are intricately connected. Through this interdisciplinary thought, explorers of engineering develop into leaders of many different areas ranging from academia to industry all the way to government.

My passion for engineering always reminds of the story a mouse who got stuck inside a bucket of milk. After beating and scraping the metal with all of his strength in the hope of escaping, he stopped and pondered. He knew that there was no way he could dig a whole through the container before the farmer found out about his little misfortune. Aside from that, all he could think of was that he was bathing in milk - something that came from the cow and made some pretty good butter. From that simple analysis of his situation, he came up with an idea. He started swimming, and swimming, and churning, until that cream turned into butter and he crawled out of the bucket. Logic and creativity had worked side by side.

Undergraduate / 'prosperous society' - Lehigh Supplement - Equity and Community [5]

Hey! Could you please check out my essay for grammar, idea flow, anything really? I'd be glad to help you guys out too! Just leave a link and I'll revise your essay :) Thanks!

In our ever-changing society, people have defined 'equity' and 'community' in many different ways. How do you define these terms and what are the implications of equity and community for our 21st century society?

With technological advances sweeping away all boundaries, our society must accept that humankind is comprised of individuals from all sorts of backgrounds. Because globalization has transformed our world into one broad community, its members must recognize that coexisting harmoniously will ensure that all parties reach their common goal.

Equity is the answer to achieving such a prosperous society. Taking into consideration the democratic concept of equality of opportunity, equity seeks to ensure that a group's diversity does not interfere with the individual's sense of belonging. By stimulating an environment that not only distinguishes, but also values the mixture of diverging characteristics, a community avoids a "clash of civilizations" and guarantees the development of a cooperative spirit. With this deep-rooted sentiment of unity defined by no specific trait, collective efforts generate more progress because human potential is no longer wasted on the basis of irrelevant differences.

In essence, equity is a catalyst for a community's improvement for it takes advantage of humanity's heterogeneity.

Undergraduate / Stanford Essay - Intellectually Challenging Experience [3]

Hey! I would really love if you could take a look at my essay! :) If you want me to check yours, I gladly will, just leave a link and I'll be sure to help you :)

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

I settled on the bergère and waited as the sound of the hair dryers echoed down the hall of the beauty salon. A lady sat beside me on the styling chair and rambled on and on about how she wanted to make her hair as straight as an arrow. Indeed, it looked like stainless steel sponge.

After the wash, a hairdresser brought in a cart with all sorts of utensils and the magic began. Repetitively, he pulled out a chunk of hair, applied a gooey product with a brush and rubbed it with his hand. With a styling iron, he carefully dehydrated the woman's sponge and to my surprise the mane was gone. Had her blouse been black too, I would have confused her hair for a sweater's hood.

It was mind-boggling to witness such a radical transformation. The once frizzed hair now looked sleek, and all because of the "blow-dry treatment". The magic was hidden in the product's formula and could be summed up into one word: keratin. Keratin - the same substance that makes up your skin, nails and hair - is a type of tough, elastic and insoluble protein high in sulfur and cystine. Used in its liquid form, this protein penetrates the hair shaft and, with the aid of a 450-degree iron, adheres to inherently rough surfaces, softening and adding shine from the inside, and sealing the hair cuticles on the outside. For two whole months, the lady would have control over her mane.

After all was done, she stood up and gently touched her silky hair. It was no longer a tumbleweed. She smiled from ear to ear and her reddish eyes displayed her satisfaction; at least, that was what I assumed. What cosmetic companies do not advertise, however, is that their products have a high content of formaldehyde, which can irritate eyes and lungs if its fumes are inhaled. And I had thought she was crying tears of happiness...

Undergraduate / "I hope to envision, to design and to execute" - Cornell - Why Engineering [12]

Engineers turn ideas (technical, scientific, mathematical) into reality. Tell us about an engineering idea you have or your interest in engineering. Explain how Cornell Engineering can help you further explore this idea or interest. (MAXIMUM 500 WORDS)

Letters and words have never been my strongest allies. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy reading novels, poems and news articles. Nonetheless, I am occasionally unable to understand those camouflaged symbols that seem to hide themselves maliciously in the subtext.

Paint and brushes are also a nightmare. They have haunted me ever since my classmates looked at my drawing of an alien starship and confused it for a tree. They thought that the futuristic ray of light being emitted from its subjacent (or underlying?) surface was a mere tree trunk. Since then, I've only trusted myself with stick figures.

The truth is, though, that despite my difficulty understanding the encoded language of literature or drawing anything that involves skills other than ruler-using, I find Art bewitching because of its ability to see the nonexistent and its capacity to be limitless. Art attracts me precisely because it is random and unpredictable; it is always a surprise.

On the other hand, I have constantly excelled in my math and science classes: I've aced tests, solved challenging math puzzles, built amphibious RC cars for science fairs and even tutored high school students in calculus, chemistry and physics. Logic and reasoning have become an addiction for me, and in my thirst for rational knowledge I gobble up information from textbooks and websites while attentively listening to my father's explanation on the classic question of why the sky is blue. However, the reason I've chosen engineering is because it allows me access to artistic fulfillment as well. Engineering is all-encompassing, incorporating vision, design and execution. The engineer participates in all processes of creation - from the idea, to the plan, to the solidification - and, like a blacksmith, forges Science and Art into a single apparatus, setting off to change the world.

I believe that Cornell University can provide me with the appropriate tools and guidance to weld these two contrasting forces together. Initiatives such as Student Project Teams are aspects that have made me choose Cornell because participants blend their creative skills with their scientific knowledge to solve problems of the real world. By participating in the CUAUV team, for instance, I would use my understanding of science to come up with creative solutions when building an underwater vehicle. Even more rewarding is using this invention to assist environmental efforts in the Cayuga Lake. Also, I know I will succeed in exploring Science and Art through the Co-op Program where undergraduates are motivated to apply their expertise to the practical sphere. The school's support of undergraduate research - with students teaming up with faculty in many projects - as well as its Elysian campus has made me believe Cornell is just what I've been looking for.

Mixing numbers together with letters and paint, I hope to one day become a whole-brained engineer who sees the world as a blank piece of paper. After all, an engineer must first come up with an artistic idea before cutting, folding and shaping the world.

Any comments are welcome :)