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Posts by freezard7734
Joined: Aug 4, 2010
Last Post: Dec 8, 2010
Threads: 17
Posts: 209  

From: United States of America

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freezard7734   
Aug 8, 2010
Undergraduate / "to unite my passions" - What makes Stanford perfect for me? [29]

Actually, the one I've posted here is not for any specific university. It's just a template of sorts which I mold according to the university I apply.

*Oh~ ha, I knew that -.-

I think I get what you mean. So I have to mold both these disciplines together in a way that will help each other out and in a way that only Stanford can offer assistance... am I right?
freezard7734   
Aug 8, 2010
Undergraduate / intellectual challenges - Stanford-intelellectually engaging activity [17]

After this, write a paragraph about what you have discovered in your research.

:/ I'm afraid I can't do that. I have a 1800 char limit here also. I hate these limits.

Oh, I know what to do! Add another sentence to the end of the first paragraph. It is a weak thesis to say, "I became engrossed in the study." It is better to give a sentence that tries to capture the meaningful lesson that is represented by your study. What did it amount to?

I added it to my newer version below. Do you think its an effective thesis? Thanks a million for your help!

Ever since I was young, I found electrons magically fascinating and intellectually captivating. Their awesome ability to deliver power and to secure information over thousands of miles, despite their infinitesimal size, baffled my imagination. When I began to dissect the black box of matter, I discovered electrons' ubiquitous intricacy and helplessly surrendered to their intriguing allure; I quickly became engrossed with independent research on electricity and discovered that electricity and mathematics were the yin and yang of science.

Recently, I became immersed ...
freezard7734   
Aug 8, 2010
Scholarship / Fellowship Essay for PhD program-how do you plan to help Egypt? [20]

This experience made me realize that if I can compete national, can I do it international?

Oh! I can help with this one:
"This experience made me wonder: If I can compete nationally, can I do it internationally?"
How about that? :)
freezard7734   
Aug 9, 2010
Writing Feedback / Topic:My father.It's a preparation of speaking section for toefl. [5]

I have a few suggestions:

He is a no-nonsensestern man

He rarely jokes with others jokingly , even with me,who is his daughter.

He is an excellent leader in his company and a strict father for me.

I think this statement would be stronger if you gave a specific experience or example that shows his excellent leadership. :)

He always requires me to do every thing wholeheartedly and never allows me givingto give (do you see why?) up until to the last.

Stern as he is, (Remember to put a space after your commas) father is full of affection to me

The above italicized phrase seems a little awkward to me. I'm not sure - you may be right - but I'd recommend "father shows affection towards me" or "father is affectionate toward me"

Not only does he encourage me to insistpursue my dream but he (You need a subject here because you put "Not only" before the subject) also lets me learn to enjoy the process of striving for it.

I benefit from the communication with my father very much.

What communication are you talking about? Be sure to expand and give examples. This will make your essay much stronger.

With his worthy advices I could increase myself gradually.

What do you mean by "increase myself?" Could you explain this? Then maybe I can find the right phrase. :]
freezard7734   
Aug 9, 2010
Undergraduate / "Light is unable to shine without darkness." - Common App Short Answer [4]

Your essay is very strong grammatically. Although I'm not an expert, I think adding specific details to the essay describing your experience would help a lot.

Fifty Subway sandwiches hushed growling stomachs, bridged differences in age and race, and blessed conversations.

Do you mean something like evoke or start? What do you mean when sandwiches bless a conversation? Just wondering :) I found this part a little confusing.

However, the need to serve and evangelize in the community still remained.

I don't know... to me, I think this could sound more urgent with some rewording... like simply adding the word "compelling" before "need" could give the effect... This is just a minor suggestion though...

Despite the sudden absence of leadership

Some might get caught up here. I think you can clear the small confusion up by changing the earlier sentence: "but the departure of our youth pastor and leader dashed my hopes"

... Actually scratch that x.x Never mind what I said here... now that I think of it, a pastor should be a leader :)

At times, I feel like I provide more narration than reflection on how this experience allowed me to grow as a person. What do you guys think?

I think you've done a pretty nice job balancing both. Since the prompt asks you to elaborate on an activity, undoubtedly, you will need some sort of narration. However, one thing I am not clear about is how the quote relates to what you do. To me the quote "Light is unable to shine without darkness." means, in simplified terms, that life is not easy. I think you should better tie that meaning in to your essay, or perhaps choose a more fitting term...

But this is only an opinion. Wait for the more experience contr/moderators to advise you on this :)
freezard7734   
Aug 9, 2010
Essays / Effects of having a baby..(Cause & Effect paper) [3]

Having a baby effected me in many ways by spiritually, financially and psychologically

To me, this sounds like your thesis statement. One thing I would recommend is for you to elaborate on your introduction. Perhaps describe how the doctor's news that you could not conceive affected you.

On the day I turned twenty-seven

Really? :) A nice birthday present

Well, your thesis arranges your essay for you.
Try to list out the different ways (specific examples) that your conception affected you. Then categorize them as 'spiritually', 'financially, etc...
There, you should have three paragraphs. This could give you a good start.
freezard7734   
Aug 9, 2010
Undergraduate / "my school's orchestra" - elaborate on activities paragraph [6]

In 2005, I finally joined my school's famous orchestra.which I had heard so much about.

It seems a bit wordy. I think this could cut some words out and still retain the same meaning - correct me if I'm wrong though...

Initially a third violin, my conductor, recognizing my dedication to practice, assisted me in honing my talent.

No, no, no :) That is incorrect use of hyphens. You generally use hyphens to express a (completely) different thought:
And you spread butter on the - Oh my god! The toast is burning!
Like that. :)

assisted me in honing my talent

Seems a little wordy here too... how about just simply: "helped me hone my talents"

In less than a year I was handed sheet music for first violin.

Very nice! :)

and doingtaking solo exams

To me, "do" is an over-used and generic word. When writing essays, try to find specific (perhaps even specialized) words that describe what you want to describe. :)

very enjoyable, stimulating, and critical

learnt

This should be "learned"

which have also developed a great sense of commitment within me

A little awkward to me... how about:
"through which I developed a great sense of commitment" ?

It is the orchestra that exposed me to many people, places, and ideas I now appreciate.

It seems like you make a habit of this. :) Remember that if you are listing more than two things, you need a comma before the "and" also.

This essay is ok. From what I've learned, though, I believe you should focus more on a specific experience and elaborate how, specifically, it affected and changed you. Right now, you are saying that the orchestra was stimulating and critical to you character development, but I don't see specific details that support that. From the above suggestions, I've cut a few words out, so I think you can add the details while still maintaining the 150-word limit. :)
freezard7734   
Aug 9, 2010
Undergraduate / Something about me that will help my roommate know me better [11]

So you would support him by not helping him do evil things... do you know what I mean? ---- yep, I see! You can support a friend sometimes by withdrawing support.

Yep. Don't you love the paradoxes of life? XD

Don't mess too much with a good thing unless you get some more inspiration.

Right. :) Thanks a lot for your help!
freezard7734   
Aug 9, 2010
Undergraduate / My mother - UT admission essay - person important to you. [9]

If a typical day to day life was made into a novel, the book would be detailed and unpredictable. There would be many unique characters, and most of their names would never be known.

A suggestion to liven this up :)
"If a typical day to day life was woven into a novel, its chapters would be intricate and unpredictable. There would be many unique characters, most of whose names would never be threaded into the fabrics of time..."

At work, school, restaurants or passing through the streets; people are everywhere.

You should fix the fragment here.

Most of these people come and go, quickly breezing though our lives like the passing wind on a spring day.

I think you get get rid a that phrase, to make this statement succinct, because we know from the previous sentence that you are talking about people.

A quick wave or head nod, and they are gone forever

Then out of all these relationships, rarely there is that special person thanthat has a dynamic impact on every choice made in life.

I think you are giving the feeling that it is not supposed to happen. Maybe switching a few words around can help clear the confusion:

"... there is that rare, special person that influences every choice I make in life."

I look forward to your body and conclusion :)
freezard7734   
Aug 9, 2010
Undergraduate / UC prompt1: describe your world and how it shaped your aspirations... [14]

Here is the prompt:
Describe the world you come from - for example, your family, community, or school - and tell us how your world has shaped your dreams and aspirations

So far I only have an intro. But could anyone critique it? Do any of you feel that you know what I will be talking about in the following paragraphs?

(One question I had in mind was whether the last sentence (or rather contrasting statement) was too abrupt)

Countless people and numerous factors have molded my perception and aspirations. My parents selflessly partook of my rigorous education and academic integrity; they offered the roof under which I worked, struggled, and accomplished for the past sixteen years. My swim coach infused in me determination and perseverance; she provided the friendly pool where I developed my talents and self-esteem. My music tutors taught me the poignant beauty of melody and harmony; through my flute and piano, from lush lullabies to magnificent symphonies, I was imbued with emotional wholeness. Undoubtedly, all these environments have shaped and nurtured my goals; however, my dream was most influenced my school and classmates.

As a student of one of the top public schools, I vigorously competed ...
freezard7734   
Aug 9, 2010
Undergraduate / My mother - UT admission essay - person important to you. [9]

Well... When you say "rarely, something happens"... I get the feeling that that is the abnormal... But, remember, this is only my opinion. If you feel otherwise, feel free to write what you feel is true :)
freezard7734   
Aug 9, 2010
Undergraduate / UC prompt1: describe your world and how it shaped your aspirations... [14]

Ha. I see a lot of misinterpretation... I think I should finish it up first.

The prompt is asking how a goal or aspiration has been changed by the world around you. You seem to pick several goals: education, swimming, music and then back to education. Personally, I would just focus on you education goal, which is what your essay seems to be about.

This was only an introduction. I'm saying that, "yes, these people did help define my goal, but I think that my school influenced me the most", which is what the prompt is partly asking for.

Second, briefly discuss why its important to you, i.e. first family member to go to college or your dream to pursue a MD, JD, scientist, etc. Also stating that you went to a top rank school H.S. (didn't know they were ranked) seems a bit pretentious and might be setting you up for an attack by the admission people (i.e. if you went to a top ranked, then they would assume you would have really high testing scores etc.)

I don't think so at all... I'm using this to justify the competitive atmosphere at my school. Well, since this is only my introduction, there's some misunderstandings. I'll try to finish it up as soon as I can, and then we'll see how this turns out..
freezard7734   
Aug 9, 2010
Essays / Plagiarism is a form of academic dishonesty - can't come up with a thesis/argument [5]

Maybe you can take it personally, like:
"Plagiarism is not only dishonest, but maims one's self-esteem and self-respect"
Or perhaps, you can talk about the consequences:
"Plagiarism, when discovered, can lead to dire consequences that can soil one's academic history"

Do these examples give you a good idea of how specific thesis statements can be? But don't make them so specific that its impossible to amass enough arguments and details to support it.
freezard7734   
Aug 9, 2010
Essays / Plagiarism is a form of academic dishonesty - can't come up with a thesis/argument [5]

Let me try to reword it for you:

DespiteAlthough universities tryingattempt to prevent plagiarism by implementing an anti-plagiarism website called (not everyone knows what TurnItIn is :) TurnItIn and by offering teacher help, open discussions, and paraphrasing and citation skill practice, students, with their lazyindifferent (that might be the word :) attitude towards plagiarism,isare showing minimum effort to cooperatecooperation to stop the problem.

I think this is a very valid thesis! Just as long as you have specific details and examples to support it, any thesis is valid.
freezard7734   
Aug 9, 2010
Undergraduate / "me giving back to the community" - UC Prompt #1 Help [9]

First thing is first: What will your thesis be? Find the main idea and purpose for your essay. What is the ONE statement that you want your reader to get from this essay? An example might be, "From these experiences, I learned that I want to serve the community for the rest of my life" (Don't use this though! You can definitely come up with a much stronger thesis). You get the idea.

From there, just list all the details of your experience and what you learned, and then arrange the details appropriately into separate body paragraphs...

I recommend that you actually take one or both these experiences and simply elaborate on them. For example, you can talk about your experience coaching the soccer team, what you did, how you felt, what you learned, etc... and tie them in to your thesis. And ... well, for now, you can get started on your intro :) To be safe, from the intro, the reader should be able to know your thesis and have an idea of what you'll be talking about in the rest of the essay.
freezard7734   
Aug 9, 2010
Writing Feedback / Children may be stimulated by some new subjects and enjoy a more colorful and meaningful childhood [4]

I agree that subjects such as art, music, and drama should be a part of every child's basic education. The reasons are that children might be stimulated by some new subjects, can enjoy a more colorful and meaningful childhood, and may have more opportunities in the future.

Assert your opinion more forcefully:
"Art, music, and drama should be a part of every child's education"
Although you might be saying the same thing, the latter is much stronger and will better entice the reader.

The reasons are that children might be stimulated by some new subjects, can enjoy a more colorful and meaningful childhood, may have more opportunities in the future.

In my opinion, but this seems a little bland. You can take out "The reasons are" and instead write, "By extending education as so,". Both are saying the same thing, but, to me, the latter sounds less clichéd... (Whoa!! I just realized that this text editor had a spell checker! Awesome! Just corrected my Woah to a Whoa. :)

They have the possibilitiesopportunities to show the distinct talent in some fields, which may have not been discovered before.

Second, though some people say it may exhaust children under the burden of subjects or even ruins their precious childhood,

This sounds a little awkward to me. Let me try to rephrase it:
"Second, although some argue that the burden of extra subjects exhausts children or even ruins their precious childhood,..."
How about that? :)

You know, more and more adults feel kind of boring and meaningless when they look back on their childhood, just with toys and comics.

No, I don't know. :) When writing formal essays, you should never write "as you know" or "you know" or "you may know" because the reader may not know. :) Instead, you can just take out that phrase, which will leave you with a more agreeable and stronger statement:

"Nowadays, more and more adults regret frittering away their childhood with toys and comics instead of engaging in art or music" (I rephrased it a bit too. I think it's more succinct and effective.)

NowTherefore, (This gives a smoother transition from the previous sentence) if subjects aboveart, music, and drama (One thing a lot of readers don't like is having to read back :) are involvedincluded in the children's basic education, theychildren (Here is an ambiguous pronoun. It could refer to the subjects art, music, and drama. So you want to clarify that and use 'children' instead) can have more choices to enjoy a colorful childhood.

Third, starting to learnlearning these subjects at an early age provides more future opportunities.

Again, it sounds more succinct :). Once you've learned, you already started to learn. So if you can say the same thing with less words, why not chose the phrase with less? :)

he gotearned an extra grade in the entrance exam of university. What a lucky dog!He was very fortunate to have been exposed to music at such an early age.

Remember that this is a formal essay. Try to avoid using casual expressions.

ConsequentlyFurthermore , children will be more competitive in the future when they educateddevelopsome distinct skills early.

You would generally use "consequently" if there is a cause-effect scenario going on. But I don't see one; instead, you are adding to the fact that children will receive more future opportunities. So "Furthermore" will work better in this case.

For both short-term and long-term benefits as I discuss above, subjects such as art, music, and drama should be a part of children's basic education.

Again, try to avoid the "as above" part, and develop your conclusion more. Add more to the final paragraph, maybe something about what the future of children education would be like with art, music, and drama. Then at the end, write the decisive statement, "Undoubtedly, art, music, and drama must be included in children's basic education."

Hope I helped :] I'm sorry if it seems like I ripped your essay apart -.-
freezard7734   
Aug 9, 2010
Undergraduate / "me giving back to the community" - UC Prompt #1 Help [9]

Ha :) Yeah, I'm still working on my recent essay, which is actually the same prompt you are working on right now. I had the same trouble, but fortunately, I'm out of the mire now :). But I assure you that the method I explained to you works almost all the time. Once you have your thesis and main infrastructure, how you want to architect your essay - that's entirely up to you :)
freezard7734   
Aug 9, 2010
Poetry / 1 sense poem 'When I'm at the beach I hear... [9]

Besides, 6th and 7th lines are too long for a poem.

Whoa! Lines too long for a poem? Ha :) That's the first time I've ever heard someone say that, no offense. :]
In my opinion, if the lines fit with the rhythm and flows smoothly (Although I'm not a poet, to me, a good poem has rhythm and flow - that's why I don't really like Whitman :), then it works, regardless of its length. But right now, I have to agree with Azeri. You could develop your lyricalness. Imagine that you are actually there at the beach, and imagine that you are describing it to a person who has never seen a beach before. Describe it so well that the reader himself can imagine that he is there with you at the beach. Make it sound like you are singing, so be sure to keep the flow and rhythm in mind.

btw, I don't want any rhyme.

Aww... I like poems that rhyme. :)

what should I write next?

That's for you to decide. Think of every, single possible minute details of the beach, write them down, and arrange them into your poem. That could give you a good start :]

And, most importantly:

What is your goal? What you want to say by simply describing beaches? I see only beautiful words joined togehter, but as a reader, I would like to sense something unique that belongs to you, that demonstrates your attitude. Everything that you wrote is quite obvious and does not require broad imagination or deep thinking to understand. I don't know if I managed to convey my thoughts, but this is what I got from your poem.

Every poem has a "thesis," even if it is as simple as "life is beautiful." From this poem, what overall message do you want to convey? If you are simply describing the beach, without certain reason, then this poem is not a poem, but as Azeri said, descriptive verse.

I have one suggestion though. You could take out "When I think of the beach" and simply start describing the beach. It will sound more lyrical and the reader will know, if you add more specific descriptions, that you are referring to the beach. :]
freezard7734   
Aug 10, 2010
Undergraduate / "me giving back to the community" - UC Prompt #1 Help [9]

I know I need to include a thesis and maybe m...

I was going to say, "Where is the thesis," and I read this :)

Ever since I was a kid, (<-seems "child like" and doesnt fully flow) my life has been changed through numerous experiences ,obstacles, and people.

It's not childlike. If used correctly, it can be a life-saver. In my opinion, a strong introductory sentence should always be in the active voice. So instead, you can write:

"Ever since I was young, countless experiences, obstacles, and people molded my life."

While some kids had life easy,(I'm not clear how this relates with the following statement. Instead, what do you think about my suggestion) My life was not easy; My parents carriedenforced and embedded the "Earn it" mentality of "If you want something, then you must earn it" into me.

This is the other suggestion: How about "Earn it" instead of 'If you want something, you must earn it." To me, it is much more concise, and I think it is self-explanatory. Just a suggestion though :]

Although growing up was far from effortless, often filled with tears of my dreams being shattered, and I was constantly engulfed in the fear of failing to live up to my parents expectations and wants, I knew that there were always people that were suffering more than me.

This sentences is very wordy. I think it would be better if you split them up into two sentences.
freezard7734   
Aug 10, 2010
Undergraduate / RISD essay- if you can eliminate one thing from the world what would it be? [4]

First, the technical stuff:

ItGasoline was called black gold when people actually made stable incomes from gasolineit .

cipe for a BP oil spill.

Not everyone knows what BP is, so spell it out the first time.

Now the Real Deal:
I would say you would be great at rhetoric. But I also have to say that this essay is sometimes a little vulgar. Remember, college admins are going to read your essay, so you don't want to use "God" in vain and freely vituperate the US government and corporate businesses, and you especially don't want to give a first impression of a vituperating maniac. :) Tone it down a bit. Otherwise, I applaud your rhetoric. Oh, one thing though - when you list out the reasons why gasoline is bad, be sure to give specific examples to support your reasons.
freezard7734   
Aug 10, 2010
Undergraduate / intellectual challenges - Stanford-intelellectually engaging activity [17]

I'm a little tight on space right now. But I thought the body and conclusions paragraphs might have cleared that up:
"I found that the qualitative electrical knowledge I had amassed did not suffice"
"thorough study of electricity is impossible without the quantitative analysis only mathematics provides."
Should I be more direct?
Thanks.
freezard7734   
Aug 16, 2010
Undergraduate / UC prompt1: describe your world and how it shaped your aspirations... [14]

Thanks for the advice and comments. I was just back from vacation and now completed this essay. Please criticize its weakness and help improve the essay. Thanks :]

The glow from the screen reflected off the whites of my anxious eyes. My fingers twitched on the mouse as I uneasily scanned the code I had meticulously engineered the past hour, and my head jerked from side to side as I nervously reviewed the textbook. The cursor hovered over the icon, and I covered my eyes as I made the fateful click. What seemed like days passed when the computer finally screeched its shrill beep. I peered through my hands, afraid that my painstaking efforts would yield a mere "Compilation error." But to my utmost relief, I read that fateful phrase: "Hello World!" Then, I was only eight.

...
freezard7734   
Aug 16, 2010
Undergraduate / intellectual challenges - Stanford-intelellectually engaging activity [17]

I see what you mean now... I always thought that quality and quantity were sort of opposing ideas because so many teachers demand "quality over quantity," so I was confused :] I think what I should say then, instead of yin and yang, is that one discipline is indispensable without the other:

"... mathematics is indispensable to the study of electricity. Only through the conciliation..."
Is this (metaphorically) more sound?

Thanks a lot for your help!
freezard7734   
Aug 16, 2010
Undergraduate / I have tried to be the best son in the world (applying to some IVY schools) [11]

Saying is one thing and doing another.

Very true ^^. I want to comment on this quote though. I think it should be catchier, since you are using an aphorism to kick off your essay. Imagine you are Benjamin Franklin and how he would say this. In other words, try to be wittier :]

I left for Australia to travel and to learn English when I was 10 years old with my agents.

This sentence is suffering a misplaced modifier. This happens when you take a prepositional phrase and put it the wrong place, making the sentence have a slightly different (or sometimes, hilariously different ;) meaning. I think what you are saying is:

"I left with my agents for Australia to travel and to learn English when I was 10 years old."

I was really happy to get out ofescape my parents' eyes and I played Halo, which was the bestmost popularX-Box game at that time, every day.

Some corrections. I also noted that you have a habit of starting a lot of your sentences with "I." Not to be offensive, but many find that boring. You should vary your sentences, using simple, compound, and complex ones throughout your essay. This will liven your essay up.

When I heard my mother's voice say, " Son, are you fine? How about food?,"

This is the first time I ever felt really family love because the love is hard to recognize important people when they are around, but it is easily recognized when they are not around.

Here, I'm not sure what you are talking about here. This sentence is very convoluted. Try to divide this sentence into two and to make them clearer.

Some parts feel very cliche-y.

I think so too. But don't fear. Even if this kind of story sounds familiar, the best way to personalize it is to elaborate on it, as Quynh said. Elaborate on how you made them unhappy at times and why you felt love at that point in time. Remember, only you know all your experiences and the reader doesn't, so you will have to fill us in on that.
freezard7734   
Aug 16, 2010
Undergraduate / Essay for my father, who influences me a lot. [8]

For my father, education is a means to a higher quality of life, not a richer life.

Whoa :] Here, someone might interpret this, because, "richer" can also mean "higher in quality." Instead of richer, you should use "wealthier."

Though it might have been possible for my father to venture into the world of business, in the hope of staying close to his family, he instead chose the career that he really enjoyed and could be pursued close to his loved ones.

Try to make it sound like it was difficult for your father to choose the "right" decision:
"Although my father wanted to venture into the world of business, he decided to stay close to home and chose a career that he enjoys." Would this be alright?

The way he does and thinks make me want to be a person like he is.

Perhaps, a better way to say this is:
"My father inspired me to imitate his personality and leadership."

I feel confused too. I want to focus on"the way he does and thinks make me want to be a person like he is", and I became part of Student Union is a way to build relationships with others. However, I think my father's character occupys a large part. But I don't know how to shorten it, because I think these information are important...

That is a small problem that can be fixed easily. You talk a lot about your father, about what he is like. Then you say that you dream to become like him. I think you should add how you became like your dad, what you did to imitate his honorable ways, how you worked to achieve a reputation like your fathers. This could help your essay out. :]
freezard7734   
Aug 17, 2010
Essays / ''Money create happiness'' people get satisfaction when they can do what they want [7]

'' money create happiness''

I strongly disagree. I suggest that "money does not necessarily create happiness." I know many instances where wealthy people are not happy with their lives. For example, take the classic story about the Christmas Carol. Sure, money can make achieving happiness easier, but it definitely does not create it.
freezard7734   
Aug 17, 2010
Undergraduate / An obstinate learner, Personal quality/Experience that is important to you. [9]

Here is the prompt:
Tell us about a personal quality, talent, accomplishment, contribution or experience that is important to you. What about this quality or accomplishment makes you proud and how does it relate the person you are?

This is a rough rough rough draft -.- . I still feel that things are lacking and hope that you guys can help point out my weakness. Thanks a lot!

I am an obstinate learner. Ever since I began schooling, I would bombard teachers with a myriad of questions in hope of unveiling the world around me; however, my inquiries often culminated in a disillusioning admission to ignorance. Because they could not always offer answers, I despised teachers when I was a small child; however, as I matured, I found that I myself loved to teach, whether it be history riddles or science conundrums. Through my endeavors, I learned that teaching is an audacious profession. While training his apprentices, the teacher hones his own pen (of erudition) to fend off the armies of enigma. No other venture offers the gifts of experience and the gratification of bestowing priceless knowledge. Teaching is the noblest deed a person can partake of in his lifetime.

When I received my first Great Book of Math Puzzles, I was delighted by the challenge. For several days, I drudged through hidden messages and logic maps; I was extremely excited when the puzzles were finally deciphered and urgently gathered my family to share my findings. Although my brothers and parents replied with an indifferent nod, I could not contain my discovery. I felt compelled to share my knowledge with others; I had discovered my love for teaching.

Eventually, I established teaching as a minor hobby. I would tutor my brothers and friends in homework and prepare younger students for tests. All this time, because I was familiar with my pupils' curriculums, I was prepared for any attack. Confident of my capabilities, I decided to volunteer at Hopkins Junior High's math circle; however, to my surprise and shame, I often could not immediately answer every question thrown upon me. There, I understood the reactions of my former teachers to my enigmatic questions.

Through the club, I learned that the great teacher learns with his own students. Although initially embarrassed, I gradually grew comfortable admitting my ignorance and enjoyed struggling with my students to unearth the mathematic mysteries. By cooperating and conversing about the potential solutions to various problems, I not only expanded my expertise in algebra, geometry, and combinatorics but also discovered the rewarding satisfaction of having toiled and accomplished together.

2009 was the first year I lead a team of four of my top students to the states round of MathCounts; furthermore, it was the first year that the Hopkins math circle had ever sent a member to compete nationally, a prestigious feat which only four middle school students from each state can achieve. I was extremely honored to have coached this team. Through this experience, I overcame my fear of ignorance and learned to be proud of my passion to teach. I had tasted the grandeur and pride of the teacher.
freezard7734   
Aug 18, 2010
Undergraduate / intellectual challenges - Stanford-intelellectually engaging activity [17]

Yes. But the way I worded it, I made it say that math is necessary for studying electricity. I didn't intend it to be the other way around, because, as you notice, it would be quite ridiculous :]

I'm still tweaking this essay a little... I'll let you know if I have more questions. *Whew!... applying to colleges is just like a course by itself.
freezard7734   
Aug 18, 2010
Undergraduate / UC prompt1: describe your world and how it shaped your aspirations... [14]

Yeah... I had trouble with the first two paragraphs. I felt like I was splitting the introduction into two. Instead, I'm going to try changing that sentence and merging the first two paragraphs, since the last sentence of the second one actually encapsulates the whole idea of the essay. Here is the revised introduction:

The glow from the screen reflected off the whites of my anxious eyes. My fingers twitched on the mouse as I ...

How does this look?
freezard7734   
Aug 18, 2010
Graduate / "Career vision" vs. "most passionate about" - what is the difference? [10]

Also, all of these insights in this thread made me think of the DIFFERENCE between what you want to 'be' and what you want to DO every day.

I completely agree! This reminds me of what my physics teacher always told the class :] He was a wise guy.
freezard7734   
Aug 18, 2010
Undergraduate / Common Application-First Aid: making a difference by joining the medical industry. [10]

first aider

I'm not sure if that is a proper word. I tried looking it up on Merriam Webster and received no results. Maybe "life saver" might sound legitimate and more dramatic :]

Well... after reading your essay, you seem to refer to "first aider" a lot. Could you tell us specifically what job you held? Maybe a lifeguard or a nurse? I think that using a specific job instead of first aider would make your essay better. Or were you just a passerby?

By helping her to breathe, I learned that I helped her survive.

That part is redundant. Just state that you were the hero. Sounds better than you learned that you were the hero. :)

Overall, I think this short answer is nicely written and well structured. It's not the most flamboyant or beautiful piece I've read, but it definitely gets the job done. :) You've included a specific example and used it to develop the main idea, that you want to help others and save lives.
freezard7734   
Aug 18, 2010
Book Reports / Huckleberry Finn Symbolism Essay [7]

Could you first tell us what the inverse triangle method is? I'm curious now :]

I think the best way to go about this task is to determine your main idea. Usually, it would be a theme of the book. For Huck Finn, one theme can be "society and its standards constrains one's freedom." Then you would search for symbols; you would use the interpretations of the symbols to support your thesis. For example, you could say that the Mississippi River represents freedom for both Huck and Jim; Huck can live his life freely with nature and Jim can escape the treacheries of slavery. For me, this is the sure way to go :]

Good luck!
freezard7734   
Aug 19, 2010
Undergraduate / intellectual challenges - Stanford-intelellectually engaging activity [17]

No. By pure math, I meant the math where you assume the world is perfect. When you start getting into the knitty-gritty details of the environment, you would use "applied" math, where you apply the pure concepts to the real world, and statistics. Like geometry is considered a pure branch of math, but you can expand on that to accommodate the structure of spaceships and buildings, etc.
freezard7734   
Aug 19, 2010
Undergraduate / An obstinate learner, Personal quality/Experience that is important to you. [9]

Thanks a lot for the advice!

2009 was the first year I lead led a team of four of my...

Woops! Mistake on my part :]

I myself love

I wanted the myself in there in order to show the contrast. Before, I said I didn't like teachers, but right after, I said that I love teaching. I wanted to emphasize this contrast. :]
freezard7734   
Aug 19, 2010
Undergraduate / committed to achieving success / my family: MY FIRST UCF COLLEGE ESSAY [5]

Ever since I was little we moved around quite a bit. I have lived in eight houses in two different states and attended seven schools in my sixteen years.

Sounds like me :]

One thing you can definitely work on is adding specific experiences and relating to them. Think up of a main idea - how did your family influence you? Give a specific example and relate it to your thesis.

Just a question, are these short answers or full essays?
freezard7734   
Aug 19, 2010
Book Reports / Huckleberry Finn Symbolism Essay [7]

One problem I see here is that you are pretty much saying the same thing throughout the paragraph.
For me, I would make the "general statement" the theme of the essay. What is the main idea of your essay? Surely, it is not just "Huck Finn has many symbols." Try to find a thesis that will utilize these symbols to substantiate itself. Surely, there is more than one theme in Huck Finn besides the one I mentioned above. If you are really stuck, take a look at Sparknotes. (Don't be afraid to use it. Even though many teachers disapprove of the website, I think it is extremely useful, although by no means comprehensive.)
freezard7734   
Aug 19, 2010
Undergraduate / committed to achieving success / my family: MY FIRST UCF COLLEGE ESSAY [5]

Oh I see. For 2), definitely try following the advice I gave above.

For 3, try to do the same. Be specific. What about UCF distinguishes it from others in your eyes. Don't plainly say, "it is beautiful." Try to look into the programs they offer. What do you want to major in? How will UCF help you achieve your future goals? Try to answer these questions specifically, and you should be fine.

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