Undergraduate / "Hist heart and chest" - UVA- Describe your Favourite Place [3]

"Describe your favourite place to get lost." I don't know if I have answered the prompt properly, I tried to take a different approach. Help would be greatly appreciated

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And as I rested my head while I uncontrollably sobbed, I longed for a reason for my addiction to him. It had to be his smile, slightly crooked yet always ready, that lured me in. Or it was his eyes, jet-black yet insightful, that held the indefinite power over me. Yet as I began to catch my breath, I realized that it was not in fact his enticing smile or eyes that I had grown dependence for; it was his chest. It was indeed his chest that held the key to my most sacred escape- his heart. Its sweet, repetitive melody had the ability to turn my stubborn sorrows into dew, serving as the only remedy for my grief. As soon as I would lay down my head on the pulsing surface, I was taken into an alternate world: a hushed world of affection and care. Like a baby, I would be put into the oblivion as soon as I arrived at my sanctuary, while the quiet beat of his heart would play my favorite lullaby. His chest, like the sunrise, was the first sight I would see when I would wake. His chest would make the birds in my stomach sing, and the flowers in my own heart bloom.

This was why I longed for him. Not for his eyes, or smile. It was inevitably for his chest, his heart. It was for the fact that he held the key to my most needed getaway- my very own utopia. And while I finally picked up the pieces and forced myself to stop sobbing, a whimper escaped from my lips. My haven was gone, spiritually and physically.

Undergraduate / "the awareness concerning prosthetics" - UVA Supplement- Engineering [4]

I have no idea if this even answers the prompt, and if anyone could give me another word for prosthetic (I think I used it too much), that would be great. It's supposed to be around half a page/250 words and I have 293 words. Help would be greatly appreciated!

Prompt: If you were given a $10,000 budget and the opportunity to build a small team of talented motivated individuals, what would you propose to accomplish?

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In that hospital room, amongst the drab curtains, boring furniture, seeing him on the bed- this was my epiphany. This was what I felt the need to prevent; this was my future. It took a fragile man who lost one arm, a cold January evening, and a street in Downtown Toronto for me to realize the increasing problems in current prosthetics.

Prosthetics have been used as augments of the body for over a century. From prosthetic arms to prosthetic eyes, humans have been able to replace the most vital parts of themselves. However, amputees still experience great difficulties with the prosthetics they use. These artificial body parts can be very heavy in weight and inefficient, lowering an amputee's ability to perform simple daily tasks.

Electroactive polymers, the substances that create artificial muscle, are polymers that have the ability to change in size and shape depending on the stimulation of an electrical field. These polymers are fairly light weight when considering their exceptional strength, since they can in fact withstand great amounts of force. With the use of ionic electroactive polymers, the artificial arm will be able to be almost as strong, if not as strong, as an actual human arm, without any excess baggage.

Though various scientists have previously researched the use of artificial muscle polymers to create a replication of the human arm, this concept has not come into affect. A plausible reason for this lack of progress is need of funding for projects concerning prosthetics. Amputees face many complications with their current prosthetics body supplements, and cannot function like average people. This is a growing problem in our society, and when I first met the man that cold January evening, I did not foresee the awareness I would grow concerning prosthetics.

Undergraduate / "Next Stop: Dawes Road" Topic of your choice- Common Application [3]

Any editing is welcome, thanks guys!
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I sat alone on the public bus, waiting patiently for my stop. "Next Stop: Dawes Road," the bus driver called on the intercom. Passengers rushed towards the revolving doors, pushing passed each other as if oblivious to all surroundings. I could not help but look up and smile. Before I had moved, I had always been the last person on the bus. I looked out the window, observing the beauty of one of the first places I called home.

Growing up on Dawes Road, I had always felt like an outcast. Moving from New Jersey to Toronto at such a young age, I was not accustomed to the new environment I faced. My first day of school was a day I dreaded. The children looked at me with confusion, and I felt isolated and abandoned. I remembered being questioned by my peers for memorizing my time tables and my early interest in academics. As other kids play hop scotch and tag, I would spend my recess finding intricate ways to build my next structure. I strived for perfection with every last block, teaching myself ways of creating the most flawless piece, and making my love for design known to all my classmates. Soon, however, their questions became interest, and more and more joined me until friendships grew from my love of creation.

I have not felt isolation since my early elementary years. However, my friends are still amazed by my determination for perfection and knowledge. Of course, for me, I do not find this unusual. What I have always prized about myself is my love of knowledge. The feeling of not knowing was always something I looked at as a challenge. I have realized that regardless of place, time, or situation, this innate quality of mine finds its way to show through. To me, it is not as much the interest in academics as it is the desire for understanding. Moving from place to place since my infant years, I have still been able to use what I learned. Like one of my delicate block constructions, knowledge has become one of my buildable creations, and I am able to use and form it in ways I desire.

As I reminisced on the recollections of childhood, I began to see the parallels between my life and the journey of a bus. Each milestone I passed, each bus stop I paused at, has influenced my life in immeasurable ways. The repetitive melody of each stop, of each accomplishment, has become my only remedy. Though I could never spend too much time at one place, the principles I have learned along the way, the time I spent, and the experiences I have gained are lessons that have and will accompany me through the rest of my journeys. The love and fidelity towards creation and knowledge I had found during my first stop of life led me to my next stop, attending the T.O.P.S Program in Marc Garneau Collegiate. Though I could not dwell at this stop for long either, the developed interest has followed me to my current stop at Absegami High School.

As I thought this, the intercom spoke again: "Next Stop: Conlins Road." It was my turn to push through the revolving doors. However, no longer were their faces around me, because I was always the last person on the bus. I was able to gain something from every ride, and I smiled to myself as I began to descend down the steps. I looked back at the bus, observing the beauty of one of the only places that truly represent who I am.

Undergraduate / "From Toronto to NJ, I established my place in society" - Rutgers Essay [6]

Prompt: Rutgers University is a vibrant community of people with a wide variety of backgrounds and experiences. How would you benefit from and contribute to such an environment? Consider variables such as your talents, travels, leadership activities, volunteer services, and cultural experiences. Only personal essays submitted via our website will be considered.

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Holding hackneyed hats in front of themselves as they performed, entertainers filled the busy sidewalks. Happily, women in navy blue suits placed change into their hats as they descended from the streetcar. A young man with headphones dangling from his ears shuffled through the women, laptop in one hand and iPod in the other. Teenagers wearing grey and green uniforms with crests imprinted on the breast pockets of their vests all walked in unison towards a sign reading "Rosedale School of Arts." The thick smell of Oriental cuisine hung in the air, and bright yellow script in Mandarin could be spotted across the busy street. A simple turn exposed a whole new world, with men in bright costumes dancing passionately to South Asian music. The location was unmistakable- it was Toronto.

It is no secret that I love Toronto. It is the true definition of a global community- a haven for the poor and the rich, a school for the learning and the experienced. With an environment so rich in diversity, so accepting to other cultures and races, I looked at Toronto as my own utopia. However, as welcoming as it was, it was always a struggle for me to find my own place in such a distinct atmosphere. I felt like a foreigner, gaping at the magnificence of Toronto without making any contributions of my own. Throughout my childhood, I yearned for ways to find my own genuine culture and place in Toronto.

The only approach I knew involved learning about my background and roots. However, simply hearing stories from my parents was not adequate because I failed to understand the meanings. I began to reach into my community and friends, many of whom shared the same origins as my parents, Bangladesh. Through music and...

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