Undergraduate / "Chinese students' lives" + "Math & Stats" - what I can contribute/my academic goals [3]

I was made fun of without my understanding
...the ridiculous haircut my mother cut for me
Now all I have to do is become a rock star, get a gang of paparazzi on me, and my life will be complete (I'm only joking). the reader can tell you're only joking.

Now it's at the point where I may be frustrated with family or friends

I've only read your first essay, and I think it deviates a bit from the prompt. You should develop the last paragraph more because the college wants to know HOW your experiences have made you who you are and WHAT you can contribute to the college because of those experiences.

You did well telling your life in China and your transition to the States, now you just have to finish by stating how those experiences have enriched and bettered you as a person.

Good luck!
ps. I relate, because I was also born in China and moved here when I was 8.

Undergraduate / "Working with the kids was like a healing" - personal quality, talent, ac [3]

These sentences are really long and run-on. I made changes, but they can be fixed in a variety of ways.
This all changed one day, as a cal works job workshop letter came in the mail. K nowing that I would have nothing to do for the summer, I signed up. I thought I would just be earning money; I never realized I would be personally changed forever.

I received a position to be a teacher's assistant at Hawkins Thompson child development center. T he day before as I was thinking about it, I realized I didn't even really want the money. I was hoping that by being forced to be around a lot of people I would come out of my shyness, if only a little bit.

Working with the kids was like a healing, being around them made me realize that I could be the confident person I always wanted, the girl who would walk outside and be ready to take on the world instead of hiding from it.

Very good story, overall.
Just watch your overuse of commas.

Undergraduate / "Mountain Vista Governor's School" significant experience and its impact on you: MVGS [5]

I think you're very good at getting across the information you want to get across in this essay. However, your execution could be made better.

First, you should consider a more engaging intro. While explaining what MVGS is is important, you might not want to open up your essay with that. I would describe vividly an experience of building towers or catapults instead. Then I would begin to offer only the most necessary information about the school.

Second, your big body paragraph becomes redundant in the end. You constantly use the same sentence structure of listing things. I realize you have lots of examples to give, but your ultimate point is that you not only learn in a traditional style inside the classroom, but you are also given the chance to apply what you learne to real-world situations. If you clearly state that, and then give only a few of the best examples, you should be good. Also, I feel like a concluding sentence for this paragraph would make it better also.

Grammar, Usage / Sample of combining sentences; Need advice. [14]

According to Merriam-Webster, the combined form of these words-textbook and workplace-is the correct form.

Undergraduate / "a recipe for success" - Why Duke? [7]

thank you guys so much for the feedback!
here's a new version:
let me know if you think it's better?

Maybe it is the sight of a majestic ivory tower against a sapphire blue sky. Maybe it is the combination of global connection and community service that DukeEngage has embraced. Maybe it is the thought of sitting among hundreds of Blue Devils fans all cheering for the men's basketball team as it takes another National Championship title. For me, no other college possesses such a uniquely successful combination of academics, global awareness, school pride, and opportune locale.

Duke University is more than the sum of its parts. Prestigious institutions with world-renowned professors, bright and driven students, and internship and study-abroad opportunities exist all over the country. However, just as one's genetic makeup depends on the order and number of nucleotides, the unique combination of all of Duke's enticing qualities is what distinguishes it from every other college for me. Duke has well-respected professors lecturing inside classrooms on a multitude of topics. Offering 25 foreign languages and a political science program that concentrates on public law, public policy, comparative politics, international relations, and political theory, I am confident that Duke has the necessary courses and instructors I need to gain a strong understanding of this field of study. However, Duke also provides the application of such knowledge through DukeEngage, internships, and study-abroad programs. With global outreach to many communities all of the world, I can solidify my textbook knowledge and gain more worldly experiences and cultures to help me pursue my dream of becoming the U.S. Secretary of State. Yet the advantageous of going to Duke does not stop there. Every day I will come into contact with ambitious learner who will push me to my fullest potentials. Not only so, I will also be surrounded by genuinely supportive students with a fierce sense of school pride and community. This way, my college journey will not be defined solely by lectures, tests, or even civic engagement programs abroad. I can experience a balanced academic and social life so as to achieve a truly rewarding four-year adventure. At this point in life, every little decision I make will define a little more of my future, and I will be perfectly happy limiting the next four years of my life at Duke University.