Undergraduate / The lavish malls, the trees, and the heart of culture--Rice Perspective Supplement [3]

Please let me know if this is a correct response to the prompt! Or do I have to change so it focuses more on what I will do at Rice...Any criticism is welcome..thank you

A. The quality of Rice's academic life and the Residential College System are heavily influenced by the unique life experiences and cultural traditions each student brings. What perspective do you feel that you will contribute to life at Rice? (Most applicants are able to respond successfully in two to three double-spaced pages.)

The lavish malls, the tallest building in the world and the man-made islands on the sea-Dubai-this is where I live now. The evergreen trees, the stable environment and the friendly community- Central New Jersey- this is where I lived before. The heart of culture, the crazy roads and the birthplace of flavor-India-this is where I was born.

Living in Dubai now, I realize the woman I want to be. Sitting in the mall, I see maids carrying and chasing after children while the parents walk ahead. I see women who leave their children in the care of their maids so much so the child is practically raised by them. I realize that I'd never want to be that kind of mother. In the same city, I see the first Emirati woman to have reached the North Pole and another is the first to become a pilot. I realize that even in this developing nation, women empowerment is possible. My goal as a woman is defined by the observations I've made here-I want to become an educated woman who not only achieves great things but is also an involved mother.

I think back to when I was younger and I notice how my father inspired me. My family and I lived in Central New Jersey where I remember my dad waking up early every morning to take the train to New York for work. I wouldn't see him again until late at night leaving me with little time to interact with him. As I look back now, I realize hard work he put in as a father to support us. He even moved alone to a completely different continent only to be able to provide us with a better life. Eventually we moved to be with him, and I still see his unwavering effort. I hope to be just as hardworking and inspiring to my family as my father is to me.

When I visit my birthplace, India, during summer breaks, I see the value of education. I visit my great-aunt's house and I see her daughter-in-law struggling to provide the proper education for her autistic son. She never made it past the 11th grade and consequently doesn't have the schooling to find work. But then I also see my own mother, born in the same town and family, but in much more fortunate conditions. I see how education has helped her become a strong independent woman and given her opportunities her cousin's wife didn't have. I know that my university education will provide me with opportunities that I hope will enable me to become a role model for my family and my nation.

During my community service trip to Tanzania this summer I came to truly understand the importance of gratefulness. I worked with a group of soon-to-be-seniors that came from Nice, Helsinki and Dubai to paint and build foundations of schools. While working at the school sites, the local children were amazed with the gloves we used and the sneakers we wore. To us, these items are of no significance, but when we gave them out to the children I realized that to them gloves and sneakers were objects to treasure. When we passed out pencils children crowded around me in hopes of being one of the lucky kids to receive one. I thought of the countless pencils that lay all over my house unsharpened and uncared for-that was the true moment when the idea to 'never take anything for granted' was imprinted within me. I hope that in my future I will continue to be thankful and humble.

I compare the lifestyles I see around me with my own. Some are characterized by struggling to make ends meet while some are the picture of luxury. I realize to be grateful for the opportunities I have. I see my family members, their accomplishments, weaknesses and characteristics and I realize the importance of perseverance, education and my parent's hard work. As I further pursue my education I hope to incorporate this recent awareness in all my actions- incorporate it to make me a better student, person and global citizen.

Undergraduate / "Summer 2008: the massive AP English project" - Brown Supplement Long Essay [2]

Please tell me if I accurately anwser the prompt and elaborated enough on how the book relates to me!
Feel free to correct any grammatical or diction errors, any criticism is welcome..

A.Tell us about an intellectual experience, project, class, or book that has influenced or inspired you.

In the summer of 2008 there was only one thing on my mind-the massive AP English project I had to complete before junior year began. I had to choose, read and complete a rhetorical analysis on one book from a list of autobiographies. Looking at the list, only title held a fraction of my interest: The Autobiography of Malcolm X.

I read the beginning of the book as a chore-tediously searching for details and not focusing much on Malcolm's X childhood story. However, the events, the struggle, and his thoughts soon caught my attention. Around page 100, I was reading not for the project, but for myself. The analyzing was left for after I had finished reading the book for my own enjoyment.

The Autobiography of Malcolm X is one of the few non-fictional pieces I enjoyed and learned from. Reading about his encounters with drugs and his experiences as a criminal really staggered me. We had studied Malcolm X and his role in African American rights movement but we never studied what he went through to get where he reached. The hardships he faced made those I faced seem so petty. After reading, I learned to be more grateful for the opportunities I'd been given and the life I had. A surprising change that followed the completion of the book was whenever I felt that all the effort I put into my work and achieving my goals may not have been worth it, I would remember Malcolm X's success. I would remember that his success was the result of his perseverance despite his strife and those thoughts and feelings would leave my mind because I learned that no matter what you do, the effort is always worth the outcome.

One aspect of the book that really stood out to me more than others was Malcolm X's racism transformation. For a major part of his life he believed 'the white man is the devil', however during the Hajj pilgrimage he realized the true equality of all human beings. His epiphany which occurred when he saw 'blue-eyed blondes to black skinned Africans' pilgrims all present for the same purpose made me have an epiphany of my own. I was in no place to judge anyone. I was reminded of the vast number of people that come from different cultures and religions and yet are all equal. When I met new people I made sure not to pass quick judgments, rather I tried to get to know the person and understand them better. The book also taught me the value of non-fiction and inspired me to seek out Barack Obama's Dreams from My Father.

The Autobiography of Malcolm X is not on my list of 'Top 5 Favorite Books'; that list is reserved for Harry Potter, The Inheritance Cycle and Lord of the Rings. However it's number one on the list of 'Top 5 Books That Have Changed Me, Made Me Think and Influenced My Future Actions'.

Thank you so much! I really appreciate it :D

Undergraduate / Each Ivy League is unique + To love math - Brown Supplemental Short Answers [5]

Please tell me what you think! Be brutal if necessary :)

>>Please tell us more about your interest in Brown: Why does Brown appeal to you as a college option? Who or what has influenced your decision to apply?

In ninth grade I had told one of my senior friends that I would apply to every Ivy League university in the United States. She looked at me like I was crazy, but I wasn't fazed. When I began narrowing down my list of college choices in my junior year I finally understood why I had received that reaction. Each Ivy League is unique and is suited for certain types of people. At Brown I will be able to fully explore my interests and strengthen my education. With its many clubs that range from ethnic to recreational, I know I will be able to find somewhere I can actively take part in. Additionally, Brown's well-equipped research facilities will allow me to experience learning in a way I never have had the chance to before. Brown University is also one of the few universities that has the combination of having my anticipated major, being located close to home and offers good financial aid. I have found that of the eight Ivy Leagues, Brown University is the one that I am the most suited for.

>>Why are you drawn to the academic fields you indicated in the Anticipated Degree and Academic Interest questions above? (BSc in Engineering)

When I was little my mother had always encouraged me to love math, but in high school I discovered my true passion for the sciences. I have realized though, the interest for math that my mother planted in me never went away; rather it has been combined with my penchant for science. Today, I thoroughly enjoy working calculus problems while still puzzling over the amount of energy released from a broken covalent bond. By pursuing a degree in the field of engineering I will be able to study material that combines my two passions of math and science. As someone who is always questioning and wondering about the theories that govern life, the material covered in engineering degree or a neuroscience degree will never fail to hold my interest.

Thank You!!