Undergraduate / Volunteering: JHU - activities outside of class. [2]

2. A Typical student at Johns Hopkins spends less than 15 hours each week in a classroom, leaving lots of time for volunteer opportunities, clubs and organizations, athletics, social events, and other on- and off-campus activities. Aside from the academic interests you've already expressed, in what activities do you plan to engage as an undergraduate at Johns Hopkins?

Please help me edit my essay!

Practical experience is the best way to apply what you learn in a classroom. Extracurricular activities allow students to become leaders and discover themselves.
Volunteering has always been a big part of my life because my grandfather taught me to always give back to my community. Johns Hopkins presents many great opportunities to volunteer. The great variety of hospitals and facilities on campus would be a great place to volunteer and apply what I will be learning. Also, I would continue my Key Club volunteer work by becoming a member of the Cougar Club, the senior organization. The Homewood Campus and nearby medical campus provide many volunteer opportunities.

Extracurricular activities have always been my outlet away from the stress involved from schoolwork. Basketball helped me discover myself in high school, so I would love to continue playing at the club level. Religion and culture have always been my backbone. Attending and volunteering at the local Gurudwara (Sikh Temple) would become an essential part of my schedule. The Johns Hopkins Bhangra Team would be a great way to stay involved culturally. The Bhangra (Punjabi folk dance) team performs and competes with teams from other schools.

I can only imagine what Johns Hopkins has to offer outside of the classroom. The campus is full of activities and social events. There are many extracurricular activities I could find to like once living on campus.

Undergraduate / "Traveling to India" - experience Common App- question [3]

What question do you think my essay answers? I think it could be either the second to last or the last choice (topic of your choice)?

--Evaluate a significant experience, achievement, risk you have taken, or ethical dilemma you have faced and its impact on you.
--Discuss some issue of personal, local, national, or international concern and its importance to you.
--Indicate a person who has had a significant influence on you, and describe that influence.
--Describe a character in fiction, a historical figure, or a creative work (as in art, music, science, etc.) that has had an influence on you, and explain that influence.

--A range of academic interests, personal perspectives, and life experiences adds much to the educational mix. Given your personal background, describe an experience that illustrates what you would bring to the diversity in a college community, or an encounter that demonstrated the importance of diversity to you.

--Topic of your choice.

Essay

A distraught, four year old child begs for spare change by tapping on my window. The poverty, overcrowding, and horrific conditions that characterize India have played a rather large role in my shaping who I am. The dozen or so visits to India during my life have left many vivid images in my mind.

Traveling to India introduced me to a unique culture and atmosphere. The lifestyle most children experience here in the United States is much more comfortable and free. Everything can be easily accessed and is fairly abundant. Women are free to express themselves and are not over worked. Where as, the children in India are not free to express themselves because of the extremely dependent relationships between them and their parents. Kids lack the many unnecessary, materialistic things we stress over here. Women have to cook and clean, take care of the household, and are held responsible for their children's' actions. Men are free to do with the please and have a laid-back lifestyle. The majority of the population deals with poverty. The poor are forced to do laborious work and still find it hard to even own a house. Beggars roam the streets and live off trash and waste from liter. Pollution and overcrowding are the direct results of open corruption. The harsh realities are unexplainable to those who have not witnessed poverty outside of Europe and North America.

The several visits to India have made a lasting impact on my life. I appreciate and value my mental and physical possessions because I have witnessed how much others lack. I try my best to take advantage of the educational and athletic opportunities provided in the United States. My passion and desire to succeed and achieve my goals results from observing a society with greater limits and control over the actions of children. Respect is one of the most significant characteristics I possess due to my experiences in India. Respecting the environment and the beliefs of others is a large component of who I am. My character and personality have been considerably influenced by my visits to India.

My aspiration to help others is perhaps the most important aspect of my character I attribute to my Indian experience. My ultimate goal is to become a neurosurgeon. Although my goal may not reach out to the vast problems in the world, I believe it will impact many families and make a difference on the smaller scale.

Undergraduate / "The gym; Herndon Basketball" - Expand on extracurricular activity (150 words) [3]

Please briefly elaborate on one of your extracurricular activities or work experiences in the space below (150 words or fewer, 1000 character maximum).

-The gym goes dark as the lights shut off and the crowd roars with excitement, beginning the traditional Herndon applause before the starting line up is introduced. Herndon Basketball is perhaps the most respected athletic program at Herndon High School. The great traditions of the program push the current and future players to keep the tradition alive. The sport is played during the winter, but is in actually almost year round. During the season, we spend around twelve hours a week playing games and practicing. During, the offseason we play in many local leagues, attend open gyms, run a summer camp for younger kids, and attend a summer camp as a team. I have learned a great deal from being apart of such a unique program. Time management, respect, loyalty, and hard work highlight characteristics I have attained from playing basketball at Herndon.

--Should I focus more on me?