Undergraduate / "Why a pinecone?" - Best piece of advice you've ever received, and why? Brown [2]

First, I would like to say that this is an elaboration of something that is mentioned in my common app. I will provide the paragraph:As I pick up the last couple of pieces that sit on my floor, I come across a pinecone. At first, this might seem bizarre but to me, it makes sense. This pinecone was given to me to represent the simple idea that one can find uniqueness in the most uncommon of places. A pinecone, at first glance, is a simple, ordinary, natural object. Looking deeper into its layers though, I see its beauty, grace, strength and marvel at its ability to provide the seed for new life.

Now, I need to make sure my essay makes sense! Also do you think the first part of the essay works? I know it's different. I appreciate the help!! I will comment back! Also, the word count is 532 and needs to be 500! Any trimming?!

Now, in December, a person could spot four pinecones in my room:

#1-the proprietor to my pinecone "ideology." Location found: backyard, Chicago, IL. Date found: Early July.

#2-a surprise waiting in my room. Location found: unknown. Date found: first day of August.

#3-a gift from my aunt as an anecdote to my belief. Location found: top of Oldrag mountain, Washington, VA. Date found: Thanksgiving.

#4-a lonely, juvenile pinecone found while buying a Christmas tree. Location found: Chicago, IL. Date found: Mid-December.

To those who do not understand my obsession with pinecones, it's a difficult idea to explain. Usually, when I try, my friends chuckle. Do not get me wrong, if they were not in my position at the time this whole pinecone idea came about, I would probably be chuckling too. Yet, I don't. I just let it roll off my shoulders and realize that although I may be the only one to understand, it is still the most tangible, real, live, 3-dimensional, piece of advice I've ever been given.

It was the first week in July. I sat at home, around the dinner table, just my parents and me. For the past three-weeks, I was an only child, a feeling I am extremely unfamiliar with. Aside from those rare weeks, I am the oldest of three. I have two younger sisters and to them, the college process is unmarked territory-a system they think they understand, but truly do not. Without them at the dinner table, the college conversation seemed inevitable. I stared down at my plate and waited.

"Zoe, have you thought about when you're going to start your applications?"

There it was, the question I had dreaded. I felt as if I was being probed. I understood that parents were allowed to be concerned and involved, but it was summer and I had weeks until I had to truly worry about the applications, and my energy was more focused on my excitement for the upcoming three-weeks where I would be taking a psychology course at Brown as a part of the "Summer@Brown" program.

I did not want to completely ignore the question and just as I was about to answer I was interrupted.

"I think what you need to do is focus on your time at Brown," my dad began to say, "if you have time, to take away from your studies there, find a calming place and just start writing. For example, you could find yourself sitting on the green and right next to you is a pinecone, just start writing about that pinecone..."

I wrinkled my brow. A pinceone?

"Why a pinecone? Well, it is the first thing that popped to mind, but consequently it is an object that many people do not acknowledge. See, if you look closely at a pinecone it is something truly amazing: it's made up of a number of layers, all of which can lead to a deeper meaning."

At first the idea sounded extremely bizarre, and I couldn't help but chuckle. I figured that my dad's imagination wandered into unreached galaxies because he is a photographer therefore, looking deeper into something was part of the job.

Undergraduate / (unique compared to other universities) + (study psychology) Why Brown? [NEW]

Please, take a look! I will write back on yours!

1) 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?

To me, Brown has always been the place I would dream about attending. From the moment I understood that a person's education went beyond the years spent in elementary, middle, and high school, I knew I always wanted to attend Brown University and I have to admit, I was that 1st grader that used to say, "I want to go to Brown because my mom went there!" Back then, nearly ten years ago, I knew nothing about what makes Brown unique compared to other universities, yet as I have matured, I now understand.

The open curriculum at Brown provides students with the opportunity to dictate their educational experience and as Brown places responsibility in their students to pursue unfamiliar corners of the academic world, the open curriculum should also be viewed as a privilege. Personally, if I were to attend Brown, I would make full use of such a curriculum by further pursuing my studies in academic areas that interest me, as well as diving into unknown land.

My mom graduated with the class of 1985 and I hope to graduate with the class of 2015. Among the academic privileges that Brown offers their students, it would be a life long privilege to attend Brown University. This is simply because I want to experience what my mom calls, "the best four years of her life." Right now, I could not truthfully answer why they were the best years of her life, and possibly mine, but if I had to guess it stems from a couple of places: living in providence, learning among students from all corners of the nation and world, and the opportunity that Brown provides their students to grow as individuals.

2) Why are you drawn to the academic fields you indicated in the Anticipated Degree and Academic Interest questions above?

On a Saturday afternoon, in May 2010, I sat hunched over my desk working on the French homework that was due on Monday. At that time, my room was silent, and I focused on the words of "Le Petit Prince," by Saint-Exupery.

My concentration was broken, though, by The Police's "So Lonely," which was my ringtone. A close friend was calling, though I didn't know exactly what it was for, I presumed it was just to talk. We did that a lot.

This wasn't the only person that called me just to talk, I "just tall" with a lot of friends. I have developed into a good listener and am usually sought out for advice. In some cases, teenagers might runaway from such a position, yet I burst into a full out sprint towards the position. I was intrigued and absorbed by the patience it takes for someone to listen and the challenge of interpreting a person's feelings, perspective or opinion.

I knew I needed to know more, so I decided to take a three-week, pre-college psychology course titled, "So You Want to be a Counselor?" at Brown with Dr. Nadine Mastroleo. Prior to this experience, I had never been exposed or studied psychology in an academic environment and was immediately captivated by the many paths a psychology degree opens up to and the possible research opportunities that could be explored in the future.

To study as an undergraduate at Brown, specifically psychology, would allow me to not only grow as an individual, but as an academic. Brown's educational philosophy allows students to hone already understood academic interests and the opportunity to uncover and explore newly found interests.

Undergraduate / "it fosters a close, cohesive community" - Why Bates? [3]

"You would really like Bates, Zoe," said a friend of mine. Although, I knew he, himself, was not applying to Bates, his tone of voice persuaded me to further inform myself on what makes Bates so enjoyable. After logging onto Bates' website, I was mesmerized-hooked, so much so that I began to think I was slightly obsessed. I always found myself clicking through the month's photo gallery to experience and understand the unique qualities that creates the Bates community. I found myself entranced by pictures of students jumping into the campus' pond during mid January, students cheering on sports teams, and classroom photos that captured the academic curiosity the reverberates among the student body. This viral experience wasn't enough. I needed to hear about Bates from a student's perspective...

On November 5th, 2010, a Bates representative who coincidently was a Parker alumni, answered "Why Bates?" At the end of the meeting, I had covered an entire 8.5x11" piece of paper with thoughts that I believe make Bates the perfect place to spend the next four years of my academic journey. I wrote down blurbs such as, "close community," "students aren't afraid to branch out," "COLLABORATIVE," "emphasis on writing...senior thesis," "small school→10:1 ratio," "outing-club...very fun!" "Athletic environment: support your friends/peers," "puddle jump during winter carnival," "harvest dinner," and "40 different kinds of cereal," when I heard this, I swear my eyeballs popped right out my head. Cereal is my guilty pleasure, my weakness. At some point in the day, whether it is 12:26am or 12:26pm, I take ten minutes to sit down and enjoy a bowl of cereal. So, why do I want to attend Bates? I want to attend Bates because it fosters a close, cohesive community where students learn from the academic curiosity of their peers and long lasting traditions, while simultaneously providing students with the means to nourish a cereal addiction.

Will look at yours, I PROMISE!