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Posts by silentspring [Suspended]
Joined: Dec 24, 2011
Last Post: Jan 7, 2012
Threads: 12
Posts: 58  
From: United States of America

Displayed posts: 70 / page 1 of 2
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silentspring   
Jan 7, 2012
Undergraduate / 'the Grand Prix at Prospect Park' - extracurricular activity [4]

Prompt: write about an extracurricular activity that has been especially meaningful to you (Eg. b/c of personal growth, ability to assume responsibility)
Please edit and help expand

Before the start of the Grand Prix at Prospect Park, my coach asked me, "what's your goal for this race?"
"To get another medal." I replied.

At 4:30, a hundred and fifty runners held their breath and awaited the pistol. With a bang, the silence broke and the I leaped forward. Suddenly, someone behind ran into me and the back of my spike came off. I stopped running and bent down. Using my right hand, I pulled the back of my spike. But because of the tightness of my spike, my right hand failed to pull it back on. Seeing the horde of runners disappearing from my horizon, adrenaline gushed through my blood and sent my heart rumbling. "It is impossible for me to get a medal now." I mumbled under my rapid breath. Finally, using both hands, I pulled my spike the back of my spike back on. To catch up to the major horde of runners, I sprinted for over fifteen seconds.

By the time I caught back up, my legs and arms were feeling heavy and tight. "You can't slow down" I said to myself.

At the end of the first third of the course, an official standing in the grass field shouted out that I was twenty-fifth. "All right, just pass ten more people and you will get your medal." I told myself. Using the hills as my advantage, I accelerated up the hill and ran down without holding back. One by one, by the second half of the course, I was twentieth. "Just five more people" I told myself again.

At the moment, I could see four runners about two hundred meters ahead of me. Locking my eye on their back, I took deeper breaths and steadily increased my speed. Gradually, I caught up to the four runners who were running in packs. Noticing that I had just outran them, they sped up, trying to regain their position. Though I was struggled to suck air through my prickling throat, I ran faster in order to raze their moral.

After leaving those four runners before me. Slowly, I caught up to the 15th runner. However, we were in a stalemate; whenever I tried to pass him, he sprinted. A few minutes later, we were at the turn of a tree. There, I heard people yelling and cheering for him. "Don't let him pass you! William" One of them screamed.

The thundering cheer made him run faster. To keep up with him, I pretended as if the people were cheering for me.

Only eight hundred-meter left. I could do this! For the first time, I ran pass him. But he was hounding me. After I endured the lead for another four hundred meters, the voice that I had been suppressing revived and told me to give up and submit to pain. No, I am almost there. Just four hundred-meters. If I give up at this point. All my hardwork will be for nothing. While I was wandering in my mind, the sound of the my opponent's breath, the landing of his spike grew louder and louder.

"Ahhhhhhhh" I yelled out. I swung my arms and bit my teeth. The world seemed at suspense and I only found myself. With one thought in mind, I sprinted all the way to the finish line and grabbed the last medal.

While I was putting my hands on their knees and gasping for air. I was proud that I had proved to myself that I can accomplish my goal through small steps and determination. I hold dear to this experience because it will guide me through the future obstacles that lay ahead of my life.
silentspring   
Jan 1, 2012
Undergraduate / (Why NYU?) - City in a snow globe [6]

I really like your bin idea. It is very focused and I can't really pick out many grammar errors.

Thus, it has inspired me to apply here. you can delete this

the last sentence " With NYC as my classroom, my language books as the goals I wish to become fluent in and NYU as my dream bin-which holds my future, I hope I can turn my dreams into a reality." is kind of long. Consider breaking it up. That's all

Can you please tell me if this is grammatically correct? "I regretted knowing Union so late in my senior year, but in the meantime I am thankful for my chance knowing about it."
silentspring   
Jan 1, 2012
Undergraduate / 'world-class professors' - Skidmore Supplement [NEW]

In brief, why do you feel that Skidmore is a good match for your academic and personal goals?

Skidmore has long been known for its world-class professors. Going to Skidmore is the best way for me and learn from the best. With its small class size, I am sure I will get the personalized attention I need. By integrating the humanities and social sciences, Skidmore's interdisciplinary approach will not only give me the opportunity to explore the application of different ideas, but also lead me to examine the world through different lenses.

I long go to Skidmore where students also accept and respect the differences. Skidmore is a the cultural melting pot, a school that I feel the sense of home and community.

Skidmore College is committed to creating and supporting a diverse and inclusive community. Please share a personal experience from which you gained a greater understanding of the value of diversity OR describe what you are seeking in a diverse campus community.

In Skidmore's diverse campus, I look forward to immerse myself in a pool of different cultures to learn from others. The world is of myriad differences, By learning how to communicate and connect with people of other cultures, I will be able to access to endless opportunities and become a citizen of the world.

Growing up in rural China, I had witnessed how the much the locals depend on nature to survive and how much hard work they invest into a single crop. But due to global warming and pollution, they don't always harvest what they invest. At Skidmore, I hope to establish an organization to introduce my rural Chinese culture to the different groups and ask them to help protect the environment.

Please share an example of an instance when you feel creative thought really did matter. (Feel free to draw upon history or your on experience.)

It was mid-autumn and I was ten. At the bottom of a hill, my five-year old sister was gazing at the dozen of kites that were sailing in the blue sky.

"I want a kite." My sister grumbled.
"I don't know how to make one." I said to her.
"Ahhhh." Then she started crying. Suddenly, a horde of dragonflies whirled in the air and I was enlightened.
Using a net, I caught a dragonfly and tied a thin string around its tail. Holding the string, my sister ran in circles and her mirth echoed in my ears.

Do I answer the prompt. Please edit my work!!!
silentspring   
Jan 1, 2012
Undergraduate / MIT short essays: challenge and attribute [6]

Just let you know that MIT likes students to show and not tell. Hope that helps.
Try to think of some anecdotes and incorporate into your essays
silentspring   
Dec 31, 2011
Writing Feedback / 'biggest reward in the class was dissection' - favorite class and why [6]

'dissection just fascinates me; anatomy class' - favorite class and why?

What's your favorite class and why?

As the cow's eye was sitting still on the plate, the scapular was firm in my hand. After I trimmed off its fatty tissue, I raised the scapular and poked it into the cornea. But it did not yield easily and so I poked harder. In a flash, the black intraocular fluid gushed out of the wound and splashed onto my face. I wiped off the fluid on my sleeve and resumed my search for the lens.

Even though it may sound repulsive, dissection just fascinates me. When I dissect, I just can't suppress my excitement to explore the logics and intricacies of life.

Even though my Anatomy class involves copious amount of memorization and note taking, it is never boring. Our teacher, Ms. Key, made the class intriguing by linking her stories to the content she was teaching. When we were studying about bones, she told us that it took her tibia more than three years to grow back into its regular shape after she fractured it during a Cross Country race. As I was listening to her fascinating story, I effortlessly learned that bone regeneration is a long and slow process. The interesting facts I can learn in the class seemed innumerable. In the endocrine unit, I was surprised to learn that cold sores never goes away and that it can be spread through kissing on the lips.

At the end of each unit, Ms. Key would list the symptoms of a patient and ask us to diagnose the disease. During such occasions, I would have to piece the clues and relate to what I had learned in order to solve the puzzle. This not only helped me develop my analytical skills, but also provided me the opportunity to apply the knowledge I learned to real-life scenarios.
silentspring   
Dec 31, 2011
Undergraduate / 'Basketball and learning Arabic' - The last two summers - Princeton [5]

There is a lot of potential in your essay.
It will be stronger if you start out with what happened because college admission people read thousands of these; and I believe everyone starts out their essay by writing his/her insights.

Start out with "what happened" and try to incorporate some descriptive anecdotes because people are hardwired for stories. Hope this helps.
silentspring   
Dec 31, 2011
Undergraduate / 'the contemporary world through different lenses' - Why Columbia [6]

Last winter, I took the 1 train and stopped at 116th Street. Following the crowd of young people, I paced a few steps and arrived at the entrance to Columbia. I froze at there, doubting Columbia's proximity to the subway station and its connection to the city of myriad opportunities.

While I was walking into the campus, I stopped by a young man who is walking in the opposite direction and asked him how to get to the Low Memorial Library.

"Are you visiting the school?" He asked.
"Yes."
"Every building is covered in snow now. I have some time, I will just walk you there." At that instant, I knew Columbia is filled with compassionate people and I wanted to be part of that community.

As I was walking around Columbia, the tour guide introduced the Core Curriculum and I became more obsessed with Columbia. For me, having intellectual discussions with my peers is the most effective way to fortify and extend my understanding of a subject. Yet, in my high school, many of my peers take different classes than me and I often had difficulty finding someone to discuss the subjects I am learning. Whereas at Columbia, students share a strong intellectual connection that they can spark an intellectual discussion with any others in the school. By exposing students to explore topics ranging from archaic literature to music to modern science, the Core will not only give me the opportunity to explore the application of different ideas, but also the knowledge to examine the contemporary world through different lenses.

How can I make the ending stronger.
Any edits?
silentspring   
Dec 31, 2011
Undergraduate / The Road book - Columbia essay (write about a book that is meaningful) [18]

The book intrigues me not only because of our close connection, but also because of its unconventional writing.

The book not only intrigues me because our close connection, but because of its unconventional writing.

which one is better? anyone else please help.
silentspring   
Dec 30, 2011
Undergraduate / 'Talented students / Science work / Study growth' - GWU+ honor Supplements [5]

I think the second one is really strong, no exaggeration.

I used to always believe that medical advancements were the key to a better future. change were to are
" should not have ever occurred." to "should have never occurred"

Can you take a look at my revised one?
silentspring   
Dec 30, 2011
Undergraduate / Lets have a momentary leave from reality- Stanford commonapp [8]

theres -- there is

The sense of no worries and relaxation, is what drew me in to making this what I do in my spare time.

change to "draws" b/c it is ongoing right?

That's all I can pick out hope that helps.
silentspring   
Dec 30, 2011
Undergraduate / 'the Quark Model' - MIT rec [6]

Advice from MIT, HOPE THIS HELPS

mitadmissions/blogs/entry/show_dont_tell_the_college_ess
silentspring   
Dec 30, 2011
Undergraduate / cut out about 30 words for my college app; 'I wasn't elected to do nothing' [4]

Rephrase
There have been approximately 53 legal murders in the United States since the Roe vs. Wade decision to make abortions legal.

to "Approximately 53 legal murders happened in the United States since the Roe vs. Wade decision to make abortions legal."
Including being able to feel pain. --awk

Women most often have abortions because a baby is inconvenient for them, --- delete most

just for the mother to be happy. delete just
silentspring   
Dec 30, 2011
Undergraduate / Using UC personal statement as common app statement? Order. [7]

What order the college admission read my essays on common app?

What order does the college admission read my essays on the common app?
Short essay on the activity first, then the personal statement, then the supplement?

Thank you!!!
silentspring   
Dec 29, 2011
Faq, Help / Adding a plagiarism filter. [7]

Imminent Question---any thoughts?

Since many of my essays are posted online, I wonder whether colleges will detect my essays as plagiarism?
And what if other people copy mine and turn them into the same college I applied?

Thank You So Much.
silentspring   
Dec 29, 2011
Undergraduate / 'Way to learn / Staten Island / Horrible language' - Tufts Supplements [8]

"how family look out for one another" should be "how family looks out for one another"
Do you prefer YouTube or test tubes,--- very humorous!

I like your tone, it is very serene and smooth.
In some part of the responses (where you have space), try to incorporate some anecdotes. Narrow down a moment. That can make your essay more stand out.
silentspring   
Dec 29, 2011
Undergraduate / The Road book - Columbia essay (write about a book that is meaningful) [18]

The Road, Mc Carthy' --write a book that is meaningful

The meaning of The Road is enriched in Mc Carthy's unconventional writing. By omitting the use of apostrophes and quotation marks, Mc Carthy reflects the post-apocalyptic world where grammar rules are forgotten. Mc Carthy' frequent use of fragments such as "Barren, silent, godless" does not only manifest his spare writing style, but also his intention to provoke reader to read beyond the surface of the text.

The title The Road itself symbolizes the seemingly endless journey of the man and the boy. To the man, survival is meaningless and impossible without the boy. Because of the boy, the man strives to find hope to carry on in the bleak and dying world. Through the portrayal of the man's dedication to protect the boy, McCarthy exemplifies that even in the cruelty of the post-apocalyptic world, the altruism of fatherhood will still exist.

In the book, the man's love for the boy is emotionally shattering. Whenever I read the scenes of the man protecting the boy, my mind automatically reminisces my time with my father: It was six in the morning and the sky was dark. Thick drops of rain poured down from the sky and flooded the road. Though we had two raincoats, one was dilapidated. My father dressed me in the new raincoat and he wore the old one. On the road, as he was driving me in a motorcycle, rain slipped through the creaks of the raincoat and made him shiver. When we arrived at the school, he walked me to the classroom while his clothes were dripping chains of water droplets.

Any comments, edits please, I want to submit it today.
silentspring   
Dec 29, 2011
Undergraduate / Why Northwestern? My first impression [6]

I have been a long advocate of wind power and by attending Northwestern University, I can research on how to improve the technology and use it for clean power around the world.

Put semi colon between "University" and "I can," not comma

"To this day, I can remember the kindness of the Northwestern faculty." delete this b/c you already showed it

Overall, nice essay!!! Good work!!
silentspring   
Dec 29, 2011
Undergraduate / 'Preparation for diploma and the real world' - UVA personal essay [14]

Your essay is great!

All I could pick out is

When I was a little girl my father would treat my family and I to an occasional trip to the greatest place a little girl could dream of.

CHANGE "I" TO "ME"

Hope that helps.

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